“Why do you want whatever you see? Candied hawthorn? Have you ever even seen or tasted it? What if it’s not meant for eating?!” Xu Chuanhua lectured him incessantly.
Xu Xiaobao wasn’t afraid at all. “It has sugar, so it must be edible! It’s sweet! You’ve never bought it for me, so how could I have eaten it? If you buy one for me, I’ll have tasted it!”
Xu Chuanhua gasped. What a spendthrift! Even though her family could afford sugar, they couldn’t eat it every single day. A bowl of wontons was already twenty wen; surely a refined treat made of sugar would be even more expensive?
Jiang Mo was amused by the little boy. She pulled a skewer of candied hawthorn from the straw stand, used a toothpick to pop off two pieces, and handed them to the mother and son. “This is candied hawthorn. You can taste it; it’s sweet, sour, and appetizing—a snack that all children love.”
Xu Chuanhua’s expression softened, and she felt a bit embarrassed. “The child is greedy; I’ve caused you trouble, boss.”
Jiang Mo replied gently, “It’s no trouble.”
As a new food item, if one wanted to open up sales channels, one had to be proactive. Xu Xiaobao ate his piece and then reached for his mother’s. Xu Chuanhua expressionlessly dodged him and popped the sugar-coated hawthorn into her own mouth.
A rich, tart, fruity flavor and a burst of sweetness spread through her palate. She paused, chewing slowly. The sugar coating shattered, blending with the hawthorn—crispy and soft, sweet and sour. They were opposite textures, yet combined perfectly. The crunch of the sugar crystals seemed to melt straight into her heart. She was left wanting more.
Xu Chuanhua stood under the straw stand, pulling Xu Xiaobao along. “How much for a skewer of this?”
“Forty wen for one, seventy wen for two, and one hundred wen for three.”
Xu Chuanhua: “…”
She touched her purse and remained silent for a long time.
Xu Xiaobao tugged on her clothes. “Mom, why did you stop talking?”
Xu Chuanhua took a deep breath. “My heart aches from the cost.”
Xu Xiaobao argued reasonably, “It’s money being spent, not you being hurt, so why does your heart ache?” He looked conflicted. “If it’s really too much, then just buy it for me, and you don’t have to eat any.”
Xu Chuanhua: “…” Hmph. “Give me three skewers,” she said, bracing herself for the financial blow.
Just as the candied hawthorns were wrapped and she was about to leave, Xu Xiaobao pointed to a square table covered with blue cloth, filled with palm-sized celadon jars. “Mom! Hawthorn… Jam? Did I read that right?”
Xu Chuanhua’s eyelid twitched. “No, let’s go, back to the boat!”
“Pretty sister, can I taste the hawthorn jam?” Xu Xiaobao smiled sweetly.
Jiang Mo hid a laugh. Seeing Xu Chuanhua’s stiff face, she found a clean spoon and took a dollop of jam from the tasting jar, sharing it with the mother and son.
Although Xu Chuanhua kept her face taut, she tasted the jam. It was a completely different texture from the candied hawthorn. The latter was crunchy, preserving the fresh texture of the fruit, while the jam was soft and melted upon contact with the tongue. Because it was perfectly blended with sugar, it was slightly sweeter than the candied hawthorn. Even an old lady with no teeth could eat it with a steamed bun. Occasionally, she could catch bits of hawthorn flesh, which were slightly chewy and flavorful.
Xu Chuanhua licked the remaining jam from her tongue, and her gaze shifted slightly. Her mother-in-law was old and had poor teeth. The cook always made soft, bland dishes for her, and the old lady often complained that her mouth felt as dull as a bird’s. If she dipped some soft food in this jam, perhaps her mother-in-law would enjoy it?
“How much for this hawthorn jam?”
“Two hundred wen a jar.”
Jiang Mo had factored in the costs, labor, jars, and her own hard work to arrive at this price. The business was just starting; she wasn’t greedy for high profits, only hoping to make a name for herself. “If you buy more, I can give you a discount,” she said sincerely, hoping a big customer would buy her out so she could go home and sleep.
Two hundred wen! Xu Chuanhua felt her purse dangling precariously. She really wanted to turn around and leave immediately, but her reason held her back. “Give me one jar of the jam; I’ll take it back for my mother-in-law to try.” She paid the silver with a pained expression and left, cradling the small celadon jar.
Just after Xu Chuanhua left, Han You dragged his colleague by the sleeve to the wharf. “Hurry up! I see the wonton stall! Why are you so slow, like a turtle?” He was dragging, pulling, and complaining all at once, wishing he could carry the man there.
Song Xianyu yawned, looking lazy. “What’s the rush?”
Of course Han You was rushing. He hadn’t seen the stall yesterday and had been disappointed for a long time. He had nudged and pushed the man for ages, but Song Xianyu still moved leisurely. Suddenly, Han You let go. “Walk slowly, I’m going to eat first!” With that, he took off.
Song Xianyu: “?”
“Boss! Two bowls of mini wontons!” Han You’s voice was loud. His gaze swept past the large boiling pot of wontons and landed on the vibrant red candied hawthorns nearby; his eyes lit up. “And add four skewers of candied hawthorn!”
Just as Song Xianyu stood beside him, a hand reached over and snatched a corner of silver from his pocket. “Boss, here’s the money!” Han You handed over the silver.
Seeing their constable uniforms, Jiang Mo didn’t take the money. She smiled and said, “Thanks to you for helping to save me at Sajin Bridge the other day; let these wontons and candied hawthorn be my treat to you both.”
Han You was startled, his cheeks reddening. “But I didn’t do anything that day; it was our Lord who saved you.” He had only been standing by to cheer for Lord Shen. How could he accept this?
Before Jiang Mo could speak, he had an idea. “I have it! Our Lord probably hasn’t had breakfast yet. If you want to thank us, why not let me take a bowl of wontons to him?”
Jiang Mo tilted her head, memories of that tall, broad figure and the scent of pine crossing her mind. She nodded in agreement. “Alright.”
Iris helped pack the wontons and couldn’t help but ask, “Young master, are there many officials in the Prefecture surnamed Shen?”
Han You pulled two skewers of hawthorn from the stand and replied, “Not many, just two.” He gulped down a piece.
Iris asked cautiously, “Then which one saved our young lady the other night?”
Han You’s throat tightened; his eyes widened, and he covered his neck with one hand while clutching the hawthorn tightly with the other. A hand slapped his back, and he gagged on half a hawthorn piece, coughing violently.
Song Xianyu frowned at him. “Why are you so reckless even when eating?”
Han You finally cleared his throat, his eyes misting over. “I just wasn’t careful and ate too fast.”
Jiang Mo had specifically pitted the hawthorns when making them, but she hadn’t expected him to choke anyway. She quickly served him another bowl of soup. Iris didn’t get an answer and felt anxious, secretly tugging at Jiang Mo and gesturing toward Han You. This was a good opportunity!
Jiang Mo made a gesture for silence and shook her head gently. After Han You and his companion finished eating, she gave them a bowl of wontons and a jar of hawthorn jam, seeing them off properly without saying another word about “Lord Shen” from that night.
Iris was completely confused. “Young lady, I think these two gentlemen are easy to talk to; why didn’t you ask more about Lord Shen?”
“Rumor has it that Prefect Shen is cold, heartless, and cruel. Does that look like the Lord from that day to you?” Jiang Mo asked.
She didn’t think so at all. That “Lord Shen Ting’an” was more serious and fair—an aura cultivated by long years in officialdom. He was imposing without anger; just standing there was enough to command respect. It had nothing to do with cruelty.
Iris was puzzled. Since the young lady put it that way, she really felt it didn’t look like him either. Could it be that she had overthought it?