Manager Chang of Chun Shi Xu, seeing the coveted prize being fought over by others, frantically raised his voice: “As long as Wen Xiaoniangzi agrees to come to Chun Shi Xu today, we’ll give you twenty percent of tonight’s earnings, and you can drink any tea in our shop for free from now on!”
At these words, the arguing managers around them fell silent, exchanging glances: Is he insane?! How much silver would that be!
Wen Ranran stared fixedly at Manager Chang, her pupils involuntarily dilating.
Sun Shi and Wen Junliang glanced at each other, then turned to quietly signal Wen Ranran: “This Chun Shi Xu is a famous teahouse in Bianjing City, with daily revenue reaching several hundred taels of silver. Even just the evening earnings are over a hundred taels. If they give you twenty percent, that’s at least twenty taels! Plus free tea!”
Wen Ranran also nodded—it did sound quite good.
After thinking for a moment, she smiled and said, “Since Manager Chang of Chun Shi Xu was the first to approach me today, I should go to Chun Shi Xu first. There should be order in first come, first served!”
It definitely wasn’t because he offered the highest price!
Wen Ranran’s eyes curved into smiles as she picked up her basket and followed Manager Chang to the teahouse.
Along the way, many customers recognized her. Before they even reached Chun Shi Xu, half of the “Sunset in the Green Mountains” in her basket had already sold out.
Manager Chang thought to himself this wasn’t good and quickened his pace, worried the pastries would sell out on the way. Not only would he fail to attract customers, but he’d also have to pay twenty percent of the revenue.
Rushing to Chun Shi Xu, even without the staff calling out to customers, a crowd followed Wen Ranran into the teahouse.
The tables and chairs in the shop were clearly insufficient, so Manager Chang ordered his staff to lay oilcloth on the grass in the backyard for customers to sit on.
Accompanied by gentle breezes and the bright moon, sitting on the ground like this with the starry night sky above offered a uniquely rustic charm.
Manager Chang was overjoyed. Having run this teahouse for over thirty years, this was the first time he had seen so many customers.
Wen Ranran’s “Sunset in the Green Mountains” sold out in no time. Happily holding her empty basket, she counted her silver.
Money! How wonderful!!!
Recently, she had saved quite a bit from selling food. Combined with the twenty percent revenue promised by Manager Chang, it was time to secure a fixed stall.
Now with ample funds, she wouldn’t be strapped for cash after renting a stall. She’d start looking for one in the next few days when she had time!
As Wen Ranran pondered the stall matter, Manager Chang, beaming with joy, personally brought her tea: “Thanks to Wen Xiaoniangzi’s good fortune, my humble teahouse is so lively. This is premium Huangshan Mao Feng—please try it.”
“You’re too kind, Manager Chang.”
She smiled as she accepted it. The tea liquor was pale green with a hint of yellow, its cool aroma pure and clean. Wen Ranran took a sip—fragrant, mellow, and with a long-lasting aftertaste.
In her previous life, she had drunk many fine teas with her Master, even having the legendary Wuyi Mountain Mother Tree Da Hong Pao once by chance. The tea Manager Chang offered was truly excellent, ranking among the best she had ever tasted.
It was clear that Manager Chang was an honest man, bringing out his treasured possession to entertain her.
Manager Chang quietly observed the composed and dignified young lady before him. She showed no change in expression while drinking such fine tea—either she didn’t understand tea, or she had tasted too many exquisite teas that Huangshan Mao Feng meant little to her.
But how could someone who incorporated tea into food not understand tea?
He thought to himself, his tone growing increasingly polite: “Might I ask if you could tell me where your residence is? I’d like to deliver the silver to you.”
Wen Ranran smiled and replied: “No need to trouble yourself. I can collect it when I come tomorrow.”
“Then I’ll prepare some fine tea tomorrow and await Wen Xiaoniangzi’s visit.”
“Excellent!” Wen Ranran responded cheerfully, then turned and left Chun Shi Xu carrying an empty basket and a full money pouch, her heart filled with joy.
Behind her, Chun Shi Xu was packed with customers, making other teahouses appear quite deserted.
Vendors carrying food baskets found no one interested in their wares.
In the crowd, a thin man with slanted eyes chewing on a blade of grass pointed at Wen Ranran’s retreating figure, his voice full of discontent: “Brother Zhao, look at this! Ever since that young lady started coming here, we can barely make ends meet!”
A shorter, sturdier man sighed: “We can’t really blame her. We told her not to come to A Cup of Spring, and she kept her word. Who would have expected the customers would follow her?”
“Enough of that!” The slanted-eyed man chewed vigorously on the grass before spitting it out. “We should have told her from the start not to sell food here at all! What’s the use of just keeping her away from A Cup of Spring?”
He then turned to Brother Zhao with a fawning expression: “Don’t you agree, Brother Zhao?”
Brother Zhao was also seething with anger. He lifted the lid of his basket to show his companions: “Look at this! I only sold three pieces of the Gui Hua Gao I made yesterday. Today it already smells sour.”
Several more honest-looking vendors exchanged glances but didn’t dare speak up.
If it’s already sour, no wonder no one wants to buy it…
A tall, limping man at the edge bent down to look: “With her around, we can’t even get a sip of broth!”
“Brother Zhao, you’ve got to think of something!”
“That’s right, that’s right! I can barely feed my two children anymore.”
“Enough!” Brother Zhao slammed his basket lid shut with a sharp “smack,” the flesh on his face trembling with the motion. “Just wait and see!”
＊
As noon approached, the sun grew increasingly intense.
After packing up her stall, Wen Ranran strolled along the street. The middle section had the most shops, encompassing everything from rice and flour to clothing and daily necessities, writing brushes and inkstones. This area was most convenient—whatever one needed could be found here—which explained why the stalls along this stretch attracted the largest crowds.
However, prices were steep. She had inquired at several places earlier; to secure a stall here would cost at least twenty-five taels of silver.
She could afford the amount, but no one was offering stalls for transfer.
Still, there was no rush. Securing a stall couldn’t be hurried—she would take her time looking. These things required the right opportunity!
After her stroll, Wen Ranran bought some pork shoulder and tenderloin, planning to fry some Small Crispy Meat to satisfy her cravings.
“Ranran, you’re back!” Shen Shi spotted her daughter from afar and hurried over, pulling out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from her forehead. Strands of hair, damp with perspiration, clung to her forehead and cheeks, making Shen Shi’s heart ache at the sight. “You must be exhausted.”
“Not tired at all,” Wen Ranran replied with a smile, using her sleeve to wipe the sweat from Shen Shi’s brow. “On such a hot day, you don’t need to wait for me at the door.”
Wen Junliang, who was helping push the cart, pointed at Shen Shi and laughed: “You know your mother—she won’t rest easy until she sees you home with her own eyes.”
Wen Ranran took a drink of water and immediately felt much cooler: “The officers from the City Patrol Supervisor come to my stall every day to buy food. No one would dare cause me trouble.”
“I know, dear, but a mother worries when her child travels far!” Shen Shi affectionately patted her head. “My Ranran has grown up so quickly—and already knows how to earn money too.”
Wen Ranran clung to Shen Shi’s arm, her voice soft and gentle: “I haven’t gone far at all, have I?”
Shen Shi shot her a mock-stern glance: “You’re my daughter. Even if you were just going to the next street to buy a flatbread, I’d still worry about you.”
“Alright, alright,” Wen Ranran coaxed with a smile. “Then let Father tie me to you, so wherever I go, you’ll follow.”
“What a grown girl you are,” Shen Shi couldn’t help laughing, tapping her forehead affectionately. “Still talking nonsense like this! Go on, get busy with your work!”
Wen Ranran nuzzled against Shen Shi for another moment before reluctantly leaving her mother’s embrace to prepare the midday meal.
She cut the purchased meat into long strips, then added scallion-ginger water, crushed Sichuan peppercorns, and an appropriate amount of salt, mixing everything by hand and letting it marinate briefly. With the meat set aside, she casually prepared a smooth egg batter.
When the meat had marinated sufficiently, she drained off the excess moisture and tossed the strips in the egg batter. The red-and-white meat strips gradually turned golden yellow under Wen Ranran’s skilled hands, each piece evenly coated with the batter just as the oil in the wok reached the right temperature.
Wen Ranran picked up a piece of meat and lowered it into the hot oil. Tiny bubbles sizzled around the meat, and within seconds it floated up from the bottom of the wok. The oil temperature was perfect now, so she added the pieces one by one until the wok became a lively scene.
The Small Crispy Meat gradually took shape, their surfaces turning light golden. When stirred, the pieces knocked against each other with a pleasant sizzling sound.
After frying them until nearly done, she removed the meat. When the oil temperature rose again, Wen Ranran poured all the Small Crispy Meat back into the wok for a second fry.
With a loud sizzle, dense bubbles rapidly formed in the hot oil. The Small Crispy Meat tumbled in the bubbling oil, their outer skins gradually taking on a beautiful golden hue.
Wen Ranran removed the perfectly fried Small Crispy Meat and arranged them on a plate, sprinkling them with chili salt. The entire courtyard filled with the savory, aromatic scent of peppery meat.
She happily sampled a piece—the exterior was crispy without being hard, with a subtle egg flavor upon closer taste. The plate made with pork collar had a balance of fat and lean meat, where the bits of fat had melted during frying, while the lean meat remained juicy, tender and flavorful. The plate made with tenderloin was equally savory, with the lean meat staying tender and thoroughly seasoned. Enhanced by the numbing taste of Sichuan peppercorns, the meat grew more fragrant with each chew.
While eating, Wen Ranran went to check on the starch mixture that had been boiled the previous night and left in the well to cool and solidify. The originally sticky starch mixture had now congealed into pale yellow firm blocks with a springy texture.
She cut the starch blocks into small pieces, heated oil in a wok, and fried the cut starch pieces.
The white starch pieces soaked in the hot oil, gradually turning translucent as the temperature rose. Their surfaces fried until blistered, becoming white and crispy. When pressed with a spatula, they were crisp outside and soft inside.
Wen Ranran divided the lightly fried, golden-brown Fried Jelly into bowls, poured over broth made from Chicken Frame, added shredded cucumber and prepared sesame paste with Garlic water, seasoning with salt and soy sauce. Finally, she topped each bowl with a spoonful of bright red Chili oil.
“Wow! What are you making that smells so good?”
Wen Junliang came running from inside the house following the aroma, eyeing the bowls of quivering jelly pieces soaking in the savory soup and swallowing hard.
“This is Fried Jelly.”
Wen Junliang tasted a piece of the fragrant Small Crispy Meat, his appetite thoroughly awakened. Picking up a spoon, he mixed his bowl thoroughly and—not minding the heat from the bottom—stood right there and took a big mouthful.
The fried jelly had a lightly crispy exterior that gave way to a soft, springy texture when bitten into, with the tangy broth brimming with the rich aroma of sesame. The refreshing cucumber shreds added a crisp, delightful crunch that balanced the intense oiliness of the sesame paste. Wen Junliang took bite after bite, unable to stop.
“San Yatou.” Wen Junliang extended his spotlessly clean bowl toward Wen Ranran. “Got any more?”
“Plenty.”
Wen Ranran responded with a smile, deftly wielding her spatula. Wen Junliang stood by the wok, devouring bowl after bowl.