Ren Jianbai bowed to Su Yujin and said, “I just came back from visiting several teachers to pay New Year’s greetings. I am about to go home now. I see Miss Su is going home too?”

“How about we go together?”

After being rejected by Su Yujin and sent away mercilessly that day, Ren Jianbai went to look for her twice more.

But every time it was either Ai Cao or Mother Liu who answered the door, and they would just say that Su Yujin was not at home.

But he clearly heard Su Yujin’s voice in the garden before he knocked on the door.

Even when he went to Su Ji’s to inquire later, the reply he got was that they hadn’t seen Su Yujin for several days.

It was obvious that Su Yujin didn’t want to see him.

But why?

He thought that although he did not look like Pan An, he could be considered handsome with fine features. As for his talent, he was a scholar at a young age and had passed the imperial examination. He was also among the top students in the county school. It was certain that he would pass the imperial examination next autumn.

In the eyes of many people, people like him are the best candidates for a son-in-law.

Just take this period of time as an example. There are four or five people who have tried to propose marriage to him in a roundabout way. The family background and appearance of the other party were not bad.

He thought he was more than worthy of Su Yujin, but Su Yujin looked like she looked down on him.

In the final analysis, it was all because of Liao Shi…

Ren Jianbai understood the situation and thought that since he couldn’t go to the house, he might as well wait outside.

Take today for example, it’s the first day of the Lunar New Year, and Su Yujin must go out to pay New Year’s greetings. If he met her on the road, there was naturally no reason for Su Yujin to make trouble in public.

Ren Jianbai looked at Su Yujin with a smile on his face.

Su Yujin felt very uncomfortable being stared at and felt that it was unlucky to run into Ren Jianbai on such a street. She just replied calmly, “I’m not going home, I still want to walk around the street.”

“That’s quite a coincidence. I just had some snacks at the teacher’s house. Now I’m feeling indigestion, so I want to take a walk to help digest the food.” Ren Jianbai said with a smile.

Su Yujin, “…”

It was really a dog-skin plaster!

And he was so shameless.

“Ren Xiucai, please do as you please.” Su Yujin nodded slightly and led Ai Cao towards home.

Ren Jianbai paused, then followed, “Miss Su.”

“Ren Xiucai.”Wormwood stopped, “There are different men and women. Ren Xiucai is a scholar, so he should understand this truth even more. I also ask Ren Xiucai not to follow our girl anymore.”

“It’s not like I followed your daughter on purpose.” Ren Jianbai said, “If you think about it, if you want to go home, I also want to go home, at most it can be considered as going along the way.”

“The road leads to heaven. It’s not the same as saying you can take this road but I can’t.”

Ai Cao, “…”

She had never seen anyone so shameless!

Ai Cao stamped her feet in anger.

Su Yujin also frowned.

This Ren Jianbai was really difficult to deal with.

We have to think of a way…

“Whoa!”

The coachman pulled the reins and the carriage stopped in front of Su Yujin.

Xingan jumped down from the carriage, “Miss Su.”

“Xing’an?” Su Yujin was stunned, then delighted, “Second Master is here?”

“Yes.” Xing’an rushed to the carriage road, “Second Master, I just happened to meet Miss Su on the road.”

He Yanxiu’s bony fingers covered the curtain and opened a gap. As expected, he saw Su Yujin and Ai Cao, as well as a man who looked like a scholar standing next to them.

Looking at Ai Cao’s angry look, and the way that man’s eyes seemed to be fixed on Su Yujin, and Su Yujin’s delight at seeing him, and her hesitation to speak…

“It’s cold outside, come in the car and sit down.” He Yanxiu said.

Second Master was indeed a smart man!

Su Yujin smiled and said, “Thank you, Second Master.”

Xing’an took the footstool, Aicao helped lift the curtain, and Su Yujin got on the carriage.

After lowering the curtain, Ai Cao bowed to Ren Jianbai with a smile on her face, “Mr. Ren, please put yourself at ease.”

After saying that, she sat in the front of the carriage with Xing’an.

The carriage moved slowly forward, and Ren Jianbai clenched his fists as it passed by.

Who was this Second Master?

Su Yujin treated him coldly, but smiled at this Second Master with a smile as gentle as a flower, her eyes almost dripping with water.

He watched the carriage heading towards Su Yujin’s home and vaguely heard Ai Cao and the servant named Xing’an mention the word capital.

Was he the young master of a wealthy and powerful family in the capital?

So what was the relationship between him and Su Yujin?

Speaking of which, Su Yujin’s calling of “Second Master” was so sweet…

It turned out that Su Yujin’s coldness towards him was not because of Liao Shi, but because he was just a poor scholar and could not compare with the wealthy families in the capital.

That’s right. Su Yujin was doing very well in both businesses. Naturally, she could distinguish between benefits and knew who to follow for a brighter future.

Ren Jianbai bit his lip, turned around, and left angrily.

Su Yujin heaved a sigh of relief after seeing Ren Jianbai walking away through the curtains.

Judging from the situation, she guessed he wouldn’t bother her anymore.

“Who was that person just now?” He Yanxiu asked.

“Replying to Second Master…” Su Yujin explained the matter between Ren Jianbai and Liao in detail.

He Yanxiu had learned about this from Ai Cao before, and when he heard Su Yujin say it again, his eyebrows raised slightly.

It turns out that this person is Ren Xiucai.

Everything had been made clear, but he still came to look for Su Yujin again and again. His purpose was not simple.

He Yanxiu could guess what Ren Jianbai was thinking.

“I also want to thank Second Master for helping me out.” Su Yujin said with a smile.

“As I should.” He Yanxiu said, “I am also an old friend of County Magistrate Ye here. If you have any trouble in the future, you can send someone to the government office to call him over.”

“Yes.” Su Yujin nodded.

Suddenly she felt something was not right.

Was Ye Yongwang old acquaintances with He Yanxiu from the county?

Then what about the Second biǎo jiù she had mentioned to Ye Yongwang before…

Su Yujin, “…”

Su Yujin smiled awkwardly and changed the subject, “Second Master came quite early today. I figured you should have lunch before leaving, so it will be evening by the time you get here.”

“I got up early in the morning and paid New Year’s greetings to my grandmother, parents, and grandparents. Seeing that there was nothing else to do, I came here early.” He Yanxiu replied.

Every New Year, he would be asked about his marriage plans, whether he had a girl he liked, etc. He Yanxiu really couldn’t wait any longer.

“Speaking of which, I can taste sweetness these days, but not much.” He Yanxiu said, “The sour taste is more obvious, and the saltiness is also a little more.”

As he spoke, He Yanxiu stretched out his wrist.

Su Yujin paused for a moment, then nodded slightly, “Not bad, no need to adjust the recipe this time, Master, just take it for a while and see.”

“Yeah.” He Yanxiu agreed.

Lunch became tense and busy because of He Yanxiu’s early arrival.

jīngjiàng ròusī, yánjú jī, guōtā dòufǔ, shuǐjīng xiā jiǎo, fish fillets in fermented wine, and xiānxiāng liù jūn tāng. The staple food was the hóngshǔsī bāozi steamed a few days ago.

Similarly adorned with exquisite dishes was the He family’s mansion in Beijing.

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Here is one recipe from the dishes mentioned above.