The early morning mist hung in the air, adding a touch of coolness to the midsummer season.
The streets were bustling with crowds, vendors calling out their wares incessantly, everywhere filled with the vibrancy of life.
Wen Ranran smiled as she handed a plump, tightly wrapped Jianbing to a customer: “Here you go, enjoy your meal and come back again!”
Zhu Zi, standing nearby devouring his Jianbing, glanced across the street. Under the lush green locust tree, it was empty—where had the stall gone? He snorted coldly: “Black-hearted people don’t last long!”
Beside him, Dong Shu savored the Jianbing carefully. Today’s special was Youmen Jianjiao. The peppers, torn into strips and rolled with other fillings, were fragrant, spicy, and appetizing, with a unique fresh aroma from the chili peppers. He had no idea how Wen Xiaoniangzi made it, but it was incredibly flavorful, perfectly balanced in saltiness and spiciness—unbelievably delicious!
“Wen Xiaoniangzi!”
A familiar voice called out. Wen Ranran looked up and saw Acheng and his companions.
“You’re here!” Wen Ranran greeted them with a warm smile. “Here for some Jianbing?”
“Yes!” Acheng laughed heartily. “After hearing you talk about Jianbing last night, I was so craving it I couldn’t sleep half the night. I’ve been waiting for daybreak to come try it!”
The customers feasting nearby, recognizing the City Patrol Supervisor officers, quickly made way. Their gazes toward Wen Ranran held newfound respect: Look at how she runs her business—it’s only been a few days, and she’s already connected with the authorities!
Wen Ranran pointed to the food buckets with a smile: “Jianbing costs five wen each. Today’s fillings are Culiu Douya and Youmen Jianjiao, plus Suandoujiao Paojiao. Dried Tofu and Lu egg can also be added, but those cost extra.”
“What?” Acheng rubbed his ears. “Five wen for two fillings? And with meat? Are you even making any money?”
“Small profits but quick returns!” Wen Ranran chuckled. “How would you like it prepared?”
Acheng waved his hand generously: “Roll in everything you mentioned, and give me two portions of Dried Tofu!”
“Coming right up!”
Wen Ranran spread out the steaming pancake, brushed on a layer of sauce and Youpo Lazi, then sprinkled a handful of fresh green scallions and cilantro. After adding bean sprouts, she picked out a sauce-coated chili pepper, tore it into pieces in a few quick motions, and placed it on top. She retrieved a richly colored, amber-like Lu egg from the pot, mashed it, and added it to the pancake. Finally, she included the sour cowpeas and pickled peppers, skillfully wrapped and rolled everything up, and handed it to Acheng wrapped in oiled paper.
Acheng stared in astonishment at the Jianbing as thick as his forearm: Good heavens, and it only cost just over ten wen!
He couldn’t wait and took a big bite. After chewing a couple of times, he was so captivated by the flavor that he immediately took another bite.
This is unbelievably delicious!
His companions, seeing him too engrossed in eating to speak, crowded around the stall, afraid they might miss out.
A group of officers stood by the stall, devouring their food ravenously. Wen Ranran felt an unprecedented sense of security.
With the officers promoting her goods, sales today were even faster than usual. After packing up her stall, Wen Ranran headed toward the Fu residence.
Approaching noon, the sun grew increasingly intense.
Along the way, the scene shifted from noisy and crowded to sparsely populated, with buildings and scenery gradually becoming more elegant and refined. It was like moving from a market district to a villa area.
Following the directions she had inquired about, Wen Ranran searched for the location. Just as she was looking around, a young man who appeared to be a servant approached with a smile: “Miss, are you here to deliver Braised Dish to the Fu residence?”
“Yes!” She nodded with a smile.
“It’s good that you’re here.” The servant helped push the cart to the back gate of the Fu residence. “Madam has invited several ladies to visit today and instructed me early this morning to wait for you here, fearing you might get lost and be delayed.”
Wen Ranran handed the packaged Braised Dish to the servant: “Madam is very kind. Please convey my respects to her.”
As she spoke, she slipped him another small package of Braised Dish she had prepared: “Thank you for waiting for me all this time. Please take these small treats home to try.”
Making good connections never hurt—this could be considered building a network!
“How could I accept your gifts for free!”
“It’s homemade, not worth much.”
Unable to decline further, the servant finally accepted it. Beaming, he handed the money pouch to Wen Ranran: “This is the payment for today’s Braised Dish. Please count it, Miss.”
“No need to count.” Wen Ranran cheerfully accepted the money, her heart leaping with joy. “Thank you for your trouble. I still have work at home, so I’ll take my leave now.”
The servant smiled warmly and amiably: “You’re too polite, Miss. I’ll be waiting here again in a couple of days.”
“Alright!” Wen Ranran replied with a smile, then turned and pushed her cart away.
In the main courtyard of the Fu residence, lush plants and murmuring streams created a cool and pleasant atmosphere. Occasional laughter and cheerful voices filled the air, painting a scene of harmony and joy.
Fu Furen, Xie Shi, checked the time and said smilingly to the ladies in the room, “It’s time for the meal.”
“I’ve been craving the Qingzheng Guìyú from your kitchen!” The speaker, dressed in a blue dress with a round face, appeared very talkative.
Her remark drew amused laughter from the others.
Xie Shi chuckled helplessly, “You just had it the day before yesterday—it’s only been a day. Your daughter is already past her coming-of-age ceremony, yet you still seem like that young girl who only cared about eating and drinking.”
“Sister Qian has a carefree heart—being able to eat and drink well is a blessing!” another lady chimed in with a laugh.
Qian Shi took a sip of tea and said leisurely, “In this life, aren’t we all just busy with eating, drinking, and the other basics?”
Xie Shi shook her head with a smile, stood up, and led everyone to the flower hall for the meal.
The dishes on the table were exquisitely prepared, a feast for the eyes.
Qian Shi couldn’t help but exclaim after just a brief glance, “If only my cook were half as good as Sister Xie’s, I’d be content!”
Xie Shi pointed at her and said to the quiet woman seated beside her, “Yun Niang, look at this! After all these years, Sister Qian is still coveting my cook!”
Yun Niang covered her mouth with a light laugh and teased, “Why not just give her the cook then? Save her from longing.”
“I just sent her a cook last month.”
The other ladies burst into laughter upon hearing this.
Qian Shi picked up a piece of snow-white, tender fish meat and savored it carefully. It was deliciously smooth and tender, savory with a hint of sweetness, so fresh that she couldn’t stop nodding in approval.
Just as she was about to take another piece of fish cheek meat, her eyes were quickly drawn to the plate of brownish-red Braised Dish on the table. The Braised Dish she had seen before wasn’t this dark in color, and it didn’t look like a whole braised chicken or duck taken apart and plated. It seemed to contain only duck wings, duck feet, duck head, and other meats, while the vegetarian options included lotus root slices, Dried Tofu, potato slices… It was her first time seeing vegetables prepared as Braised Dish, and the aroma even carried a hint of spiciness, tantalizingly whetting the appetite.
Qian Shi’s mouth watered uncontrollably. She couldn’t resist picking up a bamboo shoot tip and placing it in her mouth. It was crisp, tender, refreshingly spicy, and utterly delicious!
She couldn’t wait to pick up another piece of dried tofu—chewy and fragrant, with every tiny pore soaked in savory broth. A single bite released an explosion of flavors between her lips and teeth, intensely satisfying with its sweet and spicy kick that was utterly addictive.
Qian Shi set aside her usual favorite, the steamed mandarin fish, and grabbed a duck head to gnaw on. This duck head was even more flavorful—every shred of meat carried the aroma of spices and numbing heat, with a subtle sweetness that enriched the taste. There wasn’t a hint of duck’s gaminess, and even the crevices between the bones were infused with the fragrance of mala spices.
“This braised dish is truly delicious!” Qian Shi lifted the duck skull, scooped out the brain as soft as tofu, and placed it in her mouth. The smooth, tender texture carried a fresh, aromatic spiciness. She couldn’t help but sigh in admiration, “I’ve never tasted such delicious braised food before.”
Qian Shi was quite the connoisseur when it came to food. If she said it was good, it must be exceptional.
Seeing this, the other ladies also picked up pieces of the braised dish to try. One taste, and their eyes could no longer see any other dishes on the table. The single plate of braised delicacies was nearly insufficient to share.
“Sister Xie, which chef prepared this braised dish?” Qian Shi asked, still savoring the last crisp and refreshing potato slice with lingering delight.
Xie Shi shook her head with a smile. “This isn’t the work of my family’s chef. I stumbled upon it a couple of nights ago at a small stall in the night market. The young lady running it is quite beautiful and exceptionally skilled at making delicious food!”
Upon hearing this, Yun Niang gazed thoughtfully at the half-slice of lotus root in her bowl.
Qian Shi’s eyes lit up. “Where is that young lady’s stall? I’ll have someone go buy some too.”
The other ladies chimed in agreement.
“Right by the Wazi entertainment district. You’ll spot it as soon as you arrive.”
Hearing it was near the Wazi, Yun Niang recalled her husband returning excitedly last night, saying they’d found the young lady who saved A Xiang—surnamed Wen, she had a stall by the Wazi selling braised dishes. The recently popular Bo Zai Gao puddings sweeping the capital also came from her.
After a moment’s contemplation, she spoke up, “Is it Wen Xiaoniangzi, the one selling Bo Zai Gao and braised dishes?”
“Exactly her.” Xie Shi turned with a smile. “Yun Niang, you know of that young lady too?”
“More than just know her! Wen Xiaoniangzi has done our family a great kindness!” Yun Niang couldn’t suppress a shudder of fear as she recalled that night, her eyes involuntarily reddening. “Some days ago, my A Xiang was nearly kidnapped. It was all thanks to Wen Xiaoniangzi—otherwise, I might never have seen A Xiang again.”
She recounted the events of that night in detail, praising Wen Ranran incessantly: “Wen Xiaoniangzi has a warm heart and does good deeds without seeking reward. My husband and I asked her repeatedly for her name and address so we could visit and express our gratitude, but she refused to say, insisting it was merely her duty. Last night was a coincidence—there was some trouble at the night market, and my husband went with his men to investigate. That’s how he happened to meet Wen Xiaoniangzi again.”
Qian Shi, hearing this, grasped Yun Niang’s hand and sighed with emotion, “That Wen Xiaoniangzi is truly a wonderful child!”
Xie Shi nodded in hearty agreement. “A young lady in her teens already setting up a stall to support her family, running her business so properly—I was nowhere near as capable at her age!”
She glanced at the empty plate on the table and smiled. “Mark my words, that Wen Xiaoniangzi is no ordinary person.”
Wen Ranran arrived home just as the sun was at its peak, its rays beating down on her back with a scorching heat that left her drenched in sweat from head to toe.
Just as she was thinking about parking the cart and immediately fetching some cool well water to relieve the heat, she saw Sun Shi approaching cheerfully with Wen Ruru. One took the cart from her hands while the other handed her a cup of water: “Ranran, you must be tired! Go rest inside quickly. Your second sister and I will handle this!”
Wen Ranran stared blankly at the unusually attentive pair, a thought slowly drifting through her mind: Unsolicited kindness always has an ulterior motive…