Chapter 31 Grandma Chen saw Su Zhihan holding...

When Grandma Chen saw Su Zhihan holding the earthenware pot, she stepped forward to greet her and stretched out her hands to take it, saying, "Madam Su, let me help you carry it."

After getting her hands on it, Grandma Chen noticed that the earthenware pot wasn't very heavy, and she could hear the soup hitting the sides of the pot as she walked around, so it must have been a pot of soup.

Why did Madam Su bring over a pot of soup?

Grandma Chen was curious, but before she could ask, she caught a strange smell that she couldn't quite describe.

The smell was initially faint, but gradually intensified, enveloping Grandma Chen from head to toe, causing her to hold her breath and instinctively freeze in place. She quickly discovered the source of the smell, her gaze towards the earthenware pot unusually strange.

"Grandma, let me help you carry this." Xiao Hong thought the things were heavy and hurriedly stepped forward to help.

She only took two steps closer, and facing the smell directly, she realized something was wrong. Little Red pinched her nose: "Hmm? Grandma, what's that smell on you...?"

"It's the taste from this pot," Grandma Chen replied, then hurried inside. She walked incredibly fast, as if someone was chasing after her.

Grandma Chen placed the pot on the stone table, then quickly took a few steps back, breathing heavily for a while before she felt herself recover: "Madam Su, what's in this pot? The smell, the smell..."

Grandma Chen hesitated for a long time, racking her brains, and finally said hesitantly, "It really is a bit, a bit strange."

"This is the brine used to make stinky tofu."

"The brine for making... stinky tofu?" Grandma Chen repeated, certain that she had never heard of such a dish in her life.

Is this also food served in the Marquis's residence?

Good heavens! The noble masters in the Marquis's mansion have such unusual tastes?!

Grandma Chen felt a sense of awe, her gaze lingering on the pot. Seeing her confusion, Su Zhihan didn't explain immediately, but instead kept her in suspense: "I'll explain in detail later."

Then she asked Xiaohong, "Did you buy the tofu?"

"I bought it, I bought it." Xiao Hong nodded repeatedly upon hearing this and went back into the house to fetch a basket of tofu.

Just like yesterday in the main kitchen, Su Zhihan first cut the tofu into even rectangular pieces, and then soaked them all in the braising liquid.

After she put the pot lid on, she turned around to talk to Grandma Chen and Xiao Hong, only to see that the two of them had already retreated several steps and hid at the door, looking at her with a mixture of fear and apprehension.

Su Zhihan was both annoyed and amused. Just as she was about to explain, someone knocked on the door: "Is Aunt Chen home?"

"Coming, coming." Grandma Chen thought it was a neighbor who had caught wind of something and came looking for trouble. Feeling guilty, she tried her best to maintain a cold expression, intending to retort before the other party could speak.

When Grandma Chen opened the door, she was stunned. Standing before her was none other than the broker who had introduced Xiao Hong to the job: "Oh, Uncle Wei? What brings you here?"

Wei Yaren smiled and said, "Hello, Aunt Chen. It was Madam Su who sent me here."

Grandma Chen responded blankly, hurriedly stepping aside to let the broker into the courtyard. She closed the door and watched the broker's retreating figure, feeling quite confused, wondering why Madam Su had invited the broker.

Surely... he doesn't dislike Xiaohong?

Grandma Chen was filled with unease, having almost forgotten about the strange-smelling brine. She followed the broker to Su Zhihan, and after listening for a while, she realized that Su Zhihan had invited the broker to re-sign a contract with them.

? ? ? ? ?

Why do we need to sign a new contract all of a sudden? Grandma Chen and Xiao Hong were both completely bewildered, their faces full of confusion.

Having understood Su Zhihan's words, Wei Yaren, who was writing the contract, glanced at the two of them and sighed inwardly at Grandma Chen and Xiao Hong's good fortune.

Such a generous host is truly a rare sight.

After drafting the contract, the broker carefully explained the situation to Grandma Chen and Xiao Hong, making sure they knew how lucky they had been: "Grandma Chen, Xiao Hong, let me tell you..."

As Grandma Chen listened, she was stunned. It turned out that Su Zhihan had asked the broker to rewrite the contract, not to change the recipe or anything else, but to require the grandmother and granddaughter to keep the recipes for braised tofu and stinky tofu strictly confidential for the next two years.

In contrast, two years later, Su Zhihan will teach the two recipes to Grandma Chen and Xiao Hong free of charge, so that they can run the business on their own.

"Aunt Chen, Sister Hong, your luck is incredible..."

"They're really amazing!" Wei Yaren gave the two a thumbs up and couldn't help but exclaim.

You should know that before this, a shop came to him, wanting him to help contact Madam Su and ask if she was willing to sell the recipe.

These recipes are closely guarded secrets of the shop.

Ordinary families like Aunt Chen and Sister Hong could open a foot-selling shop with the recipe and have a stable income. After a few years, although they might not become rich, their lives would certainly be much more comfortable.

Grandma Chen was stunned. It took her a while to come to her senses. She waved her hands repeatedly and said, "No, no, no!"

So, Madam Su is actually planning to give us the recipe for braised tofu? Grandma Chen, ignoring the existence of stinky tofu, was filled with disbelief.

She had been helping Xiao Hong sell braised tofu for quite some time, and knew that this product was very profitable. In addition, Su Niangzi treated her Xiao Hong better than her competitors.

The girl who applied for a job at the brokerage firm at the same time was not chosen by Lady Su and even made a few jealous remarks. Later, Grandma Chen found out that she was working odd jobs at a brokerage firm. Although the time was supposed to be flexible, she was never free from morning to night and was always picky and would find all sorts of mistakes to deduct money from her pay.

Later, neighbors and distant relatives came to inquire about their business, and some even encouraged them to steal the recipe and make it themselves. But Grandma Chen ignored them all and told Xiao Hong to stay away from those people. She and her granddaughter would rather be poor than not have any integrity and not do anything despicable that would bring shame to their ancestors.

After doing too many despicable things, one's mind becomes cynical and prone to wrongdoing. Even if one realizes later that something is wrong, there is no turning back, and one can only continue down that path to the end.

Grandma Chen hurried over to Su Zhihan and pressed her hand down on the contract: "Miss Su, you mustn't! You've already done our family a great favor by hiring Xiaohong to help with chores, and keeping your word is something we should do... Why, why rewrite the contract?"

Wei Yaren listened and nodded repeatedly. He recalled the first time Su Zhihan came, she was accompanied by an older woman: "Why don't you discuss it with your family before making a decision?"

Su Zhihan smiled and said, "This is what we agreed on - Grandma Chen. I was thinking that since I'm now working as a cook in the mansion, I probably won't have much time to go out in the future, so I thought I'd teach you how to cook."

"If you're not willing..."

"No, no, no... Of course we're willing." Grandma Chen said subconsciously, but then felt that Su Zhihan was offering too much, and hesitated for a moment.

Seeing this, Su Zhihan patiently waited for Grandma Chen to think it over.

Grandma Chen felt she had been taken advantage of, but Su Zhihan didn't. You see, she only used the recipe for braised tofu in a quick way to save up some money in the short term. It was far from enough to earn enough to redeem herself from her bondage.

After she and her mother redeemed themselves and left the mansion, Su Zhihan planned to open a restaurant. Even if she needed to use braised tofu, she would readjust the recipe, and the taste would definitely be better than what she was using now.

As for stinky tofu, it was a last resort.

The brine for making stinky tofu requires a long fermentation process and has a strong flavor, so it's impossible to make it in the servants' yard.

If Su Zhihan wanted to start a business, she would have to find another place. However, renting a kitchen or another house in the capital would be difficult. Not to mention whether the landlord would be willing to accept food with such a strong smell, the rent for the room and kitchen equipment would be a considerable sum.

Furthermore, Su Zhihan has to work at the Marquis's residence every day and can't go there often. The price of male and female servants is also high, so the cost is too high and it's not worth it.

Even though Su Zhihan already had a considerable amount of money, she didn't want to waste it on this. Rather than renting houses or buying male and female servants to start a business, she set her sights on Xiao Hong, who was both good-natured and capable, and who also owned two houses and a small courtyard in the capital.

Since Su Zhihan was still relying on the Marquis's mansion's reputation, she couldn't very well suggest renting Xiao Hong's house. After much thought, she came up with this method to tie the two families together, and the recipes for braised tofu and stinky tofu were the price for a two-year lease.

Grandma Chen thought it over and over, but still felt it was too much. She muttered, "I've never heard of anything like this before..."

"So you've heard about it today."

"Oh...oh dear, Madam Su." Grandma Chen was pacing anxiously, wanting to refuse but not knowing how, and fearing that Su Zhihan would really go to find someone else, she would truly be devastated: "That's not what you said..."

"Oh, this matter, this matter."

"How can I put it... this is not how you do things, is it?" Grandma Chen pulled Wei Yaren aside and asked him to act as a mediator so that they could reason with Su Zhihan.

Xiao Hong listened to the adults' conversation, confused. She only heard that if she worked for Su Niangzi for two years, Su Niangzi would be willing to teach her the recipe. She vaguely remembered the carpenter's shop on the street, where the apprentices were taught in the same way.

Xiao Hong thought for a moment and said, "Master!"

In an instant, the courtyard fell silent. Not only did Grandma Chen and Wei Yaren look at Xiao Hong, but even Su Zhihan looked at her in surprise: "...Huh?"

"Yes, yes!" Grandma Chen exclaimed as if waking from a dream, overjoyed. She had always wanted her granddaughter to get closer to Lady Su, so that she could work in the Marquis's mansion in the future.

Isn't becoming an apprentice the best choice?

The master-disciple relationship is now as strong as that between father and daughter, mother and son. Once a formal master-disciple relationship is established, it is not only recognized by the government but also accepted by the people and society. If a disciple insults his master, he will be despised by the world and may even be driven out by his clan and neighbors.

"Why don't we let Xiaohong become your apprentice?"

"Xiao Hong is only two years younger than me, how can she be my apprentice?" Su Zhihan repeatedly declined.

"I've also heard the saying 'Those who have attained enlightenment are teachers,'" Grandma Chen said bluntly, shamelessly.

She didn't think she was wrong. Most young women of Su Niangzi's age were either ignorant like her own granddaughters or doing odd jobs and learning skills. How could she be a cook in the Marquis's mansion, earning so much money just by casually taking out a recipe?

Before Su Zhihan could refuse again, Grandma Chen reached out and nudged Xiao Hong. Xiao Hong, usually clumsy, was unusually clever at this moment. She knelt down decisively and kowtowed three times to Su Zhihan.

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Author's Note: Starting tomorrow, chapter 18 will be available for purchase only. Those who have already read it, please don't repurchase it! =3=