Lianqiao lovingly helped massage Li Shi’s temples, trying to make her feel more comfortable.

Li Shi closed her eyes and squinted for a while. After regaining her energy, she took the chestnut cake given by Su Yujin to eat.

“Miss Su’s craftsmanship is really good.” Lianqiao got a piece of chestnut cake. After swallowing the cake, she couldn’t help but praise.

“Yes.” Li Shi said with a smile, “Not only is the craftsmanship good, but she also has a good mind, and she is also smart. She is very lovable when she looks knowledgeable and sensible.”

However…

There was something in what Su Yujin said in the end…

But she couldn’t figure out whether what Su Yujin meant was what she said.

After thinking for a long time, Li Shi looked at the chestnut cake that she had almost finished and laughed. “You can’t be greedy anymore. You should take such a delicious cake back and give it to my mother and Ruoyi.”

“The old lady particularly likes sweet and tender delicacies. I’m afraid even if these are given to her, she might still find it lacking,” Lianqiao smirked, “The maidservant heard others in the family mention it yesterday evening. They said the egg yolk pastries from Yunzhi Pavilion taste even better than before. How about the madam buys some to show filial piety to the old lady?”

Yunzhizhai’s egg yolk cakes.

Li Shi was startled for a moment, then smiled and said, “Okay, let’s arrange it this way.”

Lianqiao understood and ordered the coachman to go to Yunzhizhai first.

——

Zhang Huaihua got busy early in the morning. Steam was rising from the stove, and the water in the pot made a gurgling sound because the fire in the stove kept burning.

Guessing that the water in the pot was almost cooked, Zhang Huaihua scooped some out, waited until it was almost cool, then poured it into the dough that had risen, and mixed it evenly with the dough.

Holding on to the door, window, and wall, Sun Shi walked out of the house tremblingly on her feet. Looking at Zhang Huaihua’s movements, she shouted in a hoarse voice, “Huaihua.”

“Mother?” Zhang Huaihua looked at her. She quickly dropped what she was doing and ran over to help Sun Shi, “Why are you up? Didn’t the doctor tell you to lie down?”

“Don’t worry, Mom” Zhang Huaihua helped her into the room to lie down again. Sun Shi, who was sitting down, held Zhang Huaihua’s hand and refused to let go, “Huaihua, mother still thinks that we can’t do this, let alone the money. You go find someone and return the money.”

“My mother is already so old. Even if she has the money to take the medicine, she probably won’t live for long. Don’t waste anymore effort and just run the shāobǐng business peacefully. Mother will feel at ease in her heart. Ahem…”

Zhang Huaihua patted Sun Shi on the back, picked up the bowl on the table, and gave her a drink of water. “Mom, just leave this matter alone. I know what to do and no one will find out.”

“This is fifteen taels of silver. How many years do I have to sell shāobǐng to earn this money? Mom, don’t worry, after I finish this matter for that person, I will sell this yard and we will settle down somewhere else. No one can find us.”

“Huaihua…”

Sun Shi opened her mouth to try to persuade her but was interrupted by Zhang Huaihua, “Mom, please stop talking, I’ve already taken the money, and you can’t get it back. If you are really worried about me, just keep this matter to yourself and don’t mention it to anyone.”

Seeing that her young daughter’s face was full of seriousness and perseverance, Sun opened her mouth and closed it after a long time. She turned away and stopped looking at Zhang Huaihua.

“Mom, rest now. I’m going to make shāobǐng.”

Zhang Huaihua strode out of the door, looking at the dough in the basin and then glancing at the bowl of water on the chopping board. After a moment of hesitation, she gritted her teeth and poured it all in.

At the exact 9 AM, Su Ji opened its doors. Following the usual routine, Zhang Huaihua sent over freshly baked shāobǐng.

Shuang Ye, who was in charge of taking inventory, looked at the dozen or so shāobǐng in the basket and laughed, “Why are you sending so few today?”

“The weather is cold, and the dough is rising slowly. I brought this much for now, and I’ll bring more later. You don’t have to wait too long, so it won’t affect Su Ji’s business. When I bring more later, I’ll replace these cold ones. You can put them on the stove to warm up, and it won’t affect the sales.”

When Zhang Huaihua spoke, she had a light smile on her face as usual, which made people like her.

Shuangye smiled and nodded, “I’m sorry for your thoughtfulness. If you can’t carry it all by yourself later, ask Qingkui to help you carry it.”

“No, I’m very strong.” Zhang Huaihua smiled and cleaned herself up. She took the bamboo basket and said, “Then you go ahead, I’ll go back and do my own work.”

“Go.” Shuangye sent Zhang Huaihua to the gate, and then came back and was busy sorting out what ingredients she needed for the yángzá tāng they sold.

The sheep offal, chopped green onions, coriander, etc. were arranged separately for easy scooping later. The shāobǐngs were wrapped in a cloth and covered to ensure that they were hot when eaten later.

While she was busy, Ai Cao walked in a hurry, put the bamboo basket she was carrying on the table, sat down on the stool, and gasped for air.

“Where have you been, Sister Ai Cao, panting like this?” Qing Kui brought a cup of hot tea over.

Ai Cao picked up the cup, disregarding the heat, and gulped down the contents in one go. After wiping her mouth, she said, “Don’t mention it. The young lady wanted to eat méigāncài¹ with braised pork belly. I know a woman in the neighborhood who makes delicious méigāncài. I also know that she usually goes out early to do laundry for people, so I went out early to buy them.”

“When I came back from buying méigāncài, I met a fish seller, so I bought two more fish, thinking I would cook the fish stew for the girl at noon, and when I was walking back, I took a shortcut and ran into a dog in the alley.”

“I don’t know whether the dog went crazy or smelled the fish in the bamboo basket. It smelled me and kept chasing me. I was so scared that I trotted back without even daring to stop. I ran to the road. When I looked back, I didn’t see the dog.”

“I was so tired that I came over to rest first. Take a rest and then go back.”

“Sister Ai Cao, take a rest first, call us if you need anything,” Qingkui added some more tea to Ai Cao’s cup and then went back to serving all kinds of noodles.

The stew was simmering and bubbling, and Shuangye’s mutton soup was also boiling, exuding bursts of aroma.

Ai Cao was so hungry that she couldn’t help but rub her belly.

When she woke up in the morning, she was thinking about buying méigāncài, so she ate half a bowl of porridge at home, and then half a pancake on the road. She was chased by a dog for a long time, and her stomach was already growling with hunger.

Looking at the fragrant mutton soup pot, Ai Cao licked her lips and asked Shuangye to cook half a bowl of mutton soup for herself.

“Okay.” Shuangye skillfully placed the offals in the grate and boiled them in the pot. When it was almost cooked, she took it out, poured the soup on it, sprinkled it with coriander and chopped green onion, and added pepper and vinegar.

“Sister Ai Cao, eat slowly, be careful not to burn it.” Shuang Ye brought the mutton soup to Ai Cao and then took a shāobǐngs from the cloth of the basket and handed it to her, “The shāobǐng was just delivered, and it’s still warm.”

Ai Cao thanked her, took the shāobǐngs, and stuffed it into her mouth.

---

Footnote

1. Dry pickled Mustard Greens. You can read more about it here.