Transmigrated into the role of the matriarch, I ensured my family had enough to eat and wear during

"Don't call me 'Big Sister' anymore!" Tang Susu interrupted Tang Chengyu sharply, her tone full of unwavering resolve.

Yang Xiaobao puffed out his cheeks, glared angrily at Tang Chengyu, and shouted in a clear voice, "You're not my cousin anymore! Our family doesn't welcome a mere scholar like you!"

Tang Liqiang stepped forward, blocking Tang Chengyu's path, and waved his fist: "Get out of here! Don't block our way as we pack our things and delay our journey home!"

Yang Gousheng looked at him coldly, his tone calm yet threatening: "If you dawdle any longer, more and more people will gather around. Do you want to become the laughingstock of the entire Chongwen Hall?"

Tang Chengyu subconsciously turned around and saw that many students were curiously watching them, and some were gradually gathering around.

His heart tightened, and he subconsciously took half a step back. Then he bowed slightly, his tone still gentle: "Even if my elder sister doesn't acknowledge me, in my heart, she will always be my elder sister. I'll go back to the school now, and I will personally visit her to apologize another day."

As soon as he finished speaking, he stopped and quickly turned around, striding into Chongwentang Academy.

Along the way, many classmates gathered around, chattering about what had just happened, their words full of sarcasm.

Tang Chengyu, however, remained calm and steady, as if the surrounding noise had nothing to do with him.

Having resolved Tang Chengyu's matter, Tang Susu was planning to take the children out for a bite to eat before heading back.

Just then, a middle-aged man in his thirties walked over, his gaze falling on her, and asked, "Excuse me, are you the one who recently sold cold noodles near Chongwen Hall and was highly praised by the students?"

Tang Susu looked up and sized up the man: his face was thin but angular, his forehead was covered with wrinkles left by years of business, his eyes were deep and contained the calculation and wisdom unique to businessmen, and he wore a well-fitting dark cloth robe, exuding a calm and steady merchant's air.

She smiled and nodded, "That's me. But I'm sorry, we've sold out of jelly noodles for today. If you want some, you can come earlier tomorrow."

"I'm not here to eat the cold noodles," the man waved his hand and said bluntly, "I'm here to talk business. I want to ask if you'd be willing to sell the recipe for these cold noodles?"

Tang Susu had anticipated this; once she became famous in business, it was inevitable that people would come to her seeking her recipe.

She knew all too well that the prescription was her livelihood, and once she sold it, she would completely cut off her future source of income.

So, with a smile still on her face, she said politely but firmly, "I'm sorry, this jelly recipe is a family heirloom. My grandfather specifically instructed me before he passed away that it must be passed down from generation to generation and cannot be sold. Therefore, I cannot agree to your suggestion."

The man looked regretful, leaned forward, and lowered his voice, saying, "Miss, I genuinely see the business potential in traditional Chinese medicine. Just name your price, and as long as it's reasonable, I guarantee you won't lose out."

As he spoke, he held out his palm, indicating a number.

Tang Susu secretly guessed that he was willing to pay five taels of silver.

But then she thought about it again. She could earn nearly one tael of silver a day by selling cold noodles, which would amount to nearly thirty taels a month. Five taels of silver seemed like a lot, but it was far less than the long-term profits from doing business.

She shook her head decisively: "Thank you for your kindness, but the recipe really cannot be sold. Please understand."

The man's face instantly darkened, a hint of threat flashing in his eyes: "Girl, have you thought this through? If you don't agree today, and then regret it and want to sell yourself later, the price won't be what it is now."

"It's not too late to talk about it when the day comes that you regret it," Tang Susu replied calmly, still smiling gently.

Seeing that she was resolute and showed no sign of wavering, the man's hopes were dashed. He snorted coldly and stormed off.

"Mother, that man didn't seem like a good person. Will he cause us trouble later?" Yang Gousheng asked with a worried expression, his brow furrowed.

Tang Liqiang, however, scoffed and waved his fist, saying, "What's there to be afraid of! If he dares to cause trouble, I'll beat him to a pulp!"

Tang Susu's eyes flickered as she thought to herself: her family were small merchants from outside Dongtai Town, with no power or influence, and their strength was far inferior to that of the local restaurants in Jiangtou Town.

Most of the restaurant owners have considerable influence. If they deliberately make things difficult for the restaurant owners because they couldn't buy the recipe, and just find a few people to cause trouble, the consequences would be unimaginable.

For example, spreading rumors that eating jelly can cause poisoning and death will not quell the rumors, even if the innocence is proven, and will inevitably affect business promotion.

After a brief period of worry, Tang Susu quickly adjusted her mindset and began planning to expand her business.

She analyzed the current situation: the daily sales of jelly noodles were stable at around 300 bowls, and making these jelly noodles only required two catties of lantern seeds, which is equivalent to eight catties of lantern fruit.

Now, my family receives nearly 30 kilograms of lantern fruit every day, so the raw materials are plentiful.

Summer is the peak season for jelly sales. If we don't seize this opportunity to grow and strengthen our business, the demand for jelly will decrease when the weather cools down, and the business will be difficult to sustain.

Therefore, the most urgent task is to expand the market and increase sales.

After much deliberation, Tang Susu once again focused her attention on Chongwentang.

She straightened her clothes and said to the four children, "Let's go to Chongwentang again."

As he spoke, he led Tang Lifu, Tang Liqiang, Yang Gousheng, and Yang Xiaobao toward the gate of Chongwentang.

Tang Lifu and Yang Gousheng each carried a load of goods, Tang Liqiang helped carry the wooden planks, and Yang Xiaobao followed at the back. Although they were young, they were very sensible and none of them complained.

Chongwen Hall has strict rules and regulations, and outsiders are strictly prohibited from entering at will.

An elderly guard in his fifties stood at the gate, his face etched with the marks of time, his sharp eyes warily scrutinizing those coming and going.

Seeing this, Tang Susu scooped out a small bowl of broken jelly from the bucket next to her and walked up to the old man with a smile: "Grandpa, thank you for your hard work. This is some jelly I made, please try it."

She paused, then added, "I'd like to ask you to call the manager of Chongwentang's dining hall so I can talk to him about the collaboration. It would be a hassle for you to make the trip; these two copper coins are a small fee."

As she spoke, she took out two copper coins from her pocket and handed them over.

The old man was initially wary and suspicious, but after taking the cold noodles, he didn't stand on ceremony and drank it all in one gulp.

The cool and refreshing taste slid down his throat, instantly dispelling the midday heat. He squinted his eyes in satisfaction and secretly praised: This jelly has an excellent texture. No wonder the students all rave about it. Three copper coins a bowl is indeed worth the price.

The old man pondered for a moment, and his attitude towards Tang Susu softened considerably.

He pocketed the coins and nodded: "Okay, you wait here, I'll go get someone for you."

After saying that, he turned and walked into the academy.

It was midday, and sunlight filtered through the leaves at the entrance of the academy, casting dappled shadows.

Inside the academy, students were heading to the dining hall in an orderly fashion, where people were coming and going, creating a lively atmosphere.