Chapter 94 Lotus Root Sandwich

The brother and sister returned to the food shop. When Lin learned that her daughter hadn't liked it, she pulled her second son aside and asked, "Is it really that ugly?"

"Actually, it's alright, I think it's alright. As long as a man isn't ugly and has the ability, that's fine. But Fifth Sister doesn't think so. Mother, why don't we find another one? Fifth Sister is still young, there's no rush." ​​Qiao Jiaxing felt a little regretful, but if his sister didn't like it, he couldn't force her.

Madam Lin frowned. There was nothing she could do but accept it. She told Qiao Jiaxing to tell the matchmaker, "Just say it's not a good match, no need to look anymore. Don't mention that your sister thinks the man isn't handsome enough, or the matchmaker will yell at you."

"I understand, Mother." Qiao Jiaxing left with the message.

Qiao Mianmian looked out the kitchen window but her mother hadn't come. When she saw her second sister-in-law come in, she asked softly, "Where's Mom? Isn't she going to say something to me?"

Logically speaking, her mother should have come in and said that she had high standards or didn't understand.

Cao Yuan turned around and looked at you, smiling as she said, "Your mother feels sorry for you and hopes you can have a happy life. I know you disagree, so I've already asked Jiaxing to find an official matchmaker. Your mother is truly good to you."

"Then I'm relieved. But marriage is all about finding someone you click with. Second sister-in-law, you and my second brother are getting along so well, you know what I mean." Qiao Mianmian went to chop vegetables with peace of mind. In a little while, the guests would be arriving.

Cao Yuan smiled and said, "But there's always a period of adjustment between husband and wife. It's inevitable that two people who aren't very familiar with each other will have some bumps along the way. You're still young. You'll understand when you finally find someone you love."

"Perhaps, but we can talk about it when the time comes."

As autumn arrives and the weather gets colder, it's lotus root season again. Qiao Mianmian has made lotus root and pork rib soup and is now making lotus root sandwiches.

Add egg whites to the minced meat and beat it until it becomes firmer. Then mix in some chives, sandwich it between two slices of lotus root, coat it with a seasoned batter, and it's ready to be deep-fried.

While Qiao Mianmian stuffed meat into the lotus root, Cao Yuan stared at the lotus root sandwiches in the pot, turning them over from time to time.

When Qiao Jiaxing returned, guests began to arrive one after another, and Qiao Mianmian's lotus root sandwiches were ready.

This is something I made for my own consumption; I didn't make it to sell.

“I think these lotus root sandwiches would sell very well!” Qiao Jiaxing tasted half a piece and gave the other half to his wife.

Cao Yuan also said, "The batter on the outside of the lotus root is crispy, while the meat filling inside is juicy and delicious."

"Lotus root sandwiches are complicated and can't be made in advance. Our shop only needs our current signature dishes; we don't need so many." Qiao Mianmian took a piece to eat herself.

As they were talking, Qiao Mancang arrived with the order form, and everyone quickly got to work.

Qiao Jiawang has been at home these past few days, so the people at the food stall are busier.

When Qiao Mianmian got home, she kept yawning; she was really tired today.

Unexpectedly, as soon as I entered the alley, I saw a group of people gathered in front of the Wang family's house.

Madam Lin immediately moved closer to Chun Sheng's mother, "What's wrong?"

Chun Sheng's mother looked around and pulled Lin Shi back a few steps. "People from Zui Hong Lou have come and said that Wang Sanzhu ran away with their girls."

Drunken Red Mansion is a brothel, and no one expected that Wang Sanzhu would go to such a place.

Upon hearing this, Qiao Jiaxing and his sister exchanged a glance. They realized that it was no wonder Wang Sanzhu had come to borrow money earlier; it turned out he was after the girls from Zuihonglou.

From the courtyard came the curses of Widow Wang, "You say my son abducted your daughter, where's the evidence? Where is she? Well, I'll say it's that vixen you kept at Drunken Red Mansion who tricked my son away, give me my son back!"

She's a master at arguing, standing with one hand on her hip, completely fearless.

The manager of Drunken Red Mansion never expected to be chased by Widow Wang to compensate for her son. After glaring at her for a while, he finally managed to say, "You...you're so unreasonable!"

"What do you mean I'm being unreasonable? My son was perfectly well-behaved and obedient before, but now he's gone. If I don't come looking for you, who else can I come looking for?" Widow Wang said, rolling up her sleeves and calling over her other son, "Dazhu, keep an eye on your wife. If they dare to lay a finger on my head today, I'll sue them!"

She grabbed a wooden stick and slammed it hard on the ground. The loss of her young husband had forced her to be fierce. She didn't know the specifics of what had happened, but she was determined not to let anyone take advantage of her.

Wang Dazhu stood in front of his wife, but Chen had never seen such a scene before, and her face turned pale with fright.

Qiao Mianmian saw through the crowd and squeezed her way in to Chen Shi's side, helping her up. "Sister-in-law, come stay at my house for a while."

She gave Wang Dazhu a wink, and Wang Dazhu immediately took the lead.

The manager of Zuihonglou frowned. "Where are you going?"

Qiao Mianmian looked over and said, "This steward, if you have something to say, just talk to my Aunt Wang and Brother Wang. As you can see, my sister-in-law is so pregnant, she can't handle her brother-in-law's affairs. Let her go to my house to rest for a while."

Only then did Madam Lin realize that her daughter had squeezed into the Wang family's house. She was so anxious that she stamped her feet, but she had no choice but to squeeze in as well. She said cautiously, "Yes, yes, Madam Chen's face is so pale. If something happens, you won't be able to explain it to her. Since you're here to talk, you can just talk to the head of the household."

After the Qiao family spoke up, other neighbors in the alley echoed their sentiments. Jin came in directly and stood in front of Chen, pulling her husband along with her.

Chunsheng's mother also patted her husband, Meng Dayong, as he and his son squeezed in.

The group of people didn't say anything; they just stood there, separating Chen from the people at Zuihonglou.

Qiao Mianmian helped Chen Shi out, just as Lu Zhao returned from his shift. He had just stopped when he heard the commotion at the Wang family's house and saw Qiao Mianmian running over, looking at him timidly. "Lord Lu, could you please go in and take a look? The people from Zuihonglou are saying that Brother Sanzhu ran away with their girl, but we don't know if it's true. They've been making a scene and won't leave, so we're all very worried. None of us have ever dealt with the people from Zuihonglou before."

As she spoke, she kept glancing back at the Wang family's house, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. When she looked up, Lu Zhao happened to be looking down at her. The young girl had beautiful skin, and her temples, fluttering in the evening breeze, were as soft as willow leaves in spring. Lu Zhao couldn't help but think of the questions Qiao Jiaxing had asked Qiao Mianmian…

"Lord Lu?" Qiao Mianmian patted Lu Zhao's arm when she saw him in a daze.

"Ah? Okay, I'll go take a look." Lu Zhao walked towards the Wang family's house, and the others, as if seeing a savior, quickly made way for him.

Qiao Mianmian ran home and saw her mother serving tea to Chen Shi. She poured herself a cup and comforted Chen Shi, "Sister-in-law, don't be afraid. Lord Lu has already gone to your house. I don't think the people at Zuihonglou have any evidence. If they really did, then Brother Sanzhu taking that girl away could be resolved with money. They won't really hurt anyone. After all, Zuihonglou is a business, and profit is the most important thing to them."

"I..." Before she could finish speaking, tears welled up in Chen's eyes. She had been raised at home since she was a child and rarely went out because of her leg problems. She had never seen such a scene before and was truly frightened.

"Don't be afraid, and don't cry. Just figure out a solution." When Qiao Mianmian looked up, she saw her mother glaring at her. She grinned at her mother, then went over and hugged her arm, humming, "Mom, the tea's gone. Can you go and boil another pot?"

"Aren't you afraid at all?" With a sigh, Madam Lin turned to boil water.

Qiao Mianmian wasn't really afraid. The people from Zuihonglou weren't carrying weapons. They looked fierce, but their main goal was money. If they actually hurt someone, it would only make things worse and be counterproductive.

Besides, she didn't argue with the people at Zuihonglou or speak up for the Wang family. She just took away a pregnant woman. What's there to be afraid of?

Unable to hear any sounds from next door, Qiao Mianmian became curious. When she went out again, she saw the people from Zuihonglou leaving and hurriedly ran over to ask Jin Shi and the others what happened in the end.

"Lord Lu is so handsome. The moment he took action, the people of Drunken Red Pavilion immediately lost their arrogance."

Jin's eyes lit up. "Now, the people from Zuihonglou have reached an agreement with the Wang family. If it really was Wang Sanzhu who abducted the girl, the Wang family will naturally pay to redeem her. If Wang Sanzhu was the one who was passive, then the girl will return to Zuihonglou, and they won't need any compensation from the Wang family. Didn't you see just now? Lord Lu is so reasonable in handling things. If I were ten years younger, I would definitely marry him..."

Before Jin could finish speaking, Qiao Mianmian quickly nudged Jin's arm, signaling Xu Zhongyi to come over.

"Oh dear, it's just that my husband is here, there's nothing I can't say. Besides, what I said was 'if,' Mianmian, you should go home now, everything's alright here." Turning around, Madam Jin breathed a sigh of relief. What a close call! It's all because Lord Lu is too handsome; she couldn't help but glance at him a few more times.

Seeing that Jin had left, Qiao Mianmian looked in the direction of the Wang family's house, just as Lu Zhao came out from behind the door.

Lu Zhao was tall, and his hair bun just brushed against the top of the door. When their eyes met, Qiao Mianmian couldn't help but sigh again that this man was indeed handsome and pleasing to the eye.

"Miss Qiao, how is Madam Chen?" Lu Zhao asked.

"Yes, she's alright." Just as Qiao Mianmian finished speaking, Wang Dazhu ran to her house. She took a step back to make way for him. "I just heard that you're very capable, sir. No wonder you're such a capable person in our alley. With you around, we all feel much more at ease!"

She heard that Old Madam Lu had bought Lu Zhao a large mansion with a garden, and while she was envious, she also felt a little reluctant. If Lu Zhao moved away, who could he turn to if something like this happened again?

She deliberately spoke words of praise, and Lu Zhao pursed his thin lips. Suddenly, Qingjiu behind him jumped out and chimed in, "That's right, my master is very capable. Miss Qiao, you weren't there just now, so you didn't see the people from Zuihonglou change their expressions."

With Qingjiu around, the scene immediately became lively and chattering. Qiao Mianmian, being the talkative one, said "Really?" and Qingjiu launched into a long spiel praising her master.

Lu Zhao paused for a moment, and seeing that Qiao Mianmian was still looking at Qingjiu and had no intention of asking him any more questions, he flicked his sleeves and cleared his throat, "Um..."

"In our City God Bureau, everyone says our Lord is a good person. Who knows when he might get promoted!"

"Really? That's wonderful! Does a promotion mean a raise?"

"That's for sure. If you get promoted, I'll definitely ask you to cook two meals. To be honest, I've been missing your cooking these past few days because of Granny Kong and the others."

...

The two were chatting animatedly, completely unaware that Lu Zhao had opened his mouth to speak several times. It wasn't until Qiao Mianmian turned her head and looked over that she noticed, "Hey, where's Lord Lu? He was just here a moment ago?"

"He may have gone home. You know, my family members are not good with words."

At this point, Qingjiu's eyes darted around. He was a simple-minded person and not very good at keeping secrets. Thinking about the eavesdropping he hadn't been able to finish yesterday, he was itching to ask, "Um... Miss Qiao, in your eyes, what kind of person is my master?"

He tried his best to figure out how to get information out of Qiao Mianmian without arousing her suspicion.

"He's a really nice guy, tall and handsome, the best-looking person I've ever seen. Plus, he's rich and has an official position, which is great," Qiao Mianmian casually complimented.

“I also think the adults are very nice. But I…” Qingjiu was about to ask more when Wang Dazhu came out with Chen Shi, and their eyes were drawn to him.

"Mianmian, thank you." Chen thanked Qiao Mianmian, "You are such a kind person."

"Oh, it's nothing. I don't know the details of Brother Sanzhu's situation, so I can't help much. But we're friends, so I can't let you be threatened there." Qiao Mianmian said with a smile, "You guys should go back now, I'm going home too. I wonder if my nephew is awake yet. He's so fair and tender now, he's so cute!"

She waved goodbye to Qingjiu and headed home.

Qingjiu still couldn't finish her question and sighed regretfully.

Meanwhile, Lu Zhao, who was behind the door, was tense. He didn't know why he was hiding. When he saw Wang Dazhu and his wife come out, he subconsciously went behind the door.

but……

In Miss Qiao's eyes, the most handsome person... is him?