Chapter 271

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Protagonist:

Song Miao

Du Haoniang had long heard of the Song Family Eatery, but this was her first time visiting.

She had often heard her husband say the buildings here were overly plain; now seeing them with her own eyes, the exterior was indeed somewhat aged, but once inside, she found it acceptable.

The layout and furnishings naturally could not compare to proper wine towers, but it was very clean, the walls painted snowy white, and describing the floor as spotless was only a slight exaggeration.

Inside were simply two large tables, one small table, several armchairs and benches, with screens partitioning between the large tables.

Many bright and colorful menus hung on the walls, with words and pictures—though she could not read, standing by the wall she looked at the pictures on the menus for quite a while, finding them very interesting.

Eating here was quiet and comfortable, truly leisurely; even if it were not run by Song Xiaoniangzi, if there were such a food shop near her home, she would gladly visit often when she had spare time and extra money.

Du Haoniang was still looking at the patterns on the screen—depicting fresh fruits of the four seasons—when Song Miao, having received word from behind, had already come out to the outer hall, saw her, and smiled: "Sister-in-law, you're here! Quickly sit down and rest your feet!"

She added: "It's hot; we have hawthorn leaf tea, green plum drink, and bamboo sap water—which would Sister-in-law like?"

Du Haoniang usually drank perilla, fragrant flower, and cardamom boiled water in summer; hearing Song Miao ask, she honestly said: "I haven't tried a single one of those you mentioned—is green plum drink like sour plum soup? And what is bamboo sap water?"

Song Miao smiled: "It's somewhat different; let me serve Sister-in-law a cup, and you'll taste the difference at once."

The pancake beside her heard this and immediately said: "I'll go pour it!"

Saying this, she ran off to the back courtyard in a puff of smoke.

Song Miao then explained the bamboo sap water to Du Haoniang in detail: "... take fresh bamboo, cut it into sections, open the bamboo nodes, burn one end, and water will naturally come out from the other—mix that water with boiled well water to drink; it has bamboo fragrance and a faint cool taste, good for summer to nourish yin and clear heat, resolve phlegm and open orifices, and treat asthma and chest tightness, though it is somewhat cold."

Du Haoniang slapped her thigh and regretted: "I've been a bit short of breath these past few days, always feeling I can't catch a full breath! If I had known, I would have drunk this bamboo sap water!"

Song Miao laughed: "It's not anything special; I'll serve Sister-in-law another cup!"

But when the pancake brought up the tea cup, Du Haoniang, upon tasting the green plum drink, no longer wanted any phlegm-resolving bamboo sap water; she hurriedly hugged the tea cup and said: "I'll drink this one—this one tastes good, I'll try the others next time!"

She took a few sips, first set the tea cup on the table, and said: "Don't move it yet, I still want to drink more!"

She then quietly pulled Song Miao's hand and said: "Do you have a quiet, secluded room? Sister-in-law has something to say to you."

Song Miao brought her to her own bedroom.

Upon entering, Du Haoniang locked the door with her backhand, took down the bamboo basket from behind—she had actually been carrying it the whole time while sitting down to drink tea—then untied the heavy bundle around her waist, and finally brought out a package.

Seeing Du Haoniang open the cloth bundle, not yet fully open, a golden color was already revealed inside; Song Miao knew exactly what it was and hurriedly pushed it back, saying: "Sister-in-law, I mean it! Truly no need!"

"Listen to me: outside there are so many debts, your back can't even straighten; Lao Xin said you have to personally go to each creditor to explain even to hire someone, and reopening the food shop also requires explanation—you're already busy, and going back and forth wastes so much time!"

Du Haoniang saw Song Miao refused to accept it, so she simply put the bundle on the table beside them, opened it for Song Miao to see, and said: "It's all pure gold; I've tested each piece. This money should rightfully be yours. If not for you, that thief would have escaped long ago, Lao Xin would still be brooding in the house, and Young Master Han's writing couldn't be done—don't be shy about taking it. I've kept fifty gold for the two younger ones' marriages; the rest you take, as thanks! Don't think about repaying it—it's a gift!"

Yesterday Lao Xin had said "take it to use first," but now from Du Haoniang's mouth it had become "give."

Song Miao naturally refused to accept it, rewrapped the gold, and pushed it back, saying: "It's not that I don't want to give Sister-in-law face; it's just that here I've been repaying monthly quite well. Suddenly a large sum comes, paid off all at once—how would I explain it to people? If I say I borrowed from your family, tomorrow many people will go to Junyi Bridge Street to find the Censor to borrow silver from Sister-in-law; if I say it's my own, there's no source, and it will attract even more attention—the Censor has been at the Capital Prefecture Office for many years; Sister-in-law must know more than I do, no need for me to say more."

She added: "Besides, the family needs money too. If the eldest returns, he'll be of marriageable age, won't he? And there are two younger ones who need money now. Things have finally loosened up a bit, so naturally they need to be cared for more carefully. Also, the Censor will return to the office soon; as the head, he has many subordinates to look after. In my opinion, this reward from the Empress Dowager comes at just the right time. Without it, Sister-in-law would have a hard time managing the household!"

She firmly declined.

In terms of eloquence and reasoning, Du Haoniang and Lao Xin were of the same family—how could she outargue Song Miao? Persuaded, she herself felt the other side was more reasonable, and her voice weakened by three parts.

Song Miao finally settled the matter, helped her rewrap the gold, and said: "Sister-in-law, rest assured. If I ever have a day when I'm short of money, you'll be the first I come to borrow from—keep your money safe; there will be many places to spend it in the future. Now that the Censor has made a name, though it's good, it's also not good; who knows how many people will come knocking with righteous demands for favors!"

This made Du Haoniang unable to agree more. She complained for a while: "Distant relatives never seen in thirty or forty years suddenly appear like moss on the ground after rain, all popping out, everyone claiming kinship, coming to borrow money, and you can't chase them away—if you do, they say you've forgotten your roots! Lao Xin is no longer like before; many people are watching him. Sigh!"

After talking for a while, Du Haoniang said: "I know you're busy, so I won't disturb you here. If anything comes up, come find me!"

She took out many fruits and gifts from her basket. Song Miao wouldn't let her leave empty-handed, went to the back kitchen, picked some dried meat, dried cuttlefish, and fresh fruits, had the pancake register them in the ledger to avoid messing up the accounts, and then prepared to see her out.

Seeing Song Miao refill the basket, Du Haoniang hurriedly waved her hands: "Why give me so much? If you do this, I won't dare come next time!"

Song Miao smiled: "It's not much; just a little of each. Inside there's also a bottle of the green plum dew Sister-in-law tasted today—mix with boiled water and it's delicious. When making ribs, if you want a sweet and sour flavor, add two plums; the taste will be even better."

She added: "When I'm short of money, I'll still have to come borrow from you. So for now, I'll treat Sister-in-law as my patron, so you won't pretend not to know me later!"

Du Haoniang laughed so hard she almost bared her teeth: "You little sister!"

She added: "Forget it. We're one family, no need for two-household talk. I won't stand on ceremony with you anymore!"

As they spoke, just as she was about to go out, she turned her head and saw many bamboo racks in the back courtyard, with winnowing baskets on them, all piled with dried meat and such, squeezed into one corner.

Because ropes had been strung with cloth hung across in the food shop, Du Haoniang's curiosity was piqued, and she casually asked about its purpose.

Song Miao replied: "This is the back courtyard. Though I try to avoid it, people inevitably come and go. Hanging cloth to block it: first, to keep people from bumping into things while walking; second, there's always talking and sneezing, and when people walk they kick up dust and dirt, which the cloth can block. It may not be entirely useful, but it's better than nothing."

She added: "Too bad the courtyard is too small, the rooms too small, so I can't spread out. Many orders are backed up and I can't make them—I've been worrying about this."

Du Haoniang's eyes lit up with a "swish," and she hurriedly said: "Us! Me! Us!"

She was so anxious she almost bit her tongue, said it three times, and finally got it out: "Our courtyard is big! There's a large flat area behind, perfect for drying things! Why not dry them at my place!"

Song Miao thanked her with a smile but shook her head: "Thank you, Sister-in-law, but it's too far."

She added: "Drying meat is troublesome whether steaming or sun-drying—you have to turn it often and prevent insects and mice. So the most important thing is proximity. Best if it's on the same street as the food shop. Once it's far, I can't keep an eye on it. This stuff needs constant watching—after all, it goes into the mouth, and we can't have idle people coming and going."

Du Haoniang sighed upon hearing this: "True, it is too far. Besides, Lao Xin socializes a lot, and the house is often not quiet."

She suggested: "Why not rent a bigger place?"

Song Miao said: "I've already asked Sun Lizheng to help look, and found a middleman. A few neighbors are willing to rent, but they live there themselves, with people coming and going, plus relatives and friends, children running and jumping—really not suitable."

Du Haoniang said: "Then I'll have Lao Xin ask around too, to see if on one or two nearby streets, any family with a courtyard wants to rent out the whole house."

As they talked, they reached the front hall.

Du Haoniang hurriedly sat back in her original seat: "Let me finish this green plum drink before I go!"

There was already a small basket of fruit on the table. Song Miao brought out a plate of snacks to set out, smiling: "Sister-in-law, don't rush to leave. Sit a while, eat something—it wouldn't do to enter the food shop and go back on an empty stomach, would it?"

Du Haoniang immediately picked up one: "I'm straightforward; no need for false politeness with you!"

The snacks had just come out of the pot not long ago, very crisp, with a bit of salty fragrance mixed with wheaten aroma. As she ate, she couldn't help but say: "Sister, whatever you make is good. Even these cakes and snacks taste different. Three or four months ago, when Lao Xin came back, he brought back your green bean cakes several times—especially delicious. But after the weather got hot, you stopped making them, saying they spoil easily. Whenever you make them again, be sure to tell me—I've been missing them!"

Seeing how she kept thinking about the green bean cakes, Song Miao felt quite pleased, laughed, and said: "Lately many people have asked. I've been thinking of changing to a method that keeps longer—I was just trying it inside. Sister-in-law, if you're not in a hurry, wait a bit. I'll make a batch first and have you help taste it?"

"Truly no trouble?" Du Haoniang immediately hesitated.

"Truly no trouble!"

Song Miao smiled and said: "You just wait!"

The outside stove was already a hot stove, prepared for use in a while; she didn't call for the big biscuit, but opened the stove door herself, added firewood, and when she saw the fire was about right, she left only a small half of the stove mouth, put the large flat pan on top, and went to the back kitchen to bring out a large plate of things.

Du Haoniang couldn't help but lean over and asked: "Is this also green bean cake?"

"It's green bean biscuits; truly the weather is hot, if you want takeout, it cannot be made the same way as in winter, it is another kind of eating experience; in a moment, sister-in-law try it first, if you like it take more, if not used to it just take a little."

While speaking, the pan was already half hot.

Song Miao tested the temperature, it wasn't hot enough, so she closed the stove door completely, brushed a layer of base oil, then placed the green bean biscuit raw embryos one by one, covered the pot lid, let them slow pan-fry on small fire, while she herself chatted idly with Du Haoniang.

In the middle she flipped them over once, then covered again and continued slow pan-frying; in just a moment, "hua" with a sound, the instant the pot was opened, accompanied by the sizzle of oil frying, an extremely rich flaky pastry fragrance together with green bean sweet fragrance instantly overflowed.

After just letting them cool slightly for a while, draining a bit of oil, Song Miao used a small flat spatula to lift one up, placed it on a dried lotus leaf to the side, and said to Du Haoniang: "Sister-in-law, have a taste?"

Du Haoniang didn't need a second reminder; she quickly picked up that lotus leaf, holding the green bean biscuit up to her face.

Just off the fire not long, the warm heat wrapped the fragrance, making her actually somewhat reluctant to dodge, but she blew two breaths; after all afraid of burning, she still first broke the so-called "green bean biscuit" open from the middle.

That instant, the green bean biscuit's fragrance walked horizontally inside Du Haoniang's nose.

Looking from the uneven cut surface, the flaky pastry layers were so many they fundamentally couldn't be counted, but they just happened to lean against each other layer by layer like paper, making it look as if it could still be extremely thin-bodied.

Du Haoniang couldn't help but open her mouth and bite down.

Burning hot.

No sequence, because it was too thin, clearly pan-fried fragrant, that flaky pastry already had a layer of hard shell, yet it still almost simultaneously melted in the mouth together with the extremely fragrant green bean paste filling.

The flaky pastry carried lard fragrance, and had a very appropriate oiliness, not dry at all, only flaky oil fragrance and a bit of burnt fragrance.

The green bean paste was too delicate, too delicate, having gone through steaming, sifting, stir-frying fragrant three stages, only then separated by the flaky oil biscuit skin and pan-fried fragrant, turning over sand.

Small fire slow pan-fry, covering while pan-frying, within there was also steam, making the inner filling also have a kind of re-steaming effect, moist, dense, sandy soft, on the tongue carrying full green bean clear fragrance original flavor, faint sweet taste, biased yet still a bit of salty layer meaning — can't taste the flavor, only the meaning is there, used to lift the green bean paste's clear sweetness — melted thoroughly completely, not even a single strand of struggling attempt willing to do.

Unknowingly, one green bean biscuit went down the belly.

Du Haoniang finally stood in place, in one breath ate three or four, finally carried two large boxes home — if not for Song Miao saying once cooled it would only have two parts flavor, not as good as next time coming to eat freshly made, she would hate to not take this whole large pot away.

She brought things along, once home first entered the room, still hiding gold wrapped around her waist, Xin Feng heard the movement, followed in, saw that bundle of gold, instantly delighted, laughed and said: "Still saying I'm useless — you didn't send it out either!"

Du Haoniang glared at her husband, said: "You understand a fart! Little sister heartaches for me!"

Xin Feng also didn't know which fart he understood, still wanted to argue out a reason, Du Haoniang already hurriedly told the matter of Song Miao wanting to find a courtyard for sun-drying meat jerky.

"I'll send someone to help inquire." He instantly became dedicated, "But she already found the village head, and also found a matchmaker; my side asking around, in the end still falls on the village head and matchmaker's heads."

Du Haoniang was impatient, couldn't wait for her husband to go back and forth here, hid the gold well, pointed at the basket on the table outside, said: "Inside are the freshly made green bean biscuits, the two girls at most one each, you also don't eat too many, little sister said, eating too many causes internal heat — I'm going out for a trip!"

Xin Feng heard the first sentence, already prepared to go get biscuits, then heard the last sentence, couldn't help but turn back and ask: "Where are you going?"

"I'll seek people to ask!"

Du Haoniang acted swiftly and decisively, ran east and west, not even willing to let night pass; that day near Shen Hour, she carried two bolts of cloth and went to the door.

"There's a room facing the street, originally an only son continuing the family business, because he injured someone, he squatted in prison for quite a few years; also coincidental, today he just came out, heard people say, he is currently inquiring how to rent out the room, exchange for some money to get by — I sent someone to ask, tomorrow we'll go together to look."

She spoke and put those two bolts of cloth on the table, laughed and said: "Gold given to you to push, sister-in-law gives you two bolts of cloth, you must accept right? Many people in the shop, if you don't wear them, give them to cut a set of clothes also good."

She came high-high happy-happy, went happy-happy joy-joy.

Left behind Song Miao standing at the doorway, for a moment looking at Du Haoniang's back figure, for a moment turning head to look at the cloth, a heart also followed warm and hot.

Shen Hour end, Wang Sanlang drove the cart, bringing Cheng Erniang and Xiao Lian back to the food shop.

Xiao Lian went *thud* with a sound, jumped down from the mule cart.

She almost flew as she ran through the door, didn't see anyone left and right, then flew as she went to the back courtyard.

"Elder sister!"

Once she found Song Miao, she raised her hand high, held up a sachet in her palm to show her, said: "Master gave me this, said wearing this, mosquitoes won't bite me! She praised me for recognizing medicine very finely!! All because elder sister taught me to match books and recognize medicine, I could recognize this finely!"

A smiling face red puff-puff, eyes bright sparkling.

Her voice still not loud, but spoke very forcefully, said: "When I learn medicine, I want to make mother and elder sister not get sick for a lifetime! When sickness is still in the belly, I'll cure it for you!"