Chapter 20

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Protagonist:

Song Miao

Today there were several new dishes added, yet they still couldn't last past half a double-hour.

Seeing that every item had little left, Song Miao hurriedly tallied the numbers, asked the people ahead how much they wanted to buy, then told those queuing behind not to line up anymore and to go eat elsewhere.

Such an approach, however, drew a chorus of complaints.

"Song Xiaoniangzi, is your heart this hard? Even a blacksmith couldn't forge a heart this cold and hard!"

"You were told early on to make more — how come my money isn't money, doesn't smell as sweet as the money of those ahead of me? You really don't want to earn it?!"

"No matter how beautiful your face, your heart cannot be so vicious, and you can't do things without any explanation, right?"

"I haven't eaten shepherd's purse and spring bamboo shoots for half a year already. The Shan Chang keeps strict control, so I can't easily leave the academy gates. Today I heard there was this filling, and I ran over before I could even put my shoes on properly. Just now I already spotted one in the steamer basket that looked remarkably like me — you good people at the front of the line, just leave two for me!"

"Leave them for me! I've been queuing since before dawn!"

The few at the front snickered secretly, and some even spoke up for Song Miao.

"Who told you to come this late? I got up the moment the mao hour passed!"

"Exactly — don't you know the saying 'rise early, get the shaomai'!"

"You're mostly Taixue students, right? No help for it — who told you Taixue students have it good, classes start late and no one urges you on? Unlike us at Nan Lu, once the mao hour passes they ring the bell, damn it, the Shan Chang even comes to wake us up personally sometimes, louder than a rooster, earlier, and more grating — simply won't let a person sleep!"

Although one ought to speak of respecting teachers and valuing the Way, since ancient times students cursing their teachers in private has been customary.

This person was originally cursing, but as he cursed on, the moment he received that lotus leaf wrap holding fragrant shaomai, he suddenly gained a much greater understanding of that strict Shan Chang he used to complain about daily...

Rising early is good.

If you don't rise early, where would you get such good things to eat?

You must know, just thinking that this was snatched from the hands of Taixue students, the aroma seems to become even richer all at once!

Taixue and Nan Lu are this close, so they naturally know a lot about each other's situations.

The Taixue students had also heard about the various deeds of that new Shan Chang who arrived at the opposite side last year. When they discussed it before, besides sympathy, they naturally couldn't help developing a bit of a "still, our Taixue is better" mindset. But today, watching the last portions of glutinous rice, shaomai, and sparerib soup all bought up by the Nan Lu people, and even the chenpi mung bean drink not leaving a single portion for them, their hearts instantly felt a bit subtle.

Not quite right...

How come not having to rise early used to be a huge advantage, a great joy, but by today it has turned into a disadvantage?

That Shan Chang Xu still isn't strict enough!

He actually lets you lot crawl out of the dog hole to come snatch food from us!!

However, besides complaining, the crowd had no other recourse, and could only repeatedly urge the Song Stall owner to make more tomorrow, otherwise... otherwise they'd just have to get up even earlier!

In this freezing weather, that's too inhumane!

Song Miao could only agree verbally.

After the whole group had completely dispersed, Song Miao gazed toward the direction of the Taixue rear gate, watching for a long while.

Her original intention was to wait for Cheng Zijian, but after waiting a while longer, she still didn't see anyone come, so she had to slowly pack up the stall.

Just as she was folding up the signboard, she suddenly heard rapid running footsteps approaching from far to near — the sound of boots tapping the ground, tak-tak-tak — and that sound quickly reached right in front of her.

Song Miao looked up; it wasn't Cheng Zijian, but that student who wanted to eat meat yesterday.

Although this person wore the robes Taixue students usually wear, those boots were leather, of extremely fine quality and workmanship. Right now he came running up, huffing and puffing, and called out: "Song Xiaoniangzi... I... I'm late, where's my meat!"

Song Miao hadn't expected that she'd wait with intent but get no bloom, yet instead waited for this one. Seeing his anxious look, he was clearly a food lover too, so she comforted him: "Unlucky, Young Master came late — it's all sold out. How about coming tomorrow? I'll reserve a portion for you?"

That person's face fell severely at once, and he grumbled: "Yesterday you said it would be in a few days — how come there's new stuff today? I only barely managed to get away..."

He spoke to here, then suddenly noticed something flash past inside the large bamboo steamer Song Miao was covering, and hurriedly shouted: "Wait, Song Stall Owner, you missed one — aren't there still a few shaomai in there?!"

Song Miao could only say: "Those are reserved for someone else, not many..."

"But you're leaving already — that person hasn't come to collect yet, right? If he doesn't come, can they be given to me?"

Song Miao also hesitated a bit.

Cheng Zijian actually hadn't ordered shaomai; he only pre-ordered three portions of glutinous rice.

These shaomai were something she wanted to make as thanks.

Although the other party hadn't managed to help her borrow books yet, one look showed he wasn't the perfunctory type — he must have put in effort. Even if the matter didn't succeed, she felt she ought to express thanks.

It's just that they had agreed on a time, and he was late for a long while without appearing — did something unexpected happen?

That young boy across the way was very sharp; seeing the situation, he immediately said: "I'll pay more... I'll pay double the money, Young Lady, just sell to me! If the original buyer comes, I'll give him an extra portion of something else for free — I definitely won't let that person suffer a loss!"

Song Miao hesitated a moment, then took the opportunity to ask: "Although Young Master is from Guozixue, do you know if the Taixue students have any important matters these two days?"

The other party instantly brightened, laughing: "Taixue! In a few days they have the public examination! That person definitely won't be able to come — most likely busy reciting books, long forgot he still ordered food here!"

Speaking, he explained to Song Miao simply what the public examination was.

Knowing Cheng Zijian was an outer-she student, and if he failed the exam he might have to return to his native place, Song Miao also knew this time was extremely crucial.

She had originally left glutinous rice for Cheng Zijian, and also reserved four shaomai each, two portions of sparerib soup, and even specially brought a food box out. Now she thought, if the other party couldn't make it out in time, she could give a few items to the person in front of her, ask him to help bring them inside, and by the way tell Cheng Zijian not to worry about the book-borrowing matter anymore, just focus on preparing for the exam.

Having made up her mind, Song Miao looked up again toward the Taixue rear gate direction — just a subconscious glance — and was about to speak, but unexpectedly right at this moment, a person flashed out from that gate.

That person ran a few steps out the gate, stopped to catch his breath, didn't even bother to wipe sweat, just carefully rolled up the scroll in his hand, then narrowed his eyes and looked around. He happened to see Song Miao looking up, and was instantly delighted, dashing over toward this side.

Song Miao's stall wasn't far from there; she could still make out the person's appearance — clothes wrinkled, headwrap on his head also somewhat askew, eyes bloodshot, dark circles around the eyes, and on half his face there were still red marks from lying down for a long time that hadn't faded.

— It was precisely that Cheng Zijian.

She instantly let out a breath of relief, hurriedly pointed in the direction of the arriving person and said to that young boy: "Truly sorry, Young Master, that person has already come!"

"Tomorrow, if Young Master still wants to eat, I'll definitely reserve a portion for you!"

The other party's eyebrows drooped down, he let out an "Oh," and stepped aside, but still refused to leave, just waiting for Cheng Zijian to run up to the front.