But Zhao Shida wasn't listening to anything he said at that moment; all he knew was that he didn't want Shen Qing to reconcile.
"Am I the master or are you the master? Do whatever I tell you to do. Just go and buy that shop across the street from his house for me. You don't need to worry about anything else."
Upon hearing this, Manager Zhou was surprisingly relieved. At least the young master hadn't turned the pawnshop into a braised meat shop, so it wasn't too bad. He silently lowered his head, respectfully took his leave, and went to think of a solution for his young master.
***
In the dead of winter, even under the blazing sun, it was still chilly to the bone. Moreover, these constables wore thin cotton-padded clothes for ease of movement, and basically relied on their bare bodies to endure the cold.
A cold wind blew by, and the two constables at the entrance of the yamen couldn't help but shrink their necks. They were thinking that when the shift change came, they would go to the canteen to get something to eat. Just then, they saw the magistrate's servant carrying a food box and hurrying into the yamen.
Although the servant was just passing by, the aroma from the food box wafted out uncontrollably, instantly whetting their appetites.
One of the constables couldn't help but speak first, "Sir, what are you eating? It's been two or three days in a row, haven't you gotten tired of it yet?"
"I don't know either, but it smells so good! Just smelling it makes my mouth water." As he spoke, he unconsciously swallowed.
"Perhaps the magistrate has hired a new cook. After all, we don't even like eating the food prepared in our dining hall, let alone the magistrate."
It was Wu Rongzhou, who happened to be passing by, who cleared up their confusion: "The food that adults eat is called potato noodles, and it's sold at a newly opened shop on Xishui Street."
The constable who had been swallowing hard just moments before suddenly brightened up. "Really! We can eat this too? And it wasn't made by the cook?"
Wu Rongzhou shook his head. "No, I've tried those potato noodles, and they're absolutely delicious! The texture is smooth and chewy, and the broth is spicy and flavorful. The braised meat at that shop is also amazing, with a rich and mellow meaty aroma. It's really incredibly tasty."
The two men's mouths watered at his words, their cravings growing stronger. They wished they could run to Xishui Street right now and taste the potato noodles and braised pork.
Song Wanyin knew that Meng Zhao would be very busy in the first few days after the store opened, so she waited a few days and came over in the afternoon. As soon as she stepped into the shop, Meng Zhao greeted her with sharp eyes.
"Sister Wanyin, you've arrived. Please come in and sit down."
Song Wanyin smiled slightly and said softly, "Sister Meng Zhao, I haven't caused you any trouble, have I?"
Meng Zhao shook his head. "It's no trouble at all. There aren't many people around right now, and I was just about to go back to the backyard to rest for a while."
The rooms in the courtyard had been tidied up in the past few days, and Meng Zhao had even set up a small study for himself. At this moment, he pulled Song Wanyin inside.
The charcoal fire was burning brightly in the study, so it wasn't cold at all. Song Wanyin looked around curiously. The room wasn't big, with only a soft couch, a table and chair, and two bookshelves. After getting Meng Zhao's permission, she picked up a few books and flipped through them gently.
"I saw you going to the teahouse to listen to storytelling before, and I thought you liked reading storybooks like me. I didn't expect that all you have here are travelogues."
After entering the house, Meng Zhao first put a small pot on the stove, grabbed a handful of tea leaves, scooped in some white sugar with a spoon, and then, while stirring with a small spatula, answered Song Wanyin's questions.
“I don’t read much on weekdays. I bought two storybooks recommended by a bookstore clerk, but after reading them, I found the stories to be mediocre, so I didn’t spend the money again.”
Song Wanyin nodded, showing some understanding. "The books recommended by the shop assistants in the bookstore are probably the ones that make a lot of money, and they may not suit your taste. If you want to read, I'll bring you a few later. They are some books that I think are quite interesting. You can try reading them, and you might like them."
Meng Zhao naturally wouldn't refuse Song Wanyin's kindness, "That's great! We have similar tastes, so I'm sure your recommendation is excellent."
At this moment, the tea leaves in the pot, under Meng Zhao's continuous stirring, had already blended with the white sugar and gradually turned into a caramel color. Seeing this, Meng Zhao added some hot water, stirred it a few times, and then poured some milk from a jar next to him into the pot.
Seeing this novel approach, Song Wanyin couldn't help but ask curiously, "What kind of food is this? Why does it have both tea leaves and milk?"
"This is called milk tea. Many nomadic peoples in the north like to drink it. It is said that drinking it in winter can help resist the cold and replenish energy. I also saw it in the travelogues on the shelf."
Attracted by the rich aroma, Song Wanyin moved closer and took a deep breath. "It smells so good! I never thought tea could be used with milk. No wonder everything you make is so delicious and unique. I didn't know so much about other places."
When it was almost done cooking, Meng Zhao gently scooped out the tea leaves with a small strainer, and then poured some homemade taro balls into a porcelain bowl. Although tapioca starch was not available at the time, potato starch could be used to make them, although the elasticity would be slightly less.
Meng Zhao poured the milk tea into a cup, then sat down opposite Song Wanyin. The two gently picked up their cups and sipped the milk tea.
Seeing Song Wanyin's contented expression as she ate her favorite food, Meng Zhao pondered for a moment before deciding to speak frankly.
After all, Song Wanyin hadn't deliberately hidden her identity, and since he already knew, it wouldn't be good if there were any misunderstandings in the future if he didn't say so. It would be better to tell her honestly now so that their relationship could remain pure.
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