Chapter Bonanza (2/10)

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As dusk fell, the Tang family began cleaning up. They finished their work in no time, and Aunt Tong, A-Liang, and Xiao Mi each went their separate ways—Xiao Mi headed to the employee dormitory on Second Alley; getting to work was so much more convenient now.

Tang Xianling added “housing allowance” cash to Aunt Tong and A-Liang’s pay.

In the past, once winter arrived, it would get dark early, and the streets would be deserted. Although A-Liang and Aunt Tong lived relatively close to Baxing District, it was still in an outer district, and the walk took over half an hour. At that time, Tang Xianling had been quite worried, fearing that something might happen to the employees on their way to and from work.

And Xiao Mi is only fourteen.

To Big Boss Tang, he was still just a teenager.

Now that A-Liang had moved to Baxing District and Xiao Mi was living in Second Alley, Boss Tang felt much more at ease and wasn’t as worried anymore.

He thought it would be best if Mrs. Tong’s family came to pick her up once it got dark in winter—he’d better mention it to her.

Just then, the three of them stepped out the door and came to a halt.

Jiang Yun locked the courtyard gate, then returned to tell Wu-ger and Tieniu, who was drawing water in the courtyard, “I went over this evening to talk to her. Sanniang agreed right away and even took a solemn oath.”

“?” Tang Xianling raised an eyebrow. “What kind of solemn oath did she take?”

Jiang Yun: “I told her to keep it a secret and not let it get out. Sanniang said she’d definitely keep it to herself, or else her whole family would die.”

Tang Xianling:……

He hadn’t mentioned anything about keeping it a secret—that little snack given to a guest; he hadn’t taken it seriously. Why did Mother bring that up?

Jiang Yun looked at her Wu-ger and snorted, “My child has a kind heart, but I’ll make one thing clear from the start: when it comes to matters with the Lu family in the future, if Qiaolian and Old Lu can’t tell right from wrong and start taking advantage of the situation, I’ll be the one to play the bad guy.”

Hearing his mother speak as if she were the “bad guy,” Tang Xianling smiled, feeling a warm glow in his heart for no apparent reason.

“Fine. You’re the head of this household anyway—your word is law.”

Mom was looking out for him—covering for him.

Jiang Yun and Huangfu Tieniu both laughed.

The atmosphere in the Tang family’s small courtyard was joyful and harmonious. While some boiled water and others carried in bathwater to mix with cold water, Huangfu Tieniu took advantage of his mother’s bath to scrub his husband’s underwear and undershirt, then hung them out in the courtyard to dry. He’d take them in before the servants arrived the next day.

That would be fine.

That way, his husband wouldn’t feel embarrassed or self-conscious.

The atmosphere at the Lu family’s house next door had also eased somewhat, no longer carrying the sense of impending storm and gloom that had hung over it in the previous days.

“Sanniang has found a good job; she’ll start working next door tomorrow. You should learn from her,” Chen Qiaolian said, feeling guilty toward her daughter. Turning to Zou Ling, her tone grew more cautious and careful. “You’re pregnant now. From now on, when Dalang makes steamed buns, I’ll handle the work in the kitchen, and you can stay up front to take payments and pack the buns. I’ll help you too.”

Zou Ling murmured in agreement, feeling a pang of unease. Her mother-in-law had said this in front of Dalang; on the surface, it seemed like she was looking out for her and sparing her some work. But Daliang would surely think: Mother is doing so much—cooking in the kitchen, working at the shop, and now she’s even taking over the cash register. This is putting her in the spotlight.

These days, Dalang treated her with great care, afraid of saying the wrong thing, and showed her great respect—but the intimacy between husband and wife was gone…

Zou Ling couldn’t figure out what she really wanted.

Now her mother-in-law, father-in-law, and Daliang were all afraid of upsetting her and spoke to her with great care. Sanniang was off to work, and Second Brother hadn’t returned—yet no matter where she went in this house or courtyard, she felt out of place.

“Don’t worry so much, Sister-in-law,” said Lu Sanniang. “Just take good care of yourself. Once I start earning cash, I’ll be able to contribute to the household too.”

Zou Ling watched Sanniang smile happily and thought, “This girl is so carefree.”

Sanniang had landed a job with the Tang family and earned her wages, but the money would likely never end up in her own hands. Later, if Erlang were to marry and the family was to set up a courtyard for him elsewhere, the expenses for Erlang and his wife—well, Sanniang would probably end up footing the bill.

Zou Ling’s thoughts were in a complete tangle; not knowing what to say, she could only keep her head down and eat.

The atmosphere, which had been fairly relaxed, soon turned silent again as everyone went back to eating on their own.

Early the next morning, Chen Qiaolian called out to her daughter to hurry off to work. Lu Sanniang said, “Mom, it’s too early. Fifth Brother—no, wait, the boss—is surely still asleep. I’ll wait a bit; I know exactly when to go.”

“You should go early on your first day,” Chen Qiaolian insisted, still worried. She wanted her daughter to go to work and learn the ropes. “Once you’ve been paid, you’re a hired hand. You can’t act as you used to—being disrespectful and fooling around.”

Father Lu nodded in agreement and chimed in from the side.

Lu Sanniang: “I know.”

In the end, Lu Sanniang couldn’t resist her parents’ persuasion and went over early—it was barely seven o’clock. Boss Tang was still asleep.

Seeing that Lu Sanniang had arrived so early, Jiang Yun suggested she go home, fearing the Lu family might get the wrong idea. But it wouldn’t be appropriate to treat her as usual—inviting her to sit and chat while offering her tea and snacks.

So Jiang Yun brought out a basket of peanuts.

“Here, Sanniang, sit here and shell some peanuts.” Jiang Yun started shelling them herself; lately, Wu-ger had been baking peanut-flavored cookies and pastries to serve to customers, so they were using a lot of peanuts.

Lu Sanniang sat on a stool and began to shell the peanuts with concentration.

Seeing that Lu Sanniang wasn’t slacking off and was working both carefully and quickly, Jiang Yun immediately said, “Slow down, slow down—I just wanted to give you something to do. Have you had breakfast yet?”

“I have. We had meat buns at home.” Lu Sanniang had eaten homemade meat buns that day; usually, she just had plain buns with pickles.

Jiang Yun asked, “How is your sister-in-law feeling?”

“I feel like my sister-in-law is still unhappy.”

“That’s just how it is when she’s expecting. The adults in your family should be a little more understanding.”

As they exchanged questions and answers, they fell into casual conversation, and the work didn’t feel quite so rushed.

A little past 7:30, Tang Xianling woke up, got dressed, brushed his teeth, and washed his face. When he saw Lu Sanniang in the courtyard shelling peanuts with his mother, he paused for a moment. Once he realized what was happening, he said, “Sanniang, you don’t need to come this early tomorrow. Just come at the same time as Xiao Mi.”

“Just remember one thing: when you come to work at my house, you do as Boss Tang says.”

Lu Sanniang immediately nodded, overjoyed. “Got it, Boss!” From now on, if her parents asked her to come earlier, she’d just say she had to follow the boss’s orders.

Tang Xianling nodded and slowly brushed his teeth and washed his face—having just woken up, Boss Tang was still a bit groggy, and his mind was a little slow to respond.

Everyone in the household knew Boss Tang had this habit. By the time breakfast was brought to him—today, Tieniu had gone ahead to the breakfast shop to buy a roujiamo, since his husband had been craving one last night, with a perfect balance of lean and fatty meat—along with a bowl of soup—Boss Tang took just two bites and was instantly wide awake.

“You’re shelling peanuts? All right, I’ll teach you how to roast them in a bit,” Tang Xianling said.

Lu Sanniang was overjoyed.

The Tang household provided meals—both lunch and dinner were taken care of. Lunch was heartier and richer, while the afternoon meal was lighter and more refreshing. At lunchtime, Lu Sanniang even went back home once to fetch her own bowl and chopsticks. As she ate, watching the staff meals—glistening with oil and fragrant—she couldn’t help but think of how meager and lacking in fat her own meals were—

After that, as she worked and studied in the afternoon, Lu Sanniang applied herself even more diligently.

Two days later, one morning, Lu Sanniang was following the boss to learn how to prepare filling when she suddenly heard her mother’s sobs, faintly mixed with her second brother’s voice. Lu Sanniang froze for a moment, thinking: “My second brother is at Ping’an Hall—how could he be back at this hour? I must have heard wrong.”

Just as she was thinking this, Lu Erlang walked through the Tang family’s gate and called out to his third sister.

After recovering from her surprise, Lu Sanniang emerged from the kitchen. Lu Erlang, his eyes red and his expression somewhat defiant, bowed respectfully to Master Tang and Aunt Jiang, saying, “I know you both mean well, Auntie and Master Tang, and want to help my family, but Sanniang isn’t working here anymore. She won’t be working here from now on.”

“Wait a moment,” said Tang Xianling, his expression solemn.

Chen Qiaolian and Father Lu had both followed them over. Chen Qiaolian patted Erlang on the shoulder, implying, “What nonsense are you talking about? How could you come back from Ping’an Hall? How could you, of all people, just give up on Ping’an Hall?”

Lu Sanniang couldn’t believe it and cried out, “Second Brother, why aren’t you doing it anymore?”

“For no particular reason—I can’t let my older brother and sister take care of me.” Lu Erlang’s eyes were red, and he spoke with a touch of stubbornness. “I’ve brought all my things back from Ping’an Hall. I won’t be going back there anymore. Mom and Dad, I’ll find a job on my own. You don’t need to worry about me, and my older brother can live a good life with his wife.”

As he spoke, Lu Erlang reached out to take his sister’s arm and lead her home. He knew what was on his parents’ minds, and he knew that his sister had stayed at the Tang household to work and help out—all for his sake.

“It’s not necessary.”

Lu Sanniang was clearly reluctant, shouting, “Second Brother, Second Brother, I want to stay!”

For a moment, the Tang family courtyard was in an uproar.

Tang Xianling frowned, and Tieniu called out, “Everyone, be quiet.”

The Lu family members—some trying to persuade him, others weeping and pleading—all fell silent at once. Tang Xianling looked at Lu Erlang and said, “You gave up studying medicine of your own free will, but have you asked Sanniang whether she truly wants to stay and study with me, or if she wants to go home?”

“You have to ask her—she’s a living, breathing person with her own thoughts.”

Lu Sanniang looked at her second brother with a very serious expression and said, “Second Brother, at first I wanted to help support the family, but after making pastries for two days, I realized I enjoy doing this. The boss said I’m a quick learner and pay close attention to detail. Mother used to make flower-shaped buns, and I could always shape the pleats beautifully. I love doing these things.”

She said she liked it twice in a row.

Lu Erlang stared intently at his younger sister and could see from her eyes that she wasn’t lying. He was momentarily stunned, unsure of what to say. Had he made a mistake? But what about the family—

“You’re back from Ping’an Hall? Have you completely cut ties with them?” Tang Xianling asked.

As soon as Chen Qiaolian heard this, she reached out to hit Erlang, saying, “I’ll go beg the people at Ping’an Hall—I’ll even kneel before your master to see if they’ll let you stay.” Hearing this, Lu Erlang grew emotional again. He didn’t want their mother to plead on his behalf; he’d already cut ties completely. He simply had no talent, and the head master at Ping’an Hall hadn’t really tried to keep him or held much hope for him. Even if he studied for another ten years, there was no way he’d be allowed to stay, and so on.

Father Lu listened with tears welling up in his eyes.

Tang Xianling:……

“In this world, aside from the most exceptional geniuses, there’s still a path forward for ordinary, hardworking people.” Tang Xianling looked at Lu Erlang. “Don’t worry about your family’s situation right now. Just ask yourself: do you truly love this line of work, or is it just something you want to do? We ordinary folk in the neighborhood—whether we’ve suffered bruises and fractures or are suffering from chills and fever—still need to see a doctor. You might not be able to treat complex and intractable illnesses, but you can handle minor ailments, right? If you really can’t stay at Ping’an Hall, go out and explore—prefectures, counties, towns, or even villages. Don’t limit yourself.”

“And Uncle Lu and Aunt Lu, I know your family is under pressure. If you can’t afford to buy a courtyard house, just rent a place for Lu Erlang for now. No matter how poor or desperate you are, Lu Erlang’s career isn’t set in stone yet. There’s no rush for him to get married and have children—postponing it for a few years is fine. These are all things that can be adjusted flexibly. Don’t put pressure on yourselves, and don’t put pressure on the child either.”

“All right, then. I’ve got business to attend to. Let’s all go our separate ways.”

Having said all that, Boss Tang no longer cared about the Lu family’s reputation—let them think whatever they wanted; it was getting on his nerves. He called out again, “Lu Sanniang, you stay behind—there’s still work to be done.”

“Got it, Boss,” Lu Sanniang replied in a cheerful, resonant voice. Although she was still worried about her parents and second older brother, she obeyed her boss.

Jiang Yun saw them off.

The three members of the Lu family, who had been making such a commotion, now left with solemn expressions and heavy hearts.

As for what the Lu family would say or argue about once they got home, that was none of Boss Tang’s business.

In the days that followed, Lu Sanniang came to work at the Tang household but didn’t dare mention her family’s troubles; she knew her boss didn’t like to hear about them. By the time autumn arrived and the weather turned cooler, Lu Sanniang was able to make small pastries on her own.

It wasn’t just Tang Xianling speaking highly of her—Sanniang truly had a natural talent and flair for the appearance of pastries, especially when it came to shaping dough.

The pastries his family sent out looked much more exquisite.

“Has your second older brother returned to Ping’an Hall?” Tang Xianling asked Sanniang of his own accord that day.

Lu Sanniang was taken aback for a moment, but quickly replied, “My parents did send my second brother to Ping’an Hall, but the manager there wouldn’t keep him. After that, he stayed at home for a few days. One day, he said he was going to check out the town nearby, and he’s been gone for over half a month now.”

Tang Xianling nodded upon hearing this. “That’s good. Your family won’t have to worry about buying a house now, and you can save your own cash.” He glanced at Lu Sanniang; the young girl chuckled, clearly indicating she wouldn’t be saving her cash herself.

“I was thinking of saving my cash so my sister-in-law can eat well during her postpartum confinement,” Lu Sanniang said.

Tang Xianling: “…Whatever you want.”

The weather had turned cooler, and the leaves in the courtyard had turned yellow. Boss Tang had his employees clean out the stove—

“Boss, are you selling the hotpot now?”

Tang Xianling: “No, I’m not selling them yet. Bring out half of them; I’m planning to make a dry pot series.” He needed to order a few small cast-iron pots.

Dry-pot potato slices, dry-pot spare ribs, dry-pot cured pork stir-fried with various vegetables, and dry-pot tofu.

Basically, dishes that are served slightly warm.

A week after Boss Tang gave his instructions, it rained continuously—truly a bleak autumn rain. After several downpours, there were hardly any leaves left on the two trees in the courtyard.

In the fall, people enjoy chestnuts and meat, and the Tang family’s pastries are also a real treat—chestnut shortbread, chestnut cakes, peanut-chestnut candies, and so on. Originally, these were just complimentary treats, but diners loved them so much that they kept asking for more—even Ding Quan came by to ask if he could buy some. If he couldn’t buy them, he’d order a whole table of dishes and take the complimentary pastries home in a takeout box.

Tang Xianling: …That’s crazy.

The most famous item in the Tang family’s chestnut series, the “Treasure Ball,” is a new creation Master Tang came up with this year. It has a flaky crust on the outside, but unlike traditional flaky pastries, this one consists of thin orange strips wrapped around a “chestnut”—yet the taste is a whole new world.

The “chestnut” inside isn’t a real chestnut—it’s just shaped like one. It has a chestnut-milk flavor, and when you bite into it, you’ll find peanuts and sugary crispies inside. The saltiness of the peanuts blends with a subtle sweetness, while the dried, flaky strips on the outside have a faint hint of persimmon.

The flavor is sweet and salty, yet not overly sweet, with the peanuts and “chestnut” perfectly balanced.

This pastry is a favorite among the Tang family’s longtime customers, who say, “It was good last year too, but not quite this refined. This year’s version is more special and delicious than all of Quanxingzhai’s mooncakes in the West Market combined.”

When Mr. Tang heard the customer mention Quanxingzhai and take a dig at them, he was secretly pleased, though he didn’t let it show—after all, that family had copied his mooncakes.

This year, he started selling mooncakes half a month earlier than usual. With Lu Sanniang lending a hand, Mr. Tang had even built a large oven ahead of time, which he set up under the shed in the courtyard—this time, the baking went especially fast.

This year’s mooncakes were another huge hit.

This “Treasure Ball” pastry was conceived by Tang Xianling, though Lu Sanniang played a key role in its design. She was very dexterous; she could shape the chestnut-like form all by herself without Tang Xianling’s help. She would sit there silently, meticulously crafting each “chestnut” with great concentration.

“Customers have been asking about them a lot. Sanniang, you’ve worked hard these past few days. Now that the Treasure Balls are on sale, I’ll make sure to keep track of your piece-rate cash,” said Mr. Tang.

Lu Sanniang replied with a smile—she wasn’t tired at all.

For some reason, the sweet, fragrant aroma of the pastries—even though she wasn’t eating any—brought her a sense of inner peace, allowing her to stop thinking about things back home. How wonderful that was.

As soon as the “Treasure Balls” were launched, they sold out quickly. Later, one day, Ding Quan brought one to Mr. Tang. Tang Xianling was puzzled at first—why was he showing him a golden ball?

Ding Quan tore open the gold foil in a few quick motions, revealing what was inside.

The moment Tang Xianling saw it, he couldn’t bring himself to smile.

It was his own “Treasure Ball,” repackaged by someone else in gold foil.

“Did you wrap it yourself?”

“No, I don’t have the money to buy gold foil. I got it from some idler on the street. As soon as I tasted it, I knew it was your Treasure Ball. Someone must have bought it from you and repackaged it themselves. I heard these things are selling for three taels of silver a box these days,” Ding Quan said.

He added, “I couldn’t figure out who made them.”

Tang Xianling:…

Damn middleman!!!

They don’t sell them that expensively at his shop—though they are a bit pricier than ordinary pastries. These things are labor-intensive; they have to be made one by one, and a jin costs about 150 wen.

Previously, they were given out per person at each table—one per person—and they didn’t serve this variety every day; they rotated through different kinds.

Tang Xianling understood what Ding Quan meant and said, “It’s fine. They’ll stop selling them in a couple of days. Someone will eventually get desperate and come forward.”

We need to put a stop to these unscrupulous middlemen.

As soon as the Treasure Balls went off the market, people did indeed start getting anxious. Some customers simply loved them and wanted more—it was only natural for them to ask. But the anxiety shown by others was a bit unusual—the kind of desperation that comes from having one’s source of income cut off.

Huangfu Tieniu told Xianling not to go near the shop for the next few days; he’d handle it.

He was afraid this “middleman” might fly into a rage and hurt Xianling.

Tang Xianling didn’t show his face. After a few days, the “middleman,” unable to wait any longer, stepped forward, clutching ten taels of silver, and pleaded with the young owner, Tieniu, hoping that Tang’s Restaurant would resume making Treasure Balls. He claimed he’d already promised them to important guests—just this once, he begged.

“We’re not making them,” Tang Xianling said, looking at the customer standing before him—someone who seemed to visit more often in the fall but wasn’t a regular. “We’re out of ingredients; we’ve run out of persimmon paste.”

Having been in business for nearly two years, Mr. Tang had become a bit more tactful and came up with an excuse.

Huangfu Tieniu thought to himself that the owner’s blunt “No” sounded harsh—the man must be holding a grudge. He didn’t buy the excuse about running out of ingredients that followed.

No matter how much the man pleaded, Mr. Tang remained unmoved; he simply insisted he couldn’t make it because he was out of ingredients.

Later, one day, Lu Sanniang came by and said someone had approached her, offering thirty taels of silver. In fact, when the message reached the Lu household, Chen Qiaolian’s expression flickered the moment she heard “thirty taels,” and she was just about to speak up.

Lu Sanniang said, “I’ve taken a solemn oath: if I reveal the secret recipe, our entire family will die.”

Chen Qiaolian:…

“I didn’t ask you to reveal it. I was just a little wavered at first, but I didn’t say anything. Let me think it over carefully—I definitely won’t agree.”

Lu Sanniang: “That’s good. I trust you, Mother.”

Later, Chen Qiaolian told her husband, “Sanniang has grown a backbone now; she’s becoming more and more headstrong, and I don’t know if that’s for the best or not.”

Father Lu replied, “She’s doing a fine job working for the Tang family. Let her be a little headstrong if she wants to.”

“Erlang has already left, and we don’t need the money urgently right now. Are we really going to drive Sanniang away too?”

“I’m not saying my daughter is no good; I’m just afraid that once she’s at her in-laws’ house, they might look down on her…” Chen Qiaolian said as far as this, then—not knowing what she was thinking—sighed softly. She still hadn’t figured out how to get along with her eldest daughter-in-law; it was all so muddled. Never mind, never mind.

Lu Sanniang refused to go with that boss and reiterated her decision. Huangfu Tieniu and Tang Xianling took note of this. Tang Xianling had only one thought: the business war was finally about to begin.

“Sister Tong, have your family come pick you up—lately, everyone’s been heading home early after work.”

“If anyone tries to stop you, safety comes first—we’ll deal with the rest later.”

Tang Xianling gave these instructions one by one to the employees at the company.

The employees were all aware of the situation and felt a bit afraid. After discussing it, Xiao Mi and A-Liang decided to walk home together. As for Sister Tong, she went home to talk it over with her family, thinking she might stay in the dormitory for now and have her mother-in-law come over to keep her company—or perhaps her husband could accompany her instead.

Of course that was fine—Aunt Tong was now the “pillar” of the family and the main breadwinner.

With Boss Tang on such high alert, the so-called business war began. The other side first brought up the Song family, claiming they were delivering pastries to them—that the Treasure Ball was what the Song family had requested.

The Song family? Tang Xianling wasn’t familiar with them, but judging by the mix of fear and reliance on the other party’s expression when they mentioned them, they must be quite influential.

“……” Tang Xianling stared at the other party speechlessly. “If they find out that I sell my Treasure Balls for 150 wen per jin, but you’re reselling them to them for three taels of silver per box—do you think they’ll be cutting me off, or coming after you?”

The customer was at a loss for words.

Finally, with no other choice, he knelt before Master Tang—

Tieniu yanked him to his feet.

Tang Xianling said, “Those high-and-mighty families are rich and powerful—what haven’t they tasted? You’re trembling with fear now, thinking you have to fulfill your promise to send them pastries, but since you can’t deliver them now, they might not even care. You’d be better off telling the truth, apologizing, and explaining that you simply can’t do it.”

In any case, if they’re trying to use his shop to boost their own reputation and interests, Mr. Tang won’t go along with it—even if you kneel and kowtow, it won’t do any good.

Mr. Tang, with a heart of stone, remained unmoved.

Later, with no other options, the man went back to Quanxingzhai, hoping they could figure out how to make a replica. The shopkeeper at Quanxingzhai was at a loss for words: “Do you think we don’t want to make it? That treasure ball was sent to our pastry chef ages ago. He’s taken it apart, eaten it, and studied it over and over, but he just can’t figure out that flavor.”

They’ve managed to get about five or six out of ten, though.

But putting a product that’s only five or six out of ten on the market would be a disgrace to the Quanxingzhai name.

It doesn’t even look like the real thing—it’s way off—and it’ll just make people laugh.

……

Later on, winter set in, and Tang’s Restaurant was about to start serving hot pot.

Tang Xianling asked Tieniu, “Has that person been around lately?” Tieniu shook his head and said he hadn’t seen him. Tang Xianling thought the matter was over, but one snowy day, a luxurious horse-drawn carriage pulled up in front of his restaurant, and a lavishly dressed young woman stepped out.

The young woman wore a veil and entered the restaurant; all the diners enjoying hot pot inside turned to look at her.

Aunt Tong stepped forward to greet her. The young woman spoke haughtily, “Where is your boss? Show me the way.”

“I’ll handle it,” Huangfu Tieniu said, dismissing Mrs. Tong to tend to other matters.

The young woman said, “Are you the owner? Brother Tang Wu.”

“I’m his husband,” Huangfu Tieniu replied, neither humble nor arrogant. “If you’re looking for Boss Tang, this way, please.”

He escorted this haughty young woman to the main hall to wait.

The young woman remained standing rather than sitting; even through her veiled cap, one could sense her disdain.

When Tang Xianling entered and saw her standing there, he cut straight to the chase and asked her purpose.

“I’m a member of the Song family.”

“……” Tang Xianling’s tone was also somewhat sharp. “Are you here to pay for the Treasure Balls, or do you want to back up that middleman and ruin my restaurant?”

Upon hearing this, the young woman scrutinized the man before her, then removed her veil and said, “What middleman? The one who made the promise? I don’t know his last name—it doesn’t matter anymore.”

“Mr. Tang, do you still have any Treasure Balls for sale?”

“Thirty taels a box.”

Tang Xianling: …So now I’m the middleman.

What’s the deal with this Song family? Such a sucker—uh, no.

“I won’t lie to you—the treasure balls are sold out. It’s winter now, and the chestnuts aren’t fresh; it’s not the right season for this. If you’re not in a hurry, come back in a couple of days. I’ve come up with another kind of pastry—it’s sweet and savory with a hint of peanut flavor. It won’t cost thirty taels; it’s custom-made, just one tael of silver per box. Let’s go with that price.”

The young lady furrowed her brow, looked at Mr. Tang for a moment, realized he wasn’t lying, and finally said, “No need. My master ordered the Treasure Balls. Since we can’t have them this year, I’ll come back next year.”

She then slipped him two taels of silver and left.

Tang Xianling stood there dumbfounded, clutching the two taels of silver: ???

What on earth was going on?

He looked at Tieniu and said dazedly, “I think this young lady is actually quite nice—not because of the cash, but because she’s reasonable and doesn’t make a fuss. Though she does act a bit high and mighty, not looking people in the eye.”

Seeing his husband’s dazed expression, Huangfu Tieniu hummed in agreement and said, “Yes.”

“How cute Mr. Tang is.”

Who’s cute? Saying that Boss Tang—who’s wise, valiant, and handles things with tact and finesse—is cute… Hmph, I’ll give you credit for having good taste, Tieniu! 

Boss Tang tucked the two taels of silver into his robe. “If she comes to buy next year, I won’t charge her.”