If she met a generous person, who didn’t care too much, that was good. But she won’t have any extra preferential treatment in terms of food and clothing.
If she met a main wife who was petty-minded, it is common to be harsh on food and drink expenses for the concubine.
Although Miss was favored by the Second Master, the man was out all day long and didn’t understand the twists and turns in the backyard. Crying once could make the Second Master make the decision, but she couldn’t go to him and tell him everything. Most of the time, all she can do is endure.
At that time, if she had money in her hands, she could barely live a life like this. If she didn’t even have money in her hands, and she still had to watch the mistress of the house hand out monthly allowances, it would be really sad.
“Well, that’s the truth.” The more Mother Liu thought about it, the more she felt that what Ai Cao said made sense.
“That’s right, that’s how it is,” Ai Cao raised her chin. “If it weren’t for Aunt Guo living so comfortably after entering the mansion, and even winning over a group of people, it was all because of the money in her pocket.”
“I think it would be a great thing for Miss to earn more money to support herself. When the time comes, we will be in the yard and help the girl take care of herself, so we will feel confident.”
With money in your pocket, your heart stays calm!
Ai Cao had always believed in this truth.
Mother Liu smiled and nodded, but then teased Ai Cao, “You’re right, you can be considered smart.”
“How can I do that? I’ve always been very smart.” Ai Cao laughed, “It makes sense. That’s the truth. If you make enough money, even if the Second Master doesn’t take our girl back in the future…”
That was something to rely on.
“Bah, bah, bah, what are you talking about?”
Before Ai Cao could finish her sentence, Mother Liu quickly covered her mouth, “You are cursing Miss.”
No matter how much money she earns, will the future be as promising as following Second Master?
When Ai Cao heard what Mother Liu said, she also realized that what she said was wrong. She hurriedly pouted several times and stomped on the ground where she had just finished pouting. Then she and Mother Liu continued to wash the dishes and chopsticks with peace of mind.
Su Yujin, who was already asleep, didn’t know the thoughts and calculations of the two people below. After waking up, she only looked at the various vegetables growing in the yard and planned what she wanted to cook that night.
After all, the craftsmanship of Mama Liu and Fu Yunlou was really…
Just enough to satisfy her hunger.
It would be really unbearable if she had to eat this kind of food every day.
It was just that the cucumbers and tomatoes in the vegetable field were not yet mature. Now, the only ones growing very well were the two garlic sprouts and the small piece of spinach.
Su Yujin thought for a while, pulled out a few garlic sprouts, picked up some spinach, cut a handful of leeks, asked Mama Liu and Ai Cao to wash them, and then ordered them to buy a piece of pork belly, bean paste, and some rice wine.
The pork belly was boiled with some rice wine, sliced after cooking, and stir-fried with bean paste and lard to bring out the flavor. It was then served with garlic shoots to create a dish known as “suànmiáo huíguō ròu.1” It looked vibrant in color, had an enticing aroma, and when eaten, it was rich but not greasy, offering a delightful combination of freshness and spiciness.
The spinach was blanched and cut into segments. It was then mixed with fried peanuts, minced garlic, and aged vinegar to create a dish called “lǎocù bō cài.2” This removed the spinach’s bitterness, leaving behind a refreshing flavor. Paired with crunchy peanuts, it was a perfect combination of tenderness and crispiness.
Fried eggs with leeks was a perfect home-cooked dish, but when frying, you need to fry the leeks first, and then pour the beaten egg liquid into a hot pot. The eggs fried in this way were tender and fragrant. Perfectly blended with the unique spicy flavor of leeks.3
After these three dishes were served, Ai Cao and Mama Liu nodded frequently at first and then praised them after tasting them.
“Miss’s craftsmanship is truly unparalleled,” Mother Liu said.
“No, it’s almost the same as what’s made in a restaurant…” Ai Cao said mid-sentence, and quickly changed her mind, “It’s even more delicious than what’s made in a restaurant. With Miss’s skills, she can open a restaurant.”
Don’t speak ill omens again!
It should be said that this skill will definitely be able to control the Second Master’s stomach later on.
Running a restaurant was a serious business; there was no place for pandering to Second Master!
Mother Liu secretly gave Ai Cao a fierce wink.
“You need to have the capital to open a restaurant. Now is not the time.” Su Yujin pursed her lips and smiled, “Let’s think about it when we have more money.”
When Mother Liu heard this, she suddenly trembled.
Miss really planned to expand her business…
The business of the wonton stall was business as usual.
The wontons were delicious, and the fried noodles were no less good. The business was as prosperous as the sun at this time.
Ai Cao worked vigorously and resolutely. In the past two days, she had found several people suitable to work at the wonton stall. After discussing with Mother Liu, she finally brought Feng Shi to Su Yujin and asked her to make a decision.
Su Yujin has been in Shuanggui Lane for many months. She knew some of the people living in the alley, and she also knew their temperament.
So Su Yujin knew a little bit about Feng Shi.
Her father-in-law died young, and she only had a mother-in-law. Her husband was the only child. He worked as a boatman at the dock and did some moving and lifting work. She had three children, two sons and one daughter. The eldest son was fourteen years old and was already following his father. The husband went to work on the dock, and the second son and the younger daughter were twins. They were ten years old and made a living at home by pasting cake boxes for people.
Her mother-in-law, Zhang Shi, due to a stroke two years ago, was now bedridden and required constant care and medication. With two sons in the family and various expenses ahead, Feng Shi naturally wanted to find another source of income.
Feng Shi was an honest and hard-working person. She kept her home very clean inside and outside. The most important thing was that she always had a smile on her face. She was quite lovable and left a good impression on her neighbors.
Su Yujin also had a good impression of Feng Shi, so she nodded and decided to hire her to work at the wonton stall.
Responsible for cooking and wrapping wontons, and washing dishes after closing the stall.
The monthly salary was 500 Wen, the probation period was one month, and the probation period salary was 400 Wen.
The husband and eldest son of the Feng family worked at the dock. Together, they earned only one or two silver coins in a month. But she, all alone, managed to earn five hundred wen. This was equivalent to the labor of one person, and the work wasn’t even considered heavy, all done right at their doorstep.
She did not expect to receive such a large amount of wages. Feng Shi happily agreed and promised Su Yujin that she would do a good job and even packed the green onions grown in the vegetable garden at home after returning home. A basket was sent over and stuffed into Mother Liu’s hand.
“At home, there wasn’t much to boast about. Since it’s a wonton stall, I thought you could make good use of these green onions. So, I brought some over. Auntie Liu also helped me mention it to Miss Su, so she wouldn’t find it displeasing.”
The words were sincere, and being able to offer such a high wage to Feng Shi, Miss also showed some compassion. Mother Liu exchanged pleasantries for a few moments, without overly refusing, and accepted the green onions.
Turning to Su Yujin, Mother Liu also had a word with her.
Su Yujin smiled and replied, “She has a simple and honest character.”
“That’s right. The bamboo basket is packed to the brim, as if afraid of not being sincere,” Mother Liu chimed in, “Let’s see how she does the work. Tomorrow morning, I’ll call her over, and she can start learning the craft.”
Footnote
- Twice cooked pork belly with garlic sprout. The image is from this page.
- Old Vinegar Spinach. A kind of salad from what I could understand from the recipe here.
- You can find the recipe for the image here.
Translating one chapter one day at a time 
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