Chapter 171 City Streets 71

Chapter 171: City Life, Part 71

"This year's continuous rain has ruined the cherries in the yard," Cui Lanfang remarked, gazing at the cherry tree in the courtyard.

Liu Guyu picked a few tender red cherries and popped them into his mouth. They weren't sour or bitter, but they lacked the deliciousness of last year's harvest. These were just a handful he'd managed to salvage from the entire tree; the rest had been battered to the ground by the wind and rain, now rotting in the wet soil.

After carefully selecting for a while, Liu Guyu finally filled a plate, planning to wash some later for Qin Rongshi.

"It's no wonder they say students preparing for the imperial exams have it tough—the studying is truly exhausting."

Just as they were speaking, Qin Banban emerged from the house.

She was wearing another new outfit—a blue-purple dyed *ruqun* made of fine fabric, with pale red floral patterns printed on the skirt. Over her shoulders, she wore a slightly brighter indigo draped shawl.

Her face was lightly made up. Banban rarely wore cosmetics, but today she had applied a subtle touch of powder, dabbed on lip color, and brushed a faint, soft pink at the corners of her eyes. Her hair was neatly styled, with low loops on either side and small, butterfly-like buns on top, adorned with simple white pearl hairpins and a pair of small blue-purple silk flowers, tied with matching ribbons.

She looked delighted as she twirled in front of the two, eagerly asking, "Mom, Brother Liu, how do I look?"

Cui Lanfang laughed happily, taking her daughter's hand to admire her, nodding repeatedly. "You look beautiful! Absolutely lovely! Oh, your forehead looks a bit bare—come, let’s go inside. I’ll paint a floral decoration on it."

Qin Banban touched the center of her forehead, swaying shyly as she chuckled softly. "...That might be a bit too formal."

But Cui Lanfang laughed. "Don't worry about that! As long as it looks good!"

She loved dressing up her daughter!

Since the family had become more prosperous, Qin Banban’s wardrobe and cosmetic case had never been empty, filled with clothes and hair accessories mostly bought by Cui Lanfang. Although Banban also loved pretty things, she usually preferred simple, understated styles, and many of the items had never even been used!

The mother and daughter went inside, while Liu Guyu shook his head with an amused smile and pushed up his sleeves to head into the kitchen.

Chen Sanxi was coming to visit today, so they needed to prepare a proper meal.

He washed the cherries and brought them to Qin Rongshi, then soon began preparing ingredients. Before he could even start the fire, Qin Banban and her mother came in. When he glanced back, he saw that Banban now had a three-petaled blue flower drawn on her forehead. The girl’s fair skin made the decoration stand out, enhancing her bright beauty.

Cui Lanfang had already tied on her apron and fastened her sleeve fasteners, joining Liu Guyu in preparing the meal.

Qin Banban also rolled up her sleeves to help, but before she could start, Liu Guyu spoke up. "It’s alright, you can rest today. You’re dressed so nicely—don’t let the kitchen smoke and grease ruin your makeup."

Qin Banban pouted in protest and crouched down to help Cui Lanfang wash potatoes.

Her skirt was long, and her sleeves wide and flowing, both touching the ground as she knelt. Even Cui Lanfang took the potatoes from her and urged her to go. "Alright, alright, listen to your Brother Liu. Rest today—it’s the first time you’re wearing this new outfit. Don’t get it dirty."

"Why don't you go to Auntie Qiao’s at the end of the alley and buy a sesame oil chicken from her? It can be one of the dishes."

The Auntie Qiao Cui Lanfang mentioned, she explained, was not from Jiangzhou; her family was from Yangcheng, and she had married into Jiangning Prefecture. Sesame oil chicken was a hometown dish from her family’s region, prepared similarly to modern white-cut chicken, served with a dipping sauce made of garlic, sesame oil, and scallions. For those who liked spice, chili powder and chopped red chili could be added, making it tender and fragrant.

Since it was a regional specialty, the people of Jiangning Prefecture enjoyed it as a novelty, and occasionally someone would specially buy it from Auntie Qiao’s.

With Cui Lanfang saying so, how could Qin Banban refuse?

She stood up, shook the water from her hands, found a cloth to dry them, and deliberately teased, "Fine, I’ll rest. From now on, I’ll dress up like this every day and never have to work again."

With that, she left the kitchen, first returning to her room to get money for the chicken, then hurrying out of the yard. Laicai, who had been lazing around for half the day, wagged his tail and followed her.

Hearing her daughter’s words, Cui Lanfang could only laugh. She turned to watch Qin Banban flit away like a butterfly, shaking her head fondly. "That girl..."

After buying the sesame oil chicken and returning home, the kitchen fire was lit, and Cui Lanfang and Liu Guyu busied themselves with preparing the evening meal.

Qin Banban didn’t actually idle around; she lit incense to freshen the yard and rooms and swept the main hall.

By the time the house was tidied up, the smell of food began to spread from the kitchen. As dusk fell, Chen Sanxi finally arrived.

"Ah, Sanxi is here!"

Qin Banban, inside, hadn’t seen the visitor, but Cui Lanfang, who had stepped out to pick scallions, spotted him and hurried out to welcome him, calling as she went.

"Sanxi is here!"

As she went out, she noticed Chen Sanxi was carrying something and added, "You’ve brought gifts again!"

Chen Sanxi simply said, "They’re local specialties from Lanzhou. Two counties there are near the sea, so seafood is plentiful. I brought some pearl shellfish and salted sea fish—things you don’t find in Jiangning Prefecture."

Hearing this, Cui Lanfang accepted graciously, smiling. "Well, it’s your kind thought. Auntie won’t fuss. But you’ll have to come eat when we prepare this fish! It’s just... I’ve never seen sea fish like this before. I’m not even sure how to cook it!"

With that, she invited Chen Sanxi inside to sit and took the items to the kitchen to ask Liu Guyu, clearly wanting to see if he knew how to prepare the salted fish.

Hearing Cui Lanfang’s call, Qin Banban also rushed out, smiling brightly at Chen Sanxi standing in the yard.

She waved at him, calling happily, "What are you standing there dumbfounded for? Come inside!"

Seeing Qin Banban, Chen Sanxi was momentarily stunned, clearly unused to seeing her so radiantly dressed.

He coughed twice into his fist, his ears reddening, and followed Qin Banban into the house.

Soon dinner was ready. Someone called from the kitchen, and both Qin Banban and Qin Rongshi, who had emerged from his study, went to the kitchen to help set the table, arrange stools, and bring out dishes.

It had only been a few days since the Dragon Boat Festival, so there was still a plate of pan-fried *zongzi* (rice dumplings) on the table, filled with salted egg yolk.

"We made so many *zongzi* for the festival that we’ve been eating them for days. We’ve had them steamed or boiled every morning and are tired of them. Today, I had a sudden idea to pan-fry some! There are plenty left—take a bunch back with you later for your master and his family to try."

Liu Guyu placed the plate of golden-brown *zongzi* in front of Chen Sanxi. The glutinous rice was crispy on the outside but soft inside, giving it a unique taste.

Besides the *zongzi*, there were also stir-fried snow cabbage with eggs, potato and pork ribs, the store-bought sesame oil chicken, and for cutting the grease, stir-fried garlic *yu mai cai* and fish head tofu soup.

Everyone gathered around the table, and soon they were engaged in lively conversation.

"Sanxi, what’s the situation in Lanzhou like now? Tell us about it!"

Cui Lanfang asked first, and the others listened attentively.

Even Qin Rongshi listened intently—managing natural disasters was part of the imperial exams’ policy questions, so it was good to learn more.

Chen Sanxi replied, "The Meijiang Dam outside Lanzhou city burst, about twenty *li* from the city. There weren’t many casualties, but a hundred-mu orchard nearby was completely flooded. I heard it belonged to several villagers... Ah, natural disasters are unpredictable."

"But Lanzhou was less affected. Chaozhou and Gongzhou had the worst floods—the rain was heaviest there. Even the imperial court sent officials to manage the floods and rescue people. We passed through Chaozhou on our way there but had to detour on the return."

Gongzhou?

Wasn’t that where the patient at the clinic yesterday mentioned an epidemic had broken out?

She exclaimed, "Yesterday, a patient at the clinic said that Changping County in Gongzhou has already had an outbreak of dysentery. Many people are sick."

Chen Sanxi frowned and shook his head. "Gongzhou is in the other direction. We didn’t pass through, so we didn’t hear much... Oh, that explains it! When we entered the city yesterday, they checked our household registers and travel passes. They were probably checking for people from Gongzhou? Those from there likely can’t enter the city."

But Qin Rongshi shook his head, unusually chiming in, "It’s not that people from Gongzhou can’t enter—only those from Jiangzhou are allowed back into the city. This is just the beginning of the epidemic. I’m afraid that in a little while, the city will only allow people to leave, not enter."

Hearing this, Chen Sanxi sighed. "Fortunately we returned in time. If we’d been delayed any longer, we might not have been able to enter the city gates at all."

Qin Banban also patted her chest in relief, saying, "Luckily we started taking precautions early, otherwise it could have easily caused problems."

The more they talked, the more alarmed they became, and no one touched the spread of good food on the table.

Liu Guyu took a bite of meat, then served Qin Rongshi a piece of chicken, waving his hand as he said, "No matter what, we're relatively well off here. Let’s stop talking about it—eat, eat! The food’s going to get cold!"

Only then did everyone start eating the delicious soup and dishes, this one taking a bite, that one taking a bite, and soon more than half of the food was gone.

After the meal, Chen Sanxi also bid farewell and prepared to leave, carrying the *zongzi* that Cui Lanfang had handed him—sweet, savory, and plain ones, a mix of flavors.

Before leaving, Chen Sanxi glanced at Qin Banban a few times, looking back every few steps as he walked away.

Qin Banban, however, seemed lost in thought, stamped her foot in frustration, and chased after him.

"Banban, you..."

Qin Rongshi shifted the large square table from the center of the room to a corner so it wouldn't block the path, then intended to ask Qin Banban to help put away a few stools. But before he could finish speaking, he turned his head and saw only his sister’s back as she chased after Chen Sanxi.

Qin Rongshi: "..."

Liu Guyu, holding a damp cloth nearby ready to wipe the table, couldn’t help but laugh, shaking his head and sighing, "A grown daughter cannot be kept at home."

Qin Rongshi remained silent, silent for a long while. He glanced at Liu Guyu wordlessly, then silently took the cloth from his hand and wiped the table. Finally, he let out a long sigh.

As for Qin Banban, who had run out after Chen Sanxi, she dashed out of the alley and called out to him.

Outside, the sky was dark and drizzling, so the alley was empty.

"Chen Sanxi!"

Hearing the familiar, clear voice call his name, Chen Sanxi immediately stopped and turned to see Qin Banban standing in the fine rain.

He quickly walked over, positioned his umbrella over Qin Banban’s head, and asked anxiously, "Why did you come out? Did you forget something?"

As he spoke, his gaze fell on Qin Banban’s face, and his lips parted as if he wanted to say something more.

Qin Banban shot him a look and retorted, "It’s you who forgot something! Before you went to Lanzhou, you clearly told me that when you returned, you had something important to tell me. Did you forget?"

At these words, Chen Sanxi’s face immediately turned deep red.

He stammered for a long time, as if his mouth had just grown in, his tongue and teeth unfamiliar with each other, tripping over his words.

"I, I... I was going to say... grapes aren't easy to grow. I, I’ll help you find a fruit gardener to ask how to plant them properly."

After saying this, he averted his eyes, not daring to look at Qin Banban anymore.

Qin Banban had been waiting with shining eyes, but after all that time, she got such a response—one that was rather disjointed.

She tilted her head, her brow slightly furrowed, like a confused, tilting cat.

"Is that all you wanted to tell me?"

Chen Sanxi turned his gaze away, his grip on the umbrella handle tightening until his nails left a white mark on the bamboo. Sweat formed on his back, and his ears turned bright red.

Qin Banban observed him for a moment, then suddenly let out a long sigh, her shoulders slumping slightly.

Chen Sanxi frowned, about to look up at her.

But soon he heard Qin Banban sigh again.

"Well then, let me ask you."

Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Qin Banban tilt her head again, her shadow on the ground swaying with it.

Qin Banban: "Did you find out how to grow grapes?"

Chen Sanxi: "Not yet... I, I’ll ask next time."

Qin Banban: "Was the food today good?"

The subject changed abruptly, but Chen Sanxi still nodded in response.

"It was good."

Qin Banban laughed lightly: "Then was the provisions I prepared last time good?"

Chen Sanxi nodded again: "That was good too."

Qin Banban touched her cheek and tugged at her new skirt.

"Did I look pretty today?"

Chen Sanxi continued nodding, his voice even growing husky.

"Pretty."

Qin Banban pressed on.

"Was I prettier yesterday, or am I prettier today?"

"...You’re pretty both days."

"Then do you like me more from yesterday, or do you like me more today?"

"...I like both."

Almost without thinking, the same answer slipped out, but Chen Sanxi immediately realized what he’d said, and his hand holding the umbrella trembled uncontrollably.

Unable to hold back, he finally looked up at Qin Banban, just in time to see her tilting her head and smiling at him, her eyes curved like crescents, bright as a clear spring, captivating enough to make one lose themselves.

The rain seemed to intensify, pattering loudly against the oil-paper umbrella, much like the drumming of his heart.

Before Chen Sanxi could speak, Qin Banban spoke again.

"Then it’s a coincidence. You like me, and I like you. Do you want to be together?"

With Qin Banban’s clear, pleasant voice in his ears, Chen Sanxi soon heard his own voice.

"Okay."

Chen Sanxi took a deep breath, his heart pounding, a surge of emotion flooding his chest, yet his mind remained clear and rational.

"Okay."

He said it again, his voice steady and resolute.

After speaking, he took out a palm-sized wooden box from within his robe and said to Qin Banban, "This is for you. I’ve been wanting to give it to you but never found the right moment."

Qin Banban raised an eyebrow and took it without hesitation, opening it right in front of Chen Sanxi.

It was a silver bracelet wrapped in red cloth, different from the common round or catfish-back styles—this one was a broad, square bracelet, fully engraved with patterns. A closer look revealed lovebirds and grapevines, and it had a satisfying heft.

Chen Sanxi added, "I looked for grape seedlings, but Lanzhou has been hit by heavy rain too, making saplings hard to find. I happened to see this bracelet engraved with grapevines in a silver shop and figured it was your style."

He mentioned only the grapevines, making no mention of the lovebirds also carved on the bracelet’s surface.

The design was unique and, being silver, was clearly valuable. Never mind the cost of the material—the craftsmanship alone must have cost a pretty penny. No wonder Chen Sanxi had said he "wanted to give it but hadn’t found the right opportunity." Such an expensive gift wasn’t meant to be given casually—it needed a proper occasion.

What girl doesn’t love beautiful jewelry, especially when it comes from her crush? Qin Banban grew fonder of it the longer she looked and slid it onto her wrist. She glanced at Chen Sanxi, suddenly stood on her toes and kissed his cheek, then turned and dashed home.

"I’m heading back first! Thank you for the bracelet!"

Chen Sanxi stood there stunned by the kiss, his eyes widening in surprise, and he nearly dropped the umbrella in his hand.

After a while, the voices of Cui Lanfang and Qin Banban echoed from the Qin family courtyard.

"Oh, you silly girl, where have you been running around in the rain?! Your makeup is smudged!"

"Ah? My—my makeup is smudged?! Then—do I still look good now?!"

...

Chen Sanxi couldn't suppress a laugh. He gently touched the cheek Qin Banban had kissed, then turned and walked out of the alley, umbrella in hand.