Chapter 549: A Word of Caution
Chapter 549: A Word of Caution
Zhou Mu walked in and was startled by the scene before him. "What are you feeding the little ones?"
"Candy!"
Just then, Jiang Xia returned and, hearing about the candy, feared the worst. She dropped what she was holding and rushed inside.
Zhao Cheng Lei and Zhou Chengsen also hurried in, worried that the triplets might choke.
The three of them saw the two older children holding three pieces of milk candy, sharing them with the little ones.
The triplets' mouths were smeared with candy, and they were still smacking their lips.
Zhou Mu, still shaken, snatched the candy from their hands. "Didn't I tell you that the little ones can only drink formula? They can't have anything else, especially candy. It could slide down their throats and make them choke."
Zhou Ying replied, "We were holding them tightly. They wouldn't slide down. We just let the little ones lick the candy. They love milk candy so much."
Jiang Xia, torn between laughter and tears, patted their little heads. "This is too sweet for them. They can't have it yet. Besides, wet candy is very slippery and could easily slide into their mouths, making them choke."
Zhou Ying insisted, "But milk candy and formula are both made from milk. Why can't they have it? I held them tightly, so they wouldn't slide down."
Zhao Cheng Lei explained, "Although they are both made from milk, they have different components. The little ones are still too young. Their stomachs can't digest anything other than formula. Eating other things could cause stomachaches or diarrhea."
Zhou Chengsen added, "Even if you hold them tightly, there's still a chance they might slip. You mustn't do this again. Before feeding the little ones anything, always ask an adult first. You can't sneak them treats, okay?"
Zhou Mu used a handkerchief to wipe the triplets' mouths. "Eating too much candy can affect their teeth. Do you want the little ones to have no teeth in the future?"
Zhou Ying replied, "No, we don't. But what if they already ate it? Will they really not grow teeth?"
Zhou Zhou also panicked. "Yeah, what if they already ate it? Will they get diarrhea and lose their teeth?"
Not having teeth would mean they'd have to drink formula for the rest of their lives.
"Don't worry, a little bit won't hurt them", Jiang Xia reassured them. "But you really can't feed them again. Once they grow older, have more teeth, can walk, and talk, then you can give them candy."
"Okay", the two older children said, relieved that the little ones wouldn't lose their teeth.
Just then, the little sister, whose mouth had been wiped clean and was no longer tasting the sweetness, pouted and started to cry.
She was the greediest of the three, often licking anything that touched her mouth.
One cry triggered the others, and soon all three were wailing, afraid of being unheard.
Their cries were getting louder each day. Now, when the children cried on the second floor, it could be heard downstairs.
Jiang Xia's clothes were dirty, and her hands were unwashed, so she quickly washed her hands and changed her clothes to breastfeed.
After feeding the triplets, Jiang Xia and Zhao Cheng Lei gave them a bath and held them for a while. Soon, they fell asleep.
For dinner, they had shrimp, crab, sea snails, and bluefish from the day's sea expedition, along with a pork trotter and peanut soup.
After dinner, Jiang Xia taught He Xinguan how to make cold kelp knots and kelp threads.
Jiang Xia planned to make the kelp knots ready-to-eat, like a snack.
Kelp threads can be soaked in boiling water, seasoned, and then served cold as a dish.
Whether it's kelp threads or kelp knots, the preparation is simple—the key lies in the seasoning.
It took just an hour to teach the process.
The only tricky part is drying the kelp threads, but with the upcoming drying equipment, drying rooms, and dehydrators, that won't be an issue.
The next day, when Hou Ye came by, Jiang Xia gave him two dishes of kelp: "Try these new products. The kelp knots are ready-to-eat snacks, and I plan to make the kelp threads semi-prepared, like instant noodles. Just soak them in boiling water, add some seasoning, and you have a dish ready to serve."
"Great idea, let me taste them." Hou Ye tried them and found it to be the best cold kelp dish he had ever tasted. He gave a thumbs up: "Good! This works, but the shelf life isn't as long as the fried fish snacks, right?"
Jiang Xia nodded: "That's why I'm making them semi-prepared. The drying process extends their shelf life significantly."
"Alright, follow your plan. This kelp has been selling well in inland cities, so make more! I know someone who grows kelp, and we can get supplies from him for further processing."
Jiang Xia smiled: "That's like sending a pillow when someone is sleepy. I was just thinking about testing how well kelp sells, and if it does, we'll need to buy in bulk."
"Buying kelp from him isn't expensive—about three to four cents per pound for fresh kelp—but the shipping costs are high, which increases the overall cost."
Jiang Xia: "No problem, we have a boat and a tractor, so we can transport it ourselves. Is it far?"
"I forgot you have everything. Using the boat is fine. Just bring back a large load each time. What about nori?"
"Let's skip nori for now. It's too complicated to process."
...
After chatting for a while, they finished loading the dried fish onto the truck, and Hou Ye hurriedly left.
*
Two more days passed, and the weather cleared up, allowing them to go out to sea again.
Zhao Cheng Lei and Zhou Fu set out early to check on the fish in the fish net boxes.
By evening, when they returned to the dock, many villagers asked, "Lei, how are the fish in your net boxes? Everything okay?"
Zhou Fu replied cheerfully, "Of course, everything's fine!"
Zhao Cheng Lei carried a large bag of fish off the boat. They had cast two nets when they set out, and the catch was impressive. The nets were bursting with fish, though the catch was mixed, and they would need help to sort them out.
The villagers were surprised: "I didn't realize those net boxes were so sturdy!"
Zhou Fu chuckled, "Of course! We spent a lot of money importing them. People in the island nation have been using these net boxes for fish farming for three years. As long as it's not a Category 12 typhoon, they're fine. Plus, we placed the net boxes in a sheltered area where the waves aren't as strong."
Despite his words, Zhou Fu had been worried and couldn't sleep well for the past few days, fearing he might lose his investment.
One villager remarked, "They've already survived two typhoons, so the certificate must be genuine. I heard each net box can hold ten thousand pounds of fish. If you make a dollar per pound, you could recoup your costs in a year. But those net boxes are expensive, and I don't have the money to buy them. Otherwise, I'd do it too."
Zhou Fu humbly responded, "We hope to recoup our costs in one go, but the fish haven't grown yet, so who knows? There's a lot of work involved—changing the nets, feeding the fish, dealing with diseases. It's a big risk."
"That's true. The risk is significant. This year, we've only had two typhoons, and they weren't very strong. We don't know how many more typhoons are coming. We'll have to wait until the fish grow and are sold to see if we make a profit."
Many people were skeptical about fish net box farming, knowing all too well the power of the sea during typhoons.
But they didn't say anything to dampen the mood.
(End of Chapter)
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