Chapter 33 Do You Believe in Fate? Liu Yeshu lowered her head and just happened to see Chun Xing...
Liu Yeshu just smiled in response and didn't say anything else.
The identity of a criminal slave has too many restrictions. Even if she wants to do some small business, it is just a luxury. Qi Yu saved her once last time, but how can she expect others to save her every time?
The most urgent task is to find a way to escape slavery.
After Old Man Wang left, Liu's mother didn't let her pack up her stall, so she went to her neighbor's house to feed the camel and prepare the kimchi secret sauce.
"Next time you help your mother deliver some embroidery, ask Shopkeeper Mo if he knows Manager Li."
Liu Yeling was surprised and said, "Shopkeeper Mo is not from our village either. How could these two people know each other?"
"I don't know, just ask casually."
By the time she reached the mansion's gate, the setting sun had already faded, a faint twilight shimmering across the sky. From afar, Liu Yeshu spotted a familiar figure standing at the gate. Upon closer inspection, it was Chu Yurou's father. She tried to leave through the back door, but was spotted by Chu's father as he turned to leave.
Father Chu stepped forward quickly, a flattering smile plastered on his face. "Miss Liu, I've finally waited for you."
Liu Yeshu was slightly startled and bowed slightly: "Uncle Chu, why are you here? What's going on?"
Father Chu forced a smile, his expression slightly awkward. He rubbed his hands together and pleaded, "Miss Liu, to be honest, I've come here today specifically to ask you for a favor. My daughter Yurou... she's getting old and hasn't had a stable job. Now that you hold a position within the General's Mansion, could you help arrange a job for her there?"
Liu Yeshu's eyelids twitched, and she knew that this might not be what Chu Yurou meant.
"Uncle Chu, the general has been away from home recently. Although I am temporarily in charge of the affairs, I am young and cannot make decisions on everything."
Upon hearing this, Father Chu's expression changed slightly, but he quickly regained his smile and said anxiously, "Miss Liu, please don't be so modest. I've heard that many things in the General's Mansion are now under your care. Although it's just temporary, you do things properly and everyone in the mansion trusts you. It won't be difficult for you to arrange a job for yourself."
Liu Yeshu felt alert after hearing this. Chu's father was very good at scheming. It seemed that he had been thinking about this matter since they met before the birthday party.
Her expression remained calm. She looked up at Father Chu and smiled, doing Tai Chi. "Uncle Chu, while the general is away, I'm indeed handling some trivial matters in the mansion. However, the arrangements for errands in the mansion have always been strict, and everything must be done according to the rules. Even if I can temporarily take over some of the affairs, the personnel arrangements in the mansion must wait until the general returns to be finalized."
Seeing that Liu Yeshu hadn't agreed straight away, Father Chu's eyes flashed with anxiety and uneasiness. He hesitated for a moment, then pulled Liu Yeshu to a secluded spot. He then pulled out a small brocade box from his bosom, his face full of mystery. "Miss Liu, I know you're in a difficult situation. I understand that the rules of the mansion can't be broken. This little gift is nothing. Consider it a token of my father's love. Please accept it."
As he spoke, he opened the brocade box, and inside lay a pair of exquisite gold hairpins and an emerald jade bracelet, both of which were exquisitely crafted and had a translucent jade color.
Father Chu pushed the brocade box towards Liu Yeshu with a pleading look in his eyes, as if this jewelry was his last bargaining chip.
Seeing this, Liu Yeshu took a step back. The smile on her face remained gentle, but her tone was firm. "Uncle Chu, what do you mean by this? I'm just a temporary steward. How can I accept such a valuable gift? I appreciate your kindness, but I really can't accept this. If the general knew about this, he would definitely kick me out of the mansion."
When Mr. Chu saw Liu Yeshu refused so bluntly, the forced smile on his face suddenly froze, like a faded portrait, leaving only traces of embarrassment.
Seeing that Liu Yeshu had no intention of giving in, he didn't want to force it any further, so he forced a smile and said, "Miss Liu is truly noble and doesn't like these vulgar things. It's me who is reckless."
Liu Yeshu shook her head: "Uncle Chu is joking. I can't help but follow the rules of the mansion. If you don't worry, when the general comes back, if there is a chance, I will definitely introduce Sister Yurou first.
Chu's father responded awkwardly and put the box away in disappointment.
When Liu Yeshu stepped into the mansion, Chu's father was still standing outside the door with a dazed look in his eyes.
He murmured to himself, "It seems this road is not feasible... I have to think of another way."
He sighed and turned away.
*
Returning to the kitchen in the backyard, the room was dark and quiet, with only a dim light flickering, bringing a touch of warmth to this world.
"Miss Liu, will you come back to live in the mansion tonight?" Chun Xing was wiping the stove with a rag. She was very happy to see Liu Yeshu come back.
Liu Yeshu nodded, walked to the table, and poured herself a bowl of water. The coolness slid down her throat, slightly calming her chaotic thoughts.
"I wonder when the general will return."
"What?"
"No, nothing." Liu Yeshu lowered her head and met Chun Xing's puzzled eyes. "Chun Xing, do you believe in fate?"
Chun Xing stopped what she was doing and said thoughtfully, "Hmm... I don't know if I should believe it, but I heard that General Qi doesn't believe it."
Liu Yeshu frowned slightly, not understanding what was said.
Chun Xing wrung out the rag as she spoke, a barely perceptible bitterness in her voice: "My father believed in fate. The fortune teller said my mother was unlucky. My mother had a difficult labor when giving birth to Chuntao. He went to call a doctor, but he didn't come until my mother's body was completely cold. The next day, I dragged him back from the tavern drunk." She paused, then continued, "The fortune teller also said my brother would be very successful in the future. So when my brother owed gambling debts and had no money to repay, my father sold Chuntao and me to human traffickers."
"The traffickers said we were too thin and of poor quality, making us hard to sell. If no one bought us, they would sell us to a brothel. It just so happened that General Qi was passing by and bought us. The traffickers wanted to make more money, saying we were worthless and that they wanted to sell us to higher-end slaves. General Qi said he didn't believe in fate."
After hearing Chun Xing's words, it was like a flash of lightning passing through Liu Yeshu's heart, and his thoughts instantly became clear.
She had always been concerned about the relationship between Chu Yurou and Qi Yu in the book, and was afraid that her presence would disrupt the original plot. Whenever things involving these two people came up, she felt uneasy and uncomfortable, as if she were an outsider who shouldn't exist.
However, Chun Xing's words were like a key that unlocked the shackles in her heart. Liu Yeshu stood quietly in front of the window, looking at the saxaul tree in the yard swaying gently in the night breeze.
"If General Qi doesn't believe in predetermined fate, how can I possibly disrupt it?" she asked herself silently. Once this thought took root, it sprouted like a spring bud, rapidly growing and spreading to every corner of her heart.
"Chun Xing," Liu Yeshu called softly, a hint of joy in her voice, "I want to make some rice cakes tomorrow. Do you want to join us?"
Chun Xing looked up in surprise, her eyes gleaming with anticipation: "Really? That's great!"
*
The next morning, as the sun rose, the mansion was already bustling with activity. Chun Xing rose early, quickly prepared breakfast, and then eagerly awaited Liu Yeshu's arrival. She would glance into the courtyard from time to time, her eyes gleaming with unconcealed excitement.
When Liu Yeshu stepped into the kitchen, the air was still filled with the aroma of breakfast. She took a deep breath. She had been so busy harvesting wheat these past few days that she hadn't had time to try making rice cakes.
Recalling her previous attempts, Liu Yeshu couldn't help but frown. Every time she tasted it, she felt like something was missing. The perfect taste of her childhood memories was always difficult to replicate.
"Miss Liu," Chun Xing greeted her cheerfully as she saw her approaching. "I've already prepared everything you want."
Liu Yeshu smiled and nodded, her eyes sweeping over the neatly arranged ingredients and utensils on the counter. A few days ago, she had specially arranged for Chun Xing to go to a different shop and buy some fresh glutinous rice. This time, she decided to start with the most basic rice popcorn, determined to recreate that delicious childhood treat.
First, soak the glutinous rice in water until the grains are plump and translucent before steaming them. This way, the steamed rice grains are translucent, soft, and chewy, not too hard, yet retaining their aroma. Pour the steamed rice grains into a wok and stir-fry over medium-low heat, allowing each grain to swell and become fluffy. After a few minutes, the rice in the wok becomes fluffy and golden. She picks up a few and bites into them, the rice aroma overflowing and melting in her mouth.
This time, she chose maltose made from her own wheat instead of honey. She put the maltose into a pot and simmered it over low heat until the syrup gradually melted into a golden color, emitting a light burnt aroma.
Liu Yeshu and Chun Xing explained the details: "You need to stir constantly with a spoon to make sure the syrup is just the right thickness. It should be sweet but not too sticky, otherwise the rice cake will become hard."
Chun Xing poured the fluffy rice popcorn into a large bowl and mixed it carefully, fearing that the rice popcorn would be crushed.
Liu Yeshu slowly poured the warm maltose syrup into the rice krispie, stirring gently with a wooden spoon. The syrup coated the rice krispie evenly, giving it a light, sweet sheen. The glutinous rice krispie and syrup intertwined, creating a translucent golden hue. She spread a clean white cloth on the table and poured the evenly mixed rice krispie syrup over it. She gently flattened the rice krispie with her hands, pressing it firmly, and then cut it into neat squares with a knife.
The cut rice cakes are smooth, with a hint of maltose, and are rounded and full. Each piece is evenly sized and looks delicate and lovely.
"It seems like something is missing..." Liu Yeshu pondered over what could be improved. "Besides not being sweet enough, the one I made before also seemed not fragrant enough."
She had an idea and took out some white sesame seeds from the kitchen and sprinkled them on the surface of the freshly cut rice cake. She pressed the sesame seeds with her palm to make it firmly attached to the rice cake, and then put the rice cake aside and waited for the syrup to solidify completely.
After the rice cakes were ready, Liu Yeshu and Chun Xing each tasted a piece and were both very satisfied.
Liu Yeshu wiped the syrup that splashed on her hands with a cloth and said with a smile, "Chun Xing, go call Chun Tao over. I'll let her try this new rice cake."
Chun Xing heard the voice and responded with a smile. After a while, she came back with Chun Tao.
"Miss Liu, are you looking for me?" Chun Tao just jumped into the kitchen and smelled a sweet smell. Her eyes were naturally attracted by the rice cakes on the table: "This smells so good!"
Liu Yeshu smiled and pointed: "I just made this new rice cake. Come over and try it to see how it tastes."
Chuntao walked over with a smile, and couldn't wait to reach out and take a piece, and she took a bite.
"Oh wow! This one's even better than before!" Chuntao said incoherently, her face full of surprise. "This rice krispie is light and crispy, melts in your mouth, and has just the right sweetness—not greasy or bland. Especially the sesame aroma—it adds a touch of flavor!"
Seeing her face full of satisfaction, Liu Yeshu felt relieved and said with a smile, "Then I can present it to the general with confidence."
Chuntao nodded quickly, picked up a few more pieces, and quietly wrapped them up. Luckily, the general was not at home, so she had to hide them well this time. She took another piece from the plate and happily took a big bite. Unexpectedly, as soon as she took a bite, her face suddenly changed and she pursed her lips tightly, as if she had bitten something hard.
"Ouch!" Chuntao suddenly groaned, covered her mouth, and the rice cake in her hand fell onto the table.
Chun Xing immediately stepped forward: "What's wrong? Are you burned?"
Chuntao shook her head and covered her mouth, her face full of pain. After a long while, she carefully let go of her hand, and a trace of blood oozed out from the corner of her mouth.
"Did you hit your teeth?" Liu Yeshu asked.
Chuntao nodded, spit out a small tooth, and opened her mouth to show Liu Yeshu.
"You are just in the period of tooth replacement, and now you have knocked a tooth out." Liu Yeshu said half-jokingly and half-comfortingly, taking out a clean cloth and handing it to Chuntao.
Chuntao covered her mouth with her hands, feeling a little aggrieved, and the two little tufts of hair on her head drooped.
Liu Yeshu couldn't help laughing, but saw Chun Xing standing aside with a worried look on her face.
"What's wrong?" Liu Yeshu stepped forward.
Chun Xing walked up to Chun Tao and asked her to open her mouth and scream "Ah——". After looking for a while, she turned to Liu Yeshu and said, "It's bad, Miss Liu, Chun Tao's bleeding hasn't stopped."
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