Zhao Ruyun looked ashamed and embarrassed, and said to A Xu, "My home is simple, and I haven't been able to entertain you properly."
This is more than just rudimentary; it's practically indistinguishable from a cave or a brick kiln.
"Ah Xu, thank you for today. It's getting late, why don't you stay for dinner before you go back?"
Su Luo didn't think anything of it; with her abilities, she wouldn't stay in this kiln for long.
"I...I...can I eat here?"
Ah Xu's eyes lit up. He thought about Su Luo's cooking skills; he hadn't even had two bites of food today. It would be wonderful if he could have dinner here.
"Of course I can. Anyway, I'm treating everyone tonight, so one more person won't make a difference."
Ah Xu nodded with a smile, as long as there was food, it was fine.
Su Luo and Zhao Ruyun were busy in the kitchen. Seeing that he was the only man there, he asked Su Luo somewhat awkwardly, "Lady Su, is there anything I can do to help you?"
Su Luo didn't stand on ceremony with him. Seeing that the water vat was only half full, she said, "Why don't you go and fetch some water for me?"
Ah Xu: "No problem!"
Su Luo called to Yi Huan, who was playing with the dog, "Huanhuan, take Uncle Xu to our village well to fetch some water."
"Okay! Uncle Xu, I'll take you there." Yi Huan led her dog in front, while Xu followed behind carrying buckets of water.
Su Luo then called to Yan Chuan: "Chuan Chuan, take this pastry to Grandpa Village Chief, and then invite the village chief's family to our place for a meal. Tell them that Mom has something to say to the village chief and ask him to come."
"I understand, Mother."
Yan Chuan put the dog down, washed his hands, and took the pastries before going to the village chief's house.
Zhao Ruyun put away the things Su Luo had bought, and seeing that Su Luo was going to treat people to a meal, she felt a little helpless.
"Luo Luo, is there anything I can do for you?"
Su Luo smiled and put the vegetables she bought and the things that needed to be washed into a basin and handed it to Zhao Ruyun: "Grandma, please wash all of these for me, and then go to the field to pick some June beans, that will be enough."
"good!"
Su Luo was the only one left at home. She lit the fire first and then cooked a large pot of rice.
The pastries from Fumanlou, along with a few steamed buns we bought, were arranged on two plates and placed on the dining table outside the kiln.
Clean the two fish, steam one and braise the other. Start by steaming the fish.
The steamed fish was ready, and Zhao Ruyun returned from washing the vegetables.
Su Luo didn't need her help; she was told to eat some pastries to tide her over if she got hungry.
At dusk, as the sun began to set, Ah Xu brought back the water, and Yan Chuan and the village chief's family also arrived.
Su Luo heard Yan Chuan tell Li Hongcai from afar, "Our family has lots and lots of pastries, enough to fill you up."
"We're all here, let's eat."
Zhao Ruyun pulled Chen Yan, the village chief's wife, to sit down. Yan Chuan shared the pastries with Li Hongcai. Yi Huan put her dog down, washed her hands, and then sat down at the table.
Ah Xu sat next to the village chief, looking at the delicious food on the table, and couldn't wait any longer.
Besides cooking two fish, Su Luo also made Dongbo pork, stir-fried pork with June beans, and stir-fried vegetables with lard. She also made a minced meat soup.
Take out one of the two jars of wine I bought today, pour a bowl for the village chief, and pour a bowl for Ah Xu as well.
“Village chief, this is the guard of the owner of Fumanlou Restaurant in Yongle County. You can call him Axu.”
Ah Xu nodded to the village chief and said, "Hello, village chief."
"You're too kind. My name is Li Fangzheng."
Ah Xu picked up his glass and said, "Village Chief Li, you've managed Changping Village very well; I can tell."
The village chief was beaming with joy after being praised by Ah Xu.
"Not at all, I was just doing my best."
"The village chief is a good village chief, let's eat first," Zhao Ruyun said.
"Then I won't stand on ceremony." Ah Xu took a bite of Dongpo pork, which he had never eaten before, and also braised fish, all of which were new flavors.
Even his young master hasn't eaten these before. After finishing this meal, he'll be fine even if his young master scolds him when he gets back.
The three children were fighting over the pastries, but Su Luo ignored them and said to Chen Yan.
"Auntie, these are just some home-style dishes, please eat more."
"Luo Luo's cooking is quite good. Zhao, you're in luck."
Zhao Ruyun and Chen Yan were in the same boat; both of their sons went to the army and never came back, leaving behind only a grandson, and their daughters-in-law also died of illness.
While eating, the village chief asked Su Luo, "Su Luo, Yan Chuan told me you wanted to see me?"
Su Luo put down her chopsticks and said seriously, "Village Chief, I'm here to talk to you about the same thing as before. I want to buy a plot of land in the village to build a house. Do you know if there's a suitable place?"
The village chief took a sip of wine, thought for a moment, and realized that while there were places to build houses in the village, the locations were not very good.
“Su Luo, I heard someone say that Granny Wang’s son at the village entrance wants to take her to live in the county. I heard that her son wants to buy that old house. If that’s true, you can consider buying their land.”
"Old Wang from the village entrance?" Su Luo didn't immediately recall the name.
Zhao Ruyun said, "It's the house of Grandma Wang, whom I went to fetch water and exchange for broken rice. Her son does business in the county and has made money. The family bought a house in the county and moved there. But the old lady couldn't bear to leave her hometown and insisted on staying here. Now that she's old and can't move around, her son wants to take her away."
The location at the village entrance is quite good, connecting to the main road; it's bright and the environment is nice.
Village Chief: "Su Luo, there are several vegetable gardens next to their house. If you buy them all, you can build a bigger house and grow vegetables closer to them."
"Village chief, do you know where Grandma Wang's son does business in the county town? I'd like to go and talk to him."
"Okay! I'll take you with me tomorrow."
Rumors are circulating in the village that Su Luo has made a lot of money, and it's only a matter of time before she wants to build a house.
After finishing his meal, Ah Xu rushed back by carriage. Su Luo bought two jars of wine and gave the unfinished jar to the village chief to take back.
"Su Luo, I can't take this. You should put it at home."
Su Luo handed the wine jar to Chen Yan: "Auntie, please take this back. No one in our family drinks, so please don't be shy. Otherwise, I'll be too embarrassed to ask the village chief for help in the future."
"this!"
"Take it," the village chief said, and Chen Yan accepted the wine.
“Su Luo, I, Lao Li, know you are a capable young man. You saved Hongcai’s life. If there is anything you can do to help the villagers in the future, please give me some pointers. The villagers are not having an easy time.”
"Okay, I will remember the help the village has given us. Don't worry, village chief."
After seeing the village chief's family off, Su Luo took out all the old clothes in the house and burned them. Zhao Ruyun felt extremely distressed, but he didn't say anything. He believed that Su Luo was a reasonable person.
"Luo Luo, do we really have the money to buy the land?"
Su Luo told Zhao Ruyun about buying Ganoderma lucidum and selling menus today, but she didn't mention the poisonous snake, afraid that Zhao Ruyun would worry.
"Don't worry, Mother-in-law. We now have more than 160 taels of silver. We will also have income every month from cooperating with Fumanlou. Don't worry."
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