When Luo Qingqing woke up, both the older and younger ones had already gone to school. In the pot, sweet potato porridge and mushroom chicken buns were kept warm, while hot water sat on the small stove beside it. The basin and face towel were neatly placed nearby as well. No wonder she had not found them by the well earlier, Gu Jing’an truly was thoughtful to the smallest detail. She had really struck gold.
After eating her fill, she felt like playing on her phone. “System Lord, my phone, my phone!”
“…I have one piece of good news and one piece of bad news. Which do you want to hear first?”
“The bad news.” Better to save the good news to soften the blow.
“The bad news is that the system space station is undergoing upgrades to improve security, so all electrical devices entering or leaving will be strictly inspected. Your phone can no longer be brought in.”
“I’ve already graduated from university, and I still have to get my electronics checked?” Luo Qingqing collapsed onto the ground. “Who was it that swore they could do anything? Is this how you treat me? Did I do something wrong for you to treat me like this? Fine, go, just go, don’t ever come back again. Let me simply fade away in sorrow, wuu wuu wuu…”
Someone owed her an Oscar.
Knowing it was in the wrong, the system rarely argued back. “This upgrade wasn’t something I could predict either. The good news is that your wishes can be returned to you. You still have three wishes left, and I… I can also help you with a small favor.”
This was exactly the effect she wanted. Luo Qingqing instantly sat up and dusted off her clothes. She had already copied down most of the recipes last time, so losing her phone did not worry her much.
“Then help me with a small favor first. I want some cumin and black pepper seeds. My barbecue sauce is just missing those two ingredients, and I couldn’t find them after visiting so many shops.” This was the most urgent matter for her right now, everything else could wait.
“Alright.”
Two large bags of seeds dropped to the ground at once, the execution speed was astonishing.
Luo Qingqing stepped forward and grabbed a handful. The aroma of cumin and black pepper filled the air. Tonight, she could make cumin lamb, hehe.
“I’ll use one wish. I want a book on making skincare and cosmetic products.” If there was one kind of money that was easiest to earn in this world, it was undoubtedly women’s money.
Luo Qingqing had visited the best cosmetics shop in town before. The powder quality was mediocre, the scent was harsh, and a small box cost two taels of silver, which was simply too expensive.
A thick book appeared in her hands. The system’s voice sounded again. “Host, you now have two wishes remaining.”
“Alright, alright, I know.”
She flipped through the book roughly. Everything she wanted to make was basically included. There were also some things that existed in the book but could not be made under current conditions. For example, certain essence-type skincare products required advanced equipment for extraction, so she could not produce anything too refined.
However, simple cleansing products, basic skincare, and cosmetics were still manageable. Since people in ancient times rested at sunset and did not stay up late, they did not need so many highly functional products anyway.
The barbecue sauce problem was now solved. Later, she would go to town to buy some lamb, prepare the seasoning, and try it out tonight. She also needed to have an oven made and prepare more pastries for Yan Mingzhi.
Luo Qingqing ran to the study and drew a design resembling an oven. It had four layers, with the top three for baking pastries and the bottom layer for firewood. The opening for adding firewood was at the back, while the opening for taking out pastries was at the front, with a partition in between to prevent the pastries from absorbing a smoky flavor.
In the afternoon, Luo Qingqing took the finished design and first went to the blacksmith’s shop.
The Tao Family Blacksmith Shop had been operating in Linyi for nearly fifty years. Old workshops like this produced the best craftsmanship.
“Master Tao, do you think this can be made?”
The weather had already started turning cooler, and Luo Qingqing needed to wear two layers when going out, yet Master Tao only wore a long robe.
Hearing her voice, Master Tao picked up the towel from around his neck, wiped his sweat, and took the design from her to examine it.
“I’ve never seen anything like this before, but your idea is quite ingenious, miss. I can try making one first for you to see. If you’re not satisfied, I’ll only charge for the materials.”
Luo Qingqing handed him half a tael of silver. “If even you cannot make it, then I doubt anyone in Linyi can.”
“Then come back in three days, miss. I’ll return the design along with the finished piece.”
“Thank you.” Luo Qingqing rose and took her leave.
When Luo Qingqing arrived at the Drunken River Pavilion, it was as busy as ever.
The shop assistant spotted her immediately. “Boss Luo, you’re here!”
“What’s gotten into you today? You look so happy.” He was grinning like a blooming flower.
The assistant grew even more excited. “Oh, Boss Luo, you have no idea how good business was this morning. Everything we prepared was sold out before mid-morning.” Fortunately, they had all tasted the dishes yesterday when Chef Li made them, otherwise the aroma would have been so tempting they might not have been able to carry them to the customers’ tables.
“As long as it sells well, that’s good. Work hard, Manager Li and I won’t treat you unfairly. Keep a sharp eye at the entrance and don’t let anyone come in to cause trouble.”
“Got it! Boss Luo, please come inside.” He had to hold on tightly to this job, where else could he find such a good boss and manager?
When Luo Qingqing entered the inner room, the accountant was calculating accounts while Manager Li stood nearby watching.
“Madam Gu, you came at the perfect time. I’ve found a house. It’s a second-courtyard residence. I’ve checked it, and everything inside is in good condition. With a bit of tidying up, it’ll be ready to move into.”
“So quickly?” She had only mentioned it yesterday, and today it was already found. Sure enough, having connections made things easier.
“Thank you, Manager Li. When I move in, you must come over for a meal.”
“Hehe, Madam Gu’s cooking is something I’ve been longing for.” In truth, he had not put in much effort. Perhaps it was simply that ever since Luo Qingqing arrived, his luck had improved.
“The residence is in Tongzhi Alley. Walk further in, and it’s the fifth courtyard. The owner is asking for fifty taels. You can go take a look. It’s indeed a good price.”
That price was actually on the low side, as a second-courtyard residence usually cost at least eighty taels.
Luo Qingqing found it hard to believe. “Are you sure it’s only fifty taels?”
“Indeed. The family says they are returning to their hometown to do business, so they want to sell this place. If they asked too high a price, they feared it wouldn’t sell. I also asked around in case it was a haunted house, but there were no such rumors. It seems they really are in a hurry to leave.”
“In that case, there’s nothing to worry about. Thank you, Manager Li.”
Luo Qingqing went to the kitchen for a quick look, then followed the address given by Manager Li.
Knock, knock, knock—
“Coming!” A strong male voice called out.
“May I ask, are you Madam Gu?”
“Yes, I am. Sir Song, I’d like to take a look at the house. If it’s suitable, we can sign the contract today.”
“Please, come in.”
The house had a simple and elegant style. Upon passing through the decorative gate, there were pear trees planted on both sides of the side rooms, along with a silk tree. There was one main room, two side chambers, and three rooms each on the east and west wings. The floor tiles were smooth, and there were no signs of leaks in the roof. She was quite satisfied.
“Sir Song, I’ve seen enough. The house is very nice. I’ll take it.”
This was the third contract she had signed since arriving in this world. When it came time to pay, Luo Qingqing used the thirty taels Gu Jing’an had given her yesterday. She did not want him to misunderstand.
When Song Zheng saw the bamboo-patterned pouch, he paused slightly before returning to normal and accepting the silver.
Luo Qingqing was already eager to see Gu Jing’an. When she went to pick him up from school later, she would suddenly present it to him and give him a surprise.