Chapter 8: Making noodles, the first day of moving, adopting a stray dog...
They hired a driver to help carry their luggage. Besides clothes and bundles, there were also bedding, pots and pans, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and other daily necessities packed into two large wooden crates.
With the addition of the prepared perilla drink and osmanthus cake, there was nowhere left to step on the cart. Lu Qiong and her companion could only huddle close together, their elbows braced against the sideboard, anxiously fearing they might fall off.
After passing through the city gate, the two immediately got off the oxcart and, with the help of the driver, pulled it to the entrance of the alley. The oxcart was too big to fit in, so they asked the driver to help them move it into their home. Fortunately, their home was not far from the alley entrance, and the move was completed in the time it takes to eat a meal.
Longjin Bridge had been waiting for quite a few people. One of the young men couldn't contain himself and went to ask Jinniang, "Where is the young lady who sold perilla drinks yesterday? It's almost noon, why hasn't she come yet?"
Thanks to them, Jinniang Tofu was still not sold out, with one more board left than yesterday. At this moment, she was also worried about Lu Qiong, and frowned: "I don't know either, but she didn't say she wouldn't set up her stall today, so she should come."
The young man was handsome and held a folding fan in his hand. When he couldn't get any information, he could only sigh and leave. But when he turned around, he saw a pale green dress.
Lu Qiong spent a lot of time packing her bags. After sitting down to catch her breath, she realized that she hadn't set up her stall yet. She then rushed over with Lu Xuan and apologized to everyone, saying, "Something came up today."
Some people wanted a bowl of perilla drink to quench their thirst, but couldn't wait and went elsewhere.
The young man is the most patient and is now at the front of the line, ordering a perilla drink and four servings of mung bean cakes.
Lu Qiong rolled up her sleeves three inches below her elbows, revealing her smooth and delicate skin, which complemented the pale pink perilla drink. She smiled and said, "There's no mung bean cake today, so we'll use Guanghan cake instead. It'll be a good omen for the young master."
The cake contains fresh osmanthus flowers, which are now given the metaphorical meaning of "high rank in the moon palace" by literati. It also symbolizes "plucking the laurel in the moon palace". Scholars who went to the capital to take the imperial examination would give the moon palace cake as a gift.
The young man was no exception. He was preparing for the autumn imperial examination in March. He usually spent his days studying and going out to relax. He had previously come across Lu Qiong's stall and tried a bowl of perilla drink. The sour and sweet taste stimulated his taste buds and gave his tired mind a moment's respite. Later, it became a habit.
Now that he was receiving such good wishes, he was deeply moved. On impulse, he packed a few more pastries to take home and vowed to study the Spring and Autumn Annals again tonight, even if it meant studying diligently.
After finally finishing entertaining the guests, Lu Qiong sat on a low stool to rest for a while. Carrying her luggage and carrying a bucket along the way, her back was so sore that it cracked every time she twisted it. Suddenly, a pair of hands covered her and gently massaged her back with just the right amount of pressure.
As the pain subsided, she closed her eyes and said, "Xuan'er's skills are good enough to open a shop; I guarantee many people will patronize her."
Lu Xuan's head swayed with the movement as she said with all her might, "Sister is just teasing people. Giving massages is tiring. If I were to open a shop, it would be a pharmacy, where I can treat people's illnesses."
Before Lu Qiong could speak, Jin Niang smiled and said, "Xuan-jie has great ambitions; she will surely achieve great things in the future."
When praised, Lu Xuan became shy and hid behind Lu Qiong, saying, "It's just nonsense, don't take it seriously."
Lu Qiong is different. In her previous life, she had seen disappointing parents whose children were mostly insecure and timid, and dared not do things boldly. Now that she was the eldest sister, she should be an enlightened parent.
Besides, Lu Xuan is not young anymore. She was limited by the environment in Shangyuan Village before, but now that she has come to the "big city", it is time to put her education on the agenda.
A few years ago, someone brought Lu Xuan some storybooks to teach her to read, but she was still far from being able to read classical Chinese fluently. She herself was only half-baked and would only mislead students. She would have to find a tutor to come to her home. The students of the Imperial Academy were all rich and noble, so she couldn't afford to hire one. It would be more practical to find some failed scholars.
Thinking this, Lu Qiong smiled and said, "So you're going to stay by my side for the rest of your life? There's no need to get married. We can just support each other as we walk."
Jinniang laughed along with her, making Lu Xuan feel ashamed to lift her head.
As the stall was nearing its closing time, there were still some pastries left in the food box. Lu Qiong picked up a small piece and put it in her mouth. The fragrance of osmanthus lingered around her nose, and even her taste buds could taste the aroma. There wasn't much sugar, so the flavor was a bit mild, but it had a unique taste.
She also placed a money box on her stall, counted it, and found nearly five hundred coins. After deducting costs, she made a profit of more than two hundred coins.
Normally, perilla leaves are freshly picked and therefore not included in the cost. Starting tomorrow, they will have to be purchased from the pharmacy, which will increase the cost. She plans to take this opportunity to introduce a new product. Otherwise, if the perilla drink, which costs four coins a serving, suddenly increases to five coins a serving after only a few days, it will definitely annoy people and drive them away.
Lu Qiong counted out one hundred coins and asked Lu Xuan to buy the medicinal herbs for sour plum drink, plus a jar of rock sugar, while she stayed behind to sell the remaining perilla drink.
Seeing that Jinniang also had a few pieces of tofu left, Lu Qiong rested her chin on her hand and said, "They were all sold out a few days ago, how come there are still so many left today?"
Jinniang covered the area with gauze and put away the empty board: "Tomorrow is the day of the Xiangguo Temple market. Everyone should rest up and prepare to shop for most of the day."
Then he suddenly remembered: "Young lady, you can make more drinks. There will be many people that day, and they will be sold out in no time."
Lu Qiong smiled and agreed. Then she asked about Shuang Jie'er's condition. Jin Niang said that it had improved and that she and her husband had decided to keep Shuang Jie'er by their side. In the morning, Jin Niang would set up her stall while Liu Haiyan would stay home to take care of the child, and in the afternoon they would switch roles.
After a while, the crowds on the street thinned out, and Jinniang left, leaving Lu Qiong at the stall to wait for Lu Xuan to return.
Shen Qing had looked for Lu Qiong in the morning, but when she found that he was not there, she went back. With nothing else to do, she walked to Longjin Bridge and saw Lu Qiong. She smiled and went up to him: "Do you have any leftover perilla drink?"
“There’s still quite a bit left,” Lu Qiong said, not forgetting to enthusiastically promote the remaining osmanthus cakes. “Why don’t you buy some more Guanghan cakes? You’ll definitely pass the imperial examination next year.”
Seeing that Shen Qing was always so scholarly and acted like a learned man, she knew he must be a student from a nearby school or the Imperial Academy. She was sure that his words had struck a chord with him.
Shen Qing was stunned for a moment, but quickly smiled and said, "Very well, then give me the rest of the Guanghan Cakes."
The remaining ten portions of Guanghan cake were all packed in oil paper for him, and he received a total of forty coins. Lu Qiong was also preparing to pack up and go home. There was still a lot of salted chicken left from yesterday, so she decided to make some noodles today. Thinking of the chewy texture of the noodles, she was also tempted.
"Sister, sister!"
Lu Qiong was kneading dough, and it had just formed into a doughy mass when she heard Lu Xuan exclaim in surprise in the courtyard. She quickly turned the basin upside down and went out following the sound.
A thin dog lay on the doorstep, its fur dry and its body dirty, looking like it had been a stray for a long time.
Nowadays, many people keep pets, including birds, cats, and dogs. In addition to pet food, there are also specialized pet grooming services on the market, which shows people's love for pets.
I don't know if it got lost or was abandoned.
Lu Qiong had never owned a pet, but Lu Xuan seemed very interested. When the dog whimpered, she frowned as well: "Xuan'er wants to take it in?"
Lu Xuan certainly wanted to, and she felt heartbroken that the dog was suffering. With tears in her eyes, she nodded pitifully.
And so, on their first day in their new home, a new member joined them. Lu Qiong was busy making lunch, so she didn't pay much attention, while Lu Xuan was in the yard giving the dog a bath and naming it Xue'er.
Xue'er was a boy. Lu Qiong originally thought it was strange to give him this name, but Lu Xuan insisted on going along with it. Moreover, Xue'er was indeed quite fair-skinned after being washed.
Lu Qiong was kneading gluten on the stove, and laughter could be heard from outside, occasionally mixed with Xue'er's weak cries, making the house increasingly lively.
The dough is unleavened, so it's hard for it to rise without yeast. However, it can rise if exposed to air for a long time. But Lu Qiong is making pinched noodles, so unleavened dough is fine.
The noodles here are called "Bo Tuo," which came from the nomadic peoples of the north. Initially, they were made by hand-rolling dough into sheets, and later they became hand-pulled noodles. Even without toppings, they taste pretty good when boiled directly in a pot.
The so-called winter wontons and New Year's dumplings are a must-eat food on New Year's Eve.
The pot on the stove was already in the house. She washed it several times with water before daring to use it. She added water, and as the flames rose, small bubbles appeared on the pot's walls. Once the water boiled, she poured in all the dough sheets, stirred them evenly with a wooden spatula, and the dough turned yellow. When it was cooked, it sank to the bottom of the pot.
As the mist dissipated, Lu Qiong washed the bowls and filled three large plates. She didn't know what Xue'er should eat. She had no experience raising dogs, and Xue'er was quite weak. It would be troublesome if she got an upset stomach.
The salted chicken, placed in a food box, was now steamed in a bamboo steamer, emitting a savory aroma. The reason she liked this house was because it had two stoves, making it convenient for her to cook various dishes. If possible, she would also like to have a portable stove built so she could cook directly on the street. She had seen quite a few on Longjin Bridge these past few days, but hadn't yet found out the prices, so she would have to make do for now.
The eight-immortal table in the main room was next to the stove, and in no time, the steamed buns and salted chicken were served.
Lu Qiong called out through the door, "Xuan'er, the ba tuo is ready!"
Xue'er was large, but skin and bones. Lu Xuan could lift her up with both hands with a little effort. She huffed and puffed as she walked over with small, steady steps: "Sister, Xue'er told me that she is hungry too."
Seeing the slight sweat on her forehead, Lu Qiong smiled and said, "Tell me what it told you."
In order to get food for Xue'er, Lu Xuan wrinkled her nose and barked like a dog: "Woof woof woof".
It really looked just like Xue'er's sobbing and helpless appearance. Lu Qiong's heart melted, and she immediately went to make some dog food!
Dogs seem to be able to eat bones, but seeing how weak Xue'er is, I wonder if she'll have indigestion. If there were internet, she could post a question online, but now she can only ask Jin Niang.
Shuangjie was taken to see a doctor, while Jinniang stayed home to prepare lunch. She was somewhat surprised to learn that the family had taken in a dog, but she still shared her experience in raising dogs.
Lu Qiong went back and steamed a few hard-boiled eggs, added some carrots that she had asked Jin Niang for, mashed them into a paste, and put them on a plate. Xue'er lay on the ground, her nose twitching at the aroma, and without much hesitation, she licked the plate clean.
Lu Qiong and Lu Xuan squatted down to the side, heads close together, and said in unison, "It's eating so deliciously."
Xue'er had regained her energy and was willing to walk around the yard. Lu Qiong also sat down to eat the ba tuo. Although it was a little soggy, it was still steaming hot. A bite of ba tuo was translucent and chewy. A piece of salted chicken was savory and delicious. A sip of noodle soup neutralized the saltiness, making her sigh, "If only there were Coke."
Lu Xuan was also engrossed in eating, having almost finished all the dumplings in her bowl. Hearing this, she looked up and frowned: "Sister, what is cola?"
A note from the author:
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I want to add this to my favorites; I'd like to apply for a ranking next week. [Let me see!]
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