Wang Daxia wanted to stay, but Wei Caiwei didn’t want him to disturb her brief family time with Ding Wu, making Ding Wu—who had traveled thousands of miles to get here—feel wronged and continue being squeezed out by Wang Daxia. So she found an excuse to drive him away, saying:
“Keeping you for dinner isn’t just a matter of adding an extra pair of chopsticks. You have a big appetite. This pot of chicken stewed with mushrooms and flatbread is probably only enough for you alone. My temple is too small to accommodate such a great Buddha as you. Everyone should go back to their own homes.”
Wang Daxia was essentially still a bear cub of a youth, with the bad habit of tearing roof tiles if not beaten for three days.
Wei Caiwei had just spoken to him kindly and reasonably, and he had readily agreed. Yet his promises weren’t even as good as a fart—at least a fart leaves a smell, but he immediately went back on his word.
Wei Caiwei had the marital feelings from her previous life and could forgive Wang Daxia time and again, but who was Ding Wu? Given Wei Caiwei’s personality, she wouldn’t use their family bond to force Ding Wu to also accommodate Wang Daxia’s rashness.
Do you think everyone under Heaven is your wife from a previous life?
So Wei Caiwei was practically driving away her guest directly. When Wang Daxia realized she was angry, he immediately became obedient, continuing to wave the palm fan to keep the fire burning vigorously. “I got hungry on the way here and ate a basket of steamed buns to tide me over. I won’t eat much later—just a few mushroom slices. I won’t compete with you for meat.”
Wang Daxia was like a puffed-up frog, inflated to the extreme and thinking himself very frightening, only to be deflated with a light poke from Wei Caiwei.
Wei Caiwei was determined to drive him away and was about to speak further when knocking came from the front door. Wang Daxia, as if seeing reinforcements, immediately jumped up. “I’ll help you open the door.”
Without waiting for Wei Caiwei to refuse, Wang Daxia used his long-legged advantage to run over like the wind and opened the main door. Standing at the entrance were Chen Jingji and Li Jiubao, carrying a basket of zongzi, a jar of home-brewed rice wine, and a sauced pig’s face.
The two were somewhat confused to see Wang Daxia opening the door.
Wang Daxia enthusiastically received the gifts, saying, “Since you’re here, why bring gifts? Come, come, come in and sit.”
A few days ago, the two had seen the notice posted by the Jinyiwei announcing that the Chen Qianhu father and son double murder case had been solved—it was indeed that Zhou Xiaoqi who had kidnapped Wei Caiwei. Today, hearing that Wei Caiwei had recovered and returned from the Jinyiwei office, they brought gifts to console her after her fright.
Wang Daxia found Chen Jingji and Li Jiubao so pleasing to the eye today—truly like sweet rain after a long drought. Their visit resolved the awkwardness, since Wei Caiwei surely couldn’t drive him away in front of guests.
Indeed, when Wei Caiwei saw the future Empress Dowager Li visiting and bringing zongzi she had personally wrapped and rice wine she had brewed, how dare she be negligent?
It wouldn’t be proper to drive away an old guest in front of new guests, so she warmly invited them to sit on the stone stools in the courtyard. Wang Daxia basked in their reflected glory and also got a seat.
However, he was quite perceptive, knowing that Wei Caiwei didn’t favor him and would drive him away once the guests left. After sitting briefly, he voluntarily got up and ran to the stove to continue fanning the fire.
Since the stove was busy cooking, there was no time to boil water for tea. Wei Caiwei cut up a watermelon and grabbed handfuls of various dried fruits that Ding Wu had brought from Tieling’s Xiangya Mountain to serve the guests.
Wei Caiwei introduced Ding Wu to the two visitors: “This is a friend from my hometown, Ding Wu. When I encountered this unwarranted disaster and got caught up in a lawsuit, he traveled thousands of miles to serve as a witness and prove my innocence.”
Chen Jingji showed solemn respect: “Brother Ding is truly righteous.”
Wei Caiwei then introduced the guests: “This is Chen Jingji. He acted as broker to find this house for me, helped me move from the inn, and has taken care of me in many ways.”
“This is Miss Li, Chen Jingji’s neighbor. Her family has been tilers for generations. The roof tiles in my room were hung by her—excellent craftsmanship, not a drop leaks through.”
It wasn’t proper to mention a young lady’s given name to outside men, so Wei Caiwei called her Miss Li.
Ding Wu cupped his hands in salute: “As they say, distant relatives are not as good as close neighbors. My friend has been fortunate to have your care.”
The two quickly returned the salute. Chen Jingji said, “It’s only right. Doctor Wei gave us heat-relief pills that my grandmother loves very much—they’re even more cooling than mung bean soup.”
Li Jiubao, not comfortable speaking with a strange outside man, smiled and nodded in response.
Four people sat around the stone table talking, while only Wang Daxia was on the other side, obediently and sensibly fanning the stove, acting as a “kitchen maid” and silently begging Wei Caiwei’s forgiveness.
Wei Caiwei peeled hazelnuts for the guests as usual—she remembered that Li Jiubao loved eating these.
This was the future Empress Dowager Li! She had to serve her well; she would be their greatest support in the future.
When the flatbread stuck to the pot began giving off the distinctive grain aroma of wheat foods, Chen Jingji and Li Jiubao tactfully rose to take their leave—the host family was about to eat, and staying longer would mean deliberately mooching a meal.
Wei Caiwei naturally made a token effort to keep them: “Eat before you go. The chicken is stewed and the flatbread is ready.”
Chen Jingji said, “My grandmother has prepared food and is waiting for us to return and eat. If we don’t go home, the old lady won’t touch her chopsticks. We’ll trouble you another day.”
Wei Caiwei saw off the guests, wrapping two pieces of the Korean ginseng that Ding Wu had brought to give to each visitor as return gifts.
Though Chen Jingji and Li Jiubao hadn’t seen much of the world, they knew Korean ginseng was precious and quickly declined.
Wei Caiwei insisted they take it: “Chen Jingji has a grandmother at home—summer is good for tonifying, so she’ll get sick less in winter. Miss Li’s family—her father and brothers do physical labor, so eating some ginseng will supplement their qi. Tieling is right next to Korea, so this stuff isn’t as expensive in Tieling as it is in the capital. Take it and eat it.”
Unable to refuse such kindness, the two had to accept it, saying repeatedly, “Thank you for your generosity. We can hardly repay such kindness.”
Chen Jingji drove his mule cart, taking Li Jiubao back to Machang Alley together.
Chen Jingji asked, “The day after tomorrow is Dragon Boat Festival. Will your father and brothers come home for the holiday? If they’re coming back, I’ll drive the cart early to Sanlirun to pick them up.”
Li Jiubao shook her head: “They were originally going to come home once, but they just had someone bring some wages home and sent me word saying the client is pushing to meet deadlines and they can’t rest even one day. On Dragon Boat Festival they’ll get double wages, so they won’t come back.”
“Double wages.” Chen Jingji clicked his tongue. “What client is so generous and in such a hurry?”
Li Jiubao said, “I heard they’re building a yin residence. The client has a hard fate that brings death to wives—he’s married four wives in succession, and each one needs to be reburied. Besides the tomb for the master and his first wife, three more burial chambers must be prepared for the subsequent wives. Around the yin residence, they also need to build ancestral halls, houses for tomb guardians, and so on. The construction schedule is too tight.”
Li Jiubao’s father and brothers hadn’t returned home since going to Sanlirun for the rush job.
Chen Jingji said, “Being in such a hurry, the client probably has a serious illness and is preparing his funeral affairs in advance to ward off bad luck—maybe it’ll work.”
Li Jiubao looked at the Korean ginseng in her hands and said, “Working continuously without rest, father and brothers must be very tired and can’t come home for the festival. Tomorrow I’ll take zongzi and rice wine to see them, celebrate the holiday early, and give them the Korean ginseng. When they have time, they can make a small pot of ginseng soup to drink.”
Chen Jingji said, “Good. I’ll drive the cart to take you to Sanlirun tomorrow.”
Tianshui Alley.
Ding Wu skillfully sliced the sauced pig’s face that the guests had brought, mixed it with cucumber, and dressed it with garlic juice, fragrant vinegar, crushed peanuts, toasted sesame seeds, and other seasonings. He filled a whole basin and brought it to the table—a substantial dish.
The pot from the stove was also brought to the table whole. When the lid was opened, the aroma of chicken stewed with mushrooms and flatbread wafted out, filling the entire courtyard with meaty fragrance.
Wei Caiwei ladled three bowls of rice wine and set them on the table, preparing three sets of bowls and chopsticks.
Wang Daxia, who had been trying hard to be obedient, saw the number of place settings and knew that Wei Caiwei’s anger had subsided and she wasn’t driving him away—he had a share. Delighted, he rushed over and was about to sit down when he remembered something. He pulled back his protruding bottom, made an inviting gesture, and bowed to Ding Wu: “When friends come from afar, Brother Ding should sit first.”
Wei Caiwei: That’s more like it.
Ding Wu didn’t decline and sat down graciously. Wei Caiwei took her seat, and Wang Daxia respectfully took the lowest position.
Ding Wu was a fallen high official’s son, while Wang Daxia and Wei Caiwei both came from middle-ranking noble families. All valued proper dining etiquette and didn’t talk much while eating.
Wei Caiwei peeled zongzi for Ding Wu and used serving chopsticks to pick up a chicken leg, placing it in Ding Wu’s bowl.
She picked up the second chicken leg. Wang Daxia habitually extended his bowl to receive it, but Wei Caiwei placed it in her own bowl instead.
Wang Daxia felt somewhat embarrassed, but having extended his bowl, he couldn’t very well retract it. Just as he was about to reach for the soup ladle to scoop some chicken broth to cover his embarrassment, Ding Wu beat him to it.
Ding Wu picked up the iron ladle from the pot and ladled a full spoonful of chicken broth for Wang Daxia, saying, “That night when Banxia was held hostage by Zhou Xiaoqi, fortunately Second Young Master Wang understood her plea for help and joined forces with her against the villain. Thank you.”
Despite Wang Daxia’s repeated squeezing remarks, Ding Wu bore no grudges and even served him soup.
This image of a refined gentleman was really… detestable.
The better Ding Wu was, the more sour Wang Daxia’s jealousy became. He immediately felt he had encountered his lifelong rival, but in front of Wei Caiwei, he couldn’t openly mock Ding Wu anymore. He said, “Doctor Wei and I are friends through life and death—we have a spiritual connection. With just a slight hint from her, I immediately knew she was in danger. Besides, as neighbors, we naturally look out for each other. It’s all as it should be.”
The meaning was: You might have been her best friend before, but things are different now—I’m her best friend.
Wang Daxia matter-of-factly drank the chicken broth Ding Wu had ladled for him. Just as he was about to extend his chopsticks to pick up a chicken wing, Ding Wu lifted the iron ladle again, ladling soup for him—two consecutive spoonfuls. The second contained a large piece of chicken breast, but Ding Wu shook the ladle, instinctively mastering the cafeteria worker’s vegetable-shaking technique, and actually shook the chicken breast back down.
With a warm smile on his face and the appearance of a kind neighborhood big brother, Ding Wu placed the clear chicken broth in Wang Daxia’s bowl: “Come, the chicken soup is delicious—all the essence is in it.”
Wang Daxia: I don’t want essence; I want to eat meat.
Wang Daxia drank two bowls of chicken broth in succession, becoming half-full from liquid alone.
For the third bowl, he absolutely had to get some chicken meat.
To prevent Ding Wu from “enthusiastically” ladling soup for him again, Wang Daxia learned from drinking two broths and gained wisdom. He deliberately placed his rice bowl inside, somewhere Ding Wu couldn’t reach.
Wang Daxia raised his serving chopsticks and launched an attack on the chicken breast in the iron pot.
“These are mushrooms that Brother Ding personally picked from Xiangya Mountain.” Wei Caiwei wielded the iron ladle and scooped up a heaping spoonful of mushrooms. “Sending mushrooms from thousands of miles away—the gift is light but the sentiment is heavy. Would you like to try some?”
Wang Daxia couldn’t refuse and obediently brought over the empty bowl he had hidden: “Yes, of course I want some.”
Author’s Note: Daxia: I’m weak, pitiful, and eat so little. Banxia, please forgive me.