052 – Visitor from the County
Qin Mian inwardly broke in chills but maintained his composure, “This is a bit beyond our comprehension. Anyway, the Lei Family has no authority and no influence, and there is nothing worth to be plotted against with. Miss Wei used to be a competent maid in a rich family household, maybe she thinks differently from other people.”
“That’s right.” Lei Xiangli and Lei Xiangzhi were no longer entangled in this.
This afternoon, both Lei Xiangli and Lei Xiangzhi helped in the shop, which greatly relieved the pressure on Qin Mian and Lei Tie. The brothers were surprised to see that many people in the town brought their own bowls to eat spicy hot soup. In fact, many customers had suggested that Qin Mian and Lei Tie should expand their shop or change to a bigger one. However, firstly, they had no opportunity. Secondly, Qin Mian did not have so much energy for the time being and the Lunar New Year was coming soon. Future matters should be put off until later.
In the evening, the four people ate hot pot in the shop and went home together riding in the ox cart. Because today’s food sold out fast, when they returned to the village, the sun had just set.Qin Mian let Lei Tie drove the ox cart all the way to the gate of the old house. He didn’t deny that he wanted to see Du Shi making a fool of herself.
In the old house, the meal was served on the table.
Qin Mian came in with a basket of food. With a smiling expression on his face, he said loudly: “Father, mother, are you about to have dinner? It seems that we are back just in time. Brother Tie and I have brought you a lot of food. Father and younger brothers can have wine to your heart’s content.”
Lei Tie carried a pot of soup in both hands and went in with him.
Qin Mian motioned to Lei Tie to put the soup on the women’s table and deliberately looked at Du Shi’s face. “Mother, this is the hot pot soup in our shop that cooked with big bones; very savory. I also brought back some meatballs, mutton, streaky pork, chicken meat, and fish fillets. It’s very tasty when cooked in the soup.”
Lei Xiangzhi touched his chin. How did he feel that eldest sister-in-law came back to “show off his military strength[1]“? Looking up at his eldest brother’s eyes which contained imperceptible pampering and connivance, he could only shake his head helplessly.
Qin Mian really had a mind to provoke Du Shi, so he was generous enough to bring back a lot of meat dishes, enough for the whole family to eat.Du Shi’s eyes swept over all kinds of meat dishes one by one, neither happy nor angry. For a long time, she did not utter a word.
Qin Mian felt his anger had vented off.
Lei Xiangren knew that Lei Xiangli and Lei Xiangzhi had gone to Lei Tie’s shop. He regretted that he had not gone with them. He quickly walked over and said, “Smells good. Wife, why don’t you quickly go to the charcoal stove and get a clean pot? Third brother’s wife, you go get wine.”
“Ah.” Zhao Shi swallowed her saliva and turned to the kitchen.
Qian Shi followed.
Lei Daqiang coughed softly, “Eldest, have you and your wife eaten? If you two haven’t eaten, have some.”
Lei Tie said dully: “Already ate. Wife, let’s go. ”
“Alright. Mother, father, we’re going back.” Qin Mian waved his hand in a good mood and left with Lei Tie. Sitting on the ox cart, he couldn’t resist humming a song.
“In a good mood?” Lei Tie asked.
“So-so.” Qin Mian continued to be happy and inadvertently said, “When Miss Wei joins the household, how about providing a hot pot to each table on the banquet? Let the villagers see that even when we were forced to separate and live apart, we still ‘care about’ the parents.”
Lei Tie held Qin Mian’s hand and his chest felt warm as he said in a hoarse voice: “Listen to you.”
After several days, Du Shi apparently continued to be silent. Qin Mian then stopped investing effort to think about the old house.
On this day, after preparing all the ingredients in the back kitchen, Qin Mian went to open the shop.
Lei Tie threw a look out of the door neither intentional nor unintentional, wiped the water on his hands, and then walked over neither too fast nor too slow.
Qin Mian looked at the several people who seemed to be waiting outside the door for a long time, and felt suspicious.
There were three people in total. One was a young man of 25~26 years old dressed in a white cotton-padded robe with snow-white fox fur around his neck and a precious white jade hanging on his waist. He seemed like a rich gongzi. He looked at Qin Mian with a pair of narrow phoenix’s eyes, which were full of inquiry.
On his left was a middle-aged man in early 40s dressed in gray and looked like a person who managed affairs [steward].
On the right side of the gongzi was a youngster of 17~18 years old, dressed up as a manservant.
“Little Liuzi, Little Shunzi, greet the customers.” Qin Mian called out from behind.
“Coming.” Zheng Liu quickly ran out, “Welcome, several customers. Do you want to eat hot pot, spicy hot soup or barbecue?”
The young gongzi ignored him, glanced at Lei Tie and looked back at Qin Mian. “Are you the owner of this shop?”
“Exactly,” Qin Mian said with a faint smile, “If gongzi isn’t coming to eat, please give way to the side, don’t block other customers.”
The manservant glared, “Audacious!”
Lei Tie frowned.
Qin Mian harshly said: “You are audacious! Your master hasn’t spoken yet, but you, a servant dare to cut in the conversation. If you’re my manservant, you’ll be slapped on mouth 20 times.”
The manservant’s face changed greatly. He peered at the young gongzi’s face and quickly bowed his head.
Zheng Liu looked at his boss admiringly. The young gongzi had an extraordinary presence and a look could tell that he was very influential socially. However, the boss was not afraid at all.
“Gentlemen, please give way to the side.” Qin Mian urged.
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The young gongzi took an interesting look at Qin Mian and sat down at the nearest table. “We’ll be having hot pot.”
Zheng Liu seized the opportunity to open his mouth, “If you want to eat hot pot, please go into the shop. The table outside is for the customers who eat spicy hot soup and barbecue.”
The young gongzi said again: “Oh, it’s cooler outside. In that case, we’ll be eating spicy hot soup and barbecue. Chunsheng, you go and order.”
The manservant respectfully responded: “Yes, gongzi.”
After Qin Mian returned to the counter, Lei Tie also returned to the pot.
“They’re mostly here for the soup base’s recipe.” Qin Mian whispered to Lei Tie.
Lei Tie said indifferently: “I’m here.”
The spicy hot soup and barbecue ordered by young gongzi were served. Qin Mian noticed that he and the middle-aged man first picked up a spoon of soup and drank it, tasting it carefully as if to distinguish the taste.
They were not the first to do so.
Qin Mian didn’t worry that they would taste the ingredients of the soup. He used some seasonings that ordinary people didn’t use and there was also Sichuan pepper, which had never been used as seasoning. Besides, the spiritual spring water that he added without anyone knowing had excellent flavor effect.
“How?” The young gongzi asked in light tone.
The middle-aged man whispered: “This subordinate is ashamed; can only taste eight ingredients.”
The young gongzi’s eyes showed an expression of surprise and did not say anything. Only then he picked up his chopsticks and began to taste the food in the spicy hot soup.
“Little Shunzi, it seems that there are many more workers in the town these two days. What’s going on?” Qin Mian glanced at the four customers who were stained with dry mud and asked Wang Shun. Not only Eating Savory Restaurant had a large flow of customers, but the business of other restaurants and noodle shops in the town was also better than before.
Wang Shun said: “Small boss doesn’t know? The water surface of the river decreases in every autumn and winter. So, before it is frozen, the local authority will organize a great number of manpower to dredge up the Six Bends River. Those workers that went to the Six Bends River to dredge it up could earn at least 20 Wen a day. I did it last year.” The Six Bends River was the largest river in the county and the small river in the Green Mountain Village was precisely its branch.
“Oh?” Qin Mian quickly asked, “Is the Six Bends River far from here? How long will the dredging work last?”
Wang Shun answered, “Last year, it lasted half a month or so. The Six Bends River is a little far away, it takes at least more than thirty minutes on foot.”
“What about their lunch?” Qin Mian asked again.
Wang Shun said: “Most of them bring their own dried food. If they have a cart, they can come to the town to eat.”
Qin Mian’s eyes twinkled, squeezed to Lei Tie’s side and whispered: “The idea of making money has come.”
Lei Tie raised his eyebrows. In fact, his work was not heavy. He only needed to put the dishes selected by the customers into the colander, poured them into the bowl after they were cooked, and then added soup, onion and garlic to the bowl.
“This idea is for the old house. Tell Old Three and Old Four when we return home. As for whether they tell others, it’s none of our business.”
Lei Tie nodded and conveniently stroked Qin Mian’s head.
The young gongzi looked up at the two people who were smiling at each other. He had planned to wait until fewer customers were left before talking to the owner of the shop, but the shop was always full, so he had to get up and walk over.
“Gentlemen, I’m Nie Heng from Zhaoyang County. Do you have time to talk? I’m interested in purchasing the recipe of your soup.”
Lei Tie looked at Qin Mian.
Nie Heng also looked at Qin Mian.
Qin Mian cupped one hand in the other towards Nie Heng and said: “It’s our honor to be highly thought by Nie gongzi. Since Nie gonzi is so frank and honest, I’ll say it straight. We have no plans to sell the formula until May next year. Nie gongzi looks like a smart man, so you must also understand that the spicy hot soup and hot pot is sold depend on the weather.” His and Lei Tie’s influence were weak; they never thought of monopolizing the market forever.
Nie Heng’s furrowed brows relaxed, “In other words, after next May, Boss Qin and Boss Lei will sell the recipe.”
Qin Mian’s pupils shrunk. The man had investigated him and Lei Tie.
“We’ve this intention, but there is no specific plan yet,” said Qin Mian.
After much weighing and considering, Nie Heng said: “In this case, I hope that the two bosses can give priority to me at that time.”
Qin Mian said with a faint smile: “If Nie gongzi set your mind on it, see you in May next year.”
Nie Heng took a deep look at him and determined that the teenager was not a simple person. Well, the man standing by the side of the teenager in a protective posture was certainly more than not a simple person.
“With pleasure!” Nie Heng kindly reminded, “There is more than one person who has the same idea as me. They may not be as magnanimous as me. If the recipe really falls into the hands of others, I think I would be very sad.”
Lei Tie stood toweringly as he said with voice steady but cold, and words powerful and resonating like a sudden clap of thunder, “Go ahead and try it.”
Nie Heng nodded slightly. After signaling the manservant to pay, he took the manservant and the middle-aged man to leave.
Note:
[1] to show off one’s military strength (idiom); to strut around; to flaunt; to boast
