Today, Tian Sangui and Zhang are going to the county to check on the progress of the restaurant's renovation.

The mother and daughter dressed up a little and drove the donkey cart into town.

Zhang was not as fast as Tian Laosi in driving the cart, and they did not arrive at the county town gate until noon.

The city no longer holds festivals, and it's not as crowded as it was on Peach Blossom Festival. There are also no soldiers standing guard and searching at the gates.

No one cared about the donkey carts coming and going anymore.

Zhang drove the donkey cart all the way to the entrance of the restaurant.

The plaque was now hanging on the eaves, completely covered with red cloth.

The gate was wide open, and inside, craftsmen were working hard. When the foreman saw his client enter, he hurriedly greeted him with a smile.

"Miss Dong, Madam Dong, it must be tiring for you two to travel in this sweltering heat. The backyard has been completed for several days now, just as you instructed, Miss. Would you please come in and take a look?"

"Alright, lead the way!"

"Why!"

The foreman had a short, handlebar mustache; with every laugh and word, his mustache would wiggle, giving him a comical face.

Upon arriving in the backyard, a jujube tree stands in the center, its shade perfectly covering the yard. Only when the leaves sway can slivers of sunlight peek out onto the ground.

Compared to the sun-drenched courtyard, this place is much cooler.

Tian Sangui cleaned out the furniture that Fatty used to live in, and the interior of the house was also renovated according to his own requirements.

Several more white stone beaded curtains and screens were added, and the pavilion opened to three rooms.

The east and west rooms served as rest areas and studies, while the middle room was used as a main hall for entertaining guests and for resting.

The other rooms will remain as they were, and the restaurant will open for business on the first day of June.

Renovation of the guest rooms began in July, and it officially became an inn and restaurant in August.

Tian Sangui looked around and saw that everything was done to her liking. Although the furniture was not as luxurious as the fat man's previous furniture, it was all new and comfortable to use.

The county town is too far from Tianjia Village, and the way back is inconvenient. Since we will be staying here often in the future, we must make sure to renovate it to make it comfortable.

"Good, how much longer until the front building is completed?"

"Ahead, there are a few more roof sections that are being polished. It should be ready for completion in about ten days!"

"Hmm, not bad. From now on, I'll give you all the work here!"

The contractor immediately beamed, bowed and nodded, and repeatedly praised Tian Sangui.

"Thank you so much for taking care of me, Miss. I will definitely do my job well in the future and will never let you down!"

"Go ahead and do your thing, my mother and I will rest in the backyard!"

"Yes, sir, I'll take my leave!"

Tian Sangui and Zhang looked around the courtyard.

There was a small back door with two openings. Tian Sangui took out the copper keys from his waist and searched through them one by one. Finally, he used a small key to open the copper lock.

Stepping out of the doorway, you'll find yourself in a quiet, deep alley, wide enough for four people to pass through, convenient for shop owners to use their delivery trucks.

"Mom, let's go out to eat!"

"good!"

The mother and daughter locked the door and walked hand in hand through the deep alley.

There weren't many pedestrians on the main street, probably because it was hot at midday.

The stalls were gradually packed up and people went home.

"Iced plum soup, please!"

At the stall in front, an elderly woman wearing a floral headscarf sat behind a small table, calling out her wares to passersby.

Upon hearing the words "iced," Tian Sangui was overjoyed and dragged Zhang Shi into the shed.

"Young lady, how about a bowl of plum soup to cool you down in the summer heat?"

With an aged voice and a friendly expression, he recommended it to Tian Sangui.

"Okay, give me two bowls, iced!"

"Hey, sit at the table, I'll bring it to you in a bit!"

Zhang looked at Tian Sangui with displeasure: "Why spend this money? I'm not thirsty, you can drink it!"

"Oh, Mom, you've come out for a while, so eat and drink as you please. Can you handle this heat? Can your body take it?"

"It's just a cup of plum juice, it won't cost much!"

After being persuaded by her daughter, Zhang had no choice but to reluctantly agree.

When the plum soup was served, it was dark and looked like Chinese medicine, with two small green leaves on top.

Tian Sangui picked it up, and his palms immediately felt a slight coolness.

She took a small bite, and the sourness of the plum assaulted both sides of her mouth. After a slight discomfort, it was replaced by sweetness.

The so-called "iced" drink is made by drawing cold water from a well and then adding plum soup to the cold water to chill it. When guests come to drink it, a refreshing coolness washes over them, instantly dispelling the midday heat.

"What? It's just plum juice squeezed from plums. Add some boiling water and let it cool naturally. After it cools down, add some white sugar for the guests, and it becomes plum soup!"

Zhang took a bite and immediately knew how to make it, her eyes showing disdain.

Tian Sangui listened attentively. This soup was easy to make, but the taste... wasn't quite ideal.

Although it is made from pure natural fruit pulp, adding boiling water ruins the original sweetness of the fruit, making it bitter and unpalatable. I had to add white sugar to taste a little sweetness.

It seems her beverage will also be launched successfully.

Tian Sangui was happy, and he didn't find the plum soup hard to eat. He gave the old woman three coins and then told her that the two of them were going to a restaurant to eat.

"What would you two like to eat?"

"Our shop has some new chilled hawthorn berries and our signature dish, cedar and egg soup. Would you two like to try them?"

The waiter courteously led Tian Sangui and Zhang Shi into the shop and seated them, all the while introducing the shop's delicacies with a smile on his face.

"Nothing else, just some simple dishes, enough to fill our stomachs!"

Fearing that Tian Sangui would squander money again, Zhang instructed the waiter in advance.

"Alright, here are two dishes for you, one meat and one vegetable, plus a side dish of appetizers. What do you think, Madam?"

"Okay, let's serve the food!"

As long as I can eat my fill, I don't care about any kind of food.

The main reason is to save some money.

Tian Sangui listened from the side, only smiling and saying nothing. That was just Zhang's personality; if you couldn't persuade her, just let her be.

Just then, a beggar girl entered through the door. She was dressed in tattered rags, carrying a stick in one hand and a broken bowl in the other, and she staggered into the shop.

They would pitifully wail to anyone they met: "Please have mercy on me, give me some food, thank you, sir, thank you, aunt."

The guest, seeing that she smelled bad, quickly frowned, covered his nose, and waved her away.

The girl tried to get down the mountain, but no one gave her a single copper coin or a piece of food.

Finally, she fixed her gaze on Zhang Shi and Tian Sangui. With a soft thud, she knelt down at Zhang Shi's feet, wanting to touch Zhang Shi's shoes with both hands, but afraid that her hands would get dirty and stain the nobleman's clothes.

Her kneeling startled Zhang, who immediately stood up, and Tian Sangui quickly helped her up as she lost her footing.

Upon seeing this, the girl quickly knelt down and took two steps forward, looking pitifully at Zhang Shi and Tian Sangui with tearful eyes: "Madam, please have mercy! I haven't eaten for days. Please give me a bite, just one bite will do. My younger brother is still waiting for his life to be saved at the temple..."

When Zhang heard that she had a younger brother, her heart immediately softened. She didn't mind that she was dirty and helped her up.

"Child, stand up and speak. How is your younger brother doing now?"

Thinking about this, Zhang couldn't help but recall her own and San Gui's experiences.

When a mother hears that something has happened to her child, she cannot bear to be in any distress.

"My brother and I have lost count of how many days we haven't eaten. He's still unconscious in this dilapidated temple. Madam, please, give us something to eat!"

After saying that, he knelt on the ground again and begged Zhang.

"San Gui, look..."

Tian Sangui knew that Zhang's heart had been moved by this girl.

"Our food hasn't arrived yet. Here's five coins, go buy some steamed buns to save your brother!"