Ch 40: Guide to Feeding a Villainous Husband

The warm sedan chair stopped by the side, and Xiao Lian quickly returned. “Miss, I inquired as you asked. The round cakes are called ‘five element cakes’ because they come in five colors, representing the five elements. The fried yuanxiao and milk tea, like the five element cakes, are all sold by a food stall on this street known as the Qin Family Food Stall.”

The Qin Family Food Stall?

Song Dongling couldn’t help but feel intrigued.

“I don’t recall ever hearing about such a stall on Banqiao Street.”

The night market on Banqiao Street had been operating for several years, and due to the difficulty in securing a stall there, most of the vendors rarely changed. Although Song Dongling had been going out less frequently over the past two years, she would often send a servant to buy things from the market. For example, she was particularly fond of Han Niangzi’s crystal dumplings from Banqiao Street, which was a delicacy even the local restaurants couldn’t compete with.

“I found out that the Qin Family Food Stall usually operates during the day on Liubao Street, selling things like egg buns and jianbing guozi… I’m not sure exactly what they are, but they seem quite novel. After gaining some popularity, they rented a stall on Banqiao Street for a month around the New Year.”

Xiao Lian rattled off the details, and after a pause, her mistress asked, “Does the stall look clean?”

The young maid immediately understood what her mistress meant and smiled. “Rest assured, Miss. I checked carefully; it’s not just clean—it’s spotless! The three people there all wear headscarves, the person handling the money doesn’t touch the food, and they frequently wipe down the surfaces. It’s nothing like those greasy street stalls.”

Song Dongling was quite tempted, especially since she had hardly eaten at the family banquet earlier due to her dislike of the second branch of the family. Now, sitting in the sedan chair, she realized she was a bit hungry, and the aroma of food from Banqiao Street was wafting into the chair.

She pulled out her purse and handed a piece of silver to Xiao Lian. “Go and buy a selection of items.”

Xiao Lian took the silver but hesitated. “Miss, these items only cost a few wen each. I’m afraid they won’t have change for silver.”

Song Dongling didn’t mind. “Do you have some loose coins with you? Use those first, and keep the silver for yourself.”

Xiao Lian grinned, already accustomed to her mistress’s generosity. “Thank you, Miss, for your kindness!”

When Xiao Lian returned, Qin Xia was not surprised. He had noticed earlier that the woman had gone over to a sedan chair not far away after asking about the prices. She was likely a noble lady out for an evening stroll, sending her servant to inquire.

“Boss, I’ll take a cup of milk tea, a portion of fried yuanxiao, a portion of the small shengjian buns, one of each flavor of five element cake, and a serving of the chicken soup tofu skewers,” Xiao Lian ordered fluently. She had practically ordered everything available except for the iron plate tofu, which she knew her mistress wouldn’t eat.

“Could you please cut the five element cake into small pieces and pack it in a paper box?”

“Of course,” Qin Xia replied, quickly calculating the cost, accepting the payment, and then setting about packing the ordered items.

The last batch of fried yuanxiao had just come out of the oil, and he swiftly placed five into a paper box using bamboo tongs.

Once everything was ready, he handed it to her. “Miss, the shengjian buns will take a little longer. Would you like to take the other items first?”

Xiao Lian agreed that it made sense and carefully carried the two bamboo cups and stacked paper boxes back to the sedan chair.

“Miss, I’ve brought some of the items. Some don’t require cooking, so you can start with these.”

Xiao Lian knelt on the felt mat inside the sedan chair, placing the lantern she had bought earlier on the floor for light. She began introducing each item.

“This is milk tea, and this is the chicken soup tofu skewer. Both are warm, so you can drink them to warm up. The other two boxes contain fried yuanxiao and five elements cake.”

Song Dongling noticed that the wuxing cake had been cut into small pieces, making it easy to eat with bamboo skewers.

Praising Xiao Lian for her thoughtfulness, Song Dongling decided to try the two bamboo cups first.

“Judging by the color, this looks like red tea.”

Upon learning that it was sweetened, Song Dongling took a sip, as most young ladies had a fondness for sweet things.

“The flavor is rich and smooth, with just the right amount of sweetness.”

The milk tea was surprisingly delightful, and Song Dongling was already impressed by what this small food stall had to offer.

Street food, while something she didn’t mind too much, often lacked refinement. However, the milk tea she held could easily be served in a high-end tea house and sell for several dozen wen per cup.

And here, it only costs five wen.

Handing the finished milk tea to Xiao Lian, Song Dongling picked up the chicken soup tofu skewer with even higher expectations than before.

In fact, this seemingly ordinary “thousand-layered tofu soaked in soup” did not disappoint.

“This chicken soup is rich and hasn’t been watered down.”

Song Dongling was tired of eating chicken, but the soup was still enjoyable to drink.

She had expected the tofu skewer to be made of firm tofu, but it turned out to be “thousand-layered tofu,” which had absorbed the soup’s rich flavor and the strong taste of soybeans. The tofu had become soft from soaking in the soup, and after finishing one skewer, Song Dongling looked at the remaining portion in the cup and felt she could easily eat another serving.

“Miss, the fried yuanxiao has cooled down enough to eat. If it gets too cold, it won’t taste as good.”

Xiao Lian timely presented the slightly cooled fried yuanxiao, already fitted with bamboo skewers.

“These yuanxiao have black sesame filling, and the owner made them himself from scratch, not store-bought.”

With a soft crunch, Song Dongling bit into the fried yuanxiao. The outer layer was crispy, and inside, the black sesame filling gushed out, rich and delicious.

“So, yuanxiao can also be eaten fried. No wonder this food stall is doing so well.”

As the daughter of a merchant family, Song Dongling was very attuned to business. After tasting three different items, she was convinced that this food stall thrived on creativity. It’s no surprise that people keep coming back, regretting it for a long time if they arrive too late to buy their favorite treats.

Fried yuanxiao can be quite greasy, so Song Dongling stopped after eating two and gave the rest to Xiao Lian.

The texture of the five elements cake was also novel, unlike many pastries she had tried before. Most pastries are either soft or crumbly, but the five elements cake was springy, making it fun to eat.

After filling half her stomach with sweet treats, the last dish, the thumb-sized shengjian buns, finally arrived.

Additionally, Xiao Lian had boldly brought back an order of iron plate tofu, but without the scallions and cilantro, just drizzled with sauce.

“I saw that the ingredients looked perfect, and it was freshly made, so I spent five wen to get it.”

“Only five wen?”

Song Dongling thought that price on Banqiao Street was almost like getting it for free. But compared to that, she preferred the “thumb-sized shengjian” that came last.

Xiao Lian remarked, “Miss, look at these little buns. Even if you served them at the breakfast table for the masters in our household, they wouldn’t look out of place!”

Song Dongling wholeheartedly agreed.

These shengjian buns were true to their name—each one slightly larger than the tip of an adult’s thumb, topped with black sesame seeds for decoration, and filled with a three-flavor vegetarian filling.

According to Xiao Lian, the buns usually contained a pure meat filling, but since the owner didn’t find good pork that day, he made vegetarian buns instead.

Although there was no one to dictate what she could eat outside the manor, a vegetarian filling sounded lighter than pure meat.

The shengjian bun resembled a small flower, and even a delicate lady like Song Dongling could eat one in a single bite.

The bottom of the bun was pan-fried to perfection, with no signs of being burnt.

Before she realized it, Song Dongling had already eaten all but three of the ten shengjian buns.

Xiao Lian, eyes squinting with delight, asked, “If Miss likes them so much, should I go buy another portion?”

Song Dongling shook her head, “I might overeat if I have more.”

Besides, there was still the tofu to try.

Two quarters of an hour later.

The warm sedan chair remained parked in the same spot, and the various dishes, including the milk tea, were thoroughly enjoyed by the mistress and her maid. Of course, Xiao Lian ended up eating more than her mistress.

After satisfying their hunger, Song Dongling felt completely at ease. The frustrations caused by the siblings from the second branch and by Guo yiniang earlier that evening seemed to vanish.

Xiao Lian, now with a full belly, remarked, “This meal was so delicious that I think I’ll even dream about it tonight.”

Song Dongling couldn’t help but laugh.

She had the same feeling—though it was just a small food stall, it offered a variety of dishes that felt like a full meal at a restaurant, with each dish suiting her taste.

“I suppose it’s just as well we didn’t go to that tiresome Changyue Tower.”

Although Changyue Tower was an old establishment with decades of history, Song Dongling could recall the taste of their chef’s dishes with her eyes closed. When her mother was still alive, she didn’t like eating at Changyue Tower either and preferred tinkering in the small kitchen in their courtyard.

Looking at the empty paper boxes and bamboo cups in front of her, Song Dongling lowered her gaze.

“If Mother were still here, she would surely enjoy these humble yet flavorful dishes.”

But sadly, her mother was gone, and even if she bought more to take back home, there would be no one to share them with.

As these thoughts passed through her mind, an idea suddenly occurred to Song Dongling. Her gaze swept over the remaining dishes as she quickly considered her options.

Fried yuanxiao and five elements cake were made from glutinous rice, which is difficult to digest—not suitable. Although the milk tea was smooth and easy to drink, it contained tea leaves, which could conflict with most medicinal herbs—also unsuitable. Finally, she was left with…

Song Dongling looked up at Xiao Lian and motioned outside with a nod.

“Xiao Lian, go buy another serving of iron plate tofu, without scallions and cilantro, and also get another serving of shengjian. Ask the stall owner if they can make it with less oil.”

Xiao Lian’s eyes brightened as she immediately understood her mistress’s intention.

“Miss, are you planning to secretly bring it back to the manor for the young master to try?”

Familiar with the routine, the little maid appeared at the stall for the third time, ordering two more dishes. This time, she also handed over a silver ingot, a sizeable piece worth at least five taels of silver.

“My mistress enjoyed the food, so this is her tip.”

This wasn’t the first time Qin Xia and his team had received a tip, so Yu Jiuque accepted it without hesitation.

At this point, neither of them knew that the young lady in the sedan chair was the third lady of the Song family. If they had known, they might have marveled at how fate had intertwined them with the Song family.

By the third quarter of the hour of the pig, Qin Xia had sold out all his ingredients. Liu Douzi still had a few servings of iron plate tofu left, waiting to be sold.

Yawning, Liu Douzi turned to Qin Xia and said, “Xia Ge, I’ll still be here for a while. Why don’t you take your husband out for a stroll?”

This suggestion immediately piqued Qin Xia’s interest. He set down his spatula and looked over at the young man beside him, who was wiping the counter with a hot, damp cloth.

“What do you think?” he asked.

Yu Jiuque’s movements slowed noticeably.

“Well… shall we go for a walk then?”

Qin Xia smiled decisively, quickly tossed the spatula aside, and threw the cloth in Yu Jiuque’s hand back into the water bucket.

“Let’s go, take the lantern that Xing Yuan gave you, and we’ll go for a stroll nearby.”

Liu Douzi watched them leave with a happy smile, feeling that his Xia Ge and his husband looked so harmonious together, like a perfect couple.

Hand in hand, the couple walked along the long street. Just a moment ago, they were stall vendors selling food; now, with a lantern in hand, they transformed into leisurely passersby enjoying the lantern festival. It was a change that brought a sense of ease to the heart.

After spending the evening surrounded by the smell of cooking oil, they didn’t spend money on more food made by others. Instead, as they walked, they casually bought a few small items.

There were clay zodiac figurines, a wooden fruit tray carved with a goose’s neck on one end, a larger wooden comb than the one they had at home, and a set of backgammon pieces…

These were all items that were not necessary but were easy to buy on a day like this when one was in the mood to spend.

When they passed a stall selling goldfish, the two squatted down to watch for quite a while.

In the Dayong dynasty, it was popular to keep goldfish, especially among merchants who believed that “flowing water brings wealth, and gold and jade fill the hall.” The goldfish came in many varieties—some were as red as the bright sun, others as black as ink, with some having sleek bodies while others had ornate headpieces.

Unfortunately, after thinking about it for a while, they decided not to keep any. With a large goose at home and the mysterious stray cats around, who knew what fate would befall these colorful little creatures if they brought them back.

Qin Xia noticed Yu Jiuque’s fondness for the goldfish and, after walking a few steps further, spotted an open-air art stall with a fan painted with goldfish. It was late, and there were few people interested in such goods.

The painter behind the stall was dozing off but quickly perked up when he noticed someone stopping by, hastily coming forward to greet them.

“What are you looking for? If nothing here catches your eye, I can paint something for you on the spot.”

The painter held up a lantern to illuminate the table, which was covered with various paintings and fan surfaces of different sizes.

Qin Xia decisively picked up the goldfish fan that had caught his eye, asked for the price, and immediately paid for it. His quick action left the painter momentarily stunned.

After all, these fan surfaces were something he had found blank and decided to paint on a whim, not expecting anyone to actually buy a fan in the cold weather. But to his surprise, he found a buyer!

Back under brighter lights, Yu Jiuque was still admiring the fan in his hand, smiling.

“Buying a fan in winter, people are looking at us.”

Qin Xia gently put his arm around his shoulder, and they both looked down at the little goldfish on the fan.

According to the seller’s description earlier, this type was called “Dan Feng,” with a red body and a long trailing tail, elegant and ethereal.

Qin Xia didn’t know much about fine brush painting, but from a layman’s perspective, the artwork was quite good.

Glancing back at the location of the art stall, Qin Xia thought that in the future, he might hire this painter to create a few pages of menus for him.

“Who says fans can only be used in summer? It’s great as a decoration at home too.”

As for where to place it, they could think about that when they got home.

After buying practical items and decorative ones, when Qin Xia decided to pick out a lantern, Yu Jiuque absolutely refused.

“We already have this treasure vase lantern; it’s enough.”

“It’s nice, but it wasn’t given by me.”

Qin Xia’s serious response made Yu Jiuque pause and then laugh.

At the lantern stall not far away, the wooden rack was stacked four layers high.

As Qin Xia was carefully examining the lanterns, he suddenly heard Yu Jiuque say, “How about I pick one out for you, husband?”

Qin Xia was surprised and turned his head.

“For me?”

Yu Jiuque nodded seriously.

Although the money they spent was earned together, up until now, he hadn’t actively bought anything for Qin Xia. Thinking about how he felt each time he received something from Qin Xia, Yu Jiuque worried that he might have neglected his husband.

Not well-versed in matters of love, he could only imitate what he had seen.

“Which one does my husband like?”

He stood next to Qin Xia, looking up at the tall lantern rack.

But Qin Xia said, “Aren’t you the one choosing? Whatever you choose, I’ll like it.”

Yu Jiuque became even more earnest in his selection. After looking around, his gaze settled on a crab-shaped lantern.

Crabs symbolize wealth, and since it was Qin Xia, Yu Jiuque’s thoughts inevitably drifted towards food…

After hesitating for a moment, he finally reached for the bright red crab lantern.

“Husband, do you like this one?”

The crab’s eight legs were “brandishing claws,” and Qin Xia deliberately didn’t ask Yu Jiuque why he chose this lantern.

He just smiled and accepted it. Indeed, among all the flowers, plants, birds, and beasts, this big crab was quite unique and quite charming.

Finally, they bought an additional “Monkey Fishing for the Moon” lantern, which they gave to Liu Douzi, who was delighted.

“Xia Ge, you still remember I was born in the Year of the Monkey!”

Then, seeing the crab lantern in Qin Xia’s hand, he added, “This one is really fun!”

Qin Xia proudly raised his hand, causing the big crab to sway back and forth in the air.

“Do you like it? My husband gave it to me.”

Liu Douzi: …Suddenly, the lantern in his hand didn’t seem as appealing.

But that’s okay—who knows, maybe by this time next year, he’ll have a husband too.

The last day at the night market ended the same as usual. They poured the used oil into a wooden bucket, picked up and discarded any noticeable trash, packed up the tables and chairs, and stowed away the pots, pans, and other utensils into a basket, which they then tied to the cart.

Liu Douzi looked at the now-empty space and scratched his head. “It’s a bit lonely to think that we won’t be coming back tomorrow.”

He had grown accustomed to the early mornings and late nights over the past month. He would go home, fall asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow, wake up after only two and a half hours, and take a nap in the afternoon.

Sometimes he felt tired, but every time he heard the clinking of coins in the money jar, he knew it was worth it.

Qin Xia patted him on the shoulder.

“If you’re interested in running a stall at the night market in the future, I can talk to Officer Hu. If a spot opens up, maybe we can get you in.”

Liu Douzi’s eyes lit up.

“Is that the Hu official from the Street Office?” Liu Douzi asked.

Qin Xia nodded. “Indeed, when he bought the recipe from me earlier, he mentioned it, but I declined at the time. However, bringing it up again might still work.”

After all, they weren’t expecting Hu Laosi to use his position for personal gain. It’s just that all the stall changes are registered with the Street Office, and no one is more informed than this group of officials.

Liu Douzi rubbed his hands together, clearly tempted by the idea. “If it really works out, I’d like to give it a try.”

He knew how good the night market business could be. While he was still young, he should seize the opportunity to earn and save as much as possible, just like Xia Ge. With extra money in hand, not only could he marry a husband, but he could also support his mother and elder sister.

Knowing that there was still a chance to return, Liu Douzi’s earlier melancholy dissipated. He started thinking about how he owed Qin Xia a favor and would need to discuss with his mother how best to repay it. In the past, their family had helped the Qin family only in limited ways. Now, however, the Qin family was supporting them even more.

By the time they returned home, the moon was high in the sky. Many households in Furong Alley still had their lanterns hanging outside, but once inside, the noise of the bustling city was left behind.

The young couple tidied up, washed up, and eagerly climbed into bed. Yu Jiuque’s feet pressed against the bed warmer, while his upper body was wrapped in Qin Xia’s embrace—utterly warm and cozy.

He stared at Qin Xia’s face, counting each of his eyelashes, and whispered, “Husband, you should rest for a couple of days. No need to rush to set up the stall at Liubao Street tomorrow.”

Qin Xia had the same thought, but as soon as his head hit the pillow, drowsiness washed over him like a tide, making his eyelids feel heavy as if glued together.

The lights were already out, and he heard Yu Jiuque’s words. He mumbled a response and, out of instinct, gave the person in his arms a gentle squeeze, firmly deciding that he would definitely sleep in tomorrow!

With that thought in mind, he actually followed through. For two consecutive days, Qin Xia slept in until well past mid-morning. After this indulgence, he finally gathered his energy and returned to Liubao Street to sell lunch.

In addition to that, he didn’t have much free time. He had to teach the buyers of his recipes how to make the dishes he had only sold at the night market and also spend time searching for a suitable storefront to open his eatery.

Xing Yiming helped with the search as well, but the two places they found were too large—far beyond what Qin Xia wanted at the moment.

Running an eatery was different from setting up a stall. The bigger the place, the more customers it would have. Since he would be the only head chef in the beginning, he preferred to keep things “small but refined,” even if it meant earning a bit less.

Another day passed without any luck. Qin Xia and Yu Jiuque strolled slowly home along the riverbank, discussing the places they had seen today.

One place was too old—the pillars in the front hall seemed almost rotten. The price was cheap, but who knew how much it would cost to repair? Another place was newer and somewhat satisfactory, but the backyard had no well, and getting water would require a walk of nearly the time it takes to brew a pot of tea. Though it didn’t sound far, the amount of water needed to run an eatery was no small matter. Once the place was up and running and they hired staff, it would be too burdensome to have someone constantly fetching water. In the long run, it wasn’t viable.

Both options were rejected by Qin Xia, and the broker could only promise to keep searching, though who knew when they would find something suitable.

“I thought finding a storefront would be the first thing we’d accomplish, and then we could focus on other things.”

Little did they know that after a month of searching, they were still stuck at square one.

They comforted each other as they walked forward, turning a corner where they were met with a view of withered lotus leaves in winter. Qin Xia hadn’t been to this part of the city often, but he knew the main road led in the right direction. Upon seeing the withered lotus leaves, he found a bit of humor in the situation, finding some semblance of poetic beauty.

“I once read a poem: ‘Autumn shadows linger as frost flies late, leaving the withered lotus to hear the rain…'”

Qin Xia, a modern chef with some literary knowledge, treated this walk home with Yu Jiuque as a leisurely stroll and couldn’t help but start chatting about random things. But before he could finish, a voice behind him interrupted with a round of applause and praise.

“Good poem, good poem!”