When his wife and sons were unsure, the old man finally embodied his family status for a time.
After a soft cough, "Nannan, do you really remember how this wine was made?"
At that time, Nannan was playing, and the family saw her just throwing grapes into the wine jar at random, with no skill whatsoever. As simple as that, can they really make wine?
"Nannan really remembers!" Liu Yusheng was a little helpless. If only she were a little older, she would speak more eloquently, "If you don't believe it, when the grapes are ripe, I'll brew them for grandpa!"
"Okay, then let's make grape wine! The grapes are readily available, so even if we don't earn money then, it's just a matter of losing money and effort!" The old man decided, "Let our Nannan have fun!"
The corners of Liu Yusheng twitched a little.
Oh lord, she's really going to get used to their spoiling.
"Alright, there's still thirty taels of silver left in the family now, it's a loss to buy any more wine! Brew!"
Grandma Liu seconded.
"Father, divide the wine once more. I think the taste of this grape wine is suitable for men, women and children alike. Even if the lords don't drink it, sell it to the women of big families. Some people might like it. More importantly, it's rare." Liu Dalin added.
"Here, taste it, there's not much left, a small sip each!"
He barely scraped together a small half bowl, because the rest was just scraps of fruit.
Everyone took a small sip. Even Liu Zhixia and Liu Zhiqiu tasted it, smacking their lips in praise.
Now that things were sort of settled, Liu Yusheng finally sighed with relief.
Being so young, she was really afraid that her family would think she's messing around and dismiss her idea.
With a good start, she believes that the outcome would exceed her expectations.
Although the method of making the wine was simple and crude and could be easily copied, she wasn't worried. The taste of her grape wine mixed with spiritual spring water was not something that could be easily surpassed.
Throughout the night, the adults in the family were a little sleepless, a little excited, a little frightened, and more hopeful for the future.
What began as a child's phrase seemed to open a whole new door to the home.
They knew nothing of what lay behind the door, but in each one of them, an expectation rose up in their hearts.
At lunch the next day, after finishing the work in the field, Grandpa Liu discussed buying a batch of wine jars first in advance to prepare.
"I was thinking that since we're making wine for business, the number certainly can't be too few. There should be more wine jars. I'll just simply go to Li and order a batch from him. The porcelain kiln of his home is now also in the doldrums. Since we're in the same village, I'll find him for a cheaper cost and he can also earn some, just help each other."
"All right, just go and order from him. We used to borrow his wagon a lot." Grandma Liu wiped her hands on her apron, "I'll get you the money."
After taking the money, Grandpa Liu let the little girl ride around his neck, and the two went out the door.
When they arrived at the Li house, Li Da and his wife Yang were squatting in the courtyard, sighing at the sight of the piles of porcelain in the yard.
"Li Da, are you home?" Grandpa Liu shouted, pushing the gates of the courtyard and walked in. Liu Yusheng followed with a crisp greeting, "Uncle, aunt!"
In fact, Mr. and Mrs. Li are about forty years old, a few years younger than Grandpa Liu, but both of them have gray hair dyed with the vicissitudes of life.
Li Da turned around and was surprised to see the two visitors, "Yo, why is Brother Liu coming over with his little girl? Do you want to barrow the wagon? I'll go pull it for you!"
Yang also quickly collected the pallor on her face and stood up with a smile, "Brother Liu, it's rare of you bringing your little girl to my house, so come inside and take a sit for a while!"
"No need, don't bother the both of you, we came here to order wine jars from you. Thinking of your kiln at home, we thought of ordering a batch of jars along the way. Since we're close by in the village, we could save a lot." Grandpa Liu waved his hands to deter the two.
"You want to buy wine jars? A batch of it?"
"Yes, one…" Before the words one hundred were exported, they were snatched first by a brittle voice overhead, "A thousand!"
"!" If it wasn't for the fact that his own good granddaughter was still around his neck, Grandpa Liu would have slumped down in a stagger.
One, ONE THOUSAND? He's already worried that a hundred wouldn't sell!
Who the hell has been teaching his granddaughter, why is her mind so deep?
Does she even know how much a thousand is?
Li Da froze. Deciding that the little child was just joking, he smiled and pinched her face, then looked at Grandpa Liu, "Brother Liu, how many do you want to order? I'll burn it all for you. After this time, the family is planning on sealing the kiln and no longer fire porcelain in the future."
"What? Why are you closing?" Grandpa Liu was surprised. He had known that the Li family's porcelain business has been dismal in the past two years. But how serious was it for them to seal the kiln?
Li laughed bitterly, "Our family is not the only one in town who burns porcelain, there are more goods but fewer people who buy them. Even excellent craftsmanship is useless. I've been injecting money in it for the past six months, but it was a loss. I've been firing porcelain for over a decade, but I can't even save the money for the two boys to get married….. Might as well farm lands in peace and feed the family at the same time."
Grandpa Liu sighed and could only pat Li's shoulder, not knowing how to give words of comfort.
Every family has a story to tell. Farmers have been working in and out of the house all their lives, trying to make ends meet.
If one road doesn't work, just go the other way, no big deal.
It's just a pity to throw away this ancestral craft of the Li family.
Inside the house, Yang carried two small stools in one hand, and a bowl in the other, and came out of the kitchen.
She let old man Liu sit down, then bent down and handed the bowl to Liu Yusheng, "There's nothing good in the house, auntie made a bowl of sugar water. Here Nannan, have a drink."
Sugar is expensive, Nannan, thank your aunt." The price of white sugar is so high that ordinary people don't even want to buy it. Grandpa Liu was embarrassed by their goodwill, but still made no mention of the cost. No matter how expensive it is, it doesn't cost anything if given to his granddaughter.
How can anything be more expensive than his Nannan?
But he still took this note to heart.
Liu Yusheng received the bowl with two small hands, and sweetly said, "Thank you, Auntie!"
"We're no strangers, Nannan is really sweet and adorable." Rubbing the top of Liu Yusheng's head, Yang laughed.
Liu Yusheng could clearly smell sugar once she leaned closer to the half a bowl of warm boiled water. She wasn't that fond of it.
But looking at the woman with white hair, and then at the gentle smile on her face, she bowed her head and slowly finished the bowl of sugar water. At the end, she did not forget to lick her lips in satisfaction, "So sweet, nice drink!"
It amused Grandpa Liu, thinking that she's a greedy little cat.
Yang's smile brightened even more, with the fishtail wrinkles forming in the corners of her eyes, "If Nannan likes it, aunt will make you a bowl everytime you come visit our home."
"Okay!" Liu Yusheng nodded with eyes drooping into a crescent moon.
Many things, whether precious or not, shouldn't be valued at face value, but the sincerity of the giver.
Sincerity shouldn't be ruined.
The conversation then swerved back to the wine jars.
Grandpa Liu clapped his hands together, "I'll order a thousand, I'll give the deposit first. Tell us when it's done and we'll come to collect it."
"Brother Liu, are you really going to order that many?" Li Da was hesitant. Once he burns a thousand jars, it's impossible for him to sell them all for three months.