After much persuasion, she finally convinced her Uncle (maternal) that she really hadn’t sold the necklace, but rather had sold mushrooms.
Her Uncle (maternal) was still half-believing, half-doubting, and then asked about her life at home.
When he learned that she picked mushrooms during the day and sold them in the evening, he finally began to believe her a little: “You can make that much money selling mushrooms?! If I’d known, I’d have started growing mushrooms myself.”
Jiang Heng knew he was just saying that casually and simply smiled.
Her Uncle (maternal) also changed the subject.
After hanging up the phone, Jiang Heng crossed her Uncle (maternal)’s family off her mental ledger, leaving just exactly one hundred thousand yuan of Debt left.
Feeling satisfied, she went to the kitchen to cook.
The mushroom peak season actually lasted from June to September; with such a long stretch, she might really be able to pay off all her Debt with mushrooms and even make a tidy profit.
Of course, that depended on whether her mushrooms could reach more people—ideally, if more folks like Song Ming were willing to spread the word.
Although she’d sold out yesterday and packed up just before eight, she’d still stayed at the stall for almost three hours.
At this rate, the growth was still pretty slow.
Maybe after this batch of customers had eaten their fill, the customer numbers would shrink a bit.
Considering this, Jiang Heng didn’t increase the mushroom quantity today.
Because she was really looking forward to the mushroom beef sauce Song Ming had mentioned, at noon she followed an online recipe and made a pure mushroom version of the sauce.
There was no meat, but she added Chili Pepper—grown by her Da Boiniang herself, thin and long, looking spicy and actually very spicy—sliced into rings and tossed in. The final result was salty, spicy, and fresh, and already perfect for eating with rice!
By the evening, Jiang Heng finally got to taste the mushroom sauce with beef added in. The saltiness was indeed much milder, but the flavor was even richer.
After all, meat made all the difference.
Seeing how much she enjoyed it, Song Ming was satisfied too: “It’s my first time selling this, so I didn’t know how much would sell.
I only made ten portions.
The rest I added more salt to and made into real sauce, so you can take some home to try. I washed the Fruit Can jars in the dishwasher—they’re very clean.”
Jiang Heng took it, looking at the dark beef-mushroom sauce inside the Fruit Can jar, sealed with a layer of oil on top. She could almost smell the aroma through the glass. She carefully placed it in the storage compartment under her seat and said earnestly, “Thank you! This Sushi is so delicious, I’m sure it’ll sell well.”
Song Ming blushed at her praise.
Previously, all their chats had happened when it was already getting dark, and their stall faced away from the sun.
Now, with Jiang Heng’s bright, clear eyes looking straight at her in the light, Song Ming felt a little uneasy, but also proud—like a pretty girl was complimenting her, and she couldn’t help but say, “If you say so, then it must be really good!”
As soon as she finished, Song Ming’s first customer arrived, so the two stopped chatting. Song Ming took the mushrooms Jiang Heng had packed ahead of time and went to serve the diners.
Jiang Heng, meanwhile, focused on savoring the Sushi in front of her.
The Sushi wasn’t just filled with beef-mushroom sauce, but also had strips of Cucumber and Carrot.
The heavier flavors were balanced by a refreshing crunch. One bite gave you rice, meat, the savory Mushroom, and vegetables—utterly satisfying.
Of course, if she was picky, Jiang Heng could still spot a few flaws, especially with the quality of the beef, but those were small details.
The satisfaction that meat brought was something vegetarian dishes could hardly match.
As Jiang Heng ate, she started thinking about raising a few chickens. If she had the money to fix up a pigsty, she’d even want to raise some pigs and sheep.
She’d inherited her parents’ Cultivated Land, plus her own, totaling five mu and six fen, and had only used two mu so far—there was plenty of room to work with.
Of course, to cut down on her own workload, she’d need to prepare before bringing livestock home.
For example, Pasture Grass loved by pigs, cows, and sheep could be planted in advance.
Then, chickens and ducks could be sent over to eat the grass seeds and bugs, while pigs and sheep could graze there and eat when hungry. She’d just need to clean up every day.
With the Dust Removal Art, it would be a breeze.
Jiang Heng ate contentedly. Passersby, seeing her, started craving the food too.
Seeing the Sushi stall right next door, they immediately went over to buy the same thing. Song Ming was so happy her gums nearly showed.
Worried about not selling well, she’d only prepared ten servings, but in just a short while, two customers were drawn over by the aroma.
She enthusiastically promoted, “The Mushrooms are bought from the stall next door—really delicious Wild Mushroom! Super fresh.”
Soon, before Jiang Heng could even finish her Sushi, a customer called out to her: “Boss!”
Jiang Heng quickly swallowed her mouthful of Sushi and put on a smile: “Hello, are you here to buy Mushrooms?”
After smoothly closing a deal, Jiang Heng took the chance to eat two more Sushi, only for another customer—lured over by the stall next door—to come by.
This customer was eating a plate of Sushi, eyes sparkling: “The boss next door said the Mushrooms were bought from you—which kind did she buy?”
The beef-mushroom sauce wasn’t just tasty—it had a very distinctive feature: its aroma!
The scent of beef, the fragrance of Mushrooms, and the savory sauce—each alone was enough to turn heads, let alone all three together. It was a true magnet for foodies.
Especially since Song Ming’s skills were excellent and the Mushrooms used were top-notch, the aroma was so enticing that even people who hadn’t planned to buy Sushi stopped to ask about it, and if the price seemed reasonable, they bought some.
Of course, Mushrooms were expensive, and so was beef, so this Sushi was also pricey—twenty-five yuan a serving—so at first, not many people bought it.
Some shyer customers chose other flavors, but plenty were still willing to try.
Like Tao Chun.
She had originally arranged to meet friends for a meal here.
Passing by, she saw someone buy a fragrant beef-mushroom sauce Sushi. Such an odd combination—comparable to spicy strip Sushi.
She’d tried spicy strip Sushi before, but this one smelled so good that she followed her nose and paid up.
Twenty-five yuan a serving, with beef-mushroom sauce packed full, a dark brown heap nestled with bright Carrot and Cucumber strips, all wrapped in tender white rice.
The rice touching the sauce was stained brown too. Pinching the outer Seaweed with two fingers, she popped it into her mouth.
Tao Chun’s eyes literally lit up.
She’d thought it was expensive, but after one bite, it suddenly felt—totally worth it!
Beef and Mushroom pieces intermingled, mixed with the savory sauce and sweet rice. Every bite was… The beef was tender, the Mushroom smooth, the sauce rich and fragrant—delicious!
Tao Chun even forgot to walk, looking at the boss with surprise and anticipation: “Boss, did you make this beef-mushroom sauce yourself?!”
If it wasn’t homemade, could she ask which brand it was?
Song Ming nodded: “Yes.”
Tao Chun’s heart broke.
But in the next second, she heard the boss say, “But the Mushrooms were bought from this young lady’s stall next door. I’ve made beef sauce many times before, but only this time did it turn out so delicious. The others were just average. You can buy some to try at home—it’s pricey, but whether it’s Little Chicken Stewed with Mushroom or soup, it’s all tasty.”
Tao Chun turned her head and saw a young girl in loose sportswear sitting at the stall, eating Sushi.
In front of her was a table full of all kinds of Mushrooms, and even with the Sushi, the faint forest aroma of the Mushrooms still lingered.
Huh?!
How had she not noticed before?
The key was—the stall owner was a real beauty! Where were her eyes? Had she been so dazzled by the aroma?
Tao Chun thanked her and floated over to ask.
Jiang Heng answered skillfully, “I’m not sure which kind specifically—she buys a bit of everything. And all my Mushrooms are freshly picked from the mountains every morning, very fresh. No matter which you choose, the flavor is guaranteed. Would you like to buy some?”
She handed over a bag as she spoke.
After a couple days at the stall, she knew how to handle it.
Once she handed over the bag, most customers—even if they hesitated—would end up buying a little.
Once they tasted it, Jiang Heng had no worries about repeat business.
Tao Chun was the same. But she didn’t take the bag, busy eating, and simply said, “Boss, you pick for me—just a little of each.”
Jiang Heng nodded and packed a little of each kind. When it was about half a jin, she calculated the price: “That’ll be 164 yuan in total—just give me 160.”
A four-yuan discount made Tao Chun even happier.
She paid, took the four small bags, and said, “Thank you!”
Jiang Heng grinned, “You’re welcome.”
Tao Chun hurried off—her friend was already calling. When she rushed to the meeting spot, her friend was waiting near the elevator.
The two headed to the restaurant on that floor, but just as they were about to enter, her friend pulled her aside, pointed at the Sushi in her hand, held her forehead and smiled wryly, muttering through gritted teeth, “Dear, we’re supposed to be eating at a buffet, a buffet!!!”
Tao Chun: “………………I forgot!”
Awkward.
Lured by the aroma, she’d lost her senses.
Her friend: “………………Never mind, let’s pick another place. No buffet, or I’ll feel you’re wasting your money.”
Buffet prices in their small town were actually a bit higher than in big cities.
The decent ones were over ninety yuan a person—almost two hundred for two—so if you didn’t eat a lot, it felt like a waste.
Tao Chun nodded sheepishly, “Okay, let’s come back for the buffet tomorrow?”
“Sure.” Her friend was easygoing.
Tao Chun felt a little relieved and glanced at the Sushi still in her hand, immediately offering it enthusiastically, “Try some—it’s really delicious!”
Her friend frowned, “I don’t really like Sushi.”
Though, to be fair, the aroma was pretty nice; she just didn’t like cold rice.
Tao Chun explained, “Inside is Mushroom beef sauce, not the usual kind of Sushi. You should try it—it’s really good.”
Hearing this, her friend wavered.
The aroma was indeed tempting, so she picked one up and popped it in her mouth.
At first, it seemed like any other Sushi, but as she bit down, the beef-mushroom sauce wrapped in rice burst onto her tongue.
Her friend’s eyes widened: “Mmm?!”
She didn’t even have time to speak, her mouth busy with delicious food, but her eyes stared in surprise at Tao Chun, making unintelligible sounds.
Tao Chun understood instantly and smugly hummed, “I told you it was good, right?! I was just passing by, drawn over by this incredible aroma, and ended up queuing to buy it—totally forgot we were supposed to eat at the buffet. Look, I even bought the Mushrooms the boss recommended—can’t you smell how good they are? Gosh, it’s the first time I realized Mushrooms can smell this fragrant, not just earthy!”
She took another piece herself.
Her friend nodded repeatedly and quickly swallowed, “Delicious!”
Then grabbed another and ate it.
Even though the rice wasn’t warm, she didn’t care about that minor flaw—the whole focus was on the delicious Mushroom sauce.
After eating three pieces in a row, with only one left, her friend restrained herself—after all, she hadn’t bought it herself, so she felt bad eating so much.
But just a slight movement of her tongue let her taste the lingering flavor, and the rich aroma floated back into her mind.
She wanted more!
She still wanted more!
Tao Chun didn’t notice her friend’s change. She was scanning the restaurants, wondering what to eat. When the Sushi was gone, she asked, “So, what should we eat?”
Her friend replied without hesitation, “Sushi!”
Tao Chun: ?
Her friend:
They exchanged a knowing look—both completely tempted by the food.
So, a few minutes later, Jiang Heng’s stall had gained another customer.