Chapter 13 Iced Plum Juice

Everyone was exhausted after a long day and starving. When the crucian carp and tofu soup was served, everyone's stomachs rumbled.

When Lin saw the crucian carp and tofu soup, she thought of her eldest daughter who had gotten married. She turned to her mother-in-law and said, "Mother, I want to find some time to visit Wangchun. Her pregnancy is progressing, and I'm afraid there might be something she doesn't understand."

“We really should go and see her. Wangchun doesn’t have a mother-in-law, and how would her father-in-law know about women’s affairs?” Zhang thought of Lin Wangchun, who had never spoken much since childhood, and felt a little worried.

Lin was an impatient person, and now that it was mentioned, she decided to go tomorrow. "Then I'll pack up and go tomorrow."

Qiao Mianmian's impression of her third sister was that she was quiet and didn't talk much.

After dinner, Qiao Mianmian was making braised meat in the kitchen when she called her mother in. "Mom, take this braised meat and some braised pork offal with you. Don't be stingy with the money, buy some cloth for Third Sister. She lives in the village, so it must be inconvenient for her to buy cloth."

"You're the only one who dotes on your sister, but I don't care about her, huh?" Madam Lin snorted. "We don't need the new cloth. We have some old printed cloth at home, and we'll replace the children's things soon. I'll take the meat with me. Although her husband is a hunter, they don't eat meat often at home."

Speaking of her eldest daughter, Lin couldn't help but sigh, "If it weren't for your brother-in-law's honesty, I really wouldn't have been willing to marry her off to the village. I rarely see her, and it makes me worry so much. By the way, prepare an extra portion of braised meat. I'll be going to your maternal grandfather's house while I'm there. They're getting old, so pick out the less desirable cuts."

Lin Wangchun married into Linjia Village. When Lin's mother went to see her daughter, she also had to go back to her parents' home.

Qiao Mianmian picked through the meat, leaving a piece to cook a little longer before going to rest.

The next day, just as dawn was breaking, Madam Lin got up to go out. Qiao Mianmian came out yawning and saw that Madam Lin was wearing old clothes, so she asked why she wasn't wearing something newer.

"Why are you dressed so nicely? If your aunt sees you, she'll ask how much money our family makes again." After getting ready, Lin couldn't help but add, "Didn't I tell you not to flaunt your wealth? You have to remember that, otherwise someone will always be jealous of you. Alright, I'm going out now. Be good while I'm gone and don't cause any trouble for the family."

Although the children are all grown up, in Lin's eyes they are still children.

Qiao Mianmian saw Lin to the door and went into the kitchen to find that Lin had already started cooking the porridge. She thought that Lin had worked too hard and wanted to make more for her.

"Sigh." Qiao Mianmian couldn't help but sigh. That's how elders are; they always think of the younger generation.

These past few days, things have been a bit better at home. Eating only porridge makes us hungry, so we'll go out and buy a few steamed buns to eat with pickled vegetables and braised meat soup.

After breaking the steamed bun in half, dip it in some braised pork broth; even without meat, you can still taste the meaty flavor. Pair it with some spicy and sour pickled vegetables to cut through the richness.

Qiao Jiaxing ate three bowls of porridge in a row. "Grandpa, Grandma, Dad, I'm going to carry the goods."

Qiao Jiawang had finished eating. "I'm going to collect pig offal and pig heads. Dad, Uncle Hu asked if we should slaughter a couple more pigs, since we can't sell them all. We can still sell braised meat."

Meat doesn't sell well in the summer, so Qiao Mancang doesn't sell meat every day; sometimes he sells it every other day, and sometimes every two days.

He and the Hu family each sold half a bird, and sometimes they couldn't even sell them all.

However, since the family started making braised meat, and Chunxi Restaurant was supplying braised meat every day, Qiao Mancang thought for a moment and said, "Tell your Uncle Hu that we'll sell for two days and then take a day off. We'll buy the meat he doesn't sell and make braised meat for him. Never mind, don't say anything more. I'll go and tell him myself later."

The eldest son is clumsy with words and not very quick-witted. If he doesn't explain things clearly, it wouldn't be good if the Hu family misunderstood something. The two families have been cooperating for so long and are also related by marriage, so Qiao Mancang should go there himself.

Qiao Jiawang agreed and went to collect the goods with his empty carrying pole.

Qiao Mancang took his youngest daughter to the stall, while Lin Xiahe stayed home to do housework. Qiao Youfu had set up his nets yesterday and needed to check if he had any catch.

With August fast approaching, it wasn't so hot in the mornings. Qiao Mianmian lit a stove at her stall, and the aroma of braised pork offal filled the air, attracting just two customers. Then, hearing a commotion in the distance, everyone looked over curiously.

"Get out of the way! All of you, get out of the way!"

Someone ran into the crowd, causing people around to scatter, and someone on horseback chased after them.

Qiao Mancang quickly pulled his daughter to the back of the pork stall and stood in front of her.

"Didn't you hear me? I told you to get out of my way!" The man running in front was blocked by a ten-year-old child. The two collided, and the man rolled on the ground. Seeing the government officials catching up, he suddenly pulled out a dagger. "Don't come any closer! Anyone who comes near, I won't be polite!"

As he spoke, the man rushed to a nearby stall, grabbed something and threw it over. Seeing that the man was about to pick up Qiao Mianmian's pottery jar, she shouted without thinking, "Put it down!"

The roar startled the man, and Qiao Mancang frantically grabbed a pig-slaughtering knife, shouting, "Don't come any closer! I'm a pig butcher!"

At that moment, the man on horseback suddenly reached out and flicked his wrist, sending the long whip flying through the air like a venomous snake spitting its tongue.

With a "crack," the dagger in the man's hand fell to the ground, accompanied by a painful howl.

Lu Zhao jumped off his horse, and Qingjiu rushed over to tie up the man, kicking him a couple of times as he did so. "You think you can run away? Once you run into my master, no one can escape!"

"Qingjiu, that's enough." Lu Zhao ordered someone to take the man back.

At this moment, Yuan Qiang spoke up, "Everyone, don't be afraid. This is the new commander of the City God Bureau. We were just capturing bandits in the mountains. Everyone, go about your business. It's alright now."

After he finished speaking, he saw the Qiao family father and daughter, and his gaze shifted away guiltily.

When everyone heard that it was about catching bandits, they cheered and sized up the new commander.

Qiao Mianmian followed her gaze. The commander was very young, over eight feet tall, with a refined and noble air about him, completely different from the people in the market. Just as she exclaimed that this was the most handsome man she had seen since her transmigration, the man happened to look over.

"Young lady, you should stay away from her in the future. Your life is much more important than a pottery jar." Lu Zhao left these words behind, then mounted his horse and rode away.

Qingjiu sniffed the air, his stomach growling. He involuntarily looked at the earthenware pot on the stove, and was swallowing hard when he heard his master calling him. He could only leave reluctantly.

"My lord, it smells so good! That girl seems to be selling braised meat. We haven't had meat in so many days, could you let me buy a bowl?" Qingjiu's mouth watered as he thought about it.

"You have money?" Lu Zhao raised an eyebrow.

Qingjiu shook his head. He was saving his savings to get married. When he left Bianjing, he thought the old lady would help him out, so he didn't take a single penny with him.

Lu Zhao: "I don't have any money either."

Qingjiu: ...Okay, he'll bear with it a little longer. Once he gets this month's pay, he'll definitely have a meat feast!

Meanwhile, at the meat stall, Qiao Mancang was also educating his daughter, "That adult was right, bandits really do kill people!"

"Dad, don't be angry. I just shouted it out subconsciously. I'll be calmer next time." Qiao Mianmian really didn't think much of it. She was just heartbroken about the braised pork offal in the earthenware pot. The whole family had been washing and braising it all day long, and if it was all ruined, all their hard work would be wasted.

Qiao Mancang sighed, "Making money is important, but my own safety is the most important thing. I don't know how there could be bandits in Lin'an City?"

These past few years have been blessed with good weather and fewer thieves outside the city. But today, a bandit has run out, and he can't help but think of his wife who has gone back to her parents' home.

Qiao Mancang couldn't stay still, so he told his youngest daughter to watch the stall for a while. "I'll go call your older brother over. I'm worried about your mother going back to Linjia Village alone."

Although Linjia Village was not far away, and it would only take an hour and a half to get there by oxcart, Qiao Mancang felt uneasy thinking about the possibility of bandits.

"Dad, then hurry up!" Qiao Mianmian said, "I can manage on my own!"

She had barely finished speaking when her father ran away.

However, she overestimated herself. Once customers buying braised food and meat came at the same time, she was too busy to handle them all. Fortunately, Wu Ermao saw her on his way home and came over to help.

"Mianmian, where is your fourth sister?" Wu Ermao asked.

"Fourth Sister should be washing pig offal in the river right now. Brother Er Mao, you seem to care a lot about my Fourth Sister?" Qiao Mianmian wasn't really a fourteen-year-old girl. She had never been in a relationship in her previous life, but she had watched a lot of TV dramas and read many novels.

Several times, she noticed that Wu Ermao paid special attention to her fourth sister.

"Really? No, I was just asking casually." Wu Ermao's dark face showed no change, but his earlobes were bright red.

Qiao Mianmian immediately saw through Wu Ermao's intentions. She thought to herself that Wu Ermao was quite well-off, with a small family and herself being a centurion. It was just that her mother had commented on Aunt Wu's character, saying she was somewhat snobbish. Even if Wu Ermao had his own ideas, he needed Aunt Wu's consent; otherwise, a bad mother-in-law/daughter-in-law relationship would make life difficult.

Qiao Mianmian smiled and said, "If you say no, then no."

As they were talking, Qiao Jiawang came running over.

Upon learning that Lin Xiahe was washing pig offal alone by the river, Wu Ermao said he was going home, but in reality he went to the river.

Qiao Mianmian watched Wu Ermao's retreating figure and guessed that Wu Ermao might be looking for her fourth sister. She quickly sold some braised pork offal and hurriedly ran to the riverbank.

The neighborhood is full of neighbors, and if people see Wu Ermao and Fourth Sister alone together, they will inevitably gossip.

When Qiao Mianmian arrived at the riverbank, she indeed saw Wu Ermao. She ran over to him and said, "Fourth Sister, I've almost finished selling them. I came to see if you've finished washing them."

"I'm almost done too." Lin Xiahe was turning over her large intestine.

"Hey, Er Mao, you're here too. Didn't you say you were going home?" Qiao Mianmian looked over with a smile.

Wu Ermao scratched his head awkwardly, unable to think of anything to explain for a moment, "I...I just...I'll help you pick them out first."

After saying that, Wu Ermao picked up his load and ran off, not giving Qiao Mianmian and her sister a chance to refuse.

Once the person had walked away, Qiao Mianmian whispered, "Fourth Sister, I think Brother Er Mao blushed."

What do you want to say?

"I'm thinking of you. What do you think?" Qiao Mianmian was very curious. If her fourth sister was also interested in Wu Ermao, she could ask her mother to mediate and see what Aunt Wu thought.

Lin Xiahe looked around and pursed her lips. "You little rascal, how come you're getting more and more shameless as you grow up? Stop talking. The Wu family has nothing to do with me. Aunt Wu has already asked a matchmaker to find a husband for Er Mao."

Qiao Mianmian understood. If Aunt Wu had this intention, she wouldn't have asked a matchmaker to find another family.

"Okay, I won't say anything more. I'll help you wash, it'll be faster." Qiao Mianmian reached out to help, but her fourth sister refused.

"Don't touch it. The pork offal smells awful. Once you touch it, it'll smell like that all day," Lin Xiahe said. "There's only a little left. I can do it myself. Have you closed your stall yet?"

Qiao Mianmian said no.

"Then you go pack up your stall first, I can manage on my own." Lin Xiahe understood why her sister had come over; she was afraid that others would see her and Wu Ermao alone and gossip would follow. Being cared for by her family warmed her heart.

Qiao Mianmian saw that Wu Ermao had taken the load away, and realized that Fourth Sister really didn't need any help, so she went back to pack up her stall.

As soon as I arrived at the stall, I heard the older man arguing with someone, “Half a pound of pork belly, half a pound of bones, and a pound and a half of fat, that’s ninety coins!”

"How can it be ninety coins? Didn't you say that if I bought more, you would give me a discount? I bought so much, shouldn't you give me a discount?"

“I mean, if you buy all the fatty parts, I’ll give you a discount. But you only picked the good ones and didn’t want the ugly ones. Who’s going to buy the rest?” Qiao Jiawang said, his face turning red.

Hearing their conversation, Qiao Mianmian knew what was going on. She glanced at the remaining fatty meat, which looked unappetizing, but since the customer was a regular, she quickly said, "Sister, don't be angry. My brother is right; the remaining fatty meat is indeed difficult to sell. How about this: I'll charge you ninety coins, but I'll give you some fatty meat for free, is that alright?"

The customer across from her, who was at least forty years old, paused for a moment after hearing Qiao Mianmian call her "sister," then unconsciously smiled and said, "You little rascal, I'm about the same age as your mother, why are you calling me 'sister'?"

"Oh my, how do you maintain your youthful appearance? I really didn't see it coming. I thought you were about the same age as my older sister, you look so young!" Qiao Mianmian's tone rose, her face full of sincerity. "You're a regular customer, we're a small business, it's not easy for us. Don't be fooled by this little bit of fat, it actually produces the same amount of oil. I'll remove this bit for you, how about that?"

Qiao Mianmian held two ounces of fatty meat in her hand, and seeing that her older sister had more than enough, she took a small piece as well. "Is this okay?"

"Alright, alright, you're quite the smooth talker, aren't you?" The woman put the meat in the bamboo basket. "Your older brother really should learn from you. How can you calculate things so precisely when it comes to business?"

“Oh dear, my older brother is the most honest person. You should feel more at ease doing business with him; he would never cheat you on the weight. Take care, and come again next time.” Watching the woman walk away, Qiao Mianmian was about to analyze the situation for her older brother when she turned around and saw him with his head down.

Qiao Jiawang was a little frustrated. "Fifth Sister, am I useless?" He had been selling meat with his father for so many years, and his father would sometimes say that he was too clumsy with words. If he were to set up his own stall to sell meat, his father was afraid that he wouldn't be able to sell enough to eat.

"How could that be, brother? Everyone has their strengths. You are strong, hardworking, and kind-hearted. These are all your advantages. You're just not very good at talking, which proves that you are an honest and reliable person."

Qiao Mianmian patted her older brother's arm, "I'm serious, you're the best older brother in our alley. Nobody's perfect, you know. If you asked me to carry 100 pounds of goods, I couldn't do it. We're best when we cooperate with each other."

"Fifth Sister, you're so kind." Qiao Jiawang smiled, but he was still anxious. He was so bad with words, what would he do in the future?

Qiao Mianmian noticed the worry in her older brother's eyes and patiently showed him her hawking, "That auntie from earlier, she just wants a little profit. The remaining fat meat is hard to sell anyway, or we can only sell it cheaply. Since that's the case, giving her a little something and charging a little more isn't actually a loss for us. And if she's happy, she'll come back to buy more. And..."

The brother and sister sold their wares until noon, and by the time they packed up, Qiao Mianmian's voice was almost hoarse.

Seeing that there was ice for sale, Qiao Mianmian spent twenty coins to buy a piece of ice and asked her older brother to take it back.

There were dried bayberries at home, so as soon as she got home, she took them out and boiled them, adding two pieces of rock sugar. She didn't dare add too much, afraid her mother would scold her when she got back.

After the bayberry soup was cooked, it was cooled down in a ceramic pot with well water. At this time, Qiao Mianmian went to prepare dinner.

She had some leftover oil scraps that hadn't been sold yet, so she first rendered them into cracklings, then chopped them up, added some minced meat and chives, and planned to make dumplings.

After kneading the dough, Qiao Mianmian was covered in sweat. Just then, the bayberry soup cooled down, so she added crushed ice and drank a bowl of it.

Icy cold, sweet and sour bayberry soup is the most comforting drink on a summer evening.

"Big brother, second brother, fourth sister, grandparents, come and have some bayberry soup!" Qiao Mianmian carried the bayberry soup out, just as her parents returned. Her father was carrying a wild rabbit in his left hand and a watermelon in his other hand.

Qiao Mianmian's eyes lit up instantly when she saw the watermelon!