Chapter 25: Smoke from cooking fires warms the alleys, friendship grows
As the morning light crept over the eaves of the Fang residence, the delicate aroma of rice porridge wafted from the kitchen. Little Swallow, holding a bowl of multi-grain porridge, sat at the rosewood table, her eyes fixed on the courtyard gate, her spoon unconsciously stirring the lotus seeds in the bowl. Li pushed a plate of pickles in front of her and jokingly said, "Haven't you digested yesterday's pancakes yet? You've flown to the alley entrance."
Little Swallow stuck out her tongue, scooped up a spoonful of porridge and stuffed it into her mouth, mumbling, "Mom's porridge is the best!" Her eyes rolled, she put down the spoon, picked up a piece of freshly steamed osmanthus cake, and said, "Dad, big brother, I'm going to take some cakes to Uncle Zhang in the front yard. He helped us repair the gate yesterday."
Fang Zhihang was flipping through a newly arrived poetry collection. He looked up and smiled when he heard her say, "Go ahead, and be careful on the road." Xiao Jian paused, holding the bowl of porridge. His gaze swept over his sister's shining eyes, but he didn't expose her little thoughts. He simply said, "Let the servants follow you. Don't play around too much."
"Got it!" Xiaoyanzi, as if granted amnesty, grabbed the lunch box and ran out, the hem of her skirt sweeping across the threshold, creating a gust of wind. Besides the osmanthus cake, the lunch box also secretly contained two packets of freshly roasted sesame seeds. Yesterday, seeing that Liu Qing's sesame jar was almost empty, she had asked the kitchen to roast some more.
The alley was busier than yesterday: men carrying water, women buying groceries, children carrying backpacks to school. The sounds of footsteps and laughter, mixed with distant shouts, wove a warm web. Little Swallow, carrying her lunch box, scurried briskly through the crowd. Passing Uncle Zhang's house, she dropped off two pieces of osmanthus cake and headed straight for Liu Qing's pancake stand.
From afar, they could see white steam rising from the familiar street corner. Liu Qing was brushing the newly replaced sauce pot—the one she'd given them yesterday. The pot was shiny, and the sauce shimmered with oil. Liu Hong was squatting on the ground, wiping the griddle with a rag. When she saw Xiaoyanzi approaching, she straightened up immediately, her braids swinging happily, "Miss Fang! You're here!"
Liu Qing also raised his head, a shy smile on his dark face, the brush in his hand still dripping with sauce: "Good morning, girl, today's pancakes are made with freshly ground sesame seeds, I'm saving them for you." He turned around to spread the pancakes, and the flour on his cuffs fell down.
Xiaoyanzi placed the food box on the bamboo stool beside her, opened the lid, revealing the osmanthus cake and sesame buns inside: "My mother made osmanthus cake, you guys try it. And here, I saw you guys didn't have many sesame seeds left yesterday." She handed the sesame bun to Liu Hong, her fingertips touching the rough back of her hand, which was much thicker than the thin calluses she had earned from piano practice.
Liu Hong opened the sesame bag, and the fresh fragrance of sesame immediately wafted out. Her eyes widened. "These sesame seeds are ground so finely! Much better than the ones we buy!" She picked up a piece of osmanthus cake and took a careful bite. The sweet fragrance mixed with the fragrance of osmanthus spread in her mouth. She couldn't help but squint her eyes. "Delicious! Even more fragrant than the ones bought in the store!"
"If it tastes good, eat more." Xiaoyanzi helped to put the bamboo baskets in order. Her eyes fell on the location of the pancake stall and her brows frowned slightly. "This place is next to the corner and is not exposed to the sun. It may be difficult for customers to find it?" She remembered that in her previous life, Liu Qing and others later moved to a location facing the street, and their business was much better.
Liu Qing scratched his head and smiled innocently: "The rent here is cheap. I'm just starting out, so I'll try it out first." He picked up the batter spoon and poured a spoonful onto the griddle. The batter spread out with a "sizzle" and soon formed golden edges.
"I know a good place!" Xiaoyanzi's eyes lit up. She moved closer to Liu Hong and lowered her voice. "Turn two alleys ahead, opposite the back door of the teahouse. There are a lot of people there. Tea patrons always like to buy pancakes as a snack. The rent is reasonable too. I passed by yesterday and saw it was empty."
Liu Hong's eyes lit up: "Really?" She pulled Liu Qing's sleeve, "Brother! Let's go and take a look? If we can really move, business will definitely improve!"
Liu Qing hesitated for a moment, and looking at Xiaoyanzi's sincere eyes, he felt warm in his heart: "This... will it be too much trouble for the young lady?" They had no relationship with this rich young lady, and had already received a lot of favors from her.
"No trouble!" Xiaoyanzi waved her hand, picked up a freshly made pancake, took a big bite, and said vaguely, "I happen to have nothing to do. Can I go with you to take a look? After we're done, I can even talk to the landlord for you. My dad knows the manager of that alley, so he's easy to talk to."
As he was talking, a few people who looked like tea drinkers walked by the entrance of the alley. They smelled the aroma of pancakes and stopped. "These pancakes look good. Give me two!" Liu Qing hurriedly got busy, skillfully brushing sauce and sprinkling sesame seeds on them. Liu Hong collected the money on the side with a big smile on her face.
After seeing off the guests, Liu Hong carefully put the copper coins into her arms and patted them: "Look! I just said there are guests! Let's go find a place now!" She picked up the small spatula for making pancakes and was about to close the door.
"I'll help you pack up!" Xiaoyanzi rolled up her sleeves and helped cover the sauce jars and stack the bamboo baskets. Although her movements were not as skillful as Liuhong's, she was extremely serious. The sunlight fell on the back of her white hand, and when it touched Liuhong's lightly calloused hand, there was no barrier between them.
Xiao Jian hadn't known when he'd finally stood beneath the old locust tree at the entrance of the alley, his grayish-blue figure veiled in its shade. He watched his sister squat on the ground, helping someone stack bamboo baskets. Her moon-white skirt was dusty, and a thin layer of sweat was dripping from her forehead. But she smiled so brightly that her eyes curved, as if they were filled with starlight. The servant behind him whispered, "Master, would you like to come over and lend a hand?"
Xiao Jian's fingertips caressed the jade pendant at his waist. It was the peace jade his mother had given him, and it felt soft to the touch. He shook his head, his gaze settling on his sister's cheerful figure, a hint of tenderness spreading across his eyes. Before leaving, he'd worried she'd be wronged in a strange place, but now it seemed the girl always found her own joy. The city, though chaotic, possessed a vibrant energy not found in Jiangnan. As long as she was happy and not bullied, there was nothing wrong with her occasionally wandering around.
After packing up the stall, Xiaoyanzi helped Liu Hong carry the bamboo basket, while Liu Qing shouldered the load, and the three of them headed for their new location. As they passed the back door of the teahouse, they saw an empty stall. The sun was shining brightly, and an old elm tree nearby provided shade. Liu Hong ran over, measuring the ground with her feet, and excitedly exclaimed, "Brother! This place is so big! We can set up our stall and even put in a small table!"
Xiaoyanzi watched their joyful expressions, feeling as if a piece of jade was warm in her heart. She fished a small piece of paper from her sleeve pocket and handed it to Liu Qing: "Here's the manager's address. I've already informed him. Just ask for Manager Wang and mention my father's name. You can get a 30% discount on the rent."
Liu Qing took the note, his fingertips trembling slightly, and his dark face flushed red: "Miss Fang, this...how can we thank you?"
"When your business picks up, just treat me to three months of pancakes!" Xiaoyanzi smiled slyly, her eyes curved into crescents. "Besides, I'm bored in the capital by myself. I'll come visit you often. Please don't find me annoying."
"No problem! No problem!" Liu Hong quickly waved her hand and took Xiaoyanzi's hand. Her palm was warm and carried the aroma of pancakes. "We're so happy that you can come! I'll make it sweet for you next time, with double the sesame seeds!"
Sunlight filtered through the branches of the old elm tree, showering the three of them with warmth. In the distance, the teahouse waiter's calls drifted by, and a breeze blew nearby, carrying the sweet aroma of osmanthus cake and the steam of pancakes. Little Swallow, watching the light in Liu Qing and Liu Hong's eyes, felt a sudden sense of peace in her heart. In this life, she had not only protected her family, but also these precious friends. How wonderful!
As Xiaoyanzi walked back with the empty lunch box, she saw Xiaojian still waiting for her at the alley entrance. She ran over and waved the empty lunch box like a treasure: "Brother, they said my osmanthus cake is the best! They even said they would treat me to three months of pancakes!"
Xiao Jian helped her brush away the elm leaves from her hair, his fingertips carrying a faint pine scent: "Have you had enough fun? It's time to go home and practice calligraphy." He looked at the light in his sister's eyes, and although his tone was light, the corners of his mouth rose slightly.
Little Swallow nodded and obediently followed her brother home. The clatter of her cloth shoes on the bluestone slabs mingled with the distant shouts and the nearby chirping of insects. Days in the capital grew warmer and warmer amid the bustling atmosphere of the city and the laughter of friends.
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