Lian Manman came to her senses, hearing Wang Youheng say this, she understood he was telling her that in the future, if she had any problems with reading or writing, she could go to him for advice. But Wang Youheng was being too polite; how many characters could they, who barely recognized a few big characters, really discuss with Wang Youheng? Lian Manman couldn’t help but purse her lips and smile.

...

Shopkeeper Wu and Wu Yugui also arrived one after the other. Lian Manman first led Shopkeeper Wu to her family’s workshop for a look.

Although the Lian Family’s workshop appeared somewhat crude from the outside, the inside was tidy and well-ordered. Even today, when guests were being entertained, the employed daughters-in-law in the workshop were as busy as usual. When Shopkeeper Wu saw that the working daughters-in-law were neat and clean, wearing aprons and headscarves, and even had masks covering their faces, and heard Lian Manman’s explanation that this practice ensured the pickled vegetables they produced were cleaner, Shopkeeper Wu nodded repeatedly in satisfaction.

Next, a table was set up in the West Wing Room, and Lian Manman prepared the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone completely, with Old Master Lian holding the brush to write a simple contract. The contract confirmed that Wu Zhonglian’s restaurants and taverns would purchase pickled vegetables from the Lian Family’s Pickled Vegetable Workshop in certain quantities at certain prices, and other related matters, and also specified the One String of Coins Shopkeeper Wu had paid in advance, as turnover costs for the Lian Family’s Pickled Vegetable Workshop, which would be gradually deducted from future settlements.

After Old Master Lian had written the contract, he showed it to everyone, and with no objections from the crowd, Shopkeeper Wu represented Wu Zhonglian, and Lian Shouxin represented the Lian Family’s Pickled Vegetable Workshop in signing and stamping the contract, with Wang Youheng and Wu Yugui also signing and stamping as witnesses. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

There were two copies of the contract, one for Shopkeeper Wu and one for Lian Shouxin. After receiving the Lian Family’s copy, Lian Shouxin handed it over to Lian Manman for safekeeping.

After clearing away the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone, the dining table was set up. Lian Shouxin played host, inviting Old Master Lian, Wang Youheng, Shopkeeper Wu, and Wu Yugui to sit at the table, while Lady Zhang, accompanied by Lian Zhizhi and Lian Manman, served the prepared dishes in a steady stream.

The feast today was very rich, starting with four cold dishes: fried peanuts, spicy cold skin noodles, mixed shredded vegetables, and scallion-flavored tofu. Then came the hot dishes: a large dish of tender pork knuckle in soy sauce, sweet and sour carp, chicken stewed with mushrooms, potatoes braised in soy sauce, stir-fried eggs with wood ear mushrooms, sautéed meat slices with green beans, pickled cabbage with pork, and Lady Zhang’s specialty, liver slices in brown sauce. Since there was pickled cabbage with pork and chicken stewed with mushrooms, there wasn’t any need to prepare another soup.

Though these dishes didn’t have the novelty of those from a restaurant, they were substantial and truly made with care. Not to mention a rural household, even in a wealthy urban family, these dishes would be considered top-notch.

As for the staple food, Lady Zhang steamed rice, and Lian Manman took the lead, preparing several kinds of pastries: eggplant dry soup dumplings, pumpkin cakes, jade dumplings, and scallion pancakes. The jade dumplings were made with pork and Chinese cabbage stuffing. They were called jade dumplings because the dough was rolled with spinach water to give it a green color.

All three women were skillful and devoted a great deal of effort to this meal, and each dish and pastry was thoroughly delicious, both in appearance and taste. Even Shopkeeper Wu, who ran a restaurant business, couldn’t stop praising them.

In a rural household, the women and children generally wouldn’t eat at the table during a feast, so Lady Zhang was busy adding more rice, dishes, and pouring wine from below.

The meal took half a Chinese hour as the men chatted and laughed, finding each other very agreeable. They ate and drank merrily until Old Master Lian, Shopkeeper Wu, and Wu Yugui all became slightly tipsy, and then the meal concluded.

After the meal, Lady Zhang and her daughters busied themselves preparing hot tea and fruit to help the men sober up. After a while longer of pleasant conversation, Wang Youheng was the first to stand and take his leave, with Shopkeeper Wu and Wu Yugui following suit.

Lian Manman followed Lady Zhang and Lian Shouxin to see the three guests out. Shopkeeper Wu and Wu Yugui shared one carriage, while Wang Youheng took his own carriage.

Wang Youheng waved to Lian Manman from his carriage.

Thinking of his thoughtfulness, she walked over, intending to say a few more words of thanks.

"No need to see me off, go back and have your meal," Wang Youheng said softly, winking at Lian Manman.

"Mm," Lian Manman seemed to understand.

Wang Youheng smiled and then told the coachman to drive the carriage away.

Back inside the house, Lian Manman and the others tidied up again. Lady Zhang reheated the food, and only then did the women set another table and began to eat.

Lian Shouxin sat by their side, smiling, as he too had drunk with Old Master Lian and the others, his cheeks flushed red.