Chapter 67

Chapter 67

The steward knew Lin Chunyan wouldn't come in the afternoon, so he bought extra food early in the day, especially more snacks to go with wine, humming a tune as he returned to his room.

They were all staying on the boat for several days, and seeing that the cargo was almost fully loaded today, the steward felt relieved. Thinking it would be dull drinking alone, he invited a few fellow townspeople to join him.

These people were his subordinates, usually helping him supervise the workers below. Seeing the steward's good mood today, they became bolder, laughing and chatting while drinking.

Then they talked about the stall keeper, Lin Chunyan, "Too bad I went to the town's tavern and didn't know such an event happened at her stall."

"But I saw the commotion and even tried the noodles. I must say, that young lady has incredible skills! The noodles she made taste just like those from our hometown."

The more they talked, the more they wanted to try it. They could only pick some beans to eat with their wine, agreeing that these were perfect for drinking, "It's just a pity we don't know what they're called."

The steward introduced them briefly, "Now that the weather isn't too hot, when we leave, we should take more of these noodles. It will be better than eating the boiled pot water on the boat."

"You're right. Those in the kitchen only get their monthly pay and refuse to cook properly, forcing everyone to spend money eating out."

"You dare say that, getting bolder after drinking. That girl is a young lady in the master's courtyard. Be careful, or you might lose your job if someone hears you."

This person, frightened, hurriedly bowed, "I admit I drank too much. I'll only talk about this among us. If there's any wind of it outside, I'll come to you for answers."

The next day, as soon as Lin Chunyan set up her stall, many eyes turned to her. One of the chatty ones greeted her, "Young lady, did you bring enough noodles today? We have quite a few people waiting to eat."

Lin Chunyan smiled and replied, "Yes, I brought enough. Come and eat to your heart's content."

By noon, the steward came to order food first, fearing the crowd later would delay his turn. After he started eating the noodles, he let the workers take a break.

These people rushed to Lin Chunyan's stall, some muttering quietly, complaining about the steward's unfairness.

Lin Chunyan had anticipated the crowd yesterday and asked Lin Cuixiang to help early, bringing extra bowls and chopsticks. She was busy cooking and rolling noodles, while Lin Cuixiang helped ladle the sauce and serve the customers.

Mrs. Zhang squatted to wash dishes, and Lin Taohong managed the tofu and jelly tofu business. For a moment, everyone was busy.

Those who hadn't tasted it yesterday ordered their hometown noodles. Just one bite, and they exclaimed how authentic it was.

"I haven't had this taste for years. Only when I was sick did my mother make me a bowl of noodles." A tall man, eating, suddenly wiped away tears, startling those around him.

Others were moved by his emotions, thinking of leaving their homes and selling their indentures, unsure if they would ever return. For a moment, they were deeply saddened.

But soon, they turned their sadness into appetite. Some ordered another bowl, even taking the evening portion, cold or not, finding it incredibly delicious.

Jin Niangzi watched enviously, shouting a few times. Her dumplings sold as well as before, but she feared Lin Chunyan might start selling dumplings, ruining her business.

Seeing Shen Niangzi's stall deserted, with few customers, she took the opportunity to ask Mrs. Zhang, who was washing dishes irritably, "Look at us, busy as bees. Where do we have time to make dumplings? It would only cause trouble."

Jin Niangzi breathed a sigh of relief, but then Mrs. Zhang added, "Not necessarily. Yan Niang's skills are known to you. It's just that she doesn't have the time now."

Jin Niangzi's breath was left hanging, neither up nor down. She returned to her own stall, pondering over and over again.

If Lin Chunyan really engaged in that business, she wouldn't prevent others from doing the same. Speaking of which, the fish soup Lin Chunyan makes is much more delicious than what Song Niangzi prepares, yet Lin Chunyan hasn't taken up the trade of selling fish soup.

I've also heard that Lady Song has improved her fish soup, making it much more delicious than before.

Jin Niangzi's father-in-law was fond of fish and meat porridge, so he spent money to have her buy two bowls to take back home. Jin Niangzi also took a few sips and felt that the taste was reminiscent of what Lin Chunyan would make.

Recall the recent period when Madam Song would persistently seek out Lin Chunyan; there might be some reason behind it.

Jin Niangzi took this matter to heart and began to cast glances towards Song Niangzi's stall.

Every day, a considerable crowd gathers at Mrs. Song's fish soup stall. Her establishment is a well-established brand, and many people enjoy coming to savor her offerings.

Recently, Old Chen has had a poor appetite and wanted to come out to improve his meals. Seeing so many people in front of Lin Chunyan's stall, he feared he wouldn't know how long he'd have to wait. So he came to Madam Song's place to have a bowl of fish soup.

Madam Song served him a bowl, and Old Master Chen took a sip, comfortably squinting his eyes, "Madam Song, your culinary skills have improved again; it's much better than before."

Lady Song merely smiled with pursed lips. Dark circles had formed under her eyes, and she hadn't been sleeping well these past few days. Her vitality and spirit no longer seemed as they once were.

Old Chen did not pry into the details, but Lady Cao, who was also enjoying the fish and meat soup, couldn't help but ask, "Is there something at home? These past few days, whenever I've come for the fish and meat soup, I've seen you like this."

Old Chen, propping his ears to listen, was among those who frequently came to drink fish and meat soup. They were all aware of the happenings in Lady Song's household and thought something might have happened.

Mrs. Song just shook her head, but Meizi, unable to bear it, spoke up quickly, "What else could it be, but those people causing trouble all day long, making our lives quite restless."

She spoke impolitely, and Lady Song, fearing that Meizi's words would become gossip, warned her, "You shouldn't speak like that. If others hear it, they'll say you're ill-mannered."

Meizi, however, was not afraid, "Whether one understands etiquette or not is not based on someone else's words! I have a clear conscience, unlike some people who eat what's in their bowl while eyeing what's in the pot. We're making our fish soup just fine, and our foster mother is still young, yet that wretched woman wants to take the recipe for the fish soup and comes to our house to spy every day."

Speaking of which, it was after Song Niangzi got a new recipe from Lin Chunyan last time that she excitedly went back and made it for her grandmother to taste.

Her grandmother initially couldn't believe that anyone could replicate, let alone surpass, the taste of their family's fish soup, suspecting that Lady Song had been deceived by a trickster. She grumbled about it for quite some time.

After taking a bite, the flavor spread across her lips and teeth. Even though she had been making fish soup for so many years, she couldn't find a single fault with it.

He felt a wave of relief wash over him, "Fortunately, Lin Xiaoniang doesn't fancy the fish stew business, and you've also paid up to get the recipe. Otherwise, our trade would indeed be hard to continue."

Lady Song also felt that the money was well spent.

That day, her adopted son happened to be with his biological parents when they came to pick her up, and they overheard the conversation, thinking there was indeed a secret recipe for fish and pork soup that tasted even better than what Lady Song had made before.

The family took advantage of the times when Lady Song was not at home during the day and sneaked in several times.

Madam Song has been constantly wrangling with her in-laws, trying to sever ties with her son. The adopted son's family, having barely attached themselves to Madam Song, would certainly not give up easily. They make a scene every day, causing endless turmoil, which leaves her so worried that she cannot sleep peacefully at night.

Lin Chunyan finally had a break in her business, so she made herself a meal of crab roe noodles. Everyone else was also preparing their desired dishes, and they were all enjoying their meals when Jin Niangzi hurried over to Song Niangzi and directly inquired about her fish soup recipe.

Jin Niangzi lowered her voice, "Song Niangzi, tell me the truth, did you get the fish soup recipe from Yan Niang, and how much money did you spend on it?"

When Song Niangzi now heard the recipe for fish meat soup, she felt a headache and didn't even give Jin Niangzi a glance, "Where did you hear that? We two get along well because we can talk to each other, not because of the fish meat soup."

As she said this, she felt a bit guilty, but Lin Chunyan had specifically instructed her not to mention the recipe for the fish meat soup to anyone.

Previously, Lin Chunyan had secretly taken three taels of silver from Song Niangzi without telling Mrs. Zhang. She was afraid that if Mrs. Zhang found out, she would guess that she had taken the money, and then she wouldn't be able to save it as her private stash.

Song Niangzi naturally agreed without hesitation and even offered to keep the borrowing a secret for her.

Jin Niangzi pestered Song Niangzi with questions for half a day but got no answer she wanted, so she slunk back to her stall, glancing at Lin Chunyan several times, hesitating whether to ask directly.

Zhang Xiaojiu planned to return home today and came to town with them. After eating a bowl of noodles and about to leave, he saw the person who had stolen their things walking over and was greatly startled.

"That's the bandit who stole our things, why are they here again?"

Lin Chunyan quickly put down her noodles and looked over, first seeing Sun Anyuan leading the way. He was tall and muscular, clearly a martial artist, followed by Huzi and a stranger.

Lin Chunyan knew this stranger must be the bandit from Qixia Town who had stolen their things.

"Master Sun, Huzi, you're here." She ignored the man behind them.

Daniu followed closely, bowing repeatedly and apologizing, saying he had been blind and did not recognize them.

"It was also our fault for being rash, kicking the young brother. We will cover all medical expenses, please take good care of yourself."

Zhang Xiaojiu's face flushed red, feeling a bit relieved. Beside him, Mrs. Zhang was relentless, "Look at what you're saying. If someone is beaten for no reason and only pays medical expenses, wouldn't the world be in chaos? There's no such logic."

Daniu bowed and apologized again, and Lin Chunyan let Mrs. Zhang vent her anger.

Daniu was drenched in cold sweat, while Huzi had already found a place to sit, thinking Daniu deserved it. He had always said not to do those things and to find a proper job, but Daniu never listened and would eventually fall flat on his face.

Daniu almost kowtowed in apology, promising that if Zhang Xiaojiu went to Qixia Town, no one would dare to charge protection fees again.

"We are all family, originally an unknown brother. Since you have such status, you should have mentioned it earlier to avoid putting your brothers in a difficult position."

Daniu still felt a bit aggrieved, thinking if he had said it earlier, he wouldn't have suffered so much.

Zhang Xiaojiu was dazed, not knowing how things had turned out this way. Seeing Lin Chunyan not objecting, he naturally didn't want to distance himself from this connection.

Sun Anyuan also said a few reassuring words, ordering a few cold dishes at the stall to discuss matters.

Daniu had already gained some appreciation for Lin Chunyan's cooking, but when the seasoned tofu jelly was served, he was still greatly surprised, "This is much better than eating the tofu jelly alone."

He now knew that the brown thing was called tofu jelly, but after stealing it, they didn't know how to eat it and just swallowed it whole, raw or cooked, which was a waste of such a good thing.

Daniu and Huzi ate with their heads down, while Sun Anyuan wasn't in a hurry to eat, only mentioning that Little Hei was almost trained.

Hearing this, Lin Chunyan was delighted, thanked him, packed up her stall, and went to the security agency to bring Little Hei home.

Zhang Xiaojiu didn't follow, returning home to rest for a few days.

Seeing Lin Chunyan, Little Hei whimpered pitifully. Lin Chunyan held her and spoke kindly to her for a long time before she wagged her tail happily.

Feeling that Little Hei's fur was smoother than before, clearly well-fed and cared for, Lin Chunyan felt even more grateful to Sun Anyuan and bowed to thank him.

She couldn't come empty-handed, but Lin Chunyan didn't know what to offer in thanks. Without being formal with Sun Anyuan, she directly asked what he wanted.

Sun Anyuan liked straightforward people. Hearing this, he thought seriously and said, "I don't really need anything else. But you know I love food. Whenever you make something new, just save me a portion."

The others nearby heard this and cheered, saying they wanted to eat too, but Sun Anyuan laughed and scolded them away, telling Lin Chunyan to ignore them.

That wasn't hard. Lin Chunyan disliked owing favors, and since Sun Anyuan had helped her, she wanted to repay him so she wouldn't feel uneasy.

Sun Anyuan then asked if they wanted to keep a cat, pointing to a few cats nearby, "These are quite good at catching mice."

Lin Chunyan needed one. Seeing a white cat with blue eyes, which reminded her of Xuesong she had seen at Hu's house, she picked it up and stroked it, unwilling to let go. This made Little Hei jealous for a while.

Finally, she had a life with a cat and two dogs. The big dog, Sun Anyuan said, could stay with them if they wanted. One dog could guard the front, the other the back, and any unusual noise would alert them promptly.

Lin Chunyan was very happy. Having spent a lot of time with the big dog, she had developed feelings for it. It looked fierce but wagged its tail excitedly every time it saw them, showing great loyalty.

Dog Egg had come to the house many times with his sister, trying to pet the dog, but the dog always bared its teeth, scaring Dog Egg away.

Lin Chunyan thus returned home with a cat and a dog. Mrs. Zhang hadn't seen Little Hei for a while. Although she thought the little black dog was useless and had eaten their food for so long, having been brought from Zhao's house, she still missed it after so long.

Seeing Lin Chunyan holding a cat, she exclaimed in surprise, "Where did you get this?"

"From the security agency. They said it's very good at catching mice."

Mrs. Zhang found the cat cute and couldn't resist picking it up, petting it. The little cat meowed softly, nearly melting Mrs. Zhang's heart.

"Oh, we need to make a bed for the cat. It's getting colder, let it sleep inside."

Without waiting for Lin Chunyan to say anything, Mrs. Zhang went into the house to prepare a bed for the cat, treating it warmly.

It turned out Mrs. Zhang was a cat lover. Lin Chunyan had once suggested bringing a cat home, but Mrs. Zhang hadn't been keen. Who knew she had hidden it so deeply.

The little cat was cute and unafraid, stretching lazily after looking around, then jumping into the bed Mrs. Zhang had prepared, closing its eyes contentedly.

Looking around, it saw some dried fish and pounced on it, not at all shy.

"This cat is better. If I had known you were bringing a cat home, I should have chosen a good day and written a formal letter to welcome it, giving it a proper name instead of just bringing it home like this."

Lin Chunyan knew that people nowadays loved keeping pets, and there were many cat and dog enthusiasts who wrote formal letters to welcome their pets.

Lin Chunyan didn't have this concept and didn't take it seriously, joking with Mrs. Zhang, "When you brought Little Black and Big Yellow home, you never said anything like that. If those two little masters heard you, they would be upset."

Mrs. Zhang laughed, "Those two dogs are silly. How can they compare to a cat that is so clever and cute? We should write a formal letter for it."

Lin Taohong played with the kitten for a while but soon stopped, afraid it would crawl into her bed. She repeatedly warned Lin Chunyan and Mrs. Zhang, "Don't let it on the bed; it'll dirty the sheets and shed fur everywhere."

The next morning, however, she found the cat lying on her quilt, stretching gracefully. Feeling suffocated, she angrily called Mrs. Zhang to chase the cat away.

Mrs. Zhang came over, picked up the kitten, and gently stroked its head, glaring at Lin Taohong, "Lower your voice. Your loud shouting might scare our little Snowball."

She had named the kitten, starting with "Little White," but then thought it sounded too common, like "Little Black" or "Big Yellow." After much deliberation, she finally settled on "Snowball."

Lin Taohong was so upset that she continued to argue with Mrs. Zhang as she washed her face, making the house lively for a moment.

At the stall, Old Qin was already waiting. Lin Chunyan greeted him, "Father-in-law, why are you here so early today?"

Old Qin had something to ask Lin Chunyan and had been thinking about it for several days. With his son's wedding approaching, he had no choice but to muster the courage to ask.

"Do you think you could come and cook a meal for us? It doesn't have to be many dishes, just a couple of stir-fries. We just want to taste what you can make."

His son was getting married, and Old Qin wanted to eat something different from what was available at the stall, which is why he asked.

Lin Chunyan thought for a moment. It had been a long time since she cooked for someone else, and the money wasn't the main issue; she was just eager to try her hand again.

There were some things they couldn't afford to buy for themselves, but when cooking for others, the hosts were always generous and provided everything needed.

Seeing Lin Chunyan agree, Old Qin was delighted, his beard trembling with joy. He then mentioned the price, "I won't shortchange you, Miss."

After Old Qin left, Lin Taohong asked, "Sister, why do you still want to cook for others?"

She was still haunted by the incident with Wang Dachef and Wang Chuizi, wishing she could tear them apart.

Lin Chunyan replied, "It's been a long time since I cooked fresh food for anyone. If necessary, I'll have Sanlang accompany me."

"Whoever it is, it's better than going alone. Since you're willing to cook, I won't stop you, but be very careful."

Hearing such words from Mrs. Zhang was rare, and Lin Chunyan felt warm inside. She went back to plan the menu, while Lin Taohong sulked, unnoticed.

From Old Qin's words, it seemed less like a wedding and more like an excuse for a good meal.

Old Qin then sent someone to say that Lin Chunyan should prepare the menu, and he would buy whatever was needed without considering the cost.

On the day, Wang Yingniang helped at the stall while Lin Chunyan and Sanlang went to Old Qin's place. Wang Yingniang, knowing she would be cooking delicious food, wished she could go along.

Lin Chunyan understood her thoughts and smiled, "There will be plenty of opportunities in the future. Teach Cuixiang how to make noodles and how long to boil them, and you'll have more free time."

Cuixiang nodded eagerly, "Yes, I need to learn quickly so I can help in the future."

Seeing them chatting and offering to help, Lin Taohong felt left out and sat in a corner, sulking. Mrs. Zhang noticed and pushed her forward, "What are you hiding here? Your eyes are red as if they're about to bleed."

Lin Taohong, annoyed by her mother's outburst, called out, "Why do they stick to my sister all the time? If there were enough space on the bed, Xiang Niang would probably move in with us."

And Zhao Linglan and Zhao Zilan, the sisters, came over every day, staying late into the night, always having endless conversations with Lin Chunyan.

Lin Chunyan soon noticed Lin Taohong's mood but didn't press her, knowing she was embarrassed to admit her jealousy.

Mrs. Zhang snorted, "Ignore her; she's just jealous."

Lin Chunyan understood immediately. Lin Taohong stomped her foot, calling out to her mother, her face flushed with embarrassment.

Lin Chunyan teased her, "You say you're unhappy, but you just want to come along and help with the cooking."

Lin Taohong became anxious and pulled Lin Chunyan's hand, "I'll stoke the fire for you, Sister."

Old Qin loved meat, and when Lin Chunyan prepared the menu, he specifically asked for more meat dishes, saying, "My son only gets married once; don't worry about the cost."

With his assurance, Lin Chunyan felt confident and planned to make steamed mutton. The menu pleased Old Qin, who exclaimed, "I heard you were coming to cook, and many people said they wanted to come. It's all thanks to you."

Lin Chunyan laughed, "It's because Father-in-law is generous, and everyone wants to congratulate you. It has nothing to do with me; I'm just adding a touch of elegance."

Both sides were pleased. Qin Xiaolang, Old Qin's son, was proud that so many notable people from town were coming because of Lin Chunyan.

On the day, Lin Chunyan arrived early and saw many familiar faces, momentarily thinking she was back at her stall.

People greeted her, some waving from a distance, others exchanging pleasantries, and the two sons of Mr. Zhao's family bounced over, chattering excitedly, "Sister Lin, you're finally here! We thought Grandpa Qin was joking."

When inviting people, Old Qin had mentioned Lin Chunyan as the chef, and many doubted it, knowing about her previous incident and assuming she wouldn't cook for others for a long time.

Old Qin laughed, "Would I lie about this? Now that you see her, you should believe me, right?"

With Lin Chunyan standing there, there was no reason not to believe him. Mr. Zhao called his sons over and bowed to Lin Chunyan, "My children were rude; please forgive them, Miss Lin."

Lin Chunyan smiled and went to prepare the food.

Mr. Zhao had been away visiting his in-laws and hadn't been to the stall for a few days, feeling his mouth lacked flavor.

"To be honest, what I missed most during this time was that one dish. I can't wait to get back and have a good meal."

His wife, overhearing this, rolled her eyes, "So we're just an afterthought. Living with you every day isn't as enjoyable as eating with you."

Realizing his mistake, Mr. Zhao quickly bowed and apologized, causing a commotion. Lin Chunyan watched his sons laughing at their father being scolded by their mother.

Seeing Lin Chunyan looking, they ran over and asked what she was cooking, "For this meal, we haven't eaten since last night."

These boys could really go hungry. Their mother, hearing this, stopped arguing with Mr. Zhao and turned to pull their ears, "What did you say? You didn't eat last night? You're lying to me. Can't you give me a break?"

The two children cried out in pain, their earlier excitement at the spectacle gone as they were dragged to one side by their mother, standing there, one big and two small.

They were all acquaintances, so Mr. Zhao didn't feel embarrassed. However, Zhang Tianhe, who was visiting for the first time, was shocked and muttered to Scholar Song, "Isn't this too disrespectful?"

Scholar Song had some friendship with Mr. Zhao. Previously, when Wang Chuizi and his gang caused trouble, Scholar Song and Mr. Zhao had taken them to the magistrate's office, meeting the county magistrate once.

With a bit of camaraderie, Scholar Song said to Zhang Tianhe, "This isn't disrespectful; it's genuine. Over time, you'll see that these gluttons have no ill intentions and are quite righteous."

Lin Taohong also saw Zhang Tianhe arrive. When no one was around, she rolled her eyes, unnoticed by Lin Chunyan but clearly seen by Zhang Tianhe.

Seeing that he noticed, Lin Taohong rolled her eyes even more openly.

She still harbored a grudge from before when Zhang Tianhe criticized their food through the courtyard wall, echoing with Little Miss Zhang, which made her remember for a long time.

Zhang Tianhe was almost knocked back by Lin Taohong's attitude. The last time he bought something, he changed his face, and now, not being a customer, he put on a sour expression again.

He mumbled a few words, afraid of disturbing the good mood at Mr. Qin's place, and could only sit angrily to one side. Seeing this, Scholar Song thought he was angry at Mr. Zhao, shook his head, and changed the subject.

Lin Chunyan entered the kitchen, followed by Li Niangzi, who immediately rolled up her sleeves to help, "I see lamb steamed in clear broth on the menu. Are you going to show off your skills today?"

Lin Chunyan nodded. Last time everyone praised it, so she decided to make another batch. The leftover broth could be used to cook noodles as the main dish, making the meal quicker to prepare.

Casually, Lin Chunyan asked, "Why did you come out today, Li Niangzi?"

Coincidentally, Old Mr. Qin had given the invitation to Aunt Zhao, who was in charge of purchasing. Her husband had some connection with Old Mr. Qin, and she overheard them talking in the kitchen.

Aunt Zhao saw her listening intently and deliberately mentioned that the chef invited was Lin Chunyan. She thought Li Niangzi and Lin Chunyan didn't get along, so she praised Lin Chunyan's skills to the sky, hoping to embarrass Li Niangzi.

Li Niangzi took it to heart and asked Aunt Zhao when the event was.

Feeling smug, Aunt Zhao thought Li Niangzi felt inferior and told her the date.

Li Niangzi then brought some gifts to Old Mr. Qin, saying she wanted to attend his son's wedding banquet.

Old Mr. Qin knew her well; no glutton was unaware of a skilled chef. They had even been judges together last time, so he naturally agreed.

Lin Taohong helped with the fire, and Old Mr. Qin found a helper to assist, who turned out to be a familiar face—Wang Chef's former apprentice.

When Wang Chef was arrested, the apprentice ran away, fearing Wang Chef would find him. Even after Wang Chef was released, he didn't dare return.

Later, he heard that Wang Chef had left town to seek a living elsewhere. His reputation was tarnished, and no one dared hire him for fear he might poison the food or serve unclean dishes. Only then did the apprentice dare to come out.

Seeing Lin Chunyan and Lin Taohong, he was pleasantly surprised, "It's Little Miss Lin again."

After greeting them, he stretched his neck to see what Lin Chunyan would cook. Last time, due to Wang Chef, he only smelled the food but couldn't taste it, leaving him craving.

Now unable to learn from Wang Chef, he could only do odd jobs. He still wanted to learn kitchen skills and hoped to become a head chef like Lin Chunyan, so he was very eager, preparing everything needed.

Lin Chunyan planned to start with fried meatballs. She marinated and finely chopped the pork, her knife skills excellent, making the meat filling very smooth. She then stirred the meat in one direction to give it strength.

Li Niangzi had also made fried meatballs before and shared her method with Lin Chunyan, not wanting to appear arrogant, and asked if Lin Chunyan would do the same.

Lin Chunyan showed the same expression as when she made the steamed lamb, "That method won't go wrong, but try mine and compare later."

Li Niangzi watched attentively, though she didn't say it, she knew Lin Chunyan was giving her pointers. She was delighted and, if not already apprenticed, might have knelt down to thank her.

Wang San'er kept looking over, envy in his eyes. Wang Chef hadn't taught him much, and his knife skills were poor, but he was skilled at tending the fire, better than Lin Taohong.

Seeing someone helping with the fire, Lin Taohong went outside with Sanlang to eat fruit. The fruit, prepared by Lin Chunyan, included various sweet and sour fruits, suitable for all ages as an appetizer.

After stirring the pork, Lin Chunyan added bread crumbs and mixed them evenly. Li Niangzi raised an eyebrow; she had never added bread crumbs to her meatballs before, unsure of the purpose.

The oil in the pot was heated to about seven-tenths hot, and Lin Chunyan quickly formed the meat into balls and dropped them into the oil, frying them until golden brown, then refried them, sprinkling sesame seeds on top when done.

These meatballs were golden on the outside, slightly crispy when bitten, but soft inside, with the meat flavor slowly spreading in the mouth, very fragrant.

Li Niangzi tasted one and realized that to make the meatballs chewy, the meat should be a mix of lean and fat, with pork hind leg being a good choice.

She knew this, but Lin Chunyan's meatballs were more elastic and not overly hard. Putting down her spoon, she sighed, "Is it because of the bread crumbs?"

Lin Chunyan nodded, "Adding bread crumbs absorbs excess moisture from the meat and makes the meatballs softer."

"Thank you for the lesson," Li Niangzi felt the trip was worthwhile. Lin Chunyan not only had excellent skills but was generous in sharing her knowledge without reservation.

However, Li Niangzi was overthinking. Lin Chunyan was grateful for her help in refusing Lady Wang's offer to join the household as a cook, so she gave her some pointers.

There were many nuances involved, such as the type of meat, the starch used, the oil temperature when frying, and how long to fry. Each person's technique produced different flavors.

Wang San'er had been drooling, holding a piece of wood in one hand and covering his mouth with the other, afraid of losing face by drooling openly.

Seeing his effort, Lin Chunyan gave him a few meatballs to eat while tending the fire, touching him deeply, nearly bringing tears to his eyes.

Those sitting outside weren't faring much better, all smelling the delicious aroma from the kitchen, stretching their necks to watch, eagerly waiting for the dishes to be served.

Few cared about the bride's appearance; she wasn't upset either, fearing too many guests would make her shy.

Lin Chunyan cut the meatballs into smaller pieces and had a maid serve a portion to the bride. These smaller pieces could be eaten directly, avoiding lipstick stains.

The bride, smelling the inviting aroma, moved restlessly and finally couldn't resist, lifting the veil slightly to see the golden meatballs sprinkled with sesame seeds, almost drooling.

"The bride, please eat. It will be a while before we can disperse."

Hearing this, the bride didn't hesitate, carefully putting the meatball in her mouth, inwardly exclaiming how delicious it was.

One reason she agreed to marry into the Qin family was the rumor that Old Mr. Qin loved food, thinking she wouldn't lack for good meals after marriage.

Outside, the atmosphere became lively as the meatballs were served. People lost their composure, each grabbing a pair of chopsticks to eat, momentarily silent, focused on the food.

Mrs. Zhao, who had been scolding Mr. Zhao and the children, joined them when the meatballs arrived. The children ate voraciously, moving their chopsticks quickly, making her wonder where they had learned manners.

She delicately picked up a meatball with her chopsticks and placed it in her mouth. She had never been particularly fussy about food. Yet, the two children she bore all took after Mr. Zhao, who only enjoyed the tastiest dishes. After returning home, the three of them could spend half a day discussing the flavors of each dish they had eaten. Every time she saw this, she found it hard to understand.

But with just one bite, even she felt that the meatball was exceptionally delicious, truly tempting one to take another bite.

The brothers Zhao watched their mother quietly, noticing her chopsticks didn't stop moving. Though she said nothing, they knew she also found it good.

At home, their mother would only eat three bites of each dish, no more.

But today, she ate several meatballs, and when the salted egg yolk tofu came, she continued eating mouthful after mouthful. They had never seen their mother behave like this before.

Mrs. Zhao also felt a bit embarrassed, not lifting her head while eating, and not scolding her husband and sons as usual.

Constable Sun ate heartily, and many others, feeling seven or eight parts full, began to chat leisurely. Someone nearby asked Constable Sun, "Why isn't your brother here?"

Constable Sun replied, "He left on a security escort yesterday. This job is urgent, so he might be back in a few days."

Someone joked with Constable Sun, "Constable Sun, I heard your mother has arranged for you to meet a few people. Have you found anyone you like?"

Hearing this, Constable Sun's face crumpled, "Don't mention it. Because of this, my mother almost chased me out with a broom."

Moreover, he thought Sun Anyuan had left so hastily because he saw how Constable Sun was treated, fearing that Li Dainiang would turn her attention to him. Seeing an opportunity, he ran off at the first chance.

Qin Laozheng and his father-in-law Chen Laozheng, Jin Niangzi's father-in-law, were drinking and chatting merrily. The old men were enjoying themselves immensely. Chen Laozheng even said, "Next month is my birthday. I wonder if Lin Xiaoniang can come and cook for me then."

Seeing so many people gathered at his place, all eating so well, Qin Laozheng felt honored and slightly tipsy from the wine, but he dared not speak rashly. He thought about how he hadn't gone wrong by visiting Lin Chunyan for meals, which had earned him such favor.

Jin Niangzi's father-in-law kept glancing at the kitchen. Jin Niangzi shared her thoughts with her father-in-law, who also felt the matter was significant. He considered asking Lin Chunyan for her recipe.

When he had a moment, the old man went to the kitchen. Lin Chunyan had once cooked a feast at their house, and although something unpleasant happened afterward, he had given her a generous red envelope at the time. Seeing him, Lin Chunyan greeted him with a smile.

Feeling confident, the old man got straight to the point, mentioning his desire to buy the recipe for the dumplings.

"I know this might seem abrupt, Miss, but please don't rush to answer. Just discuss it with your family, and we can talk about the price later."

Lin Chunyan was surprised, not expecting him to come for this reason. She said she would think about it, making Wang San envious and more diligent in stoking the fire.

While they were enjoying their meal, Sun Anyuan and his companions were halfway through their journey. Seeing the sun high in the sky, they stopped to rest. Dazhuang pulled out a somewhat hardened steamed bun from his pocket and took a big bite, casting a resentful glance at Sun Anyuan.

Sun Anyuan understood what he was thinking, slightly turning away to avoid his gaze. However, Dazhuang didn't let him off, sitting opposite him and angrily biting into the bun, "Why did we have to leave so urgently? We couldn't even stop by Lin Xiaoniang's place to buy some food. Are we supposed to eat cold, hard buns and drink water all the way?"

Sun Anyuan felt a bit guilty. It was a sudden urgent job, and Lin Xiaoniang couldn't set up her stall at night. They couldn't go to her house just for a meal.

He was already feeling down, knowing that Qin Laozheng had invited Lin Chunyan to cook, and imagining all the delicious food made his mouth water.

On the other side, Huzi was grinning. Earlier, when his brother Daniu left, he bought quite a bit of the food he liked. Huzi had even managed to snatch some from him, and this time, he brought everything along.

Dazhuang took another bite of the cold, hard bun, his eyes fixed on the things they were carrying. They were entrusted by the Wang family to deliver some items to their daughter in the capital city. It wasn't a special occasion, and only a few boxes were being sent, without any clear indication of what was inside, which was rather curious.

If it were valuable, the weight wouldn't match, and if it weren't important, the family servants could have delivered it. Yet, they had hired people from the security escort company.

However, having worked as a security escort for many years, Dazhuang had developed a habit of not asking questions. Seeing the bun in his hand, he sighed again, glancing around and noticing Huzi acting strangely behind the tree.

Dazhuang knew something was up, quietly circling around and suddenly startling Huzi from behind. Huzi jumped, and the item he was secretly taking fell to the ground.

"Ah, so you were sneaking a snack here."