After Tang Xianling finished speaking, Jiang Yun explained how they had discussed dividing the profits with Wu-ger during yesterday’s meal.

“In the morning, we can sell about two hundred pickled vegetable pot-sticker buns, and around one hundred and thirty red bean paste buns. We’ll serve the egg-stuffed pancakes and fried pancakes in shifts, and we can sell fifty or sixty of each. The pickled vegetable buns are five wen, the red bean paste buns are four wen, and the fried pancakes and egg-stuffed pancakes are both six wen…”

Tang Xianling spoke frankly to his eldest sister, “I’d been calculating the costs too roughly before—just splitting them down the middle. The actual costs aren’t that high.”

“We can make a net profit of one or two taels in a single morning.”

“If you come, Sister, I’ll teach you for free and guarantee you’ll learn. Just like Mother said, there’s a place for you to stay at home—that goes without saying. It’s just the shop tax: our family has two shops, totaling four taels of silver in taxes. Since I take up more space, when it’s time to pay taxes at the end of the year, just give me three hundred wen…”

“I work five days and take two days off. You can follow my schedule if you like. If business is good and you don’t want to take time off, we’ll do it your way. If you do take time off, my brother-in-law will come pick you up, or you can leave the kids here.”

Tang Xianling had thought everything through. Even with a five-day workweek and two days off—twenty days a month—and factoring in unexpected weather and other variables, he could still make at least ten taels of silver a month.

“You’re not officially a shopkeeper here. Just tell everyone you’re here to help out—no one else needs to know.”

As Tang Qiao listened to Wu-ger lay out all the details, she snapped out of her daze, and a smile spread across her face. When Tang Xianling saw his older sister smiling, his heart skipped a beat.

Her face was filled with a smile of tolerance, gratitude, and “tender affection,” as if to say: My little brother has grown up—he knows how to care for his older sister now and has made something of himself. There wasn’t a trace of ambition or expectation regarding making money or running a business.

Ten taels of silver a month! That’s a hundred and twenty taels a year.

And she wouldn’t even have to change his household registration; she’d remain a farmer.

Tang Xianling closed his eyes for a moment and silently repeated to himself: This is my eldest sister. I have to be careful with what I say; I can’t use the excuse that “I’m doing this for your own good”—

“Sis!!! Mother and I are talking about serious business here; stop laughing.” Tang Xianling couldn’t hold back any longer. “Just think it over carefully. Talk to my brother-in-law and really think it through.” He was getting impatient.

Tang Qiao chuckled. “All right, all right, I won’t laugh.” She tried to keep a straight face, but couldn’t quite suppress a faint smile as she said, “I actually don’t want to go into business. Ever since I was a young girl, I’ve hated the family shop—I really hated it.”

Tang Xianling’s impatience momentarily faltered. He furrowed his brow. “Sis, I’m not insisting you do this. It’s just that when it comes to making money, we’re blood siblings born of the same mother. I trust you, and I trust our eldest sister’s character. Please give it some serious thought.”

“And there are three children.” After saying this, Tang Xianling found himself at a loss for words, as if he were using the children’s living expenses to pressure his sister into a business she didn’t want or like. So, after hesitating, he stopped trying to persuade her.

Tang Qiao, however, smiled brightly. “I’ll discuss it with your brother-in-law right away.”

“Mm-hmm.” As soon as his sister left, Tang Xianling sighed inwardly. He turned to see his mother’s eyes reddening again; knowing exactly why, he simply put his arm around her shoulders and patted her gently.

Jiang Yun wiped away her tears and finally said, “If your eldest sister doesn’t want to, then forget it.”

“I know. There’s no point in forcing someone into a business deal,” Tang Xianling replied.

In those days, without the widespread internet of today, the vast disparity between the rich and the poor was evident. While the wealthy, high-ranking officials, and nobility lived lives of luxury and abundance, the common people were quite simple. Especially after the policy of “prioritizing agriculture and suppressing commerce,” merchants were often viewed as “petty traders” or petty people. The villagers, having enough to eat and drink, with houses and fields to call their own, were mostly content.

Outside the house.

Tang Qiao found her man. Lin Hu had just finished his yogurt and was munching on a string of candied hawthorn. He was truly sated today; his belly was full of rich food, and he wouldn’t crave meat for ten days or even half a month.

“What’s up?”

“Wu-ger and his mother told me they want me to take over…” Tang Qiao explained the situation, emphasizing how Wu-ger’s mother was always looking out for him—the breakfast stall alone netted a silver tael a day.

Lin Hu was initially astonished. “A whole tael a day? That’s a lot!”

But just as Tang Xianling had told his eldest sister, Tang Qiao’s face was filled with tenderness and affection. When Lin Hu heard about the one tael a day, he was merely surprised and stunned. He remarked that he hadn’t expected his mother-in-law and Wu-ger’s business to be so profitable, and then the topic dropped.

Lin Hu was also worried his wife might want to come work in the breakfast shop—after all, it was convenient at her parents’ house, and life there was better than at home. “So, do you want to come?” Lin Hu asked cautiously.

Tang Qiao shook her head. “I’ve told you before, I don’t like doing business. Ever since I was little, I’ve been bustling about in the shop, hailing customers. My father would make me argue with customers over prices, and there were endless dishes to wash…” She cut herself off and looked at him. “Think it over carefully. A tael a day—Wu-ger wouldn’t lie to me. Our family’s situation isn’t too bad right now, but we’ve built a new house, and Dalang needs to get married, and Erniang’s dowry…”

The implication was that if it was for the sake of the children, and Lin Hu agreed, she would come into town to make breakfast. Working for a few years to save up some qian would be fine.

“You’re my wife, and Dalang, Erniang, and Sanlang are my Lin family children. If I, Lin Hu, work hard in the fields for a few years, I can provide houses, courtyards, and fields for the kids.” Lin Hu said, his face stern.

He didn’t mention that the Lin children would be supported by their maternal grandmother’s family.

He knew the Tang family was wealthy and well-established, and that Wu-ger was capable, but at the end of the day, this was a matter between two families. His own parents had toiled in the fields their whole lives, yet hadn’t they raised the three brothers and provided each with their own share of land and a courtyard when they split the family estate?

He could do it too.

“Then it’s settled. I’ve been thinking that if I’m not home, Erniang is still so young and can’t manage the household affairs. I can’t very well have her go through what I went through at such a young age,” Tang Qiao said.

Dalang has to go out to the fields to work with his father, which is hard labor, and Sanlang is still young. With only Erniang at home, if she were to run a business, who would cook? Could they really expect Erniang, at such a young age, to be slaving away in the kitchen? Tang Qiao couldn’t bear the thought.

In the kitchen, Tang Xianling was braising duck offal in a pot. He hadn’t lit the main stove; instead, he was using a small burner. He’d also put some chicken and duck eggs into the braise. By the time the scorching afternoon sun had passed and his eldest sister came to tell him she wouldn’t be making breakfast, Tang Xianling had everything figured out. He felt quite calm, no longer as flustered as he’d been at first.

“Are you mad at me?” Tang Qiao was afraid her younger brother was upset with her.

Tang Xianling shook his head. “No, really, big sister.” He said earnestly, “I can’t just think about what’s best for you; I have to consider what you and my brother-in-law think too.”    

“As for the breakfast business, I’ll find someone else. It’ll be fine.”

“This business is profitable. If I let on about it, our shop would be swamped with customers,” Tang Xianling joked at the end.

Upon hearing this, Tang Qiao let out a sigh of relief and laughed. “As long as I didn’t hold you up, that’s fine.” 

“It wasn’t exactly business anyway—I was just trying to slack off and get some extra sleep.”

Tang Qiao：……

She remembered—Wu-ger had originally just wanted to sleep in a little longer. Since refusing him this time wouldn’t do any harm to him or her family, that was fine.

“Mother, Wu-ger, it’s getting late. We should be going.” Lin Hu hitched the ox cart. The children were reluctant to leave; today they’d eaten until their bellies were round and had had a wonderful time.

Tang Xianling emerged from the kitchen, holding a jar wrapped in cloth. He handed it to his eldest sister. “Pickled duck and offal—not expensive. I made it myself after dinner. It tastes even better when it’s cooled down.”

As soon as Tang Qiao heard “duck offal,” she didn’t refuse—she didn’t want to hurt her younger brother’s feelings by haggling over it.

“Please, don’t go to all this trouble.”

“We’ve been a bother to your family today.”

“Sis, why are you saying that? Mom’s going to come crying to me later,” Tang Xianling said.

Tang Qiao and Jiang Yun both chuckled. The children climbed onto the oxcart, waving goodbye to their grandmother and uncles. Tang Xianling patted each of the three children on the head. “Alright, go on home. Be careful on the road.”

The family saw them off to the entrance of the alley, just as Lu Dalang from the Lu family was returning, driving a donkey cart. Zou Ling was sitting on the cart, and there were goods loaded on the flatbed. The two families met there, and the donkey cart let the ox cart pass first.

Tang Xianling’s family couldn’t see them any further—if they did, they’d end up taking them all the way out of town.

“Mother, Wu-ger, and Tieniu, you go back now. No need to see us off any further,” Tang Qiao called out. This time, she truly didn’t look back, letting the oxcart clatter along toward the city gates.

Lu Dalang jumped down from the flatbed cart and walked alongside it, greeting Aunt Jiang, Tang Xianling, and Tieniu one by one.

“Where are you two headed?” Jiang Yun asked.

Zou Ling replied, “Auntie, Dalang and I are going back to my parents’ house today.”

“Oh, how could I forget? It’s the third-day visit,” Jiang Yun said, nodding and smiling.

Seeing that the Tang family was all present, Zou Ling felt it would be awkward to stay on the cart any longer—they were almost home anyway—so she stepped down, smoothed out the wrinkles in her clothes, and walked alongside them with a smile. “Is Auntie having guests over today?”

“That’s my eldest daughter. She brought her husband and child back to visit me today.”

Tang Xianling had just finished greeting the young Lu couple. Now that he saw his mother chatting with Zou Ling, he walked over to the back of the group with Tieniu and said, “I saved a bit of that braised duck from earlier, heh heh.”

Huangfu Tieniu couldn’t help but smile at the tone in his husband’s voice. He sounded just like a child.

“What did you save?” he asked.

Tang Xianling was very impressed with Tieniu’s cooperation. “I’ll give you some duck neck later.”

“Great, thanks, Boss Tang.”

“You’re welcome, you’re welcome.”

The two of them carried on with their little act, grinning all the way. Tang Xianling especially praised the duck Tieniu had bought—the neck was long enough for the two of them to share a piece and give it a taste. If it were good, as for the female duck at home, his mother would never let him put a knife to it.

“If you want some braised duck offal, I’ll go to the slaughterhouse in the East Market tomorrow and see if they have any extra duck giblets,” Huangfu Tieniu said.

Tang Xianling replied, “Sounds good. We’ll make a pot of it then. If we can sell it in the afternoon, we’ll sell it; if not, we’ll just eat it ourselves.” He added, “Don’t buy too much.” He was afraid there would be leftovers again. He couldn’t keep giving away leftovers every day; if he did that for too long, not giving them away on any given day would become his family’s “fault.”

They arrived at the Lu household first. The two groups said their goodbyes. Lu Dalang and Zou Ling were still young and shy; they didn’t have much to discuss, so they simply said, “Aunt Jiang, Wu-ger, we’ll chat next time,” and went inside.

Lu Sanniang stepped over the threshold to welcome her older brother and sister-in-law into the courtyard.

The Lu family’s courtyard gate remained open, and as the Tang Xianling family walked home, they could still hear Aunt Chen from next door calling out, “Oh my, why did you bring things back? How could Dalang accept gifts from your in-laws?”

Zou Ling hurriedly explained, “It’s nothing, Mother. Just some pickles we made ourselves. It’s not much qian—it’s hardly a gift.”

“You’re really too kind to bring something back.”

“Why is there a fish in there?”

Chen Qiaolian noticed the fish in the jar.

“When Ling and I went back today, before dinner, my brothers-in-law praised the fish cooked by Chef Tian at our last gathering. But since Ling and I were busy that day and didn’t get to sit down for the meal. My in-laws knew we were coming back today, so they specially cooked some fish…” Lu Dalang explained.

They had cooked two fish; they’d eaten one and brought the other back for them.

Lu Dalang didn’t want them either, but his mother-in-law was so insistent that she forced them on him. Since Lingniang hadn’t actually eaten any of the fish at the banquet, they accepted them.

After hearing the explanation, Chen Qiaolian’s smile faded slightly. She wondered if her mother-in-law was using the fish to take a dig at her family. Had she not cooked fish for Lingniang, causing her to go hungry? That couldn’t be the reason, could it? Was she just trying to intimidate them?

Zou Ling noticed this and felt uneasy. What was wrong with her mother? But no matter how she thought about it, she couldn’t figure out what she’d done wrong—it was just a fish, after all.

“Mother, let’s eat it tonight,” Zou Ling hurriedly said. “The fish is already prepared; we just need to heat it up. It can’t be left out for long—I’m afraid it’ll go bad.”

Lu Sanniang perked up at the mention of fish. She agreed immediately and added, “Shall I cook some mixed-grain rice? Mother, or would you prefer steamed buns? Or porridge?”

“Ask your sister-in-law what she’d like,” Chen Qiaolian interjected.

Zou Ling: “I’m fine with anything. I’ll leave it up to you, Mother.”

Chen Qiaolian felt a little more at ease. “Then let’s steam some mixed-grain rice and cook a vegetarian dish. Ling’niang, since you just got back today, don’t go into the kitchen—you and Dalang should rest.”

“I’m not tired, Mother,” said Zou Ling.

Chen Qiaolian smiled. “You’re such a sensible child. Go help Sanniang in the kitchen prepare dinner. We need someone to watch the shop out front. Your father isn’t very good with customers, so I’ll go keep an eye on things.” With that, she headed out front.

Zou Ling now felt she’d misunderstood her mother earlier. Had her mother been angry just now?

Lu Sanniang had already called out to her sister-in-law. As she deftly scooped rice, she chatted with her: “What a coincidence! The Tang family had fish for dinner today, too. It made me so hungry—it smelled so good.”

“Their family? My husband and I ran into them on our way back. They had special guests today, so they must have cooked quite a spread,” Zou Ling said.

Lu Sanniang nodded repeatedly. “The aroma was irresistible. You were lucky to be out of the house, Sister-in-law.”

That was a playful remark. Zou Ling smiled softly upon hearing it. This younger sister of hers had a lively disposition and always helped her in everything she said and did; naturally, she liked her. Next door at the Tang household.

Huangfu Tieniu asked Tang Xianling if he wanted to take a bath. 

Tang Xianling:?

!!!!

“Yes, yes, yes.”

It was still two hours until nightfall—that’s four hours total. A trip to the bathhouse and back would easily take that long.

“I just ate, so I’m not hungry. I’ll skip dinner—I’ll just wash up some cucumbers to munch on. Worst case, I’ll grab something to eat at the East Market after my bath.” Tang Xianling quickly laid out the plan, then turned to his mother and said, “Tieniu, hitch up the cart. Mother, pack some clothes and incense beans. I’ll bring the qian—let’s treat everyone.”

“Let’s go, let’s go, go go go!”

Jiang Yun couldn’t help but smile at this. She hadn’t heard the Wu-ger say such a witty remark before. “I’m not going. You guys go ahead; I’ll stay home and mind the house.” 

“Mom, the house is so big—no one’s going to carry it off. Besides, it’s broad daylight, and we’ll only be gone for an hour or so. It’ll be fine.” Tang Xianling called out to his mother to come take a bath with him.

“Washing at home isn’t the same as washing out there. Let’s give ourselves a good scrub today.”

Washing at home was just a quick rinse, but the bathhouse was so much more relaxing.

Tang Xianling had already dashed off to pack his and Tieniu’s clothes, urging his mother to hurry. Jiang Yun, who had been hesitating to come up with an excuse, found her words cut off. She just chuckled and went to get ready as well.

Before long, the three were ready. Huangfu Tieniu drove the cart, Jiang Yun locked the courtyard gate and checked it again, while Tang Xianling sat on their own cart.

“Mother, did you lock it—”

“The shop door up front—”

“That’s locked too. I didn’t touch the shop door today,” Tang Xianling said.

Jiang Yun then climbed onto the cart. It was her first time going to the East Market with Tieniu and the others. Though they were going to bathe, it felt more like a fun outing, especially with Wu-ger looking so cheerful—she couldn’t help but feel a bit of joy herself.

The cart moved along briskly. Upon reaching the entrance to the East Market, they pulled over to pay the fee. The three of them headed toward the bathhouse, paid quickly, and Tang Xianling said, “Let’s take our time bathing. We’ll meet in the main hall when we’re done.”

“Oh, right—we’re out of bath beans at home. I’ll take three more boxes.”

Mr. Tang was a man of means.

“Mom, if we’d come out earlier, I would’ve asked the lady at the hair salon to give you a quick touch-up.” 

“It’s on me!”

Jiang Yun was amused and kept agreeing. She had been worried about spending money, but Wu-ger’s enthusiasm was contagious—she couldn’t bring herself to say anything that might dampen the mood. She didn’t even notice that everyone in the shop was all smiles.

Tang Xianling entered the bathhouse. Few people came to bathe in the summer, and there were even fewer at that moment—he was the only one there, as if he’d rented the place out. He quickly stripped down, wet himself off, and then went to the steam room.

A thorough scrub.

Tang Xianling was the last to emerge. His mother and Tieniu were waiting for him in the lobby. They both looked well-groomed—their hair and eyebrows neatly trimmed—and Tieniu looked even more handsome!

“How long have you been waiting?”

“We’ve only been out a moment. Do you need to fix your hair and face? There’s no rush to go back.” Huangfu Tieniu took the dirty clothes from his husband’s hands. 

Tang Xianling: “Then I’ll just tidy up my hair. It feels like it’s grown quite a bit.”

It was that same woman who cut his hair, trimming it a bit shorter. While she was working on his hair, someone else asked if they wanted their clothes starched and washed. Once washed and dried, they’d even deliver them back.

The woman kept touting her services, saying her laundry came out spotless and so on.

Jiang Yun had originally intended to decline, but since the woman kept insisting, she asked how much it would cost.

“It’s hot out, and the clothes are thin, so it’s five wen per item. I wash them with soapberries, and since I live right by the lake, I use lake water…”

She explained everything in great detail and introduced herself.

After all, making a garment was expensive these days; if someone claimed to be a laundry worker, took the money, and then stole the clothes, that would be a disaster. Tang Xianling thought the price wasn’t too high, so he asked the woman who cut his hair if she knew the woman.

Of course she did.

“Her husband delivers coal, while she takes on laundry work here. They have many children, and her mother-in-law and father-in-law usually stay home weaving bamboo mats and baskets to sell. The whole family is honest, hardworking people,” the barber explained.

Tang Xianling noticed that although the woman wore patched clothes, they were spotlessly clean. Her hair was meticulously combed into a bun, held in place by a single wooden hairpin. Above all, she had a lively spirit and a bright gaze.

Some people suffer so much that they become numb. Just like A-Liang.

But you can’t blame A-Liang for that. When life at the bottom is miserable, everyone suffers in their own way.

This woman’s family situation doesn’t sound great either, but they’re all hardworking, and she still has a sparkle in her eyes—she still holds onto hope and anticipation for life—that’s wonderful.

“Mom, let her do the laundry,” Tang Xianling said.

Before Tieniu arrived, his mother had handled all the laundry for the family. But back then, Tang Xianling felt too shy to let Jiang Yun wash his clothes, so they each washed their own. Now, Tang Xianling no longer felt “shy.” If he had the time, he’d even be happy to scrub clothes alongside his mother.

It was just that Tieniu liked to take on the laundry duties. 

Tang Xianling: …

His mother certainly wouldn’t feel comfortable arguing with Tieniu over this, so it ended up with Tieniu washing clothes for both of them, while his mother washed her own.

Now that there’s a laundry service, things are naturally much better. Back then, after bringing the clothes home, they still had to scrub them in the courtyard at night; otherwise, in the heat, they’d start to stink if left out. Tang Xianling handed over a few outer garments to the woman, but insisted that the family’s undergarments be scrubbed by themselves—they wouldn’t let an outsider wash those—and gave her their address.

“Tang’s Shop on the main street of Baxing District.”

The moment the laundry woman heard “Tang Family,” she exclaimed, “Is that the Tang Family of Baxing District from the operas?” 

“…Yes, that’s my family.”

“I’ll make a note of that. Mr. Tang, you can rest assured,” the woman said briskly and cheerfully.

Tang Xianling: …Just washing some clothes, and I never expected to be recognized. That’s what fame is like!

Just kidding.

Tang Xianling quickly paid thirty wen. With tops and bottoms—six pieces in total for the three of them—he followed Tieniu and his mother out of the bathhouse. East Market Street was bustling at that hour; the sky hadn’t yet turned completely dark. The three of them felt refreshed after their wash, and with the cool evening air, they found a shop to sit down and have a meal.

They’d eaten a heavy, greasy meal at noon, so now they wanted something light and easy to digest.

Tang Xianling ordered a pot of sweet soup made with mung beans, Job’s tears, and peanuts, along with two light side dishes. The shop’s specialty was shrimp dumplings, available both pan-fried and steamed; in the summer, the steamed version sold particularly well. Tang Xianling ordered the steamed variety.

The shrimp dumpling wrappers were as thin as cicada wings; even before taking a bite, you could see a large pink shrimp wrapped inside.

“It’s been ages since I’ve had these,” Jiang Yun exclaimed upon seeing the shrimp dumplings. “Must be over forty years.”

Tang Xianling had his mouth full and didn’t speak, but he looked at her questioningly.

Jiang Yun said, “When I was a child in the village, there were always shrimp in the river during the rainy season.” He remembered that his mother was from the south.

“Mom, don’t you want to go back?”

Jiang Yun shook her head, looking a little frightened. “No, no. Where would I go back to?”

“You’re right. This is Mother’s home now.” Tang Xianling picked up a shrimp dumpling for his mother. “If you don’t eat soon, I’ll end up eating the whole plate myself.”

Jiang Yun’s worries vanished, and she smiled, saying, “All right.”

Before dark, Tang Qiao and Lin Hu arrived home with the children. Lin Da greeted them, “Back from the city?”

“Yes, just got back,” Lin Hu replied to his older brother.

Tang Qiao ushered the children inside; she was going to the kitchen to boil some hot water to wash up and get to bed early. Lin Hu asked his older brother if there was anything he needed. After asking his questions, his older brother didn’t leave.

Lin Da said, “I heard about the little one, too. Mom and Dad are worried about you and asked me to tell you: Second Brother’s family is just that way. We’re all close relatives—don’t take it to heart. I’ve already scolded Second Brother and told him to keep a closer eye on the kids.”

“I understand, Big Brother. If there’s nothing else, I’m going inside.”

“Alright then.” Lin Da noticed how distant his third brother had become; he suspected the younger brother still harbored resentment toward the second son. He’d originally intended to mediate, but then realized they’d already split the family estate—so he decided against it.

A candle was lit inside the house.

Lin Dalang had been carrying the jar the whole way. Sanlang had dozed off from exhaustion and slept on the way; now that he’d woken up, his first question was, “Big Brother, what’s in this jar? Can we eat it?”

Lin Erniang looked over as well.

“We’ll have to ask Mom and Dad,” Lin Dalang said.

Sanlang was no longer sleepy; his spirits lifted. “I’ll go ask!”

Before long, Lin Hu and Tang Qiao came in. Tang Qiao had originally said she’d already eaten her fill at noon and wouldn’t touch the food in the jar, but she was worried it might spoil in the heat. When they left, Wu-ger had told them it was duck offal—cooked food is always prone to spoiling, and it would be a waste if it went bad.

“Let’s open it and take a look,” said Lin Hu.

The three boys huddled together, all watching their father. Lin Hu unwrapped the cloth—Dalang had carried it carefully, so no broth had spilled along the way, and the cloth was spotless. He opened the lid of the jar. Since the food inside had cooled, the aroma wasn’t as overpowering; it was just a faint, pleasant scent.

There was broth inside, but the opening was small. The candlelight in the room was dim, so all they could see was pitch black, but the aroma was enticing. “Get a bowl. I’ll pour it out and take a look.”

Tang Qiao went to fetch a bowl, finding a large one. Lin Hu held the jar and poured it into the bowl; the contents gushed out in a steady stream along with the broth. Sanlang said, “Eggs!”

Erniang said, “Duck eggs.”

Dalang said, “It looks like a duck’s head…”

“Your uncle said it’s duck offal; there are duck feet and intestines in here, too,” Tang Qiao said.

Lin Hu picked up a piece of unrecognizable food with his chopsticks and offered it to his wife first. Tang Qiao shook her head; she wasn’t quite sure what it was and didn’t dare eat it, so Lin Hu ate it instead.

“Is it good, Dad?” asked Sanlang.

“Could anything your uncle make be bad?”

“That’s right!”

Tang Qiao cautioned, “It’s getting late. You should all eat less meat so it doesn’t sit heavy on your stomachs.” As soon as she finished speaking, she saw her husband pick up his chopsticks again—this time selecting a duck head.

Lin Hu met his wife’s gaze and smiled. “Your younger brother made it. I don’t know how he did it, but it doesn’t have that overpowering aroma like at noon. Instead, it has a deep, lingering flavor—the more you eat, the more you want…”

━━ 🐈‍⬛ ━━

Tang Xianling was also munching on a duck neck at home; he’d saved one, chopped it into three pieces after returning from the East Market, and gave each family member a piece to try.

“Go ahead, Mother. It’s not much—just have a little taste.” “I’ll brush my teeth after I finish.”

Huangfu Tieniu took a basin out to the courtyard, intending to scrub his and his husband’s underwear and his husband’s bodice by lamplight. His husband was sometimes bold enough to talk about anything in public, yet at other times he was exceptionally shy, like with these underwear. Right after they got married, he wouldn’t even let him wash them.

How could that be?

Xianling was so busy and exhausted every day; aside from cooking, he’d rest whenever he could.

Tang Xianling held a piece of duck neck to Tieniu’s mouth. “I don’t know what’s gotten into this guy—why does he love washing my underwear so much!” 

Big Boss Tang’s face flushed red: “I give up!”