Stepping out of the gates of the Ji Mansion, night had already fallen, and the lanterns on both sides of the streets and alleys were lighting up one after another.
Shen Xiuhan made a trip to Wutong Alley and bought seven or eight varieties of pastries from Zhang's. The sweet fragrance wafted through the oil paper, making one's mouth water.
Carrying the paper package, he walked toward the south of the city. Before long, a familiar courtyard came into view.
From the stall on the left side of the courtyard gate, the faint sound of diners talking and laughing drifted out from behind a half-drawn door curtain.
“What a bowl of Blanket Noodles! The broth is flavorful, and the noodles are perfectly chewy. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it the best noodle dish in Changyun County!”
“Hahaha, Brother Liu, I didn't lie to you, did I? A month ago, I was wandering around the county and stumbled upon this ‘Shen Family Eatery.’ Don't look down on it just because the shopfront is small. The neighbors all gather here, each cradling a giant bowl and slurping down noodles. As soon as I saw that, I knew the flavor had to be top-notch!”
“It really is excellent. This trip wasn't in vain. You certainly have a discerning palate, Brother Zhang!”
The chatter and clamor from inside drifted out, occasionally punctuated by the crisp clatter of bowls and chopsticks.
Carrying the pastries, Shen Xiuhan walked up to the stall and lifted the curtain to peer inside.
It was already close to half past the hour of Xu, yet three of the five square tables in the shop were still fully occupied.
Each diner held a large, coarse porcelain bowl, slurping down noodles with gusto, accompanied by a small dish of refreshing cold side dishes on the table.
Bright green cucumbers were smashed and tossed with minced garlic and vinegar, looking incredibly appetizing.
Those with a bit more money to spare even had a flask of warmed wine before them.
The wine was not brewed in-house, but was sweet potato wine bought wholesale from Old Man Sun in the west of the city, resold just to make a few copper coins for their hard work.
Shen Xiuhan swept his gaze left and right but didn't see Shen Momo.
A rhythmic chopping sound came from the kitchen, suggesting that Madam Zheng was busy at work.
Smelling the rich aroma of bone broth in the shop, Shen Xiuhan patted his stomach. Having been running around outside for several days without a proper meal, his appetite was instantly whetted.
A playful, mischievous thought crossed his mind. Deliberately lowering and roughening his voice, he called out:
“Proprietor, a bowl of noodles!”
“Coming right up! Customer, please find a seat. The noodles will be out of the pot in a moment!”
Madam Zheng's shout rang out from the kitchen, crisp, loud, and full of vigor.
Hearing this, a smile couldn't help but play on the corners of Shen Xiuhan's lips.
Madam Zheng had suffered for most of her life. In the past, she mostly did rough work like washing and mending clothes for others. Her nature had always been timid and introverted, and she would always lower her head and speak softly when meeting others.
Hearing this greeting today, he knew that her time spent running the shop had given her confidence, making her much more cheerful and open.
Before long, the door curtain was lifted.
Madam Zheng walked out quickly, carrying a steaming hot, large bowl, and set it on the table.
“Enjoy your meal, custom—”
She cut herself off mid-sentence.
Shen Xiuhan looked up and said with a smile, “Mother, business is quite good.”
“Da... Dalang...”
Madam Zheng froze on the spot, her eyes instantly welling with tears. Half-angry and half-amused, she untied her apron and playfully slapped his shoulder.
“You silly child! You didn't even send word ahead that you were coming back. You're just making fun of your mother!”
This commotion drew the attention of the diners at the neighboring tables, who turned to look and burst into good-natured laughter.
Beaming with joy, Madam Zheng went to slice a plate of side dishes, warmed a flask of wine, and brought them over. She asked in a low voice:
“Dalang, now that you're back this time, is it for a rest day?”
Shen Xiuhan lifted a large clump of noodles with his chopsticks and slurped them into his mouth, the savory freshness of the bone broth instantly bursting over his taste buds.
He nodded half-heartedly through a mouthful of food:
“Mhm, I can rest for two or three days. After that, I have to go back to the island for duty.”
“Two or three days is good, too. That's good...”
Madam Zheng nodded repeatedly, wiping her hands on her apron. “You eat first. I'll go tidy up the pots and bowls in the kitchen, and we'll close up early today!”
With that, she bustled back into the kitchen like a whirlwind.
By the time Shen Xiuhan finished his bowl of noodles, drinking even the broth clean, the remaining customers in the shop had also paid their bills and left one after another.
After helping his mother clear the bowls and chopsticks from the tables, he casually asked about his younger sister, Momo.
Upon learning that the little girl was playing in the backyard, he picked up the oil-paper package from the table, softened his steps, and slipped quietly into the backyard.
In the backyard, near the chicken coop in the corner.
Shen Momo, her hair tied in two pigtails, squatted on the ground. Her small hands held a mixture of chopped feed, pouring it bit by bit into the wooden trough.
The little girl mumbled to herself:
“Gugu, Gaga, and E'e, you have to eat big mouthfuls just like Momo, okay? Otherwise, you won't grow tall and won't have the strength to help big brother fight bad gu—ah!”
Before she could finish her sentence, a pair of large hands reached out from behind, grabbing her under her armpits and lifting her small body right off the ground.
Momo was startled.
Her two short legs kicked wildly in the air, and she instinctively prepared to struggle and cry out.
But suddenly, the little girl froze for a split second. Her eyes widened in pleasant surprise, and she spun her head around, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck.
“Big brother! You're back!”
“Haha, you little glutton, look what this is.”
Shen Xiuhan chuckled, bouncing her slightly as he held up the oil-paper package.
The little girl sniffed, tiny stars instantly lighting up in her large eyes. She smacked her lips, her chubby, lotus-root-like little arms wrapping around Shen Xiuhan's neck as she acted spoiled.
“Sweet osmanthus cake! It's sweet osmanthus cake from Zhang's, right? Big brother, Momo wants to eat some!”
“Haha, you certainly have a sharp nose. Here, take it, take it.”
Shen Xiuhan set her down on the ground and stuffed the oil-paper package into her arms.
The little girl could not wait to tear open the paper package. She pulled out a piece of mung bean cake and took a huge bite, chewing happily as her cheeks puffed out like a little squirrel's.
“Cluck... Cluck, cluck!”
Just as Shen Xiuhan was rubbing Momo's head, an urgent chirping sound suddenly came from near his feet.
Looking down, he saw three fist-sized, green-feathered chicks flapping their fleshy little wings. They stood defensively in front of the wooden trough, tilting their small heads up, their round, bead-like eyes staring warily at Shen Xiuhan.
“Oh, they've hatched?”
Shen Xiuhan's eyes lit up.
Seeing the faint green sheen on their downy feathers, there was no mistake—these had definitely hatched from the Blue-Spire Chicken eggs.
“Big brother, the little chicks came out of their shells ten yesterdays ago...”
Clutching the remaining half of her mung bean cake, the little girl pointed at them one by one with a solemn, serious expression:
“Momo gave them all names. This one is Gugu, that one is Gaga, and the one at the very end is E'e...”
Shen Xiuhan was rendered speechless.
The three green featherballs looked as if they had been cast from the exact same mold. He really had no idea how the little girl could tell them apart.
As they spoke, Madam Zheng had already finished packing up the shopfront boards, locked the door, and pulled the siblings into the inner room, lighting an oil lamp.
Gathering around the lamp, the family naturally shared warm inquiries and caught up with one another.
Shen Xiuhan only picked interesting anecdotes to share, such as fishing for shrimp, catching fish, and the scenic beauty of the island.
Listening to this, Shen Momo's eyes shone with excitement. She tugged at his sleeves, clamoring and insisting on going to the island to play with him.
It wasn't until Madam Zheng put on a stern face and gave her two firm slaps on her little bottom that the little girl pouted, reluctantly giving up on the idea with a wronged expression.
During their chat, Madam Zheng brought up some neighborhood gossip.
She mentioned that since they moved into the Inner City, their old neighbors from the Outer City slums had come to visit.
Uncle Chen and Auntie Li had also brought some eggs to visit them.
Chen An, however, had not shown his face.
It was said that the gambling den he worked at had gotten into a conflict with the Bai family recently, and he had sustained some knife wounds.
Fortunately, the injuries didn't affect his bones or tendons. After resting at home for a few days, he had already fully recovered.
Bringing up this matter, Madam Zheng was filled with relief.
Fighting and killing all day long, never knowing if one would survive to see tomorrow—how could that compare to the peace of running a small noodle shop?
By now, the reputation of their Blanket Noodles had gradually spread among the neighboring streets.
Every day, after deducting expenses, the net profit amounted to a solid fifty or sixty copper coins.
Although it was hard work, rising early and sleeping late.
But calculating carefully, they could save more than ten taels of silver in a year!
The dim, yellow lamplight flickered, reflecting on Madam Zheng's smiling face.
The sorrow and hardship that had weighed on her brow for half her life had long since vanished, replaced by complete contentment with their current peaceful life.
With both a son and a daughter by her side, and a stable livelihood.
Life was truly getting better.
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