Chapter 110

Chapter 110

Jiang Jinyao stood there, in a daze, but the people in the hall ignored her, not offering her a single glance.

Manager Zong and Chef Qi glanced at each other, both of them letting out a sigh. They had placed so much hope in Jiang Jinyao, and now they were equally disappointed.

How could she, a chef from Bian City, lose to Lin Chunyan?

Manager Zong was completely puzzled. While no one openly mocked Jiang Jinyao, that didn’t mean he was spared. After all, they had spent eighty big coins on her.

Some people pulled at Manager Zong, demanding their money back, while others told him to stop running a restaurant. In the end, the two wished they could find a crack in the ground to hide in.

“You deserve it!” Mrs. Zhang grabbed a handful of sunflower seeds, eating them leisurely, spitting out the shells as she gave Jiang Jinyao sidelong glances.

Jiang Jinyao still hadn’t regained her senses. Li Niangzi saw her, and though she disliked what Jiang had said earlier, they were still from the same master’s lineage. She stepped forward and pulled Jiang outside.

“She really doesn’t know her limits,” someone behind them muttered.

Outside, the hot wind whipped past, and Jiang Jinyao finally came to her senses.

She had lost.

Jiang Jinyao looked at her hands, which were covered with calluses from years of cooking practice. It wasn’t just talent that had gotten her recognition; without all those years of hard work, how could she have been noticed?

The words of praise she had once enjoyed seemed to float back into her mind, only to quickly fade away, leaving behind the crowd’s scornful and mocking gazes.

Seeing her like this, Li Niangzi felt her heart soften. “There’s no shame in losing to Lin Chunyan. Do you remember when I told our master that I had received guidance from an expert? The steamed lamb I made was much better than before.”

Jiang Jinyao’s eyes widened, her voice rising in surprise, “The master you spoke of was Lin Chunyan?”

Li Niangzi nodded. “Though Mrs. Zhang’s words are harsh, she’s right. There are always greater masters beyond the current ones. You and I may be better than most, but we should remain humble.”

If she had been so arrogant when making zhajiang noodles, not only would the noodles have been worse, but Lin Chunyan would never have offered her guidance in the future.

Jiang Jinyao stared at Li Niangzi in silence for a long time.

That day, aside from the Shanhai Dous, Lin Chunyan didn’t make any other dishes. Once the Shanhai Dous sold out, they closed the doors early.

There had been too much happening over the past few days, but fortunately, the outcome wasn’t bad. Everyone looked a little more relaxed.

“We’ve never closed this early before,” Zhao Liu said, looking at the sun slanting through the bamboo blinds, feeling uneasy.

“We need to rest,” Lin Chunyan agreed, feeling her tense nerves finally relax. She stretched lazily, “Let’s make zongzi tomorrow.”

Tutor Duan chuckled. “I’m sure many people will come tomorrow asking for the Shanhai Dous.”

“It’s too much trouble. We’re not making it tomorrow,” Lin Chunyan said, unusually stubborn.

Mrs. Zhang gasped, thinking about how much they could earn by selling them for eight coins each. But since she couldn’t make them and couldn’t help, she didn’t know how to advise against it.

Lin Chunyan had already noticed Mrs. Zhang’s expression but deliberately pretended not to see it, already planning what filling to use for the zongzi the next day.

At this time, people preferred sweet zongzi. Meat or savory zongzi hadn’t become popular yet. Most people ate zongzi filled with sugar or honeyed dates, or even candied fruits like dried waxberries or apricots.

The strings used to wrap the zongzi were also important. They had to be new, colorful silk threads, and the zongzi had to be placed on golden plates.

Li Shi had already sent them plenty of colorful silk threads, which they could use to wrap the zongzi.

Lin Chunyan went to the kitchen in the backyard and washed the glutinous rice. After washing it, she took some and soaked it in mugwort water so that the zongzi would have a faint mugwort fragrance the next day.

Recently, many vendors have been setting up stalls in town to sell zongzi. The images of Heavenly Master Zhang and the Tiger-headed Bai Ze blessings have also been selling well.

The Dragon Boat Festival is almost as lively as the Lantern Festival.

After going out, Mrs. Zhang bought an image of Heavenly Master Zhang. She said she would hang it above the door when she returned home.

Mrs. Song said to her, "The other day, I asked you to buy it, but you said you didn’t believe in it. How is it that after just two days, you went and bought it? Isn’t this a bit like seeking divine help only when in trouble?"

Mrs. Zhang laughed, "I just think the deities are quite powerful. We should start believing in these things from now on."

They said they would return home early today and bathe in lan soup.

This lan soup is hot water boiled with sweetflag grass. If adults and children bathe in this lan soup during the days leading up to the Dragon Boat Festival, it is believed they will remain healthy throughout the year.

When they returned, Mrs. Lin and Wang Yingniang immediately came over to ask about the day's events.

Mrs. Zhang and Lin Taohong repeated the story, feeling relieved only after recounting how they had thoroughly defeated the chef from Bianjing.

Looking back, they saw that Lin Chunyan had already changed into casual clothes and was carrying a basket to go up the mountain.

"Where are you going? Can’t you take a rest?" Mrs. Zhang didn’t understand. Every time she returned from the shop, she just wanted to lie down.

"I just want to take a walk in the mountains," Lin Chunyan stretched lazily. "Going up the mountain is my way of resting."

Wang Yingniang followed her, and as they walked, they picked some larger bamboo leaves.

"Have you decided what filling to use for the zongzi?"

"Besides jujube and fruits, I also want to try salted egg yolk."

They had cured plenty of salted eggs, both chicken and duck. Besides selling them and using them daily, they still had plenty left over.

"I heard from my godmother that the mountain-sea dumplings sold very well. But you don’t want to sell them anymore?"

"It’s not that I don’t want to, but it’s quite laborious. Since it’s no longer spring, I could make a summer version of mountain-sea dumplings."

It would include sausages, bamboo shoots, wood ear mushrooms, and regular mushrooms. It would still be fresh but different from the spring version of mountain-sea dumplings.

They set off up the mountain early, and the sun was still intense. Lin Chunyan shaded her eyes and looked towards the other side of the mountain.

Wang Yingniang noticed that Lin Chunyan seemed more tired than usual. Though she seemed confident about the competition, those close to her knew she was somewhat uneasy.

"It’s all over now," Wang Yingniang suddenly said, "How about we collect some spring water and then pick peaches from the western part of the village?"

Lin Chunyan’s eyes lit up. "Right! I almost forgot the peaches are ready for picking!"

They casually picked some wild vegetables and stopped gathering bamboo leaves. They planned to gather reed leaves once the weather cooled.

The leaves they had picked earlier were no longer fresh. Since the reed field was large, they could gather fresh leaves later.

The peach trees in the western part of the village formed a large grove. In spring, they were adorned with delicate pink blossoms. However, the flowers of peaches, apricots, and plums are as fleeting as spring itself. Just as you start to enjoy the warmth of spring, it vanishes in the blink of an eye.

When they reached the trees, they found that someone was already picking. It turned out to be Ju Miao and Xiu Jie.

As Mrs. Zhang said, Ju Miao’s mother wanted Xiu Jie to marry into their family, so she often let her stay for a few days to build a relationship in advance.

Cousin marriages were quite common in those days.

Seeing Lin Chunyan approach, Ju Miao excitedly dropped her basket. "Sister Yan, you’re here to pick peaches too!"

Lin Chunyan was influenced by her expression and also smiled. "Are they ready to eat?"

"Yes, but they still have a bit of tartness."

The wild peaches were small, even tiny. Lin Chunyan picked the softer ones.

But they were only relatively soft. After washing off the fuzz with the spring water they brought, they made a crisp sound when bitten into.

Wang Yingniang found a few soft ones, and when she bit into one, the juice ran down the corner of her mouth, causing her to let out a low exclamation.

"These peaches are sweet."

Even though these peach trees all grew together, it was unclear whether it was due to different varieties or each tree's own nature, but the fruits tasted different.

Ju Miao had already eaten quite a few. These peaches could be eaten until you were full without causing discomfort, unlike apricots.

Eating too many apricots can cause heartburn, and plums were the worst; it’s said that eating too many can be fatal.

As they talked, they picked and ate the peaches, and gradually, Lin Chunyan felt her energy returning.

Nature is truly magical; the more you connect with it, the more strength you can gain from it.

Ju Miao asked them, "When you bring these peaches back, are you going to make something delicious?"

Lin Chunyan thought for a moment and said, "We'll keep some for everyone to eat, and the rest I'm planning to make pickled plum and ginger peaches."

Ju Miao let out a small "Wow," saying, "That must be delicious."

As Lin Chunyan was about to leave, Ju Miao finally gathered the courage to ask the question that had been on her mind.

"Sister Yan Niang, we've made the pig pancreas soap several times since then, and it's much better than before. Xiu Jie and I were wondering if we could start selling it."

"We won't do it on a large scale. We'll just make it when we have time and let Sanlang sell it."

Xiu Jie added, looking at Lin Chunyan hopefully from the side.

The two of them were quite nervous. They knew that Lin Chunyan had taught them out of goodwill, but they had developed the idea of turning this method into money.

Once the idea was born, if they didn't ask for clarity, they wouldn't be able to give up on it.

Seeing how nervous the two young wives were, Lin Chunyan smiled and said, "Of course you can. If you’re willing to put in the effort to sell it, that’s a good thing."

When the two heard Lin Chunyan agree, they looked at each other and couldn't help but smile.

They hadn’t expected Lin Chunyan to think it was a good thing. They had thought she would be angry or feel that they were being ungrateful.

They were so happy they didn’t know how to express it and could only smile happily.

After picking the peaches, Lin Chunyan followed Wang Yingniang home. On the way, Wang Yingniang said, "Lihua's rabbits are also being raised now. Wenrou's family has many ducks, and Madam Sun’s family raises pigs... Our village is getting better and better."

"Yes, everyone is very capable."

Wang Yingniang looked at Lin Chunyan and said seriously, "Though they are capable, someone still needs to lead the way."

It was clear that the person leading the way was Lin Chunyan.

Lin Chunyan was amused by her words. "They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but in your eyes, everything is my doing."

"It is your merit. Don't deny it."

When the two of them entered the house, they were met with a gloomy look from Lin Taohong.

Earlier, she had said she would remove the pits from the dried jujubes, thinking it would be easy, but it turned out to be harder than she expected. Now, she regretted it deeply.

Seeing them chatting and laughing as they returned, she felt even worse. Putting down what she was doing, she rushed to hug Lin Chunyan’s arm and said, “Sister, why are you with Yingniang again?”

She felt another surge of jealousy and heard Lin Chunyan put down her basket and ask her to fetch some well water. “Look at what you’re saying. I spent the whole day with you. Yingniang never said a word about it.”

Lin Taohong glanced at Wang Yingniang, and when she saw Wang looking back at her, she quickly pouted.

Knowing she was just being childish, Wang Yingniang didn’t take it to heart and simply asked, “Where did Godmother go?”

“She went to see Qian Niangzi. I saw them whispering about that Granny Dong.”

Everyone was occupied, and after throwing a small fit, Lin Taohong ran inside and brought out several pieces of cloth.

“Fengdie just brought these. Should we make some clothes?”

Lin Chunyan felt the fabric, which was very soft, and decided it would be good for undergarments.

Lin Taohong, however, wanted to make an outer garment and began to pester Wang Yingniang, “Sister Yingniang, you must help me.”

Wang Yingniang pretended not to agree, “Just now you were jealous because I might take away Chunyan. Now you’re asking for my help. Make it yourself.”

Knowing her sewing skills weren’t great and not wanting to waste the fabric, Lin Taohong pleaded some more, and finally, Wang Yingniang couldn’t hold back her laughter.

“Now you know what it’s like to be manipulated,” Lin Chunyan said with a smile.

“She’s really exhausting,” Lin Chunyan added.

Making pickled plum and ginger peaches wasn’t particularly difficult. After washing the peaches thoroughly, they were sliced into thick pieces and salted along with the pickled plum and ginger.

Seeing that the sugar supply wasn’t much, Lin Chunyan muttered, “We’re using this up too fast. We’ll have to buy more tomorrow.”

Luckily, there was still some cane sugar, which would be enough to make the pickled plum and ginger peaches.

Lin Taohong found the largest and reddest peach and sat down to eat it.

“Why is it so hot today? The wind feels scorching.”

“Summer is like this. The blazing sun is the norm.”

Any coolness was just a brief cool spell after the rain.

Erlang returned later than the others and delivered the malt candy that Old Man Hong had asked him to bring.

Lin Chunyan took it and gave him a few copper coins, “I noticed the town has been bustling these past few days.”

Erlang grinned, “Yes, there have been many visitors.”

He also knew that Lin Chunyan had defeated the famous chef from Bian City, and his heart, which had been tense, finally relaxed, reflected in his smiling eyes.

It was almost dark when Mrs. Zhang returned from outside, carrying a small jar of water.

“Mother, what is this?” Lin Taohong asked, coming closer.

“This is noon water. Your Second Aunt started preparing it in the fifth month. We’ll use it for bathing later.”

During the Dragon Boat Festival, more noon water would be prepared, but that batch would be used for drinking.

1. The hot water in the kitchen had already been heated, and Mrs. Zhang poured some of the water she had brought back into a basin, calling out to them, "Who's washing first?"

2. Lin Chunyan did not allow them to share the same water for bathing; each time they bathed, fresh water had to be prepared. So, even though there was still hot water boiling in the kitchen stove, they needed to change it.

3. The two kitchen rooms they built earlier had now become temporary bathing rooms. It was too much trouble to go to the other rooms.

4. "Once we earn more money, we should build a large bathhouse."

5. Jiang Jinyao was brought back to the Wang family's backyard by Li Niangzi. Since losing the competition, she had been in low spirits. Li Niangzi didn’t pay attention to her and simply spread out paper to write a letter.

6. After sitting for a while, Jiang Jinyao suddenly interrupted Li Niangzi, "Sister, don't write to Master about me. I'm not returning to Bian City just yet."

7. Li Niangzi frowned. "What’s gotten into you?"

8. She didn’t want Jiang Jinyao to stay in White Cloud Town and cause trouble, which she would then have to clean up.

9. Jiang Jinyao knew what she was thinking and quickly added, "I want to travel for a while."

10. She had heard that Lin Chunyan had learned from her grandfather, who had traveled to many places and knew how to make various local dishes.

11. Li Niangzi put down her pen. "This isn't a joke. Traveling is tough and can’t compare to life in Bian City."

12. Jiang Jinyao had been thinking about this. If she didn’t go, she’d always feel something was missing.

13. "But before I go, I want to meet Lin Xiaoniang."

14. The next morning, Lin Chunyan went to the shop. The reeds and bamboo leaves were washed and placed on the table in the backyard.

15. Next to them were two bowls of glutinous rice, one soaked with mugwort and the other plain glutinous rice.

16. Various fillings were also arranged on the table: jujubes, brown sugar, apricot jam, red beans, and the salted egg yolks and pork belly that Lin Chunyan had brought out.

17. Everyone except Zhao Liu and Hu Daqiang, who were managing outside, came to help wrap zongzi.

18. Soon, all the zongzi were ready. Mrs. Song had excellent skills, stacking the zongzi into shapes resembling pavilions and towers.

19. Mrs. Zhang saw this and wrapped a pillow-shaped zongzi, proudly showing it to everyone.

20. "What do you think? Isn’t my zongzi pretty too?"

21. Lin Taohong was mashing jujube paste and glanced sideways. "It looks like a dog bone; Big Hei and Little Hei would love it."

22. Hearing this, Little Hei barked twice in agreement.

23. Mrs. Zhang’s face fell. "This is a pillow zongzi, not a dog bone. I’m not talking to you; scram."

24. As she spoke, Mrs. Zhang twisted her hips and turned to face Lin Taohong.

25. Lin Taohong laughed. "Oh, it’s a pillow zongzi. I thought you were making a bone zongzi, Mom."

26. The jujubes were pitted the previous evening, soaked for half an hour, and then steamed for about an hour.

27. By now, they were soft enough to mash into a paste, which was then fried with a little oil to make it sticky.

28. Rolled into small balls and wrapped in glutinous rice, they became zongzi filled with jujube paste.

29. Red bean paste was made similarly, and Zhao Zilan even combined jujube paste and red bean paste to create a red jujube-red bean filling.

30. Zongzi with different fillings were distinguished by different tying methods or colored strings.

Mrs. Zhang and Mrs. Song were chatting leisurely, "Their life is good nowadays. Back in our day, we could only enjoy white sugar zongzi."

Eating white sugar zongzi meant the family was doing relatively well. Mrs. Zhang remembered how her parents would make some during every Dragon Boat Festival.

Mrs. Song was also reminiscing about the past. Juan'er's favorite was honey cold zongzi, topped with rose syrup. She would smile at them after taking a bite.

As she thought about it, tears welled up in her eyes.

The salted egg yolks were being peeled, round and yellow, each coated with a layer of baijiu to remove the fishy smell.

"I can't imagine how this zongzi will taste."

Everyone was curious, so they decided to boil the salted egg yolk zongzi first.

"Let me have a taste."

Lin Taohong was about to unwrap the zongzi when Lin Chunyan stopped her, "Hold on, do you want to end up with a sore mouth again?"

Lin Taohong didn't dare to continue, so she took a small bowl with some cold water and placed the hot zongzi in it to cool down.

Later on, many people still didn't like meat zongzi, but the salted egg yolk zongzi, which balanced salty and sweet flavors, was a bit more acceptable.

When unwrapped, the first thing they smelled was the aroma of glutinous rice and reed leaves.

After a few bites, the glutinous rice was smooth and sweet. Before they could fully appreciate it, they hit the slightly sandy texture of the salted egg yolk, leaving a lingering flavor in their mouths, making them crave more.

"The salted egg yolk is dripping with oil, it's really delicious."

They quickly polished it off and were even more eager to make the meat zongzi.

Tutor Duan came over and kept glancing. Hearing that they were going to make meat zongzi, his face twisted in confusion.

"Zongzi should be sweet. How can you make it with meat?"

Everyone laughed at him for being old-fashioned. "Try this salted egg yolk zongzi first; it's very tasty."

Tutor Duan loved eating, but seeing the salted egg yolk zongzi, he stepped back and pointed to the sweet zongzi nearby, "I'll have some of the red bean and jujube ones later."

After saying that, he went to help in the front hall. Many people came to inquire about the Shanhai Dou that day. Upon hearing they were out, some were disappointed and lingered outside, creating a disturbance.

Hu Daqiang and Zhao Liu were skilled workers, but explaining things to people was a bit of a challenge for them.

Tutor Duan kindly explained the reason to them, and out of respect for him being a scholar, they didn't dare to cause more trouble.

"It's such a pity. If we had heard the news yesterday, we would have come earlier."

After saying that, they left with sighs of disappointment.

With all the commotion yesterday, Old Lady Wang naturally heard about it. When Li Niangzi returned, she brought some Shanhai Dou made by Lin Chunyan and explained the situation.

At that time, Jiang Jinyao was still distracted and followed Li Niangzi in a daze, not really listening to the conversation.

Old Lady Wang didn't fault her. She just said that the young and passionate should be like this. "Just don't let a setback knock you down completely."

After they left, Old Lady Wang looked at the Shanhai Dou and sighed.

She used to eat these Shanhai Dou often. When did she start rarely eating such dou?

Old Lady Wang thought for a moment but couldn't recall, so she let it go and said to the old woman next to her, "I wonder if she is aware of the matters in Zhao Wang Estate."

If **Li Daniang** were frequently in contact with **Jiang Jinyao** at the **Zhao Wang Estate**, she should know something about it.

Seeing that **Old Lady Wang** looked worried again, the old woman quickly offered the **Shanhai Dou**, saying, “Look how well-made these **Shanhai Dou** are, **Old Lady Wang**. They won’t taste good if they get cold.”

**Old Lady Wang** nodded and, without needing the old woman to serve the dishes, picked one up and put it in her mouth.

“Indeed, they are quite good. This **Madam Lin** is quite a capable person.”

Even though they tasted good, she put down her chopsticks after just two, her mind burdened with worries. The old woman ate the rest.

The old woman immediately thanked her for the reward and placed the **Shanhai Dou** in her own room, planning to enjoy them during her off-time.

For now, she still had to continue serving **Old Lady Wang**.

She also knew what weighed on **Old Lady Wang’s** heart—**Zhao Xinghua** and **Zhou Wanniang** were like two locks that had always been on her mind.

Seeing that **Zhou Wanniang** couldn’t be counted on, after so many years she had proven to be as incompetent as **A Dou**, repeatedly yielding for that man. **Old Lady Wang** saw in her a reflection of her younger self and had long since lost her favor.

Fortunately, **Zhou Wanniang** wasn’t this kind of person. Knowing she was to be used as a pawn, she had written to ask how to break free from the situation.

But as a young wife, there was only so much she could do.

“I wonder where she is now. She’s never suffered such hardships in her life... It’s alright if she hasn’t faced such hardships, but I hope she hasn’t encountered any bad people.”

**Old Lady Wang** went to the small Buddhist chapel once more, while the old woman returned to her room. She had originally planned to eat the **Shanhai Dou**, as both **Li Niangzi** and the old lady had spoken so highly of them.

But for some reason, like **Old Lady Wang**, she also thought of **Zhou Wanniang** and **Zhao Xinghua**.

She had never met **Zhao Xinghua**, but **Madam Chen** had, and when she spoke of her, she only said she was a person of bitter fate.

**Madam Chen** had seen countless women with tragic fates, and for her to speak of **Zhao Xinghua** in such a way showed just what kind of life **Zhao Xinghua** had lived.

The old woman put down her chopsticks, stood up, and went to find **Li Niangzi**.

There were things **Old Lady Wang** couldn’t bring herself to ask. But as servants, they didn’t have as many reservations.

After the **zongzi** were displayed, **Hu Daqiang** and **Zhao Liu** went to the entrance of the establishment to shout out a few calls.

The words were composed by **Tutor Duan**, and it took the two of them a long time to memorize them, “**Jujube paste and red bean paste zongzi, apricot preserves and rose syrup, ai herb-scented salted egg yolk and meat zongzi**...”

Many people who heard this long list couldn’t help but applaud. “Are there really that many kinds of **zongzi**?”

“What’s this salted egg yolk and meat **zongzi**? How can you make a **zongzi** with meat filling?”

Many who hadn’t planned to buy **zongzi** found it intriguing and couldn’t help but follow and enter.

“Aren’t you selling anything else today?”

“We can’t manage anything else. We’ve been wrapping these **zongzi** all morning.”

**Lin Chunyan** also had **Uncle Lin** make several wooden boxes. If anyone wanted to give them as gifts, they could use these boxes.

“Are these **zongzi** expensive?” After looking around, the main concern was the price.

The plain **zongzi** sold at the street stalls, with no filling, cost two or three **wen** each.

**Lin Chunyan’s** **zongzi** had various fillings, so they probably wouldn’t be cheap.

**Zhao Liu** and **Hu Daqiang** quickly explained the prices. “The sweet-filled **zongzi** are four **wen** each, and the salted egg yolk and fresh meat ones cost six copper coins.”

This price is quite reasonable. Someone decided to try the salted egg yolk zongzi first, saying, "We need to try it and see what it tastes like."

"I'll take the meat zongzi. It’s unusual to find zongzi filled with meat."

Once the meat zongzi was cooked, Lin Chunyan and the others tried one first. Once the bamboo leaves were opened, they saw glutinous rice soaked in meat broth, which immediately whetted their appetite.

It tasted fragrant but not greasy, and the meat was tender and juicy. Both the lean and fatty parts had blended with the rice, resulting in a rich texture.

"Delicious!"

Tutor Duan watched from a distance, feeling conflicted. On one hand, he believed zongzi shouldn’t contain meat, but on the other hand, it looked so appetizing that it would be a pity not to try it.

After hesitating for a moment, he finally came over and took a bite.

Everyone watched him, noting how he furrowed his brow before taking a bite, only to relax after tasting it.

The interplay of salty and sweet, with meat in every bite, was not at all greasy. It was like a hidden treasure, allowing one to slowly savor the savory saltiness from the oozing meat juices.

Indeed, it was delicious.

Lin Taohong deliberately asked Tutor Duan, "Do you find it tasty?"

Tutor Duan was about to nod but then recalled his earlier comment that zongzi shouldn’t have savory fillings. He felt a bit embarrassed.

"Don’t mind her, Tutor. She’s just being playful," Mrs. Zhang chimed in, telling Lin Taohong to go play elsewhere.

Tutor Duan finished the meat zongzi and quickly left.

Lin Taohong, along with Lin Cuixiang, giggled and called out behind him, "You haven’t tried the salted egg yolk zongzi yet; it’s also very delicious."

The delivery men heard that there were various fillings available and could choose what they thought would sell well.

Some delivery men would get the items first before finding buyers, while others would only get the items after receiving orders.

Ye Xianhan, who had been delivering many summons recently, noticed his family’s life improving, with more smiles on the faces of his wife, children, and elderly mother. He felt full of energy.

He asked for various zongzi, especially a lot of the salted egg yolk and meat zongzi. Lin Taohong asked him, "Are you going to send these to the scholars?"

Ye Xianhan nodded, "Yesterday, when I went to deliver the Shanhai Dou, many people were still waiting. I heard you say you wouldn’t make any more today, so I informed them in advance."

Those scholars loved novelty. Some delivery men who were good with words would tell them about the happenings at the establishment while delivering items, much to the scholars' delight.

Unfortunately, they hadn’t witnessed it firsthand.

Zhao Dalang and Erlang exchanged glances, certain that Mr. Zhao must have gone to see the excitement. However, after waiting for a long time, they ended up buying the Shanhai Dou themselves.

Mr. Zhao was deeply impressed by the elegant and refreshing style of the Shanhai Dou, thinking his wife would enjoy it, so he bought a lot to take home.

He wasn’t forgetting about his children either. He knew the delivery men would deliver them, so he didn’t worry.

For a true gourmand, it wasn’t just about distinguishing the quality of food but also about finding ways to obtain and enjoy it.

Ye Xianhan arrived at the door with the zongzi, where many delivery men were already waiting. Some were familiar faces, while others were mere acquaintances, and they nodded in greeting.

Many of them had gone to the Hehua Restaurant before. Even though many items were delivered that day, it felt like a fleeting moment.

They were caught by Lin Taohong, which led to some embarrassment.

Looking at Ye Xianhan, they saw him as an unusually smart person, especially since even Wang Xianhan, who had been working there the longest, had gone to the Hehua Restaurant.

Ye Xianhan naturally noticed the glances of these people, but he didn’t pay much attention to them and simply stood there calmly.

Sure enough, as soon as the students finished their classes, they came to the small gate in twos and threes.

Scholar Song and Zhang Tianhe walked side by side, in no rush, chatting leisurely as they went along.

“Did you taste the Shanhai Dous from yesterday?”

Zhang Tianhe shook his head. Recently, he had been having some disputes with his family over his upcoming marriage, and he hadn’t been very interested in food.

Scholar Song patted him on the shoulder, not knowing how to comfort him, and could only say, “I set aside some for you, but Qin Fanghai ate them. Today, let him treat us to some rice dumplings.”

Scholar Qin was standing not far from them and overheard. He didn’t get upset, “I’ll treat you then. I went to your study room and saw the Shanhai Dous on the table. Since Tianhe wasn’t eating them, I naturally started tasting them.”

Once he started, he couldn’t stop. Before he knew it, he had finished the entire plate of Shanhai Dous.

He did feel a little guilty, as each Shanhai Dou cost eight coins. His family wasn’t well-off, so he had to be more careful with money.

However, he could definitely afford these rice dumplings. No matter what schemes Lin Chunyan came up with, the cost was there, so the price wouldn’t be too outrageous.

When they arrived, they first looked for Ye Xianhan. This Ye Xianhan was quite honest and reliable; if you needed something, just tell him a day in advance, and he would deliver it on time.

“What kinds of rice dumplings do you have?”

Ye Xianhan saw them and smiled, “Scholars, apart from the sweet fillings like red bean paste and jujube paste, we also have the special salted egg yolk rice dumplings and meat rice dumplings.”

Hearing this, Scholar Song became interested and asked how much each cost.

“The salted egg yolk and meat rice dumplings are six coins each, and the sweet rice dumplings are four coins each.”

Hearing the price, Scholar Qin immediately felt relieved. He had eaten so many Shanhai Dous yesterday without knowing how many, so it was only fair to treat them to some meat rice dumplings.

“I don’t know if they’re good, so let’s try three first.”

They weren’t in a hurry to leave, and right there at the corner gate, they peeled open the rice dumplings. The glutinous rice was soaked in oily juice, and with one bite, they were filled with a burst of flavor.

“Delicious!”

Scholar Song and Scholar Qin quickly finished the meat rice dumplings. They didn’t even need to taste the salted egg yolk rice dumplings, as they were sure they would be good.

However, Zhang Tianhe didn’t like eating them and only took the jujube and red bean paste sweet rice dumplings, “I still think this taste is better.”

Everyone has different tastes, so Scholar Song and Scholar Qin didn’t force him. After getting their rice dumplings, they gave Ye Xianhan an extra five coins.

This was a tip for his errand service. Ye Xianhan happily accepted it. A nearby bailiff who was delivering summonses looked at him enviously, “That Lin’s establishment treats you really well. They don’t let us take so many meat rice dumplings, but they gave you plenty.”

Ye Xianhan was genuinely grateful to Lin Chunyan and the others. Hearing this, he frowned, “Don’t talk like that. It’s not just me who gets these meat rice dumplings. The bailiffs who haven’t been to Hehua Restaurant before are all treated the same.”

Lin Taohong’s ability to remember people was excellent. It was unclear how she judged whether someone had delivered summonses to Hehua Restaurant before, but she was always spot-on. She wouldn’t give those people too many meat rice dumplings, saying they were limited edition.

They knew they were in the wrong, so they couldn’t argue further.

At the establishment, Lin Chunyan packed various rice dumplings into several boxes and, during a lull, delivered them to the security firm.

Sun Anyuan and Sun the Constable were very kind to them. Even Da Zhuang and Hu Zi would always rush to help if there was anything that needed doing.

If it weren’t for Sun Anyuan warning her in advance about Jiang Jinyao’s background, she might have been caught off guard.

However, she arrived at an inconvenient time, as only Hu Zi and the cook, Mrs. Feng, were at the security firm.

"Miss Lin." Hu Zi smiled when he saw her, "I heard your shop was quite lively yesterday. It’s a pity we’ve been busy lately and couldn’t go to see the commotion."

Apart from escorting long-distance deliveries, they also frequently transported goods to nearby counties where they could return on the same day.

Lin Chunyan felt a bit disappointed that she couldn't personally thank Sun Anyuan, so she left the box of zongzi behind for them, saying, "These are from our shop, with various flavors."

Mrs. Feng also received a box and was so happy that she couldn't stop smiling. After Lin Chunyan left, she kept saying, "What a good young lady, why isn’t she my daughter-in-law?"

Hu Zi couldn't wait to open the box of zongzi. Seeing how small and delicate each one was, and there was a layer of gold paper at the bottom of the box.

This was the custom when giving gifts during the Dragon Boat Festival. If you didn’t use a box, you had to use a golden plate; it was quite elaborate.

"Oh wow, what kind of filling is this? I’ve never had this before. It actually has meat!"

Mrs. Feng was hesitant to open the box and eat the zongzi right away. She planned to take it home and share it with her family later. Unlike Hu Zi, who was single and could eat his fill without worrying about anyone else.

She came over to take a look, "It’s really meat-filled. I’ve never seen this before either."

Hu Zi had already taken a second bite, opening his mouth wide as he bit down half of the zongzi. Just as he was about to take another bite, Mrs. Feng hurriedly stopped him.

"Look at how you’re eating. I’m not picky. Just let me have a taste."

Hu Zi moved aside, "You have your own, why do you want to eat mine?"

"Stingy." Mrs. Feng said half-jokingly, but when she saw he wasn’t willing, she let it go.

On the way back to the shop, Lin Chunyan stopped by Erlang's stall, where she had the remaining boxes of zongzi for Granny Tangshui and the others.

Seeing that Lin Chunyan still remembered them, Granny Tangshui’s eyes immediately turned red, and she held onto Lin Chunyan's hand, unwilling to let go. "Dear child, you should take these zongzi back and eat them yourself. It’s not easy earning money; don’t always think about giving them to us."

What was rare was that Old Man Tangshui didn’t contradict her but instead agreed with Granny Tangshui’s words.

"There’s a stall selling water balls over there. Two coins each. We’ll buy one and call it a festival."

Water balls were made directly from glutinous rice flour and sugar, shaped in various forms. The colored ones are called five-color water balls. Without any additional fillings, they were quite inexpensive.

Lin Chunyan placed the zongzi down, "Try what I’ve made. The Dragon Boat Festival is an important occasion; how can you just make do?"

Granny Tangshui kept holding her hand, her eyes turning red again.

After talking for a while, Lin Chunyan finally left. Fang Xiaotian hurriedly caught up with her and grabbed Lin Chunyan’s hand.

"What’s wrong with Granny Tangshui?" Lin Chunyan asked directly as soon as she stopped gasping for breath.

Erlang wasn’t someone who gossiped, and he rarely spoke much, so Lin Chunyan didn’t expect to hear anything from him.

Sure enough, Fang Xiaotian had come to explain the situation to Lin Chunyan. "Granny Tangshui is truly pitiful. She was kicked out by her son’s family."

Lin Chunyan frowned, "Didn’t her family blame her for earning money by selling drinks?"

"That used to be the case, but Granny Tangshui is old. She caught a cold some time ago and has been taking medicine. The medicine is very expensive, costing several hundred coins for one dose. How much does Granny Tangshui earn in a day? It’s not enough."

Lin Chunyan sighed, "I think she looks quite energetic. She should be feeling better, right?"

Having spent a lot of time with these people, Fang Xiaotian had come to regard them as family, and hearing this, she snorted disapprovingly. "She’s better and doesn’t cough anymore. I bet her son and daughter-in-law will come looking for her again soon."

Lin Chunyan could only sigh, "If only she could let go and live for herself."

"My mother says it’s unlikely! After so many years of earning money for her family, she feels her life is just about saving money for them. Just wait, it’ll be the same after some time."

Lin Chunyan hadn't expected Fang Niangzi and Fang Xiaotian to see things so clearly, and she found herself liking Fang Xiaotian even more. She pulled her into the shop and made sweet drinks for her to enjoy.

Lin Taohong, who was serving food, saw this and demanded to drink some as well. "The plum and ginger water we made yesterday is ready to drink now, right?"

Lin Chunyan shook her head, "We'll have to wait a bit longer. For now, let's drink the fresh plum and ginger water."

On such a hot day, drinking a bowl of the sour-sweet drink made Fang Xiaotian so happy that her eyes squinted with joy.

Jiang Jinyao had decided to travel and wouldn't be staying in their town any longer. After packing her things, she was accompanied by Li Niangzi to visit Lin Chunyan.

Li Niangzi didn't come empty-handed; she brought calamus wine with her.

This was also a Dragon Boat Festival custom, as people drank calamus wine to ward off evil spirits.

As soon as Lin Taohong saw Jiang Jinyao, her face darkened. She stood with her hands on her hips, blocking the door and not letting her in. "What kind of trouble are you trying to stir up again?"

In the past, if she had thrown such a tantrum, both Tutor Duan and Mrs. Zhang would have said something. But today, they acted as if they hadn't seen anything, continuing their work without even looking up.

Li Niangzi naturally knew why they were doing this and felt that it was all Jiang Jinyao's own doing. She didn't intervene and simply sat in a window seat.

"I heard you've wrapped a lot of zongzi here. When I leave, pack some for me in a box so I can honor my grandmother and the young master when I return."

Hu Daqiang quickly agreed and skillfully packed various zongzi into a box.

Apart from those who came to the shop to eat zongzi, most of the visitors that day were there to get boxes of zongzi for gifting.

During the Double Ninth Festival, when Lin Chunyan was still running a stall, she had made chrysanthemum pastries. Although the taste was excellent, many people only bought them as snacks or put them in beautiful boxes from Clear Breeze Building.

But now, things were different. After the competition with Jiang Jinyao, people in White Cloud Town had more or less heard of Lin Chunyan's reputation.

Looking at the simple boxes, no one complained anymore.

No matter how nice the box was, it couldn't compare to the variety of zongzi wrapped in Lin Chunyan's shop, not to mention their exquisite flavor.

Only after hearing the commotion did Lin Chunyan come out and see that Jiang Jinyao had something to say. She didn't want to pay her any attention, but seeing her melancholy eyes, she thought for a moment and led her to the backyard.

Lin Taohong had been showing off for a while, but when Lin Chunyan arrived, she didn't dare to say much. She could only pout unhappily and let Mrs. Zhang help with the meal as she sneaked to the backyard door to eavesdrop.

Lin Chunyan poured a bowl of drink for Jiang Jinyao. "Try this. It's the plum and ginger water we made when the green plums first came in season."

Jiang Jinyao looked at the plain bowl with its clear and bright plum sauce. In the past, she wouldn't have even glanced at something like this.

But strangely, she picked up the bowl and drank it.

The icy cold drink washed away most of her gloom.

"I won't just admit defeat. I underestimated you and overestimated myself," she said in a tense voice after finishing the drink.

Lin Chunyan couldn't help but burst out laughing. It seemed she had overreacted. Jiang Jinyao wasn't someone who could be defeated so easily. Lin Chunyan didn't want someone to give up the craft they had learned for decades just because of her.

Jiang Jinyao didn't understand why she was laughing and thought she was being mocked. She glared angrily.

"It's nothing. I just think you're quite cute. I'll be waiting for the day you return after mastering your skills," Lin Chunyan said seriously after stopping her laughter.

Wasn't this the kind of top student she would encounter in school? Having been praised all her life, she thought she was incredibly capable. You couldn't say she had any malicious intent, but all she wanted was to win.

1. Jiang Jinyao's expression turned from anger to embarrassment after hearing Lin Chunyan's words. After a moment's hesitation, she said, "With your talent, if you were to go to Bian City, many people would invite you to be the head cook. If you're interested, I can recommend you to them."

2. Jiang Jinyao had no intention of being condescending, but she was accustomed to speaking from a position of authority. Her words could come across as offensive to others.

3. Afraid Lin Chunyan might misunderstand, she quickly added, "Or I could ask my master to take you as a disciple. I wouldn’t mind having you as a junior sister."

4. Lin Taohong, standing outside, was so angry she almost couldn’t hold back.

5. Lin Chunyan shook her head and said, "That’s not necessary. I enjoy running my business in this town. Everyone has different aspirations. I prefer this peaceful and stable life."

6. Living near the mountains and fields, surrounded by family and friends, eating seasonally and resting at sunset, one naturally finds contentment in life.

7. Jiang Jinyao sat in the carriage, still mulling over Lin Chunyan’s words.

8. She wondered, how could anyone prefer such a life? Isn’t it rather boring and dull?

9. After Jiang Jinyao left, Lin Taohong stomped her foot and demanded of Lin Chunyan, "Big sister, why did you bother with her? You should've just kicked her out!"