Fortunate Life of the Rural Beauty
Chapter 134 - 133: Little Talk Basket

Chapter 134: Chapter 133: Little Talk Basket

Chen Afu introduced Chu Hanyan to them, "This is the older brother of the Yang family, and this is the older sister of the Yang family."

Yang Qian was a little more than a month older than Chu Hanyan, so she also became her older sister.

Chu Hanyan was now only comfortable hanging out with Dabao and the siblings, Luo Mei. As soon as the Yang siblings entered the room, her little face tightened, and her mouth also pursed up tightly.

She doesn’t like them!

Chen Afu, seeing this reaction from the little miss not only wasn’t angry but was instead very delighted. She finally knew how to express her own thoughts. Even if she didn’t say a word and just made a facial expression, it was also progress.

Despite this, the Yang siblings didn’t feel rejected at all, Yang Chao was having a lively conversation with Dabao, Qi Qi, and Hui Hui.

Yang Qian was even more audacious. As soon as she saw Chu Hanyan, she liked this pretty little sister. She took off her shoes, climbed onto the bed, sat across from Chu Hanyan, and sweetly said, "Little sister, you’re so pretty. Let’s play house together."

Seeing that Chu Hanyan didn’t respond, she offered another proposal, "or shall we play hide and seek? And if you still don’t want to," she continued undeterred, "we can recite nursery rhymes."

Without waiting for her agreement, she started clapping her hands and began:

Peddler of carts, grinder of wheels,

Sending big brother off to school he feels.

Big brother studied for three long years,

Achieving the scholarly name he bears.

First bow to father, then to mother,

Then bow again to enter the wife’s chamber.

Unlocking the gold lock with a silver key,

The wife’s room is beautifully easy to see.

Her diction wasn’t very clear, but she recited with rhythm and dedication. Once she finished, Chen Afu, Miao’er, as well as Mrs. Song and Mrs. Huang, Yang Qian’s wet nurse who was standing outside, all burst into laughter.

Chu Hanyan, at first didn’t understand, watched blankly at Yang Qian but eventually found her extremely funny. Even though she didn’t understand what the nursery rhyme was about, she found it so amusing that she followed suit and broke into laughter as well.

Seeing that her little sister had laughed, Yang Qian was delighted and prompted, "Now it’s your turn." Seeing that Chu Hanyan only laughed but didn’t recite, she wasn’t mad at all and pulled out a handkerchief from her bosom, suggesting, "Let’s play stacking handkerchiefs."

Then, she crumpled her handkerchief a few times before putting it in Chu Hanyan’s hand to let her stack it up. She took back the handkerchief to crumple it again, then placed it once again in Chu Hanyan’s hand.

Even when Dabao, a little boy that drew Chu Hanyan’s attention, had become too mature for childish games like Yang Qian’s.

Although Luo Mei was also a little girl, the difference in status and hierarchy made it impossible for her to treat Chu Hanyan in the same way.

Yang Qian’s childish antics felt novel to Chu Hanyan who no longer rejected Yang Qian and watched as Yang Qian entertained herself, talking and playing enthusiastically.

Chen Afu was delighted. If nurtured well, this outgoing Yang girl could become the perfect playmate for the young Miss Chu.

Perhaps Mrs. Song thought the same, as she appeared much friendlier to Mrs. Huang than when they first stepped into the room.

By midday, Chen Ming asked Alu to invite Chen Ye, his son and Junior Officer Gao for a drink. It didn’t take long for Hu Laowu, with his keen nose, to catch a whiff of the wine from The Chens’ home and come running, even bringing his own jar of wine.

Chen Ming really didn’t like this man, but once he had arrived, they couldn’t shoo him away. As the saying goes, better to offend a gentleman than a small-minded person. It is best not to offend someone like Hu Laowu.

Chen Afu also managed to whip up a dish of golden slippery pork, a dish beloved by the children. Even Yan pointed it out herself, asking to eat "that one".

Yang Chao, his mouth full of the juicy dish, exclaimed, "Aunt Chen, our wine-shop’s head chef can’t cook as well as you."

Chen Afu laughed, "If you like it, have some more."

After the meal, the children were tired. Chu Hanyan and Yang Qian, each holding a swallow doll, went to sleep in the east room, while Dabao, Luo Mingcheng, and Yang Chao went off to sleep in the West Room.

Chen Afu suggested that Luo Mei and the two young girls sleep together in the east room, but the young maid shook her head, "No, I must serve my owner."

Chen Afu laughed, "Sleep next to your young mistress. If she needs anything, you can get up and attend to her."

After listening to her, Luo Mei obediently lay down at the furthest edge of the bed.

After Chen Afu heard the men finish their drinks and saw Chen Ye and others go home, she went to the old courtyard.

After lunch, Chen Ming was feeling unwell and a bit weary. He had had a little to drink and went to sleep in the West Room.

Meanwhile, Manager Luo and Yang Mingyuan, along with the other men, were assigned to rest in the east room.

Yang Mingyuan had business to attend to and had come under the eaves to wait for Chen Afu.

His camel-colored cotton gown flattered his average build. His facial features may not be striking, but the sagacity and stability in his eyes added charm, eliciting an air of trustworthiness.

Chen Afu hadn’t had many interactions with him, but from his well-behaved children, she could tell that he must be a decent person. The apples did not fall far from the tree; the good upbringing of the children was evidently the result of their father’s good teaching.

On seeing Chen Afu approaching from the side door, he smiled and said, "There’s a business proposal. I wonder if you’re interested, Madam Chen."

Turns out, Yang Mingyuan was planning to open another wine-shop in Dingzhou, believing that with the signature dishes of Nine Fresh Luwei and Fine Bran Fried, they would surely secure a good standing amidst the countless wine-shops in Dingzhou.

Recently, he had been to Dingzhou and had found a good location for the wine-shop. On his visit, he had also met with a friend who owned a wine-shop.

It was just around dusk, smoke wafting from the chimneys of every household. Even from a distance, he could tell how busy his friend’s wine-shop was. As he got closer, a delicious smell of luwei wafted to him. Pushing his way through the crowd, he saw a large pot on an earth stove, with bamboo skewers soaked in it. On each skewer were pieces of meat and vegetables, looking rather unique.

His friend told him they were Chen San’s Lu Chuan and bought the remaining batch from the pot for Yang Mingyuan to taste.

Yang Mingyuan found the Lu Chuan to be quite similar to their own Nine Fresh Luwei, though the taste was slightly milder. However, their unique skewered presentation made it more attractive and savoury. Additionally, it was affordable for both the rich and poor, and especially popular among children.

According to his friend, this snack had quickly gained fame as a local specialty in the capital city in a rather short time. Not only because of its delicious flavour, but also due to Chen San’s savvy business strategy.

Once Chen San’s Lu Chuan had gained some traction, he had acquired six more "outlets". But, instead of renting out stores, he would find a spot with good footfall near pubs in affluent areas and lease that tiny bit of space right in front of the pubs for selling Chen San’s Lu Chuan. This lease was only for two hours in the late afternoon. In case of rain or snow, they would move inside the pub.

The pub owners gladly accepted, as it didn’t interfere with their business, and they could make some extra money. Later, they found that even their wine business picked up more than usual -- a pleasant surprise.

However, after renting for eight days, Chen San decided to stop renting, stating that most of the money they made went to the pub, and it just wasn’t worth it. Predictably, the pub owners didn’t want to lose the extra traffic and their earnings; they kept reducing the rent until Chen San was satisfied, and only then did they continue their partnership.