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Chen Feng introduced the Yang siblings to Chu Hanyan, saying, “This is the elder brother from the Yang family, and this is the elder sister from the Yang family.”
Yang Qian was over a month older than Chu Hanyan, making her the older sister.
Chu Hanyan had become accustomed to interacting only with Dabao and the Luo siblings. As soon as the Yang siblings entered, her little face tensed up, and her lips pressed tightly together.
She doesn’t like them!
Seeing the little girl’s reaction, Chen Feng wasn’t upset, instead, she was delighted. Finally, the girl was expressing herself. Even if she didn’t speak, just making a facial expression was progress.
The Yang siblings didn’t feel rejected. Yang Chao engaged Dabao, Qiqi, and Gray, creating a lively atmosphere.
Yang Qian was quite outgoing. As soon as she saw Chu Hanyan, she took a liking to the pretty little sister. She took off her shoes, climbed onto the heated brick bed, and sat across from Chu Hanyan. Looking at her, she said, “Hello, little sister, you’re so pretty. Let’s play house.”
Seeing Chu Hanyan ignore her, she continued, “How about playing hide and seek then?” Still being ignored, she persisted, “Let’s recite nursery rhymes together.”
Then, without waiting for a response, she began clapping and reciting:
“Pushing the cart, grinding the mill, sending the big brother off to school.”
“The big brother studies for three years, and becomes a talented scholar after an examination.”
“First bow to father, then bow to mother, and finally, bow to the wife’s room.”
“The golden key unlocks the silver box, and the wife’s room shines brightly.”
Though her pronunciation was not entirely clear, Yang Qian recited with great precision and seriousness, which amused Chen Feng, Miao, Mama Song, and Yang Qian’s personal maid old lady Huang, who were all laughing heartily.
At first, Chu Hanyan didn’t react but then, seeing everyone laughing, she found the little girl amusing and began smiling.
Seeing her laugh, Yang Qian was delighted and said, “Sister, it’s your turn to recite.” When Chu Hanyan only laughed without reciting, Yang Qian took out a handkerchief and said, “Let’s play pass the handkerchief.”
She crumpled the handkerchief, passed it to Chu Hanyan, and then took it back, repeating the action.
Dabao, being a boy and too mature for these games, couldn’t capture Chu Hanyan’s attention. Luo Mei, though a girl, felt a sense of propriety and refrained from treating Chu Hanyan in the same way as Yang Qian did.
Chu Hanyan found Yang Qian’s approach intriguing, and she didn’t mind her. She watched the lively little chatterbox, Yang Qian, playing on her own.
Chen Feng was pleased. She thought that by nurturing Yang Qian’s natural outgoing personality, she could become a playmate for Chu Hanyan.
Mama Song also seemed to share this view, as her smile toward old lady Huang was warmer than when they had first arrived.
At noon, Chen Ming asked Lu to invite Chen Ye and his son, along with Gao Lizheng, to join them for a drink. In no time, Hu Laowu’s keen nose caught the scent of alcohol and he arrived with a jar of wine. Chen Ming didn’t like Hu Laowu, but he couldn’t simply send him away. It’s said that it’s better to offend a gentleman than a scoundrel. It’s best not to offend someone like Hu Laowu.
Chen Feng also found time to make a dish of golden smooth pork, a favorite of the children, including the elder sisters, who eagerly pointed and asked for “that one.”
After eating, with his mouth full of oil, Yang Chao remarked, “Aunt Chen, the chef at our restaurant can’t cook as well as you.”
Chen Feng smiled and said, “If you like it, you should eat more.”
After the meal, several children became sleepy. Chu Hanyan and Yang Qian, carrying a large swallow doll, slept in the bedroom of the east wing, while Dabao, Luo Ming Cheng, and Yang Chao slept in the west wing.
Chen Feng suggested that Luo Mei with the two girls sleep in the east wing together, but Luo Mei shook her head and said, “No, the servant needs to attend to the young miss.”
Chen Feng smiled and said, “You can sleep next to your young miss. If she needs anything, you can get up and attend to her.”
Upon hearing this, Luo Mei obediently lay down on the outermost side of the heated brick bed.
After hearing that the guests had finished their drinks and Chen Ye and the others had left, Chen Feng went to the old courtyard.
After lunch, Chen Ming, feeling unwell and a bit tired from the alcohol, went to sleep in the west wing. Steward Luo and Yang Mingyuan, along with a few other men, were arranged to rest in the east wing.
Yang Mingyuan had something to discuss and waited under the eaves for Chen Feng.
He wore a camel-colored long cotton robe, had a medium build, and while not particularly handsome, his shrewd and composed eyes gave him a certain solidity.
Chen Feng hadn’t interacted with him much, but from his children, she gathered that he was probably a good person. If he had raised his children so well, he must be a good father.
Seeing Chen Feng coming from the side door, he smiled at her and said, “I have a business proposition. I wonder if Ms. Chen is interested?”
It turns out that Yang Mingyuan wanted to open another restaurant in Dingzhou Prefecture, believing that with the unique dishes of Nine-Flavor Braised Skewers and Fine Bran Fritters, he could secure a place in the crowded restaurant scene of Dingzhou Prefecture.
Recently, he had visited Dingzhou, where he had just settled on a location for the new restaurant. On a visit to a friend who ran a liquor store, he noticed a lively scene outside the friend’s place. Approaching, he caught a delightful aroma of braised skewers. Upon squeezing through the crowd, he saw a large pot on a rustic stove, simmering with skewers made of meat and vegetables on bamboo sticks, presented in an unusually charming manner.
The friend explained that these were Chen San’s Braised Skewers and insisted that Yang Mingyuan sample the leftover skewers.
Yang Mingyuan found that these braised skewers were somewhat similar to their Nine-Flavor Braised Skewers, though the flavor was a bit lighter. However, the skewers’ presentation was unique and they were more flavorful. They were popular with the rich and affordable for the poor, and the children loved them.
According to his friend, this snack had quickly gained fame in the city, attracting many people to taste it, not just for the flavor but also for the owner’s shrewdness and the unique method of selling the skewers.
After gaining some recognition, Chen San’s braised skewers had established six more “sales points.” Instead of renting shops, he found prime spots in front of affluent households and rented the area for just an hour. If it rained or snowed, they moved into the shops.
This arrangement was welcomed by the liquor store owners, as it didn’t affect their business and brought them extra income. Surprisingly, it also boosted their liquor sales.
After renting for eight days, Chen Shi decided to stop, feeling that most of the money earned went back into the liquor stores, making it not worth the effort. The liquor store owners didn’t want them to leave, and after several negotiations, they reached a mutually agreeable arrangement to continue the partnership.