Lin Yu finally drifted off to sleep nestled in Wei Qingshan’s embrace. Wei Qingshan laid the flushed young fulang gently on the bed, tucking him in snugly before settling down beside him.

The morning of the first day of the new year was uneventful, so no one rose early. Wei Qingshan slept soundly, contentedly cradling his sweet, soft young fulang.

Lin Yu drifted in and out of sleep when he sensed warmth on the bed. Reaching out beside him, he touched Tuanger, feeling something damp. Too groggy to open his eyes, he nudged Wei Qingshan, who held him close. “Qingshan… Qingshan.”

“What is it?” Wei Qingshan clung to his fulang, refusing to open his eyes. On a rare winter morning when he didn’t have to rise early, with his sweet, soft fulang beside him, he was in no hurry to get up.

Lin Yu gave him a gentle nudge. “Tuan-ger seems to have wet the bed. It’s uncomfortable for me to sleep like this.”

Wei Qingshan had no choice but to rise now. He grunted and sat up, forcing Lin Yu to follow suit. Tuan-ger, sleeping deepest inside, still snored peacefully with his little bottom sticking up.

Wei Qingshan gave Tuan-ger’s little bottom a pat. “I gave him that sweet egg soup yesterday. Damn, I forgot to make the little brat pee before bed.”

Now neither could sleep. Xiao Tuan-ger’s wet bed had woken them both. Lin Yu pulled on his coat and shifted the child to a drier spot.

Wei Qingshan added charcoal to the brazier first. “I’ll boil water to wipe the little one down.”

“Mm.”

Lin Yu yawned, feeling sluggish from lack of sleep. He combed his hair and pinned it up with his favorite little silver fish hairpin.

Now that their household had improved, he owned seven or eight silver hairpins, but he still cherished the first one Wei Qingshan had given him most. He rarely wore it, saving it for special occasions, such as New Year’s.

Xu Nainai rose early and was already stoking the fire in the kitchen when she spotted Wei Qingshan approaching. “Master Wei, why so early today?”

“Tuan-ger wet the bed. I’m fetching some hot water.”

“Then I’ll tidy things up.”

“No need. I’ll just wipe him down.” Wei Qing Shan fetched a basin of hot water and headed to the main room. Xiao Tuan hadn’t woken up yet.

Lin Yu wrung out a cloth and wiped Xiao Tuan’s body. Only then did the child stir, flashing his tiny teeth and smiling at Lin Yu. “Daddy~”

Wei Qingshan stood nearby, helping hold the little ger’s chubby feet. “Still smiling? Who wet the bed this early?”

Tuan-ger’s big eyes darted around. “It wasn’t Tuan-ger. Daddy did it.”

Wei Qingshan gave his little bottom a light smack. “Clearly, it was Tuan-ger.”

“No, it was Daddy.”

Lin Yu placed the handkerchief in the basin. “Alright, hurry up and get dressed before you catch a chill.”

Wei Qingshan wrapped the little one in a quilt, then dressed him in a small jacket warmed over the charcoal brazier. “Fine, it’s New Year’s today. Daddy won’t scold you this time.”

Today, Tuan-ger wore a red jacket and a small silver lock around his neck. Lin Yu changed the water to wipe his face again, then tied his hair into two little buns with red ribbons. Two tiny bells dangled from the ribbons, jingling softly with each step.

Tuan-ger shook his little head mischievously. “Daddy, jingle jingle~”

“Hmm, go play then.” Lin Yu pinched the mischievous ger’s cheek.

Wei Qingshan carried out the wet mattress Tuan-ger had soiled and replaced it with a fresh one. “Didn’t sleep well? Go back to sleep.”

“No more sleep. I’m not tired now.”

With no relatives visiting their home, they enjoyed the quiet. Wei Qingshan stayed home to keep Lin Yu company.

On the tenth day, Shi Xiaoliu, Ding Xiaohe, and the others returned. They hired a carriage from town—the silver had been given to Shi Xiaoliu by Lin Yu when he left. The carriage first picked up Ding Xiahe and Ding Xiaosui from the countryside early that morning, then picked up Shi Xiaoliu and the others to travel together.

Having not seen Lin Yu for several days, Shi Xiaoliu leapt down the moment the carriage arrived. “Lin Fulang!”

Tuan-ger, recognizing Shi Xiaoliu’s voice, ran over. “Xiaoliu…Brother~”

Shi Xiaoliu scooped Tuan-ger into his arms. “Hehe, big brother’s back.”

Ding Xiaohe followed down, carrying a bamboo basket full of items from the countryside. He and Ding Xiaosui carried it into the courtyard. “Cousin, my father and the others asked me to bring you these things.”

“Why bring all this from so far away?”

Lin Yu knew the Ding family struggled and refused to accept anything. Ding Xiaohe scratched his head. “Cousin, they’re just worthless things.”

Ding Xiaohe first brought over two pairs of tiger-head shoes. “My little father made these.”

Lin Yu was delighted. The two pairs of tiger-head shoes were exquisitely crafted and beautiful. “Please thank your little father for me.”

Ding Xiaohe then pulled a basket of wild greens from his backpack. “My brothers and I gathered some wild shepherd’s purse. It’s nothing special—don’t look down on it, cousin.”

Lin Yu shook his head repeatedly. “Not at all! I’ve been craving greens. Perfect timing—I was planning to make dumplings tomorrow.”

It was just after the New Year, and the weather was still bitterly cold. Where could one find wild greens now? Even if shepherd’s purse had begun sprouting, it would be hard to spot. The leaves in this basket were smaller than his thumb—a whole basket of them must have taken considerable effort to gather.

The rest of the basket contained a sack of sweet potatoes. His family didn’t have much to spare, but his little father had insisted on bringing them along.

Lin Yu hadn’t eaten much fresh greens all winter. Seeing the wild shepherd’s purse made his mouth water. That evening, he had Xu Nainai whip up some shepherd’s purse stir-fried with eggs. The rest he saved for tomorrow’s shepherd’s purse dumplings.

This year, the shop didn’t open as early. Lin Yu let the staff rest a day before reopening. Now that Shi Xiaoliu managed things efficiently, Lin Yu hardly needed to worry. Their soup dumplings were unmatched in the county seat, and business remained brisk from the moment they opened.

On opening day, a visitor arrived: the owner of Drunken Immortal Pavilion, a middle-aged man in his thirties or forties, bearing gifts for Lin Yu.

Xu Nainai, unfamiliar with him, accepted the calling card and presented it to Lin Yu. Recognizing the owner of Drunken Immortal Pavilion—a shop with which they had little prior dealings—Lin Yu wondered why he sought them out. He instructed Xu Nainai to usher him inside.

Master Cui was taken aback upon seeing Lin Yu. He’d heard the First Pavilion’s owner was a young ger, but seeing him in person was still a surprise—never imagined he’d be this young, and pregnant at that.

He immediately launched into flattery. Lin Yu listened with a smile as Zhao Yueniang brought tea and quietly kept her brother company. What was this man here for, rambling on and on?

After beating around the bush for a while, Master Cui finally stated, “I came today hoping to purchase a recipe from you, Mr. Lin.”

Lin Yu knew his visit must have a purpose. “What recipe might that be?”

“I tried your family’s soup dumplings and found them truly exceptional. I, Cui, am willing to pay a thousand taels for the recipe. Rest assured, Mr. Lin, Drunken Immortal Pavilion has no intention of competing with your business. There are certain distinguished patrons who would also like to sample them.”

Lin Yu understood Master Cui’s implication. Drunken Immortal Pavilion was the county seat’s grandest restaurant, catering to dignitaries and nobility. Their First Floor couldn’t compare to Drunken Immortal Pavilion, which served mostly commoners and moderately wealthy families—a world apart.

Naturally, Lin Yu refused. Though his shop couldn’t rival Drunken Immortal Pavilion, his business was unique and would only grow stronger.

Lin Yu politely declined. A thousand taels of silver for a recipe was no small sum, but he had no desire to sell his family’s formula. Master Cui gritted his teeth. “Then, how about this: add a ten percent annual profit share from Drunken Immortal Pavilion? This is guaranteed every year—far more profitable than just a thousand taels.”

Lin Yu still shook his head. “Master Cui, mine is just a modest business. I don’t seek great wealth or prestige—just enough to support my family.”

Master Cui wasn’t ready to give up. “Mr. Lin, won’t you reconsider? The customers at my Drunken Immortal Pavilion and your First Pavilion aren’t the same crowd. Selling it to me wouldn’t harm your business at all.”

“If Master Cui’s customers prefer our shop, they’re welcome to buy from us. Just give us advance notice of quantities needed.”

Lin Yu didn’t wish to offend anyone, offering a face-saving exit. Drunken Immortal Pavilion enjoyed a prime location and reputation in the county seat—unlike his own two-story rented shop, theirs occupied a full three stories.

Master Cui relented. “Mr. Lin, please reconsider.”

After Xu Nainai saw them off, Zhao Yueniang voiced her worry, “Brother, do you think they might play dirty tricks behind our backs?”

“Unlikely. Master Cui approached us openly and honestly.”

Lin Yu naturally wouldn’t sell the recipe for his soup dumplings—it was his shop’s signature dish. How could he give it away? Days passed without incident, and Lin Yu considered the matter closed.

One day, while Xu Nainai accompanied Zhao Yueniang shopping for groceries, a dandy young master approached them. Nothing unusual happened until a servant whispered something in the young man’s ear. He turned back toward them and called out, “Young lady.”

Zhao Yueniang startled, and Xu Nainai quickly stepped in front of her. “Mind your manners!”

The young master teased Zhao Yueniang, chasing her as she backed away in fright. Xu Nainai snapped, “Who do you think you are?!”

“Well, I’m the young master of Drunken Immortal Pavilion. Master Cui is my uncle. I hear your family recently disrespected my uncle—that means you disrespected Jia Feng. Your so-called ‘First Pavilion’? Pfft! When our Drunken Immortal Pavilion opened, yours wasn’t even on the map yet!”

Zhao Yueniang turned pale with fright. Fortunately, this Jia Feng moved on after a few taunts. “You should know better than to cross certain people.”

Xu Nainai hurriedly led Zhao Yueniang back home. The girl wept uncontrollably. They hadn’t planned to tell Lin Yu—her brother was about to give birth, and they feared upsetting him. But as they entered the courtyard, they bumped right into Lin Yu.

Seeing Zhao Yueniang’s pale face and reddened eyes, Lin Yu immediately asked what was wrong. Xu Nainai, realizing she couldn’t hide it, told Lin Yu everything. Enraged, Lin Yu slammed his fist on the table. “Drunken Immortal Pavilion has gone too far! We’ll settle this with them when your brother-in-law returns!”

“Brother, don’t get so angry. You must take care of yourself,” Zhao Yueniang hurriedly comforted him, afraid Lin Yu might harm the unborn child.

Wei Qingshan hadn’t returned home yet when another commotion erupted at the First Floor Restaurant. Jia Feng stormed into the shop, ordered a table full of dishes, devoured them, then tossed the leftovers around, bellowing that their food was inedible and beneath his dignity. Enraged, Shi Xiaoliu grabbed a broom and began beating Jia Feng with it.

Unaware that he was from Drunken Immortal Pavilion, Shi Xiaoliu assumed he was just a troublemaker. After a couple of swings, he chased him out.