Since she took sick leave today and didn't have to go to work, Jiang Yi slept in for a change, waking up naturally.
Due to her foot injury, she couldn't be bothered to go downstairs to buy groceries. Breakfast was just a simple bowl of millet porridge and a boiled egg, paired with her homemade eight-treasure pickled vegetables, which was light but tasty.
"The eight-treasure pickles are something I made myself," Jiang Yi said. "If you like them, I can pack some for you to take home later."
Wearing a limited-edition outfit, she was casually chatting in the living room with a former student who was now a student's parent. Jiang Yi's pretty face flushed with embarrassment, her delicate toes curling into the floor as if they could dig a hole.
*Family, who can relate? This is just too awkward!*
Jiang Tao laughed and said, "My parents love eight-treasure pickles too. In that case, I won't hold back."
"Um, Teacher Jiang, you eat your breakfast first. I'll go tidy up the bed for my sister."
Sensing Jiang Yi's discomfort, Jiang Tao tactfully found an excuse to give her time to change. With that, he turned, picked up the bedding he'd left on the floor, and headed toward the master bedroom.
After seeing Jiang Tao enter the room, Jiang Yi patted her chest and let out a long sigh of relief. Then, with a strong sense of stealth, she hopped on one leg toward her bedroom. As she hopped, her ample figure jiggled, as if the "fruits" might fall from the "branches" at any moment.
By the time Jiang Tao had haphazardly spread the new bedding on the bed and walked out of the bedroom, Jiang Yi had already changed out of her limited-edition outfit. She now wore a much more conservative, ordinary home outfit: a simple orange sweater, yoga pants that hugged her slender, shapely legs, and the same pink slippers.
"Is the bed made, Jiang Tao? When's your sister coming over?" Jiang Yi asked, actively seeking a topic to break the silence after seeing him emerge.
"She was supposed to come in the next couple of days, but her plans changed, so it might be another ten days or half a month," Jiang Tao replied. "My sister is just so unreliable."
As he pinned the blame on his sister, Jiang Bing, who was hundreds of kilometers away, sneezed three times in a row.
"Oh," Jiang Yi responded, her expression slightly awkward as she looked at Jiang Tao. Did this mean she was overcharging him for rent?
"Well, how about this, Jiang Tao? When your sister comes…"
Jiang Tao interrupted with a smile, "No need, Teacher Jiang. Let's just stick to the rental agreement. You don't need to feel bad about it. This has nothing to do with you—it's my sister being unreliable."
"By the way, you mentioned giving me some eight-treasure pickles. Does that still stand?" Jiang Tao grinned, steering the conversation back to the pickles.
"Of course it does. Hold on, I'll grab some from the kitchen," Jiang Yi said. Using her right foot as her main support and lightly tapping the ground with her left, she limped toward the kitchen.
Jiang Tao frowned and asked, "Teacher Jiang, have you had your foot checked at the hospital? What did the doctor say?"
"I haven't gone to the hospital. It's just a slight sprain. I'll rest at home for a day, and it should be fine."
"Do you have any medicinal wine for bruises or medicine to promote blood circulation at home?"
"I don't think it's a big deal. It'll be fine without medicine."
Just as Jiang Yi finished speaking, she heard the front door click open and then click shut again.
"Huh?"
She turned and looked through the frosted glass of the kitchen toward the living room. Jiang Tao, who had just been standing there talking to her, was gone.
"Where did he go in the middle of our conversation?" Jiang Yi stood there, puzzled. Should she still pack the eight-treasure pickles?
Forget it, she'd pack some anyway. She could give them to him another day or have him pick them up.
Jiang Yi took a transparent glass jar, about the size of a 10-liter bucket, from a cabinet. Inside was the eight-treasure pickle she had made a month ago. Her pickling skills were learned from her grandmother. The pickles had a tangy flavor with a hint of sweetness, a slight spiciness, and just the right amount of savory sauce, making them perfect with rice. Several of Jiang Yi's colleagues often asked for her pickles. A full jar could last her a year, but with her colleagues, it was usually gone in three or four months, requiring her to make more.
Jiang Yi wasn't stingy. She used a clean plastic container, one she'd kept from takeout, and filled it to the brim with pickles for Jiang Tao, placing it in the fridge.
After packing the pickles, Jiang Yi cleaned the dining table, washed the dishes, and wiped down the kitchen until it was spotless. Only then did she hobble back to the living room.
While watering her succulents on the balcony, she suddenly heard the front door open again. Jiang Tao, carrying a bag, had returned.
"I went to the pharmacy outside the complex and got you a bottle of Yunnan Baiyao spray and some medicine to promote blood circulation," he said. "Use them externally and internally—it'll help you heal faster."
He walked over to Jiang Yi, who was standing on the balcony holding a watering can, and handed her the bag.
"So, you just went to…" Jiang Yi looked at the bag of medicines in his hand, then at him, feeling a warmth in her heart.
Jiang Tao smiled and said, "Our little Xue likes you so much. If she doesn't see you for a day, she'll miss you. So, get better soon."
"Thank you, Jiang Tao. How much did the medicine cost? I'll transfer the money to you," Jiang Yi said, turning to head to her bedroom to grab her phone.
"No need, Teacher Jiang. It wasn't much. Let's not be so formal with each other. Besides, we'll need to trouble you to look after our little Xue in the future."
"No way, one thing at a time. I'm already grateful you went to buy the medicine. I can't let you pay for it too."
"Really, don't worry about it, Teacher Jiang. By the way, I've got some things to do this morning, so I'll head out. Where's my eight-treasure pickle?"
"It's in the fridge. Go grab it yourself. I'll get my phone."
As Jiang Yi spoke, she hobbled into her bedroom. Jiang Tao strode to the kitchen, opened the fridge, grabbed the container of pickles, said a quick goodbye, and left through the front door.
*Ding-dong!*
When the elevator doors opened on the first floor, Jiang Tao received a 500-yuan transfer on WeChat from Jiang Yi. It seemed she had included the cost of the fruit he'd bought her as well. He glanced at it but didn't accept the payment. It would automatically return to her tomorrow.
Today, he'd bought fruit and medicine for Jiang Yi, but it wasn't because he was after her looks. First, they'd known each other for years, and seeing her injured, he couldn't just ignore it. Second, he wanted to use this opportunity to boost her favorability, laying the groundwork for potentially acquiring her eight-treasure pickle recipe in the future.
Back upstairs, Jiang Yi sat on the living room sofa, holding her phone. Looking at the bag of medicine on the coffee table, she felt a warm current flowing through her heart. This feeling of being cared for was something she hadn't experienced since her parents passed away. Of course, the superficial concern from boring suitors didn't count.
Seeing that Jiang Tao hadn't accepted her transfer, Jiang Yi didn't press the issue. She silently noted that she owed him a favor.
Jiang Tao headed straight to his parked car. Instead of driving off immediately, he opened the third piece of information about a fund Jiang Yi held, which had refreshed today, and carefully reviewed it.
"Jinxin Quantitative Select Hybrid A/C Fund…"
Soon, Jiang Tao found the fund on Alipay. As a novice in finance, he had no idea where to open an account or buy funds offline. Buying through Alipay might incur higher fees, but it was convenient and fast. He had previously tried a fund product on Alipay because of a 20-yuan investment coupon, putting 200 yuan into a fund that he left untouched. With such a small principal, the fund's ups and downs only amounted to a few cents or yuan. It neither made nor lost much money, essentially just sitting there for show.
"Up 102% in the past year, net value 2.15066…"
With his limited financial knowledge, Jiang Tao didn't fully understand what these numbers meant. But he had absolute confidence in the information provided by the system. After hesitating for about ten seconds, he decided to trust it.
Clicking "Buy," he entered 2 million yuan. His ICBC savings card confirmed the deduction, and the purchase was successful, though it would take two days to confirm the specific shares.
"Done!"
Last time, he bought 200 yuan worth of funds for a 20-yuan coupon. This time, he jumped to 2 million. Even knowing the system's information guaranteed a profit, he couldn't help but feel a bit nervous.
"When this wave is over, I'll have to treat Jiang Yi to dinner to show my thanks. And when it's time to sell, I'll give her a heads-up too."
After buying the fund, Jiang Tao's gaze fell on the container of eight-treasure pickles on the dashboard. He opened it, pinched a small piece of pickled cucumber with his fingers, and popped it into his mouth.
*Crunch, crunch, crunch…*
The crisp, fragrant pickle was delicious—truly exceptional! Jiang Tao had tried many eight-treasure pickles and preserved vegetables, but this was the first time he'd tasted one this good. No wonder the system rated Jiang Yi's recipe as having high commercial value. It was indeed an impressive family recipe.
To gain a better understanding of the eight-treasure pickle market, Jiang Tao spent the morning driving to four supermarkets, buying eight different brands of pickles—some packaged, some sold by weight.
At noon, he returned to his rented room in Xiaoshahe with packed lunch and nine containers of eight-treasure pickles. Lining them up, he began a taste test. The eight store-bought pickles were similar in flavor, with no significant differences. However, compared to Jiang Yi's, the gap was obvious. Hers was much fresher, with a lighter sauce flavor while maintaining excellent taste.
"I'm actually looking forward to seeing what kind of eight-treasure pickle we could make with Jiang Yi's recipe and my pickling jar," Jiang Tao thought, growing even more confident in her family recipe.
Supermarket pickles ranged from about 9 yuan to 15 yuan per jin (500g). With Jiang Yi's recipe, selling at 15 yuan per jin should be easy. With the enhancement of his pickling jar, 30 yuan per jin wouldn't be unreasonable, would it? A single jar could produce 500 jin, generating 15,000 yuan in revenue. With the jar's accelerated pickling effect, two batches a month could yield 30,000 yuan, and over a year, that's over 300,000 yuan. Even after deducting materials and labor, the net profit would still be in the tens of thousands. It might not make him rich, but it was decent pocket money.
Of course, Jiang Tao had no intention of selling pickles himself. His first thought was to hand the business over to his parents. They'd been doing manual labor in the village for years, working long hours in physically demanding jobs that took a toll on their health. Setting them up with a small shop near the community market, selling eight-treasure pickles, would be a low-effort business suited for their retirement years.
For now, these were just ideas, and he'd need to act quickly to make them a reality.
After lunch, Jiang Tao took the nine containers of pickles downstairs. He ran into Lü Qian and Ma Dongmei, who were returning from shopping, and asked them to taste all nine and pick their favorite. As expected, they chose Jiang Yi's as the best. With two more data points, Jiang Tao planned to ask Xu Li and his parents for their opinions that evening to gather more samples.
---
**Afternoon**
Instead of heading home right away, Jiang Tao drove to the Panjiayuan Antique Street. He parked in an open lot and strolled through the street, casually browsing to increase the chances of triggering antique-related information from the system. Even when he saw shops specializing in stones, he didn't bother going in.
Around 3 p.m., feeling he'd wandered enough, he made his way to an old acquaintance's shop—Zhang Bo's.
"Yo, Brother Jiang! Come in, come in! Let me pour you some tea!" Zhang Bo greeted him warmly, inviting him to sit and serving tea with enthusiasm.
"Zhang Bo, I got a stone from a friend. Does your shop take these?" Jiang Tao got straight to the point, pulling out a Shoushan Tianhuang stone that looked like a potato.
"A stone? Brother Jiang, you're really branching out," Zhang Bo said with a laugh. "But this time, you've hit my blind spot. I don't know much about stones."
There was no shame in admitting it—their shop didn't deal in rare stones. Just as Jiang Tao thought he'd need to look elsewhere, Zhang Bo added, "But my dad knows this stuff. I'll call him and let him take a look."
"Alright, go ahead. If the price is right, I'll sell it to you guys. I don't want to haggle with others," Jiang Tao said with a smile, genuinely impressed by Zhang Bo's father, whom he'd never met. While others scrutinized antiques with microscopes and carbon-14 tests, Zhang Bo's dad could confidently buy items worth tens of thousands or even millions with just a video call. That kind of boldness came from skill.
*Beep, beep, beep…*
After a dozen seconds, the call connected. The phone screen showed Zhang Long, wearing an army coat and a big cotton hat, fishing on an icy lake.
"Dad, Brother Jiang brought a stone. Should we take it?" Zhang Bo said, aiming the phone's camera at the stone.
"Yo! That's a raw Shoushan Tianhuang stone with its original skin, and it's a decent size—good for a large seal," Zhang Long said, identifying it instantly. His expertise was undeniable.
"Son, shine a flashlight on it so I can see the inside."
Zhang Bo grabbed a flashlight from a drawer and illuminated the stone for his father.
"It's in good condition. Little Jiang, I'll be straight with you," Zhang Long said over the phone. "I can offer you 180,000 at most. If that works, I'll take it. If not, you can shop around, but I doubt you'll find a better price."
"180,000…" Jiang Tao's eyes narrowed as his mind raced, weighing the pros and cons. The system's information suggested the stone could fetch up to 190,000, but as an individual seller, finding a buyer willing to pay that much wasn't easy. Zhang Long's offer was 10,000 less, but it was acceptable. Besides, they were in business to make a profit.
"Alright, we're old acquaintances. Since Boss Zhang offered this price, I'll give you face," Jiang Tao said, agreeing with a smile. A stone he'd picked up for free was pure profit, so there was no loss. Plus, he was a bit lazy and didn't want to waste energy haggling over a stone. Saving 10,000 for convenience was fine by him.
"Son, handle the deal with Little Jiang. I've got a fish on the line, so I'm hanging up!" Zhang Long said hurriedly before ending the call, as if the 180,000 deal was just a small matter.
For their family, it really wasn't a big deal.
With Zhang Long's approval, the process was straightforward. Zhang Bo printed two copies of a valuable item transaction contract, both signed, and promptly transferred 180,000 to Jiang Tao, completing the deal smoothly.
After some casual chat, Jiang Tao said goodbye and left the shop. He returned to the parking lot, got in his car, and headed home.
Tonight, he'd invited Lü Qian and Ma Dongmei over for dinner and had already informed Xu Li and his parents. Humming a tune on the drive home, Jiang Tao was in high spirits. Who would've thought a random stone he picked up could sell for 180,000? And to think, Jiang Yi had picked it up and discarded it. If she knew its value… well, better not rub it in. She was already pitiful enough with her sprained foot. He'd keep this little secret to himself.
When Jiang Tao parked downstairs at his complex, it was just 5 p.m., about two hours before his dinner with Lü Qian. He pulled out his phone, called Xu Li, and asked her to come down so they could go grocery shopping together.
Within three minutes of hanging up, Xu Li came bounding out of the building, looking around before spotting their car and running over with a cheerful expression.
*Click.*
She opened the passenger door and plopped into her usual seat, buckling her seatbelt. Smiling at Jiang Tao, she said, "Honey, you worked hard today. Let's make a few extra dishes tonight to reward our family's big hero."
Jiang Tao didn't start the car right away. Curious, he asked, "Hey, where's our daughter? Why didn't she come down with you?"
"She's upstairs video-calling her homeroom teacher," Xu Li said with a giggle. "Her dorm supervisor said she cried at school today because she didn't see Teacher Jiang. She barely ate at dinner—half her usual amount. As soon as she got home, she insisted on calling Teacher Jiang."
"Haha, sounds like she gets along well with her teacher," Jiang Tao said, starting the car and driving out of the complex.
"Isn't she *your* Teacher Jiang too? It's quite the coincidence that both you and your daughter, years apart, had the same teacher," Xu Li teased, covering her mouth as she laughed. "Honey, be honest. Back when you were in school, did you ever have any improper thoughts about Teacher Jiang?"
"Nope. I was too busy being pestered by you to notice other women," Jiang Tao replied.
"Tch, who was pestering you? You were the one chasing me, impossible to shake off," Xu Li retorted.
"Oh, right, right, my mistake. I was the one chasing you," Jiang Tao conceded.
"You really never had a crush on Teacher Jiang? She's so pretty, with such a great figure and… well, such a big chest."
"Uh, honey, don't sell yourself short. Yours is pretty impressive among women too."
As the couple chatted, the conversation took a turn toward the mildly inappropriate.