Chapter 90 Crispy Pork Ribs and Fried Rice Cakes
After seeing off the Lu family, the Qiao family continued with their own affairs. The next day, Madam Lin led the younger generation to offer incense, while Qiao Mianmian and Qiao Mancang stayed behind to guard the shop.
Besides praying for her eldest daughter-in-law's well-being, Madam Lin also wanted to have her youngest daughter's marriage prospects predicted.
She gave the elders money so they could buy food themselves, while Lin went to find the master alone.
"You want to predict your youngest daughter's marriage prospects?"
The windows were sealed with yellow paper, and candles were still lit despite it being daytime. Lin looked around, her heart pounding in her chest. "Yes, all my other children have found good marriages, and now only my youngest daughter remains. You know, my youngest daughter is definitely the one we feel most sorry for, so..."
"So you're asking whether your youngest daughter can marry into a higher social class?" the master interrupted Lin.
"It's not about marrying up, it's just that my family's financial situation is better now, and I think it's normal for my daughter to marry into a family where she won't have to worry about food and clothing." After starting to chat, Madam Lin gradually relaxed. "This is my youngest daughter's birth chart, could you take a look for me?"
She had a tael of silver bet on her birth chart, and it was unusual for her to be so willing to part with it. It hurt to see the silver, but she still handed it over.
The master casually tossed the silver coins under the table, seemingly unconcerned. "Your little girl, hmm... hmm?"
Hearing the master pause, Lin's heart leaped into her throat again. "Wh...what's wrong?"
“It is a rare fate. Originally, she was quite ordinary, but now…” The master looked at Madam Lin, “I ask you, did she fall ill before?”
"Yes, yes, Master, you are truly amazing! You could even predict this. What did you just say about now?" Madam Lin asked impatiently.
"Heavenly secrets cannot be revealed, but your family has a connection with scholars." The master closed his eyes. "Alright, you may leave now."
A scholar?
Is it possible that my youngest daughter will also marry a scholar?
Lin was overjoyed, but didn't move. She had spent an ounce of silver, so she needed to find out more. "A scholar is good, but is he from a wealthy family? Will the marriage be happy?"
Master: ...Why can't this person understand human language?
Outside the alley, Qiao Jiawang and the others had finished eating their sweet cakes and were waiting for Lin at the agreed-upon spot.
Qiao Jiaxing glanced around. "Mother, have you been scammed?"
"It can't be that bad, Mother is such a shrewd person," Qiao Jiawang said.
"Why isn't she here yet? And why has she become so fond of fortune telling?" Qiao Jiaxing didn't quite understand; he had never seen his mother go to fortune tellers before.
Qiao Jiawang shook his head. Cao Yuan knew even less. Only Lin Xiahe understood a little. "Mother must have calculated it for Mianmian."
“Yes, Mianmian’s marriage is the only thing left to be settled in our family, Mother must be anxious.” Qiao Jiaxing had just finished speaking when he saw his mother walking over with a dark face, and his heart sank. “Mother, did the master say it was bad?”
He said it was fine, but he wouldn't say more.
What upset Ms. Lin was that she had spent so much money but wasn't allowed to ask many questions. "I only asked two questions, and he kept saying that heavenly secrets cannot be revealed. Did I pay money to hear that? If it's something that can't be revealed, then don't charge me!"
If it weren't for the fact that people said this master was very accurate, Lin would not have been willing to spend so much money, and in the end, she even got impatient and kicked her out.
However… thinking of what the master had said, Lin burst out laughing again.
Qiao Jiaxing and the others were stunned as they watched Lin Shi alternate between cursing and laughing.
"Mother, did you run into something evil?" Qiao Jiaxing asked.
"How could that be? Come on, let's go home. This is a secret that cannot be revealed!" Madam Lin looked up at the sky, took her fourth daughter's arm, and quietly slipped a talisman into her daughter's hand. She whispered in her ear, "This is a talisman for you to pray for a child. Put it under your pillow when you get home. Maybe you'll have a happy event before the New Year."
She only gave the money to Xia He, not Cao Yuan, because she was afraid Cao Yuan would misunderstand and think she was pressuring Cao Yuan to have a child. Being a mother-in-law is different from being a biological mother. Not to mention being a stepmother-in-law, Lin Shi had to think things through before doing anything. She held her daughter's hand and said with a smile, "Since you're out, come back with us for dinner today. Jia Wang will take you home later."
The mother and daughter walked at the back. Lin Xiahe rarely came out with her family, so she nodded in agreement. However, she was also curious, "What exactly did the master say to you? You're smiling so happily, is it something good?"
"It's a good thing, but it's still far from certain. We'll talk about it when it actually happens. Right now, I'm worried about the money, so let's not talk about it. How have you been lately?" Mrs. Lin asked about her daughter's situation the whole way.
Cao Yuan sometimes glances back. Since she married into the family, her mother-in-law has been good to her, but the thoughtfulness her mother-in-law shows to her sister-in-law makes her envious from the bottom of her heart.
Her biological mother died early, and she grew up with her father. Unconsciously, she missed her father again.
When Qiao Jiaxing turned around, he saw that his wife was lost in thought, so he went over and took her hand.
"There are so many people!" Cao Yuan tried to pull her hand back, but Qiao Jiaxing held on tightly.
"What's there to be afraid of? We're already married, I'm not afraid of being seen by others," Qiao Jiaxing said.
The group returned to the food stall, and Lin Xiahe went to find her younger sister first.
Qiao Mianmian was also very happy to see her sister. She specially made fried rice cakes and waited for them to come back to eat. "I timed it perfectly. The rice cakes were freshly fried and coated with a layer of sweet and spicy sauce. They taste so chewy and delicious. Fourth sister, eat up."
Lin Xiahe sat down. The fried rice cakes were crispy on the outside but surprisingly soft and chewy on the inside, and they even had a stringy texture when you took a bite. The sweet and spicy sauce was also delicious, and it was sprinkled with sesame seeds, making it especially fragrant.
"I asked Dad to save some spare ribs to make your favorite crispy spare ribs. I also made some egg sausage yesterday; take it home after you finish eating."
Qiao Mianmian cupped her fourth sister's face in her hands, "Let me see, have you lost weight?"
"Waaah... I... I haven't lost weight."
"Why do I feel like you've lost weight? You live alone, you still need to eat properly!" Qiao Mianmian hugged her sister's arm with concern. "Is your fourth brother-in-law not coming back until New Year's Eve?"
"Logically speaking, yes."
Lin Xiahe said she had eaten well, patted her younger sister's hand, and when her sister wouldn't let go, she could only let her sister have her way. "Why are you still so fond of acting spoiled?"
"Well, I like you. I haven't seen you in so long, and I just want to talk to you affectionately. I'm friends with Sanhua and the others, but we can't talk about everything. By the way, you know Sanhua, right?" Qiao Mianmian asked.
Lin Xiahe nodded.
"She's amazing. They don't have any sons, but she's even more shrewd and capable than men. I really like her."
Qiao Mianmian leaned against her sister, "She recently opened a firewood shop. I wonder how business is going. I'll take you to see it in a few days. It's much harder for a woman to do business than for a man. I admire girls with such integrity the most. And..."
Sisters always have so much to talk about.
Qiao Mianmian was not called away until guests arrived in the evening.
Lin said, holding a wine pot, "Stop clinging to your fourth sister. We have a customer at the shop who specifically asked for your sweet and sour fish."
"Okay, okay, I'll go right away!" Qiao Mianmian went to the kitchen to kill fish and cook, while Lin Xiahe, as before, helped tend the fire in front of the stove.
The two sisters worked together seamlessly. When Qiao Jiaxing came in, he joked, "Now that Xia He is here, we don't need me anymore?"
"No, Second Brother, you have your own role to play. Come and help me marinate the ribs. I'll make you crispy ribs later." Qiao Mianmian was stir-frying small fish for the guests.
She only started frying the ribs after the dishes ordered by the customers were finished. The ribs had to be fried slowly over low heat, and then fried twice in separate batches. After that, she stir-fried the shallots and added them to the ribs for seasoning.
After the steaming hot and crispy pork ribs were ready, Qiao Mianmian immediately picked up a piece and handed it to her fourth sister, saying, "Try it first. When it's served, you might not be able to get it as quickly as others."
"Look at what you're saying, we're not children anymore." Lin Xiahe smiled as she took the chopsticks. The ribs were fried until crispy on the outside, and with one bite, juice burst out. She quickly caught it with her hand. "Mianmian, the meat on these ribs is so tender and fragrant!"
"Of course, I marinated it specially and was very careful with the heat when frying it, so it's sure to taste good."
Qiao Mianmian ate a piece herself, and then asked her second brother to take it out. "The steamed egg custard is ready too. Let's have a spoonful of braised pork broth and go out to eat."
Today's dishes were all Lin Xiahe's favorites. The family sat down together, enjoying a happy and harmonious time.
After dinner, Qiao Jiawang saw Lin Xiahe off. The others tidied up and returned home after dark.
Their business was booming, and they were getting home later and later each day. Chunsheng's mother only came over with a bamboo basket when she heard the commotion. "I've been waiting so long, and I'm so glad you're back. These are river snails my son picked up; they'll be a nice snack for you to enjoy with your drinks."
"Thank you, my Mancang loves this." Lin took the bamboo basket but didn't move it. The two of them rarely had a chance to chat, so they stood in the yard and started talking.
"You probably don't know, but Lord Lu's grandmother is incredibly wealthy. She actually bought him a huge mansion in the neighborhood north of our house. The official matchmaker even went to the Lu family today. I think Old Madam Lu's trip was to arrange a marriage for Lord Lu. It's a pity we don't have a daughter that old, otherwise I would have been tempted too." As Chun Sheng's mother spoke, she thought of Qiao Mianmian, nudged Lin Shi's arm, and asked in a low voice, "What, aren't you tempted?"
Lord Lu is a government official, and now he also has a family business. What a wonderful son-in-law!
Madam Lin pouted, "I do think Lord Lu is a good man, but the work he does is too dangerous. He's been injured several times, and I don't like that. Besides, the Lu family is such a prestigious and wealthy family, do you think Old Madam Lu would be interested in ordinary people like us?"
"Well..." Chun Sheng's mother fell into thought.
"See, you're speechless now too," Lin said, pursing her lips. "My Mianmian is good, but marriage is a big deal, there are too many things to consider. Leaving that aside, what about your Chunsheng? Are you still being picky?"
Chunsheng is not young anymore. Chunsheng's mother pulled a smile and showed it to Lin Shi, "Look how upset I am. Do you think I'm the one who's picky? It's Chunsheng who's unhappy. It's because of you that I'm telling you this. You can't tell anyone else!"
She had been keeping this to herself for too long, but her sisters were too far away, and she was feeling really uncomfortable.
Seeing Chun Sheng's mother like this, Madam Lin looked around and said, "Come on, let's go to my room. Man Cang, put the river snails in the basin and I'll talk to Chun Sheng's mother for a bit."
She pulled the person into the house and closed the window as she did so.
Qiao Mancang: "Why are you being so mysterious? Is there something you can't tell others?"
Inside the house, Chunsheng's mother sighed deeply, her brows furrowed. "You know my Chunsheng, he's an obedient and sensible man. But when I asked him to go on a blind date, he refused. I got angry and lost my temper, but he still wouldn't say why. I don't know who he takes after to be so stubborn!"
"Why is that?" Madam Lin was extremely anxious.
"Later, Dayong and I had no choice but to take turns secretly following him. Guess who this kid took a fancy to?" Chunsheng's mother said, taking a deep breath, still unable to calm down.
"Who is it? Tell me quickly!" Lin urged, "I promise I won't tell anyone!"
"I'm telling you this because I have no one else to make a decision. Chunsheng has taken a fancy to the Zheng family's Sanhua."
No matter how Chunsheng's mother thought about it, she never imagined that her son would fall for Zheng Sanhua. "Although we live in the same alley, Sanhua gets up earlier than us. I don't know how she fell for her."
Madam Lin: "Sanhua is a good girl. She is capable and not afraid of hardship. Since Chunsheng likes her, you should go and propose marriage."
There are only a few households in this alley, and everyone else knows what's going on with each of them.
These days, Zheng Sanhua is busy with everything, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that she's more capable than any man.
"It's not a matter of whether Sanhua is good or not. I'd be happy to have such a capable daughter-in-law!"
Chun Sheng's mother sighed, "Have you forgotten that the Zheng family has no sons?"
"The Zheng family wants to find a son-in-law from among the three beauties!" Madam Lin's eyes widened.
“Sanhua is the pillar of the Zheng family. I asked Jiang the other day, and she said that Sanhua is much more capable than Zheng Ming. Since Sanhua started earning money, their family’s life has been getting better and better. Think about it, Sihua and Wuhua are still young, and Zheng Ming and his wife are getting old. The family is relying on Sanhua to earn money. Do you think the Zheng family can let Sanhua get married?”
Lin shook her head. Generally speaking, in this situation, Zheng Sanhua would be asked to find a husband.
But there's always a chance of something going wrong. "Why don't you ask him? Otherwise, what if Chunsheng keeps arguing with you?"
“Asking about this kind of thing is just embarrassing. We live so close by, how awkward will it be when we see each other in the future?” Chun Sheng’s mother said with worry. “I can’t persuade him at all, and his father won’t listen to me either.”
The Meng family would never allow Chunsheng to marry into their family. Although Chunsheng wasn't their only son, the Meng family had skills and could afford to marry off their sons. Besides, in this day and age, it didn't look good to have a son marry into the family; they would only do so if they had no other choice and were too poor. Especially since Chunsheng was the eldest son, the Meng family would be even more opposed.
"Tell me, what else can I do?" Chun Sheng's mother said, her chest tightening.
Lin thought for a moment, "I think Chunsheng is so stubborn, you have to ask him clearly and put an end to his hopes. In most families, the eldest daughter marries into the family, and Sanhua is in the middle. There's no reason why neither the eldest nor the youngest should marry into the family, but instead make Sanhua marry into the family. What if, what if the Zheng family is willing to marry their daughter into the family? You'll get a capable daughter-in-law, wouldn't that be great?"
Lin couldn't think of any other ideas. "I'll just go and talk to Zheng Ming and his wife for the sake of my son."
They are both parents, so they understand each other's feelings.
Chun Sheng's mother took a deep breath, wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, and stood up, saying, "Children are just here to collect debts from their past lives. Who told me to be their mother? You brat, once this is over, I'll definitely teach you a lesson!"
"Talk to her nicely, don't argue with the child. Chunsheng is a good boy." When Lin saw Chunsheng's mother out, she returned to find Qiao Mancang and his daughter staring at her expectantly. She pouted and said, "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Mom, what did Aunt Meng want to talk to you about? I saw her eyes were red." Qiao Mianmian asked.
Qiao Mancang also asked, "Yes, this is the first time I've seen her like this. Is something wrong with the Meng family? We'll help if we can. Just tell us."
"Nothing happened, they're fine." Seeing her daughter coming over, Lin quickly raised her hand. "I promised I wouldn't tell, your pleading won't work. Go to sleep, it's already dark."
She was determined to keep the secret this time, but after washing up and lying down, she heard Qiao Mancang's even snoring and suddenly felt angry. "He's so heartless!"
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