Shen Qinghe looked at the meat bun in his hand. The dough was fluffy and soft, and his fingertips sank in slightly. After taking a bite, the fresh and fragrant beef flavor burst in his mouth. The filling was fresh and juicy, and the bun skin was soaked with soup. One bite was soft, chewy and fragrant. The skin alone was delicious.
Take another sip of the steaming hot beef soup. The beef is chewy and springy, the vermicelli is soft and smooth, and the soup is rich and fragrant. All three are delicious.
Before he knew it, Shen Qinghe had already eaten three large steamed buns. No wonder he was a half-grown boy who could eat his father out of house and home; even the thin-looking scholar could eat so much.
After the meal, Madam Gu, along with Shen Qingze and Shen Qingyu, washed the pots and pans. Meng Zhao went to the room to get a piece of cloth, intending to ask Shen Qinghe for help.
"Second brother, we need a price banner for our stall. My handwriting is not good, but Mother said that your handwriting is excellent. So we'll have to trouble you to help us."
Shen Qinghe replied, "Okay, sister-in-law, come with me, I'll write it." With that, he led Meng Zhao into the room.
It was summer, and even in the evening, the room was well-lit, so you could see clearly without lighting candles. Meng Zhao spread the banner on Shen Qinghe's table and said, "Second brother, write down 8 coins for two vegetarian dishes and one meat dish, or 11 coins for two meat dishes and one vegetarian dish."
Although few of the dockworkers are literate, writing a sign can make it more eye-catching.
Shen Qinghe nodded in agreement, picked out a relatively thick brush, measured the length of the banner with his palm, and dipped his hand in ink to prepare to start writing.
Shen Qinghe wrote very slowly, and each time he put pen to paper he was extremely serious. Meng Zhao found it boring after watching for a while, and shifted his gaze a little away, noticing a book and several sheets of white paper covered with writing on the corner of the table.
Meng Zhao didn't peek on purpose; she was simply literate and only needed a quick glance to grasp the general plot. Her eyes widened, her mouth gaped open, and her feet seemed rooted to the spot, unable to move, her mind filled with disbelief.
After finishing writing the price list, Shen Qing asked, "Is this okay, sister-in-law? I wrote it a bit big, but it's still easy to see from a distance." Receiving no response for a long time, he turned to look at the person standing beside him.
Noticing something amiss in the other person's expression, she followed his gaze to the corner of the table, where he had been copying the books that afternoon. Then, realizing something, she hurriedly tidied up the papers, her whole body tense, her fingertips turning slightly white, and her face flushed as she blurted out, "Sister-in-law, sister-in-law, can you read?"
Upon hearing the question, Meng Zhao suddenly came to his senses. Fearing exposure, he dared not look directly at her and said, "When I was a child, there was a scholar who lived near the butcher shop. He would teach at home. I occasionally heard some of his teachings, but I didn't recognize all of them."
Shen Qinghe felt a mix of emotions. He remembered that his sister-in-law was illiterate, so she hadn't put the book away when she came into the house. Now he felt nothing but regret.
"No, it's not what I wanted to see. I took some copying work at the bookstore, and this is the original manuscript the bookstore gave me."
Hearing the explanation, Meng Zhao dared to turn to look at Shen Qinghe. At this moment, his face seemed to be on fire, and even his earlobes were red. His chest heaved, and his eyes were full of distress. Gone was his usual maturity and composure. He looked more like a shy young man, which added a touch of flamboyance to his already delicate features.
Meng Zhao almost laughed, coughed a few times, breaking the silence, and asked, "Then how do we copy these books?"
Shen Qinghe lowered his head, his body tense, and said somewhat embarrassedly, "Because these books pay more money."
Once the situation was cleared up, Meng Zhao felt a little embarrassed. She then looked at the banner she had written and changed the subject, "Um... this size is fine, I think it's just right. I'll put it in the car first, so I don't forget it when I go out tomorrow." After saying that, she took the banner and strode out.
She was truly shocked just now. The booklet was filled with lewd and obscene words. Meng Zhao never expected that the aloof and ascetic Chief Minister Shen in the book had also read erotic books in his youth, and the content was so explicit.
Left alone indoors, Shen Qinghe remained stunned for a while before coming to her senses.
He studied at the academy, where there were very few tasks he could do, with copying books being the most convenient.
Copying an ordinary book only earns a few dozen coins, but copying a banned book can earn several hundred coins. Although it is somewhat dangerous, he has no choice but to do it considering the situation at home. He usually copies books when no one is around, and he can only relax a little when he is at home. He never expected that his sister-in-law would see him doing it.
The next morning, when Meng Zhao saw Shen Qinghe, she no longer had any unusual emotions. As a modern person, she had seen everything. At most, she was just a little surprised that the male lead's character had collapsed. She had also slept very well the night before.
Shen Qinghe avoided Meng Zhao's gaze, and there were dark circles under his eyes, indicating that he hadn't fallen asleep easily last night. Thinking of how he had been beating his chest and stamping his feet in private, Meng Zhao chuckled to himself, thinking that he was still just a child.
After breakfast, Shen Qinghe went to the academy, while Meng Zhao and Madam Gu began preparing the lunchboxes for lunch.
Pour some oil into the pot, add scallions, ginger, and garlic and sauté until fragrant. Then add star anise, cinnamon, and bay leaves and sauté until fragrant. Add salt and bean paste to taste, and then add about half a pot of water.
Put the fried pork meatballs from yesterday into the pot and stew for half an hour. After taking the meatballs out, add a little cornstarch slurry to the pot to thicken the sauce, and then pour it over the meatballs. This braised lion's head meatball is now ready.
While the stew was simmering, I also made stir-fried pork with chili peppers and shredded pork with sweet bean sauce. Today's vegetarian dishes are fish-flavored eggs, stir-fried seasonal vegetables, and cold shredded potato salad.
After everything was prepared, Meng Zhao served a plate of food, wrapped it in a clean lotus leaf, placed it in a handwoven basket, wrapped it in a layer of cotton cloth, and gave it to Madam Gu.
“Mother, my second brother came back yesterday, and he seemed to have lost some weight. I suppose he wasn’t eating well at the academy. When we go to town, we’ll pass by their academy. Why don’t you take the opportunity to go to the academy first, deliver some food to Qinghe, and then hurry to town to look for us?”
This chapter is not finished yet. Please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
