Chapter 58 Chapter 58 New Year's Eve...
Liu looked closely. Xiao Dashi was driving the donkey cart, with Lin Qiuran sitting on it. Besides Sun, she didn't recognize the other two. But she hadn't seen them for months, and seeing her daughter today made Liu stand up happily. "Qiuran!"
Sun was puzzled as to who was there so late at night. After hearing the voices and looking carefully, she saw someone standing at the door, carrying a basket. She said to Xiao Dashi, "It looks like my mother-in-law."
Lin Qiuran waved to Liu and waited for the car to stabilize before she got out.
Liu waited for who knows how long, her hands icy cold. She must have asked a neighbor before coming here. If only she had told them where the restaurant was. She didn't tell them because the neighbors, if they knew it was cheaper, would give them vegetables and meat on weekdays. She couldn't do that for business.
Moreover, Lin Qiuran was also afraid that Liu would ask about it, and he would let the secret slip when he returned home and get into trouble.
Liu was very happy and pulled Lin Qiuran aside, having a lot to say.
Lin Qiuran patted her hands and said, "Mom, let's go in first."
Lin Dong didn't look around after entering the house. He continued to light the stove and boil water in the charcoal basin. However, Liu was curious and looked around the house. Finally, she couldn't help but say, "This house is much better than the one on Yulin Street. It's really big."
Lin Qiuran smiled and said, "If you feel good, stay a few more days."
Liu nodded and shook her head, "I have to leave tomorrow. Come back after you give birth."
My daughter can’t live with her parents all the time, but having a baby is an important matter, so it’s okay for her to come and take care of the family for a few days.
It is not customary for Yu'an's parents to take care of her during the confinement period, but Liu only has one daughter, Lin Qiuran, and she would feel uneasy if she didn't come.
She came here because Lin Qiuran was about to give birth, her first child. Not only Lin Qiuran had no experience, but even Sun had little experience. Liu had to come and give some instructions in advance, otherwise she would definitely not be able to take good care of her.
The second reason was that she heard that Xiao Xun was alive and wanted to come and see him. This was a new thing, but Liu had not seen Xiao Xun.
She walked around the room twice and then stopped. She asked, "Where's Xiao Xun? Why can't I see him?"
Lin Qiuran said, "He became an official and went out to take up his post."
After Lin Qiuran finished speaking, Liu took a deep breath and said, "Becoming an official!"
Seeing her expression of shock, Lin Qiuran couldn't even close her mouth. She smiled and nodded, "Well, I've been away for more than 20 days. You must feel sorry for me because it's not been easy for me these days."
She hadn't forgotten that she had a sister-in-law at home. She had wanted to exchange her for a betrothal gift and marry her to a widower with two children. Later, she hadn't said a word of kindness when asked to borrow money. Now that her family was doing better, she hoped she wouldn't bother him again.
At times like this, bringing out Xiao Xun would be very useful.
Even if Xiao Xun is not the husband in the future, he is still the father of the child.
Liu hadn't recovered from her shock yet. She couldn't help swallowing her saliva and asked in a trembling voice, "Who was that girl just now?"
Lin Qiuran said, "I bought it to help out. I have a small business at home."
Liu was nice to her, but Lin Qiuran had a brother and a sister-in-law, so it was better to be on guard.
She simply explained it briefly and didn't say much more.
Liu frowned, not knowing what business it was that had changed two houses in a row. She wanted to ask who she was buying from, saying that outsiders were not as trustworthy as her own family, but when she thought of Yu's temper, she kept her mouth shut.
At the beginning, Liu from the greenhouse came secretly without telling her daughter-in-law, but the truth cannot be hidden. Moreover, such a big thing happened in Xiaojia Village, and Li Cuihua's family was ruined because of the Xiao family. Now every village knows about it.
Yu had nothing else to do and went out to chat with people in the village every day, so it was impossible for her not to know.
Although they didn't see it with their own eyes, but everyone said something and exaggerated it a little, it became that Li Cuihua's family bullied the Xiao family away. Later, when Xiao Xun came back and saw Li Cuihua bullying others like this, he directly asked the government to arrest Li Cuihua.
Liu thought, what the hell is going on? "Qiu Ran moved to the county town a long time ago. If anyone wants to bully someone, they should go to the county town."
Yu: "So Qiuran is really going to live a good life?"
Mrs. Liu: "What does it have to do with you? A daughter who is married off is like spilled water."
Liu regretted letting the cat out of the bag, but she was also furious at Yu's cruelty. Now that her daughter was doing well, she felt more confident.
Yu offered her gifts and apologized, saying that she had been blinded by greed and that Liu had ignored her. She wanted to come along this time, but Liu bluntly said, "You wanted to use Qiu Ran in exchange for the betrothal gift and even tried to instigate her to abort the child. Xiao Xun is still going to settle the score with you."
Yu was also afraid. She heard that Li Cuihua's family had to pay a lot of money and she was beaten very badly. She still hasn't gotten out of bed.
She really didn't dare to go.
This time, Liu said she wanted to come to the county town to see Lin Qiuran. She asked Liu to bring a lot of things and asked Liu to say good things for her.
Mrs. Liu: "Your sister-in-law brought you some goose eggs to eat during your confinement period. She's a... you can just eat them. She's sorry about Xiao Xun."
Liu didn't know how to start the conversation if she wanted to say nice things. She just wanted the things as long as they were given. Now that Xiao Xun was back and their lives were better, Liu felt sorry for her daughter and she would definitely stop Yu from coming.
Lin Qiuran nodded.
This time, Liu looked at Lin Qiuran carefully. He had gained some weight, which meant he was living a good life.
Mrs. Liu didn't forget her business. She looked at Lin Qiuran's stomach and asked, "Is it causing trouble?"
Lin Qiuran said: "It's okay, he's quite honest."
The mother and daughter talked while Lin Qiuran was soaking her feet, and Liu also asked if a midwife had been found.
This Lin Qiuran reassured Liu, she found two, "and the doctor and wet nurse, they've also been found."
The wet nurse just gave birth to a son at the beginning of this month. Although she also wanted to feed her son, there were many children in the family and several mouths waiting to be fed, so she had to go out and earn money.
He has a good personality and will live in the Xiao family from now on. He will receive two taels of silver a month, with food and accommodation provided.
Sun and Xiao Dashi had no objections. Sun was quite happy about it. Xiao Xun was already a few years old when he came to the Xiao family. She didn't know how to take care of a newborn, so it would be easier for Lin Qiuran to take care of him with one more person.
She's still working for more than eight months and hasn't even had a good rest during her confinement period.
Liu asked, "Why are you looking for a wet nurse? Why don't you feed the baby yourself?"
Lin Qiuran said, "I need to take care of business."
Liu didn't pay and didn't interrupt.
After Lin Qiuran finished soaking his feet, he said to Liu, "Mom, if you have anything to say, let's talk tomorrow morning. I'll ask Lin Dong to clean up a room for you and you can sleep there tonight. You haven't eaten yet, right? I'll ask Lin Dong to heat up some buns for you."
If it were the original house, it really wouldn’t be enough to live in.
Liu nodded. Everyone has to squeeze into the same space when guests come over. The Xiao family even has rooms for guests to sleep in.
This house is really nice.
After eating, Liu spoke to Sun for a few more words. She was very polite to Sun and told her not to catch a cold during her confinement period, especially since it was winter and she should not touch anything cold.
You should also eat light food and more meat.
As for the child, if you invite an outsider, you have to keep a close eye on him to make sure he doesn't get replaced. I've told Mrs. Sun how to hold him and how to look after him.
Sun listened carefully, and asked again if she didn't hear clearly. Finally, she said, "Don't worry, mother-in-law. I will take good care of Qiuran."
Liu went to sleep with peace of mind.
The house in the county town is very warm. Although the quilt is not new, it is very clean and comfortable, better than my hometown.
Liu slept through the night, and the next morning she had wontons stuffed with pork and a broth with seaweed and dried shrimp, which was incredibly delicious. The buns she had eaten the night before were also delicious. Her daughter's life was truly getting better and better.
Liu was very satisfied and calculated the date of delivery. It is said that a pregnancy lasts for ten months and the delivery begins one day. The pregnancy period is counted from the last menstrual period before pregnancy. Lin Qiuran is now more than eight months pregnant.
Seeing that her belly was not small and she was well nourished, Mrs. Liu also advised her to eat less.
Sun didn't understand these things and just did as she was told, otherwise she would not only have trouble giving birth but also suffer.
Liu estimated that it would be the latter half of the first lunar month, but Lin Qiuran ate well, so he might come out earlier. In that case, she would come a few days earlier. Liu told Lin Qiuran what to prepare: a clean basin, a cloth, hot water, scissors...
They all have to be boiled in boiling water and placed in a clean room. The scissors must be wiped dry after boiling, and there must not be any rust.
Lin Qiuran nodded, "Yes, thank you, mother."
Mrs. Liu smiled and said, "You said this child has a good life."
When I was pregnant with him, we had nothing at home. Now that I'm about to give birth, we've moved into a bigger house, and his father is back too.
Lin Qiuran smiled and said, "That's true."
She asked Liu to go to the restaurant for lunch, but Liu said no, "I'll be back in the morning. The day is short, so I have to go back early."
Lin Qiuran gave her half an ounce of silver and said, "Mother, I can't stand my sister-in-law, and you know that. I'm giving you this money as a gift to show my filial piety. I can't control how you spend it, but don't bring trouble to me over there. I owe you a lot of money as a gift, but if you keep giving it to them, I'll get disheartened over time."
Lin Qiuran also packed some snacks for Liu and heated up a few buns for her to eat on the way.
Although they had only been together for a short time, she could feel that Liu was quite nice to her. However, she also had a son, so she wouldn't only be nice to her.
Mrs. Liu was very thin, her back was a little hunched, and her clothes were thin.
Lin Qiuran felt unhappy when he saw this. "If I had time, I would take you to buy some clothes and food. But the restaurant is closed, so you should go by yourself. Don't wear this outfit next time."
Mrs. Liu nodded. "I know. Look, I've been telling you about your sister-in-law."
She knew Lin Qiuran didn't want to hear it.
If Yu came along and saw that the house was empty, she would probably want to move in.
Lin Qiuran nodded and instructed, "Go back by ox cart, don't walk back."
Liu was not stupid. The ox cart only cost a few coins. She took a small bag back with her. Before leaving, she took out a few small clothes and a stack of diapers from it. "This is what I made. It's all new material. The diapers are also newly torn cotton cloth."
She didn't use the leftovers from Yu's children.
"You take it for now, I'll go back and make something else." Mrs. Liu only planned to buy some meat for her home and some clothes for herself, and save the rest of the money to make something for her children.
Tiger-head shoes and tiger-head hats, all these have to be made.
Liu was the grandmother and had thought about these things a long time ago.
Lin Qiuran took the things and put them in his own cabinet, and asked Lin Xia to wash them before using them. Sun also prepared some things, but winter clothes are not easy to dry, so he had to prepare more of these.
Lin Qiuran could feel that her family, including her mother, were looking forward to the arrival of a new life.
Lin Qiuran would occasionally think that what Liu said made sense. This child must be born with fortune, otherwise he would have been born in a second courtyard house, with a wet nurse and someone to take care of him.
Moreover, his biological father also came back.
If this is true, Lin Qiuran hopes that not only will the child be born safely, but she will also be blessed with a pain-free childbirth.
She has tried so hard to give her child such good birth conditions, so it is worth it to let the mother suffer less.
The shop stayed open until the 25th day of the 12th lunar month. We'll see when it opens. After cooking the last dish in the evening, it closed.
The people in the shop finished their meal together. No one left. Instead, they packed up their things and left with Lin Qiuran and the others.
The restaurant closed early, so the waiters didn't need to come tomorrow, but Manager Shi came again to sort out the accounts and pay the monthly wages. He didn't forget that the monthly wages had increased, so it didn't matter if he worked half a day longer.
Today, we distributed New Year's goods to the restaurant staff, ten pounds of pork and a box of snacks to each person. The New Year's goods are all the same.
Shopkeeper Shi now has a good relationship with Xiao Dashi, and even hooked his shoulder, "I'm going to visit my eldest brother during the New Year."
Lu Fan doesn't like to talk, but there is a faint smile in his eyes, "I'm strong, if you need my help, just shout it out."
Wan Niang asked her mother to go back early and packed up to go with everyone. Zhao Shi came to pick her up.
The couple had only one daughter, and both of them could earn money, so their life was very easy.
Before leaving, Wan Niang gave Lin Qiuran a few words of advice, "I see you're about to give birth, so be careful these days. If anything happens, come to my house and find me."
They cut off ties with the Zhao family and spent the New Year at home without going out.
Although she is not a midwife, she has experience in childbirth.
Lin Qiuran nodded and thanked her. In fact, Wan Niang had already told her a lot of experience, such as what it felt like when the amniotic fluid broke and how to push during childbirth.
Lin Qiuran: "Well, maybe in a few days the two children will be able to play together."
After everyone left and the restaurant door closed, Lin Qiuran breathed a sigh of relief.
It has been more than a month since the opening. I have been busy coming here every day, and even though I like cooking, I am tired. So I asked Xiao Dashi to take some time to come and take a look these days.
There are vegetables in the warehouse, and the decoration on the second floor is expensive, so she is afraid of being robbed.
Lin Qiuran got on the donkey cart. The little donkey carried some vegetables back today. In order to give Lin Dong practice, although he was no longer doing business, he still had to learn how to cut vegetables and cook, and he couldn't slack off.
After getting in the car, Lin Qiuran looked back at the restaurant. The signboard was still new. This was her hard work, and she would have to wait a few days before coming back.
Lin Qiuran originally thought that he would not come for a long time, but he came to the restaurant again on the 28th.
Yesterday, Manager Xu came to the Xiao family and told Lin Qiuran that Xu Yuanheng was back.
Lin Qiuran had originally proposed a banquet, and Manager Xu had tentatively asked about it, and Xu Yuanheng had agreed. Manager Xu came over to hand over a letter,
Lin Qiuran was truly grateful, so he set up a table in the shop. The shop had all the seasonings and the private room was spacious and quiet. After all, it was Xu Yuanheng who came up with the idea, and the shop had just been decorated, so he had to come and sit down.
She brought her family to help and did not follow the restaurant's menu. Instead, she chose some of Xu Yuanheng's favorite dishes, including abalone, braised pork, and many steamed dishes.
There are a lot of frozen goods in winter, and the Chinese New Year is just a few days away. There are all kinds of things sold on the streets, including fish and shrimp. Lin Qiuran can also buy them, and he even bought live ones.
There is something not on the menu, Kung Pao Shrimp Balls. The fried shrimp balls are round and evenly coated with sweet and spicy sauce, with a beautiful radish flower placed next to them.
Honey-glazed barbecued pork, slightly sweet in taste.
Crispy glutinous rice chicken, the whole chicken skin is wrapped with glutinous rice, and there are also bacon, mushrooms, shrimps and abalone inside. The freshness of seafood and the salty and fresh taste of bacon are mixed together. After wrapping, it is coated with crispy water, left to cool for an hour and then fried in a pan. When it comes out golden in color, the chicken head and bones are put back. It looks like a chicken, but there is something special inside.
Lin Qiuran also bought a sea fish and steamed it, making a total of ten dishes, which seemed perfect.
Since Lin Qiuran was the host, he naturally couldn't let Xu Yuanheng come over and eat alone like last time and then go back after eating.
There were no other guests today, so Lin Qiuran went to entertain the guests after finishing his meal. He originally wanted to ask Sun and Xiao Dashi to come along, but the two of them refused and said they couldn't talk, and thinking about it again, it wasn't appropriate, so Lin Qiuran went alone to accompany them.
There is one last dish, she will come over when it is ready.
Tea and wine were served, and everything was complete. The people treated the guests more familiarly, much more attentively than when Xu Yuanheng first came to the restaurant to eat.
He looked into the private room, which had a beautiful ceiling, clean window sills and sashes, and maroon tables and chairs. It was very different from before.
Not only is the decoration beautiful, but it is also carefully maintained, which shows that the restaurant owner cherishes these things very much.
Manager Xu said the restaurant was doing well. Xu Yuanheng had experience in business and knew that good business meant hard work. For Lin Qiuran, achieving this point was not easy.
He came early today and just sat here waiting. The dishes were served one by one. Some of them had stoves underneath so they wouldn't get cold. There was also the lively sound of the pot boiling, but he didn't move and just sat there drinking tea.
The tea in the restaurant was good. Xu Yuanheng came to the bright room with the windows open. There was a charcoal brazier in the room so he didn't feel cold.
Night falls, the moon is high in the sky, and the New Year is approaching. Lanterns have already been hung on the streets. This is the custom of Yu'an. The county pays for the lanterns to be hung in front of the shops for fun. Merchants have a low status, but the merchants here can increase Yu'an's tax revenue during festivals, and the government is very happy about it.
The restaurant connected to the shops across the street with several long lines, each line holding a bright lantern. On weekdays, the only lights were the lanterns hanging outside each house, but now the lights were as bright as day, and many people couldn't help but look up.
Xu Yuanheng was on the second floor and saw a couple bringing their child out. The child was wearing many clothes and wanted to play. He slipped and fell on his butt. The couple hurried to help him, but the child got up, patted the snow on the ground, and followed his parents with a smile.
It snowed the day before yesterday, and some people were playing snowball fights in front of the shop.
Xu Yuanheng smiled, and at this moment, Lin Qiuran pushed the door open and came in.
Xu Yuanheng looked over and the first thing he saw was Lin Qiuran's hand.
She is busy with her business and has to cook every day and wash her hands frequently, so her hands are a little rough compared to those who live a life of luxury.
She was pregnant and heavy. Xu Yuanheng pursed his lips. He stood up and was about to go over when someone came in from behind Lin Qiuran.
Lin Xia put the last dish on the table and left. Lin Qiuran smiled and said, "Thank you for waiting, Second Young Master."
Xu Yuanheng looked into Lin Qiuran's eyes and said, "I didn't help much with the cooking, so waiting for a while is nothing. But it is indeed a bit difficult. Madam Lin's cooking skills are so good, just waiting here is really mouth-watering."
He half-closed the window and said, "Mrs. Lin, it's really hard for you to prepare such a table."
Lin Qiuran smiled and said, "Then try today's meal and see if it suits your taste and is worthy of the decoration that the Second Young Master took the trouble to design."
Xu Yuanheng waited for Lin Qiuran to sit down before he took his seat. The two of them faced each other. Xu Yuanheng looked at Lin Qiuran with a gentle expression. He tasted the braised pork and asked, "Did you change the dish?"
Lin Qiuran nodded. "Not everything has been changed, only the food on the second floor has been changed. The second floor is mainly used for banquets, so many dishes are not available down there. There are other dishes as well, Second Young Master, stop talking and try some."
Xu Yuanheng nodded slightly. The chicken wing wood chopsticks had carvings on them. Every dish today was to his liking. The two of them talked while eating.
We talked about business, the Chinese New Year, and even the recent weather.
The spice business is good, and it has signed long-term large contracts with several restaurants in the capital. The business in Yu'an is average, but it sells well in grocery stores in the capital and the provincial capital.
The Chinese New Year was coming soon, and Xu Yuanheng brought back some spice gift boxes and also brought more than a dozen boxes for Lin Qiuran.
"You can use it first. If you don't have enough, tell Manager Xu."
Lin Qiuran nodded, and then listened to Xu Yuanheng say: "The sky has been gloomy these days, and there are many people on the streets during the New Year. You are in poor health, so go out less."
Lin Qiuran nodded. They were now partners, involved in many things, and Xu Yuanheng was more attentive to her than before. Furthermore, Xu Yuanheng was knowledgeable and experienced, so some of Lin Qiuran's restaurant-related problems were easily solved with his advice.
Time passed quickly and the meal was almost over before we knew it.
Xu Yuanheng didn't drink. During this time, Lin Xia came over and changed a pot of tea. The tea smoke curled up, and he took a sip. "I've been in Yu'an these days. If you have any problems, just ask someone to come to the Xu family to find me."
Xu Yuanheng also saw the two maids bought by Lin Qiuran. Even if he didn't see them, Manager Xu told him about it.
Manager Xu also said that Xiao Xun had returned not long ago.
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The author has something to say: Thank you for your support~ Thank you for the nutrient solution and Lei, thank you everyone~
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