Chapter 5

Shen Qing was puzzled. “When my mother was sick, I washed her clothes.”

Xiao Wanling gave an awkward laugh. “I meant… once I make some soap, it’ll be easier to wash things clean.” Does he mean I am his family now, huh? Maybe I was overthinking things again.

A question gnawed at Shen Qing. “Did you come all this way to break off the engagement… or to live together?”

Xiao Wanling answered immediately, “To live together.” At least for now. When it’s time to leave, I’ll make sure he has whatever he wants.

Shen Qing exhaled in relief. “Are we setting up the tea stall today?”

Xiao Wanling nodded and took out the money pouch. “Yes, I’m setting up the shelter first. Here’s your money.”

She had secretly counted it. Twenty taels of silver, in fragments. Even a fat wild boar wasn’t worth that much. Shen Qing must have other ways to earn money.

He took the pouch, retrieved five taels, and handed it right back to her. “It’s for you.”

Xiao Wanling felt a little flustered. “You can call me by name, you know.”

Shen Qing grinned wide. “Wanling!”

She packed the stall supplies into the basket. Shen Qing rushed to carry it on his back, a bamboo pole and tree branch over his shoulder, with the basket and sack hanging from it, and a wooden basin cradled in his arms.

All of it looked light in his hands. Xiao Wanling was quietly stunned by his strength.

From the village came the sound of barking dogs. That means the people were starting to head out.

At the stall location, Shen Qing found a few large stones and propped up the iron wok. Then he said he needed to go back for firewood.

Xiao Wanling reminded him, “Bring some dry grass for the shelter roof while you’re at it.”

The midday sun was brutal; being under it all day would peel her skin right off.

She rolled up her sleeves. With no cutting board, she sliced mulberry leaves right inside the wok. Today, she added a little rice starch to the mixture.

Next, she used a bowl to measure one part pea flour to five parts water. The tofu liquid in the pot was just hot enough. She poured it into a clay pot to cool.

Having prepped the ingredients in advance and working efficiently, she finished quickly.

Stevia was simmering in the pot, and the air was filled with a sweet fragrance. Passersby paused curiously. “What are you selling?”

Xue Cui caught the scent and reached to lift the bamboo lid on the pot.

Xiao Wanling reacted fast and slapped her hand away. “Don’t touch that!”

Xue Cui raised her voice, “What are you doing here?”

Xiao Wanling tossed a stick into the stove and replied to the others nearby, “Delicious Immortal Tofu. One cent per piece without syrup.”

“Immortal Tofu?” The people around looked at each other in surprise. They never heard of a tofu eaten by gods.

Xiao Wanling efficiently cut the tofu into little cubes. “Sweet or savory? Two cent per serving.”

Xue Cui gulped but couldn’t bring herself to lower her pride. She tugged at Jiang Ting’s sleeve.

Jiang Ting handed over two cent. “I want sweet.”

Xiao Wanling reached into her basket. “Only three sweet servings available for now. Get them while you can.”

Curious workers gathered around.They watched as Xiao Wanling poured the green tofu into a bamboo tube, then added thick, sweet syrup.

All eyes turned to Jiang Ting as she took a sip. Her eyes lit up, and she drank in large gulps.

“Is it good?” someone asked.

A quick one pulled out some cents. “Give me one sweet!”

Just the look on her face was enough. Xue Cui shoved forward. “I want one sweet!”

Suddenly, a small hand beat her to it, placing two cent on the table.

Xiao Wanling accepted the money from the Xue family’s eldest grandson and smiled at him. Then she turned to Xue Cui. “Sweet’s all gone. Only savory left.”

Xue Cui glared at her nephew and rolled her eyes. “What’s so great about sweet anyway?”

The little boy hugged his bamboo tube and tilted his head back, gulping it down. “It’s sweet, smooth, crunchy, and cool!”

Just hearing him made people drool.

He turned to Xiao Wanling. “Big Sister, I want to buy more sweet ones for my parents to try.”

“The sugar water is cooling now,” she told him with a smile. “Come back after lunch.”

The boy nodded and ran off happily.

Xue Cui grabbed Jiang Ting’s bamboo tube but it was empty. No one had saved her a sip. Furious, she stormed off.

“Stop right there!” Xiao Wanling shouted. “One cent for the bamboo tube!”

She could make more bamboo tubes herself, but one cent could buy food.

Xue Cui tossed the tube and ran.

Xiao Wanling held up a spicy tofu skewer. “Savory is delicious too. Want a taste?”

The bright green tofu was speckled with red and green bits. A spicy aroma filled the air, making mouths water.

“Can I try one?” a man asked.

She skewered a cube and handed it over.

He took it with his hand, popped it into his mouth, and licked his fingers. “Delicious!” But it was too little; it had only whetted his appetite. “Give me a full serving!”

Xiao Wanling quickly prepared more servings.

The man ate half right away and saved the rest to wrap in flatbread at lunch.

Everyone who tried a bite couldn’t stop at one.

Some bought two servings to eat now and one to take home.

When the morning workers left, she counted fifty-six cent in earnings. That’s a good start.

Shen Qing returned, looking slightly awkward. “Sorry I’m late.”

Xiao Wanling replied, “I gathered some firewood nearby. So it didn’t delay anything.”

There was plenty of dry wood on the mountain, though it smoked more if not dried properly.

Shen Qing set down bamboo poles, fresh grass, banana leaves, and two bundles of firewood. He picked up the wooden basin and started washing used bamboo tubes and cloth at the river.

Xiao Wanling covered the pot and jars with cloth and dry grass. Then she dug holes, buried the pole logs vertically, and packed them in with stones and soil.

Shen Qing came back and copied her technique, setting the poles and layering the grass. By the time the shelter was finished, the sun was nearly overhead.

Xiao Wanling sat down to enjoy the breeze while Shen Qing had gone to fetch well water.

She placed the bamboo tubes of sweet syrup in a basin to cool.

There probably wouldn’t be time for lunch. She prepared more tofu one portion for savory with chili, and two sweet portions with plenty of syrup.

Shen Qing returned with a basin, followed by the village head’s son carrying a water bucket.

He set everything down and moved a large stone to use as a table.

The village head’s son fanned himself with a straw hat. “You set this up quick. Folks said this morning that your tofu is truly something the gods might eat; it is so sweet and silky that it melts in your mouth!”

Xiao Wanling smiled. “Thanks for the compliment. Take some with you.”

He waved it off. “I came here to buy. I have been craving it all morning.”

On the bamboo mat were glistening green tofu cubes, red-speckled white tofu, and a fragrant sweetness tinged with the scent of bamboo.

She said, “Big brother, I’ll borrow your bucket for two days. And I’ll need the village head’s help with paperwork.”

He waved again. “No trouble at all! My father will be back today.”

Xiao Wanling didn’t insist. She packed three sweet and three savory.

He left ten cent and walked off happily.

Shen Qing sat with his chopsticks, occasionally peeking at the big bowl, clearly wondering when it was mealtime.

Xiao Wanling laughed. “Go ahead. You earned it.”

“It wasn’t hard!” Shen Qing said, and started devouring his food. Three bowls and three bamboo tubes of syrup later, he stopped eating when he noticed she hadn’t finished hers.

She asked, “Why aren’t you eating? The clay pot’s all yours.”

Shen Qing’s lips curved upward. She’s thinking of me… and doesn’t mind how much I eat. How lucky am I?

After the meal, he took over the washing again.

By noon, people began descending the mountain.

The tea steward spotted the stall. “Tch. Who’s got such fast hands?”

He saw the slim figure busily working and called out, “What snacks are you selling?”

Xiao Wanling turned around. “Immortal Tofu, Jade Tofu, and Grass Jelly! Sweet or savory which do you want?”

The steward blinked. “Madam Xiao? Why didn’t you come pick tea these past two days?”

He sighed. “You were doing well. Why stop now?” The days she’d picked tea, everyone else had worked hard too. Without her, productivity slumped.

She bowed slightly. “Steward, I’m selling tea snacks now.” She had prepared a sample of each and placed them on the mat. “Please try them!”

He picked up a bamboo tube and sniffed the sweet aroma. “Looks good! How much?”

She smiled. “It’s free! I’d like to discuss a business deal with you.”

He took a sip and choked a bit on the sweetness. “You want to make a deal with me?”

He glanced at the humble stall and almost laughed, but the syrup was sweeter than honey.

Xiao Wanling continued, “I want to buy low-grade tea to brew and sell as tea water.”

The steward nodded. “Sure. Give me three more sweet ones.”

She hadn’t expected him to agree so easily. Her face lit up. “Really?”

He turned to the crowd gathering. Thinking she hesitated, he grinned. “I’ll pay for them.”

He pulled a handful of cents from his belt and dropped them on the mat, taking three bamboo tubes.

Xiao Wanling tied up the serving with banana leaf and handed it over. “This one’s great with drinks too.”

The steward nodded and turned to leave.

“That bamboo tube costs money too!” Xue Cui yelled, ready to make a scene if Xiao Wanling dared give them away for free.

The steward paused, glanced between the two women, and asked, “How much?”

Xue Cui blurted, “One cent each!” Three cent could buy three eggs so maybe he’d just leave them.

The steward pulled out a piece of silver and tossed it onto the mat. “Keep me stocked every day. Tell me when it runs out.”

“Yes.” Xiao Wanling smiled and saw him off.

Xue Cui stood dumbfounded. She couldn’t believe someone would willingly pay extra just for a bamboo tube of syrup.

Xiao Wanling counted: eleven cent and one tael of silver. She turned to Xue Cui. “Thanks for the help.”

Xue Cui stomped her foot and stormed off.

Aunt Wu walked up, chuckling. “What’s got her grumbling again?”

Xiao Wanling sliced tofu as she replied, “She just helped me close a deal.”

Aunt Wu burst into laughter. “One of everything, then!”

Jiang Ting pushed forward, waving cents. “Two sweet ones for me!”

Xiao Wanling was busy all the time. The entire pot of syrup was gone, and both types of tofu sold out. Only one bowl of spicy sauce and a pot of grass jelly remained.

Most people had preferred sweet. The black jelly color of the grass jelly had made many hesitate.

No more people were coming down from the tea or mulberry fields, so she packed up.

Then she realized Shen Qing hadn’t returned. She called out, “Shen Qing!”

He popped up from the river, sleeves and pants rolled up, a row of fish skewered on his wooden spear.

She waved. “We’re packing up and heading home!”

He shouted back, then ran over to help carry everything.

Just as they were leaving, someone came running down the mulberry mountain. “Hey! Tea seller! I want to buy Immortal Tofu!”

She called back, “It’s sold out! Only grass jelly left!”

“That’s fine too. I’ll take it all!”

Xiao Wanling turned to Shen Qing. “Shall we have fish for dinner?”

“Sure!” he replied. Everything she makes is delicious.

She cut the jelly in half, one half for them and the other she mixed with sauce and scallions.

The pot was too full for a banana leaf to hold. The mulberry steward, in a good mood with such a good side dish for drinks, said, “I live in the village. I’ll pour it into something.”

“Alright,” she agreed. “The rest with sugar syrup is delicious too.”

Mulberry steward responded readily and paid twelve cents.

As they passed the Xue house, Xue Cui sat at the door, gnawing a dry bun with bitterness.

They only buy Xiao Wanling’s tea because it’s new, that’s all.

Translator’s Note:

Immortal Tofu:- 

Jade Tofu:-

Grass Jelly:-