She just wanted to finish shopping and leave quickly, so she rattled off everything she wanted to buy on the way: "Three bars of soap, lamp wick and oil, candlesticks and candles, tinderbox..."

Shui Qing would announce each item, and the shop assistant would respond loudly, then announce the price and take the goods.

Once he had gathered everything he wanted, Fan Jin stacked the items layer by layer in the basket on his back.

Shuiqing took out her silver to pay the bill, and the five children also chose what they wanted to buy. After each paying their own money, the family left together.

At the other counter, a woman with a wooden hairpin in her hair stared blankly at the departing tall and slender figure, lost in thought.

The shop assistant watched the family leave and smacked his lips, sighing, "That was definitely a big deal."

The shop assistant glanced at the woman in front of the counter and said meaningfully, "What's remarkable is that after his wife rattled off a series of questions, her husband remained all smiles and didn't even frown once."

He saw it all clearly from the side.

Unlike the woman in front of him, who always came to pick and choose, and whose life was even more miserable if she brought her husband, the scholar-looking man not only said that his wife was extravagant and wasteful, but also that the things in the shop were robbery, and finally said that the shop assistants were heartless.

In short, nothing was good in his eyes.

Finally, he picked and chose the items the woman had selected, removing several items and keeping only one or two before reluctantly paying the bill.

"Hey, even his wife manages the money. I just peeked at it, and her purse is bulging!"

"Didn't you see? Not only is the wife in charge of the household, but the children also each have their own money pouches. It's one thing for the son, but what's rare is that the two daughters also have money pouches!"

"When I was paying just now, I noticed it with my sharp eyes; when I took out the copper coins, the edge of the silver coin accidentally peeked out."

"The daughter has money to spend; this family is truly rare."

Standing before the stage in simple clothes and a plain hairpin, Qin Wanyue's eyes were dim, lost in thought. If only she had married her senior brother instead of Zheng Pingsheng...

After leaving the general store, Shuiqing went straight to a grand two-story restaurant.

Even the food-loving Fan He couldn't help but tug at his mother's sleeve and whisper, "Mother, we can just have a bowl of wontons and a sesame seed cake by the roadside."

They left in a hurry, and Mother didn't prepare any food. But the wontons were delicious with meat and soup. How much would it cost to go to a restaurant?

"Big steamed buns are delicious too! Mother, how about we eat big steamed buns?" The other children also sensibly suggested.

Fan Jin understood Shui Qing's meaning. Holding his children's hands, he said gently, "It's alright. Your father and mother have brought enough money. Let's try it today and see which is better, the food at the grand restaurant in the prefectural city or your mother's cooking."

Wu Xiao thought that her mother's cooking was incredibly delicious, but the food in restaurants must be even better, right?

Otherwise, who would spend money to eat there?

My mother's cooking is already very delicious; if something were even better, how delicious would it have to be...?

While the five children were still in a daze, they were led inside.

Entering the bustling restaurant, the five children were greeted by the waiter and led to the second floor. They were given a seat by the railing, but it still felt unreal.

There's even a two-story house?

And when they stand by the railing, they can only see the tops of the pedestrians on the road. Is this what it feels like to stand on the city wall?

The five little ones stood by the railing, feeling a little scared, but mostly excited and happy!

Shui Qing, sitting at the table, ordered braised pork, stir-fried young chicken, scrambled eggs with shrimp, stir-fried bok choy, and two of the restaurant's signature dishes, all of which she had made at home.

While waiting for the food, a sudden, greasy sound rang out from nowhere:

"Hey, isn't this our Brother Fan who's always failed the imperial examinations? What brings you to a restaurant today?"

"Haha, Brother Pingsheng, your junior brother is already a Xiucai (a successful candidate in the imperial examinations), while Brother Fan, your senior brother, is still a Tongsheng (a student who has passed the lowest level of the imperial examinations). If it were me, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to eat even the most exquisite delicacies."

"Delicious delicacies? We'd be lucky to get a meat dish. Brother Fan, it's much more affordable to have a meat bun by the roadside with your wife and children. Why bother coming to Shan Hai Lou!"