Chapter 79 Fish Head Tofu Launches New Business During Spring Festival
When only two "corners" remained on the plate, Yue Teng was reluctant to eat them. He had been eating them one bite at a time, but gradually he slowed down, only biting off half at a time, and examining them carefully before swallowing.
Therefore, he also discovered the secret to why Madam Shen's dumplings were so delicious. These dumplings were probably not meant to be sold, and since it was New Year's Eve, the filling inside was exceptionally generous. He took a bite of one, and found the thin, soft dough filled with plenty of pork and pickled cabbage.
Curious, he picked out some of the pickled cabbage and discovered that the shredded cabbage had no stems, no outer leaves, and no roots; it was made from the best part of a whole white cabbage.
Yue Teng loved sour-filled dumplings, and he frequented many dumpling shops in Bianjing (Kaifeng). The most important part of the sour filling was the pickled cabbage itself. If the pickled cabbage wasn't good, the dumpling wouldn't taste good either.
Ordinary sauerkraut shops either buy their sauerkraut from outside or make it themselves. But whether it's bought or homemade, they mostly use whole white cabbage heads to make sauerkraut. So when you eat sauerkraut, you will inevitably eat old leaves and cabbage stalks.
But tasting the filling today, it seems that Madam Shen peeled the cabbage until only the tenderest, most juicy part was left before pickling it in the jar. As a result, the filling contained a lot of tender, yellow, slender, and translucent pickled cabbage hearts, which tasted sour yet juicy and refreshing. Of course, it wasn't just the pickled cabbage that was good; Madam Shen's dumplings were round and large, and the meat filling inside consisted of half cooked meat mixed with raw meat, plus chopped pork cracklings and vermicelli.
So the refreshing sourness is coated with plenty of meat oil. With such a good filling, the skin is naturally excellent. Shen Niangzi rolls the dumpling skins as thin as wontons, so thin that the meat is translucent. She cooks them in boiling water at the right time, and each one is round and plump without a single broken skin. Even the pleats don't develop any lumps.
Yue Teng reluctantly finished the plate of dumplings. Yanzhou was freezing cold, and the only vegetables available in winter were white cabbage. His wife, Li E, would cook white cabbage in various ways, with pickled cabbage being the most common. Naturally, she was also an excellent cook of pickled dumplings.
He was summoned back to Beijing this year, but he didn't bring his family, so he had a slightly regretful New Year.
I wonder how his wife and children are spending the New Year in Yanzhou? Those three unruly boys of his are probably out on the snow again, pulling sleds and playing with the dog.
Last year, he took his three sons out to play. At first, the four of them played on a gentler snow slope, but then the eldest son said he was bored, so he gave the order to lead the dogs and sleds, and headed up the steep slope.
The four of them went up the hill with great momentum.
On the way down the slope, both the person and the dog fell flat on their backs, their faces bruised and swollen.
He returned home looking disheveled. When Ah-E saw him, she was so angry that she hit him with a rolling pin and blamed him for being an unreliable father: "I told you to take care of the child, how could you do such a mess? You might as well not take care of him at all!"
While being beaten, he smiled apologetically and explained, "It's because that sled wasn't sturdy enough."
Ah'e, holding a rolling pin, sneered: "Fine, today it's the sled's fault, but what about yesterday? Sanlang wanted to play snowball throwing with you, and you went and rolled a ball bigger than a basin and threw it at his face? You even threw him into the snow! That's your own child, not someone you picked up on the post road!"
Yue Teng chuckled sheepishly and repeatedly assured, "I would never dare to do it again! I would never dare to do it again!"
The youngest son was chubby and round. Ah-e was always worried that he would be cold, so she dressed him in seven layers: a cotton undershirt, a short jacket, a cotton coat, and a woolen vest. She even dressed him in three pairs of pants, which made the child wobble when he walked and unable to squat down. It was quite amusing to see.
He wanted to tease him, but he used too much force and smashed the child into the snow, causing the child to choke on a mouthful of snow. The child cried loudly from the cold, and Ah'e, who rushed over upon hearing the news, naturally didn't treat him politely.
Afterwards, A'e sent him to sleep in the main camp for two months, saying it was to save him from constantly bothering their son at home, and she also severely criticized him as the biggest troublemaker in the family. That day, when the guards saw him return with a quilt tied to his back, they all whispered and chuckled to themselves:
"Look, the general has been kicked out of his house again."
He turned and glared at them, and they immediately stood at attention. He turned back with a stern face and continued walking forward, but the laughter that they were trying to suppress but couldn't quite manage drifted into his ears again.
Yue Teng stared blankly at the empty plate, his mind wandering back to Yanzhou.
No matter how good Bianjing was, he still felt it wasn't as good as Yanzhou. Bianjing had too many people and officials, and too much trouble. Yue Teng had already decided to set off on the third day of the first lunar month... no, the second!
While Yue Teng was lost in thought, Xi Feijing got up and strolled around the shop. He lingered for a while in front of the picture of roasted duck on the wall, then turned to look at the picture of instant soup noodles. After looking around, the smile in his eyes deepened.
He accompanied his sister back to Chenzhou, where they stayed at the Xie family's old residence for a few days. He gave a good talking-to to all the arrogant uncles and elders in the Xie family. After seeing that his sister's family was settled, he bid farewell and returned to the capital.
Before going back, he asked Chun Jun why Ninth Brother insisted on moving to that Jinliang Bridge place, where he was living quite comfortably in that small, dilapidated house.
Chun Jun, still keeping everyone in suspense, smiled and said, "Brother, after you return to Bianjing in a couple of days, you'll understand once you go and see for yourself."
Looking at it today, I understand now.
A young person's heart cannot be hidden in the slightest; it is all too clear to be concealed.
However, Chun Jun seemed quite pleased with this, so he pretended not to see anything. Xi Feijing smiled and shook his head, then returned to sit opposite Yue Teng. Seeing that he was still staring blankly at the heavy snow outside the window, he waved his hand in front of him.
Yue Teng turned his head and gave him a cool glance.
"You miss your wife, don't you? Want to go back to Yanzhou?" Xi Feijing's smile always carried a hint of cunning, perhaps because he had long, narrow, fox-like eyes with a deep color that made his gaze sharp. "When are you planning to leave?"
"Second year of junior high," Yue Teng said without hiding anything.
Xi Feijing was not surprised and nodded slightly. Yue Teng was different from him. Apart from a married niece, he had no relatives in Bianjing. His whole family was in Yanzhou, so he naturally did not want to stay in Bianjing any longer.
“Then I will also set off on the same day.” Although Xi Feijing was somewhat reluctant to leave his sister’s family, Yue Teng had left, and if he did not leave, wouldn’t he be caught by the Prince of Lu? That wouldn’t do.
Besides, he also missed his wife and daughters.
A few days ago, he and Yue Teng took advantage of the opportunity when merchants were selling off their goods to exchange for money to return to their hometowns at the end of the year, and spent two whole days browsing through the gold and silver shops, cosmetics shops, and clothing shops in Bianjing.
Yue Teng was alright; he only bought a few things to bring to his wife, Li E.
Li E and Yue Teng met during the war. She was frugal by nature and didn't care much for dressing up; a jar of mutton fat cream could last her a year. Yue Teng was overwhelmed by the dazzling array of cosmetics in Bianjing. He only recognized "eyebrow paint," "lip paint," and "face cream."
Xi Feijing became much more skilled, recognizing all kinds of cosmetics, such as snail-shaped eyebrow paste, rose cream, and almond cream. His wife, Yao, was a famous beauty in Youzhou City, and also known for her love of beauty. She had few hobbies in life, except for tinkering with jewelry, clothes, and cosmetics.
She also bore him two equally lively and beautiful daughters.
With the list Yao had given him before his departure in his hand, Xi Feijing went from house to house asking around, spending most of the silver bestowed by the government on a cartload of fashionable clothes, jewelry, rouge, and face powder, all to take back to his family's young ladies.
Before he set off, Yao slipped a letter into his arms with deep affection, telling him to open it after he left the city. He thought Yao was writing a tender love letter to him, expressing her heartfelt feelings, because she couldn't bear to part with him! His heart felt as sweet as if a pot of honey had been poured out, and he felt sweet all the way.
When he sought refuge at the post station that night, he couldn't wait to read the letter, but the smile on his face froze after reading only the first line.
The letter was filled with:
The old rouge shop in Beizhang, Xiuyifang, purchased ten boxes of various rouges, including Pomegranate Beauty, Big Red Spring, Little Red Spring, and Dewdrop.
Ran Hong purchased thirteen boxes of rouge from the Wang family's rouge shop, including brocade swallow hair powder, jade maiden peach blossom powder, pearl powder, and rose rouge cotton. She also brought two boxes of white aconite ointment for the eldest daughter-in-law of General Yunhui's family.
Purchase several hairpin pouches, embroidered pouches, and lotus leaf pouches from the brocade and silk shop; purchase a myriad of flower pouches, a copper pipa-shaped inlaid mother-of-pearl fire-striker pouch, and more from the Wang family's Luoming brocade and silk shop... If you do not bring them back, you do not need to return them!
He didn't finish reading it before silently folding it up and carefully putting it into his bag, wiping away a tear of bitterness for himself.
Yue Teng couldn't help but chuckle at the thought of Xi Feijing's cart full of women's clothes and jewelry—because his wife and daughter had asked him to buy so many things, he couldn't even fit his own luggage in. He had to split it into two bundles and barely tied them to the rump of his personal guards' horses, looking quite disheveled.
I heard that when Xi Feijing returned home from his rest day at the camp, he had to behave himself as a silk doll, letting his daughters apply makeup and manipulate him.
When they thought of their families, their expressions softened as if ice and snow were melting away, and they felt much more at ease talking to each other.
Looking out at the heavy snow on New Year's Eve, and thinking about the banquet I would be attending in the palace later, I didn't find it unbearable anymore.
Although the palace banquets in the imperial palace featured over a hundred dishes, they weren't particularly delicious. Especially since before sitting down to eat, one had to watch the grand exorcism ceremony, the bestowal of titles, and the presentation of tributes by envoys from various countries. It would be strange if one didn't freeze to death.
Fortunately, Chenji Restaurant was still open today.
Yue Teng and Xi Feijing both smelled the increasingly rich aroma of fish soup wafting from the kitchen. Xi Feijing smiled and said, "The fish head tofu soup you've been longing for is finally ready."
As he said this, the curtain leading to the back room was lifted by Shen Miao, who came out carrying a large covered earthenware pot. Behind her, Ji Ge'er carried a small clay stove that could be placed on a table, with two pieces of charcoal already lit inside, burning brightly red.
Shen Miao asked Ji Ge'er to put the stove on the table first before placing the casserole on it. She smiled and said, "It tastes even better when it's simmered like this in winter."
As he spoke, he lifted the lid of the casserole.
A burst of fragrant steam rose out, and the milky white, rich fish soup in the pot was still simmering gently. The white and tender tofu was cut into neat square pieces, and the large, plump silver carp head was pan-fried until slightly charred, split in half, and lay in the bubbling soup, already stewed until tender.
Yue Teng kept swallowing.
Shen Miao went back to the kitchen and brought out two large bowls of rice: "This soup is delicious on its own or with rice. Pour the rice into the pot, and it will become fish porridge in a moment, which is also very delicious."
When Xi Feijing looked at Shen Miao again, he did so with the same loving kindness he would show to a family member. As he reached out to take the food, he smiled and praised her, "Madam Shen is so capable. You've worked so hard today. You should be resting during the first month of the lunar year. We've made things difficult for you."
Shen Miao smiled and said, "No trouble at all. I was just preparing New Year's dishes today anyway, it's nothing." After a pause, she added, "I'll also be open for business during the first month of the lunar year. If you like the food, you two can come and eat again when you have time."
Xi Feijing exclaimed in surprise, "Does Madam Shen not even take a break during the first month of the lunar year?"
The first month of the lunar calendar in Bianjing (Kaifeng) was different from other places. Merchants and travelers from other places had all left, and the imperial court had decrees stipulating that "seven days of leave would be granted for each of the following major festivals: New Year's Day, Cold Food Festival, Winter Solstice, Tianqing Festival, and Lantern Festival." Officials, private schools, academies, and county schools in various prefectures and counties would close their offices and take leave during these major festivals.
Therefore, officials of all ranks could take a break from the first day of the Lunar New Year until after the fifteenth. Officials from other places would take the opportunity to return to their hometowns, while local officials would go out to travel, visit relatives and friends. As the superiors set an example, the subordinates would follow suit, and the custom of resuming work and business close to the Lantern Festival also arose among the people.
Speaking of holidays, the Song Dynasty had a lot of them. In a year, there were five major festivals with seven days off, seven festivals with three days off, and twenty-one festivals with one day off. Not counting the monthly rest days for officials, the Song Dynasty had 113 statutory holidays, and that was without any need for make-up days.
During the first month of the lunar calendar, shops selling lanterns, fireworks, cakes, dried fruits, fresh flowers and fruits are usually packed with customers, but shops like Chen Miao's that sell soup dumplings don't have much business, even if they are open.
Every household has leftovers. Aunt Gu said that they put a lot of effort into making the New Year's Eve dinner, and often a pot of braised pork with dried bamboo shoots and mushrooms was still not finished from the first day of the Lunar New Year to the seventh day.
At this time, there are many visiting cards and people have to eat at relatives' and friends' houses, so who has time to eat soup noodles? On the other hand, roast duck is convenient to take away, looks good, and is a good dish whether eaten cold or hot, so it still sells out every day.
Thinking of this, Shen Miao smiled and replied, "My family is small and there are few people in it, so I really can't stay home for so many days."
Some wealthy families are so busy with New Year's greetings and banquets that they can't finish even after a month or more. But for someone like Shen Miao, who has neither a maternal nor a paternal family, things become completely idle after New Year's Eve and the morning of New Year's Day. She's afraid she'll grow mold if she's left idle until the fifteenth of the first lunar month.
So even though there aren't many customers, she plans to take on some banquet catering jobs. Since she's idle anyway, she might as well cook at people's homes.
In addition, she had some fresh ideas that she had been thinking about for a long time. They were inspired by Ji Ge'er, but they were still brewing in her mind and were not yet mature, so she had not yet implemented them.
Xi Feijing held the bowl and drank the soup, his mouth full of freshness and fragrance. He marveled at how rare it was to drink such delicious fish soup with tender meat, even he, who didn't like fish much, found it delicious. At the same time, he thought, no wonder Madam Shen could catch Chun Jun's eye.
Chun Jun loved women like this most. They were full of vitality, strong in their hands and feet, thin but not weak, and you could tell at a glance that they were also in good health.
Yue Teng didn't notice what Xi Feijing and Shen Miao were talking about at all.
His eyes were only on this pot of fish soup he had been longing for. He took a sip while it was still hot, and the hot soup slowly slid down his throat. The fresh and fragrant aroma permeated his heart and soul. It was truly cooked to be thick, smooth, and fresh.
The tofu is soft, like solidified cream. You pick up a piece carefully with chopsticks, not too heavy, not too light, it trembles slightly. When you eat it with the soup, it's delicate, smooth, and so delicious that it makes your eyebrows fall off.
Yue Teng drank to his heart's content, finishing two bowls before starting to eat the fish. The meat near the gill covers was the most tender, almost translucent, and extremely flavorful. It was so tender that you barely needed to chew it; you could just suck it in. The fish brain was also exceptionally delicious. Gently scooping it up with a spoon and putting it in your mouth, it was like tofu pudding—fresh, soft, and tender. The best part of the fish head was the cheek meat on both sides. The meat was thick, delicate, and tender, having already soaked up all the broth. It was simply divine.
This fish head tofu soup is meant to be made and eaten fresh in the shop. If you send someone to pack it up and take it home, it will be lukewarm and taste terrible, with a fishy smell and the tofu will be mushy.
Reheating it in the pot will change the taste.
It was worth it for him to have remembered Yujin Garden all this time, and even went to visit three times to savor the fish soup. This taste is truly worth trying!
I'm afraid that even when he returns to Yanzhou, he will never forget the taste of that delicious fish soup.
Yue Teng sighed as he ate the last bite.
Xi Feijing ate one bowl and then stopped. He rarely ate fish because he couldn't stand the fishy smell, but even he thought the fish soup was quite good. Even though the soup had cooled down a bit by the time he finished drinking it, he didn't taste much fishiness.
The soup was so rich and flavorful that he finished the whole bowl without even realizing it.
Having filled their stomachs to be full and warm, the two glanced at the sky; it was time to enter the palace. So they picked up their cloaks to pay the bill, acknowledging their inconvenience. Xi Feijing and Yue Teng each placed a silver ingot on the table.
"Madam Shen, thank you so much for today." The two of them bowed slightly to Shen Miao. "May Madam Shen have a peaceful and prosperous New Year, and may everything go as you wish."
Shen Miao waved her hand repeatedly, saying there was no need. She really didn't put in much effort; she just fried the fish, poured hot water over it, added tofu, and simmered it for a while. Fish soup was a very simple and quick dish for her. The dumplings were even pre-made and only needed to be boiled.
She saw them to the door before turning back.
The two silver ingots left by the two generals on the table were also worth five taels each. I never expected to make such a big profit on the last day of the year!
Shen Miao was quite happy, but when she saw the silver ingots, she thought of the silver ingots the Emperor had given her before, and couldn't help but mutter to herself: Look, both generals are more generous than the Emperor.
As she was tidying up the tables and chairs, another soldier on horseback arrived outside in the snow. Shen Miao recognized him immediately; he was the soldier instructor who had eaten quick soup noodles at the shop earlier. His surname was Lin, and although he looked fierce, he was actually very considerate of his subordinates.
And here he is again, braving the snow to buy instant soup noodles for his men.
Although the Song Dynasty had many holidays, the garrison troops responsible for fighting fires and guarding city gates were not entitled to leave. The more important the holiday, the busier they were. In addition, the constables responsible for guarding the gates of the government offices, the warehouse clerks who guarded the warehouses, and the night watchmen, etc., also had no holidays throughout the year and had to be ready to be dispatched at any time.
Everyone was on holiday, and the shop had been quiet for several days. But this Instructor Lin came every day to buy instant soup noodles, buying a whole basketful each time. After eating like this for several days, Instructor Lin's face became sore from the heat, and he developed several large sores.
Shen Miao looked at the several pimples of varying sizes that had appeared on his chin and forehead with a mixture of amusement and exasperation, and couldn't help but advise, "Instructor Lin, why don't you eat something else? If you keep eating like this, your throat will start to burn."
Instructor Lin took off his straw hat and tapped it against the snow by the door, revealing a wry smile. "The watchtowers of Yongkang Ward can't be left unattended for a moment, and the ward gates also need to be guarded in three shifts, day and night. If they don't eat this soup dumpling, they'll have to eat dry bread, so it's better to eat soup dumpling, it's warmer."
While the soldiers in the Xiang Army may appear glamorous, their lives are actually quite arduous.
The idea that had been on Shen Miao's mind for a long time resurfaced at this moment. She tentatively asked, "I have a clumsy but effective way to ensure that dozens of Instructor Lin's men can have hot soup and hot meals every day. Would Instructor Lin be willing to listen to my detailed explanation?"
Shen Miao wanted to take advantage of the low business during the first month of the lunar calendar to start a group-buying service for boxed meals in the Song Dynasty: she would cook six dishes every day, with separate prices for meat and vegetables, and the soldiers could freely combine them into all-vegetarian, all-meat, two-meat-one-vegetarian, or one-meat-two-vegetarian meals.
This way of eating is both nutritious and delicious.
Since the soldiers couldn't leave their posts without permission, she could use her family's long-unused stall cart to deliver the charcoal. It just so happened that Instructor Lin was in charge of Yongkang Ward near Jinliang Bridge, which had two gates and seven watchtowers. She could put charcoal in the cart and push it around the ward, which wasn't far.
The idea first came to me when Ji Ge'er went to study at the academy and came back complaining about how bad and substandard the food was. But at that time, I was busy expanding my shop, making roast duck, and thinking about building a duck farm, so I really didn't have the time. Now that I have some free time, I thought of this again.
She originally planned to set up a canteen for the Biyong Academy, and discussed a collaboration with Manager Zhou. His Lanxin Bookstore was very close to the academy, making it a suitable location for the canteen. That way, Ji-ge'er could eat well, and she could also make some extra money!
The small canteen system hasn't been implemented yet, but group-buying boxed meals for the soldiers can be put on the agenda. Instructor Lin's eyes lit up: "But I wonder how exactly this group-buying should be handled?"
He then inquired in detail about the pricing of the meal. Shen Miao had already considered it; after all, it was a group purchase, with dozens of dishes cooked together in one pot, so the price would naturally be more favorable compared to selling them individually.
After calculating, a vegetarian boxed meal cost only sixteen coins, one meat and two vegetable dishes cost twenty coins, and two meat and one vegetable dish cost twenty-four coins. Since it was the dead of winter, the price of vegetarian dishes wasn't much cheaper.
In addition, you need to bring your own bowls and chopsticks. The delivery fee and charcoal keeping fee will total 20 coins, which will be divided equally among each boxed meal.
As for the group-buying method—one day in advance, the soldiers would sign up to order dishes according to the menu provided by Shen Miao, pay for the meals, and keep the receipts. The next day, once the meals were prepared, they would be delivered on time according to the number of portions and dishes ordered.
"Therefore, Instructor Lin also needs to recommend someone to take on the role of 'Meal Ordering Team Leader.' This person should ideally be literate and able to finalize the menu with the brothers, and then help distribute the meals after they arrive. This way, we can save a lot of time and avoid any mishaps." Shen Miao spoke eloquently and clearly, and Instructor Lin roughly understood.
In the past, if we wanted to cook special meals for the brothers, we had to ask a lazy bum to run errands to the shops on the street. The cost of asking a lazy bum was ten or so coins for nearby shops and more than twenty coins for distant ones. Not to mention that the meals themselves cost a lot of money. It was hard to afford to ask a lazy bum to run errands several times a month. We really couldn't afford to eat like that.
Now, Madam Shen has eliminated the need for idle men. Her cooking skills are so good that she can prepare different delicious dishes every day, which is attractive enough. She can even deliver them! And the price isn't expensive either.
Instructor Lin immediately agreed, his fierce face turning amiable. He eagerly asked, "When can we start delivering this meal? Would it be feasible to start on the second day of the month? Most of my men are single and don't need to accompany their wives back to their parents' homes. If they can eat some good food that day, it would be a comfort."
Shen Miao had nothing to do anyway. With Ninth Brother not around, the days became inexplicably boring. She would often think of Ninth Brother, wondering what he was doing. After a while of daydreaming like this, Shen Miao realized that she couldn't continue like this.
Besides, she didn't even have anywhere to pay New Year's visits; she could only visit each of her neighbors' houses in the alley.
Besides, it was just cooking a large pot of food for about twenty people. She felt that she didn't need Tang Er and Fu Xing's help. She could finish it herself in half an hour, and then spend another half hour delivering the food. It wouldn't cause any delay.
You can go play after you finish delivering the boxed lunches tomorrow. They rehearse variety shows, puppet shows, storytelling, and acrobatics all night long in the entertainment district. I heard there are even monkeys there that can do math.
Shen Miao had already made up her mind.
Tonight I'll give Tang Er, Fu Xing, and A Tao their year-end bonuses and holiday allowances. Tomorrow I'll give them a few more strings of cash to spend.
Let them take Ji Ge'er and the others to Jinming Pond to watch ice football, and then to the Wazili to watch acrobatics and listen to operas. Let them have a good time all day without worrying about anything else!
She personally oversaw the trial operation of this boxed meal. In her past life, she was used to personally overseeing the entire process whenever a new project was launched, so that she could identify specific areas for improvement.
The employees will have seven full days off for the New Year, and she will take half a day off each day, for a total of three and a half days off. She will then finalize the menu with Instructor Lin and go to the entertainment district to find them. They can have a big meal together and have some fun, which will be a treat for herself and everyone else.
She readily agreed: "Sure, on the first day of the month, I'll bring the menu early in the morning. The instructor and the brothers will order the dishes, and I'll start cooking after I return from outside on the afternoon of the second day, and deliver them before dusk."
It's settled then!
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, Bianjing City was decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations. The ground was littered with burnt firecrackers and firework debris. Children ran around the streets with sugar figurines, candied hawthorns, and firecrackers in hand. Every household had red cloth hanging in front of their doors and offering tables set up. The streets were filled with the smoke of burning incense. This was the unique flavor of the New Year.
The weather was fine today, and Manager Kang put on his new clothes and hat early in the morning, greeting everyone he met with a Happy New Year. He was originally going to happily cross the Jinliang Bridge to visit his old friend's house for the New Year.
As fate would have it, they ran into Madam Shen from the Shen family. She was driving a donkey cart loaded with winter melons, cabbages, and spinach—vegetables she'd somehow acquired during the New Year holidays. Who sells vegetables on New Year's Day?
Wait, why is she making so many dishes?
Manager Kang's heart skipped a beat, and an absurd thought popped into his head in disbelief: No way, no way, would Madam Shen still be open for business on the first day of the Lunar New Year? How could she possibly have any customers?
No, can't she just rest for a day?
As Manager Kang watched her walk past, tears of grievance welled up in his eyes.
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