Chapter 34 Washing bayberries... About two portions?
While they were steaming bamboo rice, they could hear noises coming from the neighboring Third Sister's shop.
Yang Jie'er shook the water off her hands and peeked out: "They just opened the shop and just started making tea."
San Niang Tangbing Shop has recently been opening close to noon and staying open until midnight, except for evenings, which is different from Lu Ji's opening hours.
"I'll go find her after the shop closes at noon." Lu Qiong moved the firewood piled up by the stove to the corner of the wall, her hands covered in sawdust.
Otherwise, if we delay for another two days, the shop will be taken over by someone else.
A quarter of an hour passed quickly, and as Sister Yang lifted the lid of the pot, Lu Xuan's soul drifted away.
They left two portions of bamboo rice for Meng Sheng, and set out the remaining four portions for diners to choose from. They added some water to the pot and steamed the remaining bamboo tubes.
The aroma of bamboo rice is similar to that of zongzi (sticky rice dumplings). The salty cured meat and the fragrance of glutinous rice are mixed together, and when you get close, you can also smell the fresh scent of bamboo, like a clear spring in the forest, with a sweet aftertaste.
The diners were eating soup dumplings, but now even the salty aroma seemed bland, especially since the rice was served in a bamboo tube, which seemed quite novel.
Soon, the first person who wanted to try bamboo rice asked about the price of one serving.
"Thirty coins for one, you can take it all with the bamboo tube," Lu Qiong said with a smile.
The bamboo tube wasn't big, only thicker than a teacup and about the length of a palm. She was worried it might be filled with glutinous rice, and with the added cost of thirty coins, it could buy more than a pound of pork. So the woman was still somewhat conflicted.
She was also holding the hand of a little girl, who looked no more than six years old. She was in her prime, with her hair tied up in two long braids, each with a light blue flower hairpin. She stared wide-eyed at the bamboo tube by the stove.
She was practically begging her mother to buy it, her eyes practically glued to her hand.
Seeing this, the woman gritted her teeth, took out a money pouch from her waist, counted out some copper coins, and said, "Alright, one serving, please."
Once the money was received, Sister Yang presented the bamboo tube.
These bamboo tubes can only be steamed once and cannot be reused. Firstly, the bamboo's fragrance will fade, and secondly, bacteria can easily grow. Because they are disposable, they are split in half with a machete for easy consumption by guests.
As steam rises, golden glutinous rice and glistening cured meat are revealed, and soon the fragrance of bamboo leaves spreads around.
Each bamboo tube comes with a pair of chopsticks and a spoon.
Amidst the expectant gazes of the diners, the lady scooped up a small spoonful. The meat was soft and tender, with the salty aroma of cured pork intertwined with the fragrance of bamboo, making it flavorful without being greasy.
"How is it?" The other diners stared intently at the bamboo rice.
Some diners have already started holding onto their wallets, afraid they might not be able to resist spending more money.
The woman remained silent, taking another spoonful. Only when her lips were glistening with oil did she smile and nod, saying, "It tastes wonderful. I thought the glutinous rice would be too rich, but the bamboo fragrance made it palatable, and even the cured meat was fatty but not greasy."
Lu Qiong chimed in, "If you're tired of it, you can ask us to get a different cup of tea, or some water to quench your thirst."
This way, we can sell one more drink and earn more money!
During their conversation, the little girl had already finished her portion. The woman only noticed after being reminded, and frowned, patting her hand.
"You're not allowed to eat any more glutinous rice! Eating too much glutinous rice can easily cause indigestion!"
The little girl pouted and whispered in protest, "But I'm not full yet..."
Her aggrieved look melted the hearts of the onlookers.
"She's still growing, let her eat her fill!"
"Yeah, it's not much money."
The wife couldn't argue with seven or eight mouths. She thought that since they weren't paying for it, they naturally didn't mind the expense, but she still lost heart and wouldn't let the little girl eat anymore.
Lu Qiong also felt that eating any more would cause problems, after all, this glutinous rice had really made Shuang Jie'er indigestion...
When she first transmigrated, her family went hungry several times. Later, when she earned money, she even bought glutinous rice cakes from someone. Perhaps they were too delicious, because Lu Xuan secretly ate them until she felt unwell.
Hearing her say this, Lu Xuan was also stunned. After a long silence, she finally whispered, "Sister, you remembered wrong. I didn't steal any food."
Seeing that she was finally willing to talk, Lu Qiong smiled and went along with her, saying, "Yes, I misremembered."
In the end, the woman and the little girl each compromised and took the rest home to eat. Fortunately, the bamboo tube was of no other use anyway.
After this incident, the bamboo tubes were almost sold out, and some customers even came from far and wide to share one with their friends, just wanting to taste the flavor.
Fortunately, they were not disappointed.
Someone once said, "Lu Ji always has new dishes. Not only do they never get old, but they also taste great and are very generous with their ingredients."
Everyone listened and nodded silently, feeling amazed at how many ideas could be come up with.
It wasn't until after noon that the number of diners gradually decreased.
Lu Qiong stood in front of the money box, her face full of smiles, patiently counting the copper coins one by one.
Occasionally, they would make a sound; the clinking of copper coins was crisp, while the clinking of broken silver was dull and powerful, but both were pleasant to hear!
I've earned a full ten strings of cash today! And it's all in cash. Even if this shop closes down, I can go back to Shangyuan Village and relax for a while.
But making money is so satisfying, she still wants to keep the shop open so she can move into a new house soon. She really doesn't want to carry buckets of water from the yard anymore...
When the shop closed, Meng Sheng still hadn't arrived. Seeing that it was getting late, Lu Qiong told Yang Jie'er to go home first. Lu Xuan also took a bamboo tube home and picked up a few pieces of lean pork for Xue'er's lunch.
Then I thought of Xue'er's increasingly plump figure lately. I guess she's found the right person to be with. She eats and sleeps well every day and is living a pretty comfortable life.
There were no diners inside, so Lu Qiong sat on a bench outside to rest. The eaves provided shade from the scorching sun, and a breeze made it quite cool.
However, the San Niang Tangbing shop is currently bustling with activity.
Lu Qiong sat for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea before Meng Sheng rushed over, his sleeves rolled up to his forearms, revealing his muscular build, probably having just finished moving goods.
He smiled sheepishly, "Manager Lu, something came up and I was delayed."
"It's nothing, it won't take long."
Lu Qiong turned around with a smile and saw that there was still some embers in the stove. She took a coarse cloth, covered one corner of each bamboo tube, and took out two bamboo tubes of rice for him.
"I've put them all in a pot to steam for you. Do you want to take them home, or eat them here?"
The bamboo tube was still steaming, and Meng Sheng, who had been working all morning, was starving.
He stared at the bamboo tube, his eyes shining. Realizing that Lu Qiong was still waiting for his reply, he grinned and said, "Take it back, take it back."
Lu Qiong then took out two straw ropes, tied them around both ends of the bamboo tube, and made a knot in the middle for easy access.
After seeing Meng Sheng off, she scooped the remaining water from the pot into a wooden bucket, carried it all the way to the back alley, poured it onto the blue bricks, and the sewage flowed into Qianyan through the ditch.
I wanted to talk to Madam Shi right now, but her shop is busy, so I couldn't delay.
So it was delayed until the shop closed at night before Lu Qiong had a chance to meet with Shi San Niang.
She only knew about San Niang through hearsay and had never taken the initiative to contact her, so she didn't know anything about San Niang's character.
Perhaps because the life and death of Lu Ji were in the hands of Third Sister, Lu Qiong was still somewhat uneasy before meeting her.
Carrying a box of pastries and a bag of tea, he hurried to Third Aunt's house.
Although Shi San Niang was wealthy, she did not live in the north of the city. Instead, she chose to build a house in the south of the city, which was quite a distance from Zhou Bridge.
The courtyard gate was wide, with two stone lions standing on either side of the stone steps, quite imposing, much like the style of Third Sister.
The legendary Third Sister was unaware that someone had come to visit her at the door; she was weeding the vegetable garden in the yard.
Why remove it at night instead of during the day? It's just because it's too sunny during the day.
A thumping sound came from outside the door. Shi San Niang put down the grass she was holding, brushed the mud off her hands, and then spat out a mouthful of saliva: "Ptooey, ptooey..."
Who else would come at this time?
Lu Qiong waited outside the door for a long time. It was a bit cold at night, and she thought she would come back another day, but the door opened at that moment.
She had seen Shi San Niang a few times, so she knew what San Niang looked like. However, this woman was covered in grass and yellow dirt.
With such a lack of concern for details, it's no wonder he can achieve great things.
Lu Qiong quickly realized what was going on, presented the gifts she had brought, introduced herself, and then explained her purpose with a smile: "I heard that it took Third Sister Shi five years to establish herself in Bianjing, while our Lu family business has only been open for a short time and our foundation is not yet stable, making it difficult to find a suitable shop..."
The moment Shi San Niang saw her, she felt an instant connection. Upon hearing the purpose of her visit, she smiled and asked, "You want to continue renting this shop?"
Lu Qiong didn't know why she was laughing. After a moment of surprise, she said seriously, "That's right. If you have any needs, please feel free to ask."
"Young lady, you're quite young, but you've got quite the nerve."
Shi San Niang looked kind and held out her hand to calculate: "I'll rent the shop to you for a maximum of five taels a month, but if we combine the two shops, we might be able to earn a total of eighty taels. I know which is more important."
“But it will take quite a while to connect the two shops, at least half a month, and sometimes up to a month. Plus the cost of stone and labor, it will be quite expensive,” Lu Qiong analyzed.
Third Sister nodded in agreement; these were indeed things that needed careful consideration in the early stages.
Seeing that she was listening, Lu Qiong further explained: "Besides, the business of a shop will not improve just by expanding. Third Sister's shop already has enough seats for customers, which is just enough, or even more."
"If the two shops are combined and more seats are added, it is very likely that it will be no different from before."
This was something Shi San Niang hadn't expected. She then took a closer look at Lu Qiong. Her face was calm, but there was a stubbornness in her eyes; she was an intelligent woman.
She underestimated him.
It also reminded Shi San Niang of an old friend; if she were still alive, her child would be about the same age.
Seeing the object reminded her of someone, and her eyes felt a little sore. Afraid of being seen through, she forced back her tears and softly murmured "Mmm," her tone less sharp than before.
"What you said makes some sense, but I still want to combine the two shops..."
When Lu Qiong heard her say this, her heart sank, thinking there was no hope. But then she heard her say, "However, there are still some minor details that haven't been finalized. Until then, you can continue to rent this shop, but you need to sign a new contract. The monthly rent will be at least five taels."
Shi San Niang hadn't planned to open the shop so quickly, but some people in the city had said a few words, and the rumors spread, which frightened the young lady.
However, she went through the same thing in previous years, which was a good period of training.
Lu Qiong's heart sank and then rose again, and she finally relaxed completely when she knew that Third Sister had said everything.
Overwhelmed with emotion, she could only thank Shi San Niang repeatedly.
Shi San Niang interrupted her: "This shop hasn't been open for long. Maybe it will be another month, or maybe a year. Before I give up on opening the shop, it's all uncertain."
However, at least Lu Ji was temporarily saved.
With the shadow hanging over Lu Ji lifted, everyone breathed a sigh of relief and became more motivated.
After learning that Lu Qiong was going to find Shi San Niang, Yang Jie'er tossed and turned all night, finally falling asleep in the middle of the night. Fortunately, the result was good, so it wasn't all for nothing.
Needless to say, Lu Xuan was the person who cared most about the shop besides Lu Qiong. Although she was still a little angry, everyone could tell that she was in a good mood.
A customer ordered a crispy mountain dessert, so she went to the back door to knock off a piece of ice. Just as she was about to put it in the bowl, she heard someone calling her from outside the door.
“Lu Xuan,” Wei Pan said, her small eyes wide open, leaning against the doorframe, “Why haven’t you come to see me these past few days? Didn’t you promise to bring me some crispy mountain pastries?”
Seeing the ice in her hand, she became even more curious, jumped over to Lu Xuan's side, and stretched out her hands, wanting to touch it but afraid of getting it dirty: "I've never touched ice in the summer before. Usually in winter, the Bian River will freeze over with a thick layer of ice. Except for a small area, the rest is full of ice harvesters, and no one can get close."
Lu Xuan chuckled, then tapped along one corner of the ice block, and a small piece of ice fell off. She picked it up and placed it in Wei Pan's palm: "Here, this is for you. It's just a bit colder than well water, and your hands will hurt if you touch it for too long. I don't even dare to touch it with my hands when I'm making crispy cakes."
“I know,” Wei Pan murmured to herself, examining the transparent ice, “but it really is different.”
With nothing to do, Wei Pan stayed at the shop to help out, going wherever manpower was needed.
Lu Qiong wasn't afraid of offending Lu Xuan, and directly praised her: "Pan'er is more efficient and diligent than Xuan'er when it comes to work."
"When there are fewer diners, you can go out and have fun. I'll give you money."
She also knew Wei Pan's situation at home. Women in Bianjing were strong-willed and good at making money, but they were still not valued by their families. Their situation was not bad, but it wasn't much better.
As for the idea of selling one's daughter for personal gain, Lu Qiong had heard it many times, but there was nothing she could do about it, since she herself was just trying to make a living.
Wei Pan is outgoing everywhere, but when facing Lu Xuan's older sister, she always pretends to be reserved and whispers, "No, no need, Xuan'er and I are just taking a walk."
But Lu Xuan had already seen through her and exposed her weakness: "Sister, she wanted to eat crispy mountain earlier, but I forgot to give it to her."
Distracted by her words, Lu Qiong vaguely remembered that there seemed to be such a thing, but she was so busy at the time that she forgot about it in the blink of an eye.
"Alright, help yourselves to whatever you want to eat. Crispy mountain is Xuan'er's specialty." Lu Qiong saw Wei Pan's strong will, so she pretended not to know and didn't tease her about it.
He also secretly gave Lu Xuan ten coins as change.
This also shows that she knows Lu Xuan's character well; she won't squander money, which is a relief. Otherwise, if she were busy earning money while also trying to correct her sister's money management habits, she would be exhausted in less than half a month.
Lu Ji closed in the afternoon, and Lu Qiong planned to stay at home all day, not wanting to go anywhere.
Before they could rest for long, Jinniang came over to chat about everyday matters, mainly about the Pei family.
Just now, someone brought over a few buckets of bayberries...
Lu Qiong, harboring a wicked intention, smiled at Jin Niang and said, "You've come at just the right time. I have some good news for you."
"What good news?"
Jinniang thought she was going to talk about something, but she didn't expect that after she finished speaking, she would turn around and go into the house. When she followed her in, she found that there were two whole buckets of bayberries in the kitchen, which made her dizzy.
"The good thing you're talking about, you don't mean you want me to help you wash bayberries, do you?"
Lu Qiong still smiled: "Not only that, we also need to press the kernels into a pulp."
Helpless, Jinniang still wanted to continue talking to her about the Pei family, so she had no choice but to sit on the low stool, listlessly saying, "Alright, wash this bucket first."
Jinniang only spoke after the basin was filled with water.
“Yang San Niang is shameless. Just yesterday or the day before, she was spreading rumors about Pei Yu’s marriage everywhere. This time it’s not Shi San Niang, but a young lady from the neighborhood.”
Why are they even changing players?
Lu Qiong also couldn't see through this Yang San Niang. He had seen philanderers before, but he had never seen one who was philandering to her daughter-in-law.
"This time she really messed up. That young lady's mother is Xu Jiugu. She went straight to the door, first scolded the young master of the Pei family, and then told Yang Sanniang that if she ruined her young lady's reputation again, she would make sure she could never leave the house."
Jinniang spoke vividly, dropping the bayberries in her hand to the ground, then picking them up again as if nothing had happened, and almost putting them in the clean water.
His excitement was so intense that anyone who didn't know better would think he was the person involved.
However, Lu Qiong also remembered this Xu Jiugu. Whenever she went to Caihe to wash clothes, she would run into her six out of ten times. Her young lady was an embroiderer and could be described as skillful.
Lu Qiong was a little tempted, so she popped a bayberry into her mouth. It was so sour: "Wouldn't Pei Yu be implicated?"
“That’s right,” Jinniang nodded repeatedly. “But he’s been leaving early and returning late these past two days. I don’t know what he’s up to. I’m afraid Yang Sanniang won’t stay quiet for long before she causes trouble again.”
However, in Lu Qiong's opinion, Pei Yu's father bore the greatest responsibility. He abandoned the whole family and disappeared without a trace. If it weren't for the occasional money he sent back, she would have thought he had died out there.
While chatting with Jinniang, they quickly finished washing the bayberries and pressing off the mud, their hands still stained a light pink.
"Your hands are so delicate, they look even better with dye." Jinniang compared the two hands.
Just as Lu Qiong was about to reply, she heard a commotion outside the courtyard.
Following the sound, I ran out and saw Lu Xuan helping Wei Pan back, with her hand on her shoulder.
What happened?
Lu Xuan looked a little guilty: "I gave her some crispy mountain cake, and not long after, she had a stomachache."
Lu Qiong asked anxiously, "How much did Pan'er eat?"
"...About two portions?"
Lu Qiong wanted to scold her, but Jin Niang came over to help: "Help her to bed first."
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