Chapter 424 Solving the Problem

Lin Yuesha paused, hesitated for a moment, then shook her head and said, "There are acquaintances, but not very close ones."

Is Lin Shusheng, his biological father, considered family? He has been living in seclusion in the capital for over a decade. If it weren't for his political enemies impeaching him, he probably would have long forgotten his wife and daughter in the north.

"Sister Liuya, are inns in the capital hard to find?"

Lin Yuesha knew very little about the capital. Yan Yan's family lived on the edge of the inner city. The Yan family, with about a hundred members, squeezed into a three-courtyard house. Before coming to the north, Yan Yan had always lived in the east and west wing rooms of the same courtyard with her cousin.

Lin Yuesha planned to find an inn to settle in after arriving in the capital, and then go to find her stepson. If Xiao Qi had not yet bought a courtyard house, she could take Liu Quan to look for one and ask around until she found something suitable.

"It would be better under normal circumstances, but this year, with all the scholars coming to the capital to take the imperial examinations, the quietest and better inns have already been booked."

Seeing that Lin Yuesha knew nothing about the capital, Liu Ya kindly said, "Miss Lin, our lady likes you very much. Perhaps I can pass on her message to her, and maybe she will be willing to lend a hand."

"We've only just met, isn't it too much trouble for Aunt Zhuang?"

After thinking it over, Lin Yuesha realized that she couldn't bring herself to ask for help. Otherwise, her whole family would be homeless if they couldn't find a place to stay in the capital.

Money makes the world go round, so she figured things shouldn't be this bad. But her father was ill, so it would be best to find a quiet inn suitable for his recuperation.

If Zhuang Shi is unwilling to help, then let it go; but if she is willing to help, Lin Yuesha will definitely thank Zhuang Shi properly.

"It's no trouble at all. You and your wife are just strangers who met by chance, yet you're willing to bring food to my wife."

Liu Ya cooked the white porridge, packed a few seafood pancakes, put the dried radish that Lin Yuesha had mixed in a small basket, and before leaving the kitchen, she turned around and said, "Miss Lin, you don't need to worry about this. Just wait for my good news."

Lin Yuesha's troubles were not worth mentioning to the Zhuang family.

"Miss, we may have met a benefactor."

Seeing Liu Ya leave, Bai Cha sighed, thinking that her young lady was really lucky to meet such a helpful person while staying at an inn.

After waiting for about half an hour, Qingxing came in with a large jar of fresh milk. She wiped the raindrops from her forehead and said, "It's raining again outside. A rainy night is good for a good night's sleep."

"Yes, a rainy night is good for sleeping. Let's have breakfast early tomorrow morning before continuing our journey."

The process of making butter shouldn't be seen by others, so Lin Yuesha took the milk back to her room. She booked a separate room for Qingxing and Qi'er so that the two of them could wash up properly.

When sleeping in the wilderness, the most troublesome thing is taking a bath; you can only wash up hastily in the compartment of the carriage.

The rain started suddenly, and the sky suddenly turned pitch black.

Bai Cha carried an oil lamp, while Lin Yuesha carried the separated butter downstairs and headed straight for the inn's kitchen.

Longjing kept watch in the carriage in the backyard, leaving only Baicha to keep her company while she made desserts.

This time there was more butter than usual, so Lin Yuesha planned to make three kinds of cookies: hazelnut cookies, walnut cookies, and almond cookies, and send them to the Zhuang family respectively.

The pastries had just been baked, Bai Cha was controlling the heat, and Liu Ya went downstairs again.

"Miss Lin, you've made desserts again."

Liu Ya looked at Lin Yuesha's small oven. She was also good at making pastries, mostly steamed ones. Every time she baked pastries, she couldn't control the heat well and they would burn immediately.

"Yes, we're making three kinds this time."

Lin Yuesha washed her hands with water and asked Liu Ya, "The snacks will be ready in about fifteen minutes. Has Aunt Zhuang gone to rest yet?"

"Miss Lin, this servant was just about to tell you."

Liu Ya put down the basket and fetched water to wash the bowls and chopsticks that Zhuang Shi had used; they were already empty.

"My wife raved about the seafood pancakes and dried radish you made. Now that she's eaten and drunk her fill, she's suddenly tired and has gone to bed."

Lady Zhuang had been suffering from insomnia for several nights and was in poor condition. The maids had also been staying up late. Now that Lady Zhuang had fallen asleep, Liu Ya breathed a sigh of relief.

“Miss Lin, I mentioned to Madam that you couldn’t find a suitable house in the capital. Madam said that if you don’t mind, you can stay in the courtyard that she gave you as part of her dowry.”

The Zhuang family had a three-courtyard house in the inner city as part of their dowry, which remained vacant.

The three-courtyard house in the inner city is still vacant. It would be difficult for others to rent or buy it. Lin Yuesha got such a good deal?

“Miss Lin, you don’t need to worry. The lady’s dowry house is only managed by an elderly couple. If you move in, you will only need to do some tidying up.”

Zhuang Shi found Lin Yuesha pleasing to the eye, and for her, this was just a small favor. If Lin Yuesha felt bad about it, she could occasionally make some snacks and send them over, which would be considered as payment for renting the house.

"Although we are all going to the capital, our itineraries are different. My wife has sent a message back to you, so you can go directly there after you arrive in the capital."

Liu Ya chatted with Lin Yuesha for a while longer. It was too late today, so Lin Yuesha baked some pastries and left some to send over tomorrow.

"Sister Liuya, please thank Aunt Zhuang for me. She can name whatever she likes to eat."

Lin Yuesha took the note and carefully placed it in her purse.

She and Liu Ya had inquired and found that the inns in the city were basically full. The remaining lower-class rooms were swarming with flies and mosquitoes and were dark, making them unsuitable for her seriously ill father.

Another way is to go to the capital and squeeze into the homes of ordinary people. However, most ordinary people live in the outer city, and you need to take a carriage to get into the inner city.

Father Xiao Chenggui is seriously ill and cannot travel back and forth. If we live in the inner city, we can offer him some benefits so that a doctor can come to our home to treat him. This would not only save time but also save Father from the trouble of traveling.

Zhuang's help was not a small favor, but a timely one, and Lin Yuesha was filled with gratitude towards Zhuang.

The pastries were taken out of the oven, and the aroma dissipated once again.

Smelling the aroma, Yan Yan ran to the kitchen again, wanting to try the almond and walnut cookies.

Lin Yuesha's walnut pastries are different from those of century-old brands in Beijing. They are small, one bite at a time, and each bite is crispy, fragrant, and soft, leaving a lingering aroma on the lips and teeth.

"Sister Yan, did you enjoy the taste this time?"

Lin Yuesha teased Doctor Yan, telling her to stop using such lame excuses and that she wasn't putting her heart into it.

"I had already tasted it, but your interruption made me forget what the almond shortbread tastes like. I want to have another piece."

After saying that, Yan Yan started working on the almond cookies on the plate again.

Lin Yuesha, who had made the most, watched Yan Yan eat one bite after another with a smile, and couldn't help but remind her, "Leave a few pieces for Doctor Liao."

"He is a man, and men don't like to eat snacks; snacks are for women."

After Yan Yan finished speaking, she reached out her devilish claws again.

Lin Yuesha was helpless; that's just how foodies are—protective of their food. Luckily, she acted quickly, reserving some for others beforehand. Yan Yan's stomach was a bottomless pit when faced with delicious food.

"By the way, Sister Yan, you're familiar with the capital, can you help me figure out where this is?"

Lin Yuesha handed the note Liu Ya gave her to Doctor Yan. It would be better if it were closer to the Yan family, so that it would be convenient to ask Doctor Yan's uncle to see her.