Jiang Shan packed up his stall and returned to the courtyard. He said to the Qiao father and son, "Uncle Qiao, Brother Qiao, I'll be relying on you from now on! There's still plenty of seafood here, perfect for having with drinks. Why don't you stay here for a couple of drinks at noon?"
Before Qiao Shi could object, Jiang Shan added, "If you're worried about gossip, you don't need to come anymore. I'll go and prepare a couple more appetizers; I guarantee you'll enjoy your meal!"
Since the host has already said so, it would seem unreasonable to refuse.
Qiao Shi understood Jiang Shan's meaning to some extent. He had other intentions all along. If he insisted on following the rules and laws, he would really be lonely for the rest of his life!
Anyway, I've done my job properly, and although my feelings were genuine, I kept them within the bounds of propriety, so what's there to be afraid of!
Thinking about it this way, I felt much more at ease.
Just as he was about to say a few words to his son, he saw that the boy's eyes were still glued to Jiang Shan.
Qiao Zheng's heart skipped a beat. He quickly grabbed his son and glared at him.
Qiao Sheng's face turned red instantly, and he lowered his head, somewhat at a loss.
His mind was filled with the charming smile of Jiang Shan when he confronted Aunt Qing, and the coldness he had just felt.
He never knew that a person could undergo such a dramatic change.
Jiang Shan, who used to be simple-minded and honest, was treated by him as a mentally challenged younger sister. Out of pity, he took care of her in many ways and never had any other thoughts.
He had only been away from home for three months, but upon his return, things were no longer the same.
"Father, Shan'er...they said Shan'er..." Qiao Sheng couldn't help but ask for details.
He simply couldn't believe such humiliating words directed at Shan'er.
Qiao Shi sighed deeply, the burden on his heart growing even heavier.
He hasn't even found a wife yet, and now he's starting to worry about his son.
"Don't think about anything else. Although Shan'er and Erlang are not married yet, all the proper etiquette has been followed. They should get married when Erlang comes back!"
Qiao Shi kept silent about the child in Jiang Shan's womb, only using Jiao Erlang to silence his son's little scheme.
Qiao Sheng lowered his head even further.
At lunchtime, the Qiao family father and son ate in the courtyard. On the table was a pot of wine, a full bowl of seafood in a broth, two cold side dishes, a bowl of seafood soup, and a plate of steaming hot steamed cakes.
A table full of food, with perfect color, aroma, and taste.
The Qiao father and son had never eaten such a sumptuous meal before. They looked at each other, hesitant to start eating.
Jiao Sanlang, as the only male in the family, was currently accompanying the guests as the host.
"Uncle Qiao, Brother Sheng, eat up! My sister's cooking is so delicious!" Jiao Sanlang licked his lips and swallowed hard.
Qiao Shi laughed and picked up a large shrimp for Sanlang first.
Saburo happily finished the large shrimp in his bowl, then ate a snail, and then focused on drinking soup and eating pastries.
"Why isn't Sanlang eating shrimp?"
There weren't many large prawns in the seafood, only three or five; the rest were small shrimp, though there were plenty of shellfish and snails. Therefore, Qiao Shi thought that Sanlang was being too considerate, deliberately leaving the large prawns for him and his son.
Sanlang chuckled and said, "My sister said that my spleen and stomach are weak, and seafood is cold in nature, so I can't eat too much of it. I should eat more warm and nourishing foods, like steamed cakes."
His words were full of dependence on the country.
"My sister also said that as the weather gets cooler, seafood is best eaten with warm wine, otherwise it will upset your stomach! Uncle Qiao and Brother Sheng should remember not to eat too much raw or pickled food."
He spoke in a tone like a pedantic scholar, and every word he uttered was reasonable.
The Qiao father and son looked at each other, then nodded cautiously.
The meal was enjoyed by both host and guests, and afterwards everyone went about their own business.
Jiang Shan called Sanlang over and praised him highly, highlighting several points in his speech.
Sanlang's face turned red, and his gaze towards Jiangshan became even more intense.
As evening approached, with the work nearly finished, a mule cart drove into the village.
Without Jiangshan even having to leave his home, the marinated seafood and steamed cakes were already loaded onto the mule cart.
Jiangshan also gave away several plates of mixed wild vegetables for free.
The plump Aunt Hong took the basket of cold dishes that Jiang Shan had given her, and her gaze fell on the Jiao family's courtyard.
We're really poor!
She was a cook and also part-time manager of Xianyun Pavilion. After her husband passed away, her brother took her into the restaurant and gave her 30% of the shares. She valued the restaurant's business more than anyone else.
Through these few days of interaction, she really admired this young girl who had to show her face everywhere to make a living.
Jiang Shan had told her before that she could take on Xianyun Pavilion's business, but the restaurant had to send someone to pick up the goods, and she wouldn't be responsible for the sale of the goods. In other words, the seafood had to be inspected before being loaded onto the mule cart; if they were satisfied, it was cash on delivery, and if they weren't, they could just walk away.
As for what might happen on the road after leaving this village, or what might happen in the restaurant, that's none of Jiang Shan's business.
Aunt Hong actually had a bit of a toothache, but there was nothing she could do. This thing was indeed quite popular right now, and she believed that Jiangshan wouldn't just do a one-off deal, so she could only be more careful.
Before leaving, Jiang Shan pulled her aside and whispered, "Stock up on more ice. You should start stocking up at least two months in advance. Fresh seafood needs to be chilled to stay fresh, and it can't be stored with other ingredients, or it will absorb the flavors!"
Aunt Hong's lips twitched. She pulled a purse from her bosom and shoved it into her arms, saying irritably, "Do you think that ice is yours? One piece of ice is enough for you to buy a whole basin of seafood!"
"Tch, it's just ice..." Jiang Shan muttered under his breath, then turned and walked away happily, clutching his heavy money bag.
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