Qingmu and Zhang Huai were taken aback. They couldn’t figure out why she was crying—they hadn’t even laid a finger on her.

A man nearby picked up the conversation and said with a smile, "I saw that young lady. Looked like something was weighing on her heart. She came galloping up like a gust of wind, found a boat, and hopped right on, not paying any mind to anything else."

Zhang Huai narrowed his long eyes, gazing at the few scattered boats on the Qinghui River. The afternoon sun, low in the western sky, shimmered on the water, its reflection torn into a thousand pieces by the ripples. As he listened to the men’s casual chatter, an emptiness grew in his heart. He felt Juhua’s despair and anxiety more keenly than ever, as if he himself had lost something precious.

Qingmu sighed. "Even if we’d chased her all the way to Xiatang Market since noon, we still wouldn’t have caught her. Didn’t you hear them? The moment she got here, she got on a boat and left. We’ll just have to wait for Doctor Qin to get back to figure this out."

Zhang Huai nodded and turned. "Let’s go."

They headed down the narrow street, making their way directly to the Chen Family’s Qinghui Restaurant.

The restaurant was the only two-story building on the small street. In the eyes of country folk who hadn’t seen much of the world, it was the very picture of luxury. What’s more, the tantalizing aromas that always wafted from within filled one with a boundless sense of longing.

It was now past the main dining hours, so the main hall was mostly empty, save for two men drinking and talking quietly at a table.

Qingmu told a Xiao Er that he was looking for Manager Mao.

The Xiao Er glanced at the two farm boys in their patched, coarse-spun clothes but didn’t look down on them. He invited them to sit at a table before turning to go find the shopkeeper in the back.

Qingmu and Zhang Huai had never set foot in the restaurant before and were looking around curiously when a hearty laugh boomed from behind them. "Aiyo! Brother Zheng, sorry to keep you waiting. I had young Laixi from the Fuxi Grocery Store send a message to your family yesterday. I didn’t expect you to come over so soon!"

Qingmu quickly stood up and smiled at Manager Mao, who had just walked over. "It’s not every day you’re back, Manager. If you have business with us, it’s only right that we make the trip."

Manager Mao’s old eyes crinkled as he smiled. "Come," he said to the two of them, "let’s go upstairs to sit. And this young man is...?"

Qingmu smiled and made the introduction for him. "This is Zhang Huai. He’s from my village and studies with me at the academy."

Manager Mao quickly offered some pleasantries. "Ah, so it’s Younger Mr. Zhang. A rare guest indeed."

Zhang Huai gave him a slight smile and followed Qingmu up to the second floor.

Manager Mao led them into a private room and had the Xiao Er bring tea and two plates of snacks. He invited them to have some tea, then said to Qingmu, "I came back from Qinghui because I wanted to buy more spicy cabbage from your family. I also wanted to ask if Miss Juhua has come up with any new dishes. Our young master said the last batch of recipes were all excellent. The Chen Family is very grateful."

Qingmu smiled. "There is one new dish, but I’m not sure if you’ll like it. After all, it’s something we country folk eat."

He was referring to the steamed pork with rice flour. ’Juhua said it would be good to sell it for several taels of silver,’ he thought. ’Everyone will know how to make it eventually, so we might as well make the money while we can.’

Having been in Qinghui County and seen for himself how wildly popular the pig offal dishes were selling, Manager Mao no longer dared to underestimate these "country dishes." Other restaurants had started selling pig offal too, but none of them could ever match the flavor of his own establishment.

He laughed happily. "Nonsense! There are countless delicacies to be found among the common folk. Who says country dishes aren’t good? If you keep talking like that, I’ll have to impose on you for a visit tomorrow! I’ve been busy these past two days, otherwise I would have gone to your home directly instead of making you run all the way out here."

Qingmu smiled. "It’s no trouble at all. And I happen to have a few things here I’d like you to take a look at, Manager, to see if they’re to your liking." As he spoke, he opened his back basket and took out some sausages and cured meat, followed by a small jar.

Manager Mao wasn’t surprised by the cured meat, but what were those plump, round things, sectioned into six-inch lengths?

Based on his trust in Juhua, he didn’t dare underestimate them. He picked one up for a closer look and recognized the red-and-white marbled contents as pork.

He asked seriously, "Brother Zheng, I’ve been running restaurants for many years, but I’ve never seen anything like this. What is it?"

Qingmu only explained that it was made by stuffing pork into pig intestines, naturally omitting the detailed recipe. He then suggested that the manager steam a bit of the three different-flavored sausages and the cured meat to taste before they discussed it further.

Manager Mao was delighted at the prospect of another new dish. He had initially intended to ignore the cured meat—’Who doesn’t know how to make cured meat?’ he thought. But for the sake of the sausages, he decided to have a little steamed to taste. He could always tactfully tell Brother Zheng later that they already made their own.

So, he did as Qingmu suggested and instructed the Xiao Er to take the items to the kitchen to be steamed and brought back up.

While they were waiting, Qingmu opened the small jar and said to Manager Mao with a smile, "The recipe for the spicy cabbage has been improved. Please have a taste, Manager."

The moment Qingmu peeled back the coarse paper sealing the jar, a pungent, sweet-and-sour aroma hit Manager Mao’s nose, making his mouth water instantly. He couldn’t help but exclaim, "What a wonderful smell! I haven’t even had a bite and my mouth is already watering."

Qingmu and Zhang Huai exchanged a smile and gestured for Manager Mao to try some.

Manager Mao called the Xiao Er to bring a bowl and chopsticks. He picked out some of the spicy cabbage and took a bite. He started to say something to Qingmu, but couldn’t resist taking another bite before finally putting his chopsticks down. "This flavor seems a bit more sour than before," he said. "And, hmm, more fragrant, too!"

Qingmu chuckled. "You have a discerning palate, as expected of a restaurant manager. The previous spicy cabbage didn’t have enough seasonings, so it was mostly just spicy and not as appetizing. Now that we’ve adjusted it, there’s more of a sweet-and-sour flavor, which makes it much more of an appetite-whetter."

Manager Mao said excitedly, "This flavor is excellent! It’s perfect as a pre-meal appetizer. The old spicy cabbage was good, but some people found it too spicy." (To be continued. If you’re enjoying this work, you’re welcome to visit qidian.com to show your support with recommendation and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)