The day after Granny Lin He left, both Zhao Shi and He Shi surprisingly arrived. Er Niu had visited his own mother before going to his in-laws to discuss the situation, and He Shi, having heard about it from someone, also showed up the next day.

Zhao Shi brought nothing with her. She figured everything in Er Niu's house was already provided, so she skipped the effort of packing anything and came empty-handed. Upon entering the courtyard, she saw Huang Shi, whose complexion seemed much better today. Zhao Shi carefully inquired about the child and even offered that if Huang Shi ever wanted pickled cabbage or anything similar, she should just come to her house to get it. Huang Shi smiled and agreed.

He Shi arrived shortly after Zhao Shi. While it was somewhat excusable for Zhao Shi, the mother-in-law, to arrive empty-handed—especially since Er Niu's household lacked nothing—it was not proper according to the customs of the time for He Shi to show up empty-handed. The local etiquette dictated that upon visiting a relative known to be pregnant, one should bring a gift. However, the Lin He family didn't dwell on He Shi bringing nothing; they were content as long as she didn't stir up trouble. The presence of a gift wasn't a major concern.

Zhao Shi, however, felt a twinge of displeasure seeing He Shi arrive empty-handed. She merely shot He Shi a cold look and remained silent. Everyone chatted idly, and this time, the gathering passed peacefully without incident; even He Shi refrained from speaking out of turn.

Time seemed to fly by, and suddenly it was June, the hottest part of the year. Huang Shi’s belly grew larger with each passing day. The intense heat made pregnancy even more arduous, and Huang Shi had moved past the initial morning sickness stage, now entering a phase where she was constantly hungry.

This June brought the wheat harvest. Fortunately, they employed long-term laborers, so the household members weren't overly busy with the harvest this year. Only Er Niu, Old Man Qin, and Chang Geng frequently went out to oversee things. Lin He and the others didn't need to involve themselves, which allowed Lin He to truly appreciate the benefits of wealth.

Lin He reflected on last year's harvest when the whole family was rushing around frantically, too busy even to return home for meals during the scorching heat. This year, everyone sat comfortably in the courtyard, enjoying the shade—life was improving year by year.

Every day, Lin He ensured Huang Shi remained comfortable at home. She, along with Zi Qing and Zi Yu, and Zhou Shi, took turns with the two younger ones, Chen Er and Xiao Jun, every other day to make soap, Zicao ointment, and other items. Recently, Lin He had been contemplating that with the warmer weather, balms and such felt too greasy, and she needed to devise something refreshing to replace them.

After much consideration, Lin He decided to create a type of toner, reminiscent of what she knew from her past life. The production process for this toner was simple, requiring few ingredients, and it was cool and non-oily—perfect for summer use.

Lin He first experimented by making a very basic green tea toner. This was straightforward: boil water, let it cool slightly, and steep the green tea leaves. Once the tea cooled completely, she strained the leaves, added glycerin, and instead of refrigeration (which was unavailable), she sealed it in jars and kept them submerged in ice-cold well water, changing the water frequently, which she assumed would achieve a similar chilling effect.

This toner had a good astringent quality and would leave the skin supple, accompanied by a faint, fresh green tea fragrance. A light application on the face offered a moisturizing effect. Lin He found it quite pleasing and began experimenting with several other scented toners, such as mint and honeysuckle—all excellent options.

The raw materials for the toner weren't expensive, but commissioning the bottles added a significant cost. Lin He ordered small ceramic bottles, each holding about thirty milliliters. She priced each bottle at two hundred wen, yielding a high profit margin. Lin He delivered the new product to Cai Die Xuan. Uncle Wen was delighted to see a new item, mentioning that Lin He’s products were now widely accepted. Many customers specifically asked for products under the Lin He brand, saying that the items from "Ning He Cosmetics" were unique and highly effective. Among the women in affluent households, these products had become staples.

Since the counters opened—three in the main shops, plus sales from the He Cai Doll in town—Lin He’s monthly income hovered around one thousand liang. Once the He Cai Doll in the county seat started making money, the monthly earnings were expected to increase further. Looking at the money, Lin He felt a profound sense of satisfaction, recognizing how hard-won this success was. If things continued on this trajectory, her family could soon be considered moderately wealthy.

However, as the earnings grew, so did the demands of the shops. Lin He, Zi Qing, and Zi Yu were no longer sufficient. Uncle Wen was already nagging about wanting to convert his other shops in the same manner and kept pressing Lin He. Lin He wasn't in a rush to expand that way immediately, but she definitely needed to hire people; the house and workforce were indeed stretched thin.

For the production of these new items, Lin He didn't need many extra hands right away. She was hesitant to hire outsiders, preferring to purchase a few servants to ensure trustworthiness. Yet, the most pressing issue was the house itself. Er Niu insisted they absolutely could not move until after Huang Shi gave birth, as moving things around during pregnancy was taboo.

Lin He reluctantly agreed. Since her mother was still some time away from delivery, and the weather was hot, rushing construction wasn't necessary. They could wait until winter to build the new house. Nevertheless, new help was essential. They would have to make do for now, utilizing the back courtyard’s ointment workshop, rotating duties to manage the workload temporarily.

Thus, the day after delivering the toners to town, Lin He, Er Niu, and Zi Qing went to the broker’s office and purchased three more maids. All three girls were twelve years old and had been sold into service. Lin He named them Cai Qing, Cai Yun, and Cai Lu.

These newcomers were clearly different from Zi Qing and Zi Yu. Besides their duties, Zi Qing and Zi Yu also served as Lin He’s personal attendants. The newly purchased girls were brought in to assist with the general work—Lin He was too busy to manage the daily chores herself. She tasked Zi Qing and Zi Yu with overseeing them. There was also a small study in the house, which Lin He outfitted with a large shared sleeping mat where the new maids could stay for the time being.

Lin He didn't have overly high expectations for these maids. Their wages weren't small; she paid them five hundred qian per month, which was quite good for a typical maid. Lin He spoke to them briefly, laying down only one rule: "My requirement for you is loyalty and discretion. You are not to speak of household matters outside. If I ever discover this, I will sell every one of you."

Naturally, Lin He instructed Zi Qing and Zi Yu to supervise the production of the items for now, ensuring that the crucial steps remained in their hands. Zi Qing and Zi Yu, having been with Lin He for a considerable time, understood her intentions implicitly. The new maids proved sensible, and they didn't pry into matters they were not meant to know.