Back to the 1980s: Transmigrated as the Bigshot's Pampered Wife-Chapter 64: Worrisome IQ

"It’s Dong Qihua. I have some business with Su Shuochi. I won’t disturb you for too long."

"Dong Qihua, you’re here. What brings you over so late?" Old Sir Gu opened the door since everyone else was busy.

"I ran into Xiao Wu, and he said the Su family was selling spicy strips, so I wanted to buy some for my younger siblings."

Dong Qihua hadn’t known Su Shuochi wasn’t home until he met Sheng Shiwu.

He never would have dreamed that his friend, who previously never stepped out the door, would now dare to go on a long trip.

Of the few bags of spicy strips Gu Jiaojiao had given him before, he gave one to his dad.

He split another bag with his sister and several cousins and then took one to his workplace. Little did he know, everyone who tried them started pestering him to buy more.

He had originally planned to come and buy from Gu Jiaojiao tomorrow at noon, but then he heard from Sheng Shiwu that the Su family had freshly made spicy strips that were especially fragrant.

So he rushed over, just in time to find Gu Jingtai had just finished making a big pot of them.

Dong Qihua happily tasted one strip after another, and in the end, with great bravado, bought the entire lot.

Old Sir Gu made the executive decision: they would charge six cents more per bag than the price for Sheng Shiwu, allowing Gu Jingtai and Su Qinchun to each get a three-cent cut.

Originally, Sheng Shiwu had suggested that if Su Qinchun were to sell them at school herself, she should add ten cents to the price of each bag.

One pot of spicy strips made fifty small bags, earning Gu Jingtai and Su Qinchun each one and a half yuan for their personal stashes.

After deducting costs from the Su family’s shared funds, the fifty bags of spicy strips brought in a net profit of two yuan. Su Qinchun was thrilled, both for the family and for herself.

After Dong Qihua left, Su Qinchun asked, "Second Brother Gu, should we go make another pot of spicy strips?"

"Heh heh, it’s still early, so we can make another batch. Grandpa, Mom, Eldest Brother, you all go to bed first."

It was almost nine o’clock. Gu Jingtai was worried his grandfather and eldest brother were running out of steam, so he told them to go to bed early.

"Alright. You two get some rest soon, too. Jiaojiao said you need to balance work and rest, and not get obsessed with money."

Mrs. Gu reminded her second son. She had been feeling more energetic these past few days, but she was only a little better, not fully recovered.

"We know," Mr. Su said. "Grandpa Gu, Eldest Brother Gu, you should go to bed. We’re going to wash up and turn in, too."

Mr. Su was telling the truth. He really did have to be in bed by nine, as he had to wake up at four-thirty in the morning to make steamed buns.

Lately, with their better life and ample nutrition, he actually didn’t feel tired at all. He was full of energy, like he’d been shot with adrenaline.

His monthly salary used to be thirty-eight yuan. Now, he was making a net profit of thirty-eight yuan a day, and that didn’t even include the bonus he received for his hard work.

’So what if I have to wake up early and work late? I love it. Absolutely love it.’

At the Sheng Family home, Mr. Sheng was still awake. He was waiting in the living room specifically for his younger son.

He usually worked in his study. When he sat in the living room, his daughter Yueyue didn’t dare to sit there and watch TV.

His wife doted on their daughter, so she had bought a 14-inch television and put it in her room.

These past two days, Sheng Shiwen hadn’t wanted to talk or watch TV. He just went back to his room after dinner, and no one knew what he was doing in there.

Mrs. Sheng watched some TV for a while before going to take a shower. She had a rehearsal for a performance tomorrow.

Mr. Sheng sat alone in the living room watching TV, feeling out of sorts. He recalled the time before Yueyue came back.

Jiaojiao had loved to stick close to them, wishing he would watch TV in the living room every day.

When there wasn’t a drama on, Jiaojiao would buzz around like a little bee, serving everyone tea and water while his wife and sons snacked on melon seeds and watched the news.

His sons, in particular, would compete to shell peanuts and melon seeds for Jiaojiao to eat. He hadn’t realized how happy those times were.

Alas! You can’t turn back the clock on happiness. Just as Mr. Sheng was lost in these happy memories...

CREAK. The sound of the door opening was very soft.

"Come to my study." Mr. Sheng’s stern voice rang out.

Sheng Shiwu jumped in fright, but he still gripped the spicy strips in his hand tightly, terrified of dropping them.

There was no privacy in the living room. Anyone on the second floor could hear what was being said just by opening their door.

Without a word, Sheng Shiwu followed his dad to the study, which was relatively more private.

As long as no one pressed their ear to the door to eavesdrop, you basically couldn’t hear what was said inside the study from the outside.

"Dad, why are you still up? You scared me."

"What have you done to feel so guilty?" Mr. Sheng’s voice softened slightly, but to Sheng Shiwu’s ears, it sounded just as stern. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

"What guilty thing could I have done? I’m just reselling some spicy strips. Free markets are allowed now."

Sheng Shiwu said defiantly, sticking his neck out.

His tone and expression made Mr. Sheng laugh. "Where did you get the capital?"

"Jiaojiao gave it to me. Aunt Su makes the spicy strips herself, and I take them to school to sell..."

As he spoke about his experience selling spicy strips, especially about how he had learned to make them himself, the little bit of restraint Sheng Shiwu felt in front of his father flew right out the window.

He chattered on about how he had earned two and a half yuan selling spicy strips that day, and at the end, he generously gave a bag to his dad to try.

"You gave me a bag, so won’t you make less than two and a half yuan tomorrow?"

"Heh heh, tomorrow it’ll be more than two and a half yuan. I plan to sell a hundred bags. Don’t worry, just eat up."

"The Su family actually taught you the secret recipe for spicy strips? Aren’t they afraid you’ll steal their business?"

Mr. Sheng teased his younger son, chewing on a spicy strip in a good mood.

"I’m not that kind of person! Besides, the Su family hit the jackpot marrying Jiaojiao. Forget the spicy strip recipe, Aunt Su even wants to teach me how to make braised pig’s trotters!"

"The same trotters you brought back last time?" Mr. Sheng asked with great interest.

"Yeah. Aunt Su said since it’s summer now, any unsold braised pig’s trotters would spoil easily, and she’s afraid of taking a loss.

Once the weather gets cooler, their family is going to sell braised dishes. She even asked if I wanted to sell them at school then."

"But she never said she’d teach you the secret recipe," Mr. Sheng said, feeling his younger son’s intelligence was a cause for concern.

"As long as I help them make the braised dishes, just like with the spicy strips, I’ll learn how, won’t I?"

Sheng Shiwu thought his dad was a real blockhead. "No wonder Jiaojiao isn’t your biological daughter."

Mr. Sheng: ...

His younger son’s words were a real gut punch, even more stifling than anything Old Sir Sheng had ever said.

"Dad, don’t regret being good to Jiaojiao in the past. You saw it yourself—Grandpa Gu, Eldest Brother Gu, and the entire Gu Family.

They’re all skin and bones, with sallow faces. Our Yueyue is the only one with a healthy complexion. It just shows how much the Gu Family dotes on her!"

"Sigh. I don’t regret doting on that girl either. Never mind how the Gu Family treats Yueyue; the joy that girl brought me when she was in our home was enough!"

"I was originally going to give Yueyue a few bags of spicy strips to try, but I’m afraid she’ll go looking for trouble with Jiaojiao!"

"It’s late. You should get to bed. Selling spicy strips is fine, but you have to study hard, too."

Mr. Sheng could only change the subject. His daughter and Jiaojiao could never get along peacefully, and he didn’t dare hope for it.

"Dad, I know. Next semester, I’m going to switch my major to business administration. After I graduate, I’ll start a company."

"Stop dreaming. You think a company is something a kid like you can just open on your own?!"