Chapter 29 Oden: So fresh! So sweet! What a refreshing soup!

Just as Yao Ruyi was discussing business secrets with her "second uncle," in the small bedroom of the Lin Si Cao family in the alley, separated by bamboo planks and tarpaulins, Lin Weiming and Meng Boyuan were secretly flipping through a newly published erotic novel.

Amidst the ink and paper, a talented scholar and a beautiful woman fell in love, their passion blossoming like springtime. As they gazed at each other, their faces flushed and hearts pounding, the thin door was suddenly pulled open by a small stone:

"Brother, Mother wants you to go to the Yao family to deliver some food to your uncle."

Lin Weiming and Meng Boyuan were so frightened that their hearts nearly jumped out of their chests. They hurriedly tucked the storybook into their clothes.

Lin Weiming, his face flushed, retorted angrily, "Can't you even knock?"

Little Stone said matter-of-factly, "Why should I knock on my own door before entering my own room?"

The Lin family was large and their house was cramped. Lin Si Cao used bamboo planks to partition off several small rooms, barely big enough to turn around in. Even so, the family's children still had to share a room with two or three of them.

Before Xiao Shitou died, Lin Weiming originally shared a room with his second brother, Weicheng. Later, he said that he was about to take the imperial examination and needed to concentrate on his studies at this crucial time. Moreover, he was the oldest, and it was not appropriate for him to always share a room with his second brother. He should have his own room.

After much persuasion and countless declarations to his parents that he would definitely be admitted to the top tier of the college entrance examination next time, Lin Weiming finally managed to persuade them to provide him with a small room under the eaves. It was a makeshift shack made from scraps of wood such as planks and bamboo.

The room under the eaves was like an ice cave in winter and a steamer in summer. Rain dripped down and drafts came through the walls, but Lin Weiming was happy to have a private room.

Before we could even enjoy our joy for a year, our little stone was born!

After Little Stone was weaned and could crawl, his mother left him with the baby. She told him, as the older brother, to take care of the baby at night and that she would reinforce the porch so that he and Little Stone would live there from then on.

Although he is old, Little Stone is young!

“The little stones don’t take up much space, so it won’t be too crowded,” his mother said.

Lin Weiming takes care of the child at night and studies during the day. He doesn't even have a private room anymore, and he's so miserable he's about to cry.

So when Little Stone said that, Lin Weiming was speechless. But he had only read half of the storybook and was at a crucial point, which made him very eager to go out and run errands. He waved his hand and said, "You go for me. Just tell Mother that I am studying."

“Mother said that you and Fourth Brother Meng are always hanging out together and you’ll never be able to study. She’s sending you to deliver it!” Little Stone put his hands on his hips, looking very shrewd. “If you want to order me around, you’ll have to pay me!”

Lin Weiming was even angrier: "You're so young and you're already talking about money, how vulgar!"

"Then you go deliver it, I'm leaving."

"Hey, come back here. How much money do you want?" Lin Weiming angrily reached for the money pouch sewn into his belly. "Let me tell you, your older brother is also poor. He can only give you two coins at most."

Little Stone thought for a moment and reluctantly agreed: "Okay."

Lin Weiming slammed two copper coins into Xiao Shitou's palm: "Go away, go away, and close the door behind you. Don't come in again!" After shooing away his annoying younger brother, he hurriedly told Meng Boyuan, who was watching the two brothers bickering with suppressed laughter, to continue watching.

The two boys huddled under the covers, heads touching, mesmerized by the sight.

After closing the door, Little Stone weighed the copper coin in his hand, stood outside the door chuckling to himself, then happily darted into the kitchen and ran to find his mother: "Mother, where are the vegetables you asked me to deliver? I'll go right now!"

In the kitchen, Ying, heavily pregnant, lifted the lid of the steamer that was emitting billowing steam, picked out four or five large, round steamed buns filled with silver thread and tofu, put them in a basket, covered them with a fine gauze, and hung them on Xiao Shitou's arm: "Go on, say hello to your uncle."

Little Stone didn't move, but smiled and stretched out his hand: "Mother, here's the errand fee."

Ying glared at him: "You want a running fee for just a few steps!"

"It's so cold outside, Mother, you're the best, please give me two coins!"

As he spoke, Little Stone hugged Ying's waist, which had thickened considerably, pressed his cheek against his mother's belly, and whined sweetly, "Please, Mother, listen, even my little sister in my belly is speaking up for me."

Ying's baby was in the month when fetal movement was most active. As soon as Xiao Shitou pressed his face against her, the baby in her belly moved as if doing a somersault.

I really hope Little Stone's wish comes true, that it's a little sister. She's had enough of those awful men in her family!

Mrs. Ying sighed and reluctantly gave Little Stone two coins: "Go on, go on, I know you want to go to Ruyi's to buy some food. But there's one rule: you're not allowed to buy candy! If you eat candy again, your teeth will get cavities, and I won't be responsible!"

"Mother is the best!"

Little Stone took the two coins, still warm from his mother's embrace, jumped three feet high, slung his bamboo basket over his shoulder, and dashed out the door like a whirlwind.

The wind howled across his face, but he didn't feel cold at all; instead, he was grinning like an idiot. With the money he'd swindled from his older brother, he had four more coins! Time to buy peanut lion candy again!

He carried the basket and ran quickly towards the Yao family's house.

Just as he ran out the door, he saw Jasmine and Xiaosong walking in the alley, one on each side, holding a silk doll in between. As soon as he saw them, Xiaoshitou knew they were also going to the Yao family, so he quickly chased after them, calling out, "Jasmine! Xiaosong! Wait for me!"

Ever since the Yao family's general store opened, the happiest people have been the children, especially Jasmine. She has gained a lot of weight. The little girl who used to be small and thin like a bean sprout has finally become a normal child with chubby baby fat on her face.

Sister-in-law You was also helpless. She had never thought her cooking was bad; she always believed she was simply making choices between deliciousness and nutrition. Some things may not taste good, but they're good for your health.

However, this might just be wishful thinking on her part. She had been supplementing Jasmine's diet for so many years, but the more she supplemented, the thinner she became. On the contrary, it was Ruyi's diet, which she thought was too "heaty" or not good enough, that made Jasmine fat.

Xiao Song, needless to say, was always a big eater and chubby. Now she's eaten so much she looks like a real dumpling, with a particularly auspicious appearance. Ruyi's general store was closest to her home. She and her mother were staying at the Liu family's bookstore, which was diagonally opposite the Yao family's. Even if Ruyi hadn't opened her shop yet, as long as they had a fire burning and eggs were cooking, she could smell the aroma!

As soon as the Yao family opens their door, she's sure to be waiting there.

Sometimes she wouldn't buy eggs, sausages, or candy, but there were so many things to eat and browse in the shop! Every day she wanted to go in for a stroll, and once she entered the shop, she felt like she was glued inside. She didn't want to go home until her mother shouted at her.

Peanuts, melon seeds, pine nuts, almonds, dried plums, dried plums, dried peaches, dried meat... I want to eat this and try that, I want to eat everything.

Not only is there food, but there are also fun things to do!

She went there with Jasmine today because they had previously arranged with Sister Ruyi to have her buy some pretty silk dolls. Today, she was playing house at Jasmine's house, and after playing for a short while, she heard the carpenter's wife and the embroidery workers coming to the Yao family to deliver goods, so she quickly invited Jasmine to come and take a look.

Maybe a new doll has arrived!

Little Stone finally caught up with the two after panting for a while. They were indeed going to the Yao family's house, so they walked together.

The three little ones ran to the Yao family's house. They no longer bought things at the window. They skillfully lifted the thick cotton curtain hanging from the Yao family's courtyard gate, touched the big yellow dog squatting at the door to guard the house, and went inside. Then they turned into the small door under the right corridor.

Although the Yao family's shop had a large window, it was still darker inside than outside in winter. The three children, bundled up in the cold air, entered the shop. As the light gradually dimmed, it took them a while to adjust and rub their eyes to see clearly.

The three of them held hands and carefully navigated around the tall shelves before finally finding Sister Ruyi.

The shop also had a fire pit, making it warm and cozy, so there was no need to wear thick, heavy coats inside.

Sister Ruyi was wearing a plain, light-colored, quilted cotton-padded jacket with narrow sleeves, except for a few clusters of orchids embroidered on the cuffs and collar. She was standing by the counter, leaning over and speaking softly to a handsome man beside her.

The man sitting at the intersection of light and shadow leaned slightly forward. His profile was rendered extremely handsome by the cold winter light, and when his eyelashes drooped, several distinct shadows could be seen on his pale face.

Lin Wen'an lowered his eyes, flipping through the several thread-bound booklets in front of him, listening attentively to her words.

A soft light streamed in, carrying swirling, fine dust particles that settled between them, illuminating their profiles and hair. It was as if the entire shop was shrouded in darkness, yet they alone were bathed in this solitary slant of light, as if the clamor and noise outside were completely shut out.

Even though Little Stone and his two companions were just children who knew nothing, at this moment, for some reason, they felt as if all the world was silent except for the two of them.

Xiao Song couldn't resist any longer; she really wanted to see the doll! After struggling for a while, she poked her head out and softly called out, "Sister Ruyi," breaking the tranquil and beautiful atmosphere.

Yao Ruyi turned around and saw the three children who frequented the alley, staring at her expectantly. She immediately understood and smiled, "Are you here to see the silk dolls? They're in the usual spot. Come on over, there's a new dollhouse today!"

Xiaosong and Jasmine's eyes lit up instantly, and they left the small stone behind and ran towards the deepest part of the shop.

Little Stone hesitated for a moment, but thankfully he remembered that he had been paid to run errands, so he suppressed his curiosity and did not follow. He walked to the counter and gently placed the basket in his hand on the counter.

He tiptoed and peeked at Lin Wen'an, who was writing at his desk. He was young, and by the time he could remember, Lin Wen'an had already returned to his hometown. To Xiao Shitou, this uncle was not only someone he had never met, but also someone who rarely smiled, as if he were carved from an icicle under the eaves, cold and aloof. Especially when he didn't speak, he gave off a feeling of keeping people at arm's length.

Little Stone, afraid of disturbing him and getting scolded, quickly said in one breath, "Uncle, my mother steamed some buns and asked me to bring them to you. Here, I'll leave now." and ran off.

Lin Wen'an looked up and saw a chubby little boy dart between the shelves and slip away like an eel, leaving him bewildered for a moment.

...Is he really that scary?

Yao Ruyi chuckled to herself, but quickly took advantage of the quietness of the shop to continue instructing Lin Wen'an: "Second Uncle, write the basic meal here, leaving space for me to draw. Write the 'Three Scholars' meal over there, and the 'Top Scholar' meal over here..."

Xiaosong and Jasmine had reached the far corner of the shop, in front of the shelf that displayed all kinds of silk dolls, silk doll clothes, and dollhouses. The two of them were already amazed by what they saw!

The two of them weren't the only ones in front of the shelves; Dr. Jiang's granddaughter Jiang Tu, her cousin Guan Rongrong who came to visit the Meng family, and other children from the alley were also lingering in front of these shelves.

Sister Ruyi not only displayed Shenji's mermaid dolls in her shop, but also many other novel dolls that she had never seen before.

There are round-faced, big-headed dolls wearing fluffy hats with dog and cat ears. All of these dolls are made of plain cotton cloth, with big heads and small bodies. Their hair is messy and frizzy. But there are also dolls with their hair combed and braided. There are both girls and boys!

So cute! Each doll has big eyes and a round head. The cotton hands and feet are filled with wooden bones, so the hands and feet can be moved.

These dolls come in various sizes, some as small as the palm of your hand and others larger. The shelves next to them are filled with small clothes in all sorts of colors and styles, including doll headbands and plush flowers.

What excited Jasmine the most was that she actually saw the dollhouse!

It's a small wooden house with a hipped roof. If you lift the roof, you'll find halls, side rooms, small windows, tables and chairs that only little children can sit on, a stove, pots and pans, bowls and chopsticks. Everything inside can be moved. The small blankets on the bed can be unfolded, the curtains hanging on the windows can be rolled up, the carved lattice windows can be opened, and of course, every door can be opened.

The house was completely painted and varnished, even the tiles were carved with distinct pieces. It was so beautiful! Jasmine was mesmerized and reached out to touch it when she heard someone next to her say, "Just look and don't touch. You'll have to pay for it if it gets damaged."

Jasmine was startled and turned her head, only to find a person about the same height as Little Stone sitting in the corner looking after the dolls and the house. He had the body of a child but the face of an adult.

He looked a little scary... Jasmine silently withdrew her hand and snuggled up next to Xiaosong. The two continued to look, but no longer reached out.

There are now three dollhouses in the general store. One is filled with delicate pink and white embroidered curtains, quilts, pillows, and blankets. Another is blue and green, and the last one is pale yellow. Each dollhouse is different in size and layout, and the carpenter's name is engraved in the corner: Zhou Jumu.

It turned out to be carved by Zhou the carpenter. Jasmine and Xiaosong liked it even more. They had both bought wooden dog carvings by Zhou the carpenter from Sister Ruyi before. There was a wooden spring on the butt. If you turned it twice, the dog would run!

Xiao Song even recognized the embroidery on the bedding curtains and clothes of these little babies; it must have been sewn by Sister-in-law Cheng!

Sister-in-law Cheng was the best at embroidering peach blossoms. The peach blossoms she embroidered were so lifelike that even the stamens were incredibly realistic. On a single garment, each flower had a different orientation, some half-open and some fully open. One of her little skirts was made by Sister-in-law Cheng at her mother's request, and it featured peach blossoms just like that.

The thought of the doll wearing the same clothes as her made Xiaosong want it even more!

Jasmine and Xiaosong walked back and forth in front of the shelf, looking at it again and again, reluctant to put it down. They wanted to touch it but were afraid of breaking it. Now that they saw the price, they didn't dare to touch it even without Sancunding's advice.

They grew up in the alley of the Imperial College, where most children, regardless of gender, started learning to read at the age of three. Even though Jasmine and Xiaosong couldn't recognize the complex characters, they could still recognize the huge price tag in front of the dollhouse: "Complete set of doll furniture, 300 coins".

Three hundred coins! Xiaosong and Jasmine exchanged a glance, both seeing disappointment in each other's eyes. But they really liked it. The smaller the item, the harder it was to carve, and the craftsman must have put in a lot of effort to make it. It was already well worth the price.

The two women squatted there, unwilling to leave. They wished their little babies could live in such a small house, so they could have a bed to sleep in!

Little Stone wasn't interested in the silk dolls; his eyes were drawn to the wooden warrior sculptures displayed on the nearby shelf.

It was a lifelike wooden puppet of a general riding a tall white horse. The armor on his body could be put on and taken off. There was also a weapon rack next to the general, and he could change different weapons and armor in his hands. There were even chariots and warhorses of different colors next to him!

wrong!

Little Stone's eyes suddenly turned back, staring intently at General Da Ma. This white horse must be General Yue Teng's Xiaoshuang Steed!

I heard that General Yue Teng has a white dragon horse that is pure white except for a red mane on its forehead. It can travel a thousand miles a day. It has accompanied General Yue in his campaigns in the south and north for many years, defeating the Liao people, defeating the Jin army, and guarding Yanyun!

Where the thunderous sound of hooves echoes, the dust of the barbarians will surely be dispersed, and the land will be secure!

That's right, this general has a silver mace at his waist, a divine spear in his hand, and a giant bow on his back... Little Stone's eyes lit up at the sight. He was only slightly tempted at first, but after recognizing the warhorse and the weapons, his interest surged to twelve percent.

Who in the world doesn't know General Yue? In the hearts of the children of the Song Dynasty today, there are two famous heroes: General Yue Teng and General Xi Feijing. But if they could only choose one, it would be General Yue Teng! Without hesitation!

Little Stone was so moved by the shelf that he almost cried.

I really want it! But the warhorse and the general are sold separately, and the two together cost a lot of money. My mother definitely won't agree to buy them for him.

He could only stand there, fantasizing that he would one day be a great general protecting his country, invincible and fearless, charging into battle on a battlefield filled with yellow sand...

The three children reluctantly went home in the end.

Xiaosong and Moli only picked out a few little clothes for the dolls. The clothes only cost a dozen or so coins, and they had asked their mother for money to buy them today.

But Xiaosong didn't dare mention wanting to buy a dollhouse to her mother. Her mother said that her father had died, so she and her mother went back to her parents' home to live with her maternal uncle and aunt and help take care of the business at the bookstore.

But one time, her aunt let slip that her father was shameless and that when the whole family went to bring her and her mother back, they should have beaten up the whole family.

Xiaosong was too young then. She vaguely remembered that one year, her maternal grandparents, uncles, aunts, and uncles all came with kitchen knives, sticks, carrying poles, and door bolts. She thought it was an early New Year and was quite happy. But it turned out not to be.

So her mother often taught her to be frugal and diligent. Although her uncle and aunt treated them well, they had to be grateful and not be freeloaders.

After thinking it over, Xiaosong decided not to buy it.

Little Stone dared not do it again; his family had started eating vegetarian steamed buns with tofu filling, and he guessed that his mother was short of money again.

Only Jasmine, who had no siblings for the time being and whose family was willing to spend nine out of ten coins on her, had hope in her eyes. She was about to go back and pester her parents to bring her here to buy it!

Jasmine generously told her two friends, "If my mom really buys it for me, you two can both come to my house to play. We can play together."

Xiao Song immediately cheered and hugged Jasmine: "Jasmine, I love you the most! From now on, I'll share my delicious food with you first!"

Little Stone said pitifully, "Will your mother buy you a big horse general? Why don't you ask her to buy one too?"

Jasmine glanced at him silently: "I don't want General Da Ma."

Why?!

"dislike."

How could I not like it?

"I just don't like it."

Little Stone couldn't win against the two girls, so he went home dejectedly.

Back home, he opened the door to find his older brother Lin Weiming and Meng Boyuan already fast asleep in bed.

Meng Sige had been staying at his house for seven days, and no matter who came to persuade him, he refused to go home. In the end, Meng Sange and Meng's aunt had no choice but to secretly slip some money to their mother, asking her to take Meng Sige in for a while, hoping that he would come to his senses and go home on his own.

So now, in this small cubicle, three people are crammed onto one bed. Little Stone is often pushed off the bed by the two of them. Later, he got smarter and slept on the innermost side, but it didn't help much. He was still often pushed against the wall by his older brother.

The eldest brother and the fourth brother Meng were already sleeping soundly with drool at the corners of their mouths.

"What time is it? They're already asleep..." Little Stone shook his head and sighed, mimicking his father: "It's all over, it's all ruined!"

Then, without any hesitation, he stepped over his two older brothers who were sleeping soundly, and somewhat forlornly huddled in the small space between the bed and the wall.

As he lay down, he heard the clinking of coins in his pocket and realized he had four coins left. He had been so engrossed in watching General Ma that he had forgotten to buy candy.

But now he doesn't want to eat it anymore.

He will never buy candy again!

For the first time, Little Stone's mind, which was full of thoughts about food, had something else on it. He suddenly made a big decision in his heart: he would save up all the copper coins he could get from his older brothers and his parents, and one day he would buy the Great General Ma!

Little Stone's eyes blazed with a fierce fire, and with this lofty ideal in mind, he pulled the blanket over himself and closed his eyes.

Meanwhile, in the South Study Hall of the Imperial College, the row of study rooms where the students of the Ding-character study room lived was still bustling with activity.

The Imperial College's classrooms were large communal rooms with rows of heated brick beds built along the walls. Twelve people lived in each room, making it crowded and noisy.

Some sang loudly, some read aloud, and some suddenly lifted their classmates up and rammed them into pillars.

The students staying at Dinghao Academy today have just returned from home. Most of them are packing their clothes and making their beds, and some have brought a lot of food from home.

Lu Fang arrived late today and has just taken out some dry food and snacks that his parents had prepared for him from his bundle.

He heard a sound as the oil paper package was taken out, and suddenly many glowing green heads appeared behind and around him. Before he could react, he was pounced upon and overwhelmed by his fellow wolves.

"Let me see! What did Mom bring us this time? Toasted buns! Oh! And fried rice! Give me one, thank you Mom!"

When he came to his senses, all he had left was an empty, crumpled bundle.

"A bunch of bastards! They didn't leave me a single one!" Lu Fang was filled with grief and indignation, and he rushed over while yelling.

After the fight, the steamed buns were all gone, and the group of teenagers were hungry again, so they started drawing lots to see who would go out to buy something delicious:

"Whoever draws the shortest one should go to Yao Xiaoniangzi's shop and buy some instant soup noodles and roasted sausages. Oh, and a few eggs too, and a bag of dried plums to eat as well."

Soon, the unlucky one in the academy emerged. Lu Fang grabbed his hair and cried out indignantly, "Why is it me again!"

The others chuckled, hung a basket around his neck, and pushed him out the door: "Godfather, hurry back! Your children are crying for food and waiting for your return!"

He went out cursing, and the cold wind hit him in the face, chilling him to the bone. He had no choice but to grab his basket and hurry deeper into the alley.

Lanterns have been lit under the eaves of the Yao family's house.

The dim light illuminated the open space in front of the grocery store and two tables and chairs, where a few people were sitting and eating.

Lu Fang was wondering why anyone would be sitting outside a shop eating on such a cold day. The next moment, he was drawn in by a rich aroma of fresh soup that he had never tasted before.

What does this taste like?

As he thought this, he unconsciously quickened his pace.

Upon closer inspection, he found several students sitting around a table, each with a bowl of clear, steaming vegetarian soup in front of them. Lu Fang casually glanced at it and discovered that it contained a variety of ingredients: cabbage rolls, mushrooms, radishes, and fried tofu, and each person's bowl contained slightly different items.

Filled with curiosity, he decided to ask Yao Xiaoniangzi.

If there's any benefit to braving the cold wind to come out, it's to see Miss Yao!

The Imperial Academy was a Buddhist temple, so there were very few women there. Even those who were often seen outside were mostly burly, fierce-looking women. A woman like Miss Yao, with a bright smile and beautiful features, was truly a rare sight!

Lu Fang didn't have any improper thoughts about the other person; he simply felt a natural pleasure when he saw beautiful people and things.

"Young Lady Yao! Young Lady Yao..."

He grinned and excitedly peered out the window, only to be met with a pair of cold, narrow eyes.

Lu Fang's smile vanished.

The man, who had been sitting behind the counter writing something, slowly put down his pen and stood up when he saw someone walk to the window, asking, "What do you want?"

The man stood up, and Lu Fang realized how tall he was. He even had to tilt his head slightly to look at him.

Lu Fang was stunned for a moment, but quickly remembered the instructions of his roommates, so he dejectedly recited them one by one.

I thought the man would go into the courtyard to call Yao Xiaoniangzi out, but to my surprise, he just responded lightly, rolled up his sleeves, and started grilling sausages for me in a rather professional manner.

He can actually make roasted sausage?

After roasting, he took out the chicken eggs and weighed the dried plums from the pot, and then handed them over together. Just like Yao Xiaoniangzi, he had already calculated the bill in his mind while tying the hemp rope around the oil paper package. Without needing an abacus, he casually announced the price: "Ninety-eight coins."

Lu Fang was a little unconvinced, but after calculating in his mind for a long time, he realized that he hadn't made a mistake, so he took out his money and paid the bill.

He pursed his lips, muttering to himself: Isn't mental arithmetic Yao Xiaoniangzi's specialty? How come this guy who appeared out of nowhere knows it too?

After paying, as he was about to leave, he saw the students at the table again, drinking soup and eating vegetables. Seeing their satisfied expressions, he couldn't help but turn back and ask, "What are they eating?"

The man had already sat down again and picked up his pen to write, but when he came back, he replied casually, "Mixed vegetables."

"Is there any more? Give me a bowl." Lu Fang was somewhat displeased with his answer. If it were Madam Yao, she would have already said with a smile, "This is a mixed vegetable stew, would you like a bowl, sir?"

As a result, he was like a block of wood, only answering the same questions without knowing how to do business at all! Humph, where did Miss Yao go?

"Yes, here it is. Vegetable dishes like radishes, yams, tofu, and cabbage are two coins a skewer, chicken meatballs are four coins a skewer, and duck blood and mushrooms are three coins a serving. What would you like?"

The man seemed somewhat helpless as he put down his pen again, speaking coldly as he stood up and pointed to a deep nine-compartment pot in the corner of the counter, where a fragrant vegetarian soup was bubbling away, with various vegetables and meatballs skewered on bamboo sticks floating in the broth.

Lu Fang swallowed hard; it smelled so good.

The unfamiliar delicious food made him temporarily forget the cold, rude attitude of the man towards his guests, and he ordered with great interest:

"Two skewers of white radish, they look so soft and tender, they must be delicious. Two skewers of fried tofu, two skewers of meatballs, duck blood, you absolutely must have duck blood, two more skewers, and we can't forget the mushrooms... What's that? Gluten? Two skewers of that too!"

After silently scooping out each item, the man used clean chopsticks to remove all the skewers, piled all the food into a bowl, ladled two spoonfuls of soup into it, and then turned to him and said, "Thirty coins."

Lu Fang took the money, paid again, and sat down to drink. He glanced out the window at the courtyard, still disappointed, but he didn't see Yao Xiaoniangzi.

"What a terrible day! I haven't even seen Miss Yao." He sullenly picked an empty seat and sat down.

With a heavy heart, he first took a sip of the hot soup, and immediately his eyes widened in amazement. How delicious! How sweet! What a refreshing soup!

He had expected the clear soup to be bland, but it was surprisingly flavorful. The soup was smooth and not greasy at all, yet it didn't taste like it was just water with salt. It was so delicious that he drank several mouthfuls in a row and didn't want to stop.

After drinking a few sips of soup, he began to eat the radish and meatballs. Every dish was extremely flavorful. The radish was sweet, without a hard core, and tender and juicy. It was cooked to perfection. The radish was cut into large chunks so that it wouldn't fall apart if cooked for too long. It was a perfect balance of being both soft and tender.

The meatballs should be made of chicken or pork, and they must have been marinated before being shaped into balls. They have no fishy or gamey smell at all, only the delicious broth flavor and the meat's own savory aroma.

He finished both skewers of meatballs in one go.

Then the duck blood was absolutely amazing. It was incredibly smooth and tender. When you scooped a piece out with a spoon and put it in your mouth, it seemed to melt without you even having to chew it!

It's so delicious!

Lu Fang ate with gurgling sounds, immediately overturning his previous assessment of his fate: today, he had eaten the best soup of his life! He was the luckiest man ever!

After finishing every last drop of soup, Lu Fang let out a satisfied burp, feeling his body warmed by the hot soup. He put away the bowl and chopsticks and turned to hand them back to the window.

It was the same man, whose phoenix eyes, with their slightly upturned corners, seemed to reflect a deep, cold pool. He glanced at him and said, "Just leave it there."

Lu Fang put it down and was about to leave when he suddenly heard a clear, bright voice calling from deep within the shelves: "Second Uncle, I've finished taking inventory. Thank you for watching the shop for me..."

As night deepened, the shop's lights dimmed. Lu Fang turned around in surprise, only to see a wall—the man, seemingly unapproachable like frost and snow, stood up. Although he was somewhat thin, his tall frame completely blocked Lu Fang's view.

The man's cold expression softened as he turned around. When he saw the girl skipping and hopping towards him from inside, he reached out his hand and took two steps forward to greet her.

"It's alright, it's getting late and there aren't many customers, you don't need to rush."

Lu Fang, who was completely blocked, was speechless.

Isn't he human?

————————

Lin Wen'an rolled his eyes at others.

Lin Wen'an to Ruyi: [cat emoji]

My second uncle didn't do it on purpose; he might just have a grumpy face syndrome. [doge emoji]

Happy Labor Day!

Note from the author: The *Dongjing Menghualu* records stalls selling "moheluo" (magic dolls) in Panlou East Street of Bianjing (Kaifeng). "Moheluo" refers to clay or cloth dolls. The *Menglianglu* also describes them as having "clothes, bedding, hats, and shoes all made of velvet, decorated with gold beads," similar to modern Barbie dolls. In Lin'an (Kaifeng) during the Southern Song Dynasty, cloth shops at the entrance of Guanxiang Lane also sold "cloth dolls," often embroidered with auspicious words like "peace and good fortune," widely sold as children's toys. [Sprinkling flowers]