Chapter 90

Chapter 90

"Don't be shy, these were just made, quick, have a taste." Tutor Yu said in a softened tone.

But Tutor Duan still couldn't let go of his pride, "I won't eat food that is offered out of pity. Take it back."

Tutor Yu now looked at Tutor Duan as if he was a fool. It suddenly occurred to him, could it be that Tutor Wen looked at him the same way back then?

He glanced sideways at Tutor Wen and saw that Tutor Wen was indeed looking at him. The naked look in his eyes clearly said, 'You used to be just as bad.'

Tutor Yu averted his eyes and opened the chive pancake he had brought, biting into it as if in frustration.

He had been craving the chive pancake for a while, wanting to open it several times during the hike up the mountain, but he had held back.

The chive pancake was indeed very fresh and tender. Although the golden-brown crust was no longer crispy, it was still delicious to the taste.

One could imagine how delicious it would be to eat it when it was just made, with the crispy crust and the tender chive and egg mixture blending together.

Tutor Yu sighed in satisfaction. Across from him, Tutor Wen was no less enthusiastic, and the two of them ate heartily, taking turns with each bite.

They left Tutor Duan aside, neither paying him any attention.

Tutor Duan didn't have much fat on his bones and wasn't a good cook. He merely ate to get by each day. Seeing the two of them feasting made his mouth water, almost to the point of drooling.

His face flushed with humiliation and anger, feeling that these two friends were deliberately shaming him.

"Leave now, don't disturb my peace."

Unfortunately, neither Tutor Wen nor Tutor Yu heard him. The two of them acted as if they were at home, even finding some water.

The old teapot contained only some tea leaf dregs, having been brewed countless times, tasting of nothing.

Tutor Yu deliberately said, "This is not as refreshing as plain water. Come to think of it, I've had bamboo leaf tea at Madam Lin's, which was very fragrant."

Tutor Duan's ears twitched. He believed that it was worse to lack tea than meat, so even though he only had some tea leaf dregs, he treasured them greatly.

But he never imagined that bamboo leaves could be brewed into tea.

There was a row of bamboo trees planted outside the door of his room. Although they blocked some sunlight, as a literati, he needed these bamboo trees to highlight his noble character.

If only he had known, he would have picked some to brew water with.

Tutor Wen added fuel to the fire, saying, "Yes, that bamboo leaf tea was indeed quite good. Scholar Song said that besides bamboo leaves, they had also brewed mint and willow leaves before. Though they can't compare to real tea, they were interesting."

The two of them finished the chive pancakes, but Tutor Yu still felt a bit hungry, mainly because of the exhaustion from climbing the mountain, so he picked up the meat sandwich.

Tutor Yu mischievously opened the meat sandwich to show the meat and egg inside to Tutor Duan, saying, "I heard that there's also a meat sandwich shop in the county town, but the taste is very different from what Madam Lin makes. People who know good food still come to Madam Lin."

Tutor Duan swallowed several times, and just as Tutor Yu was about to bite into the sandwich, he could no longer hold back, his veins almost popping on his forehead.

"What exactly are you two trying to do?"

Tutor Wen and Tutor Yu put down the food and stopped teasing him, saying, "First, we came to see you. Look at you, so thin now with sunken cheeks. We really don't know what you're doing up here on the mountain."

After Tutor Wen finished, Tutor Yu continued, "Second, your wife went to see the head of the private school again. Now that there are no other sources of income in your family, how are they supposed to get by?"

Hearing this, Tutor Duan lowered his head in embarrassment.

Ever since his misfortune in the imperial exams, having once been hailed as a genius, he had chosen to escape from reality.

Did he really like farming? Did he truly enjoy eating those taro?

He also had a strong craving for the meat sandwich and chive pancake placed on the table; the aroma was simply too enticing!

Tutor Wen and Tutor Yu remained silent, seeing that he was still the same as before, and assumed he still hadn't figured things out.

They exchanged a glance and didn't continue to persuade him. As it was getting dark, they decided not to stay any longer. They asked a young monk at the temple for a room and planned to head down the mountain early the next morning.

Early the next morning, as they were about to descend, the door to Tutor Duan's room suddenly opened. He had a bundle on his back, clearly ready to go down the mountain.

Tutor Wen was startled, but Tutor Yu had already spoken up, "Are you going home? Oh dear, you should wear more layers, or else your wife will be so angry she might beat you up, and you could lose your life."

Tutor Duan awkwardly shook his head, ignoring Tutor Yu's teasing, "I'm going down the mountain with you."

At the very least, he needed to find a decent job to support his household.

At first, Tutor Duan hadn't considered becoming a bookkeeper. Even though he was willing to come down from the mountain, he didn't want to devalue himself.

However, he didn't want to get involved with anything related to the imperial examinations. After searching around, he changed his mind.

He had already thought out his reasoning, "After all, I'm just a scholar. If I were to become a private tutor, I might lead people astray."

Tutor Wen opened his mouth, "There's no need to become a bookkeeper."

Tutor Duan pursed his lips, not mentioning that it was after eating Lin Chunyan's cooking that he made his decision. To someone who ate taro every day, Lin Chunyan's food was a delight, and he almost shed tears while eating.

Tutors Wen and Yu had tried to persuade him along the way, but they hadn't expected such a significant change in Tutor Duan. But a stubborn mule is a stubborn mule; no matter what, they couldn't change his mind.

Back on the mountain, although he didn't manage the household, he still had the title of scholar. But if he really became a bookkeeper, wouldn't that be a self-degradation?

Seeing them come in and hearing Tutor Duan's words, Lin Chunyan didn't know what to do and didn't dare to agree immediately, "Our shop is small. Apart from accounting, there's nothing else to do here. I'm afraid we would waste your talents, Sir."

Tutor Duan waved his hand, "I've been in a slump for several years on the mountain, and my wife has been the sole support of the family. Now, I just want to earn more money. What's the monthly salary here?"

Seeing that he had made up his mind, Tutor Wen sighed, cupped his hands, and said, "Madam Lin, just pay him the standard market rate for the monthly salary. There's no need to make things difficult."

Lin Chunyan nodded, "I've inquired about it. A bookkeeper typically earns around seven to eight hundred coins a month, and we can also provide room and board here."

After all, there's always leftover food from what she cooks, which is one of the perks of running a food shop.

Hearing about room and board, Tutor Duan was already satisfied. He had been away from home for two or three years and, after a falling out, hadn't decided whether to return.

Going back, he feared his wife might give him a good beating.

Lin Chunyan mentioned the shop's opening date, asking Tutor Duan to come over on the first day. This date had been secretly divined by Granny Dong, whom Mrs. Zhang had consulted without their knowledge, and it was said to be an auspicious day when the shop would surely rake in profits.

The tables and benches had already been arranged to be delivered before that day, and Old Man Song's shed outside was also set up, all waiting for the grand opening.

Tutor Duan cupped his hands and left with Tutors Wen and Yu.

Mrs. Zhang seemed a bit worried, "Our place is small. Who knows if such a big figure will stay long?"

"We can't find anyone else suitable for now. Let's try to work together for a bit." Lin Chunyan comforted her.

"Once we have a waitstaff, we'll have everything we need."

As they were about to pack up, Hu Daqiang and Zhao Liu came over, both looking a little embarrassed. They greeted Lin Chunyan first.

Lin Chunyan nodded at them, "Would you like to buy something to eat?"

Hu Daqiang and Zhao Liu exchanged a glance and both shook their heads, looking as if they wanted to say something but hesitated.

Fortunately, there weren't many people at the stall at the moment, so Lin Chunyan waited patiently. It was Hu Daqiang who spoke first, "Madam Lin, I heard that you're hiring here. I wonder if the two of us would be suitable?"

Hu Daqiang pointed to himself and Zhao Liu. Both of them were wearing patched clothes, clearly from impoverished families.

Zhao Liu didn't dare to speak at first, but seeing Hu Daqiang had started, he walked over and stammered, "Madam Lin, you don't need to pay us much. As long as we can make a living, it's enough. We can do anything!"

Lin Chunyan knew how capable the two of them were. Moreover, they were both very warm-hearted. When setting up the shed in winter, Hu Daqiang and Zhao Liu had helped a lot.

Given their enthusiasm and ability to endure hardship, having them as assistants would be more than sufficient.

She glanced at Mrs. Zhang and Lin Taohong. Neither of them objected, so Lin Chunyan nodded.

"Alright, you can come over later, and I'll explain the details to you to see if it's suitable."

The two were so excited that Lin Chunyan had actually agreed that they nodded repeatedly, wishing they could kneel down and show their gratitude.

On the way back, several people continued to talk about Hu Daqiang and Zhao Liu. "Zhao Liu is a filial son. No matter what he buys, he always brings something back for his sick mother at home."

"Brother Daqiang is the same. He always brings back delicious food for his wife and son. It's just that his brother, Hu Erqiang, makes me feel a bit uncomfortable."

After Lin Taohong said this, she turned to Lin Chunyan and asked, "Sister, does it bother you?"

Lin Chunyan shook her head. "Hu Daqiang's temperament is quite good, and he knows how to handle things. Hu Erqiang's issues are none of his concern."

It was settled then. Now they had assistants and a bookkeeper, just waiting for the opening day.

"We need to buy some firecrackers. On such a good day, should we do some sort of auction?"

Lin Chunyan suddenly remembered when they first set up the stall, they saw someone using a gambling method to attract customers and even tried it with Lin Taohong.

But they only won a small river fish, which wasn't as good as the ones they made at home.

Seeing Lin Taohong also remembered this, she chuckled, "We lost out a bit that time and never played that game again."

Lin Chunyan became interested and actually asked Uncle Lin to get a spinning wheel.

"Tomorrow, we'll find Tutor Duan to write things on it."

They also needed to make a signboard. "How about writing 'Lin Family Food Stall'?"

Everyone agreed, but they had already spent quite a bit of money even before the opening, so Lin Chunyan felt a bit tight and planned to show her skills when they opened.

She also decided to put Lin Taohong in charge of the takeout section. "You don't need to do much, just remember the dish names and don't mix them up."

Lin Taohong nodded excitedly. "I'll definitely remember them."

She thought, with tables and chairs inside the hall, how many people would come to buy takeout? Her job would certainly be easy.

Wang Yingniang looked at Lin Taohong enviously. "You're all discussing this, and it makes me want to help at the stall too."

Everyone knew she was just talking. If she were to go, she wouldn't be able to let go of her family responsibilities.

They also mentioned Wang Dalang and Wang Chuizi in prison. "I heard that both of them are going to be executed after autumn. It's just a pity that Erlang and Sanlang haven't been caught yet."

Wang Yingniang had been following this news and had mentally prepared for it long ago, so hearing that they would be executed didn't cause much emotional stir.

Lin Chunyan thought carefully and asked Wang Yingniang, "What about your mother?"

Wang Yingniang was stunned for a moment. Aunt He had not been involved in the murder, nor had she participated in disposing of the body. She had only helped to conceal it, so her crime was not deserving of death. A few lashes and she would be released.

Lin Chunyan was genuinely worried that if Aunt He came to see Wang Yingniang, would she soften her heart?

After the moment of distraction, Wang Yingniang quickly said, "Whatever fate awaits her has little to do with me."

Her feelings for Aunt He were mixed with both love and hate. Since childhood, she had always hoped to receive some affection from Aunt He, but all she got was disappointment.

After so many times, she became numb to it.

Besides, Aunt He and Wang Chuizi had sold her to Mr. Li to be a young wife for just a few strings of cash. Whatever maternal bond they had was long gone.

Hearing her say this, Lin Chunyan felt relieved. "It's not about advising you to be hard-hearted, but sometimes you should be soft, but when it comes to those who have hurt you, you need to harden your heart."

As the saying goes, how can you repay kindness if you repay injustice with kindness?

Finally, the day of the grand opening arrived. Firecrackers were popping noisily, and Lin Chunyan covered her ears as she watched from behind, the smile never leaving her face.

On the first day of opening, there was a big promotion. Lin Chunyan had sent invitations to many people, asking them to come and try it out when they had time, just to build up some popularity.

After the firecrackers finished, many people first looked at the gambling game by the door. Tutor Duan was at the entrance, explaining to everyone, "If you hit this section, you don't have to pay and can eat anything from this shop for free. If you hit that section, you get half off..."

Although Tutor Duan didn't show it on his face, he actually had several injuries on his body, all from being beaten by his wife.

Those waiting outside heard this and rushed inside, almost knocking Tutor Duan off balance, causing him to wince in pain and cry out, "Ouch."

Everyone greeted Lin Chunyan with congratulations, each choosing a suitable seat. Those who knew each other exchanged a few words and eagerly awaited the dishes to be served.

"Did you see the gambling game by the door? Let's try our luck. If we hit the section that's free, wouldn't we strike a big deal?"

"I didn't see many people gathered there. I'll wait a bit and check out the dishes first."

"This is even more peculiar. You need to buy a ticket to eat here. With that ticket, you can directly choose your dishes."

"I've never seen anything like this before. That's why there were those warm plates placed in front earlier."

The warm plates were made of two layers, with the upper layer being thin porcelain. The hollow middle could be filled with hot water to keep the dishes warm.

These warm plates were specially purchased by Lin Chunyan, costing almost five guan when combined with the pots, bowls, and various bottles and jars.

Although the dishes weren't served yet, melon seeds were placed on the beautifully set tables, and everyone ate and waited.

Bookkeeper Huang and Shopkeeper Cao sat together, alongside Shopkeeper Wu from Wu's Pastry Shop. Shopkeeper Wu, who enjoyed stirring up trouble, deliberately asked Shopkeeper Cao, "I heard your shop's orange preserves are selling well. Have you partnered with Madam Lin?"

This remark was meant to provoke Bookkeeper Huang. Everyone knew that Lin Chunyan had a good partnership with Bookkeeper Huang, so having Shopkeeper Cao in the mix wouldn't sit well with him.

Shopkeeper Wu thought his plan was clever, but both Bookkeeper Huang and Shopkeeper Cao snorted in unison, ignoring his comment.

Mr. Zhao, Old Man Qin, and the father-in-law of Jin Niangzi sat at a table, next to Mr. Zhao's two restless sons who kept peeking into the kitchen, eagerly waiting for the dishes to be served.

Mr. Zhao was bothered by them. After the New Year, they were sent to the academy, but these two couldn't change their love for food. Upon hearing that Lin Chunyan had opened a shop, they insisted on coming here instead of going to the academy.

Of course, they came without their wives' knowledge. Thinking back to when he delivered gifts to Lin Chunyan's house in winter, only to be scolded by his wife, Mr. Zhao still felt apprehensive.

After Lin Chunyan returned to the kitchen, Zhao Zilan and Lin Cuixiang had already washed and cut the ingredients to be stir-fried, waiting for Lin Chunyan to start cooking. They also brought out the pre-prepared cold and marinated dishes.

Hu Daqiang and Zhao Liu, having completed their training, were ready to serve the dishes. As soon as the cold and marinated dishes appeared in the warm plates, the hall became lively, with everyone craning their necks to see what was inside the plates.

Those who had eaten Lin Chunyan's freshly stir-fried dishes before could hardly contain their drool just from the aroma, reminiscing about previous banquets they had attended.

They also learned that each dish could be ordered as a full or half portion. To try more dishes without spending much, they could order half portions, satisfying their appetites without spending much.

"Now we won't have to worry about finding a good place to eat!"

After saying this, those in front picked their favorite cold dishes and moved closer to see.

"Is this a marinated pig's ear?"

Hu Daqiang nodded, "This pig's ear costs eight wen for a full portion, and only four wen for a half portion."

Hearing this, everyone was shocked by the price, finding it incredibly cheap.

Old Man Qin had already ordered a portion and, without conversing with others, took a bite first.

The pig's ear was crispy outside and chewy inside, clearly marinated, cooled, and sliced, with the flavors fully infused.

"This is perfect for accompanying drinks," Old Man Qin told Old Man Chen, "I'll take more when we leave."

With the first dish being so delicious, Old Man Qin was even more excited for the next dishes.

"What is this?" Mr. Zhao pointed to something dark, topped with ginger and garlic, barely recognizable as an egg from its cut shape.

Though he considered himself knowledgeable, the egg's peculiar dark color and pungent smell left him puzzled.

It certainly wasn't spoiled. If it were, Lin Chunyan wouldn't have presented it.

Sun Anyuan and Sun the Constable exchanged glances and both ordered half portions to try.

Hu Daqiang explained, "This is marinated century eggs, unique in our county, at least."

Lin Chunyan had marinated the century eggs for about half a month, taking them out of the jars yesterday. Peeling one revealed a changed color.

Mrs. Zhang and Lin Taohong had never seen such eggs before and almost vomited their meals from the strong smell.

"These must be spoiled. What a waste of good eggs; they should've been marinated into salted eggs," Mrs. Zhang complained a little.

But Lin Chunyan took it back, peeled it, and mixed ginger and garlic sauce for them, trying one first.

This was the taste she was looking for. With soy sauce, vinegar, and ginger, the century eggs became rich and fragrant.

Those who liked it found the unfolding taste in their mouths a unique experience.

"It's just not very appealing to look at," Mr. Zhao liked the taste but wasn't satisfied with the dark color.

"How can you say it's not appealing? Look closely; there are patterns on the egg. Though it's black, it's somewhat transparent, quite artistic," someone countered.

Of course, some couldn't get used to the taste, finding it overwhelmingly smelly.

Both Sun Anyuan and Sun the Constable found the century eggs exceptionally delicious, finishing more than half before moving to the next dish.

A cold bamboo shoots dish.

"Another new dish."

Li Niangzi, already amazed by the century eggs, was even more surprised to see another new dish.

Zhao Liu hurriedly introduced the cold bamboo shoots, swallowing as he spoke. Even though he had eaten it several times, just thinking about the bamboo shoots made his mouth water.

Li Niangzi felt it was worth coming today, ordered a small portion of the cold bamboo shoots, and returned to her seat to savor it slowly.

A lot of green peppers and wood ear mushrooms were used for seasoning here, and there were also scallions. There should be a layer of sauce drizzled on top, making it look oily and rich, and the aroma alone makes you want to eat more rice.

"The texture is different from tofu and tofu skin," Chef Song also sighed deeply. It's not that they were less skilled than others; it's just that their opponent was too strong. How could they possibly win?

They exchanged a glance, both feeling a sense of mutual admiration, but their hands didn’t stop. They quickly and accurately picked up the fried tofu sticks, which were chewy and firm in the mouth.

Delicious, they wanted to eat more.

At first, there weren’t many idlers coming for takeout, and Lin Taohong observed the situation in the hall closely. She asked Mrs. Zhang to watch the stall while she went to the back kitchen herself.

"Sister, you don’t know—" she began, but the strong aroma from the stove was so overwhelming that she couldn’t continue.

Only then did she realize that what had just happened was just child’s play. Lin Chunyan’s serious stir-fry dishes hadn’t even come out yet.

Lin Taohong swallowed and asked, “What dish is this? How can it smell so good?”

The air carried a hint of sweet and sour.

Lin Chunyan smiled, poured the prepared Yu Xiang Shredded Pork into a warm plate, and had Zhao Liu and Hu Daqiang take it out.

She left a plate behind, went to the side to scoop some rice, and poured the dish over it, taking a big bite first.

The rich sauce wrapped layer after layer around the meat strips, while the shredded carrots, green peppers, and wood ear mushrooms inside were sweet and sour. It had been a long time since she had Yu Xiang Shredded Pork with rice, and this good taste made her miss it even more.

As soon as the Yu Xiang Shredded Pork was brought outside, it caused a sensation. Everyone thought the century eggs and fried tofu sticks were fresh and amazing, but this Yu Xiang Shredded Pork was even more exceptional.

Lin Taohong ate a couple of bites and then ran outside to check out the commotion, reporting back to them. After running back and forth twice, the remaining plate of Yu Xiang Shredded Pork was gone.

She stomped her feet anxiously, looking at Mrs. Zhang, who was still eating. “Why didn’t you save any for me? I told you to watch the stall!”

Mrs. Zhang rolled her eyes. “I saw you running up and down, and I thought you didn’t want to eat. Besides, not many people were coming to the takeout window, so there was no need to watch it.”

Just as she said that, Hu Daqiang came over to call for them from outside, “A group of idlers has arrived. The one leading them is carrying a pole. They’re probably going to buy a lot of stuff.”

Lin Taohong and Mrs. Zhang were too busy to argue further and hurried outside after rinsing their mouths.

Seeing that Lin Chunyan wasn’t in a hurry, Lin Cuixiang finally asked her, “Sister, did you already know that there wouldn’t be a shortage of people at the takeout window?”