The first day of boxed lunch sales was a huge success.

Some students who came late didn’t manage to buy any, and they kept asking Qin Rong if she would come back to sell boxed lunches again.

Even Teacher Chen had arrived a step too late.

He quietly turned back, secretly resolving that tomorrow he wouldn’t hold class overtime—he had to come early to get one.

After helping Yu Xiaoshan sell boxed lunches for two days, Qin Rong let him handle things on his own and returned to West Market to resume selling her scallion pancake rolls.

At her stall in the West Market, Qin Rong sold only scallion pancake rolls and a type of drink.

Today’s menu was scallion pancake rolls and snow pear with white fungus soup.

A familiar customer brightened up upon seeing Qin Rong. “Miss Qin, you’re finally back! I haven’t seen you for days—I thought you weren’t coming back.”

Qin Rong smiled. “Sorry about that, Uncle. I was helping my younger brother sell boxed lunches over at the academy these past two days.”

“What’s a boxed lunch?” the old customer asked curiously.

Qin Rong smiled and explained, “A boxed lunch is a meal with rice and a few side dishes packed into a box. Usually, it includes one meat dish and one vegetable, though sometimes it’s two vegetables.”

“What kind of dishes do you include?”

“Main dishes are things like mapo tofu and braised pork,” Qin Rong said while preparing the scallion pancake rolls.

“Did you cook them yourself?” the old customer asked.

“Yes, I make all the dishes in our Qin’s Boxed Lunch,” she nodded.

“Then I must go check it out,” the old customer said.

Qin Rong chuckled. “Just don’t go too early. They’re only available close to lunchtime.”

“Alright!”

That day, many regulars came back to buy a serving of her scallion pancake rolls.

Just as Qin Rong was about to rest, she noticed a delicate-looking little boy standing in front of her stall.

Clearly, he was a young master from a wealthy family—but his face was a bit dirty, and his eyes brimmed with tears, making him look quite pitiful.

The little boy had his hands behind his back and stared fixedly at the pancake rolls.

Qin Rong asked, “Young master, are you hungry?”

The little boy sniffled and asked in a muffled voice, “How much is your scallion pancake roll?”

“Two copper coins for a plain one. If you want egg and meat added, it’s four coins,” Qin Rong replied.

The boy pursed his lips and pulled a jade pendant from his pouch. “Can I trade this for some scallion pancake rolls?”

Qin Rong could tell at a glance the jade was of fine quality.

There was no way she could accept it.

After thinking for a moment, she said, “That jade pendant is very valuable. I can’t take it. How about this—tell me where your home is, and I’ll treat you to the pancake rolls.”

The little boy looked down, disappointed. “Never mind, then. I don’t want them anymore.”

The kid was rather stubborn.

Qin Rong, amused, grabbed a spring roll wrapper and cracked an egg into it. The aroma of egg wafted through the air.

“My scallion pancake rolls are really tasty!” she said as she kept working.

The little boy couldn’t tear his eyes away—it really smelled amazing.

Qin Rong wrapped up a roll and handed it to the boy. “Here you go, young master. Eat up.”

The little boy froze. “Didn’t you say I had to tell you where my home was?”

“It’s fine if you don’t want to. Everyone has their secrets. This one’s on me,” Qin Rong said, placing a small stool beside her. “Sit here and eat. Even though Lihua Town is peaceful, you never know if there are outsiders looking to kidnap children. You’re small and look very easy to snatch.”

The boy silently took the pancake roll and sat down.

He knew Qin Rong was right, but he didn’t want to go home.

His stomach rumbled, and he took a bite.

The soft wrapper, sweet sauce, and fragrant egg—his eyes went wide.

How could something taste this good?

He took bite after bite and quickly finished the whole roll.

“So good!” the boy licked the corner of his mouth, savoring the taste.

Qin Rong smiled. “Young master, delicious food can make you feel happy, you know!”

The little boy stood up solemnly and bowed like a miniature adult. “Thank you, sister. The pancake roll was very good.”

Just as Qin Rong was about to say something else, several older women and maids rushed over.

One stern-looking nanny scolded, “Young master! How could you run off like that? Do you know how long we’ve been looking for you? You’re being so disobedient!”

The boy lowered his head and clenched his fists.

The head nanny saw the bits of pancake on his hands and frowned. “Young master, I am your father’s wet nurse. You must listen to me. These are not refined foods—you mustn’t eat them again.”

The boy had remained silent until now.

But at her words, he raised his head and said, “Nanny Wang, you are being rude.”

Apparently, he had never spoken to Nanny Wang like this before.

Her face stiffened in shock.

She forced a tight smile. “Young master, I was your father’s nurse. I would never harm you. I’m just speaking the truth. You’re still young and easily fooled by sweet words—but I’m not so easy to fool.”

The boy’s patience clearly ran out.

He pointed at her and barked, “Shut up!”

Everyone froze.

Nanny Wang and the other maids stared in stunned silence.

They had never seen the boy throw such a tantrum.

The boy then turned back to Qin Rong and bowed again. “I apologize. My servant was rude.”

He was just a little boy, but he carried himself with such dignity that Qin Rong couldn’t help finding him even more endearing. “It’s alright. It’s not your fault.”

Just then, a noblewoman with elegant features and anxious eyes rushed over. “Shige’er, how could you run off alone? If you had been taken by a kidnapper, what would your mother have done?”

The boy turned his head stubbornly.

Nanny Wang quickly put on a flattering smile. “Madam, the young master was just being thoughtless.”

The woman frowned slightly, clearly displeased, though she said nothing. With a sigh, she asked gently, “Shige’er, if something’s bothering you, why not tell Mother?”

The boy looked up at her blankly, then lowered his head and muttered, “Mother, I ate a scallion pancake roll but haven’t paid yet.”

The woman turned to her maid. “Zijuan, pay her.”

“Yes, Madam.”

Nanny Wang, ever persistent, suddenly said, “Madam, who knows whether this… this pancake roll is safe? I’m worried the young master might get sick from it.”

Qin Rong had watched long enough.

Now, hearing Nanny Wang again speaking nonsense, she spoke coldly: “You’re a strange one. Just now, when your madam wasn’t around, you kept scolding your young master. But now that your madam is here and she’s clearly a reasonable woman, you suddenly show your shameless side? Spreading falsehoods and stirring up trouble—don’t blame me if I take this to the magistrate.”