Chapter 33: Daily Life at the Stall

Chapter 33: Daily Life at the Stall

Shen Miao’s bold statements, which would be passed down to future generations, almost made the proud craftsmen of that era cut ties with her immediately.

In the end, she had to soften her tone and negotiate with them in detail. They finally agreed on sixty-eight guan for three brick-and-tile houses, on the condition she would feed the workers two solid meals a day. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have the energy to work efficiently.

In ancient times, house construction was categorized into "five elements and eight trades," with carpenters being the most respected. Carpenters at this time also served as architects and designers, responsible for creating blueprints, models, and guiding construction. Therefore, Old Man Yang, full of energy, carried his carpenter’s square and ink pot on his back, leading his apprentices to Shen Miao’s house to measure the land. They agreed with Shen Miao to build on the site of the previously burned-down house.

In the original owner’s memory, the three rooms were actually quite spacious and well-proportioned. One room used to be for the parents and Xiang Jieer, another for Ji Geer, and the last one for her. The interiors were similarly furnished, with beds, tables, chairs, cabinets, and wardrobes. Now, she planned to convert all three rooms into suites, using flower cabinets as dividers to create small living rooms and bedrooms. The outer half of Ji Geer’s room could be converted into a study, with the divided area serving as a daily living bedroom, providing both privacy and a place to study.

For the bedroom sections of the three rooms, Shen Miao wanted Old Man Yang to build a floor-to-ceiling wardrobe directly into the wall using bricks and stones, as in future generations—with wooden rods and dividers to separate different areas for folding clothes. This way, clothes wouldn’t always have to be folded in wardrobes, getting wrinkled and needing to be ironed with a teapot every time they were worn, and they wouldn’t be easily damaged by insects.

Wardrobes in future generations were much better. If she had to hire someone to make a wooden wardrobe, it would be quite expensive. But by building it directly into the wall with bricks, she could save a lot on wood. After applying putty, she would only need to install wardrobe doors and frames.

All three rooms would have rainproof platforms and front porches, with brick floors to raise the ground level, rain gutters to prevent moisture, and measures to keep insects away.

In the western corner of the yard, she wanted them to dig a small pool for free, line it with crushed stones, and lay a stone path connecting it to the front porch. And while they were at it… they could also clear the land in the eastern corner, fence it with wooden stakes, and she would later plant some fruits and vegetables. Next to the vegetable garden, they could also build a brick chicken coop and dog house.

Shen Miao originally wanted Old Man Yang and his apprentices to also build her a grape trellis or set up a clothesline pole in the yard for free, but seeing Old Man Yang’s increasingly pale face, she decided to give up. She sighed regretfully: Forget it, she didn’t want to anger this honest craftsman to death. Where else would she find such a good-tempered and skilled carpenter to work with…

After two collaborations—the stall cart and the doors and windows at home—she found that the kitchen door and yard gate were both very sturdy and well-fitted. Shen Miao was very satisfied with Old Man Yang’s craftsmanship and had a good sense of his character. When hiring a renovation company, the worst fear was encountering those who cut corners and took advantage of your lack of expertise, delivering subpar work. That would be disastrous.

Therefore, when it came to renovation, the first priority was to assess the person’s character and skills, and only then consider the price.

Old Man Yang wasn’t much of a talker, and his quotes were reasonable. The materials he used for Shen Miao’s doors and windows were solid.

This time, she could trust him with confidence.

Shen Miao and Old Man Yang talked for over an hour, finishing a whole pot of tea. Finally, Old Man Yang wiped the cold sweat from his forehead: “Then it’s settled. I’ll go back and draw up the blueprints, and tomorrow I’ll bring the cart you ordered.”

After saying this, he immediately fled with his apprentices, afraid that Shen Miao would come up with more “while you’re at it” tasks.

This Mrs. Shen was sharp-tongued, not only skilled at bargaining but also at flattering. She kept saying things like, “You’re practically Yang Luban!” “In all of Bianjing, I only trust your craftsmanship,” “Give me a discount, and I’ll introduce more work to you later,” “If you can’t lower the price, then you’ll have to throw in something extra. I’m your old customer, you can’t just brush me off with a few peanuts.”

He was so confused by her words that in the end, he didn’t see any of the promised work, but he did end up doing a lot of free labor!

Old Man Yang shuddered at the thought, and his apprentices carried him away even faster.

The next day, Shen Miao was very satisfied with the blueprints and the small food cart. She immediately made the decision, found a monk from Xingguo Temple to act as a mediator, and signed contracts with Old Man Yang and the other craftsmen, setting the construction period, payment, and house blueprints. Shen Miao then counted out forty guan in front of the mediator and gave it to Old Man Yang, who would use the money to purchase wood, stone, and to make tiles and bricks.

Thus, the grand project of building the Shen family house began.

The Gu family was the first to notice this.

Aunt Gu had been coughing for the past two days and had taken some medicine, resting indoors for the entire day without going out.

This morning, she woke up to the sound of rumbling and loud voices from across the street. Opening the door, she saw that the backyard gate of the Shen family was wide open, with a wooden ramp set up. Two strong laborers were carrying thick ropes on their shoulders, dragging foundation stones.

Behind them, two more laborers were carrying two loads of gravel, also entering the yard. Following them were workers transporting mud and stones, one after another.

Aunt Gu was shocked: Was the Shen family building a house?

She stood and watched for a while, noticing that other neighbors had also come out. Soon, they were all gathered at the Shen family’s door, peeking inside. Later, a carpenter with a face as wrinkled as an old tree root chased them away: “Move aside! Don’t crowd here, there’s nothing to see. We’re about to roll logs! If anyone gets hurt, we’re not responsible!”

Aunt Gu recognized him as the carpenter from the Yang family across the Jinliang Bridge. Her family’s tables and chairs were also made by the Yang family, so she curiously approached: “Old Man Yang, is the Shen family building a house?”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

Aunt Li, who was nearby, gasped and came over to ask Aunt Gu: “Shen Da Jieer has only been back for half a month, and she’s already earned enough to build a house? Look, there’s so much brick piled inside, and it’s a tile-roofed house! Where did she get the money?”

Aunt Gu instinctively defended Shen Miao, "Well, when she got married, Old Shen gave her a dowry of a hundred guan, which was quite a sensation in our alley. It's normal for her to have some savings, even though she came back from her husband's family."

"I don't think so," Aunt Li curled her lips. If it were dowry money, she would have prepared to build the house as soon as she returned, why wait until now? She was quick-witted and remembered that the Xie family steward had come to Shen Miao's house several times, and Shen Miao had been frequently visiting the Xie family these days. She had even encountered the coachman picking her up several times! It's likely that Shen Da Jieer's money came from the Xie family!

She must have hit the jackpot!

Seeing her full of envy, Aunt Gu frowned, "Even if it's not, it's money she earned through hard work. Since Da Jieer returned, she's been getting up earlier than the rooster and working later than the dog. Earning some money to fix up the burnt-down house isn't a big deal. The three siblings can't keep living in a ruined house, can they? It's already pitiful that Old Shen left behind a few orphans and widows. What's there to envy about earning some money to build a house? We're all neighbors who've watched these kids grow up. Li Tiaozi's wife, don't be so catty."

That's what she said, but what business could earn so much? Isn't it just curiosity... Aunt Li didn't say anything, finally peeking in, Shen's yard was already bustling with activity as they built the house. She stood for a while longer before turning to leave.

Aunt Gu shook her head and headed back home.

Gu Tusu was also up, standing in the courtyard, wiping his face with a towel.

Aunt Gu went up and asked, "The Shen family is building a house. You've been hanging around Da Jieer every day, did you know?"

"I didn't know," Gu Tusu's face darkened, and he turned to leave.

"Hey, you little rascal," Aunt Gu was puzzled, "What are you so upset about?"

At home, it was chaotic, messy, and dirty, with all kinds of people around. Shen Miao carried her money jar, Xiang Jieer, the dog, and the kitchen knife with her, leaving Ji Geer, who needed to study, at home to take care of the chicks and the house. Before leaving, she made a large pot of strong tea and steamed five trays of buns with meat filling for the workers, then pushed her newly made food cart out to the morning market.

Her house was sparsely furnished, with just three beds, a few stools, and a table. Now, to feed dozens of people, she didn't even have much leftover grain, so she wasn't afraid of theft.

Apart from a few cheap bed frames, bedding, and stools, there was nothing else. A thief looking at her house would probably toss in a few coins out of pity.

Ji Geer, though young, was enough to guard the house.

Shen Miao took all her money out, hiding it in a basket under the food cart.

After the morning market ended today, she planned to take all the accumulated copper coins to a big money exchange in Bianjing to exchange for silver. Copper coins were too heavy and took up too much space, making storage inconvenient. Silver prices were relatively stable, with one tael of silver equal to one guan of cash, small in volume and easy to hide.

Initially, she had thought about the various exchange shops in Bianjing, but she heard that for every guan exchanged, thirty coins would be deducted as a "storage fee." Although the government had issued "official exchange notes" and decreed that forging exchange notes was equivalent to forging official documents, punishable by beheading at the market, Shen Miao still didn't fully trust these so-called 'banks' initially freely issued by merchants.

In this era, nothing was more reliable than gold and silver.

Besides, she wasn't a wealthy merchant who needed to carry large sums of money around, so she didn't need it yet.

Silver was better!

However, silver was just her convenient savings for storage; daily expenses still had to be made with copper coins.

As she pondered over financial matters, she didn't notice that pushing the food cart onto the bridge in the market area attracted a lot of attention.

The cart was brightly decorated with two wheels and a red-painted wooden sign on the roof, visible from a distance. Shen Miao had also nailed blue cloth curtains to the cart, with Ji Geer writing the words "Shen's Cake Shop" in large letters.

Pushing it to the original stall, Mei Sanniang found it fascinating and curiously came over to check it out, marveling, "Where did you get this cart? It's so beautiful! Can you put things on the board? I envy you, you always have one idea after another."

Shen Miao then promoted Old Man Yang's carpentry shop.

The cart not only looked good, but the board also had grooves, allowing Shen Miao's small jars and food boxes to fit snugly, preventing them from tipping over when going up or down slopes. The board had a large round hole for the stove, and there was a load-bearing crossbar underneath, allowing a small clay stove and a cake pan to be embedded. There was also storage space on the side.

There were hooks on the cart handles, and Shen Miao hung a handled rattan basket, lined with oil paper, to hold eggshells.

Shen Miao placed a deep rattan basket on the crossbar under the board, lined with a wheat straw dog pad she had woven herself. Under the dog pad was her money box, and on the pad was naturally the dog's bottom. She placed the dog and the basket next to the pancake stove, so in the morning when it was still chilly, the dog wouldn't be cold or windy while out with the stall.

The little dog she bought was very well-behaved, not barking or peeing all over the place. Shen Miao taught it a few times to pee in the ditch, and it quickly remembered. Xiang Jieer and Ji Geer both loved it dearly. When Ji Geer was reciting texts and practicing calligraphy, it would quietly lie at his feet without making noise; when Xiang Jieer took it to the yard to play, the two would play sandbag throwing until they were drenched in sweat.

With a new playmate, Xiang Jieer finally stopped bothering the three little chicks. Previously, she had named all three chickens, but Shen Miao forgot what they were called, only remembering that the one with the most down and the roundest frame was a three-yellow hen named Rong Rong. Now, Xiang Jieer had moved on and no longer favored the little white rooster as much.

She once complained angrily, "The little white chicken always flies around and pecks people. I don’t like it anymore. Rongrong is better; she listens to me and doesn’t run around." After that, she often let Rongrong sleep on her head or shoulders, calling it, "Rongrong is my bosom buddy."

Now that she’s got the puppy, Xiang Jieer no longer holds daily meetings with the chickens, and both Shen Miao and the chickens were relieved.

Now she doesn’t doze off after eating when she follows Shen Miao to the stall. Shen Miao parked the cart, and Xiang Jieer had already lifted the curtain, halfway inside, playing with the dog.

The puppy still hasn’t been named, but Shen Miao’s not great at naming things. She could only think of names like Big Yellow, Laifu, or Wangwang, which all sound a bit old-fashioned. So she decided to mull it over for a few more days before making a decision.

Miss Mi got there earlier; she had already set up her stall and was focused on carving a wooden hairpin. When she saw Shen Miao, she glanced up and smiled, "Morning, Mrs. Shen."

"Morning, Miss Mi."

Then she noticed that Shen Miao had changed her cart, and something was rustling inside. Curious, she turned to look and saw Xiang Jieer’s butt sticking out. Upon closer inspection, there was also a two-month-old pup with yellow and white fur hidden inside.

"Mrs. Shen, you’ve got the whole crew with you," Mei Sanniang also noticed, covering her mouth and giggling, "Your family’s really expanding."

Shen Miao laughed helplessly while tending to the stove, "I was planning to get a big guard dog, but I couldn’t find the right one at the market yesterday. Instead, I wound up getting a puppy. How’s it supposed to guard the house when it’s still teething? I’m kicking myself, but I’ll just have to wait till it’s bigger."

But perhaps this was fate. After visiting so many pet stalls, it was this puppy that caught her eye.

"It’s fine; pups raised from scratch are more loyal and protective," Mei Sanniang said nonchalantly, waving her hand.

At that moment, someone cautiously asked, "Mrs. Shen, are you looking for a big guard dog?"

An elderly woman waiting in line to buy pancakes overheard their conversation and said, "I’ve got a tough old dog at home; it’s been with us for eight years. A few years ago, a thief hopped the wall and almost got mauled by this dog. If Mrs. Shen needs it, I’d be happy to hand it over to you."

This old lady, Auntie Wu, often came to buy pancakes with her granddaughter Xiang Guoer, and Shen Miao recognized her.

Her granddaughter Xiang Guoer had always had a poor appetite, a true picky eater. No matter how many hawthorn pills she took, it didn’t help. Often, after a hard-earned meal, she would only eat a few bites as a courtesy. But she loved Shen Miao’s pancakes, so whenever Auntie Wu chased her granddaughter for miles with a bowl and she still wouldn’t eat, she would come to buy a few pancakes and some red bean buns to coax the child, "If Xiang Guoer eats well, I’ll take you to buy Mrs. Shen’s pancakes and buns."

Shen Miao was wrapping the pancakes in oiled paper when she heard this and asked puzzledly, "After raising it for so many years, and such a spirited dog, why would you give it away? Isn’t it better to keep it?"

Auntie Wu looked sad and sighed, "It’s a long story... Thunder is the name of that old dog. It’s very protective, tall, and strong." The old woman pointed to the child clinging to her leg, tears streaming down her face, "One day, Xiang Guoer was bullied by other kids in the alley. When Thunder heard her crying, it broke free from its leash, jumped over the wall, and charged at the bullies, knocking them down. It didn’t bite, but one child hit their head on the ground and bled heavily. My legs aren’t good, and I couldn’t stop it in time! Later, I took the child to the doctor, and the bleeding was stopped in time. Thankfully, nothing serious happened. The child was treated and healed after half a month. But the child’s parents, no matter how much we apologized or even after we paid ten strings of coins, still demanded that the dog be killed and eaten to vent their anger, otherwise they would report it to the authorities to have the dog beaten to death."

Shen Miao fell silent. Such a situation... was truly unsolvable.

"They have a lot of people, and they come to our house every day to cause trouble. My son and my husband couldn’t handle it anymore. We originally thought of sending Thunder to a relative in the countryside and then using some other meat to cover it up. But our relatives were also afraid of a dog that had hurt someone. But... it’s really a good dog; it usually doesn’t hurt people." Auntie Wu wiped her tears and sighed, "So when I heard Mrs. Shen wanted to buy a dog, I thought of this desperate solution. I know Mrs. Shen has two children at home, and they might also be afraid of a dog going wild... just forget I said anything."

Auntie Wu took the pancakes, shook her head, and gloomily led Xiang Guoer away.

As they turned away, Xiang Guoer grabbed Auntie Wu’s sleeve, crying and begging softly, "Grandma, please don’t kill Thunder, okay? Thunder is a good dog..." But all she got in response was Auntie Wu’s repeated sighs.

Shen Miao’s heart stirred, and she called out to them, "Auntie, wait."

She hadn’t agreed earlier because she thought that Thunder, as described by Auntie Wu, would probably only recognize one master in its lifetime. Even if given to her, she might not be able to keep it. But knowing about this, if Thunder were really killed and eaten, she would feel uneasy.

"Later, when you have time, bring Thunder to my house for a look, and I’ll see then," Shen Miao finally said.

Even though it wasn’t a definite promise, it was enough to bring tears to Auntie Wu’s eyes, "Oh, oh! Mrs. Shen, I really don’t know how to thank you."

Shen Miao shook her head, "It’s just a look; I might not be able to help."

"With your kindness, Thunder has a glimmer of hope for survival," Auntie Wu said with a thousand thanks, quickly pulling Xiang Guoer away.

Mei Sanniang waited until they were gone before coming over, whispering to Shen Miao, "Are you really going to take that dog? Even though it doesn’t cost money, it’ll probably run back home in a few days; it won’t stay."

Miss Mi blew off some wood shavings and nodded slightly, "My dog, even when sent to the countryside, always found its way back."

Shen Miao was reminded of the dog from her grandfather's house. In her previous life, she had a retired police dog named Jifeng, who was equally fierce and had participated in flood rescue operations. He had injured his leg and retired. When she was a child, no one dared to bully her because Jifeng was always by her side.

Jifeng would carry her school bag and take her to school. He could even tell time and would wait for her at the school gate when it was time to go home.

Rain or shine, he was always there.

At any moment, if she shouted loudly, he would rush to her side like a god descending from heaven.

Later, Jifeng grew old and passed away. After notifying the police dog base, her grandfather received permission and went to a pet burial agency. Finally, they buried Jifeng's ashes in the courtyard of their old home, under the osmanthus tree where he loved to lie and sleep.

She whispered, "Let’s wait and see."

After this episode, another customer arrived. Shen Miao pulled herself together and continued to work.

As the weather warmed, the days grew longer.

Xie Tiao stumbled out with bleary eyes. He had been staying at the entertainment houses in Zhulian Alley for three or four days. If he didn't return home soon, he was afraid his mother would beat him senseless with the Xi family's long stick. He decided to head back early this morning.

But he had been drinking all night, and now his legs felt like jelly. He stumbled along, relying on his servants to support him on both sides.

After struggling halfway, his alcohol-fogged mind finally cleared a bit. He stared blankly and asked his attendant, "...Where's my carriage? Why didn't Zhou Laoer come to pick me up?"

The attendant chuckled awkwardly, "The lady of the house is organizing a feast, and all the carriages at home have been recalled. Some are out of town on errands, some are delivering invitations, and some are sending messages to relatives in Chenzhou and Caizhou. There's no one available. A few days ago, when Ninth Geer went out to study, he only had a donkey to carry his bedding, and even Ninth Geer had to walk on his own two legs."

Xie Tiao was stunned, "This... Mother is too harsh."

He had been indulging in revelry for so long, and his mother didn't even send someone to look for him. Now, she had even taken away the carriage!

"Third Geer, don’t worry. The mistress has already said that you can drink as long as you want. Even if you drink yourself to death, she won't bother."

Xie Tiao rubbed his aching forehead, feeling a whirlwind of emotions. Finally, he leaned slowly on his attendant's shoulder and sighed, "Let's go... Ah, when we get to the bridge, get me a bowl of sobering Erchen soup, or I won't be able to walk back."

After much effort, they finally arrived at Fat Sister's drink stall. Xie Tiao was so tired that he collapsed onto a small bamboo stool by the shop, fanning himself with his sleeve. He was attracted by a familiar fragrance and turned his head to see: Oh, it's the beautiful pancake maker.

After not seeing her for more than ten days, she had become even more beautiful.

When he first saw her, he thought she looked a bit pale and haggard. She was beautiful, but the lingering signs of illness made her look tired. Now, she seemed to have recovered her spirits. Her complexion was fair with a hint of red, her eyes lively, and every smile and frown was utterly captivating. It made the customers who came to buy pancakes blush as they left.

"Mo Chi, go buy a pancake too," Xie Tiao said while drinking his Erchen soup, not forgetting to assign tasks to his servant. Although he was heavily drunk, his appetite was awakened by the aroma of the pancakes, bringing back memories of the delicious pancake he had enjoyed half a month ago.

Soon, the pancake arrived. Xie Tiao drank his tea soup with the pancake, enjoying the breeze on the bridge. Suddenly, he felt his heart open up and relax. The slight fear and sorrow caused by his mother's cold and disappointed attitude seemed to dissipate.

He finished the pancake in a few bites. With his stomach warm and full, he felt a bit more clear-headed. He took the silk handkerchief handed to him by his servant and wiped his trembling hands. Unintentionally, his wide sleeve slipped open, exposing a large, gruesome scar on his wrist.

The scar stretched across his wrist, shocking anyone who saw it. It was so deep that it looked as if his hand had nearly been chopped off at the wrist.

Xie Tiao seemed not to notice. He casually threw the handkerchief away, and his wide robe and sleeve covered the scar again.

After eating and drinking, he didn't leave. Instead, he propped his chin on his hand and smiled, admiring the beauty making pancakes.

The warm spring breeze blew along the Bian River, and various banners fluttered in the wind, lifting the beauty's hair strand by strand. It was truly a beautiful scene.

Beauty, delicious food, only missing fine wine. Xie Tiao couldn't help but think with a hint of regret.

Shen Miao finished the last pancake of the day and was using a spatula to scrape off the crumbs from the edge of the pancake pan. When she turned around, she also noticed the unabashedly focused gaze.

She looked over and saw a young man in his twenties, dressed in fine silk and reeking of alcohol, clearly still drunk from the night before. Although he was staring straight at her, his eyes were dazed and distant, as if he was looking at her but also lost in his own dream.

She gets stared at by men all the time. How can she expect to do business without being watched? Shen Miao didn’t take it to heart. But she still gave him a couple of extra looks, just feeling that he looked somewhat familiar, though she couldn’t quite place him.

Unable to recall, she shrugged, smiled, and said goodbye to her regulars. She packed up her gear, took Xiang Jieer’s hand, who held onto the little dog, and wheeled the cart back home.

Once they had finished lunch, she took Xiang Jieer to the money exchange to swap all her savings into silver coins and broken silver. She watched the manager take out two large silver coins on a tray, place them on the scale, and she leaned over the counter, her eyes gleaming.

Xiang Jieer also wanted to see, but she was too short to see over the counter, so she hopped around eagerly like a rabbit beside Shen Miao.

A string of coins was worth about a tael of silver, but if the quality was poor, it might not even be worth that much. The copper coins Shen Miao earned from her stall were of mixed quality, but the Xie family’s coins were new, shiny, and full weight. Not even the bank manager could find fault with them. After covering daily expenses and house costs, she ended up with forty-eight taels of silver.

Some savings came from Shen Da Jieer’s dowry from the Rong family, and some were unused; some were earned from her daily stall; and some were left over from the Xie family’s purchase of food recipes. In the bank, one silver cake weighed twenty taels. Even the silver cakes reflected the Song Dynasty’s minimalist style, with only hammer marks on the surface and the year and official number of casting engraved at the bottom, with no other patterns.

The remaining eight taels were a chunk of silver cut with special scissors, weighed, and given to her together.

Before leaving, Shen Miao tucked the two silver cakes into her inner garments, one on the left and one on the right, and tightly tied the belt. Her chest suddenly looked much fuller and sagged a bit. She took Xiang Jieer’s hand and strode off with her head high.

Her chest felt heavy, but she didn’t mind the weight.

Just at noon, the workers had gone home and wouldn’t be back until mid-afternoon. She shut the door, dug a hole in the chicken coop, and stashed the silver cakes. She told Xiang Jieer and Ji Geer to keep an eye on the house, then headed to the Xie family to teach Chef Fang pastry-making.

Yan Shu, knowing she was coming, had been waiting in the kitchen since early. As soon as she entered, he shouted, “Ninth Geer has gone to the academy to study. He’s not at home!”

Shen Miao laughed. “I didn’t ask.”

Yan Shu stuck out his tongue. “This servant thought Madam Shen would definitely ask.”

She wrinkled her nose, smeared Yan Shu’s face with her flour-covered hand, and snorted, “Don’t talk nonsense, little book boy.”

Yan Shu yelled and rushed out to wash his face.

Chef Fang chuckled beside them. Ever since he knew he was going to learn Shen Miao’s pastry skills, he had treated her as if she were his reincarnated mentor. Today, he had been waiting at the corner gate early, prepared tea and snacks for her in advance, and had even moved a round chair from somewhere, allowing her to sit comfortably and guide him. His address for her had also changed to “Madam Shen.”

It sounded strange, but Shen Miao told him not to change it.

When she returned from the Xie family, she found Auntie Wu holding a black-backed big dog, already waiting at the door.

At this time, the sun was setting, and the afterglow was gradually fading. The shadows in the alley were spreading, and the big black dog had a prominent bone structure, its ears like sharp peaks, sitting straight like a long sword beside Auntie Wu. From afar, Shen Miao, who had just gotten off the Xie family’s carriage, had already met the dog’s alert gaze.

Shen Miao walked closer in a daze. Auntie Wu’s Thunder, although it could be seen at a glance that it was not a German Shepherd—she of course knew there would be no German Shepherds in the Song Dynasty—its coat was black and brown, with bright and upright eyes. Seeing Shen Miao approach, it slowly stood up, with a vigilant air.

She stopped in her tracks.

What a majestic dog!

“Thunder, from now on, you will follow Madam Shen,” Auntie Wu said, squatting down and rubbing the big black dog’s head. The dog, which had been standing still just now, wagged its tail affectionately. Auntie Wu’s eyes were teary, her voice choked. “The family can’t protect you. I’m really sorry.”

Thunder then rubbed its head against her hand.

Auntie Wu took Shen Miao’s hand and slowly extended it in front of the dog’s nose, letting Thunder smell it, familiarizing itself with her scent.

Thunder looked up at Shen Miao, her figure reflected in its almond-shaped brown eyes. It didn’t seem to have any rejection towards her, but it wasn’t close either.

Seeing Thunder was very quiet, Auntie Wu breathed a sigh of relief.

She took another step to the side. Behind her, there was actually a large bundle containing a big bag of dog food, a patchwork cushion, two dog clothes, and even a “ball” stuffed with cotton—all of which Auntie Wu had sewn for it under the lamp.

Shen Miao felt a bit ashamed of her own little dog upon seeing this.

The house wasn't fully built yet, so her little dog still lived in the chicken coop, napping the day away with the chicks.

Auntie Wu was about to leave, and she made a great effort to tell Shen Miao about Thunder's preferences. He liked to chew on big bones but also enjoyed fish soup like a cat. He loved playing football, ran very fast, and could even carry children on his back. He could also pull carts and help carry water. She made a great effort to list Thunder's good qualities, hoping Shen Miao would like him.

"Miss Shen, I could tell at first glance that you're a good girl. You'll take good care of Thunder, won't you? In the future, can I bring Xiang Guoer to visit him occasionally? If it's inconvenient, I won't come again," Auntie Wu looked at her, hesitantly pleading.

Shen Miao took out a handkerchief and gently wiped Auntie Wu's tears: "Feel free to come anytime; don't worry about being a bother. I have no parents or husband at home, and I would be delighted to have a kind and gentle elder like you to interact with."

With that, Auntie Wu left, feeling at ease. She had just walked a few steps when Thunder stood up to follow, but she scolded him to stop. She vigorously waved her hand, not allowing him to follow: "Go back, go back."

Thunder hesitated, staying put, only then barking a few times.

Shen Miao could be sure Auntie Wu hadn't lied to her; this big dog might look intimidating, but it was actually very well-trained.

That day, the injury was an accident.

Soon, Auntie Wu was out of sight, but Thunder still refused to follow Shen Miao into the yard. He sat on the flower platform by the door, where Shen Miao had placed some flowers, and when tired, he curled up under the platform. He seemed to remember Auntie Wu's words not to leave here and waited obediently.

Shen Miao didn't force him either. She laid out the mat Auntie Wu had brought under the platform, tied the dog leash to the door ring, and poured out the dog food before going inside. She still had her little dog at home, which, upon smelling Thunder's scent, trembled all over and "slipped" into the chicken coop, and Xiang Jieer couldn't get it out no matter what she tried.

That night, she hugged Shen Miao and whispered, "Thunder looks so fierce, I'm afraid he'll bite me."

Shen Miao then told her Thunder's story. Xiang Jieer grabbed the blanket and didn't say anything after listening, lost in thought. Shen Miao was still wondering what she would say when she tilted her head, closed her eyes, and fell asleep.

So, falling asleep in an instant wasn’t an exaggeration.

Ji Geer came in, put his books away, and turned off the lamp, thinking it was good that Thunder had come: "With Thunder here, no one dares to approach our house. Once we get familiar, we can even teach our little dog how to guard the house. Sis, look, your little dog is still in the chicken coop!"

Shen Miao was at a loss. When she bought it, it was clearly very brave! Maybe it was because Thunder was so big and strong, standing up he might be as tall as a person, like a fierce general among dogs. The little dog wasn't even as tall as his leg, so it was normal to be scared.

It’ll get better as it grows up.

But the day after Thunder arrived, Shen Miao noticed that fewer neighbors were peeking around her door.

Especially Aunt Li, who was so afraid of dogs that she even walked around the house, which turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

In the following days, the Shen family kept up with their construction work. Shen Miao went out to her stall as usual and taught cooking at the Xie family. The feisty tabby cat still came by for fried eggs and even brought another orange cat companion to join in; Thunder still didn't come inside, the little dog still played with the chickens, and everything went on as usual.

Just as the house was nearing completion, the Imperial Academy also posted a notice, announcing with gongs and drums that the entrance exam would soon begin.

This was a major event that shook the entire capital.

Shen Miao had already taken Ji Geer to register earlier. The Piyong Academy's entrance exam also required verification of public status, and only good families from the capital were allowed to take the exam, with a fee of two hundred coins. Therefore, many people went, but few passed the verification. However, it was heard that hundreds of people still took the exam, making the competition quite fierce.

This time she went to collect the exam number. The Piyong Academy was located in the suburbs outside the city, covering a vast area of over fifty acres. Every year, bamboo exam sheds were set up in places like the football field, horse track, and archery pavilion for the Child Exam.

The Child Exam was also quite a spectacle, lasting a whole day. Not only did candidates have to bring their own writing materials, but they also had to prepare their own food.

However, the exam sheds were very cramped, with three sides of wicker walls, a desk, and a stool, nothing else. Each one was like a prison cell, only providing hot water, and what could be brought in was strictly limited. Most children who came to take the exam could only bring some dry bread to eat with water, so eating poorly was pretty much a given.

But Shen Miao had a trick up her sleeve to eat well and conveniently, which she had prepared early for Ji Geer.