Chapter Twenty-Seven: New Dishes

Uncle Ma returned to the village in the afternoon, bringing back the steamer that Aunt Miao had asked him to pick up, along with the earnings.

Li Pinghua squatted at the village entrance to receive the items. She counted the money—exactly 400 wen, not a coin more or less—and then patted her backside with satisfaction before heading off. She figured she could clear about 100 wen in profit from this, and since she had recently found a cheaper supplier, she was certain she would make even more in the future. Weighing the coin pouch in her hand, Li Pinghua wore a haughty expression, casting disdainful glances at the villagers passing by while chuckling inwardly: "A bunch of paupers."

During the 27 days spent waiting for the peppercorns to dry, everyone played their part. Li Pinghua was particularly industrious, constantly buying materials to make *shaomai* or heading to the fields to help turn the soil. Finally, they had the goods ready before the date specified in the contract.

The harvest from their own one-acre plot was decent; after roasting, it yielded about 26 jin. Aunt Ma’s fresh peppercorns totaled 79 jin after roasting. Setting aside the 100 jin required for the delivery, they had 5 jin left over. This amount was enough for her to use for her *shaomai* making. After all, Liang Yunqing had work experience from the modern world; although she had once looked down upon bribing superiors, she was now diligently preparing a small dessert in the kitchen to gift to Proprietor Xia. Her motives were twofold: first, to build a relationship that would pave the way for more wealth, and second, to increase her own value.

She mixed beaten eggs with milk, added sugar, and placed the mixture in the steamer to cook in a water bath. Meanwhile, she heated sugar in oil in a pan until it turned into caramel. Once the steamer was opened, she called Liang Youyong to fetch well water so she could cool the dish down. Finally, she poured the prepared caramel on top. A simple version of pudding was complete. The sweet fragrance of milk and eggs mingled with the caramel, the scent lingering in the air. Liang Youyong, who was helping nearby, stared in wonder.

"Cousin, what is this? It smells so good!"

"This is for the proprietor. This dish is called pudding."

"Pudding?" Liang Youyong scratched the back of his head, unable to fathom how such a delicate and fragrant treat could have such a name.

Liang Yunqing didn't bother explaining. She packed the food container and called for Mother Chu and Liang Mingxue to accompany her for the delivery; she felt most at ease with her own parents.

"Father, Mother, let’s go deliver these peppercorns."

The two, who were still in the courtyard helping to pack, agreed immediately. Hearing that Liang Yunqing was going to make the delivery, Li Pinghua, who had been hiding in her room enjoying some leisure, could no longer sit still. She threw open the dilapidated door and shouted, "Yunqing, I’ll go with you. Your parents don't know anything!" She then made a move to snatch the basket from Mother Chu’s back.

"Second Aunt, it’s fine if I just go with my parents."

Liang Yunqing stepped forward and held Li Pinghua’s hand, saying in a neither warm nor cold tone, "Second Aunt, don't forget the lessons of the past. You will know what you need to know, but as for the rest..."

"Yes, yes, of course. Your aunt was just worried about you." Li Pinghua smiled all over her face, no longer insisting on tagging along.

Liang Yunqing put on her own basket. The peppercorns were wrapped in two or three layers of burlap, making it impossible to tell what was inside from the outside, which would prevent unwanted attention. The three of them reached the village entrance and boarded the horse-drawn carriage.

This time, they headed straight to the county seat. Uncle Ma was unfamiliar with the location of the Xike Restaurant, so they had to ask for directions as they went. The county seat had far more grand buildings and wealthy residents than the town. Along the way, they saw many people traveling with servants, most dressed in high-quality cotton or silk. Liang Mingxue looked at the people around them, then down at his own patched hemp clothes, and lowered his head even further. Mother Chu was also visiting the county seat for the first time, and her eyes filled with envy as she gazed at the wealthy households.

"We're here. This is it."

Uncle Ma stopped the carriage. Liang Yunqing hopped off first, strapped on her basket, and led the two toward the entrance. The Xike Restaurant was decorated with opulent splendor, which made Liang Mingxue and Mother Chu hesitant to enter, so they followed timidly behind.

As it happened, the waiter at the door today was a new face. He took one look at the three of them with their baskets and their patched clothing, and a look of immediate disgust and impatience crossed his face. Still, he asked with a veneer of politeness, "Are you folks here to eat?"

"We're here to deliver something." Liang Yunqing, worried that the pudding in her hand would lose its texture, gave a hurried reply and tried to push inside.

The waiter blocked their path, his smile turning thin and insincere. "Folks, if you aren't here to eat, you don't need to come in."

Liang Yunqing instantly realized they were being mistaken for beggars. Behind her, Liang Mingxue pulled at her sleeve in embarrassment, whispering, "Yunqing, did we go to the wrong place?"

Liang Yunqing shook her head. "We’re in the right place. I’ve been to this Xike Restaurant before; I’ve even been to the third floor."

Upon hearing this, the waiter laughed so hard he doubled over. No longer bothering to restrain himself, he pointed his finger directly at Liang Yunqing’s nose. "Where did this madwoman come from? 'Been to the third floor'? Do you even know who stays on the third floor of our Xike Restaurant? Hahaha!"

A cold light flashed in Liang Yunqing’s eyes. She swatted the waiter’s finger away and raised her voice. "Manager Yang, is this the kind of person you employ?"

She shouted this at the top of her lungs. Several guests dining in the restaurant turned to look. Manager Yang, who was busy calculating accounts inside, heard the familiar voice and immediately walked toward the entrance with a beaming smile.

The waiter at the door, hearing her, became even more arrogant. With a sneer, he said, "You dare claim you know Manager Yang? You beggar, you're really looking for death." As he spoke, he grabbed a wooden club from beside the door and brandished it threateningly at them. Liang Mingxue quickly shielded his daughter, his voice trembling as he said, "We must have come to the wrong place. We'll leave at once."

Liang Yunqing pushed her father aside. She curled her lips into a smile, looked at the waiter, and took a few steps forward. "Hit me? Go ahead and try."

"You madwoman, today I will..."

Just as the waiter swung the club, his leg was kicked hard from behind, and he instantly crumpled to his knees.

"You little brat, did you think I, the manager, wasn't here?" Manager Yang scolded sternly. He snatched the club from the waiter’s hand and threw it aside, then turned to Liang Yunqing and cupped his hands in a salute. "Oh my, oh my... Miss Liang, Miss Liang, I am so sorry, truly, I am so sorry." He bowed repeatedly as he spoke.

Mother Chu and Liang Mingxue were stunned. They looked at their daughter, then at the elegantly dressed Manager Yang, completely unable to grasp why a manager would be apologizing to their daughter.

"That’s enough, Manager Yang. Handle your own affairs; don't delay my delivery." Liang Yunqing set down her food container, lowered her own basket, and then took down her parents' baskets as well. Manager Yang hurriedly called someone to help carry them to the back kitchen and sent another waiter to lead Liang Mingxue and Mother Chu to an empty table to rest.

"Miss Liang, have you brought something new today?"