There was joy and laughter in the house, while outside it was trembling.
When Tan Yue put the lychee-flavored pastries on the table, Jiang Sheng suddenly remembered that there was a forgotten elder brother outside.
She sat up like a carp, informed Old Lady Jiang bashfully, and ran out to the gate of Jiang's house in embarrassment to welcome her elder brother with furious round eyes, as well as a pond of lychees in ice water.
"You still remember to come back. The ice cubes have melted into ice water. After a while without the coolness, the lychees will rot." Zheng Ruqian suppressed his voice and scolded.
He turned his head back and quickly tidied up his clothes and smiling face, instructing the similarly shaky-legged Wang Xiaosong to follow.
The owner walked in front, while the buddy followed behind.
As they passed the gate of Jiang's house, the two shouted in unison, "Sending lychees to Old Lady Jiang!"
The rich and mellow male voice scared the doorkeeper and almost made Jiang Sheng lose her composure.
Fortunately, the lychees arrived safely at De Ren Yuan.
The skin was freshly red and rough, while the inside was soft and juicy white. The fresh sweetness assaulted the breath while peeling, and the moment it was stuffed into the mouth, it was the most satisfying time for a while.
While Old Lady Jiang peeled, Jiang Sheng ate. Her little mouth nimbly spat out the brown pits and rolled in new tender white ones.
Zheng Ruqian was still a little angry. Standing on the side, he added, "Eat less. You're so fat already."
But he clearly put large pieces of pork rind in Jiang Sheng's bowl when they were eating pork elbows yesterday.
Indeed, a man's mouth is a deceiving ghost.
Jiang Sheng spat out the last pit, brought the half bowl of lychee meat to Old Lady Jiang, and said, "Grandmother, eat it, don't give it to him."
She turned her head back and didn't forget to make a face at Zheng Ruqian.
Old Lady Jiang looked at the children laughing and teasing each other. As she pinched half a piece of tender fruit meat and put it in her mouth, she felt it was sweeter than anything she had eaten in the first half of her life.
Tan Yue sorted as usual on the side, separating some to send to the west wing and some to Mrs. Liao.
Old Lady Jiang lowered her eyelids. "Only send five catties to the west wing."
She was going to skip Mrs. Liao.
Tan Yue was both surprised and excited. Even though she still had to give some perfunctory words with her mouth, she said, "Isn't this inappropriate? Let's not talk about the lady for now, shouldn't the eldest young master get to try some too?"
"He's been staying with the second boy these days. He'll naturally eat the ones from the west wing," Old Lady Jiang said indifferently. "Send them. She doesn't dare make trouble."
The Jiang family only refrained from supporting the Liao family now, but did not oppress them.
If Mrs. Liao really caused trouble, the Liao family could not afford the consequences.
However, Jiuzhen Store was afraid it would usher in the Liao family's real business warfare moves.
Old Lady Jiang’s gaze fell on Zheng Ruqian. The boy who was snatching lychees from his sister retracted his hand and seamlessly switched to a shrewd businessman. "Old Lady, please rest assured. Jiuzhen Store has been ready for a long time."
She nodded slightly, both satisfied and proud.
Unfortunately, even the best time had to end. When the sun went down, the Jiang siblings also had to get up and say goodbye.
"Grandmother, I'll come to see you again," Jiang Sheng said crisply. "And bring your favorite pastries."
"Good," Old Lady Jiang said lightly as she saw them off.
The setting sun in the west; the boy led his sister back to their own little home.
No matter how good the Jiang house was, after all it wasn't home.
Tan Yue was a little reluctant. Sobbing on the side, she said, "Old Lady, don't you want to keep the young lady here? She could have stayed at Jiang's house."
Old Lady Jiang just smiled without answering.
Speaking from personal desire, Jiang's house hoped Jiang Sheng would come back, hoped Jiang Sheng would become the noble and elegant Jiang family's daughter again, and continue the family's style for hundreds of years.
But people were not grass or wood. One couldn't just become whatever one hoped or expected them to be.
True love was built on respect—letting the other person choose the life she wanted and was happy with.
"Not to mention, people shouldn't be greedy..."
"Greed will bring misfortune," Jiang Sheng said firmly.
Zheng Ruqian, standing on the side, didn't know whether to laugh or cry, but he couldn't refute it.
Because they were standing at the door of Jiuzhen Store, looking at the confectionery shop across the street that also sold candied chestnuts.
It was well known that the best candied chestnuts in the entire Fengjing were at Jiuzhen Store. Business was booming with countless people queuing up every day.
When the secret of the chestnuts from Hebei Prefecture was exposed, people who wanted a share appeared.
It was the confectionery shop across from Jiuzhen Store. They first imitated the glutinous rice dates cake, and now they started selling candied chestnuts, even lowering the price by five coins.
At the beginning, they did snatch away most of the business, and Miao Zhaoying anxiously found Jiang Sheng to ask her for suggestions.
What suggestions could she make? No one stipulated that only Jiuzhen Store could sell candied chestnuts.
Fighting a price war would damage the already scarce profits.
Jiang Sheng chose to meet the changing with the unchanging—to let Miao Zhaoying continue stir-frying chestnuts—only lifting the two-jin restriction. And Miao was still busy and delighted every day.
In the blink of an eye, from April to June, the weather became humid and hot. Even the chestnuts with good storability couldn't last long; worms would grow in half a month at most.
The Gao brothers had long prepared wooden boxes lined with cotton padding and ice inside, and there were places along the way from Hebei Prefecture to Henan Prefecture to replenish ice, ensuring that two carts of fresh and intact chestnuts arrived.
Jiuzhen Store's candied chestnuts were still selling like hot cakes. The shop across the street no longer had many customers due to the spoiled chestnuts causing disputes several times.
The few people queuing now were just locals harboring vain hopes and coveting cheap things.
"Boss is here! We just sold out today's chestnuts," Miao Zhaoying shouted loudly to greet them.
It seemed the shop across the street heard it. The boss looked up and glared fiercely.
It was jealousy and helplessness.
Jiang Sheng fearlessly strode into Jiuzhen Store, nodded satisfactorily after looking at the cakes and pastries left in the tray, and asked, "Where is Auntie Zhang? Where did Auntie go?"
"Xianglian is sending pastries to You Ran House," Miao Zhaoying said, covering her mouth and laughing. "Master Kong picked them up personally. The two of them... Ah, I really envy them!"
It seemed she had said something, yet also hadn't.
Jiang Sheng was completely confused, full of bewilderment in her big eyes.
Zheng Ruqian, on the other hand, coughed twice and changed the subject. "There are not many pastries left today. Let Auntie distribute them to everyone."
Clearing the pastries meant closing the store and resting.
Miao Zhaoying was overjoyed and briskly cleaned everything up, even wiping the bluestone floor before taking the servant girl to leave.
Jiang Sheng and Zheng Ruqian locked the door and drove a carriage to the second courtyard.
Just after the turn, Jiang San's sharp eyes saw someone standing at the door. He slowed down the carriage and reported to the masters.
"It looks like Auntie Zhang and Master Chef." Jiang Si mumbled.
Speak of the devil.
Zheng Ruqian frowned. Jiang Sheng stuck her head out to crane her neck and see.
Master Chef still had his round belly, with slightly less greasiness on his smoke-filled face, inexplicably more handsome.
Zhang Xianglian was the same as ever. Only her cheeks showed some shame and annoyance, as if Master Chef had said something.
"Sister Xianglian, don't be angry. I didn't mean it. I just... I just..." Master Chef started stuttering at critical moments. "I just... I just think you're very good. You're great."
"I know. You've said it many times," Zhang Xianglian said softly. "Anything else to say? If not, I have to go back and cook for the children."
She turned to leave. Master Chef hurriedly reached out to grab her but jerked his hand back as if shocked by electricity.
"Sister Xianglian," he said in a crying voice. "You really don't know what I mean? After so long, so long..."
