“Last time I came here, it was a wasteland. To think people are living here now—it seems Ting’er has returned!”
Liu Yu stood outside the main gates, looking at the chimney smoke curling up from the mountainside. He had knocked for ages with no response, and in a fit of pique, he simply scaled the wall and flipped himself inside.
When he reached the courtyard halfway up the hill, he saw a beautiful young girl cooking in the kitchen. He didn’t know what she was making, but the aroma was so intoxicating his mouth watered instantly. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had a proper, hot meal. It seemed today was his lucky day.
Qiao Zilin was focused on her wok, completely unaware of the elderly man standing outside. As the final vegetable dish was about to be plated, she called out to her maid. “Qing Mei! Run out and give the men a shout. Tell them to come eat quickly—the fish won’t be good if it gets cold.”
“Coming, Miss!” Qing Mei stood up and sprinted toward the door.
“AAAHHH!”
The shriek nearly made Qiao Zilin drop the dish. That girl is getting more reckless by the day, she thought, annoyed. “Qing Mei, what are you screaming for?”
“Miss… a thief! There’s a thief in the house!” Qing Mei stammered.
Qiao Zilin immediately grabbed her iron spatula and ran out. “A thief? Where?”
Liu Yu’s beard bristled with indignation at being called a thief. “Stop! This old man is no thief. I am Long Zhenting’s master!”
“My husband’s master?”
As soon as the words left her mouth, Long Zhenting’s voice rang out from the yard. “Master? What are you doing here? Weren’t you still in Bashu?”
Liu Yu looked at his last disciple. He had only ever taken one student in his life and loved him like a son. Hearing that the boy was getting married, he had rushed back as fast as his old bones would carry him, though it seemed he had still missed the ceremony.
“I missed you, so I came to look. And this must be your wife? Truly beautiful, like a fairy—and more importantly, she can cook! It smells divine.”
Mentioning the food reminded Qiao Zilin of the time. “Alright, let’s eat first. If we keep talking, the fish will be stone cold.”
The moment she said eat, Liu Yu moved like a blur, seating himself at the dining table in the blink of an eye.
…
“Madam, I’m back! I got a real bargain today—I met a farmer with a pregnant cow and bought her. Oh, and I got a huge bag of dried chilies from the sundries shop!”
Shiyi’s voice arrived before he did. Once he appeared, Qiao Zilin smiled. “Perfect timing. Wash up and let’s eat.”
“Grandmaster? Wife? Is this fish? How is it so smooth? There’s no muddy taste at all. How did you make this? It’s incredible!” Liu Yu exclaimed. At his age, it was his first time tasting fish prepared this way.
“Old Gentleman, you can call me Lin’er or Qiao Zilin like my husband does. Grandmaster’s Wife is a bit of a mouthful,” Qiao Zilin said, feeling a bit awkward with the formal title.
Liu Yu liked her spirited nature. “I’ll call you Lass then! And don’t call me Old Gentleman, call me Grandpa.”
“Alright, Grandpa. This is Sauerkraut Fish. It’s sour and spicy to open the appetite, and the fish is tender. Most importantly, these slices are boneless! Also, try mixing the soup with your rice; it’s the best way to eat it.”
As they ate, she explained the meticulous cleaning and slicing process. “So much effort,” Liu Yu nodded. “You’ve worked hard.”
For the next fifteen minutes, no one spoke. They were too busy devouring the fish. Eventually, everyone was leaning back, clutching their stomachs in blissful exhaustion.
“So full… the Madam’s cooking is beyond words,” Shiyi sighed, lounging in his chair.
Liu Yu noted that the boys looked a bit rounder than they had a few months ago. They must be slacking off, he thought with a grin.
Suddenly, Shiyi bolted upright. “Madam, I bought that pregnant cow for fifteen taels. Will you be angry with me?”
Qiao Zilin looked puzzled. “A pregnant cow is great. Why would I be angry?”
“A pregnant cow can’t do heavy labor! We spent silver to buy her and now we have to pamper her. Most people only buy strong bulls.”
“It’s fine,” Qiao Zilin waved it off. “We don’t have that much heavy work yet. Besides, if we take care of her, we’ll have a calf soon. Isn’t buying one, getting one free a good deal?”
Liu Yu watched her with growing interest. He hadn’t expected this delicate girl to be the backbone of the group. In such a short time, she had earned the absolute respect of these rough men. This girl was not simple.
“Anyway, show me those chilies,” she said.
Shiyi handed over the bag. “The shopkeeper said they were from last year and he couldn’t sell them, so he gave them all to me. There are several kinds inside.”
Qiao Zilin’s eyes lit up. She opened the bag and poured them out. There were long cayenne-style chilies, tiny bird’s eye peppers, and small lantern peppers. Some looked like bell peppers. She’d find out for sure once they grew.
She walked to the edge of the wall where she had tilled the soil yesterday. She began splitting the dried peppers and picking out the seeds. To ensure success, she sowed them thickly.
Just as she was about to go for a hoe, Long Zhenting appeared with one in hand. “Lin’er, there’s no rush. If we don’t have them, we just won’t eat them.”
Qiao Zilin looked at him. She knew his tastes well, he was a true spice addict. “Husband, why wait for tomorrow for what can be done today? If I plant them a day earlier, we eat fresh chilies a day earlier.”
Long Zhenting couldn’t argue with that. He broke up the clods of earth as she directed, while she sowed the seeds and covered them with a thin layer of soil. “Now, put some of those dried weeds over them to keep the moisture in, then give them a good watering.”
As she watered them, she whispered, “Grow fast, little peppers, grow fast!”
Suddenly, her eyes widened. She had forgotten a big project. She grabbed Long Zhenting and pulled him into their room.
“Wife, the night is long… no need to be so hasty,” he teased.
“What are you thinking? I want to do something big, and I need you to cover for me!” she whispered mysteriously.
She turned around and entered her space. A moment later, she emerged looking absolutely dejected. Her small excavator was broken. At this critical moment, it had actually broken down. Waaaaah…