“But I would also like to ask Shopkeeper Qian not to have any more evil ideas. Otherwise, I am not a soft persimmon that can be easily manipulated by others.”

“Manager Qian, please take care of your restaurant business. I won’t bother you anymore. Goodbye.”

After saying that, she led Ai Cao and Qingkui away.

Shopkeeper Qian’s face turned from red to ashen, and he was so angry that he spat twice at the backs of Su Yujin and the other two.

A young girl who had only been doing business for a few days and had only been in Qinghe County for a few days, was already acting so arrogant because her business was better than others?

The most important thing in doing business was to make money through harmony. People like Su Yujin who did business alone should respect their colleagues and make arrangements for them so that the business could continue.

Su Yujin, on the other hand, not only did she not take the initiative to show her filial respect, but she even came to him and asked for money for a dish of glutinous rice and chicken. She was simply a stingy person.

This was not something that could be put on the table!

Shopkeeper Qian stamped his feet again in anger.

Su Yujin and her group had already walked a long way away at this time.

Ai Cao had very sharp ears. Hearing the shopkeeper Qian stamping his feet and spitting, he frowned and said, “You did something disgusting, but you don’t even allow others to talk about it. You have such a big face.”

The face was so big that Qinghe County couldn’t contain it.

“If he does something like this, he has no shame at all. He deserves that his restaurant’s business is bad.” Qingkui also said.

“You two are both right.”

Su Yujin gave the money that the shopkeeper had just given to Ai Cao and said, “Buy some snacks and share them with everyone in the shop.”

“Thank you, Miss.”

Ai Cao and Qing Kui smiled with their eyes curved.

Only someone like their Miss who was generous to her subordinates deserves to make money.

Su Yujin returned to the guest house and called Zheng Mingyuan and Wu Jiantong to talk.

This conversation lasted until noon. Su Yujin did not go back home for lunch but just had a simple meal here at Huibin Building.

Seeing this, Zheng Mingyuan made a plate of fried rice for Su Yujin.

The rice used was the leftover rice from last night, which was now dried and each grain was distinct. It was then stir-fried evenly with diced ham, chopped eggs, green beans, and diced carrots before being served.

The side dishes were a plate of lettuce with sauce and a plate of pickled radish slices.

The fried rice was fragrant and the side dishes were refreshing, especially the pickled radish slices, which were pickled with the pickled pepper water developed by Zheng Mingyuan. They were sour and delicious and were the best appetizer for rice.

Su Yujin ate a lot more food because of the pickled peppers and radishes and ate a whole plate of fried rice.

Ai Cao ate two plates.

After the meal, the master and servant went back, taking some fried rice and pickled radish with them to give to Mother Liu to taste.

When they got home, Mother Liu was washing clothes. When she saw Su Yujin and Ai Cao coming back, she wiped her hands on her apron and took the food.

After just one bite, he began to praise, “Chef Zheng’s cooking skills are truly amazing.”

“So I brought it back specially for you to try.” Su Yujin said with a smile, “The recipe of this Yangzhou fried rice is nothing special, except for the ham inside, which was newly acquired by Uncle Zheng these days. It tastes great, and the fried rice made with it tastes especially good.”

“Speaking of this ham…”

Mother Liu paused, “Just now when the young lady was not back yet, Ren Xiucai came and brought some snacks from Yunzhizhai. He said that he wanted to eat the peach cakes when he passed by Yunzhizhai, so he wanted to buy some. He saw the lotus root powder osmanthus cake and mung bean rose cake made there and thought they were excellent, so he bought some.”

“After he bought them, he felt that it was too much. He thought that these foods might be what the girls like to eat, so he said he would send them to Miss to eat.”

“I thought about it and realized that the Liao Shi’s matter was over. Ren Xiucai kept coming to my house, and I really couldn’t figure out what he was going to do. Now that he sent food, it was not appropriate. So I just said that Miss was not at home and didn’t like sweets and cakes, so I told him to take it back and he didn’t need to come again.”

“Ren Xiucai wanted to insist, but the old servant said something like, ‘Men and women should not touch each other’, and Ren Xiucai left with a bad face.”

This Ren Jianbai seemed to be haunting people.

Su Yujin frowned, “Mother Liu did a great job. If this xiucai comes again in the future, just push him away. If he continues to pester us, report him to the yamen.”

“Yes, I understand.” Mama Liu nodded. “If he comes again in the future, I will say this to scare him.”

“I’m not threatening you, this is real.” Su Yujin said, “He’s a xiucai, but he does things so unruly and without consideration. Don’t blame us for not giving him face when the time comes.”

“That’s right.” Ai Cao nodded his head at the side, “Everyone said that the matter was over, but he was still like this. He seemed to be unwilling to give in. If I don’t teach him a lesson, he will think that our Miss is easy to bully.”

Mother Liu thought about it and nodded, “That’s right.”

Ren Jianbai’s frequent visits might seem to outsiders, who were not aware of the situation, due to his feeling guilty about Liao Shi’s affairs. Hence he came to the house diligently in an attempt to make amends.

But if you looked at it from another angle, if you continued to pester someone even though things had been made clear, who knew if this wasn’t a form of exerting pressure?

If you didn’t accept good intentions, you were narrow-minded and unsympathetic.

Even if the latter did not have the same thoughts as the former, it was still selfish to ignore the feelings of others just because the former wanted to feel at ease.

The last bit of patience and goodwill that Mother Liu had for Ren Xiucai was gone, and she only said, “Don’t worry, Miss. We know what to do. I will also go and tell Su Ji and Huibinlou later.”

This was to purely nip at bud any effort Ren Xiucai may have trying to find Miss there because he could not contact her at home.

Mother Liu was prudent in her work, so Su Yujin felt relieved and nodded.

After Mother Liu finished eating the fried rice, Su Yujin discussed with her and Ai Cao about preparing New Year’s goods.

It was now the 20th day of the twelfth lunar month, and the Chinese New Year was only a few days away. Although she, Ai Cao, and Mother Liu were the only ones at home, this was Su Yujin’s first New Year since she arrived here, and she wanted to celebrate it in a lively manner.

Besides, Su Ji and Huibinlou also had many employees who had sold their indentures and hired men. They had been working hard until the end of the year, so it was time to prepare gifts for the New Year.

The purchase of chicken, duck, fish, meat, eggs, and vegetables needed for the New Year was left to Mother Liu.

The cloth, silver, copper coins, and other items to be used as holiday gifts to the servants were given to Ai Cao to prepare.

After two days of busy work, it was the 23rd day.

Today was the day for acupuncture every seven days, but at the same time, it is also the Little New Year.

The government’s Little New Year’s Day, if celebrated by the common people, would have to wait until the 24th day of the next day.

When Su Yujin was wondering whether He Yanxiu would come today or tomorrow, she heard the neighing of horses outside.

(End of this chapter)

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