Author Archives: Thingyan

Past events and surprises

Hearing that voice, both Yu Qingze and Chang Hao were stunned.

Chang Le charged forward, just as the black-clothed leader was about to grab Chang Hao’s collar. He swung the parasol, hitting the black-clothed person accurately. Seizing the opportunity when the person evaded the parasol, Chang Le lunged forward and pushed him away.

With his strength and urgency, he easily pushed the person several yards away. Caught off guard, the person fell to the ground, momentarily stunned.

Chang Le quickly helped Chang Hao up and checked him from head to toe, anxiously gesturing and asking if he was okay.

Chang Hao was still immersed in the shock of hearing his brother’s voice earlier. Now, seeing his brother’s gestures, he wondered if it had all been his imagination. Didn’t his brother call his name just now? Why was it…?

After a while, he finally snapped out of it and realized the current critical situation. He hurriedly said, “Brother, I’m fine. I just got hit on the back.”

Chang Le breathed a sigh of relief and held his brother tightly.

On the other side, Yu Qingze was also momentarily stunned but quickly regained his senses. In that brief moment, the staff in his hand was knocked away by a black-clothed person, and the pain in his hand brought him back to reality. He quickly extended his arm to block the opponent’s stick and kicked another person away. However, when he turned his head, he saw that the black-clothed leader had already gotten up and was angrily swinging the woodcutter’s knife towards Chang Le.

“Brother Le! Watch out!” Yu Qingze shouted, disregarding the sticks coming from behind, and rushed towards Chang Le with the fastest speed he had ever exhibited.

Chang Le and Chang Hao were tackled to the ground.

“Ugh!” Yu Qingze groaned as he felt a sharp pain in his left shoulder. He had been struck.

“Brother Yu!” Chang Hao exclaimed in shock. Then he saw the black-clothed person from behind approaching, and he urgently shouted, “Watch out behind you!”

Chang Le and his brother were tackled to the ground by Yu Qingze. At that moment, he also saw the black-clothed leader coming at them again. He kicked him away temporarily and then picked up the kitchen knife his brother had dropped and threw it at the person.

The black-clothed leader couldn’t dodge in time and received a deep gash on his left arm from the flying kitchen knife, causing blood to gush out.

Enraged, he roared at the bewildered henchmen behind him, “What are you standing there for? Beat them to death!”

The group of henchmen who were stunned earlier snapped back to their senses upon hearing the roar and immediately came at them with their sticks.

At this moment, Yu Qingze and the two brothers got up. The brothers also noticed the large gash on Yu Qingze’s left shoulder, with blood oozing out and staining a large area of his clothes.

Chang Le’s eyes turned red. He picked up the parasol and held it across his chest, shielding Yu Qingze and his brother behind him with a formidable demeanor.

Yu Qingze felt intense pain in his left shoulder, but now was not the time to cry out in pain. The attackers were closing in again. He gritted his teeth, glanced around, and picked up a wooden bucket, standing on Chang Le’s left side. Chang Hao also picked up his “weapons,” holding a small stool in his left hand and a wooden basin in his right, blocking them in front.

“Attack!” the black-clothed leader shouted, clutching his left arm.

The group of henchmen exchanged glances, realizing that the situation had clearly exceeded their expectations. However, since their leader had given the order, they charged forward together.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

Yu Qingze and Chang Le shielded Chang Hao behind them and started fighting against the masked black-clothed individuals.

Chang Hao had become smarter at this point and followed closely behind Yu Qingze. He seized every opportunity to throw the stool and wooden basin in his hands at the enemies, and when he ran out of objects, he picked up stones from the ground, aiming to disrupt the enemy’s line of sight and create openings for their side.

The chaotic situation continued for quite some time until a figure appeared at the other end of the road.

It was Yu Dahe from Niu Tou Village. He had been working as a dock laborer in the north of the city these past few days and had just finished his shift.

Carrying a pole on his shoulder with a bag hanging from it, he initially thought of bypassing the fight ahead. However, in the next moment, he realized that it was Chang Le and his brother, as well as Yu Qingze, who lived in Chang Le’s house, involved in the fight.

He immediately dropped the bag and swiftly ran over with the pole in hand, charging into the midst of the battle and swinging the pole to attack.

He was tall and strong, having developed strong muscles from years of farming work. He was incredibly forceful in his attacks.

Both sides were taken aback, wondering who this person was.

Chang Hao was the first to recognize him and exclaimed in joy, “Brother Dahe!”

Yu Qingze and Chang Le looked over, and Dahe coincidentally fought his way to them while asking, “What’s going on?”

Yu Qingze replied, “We don’t know, they’re robbers!”

Dahe furrowed his brow but didn’t say anything. He simply exerted even more strength in his strikes.

With Dahe’s help, Yu Qingze and the others gained the upper hand and quickly turned the tide of the battle.

Eventually, the attackers were left howling in pain, with two of them even having their masks knocked off.

Dahe took a close look at the faces of those two individuals, his brows knitted tightly together.

The black-clothed leader realized that the situation was unfavorable for them and angrily shouted, “Let’s go!”

The six black-clothed individuals quickly fled, their spirits dampened.

Yu Qingze and the others breathed a sigh of relief when they saw the black-clothed people running away.

Chang Le dropped the parasol he was holding and immediately went to Yu Qingze’s side. He saw the wound on Yu Qingze’s left shoulder, which was bleeding profusely, staining half of his clothes red. He anxiously gestured, asking how he was.

Chang Hao rushed over and said, “Big Brother Yu, are you alright? My brother said we should quickly go to the city to find a doctor.”

“Sss…” As his tension eased, the pain in his shoulder became more apparent. Yu Qingze furrowed his brow and glanced back but couldn’t see it clearly. However, he felt that it should be just a flesh wound and hadn’t reached the bone.

“I’m fine, just a minor injury.” Compared to his own injury, he was more concerned about another issue. He looked at Chang Le and said, “Brother Le, you called Xiao Hao just now. Can you speak now?”

Upon hearing this, Chang Hao became excited and said, “Yeah, brother, can you really speak now? Can you call me again?”

Chang Le looked at Yu Qingze, then at his brother, and shook his head, gesturing: Did I speak just now?

Yu Qingze:…

Chang Hao:…

Dahe, who was nearby, asked, ” Brother Le, can you speak now?”

Seeing Chang Le’s confused expression, Yu Qingze furrowed his brow and hesitated, “You, you really don’t know?”

Chang Le shook his head. He truly had no idea.

Yu Qingze persisted and asked, “You really don’t feel anything?”

Chang Le shook his head again, indicating that he didn’t feel anything.

Chang Le furrowed his brow, and only then did he realize that his throat was aching. He reached out to touch his throat and gestured, seeking clarification. Chang Hao translated his gestures.

Yu Qingze’s eyes lit up. “Your throat hurts? That explains it. It means you really did make a sound earlier.”

Chang Le looked skeptical.

“Try again, see if you can say something,” Yu Qingze encouraged him.

Upon hearing this, Chang Hao’s eyes also brightened, shining with anticipation as he eagerly looked at his brother.

Even Dahe was filled with anticipation.

Chang Le looked at the three of them and felt a flicker of hope. He opened his mouth and tried hard to say something, but his throat only produced a wheezing sound, and no words came out.

Chang Le looked apologetically at the three of them and shook his head, indicating that he couldn’t speak.

“Brother, please, try again?” Chang Hao held onto his brother’s arm and pleaded.

The longing in his younger brother’s eyes was evident, and since Chang Le always doted on him, he tried again, but the result was the same.

Chang Hao’s eyes dimmed instantly. He had thought that his brother would be able to speak from now on, that he would hear his brother calling his name every day and be able to have conversations with him…

Chang Le gently patted his brother’s head, feeling sorry for him. He had experienced this disappointment many times before, being unable to produce sound, and he had grown accustomed to it. It was just another day as usual. However, the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment, and it was his brother’s first time having such hope, but he couldn’t fulfill it.

Yu Qingze furrowed his brow, unable to fully comprehend the situation.

Dahe also seemed disappointed and deflated.

Chang Le glanced at them, smiled apologetically, and then pointed to Yu Qingze’s wound, making two gestures.

Chang Hao: “Brother Yu, my brother says we should hurry to the town and find a doctor to treat your injury.”

Yu Qingze shook his head and said, “There’s no need to go to the town. It’s closer to the village from here. Let’s go back and ask Doctor Yu from our village to take a look at it.”

Chang Le looked at the wound, which was at least three inches long, and shook his head in disagreement. He gestured, insisting on going to the town to find a doctor. The village doctor, Doctor Yu, didn’t have a complete selection of herbs, whereas the town doctor would be better and more reliable.

Yu Qingze reassured him, saying, “Brother Le, I’m fine. The bleeding was just a bit excessive due to all the movements earlier. If you help me with a simple bandage now and I don’t move around, the bleeding will stop soon. Let’s quickly tidy up and go back home. Grandpa must be worried.”

Yu Qingze took off his shirt and tore it into a long strip. He wrapped it around his shoulder, armpit, and neck, instructing Chang Le to help him bandage the wound.

After Chang Le finished bandaging the wound, he furrowed his brow as he looked at Yu Qingze. The wound was so large, and it looked very painful and frightening.

“I’m really fine, I promise!” Yu Qingze patted Chang Le’s arm and added, “But if we don’t go back soon, I’ll lose even more blood.”

Hearing this, Chang Le quickly nodded and turned around to pick up the scattered items from the ground and pack them neatly.

“Is this your money pouch?” Dahe walked over, holding a money pouch he had just found on the ground.

“Yes, it’s mine. Thank you, Brother Dahe. If we hadn’t met you today, we wouldn’t know what would have happened.” Yu Qingze took the money pouch and put it in his pocket, expressing his gratitude to Dahe.

Dahe scratched his head, glanced at Chang Le, and said, “We’re all villagers, no need to be polite. Hurry back now. Your wound is quite long; it needs to be treated quickly.”

Yu Qingze nodded.

Chang Le finished packing and gestured to Dahe, while Chang Hao translated, expressing their thanks to Dahe.

Dahe glanced at Chang Le, lowered his head, waved his hand, and said in a low voice, “No, no need to thank me.”

Yu Qingze raised an eyebrow, wondering why Dahe seemed…

With everything packed up, Dahe helped them drag the cart while Chang Le pulled the small cart, and they headed home.

Along the way, Yu Qingze didn’t dwell on the robbery incident but instead kept thinking about Chang Le.

In fact, the pronunciation of the word Chang Le had uttered earlier wasn’t clear; it sounded more like ‘ao.’ However, Yu Qingze was certain that in that situation, Chang Le was calling his younger brother’s name, ‘Hao.’

He had always believed that Chang Le was congenitally unable to speak, but now he realized that Chang Le could indeed speak.

However…

However, based on their recent attempts, Chang Le couldn’t speak again.

Yu Qingze glanced at Chang Le, who was walking ahead, pulling the small cart, and furrowed his brow.

Chang Le’s voice before… Well, to be honest, his voice wasn’t pleasant to listen to. It was rough, hoarse, like an old fan being turned on, or as if many grains of sand were being fried in a pan. Even with Yu Qingze wearing thick filters, it would be difficult to say his voice sounded good without compromising one’s conscience. It couldn’t even be considered a smoky voice.

However, for someone who had been unable to speak for years, even if his voice was unpleasant, it was as beautiful as heavenly music at this moment.

Yu Qingze pondered for a moment. If he guessed correctly, that kind of voice should be the result of vocal cord damage. He wondered what kind of injury could cause someone to lose their voice.

He glanced at Chang Hao, who was following closely beside Chang Le.

The young boy was clearly shocked that his brother could speak, but after what just happened, he seemed disappointed. Now he was walking quietly alongside Chang Le, occasionally glancing at him with a conflicted expression. He probably had many questions he wanted to ask but didn’t know if he should.

Yu Qingze thought that he should find time to talk to Grandpa Chang and learn more about it, and also arrange for a better doctor to examine Chang Le. It was on his mind.

Lost in various thoughts along the way, they arrived home unknowingly.

Upon returning home, Grandpa Chang was startled when he saw Yu Qingze covered in blood on one side of his body. He knew something had happened and quickly asked Dahe to fetch a doctor. Then he went to the kitchen and brought a basin of water, wringing a cloth to first wipe Yu Qingze’s face.

“What happened? How did you get such a severe injury?” Grandpa Chang’s eyebrows furrowed tightly as he looked at the bloodstains all over Yu Qingze’s body.

Chang Le went to the kitchen, washed his hands and face, then returned to the main room, taking the cloth from Yu Qingze’s hand. He changed the basin of water and began wiping the bloodstains off Yu Qingze’s back. He didn’t touch the clothes that covered the wound, fearing it would start bleeding again if removed before the doctor arrived.

“Thank you, Brother Le.” Yu Qingze thanked Chang Le and then said to Grandpa Chang, “We encountered some robbers on the way back.”

“Robbers?” Grandpa Chang was surprised. “It’s been so many years since I’ve heard of anyone being robbed on this road.”

“It’s probably because of the upcoming Ghost Festival,” Yu Qingze speculated.

Grandpa Chang fell silent for a moment and then said, “Ah, if you encounter robbers next time, just give them the money. Those people don’t value their lives. Money is just an external possession. Your own body is the most important!”

Chang Hao finished washing his face and also came over. Upon hearing this, he replied, “No, Grandpa. Brother Yu already gave them the money first.”

Grandpa Chang was confused. “Then how did you still get injured?”

Chang Hao said angrily, “Those people wanted to keep my brother!”

Grandpa Chang was first taken aback, then he became furious. “What? Those bandits, those bastards actually… actually…”

Grandpa Chang couldn’t even finish his words properly, his hand trembling.

Chang Hao continued, “So Brother Yu fought with them!”

Grandpa Chang looked at Chang Le, his grandson, standing right in front of him, unharmed. Then he turned to Yu Qingze, gratefully grabbing his hand and thanking him, “Aze, thank you so much. It’s all thanks to you. Otherwise, otherwise…”

As he spoke, Grandpa Chang’s eyes welled up with tears. He couldn’t imagine what would have happened if Chang Le had been taken by those bandits.

“Grandpa, there’s no need to thank me. It’s what I should do.” Yu Qingze patted Grandpa Chang’s hand with his right hand, comforting the old man.

Chang Hao added, “Grandpa, we should also thank Brother Dahe. He helped us drive away the bandits.”

“Alright, alright. I’ll thank him later,” Grandpa Chang replied, stroking his grandson’s head.

Before long, Dahe arrived with the doctor.

While the doctor cleaned Yu Qingze’s wounds and applied medication, Grandpa Chang expressed his gratitude profusely to Dahe.

Dahe was a straightforward man who was usually rather quiet in the village. He didn’t say any polite words, just kept waving his hand, saying there was no need for thanks.

After the doctor finished bandaging Yu Qingze’s wounds and prescribed medication, he asked Chang Le to accompany him to pick up the medicine. It was a hot day, and he wanted to make sure Chang Le took some medicine to prevent infection.

Dahe had been waiting on the side all this time, and when the doctor and Chang Le left, he didn’t go back either.

Grandpa Chang saw off the doctor and then said to Dahe, “Dahe, you’ve worked hard today. Stay for dinner tonight.”

“I won’t eat,” Dahe shook his head. After a moment of silence, he looked up and asked Yu Qingze, “Um, Aze, did you guys offend someone?”

Yu Qingze raised an eyebrow and asked, “Why do you ask?”

Dahe furrowed his brow and replied, “I recognized two people when their masks fell off. They are small-time troublemakers who always hang around the city. Did you happen to offend them at some point?”

Yu Qingze was puzzled. “Small-time troublemakers? Not bandits?”

Dahe nodded confidently. “No, not bandits. Just small-time troublemakers. I often see them at the dock.”

They weren’t bandits, but small-time troublemakers?

Yu Qingze frowned and said, “We haven’t offended anyone. If you insist, yesterday someone came to our food stall causing trouble, trying to extort money from us. We saw through their scheme, so they failed.”

Grandpa Chang speculated, “They might be part of the same group, but we can’t be certain.”

Dahe frowned and said, “As far as I know, those small-time troublemakers never pay for their meals. They shamelessly eat without paying. They don’t usually cause trouble to extort money, and they don’t wear masks. Many small business owners on the streets dare not confront them because they fear endless trouble if they offend them.”

Upon hearing this, Yu Qingze couldn’t help but ponder.

According to Dahe’s words, the behavior of those small-time troublemakers today was very strange. They were usually fearless and audacious, so why did they wear masks and try to extort money today? And…

Yu Qingze recalled that in the beginning, those troublemakers didn’t seem interested in Chang Le. It was only after seeing him readily give them money that their leader started paying attention to Chang Le.

He had a feeling that the objective of those small-time troublemakers wasn’t money or Chang Le. If they wanted money, they would have let them go after taking it. So, if that wasn’t the case, then…

A thought sparked in Yu Qingze’s mind, and his eyes narrowed with a dark gaze. His right hand involuntarily clenched into a fist.

Thieves, pests causing trouble, and now physical violence. It seems that their food stall has become an eyesore for certain people!

Yu Qingze let out a cold snort in his heart. As long as the tree is alive, it has bark; as long as a person is alive, they have their dignity. The more it was like this, the more he wanted to make the food stall successful—not just successful, but to make it big, good, and strong!

Grandpa Chang noticed his gloomy expression and asked, “Aze, have you figured something out?”

Yu Qingze snapped out of his thoughts and replied, “Grandpa, I have a general idea of what’s going on. The success of the food stall has attracted some people’s displeasure.”

“I see,” Grandpa Chang frowned and expressed his concern, “What do you plan to do after this?”

After so many incidents in the past few days, he couldn’t help but worry.

Yu Qingze pondered for a moment and then said, “Don’t worry, Grandpa. I’ll figure out a solution. Besides, I need to rest well since I’m injured.”

Grandpa Chang nodded and said, “You should rest properly. The wound is deep, so you mustn’t act recklessly.”

Yu Qingze agreed and thought for a moment. Then he turned to Dahe and said, “Dahe, are you going to the dock tomorrow?”

Dahe nodded, “Yes, I am.”

“I have a favor to ask you.”

“Go ahead.”

“Could you please tell the old man who sells tea eggs next to our food stall tomorrow? Let him know that I’m injured and need a few days of rest, so I won’t be able to provide him with the sour and spicy chili sauce for a few days. Do you know where our food stall is located?”

Dahe nodded, “Alright, I know.”

After settling the matter, Dahe left, and even Grandpa Chang couldn’t persuade him to stay for dinner. Watching Dahe’s departing figure, Grandpa Chang shook his head and sighed.

After Chang Le returned with the medicine, he brewed a packet of it. Afterward, the family had dinner together.

After dinner, Yu Qingze unloaded the items from the cart and took stock. The wooden basin was broken and needed to be remade. The parasol that Chang Le had used as a weapon was also damaged and needed to be replaced. Some condiments and leftover ingredients were scattered in the forest and needed to be prepared again. However, the wooden barrel that Yu Qingze had used for the fight remained sturdy and undamaged.

Since he had to rest for a few days, he wasn’t in a hurry to address these issues.

Due to his injured shoulder, he took a half-body bath in the evening and could only clean his upper body.

When he finished bathing and Chang Le went to take a bath, Chang Hao secretly pulled him into the room and asked in a hesitant and low voice, “Brother Yu, should we tell Grandpa about my brother’s condition?”

Yu Qingze raised an eyebrow and asked, “Don’t you want Grandpa to know?”

Chang Hao pursed his lips and said, “I don’t want to disappoint Grandpa.” He had experienced the feeling of disappointment himself and didn’t want Grandpa to feel the same when his expectations were shattered.

Yu Qingze patted his head and said, “I think it’s better if we tell Grandpa about this.”

Chang Hao looked at him, feeling conflicted. “But Grandpa will definitely be upset.”

Yu Qingze asked, “Has Grandpa ever explained to you why your brother can’t speak?”

Chang Hao furrowed his brows and replied, “Grandpa said that my brother used to be able to speak, but he lost his ability after getting injured once when he was little. He didn’t say how he got injured, and he doesn’t allow me to ask my brother about it. So I’ve never asked.”

Yu Qingze fell silent, thinking about when Grandpa Chang mentioned that Chang Le was injured during the turmoil. It was probably during that time that his throat was injured too.

“Brother Yu, can my brother’s voice be cured?” Chang Hao looked up and asked, his eyes filled with anxiety and a hint of hope.

Yu Qingze shook his head and said, “I don’t know either, but we can try. In any case, we should listen to what Grandpa has to say about this matter, alright?”

Chang Hao pondered for a moment and nodded, “Alright, I understand.”

“Brother Yu, I really hope my brother can speak. He only called my name once today, and I want to hear him call my name and hear him speak,” Chang Hao looked up at Yu Qingze, his eyes brimming with expectation.

Yu Qingze patted his head and said, “That’s why we need to ask Grandpa about what happened and find out the reasons before we can figure out how to help your brother. We also need to find a doctor to examine his throat.”

Chang Hao was eager, “When?”

Yu Qingze was about to answer when they heard Grandpa Chang’s voice.

“What are you two doing in the room? Aze, come out and take your medicine,” Grandpa Chang called from the main room, placing a bowl of medicine on the table.

Yu Qingze responded and pulled Chang Hao out of the room.

After taking the medicine, Yu Qingze sat down with Grandpa Chang, and he and Chang Hao sat across from him with serious expressions.

Grandpa Chang was a bit confused. “What’s the matter with you two?”

While Yu Qingze was still thinking about how to say it, Chang Hao blurted it out.

“Grandpa, my brother called my name today. He called me ‘Hao’!”

Grandpa Chang was shocked. He looked at Chang Hao and then at Yu Qingze. Seeing that both of them were serious, he confirmed, “Little Le, he spoke? With his mouth? He made sounds?”

Both of them nodded.

Grandpa Chang furrowed his brow, his expression becoming serious. “Did something else happen when you two fought in the evening? Tell me about it.”

Upon hearing this, Yu Qingze and Chang Hao exchanged a glance, and then Yu Qingze began, “It’s like this…”

Yu Qingze recounted the events, and after listening to the whole story, Grandpa Chang remained silent for a long time before letting out a deep sigh.

“Sigh…”

This sigh was filled with helplessness and vicissitudes.

Yu Qingze spoke, “Grandpa, why exactly can’t Brother Le speak? From what we saw today, it seems that he spoke when he saw Xiao Hao in danger, stimulated by the situation. Even he himself didn’t realize he made a sound. But after the troublemaker ran away, we tried to make him speak again, and he couldn’t.”

Grandpa Chang sighed again upon hearing this and said, “I didn’t intend to let Xiao Hao know about this. I never expected you two to come across it.”

Both of them sat upright, waiting for Grandpa Chang to recount the past.

Grandpa Chang took his tobacco stick, lit it, took a deep breath, slowly exhaled, and then began, “Xiao Hao originally had an older brother above him named Xiao Hai. He was the second eldest and three years younger than Xiao Le.”

Chang Hao widened his eyes. It was the first time he heard about having another brother.

Grandpa Chang continued, “Back then, the war reached our hometown, and everything was in chaos. We heard that the south was relatively safer, so over twenty households in our village planned to move together. We encountered several riots along the way, and several families got separated. During one of the riots, Xiao Le’s elder brother was captured. Me, Xiao Le’s father, and mother rushed forward to save him, leaving the two kids in the care of their uncle. Little did we know that by the time we rescued Xiao Le’s elder brother, Xiao Le and Xiao Hai had disappeared. When we found them, Xiao Hai had already stopped breathing, and Xiao Le was lying on the ground with blood all over his forehead, unconscious.”

“Xiao Le suffered a severe head injury, almost losing his breath several times. Fortunately, he had a strong will to survive and narrowly escaped death. But when he woke up, he couldn’t speak anymore, and we couldn’t find out what had happened either.”

“Later, we moved here. For the next two years, Xiao Le was in a daze, as if he had lost his soul. Because he couldn’t speak and had an injury on his forehead, he was often bullied by other kids. Eventually, he stopped going outside and playing with other children. It wasn’t until Xiao Hao was born that his condition improved. He would hold his little brother every day and stay by his side. Xiao Hao can be said to be the one who brought him out of his shell.”

Chang Hao opened his mouth wide, tears streaming down his face. He had never realized how much suffering his brother had gone through.

Yu Qingze fell silent. It was clear that something extremely traumatic had happened to Chang Le during that incident, and it was likely related to Xiao Hai’s death.

Looking at the gentle and kind Chang Le now, it was hard to imagine the hardships he had endured in his childhood. Yu Qingze couldn’t fathom how Chang Le had transformed his introverted personality into what he was today. But just with a little thought, he knew that there must have been a lot of bitterness involved.

Yu Qingze felt a pang of pain in his heart, feeling sorry for Chang Le.

“Xiao Le spoke once a few years ago too.” They hadn’t fully processed the information they had just heard when Grandpa Chang revealed another surprising fact.

Without waiting for their questions, Grandpa Chang continued, “When Xiao Hao was two years old, his father and mother went back to our hometown to pay respects to our ancestors during the Qingming Festival. Little did they know that it would be their final farewell. Xiao Le saw their coffins and shouted out. The situation was similar to today, and he didn’t even realize it afterwards.”

Yu Qingze asked, “Did you consult a doctor?”

Grandpa Chang nodded and shook his head, saying, “We did, but it was of no use. The doctors said it was a severe psychological trauma, and whether he could recover or not would depend on fate. There was no effective solution. Afterward, Xiao Le didn’t let me seek medical help anymore.”

Yu Qingze was about to say something more when they heard some noise from the kitchen. Chang Le had finished bathing and come out. Yu Qingze quickly stopped talking.

When Chang Le entered the living room, he saw his tearful younger brother rushing into his arms, embracing him tightly.

Confused, Chang Le held his brother’s shoulder and looked at Grandpa Chang and Yu Qingze with a puzzled expression.

Grandpa Chang calmly said, “He’s missing your father and mother.”

With the Ghost Festival approaching, it was normal to think of deceased loved ones. Chang Le gently patted his brother’s shoulder, comforting him with tenderness.

The love that their father and mother had for their children was irreplaceable.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

That night, as they went to bed, Yu Qingze told Grandpa Chang that he wanted to take Chang Le to see a doctor again, to see if there were any changes.

Grandpa Chang said, “If you can convince Xiao Le, then go ahead.”

Yu Qingze fell silent, realizing that convincing Chang Le wouldn’t be easy. But he kept this matter in his heart.

The next day, it rained heavily in the afternoon, bringing a coolness to the hot summer.

They made steamed rice cakes at home. Rice cakes were a type of offering used for ancestral worship. The dough was shaped into the form of pigs, cows, sheep, and fish, and then steamed to offer to the ancestors, symbolizing abundance and prosperity in the afterlife.

On the day of the Ghost Festival, Yu Qingze accompanied the Chang family to the mountains for the ritual.

Chang Le’s father and mother were buried together, on a sunny slope behind the mountain connected to Niu Tou Mountain. Chang Le’s older brother was also buried on the same slope. They had to follow the mountain path along the creek, cross the valley, and climb up the mountain.

Chang Le carried a bamboo basket in front, containing the offerings for the ritual. One end held incense, candles, and paper money, while the other end held various other offerings.

Chang Hao and Yu Qingze followed behind, with Grandpa Chang at the back.

It was Yu Qingze’s first time entering this mountain, so he looked around curiously from time to time.

Due to the rain yesterday, the ground was still wet, and with the dried twigs and fallen leaves, it was easy to slip.

“Hey, Aze, be careful.” Yu Qingze didn’t pay attention to his footing and almost slipped, but fortunately, Grandpa Chang behind him supported him and stabilized his body.

Chang Le and Chang Hao glanced back, and Chang Hao cautioned, “Brother Yu, the road is slippery, be careful.”

Yu Qingze nodded. Yes, he admitted it. He had been looking around and not paying enough attention to the road, which caused him to slip.

Now he dared not look around randomly and focused his attention on the path ahead.

Soon they arrived at the slope behind, where there were several burial mounds. Along the way, some villagers had already started their rituals.

The graves of Chang Le’s older brother and parents were close to each other, only about twenty or thirty meters apart, with a small grove behind them.

Chang Le and Chang Hao took out the offerings and started their rituals. Grandpa Chang took a machete and cleared away some tangled bushes and thorns around the graves. Yu Qingze picked up a hoe and helped Grandpa Chang remove the branches he had cut.

When Chang Le and his brother finished burning the paper money, and Grandpa Chang had also burned his, Yu Qingze approached and kowtowed three times to Chang Le’s father and mother, lit incense, and burned paper money. He silently spoke a few words in his heart.

Chang Le and his brother were touched by Yu Qingze’s actions. He was just an outsider and didn’t need to do all this.

Little did they know that Yu Qingze had a small intention in his heart. Although he didn’t say it out loud, he had communicated with the two elders in his heart and had already made an agreement to take care of Brother Le.

When they reached the grave of Grandpa Chang’s older brother, it was a similar scene, but this time, Grandpa Chang stayed a bit longer, and his eyes were moist.

He must have missed his older brother.

The three younger ones waited silently by the side.

On the way down the mountain, when they reached a bend in the valley, Chang Hao pointed to a landslide area ahead and said, “Brother Yu, look, you were stuck there before.”

Yu Qingze looked in the direction Chang Hao was pointing. It was a slope on the other side of the creek, where the soil and rocks had collapsed and slid down to the creek, leaving two deep pits at the foot of the slope, with traces of excavation in between. On the open ground two meters away from the creek, two large rocks had rolled aside, with clear mud marks on top.

The scene of the accident.

Now, Yu Qingze finally saw the stone that “so big” that young Chang Hao had gestured to him when he woke up. He finally knew that the young boy hadn’t lied.

It was indeed huge, probably requiring the combined efforts of two adults to hug, and it was quite tall. To move them out from the mostly buried soil, Yu Qingze felt that they would need to clear all the surrounding soil and use a crane.

But looking at those two pits, it seemed like the stones had been directly pulled out from inside!

His gaze involuntarily turned towards Chang Le, those thin little arms, that frail body—how on earth did he have such great strength?!

No wonder Chang Hao was so proud and praised his brother. It wasn’t just empty boasting.

Speaking of that day, Yu Qingze suddenly remembered something.

“Grandpa, are there a lot of mushrooms on the mountain?” he asked.

Grandpa Chang nodded, “Yes, after the rain yesterday, there should be some growing on the mountain, and there are usually many in the hemlock grove by the creek down below. Why, do you want to eat mushrooms?”

Yu Qingze smiled and said, “We still have half a chicken at home, so I thought of picking some mushrooms and stewing them together. It would taste really good.”

Grandpa Chang waved his hand and said, “I’ll go pick them, you all go back first.”

“Grandpa, I want to go too!” Chang Hao eagerly spoke up when he heard about something delicious.

Yu Qingze also smiled and said, “I want to go and have a look too.”

Grandpa Chang decisively said, “Then let’s go together!”

Saying that, he took the lead and headed towards the hemlock grove.

It was Yu Qingze’s first time picking mushrooms.

So when he saw Chang Le and Grandpa Chang easily picking up a bunch of them by rummaging through the grass, he doubted his own eyesight!

The forest floor was covered with thick layers of dead leaves and grass, and the hemlock mushrooms blended in perfectly with their color. It was not easy to spot them.

Grandpa Chang shared a secret tip, saying to keep an eye on the base of the hemlock trees and the piles of grass—that’s where the hemlock mushrooms would be.

But!

Yu Qingze felt like his eyes were about to pop out of their sockets. Where were the mushrooms?!

Wasn’t this all just dead grass and leaves?!

After searching for at least half an hour, with a sore back, Yu Qingze hadn’t found a single mushroom!

Feeling quite dejected…

Chang Hao, the equally visually impaired person, found them before Yu Qingze did. He found one and proudly showed it off to Yu Qingze, saying, “Hahaha, I found one! I found one, Big Brother Yu! I’m faster than you!”

Yu Qingze: …I’m probably truly visually impaired!

Grandpa Chang and Chang Le watched them with a smile, not paying them much attention, and happily collected mushrooms in their baskets.

If they relied on those two, they wouldn’t find enough for a meal even by nightfall!

Although Yu Qingze was visually impaired when it came to finding mushrooms, he discovered something else—a treasure in the mountains: jelly figs!

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

Thingyan: Crazy long chapter. Author forgot to stop :’)

Misfortune

After the incident with the “resilient worms,” Yu Qingze and his companions became more alert. They had a faint feeling that it was like a signal, indicating that the person behind the thief had not given up.

Although they didn’t have concrete evidence to prove the connection between the middle-aged man and the person behind him, they also couldn’t prove that there was no association.

However, business still had to go on.

Yu Qingze reassured the Chang family, “If that person ‘values’ us so much, it means our craftsmanship is really good! It has even made them feel scared.”

The next day, they set up their stall as usual.

In the late morning, they noticed that there weren’t as many customers as before. After inquiring a bit, they received some news.

Wang’s Noodle House had introduced cold noodles!

Many customers were curious about the taste of Wang’s’s cold noodles, so they went there to try them, naturally leading to fewer customers at their stall.

Yu Qingze raised an eyebrow. Yesterday they had the incident with the “resilient worms,” and today Wang’s introduced cold noodles. Things seemed a bit different from what they had initially assumed.

Chang Le and Chang Hao looked at Yu Qingze with some concern. The cold noodles and liangpi were their exclusive business, and now someone else had introduced them, snatching away customers.

“Why are you both looking at me like that?” Yu Qingze chuckled, feeling warm inside. He reassured them, saying, “Don’t worry, I anticipated this a long time ago. What we can create, someone else will eventually be able to make too. It’s just a matter of time. It’s alright, with fewer customers, we won’t be so exhausted. Don’t worry.”

Chang Le quickly made a gesture.

Chang Hao hurriedly translated, saying, “My brother says that your craftsmanship is the best, and whatever you make is definitely the most delicious! I also think so! We both believe in you!”

“You two!” Yu Qingze’s heart was completely melted by their words. He reached out and embraced the two of them, pulling them into a hug. “Brother Le, Xiao Hao, thank you!”

He patted their backs firmly and then let go, saying, “That’s right, what we make is the best! Come on, let’s continue working. The customers are still waiting.”

Chang Le and Chang Hao blushed from the straightforward hug from Yu Qingze. They nodded heavily and went back to work.

Chang Hao was fine since he was still young, but for Chang Le, Yu Qingze had become the person he admired the most. Being embraced like that made him feel shy and excited, as if he had received a sudden surge of energy.

As for Chang Le, he was completely embarrassed. He was a grown ger, and Yu Qingze was also a man. Both were of marriageable age, so this hug was just too embarrassing.

This was the first time since he grew up that he had hugged a man. After he turned twelve, neither his father nor his grandfather would casually embrace him anymore!

Yu Qingze’s broad shoulder, his powerful arms that held him, and the masculine aura emanating from him, all made Chang Le’s heart feel flustered and unsettled.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

Constantly pounding in his chest, Chang Le quickly placed his hand over his heart, feeling like it was about to burst out.

His cheeks were burning so much that Chang Le was afraid his brother and Yu Qingze would notice his unusual state, so he quickly scooped up some water and washed his face.

However, this scene was still noticed by Yu Qingze.

He blinked and a smile slowly curved on his lips. He didn’t expect that his unintentional action would bring about an unexpected result.

His mood instantly improved, and the matters with Wang’s and Liu’s noodle houses no longer seemed important at all!

In the afternoon, as they were about to close their stall, Mi Ge’er’er brought an elderly man in his fifties to see them.

The man was Uncle Fu, the old chef from the Cai family. He had been with the main household for decades, and these days he had been using the porridge recipes provided by Yu Qingze to cook porridge for the young master of the Cai family.

He had been unable to make the seafood porridge and the boat porridge well. No matter how many times he tried, he couldn’t completely eliminate the fishy smell from the seafood, resulting in a waste of ingredients.

However, based on his years of experience as a chef, he believed that if he could make them well, both types of porridge would be extremely delicious. Since he couldn’t figure it out himself, he had no choice but to come and seek advice with Mi Ge’er.

When he saw the young man in front of him as the one who provided the porridge recipes, he was extremely shocked. This was truly beyond his expectations. He had thought that someone capable of creating so many porridge recipes would be at least in their forties with years of experience as a chef.

Yu Qingze was also straightforward. Since there weren’t many customers at the moment, he handed over the business to Chang Le and went to the side to communicate with Uncle Fu about making porridge.

Mi Ge’er chatted with Chang Hao for a while and learned that Wang’s Noodle House had introduced cold noodles, affecting their business. Mi Ge’er said, “Wait here, I’ll go take a look.”

After speaking, Mi Ge’er headed towards Wang’s Noodle House.

When Mi Ge’er returned, Yu Qingze and Uncle Fu had finished their discussion.

“Boss Yu, don’t worry. I reckon your business will likely recover tomorrow,” Mi Ge’er said with a smiling face.

Yu Qingze smiled and asked, “Oh? What happened?”

Mi Ge’er waved his hand and said, “The taste of their cold noodles over there can’t compare to yours at all. And that pickled radish they serve, oh my, it’s so vinegary. Don’t worry, they only have one type of cold noodles and no liangpi. Many people who have tried it said the taste is mediocre. Rest assured, they won’t snatch away much of your business. It’s just that those who can’t stand the heat might go there instead.”

Although Yu’s Delicious Delights had sun umbrellas, two umbrellas weren’t enough to completely shade all three tables. In this scorching weather, it was inevitable that some customers would be diverted elsewhere.

Upon hearing this, Chang Hao exclaimed happily, “I knew it! Big Brother Yu’s food is still the most delicious!”

Chang Le finally felt relieved. This was really great news.

Yu Qingze chuckled. Wang’s Noodle House only had cold noodles and no liangpi. They probably hadn’t figured out how to make liangpi yet, so they decided to introduce cold noodles first. The owner was quite clever, making some profit first.

However, this also served as a wake-up call for Yu Qingze. Summer would pass quickly, and it wouldn’t be long before others figured out how to make liangpi. It was time to consider other business opportunities.

Being prepared in advance would prevent them from being caught off guard and put in a passive position.

Due to the situation with Wang’s, they closed a bit later that day.

The day after tomorrow was the Ghost Festival, and they didn’t plan to set up their stall on that day.

There were shops selling ritual items everywhere on the streets these days. The three of them pushed the cart and bought all the necessary items from a familiar ritual supply store on West Street. They also bought some food. Afterward, they quickly walked out of the city and headed home.

At this time, the sun was gradually setting, and the number of pedestrians on the main road decreased. Most of the people who had gone to the market returned home in the afternoon, and only a few still ventured out in the late afternoon. There were hardly any people as late as they were today.

Especially during this special time around the Ghost Festival, people would return home early and wouldn’t be out and about at night.

The three of them hurried along the road, with even Chang Hao remaining silent due to exhaustion. They all just wanted to reach home before the sun completely set.

Unexpectedly, an incident occurred about five or six miles outside the city gate.

Six masked men in black clothes blocked their path, holding long sticks, with the leader holding a hatchet.

The three of them were momentarily stunned. Could it be that they had encountered highway robbers?

Chang Hao, being young, couldn’t help but feel scared seeing so many people with sticks and hatchets. He instinctively moved closer to Chang Le.

Chang Le protected his younger brother behind him. In truth, he was also very afraid. Although he was strong, being surrounded by so many men, especially ones who seemed like bandits, would be foolish not to fear.

Yu Qingze calmly stood in front of the two brothers and clasped his fists, saying, “Brothers, may I ask why you’re blocking our way?”

These people had been watching them since they appeared, without saying a word. They had no idea what their intentions were. Bandits would usually state their purpose, right?

Upon hearing this, one of the men beside the leader cleared his throat and then shouted, “I claim this mountain, I… I planted this tree. If you want to pass this road, leave behind some payment!”

The leader kicked the lackluster speaking man and then turned to the three of them, shouting, “Robbery! Hand over all your money and valuables!”

Yu Qingze assessed the men’s stature and weapons and thought about Chang Le and Chang Hao behind him. He decided it was best to spend some money to resolve the situation.

He took out his money pouch and threw it onto the ground ahead, saying, “Brothers, it’s all here. We hope you’ll let us pass.”

The leader glanced at the money pouch and then nodded at the man beside him, gesturing for him to pick it up.

The man walked over and smoothly picked up the money pouch. He handed it to the leader and asked, “Boss, what do we do now?” They weren’t actually here to rob; robbery was just an excuse.

The leader, clearly not expecting Yu Qingze to surrender the money pouch so easily, furrowed his brow. His gaze landed on Chang Le and his eyes lit up. He pointed at Chang Le and said, “Leave him behind, the rest of you can go!”

This was truly despicable.

Having one of them stay behind meant something obvious!

Yu Qingze’s pupils contracted, and his hands clenched into fists.

These bastards actually targeted Brother Le. They were scum!

Chang Le was also stunned upon hearing the order, looking somewhat lost as he gazed at Yu Qingze.

The group of men immediately closed in when they saw Yu Qingze’s lack of reaction. One of them wore a lecherous expression and said, “Leave this little guy behind, have some fun with us, and then we’ll let the rest of you go. How about that?”

Upon hearing this, Chang Hao suddenly rushed forward and stood in front of his brother, his hands spread open to protect him. He glared fiercely at the men, his small body trembling but resolutely shielding his brother behind him.

Chang Le quickly pulled him back and stood in front of him.

Yu Qingze was burning with anger, his seven orifices seemingly emitting smoke. He pulled out a pole from the cart and whispered to the two of them, “Quick, hide.”

Saying that, he brandished the pole and charged forward. Swinging the pole, he aimed at the scoundrel who had spouted vulgar words earlier, cursing loudly, “I’ll fuck your grandpa!”

Yu Qingze was lightning-fast, and the distance between them was close. The man didn’t react in time and was struck on the shoulder, immediately letting out a miserable cry, “Ouch, fuck!”

The others saw their comrade being hit and immediately rushed towards Yu Qingze.

A chaotic brawl ensued.

Some were hit by Yu Qingze, and some hit Yu Qingze. Luckily, Yu Qingze knew a bit of martial arts, and he had landed more punches than he had taken.

However, dealing with six opponents was still a challenge, and he had already been struck several times. If it continued for too long, he wouldn’t be able to hold on.

The two brothers watched Yu Qingze fighting against the six men, feeling anxious and fearful as they were unable to help.

Chang Le watched the chaotic fight in front of him, and as he continued to watch, his pupils suddenly dilated, and his body couldn’t help but tremble. He held onto Chang Hao tightly as another scene appeared before his eyes, a distant and painful memory.

So many people, so many! Cries filled the air, along with flames, sticks, and *Xiao Hai crying and calling out ‘Brother.’ Everything was blood-red and painful…

*(T/N: The character Xiao Hai will be introduced later).

“Brother, Brother! What’s wrong with you? Don’t be afraid, Brother. Xiao Hao is here, Xiao Hao will protect you!” Chang Hao felt his brother trembling all over, his gaze unfocused, as if he had fallen into a daze. He shook his brother’s shoulders vigorously and slapped his face, urgently calling out.

After a while, Chang Le’s gaze gradually regained clarity.

When he saw Chang Hao in front of him and the surrounding environment, he immediately pulled Chang Hao into a tight embrace.

“Brother, what happened to you?” Chang Hao could clearly see that something was wrong with his brother. He patted his brother’s back, gently soothing his emotions.

Chang Le shook his head, still holding his brother tightly.

After a while, Chang Hao spoke, “Brother, are you okay now? Shouldn’t we go and help Big Brother Yu? He’s been hit so many times.”

Hearing his brother’s words, Chang Le finally emerged from his own emotions and looked at the ongoing brawl nearby.

Yu Qingze was struggling against six opponents, surrounded and attacked from all sides. It was evident that he was finding it difficult. Despite his martial arts skills, he had been struck by two sticks. Although the six men had taken more hits, it pained the two brothers to witness it.

Seeing the situation, Chang Le glanced at his brother, then at Yu Qingze. He clenched his teeth and pulled Chang Hao to the back of the cart. He took out a kitchen knife from a wooden barrel and handed it to Chang Hao. Using hand gestures, he instructed Chang Hao to hide well, defend himself with the knife, and that he would go help Yu Qingze. He also told Chang Hao to call for help if something went wrong, or to run away.

Chang Hao took the kitchen knife, his hands trembling, his voice quivering, but he still nodded resolutely and said, “Okay! Brother, be careful!”

Chang Le looked at the items on the cart and the handcart, then reached out and pulled out a parasol. It was the most suitable weapon available at the moment, despite being a bit cumbersome. However, Chang Le was strong, and the weight of the parasol was similar to Yu Qingze’s pole. He was still afraid, the images from earlier flashing in his mind, and his hand gripping the parasol trembled.

But it’s okay, he told himself in his heart. He had grown up, he was strong, and he would definitely protect his younger brother. The tragedy couldn’t repeat itself. He couldn’t let anything happen to Big Brother Yu again.

Chang Le took a deep breath and charged forward, wielding the parasol. He intercepted a person who was about to attack Yu Qingze from behind, forcefully pushing them back with the parasol. He was incredibly brave!

Upon hearing a scream from behind, Yu Qingze turned his head and saw a black-clothed person clutching their waist, writhing on the ground in pain. Meanwhile, Chang Le was engaging another person with the parasol, fighting in a chaotic manner. Although his strikes lacked technique, it seemed as if he had pent-up frustration, swinging the parasol vigorously. The enemy couldn’t get close to him for the time being.

“Well done!” Yu Qingze shouted, looking at the person on the ground and sympathizing deeply… with his waist. Whether it could still be used in the future remained uncertain.

With Chang Le joining the fight, the pressure on Yu Qingze was significantly reduced. He swiftly moved to Chang Le’s side, and the two stood back-to-back, facing the enemies together.

The six individuals surrounded the two of them, while the man who had injured his waist stared fiercely at Chang Le, as if he wanted to devour him.

The battle was about to erupt and quickly turned into a melee.

The leader in black clothing realized that none of them could gain an advantage, so his eyes shifted and landed on the child behind the cart.

He turned and pounced toward the cart.

Upon seeing someone coming towards him, Chang Hao, holding the kitchen knife, began running quickly with his short legs. He circled around the cart, engaging in a chase with the leader in black clothing.

After circling around for a while, the black-clothed man grew furious. He directly hurled the items from the cart, and Chang Hao managed to dodge the wooden basin and small stool. Just as he was about to run further away, a water bucket hit him and knocked him to the ground.

The black-clothed leader, satisfied with his success, smirked and pounced forward.

“You little brat, let’s see where you can run!”

Meanwhile, Chang Le saw his brother fall to the ground, and the person with the woodcutter’s knife was about to attack him. His eyes widened with anger.

“HAO–!”

A rough and hoarse voice tore through the sky, startling the birds in the forest. Holding the parasol, Chang Le knocked down the person in front of him and rushed towards his brother in a state of frantic worry.

At the sound of that voice, both Yu Qingze and Chang Hao stared at Chang Le’s figure in astonishment.

That coarse and gritty voice just now… belonged to Chang Le?!

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

Thingyan: these people are like the aggregator sites *sigh

Finding Fault

As soon as Mi Ge’er saw them, he greeted them happily, “Boss Yu, you’ve finally come.”

Seeing Mi Ge’er’s expression, Yu Qingze knew that the porridge must have been well-received. However, he still asked, “So, how did your young master like the porridge?”

Mi Ge’er’s eyes curved with a smile as he handed over the gift box he was carrying and said, “Yesterday, we had the chef make three types of porridge—yam and red jujube glutinous rice porridge, yam and radish porridge. My young master had a bowl of each. Both my master and madam also enjoyed them. Except for the seafood porridge, my young master said it was too fishy and didn’t drink it. So, Boss Yu, I came today specially to thank you. This is a thank-you gift from my master. I hope you can visit our residence when you have free time.”

Yu Qingze initially declined and said, “Your master is too kind. If your young master enjoyed it, it’s enough. It was a small effort, nothing worth mentioning.”

Mi Ge’er directly pushed the gift box into Yu Qingze’s hands and said, “Oh, Boss Yu, just take it. It may be a small effort for you, but it means a lot to us.”

Yu Qingze held the gift box and smiled, “Then I thank your master very much!”

Seeing Yu Qingze’s generous demeanor and his respectful but confident attitude, Mi Ge’er secretly took note of it.

Yu Qingze put the gift box aside on the newly set up table and furrowed his brow. He said, “Why did your young master find the seafood porridge fishy? It should be fresh, shouldn’t it?”

Mi Ge’er nodded and replied, “Yes, it was fishy. I also found it fishy. Could it be that our chef didn’t prepare it well?”

Yu Qingze furrowed his brow and said, “It’s possible. Maybe the steps to remove the fishy taste weren’t done properly. But it’s okay, let him try a few more times, and he’ll figure it out.”

Mi Ge’er nodded again and asked, “If he can’t do it well, Boss Yu, can I bring him to seek advice from you?”

Yu Qingze nodded and said, “Of course.”

Mi Ge’er was delighted and brought back some liangpi, cold noodles, and pickled green beans and radishes.

When Yu Qingze returned home in the evening, he opened the gift box sent by the Cai family. The first box contained pastries from a famous old pastry shop in the city, and the other box contained a decent-quality ginseng root.

For rural folks, ginseng was an extremely valuable gift, but Yu Qingze had no intention of returning it. Grandfather Chang’s health wasn’t great, and according to Chang Hao, he tended to fall ill easily during the winter. It would be a good opportunity to nourish his body with the ginseng.

During these days, Yu Qingze had developed a deep respect for this sensible old man, and it reminded him of his own grandfather. The nostalgia for his grandfather made him treat this old man as if he were his own grandfather.

He shared the pastries with everyone and then handed the ginseng to Chang Le, saying, “Brother Le, take it and keep it.”

Chang Le didn’t say anything and took it into his room. Lately, Yu Qingze had been entrusting him with any extra money he earned, apart from the expenses for their business. He thought it was just for safekeeping, so he accepted it without realizing that Yu Qingze had intended to give the precious gift to his grandfather.

Two peaceful days passed without any incident. Liu’s Noodle House across the street seemed unusually calm, as if nothing had happened.

But just when Yu Qingze and the others thought that the person behind them had quieted down and given up, something unexpected happened during the busiest time of the day, at lunch.

“Oh no, there’s a worm in this noodle!” a middle-aged man exclaimed loudly while eating his cold noodles.

The customers sitting at the same table stopped eating and looked into his bowl upon hearing about the worm.

“Look, is this a worm? Right here, take a look, isn’t it?” The middle-aged man used his chopsticks to poke at the noodles, and sure enough, there was a small green worm curled up in the noodles, with some chili oil sticking to its body.

Upon seeing this, the others also confirmed it, and suddenly they couldn’t bring themselves to eat the noodles in their own bowls.

“Hey, boss, there’s a worm in your noodles! It’s not clean at all. How can we eat this? It scared me to death!” The middle-aged man slammed his chopsticks down and shouted loudly.

The middle-aged man’s outcry was so loud that the customers who were waiting in line for liangpi and liangmian heard it and rushed over. People on the surrounding streets also heard the commotion and curiously stopped to watch.

Yu Qingze and the others also heard the noise and hurried over. As sellers of food, having unclean food was a serious incident that could damage their reputation.

Approaching the scene, Chang Hao looked at the worm in the man’s bowl, scratched his head, and furrowed his brow. “Strange, we only serve liangpi and liangmian, and there are no vegetables. Where did this worm come from?”

The middle-aged man pointed at the small worm inside and said, “There’s cucumber in it, maybe it’s from the cucumber or the green beans or the scallions! You made it yourselves, who knows how it ended up with a worm! I heard that the liangmian here was delicious, so I specially came to eat, but who would have thought I’d find a worm in it? It’s truly disappointing!”

“Oh, there really is a worm! I wonder if we’ve eaten any in ours. We just slurped it down without looking carefully.”

“Yeah, the thought of eating a worm makes my stomach feel uncomfortable.”

“Look, I’ve been eating here for several days and never found a worm. Boss Yu’s place is clean.”

“It’s just a small food stall, not as clean as a proper noodle shop.”

“You’re only paying a few coins, what do you expect in terms of cleanliness? You come here for the taste, don’t you?”

“…”

The discussions among the customers grew louder, and Yu Qingze and Chang Le’s faces darkened.

Chang Hao was about to speak, but Yu Qingze pulled him back, stopping him.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

Yu Qingze looked at the middle-aged man with a apologetic expression and said, “I’m sorry, sir. I’ll replace your bowl for free.”

However, to his surprise, the middle-aged man immediately refused, saying, “No, no need. How can I eat this anymore?”

Yu Qingze apologized again, saying, “I’m sorry, let me offer you a pound of pickled green beans and a pound of pickled radish as compensation.”

But the middle-aged man waved his hand and said, “No need, who knows if there are worms in those too. I can’t trust your food anymore.”

Yu Qingze frowned. He didn’t naively think that the man would let the matter go so easily. He said, “Then, what do you suggest…”

“You should just compensate me with money! I don’t want much, just one or two silver coins.” Before Yu Qingze could finish speaking, the middle-aged man boldly demanded compensation of one or two silver coins.

“Wow! One or two silver coins!” The onlookers were all shocked, taking in a sharp breath.

It was clear that this person was deliberately causing trouble. Yu Qingze furrowed his brow and carefully examined the worm. He said, “Sir, asking for one or two silver coins is excessive. This bowl of noodles costs only five wen. Besides, the presence of this worm is not our fault.”

The middle-aged man widened his eyes and immediately retorted, “What do you mean it’s not your fault?! Hey, everyone, listen! I found a worm in their noodles. Look, the worm is still here. This boss is actually lying and saying it’s not their fault. If it’s not their fault, am I falsely accusing them?!”

The onlookers had mixed reactions, some agreeing and some shaking their heads, all watching the spectacle.

This kind of thing often happened on the streets, and they had witnessed many cases before. Whether it was true or false, intentional extortion or a genuine issue with worms, it was hard to determine. In any case, when something like this happened, the boss could only accept their misfortune.

Yu Qingze glanced at the worm in the bowl and said, “Our liangpi and cold noodles are all cooked. Cucumbers, pickled green beans, pickled radishes, and even the scallions are either sliced or diced. If it were truly our fault, the worm would have been scalded to death or cut into pieces. But look at this worm, it’s still green and intact. It definitely didn’t come from our food.”

Yu Qingze’s logical and well-supported explanation was quite persuasive, and many of the onlookers nodded in agreement, finding it reasonable.

However, the middle-aged man, seemingly caught off guard by such analysis, hesitated for a moment, then quickly responded, “Regardless, since I found the worm in your noodles, you are responsible! Pay up!”

As he spoke, he even extended his hand, demanding money.

The onlookers continued their discussion, Chang Le had been observing the middle-aged man and the bowl of noodles. During this observation, he noticed something amiss.

Seeing that Yu Qingze was about to speak to the middle-aged man, Chang Le quickly tugged at his sleeve and gestured to him.

Chang Hao immediately translated his brother’s words, saying, “Brother Yu, my brother says that the worm is still alive.”

Yu Qingze was momentarily stunned upon hearing this, then he picked up a nearby pair of chopsticks and carefully picked up the worm. He indeed saw the worm wriggle a bit and crawl onto the chopsticks, securing itself.

Yu Qingze: …

“Ah, the worm is still alive!” someone exclaimed.

The people around them started discussing again, and many began to say that this was an extortion attempt.

Yu Qingze held up the chopsticks with the worm and brought them in front of the middle-aged man, saying, “The worms from my place aren’t this resilient. They’re practically dead after being scalded with boiling water or cut with a knife. This one must be from your place, right?”

“Hahaha…” The people around couldn’t help but laugh at Yu Qingze’s words.

The middle-aged man naturally understood what Yu Qingze meant and became a little flustered. He quickly extended his left hand and swatted away the chopsticks being offered to him, saying, “Are you going to give me the money or not?!”

He was trying to be domineering. However, in an instant, his left wrist was held tightly by a slender hand.

“What are you doing?” The middle-aged man angrily turned his head and found that the person holding his wrist was the mute ger. He then shouted fiercely.

Chang Le paid no attention to him and exerted force, causing the middle-aged man to be immobilized.

Immediately, under the gaze of the crowd, Chang Le reached into the man’s left sleeve and pulled out a small cloth bundle.

Upon seeing the cloth bundle being taken out, the middle-aged man became even more agitated. He reached out, wanting to snatch it, and shouted, “What are you doing, taking my purse without permission!”

His intense reaction seemed to be a desperate attempt to cover up the truth. Chang Le pushed him away with one hand and quickly opened the cloth bundle on the table with the other hand.

Immediately, the crowd was shocked.

Inside the handkerchief, there were five or six green worms stacked together, wriggling around. These worms were clearly identical to the ones found in the bowl of noodles earlier.

“So many worms! He brought them here himself!”

“This man is so wicked! He just wanted to extort money!”

…

Upon seeing his true intentions exposed, the middle-aged man took advantage of Chang Le’s momentary distraction and used all his strength to break free from his grip. He swiftly maneuvered through the crowd and ran away.

If he didn’t run, he would probably be drowned in people’s spit.

Chang Le wanted to chase after him, but he was stopped by Yu Qingze.

Yu Qingze shook his head at Chang Le and then addressed the onlookers, “Sorry, everyone, for the scare. It was a false alarm. Please rest assured that the cold noodles and liangpi at our Yu’s Restaurant are made by ourselves and we eat them too. They are absolutely clean and hygienic. Please feel free to enjoy.”

After witnessing the whole scene, the onlookers naturally realized that the owner had been falsely accused. They echoed Yu Qingze’s words and soon resumed eating, shopping, and going about their business. The crowd dispersed shortly after.

In an old house on East Street, a middle-aged man angrily reprimanded a young man.

“What kind of people did you find? Are they brainless? They cause more trouble than they solve!” Then, the middle-aged man pointed at another man and said, “You, tomorrow, find some clever people to handle this. If things go wrong again, don’t bother coming back to see me!”

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

Translator has something to say: OMG can you spend your time researching the better cold noodle recipe instead of plotting against others? By the way, if you like farming novels, check out our new project “Busy Farming in the Last Days.”

“What’s wrong with you?” Uncle Xie had long noticed Xie Ama’s continuous glances towards Li Changfeng. Any man would immediately notice when their loved one is looking at another man! Xie Ama looked at Uncle Xie, who was sweating from working, opened his mouth, but then thought about how this matter was still a secret. It would be too…

Uncle Xie looked at Xie Ama’s hesitant appearance and felt extremely anxious. “What’s wrong? There’s nothing you can’t say. We’re all family.”

Xie Ama turned his head, avoiding Uncle Xie’s inquiring gaze. “It’s nothing, just focus on your work.” This statement made Uncle Xie annoyed. “Why pay attention to them? When I was young, I could take them down easily!”

After hearing this, Xie Ama held his breath and didn’t want to deal with this stubborn idiot in front of his!

“Ama, who is that person in the Xie family’s field?” In the field of the Xia family (village head’s family), a young and handsome boy of about fifteen or sixteen years old poured tea for his own Ama while whispering softly.

Xia Ama tilted his head and glanced at Li Changfeng a few times. “He’s a man from the Xu family in the mountains.” Xia Yu pouted; of course, he knew who Li Changfeng was. He wanted to ask about the person not far from Li Changfeng! He had never seen this person in the village.

“Xia Yu is talking about the person standing next to Li Changfeng. Speaking of which, I haven’t seen this person before!” Xia Feng, the one-year-older brother of Xia Yu, directly blurted out who his younger brother was referring to, earning a resentful glare from Xia Yu for being too talkative!

Village head, Uncle Xia, who was resting at the moment, took a puff of his cigarette and looked through the smoke towards the Xie family’s land. “Oh, that’s someone from the Lin family in town, but why is he here?”

As soon as Xia Yu heard it was the Lin family, he immediately thought of who his father was talking about. “Is it the Lin family from the pharmacy?” Xia Ama’s health hadn’t been good these past few years, and they always got medicine from Old Doctor Lin, so they were somewhat familiar.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

Seeing his father nodding, Xia Feng became confused. “But if there are so many people, why haven’t I seen Old Doctor Lin’s son?” Village head’s family paid money to avoid military service, so Xia Feng didn’t go to the barracks.

Xia Ama poked Xia Feng’s head with his hand. “Why should I have to tell you everything about other people’s families? After resting, go do some work. You study all day long. It’s good to stretch your muscles and bones now!” Xia Feng was studying in town, but during this farming season, considering the busyness of the rural household, the academy gave him a few days off, and Xia Feng came back to help.

Although Village head’s family managed to get by, sending one of their sons to study in town cost money, and another son was in the process of getting married. They were also busy with agricultural matters on a daily basis.

After being scolded by his own Ama, Xia Feng happened to catch sight of Xia Yu’s mocking gaze. “Don’t laugh at me. Didn’t you ask the same question?” Xia Yu’s face immediately turned red, and he snatched the bowl of tea from Xia Feng’s hand. “Finish drinking and then get to work! You talk too much!”

After packing up, Xia Yu intentionally took a road not far from Uncle Xie’s land to go home. As he was about to pass by the field, he couldn’t help but secretly glance again at Lin Fangliang, who was working hard. At that moment, Lin Fangliang happened to hear Uncle Xie telling them to take a break, so he wiped the sweat from his forehead and smiled at Uncle Xie, who happened to be standing in their field above. From Xia Yu’s perspective, it seemed like Lin Fangliang was specifically smiling at him.

“Oh my God! What am I thinking!” Holding his now flushed cheeks, Xia Yu quickly picked up the basket and left.

Meanwhile, on Xu Qing’s side, he had already finished making a pair of “straw shoes.” With the completion of the shoes, Xu Qing’s mood also improved, and Brother Xie felt relieved as well. “You did a great job for your first time. From now on, follow the methods I taught you to make them. If there’s anything you don’t understand, feel free to come to me.”

Xu Qing held the straw shoes he had painstakingly made and nodded vigorously. This was his first time making shoes, and it was worth commemorating! “Brother Xie, today I’ll cook a new dish for you to taste!”

Brother Xie immediately thought of the pickled vegetables and fish that Xu Qing made, and couldn’t help but praise, “You’re amazing. You come up with all these recipes. What do you want to make this time? Do you need anything?”

Xu Qing pursed his lips and pointed to the bucket that Xie Ama had placed at the gate of the courtyard. Brother Xie took a look and asked, “Fish?”

“Yes, I want to make braised fish!”

Brother Xie watched as Xu Qing skillfully descaled and cleaned a spiky fish, then made identical cuts on the head and tail of the fish. After removing the fishy line, Xu Qing used his fingernail to pull it out, enhancing the taste of the fish.

“What are you doing?” Brother Xie watched as Xu Qing directly made cuts on the entire fish, with the same number of cuts on both sides. “This helps the fish absorb the flavors better. Do you have any wine at home?” Wine can remove the fishy smell. Brother Xie nodded and brought out Uncle Xie’s wine, handing it to Xu Qing. Xu Qing rubbed some salt and wine on the fish and set it aside. “It needs to marinate for a while to enhance the flavor!”

Brother Xie truly felt enlightened. He didn’t realize fish could be prepared this way. Since the fish needed to marinate, Xu Qing and Brother Xie took the opportunity to prepare the other dishes, so they could be cooked directly later.

To prevent the fish from getting cold, Xu Qing made the fish last. By now, it was getting dark outside, and it was time for Uncle Xie and the others to return.

“Don’t let the fire be too high, or it will burn,” Xu Qing instructed Brother Xie. He poured oil into the pot and waited for it to heat up before placing the fish in. He asked Brother Xie to step back and reduce the fire to a low flame. He fried the fish until both sides turned golden brown and then transferred it to a bowl. Due to the limited conditions, Xu Qing sprinkled the seasonings directly on top of the fish and served it on the table.

“This time Brother Qing’s fish smells a bit different?” Sure enough, as soon as the dish was served, Uncle Xie’s loud voice came from the courtyard. Brother Xie took the hot water outside, and when Lin Fangliang saw that he hadn’t fully recovered, he immediately stepped forward to take it. “You’re not fully recovered yet! Let me do it! Let me!”

Brother Xie looked at the water bucket that Lin Fangliang had taken away and felt somewhat helpless. “It’s not heavy, and besides, you’re a guest. How can you do these things?”

“Guest? I’m not a guest. I’m a junior here to help! Come on, Uncle Xie, Xie Ama, I’ll fetch water for you to wash your hands!” Lin Fangliang directly brought the water to Uncle Xie and the others, being quite attentive, which made Li Changfeng roll his eyes.

In the evening, the braised fish made by Xu Qing received high praise. After dinner, Xu Qing and Li Changfeng went home first, while Lin Fangliang, who seemed to have hit it off with Uncle Xie, continued chatting with him non-stop.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

After Li Changfeng prepared the hot water for Xu Qing, he held the pair of “grass shoes” that Xu Qing made for him, playing with them affectionately. It was Xu Qing’s first time making shoes, and they were made for him! This immediately swept away Li Changfeng’s slightly depressed mood when Xu Qing had called Lin Fangliang “smashing”!

“What are you doing?!”

As soon as Xu Qing entered the room after taking a shower, he saw Li Changfeng struggling to squeeze his feet into the pair of “grass shoes” he made in the afternoon. “Don’t wear them! I made them too small!” Xu Qing hurriedly stepped forward to stop Li Changfeng, who wanted to give it a try. Seeing his slightly reddened feet, Xu Qing felt a bit guilty. Clearly, he made them in Li Changfeng’s size, so why couldn’t he put them on…

Seeing Xu Qing’s urgency, Li Changfeng had to stop, but he still put the shoes away and kept them properly. This was the first pair of shoes Xu Qing made for him.

“Wife…”

Li Changfeng’s suggestive voice reached Xu Qing’s ears. Xu Qing pushed him away, realizing that the person hugging him remained motionless. Helplessly, Xu Qing said, “After doing so much work today, aren’t you tired?”

Li Changfeng instantly brightened his eyes. “Tired or not, why don’t you try it and find out?”

Unable to bear it, Xu Qing grabbed the soft flesh around Li Changfeng’s waist with his hand and pinched it hard. He heard a suppressed and strange sound from Li Changfeng, which surprised Xu Qing. This made Xu Qing pause and experiment further. Could it be that Li Changfeng had a penchant for being submissive?

“Darling…” Li Changfeng couldn’t hold back anymore. He grabbed Xu Qing’s hand, which was ready for another round, and placed him directly on the bed.

As their eager lips made contact, both of them felt a strong tremor deep within their hearts. Perhaps it had been a few days since they last indulged in this way. The sensation made Xu Qing also feel a bit eager.

Hands tightly entwined around Li Changfeng’s neck, Xu Qing passionately responded to him, driving Li Changfeng even more crazy.

Although Xu Qing’s kisses were slightly clumsy, they completely overwhelmed Li Changfeng, who launched a direct counterattack, full of aggression. Large hands cupped Xu Qing’s face, and a long tongue entered Xu Qing’s mouth, playfully exploring the space he had opened.

“Cold…”

Feeling the absence of any obstructions on his body, Xu Qing instinctively wrapped his arms around the man in front of him. Li Changfeng’s scorching body gradually made Xu Qing lose self-awareness, and he only wanted to indulge himself wholeheartedly with this man.

“Be good… It will get hot soon…” Li Changfeng hoarsely spoke suggestive words, pulling apart Xu Qing’s arms that were embracing him and suppressing them on either side of Xu Qing’s head.

Once again, their lips met, their tongues playfully intertwining. One large hand supported Xu Qing’s slender waist, while the other vigorously fondled the two points on Xu Qing’s chest, teasing relentlessly.

Li Changfeng released Xu Qing’s slightly breathless lips and lightly bit his earlobe, then slowly moved downwards, kissing his neck, shoulders, and collarbone. Xu Qing couldn’t help but let out soft moans. When Li Changfeng felt that Xu Qing could handle him, he forcefully pierced Xu Qing’s body with the well-prepared member, causing both of them to let out a satisfied gasp simultaneously.

Xu Qing felt like he was going insane. Li Changfeng on top of him was like a wild horse running rampant, only knowing how to gallop quickly. The intense pleasure overwhelmed his rationality. He could only follow the man’s madness, climaxing time and time again, and then continuing to immerse themselves in an endless wave of pleasure.

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

Thingyan: I’m so busy these days but still try hard to push out chapters coz I knew my readers be waiting. But does anyone care? 🥺😫

Porridge Recipes

In the morning when they set up their stall, they were still somewhat worried, unsure of how the person behind the thief would react once they returned. When they passed by Liu’s Noodle House, they intentionally glanced over, but it seemed that everything was normal as usual.

Chang Le was still very concerned and kept looking over in that direction, afraid that a group of people might suddenly rush out from inside, wielding clubs to attack them.

“Brother Yu, look, he’s coming out!” Chang Hao nervously whispered to them while holding a small stool.

Yu Qingze and Chang Le turned their heads to look.

At the entrance of Liu’s Noodle House, a tall and thin middle-aged man stood there for a while, then he looked in their direction.

He was looking at them!

Chang Le and Chang Hao quickly lowered their heads, pretending to be busy, but their peripheral vision was still observing.

They saw Yu Qingze and the shop owner lock eyes for a moment, and then the owner walked towards the south.

He walked away…

The two brothers exchanged a glance, filled with admiration for Yu Qingze in their hearts.

To dare face the provocation of an adversary with ill intentions head-on, that’s what a real man does! Truly mighty!

Yu Qingze turned his head and saw the look in their eyes, but he didn’t understand. “What’s wrong?”

Both of them shook their heads, indicating that there was nothing wrong.

“…” Yu Qingze walked over to Chang Le’s side and patted his shoulder, reassuring him, “Brother Le, don’t worry, they won’t bother us.”

Chang Le gestured, indicating that even if those people tried to reason, they wouldn’t do such things.

Yu Qingze smiled and ruffled Chang Le’s hair, saying, “It’s alright. We can always switch to a different food option. I know more than just this. Don’t worry, okay?”

Perhaps it was Yu Qingze’s relaxed smile, his indifferent attitude, and his confident demeanor, but suddenly Chang Le wasn’t afraid anymore. He blushed as Yu Qingze touched his head and spoke to him with an affectionate tone, making him feel a bit embarrassed.

Why did Yu Qingze treat him like a child? He felt a little shy. He lowered his head, feeling a warm and happy sensation. After his father and mother passed away, apart from his grandfather, Yu Qingze was the first person to treat him like this.

“Xiao Hao, don’t worry either, okay?” Yu Qingze turned to comfort Chang Hao after comforting Chang Le.

Chang Hao nodded and continued arranging the small stools.

“Brother Le, what’s wrong with your face? Why are you blushing? Are you feeling hot? Since there are no customers right now, sit down and take a rest. Let me put up the sunshade. You guys have gotten a bit tanned these past few days.”

Just now, Yu Qingze unconsciously comforted Chang Le by patting his head. He had no awareness of how affectionate his actions were. He thought it was because they were hot from rushing to open the stall in the morning. He quickly made Chang Le sit by the table and prepared to put up the sunshade they had retrieved yesterday.

Chang Le quickly shook his hand, indicating that he was fine and helped to move stones to secure the sunshade.

“You sit down, I can handle it,” Yu Qingze said as he opened the sunshade and inserted it into the customized tripod. He then brought a large stone to secure it.

With three sunshades, one covering their stall and the area where they washed dishes, and the other two covering the tables and chairs, they finally didn’t have to endure the scorching sun while doing business.

Just as they finished setting up the stall, Mi Ge’er arrived carrying his food container.

These past few days, Mi Ge’er had been coming twice a day, in the morning and at noon. He always came early in the morning, and each time he would buy several portions of cold noodles and liangpi. He had become a loyal customer of the snack stall, and Yu Qingze and the others recognized him.

“Mi Ge’er, you’re here early today. We just finished setting up,” Chang Hao greeted Mi Ge’er warmly when he saw him.

Mi Ge’er smiled and said, “I wanted to be the first one to buy. Boss Yu, I’ll have a small portion of liangpi, two medium portions of liangpi, two medium portions of cold noodles, and a pound of pickled radish.”

“Sure, please wait a moment,” Yu Qingze replied and started cooking the noodles.

Chang Hao continued chatting with Mi Ge’er, “Mi Ge’er, you’ve been coming here for several days in a row, right?”

Mi Ge’er nodded and said, “Yes, your food tastes great. My second young master at home is not interested in anything else except your food. We finally found something he’s interested in, and we hope he can eat more of it.”

After a few days of chatting, Yu Qingze had gained some understanding of Mi Ge’er’s second young master. He knew that the young master rarely ate anything, so he frowned and asked, “Mi Ge’er, if your second young master eats very little, does he also have a weak stomach?”

Mi Ge’er nodded, “Yes, the doctor said he’s weak.”

Yu Qingze said, “In that case, it’s better for your second young master to avoid eating cold noodles and liangpi. With a weak stomach, it’s not advisable to consume raw, cold, and hard food. Even if he eats very little, it might upset his stomach. It’s best for him to drink some nourishing porridge and soups every day to adjust his stomach and gradually recover a normal diet.”

Mi Ge’er frowned with worry, saying, “But the second young master has high requirements when it comes to food. If the taste isn’t good, he won’t eat it. Our family’s chef has tried many delicious dishes, including porridge, and we have searched the entire county for tasty options, but nothing seems to suit his taste. Since spring started this year, he has only shown interest in your cold noodles and liangpi.”

“How do you prepare the food at your home?” Yu Qingze asked.

Mi Ge’er briefly described their cuisine.

Understanding the situation, Yu Qingze had previously visited the most famous restaurant in the county and knew that the culinary development during this era was limited, and the taste was not particularly impressive. When faced with someone as picky as Mi Ge’er’s second young master, it was natural that these dishes failed to attract him.

Yu Qingze said, “Let me teach you a few recipes for stomach-nourishing porridge. You can ask your family’s chef to try making them.”

Mi Ge’er’s eyes lit up, and he eagerly agreed, “Okay, please tell me.” They wouldn’t pass up any opportunity for fresh and appealing food, even if there was only a glimmer of hope.

Yu Qingze explained several common stomach-nourishing porridge recipes and also shared a few savory porridge recipes with good flavors.

Mi Ge’er became overwhelmed and hurriedly said, “Wait, wait, boss, I can’t remember so much at once.”

Yu Qingze also felt helpless and said, “Go get some paper and a pen, and I’ll write them down for you.”

“Alright, I’ll go right away,” Mi Ge’er swiftly ran off. After a while, he returned with a set of writing materials, skillfully prepared the paper, and ground the ink.

Yu Qingze sat at the small table and didn’t use the brush Mi Ge’er had bought. Instead, he dipped a bamboo stick into the ink and swiftly wrote down the ingredients and procedures for several porridge recipes.

He wrote down recipes for yam and red jujube glutinous rice porridge, eight treasures porridge, mung bean and yam lotus seed porridge, lotus seed and fox nut porridge, seafood porridge, boat congee, salted pork bone and dried vegetable porridge, yam and radish porridge. There were both savory and sweet options, and he was sure that one of them would catch the interest of Mi Ge’er’s second young master.

After finishing writing, Yu Qingze reminded, “Make sure he doesn’t eat cold noodles and liangpi anymore. It’s not good for someone with a weak body and stomach. If there’s anything you don’t know how to make, come and find me.”

Grateful, Mi Ge’er left with his food container and the porridge recipes.

After Mi Ge’er left, Chang Hao asked curiously, “Brother Yu, why did you teach Mi Ge’er how to make porridge? If you made it and sold it, it would surely be popular.” The young boy had full confidence in Yu Qingze’s culinary skills!

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

Yu Qingze smiled and said, “Just forming a good relationship.”

Mi Ge’er, as the personal servant of Cai’s Second Young Master, dressed more elegantly and meticulously than most people on the street, indicating the wealth and status of his master’s family.

For now, he had only provided a few recipes, but if he could be of help and form a good relationship, who knows when it might come in handy in the future?

Besides, with the rich and diverse culinary culture of Greater China, there were countless recipes in his mind. He had plenty to share!

Throughout the day, Mi Ge’er didn’t appear again, and Liu’s Noodle House across the street was also quiet. Constant worry started to ease for Chang Le, at least by half.

However, they did notice that many villagers came by to see if their snack stall was really doing well. Once they witnessed it firsthand, they were astonished to see how successful it had become!

Amidst their surprise, some people began to feel envious, including Chang Le’s uncle, Wen Li.

Upon returning home, even before their seats had a chance to warm up, Wen Li approached, inquiring about the recipes for cold noodles, liangpi, pickled beans, and pickled radishes. He also asked how much money they were making in a day.

Both Chang Le and Chang Hao ignored him, sitting at the table, taking a rest, and practicing writing on a sandalwood tray.

Not only the two brothers, but even Yu Qingze could no longer maintain a polite facade.

It was ultimately Grandpa Chang’s words that shut him up.

“Why ask so many questions? If you want to make money, figure it out yourself. Why should Aze tell you his secret recipes?!”

Wen Li couldn’t bear losing face and complained to Grandpa Chang, “Father, you shouldn’t be so biased. Chang Sheng is your son too. If there’s a way to make money, you shouldn’t only focus on your eldest son’s side. We have a whole family to support!”

*(T/N: Grandpa Chang has two sons: one is the father of Chang Le and Chang Hao and the other is Chang Sheng. Wen Li is married to this Chang Sheng).

Grandpa Chang didn’t even look at him, tapped his pipe against his hand, and said, “You better put away those scheming thoughts of yours. The money-making ideas are all thought of by Aze, and the business belongs to Aze.”

In other words, it had nothing to do with the Chang family! So stop prying around randomly!

Wen Li heard the words and knew that he couldn’t pry anything out of Grandpa Chang. He turned his eyes and went to ask Yu Qingze, “Um, Aze, I see that your snack stall is so busy, and the three of you can’t handle it at all. Brother Le can’t talk and can’t greet customers. What do you think? Do you need an assistant? I can ask my son, Brother Yue, to help you. Don’t worry, Brother Yue is very clever, he can handle customers and handle money at the same time, he’s very diligent.”

Upon hearing this, Chang Hao rolled his eyes. If Brother Yue was considered diligent, then there wouldn’t be a lazy person in the whole village!

Chang Le glanced at his younger brother and patted him. Chang Hao helplessly lowered his head and continued writing.

Their small actions were noticed by Yu Qingze, who was sitting next to them, and he understood a few things.

He didn’t want to get involved in the conversation, but the belittlement of Chang Le by Wen Li’s words made him very uncomfortable. So what if he couldn’t speak? He still liked him just the same!

He originally wanted to retort directly, but after all, he was Chang Le’s uncle, so he had to say, “Uncle, it’s a small business, I really can’t afford to hire anyone.”

Wen Li paused for a moment and said, “Aze, you’re being too formal. Brother Yue is just going to help you, no need for wages. We’re all so familiar with each other, talking about money would just ruin the relationship, right?”

Yu Qingze replied seriously, “But talking about relationships can hurt money.”

Upon hearing this, Chang Hao shrugged his shoulders, and his writing hand trembled a bit. Chang Le’s mouth curved up.

These two little troublemakers. Yu Qingze felt helpless when he saw their expressions.

Wen Li was stunned for a moment, not knowing how to respond to that statement.

Grandpa Chang waved his hand impatiently and said, “Alright, hurry back, no need to cook?”

“Uh, no, um, Aze, please consider it again, we really don’t want any wages…”

Wen Li wanted to say more, but Grandpa Chang waved his hand and chased him away.

“Go back, go back, I already said we’re not hiring. And, make sure Brother Yue works harder in the future, don’t laze around all day, let’s see who would be willing to marry him!”

Wen Li sighed in disappointment as his purpose was not achieved, and he walked away.

Once he was far enough from the gate, Chang Le and Chang Hao couldn’t hold back and burst into laughter.

“Talking about relationships can hurt money!” Chang Hao imitated Yu Qingze’s expression with a straight face and then happily asked, “Brother, did you see Uncle’s expression? He was all stunned! Hahaha…”

Yu Qingze couldn’t help but laugh too. He poked Chang Hao’s forehead and jokingly scolded, “You little rascal! Finish writing and then do your marching!”

“Okay!” The little rascal grinned and went into the courtyard to do his marching.

Grandpa Chang let out a sigh and apologized, “Aze, I’ve caused you trouble.”

Yu Qingze replied, “It’s no trouble, Grandpa. Don’t worry, I understand.”

Grandpa Chang said, “That’s good. Actually, in the afternoon, several villagers came and asked about it, curious about the situation, but I managed to turn them away.”

“Thank you, Grandpa.” The villagers’ curiosity was within Yu Qingze’s expectations. He said, “The business of cold noodles and liangpi depends on the season. At most, we can do it until September. When the weather gets colder, not many people will eat it.”

Grandpa Chang was momentarily startled, but then he understood and asked, “What about after that?”

Chang Le also looked up at Yu Qingze upon hearing this.

Yu Qingze smiled and said, “No worries, by then I’ll have other ways to make money.”

Upon hearing these words, the grandfather and grandsons felt relieved.

The next morning, when Yu Qingze and his companions arrived at Beida Street, they saw Mi Ge’er waiting for them.

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

Li Changfeng didn’t get to eat the meat he desired that day, and it wasn’t just that day. For the following three or four days, he didn’t have a chance to eat Xu Qing. On the first day, Xu Qing was upset with Li Changfeng for making a decision without his agreement. In the subsequent days, they were busy with spring plowing!

The next morning, the sun rose early, illuminating the entire village and the land. The grass and trees, nourished by two days of rain, swayed their bodies in the wind, nodding at the people who had already begun working in the fields. Li Changfeng went out early in the morning. With a large piece of land and just the two of them, they couldn’t finish the work alone. Fortunately, Uncle Xie had joined Li Changfeng to help in the fields early on, and Xu Qing began preparing breakfast.

“Brother Qing, are you here? Are you plowing today? Fangliang and I have come to help, so you two will have an easier time!” Second Wei brought Lin Fangliang to Xu Qing’s house and happened to see Xu Qing washing vegetables.

“Wei Second Brother, Fangliang, I won’t be polite then. Changfeng and the others are over there, look, just right there!” Xu Qing was certainly not going to be polite. With more people working on the spring plowing, the work would be done faster, and the timing for planting would be just right.

“They? Who else came this early?”

Lin Fangliang immediately caught the “they” in Xu Qing’s words, and he sensibly felt that the person Xu Qing was referring to was Uncle Xie!

“It’s Uncle Xie. He came early in the morning and said he would help us plant first and then tend to his own crops.” After hearing this, Lin Fangliang practically dragged Second Wei and ran towards the fields. Uncle Xie was his future father-in-law! He had to make a good impression!

“This young man is really something…”

Xu Qing had never seen Lin Fangliang in this manner before, finding it somewhat amusing. There was also a hint of anticipation, wondering if Lin Fangliang could capture Brother Xie’s heart.

“Young man, you work with such vigor! Just like me when I was young!” Just as Xu Qing was placing breakfast on the table, he heard Uncle Xie’s hearty voice.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

“Not at all, it’s also because I see Uncle Xie in a good mood! It fills me with energy to work!” There’s no need to say it, but it’s Lin Fangliang’s voice. It sounds like they’re getting along well.

“Come on, let’s wash our hands and have a meal!” Xu Qing called out to everyone, then approached Li Changfeng. “How’s it going?”

Li Changfeng vigorously washed the dirt off his hands. “With more people, the work gets done faster. Plus, I had done some preparations earlier, so I estimate it will take two more days to finish planting!” Xu Qing rolled his eyes internally. “I was talking about them!” Li Changfeng followed Xu Qing’s gaze and saw Lin Fangliang and Uncle Xie, who were even talking while washing their hands together.

“That kid is quite clever! Uncle Xie has already agreed to finish our work first and then let him help at his own place.”

After hearing this, Xu Qing couldn’t help but give Lin Fangliang a thumbs up in his heart. Indeed, he came from a business background. Although it was a pharmacy/clinic, he was quite astute!

“Let’s have a meal. Spring plowing is no easy task.”

Due to the large number of people, Xu Qing’s fields were prepared in just two days. On the third morning, everyone helped to transplant all the seedlings from Xu Qing’s backyard to the field. In the meantime, Li Changfeng went to the market and bought some vegetable seeds. They made good use of the land and were pleasantly surprised to find soybeans there. However, people usually grew them to feed pigs. So, following Xu Qing’s decision, besides vegetables, they mostly planted soybeans on the land.

“Changfeng, do you think I look fine in this outfit?”

After finishing lunch at Xu’s house, Lin Fangliang deliberately ran back to Second Wei’s house to change clothes. He then went to Xu Qing’s house, where Li Changfeng hadn’t left yet, to get his opinion on his attire. Second Wei’s family was busy with spring plowing, so he stayed at home in the afternoon.

Knowing that he would be doing farm work in the afternoon, Lin Fangliang deliberately chose a shorter outfit that made him look spirited and handsome. “Good! Smashing!” Xu Qing felt more and more that Brother Xie and Lin Fangliang made a perfect match. Li Changfeng immediately stood in front of Lin Fangliang, who didn’t quite understand what Xu Qing meant by “smashing,” blocking Xu Qing’s line of sight. “What are you standing there for? Let’s go!”

In the past few days, Brother Xie’s health had gradually recovered, and now he could help out a little for Uncle Xie.

“Today, Little Doctor Lin is coming to our house to help. I specifically had your father bring back some pork. I’ll go catch a few fish as well. We should entertain him well tonight. He saved your father’s leg back then, and now he has saved you. We mustn’t neglect him!”

Although Xie Ama didn’t quite understand why a young doctor from the town would come to work on a farm, the thought of the favor their family owed to Lin Fangliang occupied his mind, and he was determined to find a way to repay him.

Brother Xie sat on the side, mending his shoes, quietly listening to Xie Ama’s words. “That’s true. We don’t have much to offer as a farmer’s family. The thought counts.”

At this time, they heard voices by the courtyard gate. Xie Ama knew it was Xu Qing and the others arriving. “They’re here! They’re here!”

Xu Qing greeted Xie Ama as he opened the door. “Hello, Xie Ama,” Li Changfeng followed with a greeting. Only Lin Fangliang, upon reaching the courtyard gate of Xie’s house, became visibly excited. After all, his beloved, Brother Xie, was just a wall away!

“Hello, Xie Ama!” Lin Fangliang’s slightly excited voice reached Brother Xie’s ears. This person is quite interesting.

” Hello, Dr. Lin! Come in, come in!” Xie Ama saw that Lin Fangliang was indeed as generous and natural as Uncle Xie had described. He relaxed his mood and welcomed Xu Qing and the others inside. “You can just call me Fangliang, Xie Ama. This is a little snack I bought. Please take it.”

Xie Ama hadn’t expected that not only did Lin Fangliang come to work at their farm, but he also brought gifts. This was a bit too enthusiastic! As Xie Ama looked at Lin Fangliang with a doubtful gaze, he indeed noticed that this kid’s eyes kept glancing towards the place where Brother Xie was.

Realizing this, Xie Ama was somewhat shocked. Could this Dr. Lin have feelings for their son…?

When Xu Qing noticed that Xie Ama’s expression wasn’t right, he immediately stepped forward to support him and handed the thing that Lin Fangliang had extended to Xie Ama. “Xie Ama, where is Uncle Xie? Did he go to the fields?”

Xie Ama looked at the item in his hand and then glanced at Xu Qing, having a clear understanding. “He went to the fields. He’s an impatient person and couldn’t wait. After eating at your place and returning, he left.”

Li Changfeng quickly asked for the specific location, then grabbed the hoe and pulled the still slightly distracted Lin Fangliang along. If he wanted to win over his beloved, he had to win the approval of his beloved’s father!

Xie Ama stopped Xu Qing, who wanted to follow them. “You don’t have to go. You’re good at cooking. I’ll leave this afternoon’s meal to you. Xiao Yu is in the main hall, so you can keep him company and have a chat. I’ll go and get some fish.”

Xu Qing had no choice but to agree. It’s not that he couldn’t do the work, but compared to Li Changfeng and the others, he was as slow as a turtle.

“Ah, you’re here? I haven’t been able to help with your spring farming these past few days. I’m really sorry.” Brother Xie pulled out a chair for Xu Qing to sit on, his slightly rosy cheeks accompanied by a smile as refreshing as the rain.

“Don’t worry about it. Uncle Xie said that you’ve recovered well.” Xu Qing took the neatly mended straw shoes from Brother Xie and examined them while expressing concern for his well-being.

Brother Xie nodded and, seeing Xu Qing’s interest in the shoes, asked, “Do you want me to make a pair for Li Changfeng?” After all, Xie Ama had mentioned that Xu Qing wasn’t skilled in embroidery and other similar activities.

Xu Qing was pleasantly surprised. “Can I do it too?” Making a pair of shoes for his husband sounded like a good idea.

“Of course, it’s quite simple. I’ll teach you,” Brother Xie said with a playful smile and began teaching Xu Qing how to make shoes for the first time. Xu Qing was filled with excitement. Grass shoes were light, delicate, economical, and practical. They were worn by farmers when going up the mountain to chop firewood or working in the fields, protecting their feet. They were lightweight, comfortable to wear, and cost-effective. Families with some craftsmanship would make them. However, the level of craftsmanship and durability varied. People used grass shoes for various activities, such as pole pushing and boating.

But don’t be fooled by the simple appearance of grass shoes; their production involved intricate and meticulous craftsmanship. Xu Qing originally thought he could finish making a pair of grass shoes in no time, but it took him an hour and a half and he still hadn’t completed a single shoe. Meanwhile, Xie Ama had already caught the fish and put them away, and then he went out to find some vegetables.

“Be careful, don’t make it too loose. If the grass shoes are made that way, they won’t be sturdy and won’t last long.” Xu Qing listened to Brother Xie’s guidance while continuously fiddling with the grass shoes that were miles apart in terms of craftsmanship compared to the ones made by Brother Xie. “Like this?” Xu Qing handed the grass shoes he made according to Brother Xie’s instructions for inspection. His eyes were filled with satisfaction. He had made them bit by bit himself, no matter how ugly they were, he thought they were the most beautiful.

Brother Xie took the grass shoes made by Xu Qing and couldn’t help but suppress a laugh. Looking at the appearance of the shoes and then at Xu Qing, who had a satisfied expression on his face, he really couldn’t give an evaluation.

In the fields of Xie family, Xie Ama occasionally glanced at Lin Fangliang who was working hard. As an experienced person, he naturally understood the meaning behind Lin Fangliang’s gaze. However, when he thought about Lin Fangliang’s family and what Brother Xie had gone through, Xie Ama didn’t want to discuss whether the two were a good match. He didn’t want Brother Xie to marry someone who was so far away from him.

Moreover, Lin Fangliang’s family was in town, and the Ma family was also in town. If the two of them were to meet on the street, who knew if others would gossip.

“Hey, is Xie Ama looking at me?” Lin Fangliang occasionally felt Xie Ama’s gaze directed towards him and Li Changfeng. More specifically, it seemed that Xie Ama was looking at him!

Li Changfeng naturally felt Xie Ama’s eyes as well. “Maybe. At this time, if you don’t perform well, you’ll miss a great opportunity! I’ll give you this field for the sake of giving you a chance. I’ll go to the one below.”

“Li Changfeng!” Lin Fangliang looked at Li Changfeng’s figure as he walked away with the hoe, and could only scream inwardly. This field they were in was the largest and longest one in Xie’s family, nearly twice the size of the one Li Changfeng went to! This heartless guy! He wanted to make a good impression, but he didn’t want to be undermined by someone!

Li Changfeng dug the field vigorously. These past few days, he didn’t have a chance to be intimate with Xu Qing. He endured it. But that guy Lin Fangliang, dressed so flamboyantly, made his wife say he was “smashing!” Xu Qing had explained to him what “smashing” meant, and he had never said that about himself. Today, Lin Fangliang got lucky! He, Li Changfeng, wasn’t a generous person!

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

Thingyan: lololol Li Changfeng, so mean. Poor little Dr Lin. Life isn’t fair 🤣🤣🤣

Peering

The popularity of the snack stall made the surrounding street vendors extremely envious, especially the owners of several large noodle shops. They sent people to buy cold noodles and liangpi to study the recipes, preparing to introduce them in their own shops.

How could they miss such a profitable opportunity with such popular noodle dishes!

In Wang’s Noodle Shop, the owner, Boss Wang, had just made a bowl of cold noodles. This bowl of cold noodles also had cucumber strips, pickled green beans, and diced radish, which were purchased from Yu’s Delicious Delights. From the appearance alone, this bowl of cold noodles was no different from Yu Ji’s.

Boss Wang asked his wife, “How is it? How does it taste?”

His wife swallowed the noodles in his mouth and shook his head, saying, “It doesn’t have their fragrance. I think it’s because of the chili oil. Their chili oil has a special aroma, besides sesame and peanuts, there are other things in it.”

Boss Wang frowned. He had specifically gone to Yu’s stall before to see their chili oil, but he could only see chili powder, sesame, and peanuts. He didn’t see any other ingredients, and they couldn’t taste them either.

This was troublesome.

“What about the recipe for liangpi and pickled green beans and radish?” Boss Wang asked again.

His wife shook his head and answered, “Liangpi is probably made from flour, but we don’t know the recipe. As for the pickled green beans and radish, they might be soaked in vinegar. We tried soaking some green beans, but the taste wasn’t right, and the color was off.”

“If only we knew their preparation methods, or if we could just watch them make it,” Boss Wang muttered to himself.

His wife said, “It’s their secret recipe. How could they let you see it?”

After discussing and studying for a while, the result was that they hadn’t made any progress yet, which left Boss Wang and his wife extremely frustrated.

Similarly, the same situation was unfolding in the kitchen of Liu’s Noodle Shop. However, the atmosphere here was evidently more tense, mainly due to the temperamental and stubborn owner, Boss Liu.

The occupancy rate of the noodle shop today was even lower than yesterday, while the business of the snack stall across the street, after these few days, was not declining but rising. This made Boss Liu, who had been making noodles for more than 20 years and used to look down on others, extremely frustrated.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

Especially since he prided himself on knowing every noodle-making technique during this prosperous era, but now he was stumped by this plate of liangpi in front of him!

Liangpi looked soft and smooth, with excellent elasticity, but it lacked that chewy texture. It had a delicate and refreshing mouthfeel, but it didn’t have the slightly yellow color and rich aroma of noodles!

But there was no doubt that it was indeed a type of noodle dish.

So, how on earth was this thing made?

Boss Liu was almost going to stare holes into that plate of liangpi.

In the kitchen, Boss Liu’s two apprentices, who were also his sons, dared not make a sound and silently made noodles. They were more cautious than usual, afraid of being scolded by their father.

Boss Liu stared at the plate of liangpi with a dark face for a long time. Suddenly, he stood up and left quietly.

On the street.

Yu Qingze looked at the tall and thin middle-aged man in front of him and asked, “Sir, would you like to have cold noodles or liangpi, or do you want to buy pickled green beans or pickled radish?”

This person had been standing by the stall, staring for a long time, neither eating nor buying anything. Yu Qingze didn’t know what he wanted.

The middle-aged man paused for a moment upon hearing the question, then his face turned dark. Without saying anything, he hurriedly walked away.

Yu Qingze: … Strange person.

Yu Qingze didn’t pay any more attention to him. The noodles in the pot were cooked, so he quickly scooped them out and rinsed them. At that moment, someone tugged at the corner of his clothes. He turned around and saw Chang Le pointing to the side, indicating for him to look.

Yu Qingze followed his finger and saw the middle-aged man who had just entered the Liu’s Noodle Shop across the street.

Liu’s Noodle Shop?

Yu Qingze raised an eyebrow, wondering if he had encountered a fellow in the same trade.

Chang Le made a gesture.

Yu Qingze guessed that Chang Le had also realized that they were in the same trade and was worried about any trouble. He shook his head and reassured him, “It’s fine. He probably just came to see how liangpi is made. We rely on our skills to make a living and aren’t afraid of competition.”

Chang Le felt slightly relieved upon hearing this and went back to work.

Yu Qingze frowned slightly as he thought about the expression on the middle-aged man’s face earlier.

He had encountered competition from peers before, both good and bad. He welcomed and wasn’t afraid of healthy competition, but he was wary of those who played dirty tricks behind the scenes.

Especially in this unfamiliar world, where he had no backing and didn’t know whether the local authorities were clean or corrupt. He could only be cautious in his actions.

He had these thoughts, but little did he know that they would encounter trouble when they returned home in the afternoon.

They closed their stall early in the afternoon, and as they entered the village, they saw a group of people standing in the courtyard of their home. They weren’t sure if something had happened to their grandpa, so they hurried back.

When they arrived home, they saw a young man tied up in the middle of the courtyard, and Grandpa Chang was sitting on a chair, looking angry and staring at the young man intently.

“Grandpa, what happened?” Chang Hao asked.

Grandpa Chang saw them return and said, “This person came to steal liangpi. He sneaked around in the kitchen and ran away when I discovered him. Later, he was caught by Dahe, who happened to pass by.”

“Steal liangpi?” Yu Qingze was momentarily stunned. Stealing money or food was one thing, but stealing liangpi?

Grandpa Chang nodded and bent down to pick up a bag from the ground. He said, “Take a look, isn’t this all liangpi inside?”

Yu Qingze glanced into the bag and indeed saw that it was filled with liangpi. He looked at the young man. This thief…

The villagers were not aware of the craze for liangpi in Tongshan City, they only saw that there were many of them being sun-dried in Chang Le’s yard. Someone asked, “What’s so good about this liangpi to steal?”

Previously, Chang Hao had explained to the villagers that liangpi was a type of food similar to noodles, made by Yu Qingze and sold by their family. When the villagers heard that it was similar to noodles, some of them even requested some to take home and cook, but it didn’t taste like anything and wasn’t as delicious as noodles, so not many people were interested.

One of the villagers recalled the rumors they heard when they went to the city to sell vegetables in the past few days and exclaimed, “Ah, I remember now! There’s a new food called ‘cold noodles and liangpi’ in the city, they say it’s delicious. Could it be the same thing?”

“I’ve heard about it too, they say it’s on the North Street. Aze, could it be the same thing you’re making?” another villager asked.

Yu Qingze nodded and said, “Yes, it’s the same.”

“Oh, so it’s this! How is it? Is it really delicious? I had it before, but it didn’t have much flavor and wasn’t as tasty as noodles.”

“The people in the city really enjoy eating it. I was planning to go and try it, but the weather has been too hot, so I didn’t go.”

“Is it profitable?”

“With so many people enjoying it, it must be profitable.”

…

The villagers began discussing and their attention shifted to whether liangpi was tasty and profitable.

“Why did you steal liangpi? Who sent you? How did you know we lived here? How long have you been tracking us?” Yu Qingze squatted in front of the thief, staring into his eyes and questioning.

The thief’s eyes darted around, too afraid to meet Yu Qingze’s gaze. Surrounded by so many people, he wished he could curl up into a ball. In a stuttering voice, he said, “N-No one sent me. I s-saw that your business was good and wanted to take some back to sell myself.”

“Oh? Is that so? Then why do I often see you entering and leaving the noodle restaurant on North Street?” Yu Qingze said casually, trying to bluff him.

Upon hearing the words “North Street” and “noodle restaurant,” the thief’s eyes visibly panicked. He stammered, “Wh-What noodle restaurant? I was just on North Street, saw that your business was good, and wanted to sell them myself to make some money.”

It was obvious that he was trying to cover up the truth, and Yu Qingze saw through it. He reached out and grabbed the thief’s neck, exerting pressure on his carotid artery. With a fierce expression, he asked, “How did your boss instruct you? To steal liangpi? To observe the process of making liangpi? Did he also want to know how I make my chili oil?”

Yu Qingze applied considerable force, choking the thief, whose face turned red within moments. His breathing became labored, and he started wheezing heavily.

The other villagers who were discussing the matter were taken aback by Yu Qingze’s sudden ferocious demeanor and fell silent. They had grown accustomed to seeing him as easygoing and friendly, forgetting that he was skilled in martial arts.

Even Chang Le and Chang Hao were momentarily stunned. They were used to seeing the affable and smiling Brother Yu, but it was their first time witnessing his forceful and aggressive side. Even when they apprehended the cattle thief last time, Brother Yu had caught him with a smile.

However, their fear did not make them afraid of Yu Qingze. Instead, they became even more convinced of his abilities and respected him. This was how one should deal with malevolent individuals!

“Speak!” Yu Qingze roared, increasing the pressure in his grip.

The thief, who was not a professional, was already panicking, and now with his neck being squeezed, he could barely breathe. He trembled and said, “I-I’ll talk.”

Yu Qingze loosened his grip and said, “Speak! Who sent you?”

The thief took a couple of breaths, his gaze wandering, and in a hesitant tone, he said, “It’s… it’s the owner of Liu’s Noodle Restaurant.”

Liu’s Noodle Restaurant?

A flash of the middle-aged man’s face crossed Yu Qingze’s mind, and he furrowed his brow.

“Liu? Are you sure?” Yu Qingze patted the thief’s face and asked.

The thief immediately wore a mournful expression and said, “Big brother, how could I forget my own boss? I’m in this state now, please spare me. I was just following orders, I had no choice. If I didn’t come, he would have fired me. I have a family to support, and if I can’t earn money, we’ll have to go hungry…”

“Enough, enough. There’s a limit to nonsense,” Yu Qingze impatiently interrupted the thief’s rehearsed words and stood up.

The village chief, naturally present during such a major incident in the village, asked Yu Qingze, “What do you plan to do with this thief?”

“Village chief, how do we usually handle thieves like this in the village? It’s not a serious crime like stealing cattle, and the stolen goods are not worth much. Should we report it to the authorities? How do the authorities handle such cases?” Yu Qingze, unaware of the local procedures, decided to ask the village chief first.

The village chief replied, “Normally, we would report it to the authorities, and the thief would receive a beating as punishment.”

“Do they get imprisoned as well?”

“It depends on the value of the stolen goods,” the village chief answered. “In this case, the stolen liangpi is worth less than 100 wen.”

Yu Qingze took a look and said, “I see.”

“Then it’s a beating.”

Yu Qingze glanced at the thief and noticed that the mention of reporting to the authorities didn’t elicit much reaction from him. It seemed that he wasn’t afraid of being handed over to the authorities. Yu Qingze said, “Hang him on a tree overnight!”

Grandpa Chang asked, “Aren’t we reporting him to the authorities?”

Yu Qingze frowned, weighing the pros and cons. After some consideration, he shook his head and said, “No, let’s handle it privately.”

Considering that the thief had been able to run a shop on the bustling North Street for so many years, there were likely some connections behind him. Judging from the thief’s reaction earlier, reporting him to the authorities might not benefit Yu Qingze much. It would only completely offend the people behind him, and it could lead to continuous trouble if he wanted to open a shop in the city in the future. It would be better to teach the thief a lesson and use it as an opportunity to send a message to the person behind him, letting them know that Yu Qingze was aware of their involvement. As long as the person wasn’t extremely ruthless, they would likely be more cautious.

The next morning, the beaten and mosquito-bitten thief crawled out of Niu Tou Village, his body covered in bruises.

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

Old Doctor Lin glanced at Lin Fangliang, who appeared anxious, and decided to say no more. “Go, go,” he urged.

Second Wei and Li Changfeng finished the remaining wine in equal measure, showing no signs of being intoxicated. Xu Qing took Li Changfeng’s wine cup and sniffed it, confirming that the alcohol content was indeed low. Seeing Xu Qing’s interest, Second Wei, who was enjoying the spiny fish, thought he wanted to have a sip. “Brother Qing, you should have told me earlier. I would have saved some for you!”

During the dinner, Xu Qing had become acquainted with Second Wei. In just one meal, Second Wei was already calling him “brother,” which felt pleasant. Xu Qing had no living relatives, so he wasn’t concerned about gossip. Moreover, Li Changfeng and Second Wei were good friends, so it was natural for Second Wei to address him as “brother.”

Xu Qing placed the wine cup back on the table, pushed it towards Li Changfeng, who was observing him, and shook his head at Second Wei. “No, I just wanted to know how it smells, whether it’s strong or not.”

Second Wei slapped his thigh and burst into laughter. “This wine isn’t that strong, it’s diluted with water to set the mood!” Li Changfeng nodded in agreement.

“Diluted with water? How do you know? Then why do people still buy it?” Xu Qing inquired.

Li Changfeng replied, “Because people can’t afford to eat after paying taxes and buying grains. What else can they use to make wine? The wine sold in this market is considered decent quality, even if it’s mixed with water. Just like what Second Brother Wei said, go ahead, give it a try.” Before Xu Qing could ask further, a rather familiar voice interrupted their conversation.

As Xu Qing and the others turned their heads, they spotted Lin Fangliang standing on the eaves of the main room. He was carrying a load of stuff and some food in his hands, wearing a smile on his face. “Uncle Li, who drives the donkey cart, showed me the way. The courtyard gate was open, and it’s just in time for lunch. I heard Second Brother Wei’s voice, so I came in. I apologize for the intrusion,” he greeted them.

Xu Qing was genuinely surprised by Lin Fangliang’s prompt arrival. Although Li Changfeng was taken aback, he didn’t show it. He knew that this kid couldn’t wait for long.

Lin Fangliang handed over the food he bought to Xu Qing, calmly took a seat at the dining table, and looked at the contents of Second Wei’s bowl with great interest. “What are you staring at? Brother Qing is my brother now! I came to congratulate them on their wedding.”

Xu Qing went to the kitchen and fetched a few bowls, pouring all the food brought by Lin Fangliang into them. He placed the bowls on the table. “The dishes are still hot, so let’s eat quickly. I’ll cook a proper meal next time.”

Lin Fangliang had already started eating the boiled fish and found it delicious. He had a preference for strong flavors and never expected this spiny fish to be so flavorful. “Okay! Can I have this again?”

Second Wei chuckled. “You, young man, just like me, enjoy strong flavors! It’s delicious! I’ll have my fiancée try making it when I go back, so we can save some money on meat in the future!”

“Then I’ll teach you how to make it. Just follow my instructions, and it’s easy,” Xu Qing openly shared the method of cooking fish. He wanted to build more connections within the village for future woodworking projects. Besides, this dish required only basic boiling techniques, but not every household had access to peppers to replicate the exact flavor.

While Xu Qing was explaining the process of boiling fish, Li Changfeng couldn’t help but focus on a large piece of baggage that Lin Fangliang had placed on the stool. He narrowed his eyes slightly, sensing that this kid seemed to be planning to stay here permanently. The thought made Li Changfeng feel uneasy, especially when he realized he would be banned from night “activities” for the next two days. Why did he invite Lin Fangliang to come and stay in the first place?

While Lin Fangliang listened to Xu Qing explaining the method of cooking the spiny fish, he couldn’t shake off the feeling that Li Changfeng’s gloomy gaze was directed at him. He quickly turned around and asked Li Changfeng what was going on. Dealing with Li Changfeng was always challenging; this guy had a dark and scheming nature.

Li Changfeng, preoccupied with his disrupted night activities, glared at Lin Fangliang, hoping his friend would understand the unspoken message. However, Lin Fangliang remained oblivious to the meaning behind Li Changfeng’s gaze. After Xu Qing and Second Wei finished their discussion, they noticed Li Changfeng and Lin Fangliang exchanging what seemed to be affectionate looks.

“What are you two up to?” Second Wei, straightforward as always, asked directly. Xu Qing remained silent, but his unfriendly gaze towards Li Changfeng was evident. Even though it was just a glance, Li Changfeng felt a sense of discomfort in his heart.

Lin Fangliang and Li Changfeng quickly averted their eyes. Li Changfeng noticed Second Wei’s curiosity and his eyes brightened slightly. “Well, Liangfeng and I were discussing that he wants to stay at your house for a few days. I don’t know if you’re willing or not.” The second Wei family only consisted of one older brother, Wei Ama, and Uncle Wei, so it would be more convenient than staying with them, and there would be no room for gossip.

Lin Fangliang was about to object, but he remembered what he heard when he asked around on his way here. The Xu family’s house was located very close to Brother Xie’s house, whereas he had no idea where the second Wei family resided. Being far away from Brother Xie would make him feel sad.

“Of course, he is welcome! It’s all set for you to move in. Liangfeng, come and see my house!” Second Wei, with a warm heart, was delighted at the thought of his good brother staying with him. He was in a great mood.

“I…!” Lin Fangliang wanted to assert himself against Second Wei’s enthusiasm. However, he was met with the threatening gaze of Li Changfeng. Lin Fangliang was taken aback and noticed Xu Qing standing beside him with a blank expression. He recalled the words of Old Doctor Lin and swallowed his objections. He should bid farewell to Li Changfeng and Xu Qing and then head to Second Wei’s house.

“You take a break, I’ll clean up!” Li Changfeng stopped Xu Qing, who was about to clean the dishes, and swiftly tidied up the dining table. Xu Qing didn’t argue further, as he enjoyed cooking but disliked washing dishes. “What were you two plotting?” Xu Qing spoke up, aware of the fleeting glances exchanged between the two. There was no need to guess that something was amiss.

“I simply prefer having only the two of us at home at night and don’t like having another person as an annoyance. Besides, he’s looking for Brother Xie, and Wei’s house is conveniently located in the village for him!” Li Changfeng didn’t conceal his thoughts from Xu Qing. In front of Xu Qing, he had always been open and honest.

Xu Qing followed Li Changfeng into the kitchen, watching the tall man meticulously washing the dishes. He couldn’t help but feel an increasing reluctance to leave Li Changfeng. “You can’t think that way. There will always be a third person in the future.”

Upon hearing this, Li Changfeng looked up at Xu Qing, who was smiling at him. After a while, a broad smile emerged on his face. “Okay!”

Sitting on the donkey cart with Second Wei, Lin Fangliang kept gazing at the houses at the end of the village. “Second Brother Wei, I have something to ask you.” Second Wei held the donkey cart steady and said, “Tell me, what do you want to know?”

“A few years ago, I met an uncle named Xie in Xingfu Village, and we developed a good relationship. I don’t know where his family lives?” Lin Fangliang had come from Xu Qing’s house and had no idea which house belonged to Brother Xie at the end of the village. He had been staring at the houses for a while. Uncle Li had mentioned it was the first house at the end of the village, but he could see several houses side by side.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

“Oh, it’s just at another fork in the road from Brother Qing’s house.”

Lin Fangliang was almost startled. “So, we didn’t take that road?!” Second Wei hadn’t noticed anything amiss. “Yes, this route is closer to my house. Why? Do you want to find Uncle Xie? We have time. Let’s go to my place first!”

“It’s not about visiting him or going to your place first…” Lin Fangliang was getting frustrated. He still wanted to sneak into Brother Xie’s courtyard. Would he be lucky enough to encounter him? Just hearing Brother Xie’s voice would bring him immense joy!

***

After finishing up in the kitchen and with the rain having stopped outside, Li Changfeng began working on constructing the wardrobes. Xu Qing looked at the pine trees in the yard and couldn’t help but touch them. “Has no one ever considered using different types of wood for furniture?”

You see, pine wood furniture is not resistant to sunlight. It easily changes color when exposed to the sun. Moreover, due to the nature of pine itself, it has a high moisture content and a soft texture, making it less sturdy compared to other solid woods. It is prone to cracking and warping.

Although pine wood has a natural simplicity and a fresh and bright appearance, being close to nature, it also has its own drawbacks. Pine furniture is not moisture-proof and can change color when exposed to moisture.

Li Changfeng was busy working with the wood, but when he heard Xu Qing’s question, he patiently replied once again, “Actually, that’s not true. The idea of using pine wood for furniture occurred to someone a long time ago. I’ve heard that people used to use bamboo or stone as well.”

The more Xu Qing listened, the happier he became. “Then do you know what types of wood people use outside? We’re so far from the capital, and the world beyond is vast. Perhaps others have used different woods for furniture?”

Li Changfeng shook his head. “I don’t know. Why do you want to use other woods? Although I haven’t tried it, I can do it if you want.”

“I just feel that the color of pine wood isn’t ideal for furniture, and I want to experiment with other woods. If we succeed, won’t we stand out among other carpenters?”

“Alright, I’ll go along with your idea. Let’s give it a try.” Li Changfeng never refuses Xu Qing’s requests. He believes in the saying, ‘Happy wife, happy life.’ Listening to Xu Qing’s suggestions is always the right move.

Xu Qing pursed his lips. “You always listen to me. Aren’t you afraid that I might be wrong?” Li Changfeng is clearly a cunning person, yet he always complies with whatever Xu Qing asks. Xu Qing was starting to feel that Li Changfeng was taking him too seriously.

Li Changfeng helplessly paused his work. “Well, when I made a decision, didn’t you also agree?”

Upon hearing this, Xu Qing felt instantly misunderstood. “What decision did you make? When did I agree to anything?”

Li Changfeng leaned closer to Xu Qing, lightly biting his ear. “This morning, I said…” With Li Changfeng’s words, Xu Qing’s face grew redder and redder. “In the end, didn’t you agree?”

Xu Qing pushed Li Changfeng away, turned around, and left. “I’m going to cut hogweed. Just focus on your work!” He was too embarrassed to stay any longer!

He didn’t expect things to take such a turn early in the morning. Li Changfeng had mentioned alternative methods, which initially piqued his curiosity. However, upon hearing the follow-up, he couldn’t help but slap Li Changfeng’s head.

Seeing Xu Qing’s annoyed expression, Li Changfeng’s face turned red, and his eyes glistened with moisture, much like they did after their intimate moments. He wondered if he would have a chance to eat meat tonight.

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

Swept the whole city

They were extremely busy, with two tables not being enough for everyone, and many people were still waiting on the side. The three of them were overwhelmed with work.

At the stove, there was no free hand to spare. Four or five colanders were crowded together, filling the pot and continuously mixing one bowl after another. They were busy. Unexpectedly, Chang Hao was quite capable. He took orders, served the food, and cleaned the tables, also helping with collecting the money. As for Chang Le, his task was washing dishes, fetching water, handling payments, and keeping things organized. They were all bustling around.

It wasn’t until they sold out all the cold noodles and liangpi they brought, leaving only four portions for their own lunch, that they finally had a moment to catch their breath.

At this moment, the sun was directly overhead.

Chang Le suggested, “Shouldn’t we buy some flour and continue selling?”

Yu Qingze shook his head and said, “No need. We’ve done enough for today! Let’s quickly finish eating, go pick up Grandpa, and go home!”

Chang Le didn’t quite understand. The business was doing so well, shouldn’t they take advantage of the opportunity and continue?

Yu Qingze seemed to understand Chang Le’s confusion and replied, “Today was just a market test, and also to spread the word that there’s something to eat here. Tomorrow, we can bring more. Those who heard the rumors today but couldn’t taste it will be curious and come tomorrow. Besides, even if we make it fresh, we won’t have enough space.”

Chang Le glanced at the small food stall and realized that the space was indeed limited. He didn’t dwell on it and, after finishing lunch, they went together to the West District market to pick up Grandpa, who was buying radishes.

Ending the business so early on the first day actually exceeded Yu Qingze’s expectations. He summarized the morning’s situation and concluded that they were too slow in cooking the noodles, mainly because one stove was insufficient, and they didn’t have enough tables. Before going back, he bought another stove and pot, planning to ask the village chief to make another table when they returned.

Additionally, Yu Qingze looked up at the scorching sun in the sky. It was really hot! The weather was already hot, and they were working tirelessly. All three of them were covered in sweat.

Continuing like this for a long time would definitely be unsustainable. They couldn’t handle it.

So, he went to the umbrella shop and ordered three super-sized sun umbrellas, specifically asking the craftsmen to make them with oilcloth for sun protection and rain resistance. However, it would take a few days before they could pick them up.

Afterward, he realized that all the money they earned today was spent. Upon returning home, after calculating the accounts and paying Chang Le and Chang Hao their wages, he realized that they actually earned a few extra silver coins today. However, all the money was spent on buying things for himself.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

“Wow, Big Brother Yu, I have wages too?!” Chang Hao looked at the copper coins placed in front of him, forming a small pile. He started counting them one by one. It was the first time he earned money, and he felt so excited.

“Yes! You did a great job today, just like your brother. But you won’t go tomorrow,” replied Yu Qingze.

“Huh? Why?” Chang Hao looked at him with some confusion and reflected on himself, “Did I not do well enough? I’ll work harder!”

Yu Qingze smiled, ruffled his hair, and said, “No, you did great. But you’re still young, and you can be considered child labor. Help Grandpa with his work at home. There’s plenty to do in the fields.”

Chang Hao wanted to argue, saying, “But if I don’t go, you guys won’t be able to handle it. The customers might leave if they can’t wait, which would be a shame.” He witnessed how busy they were today. If it were only Yu Big Brother and his brother, they would barely have time to catch their breath.

Yu Qingze insisted, “It’s okay if we earn less for now. We’re in this for the long run. Once we get through this busy period, the customer flow will stabilize, and there won’t be as many people. And if we still have a lot of customers in a few days, I’ll find another helper to assist us.”

“In that case, I’ll help you guys for these few days. I don’t want you to work so hard,” Chang Hao, the young boy, also had his own determination. He turned to his brother, hoping that he could support him in this decision.

Naturally, Chang Le felt sorry for his younger brother and didn’t say anything.

Chang Hao turned to Grandpa, looking at him with eager eyes.

Grandpa was willing to let him go and said, “As long as he’s not causing trouble, let him go if he wants to. He’s already ten years old, becoming a little man. It’s good for him to get some exercise and learn how to do things. Aze, don’t give him any wages. He’s just a little brat, what does he need wages for?”

“I’m not causing trouble!” Chang Hao pouted, feeling dissatisfied. “Tell him, Yu Big Brother, I’m very useful.”

“Yes, you’re very capable,” Yu Qingze sighed and turned to Grandpa. “But, Grandpa, he’s still young and his body hasn’t fully developed yet. It’s not suitable for him to be overly tired; it will affect his physical growth. And the work in the fields…”

Grandpa waved his hand and said, “This little bit of work won’t tire him out. Doing more work will make him grow stronger! You’ve just opened your business, let him help you. I’ll take care of things in the fields.”

Yu Qingze felt helpless and reluctantly agreed, “But we still need to calculate the wages.”

They argued a few more times, but in the end, Grandpa couldn’t resist Yu Qingze’s persistence and had to agree.

After discussing everything, Yu Qingze went to the village chief’s house, then returned and started making liangpi, while Chang Le made cold noodles. Chang Hao and Grandpa washed and pickled the radishes outside.

The two of them were busy in their respective kitchens. Although they didn’t talk, Yu Qingze could feel a faint sense of warmth.

It was a warm and peaceful feeling that made him feel content.

Perhaps Yu Qingze’s gaze lingered for too long. Chang Le, who was kneading dough in front of the cutting board, suddenly turned around and met his gaze.

Chang Le silently asked with his eyes: What’s the matter?

Yu Qingze quickly snapped out of it, shook his head, and whispered, “Brother Le, thank you for your hard work.”

Chang Le’s face lit up with a smile. He shook his head and turned back to continue kneading the dough.

Chang Le also calculated his earnings. He made over eighty wen from selling pickled green beans today, plus his and Xiao Hao’s wages, which added up to almost two hundred wen. He had originally planned to share the money with Yu Qingze since it was his idea to pickle the green beans, but Yu Qingze refused, so Chang Le had to keep the money for himself, secretly planning to help him with more work.

He had never earned so much money in a single day before! Chang Le was delighted, with a smile on his face.

Early the next morning, the three of them set off. Since Yu Qingze didn’t have enough money to pay for a fixed stall for the whole month, they had to go early and secure a good spot.

As expected by Yu Qingze, business on the second day was booming!

People who had eaten there the day before came back with their families, curious individuals who had heard rumors came to taste the food, and there were also passing merchants. The food stall had been busy since early morning, with no breaks.

Fortunately, they had two stoves today, so the noodle cooking process was faster, but they were still busy!

“Boss, one small serving of liangpi, two medium servings of cold noodle, both slightly spicy! And three bowls of mung bean soup!”

“Boss, check, please!”

“Boss, give me a large serving of cold noodles! And one jin of pickled green beans!”

“Boss…”

“Hey hey hey, coming! Sir, your small serving of liangpi, medium servings of cold noodle, mung bean soup… Please take your time, sir, come back again… Sir, your large serving of cold noodles is ready, and the pickled green beans are packed for you…”

…

Approaching noon, at a famous old pastry shop on Nan Street, a young boy came out carrying freshly baked pastries and saw a young teenager holding a food container coming in, shouting loudly, “Ama, there’s a new delicious snack stall on Beida Street. Try it quickly. I brought you a bowl.”

A new snack stall? The young ger at the entrance heard this and turned back into the shop.

“What snack stall? Look how excited you are, all sweaty. Come here, let me wipe your forehead.” The owner of the pastry shop came out from behind the counter, took out a cloth from his pocket, and wiped the sweat off his son’s forehead.

The young boy tilted his head back, asking his mother to wipe his sweat, and said, “It’s cold noodles, so delicious! Father brought two bowls back for Grandpa and Grandma, and he asked me to bring one bowl for you. Look, this is it, try it.”

The young boy placed the food container on the table and took out a bowl of colorful noodles. He also grabbed a pair of chopsticks and tried to put them in his mother’s hand.

The owner looked at his son helplessly and said, “Alright, I’ll eat. You sit down properly.”

As the owner was about to sit down, he noticed the return of the young ger who had left earlier and asked with a smile, “Mi Ge’er, do you still want to buy something?”

Mi Ge’er, the name of the young ger, smiled and said, “No, I just heard your son say there’s new food, so I came to have a look out of curiosity.”

The owner understood and said, “Is your Second Young Master still unable to eat?”

Mi Ge’er sighed and said, “Yes, it’s a big worry for our master. We’ve tried every type of food we can find in the city, and our eldest young master even brought many dishes from Yunzhou, but none of them can make him take more than a bite.”

The owner sighed as well. The Second Young Master of the Cai family had been picky about food since he was young, and as he grew up, his pickiness increased. If the food didn’t taste good, he wouldn’t eat it. As a result, he developed a condition called food aversion, which caused great distress to the Cai family. Due to this condition, the Second Young Master of the Cai family had been physically weak since he was young and hadn’t left the house for more than ten years.

Mi Ge’er also sighed and then asked the young boy, “Young man, where did you buy this food you brought back?”

The young boy smiled and said, “It’s on Beida Street, right across from Liu’s Noodle House. It’s the small stall with a crowd of people around it. Just go to the one with the most people. We had to wait in line for a while to get it.”

Across from Liu’s Noodle House. Mi Ge’er got the answer, thanked the young boy, and turned to head to Beida Street.

In a large mansion in the south of the city, Mi Ge’er held pastries in one hand and a food container in the other. He quickly passed through the front yard and arrived at an elegant courtyard.

“Second Young Master, Second Young Master…” Mi Ge’er ran with a flushed face and, as soon as he entered the courtyard, his arm was pulled to the side.

“Hush, why are you shouting? The Second Young Master just fell asleep.” A young ger scolded Mi Ge’er and lightly patted his arm.

In the pavilion ahead, a young boy who appeared to be thirteen or fourteen years old, with picturesque features but extremely pale complexion, was lying on a lounge chair. Upon hearing the noise, his eyebrows furrowed, and he woke up a moment later.

“What are you making a fuss about? I just fell asleep…”

“It’s all your fault for waking up the Second Young Master.” The young ger pounded Mi Ge’er’s arm. The young master had shallow sleep, and he was easily awakened by any movement. Now, he had been woken up by Mi Ge’er within less than fifteen minutes of sleep.

Mi Ge’er stuck out his tongue, then walked over with the food container and happily said, “Second Young Master, I found a new dish today called cold noodles. Would you like to try?”

“What new dish is it again?” The young boy didn’t even look at the food container, lacking interest. “Haven’t we tried everything in the city?”

Mi Ge’er didn’t get annoyed by the young boy’s attitude and directly took out a bowl of cold noodles from the food container. He picked up a pair of jade chopsticks and placed it in front of the young boy, saying, “Second Young Master, just give it a try. I’ve tried it myself, and it’s absolutely delicious! It’s different from what we’ve had before!”

The young boy glanced at him skeptically.

Mi Ge’er earnestly said, “I promise!”

The young boy looked at his serious expression and shifted his gaze to the bowl in his hand.

Noodles, cucumber strips, chili, green beans, and sesame seeds?

Can this really be delicious?

However, he knew how much effort his family had put into his health. Reluctantly, he propped himself up and sat halfway, took the chopsticks, picked up a strand of noodles, and slowly chewed on it. His eyes slightly brightened.

Mi Ge’er nervously and expectantly watched him, asking, “How is it?”

The young boy nodded, a faint smile appearing at the corner of his mouth, and said, “It’s passable.” He picked up a strand of cucumber strips and ate it.

Mi Ge’er was overjoyed. The young master used to describe things as ‘tasteless’ or ‘not delicious,’ and he would spit them out right after they entered his mouth. Now, he said it was ‘passable,’ which was already a great evaluation. He actually ate it!

“Second Young Master, with this cold noodle dish, you have to eat it with big mouthfuls, combining the cucumber strips and pickled green beans with the noodles. That’s when the taste is best.” Mi Ge’er pointed at the green beans in the bowl and said, “See, these pickled green beans are so refreshing. It would taste even better if we added more chili.”

Because the Second Young Master usually eats very little, Mi Ge’er brought back only a small amount of chili for the cold noodles and cold skin, fearing that his stomach couldn’t handle it. However, when Mi Ge’er ate it himself, he added plenty of chili and found it extremely satisfying.

“Is that so?” The young boy replied and cautiously picked up a large mouthful. As he slowly ate, he realized that combining the different elements made the dish more delicious and provided a richer texture.

It had been a long time since he had eaten something that tasted good. If it weren’t for the fact that he would die if he didn’t eat, he wouldn’t even want to look at those unpleasant dishes.

“There’s another dish called liangpi. Would you like to try it too?” Mi Ge’er called over another young boy to bring liangpi.

The young boy stopped him and said, “I’ll go to the table to eat.”

Mi Ge’er was pleasantly surprised. If the young master was willing to sit at the table and eat, it meant that he had developed some appetite. He said, “Second Young Master, please sit here. This is liangpi.”

The young boy walked over and sat down. He took a bite of liangpi, nodded in approval, and ended up eating almost half a bowl before finally putting down the chopsticks.

Small stomach, full.

The two young gers watched as their young master ate almost half a bowl of food, and they were so moved that they wanted to cry. They decided to visit that snack stall every day from now on!

In the following two days, Yu Qingze’s business kept getting better and better.

On their third day of operation, Yu Qingze added a new spicy flavor to the chili oil, which also gained favor from some customers.

On the fourth day, he introduced pickled radish. He added diced pickled radish to the cold noodles and liangpi, enhancing the flavor and attracting a group of loyal customers.

The pickled radish and pickled green beans that Chang Le brought in abundance every day were also sold out shortly after they opened.

Now, their supply of green beans couldn’t keep up. Grandpa Chang started buying green beans from villagers in the village every day and even went to pick them in the fields. This aroused curiosity among the villagers.

Cold noodles, liangpi, pickled green beans, and pickled radish—Yu’s Delicious Delights’ delicacies spread like wildfire throughout Tongshan City in just a few days.

This made other noodle shop owners extremely worried.

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

The author has something to say: Yesterday, the name of Mr. Wang was Wang Anshun, but it got censored, so I changed it to Wang Anfu. (:3」∠)

small theater:

Chang Hao: I have a good time with Big Brother Yu!

Chang Le: Follow Big Brother Yu to make money! happy…

Yu Qingze: Brother Le, follow me, you not only will be happy, but also ‘sexually happy’!

Author: Go!

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

“Nobody has arrived yet, why are you holding tools?” Xu Qing looked at Li Changfeng placing the tools he bought yesterday on the table in the hall, somewhat puzzled. Second Wei’s wood hasn’t been delivered yet, but Li Changfeng couldn’t wait?

Li Changfeng found a suitable piece of wood for making a slotted spoon and quickly turned it into a large spoon using the tools. “I thought I’d take advantage of this time to make the spoon you mentioned last night. It’ll be convenient for you to use it too.”

Xu Qing recognized the wood in Li Changfeng’s hand. “Is that pine wood?!”

Li Changfeng continued his nimble movements. “Yes, isn’t pine wood commonly used for wooden utensils?” Xu Qing was taken aback. “All made from pine wood?”

Li Changfeng realized that Xu Qing was genuinely interested, so he stopped his work and pointed to the small stools they were sitting on and the large beams on the house. “Look, aren’t they all made of pine wood?”

Only then did Xu Qing realize that in the house he had been living in for so long, anywhere there was wood, it was made of pine wood. The wooden barrel for holding water, the chairs they sat on, even the doors of the house and courtyard were made of pine wood!

“Oh my god! Does that mean no one uses other types of wood to make wooden utensils?” In the history of China, there has been a long tradition of antique-style furniture!

Li Changfeng chuckled and rubbed Xu Qing’s perplexed cheek. “At least, as far as I can see, I haven’t found anyone using other types of wood for making wooden utensils.” After saying that, he lowered his head and continued working on the slotted spoon that was almost taking shape.

After receiving a definite answer, Xu Qing was first shocked, and then his eyes almost sparkled with excitement. Oh my, there are so many good wood materials in the mountains behind them, and they’re not being used! This is a huge business opportunity!

“Come, take a look. Is this the shape you were talking about?”

Li Changfeng finished making the slotted spoon, blew off the excess wood shavings, and asked Xu Qing, who was still deep in his dreams.

Xu Qing was brought back to reality by Li Changfeng’s call. He wasn’t annoyed; on the contrary, he was feeling extremely good at the moment! He took the rudimentary slotted spoon that Li Changfeng had made. “Hey, I have to admit, you’re really good! Young man, you’ve got talent!”

Li Changfeng put away his tools and washed his hands, a bit puzzled by Xu Qing’s reaction. “Why are you so impressed by making such a simple thing? It seems like no matter what I make, I have to study and do more for you to like it even more!”

Xu Qing had become completely accustomed to Li Changfeng’s occasional teasing and had grown a thicker skin. “On the handle, yes, right here, poke a small hole so that I can hang it up.” There were no nails here, only wooden pegs. It could be said that this world was rich in resources, but the leaders here had never exploited them. Otherwise, one person wouldn’t be making wooden utensils using pine wood, and everyone wouldn’t have been using pine wood for generations. Innovation seemed to be lacking.

Li Changfeng followed Xu Qing’s suggestion and poked a hole with the tool. Just then, a rough and loud shout came from the courtyard gate: “Second Li, Brother Qing, anyone home? It’s Second Wei, I’ve brought the wood!”

“I’m here, I’ll go open the gate.”

Although it was just at the courtyard gate, the rain was still quite heavy, so Xu Qing held an umbrella and opened the gate to see a tall and rugged man standing there, also holding an umbrella.

“Second brother Wei, come in quickly. Changfeng is inside,” Xu Qing called him “second brother” because Second Wei was one year older than Li Changfeng.

“No problem, hey, long time no see, you’ve really improved, huh? I didn’t believe it when my Ama told me! But it’s good to see! I’ve put the wood on the cart, I need to bring the cart into the yard to unload the wood!” Second Wei’s personality was just like Wei Ama’s—straightforward and quick-tempered. But such people were honest and worth knowing.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

“I’ll open both doors of the courtyard so the cart can come in. Changfeng, are you done? After you’re done, help Second brother Wei unload the wood!”

“I’m coming!”

“Hey, what’s this kid doing? I’ll bring the cart in. Brother Qing, you go inside first. The rain is heavy, it’s not good to get your clothes wet. Just the two of us, Second Li and me, will handle it.” After Second Wei greeted Li Changfeng, who had arrived at the courtyard gate, he went to the roadside to bring in the donkey cart borrowed from the Wu family.

“Go inside, just boil some water. You don’t need to worry about anything here.”

“Alright, I’m going in. You be careful too, don’t get your clothes all soaked. Be careful not to catch a cold later.”

Xu Qing went into the kitchen, added water to the pot, and sat by the stove to start the fire. Then he quickly picked out two large fish from the wooden bucket. Li Changfeng had caught them yesterday and prepared them in advance. Now they could be used!

“You’re a lucky guy. Isn’t your wife great?” After Second Wei brought the cart into the courtyard, he and Li Changfeng unloaded the wood into the yard while teasing each other.

“Of course he’s great. Aren’t you getting married soon too? When’s the date? We’ll come and share the joy!”

Speaking of this matter, Second Wei sighed, “You don’t know, there are so many men coming back now, and the dates they choose are almost the same. Well, my idea was to choose a day when fewer people are getting married. But the days when fewer people are getting married aren’t very auspicious. So, my Ama is currently discussing it with their family.”

Li Changfeng chuckled, “It seems like your future wife has a straightforward personality. You’ll have your hands full in the future!”

Second Wei threw a punch at Li Changfeng, but Li Changfeng skillfully avoided it. “Can’t you say something nice, you brat? Ah, but I do like that kind of personality. He suits me! Come on, keep going!”

Li Changfeng took the wood that Second Wei handed over and placed it steadily on his shoulder. “Congratulations, congratulations. Let me know when you’ve chosen the date!”

On Xu Qing’s side, he had already scooped up the boiling water and heard the commotion in the courtyard, indicating that they were almost done. He carried the bowl of hot water into the main room and greeted Li Changfeng and Second Wei, who were busy, “Here’s freshly boiled water, and there’s hot water in the bucket over there. After you’re done, wash your hands and have some warm water. Oh, Second brother Wei, you must stay for lunch at my house today!”

Second Wei winked at Li Changfeng with a smug expression and replied loudly, “Alright! I’m not a polite person! Haha! Right, Second Li?”

“Yes, you go ahead. I’ll come and help you after we’re done.”

Xu Qing waved his hand and walked towards the kitchen. “Don’t worry about helping. After you’re finished, chat with Second brother Wei. I don’t need you to worry about anything here.”

Once Xu Qing entered the kitchen, Second Wei adjusted the umbrella in his hand and whispered to Li Changfeng, “How does it feel to be bossed around by someone?”

“It’s alright. You, without a wife, no matter how much I say, wouldn’t understand!”

Those words struck a chord with Second Wei. “Look at your attitude! It won’t be long before I have a wife too!”

For lunch, Xu Qing made boiled fish and mixed some salt with the leftover oil residue from last time. He prepared a large bowl of it, along with a bowl of pickled vegetables. “Second brother Wei, let’s make do with this for lunch today. Next time, I’ll make something even more delicious for you guys!”

Second Wei had just heard Li Changfeng say that his wife at home made a delicious spicy fish. Now, smelling the aroma of the food, it made him drool. “What nonsense are you talking? Just by smelling this aroma, I can tell it’s incredibly delicious. You have no idea how good Li Changfeng was showing off this dish to me earlier!”

Li Changfeng, unaffected by Xu Qing’s gaze, shamelessly continued, “Well, it’s the truth.”

“Alright, let’s have a few sips, Second brother Wei. Changfeng, join us. With this weather, there’s not much else to do. We finally gathered, so let’s not waste it.”

Second Wei, feeling even more convinced that Li Changfeng was lucky to have such a capable wife, said, “Sure, second Li, let’s have a drink or two! But not too much. If I go home smelling like alcohol, I’ll be nagged again!”

“Alright, you guys eat first. I’ll go get the wine!” There was a small jug of wine left from the wedding day. After finishing it, Xu Qing could try making some rice wine on his own. He wasn’t sure if the local authorities allowed residents to make their own wine. In ancient China, it was not allowed to brew alcohol without permission. He thought he should inquire about it when he had the time.

In the meantime, they drank small glasses of wine and chatted while Lin Fangliang was packing up his things.

Old doctor Lin had just prepared medicine for a patient and, after they left, he turned and pulled aside the door curtain, finding his child stuffing clothes into a bundle.

“Are you planning to move in with someone permanently?” He couldn’t help but feel that his child was trying to bring the entire household there.

Lin Fangliang finished stuffing the last piece of clothing into the bundle and tied it up. “I heard that Brother Qing’s family has a big mountain behind their house. I thought I’d take the opportunity to try my luck and see if there are any medicinal herbs.”

Upon hearing this, Old doctor Lin recalled the medicinal herbs that Xu Qing had sold to him. Although they weren’t particularly precious, they were fresh and of good quality. “Go ahead, take a look around. I have Xiao Wang here. Don’t worry about it.” Xiao Wang was an apprentice in the pharmacy, the same guy who welcomed Xu Qing last time.

“Wait! Wait! Don’t rush!” Old doctor Lin, seeing that Lin Fangliang was about to step out of the shop, suddenly remembered something and hurriedly stopped him. “What is it?”

Lin Fangliang’s mind was filled with thoughts of Xie Yu. He had missed him all night long. “Where are you going to stay?”

“I’m staying at Li Changfeng and Brother Qing’s house. Didn’t I say I was going there?”

Old doctor Lin felt like slapping Lin Fangliang on the head. “They’re newlyweds! Regardless of whether they have extra rooms or not, it’s not right to disturb them!” When he and Lin Fangliang’s Ama got married, they hated it when someone stayed at their house. They couldn’t make any loud noises at night. It was so annoying!

Lin Fangliang was so focused on Xie Yu that he hadn’t considered this aspect. “Alright, I’ll go and see today. If it’s not possible, I’ll come back. They came here by donkey cart, so I can take the donkey cart back. If it works out, I won’t come back. Take care at home! I’m leaving!”

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸