Without waiting for An Jing to speak, Wang Youbao asked again, "How much do you want for this recipe?"
An Jing was at a loss for words, yet she found it amusing, "We don’t want any money, it’s yours to have!"
Now Wang Youbao was completely speechless. To think that they had declined his offer of two thousand taels to only sell their fermented bean curd to Hundred Dishes Restaurant, yet now, they were giving him the recipe...
That was incredibly generous!
At this moment, Wang Youbao fully realized that Xiao Changyi and An Jing really didn’t care about money at all.
Seeing the chubby Wang Youbao standing there, dumbstruck, An Jing found it even more amusing, but she still said, "Although the recipe is given to you for free, I hope the tofu you use to make the fermented bean curd comes from An Fu’s family in An Village. An Fu’s family makes tofu, and I’ve told them before that the fermented bean curd business could be long-term, and if I were to make fermented bean curd, the tofu I’d use would likely come from their family."
Wang Youbao immediately agreed, "Definitely, definitely, I will certainly buy their tofu."
An Jing, "Don’t make such an absolute promise, if their tofu isn’t up to standard, you don’t have to buy it."
Wang Youbao laughed heartily, "I understand, I understand."
"As long as you understand," said An Jing, feeling reassured. She could tell that her friend was someone who honored his promises, and if the tofu wasn’t good, she was actually worried he might stubbornly buy it anyway.
Wang Youbao looked at the paper in his hand, hesitated for a long time, and still asked, "Are you really giving this to me for nothing? Why don’t I give you some money for it, as if I’ve bought it?"
"Talking about money ruins the friendship, aren’t we friends anymore?" An Jing pretended to be angry as she spoke.
Upon hearing this, Wang Youbao immediately became anxious, "Yes, yes, of course, we are."
Then, feeling a bit embarrassed, Wang Youbao scratched his head, "It’s just that I feel like I’m taking such a big advantage of you, and it doesn’t sit well with me."
"There’s nothing to feel bad about, if anything, we’ll come to your restaurant to eat in the future, and you not charging us will be enough."
"That would be excellent!" Wang Youbao genuinely liked An Jing’s suggestion. "Then you must come to my restaurant to eat often in the future!"
Afterward, An Jing had Xiao Changyi demonstrate how to operate the grain rice and Stepping Dehusking Machine, letting Wang Youbao see how they pounded the rice.
During this, An Jing also mentioned to Wang Youbao that the grain rice could generally last for ten to twenty years, which made his eyes shine even brighter upon hearing it. Being able to use it for such a long time, he could sell it for even more!
An Jing had initially planned to have Wang Youbao stay for lunch, but Wang Youbao was too excited, holding the methods for making fermented bean curd, grain rice, and the Stepping Dehusking Machine in his hands, he felt that this time he would definitely make a fortune, so he didn’t stay for lunch and hurried back to make money.
Standing at the entrance of the courtyard, watching Wang Youbao’s carriage leave, An Jing then smilingly asked Xiao Changyi, "Husband, have we been too good to Youbao?"
Xiao Changyi didn’t say a word, just wrapped his arm around her shoulder and walked into the courtyard.
An Jing didn’t go on about whether they had been too good to Wang Youbao or not, but she was well aware that Wang Youbao was their first friend, which was of significant meaning to them; moreover, Wang Youbao had just lost his only caring father, and people still looked down on him as a Commons Son, and they also found out today that he would not be seventeen for another month. Honestly, in their hearts now, they both saw Wang Youbao as a friend and a younger brother.
"Husband, it’s good for us to live simply and ordinarily, right?" An Jing suddenly asked with a smile.
Finally, Xiao Changyi responded, "Mhm."