Chapter 5 A Delicious Taste Su Zhihan carried a lantern, walking along the servants' courtyard…
Su Zhihan carried a lantern and walked along the path in the servants' quarters for a while before arriving at the place where Cao Mama's house was located.
This area was closer to the back gate than Su Zhihan's, and it was also more lively. Su Zhihan caught a glimpse of four or five maids gathered together, looking inside and chattering amongst themselves.
"Excuse me, mothers."
"Oh dear!" The maids were startled and looked at Su Zhihan with suspicion. Soon, one of them recognized Su Zhihan and covered her mouth with a handkerchief: "You are... Han'er from Madam Jiang's family?"
"Yes," Su Zhihan replied with a smile. "I'm looking for Granny Cao. Is Granny Cao's house just ahead?"
“Aunt Cao? Oh! Yes, yes!” Four or five maids exchanged glances or secretly looked at Su Zhihan with strange expressions.
The maid who had just spoken to them was even more enthusiastic, gesturing for everyone to make way while pointing to the house with lanterns hanging ahead: "Hey, that's Sister Cao's house!"
Su Zhihan looked in the direction the maid pointed, and saw Cao Mama holding a rolling pin, scolding her daughter. She was immediately stunned: "..."
Did she arrive at the wrong time?
Before Su Zhihan could even consider leaving, the maid beside her couldn't wait to speak up: "Sister Cao! Look who's here!"
Hearing the noise, Cao Mama looked over and saw Su Zhihan. Her pupils dilated in surprise, and she could not hide her astonishment. She had just been talking to her husband and daughter about Han'er, using the opportunity to reprimand her lazy daughter and urge her to go to work at the manor as soon as possible.
Unexpectedly, she met the person in question, which made Cao's mother quite embarrassed.
Su Zhihan also sensed something was wrong, and she forced herself to say, "Aunt Cao."
Cao's mother acted as if nothing had happened, telling her daughter to go inside while greeting her with a smile: "Han'er, what brings you here? Come in, come in and sit down."
Just as Su Zhihan was about to speak, she looked up and saw Cao's daughter pouting, looking unhappy. She was slightly taken aback, and then, thinking of the malicious smiles of the servants outside, she instantly realized that Cao's mother had probably just mentioned her, perhaps using her as an example to educate her daughter.
Su Zhihan was annoyed, but she still smiled and said, "My mother is still waiting for me at home, so it's not appropriate for me to come in as a guest. I'll talk to you here next time."
She handed the bamboo basket to Aunt Cao with both hands: "Aunt Cao, you helped me in the kitchen today, so I brought some homemade things. Please try them if you don't mind."
"You child! Why are you being so polite? You'll be working in the kitchen from now on, and I'll need your help if I need anything." Mrs. Cao was taken aback and instinctively declined, saying, "I know your kindness, but your family isn't well-off. How can I accept your things? Please take them back!"
"Does Mother think there's not enough?" Su Zhihan only said that her life in the manor had been difficult, and she was often bullied. Only when she met Cao Mama for the first time was she willing to help. "My mother said that a drop of kindness should be repaid with a spring of gratitude, and I only brought two dishes..."
"Oh dear! Look at your mouth! I'll take it, I'll accept it!" When Cao Mama heard Su Zhihan say this, she had no reason to refuse and hurriedly reached out to take the bamboo basket.
Su Zhihan smiled and then introduced the dishes: the stewed pork with cabbage was made by Jiang Zhenniang, and the fried pork with soy sauce was made by her: "Mom will blanch the flatbread or prepare rice, pour the fried pork with soy sauce on top, mix it well, and it will be delicious."
"Okay, I understand." Watching Su Zhihan leave the courtyard with her lantern, Cao Mama turned and went back into her room. As soon as she entered, Cao Father, leading his young son, stepped forward: "Is that Han-jie'er?"
"Yes, that's the girl."
"He does indeed seem very clever, and although he is young, he is quite eloquent." Cao's father had only overheard a few words, but he already knew why his wife was in such a hurry.
If the maids bought from the market are so eloquent, what about the male servants and maids in the mansion who have been instilled with the importance of a bright future by their parents since childhood? They are all shrewd and capable.
Having suffered many losses in his youth, Cao's father began to consider his wife's idea, thinking that it was time to let Daya come into the household to work as soon as possible.
"Mother, Mother, what did that person bring?" The child stood on tiptoe, curiously looking at the bamboo basket. "Could it be pastries or fruit? I hope it's the sugar figurine from the entrance of Dongda Hutong!"
"Dream on! I've heard that Han Jie'er's family is extremely poor, they would never buy sugar figurines." Cao Daya, who had just returned to her room and lay down on the kang, snorted and complained, "They'd probably just have cheap stuff like tofu with scallions or pork stir-fry with cabbage."
"Da Ya, how can you talk like that?"
"If you don't believe me, just open it and take a look." Cao Daya sat up and reached out to take the bamboo basket.
Seeing this, Cao's mother became angry, avoided her daughter's hand, and placed the bamboo basket she was carrying on the table. Just as she was about to open the lid of the basket, she suddenly remembered something: "What are you lying there for? Hurry up and go cook!"
Cao Daya's expression froze, and she quickly changed her words, saying, "It's already this late, how long will it take for me to finish cooking? Besides, they've already delivered the dishes, we should try them right away, so that you'll have something to say to me tomorrow, Mother."
“Da Ya is right.” Cao’s father nodded upon hearing this, and chuckled as he reached out and lifted the lid of the bamboo basket: “I was saying we should… Hey! What’s this smell?”
The moment the lid was lifted, an indescribable fragrance instantly made Cao's father forget what he was about to say, and his gaze went straight into the bamboo basket.
Not to mention Cao's mother, Cao Daya, and her son.
Cao Daya stared in disbelief, her mouth practically watering when she came to her senses. She quickly pulled out the handkerchief tied around her waist and wiped her mouth: "Mother, I never knew there were such delicious things in the kitchen! How come you've never brought any home, or ever cooked anything at home!"
Did you eat it secretly behind their backs?
When Cao's mother met her daughter's suspicious look, she instantly became furious. If she had known, would she have needed Daya to tell her? She would have done it herself at home long ago!
But she couldn't show weakness in front of her daughter. Despite her shock, she remained calm and composed: "You're lazy at home all day. What's the point of feeding you good food? If you keep making a fuss, you'll be eating scallions and tofu every day from now on!"
After saying that, Cao's mother got angry again, picked up the rolling pin and threatened Cao Daya: "Hurry up and heat up a few bowls of rice."
"Okay." Tempted by the delicious food, Cao Daya's movements became quick. Before long, she heated up four bowls of rice and happily placed them on the table, craning her neck and staring intently at the bowl of dark-colored food.
Thinking about Su Zhihan's words, Cao's mother scooped up a spoonful of sauce and poured it over the rice. The dark brown sauce seeped into the rice, making it glossy and shiny, which looked so appetizing that it made one's mouth water.
"Let me try it..." Cao's mother was still a little reserved, picking up a small bite of rice with fried sauce with her chopsticks and putting it in her mouth.
Cao's mother's eyes lit up, and she quickly ate several mouthfuls.
The moment her appearance caught the eyes of Cao's father and his two children, their hearts stirred. Before their wives/mothers could even describe the taste, they all picked up their spoons, scooped up the fried sauce, poured it over their rice, and began to eat heartily.
The pork, cut into small pieces, melts in your mouth, so gelatinous it practically sticks to your lips. The rich sauce clings tightly to every grain of rice, flowing between your lips and teeth, the aroma of rice, sauce, and meat mingling and complementing each other perfectly, creating an irresistible flavor.
The three of them couldn't stop eating, shoveling food into their mouths one bite after another. If one bowl wasn't enough, they'd have another, until their stomachs were so full they couldn't stop.
Cao Daya nestled on the tatami mat, savoring the taste of her food with great satisfaction. She looked up at her mother, her eyes sparkling, "Mother, let me go to the kitchen with you!"
Cao's mother sneered: "You don't think that just because you're in the kitchen, you can eat good food every day, do you?"
Cao Daya blushed: "No, no!"
Cao's mother looked at her daughter with a blank expression. She had come from her own womb; how could she not know what her daughter was thinking? Cao's mother was about to refuse when she had a new idea.
If Cao Daya were to enter the kitchen, I could keep an eye on her every day, and I guarantee she would learn a skill honestly, unlike when she went elsewhere and was sent back.
After thinking about it, Cao's mother was immediately tempted.
...
When Su Zhihan returned home from Cao Mama's house, it was already completely dark. She pushed open the door and saw Jiang Zhenniang sitting by the mud stove, embroidering insoles by the firelight.
"Mother, why aren't you lighting the oil lamp?"
"Let's save some money where we can. This little bit of firelight is enough for me." Jiang Zhenniang said dismissively, moving the items in her hands aside to make room. Then she got up again and brought the food that was still warm on the clay stove to the table: "Eat quickly."
"Mother—" Su Zhihan looked at the two dishes that had barely been touched and said helplessly, "Didn't I just tell you that I've already eaten them in the kitchen? These meat pies and rice dishes are for you to eat."
"How much food can you possibly use in the kitchen? You're still growing." Jiang Zhenniang knew her daughter was worried about her. "Alright, alright, eat up."
"...I understand, then Mother, we'll eat together."
"Eat as soon as you finish what you're doing, Mother," Jiang Zhenniang urged, biting off the end of the thread.
"Mother."
"Alright, alright." Jiang Zhenniang heard the annoyance in her daughter's voice, finally put down what she was holding, and reached out to take the rice bowl.
"Mother, is that intended for Zhang Mama?"
"Yes, that's right. Zhang Mama has always taken good care of my mother. I want to make two pairs of shoes as a token of my appreciation." Jiang Zhenniang saved up her monthly wages for two months to gather enough money, bought a piece of silk, and prepared to make two pairs of shoes.
She glanced at Su Zhihan, and seeing Su Zhihan staring blankly at the silk fabric, she said, "When Mother saves up some more money, I'll make you a pair of silk shoes too."
Su Zhihan nodded, then shook her head: "No need for silk, cotton is fine..."
Su Zhihan knew the price of fabric; ordinary silk cost one or two strings of cash, enough to buy four bolts of cotton. Moreover, she wasn't looking at the silk for a new pair of shoes, but rather thinking about how to make money.
Of course, Su Zhihan didn't plan to embroider or make shoes; instead, she thought of using her own skills.
Why don't we go out of the manor tomorrow and take a look?
Just as Su Zhihan was pondering, Jiang Zhenniang also scooped up some fried rice with soybean paste and put it in her mouth. She shuddered, her eyes widening in shock. Even though she had just smelled the aroma and knew it was undoubtedly a delicacy, but—
This is so delicious!
Is this really food made by my own daughter?
Jiang Zhenniang was captivated by the charm of fried rice with soybean paste and finally began to understand why her daughter had always been so determined to open a restaurant in the city.
This skill is absolutely amazing!
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