Chapter 96

Chapter 96

Mrs. Zhang pouted, "I don't care anyway, or we could just give them less money."

Lin Chunyan thought Mrs. Zhang was being eccentric again and ignored her. After calculating the price with Tutor Duan, she felt that they could make a good profit from this banquet, and only then did she finalize the plan.

After returning, Lin Chunyan went to see Ding Hui Niang and told her about coming to help in the kitchen the next day.

Ding Hui Niang had previously been unwilling to help at Lin Chunyan's place, not wanting to receive too much charity, nor did she want Lin Chunyan to be gossiped about because of her.

However, sometime ago, the weather suddenly turned cold, and a sickness struck Ge-er, draining the last of their money.

This left Ding Hui Niang extremely worried. The things that could be sold in the house had already been sold to pay for Ge-er's father's medical treatment, so there was nothing left.

Fortunately, Ge-er was a strong and healthy child, and after gathering some herbs from the mountain, his condition slowly improved after drinking them a few times. But this also served as a wake-up call for Ding Hui Niang; she absolutely could not be without money. If it weren't for Ge-er's resilience, Ding Hui Niang didn't dare to think about what might have happened.

When Lin Chunyan came to talk to her again, Ding Hui Niang immediately agreed.

"Are you going tomorrow?"

Ding Hui Niang rubbed her hands on the hem of her clothes, looking somewhat nervous. "Maybe I should just help in the yard instead. There are too many people in the shop, and I'm afraid I won't be able to handle it."

Lin Chunyan told her not to worry. "You'll only be helping to wash dishes in the kitchen, so it won't be a big deal. If you don't want to see people, you won't have to."

Ding Hui Niang, who had been anxious for a while, felt that Lin Chunyan was giving her a large sum of money just to help wash dishes and earnestly said, "Please give me the standard wage. Don't give me extra just because you pity me."

"You can rest assured about that. The shop assistants all receive the same wage, and since you'll be washing dishes in the kitchen, which is harder work, there's no need to be so uneasy."

Seeing that Lin Chunyan didn't seem to be lying, Ding Hui Niang felt relieved.

When she returned to her room, she carried a bowl of goat milk that Lin Chunyan had given her. The milk was still warm, and she handed it to Ge-er, telling him to drink it all.

A white film had formed on the surface of the milk, and some sugar had been added, making it sweet. Ge-er was very reluctant to finish it, sipping slowly and occasionally giving Ding Hui Niang a sweet smile.

"Mom, you drink some too?"

Ding Hui Niang waved her hand. "I can't drink it. I always feel there's a strange taste to goat milk. Since it was given by Chunyan, you should just drink it."

Since the favor they owed couldn't be repaid in a short time, Ding Hui Niang decided not to think about it anymore and simply told Ge-er, "When you grow up, you must remember the kindness that Chunyan has shown us."

Ge-er, a small child with innocent eyes, nodded seriously. "Mom, don't worry! When I grow up, I will definitely be good to both Chunyan and you."

Ding Hui Niang stroked his head and went to the kitchen to cook mushroom soup.

These mushrooms, after being picked from the mountain, only needed to be washed and put into a pot with some salt for seasoning, making them very convenient to eat.

For those who didn't eat this mushroom soup often, it tasted fresh in the mouth. But for Ding Hui Niang and Ge-er's father, who had eaten it meal after meal, they had already become numb to it. Without any fat in their stomachs, nothing tasted good.

However, Ge-er's father didn't dare to complain. He had noticed that since Ge-er's illness, Ding Hui Niang's attitude towards him had become increasingly perfunctory. Whereas before she would talk to him in front of others, now she treated him like air, not giving him any extra attention.

For some reason, Ge-er's father had a bad premonition.

There were gossipy whispers in the village, and Ding Hui Niang had specifically come back to tell him, joking, "Old Man Peng is a fool. Even if Brother-in-law Hong was drunk, he's still a man. How could Madam Hong have pushed him down? If she were to push, it would have to be someone strong and sturdy."

At that time, Ge-er's father hadn't taken it seriously, but now, thinking back, there was something strange about Ding Hui Niang's expression when she said that, just like how his hair stood on end when he thought about her impatience towards him—something that was hard to explain.

He could only hope he was overthinking.

Mrs. Zhang, seeing that Lin Chunyan hadn't listened to her, returned to the yard angry, ignoring everyone, closing the doors and windows, and went to count her few large coins again.

Madam Sun found it strange and said, "What's going on? She was perfectly fine when I left this morning."

Lin Chunyan casually replied, "It's probably menopause coming on; who knows what's up with her again. Just ignore her, and in a few days, she'll probably tell us herself."

Madam Sun smiled and carefully wrapped the leftover trimmings of the saqima and snowflake crisps with a handkerchief.

They made so many pastries every day that some leftover pieces were inevitable. Some were left at home for anyone to eat, and the rest, Lin Chunyan had them take back.

Madam Sun intended to bring the pastries back for Gege to give to Niuniu, who had been eating a lot lately and had grown quite tall, seemingly even taller than Gege.

"It's a pity for Gege, but he's really sensible, just like your Niunnu." Lin Chunyan asked her to come back later, saying, "I'll use the sheep's milk to make some pastries later, and you can take some back for your family."

They could milk several bowls of sheep's milk every day. Aside from what was needed for making pastries, Lin Chunyan had everyone drink the rest.

But no one could get used to the taste, and every time, a lot was left over.

At the mention of sheep's milk, Madam Sun wrinkled her nose. "I can't stand that smell, so I'll pass. Maybe next time, when you make something else, I'll take some."

"Auntie, just come whenever you want. I guarantee there won't be any strange taste."

Still looking uneasy, Madam Sun hurriedly left.

Lin Chunyan smiled and went to the kitchen with Wang Yingniang. Meanwhile, Lin Taohong secretly slipped into the cellar and took out a jar of mulberry wine she had brewed earlier, along with some ice.

Afraid of being caught, Lin Taohong quickly drank the bowl of mulberry wine, finding it sweet and quite addictive, even more so than chrysanthemum wine.

After finishing the wine, she looked outside and, seeing no one, sat down to slowly savor the rest of the wine.

Mrs. Zhang was holed up in her room, counting. Although she could only count up to two hundred coins, she managed to figure out exactly how many coins she had.

After finishing the count, Mrs. Zhang sat there sighing. If she were to save up for two decent dowries, it would take forever.

Fortunately, their two daughters weren't thinking of marrying off early, so she had more time.

If all else failed, she would have to find a man to marry into their family, so the dowry money could be saved.

The more she thought about it, the more Mrs. Zhang felt that having a man marry into their family was a good idea, and she began to consider who would be suitable.

The person couldn't be too ugly; their two daughters were quite attractive and capable. He also couldn't have any bad habits, especially not frequenting brothels to mess around with young women or keeping a mistress.

Mrs. Zhang was so worried that her head hurt, yet she still couldn't find a suitable person for the task.

The method of making sheep candy and snowflake pastry is somewhat similar, but the former has a richer aroma. Since a lot of dried fruits and nuts are added inside, the sheepy flavor is much less noticeable.

"Next time, let's try making double-skin milk."

When the red bean paste is ready, pouring it over the double-skin milk will create a smooth and sweet texture, blending perfectly with the unique bean fragrance of the red beans. It's a very distinctive taste.

Tsk, Lin Chunyan was so eager to get started.

Unfortunately, there weren't many red beans left at home, and she couldn't bear to use them.

The more she ate the sheep candy, the more fragrant it became. Lin Chunyan carried it to the shed in the yard and found only Second Aunt Lin there, which surprised her. "Auntie, where are the others?"

Second Aunt Lin had already moved most of the things next door, and since there was no rush to go back, and Lin Cuixiang and the two boys at home were cooking, she decided to finish the unfinished business before leaving.

Hearing Lin Chunyan's question, Second Aunt Lin pointed to the house and the cellar with her chin, "One has been holed up in the room for half a day without coming out, and the other quietly went to the cellar. I don't know what they're doing."

Lin Chunyan snorted, put down the plate, and went to the cellar first.

Sure enough, she saw Lin Taohong holding a jar of wine, already drunk. When she saw Lin Chunyan, she waved foolishly, "Big sister, come and drink with me! This wine is so good, thank goodness we made a lot."

Lin Chunyan pulled her up from the ground, "You've made progress in your drinking skills, but not in anything else."

Wang Yingniang came down at this moment and was shocked to see that the jar of wine was empty. She patted Lin Taohong's belly, feeling the water sloshing inside, and said with a helpless smile, "What are we going to do with you?"

"Let's get her into the room first."

The two of them helped Lin Taohong into the room and fetched water to clean her up.

By the time they came out, Mrs. Zhang had already sat under the shed and eaten more than half of the sheep candy.

She was absent-minded, mechanically putting the candy into her mouth. Lin Chunyan walked over and said a few words, which startled Mrs. Zhang so much that she trembled all over.

Lin Chunyan was both amused and exasperated by the two of them, "Mom, you're so absent-minded all day long, how can you still taste what these snacks are like?"

Mrs. Zhang quickly savored the snack a few times, "It's amazing, this snack doesn't have any sheepy flavor at all, it's really delicious."

While Mrs. Zhang was thinking, she had already eaten quite a bit. Lin Chunyan asked her, "Will you still have room for dinner later?"

Mrs. Zhang's stomach was too full, so she had to shake her head, "In that case, I'll just drink some water later to cut the grease."

Lin Chunyan smiled at Wang Yingniang, "That's perfect, it'll just be a bonus for the two of us."

Mrs. Zhang was puzzled, "What are you two talking about? What do you mean it's a bonus for you two?"

Wang Yingniang smiled, "We're planning to eat hot pot today and bought some mutton from Old Zhou. The mushrooms and vegetables are already washed, just waiting for the meat to be put in the pot."

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Zhang immediately regretted it and sucked in her stomach, "I can still eat more, that snack was just an appetizer."

Lin Chunyan sneered, "Don't end up feeling too full and uncomfortable, unable to sleep at night."

That was exactly something Mrs. Zhang would do, so she had to say, "Then I'll eat less later, just to taste it."

She also said to Lin Chunyan, "Why didn't you mention the hot pot earlier? I wouldn't have eaten so much of the snack just now."

"How did I not mention it? I already said it on the way earlier, but you weren't paying attention."

Mrs. Zhang felt embarrassed and came in to help with the cooking.

The mutton was sliced thinly, and Wang Yingniang also made fish balls and shrimp balls, which were rolled into small balls and had a very chewy texture.

There were several types of mushrooms. First, a thick mushroom soup was boiled until the color became deep, indicating that the umami flavor of the mushroom soup was fully extracted.

At this point, the mutton could be added, and after a quick boil, it was taken out, the meat tender and soft.

"Delicious!"

In addition to the fresh meat, the various mushrooms each had their own flavors.

"On the old tree where we found the wood ear last time, there's a lot again. We need to pick them before the next rain."

There were many old trees in the mountains, and the wood ears growing on willow and peach trees were edible. They usually grew abundantly after rain.

After picking them this time, it would rain in a few days, and they would grow a lot again.

Mrs. Zhang ate a few bites but was too full and had to sit aside regretfully, watching the two of them eat.

She also said, "Eating this hot pot makes me think of the pickled cabbage and bacon hot pot we had in winter, which was equally delicious. Let's have it again sometime."

Lin Chunyan naturally agreed. She had bought a lot of mutton this time, and it wouldn't be fun to eat with just the two of them, so Lin Chunyan called over Lin Cuixiang and the others.

Lin Cuixiang and the others had mutton noodles today, but when they heard there was hot pot, they all came over for a few bites.

Inevitably, they talked about Lin Taohong, who got drunk, but they didn't know what to say and decided to wait until tomorrow to have a good laugh at her expense.

Before leaving, they each took some sheep candy with them and sent Sanlang to deliver some to Silang and Madam Sun's house.

Silang had been learning carpentry with Uncle Lin for many days and couldn't join in the village activities. Lin Fengdie hadn't heard any gossip for a long time and was itching to. When Sanlang came, the two siblings pulled him and chatted non-stop.

Hearing that they had eaten mutton hot pot at Lin Chunyan's place, the two were frustrated and couldn't help complaining to Uncle Lin, "If only we lived in the east village, then Chunyan would definitely invite us over to eat too."

Uncle Lin, also craving the mutton hot pot, said, "In that case, I'll go to Old Zhou's place tomorrow to buy some mutton and ask Yingniang to slice it thin for us."

Sanlang was eager to try, "Let me do it, I've also learned some skills from Big Sis."

The others didn't believe him, "Don't ruin the good mutton."

Sanlang hurried to reassure them, "That absolutely cannot happen. Not to mention anything else, the lamb can still be sliced a bit thinner."

As they were discussing, they heard Lin Fengdie exclaim, "Oh!" They turned to look and saw that the sheep candy Sanlang had brought was almost finished, eaten by Wu Lang.

There were still some crumbs around Wu Lang’s little mouth as he looked over innocently, not understanding what had happened.

Seeing this, Silang was so angry he almost lost his balance. He quickly took the remaining sheep candy from the plate and handed a piece to Lin Fengdie. After thinking for a moment, he broke his piece into three and gave some to Uncle Lin and Li Shi to taste.

Wu Lang still didn’t know what had happened and pointed to his little belly, saying, "I’m not full yet, I want to eat with Big Sister."

He could barely speak coherently, but when it came to eating, he was willing to say so much.

Sanlang reached out and rubbed his face, saying, "You should save some. Where are we going to get more snacks? It’s only now that our days are better. When we were young, how could we have afforded these?"

Silang nodded beside him, looking enviously at Wu Lang. "When we were young, we could only eat locust flowers, and only for a few days. At most, we could scoop some river shrimp, light a fire, and stir-fry them casually. There were no other foods."

Wu Lang tilted his head, not understanding why there was no food.

He often followed Li Shi or Lin Fengdie to Lin Chunyan’s house, where there was always plenty of delicious food.

"If there’s no food, go find Big Sister! She has lots of delicious food."

Everyone was amused, saying, "Yes, you’re very close to your Big Sis. What a blessed child."

Seeing this, Sanlang smiled and said, "Next time I come back from the town, I’ll bring you some sugar paintings."

Now that Sanlang was making money, he dared to buy the snacks he loved to eat.

Hearing this, Silang was envious and said, "Maybe I shouldn’t learn carpentry. I’ll join you at the stall."

Overhearing this, Uncle Lin grabbed Silang by the ear and led him to the courtyard. "If you want to set up a stall, you need to have the skills. For now, stick with me and learn this carpentry work."

Lin Fengdie had the same idea as Silang and, hearing Sanlang mention that they would all go to their house for a meal, where Lin Cuixiang would formally apprentice under Lin Chunyan, felt envious.

After Sanlang left, Lin Fengdie was still thinking about this. After holding it in for a long time, she couldn’t help but share her thoughts with Li Shi.

Li Shi was startled, "You mean you don’t want to learn embroidery and want to learn the dyeing craft instead?"

Lin Fengdie nodded awkwardly, "I heard Big Sis say that the flowers are blooming perfectly now, and all sorts of colors can be dyed. But we can’t spare many hands at home now. Many people have come to ask us to dye cloth, but we couldn’t take on more."

Li Shi had long wanted to know how the dyeing craft was learned, but after hearing this, she still frowned and shook her head. "It’s not that I don’t want to let you learn, but these skills can’t be easily shared. Before, I asked your elder aunt, and she didn’t tell us, right? Forget about this idea and focus on learning embroidery properly."

Lin Fengdie bit her lower lip and put the matter aside, planning to ask again when she visited the second branch.

Lin Taohong had been feeling dizzy since waking up that morning and couldn’t remember what had happened the previous day. Zhang Daniang wouldn’t let this opportunity pass and brought up the mushroom hotpot from yesterday. "You were the only one drunk, while we ate quite happily."

Lin Taohong looked at Lin Chunyan guiltily and received only a few cold snorts. She didn’t dare to voice her complaints.

When Mrs. Feng heard that Lin Chunyan had agreed to prepare the banquet, she clapped her thigh and laughed heartily. "I’ll send my nephew over right away. You all draft the menu first, and we’ll discuss any adjustments."

Lin Chunyan nodded and went to find Tutor Duan to draft the menu.

Hearing Lin Chunyan and Mrs. Feng discuss this, Lin Taohong became anxious. "Big Sis, what about our shop’s business?"

Lin Chunyan said, "We’ll have to take a day off. Calculating it, this banquet will bring in much more than a day’s revenue."

She wouldn’t have agreed so readily without being clear on this.

Lin Taohong stomped her foot anxiously. "Those idle men are waiting to buy from us. If we don’t sell for a day, who knows how much they’ll lose."

Lin Chunyan was taken aback and hadn’t thought of that. She looked at Lin Taohong gratefully and said, "How about this? We’ll set up a couple of tables outside and place the warm dishes there. How does that sound?"

Lin Taohong went out for a walk and suggested placing them next to Jin Niangzi.

Thanks to Lin Cuixiang and Zhao Zilan helping now, they could already cook the daily dishes to a good standard, and Lin Chunyan was confident in leaving it to them.

After drafting the menu, considering it was an engagement banquet for relatives, they naturally had to make it grand.

But with only two guan of money, she had to consider costs, so they decided not to buy lamb or beef.

Once the menu was ready, it was handed to Mrs. Feng’s nephew, who was barely twenty years old and impressively genteel. After hearing Tutor Duan read the menu, he nodded satisfactorily. "This is indeed the best. There are plenty of meat dishes."

When Mrs. Feng mentioned Lin Chunyan, Xu Dalao became interested but was unsure about the cost and felt uncertain.

Mrs. Feng reassured him, "Lin Xiaoniang is busy with her shop now, so she might not have time for our matter. Let me inquire first."

That same day, she returned and said that Lin Xiaoniang needed to think about it. Xu Dalao thought it wasn’t going to work and started looking for a good chef in the surrounding areas.

After Chef Wang was killed, the only chef left who could handle banquets was Chef Ren.

But his prices were getting higher. Besides the red envelopes, he also demanded some extra wine and tobacco money before he’d start working.

When Mrs. Feng told him that Lin Chunyan had agreed for just two guan and could prepare several tables, Xu Dalao was overjoyed. When he saw the menu, his smile reached his ears.

Nowadays, everyone knew Lin Chunyan’s skills were unmatched. No matter the ingredient, she could make it delicious and enticing.

He could imagine how lively it would be on the engagement day with all the relatives.

Everyone would praise the grandeur and his capability to hold a banquet at Lin Xiaoniang’s shop.

To avoid disappointment, Lin Chunyan had Tutor Duan post a notice in advance and inform the customers that on that day, only pre-orders would be available, and breakfast wouldn’t be served.

Old Man Chen and Old Man Qin came over and, hearing this news, felt like pounding their chests. "Why can you all invite Lin Xiaoniang for a banquet, but I don’t have this fortune?"

He still remembered when Lin Chunyan couldn’t come to his birthday due to heavy snow, and Old Man Chen had held a grudge since.

Old Man Qin smiled and went to his favorite spot, satisfied with the aroma after ordering his preferred dishes.

He was already seated next to Mr. Zhao and his wife. After nodding, Old Man Qin remarked curiously, "This is strange. I didn’t expect your wife to come out with you."

Mr. Zhao was pleased. In the past, the things he liked to eat were never approved by Mrs. Zhao, and occasionally, he would even be scolded for them. But now, things were different. Mrs. Zhao had not only become fond of eating these things but was also willing to go out with him. It was indeed a joy.

"What food have you ordered today?"

Old Man Qin first glanced at their table and saw the braised lion's head and shredded pork in Beijing sauce. Mrs. Zhao was wrapping them in small pancakes and eating them with great relish.

Mr. Zhao also looked over and saw that Old Man Qin had ordered fish-flavored shredded pork with a bowl of fragrant white rice beside it. It was naturally a joy to be able to eat such delicious food for just a few coins.

Mr. Zhao was curious, "Why aren't you drinking here today? Could it be that the sun is rising from the west?"

Old Man Chen chimed in, "How could he not want to drink? It's just that when he went to get the wine today, he had a quarrel with that old man, which led to an unpleasant situation, so he didn't get any wine in the end."

Old Man Qin asked Mr. Zhao to arbitrate, "My mouth has been drinking wine for many years, and I can tell if it's watered down with just one sip! But that old man insisted it was the same as before, so I argued with him for a few words. We didn't really quarrel, but I don't want to get wine from him anymore. Later, I'll have to go to the wine shop in the west of our town, where there's another one."

Lin Taohong heard this from the hall and ran over to ask Lin Chunyan, "Do we need to buy the wine separately? If so, we need to go to the wine shop west of the village."

Lin Chunyan shook her head, "It was only said that two strings of cash do not include wine, so they have to find it themselves. We're not responsible."

Lin Taohong didn't understand, "The mulberry wine is almost ready, so why not bring it out?"

"This table of dishes already costs two strings of cash, and if we add wine, it will cost a significant amount more, at least. Ordinary families can't afford that. Why cause trouble for ourselves? I'll keep this wine for future use and don't need to rush."

Hearing this, Lin Taohong became happy, thinking smugly about when she could drink again.

Seeing this, Lin Chunyan directly patted her on the back, "You better behave and don't secretly drink alcohol anymore. You're still young, and it's not good to always get drunk."

Lin Taohong wasn't angry and bargained with Lin Chunyan, "Can I drink a little less next time? Also, we don't have proper cups at home, so I can only use bowls. When we go to the general store next time, we should buy those glass cups. The mulberry wine would look so beautiful in them."

Lin Chunyan said, "Don't you know how expensive those glass cups are? A good one costs seven or eight hundred coins, and even a poor-quality one costs four or five hundred coins. If you accidentally break it, you'll regret it."

Hearing the price of the glass cups, Lin Taohong gave up on the idea of buying them. Lin Chunyan didn't want to disappoint her too much, so she said they could buy some ordinary cups, which could also be used for drinking.

As the two sisters were talking, they saw Zhao Huaizi coming in from outside, carrying something dark and slightly bloody on his shoulder, which looked quite intimidating at first glance.

Lin Chunyan's eyes lit up when she saw it and took a few quick steps forward, "Isn't this a roe deer? Uncle Huaizi, you're really capable to have hunted this."

Ever since she started managing this food shop, most of the wild game Zhao Huaizi hunted in the mountains was sent to her.

He had thought that this roe deer was so big that Lin Chunyan might not be able to take it. But then again, the roe deer was so delicious that if it were sent elsewhere, they might not even get a taste.

Zhao Muyang followed behind him, peeking in. At first glance, he didn't recognize most of the people in the hall and felt a bit restrained. It was only when he saw Lin Chunyan and Lin Taohong that he quietly sighed in relief.

"Sister Yan Niang, my uncle said this is very delicious. Is it true?"

Seeing how eager he was, Lin Chunyan couldn't help but rub his head and said with a smile, "This meat is really delicious. Wait a moment, and you can try it."

When Zhao Muyang heard this, his eyes lit up, and he pestered Zhao Huaizi to agree. Zhao Huaizi, who had originally wanted to taste the roe deer meat, nodded in agreement after just a few moments, with a hint of joy in his expression.

He looked much better than before when he was listless.

Mrs. Zhang, being quite gossipy, pulled Zhao Huaizi aside. Her action wasn't inappropriate since they were distantly related through a convoluted family connection. She asked if he had set his sights on someone.

In the past, when the matchmaker was around, few were willing to marry into Zhao Huaizi's family because they believed he was unlucky and had bad fortune.

But now, with Matchmaker Zheng, who had a clever tongue, the bad fortune was spun into a positive, saying that the young wife who came into the family could immediately take charge, with no parents-in-law above and no sisters-in-law below, making for a very comfortable life.

Moreover, Zhao Huaizi, being a hunter, could always hunt some wild game, making their life much better than others.

With this kind of talk, many people became interested.

It was said that Wang Danie, who was previously betrothed to Li Youfu, also went to meet Zhao Huaizi.

Of course, there were also those who were concerned that hunting was a dangerous occupation, and if Zhao Huaizi's bad luck continued, he might lose his life. No amount of money could compensate for the loss of a person.

Matchmaker Zheng had a quick tongue and was very persuasive, which made her quite popular in the surrounding villages. She said, "Even if something were to happen to the person, there's nothing to worry about. While that village has nothing else, it's very favorable for widows! As Granny Dong herself said, widows and unemployed women live much better lives now."

Once Matchmaker Zheng brought up Granny Dong, many people believed her and were relieved of their concerns, making Zhao Huaizi quite sought after.

Having lived alone for many years, Zhao Huaizi really didn't want to come home to an empty house without anyone to care for him. He had long wanted to marry a wife.

He had previously been interested in Madam Sun, but they were fated not to be together and missed their chance. After a period of depression, Zhao Huaizi had picked himself up and deliberately went to see Madam Sun again.

Madam Sun had no desire to continue entangling with him and was solely focused on making a good life for herself. When she saw him coming, she was not very happy, fearing that others might see and spread rumors.

Seeing this, Zhao Huaizi's heart cooled halfway. Still, not giving up, he asked, "Now that everyone's life has improved a bit, if you were to marry into my family, you could still bring your mother-in-law and child with you. Wouldn't life still be harmonious and beautiful? Why aren't you willing?"

Zhao Huaizi truly couldn't understand. Madam Sun, seeing that there was no one around and that the nosy Liu Niangzi and Silang were not present, slightly closed the door and walked to the side with Zhao Huaizi, asking him, "If I were to marry into your family, would I have to bear more children?"

This question caught him off guard, but Zhao Huaizi answered truthfully, "Of course, we would need to have more children. You only have Niuniu, and I have no children of my own. Moreover, both of us are not very old, so it's still possible to have more children and take care of them."

Madam Sun counted on her fingers and explained to Zhao Huaizi, "If I have more children, I'll be older and will definitely find it hard. Not to mention going through childbirth, which is like walking through the gates of hell, I won't be able to continue with the work at Yan Niang's place. If I marry into your family and stop working, every day I'll just be taking care of a child, and I'll never have such a good life again."

Zhao Huaizi, with his mouth open, was stunned and couldn't say a word. He had never considered these things. To him, having children was just what a wife was supposed to do. After a long pause, he said, "That work is also hard. I earn quite a bit from hunting in the mountains, enough to support all of us."

Madam Sun's face remained expressionless, "If this were many years ago, I might have agreed immediately, but things are different now. I earn my own money and can spend it however I want. No one can interfere with what I buy. Even if we want to keep an extra chicken at home, how the eggs are disposed of is up to me. If I marry you and stop working, every day just taking care of a child, I'll never have such a good life again."

The two parted on bad terms, and Zhao Huaizi still didn't understand why Madam Sun disagreed, only knowing that her decision was final and could not be changed.

Because of this, he agreed to the match arranged by Matchmaker Zheng.

When Mrs. Zhang asked, Zhao Huaizi became embarrassed. But Zhao Muyang spoke up first, "My uncle really has set his sights on Aunt Wang Danie from Wangjia Village."

Mrs. Zhang clapped her thigh and exclaimed, "Isn't this the daughter-in-law that Li Youfu was supposed to marry? How did you end up liking her? Her family is quite fierce."

During the first month, when Wang Danie's family beat Li Youfu, Mrs. Zhang had climbed onto the roof with melon seeds to watch the drama.

That Wang Danie had several brothers from her maternal family alone. Two people held down Li Youfu while two others started hitting him. Another one smashed everything in the house, leaving nothing but a mess. Only Lihua's room was spared from the chaos, as no one dared to enter.

Zhao Huaizi felt a bit embarrassed. "I've looked at a few people, but I only feel a connection with her personality."

The issue between him and Madam Sun was an irreconcilable contradiction. However, if he had chosen another person, the contradiction might not have even arisen.

Lin Taohong eagerly went over to ask Zhao Muyang, "Have you seen your future aunt?"

Zhao Muyang nodded. "I have. My aunt's brothers are quite formidable."

Mrs. Zhang had already started asking when the engagement would be set, and mentioned that their shop could be rented out for a banquet. "The nephew of Mrs. Feng from the escort agency specially rented our shop to invite both families over for a feast. If you come, I'll give you a discount."

While they were chatting about household matters, Old Man Qin and Mr. Zhao were eagerly waiting for the venison meat to be served. When Zhao Huaizi saw the venison being brought over, his eyes lit up, as did Zhao Muyang's. They both knew they had come to the right place and would be able to enjoy a feast.

Mrs. Zhao was unsure what gift to bring to her natal family, and the venison meat was perfect timing. She first sent Mr. Zhao over to say that no matter the price, they should reserve more for them to facilitate future exchanges.

Lin Chunyan agreed to everything and was teaching Lin Cuixiang and Zhao Zilan how to handle the venison meat.

Nowadays, families with some power and influence liked to go hunting. Whether it was deer or venison meat, the meat was extremely fresh and delicious, perfect for grilling or stir-frying.

Lin Chunyan planned to make raw meat dishes with the venison today.

Mr. Zhao was outside discussing the differences between deer and venison meat at length, leaving everyone astonished.

"I thought all meat was the same, but it turns out there's a big difference," Lin Taohong listened with great interest and ran over to confirm with Lin Chunyan if it was true.

"Deer meat is indeed more delicious, but this venison is not far behind."

The venison was sliced thinly and placed directly on a hot iron plate to cook. Not much seasoning was needed, as the freshness of the meat was enough.

Ding Hui Niang had never seen such a large piece of venison and was amazed. She had only come to help today and found everything in the shop curious, but she was not one to ask questions aloud. She silently observed and remembered everything in her heart.

After arriving, she went straight into the kitchen and started washing dishes without saying a word. Occasionally, she would chime in on their conversations but remained as transparent as if she wasn't there at all.

The remaining venison was cut into thin strips and stir-fried with pickled melon and dried tangerine peel, and finally a touch of vinegar was added to create a delicious raw meat dish.

This time, when Mrs. Zhang was told that the food on her face was an allergenic substance, she refused to listen and used her chopsticks to pick at the food.

"This is my own face. Even if a scar remains, it won't affect you."

The scar on Mrs. Zhang's face had almost healed. Even if she didn't avoid certain foods, it wouldn't matter. However, Lin Chunyan deliberately mentioned it to tease her because Mrs. Zhang had a habit of stirring up trouble and couldn't control her own words.

Seeing that Mrs. Zhang really wanted to eat, and since the venison was a rare treat, Lin Chunyan didn't say anything more.

Lin Taohong's eyes darted back and forth between Lin Chunyan and Mrs. Zhang, hoping they would argue. She didn't forget to eat in the process.

Both Lin Chunyan and Mrs. Zhang could tell what she was thinking. After all this time, she still hadn't learned to be more mindful and had no sense of restraint. They each gave her a glare and let her figure it out on her own.

Lin Taohong thought that since Lin Chunyan and Mrs. Zhang couldn't argue with each other, they were taking it out on her. She silently rebuked them in her heart but didn't stop picking at the venison meat.

Lin Chunyan kept a close eye on Ding Hui Niang and saw that she didn't dare to reach out for the food. She placed a plate of meat in front of her and told her to eat her fill. "You'll find that while the work here is hard, we eat whatever is available and don't distinguish between high and low."

Zhao Liu nodded vigorously. "That's right. It's said that our ancestral grave is emitting green smoke to have secured such a good position."

When this was mentioned, everyone couldn't help but laugh. Zhao Liu, like Zhao Huaizi, had no close relatives and only lived with his mother.

Their difficult life was evident to everyone in the village. Since coming to work for Lin Chunyan, they had been bringing home plenty of food every day. His mother's illness was visibly improving, and Zhao Liu had even grown taller. He was no longer the timid person he once was, which led many to believe that their ancestral grave was indeed in the right place.

Some people even asked Granny Dong to come and take a look, wanting an ancestral grave like Zhao Liu's family.

Granny Dong was speechless for a long time when she heard this request. She really didn't understand what these people were thinking. Zhao Liu had lost his father at a young age and later saw the passing of his grandfather and several younger siblings. Now, only his mother remained, yet people still said the ancestral grave was well-placed.

Seeing that everyone was having a good time and no one was being reserved, Ding Hui Niang gradually relaxed and listened attentively to their conversations.

As for the steward of the academy canteen, he finally persuaded the private school head to allocate more funds for procurement and planned to buy some fish sauce and pickles from Lin Chunyan.

The steward first sent his wife over and didn't mention that they were from the academy. He only asked if they could get a discount if they bought a large quantity.

Naturally, the savings would go into their own pockets.

So, when Lin Chunyan was settling the accounts after the meal, she saw the steward's wife approaching.

The wife first looked around the shop, sniffing the delicious aroma in the air and seeing the long line at the order window. A sense of displeasure washed over her, and she couldn't help but ask, "How much oil did you use to cook this dish? Even a clump of dirt could be stir-fried into something delicious with that much oil."

Lin Chunyan had seen all kinds of people, but it was rare for someone to accuse her of using too much oil right off the bat. She smiled at the wife and said, "You're mistaken. Stir-frying isn't just about adding oil to make it fragrant. It's about achieving a balance of color, aroma, and taste. There's a lot of skill involved."

The wife pouted. "It's just about cooking the dish. What skill is there? You people just make things up."

Tutor Duan couldn't stand it anymore and asked the wife with a stern face, "Madam, may I ask what you're here to buy? You've come in and started picking faults without any reason. It's rare to see such a guest."

The wife, seeing Tutor Duan's stern expression, was reminded of the scholars at the academy who also scolded people with such faces.

She was just an old woman from the countryside and was very afraid of these educated people. In the academy, she didn't dare greet the scholars and would keep her distance, avoiding them as much as possible.

Seeing that Tutor Duan's single remark had rendered the wife speechless, Lin Chunyan sighed.

Sometimes, she really didn't know who to turn to for reason. The same words she said didn't carry as much weight as when Tutor Duan said them, simply because he was a scholar and a literate person.

She gave up on dealing with the wife and continued to take out the green plums she needed, then sent Hu Dala to buy some brewing yeast.

In a few days, she would be making green plum wine.

When she returned home, she first collected the flowers that had been drying in the yard. A few young wives had gone up the mountain to dig up some wildflowers when it wasn't so hot, and they had planted more in the empty space in front of the house.

They also mentioned that it often rained heavily in the summer, making the yard muddy. It would be better to pave it with bluestone bricks.

There were specialized craftsmen for this. It was said that in high-class courtyards, they were entirely paved with bluestone bricks, so even if you didn't walk under the corridors, your shoes and socks wouldn't get wet.

Lin Cuixiang had also planted many wildflowers in front of their house, and by this time quite a few of them were in bloom. There were red, yellow, and pink flowers, and you could smell their fragrance even before you got close.

"In the past, when I saw those clusters of wild chrysanthemums blooming in front of your house, I was envious to no end. I wished I could dig some up and plant them in my own yard."

Now that they had also planted flowers in front of their house, she had even followed Lin Chunyan's example by putting up bamboo blinds in the rooms. Unfortunately, she couldn't make chrysanthemum pillows just yet. Following Lin Chunyan's advice, she washed the newly bloomed roses and put them in a pillow, which gave it a faint floral scent.

Unfortunately, the flowers didn't stay in bloom for long and withered away before anyone could fully appreciate them.

"The oranges are almost gone too. If we want to eat more, we'll have to wait at least another six months. Luckily, the apricots will be ready soon."

Dog Dan's Father no longer needed Lin Chunyan to specifically instruct him to look for things. He had developed a taste for it himself and was worried that there might be fruits in other places that they didn't have here. He even went so far as to follow Dog Dan's grandfather over the mountains to the other side, bringing back quite a few things.

The mountains there were uninhabited and difficult to climb, but they were abundant with wild fruits, vegetables, chestnuts, walnuts, wild kiwis, and acorn trees.

Dog Dan's Father said that when autumn came, he would go again and make sure to bring everything back.

"If it comes to it, I'll hire people to pick for a few days. Give them a few big coins per basket, and many will be willing to go."

This time, he brought back wild apricots from that mountain. The skin of these apricots was slightly yellow, but they were extremely sweet and not sour at all, unlike the ones picked from the mountains here.

Lin Chunyan accepted them all and, taking advantage of the dry days, planned to make apricot dried fruits.

Several people sat in the shaded part of the courtyard, laughing and chatting as they washed the apricots clean.

"Seeing these makes me want to eat dried persimmons. Let me check if we still have any."

After working for a while, Lin Taohong couldn't sit still and went to the cellar.

Wang Yingniang laughed, "Don't tell me you're going to secretly drink some alcohol again."

Lin Taohong, afraid that Lin Chunyan might misunderstand, quickly explained, "Of course not. There are plenty of beverages outside now, and I'm not such a drunkard that I crave only well-made alcohol."

After a quick look around the cellar, she found a few dried persimmons and excitedly brought them up, giving one to each person.

She also urged Lin Chunyan to make the jasmine soy milk.

"Go ahead and do it yourself. You're getting lazier and lazier," Lin Chunyan said.

Lin Taohong refused to back down, "Big sister, didn't you say just the other day that I've made progress? Now you're calling me lazy. Where's the sense in that?"

Lin Chunyan ignored her and, after washing the apricots, split them in half, removed the pits, and layered them with sugar.

Seeing that the sugar was running low, Lin Chunyan planned to buy more.

"We're using it up too fast."