Chapter 19: Dried Tofu

The sky was just beginning to brighten when the three little ones, too excited to sleep, scrambled out of bed.

In the next room, Zhao Mengcheng was still sound asleep. Not wanting to wake their father, the three children crouched by the door, peeking in and out.

Nowadays, Zhao Mengcheng only sold tofu from home and had hired people to do the grinding. His workload was much lighter than before; he only needed to get up at a set time to add the brine.

Every time he finished adding the brine and while the tofu was being pressed, Zhao Mengcheng would take a nap. The three children knew this, so they were reluctant to disturb him.

“Dad, you’re awake!”

Just as Zhao Mengcheng stretched, he heard his son’s shout from outside.

He got up and saw that the three little ones were already fully dressed, clearly having been up for a while.

“Dad, time to eat,” Zhao Chun said, bringing out a bowl of food.

Zhao Mao moved a stool for him, while Zhao Xin leaned over the table to pick up some food for him. “Eat quickly, Dad. We’re going to town once you’re done.”

Zhao Mengcheng didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “Have you three eaten yet?”

Zhao Chun patted his little belly. “We’ve already eaten.”

Not making the three children wait any longer, Zhao Mengcheng finished his breakfast in a few bites and headed out, driving the donkey cart.

Zhao Mengcheng was in charge of driving. The cart frame had only been built a few days ago, and the donkey wasn’t very experienced yet, frequently trying to reach for the tender grass along the roadside.

The swaying donkey cart wasn’t comfortable to sit in, but that didn’t dampen the excitement of the three little ones.

“Dad, is the town lively?”

“It’s very lively.”

“Is it fun? Are there lots of delicious things to eat?”

“There are many. You can try some later.”

“Is the town big? It must be bigger than our village, right?”

The three children sat around their father, asking questions incessantly, and Zhao Mengcheng patiently answered each one.

Soon, the donkey cart arrived at the city gate.

Seeing the soldiers guarding the city, the three little ones were clearly a bit frightened. They hid behind Zhao Mengcheng and fell silent.

Zhao Mengcheng was a bit surprised. After all, setting aside the younger two, Zhao Chun was usually very bold. On second thought, the three children had never been to town before, so it was normal for them to be afraid of the soldiers.

It wasn’t until they passed through the city gates and saw the bustling marketplace that the three little ones began to chatter again.

They felt as if their eyes weren’t enough to take everything in, craning their necks to peer at the stalls. They couldn’t look away when they saw food being sold, but none of the three asked for anything.

“We’ll go sell the dried tofu first. Once that’s done, I’ll take you for a good look around,” Zhao Mengcheng said. Naturally, the three children didn’t object.

Following a familiar path, they arrived at Yingbin Lou. Since it wasn’t mealtime yet, there weren’t many customers in the building.

Shopkeeper Wang smiled when he saw him. “I was wondering why the magpies¹ were chattering so much this morning. It turns out you were coming.”

“These must be your three children. Come in and have a seat.”

It had been a while since Zhao Mengcheng last visited, and Yingbin Lou had changed significantly. A section of the main hall had been cleared out to hang many poems and paintings, giving it quite a cultured atmosphere.

His own poem was still hanging there, and in a very prominent position.

“Mengcheng, do you really not want to continue your studies? Yesterday, several Juren said your calligraphy was excellent and mentioned they wanted to meet you,” Shopkeeper Wang asked.

Zhao Mengcheng had a realistic view of himself. “I only have a bit of knowledge in my head. I shouldn’t go out and make a fool of myself.”

Shopkeeper Wang found it a great pity and added, “If you ever change your mind, let me know. I’ll introduce you then.”

Zhao Mengcheng changed the subject. “Shopkeeper, has business been a bit slower these past few days?”

At the mention of this, Shopkeeper Wang looked somewhat resentful. “Indeed. Now all the restaurants in town have started selling tofu. Mine is no longer unique.”

As he spoke, he looked at Zhao Mengcheng, seemingly asking if he would consider selling only to him.

Zhao Mengcheng replied, “Actually, the decline in business isn’t just because other restaurants are selling tofu. It’s because tofu has been on the market for two months, and the novelty has worn off for everyone.”

Shopkeeper Wang understood this logic as well and sighed. “You have a point. Tofu can’t be the only thing people eat, after all.”

He followed up by asking, “Do you have a solution? Come on, we’re so familiar with each other, don’t keep me in suspense.”

Zhao Mengcheng smiled. “Today I brought a new food item called dried tofu. It’s made from tofu, but the texture is slightly different, offering a unique flavor.”

Shopkeeper Wang’s eyes lit up. “Then what are we waiting for? Let’s try it right away.”

He pulled Zhao Mengcheng toward the kitchen, fearing a moment’s delay.

When the first dish of stir-fried dried tofu was ready, Shopkeeper Wang couldn’t wait to take a bite. The texture was firm, and the more he chewed, the more fragrant it became. It was completely different from the soft texture of regular tofu.

He clapped his hands. “This dried tofu is even better than regular tofu!”

After saying that, he gave a flattering smile. “Brother Zhao, can you sell this only to our Yingbin Lou this time? We can discuss the price.”

Zhao Mengcheng shook his head.

Shopkeeper Wang grabbed him and began to plead. “We’ve known each other for so long. Can’t we discuss it? Don’t worry, I definitely won’t let you lose out.”

Zhao Mengcheng patted him on the shoulder in return. “Brother Wang, dried tofu is easy to make. Even if I only sell it to you, others will eventually be able to buy tofu and make it themselves after a while.”

Shopkeeper Wang’s eyes darted around. “Then why don’t you sell all your tofu to me as well? I can pay three wen per piece.”

Zhao Mengcheng still shook his head.

Only when Shopkeeper Wang grew anxious did he speak. “Brother Wang, how about this?”

“In the future, whenever I come out with a new food item, I’ll sell it exclusively to you for the first month, but the price will be one wen higher than what others pay. Starting from the second month, I’ll sell it to everyone, and the price will return to normal.”

Shopkeeper Wang was a businessman and immediately recognized the opportunity. “You have other food items?”

“I’m currently researching them,” Zhao Mengcheng thought to himself. This was just the beginning. There were so many delicacies that could be made from tofu: fermented tofu, frozen tofu, tofu skin…

Shopkeeper Wang clapped his hands. “Fine, it’s a deal!”

He then put an arm around Zhao Mengcheng’s shoulder. “Brother Zhao, then it’s settled. From now on, whenever you have new goods, send them to me first. You’re not allowed to give them to anyone else.”

He knew the other restaurants in town were all eager to make a move. Once they saw the dried tofu, they would likely come knocking.

Although he couldn’t have the exclusive rights forever, one month was enough. From then on, everyone would know that if they wanted to eat something new and fresh, they had to come to Yingbin Lou.

Shopkeeper Wang was in high spirits and insisted they stay for a meal. He even said, “These three children are so wonderful. Your father and I are like brothers. Don’t call me Shopkeeper from now on; call me Uncle Wang.”

The three little ones were dazed by his enthusiasm and instinctively looked at their father.

Zhao Mengcheng nodded slightly, and only then did Zhao Chun lead his younger siblings in saying, “Uncle Wang.”

Shopkeeper Wang replied with a smile, “Then eat well. Make sure you eat and drink your fill.”

He was afraid his presence would make the children feel constrained, and he was also preoccupied with the dried tofu business. He instructed the waiter to take good care of them and then left.

Before long, the table was filled with a variety of dishes. There was fish and meat, and even a roast chicken, showing his generosity.

The three little ones swallowed hard, but none of them dared to pick up their chopsticks.

This was their first time eating in a restaurant. They had felt uneasy and very constrained since the moment they walked in.

“Go ahead and eat.”

Zhao Mengcheng personally carved the roast chicken. He gave one drumstick to Zhao Mao and the other to Zhao Xin. To compensate Zhao Chun, he gave him both chicken wings.

Zhao Chun didn’t feel wronged at all and said, “I only need one. Give the other to you, Dad.”

“Dad prefers the meat,” Zhao Mengcheng said with a smile, picking up a large piece of chicken for himself.

The three children finally started eating. The deliciousness of the roast chicken made them squint their eyes in delight.

“Eat as much as you want. Eat until you’re full, and don’t let anything go to waste.”

With those words, the children truly let loose. They ate like a whirlwind, not stopping until their bellies were round.

Zhao Mengcheng didn’t neglect himself either; he ate the most of the fish and meat on the table.

The waiter had originally thought there would definitely be leftovers with so much food. Who would have thought the three children could eat so much? And although Zhao Mengcheng looked refined and scholarly, his appetite was actually that large; he even ate three big bowls of white rice!

Once they had eaten and drunk their fill, Zhao Mengcheng rose to take his leave. Shopkeeper Wang was not in the building at the moment, having gone out to discuss business.

Although Shopkeeper Wang wasn’t there, he had already left instructions. The waiter packed some pastries and handed them over.

“The shopkeeper gave these instructions before he left. Mr. Zhao must accept them.”

Zhao Mengcheng didn’t refuse and thanked him sincerely.

After leaving the restaurant, Zhao Chun couldn’t help but ask, “Dad, did you sell it?”

“He definitely sold it. Otherwise, the shopkeeper wouldn’t have treated us to a meal,” Zhao Mao said.

“A-Mao is right. Naturally, it’s sold,” Zhao Mengcheng said with a smile.

The children couldn’t help but cheer. Realizing they were outside, they forced themselves to stop, but the excitement on their small faces couldn’t be hidden.

Zhao Mengcheng patted each of their heads in turn. “Come on, I’ll take you to buy some things.”

Once he started buying, Zhao Mengcheng couldn’t stop.

He bought cotton cloth, coarse cloth, and patterned cloth, intending to make new clothes for the children.

He also visited a rice shop. There was still rice at home, but Zhao Mengcheng made a grand gesture of buying some millet. He had heard that millet porridge was good for the body and felt that both he and the three children needed some nourishment.

Red dates, dried longans, lotus seeds – Zhao Mengcheng bought some of everything he saw, and even bought raisins.

These items were expensive, but Zhao Mengcheng didn’t even blink as he bought them.

After leaving the rice shop, Zhao Mengcheng wanted to buy some ginseng². Even if he couldn’t afford high-quality roots, some scraps would do to help his body recover faster.

But the three children nervously tugged at his hem. “Dad, we’ve already bought so much. It’s enough, really. Let’s go home.”

Zhao Mengcheng asked in surprise, “You don’t want to look around anymore?”

Zhao Chun shook his head quickly. “I’m tired of walking.”

He was afraid that if they kept going, his father would spend every last bit of their family savings.

Zhao Mao also spoke up. “Dad, if we stay any longer, it’ll be dark by the time we get home. We can come back another time.”

Zhao Mengcheng realized what the children were thinking and felt a wave of helplessness.

In his view, money was meant to be spent, and one should never mistreat themselves. However, these three children had been traumatized by poverty. If he really spent all the money, they would start worrying again.

“Alright, we’ll come back next time,” Zhao Mengcheng promised.

As the donkey cart slowly headed home, Zhao Xin suddenly gave her father’s sleeve a gentle tug.

Zhao Mengcheng followed her gaze. On the side of the street, someone was selling tanghulu³, the bright red skewers stuck into a straw bundle.

Zhao Chun frowned and scolded his sister, “We ate so much good food at lunch, how can you still be so greedy?”

“I didn’t want to eat them, I was just looking,” Zhao Xin lowered her head, looking like she was about to cry from the injustice.

Zhao Mao comforted her. “Uncle Wang gave us some pastries. We can eat those when we get home.”

Zhao Xin sniffled and nodded vigorously.

The three little ones had reached an agreement among themselves, but they didn’t expect their father to be so disobedient. Zhao Mengcheng called out directly to the vendor, “Brother, give me three sticks of tanghulu. No, make it four.”

“Coming right up! Three wen a stick, that’s twelve wen total,” the vendor said as he hurried over.

Zhao Chun’s face crumpled. “Dad, one stick is enough. We can share. I don’t even like tanghulu.”

Zhao Mao added, “I don’t like them either.”

“Well, I like them,” Zhao Mengcheng laughed and paid the money.

He waved the tanghulu in his hand. “If you really don’t like them, I’ll just eat them all myself.”

Without waiting for the children to respond, he laughed and pressed a skewer into each of their hands. One for each person, no more and no less.

As the donkey cart slowly passed through the city gates, a pair of eyes watched the father and his three children closely.

“Is that him?” a man with a hook-nosed face asked.

The servant beside him quickly replied, “I’ve asked around, sir. That’s him.”

The man said indifferently, “Go. Find a way to get that tofu recipe⁴.”

Translator’s Notes