Breakfast generally consisted of various porridges—sometimes cornmeal, sometimes brown rice—served with steamed buns, filled buns, or cornbread, always light fare. By noon, the meal was more substantial, featuring some meat accompanied by vegetables, with steamed white flour buns or flatbreads as the staple.

In the evenings, they usually avoided meat, opting instead for vegetables and fruits. Staples were still prepared, but since everyone in this area retired early, heavy or greasy evening meals were avoided for better digestion. Lin He carefully balanced the meals, ensuring everyone ate healthily.

Initially, the family members were unaccustomed to the change. They were used to eating only two meals a day, eating their fill until completely satisfied. When Lin He first asked them to stop at only seven or eight parts full, they felt hungry again soon after. However, after several days of adaptation, they noticed that eating only moderately made them feel clearer-headed, and slowly, they grew used to it.

In the afternoon, Lin He and Madam Huang took the younger ones out. By evening, the entire family worked together to process all the magnolia flowers into magnolia paste. But "magnolia paste" sounded a bit cumbersome; Lin He decided to call it "Orchid Paste"—easier to remember, and similar in name to Plum Blossom Paste, which was nice. They planned to take it to Cai Die Xuan the next day.

Once the Orchid Paste was finished, Lin He’s family began discussing finances. Her father spoke up, “Mother, Father, we now have over a hundred taels of silver. I was thinking, should we use this silver to start something new? What do you both think?”

Madam Huang and Er Niu were startled. Er Niu exclaimed, “He’er, are you sure? So much silver? Where did it come from? Can making Plum Blossom Paste really earn this much?”

Lin He smiled and replied, “Yes. The raw materials for this Plum Blossom Paste don't cost much, but the profit margin is quite considerable. And we even paid Uncle Wen a twenty percent consignment fee for these earnings. If we had our own shop, we could earn even more.”

Although Er Niu and Madam Huang were surprised, hearing Lin He explain it this way genuinely pleased them; their family had finally struggled to reach this favorable situation, which was no small feat.

Er Niu asked, “He’er, do you have any ideas? I still think buying land is the safest bet. Our ancestors were all farmers; we don't know how to do anything else.”

Lin He chuckled. Her father always defaulted to his ancestral trade—buying land. If they were to buy land now, they would have to buy several scattered plots, which would be difficult to manage. It would be better to wait until they had more capital and buy a substantial, contiguous piece all at once for easier oversight.

Lin He said, “Father, I plan to keep a portion of this hundred-plus taels as seed money. If we work diligently, we can deliver goods periodically, and this silver will start revolving to generate more. We can certainly spare a few dozen taels.”

Lin He checked the ledgers every month. The income from the 'He Cai Doll' business was excellent now. Except for the initial launch month, the net monthly income was consistently around seven to eight hundred taels, giving her a personal share of about two hundred taels. By the time September arrived, the debt associated with that venture would be fully repaid.

With this in mind, Lin He shared her existing plans. “Father, here is what I’m thinking: I want to build a small additional room in the back courtyard. It doesn't need to be huge, just a bit larger than the kitchen, and we can set up several stoves inside. Making these pastes requires more manpower; the few of us can't manage it all.”

She continued, “Also, I think buying land should wait a bit longer. The land we have now is sufficient for our family’s food needs. Later, when we have more money, we can buy more land, and it will be better managed then. I have another idea.”

Er Niu found Lin He’s reasoning sound. With only a few capable hands in the family, buying more land would necessitate hiring help. Buying scattered plots here and there would indeed be hard to manage. It was better to consolidate purchases later. Er Niu nodded. “What He’er says makes sense. We’ll discuss buying land another time. Tell us your other idea.”

Lin He explained her plan to raise fish. Er Niu considered it for a moment and replied, “Raising fish isn't easy. Fish are apparently hard to keep alive. Some people in the village tried it before, but eventually, all the fish died, and no one tried again.”

Lin He assured him, “Father, don’t worry about that. I learned fish-raising methods from a book. I know how to do it; rest assured, they will survive; they won't all die.”

Hearing this, Er Niu felt a stir of interest. If they could successfully raise fish, it would be a great venture. Fish were very expensive at this time, and because they were scarce, they would sell easily—a profitable path.

Furthermore, he trusted his daughter implicitly. Whether it was extraordinary luck or genuine brilliance, there wasn't anything this daughter couldn't accomplish once she set her mind to it. Since she was so certain and guaranteed success, what was he worried about?

Lin He then brought up a logistical issue: “But there is one problem. After finishing the work on the family fields, Eldest Brother will have to go into town. If we raise fish, we’ll need help here too. Father, who do you think would be suitable?”

Er Niu pondered the question. If they hired help, relatives were the best choice, naturally. However, among their immediate relatives, Hongxia was out of the question. Eldest Brother could potentially help, but his wife was troublesome. Li Dasheng, Hongyun’s husband, would be a viable option.

Er Niu thought it over and said, “I think we should ask your Great Uncle and Great Aunt to come help here. You need help making the pastes, too, so you could ask your Great Aunt to work on that. You don't make the paste every day, and your Great Aunt’s home isn't too far. Your Great Uncle, Li Dasheng, is a willing worker; he could help out when it’s not the busy farming season.”

Lin He had initially intended to ask Aunt Xu and Zhou Shi for help, and she had thought of her Great Aunt too, but dismissed the idea because her Great Aunt lived far away, making it inconvenient. She had leaned toward Aunt Xu, but her father’s suggestion was workable. She really only made the paste every few days. Her Great Aunt could either come every few days or they could find another solution, perhaps preparing lodging for the couple.

If the couple came to work, they could avoid her mother-in-law’s troubles and bring in some income, which Lin He believed would improve the Great Aunt’s livelihood.

Lin He agreed. She told Er Niu to go into the village tomorrow to scout for suitable locations to dig fish ponds. Once they found a spot, he could then discuss the land sale with the clan elder.