The daughter was ruthlessly driven out of the wealthy family and went to the countryside

Chapter 1223 We're About to Go Our Separate Ways

"Let me see." Liu Juan handed the chestnuts in her hand to Shen Xuening, while she looked at the ones Shen Xuening had picked. "They're quite big. Wild chestnuts smell good. I'll roast a sugar chestnut for you and make a chestnut chicken dish, how about that?"

“Either is fine.” Shen Xuening opened the bag Liu Juan brought back and was somewhat surprised. “Mom, these chestnuts are huge. One is as big as three wild chestnuts.”

“So I said yes.” Liu Juan turned to look at Shen Xuening. “In a little while, I’ll make a sugar chestnut with this kind of chestnut. You can taste it and compare. If you like it, let me know and I’ll write back. If you don’t believe me, I’ll write back anyway.”

Shen Xuening nodded: "Okay."

Shen Baohong walked over at this moment, carrying a large bag of things in his hand: "You're all here. Look what good things I brought back for you?"

Shen Xuening and Liu Juan both looked at him.

Shen Baohong placed the package on the ground as if presenting a treasure, then opened it: "Take a look, this is good stuff."

Shen Xuening and Liu Juan looked into the bag together: "Chestnuts!"

Shen Baohong said happily, "This was sent to me by my maternal grandmother. She said it was very delicious. Third Aunt, could you cook some dishes for us to eat together tonight?"

Liu Juan pointed to the wild chestnuts and the chestnuts she had brought back: "Look what this is?"

"What?" Shen Baohong looked over curiously, and after he saw what it was, he asked in surprise, "Why did you bring back so many chestnuts too?"

Shen Xuening chimed in, "I picked some up on the mountain; the extra-large ones were brought back by my mom."

Shen Baohong looked at the two kinds of chestnuts and said, "Compared to each other, isn't mine redundant?"

Liu Juan quickly replied, "Not too much. I'll make an extra portion so everyone can enjoy it to their heart's content."

Shen Baohong thought for a moment and said, "Third Aunt, I'm free right now, I'll help you with it." It's the weekend, he's off, and he doesn't need to film every day. He can release the stock on Saturday and Sunday, and the effect will be the same.

Liu Juan did not refuse: "Okay."

Shen Xuening left home to attend to her business, while Shen Baohong stayed home and worked with Liu Juan.

Shen Baohong suggested, "Third Aunt, netizens have been clamoring to see an interview with you. How about I film some cooking videos for you?"

Liu Juan readily agreed, "Anything is fine with me, you can arrange it."

Shen Baohong looked around, then pointed to a good spot and said, "Then I'll go get the video camera, fix it there, and film our cooking process."

Liu Juan said, "You decide what to do. I don't understand these things, so I'll listen to you."

“Okay.” Shen Baohong went to get the video camera, fixed it in place, and then began to help.

Liu Juan said, "There are too many chestnuts. I'm going to make a sugar-roasted chestnut, a chestnut chicken, and a chestnut cake."

Shen Baohong said, "I don't know as much about this as Third Aunt. Just give me your instructions and I'll do it."

"Okay." Liu Juan smiled and took the wild chestnuts and cultivated chestnuts, made cross-shaped cuts on the top of each chestnut, and then set them aside.

Shen Baohong also scored the chestnuts he brought back with cross-shaped cuts. At this time, the water in the pot boiled, and Liu Juan poured the chestnuts into the pot, blanched them in the boiling water, then took them out and peeled them.

Shen Baohong stood aside to help, explaining that chestnuts should be peeled while they are hot, otherwise they will be difficult to peel once they cool down.

The two worked quickly and efficiently, managing to peel all the chestnuts before they cooled down.

"Chestnuts are delicious but hard to prepare." Shen Baohong rubbed his sore hands. "Third Aunt, does your hand hurt?"

"I'm fine." Liu Juan is a very hardworking person, and even if she's in pain, she won't say much.

As soon as she finished speaking, Shen Dong returned: "The chicken is killed and prepared. Where should I put it?"

Liu Juan brought over a basin: "Put it in this basin." She had just mentioned making chestnut chicken and told Shen Dong to kill a chicken, and now it's all done.

Shen Dong released the chicken and glanced around the kitchen: "Need any help?"

Liu Juan said, "No need, you go ahead and do your work. Just come back early for dinner tonight."

"Okay, call me if you need anything, I'll be there anytime." Shen Dong turned and left. It was autumn, and there was a lot of work to be done in the fields, so he was busy every day.

"Okay," Liu Juan replied, turning around to continue her work.

Seeing that Liu Juan wanted to roast chestnuts, Shen Baohong said, "Third Aunt, how about I chop the chicken?"

Liu Juan nodded: "Okay, chop off a piece about the size of your thumb, not too big or too small, and be careful not to hurt your hand."

"Don't underestimate me." Shen Baohong rolled up his sleeves and got to work. Boom boom boom, a whole chicken was chopped into pieces, which looked quite even. "Third Aunt, all done."

Liu Juan smiled and said, "Your knife skills are pretty good."

Shen Baohong raised his chin and said, "That's right, everyone in my family is such a good cook, I can't fall behind."

Liu Juan kindly said, "Yes, you really need to improve your cooking skills, otherwise what will you do after you get married?"

Shen Baohong said, "That's right, I'm getting married soon too. I'll take my third aunt with me when she cooks so I can learn from her."

"Haha." Then Liu Juan asked Shen Baohong to wash some side dishes and cut them all up. She also gave him some pointers, saying that after marriage, if the man can cook, the family's happiness index will be much higher. She also hoped that Shen Baohong could be happy.

About an hour later, Shen Wenxu returned home with the ginseng doll: "Have you had anything good to eat for the next few days?"

"Eat chestnuts," Liu Juan said. "Call your older sister right away and tell her the roasted chestnuts are ready, and ask her to come back and eat them."

“OK.” Shen Wenxu gestured and quickly dialed Shen Xuening’s number.

Shen Xuening called Shen Yingying, and they went home together.

Shen Yingying was exhausted lately. After returning home, she collapsed on the sofa: "Finally, I can eat roasted chestnuts. I've been wanting to eat them for a long time, but I haven't had the time."

Liu Juan plated the two kinds of roasted chestnuts separately and placed them on the dining table: "Come and eat."

Shen Xuening pulled Shen Yingying up from the sofa and they went to the dining room together.

"It smells so good!" Shen Yingying immediately picked up a wild chestnut, peeled it, and ate it. "Wow, this chestnut has such a rich aroma; it's a good chestnut."

Liu Juan said, "These are wild chestnuts that your eldest sister picked up from the mountains. They must be delicious."

Shen Yingying exclaimed, "I knew it! These chestnuts are not only fragrant, but also soft, sweet, and delicious!" She turned to Shen Xuening and asked, "Sister, where did you pick them? I want to pick some too. Wild chestnuts are quite rare."

Shen Xuening said, "The location is a bit far, so I don't recommend you go and pick them. Leave some for the small animals in the mountains. If you want to eat them, eat the ones you grow; that should be about the same."

Shen Yingying nodded after hearing Shen Xuening's words: "Yes, we need to leave some food for the little ones."

Shen Baohong said, "Although these wild chestnuts are a bit smaller, the taste is really amazing. They are fragrant, soft, and delicious."

Liu Juan also ate one: "It's very good. You should try the ones you grow yourself."

The chestnuts grown here are large, and they remain large even after roasting. They are coated with a layer of sugar, making them look shiny and very appetizing.

Shen Xuening took one and gently peeled off the shell. The aroma of chestnuts immediately wafted into her nose, whetting her appetite. She put it in her mouth, chewed it, and the chestnut crumbled. It was soft, sweet, and had a good texture.

Liu Juan asked, "Ningning, how is it?"

Shen Xuening offered a fair assessment: "Cultivated chestnuts are drier and less glutinous than wild chestnuts, and their aroma is also less intense, but they have one advantage: they are sweeter."

Shen Baohong nodded in agreement: "Yes, that's right, that's how I feel too."

Shen Yingying chimed in, "I agree with what my sister said."

Liu Juan ate a cultivated chestnut and said, "Cultivated ones are definitely not as good as wild ones, but this one is big, and there are many cultivated ones, which can form a good source of goods."

Shen Baohong praised, "Third Aunt is learning more and more now."

Liu Juan smiled shyly: "I need to improve too."

Shen Xuening said, "Actually, growing chestnuts is not bad, but they can't be considered high-quality. If you want to buy them to cook, they can only be considered second-class and won't fetch a very good price."

Liu Juan asked, "So, will you buy it?"

Shen Xuening still intends to help these villagers: "We will purchase them, but we need to negotiate the price carefully. The canteen should also add some autumn specialties."

Liu Juan said, "Then I'll go and give him a reply in a bit."

Shen Xuening said, "Okay, but Mom needs to discuss the price carefully."

Liu Juan replied cautiously, "I understand."

The chestnuts that Shen Baohong brought back were planted casually by his grandmother next to the house. Their taste and size were somewhere between wild and cultivated chestnuts, which was quite good. However, they were just for them to try; she wasn't selling or buying them, but eating them herself.

Liu Juan is quite good at business now. After some negotiation, she bought back the chestnuts at a relatively low price and then sold them in canteens and hot pot restaurants, turning them into three kinds of food: sugar-roasted chestnuts, chestnut chicken, and chestnut cakes. They were quite popular.

……

Tu Yue, Shen Xuening's college classmate in G City, called her: "Xuening, are you coming to G City?"

Shen Xuening wasn't paying attention to G City right now, so she was confused by Tu Yue's question: "What do you mean? I don't have any such plans."

Tu Yue said, "But your hot pot restaurant is all renovated, aren't you going to come and take a look?"

Shen Xuening then realized that she was preparing to open a branch of a hot pot restaurant in G City. After a month, the renovation was almost complete, and now she was ready to open for business.

She assigned a store manager over there, and then she didn't manage anything else. It's time to find out what's going on.

Shen Xuening said, "I'll make some arrangements, or I'll come and take a look." She thought for a moment, "How did you know my hot pot restaurant was almost finished with renovations?"

Tu Yue said, "I was shopping today and saw you when I passed by. I was thinking of you, so I called you."

Shen Xuening said, "Thank you for calling me, otherwise I would have completely forgotten about it."

Taking the opportunity, Tu Yue said with a smile, "Since you're thanking me, how about we have a meal together when you come over?"

Shen Xuening no longer treated Tu Yue as an outsider and said directly, "Sure, come to my hot pot restaurant, and I'll cook hot pot for you."

Tu Yue wanted to take Shen Xuening out for an expensive meal: "Wouldn't that be too ordinary?"

Shen Xuening said, "You'll know whether it's ordinary or not after you taste it."

Tu Yue, seeing Shen Xuening's inexplicable confidence, didn't object after hearing this: "Okay, it's settled then. Call me when you come over, and I'll come to your shop to find you."

Shen Xue Ning responded: "Okay."

……

"Yingying, are you free tonight? Let's go out for dinner together?" Tang Yi called Shen Yingying. He had been working a summer job with Shen Xuening for a while and hadn't had much time to see Shen Yingying.

Shen Yingying considered Tang Yi a classmate, and since she was free tonight, she agreed: "Okay, tell me your location, and I'll come find you in a bit."

Tang Yi checked the time; it was already past six. "Now is the time. The location is at the entrance of Wuhua Tianbao. I'll wait for you."

"Okay, I'll be right there." Shen Yingying rushed over immediately.

After discussing it, the two decided to have dinner at Yongle's Shandong cuisine restaurant.

Instead of booking a private room, the two asked for a table in the lobby, ordered food, and started chatting while waiting.

Tang Yi stared at Shen Yingying, thinking she was becoming more and more beautiful, like moonlight, captivating everyone's attention: "Do you know why I asked you out to dinner today?"

Shen Yingying asked curiously, "Why? I really didn't think about that."

Tang Yi took a sip of tea: "I'm going to work for two more days and then I'm going to quit my job and go home to prepare for school. You should be going to City A too, right?"

Shen Yingying nodded: "Yes, I'm going with my sister, it'll be in the next few days."

Tang Yi asked with concern, "Have you prepared everything?"

Shen Yingying is a person who plans ahead: "Everything is ready. The necessary items have already been sent to City A. I can just travel there lightly."

Tang Yi said, "That saves you a lot of trouble."

Shen Yingying said, "We probably won't be able to bring much luggage, right? We probably won't need our current stuff at university, so we don't need to bring so much."

Tang Yi agreed, "That's right. I'll go back and pack properly, and try to travel light."

Shen Yingying asked, "Are you going to school alone?"

Tang Yi shook his head: "My parents will be coming with me. They've even decided to drive, so it'll probably be a bit tiring."

Shen Yingying comforted her, "Just think of it as a trip."

Tang Yi laughed: "Yes, my parents don't often leave the province, so let's treat this trip to City A as a vacation. You seem to have been to City A before, can you recommend some scenic spots?"

“Okay, I’ll send you a travel guide.” Shen Yingying immediately sent the guide to Tang Yi. It was a travel guide they had made when they went to City A before, and she had kept it.

"Thank you." Tang Yi was very grateful. "I'm really looking forward to going to the same university as you."

Shen Yingying hesitated for a moment and said, "Universities are very big. Even if we go to the same school, it won't be easy for us to meet up, right?"

Tang Yi looked at Shen Yingying's face and said, "It's easy to see her, it just depends on whether you want to or not."

Shen Yingying smiled and said, "Haha, we can make plans to go out and have fun on weekends and holidays."

Tang Yi agreed: "That's fine."

Recently, many of Shen Yingying's classmates have been asking her out, including those who are working summer jobs here. However, Shen Yingying hasn't been able to keep up with the invitations. But time is running out, so we should still get together eventually. After that, everyone will go their separate ways, and it won't be so easy to meet up again.