Qi Yuze hurriedly covered his body, and Mu Simiao, realizing the situation, immediately turned around, stammering, “Th-that… you didn’t close the door.”
Faint rustling sounds came from behind, likely Qi Yuze adjusting his clothes.
Mu Simiao’s ears burned, her mind a muddled mess. The earlier scene kept replaying in her head—Qi Yuze was actually breastfeeding?!
What on earth was going on?
“Mu Niang.”
Qi Yuze’s footsteps stopped behind her. Having turned around, Mu Simiao didn’t dare look up. She kept her head lowered and handed over the pastries she was holding. “I bought these on the way. Please try them.”
“Thank you, Mu Niang.” Qi Yuze looked pleased, seemingly unfazed by the earlier incident, but Mu Simiao remained with her head bowed.
“Have you eaten? I’ll prepare some food.” The air was thick with awkwardness, and Mu Simiao desperately needed an escape.
Qi Yuze shook his head. “Not yet.”
“Then have some of this to tide you over. I’ll go to the kitchen to cook.” After instructing him, Mu Simiao dashed out, leaving a bewildered Qi Yuze in the room.
No wonder most street vendors and shopkeepers were women—even the attendants at Qing Shu Pavilion’s Hua Kui were men. It seemed women held higher status here, which explained Qi Yuze’s fear of being divorced that day.
Too distracted to ponder further, Mu Simiao’s thoughts were in disarray. She sliced the steamed flatbread Qi Yuze had made into pieces, fried them in oil until golden brown, and in another pot, scattered some rice to cook.
She placed the fried flatbread and rice soup on the courtyard table. Remembering the earlier mishap, Mu Simiao knocked first this time and waited for Qi Yuze to respond before entering.
Yue’er was sound asleep. Mu Simiao lowered her voice and called Qi Yuze out to eat.
They sat opposite each other at the table in silence, the atmosphere unbearably awkward. Mu Simiao kept her head down while picking at the fried flatbread, occasionally stealing glances at Qi Yuze.
Qi Yuze, however, seemed unbothered. He savored the fried flatbread and timidly asked, “Mu Niang, since I have nothing to do at home now, could you teach me farming and cooking?”
“Farming is just weeding and watering, and cooking can’t be rushed. I have time anyway. You’re already busy enough taking care of Yue’er—it’s fine if I handle the cooking.”
After all, she only worked half-days and returned home while it was still early. But earning ten coins a day wasn’t sustainable. She needed to find another way to make money.
With the weeds gone from the yard, there was no cover. Mu Simiao went out, gathered some sticks, and arranged them in a circle. She then piled dried weeds from outside against them, creating an enclosed space on three sides.
Since arriving here, Mu Simiao hadn’t washed her hair. She decided to do it now but couldn’t find any shampoo.
Noticing her searching, Qi Yuze asked what she was looking for. Mu Simiao replied, “Where’s the stuff for washing hair?”
“Sesame leaves?” Qi Yuze went into the inner room, retrieved two dried sesame leaves from the dressing case, and brought them out to Mu Simiao.
Having grown up in the countryside with her grandmother, Mu Simiao was familiar with sesame leaves but had never used them to wash her hair—modern times had manufactured shampoos.
She took the sesame leaves, soaked them in water, and noticed Qi Yuze still hadn’t left. Feeling somewhat embarrassed, she acknowledged that the makeshift bath, though covered, was still drafty.
“Is there anything else?”
Qi Yuze’s face suddenly flushed red: “I accidentally finished all the pastries just now…”
So that was all it was about. Mu Simiao breathed a sigh of relief: “It’s fine, they were meant for you anyway. If you like them, I’ll bring you more after work tomorrow.”
A spark of delight flashed in Qi Yuze’s eyes, but it vanished as quickly as it appeared as he lowered his gaze: “Mu Niang should save your wages instead.”
“It’s just a few copper coins—saving them won’t amount to much anyway,” Mu Simiao brushed him off and sent him away before finally removing her clothes to bathe and wash her hair.
While undressing, she felt the rabbit-carved jade tucked at her waist and remembered she meant to give it to Qi Yuze. After her bath, she went into the courtyard and handed it to him.
“The stall owner’s husband was casting hairpins today, and I noticed some leftover scraps, so I asked for them and casually carved this little trinket. You can have it to play with.”
Mu Simiao had been unusually attentive lately. Clutching the rabbit-carved jade that still carried her warmth, Qi Yuze couldn’t shake off a sense of unreality.
Mu Simiao didn’t see anything wrong with her behavior. After all, there were only the two of them at home, and from earlier hints, it wasn’t hard to guess that Yue’er was the daughter Qi Yuze had borne for her original self. Naturally, she had to be good to him—especially since Qi Yuze’s appearance happened to align perfectly with her aesthetic preferences.
The summer heat was intense, and her hair dried quickly. Mu Simiao sat in the inner room, waiting for Qi Yuze to finish his bath. Although there were writing brushes and ink at home, only rough paper was available—but that would suffice.
She spread out the paper, took out all the silver she had, and pondered what kind of business she could start to support the family. After much thought, she concluded that food was the most reliable option.
First, she had experience in this area, and second, snacks wouldn’t require too much startup capital.
But with the silver she had on hand, it wasn’t enough to rent a shop. It seemed she would have to ask Granny Liu tomorrow how much a stall would cost. She couldn’t expect to become successful overnight—starting with a stall would be manageable.
Pastries required numerous ingredients and complicated preparation steps, making them unsuitable for stall sales. She needed something simpler to make. After careful consideration, noodles seemed most appropriate. A sudden inspiration struck her—why not test the waters with Chicken Shreds Cold Noodles? Coincidentally, she already had the ingredients at home.
Still, she made a list of everything she would need.
The next day, Mu Simiao woke up unusually early. By the time she finished breakfast, it was only the hour of Chen (7-9 AM). After watering the vegetable patch, she set off for the market.
When she arrived, the market was at its busiest. She walked from one end of the street to the other, noticing that most stalls were selling vegetables—some vendors didn’t even use proper stalls, simply spreading a worn cloth on the ground to display their goods.
She wondered if these spots were available for purchase, or if they were claimed by whoever got there first?
Mu Simiao crouched down and picked through the lotus roots displayed on a cloth: “Auntie, how much for these lotus roots?”
“One wen each. We planted these back in spring and just pulled them from the pond yesterday—guaranteed fresh,” the auntie beamed, squinting at Mu Simiao. But her expression immediately darkened at Mu Simiao’s next question.
“Auntie, did you buy this stall spot?”
“None of your business! Go on, get lost if you’re not buying.” The auntie shooed her away, grumbling under her breath. Mu Simiao quickly blocked her hand, “Don’t be upset, auntie! I didn’t say I wouldn’t buy—I was just asking.”
Mu Simiao took out her purse and tossed five coins onto the cloth. Only then did the vendor’s expression soften slightly. She collected the copper coins into her money bag and bundled the five lotus roots Mu Simiao had selected together. “Renting a stall indeed requires connections,” she remarked, “but you seem to be from the countryside, right? You’ll need some insider knowledge to secure one.”
It seemed that relying on connections was already a practice in ancient times. Mu Simiao accepted the lotus roots and thanked her. As she strolled around, she observed the street’s foot traffic and casually sat down to enjoy a bowl of noodles by the roadside.
The lamb soup noodles were quite tasty. Though there was a slight gaminess, the noodles were pleasantly chewy and made from rare White Flour. However, the price had increased significantly due to the cost of ingredients.
A bowl of noodles cost Mu Simiao three coins. As she ate, she watched the chef effortlessly stretch and toss the noodles into the pot—it was like watching a culinary show.
After finishing her meal, it was time to start work. Mu Simiao carried the lotus roots to Granny Liu’s courtyard. The family was still having lunch, as Granny Liu hadn’t set up her stall yet.
Mu Simiao gently knocked twice on the door. When they looked up, she walked in with a warm smile. “Am I a bit early?”
“Not at all.” Since Mu Simiao was paid by the day, Granny Liu was more than happy to have her come earlier. “Have you eaten? Would you like to join us?”
Mu Simiao glanced over, and Liu Haoxuan immediately stood up, waving excitedly. “Sister Mu, come join us! Don’t be shy.”
“No, thank you, Granny Liu.” Mu Simiao handed the lotus roots to Granny Liu. “I actually have something to ask you. Is now a good time?”
It seemed she needed a favor, but Granny Liu remained cautious. She didn’t take the lotus roots and instead asked first, “I can’t accept this yet. Tell me what it is about.”
“I just wanted to ask if you have any connections for renting a stall. If you’re interested, I could design a few hairpin patterns for you later without charge.”
A few of the new hairpin designs from the previous day had already been made, but they hadn’t been put up for sale yet, so Granny Liu didn’t know how well they would sell.
She took the lotus roots from Mu Simiao, her face breaking into a smile. “That’s something I can help with, but I’ll need to see how those hairpins sell first.”
Mu Simiao understood her hesitation. After the family finished their meal, she accompanied Granny Liu to the stall.
Granny Liu and her daughter Tangyuan called out to customers while Mu Simiao stood by watching. Liu Haoxuan bumped her right shoulder twice. When Mu Simiao turned to look, he quietly opened his palm to reveal a piece of candy resting in it.
His ears turned red, but his eyes still sparkled brightly. “Sister Mu, are you married?”
This scene felt familiar to Mu Simiao—Qi Yuze often acted this way around her at home. She accepted the candy from Liu Haoxuan. “Yes, I’m already married.”
Liu Haoxuan’s disappointment was palpable, but since Mu Simiao had taken his candy, his eyes lit up with hope. “Sister Mu, I really like you. I want to serve you alongside that brother.”
Mu Simiao’s pupils contracted in shock. She stared at Liu Haoxuan in disbelief, and seeing his familiar face, she felt an inexplicable sense of impropriety.
“Little brother, you’re still young. I’m sure you’ll find a woman much better suited for you,” Mu Simiao hurriedly declined.
Rejection only made Liu Haoxuan more upset. Tears welled in his eyes as he looked at her. Mu Simiao quickly moved to stand beside Granny Liu, avoiding his gaze, and watched as passersby stopped to buy hairpins.
“You’ve been browsing for quite a while, and the style of your hairpin is rather unique.” Two Nügongzi stopped before Granny Liu’s stall, appearing genuinely interested in the hairpin.
Judging by their attire, they didn’t seem to be from ordinary families. Granny Liu quickly began promoting to them: “Indeed, this hairpin design is exclusive to our shop. Moreover, this is the first batch of goods. If you purchase it, you’ll undoubtedly be the first Nügongzi in the city to wear it.”
Listening to Granny Liu’s pitch, Mu Simiao also grew somewhat nervous, as this was connected to whether she could secure the stall.
Under their eager gazes, the two Nügongzi nodded and waved a hand generously: “We’ll take all of these.”