After closing the shop at noon, the group tidied up and headed home. Lin Yu had Shi Xiaoliu pack a bowl of congealed pork skin soup for him to take back—he planned to study how to eat this stuff.

In the courtyard, Zhao Yueniang and Shi Xiaoliu played with Tuan-ger. Now able to sit upright, the child sat on a straw mat and a small quilt they’d laid out for him.

Alone in the kitchen, Lin Yu stared at the bowl of congealed broth, pondering its potential. Hot, it had been thin and watery; cold, it had solidified. Would reheating simply turn it back to liquid? Could it be used for dumplings?

Lin Yu didn’t dare use too much meat filling. He mixed it with the congealed broth, wrapped it in buns, and steamed them on a small stove. When he lifted the lid, the entire bun had collapsed from the liquid, making it inedible. The bun skin was soggy and disgusting. He scooped out the meat filling and decided to feed the bun skin to the chickens.

Lin Yu carried out several bowls of dumpling filling. “Want some?”

Shi Xiaoliu glanced at the filling—where were the wrappers? “Lin Ama, what’s this? Weren’t you making dumplings just now?”

“I was making dumplings. The wrappers are inedible now, so we’ll just eat the filling.”

The fillings were plump and round, though. The three of them shared half a bowl of meat filling.

As Lin Yu had expected, the frozen filling melted when heated. But the dough couldn’t hold the soup inside. If only it could contain the broth! Lin Yu gave up on making more buns and started thinking about how to seal the soup inside.

After Wei Qingshan finished his shift, Lin Yu told him about meeting Lou Qingfeng and hiring help at the dumpling shop. Tuan-ger was growing bigger now—he couldn’t be left unattended like when he was a baby, lying in a basket. He was too big to stay still.

“In a couple of days, I’ll start night shifts. We should look for a housekeeper—someone to do laundry and cook at home. We should also pick out staff for the shop. Things are calmer at home now, so you don’t have to be so busy.”

“Alright, we’ll start looking at these next couple of days.”

Wei Qingshan wasn’t familiar with the county government, so he had to be extra cautious about hiring people for the house and the shop. Especially when it came to bringing someone into the house, he wouldn’t feel at ease unless he picked them carefully.

These past two days, Wei Qingshan had switched to night shifts. Each time he returned home, it was well past midnight. After a short nap, he’d get up and follow Lin Yu to the shop to help out. Lin Yu worried he wasn’t getting enough sleep and urged him to go back to rest after cutting meat during the day. But seeing how busy the shop was, Wei Qingshan would help out at the front before heading home.

He asked Zhou Bao how to find workers. Zhou Bao introduced him to a labor broker, explaining that he could either buy or hire laborers, depending on his needs.

Wei Qingshan made arrangements with the broker. After closing the shop, the two went together to view candidates. They didn’t bring the young ger along—this was a mixed crowd, and bringing a child would be unwise.

The broker led Lin Yu to view the candidates. Knowing Wei Qingshan and Zhou Bao were acquaintances, he didn’t try to rip them off, instead, he selected only honest, capable individuals to present.

“These men came from the south. Their employer was a government official whose family property was confiscated after a crime. There are capable ones among them. Captain Wei, feel free to choose.”

After reviewing the candidates, Wei Qingshan first selected a middle-aged man to chop meat and tend the shop. He seemed reliable. Lin Yu then chose a neat-looking matron to care for the young ger at home, handling laundry and cooking.

The two spent only fifteen taels of silver. After collecting the indentured contracts, Lin Yu and Wei Qingshan departed.

With new help now in both the courtyard and the shop, Lin Yu no longer needed to rise early for shop duties. The task of preparing fillings was handed over to Shi Xiaoliu and Zhao Yueniang.

Lin Yu raised their wages and appointed Shi Xiaoliu as shop manager, paying him two taels of silver monthly. Shi Xiaoliu was overjoyed, practically dancing with delight—he was now in charge!

Lin Yu finally had some free time. The newly hired housekeeper, Xu Nainai, had worked for wealthy families before and was diligent. She took care of the household chores, cooking, and looking after Tuan-ger. With more hands in the shop, Wei Qingshan no longer had to rise early to mince meat.

Both had more time on their hands now. Whenever Lin Yu found a moment, he cut fine fabrics to make clothes for everyone. Since arriving at the county seat, they’d been so busy they hadn’t even had time to make new clothes.

That afternoon, Shi Xiaoliu and Zhao Yueniang returned. They all sat together in the courtyard sewing new garments—two sets each: one light and one heavy.

Shi Xiaoliu ran his fingers over the fabric, delighted. It was clearly expensive—not only was the color vibrant, but it was patterned too! He’d never worn such fine clothes before!

Now that they had a housekeeper, everyone no longer had to return home for chores. Instead, they sat together sewing clothes. Life at home was getting better and better, and smiles graced every face.

When Wei Qingshan was on leave, Lou Qingfeng also came with his wife. The woman beside him carried a basket filled with golden loquats.

Lou Qingfeng led his people into the courtyard. Lin Yu hurriedly ushered them in, announcing, “Mr. Lou has arrived.”

Wei Qingshan was taken aback by the person Lou Qingfeng had brought. Not just him—even Qingyi looked surprised. Who would have thought that even in the county seat, they’d encounter someone who knew her past? Qingyi clutched the basket tightly, her expression uneasy.

Lou Qingfeng noticed this too, but he knew Wei Qingshan wasn’t that kind of person. He handed the basket from Qingyi’s hands to Lin Yu. “Sister-in-law, I brought some loquats. Wash them and have some.”

“Oh, thank you.”

Xu Nainai took them to wash the fruit. Lin Yu picked a large one for Tuan-ger to hold and play with. Qingyi sat down with Lin Yu and the others, her expression still slightly awkward as she joined their conversation.

Lou Qingfeng cleared his throat softly and spoke to Wei Qingshan in a low voice, “Mr. Wei, you recognize Qingyi?”

“I do. I once asked Miss Qingyi for a favor.”

Wei Qingshan recounted how he’d previously enlisted Qingyi’s help to deal with Zhao Dazhu. Lou Qingfeng nodded, and Wei Qingshan apologized, “I didn’t know you had a connection with her.”

Lou Qingfeng shook his head. “Qingyi and I met during that disaster year. She’s a woman of deep loyalty and honor. Meeting her was a blessing for me, Lou Qingfeng.”

Qingyi kept glancing their way, her hands tightly clutching a handkerchief as she gritted her teeth. Had she known they were acquaintances, she wouldn’t have followed Lou Qingfeng here. When he’d offered to introduce her to his friends, she’d been delighted, tidying herself up and even buying a basket of loquats as a gift.

Lin Yu, unaware of the underlying tension, assumed Qingyi was simply nervous on her first visit. He carried a plate from the table to her. “Mrs. Lou, please have some loquats. The ones you bought are truly sweet.”

“Thank you.”

Noticing her discomfort, Lin Yu brought Tuan-ger over to her. “Would you like to play with him?”

Qingyi took him with a smile directed at Lin Yu. Seeing Lou Qingfeng’s expression unchanged, her heart eased slightly.

At noon, Lin Yu personally prepared the meal. Previously, while he cared for Tuan-ger, most meals were made by Shi Xiaoliu and Zhao Yueniang. Now that they had a maid, this task was delegated to her.

The group gathered around the table for a lively meal. Lou Qingfeng mentioned he’d opened a private academy at the county seat and now worked as a teacher. Life with Qingyi had been quite comfortable.

Shi Xiaoliu gazed at Lou Qingfeng with admiration. “Master Lou is so impressive!”

Lin Yu added, “Master Lou often visits. We’re truly grateful for your help back in the town.”

After eating, Lou Qingfeng and Qingyi stayed for a while before leaving. Qingyi, twisting her sleeve nervously, asked, “You know everything?”

“Yes. Mr. Wei feared I might misunderstand and explained it to me. It’s all in the past now.” Lou Qingfeng took Qingyi’s hand as they walked away. “If you ever need someone to talk to at the county seat, you can seek out Mr. Lin. Neither he nor his husband are bad people.”

Qingyi smiled and nodded. “Yes.”

Lou Qingfeng led his men away. He and Qingyi had met during the great drought when they fled their hometown.

Despite Qingyi’s humble background, he didn’t mind. He brought her to the county seat, where no one knew them, and together they opened a private academy. Now they lived comfortably, never wanting for food or clothing.

Wei Qingshan didn’t tell Lin Yu about this incident. After all, it was water under the bridge. Qingyi was a loyal and honorable person; he certainly wouldn’t look down on her.

Now that they had silver, Wei Qingshan tossed out the old, broken bed and chest of drawers, commissioning a carpenter to build a new set. Their household grew increasingly prosperous.

With more free time, Lin Yu began experimenting with unique dishes to boost the shop’s business. He no longer discarded the gelatinous broth from boiled pork skin, instead pondering how to turn it into steamed buns without the liquid leaking out.

Suddenly, he recalled how dumplings retained their broth when boiled. Right! Instead of leavened dough, he could try using flat, unrisen dough rolled into wrappers.

Lin Yu wasted no time. By afternoon, he’d kneaded over a dozen buns. They weren’t large—each about the size of a baby’s fist—with thin wrappers and generous fillings, each cradling its own broth.

At dinner, Lin Yu brought out his new creation, his eyes sparkling. “Everyone, try my new buns!”

Shi Xiaoliu picked one up and exclaimed, “Lin Ama, there’s soup inside! How did you do that?” 

“Just try it. Eat slowly, don’t burn yourself.”

Shi Xiaoliu, impatient as ever, took a bite first. The soup nearly spilled onto him, and he quickly caught it with a spoon. “So much soup!”

Lin Yu hurriedly reminded him, “Use the spoon to catch it as you eat.”

Everyone began eating carefully with spoons. Zhao Yueniang’s eyes lit up. “Brother, this is delicious! And I’ve never seen buns like this before.”

Lin Yu’s eyes crinkled with laughter. “It took me days to figure out this recipe. From now on, it’s our family secret.”

Wei Qingshan chimed in, “My clever little husband always has such ingenious ideas.”

“Let’s call them soup-filled buns. We’ll sell them in small bamboo steamers—ten buns per steamer for twenty coins, or five for ten coins.” Lin Yu had even thought of the name.

“Alright, tomorrow I’ll have them make us smaller steamers.”

Lin Yu added the soup dumplings to the shop’s menu. These buns with thin wrappers, generous fillings, and broth inside were something everyone had never tasted or seen before. They flocked to try this novelty. When business was booming, both Lin Yu and the family’s old housekeeper, Xu Nainai, had to pitch in.

The business started slowly but gradually gained fame. Wealthy patrons began frequenting the shop. The soup dumplings were best fresh off the steamer, drawing crowds who’d make special trips just to eat them. The eight tables on the first floor weren’t enough; some customers simply bought theirs and ate right outside the shop entrance. For a time, business was incredibly booming.

Lin Yu was so busy that he kept wiping sweat from his brow. The shop even hired a new person just to wash the dishes and utensils. There were simply too many customers, and everyone in the shop was running around like crazy.

To guard against outsiders, the soup dumpling fillings were now prepared at home and transported to the shop for wrapping. When customers were fewer, Wei Qingshan helped find two more people to wrap dumplings. He first reviewed his team members before selecting suitable candidates for Lin Yu.

Lin Yu was swamped with work, yet silver coins poured into his shop daily. His establishment had even gained some renown within the county seat.

The daily influx of customers far outstripped the shop’s capacity. With the constant stream of buyers, the shop extended its hours from half a day to a full day. In the afternoons, they even began selling side dishes—cold-marinated pig’s ears, braised pork jowl, peanuts—perfect accompaniments for drinks. Business was booming.

Lin Yu was so busy he barely had time to count the silver. After selling his soup dumplings for a month, he calculated he’d earned a hundred taels of silver!

Lin Yu was stunned. This far exceeded his expectations. With so much silver piling up, he couldn’t sleep. He pulled Wei Qingshan aside to discuss it. “I never imagined we’d make this much. What should we do? We started with a small business, but if we keep this up, won’t we become registered merchants?“

Wei Qingshan chuckled, pinching Lin Yu’s earlobe. ”I told you I’d have to rely on my little husband to support me.”

Lin Yu shot him a reproachful glare. “Stop fooling around. I’m talking serious business here. With this much silver, we’ll be registered as merchants. If any of our children want to study in the future, won’t they be barred from entering officialdom? This isn’t a joke—it affects three generations!”

“Find a family back home willing to let us use their name.”

“It’s not that simple. Neither of our families has reliable relatives. Who would we even ask?”

Wei Qingshan was stumped, too. His own Wei family had few connections, and his grandmother’s maternal relatives had long since severed ties. He couldn’t think of anyone suitable off the top of his head.

“Does your mother’s side have any relatives left?”

“Only Uncle Zhao Jiazhu, and he’s like that.” Lin Yu sighed softly at the mention of her uncle. Thinking about it, she and Wei Qingshan truly had no relatives.

Lin Yu suddenly remembered something. “My grandmother had a sister, I think. Mother mentioned her. She married far away. There should be a maternal uncle over there, in Hulucun. I think his surname was Ding.”

“Then we’ll visit them during the New Year. See if anyone there would be willing to take over the shop name.”

“Mhm.”

As the weather grew colder and the first snow fell, business at the shop remained brisk. With the chill setting in, people grew lazy about rising early to cook, preferring to buy ready-made meals instead. Lin Yu’s steamed bun shop thrived more than ever, his soup-filled buns and other snacks selling exceptionally well.

Lin Yu was resourceful. During the hot months, he sold cold-dressed pork head meat. Now that it was cold, he used charcoal heaters to warm clay pots filled with pork offal, liver, and pork head. The red broth simmering inside was made from several jars of fermented bean paste he’d prepared during the summer. This way, the food stayed warm and didn’t get cold.

His business flourished even more in winter, prompting him to rent the vacant shop near his own.

He gradually hired more staff, entrusting the shop to Shi Xiaoliu. His monthly wage rose to five taels of silver. Shi Xiaoliu now carried himself with increasing authority, standing stern-faced to keep the shop crew in line.

As the year drew to a close, Wei Qingshan was promoted from company captain to company commander. His former position was handed over to Zhou Bao.

With his new rank, Wei Qingshan was no longer required to patrol the streets. His promotion prompted the men of the Fifth Company to protest loudly, clamoring, “Brother Wei! Even if you’re a company commander now, don’t forget we’re your brothers from the Fifth Company!”

Having grown close to them, Wei Qingshan chuckled lightly. “Of course not. Tomorrow, I’ll treat everyone to a feast at the shop—consider it an early New Year celebration.”

“Oh! Great!”

“The Wei’s place is so popular now you can’t get a seat without lining up! And those soup dumplings and offal hotpot—I’ve never tried them! This time, I’m going to eat my fill!”

Wei Qingshan had already informed Lin Yu, who was delighted by his promotion to a commander. He specially reserved two tables on the second floor for their party.