Shen Qing stopped in her tracks, not turning back to look at Cheng Zhiwen, weighing her options in her mind—
As a Qing Dynasty person who had never left the country, she shouldn't have known about a "spinning machine." She only knew about a "loom."
However, she thought that she had already revealed enough to him, and he had already decided that she was not the original owner, so there was no need for her to hide it anymore.
Next, we'll need his help with importing the machinery!
Thinking of this, Shen Qing turned around generously: "Yes, we need to buy spinning machines. The plan is to buy three in the first batch. Are you willing to do this business?"
"Can."
Shen Qing nodded, walked around the silk weaving looms, went to the door, and said, "Find an inn for yourself, I'm going back."
It was already dark outside, and light snowflakes were falling.
Shen Qing shrank her neck, pulled her shawl tighter, and disappeared into the snowy night.
Snowflakes fell, some landing on the tip of her nose and her eyelashes, pressing down until her eyelids ached and she felt sleepy.
Since she transmigrated here, she hasn't had a good night's sleep.
Things are finally making progress; perhaps I can get a good night's sleep tonight. She thought thankfully.
"Want to have a bowl of noodles together?" Cheng Zhiwen's voice came down from above her head.
She snapped out of her daze and looked up at him as he caught up from behind. He was also braving the wind and snow, and tiny snowflakes glistened on his black hat.
"I know a good beef noodle shop in Jiangzhou, wanna go together?" he asked again.
A bowl of noodles with fragrant, bubbling beef broth appeared in front of Shen Qing.
On such a cold day, a bowl of hot noodle soup would be a real treat.
She swallowed hard. "Okay, lead the way."
The inn that Cheng Zhiwen mentioned selling beef noodles was actually just one street away from the Gao family's place.
The waiter brought over two bowls of steaming hot clear beef noodles. Looking at the scallions and beef slices floating on top, and the white beef broth, Shen Qing's mouth watered.
How come I never knew there was beef noodle soup here before?
She quickly pulled a pair of chopsticks from the chopstick holder, asked the waiter for some vinegar and Sichuan peppercorns, and poured them all into the noodles.
The numbing and fragrant Sichuan peppercorns combined with the savory aroma of the beef broth are simply divine.
Shen Qing brought her face close to the bowl of noodles and took a big sip: "It smells so good!"
Stir the noodles with chopsticks to mix the vinegar and Sichuan peppercorns more evenly, then start drinking the soup.
After drinking the hot soup, my whole body felt warm, and my mouth was filled with a sour, spicy, and fragrant flavor!
Shen Qing felt that this was the only happiness she had experienced since transmigrating.
“You didn’t eat spicy food before,” Cheng Zhiwen said quietly.
Shen Qinggang couldn't chew the noodles he had just put in his mouth. After a moment, he took a sip of soup and swallowed the noodles.
here we go again……
She casually stirred the noodles and laughed, "You even know I don't eat spicy food? You've been paying attention to me?"
Cheng Zhiwen remained silent, only staring at her, the bowl of noodles in front of him motionless.
Shen Qing sipped her soup listlessly: "If you don't like me, why are you paying attention to my tastes?"
As expected, Cheng Zhiwen still did not answer her question.
This person is deep and thoughtful; he won't say anything he shouldn't, and he won't forget anything he should ask.
Troublesome, really troublesome!
After finishing her noodles, Shen Qing hurried back to the Gao family home.
When Chunju saw her return, she happily followed her into the house.
She poured herself a full cup of tea and drank it down before she felt the noodles that had been stuck in her esophagus finally settle into her stomach.
She pressed her hand to her chest and hiccuped.
Chunju asked happily, "Young Madam, what did you gain from your trip to Shanghai?"
Shen Qing nodded, then asked, "I have something to ask you."
"Please speak, young mistress."
Did I see Cheng Zhiwen frequently before we broke off our engagement?
In the original owner's memories, they rarely met, but Cheng Zhiwen clearly knew some of the original owner's habits very well.
Even Chunju, who had been inseparable from the original owner since childhood, and Gao Liushi, who had been the original owner's mother-in-law for half a year, could not tell that this body had changed owners.
But Cheng Zhiwen saw through it at a glance, and even followed her to Jiangzhou in order to wait for the original owner's whereabouts...
So what exactly happened between Cheng Zhiwen and the original owner of this body?
Shen Qing felt that his memories were either incomplete or that there were things that even the original owner of the body didn't know.
“I remember one year, you went to celebrate the Lantern Festival with Second Young Master Cheng.” Chunju thought for a moment, “And another year in midsummer, you went to the Cheng family’s pond to admire the fish.”
"It's only been twice, hasn't it?" Shen Qing perked up and sat up straight. "During those two meetings, did anything happen between them... us, that is, between me and Young Master Cheng?"
Chunju thought for a moment, then shook her head: "It seems not."
...
The next day, after having breakfast, Shen Qing took Chunju to the farmers' market.
She bought fifty catties of soybeans and carried them to the silk weaving workshop with Chunju.
"Young Madam..." Chunju asked breathlessly, "What are you going to do with so many soybeans?"
"We're extracting the pulp," Shen Qing said, shaking the large bag of soybeans on his shoulder. "After thinking about it, I think soybean fiber is finer. Although it's more expensive, the extracted cellulose will be more delicate."
Chunju didn't understand, but she was very eager to learn: "How do we extract this residue?"
Shen Qing mentally reviewed the extraction process: "First, steam the soybeans until soft, then grind them, and then wash and acidify them."
As they were talking, the two arrived at the kesi workshop.
Here was the kitchen where the workers used to cook. Shen Qing sent Chunju to fetch water while he started a fire.
Once the water is ready, pour it into the pot and put the washed soybeans in to steam.
Shen Qing went to a nearby tofu-making shop, agreed that they would grind soybeans for her, give the soy milk to the shopkeeper, and only take the residue for herself.
After such a busy period, it was already noon.
Shen Qing didn't even have time to eat, and quickly threw the bean dregs into the water to wash them.
In the dead of winter, the water was almost frozen solid. Shen Qing rolled up his sleeves and, without thinking, plunged his hands in. They immediately became numb from the cold and he couldn't move, let alone wash the fibers out.
It took her a lot of effort to pull her red and frozen hands out.
Chunju was heartbroken and tears streamed down her face: "Young mistress, please wait a moment, I'll go boil some water for you to soak your hands." With that, she ran off.
Shen Qing sat down inside the doorway with her numb hands hanging limply.
She gazed at the sky, where snow seemed imminent, and let out a long sigh.
How did it happen to be winter?
How is the water washing process handled?
Hot water won't work...
Just then, she saw a tall figure slowly walk into the courtyard, walk towards her, and stand in front of her.
It was Cheng Zhiwen.
Shen Qing looked up at him and asked, "Why are you here?"
His gaze, however, fell on her slender wrist: "What happened to your hand?"
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