Chapter Forty-Two: Pregnant

Chapter 42: Pregnant

Inside the carriage sat two well-dressed servant girls. One of them reported, "Miss, the Xiao family you asked us to inquire about no longer resides in Xiao Village. They've moved to the county seat. A few days ago, they were running a street stall, and now they've opened an eatery—this very one."

The other added, "I found out that the two elders are Xiao Dashi, forty-three this year, and his wife, Sun Xiuying, who is a year younger. A young woman named Lin Qiuran also lives with them. They now reside in the second alley of Yulin Street. They just opened today, and their family business operates here during the day."

They had only arrived a day ago but had already gathered so much information. The maid glanced at Jiang Sijie's profile. Jiang Sijie's gaze remained fixed on the "Xiao Family Eatery" sign. From the capital to Yu'an, her mistress had traveled for over half a month to come here and inquire about such a family—she couldn't fathom why.

Jiang Sijie frowned. Why was this so different from what she knew?

She had arrived in Yu'an yesterday. After settling into an inn, she immediately took her attendants to Xiao Village. Jiang Sijie waited in the carriage while her servants went into the village to ask around. After more than fifteen minutes, they returned, reporting that the two individuals were not in Xiao Village, which startled Jiang Sijie. It was only when she personally inquired that she learned the Xiao elders had moved away long ago. Still, it was good news that they were alive. Jiang Sijie returned to the county seat and sent her maids to find them, which led to today's discovery.

Jiang Sijie couldn't understand why the current situation diverged so much from the book's plot.

Xiao Xun's wife hadn't left. Could it be that she had only had an abortion and stayed to care for the two elders? In the book, Lin Qiuran's life after remarrying was not good. Since Jiang Sijie could transmigrate, perhaps Lin Qiuran also had a chance at rebirth.

But now they were opening a shop and doing business. Not only had the Xiao family not been devastated and disheartened by the news of Xiao Xun's death, but they were also making money.

The book didn't elaborate much on Lin Qiuran, only stating that Xiao Xun didn't hate her, but naturally, he didn't love her either. She didn't appear again later, and there was no mention of her engaging in business or making money. Perhaps the Xiao elders started the business, or maybe, like Jiang Sijie, she had read the book, transmigrated, and was waiting for Xiao Xun to return.

Jiang Sijie didn't know whether the shop was bought or rented, or how much money the Xiao family currently possessed. But everything before her eyes indicated that the Xiao family was doing quite well.

Jiang Sijie hadn't yet seen Xiao Dashi and Sun Shi and didn't know what they looked like. The book often described them as honest and simple-minded, likely pushovers—otherwise, they wouldn't have been driven out for not being able to have children. Their gentle natures made Jiang Sijie worry they might be easily deceived. But regardless, being alive was good. When Xiao Xun returned and saw his parents still there, he wouldn't be utterly disappointed.

Seeing Jiang Sijie staring for so long, the maid couldn't help but ask, "Miss, shall we have lunch here?"

Jiang Sijie shook her head. "No, let's go to the teahouse next door and sit for a while."

She didn't know how to face the Xiao family now. Since they were fine, there was no rush. Her mind was in turmoil; she needed to figure out what was truly happening first.

Jiang Sijie went to the teahouse next door. It wasn't even noon yet, but the Xiao Family Eatery already had customers inside. These were regulars from the stall who knew the Xiao family had opened a shop and came specifically for it.

Seeing that it was about time, Lin Qiuran asked Sun Shi and the others to serve the cold dishes first.

The cold dishes had been prepared the night before—two types in total: a braised platter and pig skin jelly. The braised meats had been soaked in a wooden bucket overnight to enhance their flavor; they just needed to be sliced and plated.

Each plate featured three items: pork head meat, pig ears, and liver. Offal was inexpensive, costing fifteen cash per serving.

The cold dishes were served first, followed by rice or steamed buns, depending on the customers' preferences, then the main dishes and staples. There was glistening, mouthwatering red-braised pork, beautifully shaped red-braised fish, a large plate of braised lamb, and ginger duck served in a clay pot.

The freshly made dishes took a bit longer. Wan Niang handled the prep work, while Lin Qiuran was the head chef. Still, these dishes cooked quickly thanks to the large wok and high heat, filled with the wok's aroma. If several tables ordered the same dish, two or three plates were cooked together. The dishes were prepared in the order the customers arrived. The high heat meant the food cooked quickly, so even later orders weren't delayed much.

Wan Niang felt there were quite a lot of dishes—much busier than during the trial run a few days ago. She occasionally wiped the sweat from her forehead with a handkerchief, grateful that she kept her composure.

Lin Qiuran glanced over, drizzling hot oil over the Sour Fish Soup. The chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns sizzled, releasing a fragrant aroma.

"Don't rush. I can help with the cutting once I finish cooking these dishes. Be careful not to cut yourself; it's fine to take it slow."

Wan Niang nodded. "Mm."

At the front, Sun Shi and Xiao Dashi were even busier. They had to serve wine, bring out cold dishes, and ask about dietary restrictions. Aside from spice tolerance, they couldn't accommodate much else. For instance, ginger duck wouldn't taste good without ginger, so if someone didn't eat ginger, they could only advise against ordering it.

This was the truth—sour fish soup wouldn't be good without spiciness, and the same went for sour and spicy shredded potatoes. Most other dishes catered to general tastes, with few restrictions.

By 12:30, the first floor was full. More customers arrived later, and Sun Shi told them they would have to wait.

"Is there no space on the second floor?"

Sun Shi apologetically said, "We just opened; only the first floor is in use."

With just the three of them, they couldn't handle more.

Those who sat down early were mostly regular customers from the Xiao family's stall. Some, seeing the crowd, came to ask how the food was. Hearing it was good, they decided to have lunch there.

Sun Shi showed them the menu first. Higher prices were expected—it was impossible to keep the same prices as the stall now that they had a shop. Though more expensive, eating at the shop was more convenient than taking food home.

Besides, when dining out, which restaurant or eatery wasn't expensive? For example, the largest restaurant in the county charged eighty cash for a serving of red-braised pork, which was less than what was served here. Here, a plate cost only forty cash and looked to be over a pound. When you did the math, it wasn't much more expensive than buying from the stall.

After taking a bite, the flavor seemed even better. "Mm, still the same taste. They haven't set up the stall for days, and I've been craving this."

The freshly cooked meat was still steaming, the fat glistening and translucent, the skin like fine agate, the lean meat tender and not dry. The best part was where the lean and fat met.

You could eat two or three pieces plain, or mix it with rice or stuff it into a steamed bun—it was absolutely addictive.

Lin Qiuran's red-braised pork was exceptional, and almost every table had ordered it.

With such good flavor, customers had high expectations for the other dishes. In the past, the Xiao family stall only had three dishes, and in colder weather, only two. No matter how delicious, eating the same things repeatedly would eventually become tiresome. Now, with many more dishes and Lin Qiuran's excellent cooking, they had to try everything.

It wasn't an exaggeration—even the braised dishes here were better than those sold elsewhere. The pork head meat wasn't greasy at all, the liver had no gaminess and was dry and fragrant, and the pig ears were crisp and tender. Each dish came with a dipping sauce full of minced garlic and chili, adding a sour and spicy kick that cut through the richness. The rice wine was sweet and pleasant to drink, though it couldn't compare to the satisfaction of hard liquor.

The dishes came out fairly quickly. Soon, the Sour Fish Soup and sour and spicy shredded potatoes were served. The shredded potatoes were mixed with orange-red carrot shreds. The simpler the dish, the more it showcased the chef's skill. Other restaurants had this dish too, but today it was ordered because it was cheap—ten cash for a large plate.

After taking a bite, the customer's eyes lit up, and they quickly went for a second. With just this plate of shredded potatoes, they could easily eat two bowls of rice.

No wonder they said they ordered a lot—it really was a lot. The rice at Xiao's was also delicious, sweeter and more fragrant than elsewhere.

If they ordered too much and couldn't finish, they could take it home. They could try more dishes next time. With twenty to thirty dishes on the menu, after a few visits, they would know what to order.

Food is the stuff of life. Those who could afford to eat out didn't care about small change. Some ran small businesses and made money, while others had family wealth and preferred spending on food rather than gambling. Even if it was expensive, they felt it was worth the price.

Outside, the customers were enjoying their meal, while the kitchen was even busier. Fortunately, the weather was cold; otherwise, with so many dishes, the heat would have been unbearable.

After finishing these dishes, Lin Qiuran could finally take a short break. Wan Niang, who wasn't tired from cutting vegetables, went to help Sun Shi and Xiao Dashi serve the dishes.

After the dishes were served, there was still rice to bring out. Customers who finished needed refills quickly. Steamed buns cost one cash each, and rice was charged per person at two cash, with refills available if needed.

Some also asked for rice wine. For the first three days after opening, each table received a complimentary pot of rice wine. For larger groups, two pots were given. Additional pots cost fifteen cash each, which wasn't expensive.

Lin Qiuran planned to buy liquor from a wine shop once they had more money. Making it herself took half a day for just two small bottles, which was time-consuming and labor-intensive—buying it was more cost-effective.

After this wave of customers left, Lin Qiuran continued cooking. There were few customers after noon, but the previous wave hadn't finished eating yet.

Wan Niang noticed Lin Qiuran's face was flushed from the heat and asked, "Are you tired? Are you okay?"

Lin Qiuran said, "Just a bit sore from standing for so long, but otherwise fine."

Wan Niang smiled. "When you go back tonight, use a hot water bottle to soothe it, and soak your feet. Otherwise, as your pregnancy progresses, your legs might cramp."

Wan Niang had been through it before and had experience.

Lin Qiuran nodded. "Thank you. Since there are no customers upfront, let's eat too."

They ate whatever was left in the kitchen. There was some red-braised pork left, more lamb, and one fish. It wasn't worth keeping these for sale in the evening, so they ate them all for lunch.

Wan Niang glanced outside and said hesitantly, "Qiu Ran, I'll take my portion home to eat."

Lin Qiuran suddenly remembered—she had almost forgotten that Wan Niang's mother was coming to take care of the child.

Since her mother was still here, it didn't seem right for Wan Niang to eat by herself. Since they were acquainted, Lin Qiuran said, "Join us. It's no trouble to set another place."

But Wan Niang shook her head, "I should really head home to eat. The baby's being fussy, and besides, now that you're running a proper shop, if others come in the future, we shouldn't make exceptions just for me."

Wan Niang noticed there were many customers and they were quite swamped, so she assumed they'd probably hire more help later. If her mother always stayed to eat, what would happen when others came? She was here to work, and since the two families knew each other—Lin Qiuran even bought vegetables from Zhao Shi—she didn't want to create an awkward situation.

Lin Qiuran nodded. Wan Niang had already thought it through and had even brought her own lunch container.

She served Wan Niang some dishes, a little more than a single serving but not enough for two. It was agreed that meals would be provided, but only for Wan Niang. If she gave extra today for Wan Niang’s mother, it might set a problematic precedent later if she couldn’t do the same again.

Lin Qiuran understood the saying: Give an inch and they'll take a mile. It was best to stick to the rules.

After Wan Niang left, Auntie Liu, their dish washer, arrived. Auntie Liu wasn’t provided meals; she only handled cleaning up.

Since there were few customers, Lin Qiuran found an empty table to eat.

Sun Shi and Xiao Dashi had also had quite a taxing morning. Sun Shi said, "It’s not just the tiredness—when it’s busy, it’s easy to slip up, and every mistake makes you more frantic. Your father even brought out the wrong order."

Lin Qiuran had already explained that if a wrong dish was served, they should make a fresh one, and the original wouldn’t be charged. They couldn’t make the customers pay for their mistakes.

She said, "It’s alright, slip-ups are inevitable when you're rushed off your feet."

Sun Shi added, "And your father struggles with the accounts. He made mistakes back when we had the stall, and today he got it wrong again."

Xiao Dashi scratched his head and chuckled, "I just can’t get the hang of it, especially with so many dishes."

When Lin Qiuran set the prices, she considered this—either nice round numbers or prices ending in five to make calculations easier.

But in this regard, Xiao Dashi wasn’t as good as Sun Shi. There was no helping it; he'd only started dealing with money after they set up the stall, having farmed before.

Sun Shi was better at calculations, but she couldn’t handle it all by herself. She also had to keep an eye on Xiao Dashi, which added to her fatigue.

Lin Qiuran smiled and said, "It’s alright. I’ll see about hiring a bookkeeper to handle the bills."

They also needed a sharp waiter. Sun Shi and Xiao Dashi were in their forties, which was getting on in years for that time. Juggling trays of food back and forth, Lin Qiuran worried they might trip.

Sun Shi nodded, "Alright, let your dad handle the shopping. When I work alongside him, it just gives me more to fret about."

Lin Qiuran served Sun Shi and Xiao Dashi some meat, "I’ll put up a notice later and also ask Zhao Guangcai. Mom, you two should eat more."

Sun Shi covered her bowl, urging Lin Qiuran to have more meat, "You eat, you eat. How are you managing? Are you tired? We had quite a few customers today. If it’s just as busy tonight…"

Lin Qiuran touched her belly, "I’m managing. With Wan Niang handling the chopping and preparation, it’s not too bad."

Still, cooking so many dishes was hard work, but the thought of the profits made it all seem worth it.

Sun Shi said, "Your health comes first... Oh, someone's waving from that table. I’ll go check."

That table had finished eating and wanted to take their leftovers home. Sun Shi found some oiled paper and wrapped up the remaining meat dishes. As long as it was handled carefully, it would be fine to take home.

Out of over twenty tables today, no one had abandoned their meat dishes. When eating out, they thought of their wives and children waiting at home. Bringing back some meat dishes made the family happy.

It was already half past one. Seeing no more customers, Sun Shi simply closed the shop door. They were open for just over an hour at lunchtime and again in the evening; otherwise, they’d be stuck cooking for customers all day.

Auntie Liu handled the cleanup, with Sun Shi supervising, so Lin Qiuran went to rest for a while.

In the teahouse next door, Jiang Sijie kept glancing downstairs but didn’t see anyone come out.

Her maid had learned that Xiao Family Eatery was doing well and said, "Miss, you haven’t eaten yet. Why not give it a try?"

Jiang Sijie shook her head. Her thoughts were in disarray, unsure what to do. If Xiao Xun’s parents were safe and sound, and his wife was here too, what should she do?

Jiang Sijie said, "I’m not hungry yet. Go buy some pastries for me."

*

By the time Lin Qiuran woke up, the shop was already tidied up. Auntie Liu was careful and thorough—after washing the dishes, she gave them a scalding with boiling water, as Lin Qiuran had requested. It was extra work, but she did it diligently.

Auntie Liu had already left. Sun Shi said, "She’s good. No need to supervise her."

Lin Qiuran nodded. If things continued like this, she could give her a raise after a while. As long as she did well and was honest, a raise wouldn’t be an issue.

In the afternoon, they had to continue stewing meat. Wan Niang came early to help with prep. She had taken her lunch home and returned late, but Zhao Shi got to eat it. He had also prepared some vegetable dishes at home. The table had braised pork, lamb, and half a fish—each dish was delicious.

In the evening, the eatery sold the same dishes. They were getting into the swing of things, but Lin Qiuran wasn’t sure how business would be at night, so she prepared accordingly.

The evening orders were similar to lunch. Customers ordering for the first time tended to over-order, but they’d likely know what to get next time. When eating out, two people would typically get three dishes, and three people ordered four.

For now, more dishes ordered meant more earnings for the eatery.

Lin Qiuran had initially hoped to sell out everything, but business was good. Sun Shi mentioned that some who came at noon returned with others in the evening.

Lin Qiuran said, "Throw in an extra pot of rice wine as our treat, so they’ll come back often."

Sun Shi went to deliver the wine. She was quite pleased—even though she didn’t cook the dishes, she had helped. Seeing customers enjoy the food made her happy. She’d been tense since waking up early, during the rush she felt like a whirling dervish, but she stayed energetic and capable without feeling too tired.

Besides, with a shop, they only had to face the draft when carrying dishes from the kitchen to the dining area. The rest of the time, they were indoors, much warmer than being outside in the wind all day.

Lin Qiuran was busier than usual since there were more dishes to prepare for both lunch and dinner, but it wasn’t non-stop cooking—she could take breaks in between. And since she was only in charge of cooking, with Wan Niang handling chopping and prep, it wasn’t too exhausting.

It was already dark. They’d never operated at night before, and the street seemed quite lively. The dinner service wasn't as brisk as lunch—mostly small groups coming mainly to drink, staying longer. Some customers unwilling to wait left.

But Lin Qiuran estimated that today’s earnings would be higher than from the stall.

With few customers left, Wan Niang took her meal and headed home. Her daughter was sound asleep, and Zhao Shi even came to pick her up. "I would’ve been here to show my support if I weren’t busy today," he said.

Lin Qiuran smiled, exchanged a few pleasantries, and saw them off. When she went back inside, she saw a large basin in the kitchen piled with used dishes, waiting for Auntie Liu to come and wash them later.

There was also the slops bucket containing food scraps. Customers took home the meat dishes with more leftovers, but if only scraps remained, they didn’t bother.

They hadn’t thought about this earlier and had already disposed of two buckets at noon. In the afternoon, Xiao Dashi contacted a pork vendor who connected them with a pig farmer. They could sell the slop for three cents a bucket, collected every evening—better than throwing it away.

After the customers left, Xiao Dashi took care of the slop. Auntie Liu came to wash dishes, and Sun Shi tidied the front. Even though cleaning was Auntie Liu’s job, finishing early meant she could leave sooner. Wiping tables and mopping floors didn’t take much effort.

By half past seven in the evening, Sun Shi and Xiao Dashi had eaten. Lin Qiuran, being pregnant, had made a little extra while cooking for customers and had eaten earlier. Seeing things mostly cleaned up, she checked on the marinated dishes.

While the others were cleaning, she had prepared the marinated meat and aspic. She turned off the heat and let them steep in the pot. The aspic was set in a basin and would solidify overnight.

The busy day finally settled down. Worried about thieves at night, they made sure to lock up the kitchen securely before heading out.

Lin Qiuran let out a sigh of relief—today was finally over. They still hadn’t hired a server or manager. She’d ask Zhao Guangcai tomorrow. She hoped to find someone soon to make things easier at home.

Sun Shi couldn’t help rubbing her lower back and worried that Lin Qiuran would be tired walking home. Spotting a carriage on the roadside, she felt a twinge of envy and said, "Tomorrow, your dad and I will push you here in a cart."

Lin Qiuran shook her head, "It’s fine, I’m not that delicate. Let’s go home."

Inside the carriage, Jiang Sijie cracked open the curtain slightly. These three were the last to leave—the Xiao family.

She saw with her own eyes Xiao Xun’s parents looking hale and hearty, and beside them a young woman who was clearly pregnant.