They have a dog.

The takeout service at Sushan Xiaoji is booming.

Soon, the service was no longer limited to Anyefang; several nearby markets also started offering delivery services.

The deliverymen, with blue cloths tied around their arms, shuttled through the streets and alleys, busy as bees, delivering box after box of pastries to customers.

From the lingering chill of early spring, it has now transitioned to the sweltering heat of midsummer.

The items at Sushan Market are all seasonal. Seeing that the weather in Qinzhou City is getting hotter day by day, Pei Qingwu has followed the season and added summer pastries to the store.

There's this era's ice cream, Crispy Mountain;

Ghee, made from milk or goat's milk, is heated and melted, then mixed with honey, cane sugar, and cherry juice for flavoring. The warm liquid ghee is then poured in layers and piled up on a plate to form a mountain shape. It is then placed in an ice chest to freeze and set. Before serving, it is decorated with colorful trees, small flowers, and other ornaments.

The finished product is milky white or pink, with a texture similar to modern solidified cream ice cream, smooth and delicate with a fine, crystalline feel.

It has a cool and mellow taste, a rich milky aroma, and a sweet and fruity flavor.

There is modern ice bread;

The specially made sweet and soft bread dough is cooled after baking and then quickly filled with a chilled filling, either a curd filling made of ghee, cheese and jam, or chilled diced fruit soaked in sugar syrup.

After being chilled in an icebox, the fluffy dough wraps around the cool interior. With one bite, the icy coolness and smoothness intertwine, instantly dispelling the heat.

There is an improved version of mochi;

Thin as a cicada's wing, smooth and soft glutinous rice skin wraps around a large spoonful of whipped chilled cheese or delicate red bean paste, with a crisp and sweet seasonal fruit hidden in the center, such as chilled peach or cantaloupe chunks.

Its round, white shape resembles a snowball, and its cool, soft texture melts in your mouth with a milky and fruity aroma, making it a rare refreshing treat in the summer.

With snacks available, drinks are naturally indispensable as well.

There is fragrant glutinous rice balls;

Take the heat-relieving herb Elsholtzia, boil it into a clear and sweet soup, filter it and chill it. Cook small and chewy glutinous rice balls and cool them down. Finally, sprinkle a little dried osmanthus flowers on top.

The soup has a cool and slightly spicy flavor from the herbs, and the meatballs are soft, chewy, and smooth. After finishing a bowl, a comfortable coolness spreads from your throat.

There's also almond shaved ice;

Ripe apricots are simmered into a thick apricot cream, strained to remove impurities, and then milk is added for flavor. Honey is added and allowed to cool and solidify into a smooth apricot cream, which is then spread on top of finely crushed ice.

The apricot yogurt is like floating snowflakes, with a sweet and sour, creamy texture and rich milky aroma. The ice shavings at the bottom make a rustling sound. When you scoop it up, you can see the distinct layers, and the sweet, sour, and refreshing taste is unforgettable.

These fresh summer snacks undoubtedly add another layer of assurance to the reputation of Su Shan Xiao Ji.

Pei Qingwu and his two apprentices were busy behind the desk every day, and Qian Tao was so eager to sell these things that she almost wore her lips out.

In the catering industry, you can't be lazy, and Pei Qingwu has always believed in honest business practices. Honest people are always extra busy in business.

So, one day, after finishing her busy work and closing the shop, when she took the unsold mochi to Nianci, she realized that she had overlooked something during this time.

Compared to when she first arrived at Sushan Market, Nianci is now much better taken care of. Her face has even gained a lot of weight and is round and chubby, not much different from the Snow Mochi in Pei Qingwu's hands.

She was sitting by the window, facing a dim lamplight, reading aloud from the "Songs of Chu".

Compared to the Book of Songs, the Songs of Chu is a bit more difficult to read. Nianci didn't have a teacher, so she read it with some difficulty, but she remained focused, her big, watery eyes filled with a thirst for knowledge.

Pei Qingwu couldn't help but stop in his tracks.

She thought of herself, her modern self.

After her parents divorced, her mother was unable to take care of herself for a period of time, so she had to leave her with her maternal grandmother in the countryside to help look after her.

Because her grandmother was old and had a strong bond with her grandparents, she couldn't control Pei Qingwu, so she didn't study properly and just played around all day.

The turning point came when Xiao Cui, the neighbor's older sister, got married.

In fact, she was only ten years older than Pei Qingwu, just turned 18, and not yet of legal marriage age, but that was in the countryside, and nobody cared about that.

Sister Xiaocui, sobbing, was forced into a cheap wedding dress, holding a bouquet of flowers, tears streaming down her face, as she walked toward the man who had given her parents 200,000 yuan.

Pei Qingwu stood there quietly watching, and suddenly felt very scared.

After Xiao Cui got into the wedding car, she turned and ran. She ran for an unknown amount of time before she bumped into the arms of the village primary school teacher.

She asked her teacher, "Do girls have to get married when they grow up?"

The teacher shook his head: "But it will be very difficult."

"Then... how can we make it easier?"

"Read books, read a lot of books, take control of your own life, and you won't be forced to get married."

From that day on, Pei Qingwu began to study hard, successfully entered university, passed the bar exam in her junior year, and then pursued a master's degree. If it weren't for that accident, she would have been able to find a job to support herself after graduation.

Nianci was a little more unfortunate than her, being born in ancient times. As a girl, she didn't have many choices in ancient times.

However, she can still study and has more choices.

Actually, when Pei Qingwu was teaching her to read "The Ballad of the Peasant Woman" that day, he was thinking of hiring a tutor for her, but he was so busy in the shop that he completely forgot about it.

"Nianci, Nianci, come here."

Thinking this, Pei Qingwu beckoned Nianci over.

"Sister Dongjia!" Seeing Pei Qingwu coming over, Nianci's eyes lit up. She carefully put away her books and ran over.

"Here you go, this is today's mochi."

Still a child at heart, Nianci was at the age where she loved desserts the most. She happily thanked him, took the dessert, and started eating.

Pei Qingwu waited quietly for her to finish eating, then bent down, ruffled her hair, and asked softly, "Little Nianci, is it difficult to read the 'Chu Ci'?"

"Yes, there are a lot of words I don't recognize."

"Then, sister, how about finding a tutor for Nianci to teach her to read?"

Nianci's eyes lit up even more: "Is...is it okay?"

“As long as Nianci is willing, sister must be able to.”

Hearing her promise, Nianci nodded firmly: "I'm willing! Sister, I want to study."

"Okay, I knew it, Nianci would definitely agree."

As he spoke, Pei Qingwu rubbed her face again.

Upon hearing this, Jinniang was somewhat worried: "Master, hiring a tutor can bring in a lot of tuition fees... We are already extremely grateful for your kindness in taking in our family, how can we let you do this..."

Pei Qingwu smiled and said, "It's alright. Our Nianci is an ambitious person. If she wants to study, I will hire a tutor. It's always good to read more books."

"Besides, Jinniang hasn't only caused trouble since she came to my place. We sleep in the beds you made and wear the clothes you washed. It's only right that we do something for your family."

Tears immediately welled up in Jinniang's eyes.

“There’s one more thing…” Pei Qingwu, seeing that Nianci had gone to sleep, looked at Shi Dayong, who was carrying Mingyi on his shoulder and coaxing him to sleep, in the courtyard outside with a mischievous smile.

Despite being a tall, burly, and rough man, he was exceptionally gentle when coaxing children.

"I wonder when our shop will have a happy event that has nothing to do with business."

Jinniang understood the implied meaning, her face immediately turning red, and she stammered, "Master, you always tease people..."

The next day, Pei Qingwu sent Shi Dayong out to inquire if there were any female teachers willing to teach students.

Let's leave that matter aside for now.

In the evening, the tranquility of the shop after closing time was broken by an uninvited guest.

The newcomer was none other than Saeed, the foreign merchant who had previously hyped up the price of cloves.

In just a short time, he seemed to have become a different person. His once neatly groomed beard was now slightly disheveled, and the brocade Hu-style robe that symbolized his status was wrinkled. Even the color of his turban seemed to have dimmed a bit.

He stood awkwardly at the door, hesitant to speak, completely devoid of his former shrewdness and arrogance.

“Master Pei…” Said’s voice was hoarse, filled with deep regret and embarrassment: “Please, please forgive Said for his previous offense.”

Pei Qingwu put down the ledger in his hand and looked up at him: "Boss Sai, what brings you here so late at night?"

“I… sigh!” Said sighed heavily, his shoulders slumped: “To be honest, my batch of lilacs… is about to rot in my hands.”

"I was dishonest before, I was manipulated by others..." He vaguely mentioned the name "Liang Jingshan": "Now I realize I've fallen into a trap, it's too late to regret! The spice market changes in an instant, that Liang..."

He paused again, looking at Pei Qingwu pleadingly: "I beg you, boss, for the sake of us being businessmen, could you please take that batch of cloves? You can decide on the price, just please don't let me lose everything and have to pay that damned storage fee!"

Said's voice was urgent, almost tearful.

Pei Qingwu remained silent for a moment.

While it was certainly despicable for Sayyid to hoard goods and speculate, seeing him in his current disheveled and miserable state, her anger dissipated.

Spices themselves are not at fault. If they can be acquired at a very low cost, it may be a good opportunity for Sushan Xiaoji to build up reserves in the long run.

She considered the amount of money in her mind and said, "Since you have been so frank, sir, I am not one to kick someone when they are down. I can accept the lilac, but as for the price... how about we set it at 30% of the market price that day?"

This is almost at cost price.

Disbelief flashed in Said's eyes.

He was heartbroken at the 30% price, but it was still a pleasant surprise compared to the loss of the product rotting in the warehouse.

After his lips trembled a few times, he bowed deeply: "My employer is kind and righteous! I will remember it forever!"

After agreeing on the details, Sayyid left with profuse thanks, promising to bring the cloves the next day.

Pei Qingwu watched his figure disappear into the twilight-shrouded streets, feeling little joy but rather a sense of solemnity.

Although Said did not explicitly state who he was referring to as being "instigated," it was self-evident.

Liang Jingshan's methods were indeed ruthless; he not only suppressed his opponents but also squeezed every last drop of value out of the pawns he had used.

Nianci wanted to study, which would strain her eyes, so she took Gu Heng to buy some cassia seeds, and then, to the sound of the evening drum, they went back together.

As dusk settles, the shadows cast by the walls of the neighborhood stretch long, and the daytime hustle and bustle fades away, leaving only the tranquility of returning home.

Pei Qingwu was still mentally processing Liang Jingshan's possible next moves, pondering how to retaliate against this venomous snake lurking in the shadows.

Just as I reached the end of a secluded alley, a very faint, intermittent sobbing sound was carried to my ears by the evening breeze.

The voice was as faint as a whisper, carrying the helplessness and desolation unique to young animals.

Pei Qingwu paused in his steps: "Aheng, did you hear me?"

Gu Heng listened intently: "Hmm, it sounds...like a puppy's voice?"

Following the sound, the two carefully searched behind the piles of abandoned bamboo baskets at the end of the alley.

After parting a few tattered reed mats, the sight before one's eyes was chilling—two furry puppies, no bigger than the palm of one's hand, were curled up next to the already stiff and cold corpse of their mother dog.

The mother dog had obvious injuries, indicating that she had died an accident.

The two puppies' eyes were not yet fully open. They were thin and bony, their fur covered in dust and filth. Driven by their survival instincts, they used all their strength to let out weak, almost inaudible whimpers. Their little heads were nuzzled against their mother's cold body, futilely searching for the warmth and milk that had long since disappeared.

"How pitiful!" Pei Qingwu's heart softened, and she quickly squatted down.

Gu Heng immediately stepped forward to help.

The two puppies felt the touch of a human hand and instinctively flinched in fear, but the warmth and gentle movements from the fingertips made them whimper even more pitifully.

“They must have been starving for a long time, and their mother must have been…” Gu Heng examined the mother dog’s wounds, his brows furrowed.

"We can't just leave it unattended."

Without hesitation, Pei Qingwu took off his outer robe and carefully wrapped the two cold, trembling little creatures in his arms.

Their bodies are so light they are almost weightless, and their faint breaths on the skin bring a slight itch and a deeper sense of pity.

Back in the shop's backyard, Qiantao and Yinlan were both surprised to see that they had brought back two barely breathing puppies.

Pei Qingwu didn't have time to explain and immediately ordered, "Yinlan, quickly, go heat up some goat milk, make sure it's warm. Qiantao, find two clean small dishes."

As she spoke, she hugged the puppies and gently stroked their cold little bodies, trying to transfer some warmth to them.

The warm goat milk was served quickly.

Pei Qingwu dipped her little fingertip in the water and brought it to the mouth of a small dog that was tightly closed.

Seemingly attracted by the scent of milk, the little one instinctively stuck out its pink tongue and eagerly began to lick.

The other one followed the scent and came closer, humming and squealing.

Watching them greedily and clumsily lick the goat milk from the small dish, their weak little bellies rising and falling slightly with each swallow, everyone's hearts finally settled down a little.

"Sister Dongjia, will they survive?" Nianci, who had come from the sound, squatted down beside her, her big eyes full of worry.

"Yes, they can. With our careful care, they will definitely survive."

"So... what are their names?" Nianci asked, looking at the two puppies.

One of them had yellowish fur with fluffy down like a ball; the other had a mix of gray and black fur with a slightly messy appearance.

Pei Qingwu watched the little guy wolfing down his food and said, "Let's call this fluffy yellow one 'Tuanzi' (Dumpling). And let's call this one next to it, with its messy fur, 'Mao Mao' (Hairy)."

"Tuanzi! Mao Mao!" Nianci called softly, reaching out to stroke their fluffy little heads.