Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Shop

Chapter 38: The Shop

The carriage was spacious, with a small table in the center. The seat cushions and backrests were made of intricately patterned brocade—finer than anything Lin Qiuran had ever worn. For a moment, she even worried about damaging them.

Steward Xu didn’t accompany her inside, only escorted her back. This carriage was steadier and more comfortable than the previous one. Outside, rain fell steadily, but within, lit by candlelight, it felt exceptionally secure.

Yet she returned quite late that day. Lin Qiuran hadn’t informed Sun Shi or Xiao Dashi in advance, and both had waited anxiously.

The carriage took Lin Qiuran all the way to the alley entrance. Sun Shi came out to meet her, helped her inside, and leaned the umbrella against the wall. "Why are you back so late? Have some ginger soup. We’ll eat soon."

"Mom, you two go ahead and eat. I’ve already eaten," Lin Qiuran said, showing them the money pouch. "I discussed some matters with Second Young Master Xu at the Xu residence and had a meal there. I earned good money today."

Sun Shi closed the door. The house was lit by candles, and dinner was already prepared. "Have a few more bites anyway."

Lin Qiuran replied, "I’ll join you for dinner."

Xiao Dashi added, "Ah, if you’re full, that’s enough. Eating too much will make it hard to sleep."

Sun Shi didn’t press further and simply brought over the ginger soup.

Lin Qiuran smiled and changed the subject. "Mom, Shen Yu has started working at the Jiang family’s shop, FiveSpice House. They’re now selling the mung bean cakes we made that night."

Sun Shi was surprised. "No wonder I haven’t seen her lately. But didn’t the two of you create those together? And after how poorly the Jiang family treated us, how could she…" Her voice trailed off.

Lin Qiuran said, "We were paid for that day’s work. Besides, Shen Yu has always done this kind of work. Our family doesn’t make bean cakes, so there’s no need to dwell on it. But today, Second Young Master Xu approached me about this very matter."

She briefly explained the relationship between the two shops. The Jiang family owned FiveSpice House. Since Lin Qiuran didn’t know how to make bean cakes herself, and since the Jiang family already had the means, she abandoned the idea of partnering with someone else to open a shop. If even Shen Yu could betray her, how could she trust a stranger? She feared any future partner might steal the recipe and sell it behind her back.

In the end, only the Jiang family would benefit.

Still, Lin Qiuran wanted to stay in the food business and couldn’t afford to spend time selling bean cakes herself. Now that the Xu family needed her help, collaborating with Xu Yuanhang might be the best option. She would provide the ideas; he would handle operations. The more value she brought, the more he would value her.

She could offer suggestions while the pastry chefs handled production. How to sell the goods was Xu Yuanhang’s responsibility—this way, she wouldn’t risk provoking the Jiang family.

She might still upset Xu Yuanhang, but based on their interaction today, even if he was calculating, he remained polite when he needed something. Next time they discussed business, he certainly wouldn’t choose a time when he’d invited her to cook.

Moreover, Shen Yu’s move to the Jiang family unsettled Lin Qiuran. She feared the steward might remember her involvement in creating the pastry recipe and try to pressure or lure her family back to the Jiang residence. Even if she refused to reveal the recipe, she might be forced to—and the payment would likely be insignificant.

In Lin Qiuran’s view, the recipe was worth far more than thirty taels. Yet Shen Yu had sold it for only thirty.

So, if she wanted to earn real money, her only viable option was to partner with Xu Yuanhang. Lin Qiuran cared deeply for Sun Shi, for Xiao Dashi, and for the child she carried. She wanted her family to live well.

Sun Shi asked, "He approached you about this business?"

Lin Qiuran nodded. "Yes. The Xu family also owns a pastry shop. Their business has suffered due to FiveSpice House, so they asked me to help come up with new ideas."

Sun Shi nodded, unable to resist complaining again. "Well, that’s fine. But that girl Shen Yu—she didn’t say a word and just left on her own. After all, you two worked on it together…"

Lin Qiuran comforted her, and Sun Shi gradually calmed down. "Let’s eat, let’s eat. Working for a family like that will only bring more hardship."

Lin Qiuran said, "Maybe becoming a pastry chef will allow her to stand on her own. If the Jiang family values her, it might be a good opportunity. Let’s not worry about her anymore. Mom, don’t just talk—hurry up and eat!"

Sun Shi and Xiao Dashi turned their attention to their meal.

Lin Qiuran didn’t know when Steward Xu would come for her again. It was already the tenth month, and every day delayed meant lost profits.

Next time Xu Yuanhang approached her, she planned to propose buying a shop. She had asked Zhao Guangcai to look for available shops and had viewed two recently. They were priced between fifty and sixty taels, but their locations were mediocre. Lin Qiuran wanted to keep searching.

To strengthen her negotiating position with Xu Yuanhang, Lin Qiuran had even bought mung beans to experiment with making the cakes. If Shen Yu could do it, so could she. To get Xu Yuanhang to agree, she needed to show him something tangible. Empty promises wouldn’t convince anyone.

On the fourth day of the tenth month, Steward Xu arrived to invite Lin Qiuran to a restaurant in the county town, saying Xu Yuanhang had matters to discuss.

In a private room on the second floor, a banquet was laid out with fine tea. Xu Yuanhang stood waiting. When Lin Qiuran arrived, he pulled out a chair for her, waiting until she sat before taking his own seat.

Xu Yuanhang said, "Let’s eat first. We can discuss things afterward."

Lin Qiuran replied, "We can talk while eating. I’ve thought of several ideas, but it depends on your sincerity, Second Young Master."

The dishes were excellent—eight courses in total, all signature items of the restaurant. Unable to resist hunger, Lin Qiuran took a few bites of the cold dishes to settle her stomach.

Xu Yuanhang poured tea for her and said, "I am sincere, but I don’t know whether your ideas will prove effective."

If he committed without results, it would be a loss-making venture. Xu Yuanhang was a merchant who never engaged in unprofitable deals.

Lin Qiuran said, "But if you aren’t sincere, why should I give my full effort, Second Young Master?"

In the past, Xu Yuanhang would set the terms, and Lin Qiuran would accept them, willingly or not. But now things were different. Xu Yuanhang knew she had been involved in developing the recipe and trusted only her.

Xu Yuanhang took a deep breath, appearing calm. "Steward Xu mentioned you’re looking to buy a shop for your business. I happen to have a suitable one and can sell it to you at a 30% discount. As for your ideas, we can sign a contract for a 50-50 split of future profits. What do you think, Madam Lin?"

A good shop was hard to come by, and a discount was a tangible benefit. Profit-sharing offered future gains.

Lin Qiuran shook her head, then nodded. "I have no objection to the shop. Thank you for your help, Second Young Master. But I disagree with the latter terms."

Xu Yuanhang assumed she was dissatisfied with the share. "Fifty-fifty is the most I can offer. You know how valuable a recipe is. I’ve already made concessions."

Lin Qiuran said, "I want 50% of all profits from Wufangzhai—even if future shops operate under different names, as long as they sell pastries based on my ideas."

Xu Yuanhang had mentioned that several branches of FiveSpice House across counties and prefectures were now selling the new mung bean cakes, improving their business and squeezing out Wufangzhai. If FiveSpice House had multiple outlets, Wufangzhai couldn’t possibly have just one in the county town.

Lin Qiuran wasn’t greedy for profits from Xu Yuanhang’s shops, but she wouldn’t yield an inch on what belonged to her.

Xu Yuanhang hadn’t specified which shops he meant. If he only offered a share from the county shop, monthly income would be insufficient. What if the business expanded and opened more branches? If Wufangzhai changed its name, who could she hold accountable?

Xu Yuanhang studied Lin Qiuran quietly for a moment, not accusing her of greed but saying, "Madam Lin, your foresight is impressive. I admire it."

Lin Qiuran replied, "Life forces one to think ahead. I hope you don’t take it personally, Second Young Master."

Xu Yuanhang was direct. "I can agree to your terms, but I need to see the ideas you’ve developed."

Lin Qiuran carried a cloth bag with her. She always carried a knife, and today she had brought several bean cakes. Without molds, she had shaped them by hand, so they weren’t as neat as Shen Yu’s. Also, she hadn’t fully removed the skins from the bean filling, so the texture wasn’t as smooth as store-bought versions.

She just wanted to give Xu Yuanhang a general idea.

Xu Yuanhang frowned at the pastries. They didn’t look impressive, but they smelled fragrant. Since Lin Qiuran was presenting them, they must be pastries. He picked one up, broke it open, and saw bean skins still mixed in. It had a sweet rose aroma, and upon closer inspection, he noticed rose petals blended with the bean mixture.

He took a bite. The floral sweetness melting on his tongue made him look at Lin Qiuran in surprise. He broke open a second one—this contained red bean paste mixed with dried meat floss. The paste wasn’t perfectly smooth, but the flavor was savory-sweet.

The third had a sticky, soft filling mixed with bean paste, the fourth included fermented rice—though different from FiveSpice House’s version—and the fifth combined dried meat floss with salted egg yolk. All tasted delicious—pastries Wufangzhai didn’t offer, all created by Lin Qiuran.

Skilled in both cooking and pastry-making, Xu Yuanhang asked casually, "Have you never made pastries before, Madam Lin?"

Lin Qiuran shook her head. "No, but cooking and pastry-making are similar."

That day, she had watched Shen Yu make them, and Shen Yu had observed her. She remembered the basic steps, and having eaten many such pastries before, it wasn’t too difficult. She just needed to experiment a few times.

For a moment, Xu Yuanhang was speechless. "Very well. Steward Xu will discuss the details with you later. If you encounter any difficulties and I’m unavailable, you may seek his assistance."

Lin Qiuran nodded, continuing to eat as she spoke. This time, things had gone rather well—Xu Yuanhang hadn't hung back. However, she didn't know the duration of this promise, so she asked, "When will Second Young Master Xu leave?"

Xu Yuanhang replied, "I leave the day after tomorrow. Tomorrow is the funeral for Old Lady Jiang, and I need to attend."

Lin Qiuran nodded. Even though the two families were fiercely competitive in business, on the surface, they still maintained civility.

They paid their respects where due and exchanged pleasantries when they met, unaffected by the business rivalry. Lin Qiuran thought she could learn from this—next time she saw Shen Yu, she could also chat amiably.

After the meal, Lin Qiuran took her leave.

After Lin Qiuran left, Xu Yuanhang gave the pastries on the table another look. He hadn’t eaten much today—the dishes were average, and the pastries Lin Qiuran made tasted good, but their appearance and texture were ordinary.

In the past, Xu Yuanhang wouldn’t have eaten such things, but today, on impulse, he had a servant take them away. Making them was tiring, so it wouldn’t be right to just throw them away. Besides, they tasted quite good.

If the chefs at Wufangzhai followed Lin Qiuran’s recipes, the taste would surely be even better.

Xu Yuanhang sat for a while before returning home. As they approached the Xu residence, two people stopped the carriage, saying they wished to discuss something.

Xu Yuanhang had the coachman stop and lifted the curtain to see who it was. The visitors looked somewhat familiar, as if he had seen them at the Jiang family.

The Jiang family steward said, “Greetings, Second Young Master Xu. I am the Jiang family steward. Tomorrow is Old Lady Jiang’s funeral, and we're short a pastry chef, so we went to find Lin Qiuran. However, she said she has to cook for you tomorrow. I was wondering if perhaps…”

Xu Yuanhang was to attend the Jiang family tomorrow, so this sounded like an excuse.

Xu Yuanhang thought to himself, *Couldn’t Lin Qiuran come up with a better excuse?*

He lowered the curtain, and his voice came from inside the carriage, “If your household is still short-handed, the Xu family has chefs. Helping out is no trouble.”

The two were taken aback. “Thank you… thank you, Second Young Master Xu.”

*

Lin Qiuran sent them away and peered out from her doorway to make sure they had truly left before she felt relieved.

It was rather laughable—the Jiang family had so many chefs, yet they still invited her to prepare a banquet. If it were a matter of someone having specific dietary preferences, that would be one thing, but a banquet catered to many tastes—what could Lin Qiuran possibly contribute?

Moreover, for such an important event, preparations would have been made long ago. The funeral banquet was tomorrow, yet they came to invite her only today, claiming it was just to help and not even requiring her to plan the menu. What help could she possibly offer? With so many servants and maids in the household, Lin Qiuran didn’t believe there was any real need for her assistance.

The Jiang family promised generous compensation and said it wouldn’t be tiring, praising Lin Qiuran’s skills and reputation.

In the past, Lin Qiuran would have found it hard to refuse. Even if she did, they could come up with countless reasons to make her go. But now, she could use Xu Yuanhang as an excuse to decline.

Sure enough, after she mentioned she had to work for Xu Yuanhang, the two left. They might verify it or not, but in any case, Lin Qiuran didn’t have to go.

Sun Shi and Xiao Dashi had gone out to sell vegetables and hadn’t returned yet. Lin Qiuran went out to inform Zhao Guangcai that she wouldn’t be looking at shops through him for now—if there was a cheaper option, she would naturally choose it.

Zhao Guangcai was somewhat disappointed, as completing another deal would mean more earnings for him. But if there were no suitable options, there was nothing he could do. He said, “If you decide to buy later, just let me know.”

Lin Qiuran replied, “Yes, and I wish Boss Zhao prosperity and abundant wealth.”

He couldn’t exactly prosper from the meager earnings of this deal, but the Xiao family’s situation had truly improved. It hadn’t been long, and Lin Qiuran was already planning to buy a shop again. Whether through borrowing or saving, having enough money was a skill in itself.

By the afternoon, Steward Xu arrived with people to handle the remaining matters.

First, he took Lin Qiuran to see the shops. They looked at two locations, both on South Street, and Lin Qiuran could choose one.

The locations were quite similar—one large and one small. The larger shop had two floors with a courtyard at the back but was more expensive, priced at 110 taels. Even with a 30% discount, it would still cost 77 taels.

The other shop was on a side street, with only one floor, priced at 78 taels. With the discount, it would be 55 taels. The front hall could seat about eight to ten tables of customers.

Both shops had previously been used for food businesses. The decor was passable, with tables and chairs already in place. The kitchen had some grease stains that needed cleaning, but otherwise, not much effort was required.

The two shops Steward Xu offered were better than the ones Zhao Guangcai had shown her.

Seeing Lin Qiuran hesitate, Steward Xu said, “You can take your time to think it over, Lin Qiuran. There’s no need to decide today.”

Lin Qiuran nodded and first signed the agreement.

After signing, Lin Qiuran carefully read the document twice, wrote her name, and pressed her fingerprint. Steward Xu was even more surprised this time—not only could she read, but she could also write.

Since the shop hadn’t been finalized yet, Steward Xu gave her two keys. “You can come to see the shops anytime, Lin Qiuran. Once you’ve made up your mind, come to the Xu residence to find me, and we’ll go to the authorities to transfer the house deed.”

It was just an extra trip, and the shop wouldn’t be withheld just because Lin Qiuran had signed the agreement.

Lin Qiuran nodded. Seeing that it was still early, she went to Wufangzhai. This time, she didn’t plan to hide the bean cake recipe anymore and taught everything she could.

Lin Qiuran said, “If there are any issues with the recipe, you can come to me anytime. But it’s best to come in the afternoon—I’m busy with household matters in the morning.”

Steward Xu nodded. “Don’t worry, we won’t disturb you excessively.”

The sun had already set, and the autumn wind howled, tousling Lin Qiuran’s hair. As it was cold, she hurried home.

Sun Shi had already prepared dinner and was waiting. Before leaving, Lin Qiuran had told her, “Mother, it’s mostly settled. Both shops are quite good—one large and one small. I’ll take you to see them tomorrow.”

Sun Shi asked, “How much do they cost?”

Lin Qiuran replied, “One was originally 110 taels, but after a 30% discount, it’s 77 taels. There are taxes, but no intermediary fees. The other is 55 taels after the discount. This month, the family earned some more, and with our previous savings, we have about 80 taels.”

Lin Qiuran hadn’t decided which one to choose yet. Xiao Dashi said, “If we buy the expensive one, we’ll have almost no money left.”

Sun Shi thought for a moment. “But the more expensive one is surely more cost-effective.”

Lin Qiuran nodded. That made sense. “If we buy the expensive one, it’s like earning an extra ten taels.”