"Hey, Mother, go ahead. Don't worry, your son is here."
Yan Xia walked to the shop and gave instructions to Jin Fu.
Jin Fu verbally agreed but didn't even look up. It turned out he was packing peach shortbread in his hands, with more than a dozen customers queuing in front of him. The second floor was almost full, and Qian Yi and Qian Er were taking orders from customers on the second floor.
This is the busiest time of day.
Seeing this, Yan Xia prepared to leave, but a regular customer stood in front of her and blocked her way.
"Manager Yan, are you looking for a midwife? Let me introduce you. My family owns seven or eight pharmacies, and I know a lot of doctors and midwives."
The man speaking was Su Anjiang, a regular customer who frequented her restaurant and pastry shop. He was a generous and easygoing person. Whenever Yan Xia helped out at the shop, she would chat with him and affectionately call him Brother Su.
"Really? Thank you, Brother Su. When would you be free? Let's arrange a day to visit your shop and choose something."
Yan Xia's brows furrowed with joy.
Her eyes were gentle as water, as clear as the sky, yet unfathomable. Su Anjiang was mesmerized by her gaze. He paused for a moment, then was startled by the sound of a customer taking an order, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.
“I just bought some flower cakes and was about to go back. In that case, why don’t you come back to the shop with me now? I’ll arrange for someone to help you choose some right away.”
Yan Xia was eager to make her choice as soon as possible. She thanked him again and followed Su Anjiang to the pharmacy on the street.
"Manager Yan, please come inside."
Upon arriving at the pharmacy, Su Anjiang was very welcoming. He spread his right arm, pointing his finger towards the inside of the shop, gesturing for Yan Xia to enter first, as if afraid of neglecting her.
Yan Xia smiled and nodded to him before stepping across the threshold.
Upon entering the shop, the scent of Chinese medicinal herbs immediately fills the air. Unlike the unpleasant smell of disinfectant in modern hospitals, the aroma of the pharmacy is addictive. The top notes exude a woody sandalwood fragrance, the middle notes resemble roasted cedar, and the base notes finish with damp moss. The scent is complex yet harmonious, blending together in a unique way.
It felt as if she were in a forest at dawn, or as if she had just woken up in a temple. It was truly comforting. Yan Xia took a deep breath, and the sense of satisfaction that came to her mind made her unconsciously squint her eyes.
Su Anjiang, standing to the side, glanced at her profile seemingly casually, his face remaining calm, but his heart was pounding.
He is thirty-five years old this year. Ten years ago, his wife passed away from an illness. For the sake of his two children, he refused to remarry. He thought he would live a lonely life. But who knew that when he went to Yan's Pastry Shop for the first time to buy flower cakes for his eldest grandson, he fell in love with Yan Xia at first sight.
Seeing her raising four children and supporting a large family all by herself, and being bullied by her husband's and her own families, yet still standing tall and determined to seek justice even when she went to the county magistrate, it was both heartbreaking and admirable. After all, she was a weak woman, wasn't she?
Shopkeeper Yan was gentle and beautiful. Even though her child was so big, she looked like a young girl. Her skin was like porcelain without any makeup, and her smile was like that of a fairy from heaven, captivating his heartstrings.
From then on, Su Anjiang went to the pastry shop to buy pastries almost every day.
Even his eldest grandson got tired of it.
But Su Anjiang kept buying more food, using his grandson's love for it as an excuse.
This caused a major headache for the whole family.
His eldest grandson ran away when he saw him.
Yan Xia regained her senses, raised her head, and observed the shop.
Above the counter hung a plaque with three large, gold-plated characters.
Su An Tang
"Brother Su, your shop is quite big. It seems your business is doing well. I'm impressed that Su Antang is your property."
Yan Xia didn't know Su Anjiang's background; she only knew that he was a wealthy man who didn't lack money, otherwise he wouldn't have come to the shop to buy pastries every day.
The pastries in her shop are so expensive.
Those who can afford to buy it every day are either rich or noble.
Su'antang is the largest pharmacy in Shuangqiao Town; I heard it's a chain store.
No wonder Brother Su said he owns seven or eight pharmacies.
Throughout history, the most profitable industry has always been the pharmaceutical sector.
After all, people in ancient times also got sick.
Yan Xia flattered him, making Su Anjiang a little embarrassed.
"Manager Yan, you're too kind. My pharmacy can't compare to yours, which makes a fortune every day. Let's not talk about that. Please go to the backyard and have some tea. I'll have someone arrange a midwife for you right away. Tell me if you have any requests."
Su Anjiang's ears turned bright red. If it weren't for the signs of age on his face, people would have thought he was a young man with a heart full of spring fever.
"Hmm... Let's find some people we know well. They should have a clean background, be steady and not talkative, and have experience. That way we can feel more at ease using them."
Yan Xia had never hired a midwife before, so she could only give a general explanation.
"Alright, I understand. Fugui, take Manager Yan to the backyard to sit and rest for a while, and brew her a pot of fresh tea, let's call it Yishan Canglan."
"Yes, Master. Manager Yan, please come in."
The pharmacy clerk, whose name was called, led Yan Xia to the backyard.
Su Anjiang hurriedly made the arrangements.
The backyard of the pharmacy is open-air, with a pavilion in the courtyard containing a wooden table and four wooden stools, which are carved with different flower patterns. Next to the pavilion is an artificial pond in which yellow and white carp are raised.
It looks really big; I wonder if it will taste good.
Yan Xia thought to herself.
Just as she was admiring the view in the backyard, Fugui arrived with a pot of tea.
"Manager Yan, please have some tea."
Fu Gui placed a teapot with a handle on the table and then took down two teacups shaped like pumpkins.
One was placed in front of Yan Xia, and the other was placed opposite her, probably for Brother Su to drink.
When the tea was poured into the cup, it was a pale blue color. Yan Xia picked up the teacup and held it to her nose. The aroma was rich and sweet, with a faint hint of orchid.
The cup was a little hot, so Yan Xia gently blew on it twice and took a small sip.
The tea is silky smooth, slightly bitter at first but still acceptable, and a sweet taste lingers in the mouth a couple of seconds after swallowing.
That's truly amazing.
She had never heard of this kind of tea before; the tea her family drank most often was Biluochun or similar varieties.
Just as Yan Xia was about to ask Fu Gui a question, Su Anjiang entered with four old women.
"Manager Yan, how's this tea?"
His voice was cheerful and outgoing, and it echoed all over the backyard when he spoke.
Yan Xia quickly stood up.
"The tea is excellent, but I've never heard of it before. I wonder what kind of tea it is?"
She thought she just heard Brother Su say something about Canglan.
Su Anjiang strode into the pavilion and sat down facing Yan Xia.
"Please sit down, Manager Yan. There's no need to be so polite. This tea is called Canglan. It comes from Yishan in Huaiyi County. This tea is only available in winter and grows deep in the mountains, so it is difficult to harvest. Just one pot is worth several hundred taels of silver. I only got this small pot, and I usually can't bear to drink it, haha."
He is honest, though.
Upon hearing that the tea was so expensive, Yan Xia quickly finished the tea in her cup and then poured herself another cup.
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