Chapter 46: Extra Meat and Eggs

“How would I know?” Jiang Bowen was stunned.

Jingyuan said, “Liu Er made it clear he came for me.”

“Impossible!” Jiang Bowen blurted out.

Jingyuan nodded slowly. “It seems, classmate Jiang, you already have your suspicions.”

Jiang Bowen grew solemn. “Jingyuan, you should recall the saying: ‘Hear much, question what is doubtful; be cautious in speech, and you will rarely err.’ If you have no proof, please refrain from reckless words.”

With that, Jiang Bowen swept his sleeve and left.

Jingyuan glanced indifferently after him, then turned his gaze to Fang Juncai, who was playing ball nearby.

Fang Juncai’s back was hunched, his body leaning forward, cheerfully chatting with Huang Wenzhao. Huang Wenzhao stood upright, the corner of his mouth lifted in a reserved smile, nodding with dignified composure.

Perhaps Jingyuan’s gaze lingered too long, for Fang Juncai sensed it.

He was first taken aback, then glared with anger.

Jingyuan remained impassive, continuing his weightlifting.

On the other side, Huang Wenzhao’s lips curled lightly. “What is it? Did you provoke him?”

Fang Juncai snorted. “Who knows? Yesterday I nearly got beaten up, and today, isn’t he looking at everyone as if they’ve hit him?”

Huang Wenzhao sighed softly. “Others may have their own minds, but you need not concern yourself, Juncai.”

“You’re absolutely right, Brother Huang,” Fang Juncai said with conviction.

Suddenly, Huang Wenzhao asked, “By the way, why does your old servant look so disheveled today?”

“Ah, he startled me early this morning. Turns out he took a nasty fall last night, hit his head right on the threshold stone. It was miserable. I told him to go home but he refused, insisting he must watch over me. Truly…” Fang Juncai seemed both helpless and a little proud.

Huang Wenzhao smiled. “Having such a loyal old servant is a blessing.”

“You overrate me, Brother Huang. I only have this one who’s any use, unlike you, who are surrounded by talent.”

Huang Wenzhao raised his eyebrows gently, about to speak, when a commotion erupted nearby.

At the shuttlecock game, Jiang Bowen and Zhang Hongsheng began arguing, with Liu Ziyu trying to mediate.

Huang Wenzhao shook his head and walked over.

Fang Juncai scoffed, about to follow, when his expression suddenly changed; clutching his belly, he turned and walked away.

At the weightlifting area, Jingyuan’s figure had long since vanished.

********

In Ping’an Town, the rich aroma of broth wafted through the air.

The dragon beard noodles, as fine as threads, shimmered before everyone’s eyes like the Milky Way falling from the heavens into the pot. With a few strokes of the long chopsticks, the noodles tumbled in the boiling water like a dragon twisting its body. In the large bowl, all sorts of condiments had already been added—some with egg and meat, others with vegetables. Once the toppings were ready, the chopsticks dipped into the pot, and the translucent dragon beard noodles, steaming hot, seemed to fly from the heavens straight into the bowl.

Inside the bowl, reds, whites, greens, and blacks mingled through the swirling steam, creating a dish that made mouths water and tongues crave.

“Wonderful!”

“This noodle—never mind forty coins a bowl—even if it were fifty or sixty, it’d still be worth it!”

“….”

The diners around exclaimed in amazement and promptly ordered several more bowls.

From afar, townsfolk watching the spectacle wiped suspicious drool from their lips, muttering, “It’s just a bowl of noodles, what’s so special? Just watching the tricks.” Yet secretly, they clenched their teeth, determined to save up for a bowl themselves.

Just like the spicy hotpot that seemed expensive at first, but now, with its place in the restaurant, people can only dream of catching its scent outside.

“I just came back from the county and saw our Magistrate Zhao.”

“Magistrate donates money every day, probably went to ask his brother-in-law for advice, right?”

“Heh, that I wouldn’t know…”

“….”

The diners chatted as they ate, while Su Tang and Li Qingtian listened with half an ear, their hands busy with noodles and counting coins.

Dragon beard noodles didn’t bring in as much as the spicy hotpot, but the costs were lower.

With the numbered tokens, the stall never felt crowded, and the cashbox overflowed.

Su Tang’s smile stretched all the way to her ears.

As far as making money went, the system was truly effective.

“We’re out of tokens,” Li Qingtian said.

Su Tang looked over. The one hundred and eight tokens they’d prepared had been used up yesterday, and today, some customers couldn’t even match their number.

The carvings on the tokens were similar to those on the “Delicious Food” signboard—a clear mark of the same craftsman.

People exchanged tokens for noodles, yet some refused the noodles, sneaking off with the tokens instead.

These tokens had only been in use for a day.

“No need to replace them. Tomorrow, just add a line of small text beside the big red ‘Donation’ sign,” Su Tang said, pointing. “Tell them these are from the Yu family’s bamboo workshop. Soon, our tokens will be complete.”

Li Qingtian caught on instantly. “Miss is truly clever.”

Keeping the tokens was likely because they looked good. If people knew whose handiwork they were, they could have any style they wished—and these tokens were still worth a bowl of noodles.

“Give me a bowl,” a customer handed over forty coins.

Forty coins bought a simple bowl of dragon beard noodles, no extras.

Su Tang immediately smiled and whispered to Li Qingtian, “Add meat.”

The customer hurriedly waved his hand. “Just the standard price, nothing extra.” Despite his words, his previously indifferent face softened into a kindly expression.

Li Qingtian went to stretch the noodles, while the customer, waiting for his heavenly bowl, chatted with Su Tang. “Don’t worry this time, young lady. The mayor already lectured those troublemakers; at least they’ll have to work ten days in the orphanage. It’s a pity Liu Er wasn’t caught, but rest assured, if he shows up in Ping’an Town, no one will let him off.”

“Thank you to the mayor, and to you for your concern,” Su Tang replied.

The steward, seeing the stall girl’s smile, quickly looked away. The mayor had wanted her to call him “uncle,” but that was just talk. Since last time, the mayor truly treated her as a younger relative. As for himself, a mere steward, taking a bit of meat or egg was one thing, but anything else—he wouldn’t dare.

“Hardly worth mentioning,” the steward said, watching Li Qingtian pull out the noodles, clicking his tongue in praise, and continuing, “Originally, I wanted to talk to Lu Dashan. A man ought to look after his wife. This morning I heard Lu Dashan ran to the slaughterhouse to toughen up his sons—I only then saw him in a new light. With such a good wife, if anything happened to her, he’d truly regret it.”

Su Tang lowered her head and smiled shyly. After Li Qingtian scooped out the noodles, she added an egg to the bowl.

The steward sat at the table, beaming.

A fellow diner at the table exclaimed, “Oh, is something good happening today?”

“What’s that supposed to mean? Can’t eat without good news?” the steward feigned anger.

A diner at another table nodded vigorously. “Exactly! Bad news or good, you still have to eat.”

“Hey, did you have bad news today? Weren’t you at the Academy?”

“Yes, the Academy was lively today.”

“….”

Upon hearing this, Su Tang immediately pricked up her ears.