Chapter 29 She just disappeared like that.
Summer has arrived in the blink of an eye, and people traveling from north to south have switched to lighter clothing.
Achan is frail and occasionally feels cold in her hands and feet, so she follows the example of the elderly and brings out a stool to sit in the doorway to bask in the sun when the weather is nice.
When he had free time, Manager Xu liked to sit outside, and occasionally, when he was in a good mood, he would tell stories to the children in the neighborhood.
Recently, his shop has received new storybooks with updated stories. Today, Shopkeeper Xu was telling the story of Yan Qingtian to a few children squatting next to him.
Ah Chan squinted in the sunlight, listening to Manager Xu's story with her head tilted to the side.
The writers of vernacular stories were quite skilled; they would even use the technique of first suppressing the subject and then elevating it.
The story begins by depicting the protagonist's tragic past, with his entire family dying unjustly and having nowhere to turn for justice. It then describes the protagonist's arduous journey to the capital, where he finds himself with no recourse, until he finally encounters Judge Yan, whom he uses to plead his case. Ultimately, with Judge Yan's help, the true culprit is brought to justice, resulting in a happy ending.
After Manager Xu finished speaking, the children surrounding him immediately started calling out for Yan Qingtian, chattering excitedly.
After listening to the story, Achan looked at the sun and realized it was almost lunchtime. She was torn between the terrible food she made herself and the terrible noodles served outside.
If she wanted something better, she'd have to go two blocks away, and she didn't want to walk that far.
"By the way, Miss Ji, a new restaurant recently opened at the end of the street. Have you been there?" Boss Xu asked Ah Chan as she stood up.
"When did it open?" Achan asked curiously, as she hadn't gone to the end of the street recently.
"Just a couple of days ago, the proprietress of that restaurant had excellent cooking skills. Miss Ji, you should try it."
Mr. Xu enjoys sharing his culinary experiences with Achan because she always supports him.
Ah Chan readily agreed and headed to the end of the street. After walking half a street, she indeed saw the newly opened restaurant.
The shops along the street became increasingly deserted towards the end, but the eateries were surprisingly busy.
When Achan entered the shop, every table in the room was occupied by customers.
She didn't rush to leave, but instead looked around the shop. It wasn't a big shop, with two long tables against the wall that could seat six customers.
There are two square tables against the other wall, which can be put together to seat eight people.
There were only two menus hanging on the wall, listing the dishes available that day, both of which were noodles: one was braised noodles, and the other was shredded chicken noodles.
Braised noodles cost seven coins, and shredded chicken noodles cost eight coins, which was two coins more expensive than the noodle stalls outside. However, seeing that the customers were all engrossed in their food, Ah Chan decided to give it a try as well.
Just then, the curtain separating the kitchen from the front was lifted, and she heard the proprietress call out from inside the kitchen: "One bowl of shredded chicken noodles and one bowl of braised noodles, whose order is this?"
A chubby uncle at the table next to Achan stood up: "Here we are."
He counted out thirteen coins and threw them into the money box behind the curtain, then carried the two bowls of noodles back to his seat.
Just then, some customers finished eating and left. The proprietress came out to clear the dishes and saw Ah Chan. She smiled and asked her, "What would you like to eat, young lady?"
"I'd like a bowl of shredded chicken noodles."
"Please wait a moment, young lady." The proprietress deftly picked up the bowl and chopsticks and returned to the kitchen, presumably to make noodles for her.
Achan was somewhat surprised; she had actually seen this proprietress before.
She was Madam Chen, who had been badly beaten by her husband outside the teahouse that day.
In just a few days, she seemed like a completely different person.
Soon, the shredded chicken noodles were ready. A bowl of thin noodles, topped with clear chicken broth, a layer of shredded chicken, and some bright green scallions.
After taking a bite, Achan thought that it wouldn't be a bad idea to eat noodles for every meal from now on.
In the following days, Achan went to Chen Niangzi's restaurant every day, and the two gradually became acquainted. Every day, Chen Niangzi would specially save a seat for Achan.
Seeing that Achan ate chicken noodles every day, Madam Chen knew that she liked chicken, so one day she specially made a cold dish of shredded chicken for her to try.
After finishing the meal, Achan almost wanted to become sworn sisters with Madam Chen.
Unexpectedly, Madam Chen's personality was quite different from what Achan had imagined. She was not a timid person; she was cheerful and generous in her dealings with others, which made her very likable.
One time, Ah Chan woke up late and went to the restaurant before lunchtime. To her surprise, she saw the most famous matchmaker in the area standing in the shop, saying she wanted to arrange a marriage for Madam Chen.
The story is about a wealthy merchant who lost his wife. It is said that after eating Chen Niangzi's noodles once, he immediately fell in love with her and was determined to marry her.
Ah Chan secretly thought to herself, "She's really popular."
That afternoon, she placed the calming incense pills she had made and a dozen or so incense pills mixed with a little bit of dragon bone powder in the backyard to air dry. Seeing that it was already late afternoon, she quickly washed her hands and went to the end of the street.
Chen Niangzi's restaurant did not serve dinner. After Achan became familiar with Chen Niangzi, she heard that Achan had nowhere to eat at night, so she suggested that if Achan was willing, she could come to the restaurant and have dinner with her, which would cost five coins per meal.
When faced with such a good opportunity, Achan naturally agreed immediately.
Anyway, she'll have money soon, so she won't feel bad about spending a dozen coins a day on three meals.
Actually, not only did Achan have a good impression of Madam Chen, but Madam Chen also liked Achan very much.
The matchmaker who had visited earlier had mentioned Achan in their casual conversation, saying that Achan lived alone on the street, was frail, and rarely went out, but was beautiful and gentle. If it weren't for her frequent interactions with officials, lecherous men would have already come knocking on her door.
Today, Madam Chen bought two crucian carp and made tofu soup. She also braised a chicken carcass, deboned it, and put it on a plate; Ah Chan will definitely love it.
She brought out the food and heard the door open. Thinking it was Ah Chan, she smiled and said, "You've finally arrived."
As soon as he said it, he realized that the person who walked in was not Achan.
When Madam Chen saw the newcomer, the smile faded from her eyes, and her tone became somewhat cold: "Why have you come?"
The person who entered the restaurant was Yan Liru, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, who had met Achan once before at the Zhao family's residence.
When Achan entered the restaurant, she found that there were other people inside. Madam Chen was talking to that person, her tone was not friendly, and her expression was also cold.
It wasn't until she saw Achan that a hint of warmth appeared in Madam Chen's eyes. She said to Achan, who was standing at the door, "Come in quickly, the food is ready."
Yan Liru turned around and was taken aback when he saw Achan.
He has an excellent memory and recognized her at a glance.
"Miss Ji."
Ah Chan thought to herself, it seems that this Lord Yan knows her identity.
Since the other party spoke first, she couldn't pretend she hadn't seen it, so she also bowed respectfully to the other party: "Ji Chan greets Lord Yan."
Yan Liru nodded slightly, then turned to look at Madam Chen and said in a gentle tone, "I have already had those people who came to cause you trouble dealt with, and such things will not happen again in the future."
Ah Chan knew what he was talking about. For some reason, there had been people causing trouble these past few days, which had led to fewer customers.
Madam Chen said coldly, "If Lord Yan had not appeared again in the future, I would not have encountered these troubles."
Ah Chan was very surprised. She thought that some restaurant on the street had hired a hooligans because they were jealous of Chen Niangzi's good business. But it turned out that wasn't the case.
From what she said, those troublemakers are related to Lord Yan?
"Ah Hui," Lord Yan called her by her childhood nickname, seemingly with a hint of helplessness.
Madam Chen remained unmoved, saying only, "It's getting late, Lord Yan should go home so his family won't worry if he gets back late."
Yan Liru seemed somewhat disappointed, but he still yielded in front of Madam Chen: "I'll leave now, don't be angry."
After Yan Liru left, Madam Chen smiled and invited Achan to sit down and eat.
Seeing that Ah Chan kept glancing at her after sitting down, and then pretending nothing had happened when she turned her head away, Madam Chen found it amusing and couldn't help but laugh and say, "Just ask whatever you want to say. Don't keep it to yourself, or you won't be able to sleep at night."
"What is your relationship with Lord Yan?"
"My father was his teacher, and we're childhood sweethearts. Are you curious about him?"
“I am very curious.” Achan did not deny it. “The best-selling novel in Boss Xu’s shop recently is based on Lord Yan. I hear him telling stories at the door every day. Recently, he told a story about a woman who stopped Lord Yan and cried out for justice.”
Madam Chen couldn't stop laughing. What was originally a dark past for her became less painful when told by Achan.
"Coincidentally, I am the person in the story who stopped him from crying out for justice."
"Huh?" This was something Ah Chan hadn't expected.
Madam Chen said in a voice devoid of much emotion, "That day, my ex-husband beat me badly, and I happened to see him passing by, so I forced him to help me."
She paused, then continued, "I guess you could say I took advantage of his kindness. He helped me get a divorce because of my father, and he also warned my ex-husband. After the divorce, I used the remaining dowry to open a shop here."
"What about those who came looking for trouble?"
Madam Chen didn't answer the question, but changed the subject: "Don't just stand there, hurry up and eat, the fish soup won't taste good if it gets cold."
As she spoke, she ladled a bowl of fish soup for Achan: "Try it, it tastes very fresh."
As expected, Achan's attention was quickly diverted by the delicious fish soup.
After Lord Yan left that day, the troublemakers indeed stopped appearing, and within a few days, Chen Niangzi's restaurant business resumed.
That afternoon, Ah Chan, unwilling to give up, tried to sew a sachet at home by poking cloth with a needle. However, she visibly sewed it crooked after only half of it was sewn.
Just as she was thinking about how to destroy the evidence with the cloth, she heard a knock on the door.
Without looking up, she said, "The door's open, come in."
Thanks to Mr. Xu's good reputation, the news that Achan's incense pills could repel snakes, insects, and rodents had spread three streets away. Recently, many shop owners have come to buy the incense pills, which has made her a small fortune. Her shop can be considered to have officially opened for business.
She put down the fabric she had failed to sew, and when she looked up, she was surprised to see Madam Chen standing in front of the counter. She exclaimed in delight, "What brings you here?"
“There have been rats in the restaurants lately. I heard that the sachets you sell can repel rats and insects and are very effective, so I came to buy one.”
Ah Chan turned around and took a fragrant pill from the antique shelf, giving it to Madam Chen: "Twenty coins for one pill, one pill can last for a month. Just put it in the corner of the room, it only covers one room."
"That's enough." Madam Chen counted out twenty coins for Achan, and couldn't help but laugh when she saw the crooked, half-finished sachet Achan was sewing aside. "Are you making a sachet?"
Ah Chan's face flushed slightly, and she muttered softly, "I was just trying it out."
"I'm pretty good at needlework, how about I teach you?" Madam Chen asked with a smile.
Judging by her skills, she probably never learned needlework at home.
"Is that okay?" Achan's eyes lit up immediately.
Madam Chen picked up the sachet that Madam Chen had half-sewn, untied the thread, and began to teach her how to put the needle in and what kind of stitches to use.
Soon, a small sachet was sewn up.
Finally, Madam Chen even chose green embroidery thread and embroidered a few bamboo stalks and leaves on it, instantly increasing the value of the sachet.
Ah Chan held the sachet with great delight. Then, as if remembering something, she turned around and took out a fragrant pill from the top box on the antique shelf and gave it to Madam Chen: "You gave me a sachet that you sewed yourself, and I'll give you a fragrant pill that I made myself."
Madam Chen knew that spices were expensive and wanted to refuse, but then Achan said, "These incense balls don't use any expensive spices. The recipe is just a family heirloom that no one else has ever seen before. They don't have any other use, but they smell nice."
Actually, it has some other uses, but Madam Chen definitely wouldn't need them; she'd just enjoy the smell.
She handed the incense pill to Madam Chen. Madam Chen took it and smelled it. The scent was very faint, but it had an indescribable fragrance that made her want to keep smelling it. Moreover, she even felt a little hungry. This thing seemed to stimulate her appetite.
Madam Chen really liked the scent of the incense pill. After hearing what Ah Chan said, she didn't stand on ceremony and accepted the incense pill.
As the two were talking, a luxurious carriage passed by outside the door. The carriage had already gone past, but unexpectedly it suddenly stopped.
Two maids alighted from the carriage and set up a stool. A middle-aged woman dressed in fine clothes was helped down from the carriage by the two maids.
The woman didn't even look to the left or right, and walked straight into Achan's shop.
"Does Madam want to buy incense?" Achan asked, somewhat puzzled. Judging from her attire, she must be a person of high status. Why would she come to a place like Changpingfang, where ordinary people gather?
She questioned whether her fragrant pills were famous enough to warrant such recognition.
The noblewoman didn't even glance at Achan; her gaze remained fixed on Madam Chen's face.
Madam Chen looked up, saw the person who had come, and gave a smile: "It's Ayu, what a coincidence, it's been so many years."
The lady laughed and said, "What a coincidence! I heard from my husband that you have a shop nearby. I was thinking of coming to see you after so many years, but I didn't expect to run into you here on the way."
“A while ago, someone came to my shop to cause trouble, and Lord Yan happened to see it and helped me out.” Madam Chen paused, “Ayu, you shouldn’t mind, right?”
"How could that be? You and your husband have been childhood sweethearts for so many years. Even disregarding your past relationship, just considering Old Master Chen, he should help you."
"I wouldn't dare call ourselves childhood sweethearts; that's all in the past."
Even though Achan hadn't witnessed many women arguing fiercely, she could sense that something was amiss.
This lady, is she perhaps seeing Madam Chen as a rival in love?
Madam Chen didn't say anything more to provoke the other party. She was innocent and didn't want to get herself into trouble.
The grudges she had with the couple were from years ago, and to her, they were long gone. Her current comments were simply because she didn't like Fang Yu.
Fang Yu is a person who cares about her reputation; she won't break off relations with me here.
So Madam Chen changed the subject, saying to Fang Yu, "It's just in time that you're here, Ayu. Boss Ji's incense pills are quite good. Why don't you try them?"
Fang Yu didn't seem to intend to say much in front of outsiders, so he went along with it and said, "Really? Take out some incense pills and let me see?"
Chen Niangzi immediately gave Achan a wink, and Achan then took out several kinds of incense balls that she had recently made for the other party to try.
Fang Yu was somewhat surprised. She had thought it was just an ordinary little shop, but the savory balls she made actually tasted quite good.
She said modestly, "The taste is so-so, but the ingredients are too ordinary and not presentable. Let's have ten of each."
Despite being belittled, Achan wasn't angry; fifty incense pills—that was a big business opportunity.
The prices of the various incense balls differed, and while Achan was calculating the money, the maid behind Fang Yu threw over two taels of silver.
Without any hesitation, Achan took the money, quickly packed the incense pills into individual packets, and handed them to the maid behind Fang Yu, thinking to herself that this person was truly a god of wealth.
Fang Yu seemed to want to say something more to Madam Chen, but Madam Chen wouldn't meet her gaze, perhaps because of the presence of an outsider like A Chan. In the end, she could only leave dejectedly.
After everyone left, Achan gave Chen Niangzi a tael of silver. The incense pills she sold totaled less than a tael. If Chen Niangzi hadn't spoken up, given that lady's arrogant attitude, she wouldn't have earned that much money at all.
Madam Chen smiled and declined, saying, "Don't worry about it. This is your money; keep it for yourself."
Ah Chan had already roughly guessed the lady's identity, and didn't want to ask any more questions lest she offend Madam Chen.
He simply said, "I don't think this lady is easy to get along with. Will she come looking for trouble for you in the future?"
Madam Chen lowered her eyes and chuckled softly, "You think she never looked for me?"
Achan immediately understood: "Those people..."
So it was this noblewoman who came; no wonder Madam Chen was so rude to Lord Yan.
Madam Chen added, "Don't worry, Yan Liru will keep an eye on her. She probably came today to test whether I have any contact with her husband. Once she finds out we haven't met again, she won't come."
Since Madam Chen said so, Achan stopped worrying about it.
As it was getting late, Madam Chen said she needed to go back and put the incense balls away to prevent the rats from sneaking into the kitchen again that night. She then took the incense balls she had bought and the one that Achan had given her and left.
Nothing happened for the next few days, until one morning when Achan went to a restaurant for a meal and found that a lot of diners had gathered outside.
When she arrived, she learned that Madam Chen had not opened her shop on time.
I thought Madam Chen might be sick or something had delayed her, and that she might open the shop at noon. But when noon came, her shop was still closed, and she wasn't there either.
In the following days, Achan went to the restaurant every day, but never saw Madam Chen again.
She just disappeared like that.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
