Chapter 27

Fang Saozi’s husband was quickly summoned home. After she explained the situation, he nodded and said, “Alright, wait here. I’ll go find Master Gu and ask him to write up a contract for us in person.”

Afraid Li Hehua might not understand, Fang Saozi elaborated, “Master Gu is a newly arrived teacher in our village. He’s very learned and specializes in teaching children to read. My own child attends his classes. We’re all illiterate, so whenever we need help with writing or reading, we ask Master Gu. He’s always willing to assist us.”

Li Hehua could tell from Fang Saozi’s tone that Master Gu was a truly good person.

Soon, Brother Fang returned with the man they had been discussing—Master Gu himself.

Li Hehua looked up and froze. The man opposite her also paused, equally stunned.

Li Hehua never imagined that Master Gu was the same person who had just bought her pastries.

Gu Zhijin never imagined that the person Brother Fang had mentioned wanting to rent a house was none other than the owner of the pastry shop. After his initial surprise, he quickly greeted her, “I never expected it to be you! What a coincidence.”

Li Hehua smiled and nodded in acknowledgment. “Indeed, what a coincidence.”

Brother Fang and Fang Saozi, standing nearby, were stunned. “You two know each other?”

Gu Zhijin chuckled. “Yes, we do. My nephew is a big fan of the pastries this lady sells.”

The Fang couple nodded in understanding. “Ah, that explains it. What a coincidence indeed!”

After exchanging pleasantries, Li Hehua, mindful of the late hour, said, “Master Gu, would you please help us draft the rental agreement?”

Gu Zhijin nodded. Sensing her urgency, he refrained from further small talk. He laid out his writing tools on the table, dipped his brush in ink, and began writing swiftly. As he wrote, he read aloud each clause to ensure both parties understood the terms.

Gu Zhijin’s calligraphy flowed like clouds and water, elegant and effortless. In Li Hehua’s eyes, his skill would have made him a renowned calligrapher in modern times—and even in this era, his talent was exceptional.

After finishing the first draft, Gu Zhijin took a fresh sheet of paper and rewrote the entire document. Once the last character was complete, he set down his brush, tucked it into his sleeve, and placed it on the brush rest. He gently lifted the paper, blew on it to hasten the ink’s drying, and handed it to Li Hehua and the Fang couple. “There you go. Take a look. If everything’s in order, just press your fingerprints here.”

Li Hehua had already read the entire document. The terms matched their prior agreement perfectly, so she nodded. “Everything looks good.”

The Fang couple couldn’t read, but they trusted Gu Zhijin implicitly and quickly nodded in agreement.

With no objections from either party, they each pressed their fingerprints onto the contract, officially sealing the agreement.

Li Hehua pulled out 1,440 wen from her pocket and handed them to the Fang couple. “Brother Fang, Fang Saozi, this is half a year’s rent—1,440 coins in total. Please count it to be sure.”

The couple quickly counted the coins. The total matched exactly. Brother Fang grinned. “Everything’s correct. From today onward, the courtyard is yours.”

He pulled out a set of keys and handed them to Li Hehua. “Here are the keys to the courtyard.”

Li Hehua took the keys, a wave of relief washing over her. The matter of the house was finally settled.

The Fang couple immediately thanked Gu Zhijin. “Thank you, Master Gu, for troubling you again today.”

Gu Zhijin, who was packing his writing supplies, looked up and shook his head lightly. “You’re welcome. Neighbors should help each other.”

Li Hehua also bowed to Gu Zhijin. “Thank you, Master Gu.”

Gu Zhijin smiled. “You’re too kind. If anyone should be thanking someone, it’s me.”

Li Hehua understood the unspoken gratitude in his words and returned his smile.

Since the courtyard was fully furnished, she could move in right away. Considering her trip to Shangshui Village tomorrow, Li Hehua decided to move in the day after tomorrow. After selling her pastries that day, she would stay at the courtyard instead of returning to the village with Cao Simei.

……

In high spirits, Li Hehua returned to the Cao Family. Her first task was to tell them about renting the courtyard. Cao Simei, having been mentally prepared, took the news calmly. However, the three children were heartbroken, unwilling to see Li Hehua leave.

Li Hehua had to coax and comfort them at length before they finally calmed down. Yet her heart swelled with warmth—the children’s reluctance stemmed from genuine affection for her.

After finishing her chores, Li Hehua quickly prepared the pastries for tomorrow’s market before starting on the candied apples.

First, she washed, peeled, and diced all the apples into small cubes, then dusted them with flour. Meanwhile, she separated the egg whites, mixed them with starch to form a batter, and stirred the apple cubes into the batter until evenly coated.

Farmers rarely indulged in fruit, and when they did, they ate it raw. No one had ever seen apples prepared this way before. Cao Simei watched with curiosity, asking, “Sister, what are you doing? Why are you messing with perfectly good apples like that?”

Li Hehua poured oil into the heated wok as she explained, “I’m making candied apples. It’s a delicious dish that children love. I promised my son at home I’d make it for him, and I’ll bring it tomorrow.”

Cao Simei had never heard of candied apples, but she trusted Li Hehua’s cooking implicitly. “Hehua, you’re truly amazing! You can cook anything, and everything you make is incredibly delicious.”

Cao Simei sighed suddenly. “Sister,” she said, “seeing how worried you are about your child breaks my heart. How can a child thrive without their mother? Why did your previous husband divorce you? You’re such a wonderful person.”

Li Hehua tugged at the corner of her mouth, unsure how to explain her situation. No matter how she tried, she couldn’t make it clear. She simply sighed and remained silent.

Fortunately, Cao Simei didn’t want to upset Li Hehua. After her outburst, she quickly changed the subject.

Li Hehua continued working as she spoke. When the oil was moderately hot, she placed the apple slices in the pan to fry. Once they turned golden brown, she removed them and set them aside.

Next, she added sugar and water to the pan to make a syrup. When the large bubbles transformed into small, viscous ones, she instructed Cao Simei to turn off the heat. For the final step, she returned the apples to the pan, sprinkled them with sesame seeds, and stirred until evenly coated. The candied apples were complete.

Li Hehua divided the candied apples into two porcelain bowls: one for the Shulin and the other to sell to Master Gu the next day.

Li Hehua had deliberately made extra. After filling two bowls, there was still plenty left in the pot, specifically for the three children of the Cao family.

Li Hehua ladled the candied apples from the pot, carried the bowl into the main room, and called the children to come and eat.

Hearing Li Hehua’s call, the He children raced faster than rabbits, darting in from all directions. Their eyes sparkled as they gazed at the bowl in her hands.

“Aunt Hehua, what delicious thing did you make this time? It smells amazing!”

Li Hehua set the bowl on the table. “This is a new dish called candied apple. Try it.”

Xiao San’er stared at the glistening apple pieces in the bowl, swallowed hard, and asked, “Aunt Hehua, why is it called candied apple?”

Instead of explaining, Li Hehua picked up a piece with her chopsticks, lifted it, and drew out a long, shimmering strand of caramel. The children gasped in awe and eagerly grabbed their own chopsticks to try.

As they played with the caramel strands, Cao Simei tapped the table. “Stop playing and eat! Don’t drop it!”

The children giggled and finally popped the apple pieces into their mouths.

Daya’s eyes narrowed in delight. “Aunt Hehua, everything you make is so delicious!”

Dahe chimed in, “This is even tastier than eating apples raw! I never thought you could cook them like this.”

Xiao San’er, usually the most talkative of the three, was uncharacteristically silent, focused solely on eating.

Watching the children enjoy their treat so much, Cao Simei felt a pang of sadness at Li Hehua’s impending departure.

Li Hehua squeezed Cao Simei’s hand, offering silent comfort.

……

The next day, Li Hehua took pastries and a specially made batch of candied apples to sell in town. Before long, Gu Zhijin arrived, accompanied by a woman in her fifties.

Li Hehua greeted him with a smile, “Master Gu, you’re here!”

Gu Zhijin returned her warm smile. “Owner, I’ll take four pieces of each pastry, two candied hawthorns, and…” He paused.

Understanding, Li Hehua bent down and retrieved a bowl of Caramelized Apples from her basket. “This is my candied apples.”

Having never heard of candied apples before, Gu Zhijin was intrigued. He stared at the dish for several moments before looking up. “Owner, is this bowl included?”

Li Hehua nodded. “This dish can only be served in a bowl. Take it with you for now and return it when you come again.”

Gu Zhijin didn’t decline. “Alright, I’ll return the bowl to you tomorrow, Boss.” He pulled out his coin purse. “How much for this bowl of candied apples?”

Li Hehua had already set the price in her mind. “Fifteen wen.”

Gu Zhijin didn’t argue. He paid Li Hehua directly and then introduced the elderly woman beside him. “This is the nanny who helps care for my child. From now on, she’ll be the one buying pastries when I’m busy. Just give her the goods.”

Li Hehua glanced at the woman and nodded.

……

After Gu Zhijin and the nanny left, Li Hehua sold the remaining pastries and hurried to Shangshui Village. The timing was perfect—Madam Zhang had just left, and the rest of the household was out.

She spotted the little boy sitting on the threshold, waiting, and when their eyes met, both lit up.

Li Hehua dropped her basket and rushed forward. “Bao Bei! I’ve come to see you!”

He clung to her clothes and nuzzled against her chest. Li Hehua’s heart melted.

She brought him inside, showed him the treats, and began feeding him candied apple. As he chewed contentedly, she chattered about her new courtyard and promised more visits and delicious food.

Shulin listened quietly, his eyes never leaving her face. When he finished eating, he gripped her tightly again, reluctant to let her go.

Li Hehua hugged him, kissed him, and tried to coax him into letting go. Just as she was about to leave—

—footsteps sounded.

She turned her head to see Zhang Tieshan standing in the room, watching them silently.

My luck isn’t so good today…