Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Zhao Guanren took some back with him. Seeing that he had money and cared for his children, Lin Chunyan recommended the dried shrimp powder to him.

"Sprinkle some on noodles; it will make them exceptionally delicious. If you're worried about not liking it, you can take some home to try."

Since it was free, Zhao Guanren naturally took it back.

When he got home, he placed the small river shrimp in a dish. The three eagerly waiting children, upon seeing what he brought, were disappointed as it wasn't the small river fish they had hoped for.

"Father, why don't you keep your word?" one of the older children questioned.

Zhao Guanren was at a loss for words, "How am I not keeping my word? It was clearly that young lady who only brought these small river shrimp today. They taste good too."

The young lady had even asked him to taste it, but he didn't want to lose face outside, so Zhao Guanren didn't try it.

Hearing that there were no small river fish today, the older child felt very disappointed and was about to say more when he saw the two younger children already munching away.

"Really delicious!" the two children exclaimed between bites.

The older child couldn't resist and reached out, putting a small shrimp directly into his mouth, shell and all.

The taste of the fried small river shrimp lived up to its reputation, different from the small river fish, yet incredibly crispy and flavorful, making it impossible to stop eating.

Seeing the three children eating without any decorum, Zhao Guanren could only shake his head helplessly. Seeing no one around, he also took one and put it in his mouth.

To his surprise, it was indeed very tasty.

He never expected to find such a rare delicacy among the common folk.

Moved by this experience, Zhao Guanren went back to his room and wrote an article.

This article wouldn't be shared publicly; it was merely his reflection on how everything in the world could become a rare delicacy.

Some of the remaining small river shrimp caught the eye of a young boy dressed in fine clothes, who tugged at his mother's hand and approached.

"Mother, I want to eat this."

The elegantly dressed woman, adorned with several hairpins and a bracelet, found the small river shrimp crude and unworthy of her table.

"How can this be eaten?"

The old lady selling sugar water watched Lin Chunyan closely, just as she had when Lin Chunyan sold the small river fish, always amazed by her unexpected sales tactics.

But like the elegant woman, she thought the small river shrimp was inferior to the small river fish, too lowly for proper dining.

Only hungry village children would scoop these things from the river.

How good could they possibly taste?

It was a blessing that she managed to deceive the naive Zhao Guanren.

The old lady selling sugar water didn't hold much hope and watched the scene unfold.

Lin Chunyan, hearing the elegant woman's words, didn't get upset but instead offered her some.

"Why not try it before making a judgment?"

Seeing Lin Chunyan offer it, the elegant woman recoiled, looking startled. Her maid quickly stepped forward to protect her, exaggerating their fear.

"Young Master, you cannot eat these. If you want something, we can have the kitchen prepare some large shrimp later."

The young boy, about five or six years old and quite spoiled, started crying loudly when no one supported him, "I want this! The large shrimp doesn't taste good."

The maid tried to console him, "If the large shrimp doesn't taste good, how could these small shrimp taste any better? Think about it, Young Master."

It made sense, and the young boy looked confused.

With all the commotion, several people on the street turned to look. Lin Chunyan wanted to persuade them further but feared the young boy might be allergic to shrimp.

She put the basket away and said no more.

The young boy, led by the maid, kept looking back as he walked away.

None of the maids and old ladies smelled anything, but he had caught a whiff of something very fragrant while running, which led him to Lin Chunyan's stall.

Seeing Lin Chunyan hadn't sold anything, the old lady selling sugar water thought it was normal, as not everyone was as concerned about face as Zhao Guanren.

She comforted Lin Chunyan, "If you can't sell them, give them to me cheaply when you leave. It's better than taking them back home."

She was closest to the stall and found the smell irresistible despite her disdain for the small river shrimp.

The old man selling sugar water across the street snorted loudly, "Your scheming is so obvious, even I can hear it from here. How do you know she won't sell them?"

Though he also doubted Lin Chunyan could sell them unless she lowered the price, he didn't want the old lady to get her way.

They had been selling sugar water in the area for over a decade, often bickering. The old man selling sugar paintings enjoyed watching their arguments, hoping to add fuel to the fire.

Lin Chunyan liked watching the drama too, as long as she wasn't involved.

Just as she considered selling the shrimp skins to a bun shop, the young boy sneaked back with a small silver fish to trade for the small river shrimp.

Lin Chunyan was amused, "Young Master, do the people with you know about this?"

The young boy grew impatient, "Quickly pack some for me. Why so many questions?"

Clearly a temperamental person, Lin Chunyan didn't want to accept the silver fish, fearing trouble if the elegant woman came looking. She packed some shrimp for the young boy.

"Consider it a treat for you."

The young master wanted to say more, but fearing he would be discovered, he hurriedly ran off.

The maidservant had been searching everywhere for the young master and sighed with relief when he returned. The beautiful lady was somewhat angry, "You mustn't run off like that again. Even though we're in our own town, it's not safe to cause such commotion."

She had heard stories of kidnappers who specifically targeted young masters from wealthy families, and she feared something might happen to her precious son.

The young master did not argue back; instead, he took out the small river shrimp and popped a few into his mouth.

This shocked both the beautiful lady and the maidservant, realizing that he had run back to buy these small river shrimp.

After eating a few, the young master found them incredibly delicious and didn't forget to offer some to the beautiful lady.

"I won't eat them."

The beautiful lady found the small river shrimp distasteful and thought it shameful that her son couldn't change his fondness for such food, which was unbecoming of a gentleman.

After a while, the beautiful lady asked the young master what he had traded for the small river shrimp. Upon hearing that the young lady had not taken his small silver fish, she held the young lady in higher regard.

"She is a sensible person."

"I think her cooking skills are really good, Mother. Could you invite her to our house?"

The beautiful lady, impressed by Lin Chunyan, and seeing how much her son enjoyed the shrimp, picked up a small river shrimp delicately, placed it in her mouth, and chewed.

Immediately, her expression changed.