Back at the pharmacy, Shen Yuan saw Granny Liu busy washing vegetables in the courtyard. She couldn't help but walk over and hug Granny Liu from behind.
"Grandma, thank you!" Shen Yuan leaned on Liu Mama's shoulder, her voice very low.
Although Granny Liu didn't understand what Shen Yuan meant, she still wiped her hands, then helped Shen Yuan turn around to look at her, "Why are you thanking me?"
"I met a little beggar on the street today. She was very cute, but also very pitiful." Shen Yuan lowered her eyes, feeling a little sad as she thought of Tian Tian.
"If my grandma hadn't taken me in, I would probably be like her, forced to beg for a living, living a precarious existence, and maybe even starving to death on a winter night."
After listening to Shen Yuan's words, Granny Liu gently patted her hand and said with a smile, "You want to thank me for picking you up, don't you? But over the years, I've also wanted to thank you."
"Thank me?" Shen Yuan's eyes showed a hint of confusion and bewilderment.
Granny Liu murmured, "I fell off a cliff and damaged my brain. When I woke up, I was in a daze and didn't know what to do or where to go. Luckily, you cried out in the grass, and that's when I knew what I should do. I... I should go find you some milk."
“For the past fifteen years, if you hadn’t been by my side, I would have been very lonely. With you by my side, I felt that there was something to look forward to in life. So, you want to thank me, and I really want to thank you too.”
"Grandma, I will always stay by your side. We will rely on each other and never be separated." Shen Yuan held Liu Mama's hand tightly. In this world, Liu Mama was her only relative. She raised her when she was young, and she would take care of her when she was old.
Granny Liu said, "Silly child, no one can stay together forever! You will get married and have your own family and children in the future."
"I won't get married. I'll stay with Grandma. That's what makes us a family."
After saying that, Shen Yuan rushed to help Granny Liu wash the vegetables. She scooped the greens out of the basin and carried them into the kitchen. "I'll cook lunch today. I'll make Granny's favorite shredded pork with sauce!"
Xiao Ling stood behind the door, watching the interaction between the grandmother and grandson.
This is what family affection in ordinary people's homes is like—so warm and simple.
Shen Yuan was personally taught by Granny Liu, and her cooking skills were superb. However, Granny Liu doted on her and rarely let her do laundry or cook. Today, she finally had a chance to show off her skills, and Shen Yuan prepared a table full of dishes.
She placed the plate of braised shredded pork in the center of the table and invited Granny Liu and Xiao Ling to sit down and eat.
Xiao Ling was slightly taken aback when he saw the braised shredded pork on the plate. The so-called braised shredded pork is made by cutting pork tenderloin into thin strips, marinating it with starch and seasonings, and then cooking it with soy sauce and thickening it while stir-frying. The shredded pork is then stir-fried until it is thick and reddish-brown. Finally, it is wrapped in bean curd skin and eaten with some cucumber and radish shreds. It tastes like tender and smooth meat with a refreshing flavor.
This dish is one of the most common meat dishes on the dining tables of ordinary people in Beijing.
Shen Yuan actually knew how to make it; not only that, but according to her, this dish was Liu Mama's favorite.
But didn't Granny Liu say that she and Shen Yuan had never been to the capital?
How could two people who had never even left Jian'an City know about this northern dish? The capital and Jian'an City are thousands of miles apart, one in the south and one in the north, and their eating habits are completely different.
"Why aren't you eating? Try some, it won't taste good if it gets cold." Seeing that Xiao Ling was in a daze, Shen Yuan couldn't help but gently tap the table with her chopsticks to remind him to eat.
Xiao Ling snapped out of her daze and picked up the shredded braised pork in front of her and put it into her bowl.
After the meal, Shen Yuan noticed that it was almost the end of the month, so she took the ledgers and checked the shop's inventory of medicinal herbs.
Hundreds of medicinal herbs need to be registered one by one, their quantities counted, and then checked against the purchase orders and sales slips to confirm how many herbs were sold this month.
Only in this way can we accurately calculate the monthly cost and profit.
She learned this in her previous life when she worked as an accountant in the princess's mansion.
Before she knew it, Shen Yuan was busy until dark. After she finished reading the account book, she turned off the light and prepared to go upstairs to rest. When she passed by the backyard, she found that the door to the woodshed was not closed.
Shen Yuan went over to close the door, only to find the woodshed empty.
Where would Xiao Ling go so late?
The thought that Xiao Ling was unfamiliar with Jian'an City and was also mute made Shen Yuan a little worried. After thinking for a while, she finally picked up a lantern and went out.
Zuichunlou, the largest brothel in Jian'an City, was brightly lit at this moment. The sounds of silk and bamboo instruments lingered, and the aroma of wine intertwined with the fragrance of women's cosmetics, creating a beautiful spring scene.
The madam eagerly ushered Xiao Ling into the private room, her face full of ingratiating smiles.
She looked Xiao Ling up and down. Although the man in front of her was dressed plainly, he had an extraordinary demeanor and an air of nobility in his every move. He must be a young master from some family who deliberately dressed in a low-key manner to avoid being recognized.
She's seen this kind of thing many times!
The madam was very confident in her judgment; she had a gut feeling that Xiao Ling was someone who wasn't short of money.
The madam then warmly greeted him, "Young master, is this your first time visiting our Drunken Spring Pavilion? What kind of girls do you prefer? I'll make arrangements for you!"
Xiao Ling sat casually on the chair, and after listening to the madam's words, he raised his hand and waved at her.
This is...bring them all over for us to see?
The madam understood this implication, and a smile she couldn't suppress spread across her face. See? See? She'd really struck gold tonight! The client was incredibly generous; he wanted it all!
The madam quickly led over a group of girls, some gentle and tender, others passionate and fiery, with all sorts of styles, but Xiao Ling didn't even glance at them.
This left the madam unsure whether Xiao Ling had come to have fun or to make things difficult for her.
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