Hii readers, sorry for the late upload, there were some issues with the site our account nearly got banned due to five translators logging in simultaneously and uploading all at the same time from different computers for one translator account, thankfully, we managed toresolve it. Enjoy the rest of the bonanza.

Chapter Bonanza (6/10)

━━ 🐈‍⬛ ━━

After Wu-ger and Tieniu left, Jiang Yun locked the courtyard gate and ate a simple meal in the kitchen. She boiled an egg and had some pastries Wu-ger had baked—they were especially delicious. She particularly loved the peanut crisps, even more so than the peach crisps Wu-ger had brought back before.

The crisps were light and crispy, not overly greasy or cloyingly sweet, with just a savory, salty peanut flavor.

Jiang Yun picked at the scraps, eating a few bites before stopping. She set the perfectly round pastry aside, thinking she’d give it to the children when Second Sister and Third Sister returned.

At that thought, her expression grew somber. She murmured to herself, “…I wonder if my Third Son-in-Law has calmed down yet.”

It was all Old Tang’s fault. After a few cups of wine, he’d blurted out nonsense in front of the sons-in-law. The eldest and second sons-in-law were easygoing and didn’t take it to heart, but the third son-in-law had a fiery temper. He’d snapped, “If you’re worried I’ll steal the Tang family secrets, Father-in-law, I’ll just stop coming over. No need to guard against me like I’m a thief.”

Sigh.

Thump thump—

The sound of the back gate rattling snapped Jiang Yun from her thoughts. Wiping her hands, she stepped out of the kitchen, wondering who it could be. Probably Lu Sanniang? But since Wu-ger was out, Sanniang would find the place empty.

“Coming, coming!” Jiang Yun called out as she approached the door, her hand on the latch. “Who is it?”

Outside, Zhao Xiangxiang called cheerfully first: “Grandma! Grandma! It’s Xiangxiang!”

Jiang Yun froze for a moment. Who was Xiangxiang?

“Mother, it’s me, Sanniang.” Tang Nuan heard her mother’s voice and, for some reason, felt a sharp sting in her eyes, her voice thick with emotion.

Jiang Yun quickly released the latch and pulled open the wooden door. Standing outside was her third daughter. Four years. Four long years. The moment Jiang Yun saw her daughter, tears rolled down her cheeks. Her face broke into a smile. “My daughter! It really is you! Come in, come in!”

Tang Nuan also began to cry aloud.

Jiang Yun felt flustered, reaching out to wipe her daughter’s tears. “Your father is gone. He never mentioned Zhao Jing in the house. As long as you’re back, that’s all that matters. Back home, that’s all that matters.”

Zhao Jing was the name of her third son-in-law.

At these words, tears rolled down her cheeks. Jiang Yun was a reserved and timid person. When the children were young, she would secretly kiss and cuddle them in her arms to comfort them behind Old Tang’s back. But as the children grew older, Jiang Yun “dared not” do such things anymore.

Old Tang would complain it was a waste of time.

She couldn’t understand how hugging the children could be a waste of time, but she dared not say more.

Now, Jiang Yun stretched out her arms to embrace Sanniang, patting her back.

Tang Nuan cried freely in her mother’s embrace until Zhao Xiangxiang tugged at her mother’s skirt, telling her mother not to cry.

Jiang Yun snapped back to reality, first ushering people inside, then glancing toward the back. “Where’s Zhao Jing? Hasn’t your husband returned yet?”

“His business is busy at home. It’s better for him to stay and look after Erlang.” Tang Nuan offered the excuse—her husband simply didn’t want to set foot in the Tang household.

Her father had looked down on him, saying he was too slick in business, reckless and overly ambitious, destined to stumble badly someday and lose the entire shop.

Her husband didn’t like hearing that, and they argued a bit later.

Jiang Yun nodded, taking one hand of her daughter and the child’s other hand. “Come inside first. The house is tidied up now. You should stay for a few days.” She glanced at the driver by the door. “Sanniang, who is this?”

“He’s the driver from our county. Master Wang is an acquaintance of our family. He brought us here for the funeral. Xiangxiang’s father paid him, so we can stay at the inn.” Tang Nuan explained.

Jiang Yun: ”But he can’t just drop you off and leave. Come inside and rest first. Our mules aren’t here, so let’s bring the cart in. Everyone can rest.“

”Mother, there’s no room—” Tang Nuan knew the state of her family home and didn’t want Master Wang to see it. Before she could finish, she saw her mother and then went to remove the threshold. Tang Nuan suddenly saw the entire courtyard and froze in place.

This… this courtyard—was this still the home she knew before marriage?

The courtyard was larger and much brighter, kept clean and tidy. Except for the area by the gate, which was a compacted earth courtyard, large bricks were laid to connect the east and west sides. with the familiar vegetable patch in the center, now smaller, and that persimmon tree, its base now paved with large bricks.

The doors had been freshly painted, and a large open space held bamboo racks for drying vegetables.

“Sanniang, take Xiangxiang to my room first. It’s the east room next to the front shop. Everything’s been tidied up inside.” Jiang Yun motioned for her daughter to go first, then invited Master Wang in to rest his feet.

When Master Wang arrived, the landlady had mentioned that since entering Fengyuan City, he’d have to stay at the inn for a few days—her home couldn’t accommodate him, and so on. Master Wang didn’t mind; he’d heard and seen before that the landlady’s father had a rather difficult temper.

Unexpectedly, this time the landlady’s mother was quite warm and welcoming, unlike years past when the Tang family couldn’t even get their carriage through the gate.

Tang Nuan led her daughter, carrying their bundles, into the courtyard. Zhao Xiangxiang was curious about everything but held back from touching anything, following her mother to the room first. Jiang Yun’s door was open. while the east wing was divided into three rooms. Jiang Yun’s room was about seventeen or eighteen square meters. Inside now stood a new bed, a three-door wardrobe, a round table, and two old chairs—nothing else.

This made the space feel larger and more spacious.

Next door was the reception room, furnished with a round table, several round stools, and a long table against the inner wall. On this table sat the spirit tablet for Father Tang—Jiang Yun had arranged for it to be placed there. Erniang and Sanniang had never returned, and incense would need to be burned if they returned unexpectedly.

“Master Wang, please take a seat,” Jiang Yun invited him into the parlor. “Sanniang, you and Xiangxiang stay home and keep an eye on things. I’ll go buy some food on the street. You’ll be hungry when you return.”

“There’s water in the water jar in the kitchen. Oh, right! There are also some pastries made by Wu-ger. Wash your hands and face first, then have some snacks.”

Jiang Yun bustled about nonstop, her face radiant with joy.

Tang Nuan urged her daughter to stay put while she helped her mother. The courtyard felt strangely familiar, as if everything had been turned upside down at first glance, though the layout remained largely unchanged—just thoroughly cleaned.

“Mother, is Wu-ger not at home?“

Jiang Yun scooped water with a dipper for her daughter to wash with, then fetched a basin of water for Master Wang to place outside the courtyard. Master Wang politely declined, saying it wasn’t necessary for the old lady to trouble herself—he could manage it himself.

”It’s fine, it’s fine. just wash.“ Standing by the kitchen porch, Jiang Yun said, ”They’ve gone to deliver the thank-you gifts to Master Yuan.“

Tang Nuan: ”Thank-you gifts?” Wu-ger was four years younger than her, now twenty-one himself. Could he be getting married?

Jiang Yun instantly understood. Sanniang still didn’t know about the changes that had swept through their household in just over a year. Back then, when Wu-ger was engaged to that Hu Kang fellow, Old Tang forbade spreading rumors, deeming it impossible to explain “marrying off the son while actually taking in a son-in-law” in writing. Coupled with his anger over Sanniang’s husband, he never sent the letter to Shijing Prefecture.

Sanniang knew nothing.

“It’s a long story.” Jiang Yun fetched a plate of the best-looking pastries from the kitchen and handed them to Xiangxiang. “Here, sweet Xiangxiang, eat up. Don’t be shy at your maternal grandmother’s house. Your uncle made these.”

“Try some too, just a little something to tide you over. I’ve ordered food from the street. I’ll tell you everything in detail later.”

Jiang Yun stepped out front to order food, and Tang Nuan couldn’t stop her.

Going out to buy food? That would never have happened before. Mother was too frugal, always working hard to make everything fresh. The family had changed a lot, but Mother had changed even more.

In the courtyard, only Tang Nuan and her daughter remained. Master Wang poured some water for the mule and brought it some fodder, letting it rest before cleaning it up.

Zhao Xiangxiang examined the pastries on the tray. Some she recognized. “Mother, is this mung bean cake? And this one, is it a crispy pastry? It doesn’t look like one, it’s smaller, and there are peanuts in it.“

”You’ll know once you try it.” Tang Nuan smiled and urged her daughter to eat.

Her father was gone now. When she was little, all the good treats were saved for him first. They had to wait to see what he would say. If he said he wanted to give them away, then they couldn’t touch them.

Zhao Xiangxiang picked up a pastry, carefully popped it into her mouth, took a bite, chewed, and her eyes lit up instantly. “It’s peanuts! Mama, it’s a peanut flavor! You should try some too.”

“Alright, let Mama taste it.” Tang Nuan broke off a piece and took a bite. This peanut crisp pastry was different from the peach crisp—the salty, roasted peanuts created a savory-sweet flavor that grew more fragrant with each bite.

After finishing her piece, Zhao Xiangxiang scanned the plate. This one, that one… she didn’t recognize these. She knew the mung bean cakes, but she wanted to wait to eat them.

“Mother, I’ll wait for Grandmother to come back before eating.”

“Alright.”

Jiang Yun went to the street and bought two portions of steamed dumplings and two bowls of congee. Thinking Master Wang might not have enough, she added two meat-filled steamed buns. Since Xiangxiang was only seven, she also got herself a bowl of wontons.

“Aunt Jiang, why are you so cheerful? You’ve got so much food—if you can’t carry it all, I’ll bring it over for you?“

Jiang Yun readily agreed, ”Sure. My Sanniang has come back with the children.“

”She and the kid haven’t eaten yet.”

Arriving at the Lu family shop, Jiang Yun chatted a bit longer. Chen Qiaolian knew Sanniang hadn’t returned in four years. Her coming back now was good news. “…Just Sanniang? What about her husband?”

“Her husband is busy with business. There’s also their second son at home.”

“Second Son? Sanniang had another child?” Chen Qiaolian asked casually.

Jiang Yun suddenly remembered. She knew about Xiangxiang, who was seven this year. So Erlang must have been born in the past four years. She was learning this today.

“Auntie, you go ahead. I’ll have my daughter send it over to you later.” Chen Qiaolian saw that Auntie Jiang had no intention of lingering.

Jiang Yun nodded and started walking back. She had a lot to say, and Tang Nuan had a lot of questions. Before the two could talk properly, Zhao Xiangxiang asked her maternal grandmother if she could try other pastries—ones she’d never seen before.

“These are made by your uncle. This is a red bean cheese pastry, and this is a pork floss mini-bun. The pork floss bread is the best seller at our shop.” Jiang Yun coaxed Xiangxiang first, personally bringing a plate and letting her take whatever she fancied.

Zhao Xiangxiang didn’t get to eat pastries every day at home either. They were expensive treats. Now that her maternal grandmother had them, she felt her maternal grandparents were different from what her mother had said, and different from what her father had said, too.

Her maternal grandmother treated her with great warmth and closeness.

Zhao Xiangxiang first tried the red bean cheese pastry. One bite revealed its soft, milky texture with red bean filling inside. She loved it. After tasting it, she showed her mother, “It’s so delicious, Mama!”

“Mama, have some too.”

Zhao Xiangxiang fed her mother a piece. She had truly never tasted such a delicious cake before.

Tang Nuan had intended to indulge her daughter, so she took a bite to please her. But the moment she tasted it, her expression changed completely. She stared in astonishment at the cake in her daughter’s hand. Jiang Yun saw this and laughed. “Delicious, isn’t it? Wu-ger’s handiwork.”

Before she could say more, the meal delivery arrived. Jiang Yun shared some with Master Wang, then took Tang Nuan and Xiangxiang to her own room. Only then did she begin recounting the events of the past year.

Tang Nuan hadn’t returned home in four years. Naturally, much had changed—her second son, Erlang, was born, and the family business had expanded. Yet the twists and turns her mother described were so incredible, she found it hard to believe.

Mother and daughter had endless things to discuss.

━━ 🐈‍⬛ ━━

Tang Xianling and Tieniu arrived at the matchmaker’s office courtyard carrying a food box. Fortunately, Master Yuan was present.

“What brings you here? Please sit inside.” Yuan Heqing instructed the clerk to serve tea and invited them to take a seat.

Tang Xianling: “We’ve come to thank Master Yuan for his matchmaking and Advisor Song for drafting our petition. These are pastries we made ourselves—a small token of our gratitude. Please accept them.”

“You made these?”

“Tieniu churned the cream.” Tang Xianling’s explanation felt as if he hadn’t explained at all, but Master Yuan accepted them readily.

Yuan Heqing mused, “Though I’m unfamiliar with cream, it must be similar to the butter Advisor Song mentioned—requiring hand-whipping…” His tone softened with warmth. “He brought back those pork floss breads before, claiming they contained butter. Yet Master Tang found the process too laborious.”

Tang Xianling chuckled. “I did find it tiring. Tieniu is strong, but this stuff is tricky to make. I’ll try it occasionally, but won’t sell it in the shop.”

Yuan Heqing was sharp. Hearing this, he knew Tang Xianling was shielding Tieniu. Though Tieniu was strong, making too much of it would be exhausting. Tang Xianling was clearly protective of Huangfu Tieniu.

He glanced at Huangfu Tieniu, whose eyes were fixed on Tang Xianling before quickly averting his gaze. Yet the unmistakable happiness in his eyes was impossible to hide.

Good.

As a matchmaker, Yuan Heqing knew the profession’s difficulties. Seeing the couple now in perfect harmony, husband and wife in perfect accord, brought him more joy than anything else.

Tang Xianling and Huangfu Tieniu stayed for a cup of tea at Master Yuan’s residence, chatting briefly. Since they weren’t close with Master Yuan, they had little else to discuss. After presenting the pastries and finishing their tea, they took their leave.

As soon as the two departed, Yuan Heqing carried the pastry box to the Household Registration Office courtyard to share with Advisor Song. When the box was opened, its exquisite contents revealed two distinct layers of pastries.

“Mr. Tang has truly gone to great lengths,” remarked Song Jie.

Yuan Heqing examined them. “I recognize these mung bean cakes. This one has peanuts, and this is red bean…” He broke one open to reveal a dense, crumbly filling of red beans.

Song Jie chimed in, “And this is pork floss bread.” He hadn’t had this in ages. Taking a bite, he was momentarily speechless, mumbling “Mmm…” as he caught the crumbs with his other hand. Why was there sauce inside? He nearly spilled it all over himself.

“There’s no one else in the room. It won’t compromise your dignity, Advisor Song. Go ahead and eat,” Yuan Heqing teased with a smile.

Song Jie chuckled at his husband’s teasing. With his mouth full of pork floss bread, he couldn’t say much. He savored it carefully, his brow gradually relaxing with delight. When he finished, he pointed to the other bread and said, “Quick, try this one. It’s different from the pork floss bread—it’s especially rich and delicious.”

Yuan Heqing tried it and found it true. The sauce inside was thick and rich, carrying a milky aroma and a hint of egg yolk—an indescribable blend of sweet, savory, and creamy. Paired with the meat floss topping, it created a truly delightful, more complex flavor than the pork floss bread itself.

“No wonder Mr. Tang said it’s hard to make and not for sale. A bread this good would be a huge hit if sold. Mr. Tang must be worried about his husband working so hard that he doesn’t want the money.“

Hearing this, Song Jie smiled as he poured a cup of tea and handed it to his husband. ”This is all thanks to Master Yuan’s excellent matchmaking. His discerning eye is truly admirable.“

”Oh, you,” Yuan Heqing chuckled as he accepted the cup and took a sip. The tea’s delicate fragrance complemented the pastry perfectly. And he could have another pastry. This time, he’d see which one he’d choose.

━━ 🐈‍⬛ ━━

The mule cart rolled along the main street.

Tang Xianling discussed with Tieniu about going to the West Market, “Let’s see what we can buy for Uncle Zhang and Uncle Wang, and get plenty of salt.” He remembered that the village was quite far from the county seat and Fengyuan City.

These days, salt and oil were the two items that one’s own people were a safe bet. For more distant relations, gifts needed to be presentable, requiring pastries or candies.

“Should we get some more sugar?”

Huangfu Tieniu agreed.

Finally, after looking around, Tang Xianling bought a jar of salt. Oil wasn’t urgent; oil vendors pushed their carts along the street hawking their wares, priced the same as the West Market, sometimes even cheaper. Naturally, the West Market sold higher-quality oil.

“Just in case my second and third sisters come by, I also bought toothbrushes, tooth powder, and fragrant beans.” Tang Xianling handed over the basket he was carrying.

In short, they bought a few odds and ends. As the day grew late, they stopped for lunch at a small eatery in the West Market. Tang Xianling noticed this place seemed more established than the ones on the main street. It specialized in stir-fries, offering mixed grain rice and flatbreads as staples, with three signature dishes:

Scallion-Sautéed Lamb, Grilled Lamb Hooves, and Clear-Braised Lamb Ribs.

Customers typically ordered one signature dish, then added one or two vegetable sides depending on the group size, along with a plate of flatbread. Few opted for the multigrain rice.

“One plate of rice, one plate of flatbread, scallion-stir-fried lamb, and a large vegetable stir-fry.”

Tang Xianling ordered efficiently.

It was midday, and the restaurant was bustling. The waiter darted about like a spinning top. Tang Xianling observed the establishment—slightly larger than his own, with the kitchen tucked in the back courtyard. As the waiter weaved through the diners, the aroma of meat wafted through the air.

Despite the crowd, the food arrived promptly—perhaps because their order was modest.

Stir-fried lamb with scallions costs thirty wen. The mixed vegetable stir-fry—seasonal greens tossed in one dish—was slightly cheaper at eight wen per plate. Both the pancake and mixed grain rice were three wen each. The pancake was enormous, nearly as big as his face. while the rice was mostly millet with little white rice, and the portion wasn’t large.

Huangfu Tieniu divided the rice with Tang Xianling.

“How did you know I wanted a bite too!” Tang Xianling declared with righteous indignation laced with a hint of petulance. Before Tieniu could respond, he grinned and said: “That’s what you call husband-and-wife chemistry.”

Huangfu Tieniu’s ears burned. “Yes.”

A meeting of minds.

The signature dishes were pricey, but the portions were generous. served in slightly deeper plates. The lamb was sliced thinly, generously topped with chopped scallions, and stir-fried at high heat for a brief moment. The lamb had a slightly charred, golden-brown exterior, and the lamb fat rendered out and mingled with the scallions.

Fragrant.

Tang Xianling took a bite. The lamb had no gamey taste, though the scallions were a bit overpowering. Salt and a hint of cumin were added—no wonder it was pricey. The flavor was slightly bold, making it perfect for washing down with rice or flatbread.

He took another bite of the flatbread, and his eyes lit up. No wonder everyone chose flatbread. The bread was grilled, not overly hard on the outside, softer inside—likely made with at least partially leavened dough. Tearing it open revealed layered dough, occasionally revealing hints of fennel seeds.

No wonder.

These oil-absorbing flatbreads, infused with fennel, paired with the signature mutton, truly complement the dish better than rice. As for the stir-fried greens, they were neither exceptional nor disappointing—lightly sautéed with a few garlic slices and salt, perfectly adequate.

After finishing the meal, Tang Xianling said to Tieniu on the way back, “I was thinking, besides breakfast, we could sell boxed lunches during the day. That place we just ate at only had three waitstaff. We don’t have that many hands. So, we could sell breakfast until around ten in the morning, then rest and take a nap at noon. Start prepping ingredients and cooking again around two or three in the afternoon to sell dinner. Just see what’s available and sell that.”

Though he had his golden touch, he wasn’t formally trained as a chef.

His cooking wasn’t as elaborate or refined as the big restaurants, so starting with boxed meals was a good approach.

Huangfu Tieniu listened to Xianling’s rambling as he drove the cart, responding with grunts and hums. He wondered if the “at such-and-such time” Xianling kept mentioning referred to Xianling’s past words? He had already realized that Tang Wu-ger and Tang Xianling were two different people. Though he had never met Tang Wu-ger, he could tell from his mother’s words that he was different from the Xianling of today.

From the very beginning, the person he knew and loved was Tang Xianling. He wasn’t afraid of whatever wandering spirit might be inhabiting him. To him, Tang Xianling was a little prodigy from heaven, a golden boy—handsome, witty, kind-hearted, and always enjoyed his meals.

“Everything you say is fine,” Huang Tieniu said.

Tang Xianling shifted his hips closer to Tieniu, no longer sitting on the straw mat. He grinned and said, “Tieniu, we’ll definitely earn that money back.”

“The money will go toward the courtyard, so we can all live comfortably.” Huangfu Tieniu felt the warmth radiating through his lover’s clothes on this sweltering day. His lips curved upward in happiness as he said, “Spend freely, even if we spend it all.”

Tang Xianling felt mischievous. “That won’t do! If I spend it all, when we have kids, we’ll have no money left. We’ll be crying out for our parents to help us out!”

It was fortunate that Fengyuan City’s main street was wide and had no fields nearby. Otherwise, Huangfu Tieniu might have driven the mule into a wheat field and overturned the cart.

“Hahahaha. Drive carefully, I was just teasing you.” Tang Xianling swung his legs, grinning.

Huangfu Tieniu steadied his nerves, glancing sideways to see Xianling’s cheerful face, and his own heart lifted.

Chatting and laughing, the two entered their alley. Before reaching their doorstep, they saw Lu Sanniang in the lane, this little girl was playing with others using bamboo dragonflies—

One wen each, made of bamboo. Clasping their palms together, they pinched the dragonflies upward, sending them soaring skyward. The little girl in the yellow skirt clapped her hands and shouted, “Sister Sanniang, you flew it so high!”

“Xiangxiang, your turn!” Lu Sanniang chased the dragon, head tilted back. Her eyes lit up instantly. “Wu-ger! Brother Tieniu! You’re back!” She called out, “Xiangxiang, your uncles are home!” “

Tang Xianling leaped down from the carriage frame just as the bamboo dragonfly landed before him. Quick as lightning, he scooped it up before it hit the ground. Holding it in his hand, he looked at the little girl who had picked it up—only six or seven years old, someone he hadn’t seen in the alley before.

”Uncle, Uncle.“ Zhao Xiangxiang recognized him instantly from Lu Sanniang’s sister’s words. After playing all morning, she was in high spirits and not shy, greeting him cheerfully, ”My mother is Tang Nuan.”

Tang Xianling paused, then realized with a flash of understanding. He turned to Tieniu and said, “My third sister’s daughter.” Bending down slightly, he handed the bamboo dragonfly to Xiangxiang.

“Is it yours or Sanniang’s?”

Zhao Xiangxiang took it and replied, “It’s Sanniang’s.”

“Then Uncle will buy you another one later.” Tang Xianling patted the little girl’s head. She really did resemble her mother, an inexplicable closeness drawing him to her. “Go play, but don’t wander too far.”

“Got it, Uncle.”

Lu Sanniang agreed, promising not to take Xiangxiang too far.

Tang Xianling and Tieniu headed home first. Perhaps they’d overheard their conversation outside, because the moment they entered the courtyard, his third sister, Tang Nuan, emerged from the east room. Seeing him, she burst into tears, sobbing, “Wu-ger, you’ve suffered so much…”

“It’s all over now.” Tang Xianling replied. Wu-ger had suffered, but it was all behind him now.

Seeing his third sister, Tang Nuan, a flood of memories rushed back to him.

Tang Nuan was four years older than Wu-ger. If Tang Qiao was like a mother to him, then Tang Nuan, who had played with him for years, was more like a playmate. Among his three sisters, the eldest was virtuous, hardworking, traditional, and filial. The second sister, caught in the middle, was unremarkable, her temperament resembling the eldest. The third sister, however, grew increasingly rebellious at heart as she matured, full of her own ideas—as evidenced by her marriage arrangements.

When they were younger , she’d dress Wu-ger up like a little girl, braiding his hair into a young maiden’s style and tying it with a red ribbon.

In truth, the entire family—Jiang Yun, the eldest sister, the second sister, and even Wu-ger—shared similar temperaments. The second sister was easily swayed, while the third sister was the most opinionated. During the marriage arrangements, she urged the second sister to be selective, warning her not to heed their father’s wishes to marry into a farming family in the village. “Just look at our eldest sister,” she insisted. “See how hard her life is?”

Back then, the third sister was already remarkably bold.

She was willing to leave the Tang family and marry as far away as Shijing Prefecture.

Seeing his third sister cry, Tang Xianling reached out and put an arm around her shoulder.

“Good days are still ahead. Let’s all look forward.”