Upon hearing that Boss Tang planned to renovate for a month, A-Liang and Sister Tong both fell into a daze. Sister Tong snapped out of it first and said to A Liang, “Don’t worry. After a month’s break, Boss Tang will surely invite us back once he reopens the restaurant.”

But even Sister Tong wasn’t entirely sure about that.

Since Old Man Cui was handling breakfast, it meant that once the restaurant reopened, Boss Tang wouldn’t have to worry about breakfast—he wouldn’t need to get up early. With Sister Jiang and Tieniu handling the prep and shopping, they could actually manage just fine.

So when that time comes… would they still need her and A-Liang? If they only needed one person, who would they keep—her or A-Liang?

Mrs. Tong knew that things were tight at A-Liang’s house, but her own family… She wanted this job too, but A-Liang had been there first… Mrs. Tong had a lot on her mind and felt miserable. She braced herself for the worst—perhaps Mr. Tang wouldn’t want her to stay.

A-Liang felt the same way. He thought Sister Tong was articulate, good with customers, and could handle the shop. He wasn’t as savvy as Sister Tong—he was just all muscle. But anyone could wash dishes, and Sister Tong wasn’t bad at it either.

Would Boss Tang still want him then?

No matter how anxious and uncertain they felt inside, they carried out their tasks with meticulous care.

“We’ve got to do our best while we’re here—we can’t cut corners on the work.”

A-Liang nodded; he knew that.

Seeing the worry etched on A-Liang’s face, Aunt Tong felt a pang of sympathy. She had originally intended to compete with him for this position, but now she couldn’t help but offer comfort:

“You’ve been here longer than I have. If they really don’t need extra help by then, Mr. Tang will look out for you first. Don’t worry too much.”

“I… I can’t hold a candle to you in any way,” Ali said softly. “You’re so charming with people; you can work out front at the shop, while I’m stuck in the back washing dishes and sweeping the floor…”

These tasks aren’t difficult, and Sister Tong does them well too.

Hearing A-Liang speak so highly of her made Sister Tong’s heart ache. A-Liang was a man of misfortune, but then, who isn’t struggling to make a living? In the end, neither of them said another word; whether they stayed or left depended entirely on what Boss Tang had to say.

As dusk fell, the two of them cleaned the kitchen and the pots and pans spotless; Huangfu Tieniu had already tidied up the shop as well. Mrs. Tong and A-Liang hesitated, unsure how to bring it up—whether they should take back the things they’d left here for dinner—

But Boss Tang spoke first.

“Don’t rush off just yet. I have something to tell you both. Let’s talk outside.” Tang Xianling motioned for them to come to the table in the courtyard. Their hearts sank; they felt that familiar, heavy sense of dread—it had finally come—but they had no choice but to face it.

“Sit down, you two. Why are you standing there?” Tang Xianling sat down first, motioning for them to take seats across from him. He decided to address them both at once, holding nothing back. Since Mrs. Tong and A-Liang received the same pay and benefits, it made sense to speak to them both at once to save time.

The two didn’t want to sit, but since Boss Tang insisted, Mrs. Tong pulled A-Liang down to sit with her.

Tang Xianling watched the two of them dawdle and look gloomy, which struck him as odd. After giving it some thought, he figured out that they must have misunderstood. Without beating around the bush, he said directly, “The shop needs a month of renovations. As you both know, during this month, we can’t pay you the twenty wen a day for meals as we did before. Instead, we’ll pay you a basic wage of two hundred wen a month.”

Their wages had been low at first, but later, with the skewered meat business booming, they often worked overtime. Plus, the two were very hardworking—they’d show up right after noon and even help with prep work. Since Tang Xianling wasn’t the kind of stingy, exploitative boss, he raised their wages.

Working twenty days a month and earning four hundred wen—that was truly a good job in Fengyuan City. And now, even without working, they were still being paid two hundred wen a month.

Mrs. Tong and A-Liang were both stunned, standing frozen in place.

They looked at Boss Tang as if they’d seen a ghost—but then they snapped out of it, mentally cursing their earlier thoughts, and sincerely corrected themselves: as if they’d seen a deity.

Tang Xianling: “What are you staring at?”

“I’m a straight-talking man. You’ve done a good job, so I’m keeping you here. Listen carefully to what I have to say.”

The two snapped out of their daze. No matter how turbulent their inner thoughts might be, they listened intently to Boss Tang.

“Today is the 18th of June. The restaurant will reopen on the 18th of July. For this month, I’ll pay you both a basic wage of 200 wen each. Report to the restaurant three days early, on the 15th of July, to help with preparations.”

“The eatery is being upgraded to a proper restaurant, so you’ll be working full days from now on, starting at 9:00 AM.”

Come in at nine in the morning to clean, prep ingredients, tidy up, and so on.

“As before, two meals will be provided—lunch and dinner—but mealtimes will need to be staggered. I’ll adjust them as needed, or you can take turns eating. We’ll finish by the end of the You hour in the afternoon; if it gets dark early in winter, we’ll wrap up an hour or half an hour earlier.”

Finish at 7:00 p.m.; in autumn and winter, 5:30 p.m. should be about right.

Tang Xianling thought for a moment. “I’ll handle the work assignments for the two of you. As for wages—I’ll give you a raise, but not a huge one.”

He wasn’t a skinflint, but he wasn’t a philanthropist either. He’d set wages slightly above the market rate in Fengyuan City, but he was determined to improve employee benefits. That was something Tang Xianling wouldn’t compromise on.

In life, even for the lowest-income people, having a few moments of happiness is a good thing. Life is still beautiful.

It was a bit early to be talking about that now. Tang Xianling said, “Sometimes I say things that sound harsh—”

A-Liang and Aunt Tong shook their heads vigorously. What was Boss Tang talking about? Him speaking harshly? What was harsh about it? It wasn’t harsh at all—Boss Tang had never cursed at them or hit them.

If Tang Xianling knew what the two were thinking, he’d be stunned into a daze. A boss hitting his employees? Are you crazy?!

“I’ll make the job duties clear. Don’t mess around with the work. If anything’s unclear, ask me. Also, you’re not allowed to take or hide vegetables to take home—unless I specifically say so. We’ll discuss the rest later.” Tang Xianling decided to stop there. “I’ll pay you for this month first. See you on the 15th of next month to sign the official employment contract.”

Having the rules clearly laid out makes things easier for both sides.

Labor is cheap these days, but Tang Xianling didn’t want to go through the hassle of finding new people and getting them up to speed again. Mrs. Tong and A-Liang each had their own strengths; he just hoped they could all get along for the long haul.

Tang Xianling counted out the money for the two of them. “All set. If you want to take the bowls and chopsticks home, go ahead. If not, leave them in the kitchen—no one should steal them.”

“If anything goes missing, I’ll replace it for you.”

“It’s getting dark. Hurry home and keep your qian safe.”

“If you run into danger on the way, your safety comes first—the money can be lost.”

Tang Xianling went on and on, anticipating every possible “accident.” Mrs. Tong’s originally tense expression gradually softened, and a smile flickered in her eyes as she said, “Don’t worry, Boss Tang. A-Liang and I aren’t children anymore.”

They weren’t young anymore, and their clothes were worn—it was obvious they had no money. Who would steal from them? As for robbery?

In Fengyuan City, they’d never even come across a thief who robbed people of their money. Because Lord Li enforced strict public order—anyone caught stealing even a few dozen qian would be sentenced to ten strokes of the cane, and so on. Who would dare?

Huangfu Tieniu saw that his husband was worrying himself sick over this. He found it both amusing and touching. Xianling had a very soft heart; he treated Sister Tong and A-Liang this way. If he heard what had happened to Second Sister, he would surely be angry—truly furious.

“Thanks, boss. We’ll be on our way then.” 

“Thanks, boss.”

Tang Xianling waved his hand, telling them not to stand on ceremony, and urged them to hurry home—it would be safer to get there early.

Once the visitors had left and the courtyard gate was locked, Tang Xianling turned to Huangfu Tieniu. “I’m thinking of paying a visit to my second older sister.”

“Of course. Let’s go together.” Huangfu Tieniu had already anticipated this. He needed to escort them; otherwise, he wouldn’t feel at ease. As the saying goes, even a mighty dragon cannot overpower a local snake. It wouldn’t do for Xianling and his mother to go alone. What if they angered the Cui family and they took action?

That afternoon, since Boss Feng was in the backyard, Tang Xianling knew nothing about his second sister’s situation and could only fret helplessly. But after notifying the customers to close up, tidying the shop, and seeing them off—and noticing his mother’s red, swollen eyes from crying—he made up his mind: he would go to Cui Lin Town.

Now that he was going, he wasn’t as anxious as he’d been that afternoon about his second sister’s letter or what Boss Feng had said. Seeing was believing, and by going there, they’d also be backing up his second sister.

The Tang family had only lost Old Man Tang; everyone else was still there.

They were all ordinary folk, small merchants. His second sister hadn’t “married up” to anything grand. For common people, resolving the issue of a daughter from her birth family being mistreated by her in-laws was a straightforward, no-nonsense affair. Perhaps if it were a clash between equally matched noble families, they’d still be weighing face, interests, and power.

“Mother, the shop won’t open tomorrow. We’re closing for a month. Tomorrow, Tieniu will go to the East Market first and tell the milk shop to suspend deliveries for a month.”

“Then see if there’s a caravan heading to Cuilin Town. If not, find a coachman who knows the way—pay him extra if you have to. We’ll make it an urgent trip; it’s the right thing to do.”

“Mother, you stay home and pack our belongings. Nothing will be lost here.”

Questions like how long they’d be gone, who would be home, or what to do if customers came to the shop only to find it closed—none of that mattered at this moment. Jiang Yun nodded. “Alright, I understand. I’ll give your second sister some money.”

“I haven’t given those twelve taels to your second sister yet.”

Tang Xianling didn’t care about that money; it was meant for his second sister anyway, but he felt that twelve taels wouldn’t be of much help to her…

His eldest sister was sensible and content; she knew exactly what she wanted and didn’t want. She had no interest in the business of buying and selling, so she was happy to farm and do housework in the village, unafraid of hard work or hardship.

That is self-consistency.

His third sister was quick-witted and clever; she was pretty, spoke well, and knew how to handle herself. You could tell from her daughter, Zhao Xiangxiang, that she was a little girl who knew how to express her preferences—she’d speak up about what she didn’t like to eat, what she wanted, and when she didn’t feel like playing.

Tang Xianling dares to say that the twelve taels Mother gave to the third sister, she’ll be able to keep.

It was different with the eldest sister. Although her husband knew about the twelve taels, Lin Hu was a traditional, honest farmer—conscientious, hardworking, and down-to-earth.

“…Never mind, we’ll talk about it later.” Tang Xianling said this, but then rolled over again, unable to sleep a wink.

Huangfu Tieniu stopped fanning himself and wrapped his arms around her waist. Tang Xianling wasn’t afraid of the heat at that moment; her mind was in turmoil. She turned over again, facing Tieniu. He opened his mouth but didn’t say a word; instead, he let out a sigh.

“If Hu Kang hadn’t died, Wu-ger would be having a hard time too. I reckon the divorce case would be dragging on and on with no end in sight, and he’d end up with a bad reputation—or worse, end up in prison and get flogged.” Tang Xianling said gloomily.

It was all thanks to Hu Kang’s death.

Huangfu Tieniu knew that Xianling was comparing Wu-ger’s marriage to that of Second Sister. He swallowed his sigh, lowered his head, and kissed his husband. “Want to feel my abs?”

Tang Xianling:… 

“……”

“……”

The innocent Tieniu had made him laugh. People really do laugh when they’re at a loss for words. Tang Xianling knew that since they were inside discussing Second Sister’s condition, there was nothing they could do—the more they talked, the heavier their sighs grew—but you can’t go and seduce him like that!!!

“Touch!” After laughing in exasperation, Boss Tang didn’t pass up this opportunity.

Huangfu Tieniu felt a bit embarrassed. Under the covers, his husband’s hand had already boldly pressed against him. Feeling his husband’s mischievous touch, his lower abdomen tightened, yet one of his hands gently patted his husband’s back.

The two didn’t do anything; they just stayed there, holding each other.

Tang Xianling felt the comforting pats on his back, and the hand caressing his abs moved in sync from time to time, his index finger tracing circles. After a while, he felt it was actually quite soothing; the irritation in his heart had vanished.

So he drifted off to sleep. He actually slept quite well.

When he woke up, Tang Xianling wasn’t sighing or worrying anymore. He ate breakfast as usual. Tieniu had already gone to the East Market. At home, he took the yogurt jars out of the cellar. Some customers would be coming up empty-handed today—after all, there were no phones, and word-of-mouth didn’t always get through—so he decided to send yogurt to the customers who’d come up empty-handed that afternoon to make it up to them.

He “gave away” the entire stock he had at home, even sending a large jar to Cui Dabao.

He went about his business as usual, his face betraying no emotion. Jiang Yun, who had stayed up all night, gradually composed herself and washed her face.

She asked Wu-ger what he wanted to eat—whether they should make it at home or buy it—and said she’d go buy it.

Tang Xianling knew that when his mother said she was “buying groceries,” she really meant she was going for a walk. “Let’s have some pork,” he said.  

“Then I’ll go buy some pork.”

“Alright, Mother wants lean meat—pork tenderloin.” After saying this, Tang Xianling added that there was no rush.

Jiang Yun knew that Wu-ger wanted her to go talk to Xiangping, but this time she came back right after finishing her shopping. Tang Xianling was surprised that his mother had returned so early. Seeing the look on Wu-ger’s face, Jiang Yun took the initiative to say, “Xiangping is a good person, but if I keep pouring out my sorrows to her and complaining every day, even she wouldn’t be able to take it.”

“She doesn’t really talk to me about our family’s troubles either; at most, she’ll mention some gossip about other families.”

“We don’t know what’s going on with your second sister. If I talk about it too much, Xiangping won’t know how to comfort me, and it’ll just be a nuisance.”

Tang Xianling truly felt that his mother had changed—she had become more resilient.

At noon, the pork tenderloin was split in two: one half was made into his mother’s favorite sweet-and-sour pork, and the other half into spicy boiled pork slices—Tang Xianling really wanted the spicy version, but since there were no chili peppers, he added a generous amount of pepper powder.

He also stir-fried a vegetable dish.

Tieniu returned a little later, but he’d taken care of everything. He’d even found a driver who said he was ready to leave whenever they were ready to set off.

“…After we settled the fare, with you and Mother riding in the cart and me riding the mule—and since there aren’t any heavy bags—it came to eight liang.”

“That’s eight hundred wen. That’s fine.”

Tang Xianling: “Agreed. Go wash up first, have a sip of cold water to quench your thirst, and then let’s eat.”

After lunch, since his family was planning a long trip—a three-day journey to Cuin Town, making six days round-trip, plus a few extra days to stay there—they naturally couldn’t just leave on a whim. Tang Xianling needed to plan the restaurant’s renovations, procure bricks, wood, and other materials in advance, repair the breakfast shop as well, and build a new wall.

“Let’s secure those materials first.”

Tang Xianling pondered for a moment. He’d have to pay another visit to the Cui family to ask Cui Dabao to drop by from time to time to supervise the work. Of course, he’d pay him qian for it—mainly because having Cui Dabao come by his house every day would also help deter petty thieves.

In the evenings, the Lu family would help keep an eye on things.

“I’ll sketch out a design blueprint for the restaurant this afternoon. We’ll start with the foundation work—replacing the tiles in the shop.” During the previous major renovation of his courtyard, he had only performed simple repairs on the shop, chipping away the damaged floor tiles and replacing them with new ones.

Back then, he’d been focused on cutting costs, but now that he was opening a restaurant, he needed to raise the prices on the menu—to over thirty wen per dish—and improve the service and ambiance as well. Otherwise, after a month of renovations, customers might look around and think, “Is that it? Nothing’s changed.”

Customers might say it doesn’t matter—that they’re just here for the food—but it’s not the same.

If you close for a month and then reopen, and customers see that nothing has changed—it’s exactly the same as before, but the food is more expensive—how do you think they’ll feel? Or if the restaurant is completely renovated, the service is improved, and the food is delicious and varied, how do you think they’ll feel?

The two scenarios are different, and customers will definitely prefer the latter—they’ll feel that Mr. Tang respects them. Tang Xianling must not squander the reputation he’s built up; he needs to keep improving and thrive.

The walls need to be repainted, and the layout must be rearranged. They’ll set aside about ten square meters for the breakfast shop. The two grills need to be dismantled, the flue needs to be rebuilt, and a door needs to be opened at the back—this is for Cui Dabao to use when going in and out of the backyard to prepare breakfast. He can’t have him having to come all the way over to the restaurant every time he needs something while working—to restock, move supplies, or run errands.

In the main dining area, the back half of the wall adjacent to the breakfast shop will serve as the “cashier’s counter,” where we’ll display menus for our dishes. The front half, facing the street, will have a half-wall running across it with a large window—this is where we’ll sell our homemade prepared foods and pastries.

Items like yogurt, century eggs, and salted duck eggs—and later, if he makes cured meats, sausages, and the like—can all be sold there. Beyond that is the dining area for customers.

The door leading to the backyard and the kitchen was originally located near the cash register, but now it needs to be moved as well. They’ve given up on the vegetable patch in the backyard and cleared it away, leaving only the persimmon tree. They plan to transplant an ornamental tree there later. Worried about insufficient natural light, Tang Xianling wants to install two octagonal windows on the side of the shop facing the courtyard, framing only the view of the trees in the yard.

The only downside is that this would compromise the family’s privacy a bit.

He was racking his brains as he sketched, muttering to himself as he drew.

Huangfu Tieniu looked at the “drawing” in his husband’s hands. If his husband hadn’t explained it, he wouldn’t have understood it at all. He said, “That’s easy to solve. Just build a screen wall. If you’re worried it will block the path and restrict airflow, you can make it out of bamboo or wood, turning it into an ornamental lattice. That way, when you look out the window, there’s an extra layer, and you’ll only see the greenery filtering through from the courtyard.”

As soon as Tang Xianling heard this, a rough blueprint formed in his mind. He immediately thought it was a good idea. If they used bamboo for the design, it would be quite elegant—after all, bamboo is one of the “Four Gentlemen” (plum, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum). Plus, when it rained, the water could flow down the eaves along the bamboo and into the drainage channels.

The two then began discussing the renovation plans.

The restaurant’s decor shouldn’t be too high-end; after all, it wasn’t positioned as a luxury banquet hall. Instead, it would aim for a fresh, elegant vibe—slightly pricier than an ordinary eatery. The basic structure should be simple and unpretentious, with just a few subtle touches of refinement here and there.

The area by the two windows could be turned into a “private room,” with the floor slightly raised and separated by bamboo screens. The tables and chairs would need to be replaced as well.

The two private rooms would feature large round tables. The tables in the main dining area wouldn’t use the current design—Tang Xianling found them a bit “clumsy and heavy.” The three long tables they’d already ordered wouldn’t need to be replaced; they’d be placed with one end against the wall. In the center of the main dining area, they’d add three small round tables or square tables, and that would be sufficient.

Tang Xianling went to see Cui Dabao again. He had intended to offer a small raise on top of the base salary in exchange for Cui Dabao overseeing the work. But before Cui Dabao could say a word, Father Cui grew agitated. Though Father Cui could walk, his arm was still in a sling and immobile. In his frustration, he waved his injured arm and exclaimed, “No, no, that won’t do!”

“They’ve all been off work for a month. He hasn’t done any work—why should he get paid? That’s out of the question.”

“I asked Dabao to supervise the workers because I trust him. Don’t worry—now that I can walk and move around, I’ll keep an eye on things too.” 

“I should thank you for giving Dabao such a good assignment. He’s become much more responsible now.”

Tang Xianling:…

Uncle, don’t get so worked up—wait, wait!!!

Finally, regarding the base salary—Mr. Tang insisted on paying it. He knew he couldn’t reason with Father Cui, but he didn’t want to back down and give in to Father Cui’s demands by refusing to pay Cui Dabao a single qian.

That wouldn’t do.

Tang Xianling had to stick to the “red line” he’d drawn for himself to prevent himself from becoming a heartless capitalist in the future, driven by profit, where every qian he earned was the blood and sweat of his employees.

He didn’t want to be a profit-driven, mercenary businessman.

The Cui family was an honest family. While Fengyuan City didn’t offer a base salary, he did.

Tang Xianling explained the blueprint to Cui Dabao in detail. Once they left, the only work needed at the moment was the most basic structural work: laying floor tiles, scraping off wall plaster, digging a vegetable patch while preserving the persimmon tree, relocating the door, and building walls.

He’d discuss the bamboo-inspired exterior design when he returned.

Cui Dabao could read. Not only had Tang Xianling drawn a sketch and marked the locations, but he’d also carved the positions into the shop floor. If Cui Dabao managed to move the door to the wrong spot, he’d be in for a scolding when Tang returned.

That’s what the fierce Mr. Tang thought.

And the main kitchen at home needed an extra stove as well…

He was running around like this every day—ordering stone, finding workers—the same workers who had worked for his family before, though this time he didn’t need as many. It took a full three days to finish the work and hand everything over. On the fourth day, at first light, the coachman arrived at the entrance to Tang’s Alley.

Cui Dabao and Sun Douzi had come early that morning to see him off.

“Go ahead and leave with peace of mind. I’ll be here keeping watch every day. If anything goes missing from the house, come find me and settle the score.” Cui Dabao was practically pounding his chest in assurance.

Tang Xianling: “Alright, I trust you.”

“Douzi is pregnant, so don’t force yourselves to stay here in this heat. The doors to the main hall and the kitchen are both open. You can rest in the main hall and keep an eye on the grain, mung beans, and charcoal in the kitchen. It won’t hurt to boil some mung bean soup.”

This time, they didn’t provide meals for the workers; they just paid them and told them to go out and eat whatever they wanted. The couple saw them off to the end of the alley.

Huangfu Tieniu helped his mother into the carriage first, followed by Tang Xianling. The family had packed only two large bundles, mostly containing clothes, toothbrushes, and toiletries, along with some money.

That was all.

Mother wanted to bring some food for Second Sister, but Tang Xianling wasn’t in the mood to bake pastries, so they didn’t make or bring anything, nor did they ask Mother to buy any. It was hot out, and anything would surely spoil on the way. Whatever Second Sister liked to eat at home, there was no way to send it to her now.

If things went well this time, Second Sister could buy whatever she wanted when she returned to her parents’ home. Tang Xianling lifted the curtain and told Douzi and Cui Dabao to head back.

The coachman’s surname was Ma. Master Ma was a seasoned driver, and the carriage was spotless. Though it was a bit worn, he’d lit incense to ward off insects, and Tieniu had brought over the soft cushions from home—the very ones Tang Xianling had sat on when he rode the flatbed cart back to the village.

His mother had one too.

There was also a straw mat.

When Tang Xianling saw Tieniu rummaging through the carriage to bring all these things, he thought it was a bit excessive, but once they hit the road, he settled down.

The ride out of the city was a bit bumpy, but the soft cushions made it much more comfortable. Since the cart had a canopy, the advantage was that they weren’t exposed to direct sunlight; the downside was that it was stuffy and hot. Fortunately, the driver lifted the curtains, allowing some air to circulate and making it more comfortable for a while. But after sitting for a long time, it felt “stuffy and oppressive”—not as open and airy as a flatbed cart.

It’s just like someone who gets carsick—no matter how fancy the car, nothing beats a three-wheeler for comfort.

As they traveled on, around noon, when it was hottest, Master Ma wanted to eat and rest. They took out a straw mat, and Huangfu Tieniu found a spot to lay it down, letting Mother and her husband sit on it to rest for a while.

Tang Xianling clutched his waist with one hand and waved the other, exclaiming, “My butt’s about to fall off from sitting!” 

“Stand for a bit.”

Jiang Yun also looked pale.

Huangfu Tieniu brought out some cooling ointment and told his mother and husband to rub it on their philtrum.

“…How come you’re like a Ding-Dong Cat—you’ve got everything?” 

“What kind of cat is a Ding-Dong Cat? Do you like it?”

Tang Xianling: “A robotic cat—one that can conjure anything, with magical powers.”

“That’s a cat that doesn’t exist.” Huangfu Tieniu thought to himself. Seeing that his husband’s expression had improved enough to joke, he laughed and said, “If there were such a cat, we’d have it work its magic—no need for a carriage, we’d go straight to Cuilin Town.”

“……” There really is such a thing—a portal! 

Tang Xianling: I envy Nobita.

They traveled on like this, stopping and starting, for three days—thank goodness it didn’t rain during those three days; otherwise, with stretches of dozens of miles between villages and inns, they would have had to brave the rain. As for the food they ate along the way, it goes without saying: nothing but hard, cold flatbreads. Afraid the bread would spoil, they had no filling; they just toasted the dry bread and swallowed it down.

Tang Xianling’s appetite had dwindled considerably.

The moment he saw the gate tower of Cui Lin Town, Tang Xianling’s resentment—which had extended to the town itself—vanished, leaving only joy. Thank goodness we’ve finally arrived. He can’t just make sweeping generalizations; his second sister’s husband and the Cui family are scoundrels, but that has nothing to do with the town.

“Let’s not go to my second sister’s house yet. Let’s rest at an inn first.” Tang Xianling pressed his hand against his mother’s arm.

Jiang Yun was practically jumping out of her skin at the sight of Cuilin Town, eager to go see Erniang, but Wu-ger held her back. She glanced at him, thought for a moment, then blurted out, “Fine, I’ll listen to you. When are we going to the Cui family’s place?”

“Let’s go to the inn to take a bath and get a good night’s sleep. Tomorrow, we’ll put on fresh clothes, bring some pastries and gifts, and then go,” Tang Xianling said.

“First, one must present oneself properly before presenting gifts. Since we’re here to support Second Sister, we’re currently disheveled and looking haggard. Anyone who doesn’t know us might think we’re poor relatives come to beg for handouts. How can we save face like this?”

As for the Cui family, Tang Xianling was now viewing them through the lens of the worst possible impression.