Chapter 51

“Boss, there’s a family of three outside who want a private room,” Li Xiaoyu hurried into the kitchen and whispered to Qian Jianing. Qian Jianing raised an eyebrow and glanced outside through the open window. A man who looked vaguely familiar was speaking to a woman beside him.

Qian Jianing thought for a moment and remembered who he was: Wang Shoucheng.

Back when she ran a small restaurant in Zibo City, an elderly regular, Wang Shouren, had once booked a pot of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall a month in advance to entertain his cousin Wang Shoucheng, who was visiting from the Imperial Capital. Qian Jianing remembered even Grandpa Wang’s son, a secretary at the mayor’s office, treated Wang Shoucheng with great respect—it seemed he held a high-ranking official position in the capital.

She withdrew her gaze and turned to ask Li Xiaoyu, “Are there any private rooms still available?”

“The bamboo room in the west wing is still open, but it’s a six-person room.”

“That’s fine. Take them there.”

Li Xiaoyu nodded and hurried out of the kitchen, leading the Wang family to the bamboo room. Li Shuling looked around at the lush green bamboo decor and showed a hint of appreciation. “The owner really knows how to decorate.”

Wang Shoucheng casually picked up the tea Li Xiaoyu had brought and gently blew on it. “The main thing is the food tastes great. A couple of years ago in Zibo City I had her Buddha Jumps Over the Wall and couldn’t forget it. Sadly, I didn’t get to go back last year, and this year I missed her again. Who would’ve thought—just when it seemed like a dead end, we’d find a hidden gem. Turns out the young owner got into a university in the Imperial Capital and opened a restaurant here. We’re in for a treat from now on.”

Li Shuling frowned slightly. “How old is this young owner? Just started university—how good could her cooking really be?” She reached out and stroked her daughter’s long hair. “Our Chenchen is also starting college this year, and she doesn’t even know how to wash vegetables properly.”

Wang Shoucheng gave his daughter a helpless glance. “It’s because you’ve spoiled her. Kids need to learn the basics.”

Li Shuling chuckled. “Then go talk to my dad. He’s the one who spoiled her.”

That shut Wang Shoucheng up instantly. Her father was an old revolutionary, held a high military post after the liberation, and even at seventy still held sway in the army. Maybe it was that classic case of civil and military clashing—Wang Shoucheng might have a comparable rank, but he always backed down around his father-in-law. Half the time they spoke, he’d get scolded and couldn’t talk back, only sit there and take it with a sullen expression.

Thinking of that tough old man, Wang Shoucheng decided to stay out of trouble and just focus on enjoying his meal.

When autumn winds stir, crabs begin to itch; chrysanthemums bloom, and the scent of crab fills the air.

Who knows if time in the heavens matches that on earth, but right now was peak crab season. Crabs on Xiantao.com were especially cheap, and Qian Jianing bought dozens of pounds every day.

No matter how you cooked them, the crabs from Xiantao.com were always fresh. Qian Jianing simply cleaned them and steamed them in several trays. Each set meal came with one crab per person, served with just a dipping sauce of vinegar and ginger—simple but incredibly delicious.

Li Shuling looked unimpressed by the three crabs on a large white plate. After washing her hands, she picked one up and said half-jokingly, “Old Wang, this place is expensive and all we’re getting is steamed crab? I can make a whole pot of these at home for free.”

Wang Shoucheng looked uncomfortable. Both his own household and his father-in-law’s usually received premium hairy crabs as special supply, straight from Yangcheng Lake. They had steamed a batch just yesterday. Wang Chenchen glanced at the crabs on the table, clearly uninterested, and turned her head away without even trying.

Wang Shoucheng gave his daughter a helpless look. If he had known, he would’ve told the staff in advance. Now that the crabs were served, it was too late to return them. He picked one up and was surprised by how heavy it felt.

“Wow, this crab is heavy.” He hefted it, clearly surprised. Meanwhile, Li Shuling had already opened hers and was startled by the thick, glistening crab roe inside. “Look how much roe this one has.” She handed the opened crab to Wang Chenchen. “Chenchen, look. Don’t you love crab roe the most?”

Wang Chenchen looked at it, still not too enthusiastic, but she took it, scooped out some roe with a spoon, and tasted it. Her expression suddenly changed—it looked like she was surprised.

Li Shuling, who’d been watching her closely, quickly asked, “What’s wrong? Doesn’t taste good?”

“No,” Chenchen replied, puzzled. “It’s really good. Very fresh, tender, and smooth. Tastes better than the crab roe we get at home.”

Li Shuling didn’t quite believe it. The crabs delivered to their home were top-grade—how could this be better? But she took the remaining crab, opened it, and tasted the roe. The flavor really was different—this one clearly tasted better.

The mother and daughter got interested and ate up all the roe, then started on the crab meat. Li Shuling liked to taste the pure flavor of the meat before dipping it in the vinegar. She popped a chunk of snow-white meat into her mouth—it was delicate, fresh, and slightly sweet, with none of the usual fishiness. Mesmerized by the taste, she ate until there was only one bite left before she realized she had forgotten to use the vinegar and ginger dip. She muttered with regret, “I forgot the ginger vinegar. I’m definitely getting a stomach ache tonight.”

After finishing the crabs, the family went to the small sink in the room to wash their hands and were surprised to find that a quick rinse removed all the crab smell. Li Shuling raised an eyebrow. “These crabs really are good. I wonder where she buys them—they’re better than what we have at home.”

Just as they sat down again, Li Xiaoyu entered with a dish called “Braised Three Stomachs.” It was a slow stew made from pig, lamb, and beef tripe—warm and nourishing, perfect to balance out the cold nature of crab. The prepared tripe was stewed in chicken broth for five or six hours until tender, then braised with top-quality Jinhua ham. The final soup was creamy white and rich in flavor. One sip and the whole body felt warm and comfortable. In other restaurants, this dish would leave you sweating, but in Qian Jianing’s courtyard kitchen, the temperature was perfectly regulated, adapting to each diner’s body heat, ensuring maximum comfort without ever feeling too hot or cold.

After a crab and a bowl of soup, both Li Xiaoyu and Wang Chenchen looked toward the door with anticipation, wondering what the next dish would be.

It’s said that croaker fish are at their fattest when chrysanthemums bloom—yellow croaker for the golden flowers. Because they die soon after leaving water, when delivered by the supplier, they came in a bucket of seawater. Whether it was some kind of magical method or not, they were still lively and flipping.

For fresh ingredients like these, Qian Jianing preferred cooking methods that let their natural flavor shine. After prepping the large croaker, she made several angled slits in its body, marinated it with wine and ginger scallion for half an hour, brushed it with a soy-based sauce, steamed it, and finished it with hot oil over scallions and ginger—aromatic and enticing.

The dishes, whether luxurious or simple, were portioned per head to ensure everyone was satisfied without waste. Li Shuling finished the last bite of noodles in her bowl and took a sip of chrysanthemum tea with satisfaction. “This place is really nice. When my dad’s birthday comes around this year, we might as well host it here. Didn’t you say their Buddha Jumps Over the Wall is even better than what you had at a state banquet? Go ahead and pre-order a few pots. My dad loves that dish, but it’s hard to find anyone who can make it well—it’s never quite right elsewhere.”

Wang Shoucheng considered that her father’s birthday was only a month away. “He’s stubborn. Might not agree to eat out. You’d better ask him early. If he agrees, I’ll come make a reservation right away. If we wait too long, they might not accept it.”

Li Shuling stood up and grabbed her small handbag. “Then I’ll take Chenchen with me. She’s reporting to college today anyway, and we should let her grandpa know.”

The three left the private room. As Wang Chenchen walked under the open window, she happened to see Qian Jianing working in the kitchen and stopped in her tracks. Just as Qian Jianing finished chopping vegetables, she sensed someone watching and turned to look. Her eyes met Wang Chenchen’s. They both smiled and nodded politely.

“Chenchen, let’s go,” called Li Shuling from the doorway.

Wang Chenchen smiled again at Qian Jianing, gave a little wave, and turned to run toward her mother. “Mom, I saw the girl who’s cooking. She looks about my age—and she’s really pretty.”

At 1 PM, the last table of guests left the courtyard. Qian Jianing asked Li Xiaoyu and the other helper to take the used dishes to the kitchen and then told them to go home. After returning the used utensils to the dishwasher cabinet, Qian Jianing relaxed and went to the backyard to shower, washing off the smell of cooking oil. She changed into a clean nightdress and sat on the sofa.

Li Wanzhen had applied for a telephone line recently so she could stay in touch with Qian Jianing, but due to slow processing in Zibo City, the phone was only installed that morning. Li Wanzhen had immediately dialed the number Qian Jianing left for her, but at the time, Qian Jianing was in a rush to get to college and hung up quickly after just jotting down the number.

Now that she was free, Qian Jianing figured her family wouldn’t be too busy at this hour and called home. Qian Xiaomi’s shop had just closed for the day. Two waitresses were washing dishes, mopping the floor, and tidying up the kitchen. Li Wanzhen was checking the remaining ingredients when Qian Jiafeng came running in, out of breath: “Mom, sis is on the phone!”

Li Wanzhen quickly set the vegetables aside, washed her hands under the tap, and rushed home to pick up the receiver. “Hello, Xiaomi? You’re back from college? How’s it going?”

Lying lazily on the sofa, Qian Jianing curled her pale toes. “Pretty good. The teachers seem enthusiastic, the campus environment is nice, and it’s not too far from where I live.”

“That’s good,” Li Wanzhen said with relief. “Make sure to take care of yourself in the capital. Don’t overwork yourself.”

Qian Jianing chuckled. “You know me. When have I ever pulled an all-nighter to study? I put in the effort during class.”

Li Wanzhen laughed helplessly. Although Qian Jianing was very independent and pretty much called the shots at home—already an adult in her eyes—now that she was away, Li Wanzhen couldn’t help but worry about her taking care of herself.

Listening to her mother’s nagging for half an hour, Qian Jianing didn’t feel annoyed at all. Living a second life had taught her that this kind of motherly fussiness was the simplest form of happiness.

When Li Wanzhen paused to drink water, Qian Jianing quickly asked, “Mom, how’s the shop going? Do you have a lot of customers? Has anyone caused trouble?”

“There aren’t long lines like when you were home, but it’s still pretty busy during mealtimes. And a lot of people who couldn’t afford our food before have come to try it out now that the prices are lower.” Li Wanzhen laughed heartily. “Uncle Fatty Zhang also helps me out when he has time. Don’t worry.”

“Can Dad handle the braised meat shop on his own?” Qian Jianing turned over and asked.

“He’s just selling ready-made stuff—what’s there to mess up? I give him a fixed amount of meat every day, and he brings back a fixed amount of money. Your dad’s too honest to secretly pocket anything.” Li Wanzhen lowered her voice. “I’m afraid your grandma’s side will find out we’re making money and ask your dad for the recipe to give your uncle. I don’t even let him see me when I’m preparing the spices. I’d rather work harder myself than let your grandma’s family take advantage.”

Qian Guocheng had worked in the coal mine for a year and a half. After repaying his gambling debts and the money he owed Qian Jianing, he quit again and went back to loafing around. But since he was still scared of Qian Jianing, he didn’t dare ask Qian Guosheng for money anymore and had to think of other ways to get cash. Li Jie held on tight to the old lady’s pension and didn’t give him a cent, so every day at home was like World War II, with multiple fights breaking out.

As for the old lady’s repeated requests to take charge of her own pension, none of the three households agreed. Though Li Jie fought with her every day, at least she didn’t skimp on food and always got her new clothes when needed. If they gave the money to the old lady, the siblings were sure she’d starve to death within a month.

Qian Jianing laughed out loud at the gossip. After chatting with her mom for a while, she hung up, got off the sofa, and sank into her soft bed for a relaxing nap.
—

The next morning, Qian Jianing slung her backpack over her shoulders and rode her bike freely through the streets and alleys, quickly arriving at the college gate. She had already visited the classroom yesterday, so she confidently parked her bike under the teaching building and entered the classroom with her backpack.

The classroom was already quite full. The boarding students had become familiar with one another after spending a day and a night together. Since Qian Jianing had only briefly reported in yesterday, no one really knew her.

She had just taken out a copy of Fundamentals of Traditional Chinese Medicine to do some preview reading when a girl in front suddenly turned around with a mysterious expression. “Hey, did you hear? We’ve got a provincial top scorer in our class!”

“Uh…” Qian Jianing looked at her awkwardly, trying to think of a cool way to respond when the girl suddenly burst out laughing. “You don’t believe it either, huh?”

Startled by the sudden shift, Qian Jianing’s awkwardness turned into exasperation. What was up with this girl?

“But it’s true!” the girl said earnestly, leaning in with excitement. “Can you believe it? With grades like that, they could’ve gone to Tsinghua or any top university in the capital! Why come study TCM with us? This major isn’t popular, and it doesn’t even have great job prospects like Western medicine.”

Qian Jianing thought for a moment and replied, “It just fits. There’s not always a specific reason.”

“Wow, that’s such a boring answer.” The girl pouted, but quickly brightened. “Oh, right—we haven’t introduced ourselves yet. I’m Tian Miaomiao.”

Qian Jianing looked at her and said clearly, “I’m Qian Jianing.”

“What a coincidence. The top scorer is also named Qian Jianing…” Her smile froze, and she stared wide-eyed at Qian Jianing. “You’re not seriously telling me you two just happen to have the same name, right?”

Qian Jianing was exasperated. How was someone this clueless going to study traditional medicine?

She set her textbook down and looked at her with amusement. “Not quite a coincidence. I am the top scorer you’re talking about.”

Tian Miaomiao’s eyes immediately lit up. She suddenly rummaged through her bag and pulled out a small, delicate wooden pendant necklace, then rubbed it a few times in Qian Jianing’s palm.

Qian Jianing looked at her puzzled. “What are you doing?”

“Borrowing a bit of your luck—so I can do better on exams.” The girl handed her the wooden pendant, which had the words “Guaranteed to Pass” engraved on it.

While Qian Jianing was still trying to decide how to respond to this odd behavior, another girl walked in from the door and looked at her with surprise. “You’re the girl from yesterday.”

Qian Jianing looked up, surprised. “You were the customer at my restaurant yesterday.”

“I’m Wang Chenchen.” She glanced at the empty seat beside Qian Jianing. “Anyone sitting here?”

Qian Jianing shook her head. Wang Chenchen sat down and stuffed her backpack into the desk. “Your cooking was amazing, especially the crab. My mom forgot to dip it in ginger vinegar last night and thought she’d get a stomachache, but she was totally fine.”

Qian Jianing smiled. “The crabs I source are different from what you usually find in the market. They’re not harmful to the body.”

Wang Chenchen nodded and suddenly asked, “Can your home-style restaurant be booked for a private event? My grandpa’s 75th birthday is next month. We’ll probably need around 15 tables for the banquet.”

Qian Jianing was more than happy about the idea of booking out the restaurant. “Sure, it’s possible. But you know my prices. Booking the whole place won’t be under five figures.”

“I know.” Wang Chenchen leaned in and whispered, “Don’t worry. My uncles and cousins are loaded. Just prepare the best dishes. Oh, and definitely include Buddha Jumps Over the Wall. Lots of it. I’ve never had something that good before.”

Qian Jianing nodded. “No problem. Just make sure your family comes to pay the deposit at least a week in advance.” She thought for a moment and added, “Let’s say a 5,000 yuan deposit to start.”

Wang Chenchen blinked and looked at Qian Jianing with anticipation. “How about using me as the deposit? My mom says I’m worth a fortune!”