Lin Yao pondered briefly, "I understand your intentions completely, Daye. However, accepting an apprentice is no trivial matter and requires careful consideration. Why don't you and Sister A Yu come home with us three siblings? We can find a quiet place to discuss this matter properly."
"Excellent, excellent!" Wang Daye's anxious heart immediately settled upon seeing Lin Yao hadn't outright refused. He quickly turned sideways and gestured toward Wang Xiaoyu with his chin, "A Yu, what are you standing there for? Go help Lady Lin carry her things." As he spoke, he approached Lin Cheng and reached for the carrying pole, "Young Master Lin, you must be tired from carrying this all the way. Let me give you a hand!"
Lin Cheng swiftly sidestepped, "Daye, that won't do! I appreciate your kindness, but this work is exhausting. How could we let you help?" Wang Daye insisted stubbornly, determined to lend a hand, and the two began tussling over the pole.
Lin Yao hurried forward, "Daye, please don't stand on ceremony like this. The items on both ends of this pole are truly heavy. If you were to strain your back or injure yourself, we siblings would feel terribly guilty."
Hearing Lin Yao's words, Wang Shan stopped insisting and released his grip, "Alright, alright, we'll listen to you."
~
After returning home, Lin Cheng arranged their belongings properly and planned to take Lin Song to town to purchase ingredients for tomorrow's market stall. The little boy, upon hearing he could go play in town, immediately stopped pestering Lin Yao and trotted happily after his brother on his short legs.
Lin Yao brought Wang Shan and his granddaughter to sit in the kitchen and poured tea for them.
After the Lin family division, their branch only received three dilapidated thatched huts, making it difficult to find a proper place to receive guests.
The eastern room, originally occupied by the original host and her mother, had now become Lin Yao's single room; the western room belonged to brothers Lin Cheng and Lin Song; while the remaining room served as the kitchen.
Since returning home, Lin Yao had been discreetly observing the Wang grandfather and granddaughter. Seeing no change in their expressions, she spoke up: "Daye, as you can see, us three siblings are barely getting by. Our small business is just enough to sustain us. Moreover, I'm still young. Although I have some culinary knowledge, I'm far from reaching the mastery of experienced chefs. There are several renowned chefs in town with excellent skills who regularly accept apprentices. If Sister A Yu were to study under them, she would surely acquire remarkable skills. In contrast, my situation here is truly humble, and I fear I might lead others astray."
Lin Yao knew well that in ancient times, accepting an apprentice often meant gaining free labor.
Many masters taught skills based solely on their moods – when in good spirits, they might offer some guidance; when displeased, even after years of diligent service, an apprentice might learn nothing.
But Lin Yao disdained such unethical practices. She had frankly disclosed their actual circumstances to the Wang family, hoping they would carefully consider and make a well-thought-out decision.
Wang Daye rubbed his hands somewhat awkwardly, a simple, honest smile on his face, "Lady Lin, to be frank with you, I'm not sending A Yu to learn cooking with the expectation that she'll become some great master chef."
He glanced at his granddaughter who kept her eyelids lowered with a somewhat restrained expression, sighed softly, and slowly said, "A Yu has had a hard life. Her parents passed away early, leaving only this old bone to raise her. Every day before dawn, I have to get up to knead dough and make steamed buns, then rush to set up the stall, busy until dark before packing up. I truly haven’t had much time to take proper care of her. When I’m at the stall, I have to leave her alone at home. Over time, this child’s temperament has become too timid—she doesn’t dare to step forward in anything. I’m really worried about her."
Wang Shan gently set down the teacup still steaming in his hand and looked sincerely at Lin Yao. "Lady Lin, I’ve been watching these past few days. You’ve managed this little stall of yours so prosperously, which shows you’re a clever, capable girl with a good head on your shoulders. I brought A Yu here hoping you’d let her stay by your side, gain some experience, and toughen up her character." With these words, he stood up as if to bow.
Lin Yao was an orphan. Since childhood, she had struggled on her own, with no one to plan for her or lay even a single brick on her path in life. Now, as she looked at the elderly man before her, weathered and worn, his heart wholly occupied with securing his granddaughter’s future, she felt a pang of emotion.
From start to finish, he had never once blamed his granddaughter for her timid nature; his heart was filled only with guilt for not being able to care for her more fully. But in these turbulent, precarious times, survival alone required exhausting every effort. An old man nearing sixty, raising his granddaughter single-handedly, hustling daily to make ends meet by selling steamed buns at the dock for meager earnings—how could anyone expect him to manage everything perfectly?
Lin Yao quickly stood and supported Wang Shan, preventing him from bowing. "Please, there’s no need for this, Uncle."
Lin Yao and Wang Xiaoyu hurried to either side, gently supporting Wang Shan and helping him sit back down steadily.
With a serious expression and a touch of frankness in her eyes, Lin Yao said softly, "Uncle, I understand your meaning. But to be honest with you, our family’s situation is just barely getting by, scraping together enough to eat. If I take A Yu as my apprentice, given my current energy, I really can’t set aside large chunks of time to formally and systematically teach her cooking. She’ll have to start by staying with me, doing miscellaneous tasks, learning from the basics, bit by bit, slowly. Would that be acceptable?"
Wang Shan waved his hands repeatedly, his tone earnest. "That’s fine, that’s fine! If you’re willing to take A Yu and let her learn by your side, that’s more than enough. I only hope A Yu can follow you, be influenced by your example, learn some of your character, and someday become as strong and independent as you. If that really happens, even if I kick the bucket one day and go underground, I can close my eyes in peace."
"Grandpa!" Wang Xiaoyu hated hearing her grandfather talk like this most of all. She couldn’t bear to imagine how she would endure life without him.
Wang Shan patted her hand. "Grandpa is just saying it."
Seeing that Wang Shan had spoken to this extent, clearly determined to have Wang Xiaoyu follow her, Lin Yao knew that further refusal would seem affected and distant. She said no more, simply stating, "Sister A Yu, come with me. Let me see how your kitchen skills are."
Wang Xiaoyu looked at Lin Yao, then turned to gaze at Wang Shan, her eyes full of hesitation and unease.
"Go ahead, little one." Wang Shan gently waved his hand.
Wang Xiaoyu's fingers subconsciously tightened on the hem of her clothes, crumpling the fabric between her fingertips. She shuffled her feet and followed Lin Yao, slowly entering the kitchen.
Once inside, Lin Yao retrieved ingredients from various corners and arranged them neatly on the cutting board. She turned to Wang Xiaoyu, "Sister A Yu, feel free to use any of these ingredients to make your most skilled dish."
Wang Xiaoyu nodded and began her selection.
Wang Xiaoyu gave a slight nod, her eyes scanning the cutting board. On the table were a large bowl of lard, Lu Zhu Xia Shui, eggs, pork belly, half a pheasant, and a jar of pickled vegetables.
Her gaze lingered briefly on the eggs. She had made scrambled eggs countless times and could do it with her eyes closed, but this was a test for apprenticeship. Presenting such a common dish would seem too ordinary. After a moment's hesitation, Wang Xiaoyu reached out and picked up the pork belly and the nearby pickled vegetables.
Observing from the side, Lin Yao raised an eyebrow. She had thought A Yu might worry about ruining the dish and would likely choose cheaper ingredients, never expecting her to select pork belly. It seemed this girl had her own ideas.
Lin Yao stood by, watching Wang Xiaoyu's every move. She had assumed A Yu might pick inexpensive, easy-to-handle ingredients out of fear of messing up the dish—after all, that way even if it didn't turn out well, it wouldn't be too wasteful.
But when she saw Wang Xiaoyu decisively pick up the pork belly, Lin Yao couldn't help but raise an eyebrow slightly, a flicker of surprise and approval in her eyes.
It appeared this girl wasn't timid or indecisive. At this crucial moment, she dared to choose relatively expensive ingredients, suggesting she had some confidence in her skills—this was unexpected.
Wang Xiaoyu remembered during last year's festival, her grandfather had brought home a piece of pork belly. She had stir-fried it with pickled vegetables, and it turned out incredibly delicious. Making this dish would surely be the right choice.
Wang Xiaoyu recalled that during last year's festival, her grandfather had unusually bought a piece of pork belly.
At that time, she had stir-fried it with homemade pickled vegetables. The resulting dish was fragrant and extremely tasty.
Wang Xiaoyu placed the pork belly on the cutting board, gripped the knife handle, and with precise cuts, produced evenly sliced pieces of meat.
Lin Yao was genuinely impressed by her knife skills. She had thought this slender girl might be somewhat clumsy with a kitchen knife.
But the scene before her defied expectations. This swift and proficient knife work made Lin Yao secretly marvel, filled with admiration.
Wang Xiaoyu then opened the lid of the pickled vegetable jar. The unique sour aroma of the pickled vegetables filled the kitchen.
She took out an appropriate amount of pickled vegetables, rinsed them under clean water to remove surface salt and impurities, then cut them into small segments for later use.
With all preparations complete, Wang Xiaoyu bent down to add firewood to the stove. Immediately after, she took an oil spoon and scooped a small piece of lard from the bowl into the pot.
Wang Xiaoyu promptly reached out and removed the lid from the pickled vegetable jar. The rich, distinctive sour fragrance of the pickled vegetables permeated the entire kitchen.
Using chopsticks, she picked out a suitable amount of pickled vegetables and briefly rinsed them to clean off surface salt and impurities.
After that, she cut the pickled vegetables into small segments and neatly arranged them aside for later use.
With everything ready, Wang Xiaoyu leaned over to add several handfuls of firewood to the stove. Then, she picked up the oil spoon, scooped a small piece of lard from the bowl, and placed it in the pot.
As the firewood blazed fiercely, the temperature at the bottom of the wok rose rapidly. She placed the sliced pork belly into the wok, rendering out its fat. Accompanied by the sizzling sound of hot oil, the pork belly turned golden and crispy, its aroma wafting through the air.
Wang Xiaoyu added the chopped pickled mustard greens to the wok. The tangy fragrance of the pickled greens melded with the savory aroma of the pork belly, the scent so enticing it seemed to awaken one's appetite like invisible fingers tugging at the stomach.
Finally, Wang Xiaoyu sprinkled a pinch of salt, stir-fried the dish one last time, and transferred the pickled greens with pork belly to a plate, which she then presented to Lin Yao.
Lin Yao scooped a bowl of rice and picked up a bite of the pickled greens with pork belly with her chopsticks. The high-heat stir-frying had rendered the pork belly crispy, its rich, savory fat spreading across her teeth and filling her entire mouth with its meaty fragrance.
At that moment, the tangy aroma of the pickled greens perfectly balanced the greasiness of the meat, adding a unique flavor to the dish.
The crisp texture of the pickled greens complemented the crispy pork belly, creating a layered taste with every chew.
However, if eaten alone, the pickled greens with pork belly was indeed a bit too salty, though it paired perfectly with rice.
The reason for this was not hard to understand. In ordinary households, where life was often tight and meat was a rarity enjoyed only once every ten days or half a month, making meat dishes saltier allowed the precious morsels to last longer.
A single savory bite of meat could help wash down a large mouthful of rice, ensuring the meat dish was consumed more slowly.
Wang Xiaoyu stood nervously to the side, her eyes fixed unblinkingly on Lin Yao.
She watched as Lin Yao picked up a bite of the pickled greens with pork belly, placed it in her mouth, then slightly furrowed her brows before taking a large mouthful of rice and chewing slowly for a long time.
Wang Xiaoyu's heart instantly leaped to her throat, pounding so loudly she felt it was deafening, as if it might burst out of her chest.
After swallowing the food, Lin Yao came back to herself and met Wang Xiaoyu's gaze, which was full of anxiety and expectation. She smiled and said, "Not bad."
Upon hearing this, Wang Xiaoyu's face lit up with joy. Her previously dull eyes instantly sparkled with brightness, and she stammered, her lips slightly parted, "Then I, I…"
"Mm, come tomorrow to formally acknowledge me as your master," Lin Yao said with a deeper smile, her tone light as if announcing the most natural thing in the world.
Wang Shan, who had been waiting nearby, could no longer contain his joy. Beaming, he hurriedly urged, "A Yu, quickly thank your master!"
"Thank you, Master!" Wang Xiaoyu exclaimed, her face flushed with excitement, her voice clear and bright, brimming with unrestrained delight.
"No need for formalities. Everyone, sit down and eat. From now on, we are family," Lin Yao said with a warm smile, reaching for the dishes on the table to arrange them for the meal.
Seeing this, Wang Xiaoyu hurried forward and firmly took the plate with both hands, saying, "Master, let me do it!" Noting her eagerness, Lin Yao didn't argue further and let her take over, turning instead to call her elder brother and younger brother to the meal.
In this ancient era, though there were strict norms separating men and women, they lived in the countryside where such elaborate etiquette was less emphasized.
Moreover, with limited resources at home, there was only one large table, making it impractical to arrange separate seating.
Lin Cheng and Lin Song, hearing the call, came to the table without delay, sat down, and began to eat.
Lin Yao brought out the fried rice she had intentionally set aside from the stall for her family to enjoy, placing it on the table alongside the aromatic plate of stir-fried pork belly with pickled cabbage.
The room was filled with the enticing aroma of the meal as the five of them sat around the table, eating heartily.
Wang Shan and Wang Xiaoyu ate with particular satisfaction, marveling at how even at ten copper coins per portion, the fried rice was still in high demand.
After the meal, as dusk gradually fell, Lin Yao and her family saw the Wang grandfather and granddaughter to the door, waving goodbye. Once their figures disappeared into the night, Lin Cheng turned to his sister and asked, "A Yao, did you really take A Yu as your apprentice?"
"Yes. Our family only has three members now. Song'er is still young, and we rely on just the two of us for daily work. Earning copper coins like this, who knows how long it will take before we can afford to rent a shop. With an apprentice, we'll have an extra pair of hands in the future." Lin Yao lifted her gaze to the night sky, where the moonlight cascaded like water, illuminating her face.
Lin Cheng recalled his sister's earlier mention of opening a shop in town. He had thought it was just a casual remark, but it turned out she had already planned it out so thoroughly in her mind.
In comparison, when he thought about what he had accomplished during this time, it was pitifully little, and he couldn't help but feel a bit ashamed.
"That's good then. In the future, when A Yu assists you, I'll go to the mountains to dig up the medicinal herbs you showed me the other day. I can also hunt some pheasants or rabbits along the way to supplement our household income. That way, we can open the shop in town sooner." Lin Cheng had been thinking about the herb-digging trip ever since. Those herbs, if sold, would fetch quite a few copper coins.
"Great! In the future, I'll have to rely on you, dear brother, to dig up more herbs and help your little sister rise to prosperity!" Lin Yao said with a smile, half-jokingly.
Lin Cheng chuckled helplessly and gently tapped her forehead. "You and your glib tongue."