Chapter 23

“Brother Jing, Xiao Yi, you’re here!” Aunt Lin greeted them and noticed Jing’s mother standing next to Jing’s father. A smile immediately lit up his face, and he quickly walked over.

“This must be Jing’s sister-in-law. I’ve been wanting to meet you! Oh, these two little ones came too. They look just as handsome as their big brother, so energetic!”

Jing’s mother saw Aunt Lin and instantly smiled. Oh, this brother-in-law is really good-looking. He must have made the right choice for her younger son.

“You must be Brother Wang, right? This little rascal, Jing Yi, keeps talking about you at home, saying you helped a lot at the dock,” she happily chatted with Aunt Lin.

At this point, the heads of the two families finally met, and it seemed they got along quite well.

Jing’s father saw that there wasn’t much to say during their first meeting, so he quietly took the children to prepare the carriage and helped the Lin twins pack their baskets.

The children also got to know each other and started chatting lively in no time.

“Alright, Caiyun, you should get busy now. Business is picking up, and we’ll head back first,” Aunt Lin gently said, patting Jing’s mother’s arm.

“Okay, Yuanyuan Ge, you must come to our house when you have time!” Jing’s mother bid farewell to Aunt Lin reluctantly.

Aunt Lin and the Lin twins went home with their baskets, big and small.

“You’re already calling him ‘Yuanyuan Ge’ so soon. It’s been half a year since we made the engagement, and you still called me ‘whoever’ back then,” Jing’s father teased Jing’s mother.

There was generally no need to be cautious between the children of the Da Yuan dynasty, and being closer didn’t invite idle gossip. Therefore, Jing’s father wasn’t actually jealous. He just found it rare to see Jing’s mother so attached to someone.

“What do you know! Hmph!” Jing’s mother playfully replied.

For her, it wasn’t just meeting a friend she got along well with. This friend was most likely going to be her relative in the near future. How could she not be happy?

Was there anything happier than knowing that her future relative was easy to get along with?

She gave Jing’s father a coquettish look, a mix of affection and annoyance, and sent him away to watch the two children.

Today, she wanted to stand behind the stall and personally help her son. Once she got the hang of it, she could also relieve Jing’s father and let him take a break at home.

When the whole family worked together, it was a different story. Jing Yi and Jing’s mother were in charge of selling. Both of them were not afraid to shout and Jing’s mother was more agile and good with words.

Jing’s father took care of the two little ones, making sure they were clean and presentable, without neglecting the use of the bamboo tubes.

Not to mention the adorable Xiao Shu, who occasionally acted cute to attract customers, and Xiao An, who helped out by shouting in a professional manner. More people would come to buy when they were there. There were even a few older women who wanted to pinch Xiao Shu’s cheeks, but Jing Yi discreetly blocked them.

Today’s business is exceptionally hot, and was sold out before one o’clock.

By now, it’s past lunchtime, and everyone is starving. We had breakfast at seven in the morning, and since then, we haven’t had a proper meal. Only Jing An and Jing Shu had a small piece of liang gao to fill their stomachs, but it was far from enough. The three adults are managing, but the two kids are feeling a bit weak. They are no longer as excited as when they first arrived.

“Let’s go! Big brother will take you to have something good to eat! Come on, Xiao Shu, get in the car. I’ll push you,” Jing Yi said, realizing that his younger siblings were feeling down. He quickly tried to lighten the mood and placed the youngest brother in the car before pushing it and running.

“Hahaha, Second Brother, let’s go! We won’t take you!” Jing Shu, excitedly being pushed by his elder brother in the car, shouted and eagerly asked the second brother to catch up.

“We’re here! Big brother, what are we going to eat today? Is there meat?” Jing An asked, licking his lips, feeling a sense of familiarity. It seems like every family has a younger brother like this.

“Of course! Let’s go to an affordable restaurant!” Jing Yi thought that today they could indulge a little.

They have been doing business for over three months, including the sales from Jixiange, plus their previous savings. They have accumulated about two hundred taels of silver, so they can afford this meal.

Jing’s parents looked at the lively scene in front of them and didn’t object. It’s rare for the whole family to go out together, so it’s only natural to have a good meal. Besides, the eldest son is in charge now, and if they disagree, they will eventually be convinced. It’s all a matter of experience and lessons learned.

Jing Yi didn’t choose a high-end restaurant like Jixiange. When it comes to dining, rural people value taste and affordability. It’s unnecessary to go to Jixiange. They ended up going to an affordable restaurant near the market in town.

This restaurant is considered affordable, targeting the townspeople who have a little spare money. It’s also quite spacious.

When villagers go to the city, they usually eat street food from the market, such as braised noodles, roasted meat noodles, or small wontons. There are many options available.

They arrived at the market first, and Jing Yi found a place to park the car. He spent ten wen to buy a pound of roasted peanuts and a pound of roasted melon seeds from a nearby stall. He asked the stall owner to look after the car and assured him that he would return soon. The stall owner agreed since Jing Yi was generous in his purchases.

Inside the restaurant, the whole family, except for Jing Yi, felt a bit restrained. Even Xiao An and Xiao Shu were no longer causing a ruckus. Their big eyes sparkled, and their little faces were filled with excitement, but they no longer looked around aimlessly.

After being seated, the waiter came to take their order. The illiterate commoners of ancient times couldn’t read the menu, so Jing Yi had the waiter announce some dishes to make it sound fresh. In the end, he was the one who ordered.

The family ordered three dishes and a soup. They didn’t order any alcohol, although the alcohol content was low. Nobody in the family drank, and they didn’t want to risk getting drunk and causing any trouble at the market later.

They ordered a stewed chicken with fresh mushrooms, a braised pork elbow, and stir-fried pork slices with wild bamboo shoots.

This restaurant follows an affordable pricing strategy, and the portion sizes are quite generous. Three adults and two children, three dishes are more than enough.@@novelbin@@

They ordered a sweet wine ball soup as the soup, which suits the taste of the second and third brothers. This soup can also double as a dessert, killing two birds with one stone.

They also ordered five steamed white buns as the main staple. Each bun is as big as an adult’s fist. They started with one bun per person and added more if needed.

Since it’s already past lunchtime, the restaurant isn’t crowded. After the waiter announced the dishes, the food was served one after another, and the table was quickly filled.

Jing Yi’s favorite dish is the stir-fried pork slices with wild bamboo shoots. It has a fragrant aroma from the winter bamboo shoots, and the fatty and tender pork slices are cooked to a crispy and golden texture. It’s savory without being greasy, incredibly delicious, and the perfect dish to accompany rice.

Jing’s mother particularly enjoys the stewed chicken with fresh mushrooms. Although they occasionally make this dish at home, the restaurant uses fresh mushrooms that add a distinct flavor. The dish is well-prepared, and the freshness can be smelled even before tasting it. It also has a hint of the dried flavor.

Jing’s father’s favorite is undoubtedly the braised pork elbow. The entire elbow is cooked and served intact. Its red and shiny color, glistening oil, and captivating aroma make it a dominant presence on the table. When eaten, the fatty meat is tender and not greasy, while the lean meat is chewy and not dry. It’s rich in flavor and succulent.

As for Jing An and Jing Shu, they find everything delicious. Children don’t want to make choices when it comes to food. Since the dishes arrived, their little mouths haven’t stopped munching.

Jing Yi also helped them by tearing a piece of the steamed bun in half and stuffing it with some soup-soaked pork elbow. He handed it to them and reminded them to eat more vegetables and less bread.

The final sweet wine ball soup is also good. To be honest, it’s not as sweet and delightful as the ones Jing Yi had in the previous world. Perhaps the wine lacks flavor, or the sweetness is not enough. Nevertheless, for the villagers at this moment, this soup is both novel and delicious.

After enjoying a fulfilling meal, they couldn’t finish the braised pork elbow. Seeing the reluctant expressions on their parents’ faces, Jing Yi asked the waiter for some oiled paper to pack it for takeout.

While packing, Jing Yi went to pay the bill, which amounted to 420 wen. It was a bit expensive, but they ordered specialty dishes today, and the soup contained both wine and sugar. Considering that, it was still reasonable.

As they left the restaurant, Jing’s mother asked how much it cost and said she would pay for it.

“Mother, why do you need to make such a clear distinction between us? Besides, I have money. The silver from Jixiange is with me,” Jing Yi reassured his mother, letting her know that he has enough money to spend.

Upon hearing this, Jing’s mother stopped worrying. The eldest son has his own abilities, and he is wholeheartedly devoted to the family. She and Jing’s father don’t want to shortchange their eldest son.

The whole family strolled to the market, first taking care of their main business. Led by Jing’s mother, they went to the place that sells embroidered cloth and threads.

Jing’s mother initially thought about buying the best fabric and thread, not wanting her son-in-law to think she doesn’t value him. However, upon further consideration, she realized that Jing Yi has been involved in this matter. The embroidered purse Chuxia is making is ostensibly for her, but in reality, it’s for Jing Yi. So it’s better to buy something of average quality.

“What kind of fabric did you buy for Chuxia’s scented sachet?” Jing’s mother asked Jing Yi quietly.

“?? Just regular fabric. I bought it for 28 wen,” Jing Yi looked confused. Was there a need to make such a clear distinction?

Jing’s mother thought to herself, “Right now, you’re indeed taking after your father.”

“Alright, I understand. I’ll buy something similar for you,” Jing’s mother said seriously, instructing him, “This scented sachet doesn’t count as a gift. If things go well, and you go to propose to Chuxia, you’ll need to prepare a new gift for her.”

“Hehe, of course, don’t worry, Mother!” Jing Yi grinned foolishly.

Rarely seeing her eldest son act foolishly, Jing’s mother laughed and scolded him, “You naughty child!”

After spending quite some time at the thread stall, Jing’s mother carefully selected the embroidered fabric and thread according to the customized design Jing Yi mentioned.

After making their choices, she also picked some fabric and cotton for herself. She planned to pick up embroidery again at home. She hadn’t been in the mood for such activities before, but now that their lives were getting better, she wanted to embroider some flowers on handkerchiefs for her family and bring some joy into their lives.

With today’s important matters taken care of, the following time was all for leisure. Jing An wanted to see toys, Jing Shu wanted to see candies, and Jing’s father and mother discussed buying some fine fabric and cotton. As it was already autumn, the weather was getting colder.

They lived in the northern region where it was essential to keep warm during winter.