Lu Yunfeng acted quickly, taking the blueprints to the blacksmith's shop. The blueprints showed the pots, pans, and spoons needed for the hot pot.
In just three days, the barbecue stall was transformed into a hot pot restaurant. Ma Da Ge was still busy in the shop, doing everything from stir-frying the broth to slicing meat. Ma Da Sao also brought the child to the shop. Originally, after the conversion into a hot pot restaurant, he didn't want the child to come to the shop. "Hot pot is hot and the smell is strong. What are you doing bringing the child to the front in this cold weather?"
There's a house behind the shop where the family of three lives.
Mrs. Ma patted her son's head and said, "The child is well-behaved and won't run around. Besides, it's warm in this shop, so the child will be less cold here."
Two days ago, Lu Yan brought over two rabbit skins, saying they were given to her by the shopkeeper. However, there were three people in her family, and two skins were not enough. She had to go outside to buy some cotton to make clothes. Naturally, she tried to save money wherever possible. Otherwise, in such cold weather, leaving the children indoors and burning charcoal would be a waste of money and unsafe. This winter was cold, and they wouldn't be able to get through it easily.
Ma Da Ge could only nod, looking at Xue with some worry, "I wonder how your family is doing?"
Mrs. Ma looked embarrassed and pouted. Ma Da Ge's father died early, his grandparents bullied the widow and her children, his uncles and aunts were like bloodsuckers, and his mother was tortured to death. Mrs. Ma was treated like a beast of burden as soon as she entered the family. The whole family of ten or so people depended on the couple to work and support them.
Mrs. Ma went to work when she was seven months pregnant, gave birth to her fourth child, which damaged her health, and she couldn't conceive again. She was scolded as a hen that couldn't lay eggs. Later, she finally became pregnant, but her family tormented her again. After she finally gave birth to a son, her mother-in-law took him away. One day, she returned from the fields to find her child starving and dying in the yard.
Unable to bear it any longer, she threatened Ma Da Ge with her own life, forcing him to separate from the family. But the Ma family still wouldn't let them go. Unable to survive in the village, they had no choice but to flee south, eventually reaching Fenggu County, where they sold themselves to survive. "They're just some wolves and tigers, why are you still thinking about them?"
Big Ma shook his head, "They are, after all, my blood relatives."
For the first time ever, Mrs. Ma lost her temper. "You think they're your family, but when have they ever treated you like family? I've been married to you for twelve years. The day I gave birth, the umbilical cord had barely been cut when your grandmother forced me to work in the fields. On the day we separated the family property, if I had come home even a moment later, my son would have starved to death. Do you know that? Do you know how hard it was for our son to come into this world..."
Ma Dage was at a loss. "Don't cry, I won't say it anymore. I will never talk about them again. Now my indenture is in the shopkeeper's hands. I will stay in Fenggu County for the rest of my life and have nothing to do with the Ma family anymore."
When the hot pot restaurant opened, some people were curious, while others sighed, "Sigh, I was still eating grilled meat skewers, why did it close down?"
"You can make it yourself at home; just stick it in with a bamboo skewer."
"Hey, what do you know? I've tried it, and it just doesn't taste right when you bake it."
The restaurant was bustling with activity as hot pots were brought to the tables, charcoal was placed in the center, and the room instantly became warm and steamy. "Wonderful, wonderful! Hot pot on a snowy day, a match made in heaven!"
The hot pot restaurant was small, with only eight tables, but it was always bustling with activity. It was a must-go place for the wealthy people in the county. Soon, many restaurants in the county started serving hot pot.
The soup bases vary, with some using chicken broth for nourishing hot pot and others using pork ribs for soup. There are all sorts of variations, which is quite a diverse range of opinions.
After the snow cleared and the flu in the county town gradually disappeared, the embroidery shop became lively again. Su San Niang was embroidering osmanthus branches and leaves with great enthusiasm, humming a little tune, and was very content. Her hands moved quickly and the flowers and branches came to life.
Li Zhen, now fully recovered, couldn't help but laugh. "This song is so beautiful. What accent is it? It sounds nice to me, but I just can't understand it."
Granny Qian brought needles and thread to the embroiderers, saying, "This is the Jiangkou accent, soft and gentle. The way they sing is the most beautiful; it makes your bones melt."
Su Sanniang chuckled, "You're all making fun of me."
She had also fallen ill a few days ago. Seeing Li Zhen being taken home by her husband's family while she was sick, she couldn't help but feel sad. The loneliness of being a stranger in a foreign land overwhelmed her, and she couldn't help but wipe away tears in the quilt. She was all alone and helpless. When she was sick, there was no one to care for her. She even had to fetch a glass of water herself.
But she had a fever, dizziness, dry mouth, and was so weak that she couldn't even move a finger, let alone get up to go out and get some water.
Just as she was heartbroken, the girl in the same room returned, carrying water and lean meat porridge. "Sister Su, get up and eat something, otherwise your body won't be able to take it. The kitchen specially cooked a big pot of lean meat porridge today, especially for patients, and there are also sweet and sour side dishes."
Su San Niang's eyes were red from crying. She had finally managed to hold back her tears, but the girl's concern made her break down. She covered her face and cried loudly, which startled everyone. Su San Niang hugged the girl without caring about anything else, cried on her shoulder for a while, and then couldn't help but laugh. She wiped away her tears and said, "Thank you."
The young woman waved her hands repeatedly, "It's only right. This is also the shopkeeper's idea. The shopkeeper said we should take care of each other these days. The female doctor in the building is also sick. Young Master Lu has invited another doctor who lives north of the textile factory. He is a male doctor and it is not convenient for him to come to the door to make a diagnosis. I will accompany you to see the doctor and get the medicine later."
The girl fed her porridge, saying, "Don't worry, I think the shopkeeper and Young Master Lu won't abandon us. I heard that the clinics in the county town are short of medicine, but we are the only ones who can still get medicine here."
With the young lady's company, Su San Niang went to see a doctor and took medicine. She recovered in just three days and reappeared at her workstation, her mindset completely changed.
It turns out that no matter what, Xiulou really wouldn't abandon them.
A drop of kindness deserves a spring of gratitude in return; she will make the rest of her life at the embroidered tower.
After a snowfall, orders for the embroidery shop increased, and Hua Xiangrong's clothing store was packed with people. Qin Xiaozhou returned to a quiet life of designing clothes. Before she knew it, it was December. Since the beginning of winter, the snow on the ground had not melted for more than a few days. In the past two days, it had not only snowed but also been bitterly cold.
The world was a vast expanse of white. Zhao Yong traveled back and forth between the county town and the Lu family every day. This day, Zhao Fang braved the heavy snow to follow him. She opened the package and found several pieces of clothing inside, all thick cotton-padded coats. She pulled him aside and distributed them one by one, emphasizing to Lu Yunxing, "Second brother, it's cold in the school. You must dress well and not catch a cold."
Since he went back to school, he had changed back into his scholarly appearance, but this cotton-padded jacket was made of separate clothes and pants. As he was wondering how to wear it, Zhao Fang blushed and said somewhat awkwardly, "I don't know how to sew the clothes you're wearing, but you can wear this jacket inside and wear a long coat on top."
Lu Yunxing smiled, "Okay, Mother, I'll listen to you. A few days ago, the teacher fell ill and is still recovering these days. He asked us to study at home on our own. Mother, I'm going to study now."
Zhao Fang was about to say that it wouldn't hurt to relax for a day, but then changed her mind and said, "Okay, reading in the snow is bad for your eyes, so be careful."
She couldn't let her second son down, given how hard he was working.
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