After selling the dried broad beans brought from Anshui Prefecture to You Ran House, Jiang Sheng finally breathed a sigh of relief.
She had not let down her Second Brother or botched his business.
But even more surprising was that since the Master Chef found out Jiuzhen Store was opened by them, he would occasionally go there to patronize them, often bringing a couple catties of pastries, and would wander into the kitchen from time to time when he had nothing to do.
At first, Auntie Zhang was quite wary, thinking he wanted to steal their recipes, and Wang Xiaosong eyed him with hostility too.
It wasn't until five days before the new year.
After observing for a long time, the Master Chef finally said, "You Ran House also has chefs making pastries, but they have limited energy and can only make three to five kinds every day. I think your pastries are quite good, would you be willing to supply some to You Ran House?"
Auntie Zhang was extremely shocked.
This sudden surprise almost overwhelmed her. She had thought that opening a shop and earning some petty cash would be good enough, she didn't expect to actually catch the eyes of You Ran House.
That was the best restaurant in Fengjing, charging silver per dish, how could they possibly look upon her mere pastries.
"Master Chef jests." After calming down, Zhang Xianglian was prudent and modest, "Jiuzhen Store's pastries are cheap, I'm afraid they can't catch the eyes of the gentry."
The most expensive in the shop was the jujube cake, because the raw ingredient glutinous rice flour was expensive, so the price was high too, but it only cost 300 wen per catty with an extra half catty given, equivalent to 150 wen per half catty.
Thinking of the young masters in Fengjing strolling into You Ran House, sitting down with a plop and ordering half a catty of jujube cake to eat their fill for just 100 wen, Auntie Zhang felt ashamed.
You Ran House should be selling those pastries that cost 1 or 2 taels of silver per piece, and would be gone after two bites - those haughty and expensive pastries.
"No no no, the taste of your pastries is truly unique." The Master Chef waved his hands in a flurry when anxious, "I really want to collaborate with you after sincerely tasting them, I'm not joking, I really mean it."
He was big and stocky, and often tasted dishes while cooking, causing him to be a little fat.
At the moment, in his excitement, he frightened Auntie Zhang.
Although the thirty something woman had gone through much hardship, after living independently with her six children for three years, eating well and feeling happy, she gradually regained her fair and tender complexion, at first glance looking like she was in her twenties.
Plus she was gentle tempered and timid, her eyes couldn't help but redden each time she was startled, nestled in her fair, cowardly face, looking exactly like a bullied little white rabbit.
The Master Chef's waving hands suddenly froze.
He had a premonition that if he said one more word, the woman before him would cry.
Out of compassion and remorse, he put both hands behind his back, prepared to solemnly apologize, and properly discuss the pastry business.
Unexpectedly, Wang Xiaosong who was bringing pastries from the kitchen walked out at that moment. Seeing this scene and recalling Auntie Zhang's warning to be wary, he bristled in intense unease.
In the blink of an eye, the young man put down the pastries in his hands and charged over meteor-like, crashing into the Master Chef's waist.
With only an "Ouch" heard.
Jiang Sheng and Chang Yan who had just arrived at the door of Jiuzhen Store were both stunned, thinking something had happened to Auntie Zhang.
But this voice was obviously a gruff man's.
Could it be someone came to make trouble?
The siblings paled in fright, scrambled in tumbling over each other. They saw the amiable Master Chef lying on the ground, beside him a frightened Auntie Zhang, and Wang Xiaosong collapsed on the ground.
"Master Chef!" Jiang Sheng cried out and threw herself over to help him up.
But the Master Chef was twice her weight, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't lift him.
It was clever Chang Yan who darted into Wen's Clinic.
Relying on the clinic being close showed its full usefulness at this moment.
By the time Wen Zhiyun brought over a small medicine box, the Master Chef had already been helped up by Jiang Sheng and Auntie Zhang, and explained what had happened.
"It was all my fault, at the time... I thought I was going to be beaten again." Zhang Xianglian said timidly, "Xiaosong misunderstood, so this accident happened."
Even after living independently for three years, the fear ingrained deep in her bones still existed. Whenever she saw a man raise his hand, she would instinctively cower in fright.
Jiang Sheng understood, Wen Zhiyun understood, even Wang Xiaosong shrank to the floor in shame, not daring to stand up.
Only the Master Chef asked in puzzlement, "Beaten?"
No one explained anything.
After taking his pulse, Wen Zhiyun massaged his waist and softly said, "Just a sprain, it's not serious. Rest for a few days and take two doses of medicine then it will be fine."
He carried the medicine box back to the clinic to continue diagnosing and dispensing medicine. Before leaving, he rubbed Jiang Sheng's little head.
Soon after, Wang Xiaozhu brought over two doses of medicine, and took the chance to kick her older brother.
Obviously still resentful of his rashness.
"It was all my fault." Wang Xiaosong's face was full of shame, "As soon as I saw Auntie cry, I... I saw red."
"It was my fault, I was too timid." Zhang Xianglian shook her head.
The two argued over admitting their mistake, amusing the Master Chef at the side.
Although he didn't know what had happened to Zhang Xianglian, this woman's kindness and gentleness prevented him from opening his mouth to pursue responsibility, "I'm fine, it's normal for my waist to be bad at my age. If I were twenty years younger, I wouldn't necessarily be the one fallen on the ground."
Wang Xiaosong was embarrassed, it was true, if the Master Chef's hands weren't behind his back, he probably wouldn't have been able to knock him down.
What a coincidence.
"Alright, let's leave today's matter at that. Think about the pastry business again." The Master Chef held his waist and stood up, conveniently tucking the two doses of medicine into his belt. "I'll take the medicine."
Zhang Xianglian watched him from afar, her face full of guilt.
Not until the Master Chef walked far off did Jiang Sheng curiously ask, "Auntie, what pastry business?"
"You Ran House wants pastries from Jiuzhen Store." Zhang Xianglian's face was worried, "They won't even look at our cheap jujube, chestnut, haw pastes, how could they possibly look at our pastries."
To be humiliated again at that time, the hard earned dignity of Jiang Sheng and her siblings would be gone again.
Auntie Zhang's worry made sense, and Jiang Sheng also agreed, but thinking of the Master Chef's help with the broad beans, she felt there was hope.
In the end, the biggest beneficiary of Jiuzhen Store collaborating with You Ran House would be Jiuzhen Store.
Even if Second Brother was here, Jiang Sheng didn't think he could bear to give up this visible huge profit.
"Auntie, I think we can consider this matter carefully." She said gently, "If it really doesn't work, we can go visit the Master Chef another day and ask more."
Zhang Xianglian nodded solemnly.
Whether to ask about the pastries wasn't important, it was mainly the kindhearted feeling remorse and wanting to make amends for the accident.
The next day.
Dictated by Jiang Sheng, examined repeatedly by Zhang Xianglian, the new product of bean paste stuffed lotus pastries came out of the steamer.
She carefully wrapped two portions in oil paper. Together with Jiang Sheng and Chang Yan, they went to You Ran House to ask for the Master Chef's address, then groped their way to the Master Chef's house.
They had thought the Master Chef must be a commoner miserably experiencing the smoke and fire in the kitchen every day. But unexpectedly, his residence was rather magnificent, a full three compounds.
Just this house alone was worth at least a thousand taels of silver in Fengjing.
Both Auntie Zhang and Jiang Sheng were somewhat shocked speechless, standing motionless outside the bronze ring door.
Chang Yan smiled helplessly, hinting for Jiang Sheng to go up and knock on the door. But when he tilted his head, he happened to catch sight of their elusive Big Brother these days.
Xu Mo had a hurried expression, followed by two young masters around the same age. Holding several sheets of paper, they walked while observing the surroundings.
Seemingly looking for someone.
This was nothing, but shortly after they left, two men in black followed. Judging by their fit and vigorous appearance, they were undoubtedly men of martial arts.
