Chapter 27: Don’t Just Walk Slowly, Hurry Up

In the kitchen, the children were also eating with greasy, satisfied mouths. “Zhenyu, I’ve made braised pork with beans before, but it never turns out as flavorful as yours. How do you do it?” 

“Maybe you didn’t rinse the blood out.” 

Zhao Zhenyu knew that people here didn’t blanch their meat before cooking—they couldn’t bear to waste even the blood, thinking it was still good. As a result, the meat often had a gamey taste. She, however, had added chili, seared the meat first to lock in the fat, and that was why it was so fragrant and delicious. 

“Sister-in-law, try this soup. It’s so satisfying—full of meaty flavor, and even the tender bits clinging to the bones are delicious.” 

“Only your Zhenyu could turn those unwanted marrow bones into something this tasty. If the butcher ever tasted this, he’d surely regret giving them away.”

“Oh, Sister-in-law, you flatter me. It’s not that good,” Madam Song replied modestly, though she secretly agreed that her daughter was truly exceptional. 

The others, meanwhile, ate without a word—too busy moving their hands and mouths to speak. But in their hearts, they all agreed: Sister Zhenyu (or Little Zhenyu) had some seriously amazing skills! 

After the meal, the bustle continued. 

“Brother Zhao, you’re here!” The shopkeeper greeted him warmly the moment he arrived. The bamboo shoots had sold out by noon yesterday, and since he didn’t know where the Zhao family lived, his evening customers had been left disappointed. He’d heard that other restaurants were also doing brisk business with stir-fried bamboo shoots. 

Sweet, crisp, and not the least bit greasy—for patrons accustomed to rich, heavy dishes, the bamboo shoots were a refreshing change. And since he’d bought several bamboo shoot recipes from Zhao, he could cater to all tastes.

The shopkeeper was being unusually enthusiastic today! “Shopkeeper, today’s bamboo shoots have been delivered. Please take a look.” 

The shopkeeper pulled Zhao Dashu aside, while Liu Shunzi tactfully played deaf and walked away. 

“Brother Zhao, the quantity isn’t enough. Do you have more?” 

“Of course! How much do you need?” The more, the better—the Liu family had bamboo shoots in abundance right now. 

After some quick calculations, the shopkeeper said, “I’ll take another 300 jin. Actually, from now on, how about you deliver 400 jin daily?”

“Of course! Just wait a moment—I’ll head back now and bring them over shortly!” 

“No need to rush. How about this? I’ll send a mule cart with you to pick them up—that way, we can also learn the route. Next time, if we’re short, we can just send the cart directly. What do you think?” 

Zhao Dashu’s eyes sparkled. Why not? Not only would he save himself a trip, but he’d also get to ride back in style on the mule cart—what a face-saving privilege! 

“Sounds perfect!” 

“I’ll give you the payment for the 300 jin now, and the mule cart will leave with you right away.”

“You’re too kind, Shopkeeper!” 

Zhao Dashu happily took the silver, then glanced at Liu Shunzi and thought for a moment. “Shunzi, take your time pulling the cart back. The shopkeeper needs the goods urgently, so I’ll ride the mule cart with the driver to fetch the bamboo shoots first!” 

Liu Shunzi inwardly cursed. ‘This bastard, this lazy good-for-nothing! The moment there’s an advantage, he runs off on his own. Why couldn’t ‘he’ be the one to haul the cart back slowly while’ I ‘take the mule cart ahead?’ 

Seeing Shunzi’s stony expression, Zhao Dashu felt a twinge of guilt. “How about this—I’ll buy you a couple of meat buns to eat on the way?” ‘And maybe a few extra for myself to take home!’ 

“Just go! Hurry up!” ‘Useless fool—the silver hasn’t even warmed his hands before he’s itching to spend it again.’

In the end, the meat buns never got bought—because Liu Shunzi practically shoved him straight into the mule cart. 

‘Fine, I’ll buy them tomorrow.’ But tomorrow, they’d need to deliver 400 jin of bamboo shoots—one cart wouldn’t be enough. Whose cart in the village could he borrow? 

He’d have to ask the village chief when he got back. Though the chief’s cart was definitely off-limits—he’d heard the man needed it to haul bamboo shoots from far away. 

The mule cart rolled into the village without causing any stir. With everyone out working, who was around to notice? 

Zhao Dashu sighed in regret. ‘Such a rare chance to show off, wasted.’

The village chief was lounging leisurely at his doorstep. Not many had come to sell bamboo shoots today. Spotting the mule cart pulling up and Zhao Dashu stepping down, he called out, “How come you’re back on a mule cart? Where’s Shunzi?” 

Had something happened? 

“The bamboo shoots sold out fast—they came to fetch more. Uncle, quick, help load another 300 jin onto the cart!” 

“Ah, right away!” 

The chief hurried into the yard, stuffing sacks and weighing the shoots without delay.

Zhao Zhenyu promptly handed the cart driver a bowl of warm water. “Here, have some water.” 

“Ah, thank you, thank you!” The driver accepted it with both hands, gratitude in his voice. 

The two men worked swiftly, soon loading all 300 jin of blanched bamboo shoots and sending the driver on his way. 

“Where’s Shunzi?” 

“Pushing the cart back—he’s on his way.”

The village chief: “…” 

No need to guess—this lazybones just wanted a free ride. 

“Chief, does anyone else in the village have a cart? Starting tomorrow, we’ll need to deliver more. One cart won’t be enough.” With nothing else to do, Zhao Dashu plopped down by the doorstep to chat. 

“We have one at home. You can use ours tomorrow if needed.” 

“What are you talking about? What about hauling your own bamboo shoots? Is there anyone in the village who isn’t going far to harvest shoots and has a cart to spare?” Zhao Dashu pressed. When it came to village affairs, the chief knew best.

The village chief stared at him with a knowing look. This guy—just when you thought he was unreliable, he’d surprise you by being diligent. Just when you labeled him as sly and selfish, he’d turn around and show consideration for others. 

“If we’re talking about whose cart is sitting idle in the village, it’d probably be the old Zhao family next door.” 

Zhao Dashu’s face darkened. He didn’t even need to think or ask—his father would never lend it to him. 

His teeth ground together with an audible creak. ‘The chief is definitely doing this on purpose!’

“Any others?” 

Seeing his reaction, the village chief couldn’t help but chuckle. 

“Old Man Qian and his grandson—I remember they have a cart. You could try borrowing from them.” 

“Thanks, Chief.” 

Watching his retreating figure, the chief mused to himself: ‘At times like this, he actually seems decent. So why does he usually act like such a rogue? If he weren’t like this, his father might actually give him a second glance.’

The village chief glanced at the old Zhao household next door. Without Third Zhao’s family, Second Zhao clearly couldn’t hold things together. ‘Ah, I wonder if the old man regrets dividing the family now.’

Whether Old Master Zhao regretted it or not, the chief couldn’t say. But as for Third Zhao – since the family split, he’d practically cut loose, happier than ever.

‘He must have been waiting for this day a long time, no wonder he didn’t object to leaving empty-handed.’

“Grandfather Qian!”

The old man was puzzled—Zhao Dashu never came by unless he needed something. But what could his humble household possibly help with? 

“Heh heh! Actually, I came to borrow your cart.” Zhao Dashu scratched his head, uncharacteristically sheepish. 

“Oh, that?” The old man gestured toward the corner of the yard. “It’s right over there. Just take it.” 

The immediate generosity made Zhao Dashu even more embarrassed. “Grandfather Qian, let me rent it—three copper coins a day, how’s that? You can take it back anytime if you need it.” 

“What nonsense! We’re not using it right now. Thanks to Shunzi, we’ve been gathering bamboo shoots right here in the village lately. If he needs the cart, just take it—no need for payment.” The old man waved him off firmly. 

‘What a kind soul!’ Zhao Dashu thought, touched by the unexpected warmth. He made a mental note to send over some of the better bamboo shoots tomorrow—not as payment, just as thanks between neighbors. 

As he wheeled the cart away, he realized this simple exchange had lifted his spirits more than any showy mule cart ride ever could. Maybe being decent wasn’t so hard after all.