Ch 145: Is There Really Such a Good Thing? [QT]

People in the countryside had no real concept of what it was like to work in a wealthy household. No one in their village had ever served in one, and all the information they heard from the county was always positive—high monthly wages, generous rewards, ample food, and warm clothing. This made many villagers yearn for such opportunities, even believing that selling themselves into servitude was a path to a better life.

When Grandma Wu, Shen Fu, and Wang Xinghua heard that the Li family wanted Shen Yunxuan to work as a cook, their thoughts were thrown into turmoil, as if a great fortune had suddenly fallen into their laps. Shen Fu and Wang Xinghua even wondered if Shen Yunxuan refused the offer simply because she couldn’t bear to leave them behind.

Sensing their distraction, Shen Yunxuan thought for a moment and then grinned. “It was actually quite funny watching Shen Jiayao just now. You should have seen it, Father, Mother—when that young master gave him a stern look, he started slapping himself, turning his face bright red. There were so many people on the street watching, and he’s supposed to be a scholar! He must have been so ashamed he wanted to crawl into a hole.”

Shen Fu and Wang Xinghua were shocked, only now realizing the implications. “Wasn’t Jiayao supposed to be a study companion? How… Wait, isn’t the Li family supposed to treat their servants kindly and fairly? Why would something like this happen?”

While checking the remaining flower rolls, Shen Yunxuan replied, “That’s why you can’t believe everything you hear. Only what you see with your own eyes is real. Oh, and Shen Jiayao’s name has been changed by his master—he’s now called Shen Zhong, so he’ll always remember to be loyal to his master. I don’t know the difference between a study companion and a servant, but judging by how Shen Zhong bows and scrapes at the Li residence, his days there must be miserable. I’m just glad I didn’t go.”

“Yes, thank goodness you didn’t go!” The three of them now felt relieved, wanting nothing to do with working at the Li residence. They also started reflecting on their own experiences.

Shen Fu had done hard labor before, working under people’s orders every day. Wang Xinghua had washed clothes and sewn quilts for county residents, always bowing and smiling when asking for payment. Thinking about it this way, they could now somewhat understand Shen Zhong’s predicament. At least they only dealt with common folks who had some money, but the Li family was the wealthiest and most powerful in the county. The old master was even a government official—working in their household would require even greater caution.

Moreover, if they did their jobs poorly, at worst, they would be scolded or lose their work. But Shen Zhong had to slap himself in public! That proved that working in such a powerful household was far too dangerous—if something went wrong, they might lose their lives without a place to seek justice.

Seeing that her parents had set aside their doubts, Shen Yunxuan took them to the docks next. The docks were filled with laborers—big, strong men who expended a lot of energy and thus ate heartily to keep up their strength. While most were frugal, some were willing to spend a little extra on a bowl of noodles or a drink.

Shen Fu was familiar with many of the workers. As they walked in, he grinned and called out, “Hey, brothers, have you eaten yet? We’ve got some delicious oil-salt flower rolls, only two coins each. Want to try one? If you’re not hungry, you can take one home for your wife, kids, or parents—it smells amazing!”

The foreman and a few acquaintances approached, looking surprised. “Shen Fu, you’re selling flower rolls now?” They glanced at the people behind him. “And you brought your whole family? These all your folks?”

Shen Fu eagerly introduced them and showed off the flower rolls. “Look at these—you can smell the aroma from far away. Want to try one? Two coins each, way better value than a plain steamed bun.”

One of the workers joked, “We’re such good pals, I thought you brought them for us to taste for free!”

Shen Fu chuckled, “No way! My daughter spent hours steaming these, she worked hard. Of course, we have to sell them at a fair price.”

Shen Yunxuan added, “If you buy fifty, we’ll throw in five extra. Buy a hundred, we’ll give ten extra. The more you buy, the more we give. Once we start making side dishes to go with them, we’ll include those as well.”

“Side dishes? What’s that?”

“Just different kinds of pickled vegetables to go with meals.”

“Hah, pickled veggies do go well with food, but we’re not really into that. Hey, Foreman, why don’t you ask around? If enough guys want them, we can get fifty together and everyone gets a taste.”

The foreman, a fan of wheat-based foods, was already tempted by the aroma. He nodded and went back to the docks to ask around. In no time, he returned with a hundred coins, buying fifty flower rolls.

Coincidentally, there were exactly fifty-eight left in the basket. Shen Yunxuan decided to give them all, smiling as she said, “Uncles and brothers, since this is our first day, we’re giving a little extra. I hope you’ll continue to support my parents’ business. If the docks ever need more, just place an order with us in advance, and we’ll deliver them fresh.”

“Deal! This girl knows how to do business!”

“Shen Fu, you’re one lucky guy!”

“Wow, these rolls are really tasty. Who knew adding a bit of salt and scallions could make them this flavorful? Girl, how do you make these?”

“Hey! That’s her secret! She’s selling them—why would she just give away the recipe?”

Shen Yunxuan laughed, “It’s no big secret. It’s actually quite simple. When kneading the dough, add a little sugar. Roll out the dough, sprinkle a bit of salt, brush on a layer of fried scallion oil, then add a pinch of pepper. Twist it like a mahua (twisted fried dough) and steam it as a flower roll.”

“That’s it?”

“That’s it!” Shen Yunxuan said confidently. “No one thought of doing it this way before, but it’s really not hard. The key is in how you knead the dough, the amount of oil and salt you use, and the right steaming technique. Everyone’s cooking style is different, so the taste will vary.”

“That’s true. My mother’s plain steamed buns never taste as good as the ones my wife makes, but I swear they do it the exact same way.”

“Girl, aren’t you afraid we’ll steal your business if you just tell us your recipe like that?”

“Yeah, you’re way too honest. You shouldn’t be sharing so much. You need to be more careful in the future.”

Shen Yunxuan smiled. “There are plenty of people selling food. It’s not about who sells but about how they sell. Besides, I plan to sell a lot more than just this. If I come across a truly unique recipe, of course, I’ll keep it to myself.”

Everyone admired Shen Fu’s daughter for being so generous, and since the flower rolls were exceptionally fragrant, far surpassing their expectations for regular wheat-based food, they all beamed with joy and chatted with Shen Fu for quite some time.

On the way back to the village, Shen Fu was still marveling, “I’ve known these guys for years, but I think I spoke more with them today than in all those years combined.”

Wang Xinghua smiled proudly. “And isn’t that all thanks to our daughter? Yunxuan is amazing—she’s not afraid of anyone, knows how to talk to people, and handles things like a city folk.”

Shen Yunxuan took her mother’s arm and said, “City folks also have two eyes, a nose, and a mouth—what makes them special? They were just lucky enough to be born in the city. But we can change our fate! Let’s work hard, save money, and move to the city ourselves in a few years.”

“That’s something I wouldn’t even dare dream of,” Wang Xinghua said, waving her hands dismissively.

“Starting today, you should dare to dream!” Shen Yunxuan declared. She led them into the house and dumped a pile of copper coins onto the table.

The clinking sound and the sight of a heap of copper coins left the three elders stunned. It wasn’t that they had never seen so much money before, but the fact that they had earned this much in a single day was shocking. Even though Grandma Wu had done the calculations earlier, seeing it in person was an entirely different experience.

The three of them reached out hesitantly, touching the coins with disbelief. “Goodness… this… this is really ours?”

Shen Yunxuan nodded firmly. “And this was just half a day’s work! So many people in town don’t even know we’re selling yet. We’ll be making even more in the future. Now, do you think we can start considering the idea of moving to the city? Life has to have some goals, and we should always strive for better.”

The three exchanged glances and nodded. Then, they wiped their hands on their clothes and carefully started counting the copper coins. They had taken 200 flower rolls to town, given away a few, and ended up earning nearly 400 copper coins. Since 1,000 coins made a tael of silver, this meant they had nearly earned half a tael in just one day!

Shen Fu and Wang Xinghua had never had more than 200 copper coins in their pockets at once, so for a moment, they felt like they were dreaming.

While Shen Yunxuan was in the kitchen preparing dinner, Grandma Wu looked at the couple and spoke in a serious tone, “Yunxuan is truly a wonderful girl—a blessing sent by the heavens. She is the greatest fortune of your lives. You two must cherish her and never, no matter how much money you make in the future, let greed cloud your judgment.”

Shen Fu and Wang Xinghua were taken aback. “Aunt, what are you saying?”

“I’m saying the hard truths now so they don’t become problems later!” Grandma Wu, having lived a long and tumultuous life, understood human nature well. She was giving them a stern warning. “For instance, if you regain your health in the future and have a son, you must love Yunxuan even more. She will be the reason for your good fortune. You must never favor a son over her and break her heart.

Also, remember this—this business is Yunxuan’s idea, and the money she earns is hers. No matter how things unfold, you must never make decisions on her behalf or take control of her earnings. Always keep a clear conscience—this business belongs to Yunxuan.”

Shen Fu and Wang Xinghua had never thought of such things before, but they were honest and kind-hearted people. Upon hearing this, they immediately vowed, “We will never have second thoughts. We will love Yunxuan dearly for the rest of our lives.”

“There’s one more thing—this is the most important part, and you must never forget it.” Grandma Wu’s tone grew even more serious. “You two have been legally adopted into my brother’s family, which means you have no more ties to your birth parents. Being filial is admirable, but never forget why you had to sever ties in the first place. You escaped from that family.

In the future, when this business flourishes, you can be certain they will become jealous. They might humble themselves, lower their heads, and beg for reconciliation. Shen Fu, even if your birth parents kneel before you and beg, you must never give in or let them hurt Yunxuan again. Mark my words—if you ever break her heart, she will leave this village and fly far away. You may never see her again.”

Shen Fu trembled at her words. Just imagining the scene she described made his chest tighten with pain. He had been taught from childhood to be filial, to obey his parents, and his decision to sever ties with them had been the most painful thing he had ever done. If the day ever came when his parents knelt before him in supplication, he didn’t know how he would react. How could he bear to see them in such a pitiful state?

But then, when he thought deeper about it—if not for the fortunate opportunity to be adopted into Grandma Wu’s family, his daughter would have been sold by his parents. Worse still, she would have been sent into the mountains, where she would have been beaten daily by her so-called husband.

Shen Fu shuddered, a surge of anger rising within him. “Aunt, don’t worry. They were unkind first, so I have no obligation to be filial. I have long repaid their debt of raising me. Besides, I am no longer their son. No matter what happens, I will never drag Yunxuan down. If I ever lose my mind and start wavering, Aunt, just remove my name from the family registry and throw me out.”

His anger was not just directed at his parents but at himself. He was a grown man, yet he had been blindly obedient his entire life. Even the idea of severing ties with his family had come from his daughter! If he continued to be so weak, how could he ever be worthy of his daughter? He would even look down on himself.

He could not go on like this—he had to change!

Shen Yunxuan overheard their conversation from outside the door and silently smiled before returning to her room to rest. She finally had her own space, a spacious room where Grandma Wu had thoughtfully added floral curtains and provided new bedding. The blankets had been sun-dried, feeling soft and warm, offering a sense of security—just like this home, which was now filled with comfort and warmth.

She had known that getting her parents to step outside their comfort zone was the key. Look at them now—after just one day of selling goods, interacting with different people, calling out to customers, and earning money, they already showed the first signs of confidence. Given time, she was certain they would truly stand tall on their own. They weren’t useless; otherwise, they wouldn’t have been able to make a living at all. They had simply been oppressed for too long and needed time to grow.

These were things she couldn’t say to them directly, but Grandma Wu had helped her convey them. It was truly a blessing to have such a wise elder in the family. However, Grandma Wu’s life had been filled with hardships—she had lost all her blood relatives, and no matter how lively the house became, the pain deep inside her heart would never fully disappear. Shen Yunxuan didn’t know how Grandma Wu would cope when news of her grandson’s death eventually arrived, nor how she herself would be able to comfort her.

Turning over in bed, Shen Yunxuan closed her eyes. Just as she was about to drift off, she started thinking about Grandma Wu’s grandson. Then, she dreamt of something—something from her past life that she hadn’t paid much attention to before.

It was when Li Yaosheng had just taken up his post as county magistrate. While reviewing governmental records and familiarizing himself with past cases, he had discovered that their county had once nearly produced a military officer of great merit. He had even mentioned it to Shen Yunxuan, expressing regret over a missed opportunity.

According to the records, this man had been extraordinarily fortunate—after saving a great general, he had joined the military under the general’s command, where he quickly rose through the ranks due to his exceptional bravery in battle. He had even claimed the head of an enemy commander before suffering grievous injuries and going missing. Later, some villagers reported seeing him on a secluded forest path, covered in blood, but they had been too terrified to approach him and had run away. Not long after, his comrades found remains that had been gnawed by wild animals, retrieved his bloodstained clothing, and built a burial mound in his honor before sending word of his death.

“If only those villagers had helped him instead of running away,” Li Yaosheng had lamented. “With his military achievements, he might have eventually become a general. That would have brought immense honor to our county—even His Majesty might have taken notice.”

Back then, Li Yaosheng had spoken of the matter purely as a lost political opportunity—one less connection for him to leverage, one less way for their county to gain recognition. He had even asked Shen Yunxuan for her thoughts. At the time, she had been too preoccupied with dealing with him and hadn’t given much thought to a long-deceased man.

But now, having dreamt of this moment, Shen Yunxuan suddenly jolted awake, sitting up straight in bed.

That man—wasn’t he Grandma Wu’s grandson?!

She quickly calculated the dates and realized there might still be time to save him. If she knew about this, she had to do something. Grandma Wu had been incredibly kind to her family; she had to repay that kindness. After all, this grandson was Grandma Wu’s only surviving blood relative.

Acting on her impulse, Shen Yunxuan grabbed all her silver, stuffed it into her pockets, and hurried out the door.

“Father, come with me to town. There’s something urgent I need to do.”

“What is it?” Wang Xinghua peeked out from the kitchen. “The food you just finished cooking is ready—we’re about to eat. And it’s almost dark.”

“It’s something important for our business,” Shen Yunxuan said. “I just had a dream and thought of a great idea—I can’t wait. Mother, you and Grandma eat first. We’ll reheat the food when we get back.”

The moment she mentioned business, the family had no objections. If anyone knew how to make money, it was Shen Yunxuan.

On the way to town, Shen Fu refrained from asking too many questions. But when they arrived at the security escort agency, he was dumbfounded and quickly pulled her aside, whispering, “Yunxuan, what are you doing?!”

“I need recipes for street foods from other regions, as well as specific ingredients and seasonings,” she explained briefly before heading inside to negotiate with the escort leader.

The security escort agency in the county was quite small, with only a few men employed. They were baffled by her request, especially since she and Shen Fu were clearly dressed like village folk. Spending thirty taels of silver on something like this seemed utterly absurd.

Shen Yunxuan pulled out four written lists. “I want you to split into groups and travel in four different directions, each heading to a different city. There, ask about the foods on these lists. I’ve also drawn and labeled the ingredients I need—just buy them when you get there.”

The escort leader hesitated. “Miss, we’re just rough men skilled in combat. Asking people for their secret recipes might be a bit difficult… I mean, business owners aren’t just going to hand over their trade secrets.”

Shen Yunxuan pretended to ponder the problem for a moment before suddenly suggesting, “How about this—along the way, help as many people as you can. When you do good deeds, people tend to open up more. These street foods aren’t exactly rare; someone is bound to share a recipe. And if you can’t get the recipes, just bringing back the ingredients will be enough.”

“This… If we do it this way, there might not be much silver left over,” the escort leader said, growing more confused. What kind of person was willing to spend a fortune on such an odd request? Was she crazy?

Shen Yunxuan took a deep breath, her expression firm. “It doesn’t matter. I believe in karma—good deeds will bring good fortune. Besides, I had a dream that this mission will be very successful. Sometimes in life, you have to take a bold risk to seize an opportunity. I believe this will be worth it.”

The head escort saw how determined she was and agreed to take on the task. Since the journey didn’t seem particularly dangerous, he even promised to gather more men for the mission.

Shen Yunxuan chatted with the escort leader for a while longer, repeatedly emphasizing her trust in her dream and her firm belief that something great would come of it. She also stressed that good deeds would be rewarded. Once she was sure the leader had taken her words seriously, she and Shen Fu finally headed home.

Shen Fu was utterly bewildered. Wasn’t that thirty taels of silver the money they had taken from Old Man Shen? It was enough to sustain them for years, yet she had just handed it over to the escort agency like that?

Throughout the journey back, Shen Fu kept sneaking glances at Shen Yunxuan. When they reached a secluded spot, she sighed in exasperation. “Father, if you want to say something, just say it.”

Shen Fu hesitated for a long time. He recalled what Grandma Wu had said earlier—he shouldn’t interfere with his daughter’s decisions. But then again, she was only fourteen years old, still a child. After deliberating for a moment, he finally said, “That was a lot of money… all just to ask about street food in faraway places? What if they come back empty-handed?”

Shen Yunxuan replied, “Father, the day I rolled down that hillside and hit my head, I nearly died. When I woke up, I had an overwhelming feeling that I had to leave the Shen family—if I didn’t, something terrible would happen. That’s why I made such a fuss. Staying in that house made me physically uncomfortable. I kept waking up from nightmares, and I even dreamed that you had an accident while hunting in the mountains and that Mother fell into the river while washing clothes. It wasn’t until we moved out and became part of Grandma Wu’s family that I finally felt at peace.”

“Dreams are always the opposite of reality. Don’t be afraid,” Shen Fu tried to reassure her, though a part of him felt uneasy. The truth was, he had been planning to go hunting in the mountains around that time. Could it be that a bond of blood had allowed his daughter to sense impending danger?

It sounded far-fetched, but in the village, people deeply believed in such things. Old Lady Shen often muttered that the family’s ancestral tomb was cursed, which was why no sons were born into the household. That belief stemmed from the fact that the tomb had once been washed away by heavy rain. There were also many other local superstitions, passed down through generations, that people believed in without question.

Shen Yunxuan knew this well, which was why she played into it. “I just had another dream. I dreamt that someone was going to cause trouble for us, making it impossible for us to run our business. But then we introduced all kinds of street foods from different regions, and because our food was unique in the county, we managed to turn things around and live well again. That’s why I have this strong urge to make specialty dishes from other places.”

She added, “Maybe the dream is nonsense, but that thirty taels of silver was money we took back anyway. If it’s gone, then so be it. Maybe it’ll even serve as a way to ward off disaster.”

Shen Fu still felt heartbroken over the money, but he wasn’t obsessed with it. Otherwise, he would have stopped her at the escort agency. What he truly felt was distress for his daughter. “It’s my fault for being so useless. I made you worry so much that you keep having nightmares. Starting tomorrow, I’ll work harder to earn money and run the business properly so you can live in peace.”

“Good! I believe in you, Father!” Shen Yunxuan beamed.

As for Grandma Wu’s grandson, she had done all she could. She had been reborn into this life with barely any time to change anything. She had no power, no influence. Even if she ran to the authorities and told them the truth, they wouldn’t believe her. And if, by chance, her claims were verified, they might even suspect her of being a spy. The authorities would rather wrongly punish someone than let a potential threat slip through. If she got caught up in such a case, she and her entire family would be doomed. She couldn’t take that risk.

Luckily, common folk were highly superstitious. They feared anything that sounded mystical, and since she had indeed hit her head and been unconscious for two days, it was easy to make them believe her story. In folklore, there were even stranger things people took as truth.

Among the four routes she had given to the escort leader, one included the location where Grandma Wu’s grandson had last been seen. She had also claimed to have read in books that the area was rich in rare ingredients and instructed the escort to gather wild herbs and fruits to see if any of them had medicinal value. Now, all she could do was leave it up to fate—there was nothing more she could do.

When they returned home, Grandma Wu and Wang Xinghua had already learned about her nightmares. That night, they specially prepared hot water for her to take a bath, hoping she could relax and sleep better. The three of them even discussed letting her do less work and take more rest to recover. She was still so young, yet she was already burdened with managing an entire household. “A mind too sharp will wear itself out,” they said. They needed to take better care of her.

As Grandma Wu watched Shen Fu and Wang Xinghua worry over their daughter, not once complaining about the money she had spent, she finally understood why Shen Yunxuan cared so deeply for them. Why she put so much effort into ensuring they had a better life. This family truly valued their bonds.

Moved by this realization, Grandma Wu fully embraced them as her own family. Knowing they had never been taught how to navigate the world, she patiently instructed them on social etiquette and practical skills. The wisdom of an experienced elder shone through in her teachings, and Shen Fu and Wang Xinghua eagerly listened, absorbing every word as if it were sacred.

They had an elder to care for and a daughter to protect. If they wanted to support their family properly and ensure a comfortable life for both Grandma Wu and Shen Yunxuan, they had to put in the effort.

That night, before going to sleep, the couple lay on the heated brick bed, practicing their new skills. They took turns pretending to be a customer and a vendor, role-playing various scenarios, rehearsing how to engage with people and handle unexpected situations. They even tested each other on mental arithmetic, practicing their calculations over and over again. They continued their exercises deep into the night, only stopping when exhaustion finally overcame them.

The only thought running through their minds was this:

Never again should their daughter be so afraid that she wakes up from nightmares.

🌸˚˖𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒✧🩷˚⋆