W Chapter 68
by VolareChapter 68: Throwing Beam Cakes
Chapter 68: Throwing Beam Cakes
A customer came to the shop, and Shen Hui, without waiting for Ling Xing to answer, got up to greet them.
The benefit of having a shop is not having to carry heavy things and not having to suffer from the cold.
It’s definitely tiring, but not like the past few days of setting up a stall, where people were getting their brains frozen by the north wind.
At noon, Ling Xing used the shop’s ceramic pot to make noodles, stir-fried meat sauce as gravy, and served them with pickled vegetables.
Shen Lai ate heartily, devouring two big bowls in one go.
Ling Xing was afraid he would eat too much and it would be bad for his health, so he took him for a walk for a while after the meal.
Shen Hui cleaned up the dishes and chopsticks. He stood by the well, easily drew a bucket of water, and carefully washed the dishes and chopsticks.
Ling Xing took Shen Lai to wander around nearby, his gaze unconsciously drifting away from time to time.
When he reacted, his eyes were already looking at where Shen Hui was.
What was wrong with him?
It’s not like they hadn’t seen each other for years, so why today could he not stop looking to see where Shen Hui was?
Ling Xing raised his hand and gently tapped his head, not understanding what problem he was having today.
Shen Hui caught a glimpse of Ling Xing’s small movements and silently withdrew his gaze.
He put down the clean bowl in his hand, the corners of his mouth rising, and chuckled softly.
Shen Gui came when the sun was about to set. He was watching the shop tonight.
While walking on the mountain road, Shen Lai grabbed Ling Xing’s arm, “Brother-in-law, let me hold your arm, so you don’t fall again.”
Ling Xing was a little embarrassed, “Then thank you, Little Five.”
Hearing this, Shen Hui stepped forward, losing some composure due to eagerness, his arm brushing against Ling Xing’s shoulder, he lowered his head and asked him, “Did you get injured from the fall?”
Shen Hui’s sudden closeness invaded Ling Xing’s space. Ling Xing’s mind went blank for a moment, and he felt a strange sense of tension.
“No, no.”
For some reason, Shen Hui’s presence seemed to have become stronger. Ling Xing felt a little uncomfortable and dodged to the side. As their touching arms separated, Ling Xing’s tension decreased a lot.
Shen Hui did not leave, but instead observed Ling Xing’s expression.
Something seemed off.
Early the next morning, Ling Xing saw Shen Hui sitting in the kitchen eating breakfast, and couldn’t help but smile.
It seemed like this was how it should be, finally “normal.”
As a result, on the third day, Shen Hui didn’t come back from watching the shop, so naturally he wouldn’t be in the kitchen in the morning.
That empty feeling came again.
Ling Xing sighed as he ate.
Habit is truly a terrifying thing.
He wouldn’t have known if he hadn’t thought about it, but upon closer reflection, Shen Hui had taken care of him meticulously over the past year, and they spent a lot of time together every day.
Such a sudden change was too obvious and impossible to ignore.
Carrying a lantern, Ling Xing left home, somewhat absent-minded.
Shen Lai still held his arm the whole time.
When they reached the mountain path, a familiar voice suddenly came from ahead, “Brother-in-law, Little Five?”
Shen Lai raised the lantern in his hand and shone it forward, surprised, “Second Brother, aren’t you in town? Why are you here?”
Ling Xing also looked at Shen Hui in shock.
Shen Hui came in the dark, guided by moonlight. He knew this road like the back of his hand and did not carry a lantern.
He stepped forward, reached out, and skillfully took the lantern from Ling Xing’s hand.
He also stuffed a searched branch into Ling Xing’s hand and explained nonchalantly, “Couldn’t sleep.”
Then he said to Ling Xing, “The yamen runner has already started patrolling in town. At this hour, there won’t be any thieves.”
Ling Xing nodded blankly.
He didn’t dare to ask Shen Hui if he really couldn’t sleep.
Shen Lai’s mind was only on playing and eating; he couldn’t think of anything else. He listened to whatever Shen Hui said.
As they approached the town, Shen Hui told him not to tell their mother that he had come to pick them up, as he was afraid she would worry about him walking the night road.
Shen Lai didn’t think anything was wrong and patted his chest to assure him, “Don’t worry, Second Brother, I definitely won’t blab.”
This “couldn’t sleep” of Shen Hui’s lasted for half a month.
It got to the point where Shen Lai privately advised Shen Hui to see a doctor when no one else was around.
Not being able to sleep for a day or two was fine, but not being able to sleep all the time was a big problem!
Shen Lai, who was still learning to read with Ling Yue and reading medical books, said with great seriousness, “Second Brother, the book says you have insufficient yin fluid and excessive heart fire. [Note 1] It’s a kidney deficiency; you need to treat it!”
Shen Hui rubbed his eyebrows, “Don’t read those medical books. Even if you do, they’re quack doctors.”
Shen Lai stuck out his neck, unwillingly, “I’m a miracle doctor! I can tell with one glance that you’re sick!”
“Say that again?” Shen Hui glanced at him, his expression indifferent.
Shen Lai shrank back his neck, “I’m a quack doctor.”
Of course, he wouldn’t see a doctor. Shen Hui knew himself that he wasn’t really unable to sleep; he was just lovesick.
Moreover, even if he really was sick, he wouldn’t have time to see a doctor during this period.
The shop had new food items, and it was very busy.
The two iron pots were brought back, and Ling Xing immediately expanded the variety of snacks.
A double-eared iron pot was used to fry youtiao. A greasy, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside youtiao sold for three copper coins.
The flat-bottomed iron pot was used to make guotie on one side and shengjian bao on the other.
Both had a crispy, oily bottom and a savory, juicy filling. Sprinkling some sesame seeds when they came out of the pot added even more flavor.
Guotie had a thin skin, so they tasted more meaty. Shengjian bao had a thicker skin, but the fermented dough was fluffy and soft, and the meat juice soaked into the inner skin of the bun, making it very flavorful and filling.
Even though they used the same fillings, the two had different textures.
Guotie sold for one copper coin each, and shengjian bao sold for three copper coins each.
Shengjian were more expensive because of the dough and the more filling used.
Because guotie were cheap and tasted good, many people bought them.
The youtiao, guotie, and shengjian bao that Ling Xing newly introduced weren’t difficult to make.
Plus, the recipe for fermented dough had already been made public, so those who were interested could learn it after trying it a few times.
However, because they required iron pots and a lot of oil, the cost was too high, so for the time being, no other food stalls would make them.
However, several restaurants followed suit and updated their menus.
They also sold well, mostly to people in the surrounding area.
Ling Xing heard this from the diners and didn’t say anything about it.
Money can never be fully earned; he just needed to do his own business well.
Ling’s Snack Shop quickly gained a foothold on Sweet Soup Street. Because the shop was doing well, it wasn’t like no one had bad intentions.
However, because Xu Qi and Tu Hai had been there before, and because Shen Hui was tall and burly and looked like someone who shouldn’t be messed with, those with small thoughts could only suppress them and didn’t dare to actually take action.
November 21st, clear skies, auspicious day.
The Shen family chose this day to raise the beam, because there was a custom of throwing beam cakes, meaning high promotion and descendants of generals and marquises.
This was a beautiful wish, seeking good luck, and has continued to this day.
Ordinary people couldn’t afford to throw beam cakes, so they would use mixed flour cakes instead.
The Shen family got up early to make steamed buns, not very big, just enough for two bites.
They added some sugar to it, giving it a sweet taste, so it could be considered a cake.
Hearing that the Shen family was raising the beam and throwing beam cakes, everyone in the village, from the elderly in their seventies and eighties to children as young as three, came if they could.
Very few houses were being built in the surrounding villages, after all, there were no new people settling down to build houses, and not so many people were getting rich enough to rebuild their houses.
The more people grabbing the beam cakes, the more auspicious it was.
The Shen family also welcomed the villagers to grab them.
Ling Xing poked his head out of the kitchen, saw the swarming crowd outside, and, afraid of being squeezed, shrank back.
Shen Lai was outside with Ling Yue, Little Chun, and Little Xia, looking up and constantly staring at Shen Chengshan standing on the roof.
He had several large bamboo baskets at his feet, filled with small steamed buns.
Shen Lai rubbed his fists, determined to become the person who grabbed the most steamed buns today.
He wasn’t the only one who thought that way; everyone in the yard had this thought.
Almost everyone carried a basket, fully prepared.
Everyone’s eyes were like torches, ready to pounce.
One steamed bun in the bamboo basket was marked with red. This steamed bun represented auspiciousness, good luck, and a stroke of good fortune.
The person who grabbed it could exchange it with the Shen family for ten steamed buns, plus two taels of malt sugar.
Shen Lai also wanted to grab it. He didn’t want to exchange it for anything; he just felt that the meaning was good.
When the auspicious hour arrived, firecrackers went off in unison.
With a loud shout, “Throw the beam cakes!”
White steamed buns fell like raindrops from above.
The crowd below swarmed up.
“Ouch! Who stepped on my foot!”
“This is what I grabbed!”
“Hurry and grab it, girl! Don’t be dazed!”
Xu Youfang listened to the lively sounds outside, turned her head and asked Ling Xing, “Xing Ge’er, aren’t you going to grab some?”
Ling Xing was afraid of being squeezed, “I’m not going, Mother.”
Seeing that he really wasn’t going, Xu Youfang took Cao Manyue and Shen Yan and joined the army of steamed-bun grabbers.
“Manyue, Yan’er, grab more! We’ll eat them tonight!”
“Okay, Mother!”
After the five baskets of small steamed buns were scattered, Shen Chengshan stood on high and shouted, “Who grabbed the lucky, auspicious, stroke-of-good-fortune steamed bun?”
Ling Xing leaned against the kitchen door, listening to Shen Chengshan shout, looking at the crowd, and also wanted to know who grabbed it.
This was a unique item, and so many people were grabbing it.
It really depended on luck to grab it.
The crowd was discussing, all asking who had grabbed it.
Ling Xing couldn’t see clearly and stood on tiptoes to look.
Just as he took a couple of glances, someone suddenly pressed his shoulder and stuffed a soft steamed bun into his hand.
In the middle of the round steamed bun was a bright red dot.
Ling Xing turned around and saw Shen Hui smiling at him.
“Good luck and auspiciousness, for the brother-in-law.”
Shen Lai didn’t grab the stroke-of-good-fortune steamed bun and walked dejectedly to the kitchen, intending to put the steamed buns he grabbed in the cabinet.
As a result, he saw that his brother-in-law was holding a steamed bun with a red dot on it.
Shen Lai jumped up happily and waved to Shen Chengshan on the roof, “Dad! Look here, look here! Brother-in-law grabbed it!”
When Ling Xing came back to his senses, he had already been pushed by Shen Lai through the crowd, receiving the villagers’ envious gazes, and had arrived in front of Shen Chengshan.
“Oh, Xing Ge’er, you’re really lucky! You grabbed the only one! Come, Dad will exchange it for steamed buns and malt sugar for you.”
The surrounding villagers were very envious, all thinking that it would have been great if they had grabbed it.
The children were the most envious, because there was malt sugar.
Ling Xing, amidst a crowd of envious eyes, carried the steamed buns and malt sugar back to the kitchen.
He left the steamed bun with the red dot and divided the rest among the four children.
The four children still loved to eat malt sugar the most. They ignored the steamed buns and gathered together to share the candy.
Seeing that there were other little ones coming over, they also gave the little children some to taste.
Their family wasn’t lacking in food now, and they were willing to share this hard-won sweetness, allowing more children to taste the sweetness of sugar.
The steamed bun’s outer skin was dirty, so Ling Xing leaned against the wall and peeled it with his hands.
Wu Xue wagged its tail and looked up, waiting for Ling Xing to throw it something delicious.
Ling Xing threw the part with the red dot directly away and threw the skin from the other parts to Wu Xue to eat.
Soon, only the clean inside of the steamed bun was left, and Ling Xing’s hand paused.
For some reason, he looked around guiltily. Seeing that no one was looking at him, he put the steamed bun to his mouth and slowly ate it.
Hmm, sweet.
After the house’s beam was raised, the construction went even faster.
The family had already prepared the tiles and other things, and they would definitely be able to move into the new house before the New Year.
In early December, two snack shops on Sweet Soup Street also started selling guotie and shengjian bao.
These two were aiming to make money together, so the prices and sizes were the same as Ling Xing’s, and they didn’t deliberately lower prices to snatch business.
Ling Xing didn’t think there was anything wrong with this kind of healthy competition and continued to maintain his original intention and do his own job well.
On the other hand, Shen Lai was so anxious that he felt like he was going to explode.
He had seen several times that customers couldn’t wait and went to the other two shops to buy.
On the surface, that was right, but when Ling Xing counted the money at night, he found that the income didn’t fluctuate much.
Because the flow of people was increasing, the reputation of the shop was spreading by word of mouth, and more people were coming to buy.
The amount he made every day was limited, and he could sell everything, so no matter if people went to other shops in between, it didn’t affect him.
Shen Lai was angry every day, like a bloated puffer fish. Ling Xing was afraid he would go looking for someone to settle accounts, so he pulled the kid aside and spent most of the night explaining that he really wasn’t making less money because of the two shops.
The child was a good child. After he understood, he wasn’t angry anymore. He was even more enthusiastic when greeting customers, still wanting to keep all the customers in their own shop.
Ling Xing smiled and let him go, planning to give Shen Lai a big red envelope for the New Year as a reward.
Before the New Year, the Shen family’s brick house was completed according to the planned time.
Xu Youfang didn’t call Ling Xing and Shen Hui to help with tidying up and moving furniture; the Zhao family brothers were helping, so they weren’t needed.
Therefore, Ling Xing kept the shop open until the day before New Year’s Eve before closing it.
The Yu Dynasty also had New Year’s Eve vigil.
Ling Xing wanted to have a good New Year, planning not to open the shop from New Year’s Eve to the fifth day of the New Year.
The twenty-ninth day was the last day the shop was open this year.
It started snowing outside, and an unexpected guest came.
Li Huiyuan put down the oiled paper umbrella in his hand, revealing his bright and handsome face, his eyes full of Ling Xing.
“I’ve been studying at home, and I just heard that you opened a shop. I rushed over here; I’m sorry for the inconvenience.”
Ling Xing hadn’t seen Li Huiyuan for a long time and saw that he seemed to have lost weight, but his eyes were firmer than before.
There were still three months until the exam. Instead of being confused, he was determined. This was a good thing.
Ling Xing smiled and invited him in, “Third Master, come in quickly.”
Ling Xing had been eating well these days. His bone structure was excellent. Now his face had gained some weight, his complexion was good, and he was fair-skinned. His smile was dazzlingly beautiful.
Li Huiyuan was stunned for a moment, and when he reacted, his ears quietly turned red.
Following Ling Xing into the shop, he realized there were other people inside.
Shen Hui was wearing a cold face, even more piercing than the wind and snow outside.
Li Huiyuan paused for a moment, then gave a slight smile and nodded politely to Shen Hui.
Shen Hui lowered his eyes slightly, nodded, and considered it a greeting.
Li Huiyuan had helped before, and Ling Xing was very grateful to him. He didn’t ask Shen Lai to greet him; he did it himself.
Li Huiyuan looked flattered, and the smile on his face never faded.
Shen Hui’s face grew colder and colder.
He really wanted to throw this guy into the snow to clear his head.
After eating a bowl of hot liangpi and a cage of soup dumplings, Li Huiyuan wiped his mouth with a handkerchief, his gaze occasionally falling on Ling Xing.
Ling Xing didn’t notice, and after cleaning up the dishes and chopsticks, he took out a small jar.
“Third Master, this is pickled mustard greens. Take it back and eat it. Come and get more if you like it. I have plenty.”
Li Huiyuan’s eyes lit up, and without any hesitation, he smiled and took it, “I will definitely finish it.”
Ling Xing was rushing to close the shop and go home and didn’t want to exchange many pleasantries. He nodded and said, “Okay, then see you next year, Third Master.”
Li Huiyuan, who wanted to chat a little longer, was a little disappointed, but then he became happy again, “See you next year, Ling Ge’er.”
Shen Hui silently cleaned up, only feeling that Li Huiyuan’s smile was dazzling and the words “see you next year” were exceptionally grating.
With a crack, the ceramic bowl was crushed.
Shen Hui squatted down with a cold face to pick up the pieces, but because he was unhappy and uncomfortable in his heart, he accidentally cut his hand.
“Second Master, you cut your hand?”
Ling Xing hurriedly took out a handkerchief, grabbed Shen Hui’s hand, and pressed it against the wound.
Shen Hui’s other hand hung down, involuntarily curling his fingertips.
He stared at the tip of Ling Xing’s nose, “Brother-in-law, actually, Li Third Master isn’t married. It’s not good for you to call him Third Master.”
Ling Xing, who was pressing against Shen Hui’s wound, casually said, “But I also call you Second Master.”
Shen Hui naturally replied, “We have a close relationship; he’s different.”
“It’s best to call him Li Third Brother, so you don’t have to worry about people gossiping.”
Ling Xing thought of Yu Guihua’s mouth and couldn’t help but shudder.
“Okay, I’ll call him Li Third Brother next time.”
Shen Hui hooked his lips and smiled, somewhat reluctantly pulling back his hand, “Well, hurry up and pack things up; let’s go home for the New Year.”
…
The Zhao family brothers went home with money before the New Year. Zhao Changming heard that Shen Yan wasn’t going back and was sad, but he didn’t dare say anything. He only said that he would come down to pick her up after the New Year.
Shen Yan didn’t say yes or no; she just held the child and instructed, “Eat the meat if you have it during the New Year; don’t save it again.”
Zhao Changming nodded straightly, “Okay, I’ll listen to you.”
This year’s New Year was very lively for the Shen family.
Many people from the village came to pay New Year’s greetings.
Everyone who came praised the Shen family’s house, saying that they didn’t feel cold when they came in.
Of course, that was an exaggeration. The house wasn’t cold because they put in a charcoal basin, but it wasn’t entirely because of the bricks.
The layout of the new house was the same as before, but living in it was different than before.
The main room in the east was now occupied by Xu Youfang and Shen Chengshan, and Ling Xing lived in the west with Ling Yue.
The house that Shen Gui’s family of four originally lived in was expanded, with a room added at the corner.
Shen Lai lived in the north, and the large room in the south was occupied by Shen Gui and Cao Manyue, with the room at the corner for Little Chun and Little Xia.
Shen Hui still lived in the kitchen, but the room had become much larger and had a wooden door specially installed.
Now that Shen Yan was living at home, Shen Lai was temporarily sleeping with Ling Xing, and his room was for Shen Yan to sleep in with the child.
In the west room, Ling Xing was teaching Shen Lai to read.
Ling Yue and Shen Hui were going to take this year’s child examination, which was more than half a month earlier than Li Huiyuan’s talent examination.
The results would come out right after the exam, and those who passed the child examination could take the talent examination continuously.
Those who didn’t pass could only continue next year.
Taking advantage of being at home for the New Year, Shen Hui and Ling Yue went to Wang Juan’s place every day, leaving early and returning late, busy studying to prepare for the February exam.
Ling Yue didn’t have time, so the job of teaching Shen Lai to read fell on Ling Xing’s head.
He taught a few words, and the heat from the charcoal fire made him dizzy, so he opened the window a little more.
While Shen Lai was practicing his writing, he sat by the door to get some air.
The main room had a large space, and although there was also a charcoal basin, there was still some cold air by the door.
Ling Xing didn’t dare to go out, because in the main room, Xu Youfang was chatting with Shen Yan, Cao Manyue, Wang Chunxia, and several other close aunties.
If he went out, he would be pulled in to talk, and he didn’t know what to say, so after thinking about it, it was better not to show his face.
Wang Chunxia rubbed her hands, baking both sides over the charcoal basin, “Youfang ah, your Second Master is pretty old, isn’t he twenty-five?”
Xu Youfang looked at the charcoal basin, “He just turned twenty-four in October.”
Wang Chunxia oh-yohed, “Then counting the extra year for the New Year, he’s twenty-five.”
Xu Youfang hmm’d and didn’t say anything else.
She didn’t want to mention Shen Hui right now.
Ever since she found out that Shen Hui’s thoughts were skewed, she basically didn’t have any communication with Shen Hui.
She didn’t want to cause herself grief.
Shen Yan and Cao Manyue could also feel that something was going on between the family’s Second Master and their mother, but neither of them said anything, and they didn’t dare ask too much.
Hearing Wang Chunxia mention Shen Hui at this time, the two looked at each other and made eye contact, preparing to interrupt Wang Chunxia and prevent her from continuing to mention Shen Hui in front of their mother.
They hadn’t done this before and needed to prepare themselves mentally, practicing in their minds beforehand.
Wang Chunxia’s words were faster than their actions, and she opened her mouth and came, “Twenty-five isn’t young; why hasn’t he talked about a wife or ge’er?”
“Your family has now built a brick house. Not many families in the surrounding villages can live in such a house. He’s also making money with his eldest brother-in-law. You should find someone and get married quickly this year. If it’s fast, you can hold your grandson next year.”
As she spoke, Wang Chunxia looked around the Shen family’s house, her heart a hundred times satisfied.
The other aunties revealed regret, they were too late to speak, and Wang Chunxia got the first chance!
Xu Youfang looked around and chuckled.
“Are you trying to introduce matchmakers to my Second Master?”
The few nodded repeatedly.
The Shen family was different now than before, and it just so happened that their Second Master wasn’t married. Every family had a girl or ge’er, so they definitely wanted it!
What’s more, they also heard that Shen Hui was going to participate in the imperial examinations. Regardless of the result, he was definitely literate.
Even if he didn’t pass the exam in the future, literate people were more capable than illiterate people.
They could find work even in the county.
If he passed the exam, then there was no need to say anything. Not only would the girls and ge’ers in the village want to marry him, but even people in the town and county would find someone to act as a matchmaker.
So what if he was burly and had a fierce aura?
He was literate, had money, and looked good!
Shen Yan and Cao Manyue were also a little anxious about Shen Hui’s marriage.
Before, the family was too poor to arrange it. Now that the family had the means, their mother seemed to have forgotten, not mentioning it at all.
Shen Yan quietly pushed Xu Youfang, “Mother, what do you say?”
Xu Youfang picked at the hangnail on her finger, pulled it forward, and it hurt a little.
“Introduce them if you want.”
She still hadn’t given up in her heart. It was good to introduce them; if more people saw him, maybe someone would be moved?
Wang Chunxia and the others were overjoyed to get the go-ahead.
“Right.” Wang Chunxia lowered her voice and leaned close to Xu Youfang’s ear, “Your family’s Ling Ge’er, is he going to remarry?”