In the 14th year of the Longshun era, during the winter of the 8th month of the lunar calendar.
This was also the third month since Qi Huan had time-traveled here. She arrived early at the Noodle Shop, and as soon as she entered the courtyard, she saw wisps of cooking smoke rising from the kitchen chimney.
"Is the porridge ready?" she asked.
Hearing her question, Tao Su turned around with a beaming smile and proudly answered, "It's been ready for a while! I got up at the first crowing of the rooster today and asked Nuan Dong to light the fire. I've been simmering the porridge for nearly an hour and a half, and it's nice and thick now. Miss Qi, would you like a bowl?"
Unable to refuse her warm invitation, Qi Huan nodded with a smile.
As she took the porcelain bowl, the warmth of the porridge radiated through the bowl and into her palms, making her hands feel toasty. After taking a sip, the heat spread to her heart, and her lips lingered with the sweetness of the sugar and the aroma of the stewed ingredients like peanuts, sticky rice, red beans, and lotus seeds.
After finishing the bowl, it was almost noon. Qi Huan instructed them to transfer the porridge into serving barrels, then headed to the front hall.
"Li Shuchen, come over here and help me move these two tables outside and line them up."
"Let go."
"Oh." Qi Huan obediently released her grip on the table's edge.
Li Shuchen lifted the table and walked away.
After two trips, they had arranged the tables according to her instructions.
Passersby who saw this couldn't help but pause and inquire, "Proprietress Qi, what are you doing?"
"Uncle Wang, today is the Laba Festival, isn't it? Since opening Qi's Noodle Shop, we've been fortunate to have everyone's support. Today, I want to give back by offering free porridge to everyone. Make sure to come by for a bowl later, and please let the other neighbors know as well."
"Sure, sure."
Watching Uncle Wang excitedly run off to spread the word, Qi Huan's eyes crinkled with a warm smile.
She had earned quite a bit of silver during these days, and her living conditions had improved significantly.
However, she still missed modern conveniences like toothbrushes, toothpaste, underwear, and other daily necessities from her original time.
With Li Shuchen's help, she had accumulated a decent amount of points.
But relying on a single person's efforts had its limits, and the system's purpose was also for her to perform more good deeds and help different people.
So, she decided to take advantage of the Laba Festival to give back, which would not only help others but also earn her points—a win-win situation, so why not?
As for the porridge ingredients like rice and sugar, they came from the Express Deliveries she had previously opened, so there wasn't much cost involved.
With her mind made up, Qi Huan went back to the kitchen and helped Tao Su and the others carry the porridge barrels out to the tables in front of the Noodle Shop.
There were also some spicy snacks that Lu Yueming had sent over, which could serve as side dishes for the porridge.
Once the preparations were complete, the area in front of her stall was already crowded with elders holding bowls.
Qi Huan cleared her throat and announced loudly, "Don't push, everyone. There's enough for everyone, so please line up! We'll start serving the porridge once you're in an orderly queue!"
Seeing that she wasn't ladling out the porridge yet, the crowd had no choice but to rearrange themselves into three long lines, each facing one of the porridge barrels on the tables.
"Miss Qi, we're in line!"
"Miss Qi, hurry and serve the porridge. I want to take some home for my kids too."
Urged by the crowd, Qi Huan lifted the wooden lid off one of the barrels and accepted the first elderly woman's bowl, beginning to ladle out the porridge.
On either side of her, Tao Su and Nuan Dong also started serving.
One bowl after another of hot porridge was distributed, and one satisfied smile after another left with a steaming bowl in hand.
The system kept repeating...
"Good deed +1, points +1."
"Good deed +1, points +1."
"Good deed +1, points +1."
...
While ladling out the porridge, Qi Huan communicated with the system in her mind, "Although helping them doesn't earn as many points as helping Li Shuchen, seeing their satisfied smiles makes me even happier than helping Li Shuchen!"
"Dear host, by helping Li Shuchen, he can eventually help thousands upon thousands of people like them, so the significance is the same."
"How can it be the same?
Look, the old man who just received his porridge had tears in his eyes, saying he hadn't eaten such delicious food in a long time...
And who knows if this old man will even live to see Li Shuchen become emperor, so the meaning is different.
I originally only planned to distribute porridge once, but now I've changed my mind. Within my ability, I should help them before Li Shuchen ascends the throne. I want to protect his subjects."
With her mind set, after the distribution ended, Qi Huan announced in a clear voice, "From now on, for every thirty bowls of noodles sold at Qi's Noodle Shop, we'll post a free voucher outside. Those truly in need can take one and redeem it with Nuan Dong for a bowl of Yangchun noodles."
After her words sank in, the crowd finally reacted, praising her generosity.
However, there were also some mocking voices.
"What a do-gooder, I think she's just a fool. If there are free vouchers, who would still pay for noodles?"
"You're the fool. Would you dare to take advantage of her kindness so shamelessly, in front of everyone? Besides, Proprietress Qi said the vouchers are only for the elderly, weak, and disabled. A lazy bum like you with all four limbs intact couldn't redeem them even if you had a voucher!"
"I come here every day. I'll sit right by the Noodle Shop entrance and see if anyone who's not truly needy dares to take advantage of Proprietress Qi's kindness."
The crowd's anger quickly drove away those who had intentions of taking advantage of the free offer.
Qi Huan was delighted to see this.
She wasn't a fool; she truly wanted to help those in need.
Originally, she had planned to just let Nuan Dong keep an eye out.
After all, in Mo County, one could tell if someone had enough to eat or not by looking at their faces.
She hadn't expected the regular customers to volunteer as monitors, which was even better!
Thinking of this, Qi Huan coughed lightly to draw everyone's attention, then sincerely expressed her gratitude, "Establishing these free vouchers is not just my act of kindness, but also a reflection of everyone's goodwill."
"Each bowl of noodles you buy is a tiny spark, gathering into a blazing fire that warms every person in need of help."
Indeed, the free vouchers weren't unconditional; they were posted after every thirty bowls sold.
The profit from those thirty bowls, minus the cost of the free vouchers, still left a decent amount.
Those with kind hearts would surely prefer to have a full meal while also helping others, so they would come more frequently to eat noodles.
Qi Huan didn't suffer much loss; in fact, this act of kindness might have served as free advertising for her.
Sure enough, in the following days, the Noodle Shop's sales increased significantly.
Qi Huan's points more than doubled.
"System, how many points do I have now?"
"Dear host, your current balance is 6,524."
Hearing the system's melodious voice, Qi Huan beamed with delight.
After repurchasing some ingredients needed for the Noodle Shop, she checked her points again.
"System, how many points do I have left now?"
"Dear host, your current balance is 5,134."
Most ingredients weren't expensive, so she hadn't used up too many points.
Qi Huan was satisfied and magnanimously declared, "Use up all the remaining points to redeem Express Deliveries!"
Today, she wanted to experience the joy of receiving Express Deliveries!
One should seize any opportunity for enjoyment in life; even after scattering a thousand points, they would come back again.
After all, with the point-earning tool that was Li Shuchen around, she could always earn more points from him whenever she was running low!
