RPAGF Chapter 165 Talking with Shui Sheng
Chapter 165 Talking with Shui Sheng
Xiao Jiu changed the subject, saying, "It's nothing. You and Uncle Lin go to the county to deliver braised pig's trotters before dawn every day. Don't you two eat breakfast?"
He had been busy until midnight and had gotten up so early, so he was a little hungry.
Lin Xiaotang said with a smile, "When we get to the county, we'll buy some steamed buns to eat."
She and her father were used to it. If they got up early, they would heat up breakfast and eat it on the way. If they got up late, they would load it into the car and go to the county to buy sesame cakes or steamed buns.
She brought plenty of money with her today. There weren't many raw pig trotters left in the ice cellar, so she planned to go to several butcher shops to buy more and braise them fresh at home. She could braise a few more to add to the family's meals.
Since the Lunar New Year period, one of the rival restaurants that competed with Wanhe Restaurant secretly sabotaged her and her father, preventing them from buying raw pig trotters in the county. Her father and Uncle Shuisheng went to Pingding County to order raw pig trotters for more than half a month. After the Lantern Festival, the rival restaurant stopped sabotaging them, and she and her father were able to buy raw pig trotters normally in the county.
However, just to be on the safe side, she and her father still preferred to buy large quantities from Pingding County and store them in the ice cellar of Wanhe Restaurant.
The carriage sped along, and Xiao Jiu rubbed his still sore legs. He glanced at Lin Xiaotang and secretly admired her. The little girl was so mature for her age, and she was capable in everything she did. Her parents valued her highly. He was both impressed and envious.
Lin Xiaotang was unlike any of the young girls he had ever met before.
Other girls her age would spend their days wanting pretty new clothes or beautiful jewelry, and wouldn't do any chores. Lin Xiaotang, on the other hand, did the opposite.
It's definitely not because she comes from the countryside that she's so hardworking and ambitious.
Lin Xiaotang felt Xiao Jiu's gaze fixed on her and wouldn't look away. She turned to look at Xiao Jiu, blinked her eyes, and asked innocently, "Do I have buns on my face?"
"Cough cough..."
Xiao Jiu coughed violently, almost choking on his own saliva. He turned his face away and didn't look at Lin Xiaotang again for the rest of the way.
Upon arriving in the county, Lin Xiaotang parked the carriage at the back door of Wanhe Restaurant. She went inside and sweetly called out two waiters to help unload the pig's trotters. After having the manager count them, she led Xiao Jiu into the carriage and headed to the steamed bun shop.
At this time of day, the steamed bun shop was crowded, so Lin Xiaotang parked the carriage by the wall on the side of the road so as not to block the way.
She took out a coin and said to the steamed bun shop owner, "Boss, I want five meat buns and two bowls of rice porridge."
When the shopkeeper recognized the clever young girl who frequented the shop, he smiled and said, "Girl, didn't your father come with you today? Can you finish all this food by yourself?"
Lin Xiaotang glanced back at Xiao Jiu and said in a sweet voice, "I came with my brother, the two of us can finish it."
The shopkeeper found it unusual and exclaimed in surprise, "Oh, you have an older brother? I've never seen him come here before!"
Lin Xiaotang was unwilling to say more, so she vaguely replied, "He's a relative, my cousin."
The boss placed five large, white meat buns and two bowls of rice porridge on a plate on the counter next to him, and took the coins from her hand, which were just enough.
He smiled and said, "Girl, your uncle is busy, so I won't take it over for you. You and your cousin can find an empty seat."
She couldn't carry two bowls of rice porridge and a plate of meat buns in one go with both hands, so she turned around and glanced at Xiao Jiu, winking at him to come and carry them.
Xiao Jiu immediately ran over, picked up two bowls of hot rice porridge, and asked Lin Xiaotang to bring the plate of meat buns.
The two stared for a long time, and when they saw someone stand up, they immediately went over and sat down.
Because of the limited space, the two had to sit cramped together, and were squeezed by the people next to them.
Lin Xiaotang reached out and stuffed two steamed buns into Xiao Jiu's hands. "Let's finish eating quickly. We need to go shopping after we finish. You have a big appetite, so you can eat three. Two is enough for me."
She ate her rice porridge and steamed buns with great relish.
These steamed buns and rice porridge are so much better than when I lived with my grandparents and their whole family in Old Shen's house, eating small, dark cornbread and drinking boiled vegetable water!
Xiao Jiu munched on a meat bun, but his heart was filled with mixed feelings. How long had it been since he had eaten a meat bun?
Foods he had never thought much of before, he now found it so rare to be able to eat again; this steamed bun seemed to be the best he had ever eaten in his life.
Seeing him staring blankly and eating very slowly, Lin Xiaotang asked softly, "Jiu'er, what's wrong?"
Xiao Jiu immediately returned to normal. "Xiao Tang, has your family never been to a wealthy family before? Do you know how wealthy families treat their servants?"
How can the servants eat whatever the master eats, or even eat more than the master?
It's hard to tell whether Lin Xiaotang's family is simply unsophisticated or just plain naive.
In short, it was the first time he had ever seen a master treat his servants like family. There was no scolding, no reprimanding, no beatings or cursing, and everyone worked together.
Lin Xiaotang thought for a moment and said, "I've been there."
Actually, she and her father had been there before. When they escorted Xue Ruifeng home, they followed him into the Xue family's courtyard, but they only went in and left after talking. As for Manager Su's empty house, it was a mansion belonging to a wealthy family, and her family had stayed there for a few months.
Xiao Jiu was speechless after hearing this. She didn't expect that Xiao Tang and the others had actually been to wealthy families. But if they knew how wealthy families treated their servants, why were they still so kind to her?
A slight change occurred somewhere deep within him.
After Lin Xiaotang finished eating, she saw that Xiao Jiu was still eating slowly and deliberately, and her lips twitched violently.
"Jiu'er, why are you eating so delicately, you're a man? Hurry up and eat, okay?"
Xiao Jiu's arm was bumped by the customer next to him. A look of disgust flashed in his eyes, and he immediately moved closer to Lin Xiaotang.
"Didn't you just tell the boss I'm your brother? Why aren't you calling me brother anymore?"
Lin Xiaotang rolled her eyes at Xiao Jiu and said, "Okay, cousin, eat faster." In her heart, she thought to herself, this person is definitely not from a poor family. Children from poor families who become servants are always trembling with fear when they see their masters. This person has tried to make her call him brother more than once.
You arrogant jerk who took advantage of her!
Xiao Jiu's lips curled into a faint smile as she quickened her eating pace.
After they finished eating, they got into a carriage and went to several butcher shops to buy raw pig's trotters before driving the carriage home.
And so, the two traveled back and forth between Dushui County and Qinghe Town every day. Xiao Jiu learned to drive a horse-drawn carriage in just two days, and he was even more steady and skilled than Lin Xiaotang.
Lin Qingchuan and Shuisheng helped each other finish harvesting all the turmeric in the field. He also revealed the plan his daughter had told him to Shuisheng and asked for Shuisheng's opinion in advance.
"Shuisheng, Tang'er and I want to go to Pingding County to negotiate a long-term supply of braised pig's trotters to a restaurant. We need someone to deliver them every day, just like Tang'er and I do when we go to Dushui County. We can offer a higher wage. Would you be willing to go?"
After hearing this, Shui Sheng asked incredulously, "Brother Qingchuan, did I hear that right? Can I really go?"
Lin Qingchuan patted Shui Sheng on the shoulder and nodded with a smile, saying, "You heard right, we want you to go, so we're asking for your opinion first. If you're willing to go, we'll go talk to the restaurant when we have some free time."
Shui Sheng was initially overjoyed and excited, but when he heard that he still had to go to the restaurant to talk, the excitement in his eyes disappeared instantly, and his gaze dimmed.
"Brother Qingchuan, what if... what if, does that mean I can't go?"