The ingredients for making tofu nao were different from what Ji Wan'er had used before. She wasn't sure if she would succeed this time, so she didn't make too much. She ground some soybeans, enough for dinner for four people.
While grinding the beans, she added water, then sieved and filtered the soybean dreg. The filtered soy milk was poured into a pot and cooked. She didn't throw away the filtered soybean dreg but set it aside. After cooking for a while, the aroma of the beans filled the air.
Although Yun Shuang didn't like eating soybeans, she found the aroma quite pleasant and enjoyed the scent.
"It smells so good," Yun Shuang sniffed and commented.
Ji Wan'er also enjoyed the clean aroma of the beans, finding it very comforting.
"When it's ready, you can taste it first."
After a short while, the soy milk was cooked, and Ji Wan'er poured it all out.
She served two bowls, adding some sugar to each for Yun Shuang and Zi An.
"The color is so beautiful," Yun Shuang remarked, looking at the soy milk.
Curious, Zi An asked, "What is this?"
"Soy milk, it's very nutritious. Give it a try."
With the addition of sugar, it should be delicious, Zi An thought. Thinking this, he took a sip slowly.
"Wow, it's sweet and delicious!"
Just as he had expected, it tasted great.
Ji Wan'er smiled at Zi An and then turned to Yun Shuang. "So, do you like it?"
Yun Shuang smiled and nodded. "It's delicious."
Seeing their reactions, Ji Wan'er felt relieved. It seemed that the people here didn't have a dislike for soy products.
Next was frying the soybean pancake, Ji Wan'er spooned the mixture into the hot oil while stirring.
After spooning all of it, she set it aside to settle.
At this point, Ji Wan'er brought over the soybean dreg.
Many people don't eat soybean dreg and simply discard it. However, it is actually a good thing with abundant nutritional value.
Ji Wan'er quite liked this food.
She added some diced carrots, chopped green onions, and seasonings to the residue, mixing it together. Then she cracked an egg and added some flour to the mixture. After stirring everything together, she took some of the mixture and shaped it into small pancakes.
She heated the oil in the pan and placed the pancakes one by one into the hot oil.
With oil in the pan, eggs in the pancakes, and the combined flavor of the soybean dreg, it created a unique and enticing aroma.
The soy milk was still hot, and Yun Shuang hadn't finished drinking it yet, but as she caught a whiff of the aroma from the pan, her attention immediately shifted, and she focused entirely on the frying pancakes.
When the soybean dreg pancakes turned golden brown on both sides, Ji Wan'er served them, giving one to Yun Shuang and one to Zi An.
Yun Shuang initially declined, but Zi An readily accepted it. Seeing Zi An take one, Yun Shuang hesitated for a moment before taking one as well.
Afterwards, Ji Wan'er quickly made some more pancakes.
"These pancakes are delicious," Yun Shuang exclaimed in delight.
She had initially thought that beans wouldn't taste good, but she was surprised by how tasty they turned out to be.
It turned out that it wasn't that beans were not tasty, but rather that the previous cooking methods were not right.
"Whatever Sister-in-law makes is delicious," Zi An said with his cheeks puffed.
Hearing the children's approval, Ji Wan'er felt happy as well.
By this time, the set tofy nao had also settled.
Ji Wan'er used a cooking spatula to scoop out the tofu nao.
With limited ingredients at home, she didn't make a braised sauce but simply prepared a savory dressing to go with it.
As Yun Shuang and Zi An looked at the soybean jelly, they were amazed.
"Sister-in-law, what is this? It looks so beautiful," Zi An asked in astonishment. He had just come back from playing and didn't know what Ji Wan'er was making.
"This is called 'tofu nao'."
"tofu nao? Tofu has a brain?" Zi An was wide-eyed with surprise.
Ji Wan'er couldn't help but laugh at his words. She smiled and explained, "No, it's a food made from soybeans. It has a delicate texture resembling a brain, so it's called 'tofu nao.' You'll know what it tastes like once you try it later."
After filling four bowls, there was still plenty left in the basin.
Ji Wan'er drizzled some sesame oil into the bowls and brought them to the table.
The appearance of the tofu nao was indeed impressive, even Xiao Qingming, who usually didn't pay much attention to food, looked surprised at the tofu nao in front of him.
Ji Wan'er gave everyone a spoon and said, "Try it while it's hot."
She also scooped a spoonful of tofu nao for herself.
Hmm, although the seasoning was a bit lacking, the taste was still acceptable. She considered it a successful attempt.
"It's smooth and delicious," Zi An exclaimed in delight. "It's a bit like tofu, but not quite."
Yun Shuang took a bite and quietly said, "It's much tastier than tofu."
As for Xiao Qingming-
Ji Wan'er noticed that he went back to the kitchen and filled another bowl, and he hadn't eaten any fewer pancakes either.
He had already shown her through his actions that he enjoyed the tofu nao, so there was no need to ask further.
Each person had two bowls of tofu nao, and they finished all the pancakes made from the soybean dreg.
Ji Wan'er felt that this food could be sold.
However, when it came to selling, there were some things that needed careful consideration.
The next morning, Ji Wan'er went to the town again. This time, she wrapped herself up tightly and carefully observed her surroundings, afraid of encountering the rich young man again. Fortunately, she didn't see him today.
This time, she bought a few kilograms of soybeans, some bowls, and additional ingredients and seasonings.
Upon returning home, she washed the buckets and repaired the small cart that had been placed aside. She also fetched water from the well.
After completing these tasks, she went to till the land.
Tilling the land was hard work, and they hadn't finished it yesterday.
Ji Wan'er tidied up the tilled land, breaking up large clumps of soil and creating ridges to sow vegetable seeds.
The remaining land was left to be tilled gradually.
In the evening, Ji Wan'er soaked the soybeans.
Thinking about selling tofu nao tomorrow, she went to bed early.
After Xiao Qingming came back and finished tidying up, he lay down.
Once lying down, his eyes uncontrollably turned towards the bed.
Lately, he couldn't help but look at her from time to time.
She seemed to stay home more often recently.
The meals she cooked were also delicious. Moreover, there was almost always meat or eggs. These things must have cost a lot of money... Xiao Qingming furrowed his brows and fell into deep thought.
The next morning, after Xiao Qingming got up, Ji Wan'er also woke up.
Knowing that his sister-in-law was going to sell tofu nao, Yun Shuang woke up early too, and so did Zi An.
Ji Wan'er had originally planned to go alone, but she didn't expect both children to come along.
"Waking up so early, aren't you tired?" Ji Wan'er asked.
Yun Shuang shook her head and said, "Not tired. We used to wake up even earlier back at the old house."
With Yun Shuang's help, things became much easier.
In about two hours, Ji Wan'er finished making the tofu nao and soybean pancake.
After loading everything onto the small cart, she specifically went back to her room and found her oldest and most worn-out clothes, with two patches on them. It was the rough fabric clothing she wore for everyday work. She also tied up her hair, wrapping it in a piece of cloth.
She looked at her reflection in the well water. With this appearance, she looked at least five or six years older and considerably less refined.
She was quite satisfied.
The original owner's appearance might not have been much in the capital city, but in this small place, it was quite outstanding. However, that could also attract unwanted attention.
"Sister-in-law, why are you wearing this outfit?" Zi An asked curiously.
Wasn't it customary to wear new clothes when going out?
Ji Wan'er quickly came up with an excuse, "We're going out to sell food. If we dress too well, people might think we're rich and won't buy our stuff."
However, Yun Shuang took it to heart. She had originally planned to wear the new clothes she had bought, but before leaving, she pulled her brother into the house and changed into clothes full of patches.
Ji Wan'er was surprised to see their attire.
"The clothes Sister-in-law bought are too nice. My brother and I are afraid of getting them dirty," Yun Shuang explained.
Ji Wan'er pondered for a moment and said, "You're right. We might get them dirty while selling food."
Ultimately, it was because they had too few clothes. Once they earned some money, she planned to buy two new outfits for the children.
On the way to the town, Yun Shuang and Zi An also helped push the cart.
Although they woke up earlier than usual, it wasn't early enough, and all the good spots were already taken.
Ji Wan'er found a spot near the entrance of an alley and set down the small cart.
Yun Shuang and Zi An had never done something like this before, so they were a bit nervous.
Not to mention them, Ji Wan'er was also quite nervous. It was her first time going out to do business.
But, for the sake of survival, she couldn't afford to hesitate.
As she listened to the sounds of people selling steamed buns, dumplings, and noodles around her, she mustered up her courage and spoke.
"tofu nao..." Her voice was initially small. "I'm selling tofu nao!"
Once she started, it became easier.
Some words, perhaps heard countless times in her past life, unconsciously slipped out of Ji Wan'er's mouth: "Delicious and affordable tofu nao! Don't miss out, everyone come and take a look, have a taste!"
As soon as she said that, the passersby indeed stopped and glanced over.
"tofu nao? What's that?"
Ji Wan'er lifted the lid of the bucket and pointed at its contents, saying, "It's this."
The person took a sniff and commented, "It smells good, with a strong aroma of beans. It's quite similar to tofu."
"Yes, it's made from beans."
"How much does it cost?"
"Two wen per bowl."
"That's expensive!"
"On top of the tofu nao, we'll also pour a spoonful of sauce, and inside there are eggs, shiitake mushrooms, and wood ear fungus." Ji Wan'er opened a small pot nearby as she spoke.
The person's eyes lit up upon seeing that there were eggs as well. With these additional ingredients, two wen didn't seem too expensive.
Seeing that the young man in front of her seemed somewhat tempted, Ji Wan'er took out the freshly made soybean pancake (tofu nao residue pancake).
"On the first day of sales, buying a bowl will get you a complimentary soybean pancake with an egg."
The pancake had been kept inside the pot, so it was still warm. As she opened it, the aroma of eggs and the fragrance of beans wafted out.
The person already loved eating tofu and wanted to taste the tofu nao. Now, smelling the complimentary pancake made it even more enticing. Without hesitation, they decided to buy a bowl.
"Give me a bowl."
Upon hearing those words, smiles appeared on the faces of Yun Shuang and Zi An.
Ji Wan'er didn't expect it to go so smoothly, and she was also very happy, but she didn't show it on her face.
The first sale was a success.
Ji Wan'er scooped a bowl of tofu nao from the bucket and poured some braised sauce over it.
The braised sauce was prepared by Ji Wan'er early in the morning and was different from what they had at home before.
The shiitake mushrooms and wood ear mushrooms were bought by her in the town yesterday morning. She also added an egg and her own homemade seasoning to the sauce.
Even before tasting the braised sauce, it smelled incredibly fragrant.
The young man's stomach growled loudly.
As a scholar, having such a noisy stomach was rather embarrassing. He covered his stomach in a slightly awkward manner.
Ji Wan'er continued to ladle the tofu nao as if she hadn't heard the noise.
While she was serving, another middle-aged woman holding a child approached. She looked at the braised sauce and asked, "What is this? Egg soup? How much does it cost?"
Ji Wan'er handed the tofu nao with the braised sauce to the young man and replied to the middle-aged woman, "Auntie, this is not soup. It's the braised sauce served on top of the tofu nao. The tofu nao costs two coins per bowl, and we pour a spoonful of braised sauce on top."
"tofu nao?" the woman asked.
Ji Wan'er explained it to the middle-aged woman while she was at it.
While Ji Wan'er was explaining, Yun Shuang handed a soybean pancake wrapped in oil paper to the young man.
"Is this thing tasty?" The middle-aged woman frowned as she looked at the tofu nao in the bucket. "It smells strongly of soybeans."
Yun Shuang nervously looked at the woman in front of her and then glanced at her sister-in-law.
Seeing her sister-in-law still smiling, Yun Shuang felt a little stunned. Her sister-in-law's temperament had indeed improved a lot compared to before.
Although the middle-aged woman had a disgusted expression on her face, Ji Wan'er continued to smile and explain, "That's precisely made from soybeans."
At that moment, the young boy in the middle-aged woman's arms exclaimed, "Grandma, I want to eat it, I want to eat it."
Facing her grandson, the middle-aged woman's attitude immediately changed. "My sweetie, this thing is made from soybeans, and you dislike soybeans the most, remember? They give you a stomachache."
But the child persisted, "You're lying. Soybeans are yellow, this is white. It's not soybeans. I just want to eat it, I just want to eat it."
Ji Wan'er looked at the two of them and said, "Today is the first day of selling, and we're offering a soybean pancake. It won't be available tomorrow."
Sure enough, upon hearing about the free item, the middle-aged woman turned to Ji Wan'er and asked, "soybean pancake?"
"Yes," Ji Wan'er pointed to her own soybean pancake.
The middle-aged woman sniffed and surprisingly found it quite fragrant. She then looked at the young man squatting beside her, happily munching on the roll...
"Grandma, I want to eat, I want to eat," the child called out again.
"Alright, alright, Grandma will buy it for you, buy it for you," the middle-aged woman began coaxing the child.
After soothing the child, the middle-aged woman spoke to Ji Wan'er with a condescending tone, "Give me a bowl, and, um, put more eggs in the braised sauce."
Ji Wan'er smiled and replied, "Sure, please wait a moment."
Following the middle-aged woman's request, Ji Wan'er indeed picked out several large pieces of eggs and added them to the braised sauce.
Finally, the middle-aged woman's attitude had improved, and she looked quite satisfied with Ji Wan'er.
Taking the bowl of tofu brain, the middle-aged woman squatted on the ground and fed the child with a spoon.
With the first scoop, she discovered that the tofu brain was extremely smooth and tender. This was her first time seeing something like this. It was somewhat like tofu, but not as firm.
She blew on the tofu brain before bringing the spoon to her grandson's mouth.
"Is it delicious?"
"Mmm, delicious, Grandma, I want more."
"Alright, alright, if it's delicious, Grandma will serve you more."
As she watched her grandson happily eat, the middle-aged woman became increasingly joyful.
She fed her grandson a spoonful of tofu brain, followed by a bite of the soybean pancake.
Seeing the child's joyful expression while eating, Ji Wan'er smiled and continued to attract customers.
The child had a small appetite, so he was soon full, leaving some leftover tofu brain and pancake. The middle-aged woman finished what her grandson couldn't eat.
After finishing, she still wanted more but wasn't willing to spend another two cents.
Before leaving, the middle-aged woman's attitude had improved significantly. "You, little daughter-in-law, may look young, but your cooking skills are impressive."
Ji Wan'er smiled and replied, "Thank you for your praise. I don't deserve it."
The young man had finished eating as well and glanced at the pancake. He asked, "How much for the pancake?"
"One cent for two," Ji Wan'er replied.
"I'll take two more," he said.
Yun Shuang quickly wrapped the pancake in oil paper and handed them to him.
The young man took the two pancake and left.
In this short time, they had received five cents in total, and both Yun Shuang and Zi An were excited.
However, Ji Wan'er felt that there were too few customers. Although a couple of people had approached and asked, no one else came to eat.
Watching the middle-aged woman walk away, Ji Wan'er loudly shouted, "On the first day of opening, buy tofu brain and get a free soybean pancake!"
As soon as people heard about the free item, more of them started to gather.
"Free soybean pancake?"
Ji Wan'er lifted the cloth covering the pancake, and the aroma of eggs and beans immediately filled the air.
"These pancakes smell so good!"
"What are you selling? Tofu?"
"No, it's tofu brain. Made from beans, it's extremely tender and highly nutritious."
There were about four or five people gathered around Ji Wan'er, asking questions, which kept her from shouting out.
Yun Shuang stood on the side, observing the people approaching and her busy sister. She pursed her lips, took a deep breath, and imitated Ji Wan'er's earlier actions, calling out.
"Tofu brain, delicious tofu brain!"
"Free soybean pancakes!"
Hearing this, Ji Wan'er turned her head and glanced at Yun Shuang, who was shouting at passersby near the intersection.
Perhaps it was the enticing aroma of the soybean pancakes or the unique appeal of the tofu brain, but two out of the group of people who gathered ended up paying for a serving of tofu brain. Another person, who initially just wanted the pancake, ended up buying a bowl as well.
As more people came to eat, the bowls and chopsticks needed to be washed.
Yun Shuang silently squatted in the background, scooping water from a bucket to wash them.
At that moment, Zi An took over the task of shouting.
Gradually, more and more people came to eat the tofu brain, and the sun began to rise.
Looking at the almost empty bucket, the three of them had radiant smiles on their faces.
It had been over an hour since they woke up, and they had been busy the entire time.
Although they were tired, the sight of their accomplishments filled them with joy.
Ji Wan'er began to pack up and prepare to leave when a middle-aged man wearing a dark blue cotton jacket hurriedly approached.
The man looked around and walked up to their small cart.
"Is this where you sell tofu brain?" he asked.
Ji Wan'er nodded and said, "Yes, it is."
The middle-aged man's face lit up, and he exclaimed, "Quick, give me a bowl."
He had eaten tofu brain when he was younger during his travels to other places, but it had been many years since he last had it. He never expected to be able to eat it in his hometown today.
However, the next words from Ji Wan'er dampened his excitement.
"Sorry, we're sold out for today."
"Gone?" he asked.
"Yes, all gone," she replied.
Disappointment appeared on the middle-aged man's face.
"I just found out about it and came over. How did I still come too late?"
After expressing his disappointment, he asked, "Will you be here tomorrow?"
"Yes, we will," Ji Wan'er assured him.
"When will you be here?" he asked.
"Around the chen hour (time of the dragon, around 7 a.m. to 9 a.m)," she replied.
"Okay, I'll come tomorrow around that time. Don't sell out, remember to save a bowl for me," he requested.
"Sure," she agreed.
This was truly a delightful turn of events!
After packing up and loading everything onto the cart, Ji Wan'er smiled and said, "Let's go, we'll go eat."
She had initially planned for everyone to have some leftovers, but they had sold everything clean today.
"Wow, are we eating in town?" Zi An's eyes sparkled with anticipation.
"Yes, we're going to eat baozis (buns with fillings)," Ji Wan'er said.
As they had passed by the baozi shop earlier, she had seen two children looking at the baozis with longing eyes.
Not to mention them, even she had started to feel hungry after catching a whiff of the aroma.
She hadn't expected to be delayed for so long. If she had known, she would have eaten something to fill her stomach first.
By this time, it was no longer the peak dining hour, and the three of them went to the baozi shop and found a place to sit.
Vegetable buns were one copper coin each, while meat buns were two copper coins each. Soup was free to drink.
The three of them each had a baozi, and the meal cost six copper coins in total.
Zi An had been craving baozis. Every time he came to town, he wanted to eat here. But when he finally tasted it, he realized it wasn't as delicious as he had imagined.
Yun Shuang shared the same sentiment.
Ji Wan'er, on the other hand, thought they were quite tasty, but the amount of meat was too little, so it wasn't very cost-effective.
After eating their fill, the three of them left the baozi shop.
Ji Wan'er felt like she had forgotten something, but it had been an early start to the day, and she was feeling tired. After thinking for a while and not remembering, she let it go and left the town.
On their way back, Ji Wan'er smiled and said to the two children, "When we earn more money next time, we'll come back to eat baozis."
Unexpectedly, Zi An said, "I feel like the baozis aren't as tasty as the soybean pancakes you made, sister-in-law."
"Oh?"
"I feel the same. The food you make is more delicious," Yun Shuang chimed in.
Ji Wan'er was very happy that everyone enjoyed the food she made. She smiled and said, "Alright, next time we'll buy some meat, and I'll make baozis for you at home."
"Yeah!" Zi An happily nodded.
The three of them chatted and laughed as they walked and made occasional stops until they returned to the village.
When they arrived back at the village, it was already the hour of si (the hour of the snake, around 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.).
After returning home, Ji Wan'er pushed the small cart to the wellside. She needed to quickly wash the items.
Once she placed the cart in its proper place, she went to the kitchen to get a loofah sponge for washing the dishes. However, as soon as she entered, she saw Xiao Qingming squatting by the stove, eating steamed buns and pickled vegetables.
Ji Wan'er:...
She finally remembered what she had forgotten. They had all eaten their fill and completely forgotten about Xiao Qingming.
Xiao Qingming looked up at her, and she could sense a hint of disappointment in his eyes.
He looked quite pitiful at that moment.
What should she do?
At that moment, Zi An also ran over and glanced at his older brother, surprised as he asked, "Big brother, it's so late, why haven't you eaten?"
Seeing his older brother nibbling on steamed buns, Zi An suddenly felt a sense of guilt, considering that he had just eaten baozis and found them unsatisfactory.
"How about... I cook a bowl of noodles for you?" Ji Wan'er offered.
Xiao Qingming stared at her for a moment, wiped the crumbs off his mouth, lowered his gaze, and softly replied, "No need."
Ji Wan'er tugged at Xiao Qingming's sleeve...
Seeing that Xiao Qingming wasn't angry, Ji Wan'er smiled and said, "Hmm, then let's wait until noon to make something delicious."
With that, she took the loofah sponge and went outside to clean the tub.
Zi An followed her to help.
Xiao Qingming glanced at Ji Wan'er's figure and then at the pickled vegetables and steamed bun in his hand. Suddenly, they didn't seem as appetizing. Lunchtime was approaching, so he put the remaining half of the bun back into the basket and returned to his room.
After cleaning the items, everyone took a rest.
Back in her room, Ji Wan'er took out her purse and counted the money.
Today, they sold a total of twenty-five bowls of tofu nao, priced at two wen per bowl, earning fifty wen. She made over forty small cakes, gave away more than twenty of them, sold about twenty, and earned ten wen. So, in total, she made sixty wen.
However, the costs were not low either. She was generous with the oil, seasonings, and eggs. She had already calculated the costs for soybeans, wood ear mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, eggs, and flour last night, amounting to more than twenty wen. Taking into account the oil, various spices, and seasonings she used, she estimated that the total cost was around thirty wen.
After finishing the calculations, Ji Wan'er was stunned.
So, she earned thirty wen this morning?
Ji Wan'er counted again and finally confirmed that she did indeed earn thirty wen.
She had heard that her neighbor, Xiao Dajiang, could earn around fifteen to twenty wen a day when he went to work in town, but not every day.
Earning thirty wen in one day was quite a lot.
This was only the first day, and she believed she would earn even more in the future.
Although she had confidence in her cooking, Ji Wan'er still felt relieved as she looked at the coins in her hand. At least one thing was certain now - no matter what happens in the future, she wouldn't starve here with her own two hands, right?
The thirty wen wasn't earned by her alone. Without the help of Yun Shuang and Zi An, she wouldn't have been able to earn this much. They also had their share of the money.
Ji Wan'er went to the kitchen and took some ash from the pot to write down the amount of money they earned today on the wall.
She used simple numbers that others couldn't understand.
Ji Wan'er originally planned to rest for a while, but with nothing else to do, she slowly drifted off to sleep. She slept for half an hour and woke up, realizing that it was almost noon.
After waking up, she felt refreshed. Seeing that it was not yet time for a meal, she went back to tending the land.
Yun Shuang had been playing outside with the neighboring child, Man'er, but when she saw Ji Wan'er working, she quickly returned home.
Man'er followed her as well.
"Sister-in-law."
"Aunt."
"Hey, you two go and play. There's only a little work to be done," Ji Wan'er said.
Yun Shuang was still a child and had been busy working all morning, so she was probably tired.
"There's nothing interesting to play with anyway," Yun Shuang tidied up the land that Ji Wan'er had turned over, removing any impurities and breaking up large clumps of soil.
Man'er squatted nearby, watching Yun Shuang work and occasionally glancing at Ji Wan'er. She realized that her aunt, as her mother and Yun Shuang had described, was truly different from before, as if she had changed.
After a while, they heard the familiar voice of Sun Xinghua.
"Man'er, Man'er!"
The village was small, and the households were close to each other, so children wouldn't wander too far. Therefore, if the adults were looking for the children, they would mostly stand at the front door and call out. During her time here, Ji Wan'er had heard it many times.
"Mom, I'm here," Man'er turned around and looked towards her home.
Ji Wan'er's house didn't have a wall, only a fence, and since the two houses were close, she could hear Sun Xinghua as soon as she mentioned her name.
"I thought you had run far again. I have something to do, your little brother is sleeping in bed, so you stay home and watch over him," Sun Xinghua said as she walked to the fence.
"Okay," Man'er bid farewell to Yun Shuang and headed home.
Sun Xinghua didn't leave, she stood by the fence and looked around before greeting Ji Wan'er.
"Qingming's wife, tending the land?"
Ji Wan'er nodded and replied, "Yes."
"What do you plan to plant?"
"We'll plant some cabbage, chives, greens, and also some cucumbers and eggplants."
Sun Xinghua seemed satisfied with the answer and said, "Good, your family has a large plot of land, so you can plant more. That way, you won't need to spend money buying vegetables."
"You're right, sister-in-law," Ji Wan'er agreed.
Sun Xinghua casually asked, "You weren't home this morning?"
Ji Wan'er stopped her actions and looked up at her.
Sun Xinghua continued, "Oh, didn't you bring some food over a couple of days ago? I forgot to return the bowls to your house. I came this morning to return the bowls, but you weren't home."
"I went to the town this morning with Yun Shuang and Zi An."
Sun Xinghua let out a sigh of relief and glanced at Yun Shuang, saying, "Oh, I see. So you went with Yun Shuang and Zi An. That's good, that's good. Alright, you all carry on, I have something to do."
Ji Wan'er smiled and said, "Okay."
She wasn't oblivious to the hidden meaning in Sun Xinghua's words, but since it wasn't explicitly stated, she chose to pretend not to understand.
After a while, seeing that it was almost time, Ji Wan'er went to the kitchen.
Having earned some money today, she decided to indulge a bit and make two dishes.
However, both dishes would use the same ingredient - potatoes.
One would be stir-fried shredded potatoes, and the other would be sweet and sour glazed potatoes.
She actually wanted to make spicy and sour shredded potatoes, but unfortunately, there were no chili peppers at home.
Before starting the cooking, Ji Wan'er first prepared her favorite rice soup.
She peeled and sliced the potatoes, then soaked the shredded potatoes in water. She heated the wok, added oil, scallions, and garlic, and then stir-fried the shredded potatoes quickly. Finally, she added vinegar and salt before taking it off the heat.
Ji Wan'er had cooked this dish countless times before, so she quickly finished stir-frying it.
There were two pots in the house, with one pot used for making soup, leaving only the one she was currently using.
After cleaning the wok, Ji Wan'er didn't rush to make the second dish.
Because sweet and sour glazed potatoes needed to be eaten hot, otherwise the strands would not come out properly. So she decided to wait until the rice soup was ready before making it.
After a while, the rice soup was finally done, and Ji Wan'er heated the steamed buns on top of it.
Then, Ji Wan'er began making the sweet and sour glazed potatoes.
She soaked the potato chunks in water and set them aside after washing and draining them.
Taking advantage of this time, she served the rice soup and brought it to the table.
This time, Xiao Qingming didn't need anyone to call him; he came out on his own upon hearing the commotion.
Based on the previous situation, Ji Wan'er pondered for a moment and thought, is he hungry?
Having experienced an embarrassing situation before, Xiao Qingming appeared somewhat more composed this time.
He was about to explain, but Ji Wan'er said, "My dear, are you hungry? There's one more dish, we'll eat in a little while."
Xiao Qingming's lips twitched, caught between staying or leaving.
He felt even more awkward now.
Ji Wan'er didn't notice this and hurried to the kitchen to make the sweet and sour glazed potatoes.
She heated the wok and slowly placed the drained potato chunks into the wok, frying them on low heat until they turned golden brown. Then, she left some oil in the wok, poured in the sugar, and cooked it into syrup. At this point, she added the potato chunks back into the wok and quickly stir-fried them, ensuring that each piece was coated with the syrup. Once done, she scooped them out onto a plate.
Sweet and sour glazed potatoes should be eaten while hot.
Ji Wan'er quickly brought the dish to the table and said, "Let's go, Yun Shuang, Zi An, let's eat."
When they reached the doorway, they realized that Xiao Qingming was standing there.
"Come on, come on," Ji Wan'er called out to Xiao Qingming. Seeing him standing there in a daze, she instinctively reached out and tugged on his sleeve.
However, Xiao Qingming seemed entranced, standing still in his spot.
It was only when Ji Wan'er and the two children had sat down that she noticed Xiao Qingming was still standing there.
"Come quickly, the dish will not taste good if it gets cold," Ji Wan'er, oblivious to Xiao Qingming's unusual behavior, urged him again.
Xiao Qingming glanced at her, then looked at the sleeve she had touched, pursed his lips, and walked into the main room.
Oil was a precious commodity, and people usually used it sparingly when cooking, trying to be frugal. Consequently, fried foods were rarely served. Sugar was even more precious than oil. If a child got a piece of sugar, they would treasure it and let it melt in their hands before putting it in their mouth.
Therefore, none of the siblings had ever seen or eaten sweet and sour glazed potatoes before.
"How do we eat this?" one of them asked.
Ji Wan'er saw that the other three at the table hadn't started eating, so she didn't bother with formalities and demonstrated how to eat the dish.
"Just pick it up and eat it. You have to be quick, or else the strands will break and there won't be any left."
This dish was truly novel, and when the other three saw Ji Wan'er using her chopsticks, they quickly followed suit and picked up the potato chunks.
"Wow, such long strands, so beautiful!" Zi An exclaimed, watching the strands continuously coming out. He stood up, and finally, the strands broke.
Ji Wan'er took a bite and urged them, "Eat quickly!"
Zi An finally stopped admiring the strands and stuffed a potato chunk into his mouth.
"Wow, so sweet!" After taking a bite, Zi An couldn't help but exclaim.
Seeing his cheeks puffing up on both sides, Ji Wan'er couldn't help but touch his little face.
Hmm, he's getting chubby.
Yun Shuang had noticed how much sugar Ji Wan'er had added, so she knew that this dish would be very sweet. However, she didn't expect it to have such a good texture. Who would have thought that potatoes could be so delicious? Not only were they sweet, but they also had a slightly sticky texture, making them particularly enjoyable to eat.
"It's really delicious," Yun Shuang smiled and looked at Ji Wan'er.
Although Xiao Qingming didn't say anything, his eyes widened slightly.
He loved sweet food.
Not many people knew about this.
Xiao Qingming hadn't had sweet food for many years.
The memory of the bamboo tube rice from last time was still fresh in his mind, and he had been left wanting more.
And now, it was even sweeter.
However, a few days ago it was meat, and today it was sugar. It must have cost quite a bit of money.
Xiao Qingming couldn't help but glance at Ji Wan'er.
Ji Wan'er didn't know what Xiao Qingming was thinking and quickly urged the three siblings to eat.
The sweet and delicious caramelized potatoes were quickly finished as each person picked up their share with their chopsticks.
After finishing, Zi An licked his lips and said, "Sister-in-law, it was so delicious. I've never had so much sugar before. It's really sweet."
Yun Shuang felt that her brother had spoken her mind. She had lived for so long and it was the first time she had eaten so much sugar. Compared to before, these past two weeks felt like living in a beautiful dream.
"In the future, I'll make more sweet treats for you all," Ji Wan'er said, not mentioning the potential drawbacks of eating too much sugar. Because sugar was a precious commodity, being able to eat it was already a luxury, and it was unlikely to be consumed in excess.
"Okay," Zi An lowered his head and looked at his plate. He asked cautiously, "Sister-in-law, can I pour the rice soup into it?"
There was still some syrup left in the dish of caramelized potatoes, so it should be very sweet, right?
Seeing Zi An's careful expression, Ji Wan'er felt a pang of tenderness. She brought over Zi An's bowl and poured the rice soup into it.
Zi An was overjoyed and happily drank from the bowl, thoroughly enjoying himself.
Early the next day, Ji Wan'er woke up at the Mao hour (the hour of the rabbit, around 5 a.m. to 7 a.m.).
In this era, there was no entertainment at night, not even a glimmer of light. People went to bed early every night. Sleeping early meant waking up early as well.
In her previous life, Ji Wan'er would never wake up so early. It was extremely painful for her. But now, she felt no discomfort at all.
After getting up, she went to make tofu nao and braised food.
Because they sold well yesterday and there wasn't enough left at the end, Ji Wan'er made some more.
Yun Shuang and Zi An also woke up early.
Especially Yun Shuang, she woke up even earlier than Ji Wan'er. As soon as she heard Ji Wan'er opening the door, she immediately ran out and gathered around her, helping her with the work.
"Yun Shuang, you don't have to get up so early. Get some more sleep."
"I'm already fully rested."
In order to sell the food earlier, Ji Wan'er worked very quickly.
When everything was ready to be loaded onto the cart, Ji Wan'er put four soybean pancake on a plate and went to the study.
"Husband, Yun Shuang, and Zi An, we're going out and might not be back at any specific time. If you're hungry, just eat the pancakes. If you're still not full, I'll make more when I come back."
Xiao Qingming first glanced at the delicious soybean pancake, then looked at Ji Wan'er.
Going out? Where are you going?
Xiao Qingming's mind was filled with this question.
Soon, he realized that he was curious about Ji Wan'er's whereabouts. He quickly collected his thoughts, withdrew his gaze, and looked at the book in front of him.
"Oh, I see."
His voice was rather cold, indicating that he didn't care much.
Xiao Qingming had always treated her this way, and Ji Wan'er didn't feel anything wrong about it. She put down the plate and left the study.
After Ji Wan'er and the other two left home, Xiao Qingming's gaze shifted towards the doorway.
She had started going out again in the past few days, and he didn't know what she was up to.
Ji Wan'er had no idea that Xiao Qingming was watching her. As the three of them left, they were talking and laughing happily.
At this time, it was still early in the morning, and there were hardly any people in the village. It wasn't because nobody was awake, but rather the early risers had already gone to work in the fields, while the late risers hadn't left their homes yet.
Today, going to the town felt less nervous and more hopeful than yesterday.
On the way, Ji Wan'er gave Yun Shuang and Zi An each a small pancake. She wasn't particularly hungry herself, but she didn't want the children to go hungry. After all, they were still growing, and it wouldn't be good if they were hungry.
Just as they had set up the stall, someone approached them.
Because tofu nao was quite novel, two or three people gathered around Ji Wan'er to inquire about it.
After a while, the middle-aged man from yesterday also came over. Seeing that the people in front were only inquiring and not buying, he said, "Hurry up, give me a bowl first."
The few people who were inquiring turned their heads to look.
"Sorry, it's been many years since I last had it, so I'm a bit eager," the middle-aged man said with a smile.
"Have you ever eaten this kind of food?" someone curiously asked. It was their first time seeing it, and yet someone had already tried it?
"Yes, I have. I had it a few times when I was in the capital city," the middle-aged man explained.
"The capital city? Is this food actually from the capital city?"
"It seems like it originated from a big city. No wonder I haven't heard of it."
As they were talking, Ji Wan'er had already served the tofu nao.
The middle-aged man took the tofu nao and said, "I don't know where it originated from, I just had it in the capital city... Wow, it smells amazing! You, madam, have great skills!"
Saying that, the middle-aged man stirred it a bit and took a bite of the tofu nao.
"It's delicious!" the middle-aged man praised. "This taste is even better than what I had in the capital city. It's tender and smooth, and the braised sauce is really well made."
The middle-aged man seemed like a free advertisement. After hearing his praise, the hesitant crowd started ordering bowls of tofu nao.
If Ji Wan'er didn't really know this middle-aged man, she would have thought he came specifically to advertise for her.
"Another bowl!" The middle-aged man finished one bowl and ordered another. "And I'll take two more pancakes."
Today, Ji Wan'er still gave out pancakes, and the middle-aged man really enjoyed eating one.
"Madam, you have amazing skills! This is a family heirloom recipe, right? You've been doing this for many years, I assume? It's so fragrant. Your braised sauce contains so many ingredients that I can't even tell how much seasoning is in it. It's both fresh and fragrant!"
This is Ji Wan'er's secret recipe. There are too few available seasonings here, so when she went to the town a few days ago, she bought a lot of spices, ground them into powder, and mixed them together.
The middle-aged man ate a total of two bowls of tofu nao while praising it. During his meal, six or seven people followed suit and bought some.
After eating two bowls of tofu nao and three pancakes, the middle-aged man was full.
"Will you still be here tomorrow?" he asked with concern before leaving.
"Yes, as long as it doesn't rain, we'll be here all the time," Ji Wan'er replied.
"Alright, that's good. I'll come again tomorrow morning," the middle-aged man said.
After the middle-aged man left, the crowd of people buying tofu nao subsided a bit.
Ji Wan'er looked at the tofu nao and pancakes in front of her and thought about the things she had heard in her previous life. She changed her promotional slogan and said, "Come and take a look, buy tofu nao and get free pancakes. Limited quantity of pancakes, first come, first served. If you come late, they won't be given."
This statement was still effective. As soon as she finished saying it, immediately people passing by curiously came over to take a look.
"Are there still free pancakes available?"
"Yes, there are."
"Do we get them when we buy tofu nao?"
"Yes."
The tofu nao looked appetizing, tasted great, and with the addition of a variety of ingredients in the braised sauce, as long as people came to take a look, they wanted to buy some.
Although they made a few more bowls today, they sold even faster than before.
"Are you hungry?" Yun Shuang and Zi An both shook their heads.
Since they had a small pancake in the morning to fill their stomachs, they weren't very hungry.
Ji Wan'er wasn't hungry either.
"If you're not hungry, how about we go to the market and buy some ingredients to make baozi for lunch?"
As soon as they heard that they could eat baozi made by Ji Wan'er, both children were very happy.
"Great!"
Afterward, the three of them pushed a small cart and went to the market.
They didn't come too late today, and the market was quite crowded. Ji Wan'er bought some chives, shiitake mushrooms, and black fungus, as well as scallions, ginger, and garlic. She also bought a bunch of seasonings that she planned to grind into powder for use when making baozi. Eggs were also a must-buy since they were being used quickly.
Finally, they arrived at the meat stall. Both meat vendors were there today, and Ji Wan'er asked both of them. Sure enough, she confirmed one thing: the meat vendor cheated them last time. The big bones were originally sold for one wen per jin, and if they bought a lot of meat, they could even get some for free.
Ji Wan'er decisively chose the other stall.
She bought half a jin of meat and received two free pork bones.
Back at home, it was still before the hour of the Snake (9-11 am), and Ji Wan'er started to knead the dough first.
"Let's make baozi for lunch. Let's have a little something to eat in the morning."
Ji Wan'er cooked a pot of egg soup and heated the mantou buns (steamed buns without fillings). They ate them with pickled vegetables.
After the meal, everyone rested in their rooms. Ji Wan'er took out her purse and counted the copper coins inside. There were a few more than yesterday, close to forty wen. She marked it on the wall.
It would be more convenient if she could keep track of it on paper, but paper and pen were expensive, and she couldn't afford them.
After resting for a while in the house, Ji Wan'er took the two children and went out.
Just as they stepped outside, they met their neighbor, Man'er.
When Man'er heard that they were going to gather firewood on the mountain, she decided to join them.
Before long, the group of them carried firewood down the mountain.
Man'er gave the firewood she had gathered to Ji Wan'er.
Although firewood wasn't something rare, she had heard that it cost money in the county town, maybe one wen per bundle.
"You take it home, we have enough firewood," Ji Wan'er said.
Man'er shook her head and replied, "No need, Auntie. We have plenty of firewood at my house."
Ji Wan'er smiled, no longer refusing, and thought about giving some baozi to the neighbor later.
The dough was almost ready, and the next step was to prepare the filling.
Ji Wan'er first dealt with the big bones they bought in the morning and stewed them in a pot. Then she started preparing the filling.
Ji Wan'er planned to make some vegetarian fillings and a few meat fillings.
For the vegetarian fillings, she would make leek and egg filling and mixed vegetable filling. As for the meat filling, she would make cabbage and pork filling.
Not to mention anything else, frying eggs in oil alone would spread a fragrant aroma far and wide.
The flavor of leeks is also relatively strong. When combined, it would let people passing by the house know that they were making leek buns.
The Xiao family's house had drafts everywhere, and Xiao Qingming, sitting in the study, naturally smelled it.
Unconsciously, he swallowed his saliva and thought, "We have something delicious for lunch again today." He began to look forward to lunch with a hint of anticipation.
Ji Wan'er divided the fried eggs into two portions. She mixed one portion with the leeks to make leek and egg buns, and the other portion with chopped mushrooms and wood ear mushrooms to make mixed vegetable filling.
She had bought half a jin of meat in total, but making pure lean meat filling wouldn't yield many buns. So she decided to make cabbage and pork filling instead.
The trickiest part of making cabbage buns was that the cabbage would release water. Before wrapping the buns, she had to squeeze out the water from the cabbage. After squeezing out the water, she mixed the cabbage with the chopped pork and stirred it together.
Before the buns were even made, the eyes of the three children were already fixated, with a clear expression on their faces, showing their desire to eat!
Man'er swallowed his saliva and said, "Auntie, the filling you prepared smells so good. My mother's filling doesn't smell this fragrant."
Ji Wan'er smiled and replied, "I don't cook as well as your mother, but I just added more seasonings."
"It smells amazing," Man'er said, swallowing his saliva again.
The three children didn't know how to make buns, so they couldn't help, but they didn't go elsewhere to play. They squatted at the kitchen door, occasionally peering into the kitchen.
Man'er was not a member of this family after all. After glancing a few times, she quietly said to Yun Shuang, "Little aunt, I really envy you. Auntie's cooking smells so good."
Yun Shuang turned around and said, "Sister-in-law's cooking is delicious too."
"I've been smelling the aroma of your cooking from time to time these past few days at home."
Yun Shuang smiled and replied, "Hmm, sister-in-law's cooking is fragrant."
Man'er used to think that her little aunt was pitiful. Not only did her sister-in-law not give her food, but she also beat her. Now she felt that the pitiful person had become herself. When would her mother be able to cook such delicious food?
People can't help but keep talking. Just as she was thinking about it, she heard her mother's voice in her ear.
"I knew it was you here."
"Mother."
"Sister-in-law."
"Mother needs help with the quilt, come over and lend a hand."
"Alright." When she stood up, Man'er couldn't help but glance towards the kitchen.
Since she had come to the house, she would definitely have to say hello. Sun Xinghua walked to the kitchen door, sniffed, and said, "Qingming's wife, are you steaming buns? It smells so good."
Ji Wan'er turned her head, stood up, and said, "Sister-in-law."
"Yeah, you can continue with your work. I'll send Man'er home."
"How about having some buns before leaving?"
"No need, no need. We just had breakfast, not hungry."
Here, people usually eat two meals a day, with breakfast being late, dinner being early, and skipping lunch.
Saying that, Sun Xinghua led Man'er back home.
As soon as they stepped out of the house, Sun Xinghua's expression turned sour. She glared at her daughter and said, "You saw them making buns and still didn't hurry home. What were you doing there? Is that one bite of food so important to you?"
During these times when everyone was poor, if a household had something delicious, they would most likely lock the door from the inside and eat secretly.
After all, if the neighbors came, you wouldn't have enough to share. If you didn't give any, it would appear stingy and damage relationships.
Most people would come up with excuses to leave if they happened to encounter such a situation, so as not to make things difficult for the host family.
Only those shameless and greedy individuals would intentionally linger and refuse to leave, and they would be criticized behind their backs.
Sun Xinghua could tell what her daughter was thinking, but she didn't want her daughter to become such an unpleasant person.
Man'er bit her lip and remained silent.
Sun Xinghua nodded at her daughter's head and said, "You greedy girl, next time pay more attention and don't do such disgraceful things. When you see someone having something delicious, hurry back home, understand?"
Man'er lowered her head and mumbled, "Yes, I understand, mother."
When people are poor, their aspirations are limited.
Although Sun Xinghua had never received an education, she had always taught her daughter based on this principle.
Seeing her daughter's reaction, Sun Xinghua sighed. It was all because of poverty. She wished they had money someday.
However, Ji Wan'er didn't think so much.
If she hadn't encountered Man'er today, she probably wouldn't have remembered to send some food to the neighbor. But since she did encounter her, she was definitely going to give something.
Besides, they lived at the end of the village with fewer people. In case something happened at home and they needed help from their neighbors, like when they repaired the roof last time.
In the future, they might need the help of others more often.
They couldn't rely on the people from the old residence, they just hoped they wouldn't come and cause trouble.
Ji Wan'er wouldn't go looking for trouble either. As long as the people from the old residence stayed away, she was happy to have no interaction with them.
The buns Ji Wan'er made were smaller than the ones in town, with thin skin and a generous filling, so they cooked quickly.
The buns with vegetarian filling were ready soon. Ji Wan'er lifted the lid of the pot and took the buns out.
"Go wash your hands and eat the buns," Ji Wan'er said with a smile to the two children standing beside her.
Yun Shuang and Zi An hurriedly went to wash their hands and quickly returned.
"The ones on the left are filled with chives and eggs, and the ones on the right are filled with mixed vegetables. They're still hot, so eat slowly," Ji Wan'er reminded them.
Having said that, she placed the buns with meat filling on the steaming tray and started to steam them.
Zi An tentatively touched one of the buns. It was a bit hot. After testing it a few times, he couldn't resist and decided to take a bite.
Yesterday, the buns they bought in town had barely any filling, but today the skin was so thin that he reached the filling with just one bite.
"The skin is so thin!" Zi An exclaimed with delight.
1
Ji Wan'er smiled but didn't say anything. When making buns for themselves, they naturally put in as much filling as they wanted.
"They're really delicious, sister-in-law. Your buns are amazing," Zi An happily said. "I've never had such tasty buns before."
Ji Wan'er had heard this comment many times already, and each time she could feel Zi An's genuine joy.
Zi An's joyful voice reached the study room.
Sitting in the study, Xiao Qingming swallowed his saliva. He touched the corner of his book and wondered why they still hadn't called him for dinner.
Did they forget about him again?
Ji Wan'er had already noticed when he left early yesterday, so it wouldn't be good for him to leave again this time.
Should he wait a little longer?
After finishing the chives and egg bun, Zi An started eating the bun with mixed vegetables.
"Wow, the filling in this one is so fragrant. Sister-in-law, what did you put in it?" Zi An asked.
Although Yun Shuang also liked it very much, she restrained herself and ate in small bites. When she heard her brother's question, she answered him.
Soon, they finished both buns.
Although their stomachs were already about 70-80% full, they still wanted to eat more.
He had already eaten two buns and felt embarrassed to take another one. Zi An sneakily glanced at Ji Wan'er.
Unfortunately, Ji Wan'er caught him in the act and he quickly pulled his hand back.
"Stop eating for now," she said.
Indeed, he had been indulging himself and had eaten too much.
Zi An pursed his lips, his eyes dimming.
"There's still meat filling in the pot. If you're already full from eating too many vegetable buns, you won't have room for the meat ones," Ji Wan'er said with a smile.
Was that so?
Zi An quickly lifted his head, and a glimmer of excitement returned to his eyes.
"Yeah, I won't eat anymore. I'll wait for you to steam the meat ones, sister-in-law."
As he spoke, the aroma of the baozis wafted from the pot.
After a while, the buns were ready.
Ji Wan'er knew that both children wanted to eat, so she gave each of them one.
"It smells so good, and it's filled with meat! There's even meat juice!" Zi An exclaimed excitedly, pointing at the baozi.
This bun was much more delicious than what he had eaten in town.
"Take your time and don't burn yourself," Ji Wan'er said gently.
This time, Ji Wan'er didn't steam too many buns. There were more vegetable-filled buns and fewer meat-filled ones. She took two vegetable buns and one baozi to the neighboring house.
When Sun Xinghua saw Ji Wan'er bringing three buns, she hesitated for a moment and then glanced at her daughter.
"You didn't make many buns in your own home. There's no need to bring them to us."
Ji Wan'er was unaware of the conversation between the mother and daughter. She smiled and said, "I heard from Yun Shuang that Sister-in-law used to bring them a lot of food before. Our family was poor before, and there wasn't much to eat. We're more comfortable these days."
Although Sun Xinghua had talked behind Ji Wan'er's back, calling her lazy and overly concerned with her appearance, Ji Wan'er's words now left her unsure of how to respond.
"This is too precious. You have many children in your family, so keep them for yourselves," Sun Xinghua said.
Ji Wan'er replied, "Sister-in-law, you're being too polite. They're not worth much. It's just a chance for the children to taste my cooking." She placed the bowls on the table and added, "My husband is always busy studying and can't take care of the household. In the future, I might trouble Sister-in-law for assistance."
Ji Wan'er had done all this, and Sun Xinghua couldn't refuse any longer. In just a short moment, Sun Xinghua regretted many times for talking about Ji Wan'er behind her back. She even felt that she had misunderstood Ji Wan'er before. It was clear that she was a well-mannered and considerate young lady.
"We're all one family, no need to be so polite."
"Okay, with Sister-in-law saying that, I feel reassured. Sister-in-law is busy, and I should go back home now that the food is ready."
They exchanged a few more words, and then Ji Wan'er left.
Just as Ji Wan'er arrived home, she saw Xiao Qingming coming out of the study.
"Oh, you're out. I was just thinking of calling you for lunch. I made some buns."
Xiao Qingming: ...
If only he had come out a little later.
"Oh."
After serving the bone soup, Ji Wan'er sprinkled some cilantro and added a bit of sesame oil before bringing it to the dining table.
Yun Shuang and Zi An had already eaten three buns each and had just finished a bowl of bone broth. They were already full.
Therefore, there were only Xiao Qingming and Ji Wan'er at the dining table.
Xiao Qingming glanced at the empty seats.
"They're full," Ji Wan'er explained.
Xiao Qingming was already hungry. He reached out and took a chive and egg bun. There was plenty of egg and the filling was generous, even more delicious than he had imagined.
Seeing that Xiao Qingming seemed to enjoy it, Ji Wan'er handed him another one. "Try this one too, it's filled with mixed vegetables. See if you like it."
Ji Wan'er handed Xiao Qingming a meat-filled bun after he finished eating.
No matter if it was a meat-filled or vegetarian bun, Xiao Qingming enjoyed them all.
Ji Wan'er ate her buns leisurely, watching Xiao Qingming devour them. She thought to herself that Xiao Qingming was easy to please and didn't have any particular preferences.
At first, she had treated Xiao Qingming cautiously, thinking of him as the blackened character from the novel. But over the past half month, as they spent time together, she realized that Xiao Qingming was completely different from the character in the book.
The non-blackened version of Xiao Qingming had many good qualities.
First and foremost, he was good-looking. At first glance, she thought Xiao Qingming resembled a charming young master. Even though he was thin and his complexion wasn't great, it didn't diminish his attractive appearance. Now, after half a month under her care, Xiao Qingming had gained some weight, his face wasn't as gaunt, and his complexion had brightened, making him look more energetic than when she first saw him.
However, he was still too thin.
"Have another one," Ji Wan'er smiled and handed Xiao Qingming another bun.
Xiao Qingming glanced at her, quickly took the bun, and lowered his head.
A barely noticeable blush tinted his cheeks.
He had a good temperament and was easily embarrassed. Even after separating from his disliked wife, he still entrusted all the household finances to her, showing a sense of responsibility.
He didn't talk much either. He focused on self-improvement, spending every day studying. Although it felt like he was just burying himself in books, in this era, studying was the most likely way to change one's fate.
If he could continue like this, it wouldn't be bad.
The only drawback was that he didn't communicate much and disliked engaging in conversation.
"Is it delicious?" Ji Wan'er asked Xiao Qingming, looking at him.
Xiao Qingming's hand holding the bun paused, and he looked at her.
Ji Wan'er smiled and asked again, "Xiang Gong is it delicious?" (Xiang Gong: lord or master. Also an old form of address for one's husband)
"Cough, cough."
Xiao Qingming's face blushed again, and even his earlobes turned red.
He was too easily embarrassed! She remembered that every time she called him "Xiang Gong," his face would turn red, and he would appear flustered. This time was no exception.
"Take your time and don't choke. Have a sip of soup," Ji Wan'er continued to smile warmly and considerately.
Xiao Qingming coughed for a while and picked up the soup in front of him to drink.
Then, he lowered his head again and continued eating the bun.
Ji Wan'er thought he wouldn't respond to her anymore and didn't look at him. Unexpectedly, she heard him whisper, "It's delicious."
Hearing his answer, Ji Wan'er raised an eyebrow, glanced at Xiao Qingming, and asked, "Then, Xiang Gong, which one do you think is the most delicious?"
Xiao Qingming almost choked again, his face reddening as he glanced at Ji Wan'er.
"Xiang Gong?"
"They... they're all delicious."
Ji Wan'er nodded with a smile, shifting her gaze away from Xiao Qingming's face.
Xiao Qingming was too easily embarrassed. Ji Wan'er was afraid that if she kept looking at him, she would become too familiar with his reactions.
Occasionally teasing the pre-blackened male supporting character felt quite interesting.
It seemed that to prove that he truly found them delicious, Xiao Qingming ate six buns and drank two bowls of soup in one meal.
"I'm done eating. I'll go to the study," Xiao Qingming rarely informed her after finishing his meal.
Ji Wan'er considerately replied, "Hmm. Xiang Gong, take a break if you feel tired from reading."
Xiao Qingming turned and left. As he reached the doorway, he seemed to remember something and turned his head to look at Ji Wan'er. "Um... don't call me 'Xiang Gong' anymore."
'Xiang Gong,' along with the meaning of a scholarly man, he had taken the examination twice and failed both times. He didn't deserve to be addressed with that title.
"Ah?" Ji Wan'er was taken aback.
"Don't call me that," Xiao Qingming thought, at least not in public.
"Oh, alright."
Upon hearing Ji Wan'er's agreement, Xiao Qingming nodded and turned away.
"How about I call you 'fūjūn (husband)' from now on?" Ji Wan'er suggested.
Upon hearing that, Xiao Qingming stumbled and nearly fell over, tripping his left foot with his right.
1
Behind him, Ji Wan'er's laughter could be heard.
So this is what I gather between the difference of Xiang Gong and fujun:
In ancient China, both "相公" (xiànggōng) and "夫君" (fūjūn) were used by wives to address their husbands, but there are some subtle differences in their usage and connotations.
1. 相公 (xiànggōng): This term is more commonly used to address husbands of higher social status, such as government officials, scholars, or nobles. It carries a sense of respect, honor, and formality. The character "相" (xiàng) can mean "mutual" or "together," implying a partnership or mutual respect between the husband and wife. "公" (gōng) is an honorific term that can be translated as "lord" or "master."
2. 夫君 (fūjūn): This term is generally used to address husbands in a more intimate and affectionate manner. It emphasizes the husband's role as the head of the household and conveys a sense of endearment and devotion. "夫" (fū) means "husband," and "君" (jūn) is an honorific title denoting respect. Together, "夫君" signifies a loving and respectful address to one's husband.
In summary, 相公 (xiànggōng) is more formal and denotes higher social status, while 夫君 (fūjūn) is more intimate and carries a sense of devotion. The choice of term may vary depending on the specific cultural context, social status, and personal preference.