Chapter 28 Give and Take

The group got on the carriage and set off again.

On the way here, Steward Ren had told Qin Ruo that the Old Lady had instructed the people in the mansion to reserve a table at the Qinfeng Restaurant in Taihe County.

She was to have a meal there before returning to Datong Township.

When they arrived at the Qinfeng Restaurant, the shopkeeper, who was clearly acquainted with Steward Ren, personally greeted them enthusiastically.

He didn’t show any disdain or contempt for Qin Ruo and her group’s attire.

After leading Qin Ruo and her group into a private room, he diligently instructed the waiter to serve the dishes.

After accompanying Qin Ruo to the private room, Steward Ren left on the pretext of having business to attend to.

He said he would come back in half an hour to send her to Datong Township.

Just looking at the speed at which the waiter served tea and dishes, Qin Ruo knew that this meal wasn’t a last-minute arrangement by Steward Ren.

It was indeed prepared in advance.

When the waiter served the dishes, the shopkeeper would personally introduce each dish.

Jade-green Shrimp with Scallions, Squirrel Fish, Braised Goose, Three-flavor Soup, Eight-treasure Duck…

The shopkeeper introduced them in detail, even how to eat them, he thoughtfully explained.

After all the dishes were served, the shopkeeper of the Qinfeng Restaurant politely withdrew.

After all the shocks of the day, Qin Zimu and Zhou Dazhu had run out of words to describe it.

They looked at each other, although they were facing a table full of delicacies and their stomachs were already grumbling, neither of them picked up their chopsticks first, instead, they looked at Qin Ruo.

“What are you looking at me for? Eat, we still have to buy things back in the village.”

Qin Ruo casually picked up a piece of fish with her chopsticks and took a bite, the dishes at the Qinfeng Restaurant were really delicious.

Qin Ruo guessed the reason for the Old Lady’s arrangement.

The reason why the Old Lady didn’t insist on keeping her at the Xie Mansion for dinner, and even Steward Ren didn’t stay,

It wasn’t because she was afraid that she would be uncomfortable, but because she was afraid that Qin Zimu and Zhou Dazhu would be uncomfortable.

For someone she had only met once, she was touched by her kindness.

Even when she went to the county office to receive her reward, the Old Lady was supporting her.

Although Steward Ren was like a shadow in the county office, he didn’t say much the whole time.

But Qin Ruo knew in her heart that if it hadn’t been for Steward Ren, things wouldn’t have gone so smoothly today, Constable Yu was giving face to the Xie Mansion.

Qin Ruo spoke, and Qin Zimu and Zhou Dazhu couldn’t hold back anymore.

The dishes on the table, not to mention that they had never eaten them before, they had never even seen them.

Even the original owner, Qin Qiuxi, had been to Taihe County with Qin Huaizheng countless times, going back and forth to the Fumanlou, but she had never eaten there once.

Being able to eat a bowl of mutton soup noodles at a restaurant from time to time was already considered the best.

Usually, the two of them would just have a bowl of tea and two steamed buns for a meal, costing two coins.

The dishes at the Qinfeng Restaurant were delicious, but Qin Ruo only ate seven-tenths full before she put down her chopsticks.

The original owner’s body didn’t have much oil and water, suddenly eating a lot of rich food, her stomach might not be able to handle it.

She also told Zhou Dazhu and Qin Zimu to eat less, to avoid any discomfort.

Qin Zimu and Zhou Dazhu almost obeyed Qin Ruo’s every word, and they put down their chopsticks.

There was at least two-thirds of the food left on the table.

“Sister Ah Ruo, the gift from the Old Lady is too precious, I don’t want it.”

Zhou Dazhu handed the pouch of money that Nanny Zhang had given him to Qin Ruo.

He didn’t resist changing from calling her Sister Qiuxi to Sister Ah Ruo.

Although he didn’t know why Qin Ruo changed her name, Sister Ah Ruo was now the omnipotent god in his mind, if Qin Ruo told him to call her Sister Ah Ruo, he would call her that.

He hadn’t found a chance to open the purse that Nanny Zhang had given him all the way here.

Just before dinner, he and Qin Zimu had secretly looked at it when they went to the toilet.

It contained a small handful of silver melon seeds, a full tael.

A tael of silver, even his family couldn’t earn that in a month.

Zhou Dazhu was self-aware, this tael of silver melon seeds was entirely due to Qin Ruo’s influence.

“Sister… Sister, mine… for you too.” Qin Zimu quickly pulled out the pouch he was carrying.

He had also looked inside, and his pouch contained a handful of silver melon seeds, the same amount as Zhou Dazhu’s.

Qin Ruo didn’t take the pouches from Zhou Dazhu and Qin Zimu, “The Old Lady gave them to you, keep them and decide how to spend them yourselves. But today, regarding the Xie Mansion, you need to think for yourselves about what you can say, what you can’t say, and how to say it.”

Qin Zimu and Zhou Dazhu nodded vigorously.

Half an hour later, Steward Ren returned as promised, and the shopkeeper of the Qinfeng Restaurant had thoughtfully instructed the waiter to pack up the leftovers from Qin Ruo’s meal in oiled paper.

He then tied the package tightly with a rope and put it in a food basket, making it convenient for Qin Ruo to take with her when she left.

When they left the Qinfeng Restaurant, it was already the end of the afternoon. In modern terms, it was past two o’clock.

On the way back to Datong Township, Steward Ren chatted and laughed with Qin Ruo and her group.

Steward Ren was over fifty years old, he was witty and humorous.

Even Zhou Dazhu and Qin Zimu, who were a little hesitant to speak, became relaxed under Steward Ren’s encouragement, and they would occasionally chime in with a few words.

On the way from Taihe County to Datong Township, they had already started calling Steward Ren “Uncle Ren.”

About half an hour later, Qin Ruo and her group had returned to Datong Township.

The Old Lady had originally asked Steward Ren to take Qin Ruo directly back to Changhe Village, but Qin Ruo insisted on refusing.

She still had to buy things, it wouldn’t be good to keep bothering Steward Ren.

Steward Ren had to compromise and sent Qin Ruo and her group to Datong Township.

After getting off the carriage, Qin Ruo bowed to Steward Ren, “Thank you for your care today, Steward Ren. We are grateful for the hospitality of your mansion.”

Steward Ren smiled and waved his hand, “Miss Qin, you’re welcome, it was the Old Lady’s instructions, and it was my duty. Be careful on the road.”

Steward Ren noticed that Qin Ruo was bowing with clasped hands, he thought this unrestrained girl was quite interesting, no wonder the Old Lady liked her.

After speaking, Qin Ruo took out two porcelain bottles and an object wrapped in a plain cloth bag and handed them to Steward Ren.

Courtesy demands reciprocity.

While she was eating in Taihe County, she had taken the opportunity to use the restroom and looked at the pouch Nanny Zhang had given her.

A pair of exquisite jade earrings of fine quality.

Not to mention the ten taels of silver ingots hidden in the compartment under the food box.

“I noticed that you rubbed your legs and feet several times while driving the carriage, you must have been suffering from numbness. The things in this bottle can dispel cold, promote blood circulation, and disperse knots, if you don’t mind, try it.”

“The things in the cloth bag are what I got from the mountains before, please give them to the Old Lady, thank you for the Old Lady’s care for me today.”

“I noticed that Nanny Zhang’s hands have some frostbite marks, this is for external use for Nanny Zhang, apply it twice a day.”

Qin Ruo carefully instructed Steward Ren.

This little girl was so thoughtful, she even noticed his own numbness and Nanny Zhang’s frostbite. It instantly increased Steward Ren’s liking for her.

He didn’t stand on ceremony with Qin Ruo, he accepted the little gift from his junior.

It probably wasn’t anything valuable, just for her thoughtfulness, he wouldn’t refuse.

After accepting the things, Steward Ren said goodbye to Qin Ruo and her group and drove the carriage back to Taihe County.