Chapter Fifty-Nine: Return

Chapter 59: The Return

Once, Xu Yuanhang had also wondered what kind of person Xiao Xun was, to make Lin Qiuran willing to keep the child and care for Xiao Xun's parents after hearing of his death shortly after their marriage.

It wasn't easy, going from cooking for others to operating her own eatery.

Even with hired help, Lin Qiuran did the most work, or her hands wouldn't have become rough. She was smart, capable, and knew how to choose what was beneficial for her—keeping the child, staying with the Xiao family... Xu Yuanhang thought it wasn't just because of deep emotional attachment.

They had only been married for a few days and weren't even from the same village—what kind of affection could there be?

Besides, the person was already dead; one had to move forward.

If Lin Qiuran were someone who dwelled on the past, she wouldn't have managed to run an eatery in just a few months.

He stopped thinking about what Xiao Xun was like. The man was dead and had nothing to do with the future, so he was no longer curious.

No one had ever imagined that someone could come back to life.

When Steward Xu first told him that Xiao Xun was still alive, Xu Yuanhang was indeed stunned for a moment, but then he thought, so what if he was alive?

Now, Lin Qiuran was opening an eatery and running a business. He could provide significant support. What could Xiao Xun give Lin Qiuran?

Just a husband, that's all.

Seeing Lin Qiuran nod, Xu Yuanhang smiled and said, "There are New Year gifts in the carriage. I'll have Steward Xu take you back first and drop off the gifts. By the way, I heard you moved. Congratulations on your new home."

Lin Qiuran felt a bit embarrassed. She hadn't thought of sending anything to the Xu family, as her partnership was with Xu Yuanhang, not the Xu family, and the two families were very different.

But since Xu Yuanhang was sending gifts, she should also prepare something in return to avoid appearing rude.

However, she didn't need him to send her back. Lin Qiuran said, "There's no need to send me. It's cold, and you should head back early too. We have a donkey cart at home; I can take that back."

Xu Yuanhang glanced out the window. "It is cold, but the donkey cart has no cover. You're pregnant and should be careful, you should avoid the wind. Besides, I haven't been back to Yu'an for a long time. I just returned today and am in no hurry to go back. I'd like to take a walk around here."

The scenery now had a lively New Year atmosphere. At night, people came out to see the lanterns, in small groups, and some were setting off fireworks. There were more people out than during the day.

Many shops on the street were still open for business, except for Xiao Family Eatery, which was closed.

Lin Qiuran, with her large belly, was afraid of the crowds; otherwise, she would have gone out to see the lantern displays.

She nodded, but it would take a while to clean up the second floor.

She mentioned it to Sun Shi, who, upon hearing there was a carriage, urged Lin Qiuran to go back quickly, saying they would handle the cleaning.

Lin Qiuran left it to them and went home with Lin Dong in the carriage. Sun Shi and Lin Xia stayed to clean up and would later return with Xiao Dashi on the donkey cart.

On the donkey cart were the dishes prepared that evening. Lin Qiuran had made an extra portion of each. With just two days left until the New Year, the family could slowly eat these, so they wouldn't have to prepare as many dishes for the New Year Eve's dinner.

Reheating would affect the taste, but if they wanted to save effort, there was no other way. After all, these dishes were time-consuming. Lin Qiuran was willing to make them to sell for profit, but cooking for a large family was too much hassle.

The carriage was warm and comfortable, shutting out the noise outside.

When they arrived home, Steward Xu and the coachman unloaded the items. There were the spice gift boxes they brought back, which weren't part of the New Year gifts but were for Lin Qiuran to give to others.

For ordinary social exchanges, giving a gift box would make future dealings much easier. Moreover, these were available in both Yu'an and Xuzhou, and people would recognize their value upon seeing them—they were very presentable gifts.

There were ten boxes in total. Lin Qiuran initially thought of taking just two or three, but Steward Xu said, "These were meant to be brought over once they were ready. Sometimes we’re busy and forget, so when you finish these, I’ll bring more."

Steward Xu was very polite. "Besides, you know the cost price, Madam Lin. Just let me know directly if you need more in the future."

He worked for Xu Yuanhang and had thought the second young master would change his attitude toward Lin Qiuran upon hearing about Xiao Xun's return, but who would have thought...

After unloading these, Steward Xu brought out other items. This time, there were no pastries, as they were usually brought over separately. In Xu Yuanhang's eyes, those didn't count as gifts.

The housewarming gift was a set of cups and a set of porcelain.

The New Year gift was a large box of regional specialties. Lin Qiuran said it was too much, but Steward Xu replied, "Madam Lin, this is the second young master's intention. Although it looks like a lot, none of it is particularly valuable. The box contains dried goods for the eatery, which are cheap and common locally. The second young master thought that since you often cook, you might find them useful for developing new dishes someday, so he brought them along the way."

Lin Qiuran said, "But it's really too much; we won't be able to use it all."

Steward Xu said, "Madam Lin, you haven't even opened it yet. How do you know it's too much? Ah, if I take it back, I’ll have a hard time explaining. Please don’t make it difficult for me. The second young master is waiting, so let me bring these in quickly so I can return."

The carriage belonged to the Xu family. Lin Qiuran didn’t want to linger at the door, so she let Steward Xu bring the items inside.

After he left, she opened the packages to take a look.

The porcelain was still wrapped in paper, with straw padding underneath. She hadn’t even used the set sent last time, and this one was even more beautiful—celadon porcelain in a powder blue-green color, without patterns, yet exceptionally clean and elegant.

It felt cool and smooth to the touch, incredibly fine.

The cups had an ice crackle glaze and came with a teapot and a wooden tray. Lin Qiuran liked them very much. She had been using single cups before, but now she could use this set in her room.

When she opened the box, she found ingredients rarely seen in Yu'an, mostly dried goods like various mushrooms and dried fruits, and even bird's nest and shark fin.

Lin Dong watched eagerly nearby. She hadn’t met Xu Yuanhang many times, let alone seen so many fine things. She said, "Mr. Xu is so kind to send so many things."

Lin Qiuran was taken aback. Her first thought was of the time when she discussed the spice business with Xu Yuanhang. He had waited a few days before approaching her, likely having someone study the recipe during that time. Back then, he wanted to buy the recipe, but Lin Qiuran refused, so he had no choice but to partner with her, and he was uncompromising about the profit share.

Later, when he wanted the bean cake recipe, he even hosted a banquet with dishes she had cooked, showing no respect at all. After that, things gradually changed.

Businessmen prioritize profit, but Xu Yuanhang had indeed been good to her. She couldn’t accept so many things without giving something in return, yet finding a suitable gift was difficult.

The profit share for this month hadn’t been delivered yet. Xu Yuanhang said he had just returned and would have Steward Xu bring it later. However, over the past month or so, Lin Qiuran had indeed produced more spices than before.

Either the spice gift boxes were selling extremely well, and Xu Yuanhang wanted to solidify their partnership, or perhaps...

Lin Qiuran’s gaze drifted absently to the celadon porcelain. Lin Dong, seeing her distracted, waved a hand in front of her eyes. "Madam?"

Lin Qiuran snapped back to attention. "What is it?"

Lin Dong asked, "Where should we put all these things?"

It wouldn’t do to pile them all in the room. In the past, when the house was smaller, things were stored in the kitchen or Sun Shi’s room, but that would be too messy. Lin Qiuran didn’t want the clean, tidy house to become cluttered.

Lin Qiuran said, "Display the cups and put the rest in the storeroom."

She rubbed her temples. When Steward Xu brought her back, she had felt there were too many things upon getting off the carriage and said she would only take a couple of items. But Steward Xu insisted they were common locally. Yet upon opening, she found bird's nest and shark fin—these couldn’t be cheap even locally, and when someone gives a gift, how could you calculate the cost price?

There were two boxes of bird's nest and two boxes of shark fin, which probably cost a significant sum.

Not to mention the set of cups, the set of porcelain, and so many spice gift boxes, all worth a lot of money.

Then there were the other dried goods, brought from afar. The meal she had prepared for Xu Yuanhang was nothing in comparison.

If it were her, while traveling, would she think about what Xu Yuanhang might need and bring it back for him?

The eatery, the renovations, these things... It seemed hard to believe it was solely because he made money from the recipes she provided.

But Lin Qiuran felt she might be overthinking it. She was fairly good-looking, but she spent most of her time in the kitchen. Over time, it was natural that she wouldn’t remain elegant.

She often washed her hands, and in the kitchen, there was no time to apply anything; they'd get chapped and red from the wind.

Moreover, she had a husband and was expecting a child. Even if she didn’t know what the future held for her and Xiao Xun, to everyone else, her husband had returned from the dead, and the family was reunited and harmonious.

Perhaps she was just overthinking it.

Regardless, she had to return the gesture. Lin Qiuran couldn’t afford expensive gifts, so she instructed Lin Dong, "Tomorrow, go to the market and buy two jugs of good wine and two boxes of pastries to send to the Xu family."

Lin Dong nodded.

Sun Shi and the others hadn’t returned yet, so Lin Qiuran took a lantern and went to the study next door. She laid out paper and wrote down two recipes.

One was a secret recipe for chili pepper sauce—it was delicious mixed with rice for those who liked spicy food, and it could also be used directly for steamed fish head with chili peppers.

However, without preservatives nowadays, it couldn’t be stored for long.

The other was a recipe for blistered chili sauce, which could also be mixed with rice or dishes, adding a smoky flavor. It could even be used directly for mashed chili and preserved eggs.

Whether Xu Yuanhang used it himself or sold it, either would work. Lin Qiuran had little else to offer; to repay the kindness, she could only offer recipes.

Of course, selling it like the spices wasn't feasible. In this era, fresh chilies were only in season in summer and autumn. Growing them in greenhouses during winter would be too costly. Without additives, preservatives, or refrigerators, the shelf life was much shorter. Most pickled and preserved foods were made at home.

They might not taste as good as Lin Qiuran’s, but at least they wouldn't have to buy any.

After writing, Lin Qiuran handed the recipes to Lin Dong. "Put these under the pastry boxes tomorrow... Actually, never mind, just give them directly to Steward Xu."

Xu Yuanhang had probably tasted all kinds of pastries. In Yu'an, Wufangzhai’s pastries were the best, and since they were from his own household, he probably wouldn’t even glance at them.

Once the recipes were given, how they were used was out of Lin Qiuran’s hands.

Lin Dong nodded.

Having someone to handle errands made things much easier for Lin Qiuran. Besides the Xu family, New Year's gifts also needed to be sent to Aunt Yu’s family. Sun Shi or Xiao Dashi could handle that.

As for others, it wasn’t necessary yet—the relationships weren’t that close. For her parents' home, a visit on the second day of the New Year would suffice.

If her pregnancy made travel inconvenient, she could just have Sun Shi deliver the gifts.

After a while, Sun Shi and the others returned. They tied up the donkey, fed the chickens, and Sun Shi stored the vegetables they'd brought back in the ice box outside the house.

This spot was shaded; even if the sun was out during the day, it remained very cold here.

Sun Shi bent down to put things away, placing those not needed immediately at the bottom and the steamed buns and wontons for the next morning on top.

Seeing there was nothing else for her to do, Lin Qiuran went to bed. Today was the 28th; for the New Year’s Eve dinner on the 30th, they’d likely eat cold dishes, so no cooking was needed. The day after, they could whip up a couple of fresh dishes and stew a fish.

The holiday spirit was everywhere these days, with streets and alleys filled with people. Various lanterns hung everywhere, and children and adults played outside. Every household was busy preparing for the New Year, and the sound of firecrackers could be heard daily.

Firecracker debris mixed with the snow on the ground, and when going out, one could still smell the faint scent of fireworks.

There were also lantern displays at night, and a few streets away, lion dances and street performances were performed.

But these had little to do with Lin Qiuran. Her pregnancy made it unsafe to jostle in crowds, and since she had just closed the food stall, she was more than happy to take it easy and read.

She didn’t feel like cooking either, preferring to keep it simple.

Sun Shi felt the same way. They usually ate well, and she also wanted to enjoy some fresh dishes for the New Year. Back in Xiao Village, they craved meat and even saw leftover meat as something special. Now, with no shortage of food, preparing just enough to eat was sufficient, so they wouldn't be eating leftovers for days.

Sun Shi had a feeling that leftovers weren’t as good as fresh food. If it weren’t for the fact that she and Lin Dong only knew how to make a few dishes—which they'd been eating day in and day out at the shop—and they wanted something different for the New Year, they would definitely cook fresh.

The New Year had come so quickly. Their marriage, Xiao Xun’s return… it all seemed like just yesterday.

Lin Qiuran had already put out her lamp. Xiao Dashi had just cleaned the donkey pen, and Sun Shi sorted through the New Year's provisions at home. After finishing, they each soaked their feet. Sun Shi muttered, "I wonder when Xiao Xun will be back."

Xiao Dashi said, "He’s busy. It’s the New Year—you'd think he'd make it back for the holidays. And Qiu Ran is about to give birth. As the father, shouldn't he be here for that?"

They had only lit one candle, making the room quite dark.

Sun Shi looked at Xiao Dashi’s face. Thanks to their better diet lately and no farm work, Xiao Dashi wasn’t as dark as before, had gained some weight, and even looked a couple of years younger.

Everything at home was good, really good, except…

Sun Shi couldn’t help saying, "He only came back for two days. Look at him—he hasn’t helped Qiu Ran as much as Mr. Xu has."

Xiao Dashi frowned at her. "What kind of talk is that? How can you compare? Mr. Xu is doing business with Qiu Ran; offering more benefits helps his own interests too. Xiao Xun and Qiu Ran are husband and wife. Shouldn’t they be understanding and make allowances for each other? He’s an official and can’t come back—what can he do?"

Sun Shi was furious. "That’s nonsense! If he can’t come back, can’t he at least write? Does that mean he just does nothing?"

Husband and wife should understand each other, but that definitely didn’t mean saying nothing and doing nothing. Xiao Xun returned without saying a word, and Lin Qiuran went on as if nothing had changed, neither asking nor caring.

Logically, a husband traveling far away should still show concern, but… during this time, Lin Qiuran went about her business as usual. Xiao Xun’s departure had no impact on her, as if he had never returned.

Xiao Xun was the same. Finally back for two days, he spent all his time out and about. Lin Qiuran had been through so much during her pregnancy. Though Sun Shi had never given birth herself, she could see how tiring it must be for Lin Qiuran.

In the past, Lin Qiuran had acted like Xiao Xun was dead, but even after his return, her attitude toward him hadn’t changed.

If this continued, the family would eventually drift apart.

Sun Shi had hoped their relationship would be harmonious, like Wan Niang and Zhao Shi—caring for each other, chatting and laughing, living life together. But now, Xiao Xun left without Lin Qiuran showing any concern, not even helping pack his things.

Sun Shi didn’t know how to mention it, and she couldn’t overstep by handling these matters for Lin Qiuran. If Qiu Ran didn’t pack for him, as her mother, she couldn’t interfere either.

Xiao Xun didn’t say when he’d be back. No matter how far or how busy he was, it had been so many days without a single letter.

One was her son, the other her daughter. If Lin Qiuran eventually grew unwilling, Sun Shi didn’t know what to do.

Xiao Dashi wasn’t bothered by Sun Shi’s scolding. He just dried his feet and asked, "Are you going to pour out the water?"

It was like talking to a brick wall.

Sun Shi barely slept that night. She dozed off just before dawn and dreamed that Lin Qiuran had remarried. Xu Yuanhang was wearing groom’s attire, and Lin Qiuran, in wedding clothes, carried her child out the door.

Lin Qiuran said, "Mother, you will always be my mother, and Father will always be my father. From now on, Xiao Xun will be my elder brother. Yuanhang and I will take good care of you both."

Xu Yuanhang added, "I will treat the child as my own and take good care of Qiu Ran. Please don’t worry, Father and Mother."

Sun Shi woke up in a cold sweat.

Dreams shouldn’t be taken seriously, but this one lingered in Sun Shi’s mind for a long time. Other dreams faded quickly after waking, but this one stayed with her, growing clearer the more she thought about it.

During the day, she tentatively asked, "Qiu Ran, did Xiao Xun say when he’ll be back?"

Lin Qiuran shook her head. "Didn’t he tell you? He’s probably too busy to decide. Don’t worry."

Sun Shi forced a smile. "I guess so. He’ll definitely be back for the New Year, and he’ll be here when you give birth. Don’t worry."

Lin Qiuran smiled faintly. Even if Xiao Xun were here, what use would it be? He couldn’t help her give birth or bear the pain for her.

Would a 'you've worked hard' after the birth really make her happy or take the pain away?

Lin Qiuran comforted Sun Shi, "It's fine if he can't make it back, he's busy. Mother, what are we having for lunch? The shrimp balls still need to be fried."

Sun Shi forced a smile and nodded, "Alright."

Lin Qiuran mixed another sauce and had Lin Dong do the stir-frying. To be honest, she actually felt more relaxed with Xiao Xun not coming back. After all, they had only spent two days together, and having a stranger at home, and having to share a bed with a stranger...

Lin Qiuran wasn’t used to it.

Still, she could recall the moments in the small room at the eatery when Xiao Xun rested his forehead against the back of her hand, and how he had stood there steadily in the main hall, saying—he was standing right there, perfectly fine.

Lin Qiuran sighed. When Xiao Xun returned, she’d have him sleep in the front courtyard or another room.

Lin Dong had gone out to make deliveries in the morning and returned before noon to cook. With only five people at home, they didn’t make Lin Dong and the others eat later—they all ate together.

After lunch, Lin Qiuran went back to her room. She planned to take a bath later. Taking a bath in winter was a hassle, but since it was the New Year, she wanted to be clean.

Now that the house was larger, the big pot and stove in the kitchen were heating water, which was more than enough.

Bathing at noon was warmer than in the evening. After her bath, she dried her hair thoroughly and changed into fresh clothes.

Lin Qiuran asked Lin Xia to heat up the water and straighten up the room a bit to avoid getting everything wet.

Sun Shi came over to help.

As they tidied, Sun Shi asked, "Qiu Ran, how much money is left in the household now?"

Lin Qiuran replied, "A little over a hundred taels. Why? Do you need money? I can get it for you."

There was over seventy taels earned from the eatery this month. Shopkeeper Shi had brought the final accounts on the 26th. They had only paid a deposit for the doctor and midwife, and the wet nurse would be paid upon arrival. New Year goods didn’t cost much, and household expenses were minimal. With the leftover money from before, the family had enough.

The eatery earned quite a bit, and Sun Shi and Xiao Dashi had contributed effort, but they had never received wages. If they needed money for something, Lin Qiuran would certainly provide it—but not without limits. She agreed to amounts under twenty taels, but not more.

Lin Qiuran also had ninety taels from her share of the spice profits. Since the two hadn’t contributed much to that, she planned to keep that money for herself.

The same went for the Wufangzhai share—if no one asked, she wouldn’t mention it. Even if asked, since it was her idea, no one else would have the nerve to ask for it.

Sun Shi said, "With the New Year approaching, I remember we sold the bracelet we found to buy the house over there. I was thinking, for the New Year, I want to buy you some jewelry."

Back then, Sun Shi had thought the bracelet was so beautiful and valuable. Since Qiu Ran had dug it up, it should have been hers to keep, but they sold it for the house. She’d always intended to buy her another one.

Even if they couldn’t redeem the original, they should get something decent, especially for the New Year. Yesterday, Xiao Dashi went to check on the eatery to make sure no one was stealing, and Sun Shi asked him about it. He said the Golden Ruyi next door was still open.

In the past, when the family had money, priority was given to buying fields, houses, and shops. Lin Qiuran wore simple cotton clothes—though newly made, they were still too simple.

She only had a simple hairpin, and usually wore a headscarf. With such thick, dark hair, it was a waste to always keep it wrapped up.

She had to dress like that for cooking, but when not working, why not dress up a little?

Lin Qiuran smiled, "That sounds good. Let’s go take a look in the afternoon."

If they found something suitable, she could also buy something for Sun Shi. Gold and silver jewelry held their value even if not worn. With the family’s current funds, buying better jade or emerald pieces was more than she was willing to spend, so gold and silver jewelry would be fine.

They could also look at some pretty copper accessories—not just choose based on value alone.

Lin Qiuran was quite happy. She hadn’t thought of these things, but Sun Shi had.

After her bath, Lin Qiuran dried her hair thoroughly, changed into new clothes warmed by the charcoal fire, and went out with Sun Shi.

Xiao Dashi came along too, mainly to drive the cart—having a donkey cart came in handy.

As it was the end of the year, Golden Ruyi had many customers coming and going. In this dynasty, parents would set aside dowries for their daughters, adding one piece each year, so by the time they grew up, they had quite a collection.

But in the village, people were poor and couldn’t afford such things, so Lin Qiuran had little jewelry.

Sun Shi asked Xiao Dashi if he wanted to come in. Xiao Dashi shook his head, "You go ahead. Don’t worry about the price—I’ll wait outside with the cart."

He didn’t understand these things anyway, so he’d rather keep an eye on the donkey cart.

Sun Shi and Lin Qiuran went in. The shop was even more crowded, with clerks standing behind counters, ready to show whatever customers wanted to see.

It had been some time since the eatery opened, but they had never come here to look around.

Sun Shi was a bit nervous. Some customers were looking at gold and silver jewelry, others at copper accessories, while the clerks were smooth-talking and full of compliments.

The place was packed. Sun Shi peered inside but couldn’t make out the jewelry clearly. She said to Lin Qiuran, "Is everything free today or something? Why are there so many people?"

She shielded Lin Qiuran, careful not to let anyone bump into her belly.

Sun Shi continued looking ahead when suddenly her expression changed. "Xiao Xun?"

Lin Qiuran instinctively looked forward. The crowd jostled, people of varying heights, and the tallest among them turned around in surprise. Though people pressed around him, he was looking straight at them.