It was still early, and the town market was still bustling. Su Chi hurried to the street and picked out a plump chicken, had the stallholder slaughter it, pluck it, and clean it, then carried it home.
He went back, tied on his apron, and removed the chicken breast. After boiling it until cooked, he let it cool, then with clean, precise knife work, sliced the large piece of chicken breast into fine shreds and placed them on a plate — they would later be used for the sweet-savory shredded chicken in sauce.
From his cloth bag, he took out hazel mushrooms and bamboo shoots, washed them, and cut them into small pieces. He snapped the ends off the long beans and cut them into short sections. The tender cilantro was washed clean, roots left on.
Then he minced the pork belly into a mixture of fat and lean, and sliced the cured meat into thin, translucent pieces, arranging them on the cutting board in a glossy, oily array.
He pan-fried the green peppers until they turned golden and slightly charred, like tiger skin, then set them aside. He heated oil in the wok, added star anise, bay leaves, cinnamon, and scallions, and fried them until the fragrance fully infused into the oil, then fished them out.
For this small dish, he needed to use a bit more cooking oil. Once made, the vegetables would be immersed in the oil — you could take out as much as you wanted each time, cover it, and it wouldn’t spoil easily even in summer for several days, let alone in the dead of winter.
Next, he stir-fried the minced meat and cured meat slices until the rich meaty aroma emerged, then added the prepared hazel mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and long beans. After stir-frying for a while, the various fragrances mingled together — just the smell made one involuntarily swallow saliva.
Before long, it was time to add the seasonings. This dish didn’t use salt — he needed to add more light soy sauce, dark soy sauce for color, and a spoonful of homemade savory powder. Then he covered it and let it simmer for two quarters of an hour.
When the time was up, he lifted the lid and added the green peppers and a generous handful of cilantro, letting it simmer for a while longer until all the vegetables had softened and absorbed the sauce. Then it was ready to come out of the wok.
That dark, saucy dish — just looking at it could make you eat two bowls of rice.
The fragrance wafted out from the Xie family’s courtyard, bold and overpowering, lingering in the air for a long time.
Neighbors passing by the Xie family gate craned their necks to breathe it in, wishing they could inhale all the aroma into their stomachs to go with their rice at home.
Everyone knew that the Xie family’s fulang was making something delicious again — he did this every day, and they were used to it, but they were still tortured by the craving every single time.
Su Chi was meticulous about anything related to Xie Yushu.
When traveling far, many foods weren’t convenient to carry. Most people on long journeys would stuff a few dry flatbreads into their packs, hang a water pouch at their waist, and make do with cold, meager rations on the road.
But Su Chi couldn’t bear to let Xie Yushu eat such things. He wanted her to have flavorful food, to eat happily, and to stay warm and satisfied on the journey.
The shredded chicken in sauce was also finished, packed separately from the oil-braised vegetables in jars. He had made plenty — enough for all three of them to have three meals on the road.
The next day, before dawn had fully broken, a carriage stopped at the Xie family gate. The steward was a practical person, having come early with the carriage so as not to delay anything.
Ye Youchun also arrived. This time she was going with Xie Yushu to the county on business — Xie Yushu had specially asked her to come.
She had long since stopped working as a laborer carrying goods at the ferry. These days, she had been following Xie Yushu around the ferry port negotiating deals. Now Xie Yushu was her employer, and if her employer told her to go to Tang’an County, she would obediently follow.
Su Chi invited them in, telling them to eat some breakfast to fill their stomachs and warm their bodies before hitting the road.
The steward politely nodded and said they would be imposing. Ye Youchun didn’t dare look too much at her employer’s fulang, keeping her eyes low as she went in and efficiently helped Su Chi set out the dishes.
By this time, Xie Yushu had also finished washing up and came out. Su Chi served their breakfast and told them to eat while he went to prepare the rest.
In their bowls were pickled mustard shreds and saucy shredded meat noodles, alongside a bowl of pork wontons, and in their hands were two five-spice tea eggs each.
They were all women, so their portions were large — the noodles and wontons were served in big sea bowls. They tucked in with heads down, barely able to keep up.
Perhaps it was the deliciousness, but the steward and Ye Youchun ate with audible relish, the contents of their bowls visibly disappearing.
Xie Yushu also ate quickly, though she did so gracefully — not like the two starving souls at the table.
Su Chi took a moment to glance outside at the carriage the steward had driven over. The canopy cover seemed sturdy enough — at least they wouldn’t freeze on the road. He felt a bit more at ease.
While they focused on eating, Su Chi busied himself packing the food and supplies he had prepared for Xie Yushu on the road.
One jar of oil-braised vegetables, one jar of sweet-savory shredded chicken in sauce, one jar of sour-spicy radish cubes — one salty, one sweet, one sour-spicy — every flavor covered.
Flatbreads were also prepared to serve as the main staple. There were plain ones, made from fine wheat flour and griddled until soft; and dried mustard green and meat flatbreads, full of flavor, fried golden on both sides.
All were fried until fragrant, wrapped in oil paper. When the time came, they could eat them as they were, or wrap the pickled vegetables and small sides inside — either way worked.
Su Chi wrapped these jars and oil paper packets tightly in a piece of thick cloth, double-layered, to keep the warmth in as long as possible.
There was also another bundle, containing the things Xie Yushu would need over the next few days — Su Chi had packed that too.
The three of them finished eating and were ready to set out.
The two of them had the good sense to see that the young couple had things to say to each other, and tactfully went to wait for Xie Yushu by the carriage at the gate.
Before leaving, Ye Youchun took the large bundle of things Su Chi had prepared for Xie Yushu and carried it to the carriage to wait for her.
This was the first time Xie Yushu would be separated from Su Chi for so long — at least several days. How could she bear it?
She pulled Su Chi into a full embrace, affectionately pressing the tip of her nose against his, her voice soft: “I’ll come back early.”
“Your safety is the most important thing. I just want you to come home safely.” Su Chi lifted his head slightly, his eyes full of worry.
Whether she came back early was no longer the most important thing — her safety mattered more than anything. He only prayed that their journey would be peaceful, with no bandits or villains.
“I will,” she said.
With her assurance, Su Chi felt slightly less tense, though his mouth kept chattering:
“These are for you to eat on the road — I’ve divided them up, enough for all three of you for three meals. It takes over six hours on the carriage from town to the county — that’s most of a day gone. Make sure you rest well and eat well.”
“I also packed three water pouches, all filled with hot water. They’re good quality — the water inside should stay warm for a good while, probably until you reach the county.”
“Besides the thick clothes you’re wearing, I put another set in the bundle. Put them on if it gets cold. And there are socks, gloves —”
Xie Yushu held back a smile and interrupted him: “Alright, alright — didn’t you tell me all this last night? I’m not old yet, my memory is fine.”
Su Chi’s brows drooped, a little hurt, his voice softening: “Are you tired of me already?”
“No,” Xie Yushu dropped her smile and her expression turned serious, yet her eyes were extraordinarily gentle. She placed both hands lightly on his arms, bent down to look at him, and said each word clearly: “I want to be managed by you for a lifetime.”
Hearing this, Su Chi’s heart felt sweet. He stood on his tiptoes slightly, pulled Xie Yushu’s neck down, and kissed her, leaving his mark on her lips.
After the kiss ended, Xie Yushu’s heart had softened completely. She added: “I asked A-die to come stay with you for a few days — that way I’ll feel at ease. Yesterday I had Youchun deliver a message to him. He should be here soon.”
“Okay.”
The two of them quietly held each other in the kitchen for a while, neither wanting to let go — until the steward’s booming voice called out to Xie Yushu, and only then did she reluctantly release him.
“Wait for me to come home.”
“Mm.”
·
Only after the carriage had completely disappeared around the corner of the lane did Su Chi finally withdraw his gaze. Absentmindedly, he went back to the kitchen to eat his breakfast, tidied up the kitchen, and locked the courtyard gate before heading to the shop.
He had asked Chen Fulang to open the shop early this morning. Worried that he might be overwhelmed, Su Chi unconsciously quickened his pace.
When he arrived at the shop, there were indeed more customers than usual — bowls and chopsticks clinking, the place bustling with activity. But Chen Fulang was managing, darting back and forth to attend to everyone. Though a little flustered, he was doing a good job.
Chen Yun visibly relaxed the moment he saw Su Chi arrive. The morning rush really was busy — he had nearly reached his limit, but thankfully Su Chi had come in time.
After this experience, Chen Yun gained a new level of respect for Su Chi. Su Fulang usually handled the morning rush all by himself, doing everything on his own, day after day — truly capable.
With the two of them working together now, things went much more smoothly. After the morning peak passed, Su Chi told Chen Fulang to eat something before continuing. Chen Yun sat in the back kitchen and quietly ate his breakfast.
Hu Yuan came early in the morning to order three steamers of soup dumplings. He sat in the shop and finished his own steamer, then ordered four five-spice tea eggs, peeling and eating them slowly. Seeing this, Su Chi sent over a bowl of wonton broth for him.
Su Chi thought that in the future, for dine-in customers who didn’t order vegetable congee or wontons, he could offer a complimentary soup.
He hadn’t prepared anything else today — only wonton broth was available. Tomorrow, he could make a pot of bone broth, egg drop soup, or pickled cabbage soup — all free for customers. These cost very little to make, and if everyone ate happily, his shop’s business would only grow.
“Su Fulang, you’re too generous! What shopkeeper gives away such good soup for free? You’ll make less money this way.” Hu Yuan held the bowl of wonton broth, blew on it, and took small sips.
Fresh — so fresh. After drinking half a bowl, his palms felt like they were sweating, and his whole body was warm.
Su Chi smiled casually: “These soups aren’t worth much. If customers like them, more people will be willing to come eat at the shop. If you do the math, I never really lose out.”
Though Hu Yuan’s family sold vinegar, they had never run a shop nor offered any kind of perks to buyers, so he wasn’t very familiar with these matters. Still, he inwardly agreed with what Su Chi said.
Seeing Hu Yuan eating with such enjoyment, Su Chi sat across from him and said with a smile: “The vinegar is so fragrant — it’s already making the soup dumplings sell much faster.”
The soup dumplings had been selling well at the shop over the past few days. Every day, he had to wrap quite a few for Chen Yun to steam.
Besides regular customers, several wealthy households in town had also been sending their servants to buy them, each time ordering ten or eight steamers to take home.
Hu Yuan vehemently disagreed with Su Chi’s comment — the vinegar was clearly riding on the soup dumplings’ coattails. Su Fulang was being too modest. He couldn’t help but retort: “How can you say it’s the vinegar making the soup dumplings sell more? It’s obviously because your soup dumplings are so delicious that customers end up using more vinegar.”
“Look, I finished this whole steamer in no time.” Hu Yuan took a bite of the egg, the braising liquid bursting across his tongue — the flavor was wonderful. He praised again: “And the eggs you make — so fragrant. If I weren’t already full right now, I could definitely eat two more.”
“Eat slowly, have some soup — don’t choke.” Seeing him eating so quickly, Su Chi couldn’t help but remind him.
Hu Yuan nodded to show he knew his limits, then added: “My a-niang loves your soup dumplings. See — she sent me here early this morning to buy two steamers to take back, to go with her congee.”
Speaking of Aunt Hu, Hu Yuan couldn’t help but smile. He had never imagined that his stern, unyielding mother would actually agree to do business with Su Chi.
“She said Songwan Town has sweet water and good people. Our family won’t be moving again.”
The more Hu Yuan spoke, the happier he became. Songwan Town was wonderful — the food was delicious, the neighbors were kind. Their family could finally settle down.
After finishing his meal, he didn’t linger long, taking two steamers of soup dumplings back with him.
With Chen Yun looking after the front, Su Chi had some free time now and started thinking about the ingredients he needed to buy tomorrow. But before long, his thoughts drifted far away.
He couldn’t help wondering — had they left town yet? Had they reached the main road? Was it cold on the road? Were they dressed warmly enough?
Though the carriage was sturdy, the wind on the road could be fierce, blowing hard against travelers. Was the carriage warm enough inside?
Su Chi quietly calculated the time and realized they had only set out a short while ago — how far could they have gone? He sighed, shook his head, and went back to work on what was in front of him.
Half an hour later, little Fang Kui came running in, out of breath, and shouted at Su Chi:
“Su Fulang, your a-die has come looking for you!”
Su Chi was still wrapping buns at the time. He stood up after hearing this: “Really?”
Fang Kui nodded: “Really. Your a-die is waiting for you at your gate. I asked who he was looking for, and he said he’s your a-die, so I came to find you.”
Su Chi said gratefully: “Little Fang Kui, thank you so much. Come in and have something to eat.”
Fang Kui shook her head, saying it was no big deal. She had already eaten breakfast, waved goodbye to Su Chi, and left.
Chen Yun, who was ladling soup for customers out front, had also heard and turned to say: “Go on back — I’ll watch things here.”
“You’ve worked hard today.”
“Ah, it’s nothing. Isn’t this what you hired me for?”
Su Chi immediately untied his apron and headed home.
Before leaving, Xie Yushu had clearly said that A-die would be coming soon — but he had been so busy he’d completely forgotten.
The wind was strong outside — what if A-die caught a chill?
Su Chi jogged all the way home. As soon as he entered the lane, he saw his a-die sitting on the doorstep, bundled in his old padded jacket. Looking closely, he could even see the cotton wadding poking through. He sat there with his shoulders hunched, quietly waiting, like a child waiting for an elder to come home.
Seeing the jacket on his a-die made Su Chi’s nose sting and his eyes redden. He wiped his eyes and only then noticed the pile of things at his feet.
Big bags, small bundles, baskets, bamboo crates, hemp sacks — all kinds of things, scattered haphazardly by the door, stacked up like a small mountain.
Seeing this spectacle, Su Chi was caught between laughter and tears. Why did A-die always bring so many things? Every time it was like moving house.
After exchanging a few words of greeting at the door, Su Chi eagerly ushered his a-die inside to have something hot to drink.
The kitchen was warm, so Su Chi had his a-die take off his padded jacket first.
When they had made winter clothes before, they had also made two sets for A-die — this time, he could give them to him.
There was still some wonton filling left from what he’d prepared for them that morning, so he cooked it up. Su Chi also quickly mixed some noodles, adding plenty of saucy shredded meat, and took a few chopsticks’ worth of the spicy, numbing pickled mustard strips from the jar, filling a small dish.
His a-die loved this kind of side dish — the kind not put into soup or congee — and especially loved that crisp, refreshing texture.
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