Before they knew it, the Laba Festival had arrived again. Just like last year, Shen prepared Laba porridge with various grains and beans to serve customers. The Chongxian Ward branch made an especially large batch, not only for customers but also to distribute to neighbors and temples. Naturally, they also sent a jar to the Lin residence—Madam Jiang had particularly enjoyed it last year, and that porridge had even led Shen Shaoguang to revisit her old residence.
Thinking of Lin Yan’s stern expression when they met in the carved corridor, and that “happiness survey,” Shen Shaoguang smiled. How had she responded to him then? She seemed to have mentioned how her hands and feet would freeze while in the palace, saying that constant cold wasn’t so bad, but what she feared most was suddenly approaching a charcoal fire—using this to reject his sympathy and concern. Who could have imagined she would end up falling in love with this “stove”?
Was the essence of human nature really “true fragrance”? Well, if it was “true fragrance,” so be it—how could someone who cooked for a living fear “true fragrance”?
Shen Shaoguang personally delivered porridge to Guangming Temple, chatting for a while with Master Yuan Jue and Jing Qing. The elderly master had finished writing the “Pastry Scripture” but wasn’t satisfied, and now wanted to write a “Cake Scripture.” She showed Shen Shaoguang the newly drafted manuscript, which began with the Southern peach blossom cake: “The peach blossom cake made by Zhang Wu Niang of Liyu Lane in Suzhou, its color bright as flame, carrying the fragrance of peach blossoms, with delicate texture and subtle sweetness, best paired with clear tea…”
“How wonderful,” Shen Shaoguang sighed, “pity we can’t taste it.”
Master Yuan Jue smiled, “Your ai wo and fisherman-woodcutter pastries are equally worthy, they deserve a special mention too.”
With the familiarity of old acquaintances, Shen Shaoguang smiled, “Excellent! When this book is passed down to future generations, I’ll have my name recorded through it.”
Master Yuan Jue laughed heartily.
Jing Qing also smiled—Young Lady Shen was truly delightful!
When Shen Shaoguang left, the guest receptionist Jing Ci also saw her out. Nowadays, Jing Ci is very polite to Shen Shaoguang, reminding her of the story of Su Qin returning home in glory, where his sister-in-law changed from arrogant to respectful. However, Shen Shaoguang was more open-minded than Su Qin—the warmth and coldness of human relationships were normal things, not worth dwelling on.
After returning, Shen Shaoguang tidied up briefly before taking a carriage to inspect the shops. In the morning, she visited the original branch stores in the wards, then went to the East Market in the afternoon, returning home only after closing time.
Lin Yan was waiting for her.
Shen Shaoguang smiled and asked, “My lord has returned early today?” Since entering the last month of the year, he had become increasingly busy. Before buying the residence, he would at least use the excuse of eating at her shop, but now he had eliminated that late-night meal, only sitting briefly at the residence in the evening.
Lin Yan smiled: “Today I come on orders—Grandmother is very grateful for the porridge you sent and would like to invite you over for a casual meal when you have time.”
Shen Shaoguang paused—was this meeting the family?
“A-Ji,” Lin Yan said somewhat carefully, “Grandmother has no other intentions, she just feels she should meet you.”
Shen Shaoguang understood Madam Jiang’s meaning. How could it be proper for young people to privately arrange their marriage without the elders’ involvement? Meeting before following the formal procedures, offering praise, and building rapport both showed respect and implied “parental consent.”
Shen Shaoguang imitated the manner of young lords and bowed, “I respectfully comply.”
Lin Yan smiled and told her: “I’ll send someone to escort you the day after tomorrow, on the rest day.”
Shen Shaoguang nodded.
Although she had met Madam Jiang before, this time held a different significance. Shen Shaoguang dressed herself properly—makeup was a form of respect, true in both ancient and modern times. She usually wore Hu-style clothing, sometimes even men’s clothes, but this time she wore a silver-embroidered jacket with a pomegranate-red skirt, drew her eyebrows, applied face patches, and instead of her casual Hu-style topknot, arranged her hair in double buns. Looking in the mirror, she had to admit she looked quite pretty.
Lin Yan came out to welcome her, looked at her for a moment, and smiled, “Beautiful.”
What a typical male compliment! Shen Shaoguang squinted and smiled: “My lord is wise.”
Lin Yan coughed lightly, “Especially beautiful today.”
Shen Shaoguang held back her laughter, “My lord is especially wise today.”
Seeing her coquettish manner, Lin Yan felt that cat scratching at his heart again. He took a slow breath, “Let’s go, Grandmother is waiting for you.”
They walked in front, with A-Yuan and A-Qing following not far behind, passing through courtyards and corridors toward Madam Jiang’s quarters. When they passed through that carved corridor, both smiled at each other, remembering their conversation there.
“Young Magistrate, were you planning to question me about Huan Qi Lang at that time?” Shen Shaoguang asked with a smile.
“Mm.” Lin Yan nodded.
“Then why didn’t you?” Shen Shaoguang raised an eyebrow.
“Such a clever solution could only have come from you, so there was no need to ask,” Lin Yan smiled.
Shen Shaoguang’s eyes curved in amusement—Young Magistrate Lin had evolved quickly in answering loaded questions. She wouldn’t let him off so easily though, “I thought Young Magistrate considered me cunning, ‘smart enough to reject advice, eloquent enough to disguise wrongs,’ so there was no point in asking.”
Lin Yan turned to look at her, his expression quite serious: “Having such ‘eloquence’ and ‘intelligence’ is quite remarkable.”
Shen Shaoguang: “…”
Looking at his gentle face, Shen Shaoguang smiled, and Lin Yan smiled too.
Perhaps lovers always find their paths together especially short—they soon arrived at Madam Jiang’s quarters.
After Shen Shaoguang paid her respects, she took the gift box from A-Yuan’s hands, “I made some winter-appropriate sweet cakes, please try them, Madam.”
Madam Jiang quickly had someone take the box and pulled Shen Shaoguang to sit down, examining her face, “How lovely. Are young ladies in the capital favoring these distant mountain eyebrows again?”
Shen Shaoguang nodded: “Some also draw willow leaf eyebrows.”
Madam Jiang smiled, “In our youth, we drew these distant mountain eyebrows for quite a while. Then somehow a strange trend swept through, and everyone started drawing osmanthus leaf eyebrows, or figure-eight eyebrows, and it became increasingly outrageous…”
Both Shen Shaoguang and Madam Jiang laughed.
Shen Shaoguang shared the truth: “The chaos continues—last year everyone was drawing connected eyebrows, with the two brows almost joining in the middle. Only someone with features like ‘Eyebrow-Space’ could make it look good.”
Madam Jiang laughed heartily.
Lin Yan also smiled, listening to the old and young chat while eating the sweets Shen Shaoguang had brought, enjoying this peaceful, sweet moment.
Madam Jiang also commented on the sweets, “These sugar treats look like silk threads, so delicate. What are they called?”
“Silver thread candy,” Shen Shaoguang smiled. In her previous life, it was also called dragon’s beard candy.
Madam Jiang nodded, taking a piece to savor carefully, “Crispy, fragrant, and sweet—delicious.”
Shen Shaoguang then explained the recipe, “Malt sugar is heated until soft, then repeatedly kneaded, dusted with cooked glutinous rice flour, and continuously pulled and twisted until it becomes like this. My skill is lacking—those who are truly skilled can pull it thinner than hair.”
Madam Jiang smiled, “This is already quite good enough.”
Shen Shaoguang had also brought sesame candy, ginger candy, and walnut sticky candy, all recent additions to the shop’s inventory. With the New Year approaching, they had added these festive sweets to create a holiday atmosphere.
From silver thread candy, their conversation drifted to silver thread noodles, then to Youzhou’s famous silver thread rolls, and Master Yuan Jue’s “Pastry Scripture” and “Cake Scripture.”
Madam Jiang smiled, “The other day when the master brought her work, she mentioned that you drew the illustrations?”
Shen Shaoguang nodded, “Master Yuan Jue was kind enough to accept my humble drawings.”
“I found those illustrations quite representational, yet some focused more on artistic conception…”
Their conversation shifted from food to painting and calligraphy.
Lin Yan sipped his tea, watching them with a smile while continuing to reach for sweets.
Unexpectedly, Madam Jiang turned to look at him, and Lin Yan’s eyes widened slightly.
Madam Jiang looked exasperated and consulted with Shen Shaoguang, “Should we just give him the whole plate of sweets? There’s nothing left, yet he’s still reaching for more.”
Lin Yan finally realized he had eaten all the sweets from the serving plate.
Shen Shaoguang smiled gently, “Whatever Madam commands.”
The madam and servants all laughed, Lin Yan looked somewhat embarrassed but smiled with lowered eyes, while Shen Shaoguang maintained a proper expression.
After teasing Lin Yan together, Madam Jiang and Shen Shaoguang returned to their conversation. Shen Shaoguang genuinely liked this elderly lady. Although she had never met parents-in-law in her previous life, many of her friends had and often heard mothers pointing out their sons’ flaws—laziness, untidiness, bad temper—essentially hoping the girls would be more understanding. As one friend aptly described it: “Just like parents sending their children to kindergarten.”
Madam Jiang was far more interesting and dignified.
They continued chatting until Lin Yan had to interrupt, “Grandmother, it’s time for your medicine and rest.”
Madam Jiang looked at the sun’s shadow on the window lattice—indeed, it was already late morning.
Shen Shaoguang stood up.
Madam Jiang smiled, “Young lady has kept me company for so long, you must be tired too. Da Lang, please take her for a walk in the garden on my behalf. I wonder if that plum tree has started budding?”
Shen Shaoguang and Lin Yan took their leave.
Madam Jiang also instructed them to just take a short walk before returning for the meal.
Walking out with Lin Yan, they turned around the plum tree in the garden. Shen Shaoguang had no impression of this tree, guessing it must have been planted by later residents.
“A-Ji,” Lin Yan licked his lips and looked at Shen Shaoguang with a smile, “shall we sit for a while in my courtyard?”
Author’s Notes:
Eyebrow-Space was the son of Gan Jiang and Mo Ye, known for having a wide space between his eyebrows.
Today is a day of Young Magistrate Lin struggling with loaded questions.