Chapter 74

Chapter 74

"Sour cabbage dumplings, delicious sour cabbage dumplings! Try one and tell me if they aren't absolutely delicious!"

This person was holding the sour cabbage dumplings cooked by Lin Chunyan, offering them to anyone at the dock. Many people, seeing that there was no charge and that it was sour cabbage filling, naturally came over to try one.

Indeed, the dumplings tasted great, and those who tried them all said they were good.

Others were not pleased. "Hey, how can this be? If you're going to compare, shouldn't you let others try the other types of dumplings as well? Why only the sour cabbage ones?"

This person, having received so many compliments, seemed as if he had made the dumplings himself, grinning from ear to ear. "If you say so, why don't you also take your dumplings for others to taste?"

Some people actually did just that. Word spread that someone was giving out dumplings at Lin Xiaoniang's stall at the dock, and soon a crowd gathered, surrounding the stall and drawing in vendors from other areas.

Those who had just disembarked from boats, not knowing what was happening, hurried over to join the commotion.

Indeed, some people evaluated which type of dumpling was the best. Lin Chunyan took a moment to look around; apart from the popular mutton filling, many people also enjoyed the pickled mustard and meat filling.

Speaking of Wang Xianhan, after delivering the dumplings to the Wang family, Old Lady Wang immediately had them served. The plate contained various fillings, each with slightly different shapes.

Wang Xianhan had delivered them in time, so the dumplings were still steaming hot and hadn't stuck together.

Old Lady Wang asked a maid to bring her chopsticks and picked one to eat.

She tasted each one, finding them all quite good. Just then, Young Master Wang came to pay his respects and, seeing the fresh dumplings, joined in and ate a few.

He chose the vegetarian three-fresh filling, which tasted incredibly fresh. Upon closer inspection, he found it contained not only black fungus and mushrooms but also small shrimp.

"It's much better than the mutton filling we usually have."

Old Lady Wang agreed. Although the mutton filling was delicious, eating it for too long became monotonous. Lin Chunyan's dumplings offered a refreshing change.

"Grandmother, why is there only one plate? It's not enough to share with the sisters."

Young Master Wang tried several other fillings, feeling satisfied, and then commented.

Old Lady Wang loved his considerate nature and smiled warmly. "I only wanted to taste them. We'll have lunch with the dumplings made in our kitchen. Since you find them so good, I'll have someone buy more of these dumplings."

The dumplings made in the house wouldn't go to waste; they would be shared with the servants. No one ever complained about the mutton filling.

Young Master Wang recalled the various fillings he had just tasted and chose his favorite. Old Lady Wang then invited a few young ladies to taste and select their preferred fillings, and they quickly decided on a few.

Qing and Rong both came over, tasting each one and choosing their favorites.

Qing looked at Old Lady Wang hopefully. "I wonder if we can go to Lin Xiaoniang's stall and have a bowl. The freshly cooked ones are the best."

Old Lady Wang put on a stern face. "You little monkey, don't think I don't know what you're thinking. Not today, you've already gone out recently, and now you're getting restless?"

Qing pouted for a while but, seeing that Old Lady Wang wouldn't budge, had to give up, muttering, "It's not like I've just gone out; it's been almost a month."

Later, they sent someone to buy spicy hot pot, but since Lin Chunyan hadn't made it before, it didn't work out.

They also heard that the two young ladies from Mr. Wang's household had caused trouble, but fortunately, it ended without incident. Rong and Qing felt that Lin Chunyan had been affected by their actions and treated her kindly, even giving extra tips.

Zhou Wanniang had been less cheerful lately, looking thinner than when she arrived, and she wasn't used to the local cuisine. She casually picked a dumpling to taste and, finding it decent, stopped eating.

"I'll have this filling."

Seeing her choice, Old Lady Wang pulled her close and comforted her. "Don't stay cooped up in your room all day. Come out more often. You used to love writing poetry and painting; perhaps you should start again."

Zhou Wanniang, fearing that Old Lady Wang would be upset, explained, "I just miss being at home with my parents. Now we're separated, and I don't know how they're doing in the capital."

Old Lady Wang reassured her, "They're all fine. Take care of yourself. If you return looking thinner, they'll blame me for not taking good care of you."

After everyone left, Old Lady Wang sighed. "What a pity."

A servant brought her a cup of tea. "It's all part of fate, Madam. Don't be too sad. Although things didn't go as we wished, heaven is on our side. With him, they won't think of our cousin anymore."

The servant didn't mention Zhao Xinghua by name, but Old Lady Wang knew who she meant. Thinking of the girl, she felt deep sympathy. Born into poverty, she had never known wealth and was now being dragged into this mess. She blamed herself for her daughter's foolishness.

Who would have thought that the child born back then wasn't a pair of twins but identical twins, and the male twin who died at birth was a mystery.

Thinking about the whole situation, Old Lady Wang felt a deep sense of sorrow.

She sighed and said she would go to the small temple to pray for Zhao Xinghua. "We owe her, and if we have the chance, we must make amends."

Old Lady Wang usually went to the temple alone, so the servant stepped out, shivering in the wind, and felt a pang of sadness as she looked at the gloomy sky.

Reflecting on her life, Old Lady Wang had not been particularly fortunate. Despite her kindness to Young Master Wang and Rong and Qing, none of them were her blood relatives.

Only Zhou Wanniang and the adopted Zhao Xinghua had any blood relation to her. One was in hiding in town, and the other was sent to King Zhao's bed. Her future was uncertain.

If King Zhao only cared about Zhou Wanniang's beauty, it would be one thing. But if he also valued her intellect and talent, Zhao Xinghua's life would be ruined. Once the novelty wore off, and given her lack of education and manners, she would eventually be discarded.

More and more people came to buy dumplings, and Mrs. Zhang was called over to help. Though she wasn't skilled at much else, making dumplings was easy for her.

Lin Taohong also stopped making pan-fried tofu and helped cook. Fortunately, the fillings were prepared in advance, or it would have been chaotic.

After returning home, Aunt Liu and her husband spread the word about the food they had eaten. Their guests, all food enthusiasts, initially doubted the old man's claims. "Before, you seemed practical, but now you're exaggerating. How could a young lady make such good food?"

The old man, unperturbed, called Aunt Liu over. "If you don't believe me, you should at least trust my wife."

This was true; everyone knew Aunt Liu had a keen sense of smell and could identify ingredients just by their aroma. Food enthusiasts respected her judgment.

Aunt Liu nodded in agreement. "At first, I didn't believe him when he said we should try something new in White Cloud Town, thinking it was just another gimmick. But after trying the bean skin and jelly tofu, I found them quite tasty. With nothing else to do, I followed him, and when we got to the stall, I was truly surprised."

Everyone waited for her to continue. Aunt Liu slowly sipped her tea. Seeing that everyone's attention was fully captured, she said, "When we arrived there, it happened that a few young ladies and gentlemen were enjoying spicy hot pot. We followed the aroma, which could be smelled even from the dock! Upon arriving, we saw what they were eating. We had never even heard of this dish before, so we ordered a spicy hot pot as well.

Unfortunately, Lin Xiaoniang only made one serving, and we couldn't get more, so we ordered some other dishes. The next day, we went early to have the spicy hot pot again."

The others couldn't wait to ask, "How was it?"

Although they didn't know what spicy hot pot was, it sounded delicious.

"Of course, it was good. It’s a pity we couldn’t bring it back; otherwise, we would have let everyone taste it."

Hearing this, a young gentleman looked at Aunt Liu, "Since it’s so delicious, I must go and see for myself whether this Lin Xiaoniang is as good as you say."

His father-in-law, with a twinkle in his eye, looked at Aunt Liu and said, "Why don't I take them? These young people haven't seen much of the world. Something might happen if they go alone. At least I’ve been there before and know the way well."

Aunt Liu bluntly exposed him, "I think you’re not worried about them getting lost; you just want to go and eat again."

Everyone laughed, and the father-in-law wasn’t upset. After a few more requests, Aunt Liu finally agreed to let the father-in-law lead the young gentleman to the stall in White Cloud Town.

After leaving the father-in-law’s house, these people gathered in small groups, chatting as they walked. One straightforward young gentleman said, "I don’t quite believe it. I think you’re just bluffing and exaggerating."

"But I think it might be true. If the young lady’s skills weren’t good, those dishes wouldn’t be sold in taverns. She would have been kicked out by the innkeepers long ago."

Another person chimed in, "Why don’t we make a bet? If the young lady’s skills are as good as you say, I’ll give you two hundred coins. If not, you’ll give me two hundred coins."

None of the young gentlemen refused, and they all placed their bets, eager to see Lin Chunyan and find out the truth.

It just so happened that the day they went was the Winter Solstice. Lin Chunyan’s stall only had dumplings, no other food.

The crowd that had previously gathered to vote for their favorite dumpling fillings had dispersed, making the place look somewhat deserted.

Seeing only these foods, the young gentlemen felt a bit disappointed. The one who had placed the bet started to gloat, calculating how much money he would win and how he could use it to help his family.

The father-in-law greeted Lin Chunyan, knowing her skills, and didn’t feel too disappointed. Instead, he thought he had chosen a good day, as dumplings were rarely available at this stall on ordinary days.

Lin Chunyan recognized him as the old couple who had eaten spicy hot pot last time and smiled, asking, "Father-in-law, you came from your town again today. What kind of filling do you want for your dumplings?"

The father-in-law laughed and pointed at the dumplings, saying, "I’ve never seen so many varieties. Can you tell me what kinds of fillings these are?"

Lin Chunyan gave him a brief introduction and asked which one he wanted.

The father-in-law called out to the young gentlemen, "You heard the fillings the young lady mentioned. Which ones do you want? Choose for yourselves."

After choosing his own filling, the father-in-law lifted the curtain and entered the tent, waiting patiently. Soon, a steaming bowl of dumplings came out.

The young gentlemen, thinking they had come all this way and it was the Winter Solstice, decided to try the dumplings. They each chose their preferred fillings.

Once the dumplings were served, the young gentlemen each took a bite and were instantly attracted by the aroma. They couldn’t stop talking and kept dipping their chopsticks into the bowls, only pausing when they were half full.

"I never thought dumplings could be so delicious. It’s my ignorance," one young gentleman remarked, regretting that his home wasn’t in this town, or he could have brought some back for his family.

The father-in-law chuckled contentedly, "I told you the young lady’s skills were exceptional. Now you believe me."

The father-in-law had also heard about their bet but, being older, hadn’t participated. He just waited to see the outcome.

The one who had bet that the stall would be good was now elated, ready to collect his winnings.

The others looked rather dejected, turning their disappointment into appetite. Occasionally, they even stole a dumpling from their companions to try different flavors.

On their way out, each of them packed a large portion, despite Lin Chunyan’s warning that they would stick together. They insisted, saying they wanted to share with their families.

Once on the boat, those who won reached out to the losers, "Give us the money quickly. We’ll use it to treat ourselves to a good meal."

The losers reluctantly handed over the two hundred coins, promising to invite them to dinner another time.

"Why don’t we visit White Cloud Town again in a few days since we have nothing to do for a while?"

Everyone naturally agreed, eagerly looking forward to their next visit.

Constable Sun was on duty today and had planned to visit the dock to see if there were any dumplings. However, he found that Lin Chunyan had already closed her stall, leaving him somewhat disappointed.

When he got home, he saw Li Dainiang making dumplings. He was immediately alarmed because, apart from complaining about their lack of wives, Li Dainiang’s worst trait was her terrible cooking.

Seeing Constable Sun return, Li Dainiang immediately waved him over, "Come and help me make dumplings. Other families have daughters-in-law and granddaughters, all bustling around together. But here, it’s just me. Where are you two brothers? Do you even remember it’s the Winter Solstice today?"

Constable Sun scratched his head and frequently glanced out the window, hoping Sun Anyuan would return soon. He wasn’t skilled at making dumplings and needed someone to share the burden.

Finally, Sun Anyuan pushed the door open, and Constable Sun, like seeing a savior, hurriedly pulled him aside, "You’re finally back. Mother is waiting for you to make dumplings."

Sun Anyuan immediately understood the situation and looked a bit uneasy, whispering to Constable Sun, "Brother, didn’t you buy some ready-made dumplings from the dock?"

Constable Sun also whispered, "Of course, I did, but Lin Xiaoniang had already closed her stall. It seems too many people bought dumplings today, and she sold out early."

Sun Anyuan had been busy at the security agency all day. If he had known the dumplings were so popular, he would have gone earlier. He blamed himself for being careless.

Seeing the two brothers still outside, Li Dainiang shouted through the window, "Are you two just waiting to eat? Come and help me. Why is my life so hard? If you two were girls, you’d be so helpful."

Hearing Li Dainiang’s complaints, Sun Anyuan and Constable Sun quickly went inside, washed their hands, and started helping to make dumplings.

Sun Anyuan, recalling past experiences, cautiously asked, "Mother, did you make the filling yourself?"

Li Dainiang deliberately teased him, "If not me, who else would make it for me?"

Sun Anyuan didn’t dare to ask further, remembering the times he had found stones and sand in the dumplings or the unevenly mixed salt, which had caused him toothaches.

By the time the dumplings were made, it was already dark. Li Dainiang asked Constable Sun to boil the dumplings and Sun Anyuan to fetch the chrysanthemum wine.

This wine was something Constable Sun had bought from Lin Chunyan before. He had shared some with his colleagues at the office and brought the rest home, planning to enjoy it slowly.

Hearing this, Sun Anyuan quickly opened the cabinet. Usually, Constable Sun treated this wine like a treasure, not allowing anyone to touch it. But since Li Dainiang had given the order, even if Constable Sun knew, he wouldn’t dare refuse.

The two women opened the wine and each poured a cup. When Constable Sun finished cooking the dumplings, he discovered his wine had been opened and sighed in regret.

Most of the dumplings were made by Li Dainiang and Sun Anyuan. The shapes they created weren't very appealing, and they looked even worse after being cooked, but they were still edible.

Constable Sun and Sun Anyuan each took a sip of wine first, thinking that since their mother was in a good mood today, even if the dumplings contained arsenic, they would have to eat them with a stiff upper lip.

Though they thought this, neither of them picked up their chopsticks. Li Dainiang, who could see right through their thoughts, tapped each of them with her chopsticks, "What's the meaning of this? Are you criticizing my cooking skills? If you don't like my cooking, find someone better to do it for you. I'm too old to be making dumpling fillings for you two and still not get any appreciation."

Afraid that Li Dainiang would continue nagging, they quickly picked up their chopsticks and picked up a dumpling each. To their surprise, there were no stones or salt lumps inside, but rather a delicious flavor.

Constable Sun took a bite and asked, "Mother, what kind of filling is this? It's so fragrant. It can't be something you made."

Sun Anyuan, having finished one as well, echoed the same question. Li Dainiang replied smugly, "Of course not. Don't think I don't know that you two have been saying behind my back that my fillings have stones in them. So, I didn't bother and bought the fillings ready-made."

Sun Anyuan was curious, "There are actually places that sell pre-made dumpling fillings? Where did you buy them from?"

Li Dainiang explained, "No one else would sell them, but Yan Niang made a whole pot especially for me because of you two."

She then mentioned her visit to Lin Chunyan earlier, "You wouldn't believe how busy their stall was. There were even people from other towns eating their dumplings. I saw that they used up all the fillings they brought."

Constable Sun nodded, "The fillings taste great, and the dumplings are more fragrant with each bite. No wonder they sold out. When I went to buy some after work, they had already closed up."

Sun Anyuan, no longer caring to talk, just buried his head in eating. Constable Sun, not wanting to be left behind, also started eating quickly. Even Li Dainiang ate several before stopping.

After they were full, Sun Anyuan slowly sipped his wine and went outside for a walk, returning to say, "It's snowing again."

Erlang, pushing the cart, often had cold hands. Lin Chunyan had mentioned gloves, and Zhao Linglan made them first. Seeing how good they were, Lin Cuixiang learned and made a pair for Erlang, so he wouldn't feel the cold while pushing the cart.

Seeing the snowflakes falling, Mrs. Zhang cursed a few times, pulled her rabbit fur scarf tighter around her neck, and asked Erlang, "Is the town crowded today?"

Erlang smiled, "Yes, there are quite a few people out today."

Seeing his expression, Mrs. Zhang knew he had earned a good amount and felt happy. She said to Lin Chunyan, "After the Winter Solstice, it will soon be the Laba Festival. I think we should stop selling and start preparing for the New Year."

After the Laba Festival comes the New Year. January is a time when no work is done, and there are many things to prepare.

Besides, everyone needs a rest, so Lin Chunyan nodded in agreement.

Lin Taohong asked, "When we go back, shall we cook dumplings too? I've been craving them all day."

With some filling left, Lin Chunyan decided not to sell it and planned to make dumplings for themselves.

She also decided to bring some to Sun Niangzi and others, picking their favorite fillings. Wang Yingniang helped put the dumplings in the pot, and the steam filled the kitchen. The two dogs in the yard smelled the aroma and barked softly, wagging their tails excitedly.

Gradually, a few villagers came to buy dumplings. The first to arrive was the wife of the Village Headman, "My second son said you would definitely make dumplings today. I waited for you to come back. Do you have any left?"

"Only the three-flavor filling is left. If you want, I can make some for you."

The Village Headman's wife nodded, "Yes, yes, give me all of it. My eldest son is back, and there are many people at home."

Lin Chunyan packed all the remaining filling. Before she finished, Wei Rou, the daughter-in-law of Liu Niangzi, arrived.

After their argument, the atmosphere at home had changed. Wei Rou thought that on the Winter Solstice, they should eat something special. Since their cooking skills weren't great, she decided to buy some dumplings here instead of making them herself.

Seeing that she was a bit late and all the remaining dumplings were taken by the Village Headman's wife, Wei Rou was disappointed. She sniffed the air, deeply inhaling the aroma of the dumplings, "They say your cooking is excellent. I thought it was just talk, but the smell alone proves how delicious they must be."

Hearing Wei Rou's accent, Lin Chunyan guessed she wasn't from the area. Though the dumplings were gone, there were still other dishes available, so she asked if Wei Rou wanted to try something else.

Wei Rou didn't want to leave empty-handed, so she picked what she liked and took it home, telling Liu Niangzi, "Mother, you and Mrs. Zhang are close. Why didn't they invite you to help?"

Liu Niangzi, hearing this, felt a bit upset, thinking Wei Rou was deliberately pointing it out. She just kept eating. By the time Wei Rou finished talking, most of the food on the plate was gone, and the three of them were enjoying it immensely.

Wei Rou quickly joined in, grabbing her chopsticks and joining the feast, but under the table, she stomped on Peng Pingan's foot hard.

With nothing to do, Lin Chunyan went outside to watch the snowflakes falling in the dim light of the yard.

Lin Taohong reached out to catch the tiny snowflakes and sighed, "There's so much snow this year."

As the sisters were playing with the snow, they heard Wang Yingniang call from the kitchen, "Dumplings are ready."

They quickly lifted the curtain and entered, greeted by a warm, steamy atmosphere and the delicious aroma of dumplings. "Finally, we can eat dumplings. I've been craving them all day."

Mrs. Zhang cooked a lot for each of them, "Eat more today. Eating dumplings keeps your ears warm, and you'll have a good year ahead."

Lin Chunyan went to the cellar to fetch the hawthorn flour she had prepared earlier and made hawthorn juice to serve everyone, "This will help cut through the richness."

Biting into the dumplings, the filling was incredibly delicious, and they could only exclaim, "Delicious."

"Let's make this filling again next year."

Outside, the snow continued to fall heavily, but inside, the group finished their dumplings without rushing to sleep. They took out sunflower seeds and continued shelling them, knowing that the demand for sunflower seeds would only increase as the New Year approached.

They started discussing village gossip. Mrs. Zhang told them, "Do you know why the Village Headman's wife came to our place to buy dumplings?"

Everyone shook their heads; they really didn't know the reason.

"Could there be another reason?"

"Of course. The Village Headman's wife is usually very frugal. She could have made the dumplings at home, but she came here because her eldest son's wife, after coming back, found fault with everything."

Mrs. Zhang didn't keep them in suspense and revealed, "She criticized everything, so the Village Headman's wife decided to buy dumplings from us to let her continue her complaints."

Lin Chunyan was puzzled, "Mother, how did you know all this?"

Mrs. Zhang proudly replied, "Didn't you see me talking to Zhao Niangzi earlier? She told me everything."

"You two aren't fighting anymore?"

Mrs. Zhang snorted, "I really don’t want to bother with her anymore."

Wang Yingniang covered her mouth and giggled, whispering to Lin Chunyan, "I heard that Lihua is about to get married and wants to ask you to prepare the banquet. That’s why she hasn’t dared to cause trouble lately."

Mrs. Zhang, hearing this, was not angry, "It doesn’t matter what the reason is. Now she knows she can’t offend me so easily, unlike before when she would let her dog bite me."

Thinking of this, Mrs. Zhang felt a sense of satisfaction and said some other things before washing up and going to bed.

In the middle of the night, Lin Chunyan woke up from the cold, hearing the snow falling on the roof, fearing it would continue. Her quilt had been completely taken by Lin Taohong, leaving her and Wang Yingniang freezing.

Just when they thought she had improved her sleeping habits, old habits resurfaced. The two exchanged glances and both reached out to snatch the quilt back from Lin Taohong, covering themselves before lying down again.

Lin Taohong, who could sleep through thunder, only grunted and turned over, continuing to sleep.

Not long after, she kicked off the quilt again and went to grab Mrs. Zhang’s. Mrs. Zhang, not as patient, pushed her away when Lin Taohong approached.

Seeing that she couldn’t push her away, Mrs. Zhang sat up and pulled Lin Taohong towards Lin Chunyan.

Lin Chunyan was shocked by Mrs. Zhang’s actions, "Mother, how can you do this? You should cover yourself with one quilt, and we three should share another. It’s only fair to give some to Red Lady."

Mrs. Zhang pouted and whispered, "Do you think I haven’t shared with her? She just keeps taking the quilt! When I share with her, I’m the one who gets cold."

Faced with the reproachful looks from Lin Chunyan and Wang Yingniang, Mrs. Zhang scratched her head awkwardly, "Alright, I’ll share with her for now, but I’ll have to talk to her when she wakes up. How can she keep taking the quilt?"

When Lin Taohong woke up, it was already bright outside. Looking through the papered window, she saw nothing but white. Yawning, she slowly got up and met three pairs of eyes filled with resentment. Confused, Lin Taohong asked, "Why are you all looking at me like that? My arms hurt from making dumplings yesterday, so what if I slept in a bit longer?"

"Nothing much, we won’t say anything about you sleeping in. We just wish you wouldn’t take the quilt at night."

Lin Taohong was surprised, "Didn’t you say my sleeping habits had improved? Why are you saying I took the quilt? Don’t tease me."

Mrs. Zhang huffed, "Who knows what happened those few days. But I’ve never seen anyone sleep worse than you. If I had known, I wouldn’t have moved in to sleep next to you. Maybe you should sleep alone."

Lin Taohong grumbled, "You’re talking about me, but you snore so loudly at night that we can’t sleep either."

Neither willing to back down, Lin Chunyan suggested, "I think it’s best if you two sleep together."

Hearing this, Lin Taohong felt wronged, "Sister, how can you say that?"

Lin Chunyan, torn between laughter and tears, said, "Why are you getting upset? We were all frozen awake and didn’t even confront you. I think we should make another quilt so you can have your own."

Lin Taohong sulked for a while but then cheered up and started eating the amber walnuts.

After Zhao Xinghua followed the Hu family to the Imperial City, she did not leave the carriage as per the lady’s instructions, even for necessities like using the restroom or eating, always wearing a veil to avoid being seen.

Zhao Xinghua didn’t understand why, assuming it was a rule of wealthy families, and obediently followed the lady’s orders. She thought that once she became Hu Sir’s concubine, the lady would be the main wife.

She should listen to whatever the lady said. However, she didn’t know whether Hu Sir was busy traveling or intimidated by the lady’s authority, as he hadn’t come to her room yet.

This actually relieved Zhao Xinghua, as she still had feelings for Lihua’s brother and didn’t know how to face Hu Sir, though she also felt grateful to him for buying her out of that terrible place. Without him, she didn’t know what kind of life she would be living now.

After leaving Chen Lady, she indeed caught the eye of a wealthy man, Li Yuanwai.

Li Yuanwai had been looking for a new concubine, but everyone in the area knew he was old, and no one except those like Wang Chuizi, who sought wealth, would send their daughters to him.

Li Yuanwai, however, became more determined, thinking that if he couldn’t get a young girl, he would buy a servant from Chen Lady, regardless of her appearance or character, as long as she served him well. He promised to treat her kindly and eventually give her a dowry or marry her off to a servant for a better life.

Coincidentally, Chen Lady had just returned with Zhao Xinghua when Li Yuanwai’s servant came and immediately liked Zhao Xinghua.

Chen Lady, having some compassion, remembered Zhao Xinghua’s mother’s words and didn’t want to give Zhao Xinghua to Li Yuanwai, saying that Zhao Xinghua was already promised to someone else.

The servant, thinking Chen Lady was lying, reported back to Li Yuanwai, embellishing the story. Hearing that Zhao Xinghua was beautiful and from a good family, Li Yuanwai became interested and summoned Chen Lady.

Chen Lady, knowing it was about Zhao Xinghua, hesitated, considering whether to give Zhao Xinghua to Li Yuanwai to avoid trouble.

At this moment, a merchant passing through heard that the Hu family was returning to the Imperial City and wanted to curry favor by buying some beautiful servants to send as gifts. He immediately chose Zhao Xinghua.

Chen Lady knew the merchant’s destination might not be ideal, but it was better than staying with the old Li Yuanwai. She reluctantly agreed and spoke to Zhao Xinghua, advising her to take care of herself and not offend the main wife. If she wasn’t allowed to bear children, she shouldn’t feel resentful, and if she did bear a child, she shouldn’t consider herself the mother. Instead, she should let the main wife raise the child and remain obedient, hoping for a better future.

Zhao Xinghua, who had never experienced such things, cried again upon hearing this, understanding Chen Lady’s dilemma. If she wasn’t given to the merchant, Li Yuanwai wouldn’t give up. So, she tearfully followed the merchant.

Chen Lady went to Li Yuanwai, swearing that Zhao Xinghua had already been chosen by the merchant and promising to find another suitable servant for him, which finally made him stop pursuing Zhao Xinghua.

As Zhao Xinghua followed the merchant, she expected to serve him, but unexpectedly, she was given to Hu Sir. Upon arriving in the Imperial City, she hadn’t figured out how to please the lady when another shock hit her: Hu Sir gave her away again. Only then did Zhao Xinghua realize what it meant to be sold and treated like an object.

She wasn’t even as valuable as a vase in the lady’s collection, which at least had a stable place on the shelf.

Feeling guilty, the lady gave Zhao Xinghua several silver bracelets to keep for herself.

Zhao Xinghua initially refused, throwing the bracelets on the ground and crying bitterly, wishing she could find a rope to hang herself rather than be passed around like this.

But then she heard birds chirping outside the window, a sound that distracted her from her despair, and she lost the will to die.

Zhao Xinghua was carried into the King Zhao’s palace. Sitting in the sedan chair, she couldn’t see the grandeur of the courtyard, but when the chair stopped, someone lifted the curtain and led her inside.

Pausing, she glimpsed through the layers of trees and carved windows a man in purple embroidered with five blessings sitting inside. The future, like the high gates of the mansion, seemed endless and uncertain.

Today, as soon as Lin Chunyan arrived and put down her things, someone rushed over to ask if they had any more dumplings.

It turned out this person had eaten a few dumplings bought from a stall at a friend’s house, found them delicious, and wanted to buy more. Discovering that Lin Chunyan had already closed their stall, he spent the whole night thinking about the taste of the dumplings and came early the next morning.

Hearing that Lin Chunyan had none left, he felt disappointed, "When will you make more? Or can you make some especially for me?"

Lin Chunyan, without the prepared fillings and tired from the work, didn’t want to continue this business and pointed to Jin Niangzi, "Her wontons are also very tasty. Why don’t you try them?"

Disappointed but unwilling to leave empty-handed, he ordered some fried tofu and went to Jin Niangzi’s stall.

Jin Niangzi now offered a variety of wontons, and he chose the three-flavor filling. Tasting one, he found it similar to the dumplings he had eaten the previous day and asked, "Excuse me, Miss, did these wontons come from Lin Xiaoniang next door?"

Jin Niangzi was not at all annoyed by these words; instead, she felt rather pleased, thinking her skills had been recognized.

However, she still shook her head slightly, "Not exactly. But the recipe was given to me by Lin Xiaoniang. How about it? Isn't it quite good?"

The person nodded and asked for another portion to take home.

Jin Niangzi earned a few copper coins and, seeing Mrs. Zhang arrive, pulled her aside to chat.

Whenever Mrs. Zhang wasn't working, she would be eating sunflower seeds. Jin Niangzi reached out and grabbed a small handful as well. This time, they were green tea flavored, which she heard were particularly popular in the teahouse.

When Jin Niangzi tried to take more, Mrs. Zhang stopped her, pursing her lips, "If you want to eat, you should buy a big handful with your money and enjoy them slowly at home."

Jin Niangzi didn't argue, nodded, and took out some copper coins from her sleeve. She indeed bought two bags of sunflower seeds, carefully wrapped them up, and said she would take them home to eat.

With the weather turning cold, fewer people came out to eat. Lin Chunyan was not idle either; she brought out the peanuts and planned to make peanut candy right there.

Occasionally, someone would come to buy a meat bun or dried fish. Seeing Lin Chunyan making candy, they would stretch their necks, inhale the sweet aroma in the air, and exclaim, "It's time to make candy, feels like the New Year is just around the corner."

"Count the days, and it's indeed almost time for the New Year."

Lin Chunyan first roasted the peanuts slowly over a low fire. Once cooled, the peanuts became crispy, which was key to making the peanut candy delicious.

Then she cooked the sugar. When Lin Taohong saw her making candy, she eagerly approached and asked, "Can we make other types of candy too?"

Lin Chunyan nodded, "Sure, next time we can make sesame candy."

Once the sugar completely coated the peanuts, she scooped out the peanut candy and placed it on an oiled board.

As the candy was scooped out, it formed long, sticky threads that quickly hardened, making it crisp and sweet when eaten.

While it was still hot, she cut the peanut candy into small pieces and handed two pieces to Mrs. Zhang and Lin Taohong.

"So sweet." One bite, and the peanut candy crunched satisfyingly, leaving the aroma of peanuts lingering in the mouth, sweetening the heart.