Chapter 39: Miao's Kitchen Chapter Thirty-Nine: Flaws

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Protagonist:

Song Miao

As soon as Song Miao opened the main gate, she saw seven or eight students, each carrying food boxes and pots, standing properly a few steps apart outside.

They had already come once at noon; coming again now, though not to the extent of an old horse knowing the way, they had already lost the awkwardness of the first time, especially since they had eaten the pig trotter rice and drunk the mustard greens salted egg soup, they already treated themselves like family; seeing Song Miao, they opened their mouths and called out.

One said: "Song Xiaoniangzi, where should we put this food box?"

Another said: "Stall Owner Song, we washed this pot three or four times, it's very clean now, which spot should we deliver it to?"

Yet another said: "Song Xiaoniangzi, we washed and aired the steamer baskets for half a day, but the weather is overcast, there's still some moisture not dry, do you want us to put them upside down somewhere?"

Everyone was ingratiating to the extreme.

Song Miao hurriedly let everyone in, asking them to help put the pots, bowls, basins, and baskets each in their proper place.

In a moment, after things were tidied up, Cheng Zijian and Wang Chang each carried a bag of things and stepped forward first.

Cheng Zijian held the bag in his hands and presented it to Song Miao, saying: "We couldn't come empty-handed; on the road we saw someone selling early peaches on a shoulder pole, it was getting late, he was anxious to leave the city, didn't haggle, just quoted five wen a catty himself, so cheap! We simply bought the whole lot, brought them for Stall Owner Song to taste something fresh — he cut one for us to eat, the flavor was quite sweet!"

Song Miao saw that bag was very large, woven of grass rope, inside there were probably no less than five catties?

In a moment all the students behind jumped up.

"Eat slowly!"

"What do you mean 'a lot'!"

"Exactly! This is only a few! The day before yesterday I was studying, eating oranges while reading, I finished five catties of oranges in one day — Song Xiaoniangzi makes so many delicious things every day, it definitely takes effort and brains, a few catties of peaches are nothing, they'll be gone in two or three days!"

"Since when do you bring something back after giving it!"

"Stall Owner Song isn't giving us face!"

Seeing this group's mouths could not only eat, but each one was more silver-tongued than the last, Song Miao had no choice but to accept, thanked them, and asked them to stay for a cup of tea before leaving.

Since the decent tables and chairs in the front hall had long been carried away, only a few broken pieces of junk remained, fundamentally not enough for this many people, she took several cushions and placed them on the ground, invited everyone to sit, moved a crooked bench out to set in the middle as a table, and asked: "Have you all eaten dinner?"

The whole group answered in unison.

"We ate."

"We ate before coming!"

Someone took the opportunity to complain: "At noon we still had Stall Owner Song's pig trotter rice, I ate until my feet wanted to curl up, by afternoon we fell to eating at the canteen, truly this moment that moment, no need for thirty years, just two hours and east river west river, we are truly pitiable!"

"Right, when will Song Xiaoniangzi be able to make lunch and dinner both to sell? Make it earlier, we'll have something to eat, won't have to be this miserable!"

"Exactly, as they say, from frugality to luxury is easy, from luxury to frugality is hard, before we ate canteen food every day, bad was just bad, now having eaten such good stuff, we really can't get through those bitter days!"

Song Miao listened and laughed straight away, replied casually a few sentences, then brought out hot tea and snacks.

The day before yesterday she had made some sugar-coated puffed rice, in the afternoon thinking the pig trotter rice students would come to deliver pots and bowls etc., fearing it wouldn't be enough to entertain, she conveniently fried some five-spice broad beans, at this moment she put several plates on dishes and brought them out together, placing them on the bench.

Just as she set them down, she thought of Cheng Zijian mentioning getting heaty, looking now, sure enough that person's pockmarks above the chin hadn't subsided, looking at the others, sporadically two or three also had pockmarks on their faces, so she pointed at those plates and said: "These snacks are fragrant fried things, very heaty, if anyone has liver-lung fire dryness, absolutely don't be greedy, eat the other things."

Saying this, she poured out the early peaches from that bag — the peaches weren't large, grown with both green and red, but mainly green-white.

She picked some slightly red ones, washed a small basketful, and took several small knives for everyone's convenience to peel.

Seeing there were many people, seven or eight youths, exactly the age when they eat more than oxen, this bit of food mostly wouldn't be enough, Song Miao pushed over the pomelo Cheng Zijian sent the day before from the corner of the wall.

The pomelo was very large, she took a knife and cut a cross on the outer skin, broke it open to look — sure enough the skin was thick.

Everyone saw her open the pomelo, at first they said no need, but when she finished the cross cuts, discovered the pomelo's fate was already irretrievable, they hurriedly took them to help peel, broke them into segments of pomelo flesh and distributed them.

Besides the pomelo, several people ate the spring peaches, but unwilling to take trouble, not a single one willing to peel, each gnawing with skin on.

In a short while, those eating pomelo were still eating pomelo, but those eating peaches weren't eating much anymore.

Some frowned holding the peach in hand, went to drink tea and eat fried sugar-coated puffed rice; some frowned and put the peach on the bench in front, went to take pomelo to eat.

Song Miao saw this, just finding it strange, about to ask, but heard Cheng Zijian beside her already say: "Song Xiaoniangzi, we helped copy books, and ate your pig trotter rice, we're already our own people, if you have anything needing help, just say it, absolutely don't be polite!"

In a moment everyone beside responded, you thumping chest, me nodding head.

Song Miao thanked them, then said: "Right now temporarily no need for help, but wait ten or twenty days, regardless of how things progress, there will definitely be places needing to trouble you all, conveniently that's when the provincial exam finishes too, and we'll see who can spare a hand, just lend a hand in passing, no need to force it, only hope not to add too much trouble for everyone."

Youths' hot blood, exactly the impassioned age, at this moment hearing Song Miao speak, such a generous open-hearted likable young lady, both sides having the solid bond of glutinous rice, shaomai, pig trotter rice, her family still such miserable pitiable circumstances, truly a feeling that as long as they act, they are resolving danger and saving from distress.

Everyone's heroic spirit surged from the heart at once, only hating they couldn't help her do something right now, naturally all agreed.

Song Miao had to solemnly thank them again.

She chatted idly a few sentences with everyone, seeing a few people's bamboo tubes for tea water were nearly bottomed out, she took a teapot to refill their tea, then turned back inside to heat water.

But she didn't know, the moment she left, the students in front who had been sitting upright properly, looking very refined and polite, immediately changed faces, all scrambling to reach for the things on the bench.

"What are you snatching from me! Aren't you eating pomelo?"

"Pomelo is pomelo, when can't you eat it? Besides, does eating pomelo mean you can't eat other things?! Just now when Song Xiaoniangzi brought them out I had my eye on that plate of broad beans, only hate I sat too far, only smelled the fragrance, too embarrassed to reach, don't block me, while no one's back, let me grab a handful first!"

"What's that, is it puffed rice candy? Don't snatch so fast ah ah ah, leave me a piece!"

The hall was already a chaotic mess.

Cheng Zijian knew well that lecturing manners now meant eating nothing, hurriedly went to snatch two pieces of puffed rice candy, still remembered to share with the classmate sitting farthest.

That classmate hesitated, took it, said: "I don't really like sweet things, just break a small piece to taste."

Him saying this, several people's hands reached over, all saying: "If you don't want it give it to me!"

This person indeed used a hand to break, with just a light snap, broke off a small section into his mouth, the other hand holding the remaining large half of puffed rice candy, just about to hand it out.

The others scrambled to take it, but didn't expect this person had only chewed twice in his mouth, that hand suddenly paused, actually pulled back, saying: "Turns out not that sweet, still quite tasty, Zijian's kind intent, I'll accept it, won't give to you all."

Those few people's hands had been stretched out for half a day, tired enough to choke, each nearly fought in mid-air, who expected such a result, hated they couldn't stretch longer, give this person a punch, let him know what's called the consequence of going back on one's word.

Cheng Zijian was also eating puffed rice candy.

Puffed rice candy in the Capital is actually a common snack, many shops sell it, often with added walnuts, sesame, but Song Xiaoniangzi's has only puffed rice, no other additions.

She fried the puffed rice just right — not oily at all, fragrant and crisp, crunching between the teeth, yet it didn't stick to the teeth.

Puffed rice naturally carries a hint of grain sweetness; now inside there was another layer of maltose blended with white sugar boiled into syrup.

The syrup coated the puffed rice evenly, an extremely thin layer, almost without a trace of presence; that faint sweetness perfectly drew out the rice sweetness of the puffed rice, and a very sparse sprinkling of dried osmanthus flowers on top gave a burst of fragrance now and then.

Fragrant and sweet, crisp and light, and it wouldn't scrape the gums — precisely the flavor and texture puffed rice candy ought to have.

"Who knows if Young Lady Song sells this puffed rice candy — if she does, when one's belly is hungry in the afternoon, taking a teacup to eat alongside, with the sun to bask in, even reciting books wouldn't be so hard!"

That student who had just said he didn't like sweets, eating and eating, suddenly let out a sigh.

Cheng Zijian couldn't help laughing aloud.

But his laughter was heard by no one, and no one paid it any mind.

In the front hall, "crunch, crunch" sounds continued without cease — it was everyone eating broad beans.

The five-spice broad beans freshly fried less than an hour ago had cooled through and through; that crispness was thorough.

The broad bean fragrance had been locked dead into that outer shell by the hot oil; the five-spice flavor had completely permeated inside; chew twice, salty-fragrant and mildly spicy, with the broad bean's own faint sweetness — very natural.

Toss one into the mouth, not hard at all, but crackling crisp.

Chewing on, fragrant and crisp, flavor and aftertaste both full, only a bit taxing on the teeth.

But the roomful of youths, none lacked teeth; for a moment you chew, I chew, eating on, simply unable to stop, actually together performing a crackle-crackle tune with their teeth.

Small snacks don't last long eaten; in just a while they were divided seven or eight parts full, leaving only a small handful, several people staring, already impeaching each other.

"You're still eating! You've already eaten so many!"

"I didn't! Wang Chang ate the most!"

Seeing disaster diverted onto him, that Wang Chang was furious: "I only ate a handful!"

"Young Lady Song herself said, those with fire in liver and lungs shouldn't eat, or it'll flare up worse; you go eat that heat-clearing pomelo, or go drink tea!"

They even dragged Song Miao into it.

Wang Chang subconsciously pulled down the baozi on his forehead, covering those two red pockmarks.

Pressed by the baozi, the pockmarks naturally ached faintly; he flew into a rage out of humiliation: "You're the one with fire! People with nothing to eat are the ones with fire!"

Several large plates of fragrant snacks — when Song Miao had just left they were still more or less full; by the time she brought hot water back, not even a scrap of bottom remained.

She held the teapot, still wanting to pour tea for everyone, then saw the hall full of students all standing up; seeing her come out, they were actually preparing to take leave.

Not only that, Cheng Zijian and Wang Chang were even carrying that remaining large bag of early spring peaches in hand, only the two reddest left in the basket.

"Stall Owner Song alone can't finish so many; better take two to try the flavor and call it a day."

The crowd who had originally insisted she keep the peaches also changed their tune.

"Exactly, eating peaches hurts the stomach!"

"We're many, not enough to go around; better we take them back!"

As they spoke, someone still hid sneakily, hands behind their back — originally some had eaten two bites of peach and couldn't very well leave them, so they had to carry them along, holding them in hand.

When Song Miao washed them she felt these peaches were off — overly hard, not looking very ripe; just now watching everyone eat, and now seeing the reaction below, it was further confirmed; she smiled and asked: "Are they not very tasty?"

As she spoke, she took a peach from the basket, cut a small slice with a knife to taste.

Sure enough, unripe.

Extremely sour, with astringency within the sourness.

The various students wanted to stop her, but too late; seeing her eat, each was embarrassed.

That Cheng Zijian was especially ashamed: "Alas, we were taken for a ride; who knows why, when we ate at the time it was very sweet, but once bought back, these peaches are so sour they can't be swallowed!"

"This trader, so unconscionable! Made us lose face!"

"Stall Owner Song, quickly stop eating, careful you'll loosen your teeth."

Someone even picked up the other one left in the basket, wanting to take it away.

Song Miao smiled: "No matter, leave them all to me; I'll process them a bit and they'll be edible; this heavy, you'd have a hard time carrying them back."

Then said: "When done, I'll send some over for you to taste."

Hearing her say this, the various students though still somewhat embarrassed, had no further words; one side curious what the sour peaches could be made into, the other side already quickly unloading those early peaches.

Seeing the table's various snacks all empty, Song Miao smiled and added: "Everyone brought things, can't let you leave empty-handed; sit a while, I'll pack some five-spice broad beans and puffed rice candy for you to take back, how about it?"

Everyone's mouths all said "no need," "no trouble," "how could we," but their feet seemed to have grown roots — not a single one moved.

Not to mention the students here waiting for Song Miao to fetch various fried wraps; Lin Yiwen hid in a corner, standing far off for half a day, feet sour and swollen, yet no one came out, only hearing laughter and voices from inside the room now and then, heart truly quite displeased, just waiting for people to leave so he could enter.

And just at this moment, farther away, across a street, in a courtyard by the Cai River, someone hurried in and reported urgently.

"Boss Liao, fortunately you reminded us to keep a good watch — that Song family daughter from Suanzao Alley truly doesn't stay quiet; heard she's been setting up a stall selling early food these past days, and told every debt collector she'd repay slowly by month and year; that's fine, but she's actually going everywhere seeking lawyers and legal means, as if trying to find fault with the deed document from that day's transaction with Song Dalang!"

The one called Boss Liao was burly, a square Qianzi face, forty-some years old; just by looks alone, one felt he was a capable figure.

Hearing his subordinate's report, he was quite composed; first asked: "That deed document from that day — did you make it with any flaw or not?"