Chapter 41

Chapter 41

These people had been keeping an eye on the situation and, seeing that even the old patriarch praised it, they all wanted to taste the fish broth. When they heard it was gone, some glanced at the women's side.

Even the usually refined ladies, at this moment, couldn't care less about decorum and were bickering over a bowl of porridge.

Those watching were left speechless.

"Is there any more in the kitchen?" The old patriarch, somewhat disappointed, quickly asked Jin Niangzi.

Someone had already run to the kitchen and found Master Zhao, who had just been with his child, now eating the fish broth voraciously with a spoon.

"You, sir!"

Everyone was speechless at Master Zhao's behavior, but he was oblivious, scraping the last bit of fish broth into his own bowl, satisfied.

What good is face compared to that delicious fish broth?

Chef Wang had expected everyone to praise his mutton, and was happily waiting in the kitchen for compliments. However, those who came were only looking for the fish broth.

Master Zhao was even worse, abandoning all manners for a taste of the dish!

Many sighed in disappointment upon hearing it was gone. Those who brought their wives tasted a bit from them and returned, praising the fish broth.

The more they couldn't have it, the more they craved it, and many started eyeing the other dishes Lin Chunyan had prepared.

"When I went to the women's room earlier, I saw the dishes were quite different from ours. There were many I hadn't seen before."

The old patriarch couldn't go over himself, but he really wanted to try them, so he sent Little Master Zhao to fetch some back.

Little Master Zhao, feeling indebted to the old patriarch for getting him a bowl of fish broth earlier, secretly brought some back.

The two didn't make a fuss and quietly finished off Lin Chunyan's dishes.

"It's truly delicious!" Little Master Zhao wiped his mouth contentedly and shared a smile with the old patriarch.

Seeing things weren't going as planned, Chef Wang couldn't sit still anymore and came out of the kitchen to the men's side.

He noticed many dishes untouched, while Lin Chunyan's creations were being devoured. Even the old patriarch, who usually loved his cooking, was enjoying hers. This made Chef Wang both angry and frustrated.

The old patriarch felt awkward when Chef Wang approached, but as the host, Chef Wang couldn't say much to him.

Meanwhile, Jin Niangzi was basking in the spotlight. The women attending the banquet were asking who cooked for them and where she could be hired. They said they would invite Lin Chunyan for their next event.

Some even came to ask Lin Chunyan to prepare more, preferably for the men's side too.

Lin Chunyan declined, stating she was paid only two hundred coins to cook for the women and wouldn't do extra work without compensation.

She noticed Chef Wang returning from the men's side, his face red like a pig's liver, and his gaze unfriendly.

Lin Taohong became elated when people asked about their family. She proudly replied to each inquiry.

As time passed, Lin Taohong grew increasingly boastful, "My elder sister's skills are unparalleled. Even the Hu family in town invited us to cook for them."

Everyone knew the Hu family, and hearing they wanted Lin Chunyan to cook for them further confirmed her exceptional skills.

Lin Chunyan tugged at Lin Taohong's clothes, urging her to stop talking, "Eat quickly; we need to head home."

After the banquet ended, all of Lin Chunyan's dishes were eaten clean, including the fish broth, which was nearly depleted. Yet, many dishes remained on the men's side.

Chef Wang later hid in the kitchen, muttering curses under his breath against Lin Chunyan.

"Daring to offend me! Doesn't know who I am!"

The young apprentice whispered back, "But Master, she didn't do anything wrong."

Chef Wang's gaze turned sharp, making the apprentice shudder and fall silent.

After cleaning up, Jin Niangzi packed some food for Lin Chunyan and gave both sisters a large red envelope.

"I thought your mother was exaggerating, but you truly have some skill. Everyone says your fish broth is better than Song Niangzi's."

Jin Niangzi, having had some wine, was livelier than usual, chatting with Lin Chunyan.

When the old patriarch called for Lin Chunyan, Jin Niangzi stopped talking.

Lin Chunyan followed Lin Taohong to meet the old patriarch, who squinted at them, impressed by their young age and exceptional skills, giving them a thumbs-up.

Not one for verbosity, he was pleased that everyone praised the banquet and decided to give Lin Chunyan a large red envelope.

With the two red envelopes and the two hundred coins, the sisters' baskets also contained leftover meat. They walked home with light steps.

"Big Sister, look how much money we made this time?"

Lin Taohong's voice was filled with excitement, "You should have seen Chef Wang's face; it was as black as the bottom of a pot!"

Lin Chunyan opened the envelopes, finding thirty coins from Jin Niangzi and eighty from the old patriarch.

Feeling the weight, Lin Chunyan knew they contained many copper coins, leaving both satisfied.

Without prompting, Lin Taohong said, "We must hide this money; Mother mustn't know."

Seeing Lin Chunyan's expression, Lin Taohong wasn't embarrassed but looked around, "Big Sister, tell me, where do you hide the money?"

"Why ask?"

"There are too many coins; I don't know where to hide them."

Lin Chunyan chuckled, "Too much money can be a problem. Give it to me."

"You’d better not think about my money; I’m saving it to buy flowers and clothes."

Mrs. Zhang had been waiting at home. Before leaving, Lin Chunyan gave her the task of harvesting the mung beans when she had time.

As the weather turned cooler, the soybeans and mung beans planted in the fields were ready to be harvested. The family needed plenty of beans for making tofu.

Reluctantly, Mrs. Zhang went to do the task. When she returned, she complained to Lin Chunyan about how sunburnt she was. "The mung beans didn’t grow well this year; we didn’t harvest much."

Lin Chunyan took a look and indeed found that the crop wasn’t good. She felt a bit disappointed.

Mrs. Zhang then asked about the day’s events. Lin Taohong couldn’t wait to tell her about their encounter with Chef Wang.

"How could he be like that?" Mrs. Zhang spat on the ground. "That’s just too unreasonable."

However, upon hearing that they brought back a lot of food, Mrs. Zhang hurriedly finished storing the beans and rushed to the kitchen to eat.

"I made some food for myself at noon, but I didn’t get enough."

Mrs. Zhang didn’t mention that the food she made was so unpalatable that she barely ate anything.

After eating, she asked how much money they had earned.

Since they usually kept their money in a jar, Lin Chunyan took out fifty coins, keeping the rest for herself.

Mrs. Zhang’s eyes darted around, thinking it was too little.

She didn’t dare to argue with Lin Chunyan, so she picked on Lin Taohong, accusing her of hiding money.

"That’s what I earned for tending the fire, and Big Sister agreed."

Lin Taohong dodged around, and Little Hei, thinking they were playing, wagged his tail excitedly.

Even the old hen stretched her neck, trying to join in the commotion.

Mrs. Zhang couldn’t keep up with Lin Taohong and panted, saying, "If there are any more such good opportunities, I won’t let you go. I can tend the fire too."

She said this without a hint of guilt, forgetting that she preferred lying in bed hungry rather than cooking.

Lin Taohong feared she might mean it and reluctantly took out five coins. Only then did they stop bickering.

After resting for a while and cooling down, Lin Chunyan and Lin Taohong headed up the mountain together.

The temperature difference between day and night grew larger, so Lin Chunyan took a jacket before leaving.

Mrs. Zhang reminded them to come back early.

"Going up the mountain all the time, who knows what treasures you’ll find."

Mrs. Zhang grumbled, and Lin Taohong, who didn’t want to go, echoed her.

Lin Chunyan ignored her and asked Lin Taohong, "Are you coming?"

Fearing Lin Chunyan would withhold her meals, Lin Taohong quickly replied, "Yes, yes."

On the mountain, Lin Chunyan didn’t search for mushrooms or wood ears as usual but instead kept heading uphill.

"Are we going to dig traps?" Lin Taohong, relieved she had changed into a linen outfit, wouldn’t mind getting dirty.

"No, we’re picking acorns."

"Acorns?" Lin Taohong stood still. "Those are for squirrels; humans can’t eat them."

During past famines, people had tried acorns, which grew abundantly on the mountain.

But the acorns were bitter and hard to swallow, and eating them caused diarrhea.

After explaining this, Lin Taohong saw Lin Chunyan remained silent and thought, "Big Sister, do you have a way to make acorns edible?"

If true, these vast fields of acorns could become theirs.

Thinking about it, Lin Taohong shivered with excitement.

Though they had earned some money, they didn’t have much grain, and the money wouldn’t last long.

But with these acorns, they would never run out of food.

Lin Chunyan kept her secret, "I’ll show you later."

Lin Taohong nodded, thinking that regardless of the taste, if they could eat them, it would be fine.

Since no one had ever collected acorns, many lay on the ground, making them easy to pick.

These acorns were dark brown and felt quite hard, no wonder no one knew how to eat them.

They filled two baskets with acorns, and as dusk approached, the sisters didn’t linger, using sticks to knock the ground carefully to avoid any hidden snakes.

While picking acorns, they saw many squirrels running around. Lin Taohong threw stones at them but missed every time.

She heard that squirrel meat wasn’t tasty, but their fur was good.

Upon returning home, Lin Chunyan dumped the acorns in the yard. Mrs. Zhang was shocked. "What are you bringing these things back for? Have you gone mad?"

Little Hei barked at Mrs. Zhang’s shouting, and she waved him away.

Lin Chunyan went inside to change clothes. It was already dark, and usually, they would go to sleep, as they rarely used oil lamps.

Today, however, Lin Chunyan noticed something was off. Though her clothes were neatly folded, the way they were folded was different from how she did it.

She came straight to Mrs. Zhang, who shrank back a bit, feeling guilty. "What do you want? You should be cooking in the kitchen; we're all hungry."

"What cooking?" Lin Chunyan asked bluntly. "Who went through my things?"

Mrs. Zhang's eyes darted around, avoiding Lin Chunyan's gaze. Her body shrank back further, and her voice became softer. "Who touched your things? I've been busy here all along."

Lin Taohong brought a stool and sat down with Little Hei, watching the scene unfold, feeling anxious for Mrs. Zhang.

Suddenly, she remembered that she shared a room with Lin Chunyan and hurried back to check.

When she returned, her face was grim. "Mother, what were you doing in our room?"

Hearing her daughters' words, Mrs. Zhang felt both guilty and angry. "I just wanted to help wash your clothes; I didn't touch anything else. Besides, you two came out of my belly; why can't I go into your room?"

"Don't try to fool me!" Lin Chunyan snorted coldly, not buying it. "I know what you were looking for. Let me tell you, stop thinking about getting money from me."

Lin Chunyan's expression was fierce, and Mrs. Zhang had never seen her like this before. Even when she had scolded her earlier, it wasn't as frightening.

Mrs. Zhang felt a tightness in her chest. "I just wanted to see how much money you have. I didn't touch a single coin."

Lin Chunyan snorted again. "If that were true, why didn't you ask me? Don't you know what propriety is? If you go into my room again, I'll take all the money you've hidden under the bed."

Mrs. Zhang's mouth opened wide, wanting to ask how Lin Chunyan knew where she hid the money, but Lin Chunyan had already left the room.

Lin Taohong, who had been listening outside, asked Lin Chunyan, "Mother really hides her money under the bed?"

Seeing her sister's expression, it was clear she wanted to steal it. Lin Chunyan slapped her. "Stealing money is wrong. Would you want your own money stolen?"

Lin Taohong quickly looked around, wary. "Elder Sister, you don't know where I hide mine, do you? How did you find out? Where do you hide yours?"

Lin Chunyan ignored her and brought out some clothes, throwing them at Mrs. Zhang.

"Aren't you going to wash the dirty clothes? Then wash all of these!"

Mrs. Zhang opened her mouth but could only resign herself to washing the clothes.

She hadn't intended to take the money; she just wanted to know how much Lin Chunyan had earned.

Afraid that asking would lead to lies, she decided to search on her own.

But after searching, she couldn't find where Lin Chunyan had hidden the money and had to give up, only to be caught anyway.

Lin Chunyan went back to her room and didn't plan to cook dinner, simply heating up some vegetables.

Mrs. Zhang was alone in the courtyard. Despite the late autumn, mosquitoes still buzzed around. She waved them away while scrubbing clothes.

Not daring to enter the kitchen, Mrs. Zhang waited until Lin Chunyan and Lin Taohong finished eating and came out to soak some acorns. She quickly offered, "Let me do it. You two worked hard today; rest a bit."

Lin Chunyan glanced around the courtyard, seeing the clothes hung up, and snorted coldly.

The acorns needed to be soaked for several days to remove their bitterness. With experience from soaking bamboo shoots, they didn't need another large basin.

Mrs. Zhang muttered while soaking the acorns, wondering what they were for but didn't dare ask Lin Chunyan.

Wang Chuizi had never thought his sons were any trouble, but after hearing the matchmaker's words, he was furious.

His eldest son, already seventeen or eighteen, had no prospects within the village. Those who cared for their daughters didn't want him as a son-in-law.

Wang Dalang didn't reflect on himself, believing the girls were too picky and didn't recognize his worth.

He had never met Lin Chunyan, imagining her as a rough-handed woman always busy in the kitchen.

But since she could earn money, Wang Dalang thought he could tolerate her, even if he had to keep a mistress later.

Wang Dalang said, "The matchmaker must have exaggerated. When I meet her, she'll surely agree to marry me."

Wang Chuizi agreed and planned to visit the next day.

With nothing valuable at home, Wang Chuizi sent his wife to pick some vegetables from the backyard and told Wang Yingniang to catch some small fish and shrimp.

These would serve as gifts for their first meeting.

Wang Yingniang obediently took the items. It was already slightly dark, and no one was by the river.

Wang Yingniang was restless, worrying about what might happen if Wang Chuizi visited Lin Chunyan unprepared and caused misunderstandings.

She couldn't bear to think about it.

After catching half a bucket of small fish and shrimp, Wang Yingniang stood up, guessing that Lin Chunyan had returned from town. She walked towards their village in the dark.

She needed to warn them ahead of time, perhaps finding some relatives to stay with them, better than leaving them alone.

Her life was already set, but someone like Lin Chunyan shouldn't marry Wang Dalang.

Wang Yingniang walked quickly, sweating profusely and stumbling several times on the uneven path.

Reaching the village entrance, she didn't know where Lin Chunyan lived and was pacing anxiously when she saw a group of boys playing nearby. She approached them.

Dog Egg, now a staunch supporter of Lin Chunyan, eyed Wang Yingniang suspiciously upon hearing she was looking for Lin Chunyan.

"You're looking for Sister Yan Niang. Why?"

Wang Yingniang, sensing an opportunity, quickly explained, "I want to buy some dried fish."

Seeing she was alone, Dog Egg figured she wouldn't cause trouble and told Heizi, then led Wang Yingniang to Lin Chunyan.

"Who is it?" Lin Taohong heard the knock and put down what she was holding, cautiously approaching without opening the door.

"It's me," Dog Egg quickly replied. "Someone from town wants to buy something from you."

Lin Taohong did not suspect anything and opened the door. Through the moonlight, she saw Wang Yingniang standing there.

She was startled and then became furious, her brows tightly furrowed.

"What do you want?"

Wang Yingniang licked her dry lips and glanced behind her, "Where is your elder sister?"

Lin Chunyan heard the commotion inside and came out, lifting the curtain, "Who is it?"

Her expression was tense; villagers usually did not come so late to buy things. She approached and saw it was Wang Yingniang.

Lin Taohong had already been pointing at Wang Yingniang and cursing for some time, even including Goudan in her tirade. Wang Yingniang remained silent until she saw Lin Chunyan, then she sighed with relief.

"Yan Niang, I need to talk to you."

"Elder sister, don't believe her. This person must be up to something; their whole family is no good."

Lin Chunyan held the oil lamp closer and saw that Wang Yingniang's face was covered in sweat. After thinking for a moment, she led her aside.

"Yan Niang, I overheard my father and elder brother saying they will come tomorrow to propose. Your household only has a few women, so be very careful."

At this point, Wang Yingniang lowered her head, "My father and elder brother have always been fearless."

Mrs. Zhang and Lin Taohong, who had followed, were surprised by Wang Yingniang's message.

Lin Taohong felt both shocked and humiliated.

What had she said earlier?

Wang Yingniang could not stay long; if she returned too late, Wang Chuizi would become suspicious. After delivering her message, she prepared to leave.

Lin Chunyan hurriedly fetched a few steamed buns from the kitchen and gave them to her, along with a large cup of water. "Thank you for coming to warn me."

Lin Chunyan's heart was complex; she never expected Wang Yingniang to bring such news.

Initially, she thought Wang Yingniang was weak and pitiful, someone who dared not fight back, a typical pushover.

Now, however, her perception had changed.

Wang Yingniang hastily drank the water and placed the buns in her chest. She had barely eaten during dinner and was quite hungry.

Lin Chunyan offered to escort her, as the road was unsafe.

Mrs. Zhang asked Lin Taohong to accompany her back.

At this moment, they put aside their anger. Mrs. Zhang was anxious and decided to find the Village Headman but feared he might not help. So, she resolved to seek Uncle Lin.

Since they were not close and Wang Yingniang was in a hurry, they did not exchange much conversation on the way.

Reaching the village entrance, Wang Yingniang sighed with relief and told them to go back.

"If someone sees us, it won't be good."

Lin Chunyan nodded and bowed deeply, thanking her repeatedly.

Wang Yingniang returned home and placed the bucket of small fish and shrimp in the courtyard. No one in her family cared about her return; they had already gone to sleep.

She climbed into bed and touched the spots where she had fallen; they would likely be swollen tomorrow.

She did not mind; it was strange if she did not have any injuries every day.

A swelling emotion filled her heart, making her sleep well for once.

Mrs. Zhang pounded on the door of the second house, determined to break it open if necessary. The noise startled Uncle Lin.

After hearing about Wang Chuizi's plan, Uncle Lin's brows furrowed deeply, and Aunt Lin's face turned stern, her earlier anger forgotten.

"That family is truly despicable. We thought sending away the matchmaker would make them stop."

She had already heard from Qian Niangzi that the matchmaker wanted to arrange a marriage between Wang Chuizi's son and Lin Chunyan.

"We need to teach them a lesson!"

Uncle Lin told Mrs. Zhang not to worry, "Tomorrow morning, I'll stay at your place instead of going to the fields."

Mrs. Zhang breathed a sigh of relief and wanted to visit the third house to inform Uncle Lin, but Aunt Lin stopped her.

"It's late tonight. My sister-in-law must have already retired. Her health is fragile, so we should wait until tomorrow morning to tell them."

Mrs. Zhang did not want to see Li's face and did not go there.

Goudan told his parents about what happened, "Who is Wang Chuizi? Why were they so angry?"

Goudan's Mother jumped up, "That shameless family! They sent a matchmaker, and now they're coming themselves. Do they think everyone in our village is dead?"

Zhao Linglan and her sister heard the commotion and asked what was happening. Goudan's Mother urged them to sleep and then told Goudan's Father, "I think we should also stay home tomorrow. I've heard about Wang Chuizi; he's reckless. We shouldn't let anything happen."

Goudan's Father agreed.

The next day, Wang Chuizi led Wang Dalang and Wang Erlang, carrying vegetables and fish and shrimp, to their village.

They left feeling confident that the marriage would be arranged.

But when they reached the village entrance and tried to ask where Lin Chunyan lived, the people under the tree looked at them with complicated expressions.

Wang Chuizi did not understand and thought they were envious, pushing his sons forward.

Perhaps, he could arrange marriages for both his sons.

He stepped forward and asked for Lin Chunyan's address once more. This time, someone spoke up—it was Goudan's Mother.

She spat on the ground, "Anyone can just come to our village now? Truly, toads dreaming of swans—why don't they find a mirror first!"

Her words were not polite, and Wang Chuizi's face changed. He was about to step forward to argue when several men with sticks appeared from nowhere.

Leading the charge were some young boys, Sanlang and Silang at the front. Goudan, Heizi, and Zhao Muyang had reached a brief consensus and did not start arguing immediately.

Following them were Erlang and Uncle Lin, the adult men.

The most noticeable person in the crowd was Zhao Huaizi. He hunted regularly and had a muscular build; unlike others who carried sticks, he held a knife.

This display truly frightened the Wang family members.

Wang Dalang and Wang Erlang shrank back, pushing Wang Chuizi forward.

Wang Chuizi, having seen a bit of the world, quickly regained his composure after the initial shock and asked if there was any misunderstanding.

"Misunderstanding? What kind of misunderstanding could there be? My niece Yan Niang is such a good woman, how could she marry any of you! We had already agreed with the matchmaker, but you, lacking all manners, came again!"

These words came from Uncle Lin, who swung his stick loudly, almost hitting Wang Chuizi's face, causing him to retreat hastily.

Wang Chuizi was sweating profusely, saying, "My business with the Lin girl has nothing to do with you outsiders..."

He had inquired around and learned that Lin Lao had run away, and Mrs. Zhang was not well-liked, distancing herself from the second and third households.

But as soon as he finished speaking, Erlang rushed over, aiming to hit them without hesitation. If not for Wang Chuizi dodging to the side, the stick would have landed on them.

Before he could even sigh, another blow came, showing they were serious about driving them away.

Seeing Erlang's determination, it seemed he wasn't playing games.

Encouraged by his brother's bravery, Sanlang cheered and grabbed a stick, followed closely by Goudan and the others, scaring the three into fleeing, abandoning the vegetables they brought.

Uncle Lin picked up the items they left behind and threw them after them, saying no one brings just vegetables when proposing marriage; it was bad luck.

Lin Chunyan never left her home throughout this ordeal. She wanted to go out and see what was happening but was held back by Mrs. Zhang and Aunt Lin.

Both said, "Other matters aside, for a marriage proposal, even if it's not good, the girl must not appear; it would bring ridicule."

Lin Chunyan couldn't argue with them and went up to the roof with Lin Taohong to watch from there.

Today happened to be foggy, making it hard to see clearly, only vague silhouettes visible.

When the villagers saw Wang Chuizi leave, they laughed and cursed him repeatedly.

They praised Erlang and the younger ones, embarrassing them with compliments.

Uncle Lin and Uncle Lin thanked everyone who helped and invited them to their house for a meal.

Goudan's Father readily agreed, "Others aside, your niece Yan Niang's cooking is truly excellent. I'd love to taste it again."

Goudan's Mother teased him, "You really have no shame. No wonder Goudan is so greedy; he has a father like you!"

Everyone laughed, while Goudan and Sanlang ran home ahead to tell them what happened.

"Wang Chuizi and his two sons left in disgrace, not even daring to take the vegetables they brought."

Aunt Lin scoffed, "In ten miles and eight villages, no one has ever seen such a thing. Who brings just vegetables when proposing? No wonder no one wants to marry their daughters to them."

Mrs. Zhang nodded vigorously, feeling relieved seeing so many people helping. She let out a long breath.

Last night, she tossed and turned, fearing Wang Chuizi might cause trouble and take Lin Chunyan away.

Even when she saw Uncle Lin arrive, Mrs. Zhang didn't show any unusual reaction but welcomed him in.

Early in the morning, Aunt Lin knocked on the third household's door to inform them of the situation.

Uncle Lin naturally wanted to come, but Li Shi was unwell and was unhappy about it.

"When there's something good, they don't think of us, but when they need help, they call you, Uncle Lin."

Uncle Lin ignored Li Shi, telling her to rest at home. If he didn't go, he feared he would be criticized in the village.

When Aunt Lin arrived, she told Mrs. Zhang about Li Shi's situation, which she kept in mind.

Lin Chunyan served them tea and sincerely thanked them, offering to cook a meal.

"Regardless, we must thank everyone."

Earlier, Goudan's Father had agreed to come eat, but now he waved it off.

"Don't bother. You still have to go to the market. We're all from the same village, and we didn't really do much."

Lin Chunyan didn't heed Goudan's Father's words and went to the kitchen to prepare noodles.

Making noodles was quick, and using white flour wouldn't seem disrespectful.

However, there wasn't much white flour left in the cellar; after this meal, they would need to buy more in town.

She added water to knead the dough, and Lin Taohong came in to help with the fire. Aunt Lin called Lin Cuixiang, and Goudan's Mother called Zhao Linglan and her sister.

With more hands, the noodles were quickly rolled out. Lin Chunyan made a sauce with eggplants and green beans from the backyard.

Time was tight, so they had to make do.

Besides the noodles, Lin Chunyan also brought out fried fish, shrimp, crabs, and snails for everyone to eat.

"Oh, we're all family. These are meant for selling; put them away!"

Goudan's Mother kept declining for a long time, but she couldn't resist Lin Chunyan and their enthusiasm, so she started eating as well.

Children were unrestrained, and Goudan had also contributed this time. He almost ate one small crab with each bite, constantly looking into the kitchen to see when the noodles would be ready.

Silang hadn't eaten these things in a long time, and he was particularly satisfied, sighing deeply.

If only he were Mrs. Zhang's son.

Goudan was also thinking that if Lin Chunyan were his sister, he could eat these delicious foods every day.

After sighing, the two looked at each other, then turned away in mutual disdain.

The noodle dish was delicious, its essence lying in the sauce. The rich broth enveloped the noodles, and lifting a forkful to your mouth, the fragrant taste spread throughout your mouth.

Seeing Lin Chunyan's sincerity in inviting them, everyone ate heartily. Zhao Huaizi, who had a big appetite, ate three bowls of noodles alone.

He felt embarrassed about it and said he would bring back some wild game from the mountain next time.

"That would be great. When we cook it, we'll share half with Uncle Huaizi."

Goudan, listening nearby, was almost drooling with envy, but he was too young to go hunting on the mountain, so he just buried himself in eating.

Everyone didn't stay long; after finishing their meal, they dispersed. However, a few young women stayed behind to help clean up the house.

Lin Chunyan thanked them specially. Zhao Linglan and her sister covered their mouths and laughed, "It was just washing a few dishes; it's nothing."

Lin Chunyan didn't refuse their kindness and said that next time she made something delicious, she would invite them over.

Lin Cuixiang smiled shyly, her eyes fixed on Lin Chunyan, asking if there was anything else she needed help with besides raising shrimp.

"I'm idle at home anyway."

How idle? She had to feed chickens and pigs, wash clothes, and cook meals...

"When there's really something to do, I'll definitely ask you to help."

Lin Cuixiang's eyes showed a hint of disappointment. She genuinely wanted to work because working meant earning copper coins.

Only by earning copper coins herself could she understand what it felt like.

Mrs. Zhang had just checked the acorns and, seeing no change, asked Lin Chunyan, "Can they be eaten now?"

Seeing her being so cautious, Lin Chunyan decided not to keep quarreling with her, knowing that Mrs. Zhang had improved since she first arrived.

She didn't expect Mrs. Zhang to change overnight; if she did, she wouldn't be Mrs. Zhang anymore.

"The acorns need to soak for more than five days."

Hearing this, Mrs. Zhang marveled, "For such a long time?"

She didn't know what they would do after soaking, but she was pleased that Lin Chunyan was talking to her. Even if they couldn't be eaten, she wouldn't complain.

Then they talked about Wang Chuizi, "I know you have your own ideas. Regardless of whether or not he will live with us, he must be honest and reliable, someone you can approve of."

Lin Chunyan raised an eyebrow, "Mother, remember what you said. Don't try to arrange marriages for me again."

"That won't happen."

This matter was settled. Wang Chuizi probably wouldn't dare to come again anytime soon.

They didn't set up a stall yesterday, fearing that someone might come specifically to find them. Today, they brought more food.

As soon as Mrs. Zhang arrived at the dock, Jin Niangzi warmly greeted her, unlike before.

"Where is Yan Niang?"

"She went to the town to set up a stall. See, I didn't lie to you!"

Jin Niangzi called her "sister," "Thanks to my sister telling me about your Yan Niang. Otherwise, my grandfather's birthday banquet wouldn't have been so grand. Many people have asked me about it!"

Although Mrs. Zhang didn't know how much money Lin Chunyan had earned, she knew that organizing a birthday banquet required paying the chef a considerable amount. She just wasn't sure if Lin Chunyan would be willing to take on the job.

She no longer dared to make decisions for Lin Chunyan and simply asked Jin Niangzi who was interested.

"The Li family in our village wants Yan Niang to make fish soup for them."

Although both the grandfather and Jin Niangzi gave Lin Chunyan red envelopes, the price of making fish soup alone would cover their costs.

Song Niangzi's fish soup sold for eight cash per bowl.

Both talked about the fish soup, and Jin Niangzi glanced at Song Niangzi, "Why don't you let Yan Niang sell fish soup here? Wouldn't that be better?"

Mrs. Zhang had considered this before but knew it was impractical. Not only was there a question of whether anyone would buy it, but they also lacked the necessary equipment.

In the end, it was still due to lack of money.

Jin Niangzi felt regretful upon hearing this, "Your Yan Niang's fish soup is no worse than Song Niangzi's. In fact, it tastes even better."

Mrs. Zhang didn't respond to this and instead talked about Wang Chuizi and Chef Wang.

"These two are quite unscrupulous!"

After Mrs. Zhang complained, Jin Niangzi agreed, "It's a coincidence that they're from the same village."

"Since they're from the same village, it makes sense that they're both so unreasonable." Mrs. Zhang easily equated the two with their village.

Lin Chunyan didn't set up a stall yesterday, and many people in the town came looking for her. Fortunately, Lin Chunyan had informed the sugar water vendor beforehand, so everyone knew she would come today and waited early.

The sugar water old lady found a moment to ask them how the banquet went yesterday.

Lin Taohong was packaging tofu while responding to the sugar water old lady, and she harshly criticized Chef Wang.

She didn't mention anything about Wang Dachui, after all, it was a matchmaking event, and if it got out, it wouldn't be good for their reputation.

After being beaten and sent home, Wang Dachui held in his anger, finding everything annoying, and cursed Lin Chunyan repeatedly.

Their business had been poor recently; even the daily dried fish couldn't be sold, though it was slightly better than selling vegetables. So they decided not to set up their stall today.

Wang Dalang also felt ashamed; if he hadn't run fast, that stick would have almost hit him, scaring him into having nightmares at night.

Wang Erlang, however, seemed to find it amusing. This morning, he went out for a stroll and came back to talk about Chef Wang's situation.

"It's quite a coincidence. Chef Wang was actually outshone by Lin Chunyan and is now sulking at home."

Hearing this, Wang Chuizi felt a mix of emotions. If Lin Chunyan, with her excellent skills, really became his daughter-in-law, wouldn't he be getting a great deal?

He also thought that since she dared to offend Chef Wang, who was notoriously difficult, Lin Chunyan might end up suffering.

Speaking of which, the Wang Chuizi family wasn't far from Chef Wang's, and they were related through their ancestors, though the connection had become distant by their generation.

Chef Wang was a haughty person. Years ago, when Wang Chuizi tried to send his child to learn cooking from Chef Wang, he was outright rejected.

Because of this incident, Wang Dachui hadn't interacted with Chef Wang's family for many years.

Unexpectedly, Lin Chunyan had managed to humiliate Chef Wang.

Chef Wang was known for his vengeful nature. Being embarrassed by Lin Chunyan like this, he must be seething and might do something drastic.

Wang Chuizi's eyes flickered as an idea formed in his mind. He got up and headed towards Chef Wang's house.

Wang Yingniang, who had been silently washing clothes, looked up only after Wang Chuizi left, biting her lip lightly.

Since they hadn't come to the market yesterday, more people came to buy tofu today, and consequently, more people bought flatbreads as well.

Aunt Fang, who sold the flatbreads, was so busy she barely had time to rest. When she finally had a moment, she brought over three or four flatbreads to thank Lin Chunyan and the others.

"Yesterday, when you didn't come, fewer people bought my flatbreads. These are a token of appreciation."

Lin Chunyan couldn't refuse and accepted them.

After some thought, she said to Aunt Fang, "Aunt Fang, I think your flatbreads are pretty good too. Why don't we collaborate?"