After eating the mixed noodles, Zhou Sheng ordered two more bowls of soup noodles.
The officer in black who had just said he wanted to marry the widow kept his head down as he ate, not daring to utter a word, cold sweat running down his back.
He finally managed to finish his bowl, though it tasted like wax to him, and he did not dare order another.
Zhou Sheng took out his money pouch and said, “The bill.”
Shen Qingyin was washing the bowls and chopsticks. When she heard him ask for the bill, she quickly set them down, wiped the water from her hands on her apron, and walked over.
With a smile on her face, she said, “Noodles with topping are twelve wen a bowl, and plain noodles are four wen.”
She thought to herself that this man really could eat.
He had quite an appetite. If he came here every day and ate five bowls like he had today, she could make more than ten wen in pure profit.
At the thought of this, when Shen Qingyin looked at the man named Zhou Sheng again, her eyes held not only admiration for a handsome man but also a burning enthusiasm.
To Shen Qingyin, this man was practically a living god of wealth.
The two officers in black did not know whether their superior had noticed the burning enthusiasm in the widow’s eyes as she looked at him, but they certainly had.
There was absolutely nothing going on between them. If there was, the two officers would willingly write their names backward.
After Zhou Sheng paid for both his subordinates, he got up and left.
The two subordinates quickly followed.
Once they were some distance from the noodle stall, one of the officers in black walked slightly behind Zhou Sheng and asked indirectly, “Military Officer, about that noodle stall just now, would you like me to have some of the brothers come over and support her business?”
Zhou Sheng nodded. “Sure.”
As though he knew exactly what filthy thoughts were running through their minds, he suddenly stopped.
He turned around and swept his gaze over the two men.
“If I hear even one word of gossip in the office about me and that widow, it can only have come from the two of you. Understood?”
The two men’s faces immediately turned pale, and they hurriedly nodded.
“We would never spread such rumors!”
Zhou Sheng turned around and continued walking.
After patrolling the streets, he told the two men to return to the county office on their own.
Only after leaving Zhou Sheng behind did the two dare to discuss him.
“How many people do you think Military Officer Zhou Sheng has killed on the battlefield to have such a frightening presence, even without getting angry?”
“Probably not that many. If he had killed a lot, would he have been assigned to such a small county as a mere military officer?”
“Those with great military achievements have gone on to become important officials. Perhaps he killed some minor military commander and earned his merit that way.”
“Regardless of what kind of military merit he has, he’s still an official while we’re merely clerks. We’re worlds apart. If he takes a dislike to us, he has plenty of ways to deal with us.”
“Watch that mouth of yours. Be careful not to say any of that nonsense in front of Military Officer Zhou Sheng.”
“Our Military Officer Zhou Sheng isn’t someone you can joke around with.
He’s a very serious man.”
The younger officer in black patted his chest and took a breath before asking, “Apart from being a soldier, what kind of background does Military Officer Zhou Sheng have?”
The older officer in black replied, “What kind of great background could he have? His father used to work as an escort guard, and his maternal uncle once served as a constable at our county office. I saw Zhou Sheng when he was little too. He certainly wasn’t as cold as he is now.”
Thinking carefully, he smiled.
“Back then, he had a very sweet mouth and greeted everyone he met.”
“So he really changed this much only after going to war?”
The older officer in black shook his head.
“Not exactly. His personality had already become rather cold when he joined the army.”
“His family situation was quite tragic too. His father was killed by bandits while escorting goods, and his maternal uncle was also killed by bandits. In the end, his mother could not withstand the blow, collapsed from grief, and passed away that same year.”
The younger officer in black fell silent upon hearing this.
He had just been complaining that Military Officer Zhou Sheng held a low position yet carried such an intimidating authority. Now that he knew the reason behind it, he wished he could slap himself hard across the face.
As though he had thought of something, he raised his head and asked, “Then after returning, could he be planning to take revenge and wipe out those bandits?”
The older officer laughed helplessly.
“You think it’s a nest of rats that can simply be exterminated? You make it sound so easy.”
“Those bandits have occupied Panshan Ridge for many years. Who knows how powerful they have become? Besides, Panshan Ridge is easy to defend and difficult to attack. How could they simply wipe them out whenever they wanted?”
“If it were really that easy, would the bandits have been allowed to live there peacefully for so many years?”
After leaving the county office, Zhou Sheng returned home. Looking at the cold and deserted courtyard, he expressionlessly carried a strip of meat into the kitchen.
He picked up the kitchen knife, swiftly cut the meat into slices, ladled a dipper of water into the pot, and threw all the meat inside. He then chopped up a head of Chinese cabbage and threw that in as well, placing a large bowl of rice on top to steam.
He covered the pot and turned the fire up high.
After adding some coarse firewood, he carried two buckets outside to fetch water.
He had just reached the well when he saw the frivolous widow from next door drawing water there as well.
She was weak, and after struggling for quite some time, she finally managed to draw half a bucket of water from the well.
Zhou Sheng waited several steps away until she finished before approaching.
Shen Qingyin struggled to carry the half bucket of water as she turned around and saw the man from next door also coming to draw water.
He had brought two buckets and had not even brought a shoulder pole, intending to carry the water by hand. Compared with her half bucket, she simply could not compete.
Although they were neighbors, she knew that the man had a cold personality, so she did not greet him. She simply carried her water and swayed her way home.
As she passed the neighboring house, the courtyard gate was not closed, so she glanced inside.
When she returned home, Lu Jinyou happened to have finished school as well.
Seeing her carrying water, Lu Jinyou hurried over and took it from her.
“Sister in law, you just recovered from your illness, so you shouldn’t overexert yourself. Leave fetching water to me.”
He poured the water into the water jar, then carried the bucket outside again.
Shen Qingyin went into the kitchen and reheated the little topping left from earlier. They would continue eating noodles for dinner.
She was just about to put the noodles into the water when she suddenly smelled that burnt odor again.
What was wrong with this household? Did they really feel uncomfortable if they did not burn their food at least once every day?
The smell grew stronger. Shen Qingyin came out of the kitchen and carefully followed the source, sniffing and adjusting her direction as she went. When she reached the wall separating the two courtyards, she immediately understood where the smell was coming from.
Could that man’s straight, handsome nose really be nothing more than decoration?
How could he not smell such a strong burnt odor?
Could he still be out fetching water?
Or had he happened to run into Lu Jinyou and started talking again?
Thinking that this might be the case, she hurried out of the courtyard.
She had only walked a few steps when she saw the man easily carrying a full bucket of water toward her. The bucket in his hand looked strangely familiar to Shen Qingyin.
Looking more carefully, she saw Lu Jinyou following behind him empty handed. There was no longer any doubt about what had happened.
Shen Qingyin hurried toward the man. Under his puzzled, slightly furrowed gaze, she anxiously said, “You’re still fetching water? What are you cooking at home? The whole place smells burnt. Hurry back and take a look.”
Zhou Sheng froze for a moment when he heard this, then hurried past her carrying the water.
“Wait, put the bucket down…”
Shen Qingyin quickly followed him.
The man did not stop or put the bucket down. Instead, he placed it outside his own house before returning to his courtyard.
The sister in law and brother in law watched the man return home, then lowered their heads and looked at the bucket of water on the ground, which was almost overflowing.
Neither of them could carry it alone, so together they lifted it and brought it back into their courtyard.
Shen Qingyin lowered her voice and asked her younger brother in law, “Has that burnt smell these past few days been coming from next door?”
Lu Jinyou nodded with an indescribable expression.
He wondered what kind of hopeless kitchen disaster a person had to be to burn their food every single day.
Shen Qingyin thought for a moment and said, “Jinyou, take a bowl of noodles to the neighbors later.”
Lu Jinyou frowned slightly.
“Sister in law…”
Shen Qingyin explained, “Yesterday, you said he looked like someone we should not provoke and told me to keep my distance, but today he has not only supported my stall twice, he also stood up for us. We should return the favor.”
“Besides, don’t blame your sister in law for being too practical. He’s with the county office, and he looks like someone whose words carry some weight.
The two of us have already suffered enough at the hands of people who take advantage of an unprotected widow and her younger brother. With an acquaintance like him nearby, no one will dare bully us so easily in the future.”
“In short, there is no harm in becoming friendly with him.”
Lu Jinyou opened his mouth as though he wanted to say something, but when he remembered all the hardships and grievances his sister in law had endured over the years, he ultimately said nothing and nodded.
“All right.”
Shen Qingyin asked him, “What did that man from the Zhou family say to you just now?”
Lu Jinyou answered, “He asked roughly when my mother and elder brother passed away, and he also asked which private school I am currently studying at.”
Shen Qingyin nodded.
“He has already shown us goodwill. The next time you see him, you cannot hide from him anymore.”
After all, Lu Jinyou was still only eleven or twelve years old. Although he had studied for many years, there were still many lessons about human relationships and proper conduct that he needed to be taught.
Lu Jinyou nodded.
Shen Qingyin turned and went back into the kitchen to continue boiling the noodles.
There were not many noodles left from the previous day. After dinner, she would have to make more.
Since there was little topping left, she simply made soup noodles.
The small amount of bone broth that remained had become even richer after simmering longer. Before long, the fragrance filled the courtyard, creating a striking contrast with the burnt smell drifting from next door.
Zhou Sheng stared at the charred food on the table for a long while before picking up his rice bowl and chopsticks.
The meat was bitter, burnt, and tough.
The rice was still undercooked.
Even so, he did not put down his bowl. He simply continued eating with an expressionless face.
As he ate, someone knocked on the courtyard gate.
Zhou Sheng put down his bowl and chopsticks and walked toward the gate.
He opened the half closed gate and saw Lu Jinyou from next door standing outside with a steaming bowl of fragrant noodles.
Lu Jinyou looked somewhat nervous.
“My sister in law said that Brother Zhou helped us today, so we should thank you. She asked me to bring you this bowl of noodles as a token of our gratitude.”
Zhou Sheng’s gaze fell upon the bowl of noodles. The broth was milky white, with green scallions floating on top, and it looked exceptionally appetizing.
He said, “No need.”
Lu Jinyou was startled and was about to explain when he saw Zhou Sheng take out his money pouch and begin counting coins.
Realizing that he intended to pay, Lu Jinyou hurriedly said, “My sister in law said you don’t need to pay.”
Zhou Sheng still placed twelve wen on the tray. Then, as though he were not afraid of the heat, he directly picked up the bowl.
Lu Jinyou stared blankly at the hand holding the bowl and could vaguely see thick calluses covering the base of Zhou Sheng’s thumb.
No wonder he was not afraid of the heat.
“I’ll return the bowl later.”
Lu Jinyou blankly answered, “Oh.”
When he returned home, his sister in law said to him, “Wash your hands before eating.”
He entered the main room and placed the twelve wen on the table.
Shen Qingyin glanced at the coins and looked up at him.
“From next door?”
Lu Jinyou nodded.
“I told him that my sister in law asked me to bring him noodles to thank him.
He said no. I thought he meant that there was no need to thank him and wanted me to take the noodles back.”
“I didn’t expect him to take out his money pouch.”
They were short of money right now. There was no reason to refuse money that had practically been delivered to their doorstep.
Shen Qingyin said, “If he gave it to you, keep it. Now go wash your hands.”
Lu Jinyou nodded.
After dinner, Shen Qingyin began simmering the broth and making noodles.
She did not finish working until the tenth watch.
She had only been busy for one day, yet her shoulders were already slightly sore.
After washing herself, she rolled her arms a few times and happily began counting the coins.
Having such a big customer from next door today had eased some of the pressure.
After counting everything, she had earned a total of two hundred and thirty two wen that day.
There should be at least one hundred wen in profit.
If she could make this much profit every day, then by the end of the month, she would not only be able to pay Lu Jinyou’s tuition and the stall rent, she would even have money left over.
After getting excited, she thought about it carefully. The man from next door had eaten six bowls of noodles that day, and he had also brought people over who ordered two bowls of noodles with topping. Altogether, he had spent sixty eight wen, which was why today’s accounts looked so good.
Shen Qingyin secretly prayed that the man would continue coming to her stall for noodles tomorrow.
If he came, she would give him extra noodles and extra meat!