Miao Chu

Chapter 354 Concern
Although Kong Fuyang asked the question, he already had the answer in his heart.

—Does it even need asking?! How could candy from the Song family not taste good?!
Sure enough, upon hearing this, the student opposite glanced into the cabin and whispered, "It smells amazing!"

The man feigned a look of savoring the moment, gritted his teeth, and said, "I... I'll break off a piece for you to try?"

The piece of candy was about an inch long and a finger wide. It was very thick and looked like it could be broken, but there were only two pieces to begin with. It seemed that one of them had already been eaten, leaving only the palm-sized piece of candy.

It's inconvenient to buy things on the ship right now, and it's not easy to find sweets, let alone sweet ones like Song Tian. How could Kong Fuyang do something like snatching food from someone who's starving?

"You eat! You eat yours!" He waved his hand hastily, then pointed to the cabin next door, "I'm going to steal Han the Skinflint's food!"

As he spoke, he stepped across the plank between the two boats, tiptoeing at first. When he entered the small compartment at the back and found it empty, he decided not to steal openly and retreated towards the main cabin.

Inside the cabin, Han Li was holding a stack of manuscripts and talking to two students. When he saw Kong Fuyang coming over, he paused for a moment, but did not ask him what he was there for. Instead, he gestured to the next room and said, "You've come at the right time—there's a bundle on the table by the window in my room. There's a bag inside with your name on it. Go find the one marked with 'one'. I'll be there in a bit."

Kong Fuyang was obedient; he didn't ask any more questions or linger, and went straight back to his cabin.

This time, having received instructions from his master, he became exceptionally open and aboveboard, swaggering into the house to search and quickly finding the corresponding bundle.

Inside the bundle were two cloth bags, one large and one small. The smaller bag had a strip tied to its opening, with Han Li's handwriting showing the character "孔" (Kong).

Inside the small bundle were several palm-sized, neatly folded small oil paper packets, each marked with a number from one to eight.

Kong Fuyang found the "one" and opened it. Inside, it was full of candies wrapped in glutinous rice paper, one after another, which looked exactly like the ones in the student's palm earlier.

What then is "two"?

Just then, he heard footsteps outside. He looked up and saw that it was Han Li who had returned after giving instructions.

"Since my name is written on this, does that mean it's all mine?"

Seeing Han Li nod, Kong Fuyang couldn't help but ask, "Then why did you only tell me to find 'one'? Can't I just take the whole bag to save trouble?"

Han Li said, "We'll be out here for at least another ten days or a month. If you take it all and eat it all at once, what will we eat later?"

He added, "Stayer Song originally prepared one pack for three days. Why don't you come back in three days to pick up the one marked 'two'?"

Kong Fuyang then opened two more bags, only to find that they contained the same square candies. Hearing this question, he almost laughed in anger and couldn't help but say, "Eat them all in one go? Only a three-year-old can't keep candy overnight. How old am I? Don't I have any self-control? Do I need you to help me keep an eye on me?"

He added, "Besides, no matter how much I crave them, there are twelve or thirteen in this small packet. I can eat three a day, morning, noon, and night, for four days!"

Han Li didn't say much to him. He took a few steps forward, put away everything except the one marked with "one", and said, "Then come find me in four days, and I'll give it all to you."

As he spoke, he took out a larger oilcloth package from the large cloth bag and handed it to Kong Fuyang, saying, "This is for others. You can divide it among yourself. This is all we have. There's no more."

After saying that, he pointed to the water clock and asked, "It's past noon. Have you finished checking the load capacity of the carriages, horses, and boats in Shuzhou?"

Kong Fuyang, who was carrying an oil paper bag and an oilcloth bag, was smiling when he heard these words. His smile immediately froze, and he hurriedly turned around and ran away, calling back as he ran, "Right away! Right away!"

He was running so fast that he accidentally missed a step when he went down the wooden steps, and he stumbled. He almost fell, but he quickly steadied himself and looked down. He saw that the "one"-shaped package must have not been wrapped properly. The oil paper had loosened a little, revealing the sugar cubes inside.

The aroma isn't strong, but it smells quite sweet, with hints of roasted nuts in the middle.

Kong Fuyang couldn't help but feel curious.

Everything made by Song Xiaoniangzi is naturally delicious.

But that fellow just now said "smelly fragrant," what kind of fragrance could possibly make someone think of "smelly"?

He couldn't help but grab a piece and put it in his mouth.

Before the sugar dissolves, it has a light sweetness when you first taste it, and it's quite fragrant.

Kong Fuyang didn't think much of it, knowing there were nuts inside, and naturally started chewing.

But he stopped after only chewing twice.

It's very crispy, and whether it's sugar or nuts, the texture is very crisp. It doesn't stick to your teeth or scratch your palate, but once you chew it, the sweetness immediately changes completely.

If the previous sweetness was as refreshing as an orchid in a secluded valley, then now in his mouth it was as if peonies of various colors were fighting, each displaying their own unique beauty and charm.

The sweetness has now transformed into a very rich caramelized sweetness, with an extremely strong milky aroma. The two combine beautifully, and the flavors are gentle and harmonious. You give me a light punch, and I'll give you a lingering kick. It's truly sweet on the left and fragrant on the right, with a thick and heavy flavor.

The word "sweet" is simply not enough to describe its richness. But the "sweetness" doesn't reach the point of being cloying; it's stopped by the nuts and a touch of saltiness inside.

With minimal salt to enhance the sweetness, the sweetness is richer and fuller, and there is a faint caramelized bitterness in the aftertaste, which is the lingering flavor of perfectly caramelized sugar.

Kong Fuyang couldn't help but lean closer to the side of the boat, carefully savoring each bite, and finally recognized the fragrant kernels inside as olives.

The olives are clearly roasted, with a nutty roasted aroma. Their outer skin doesn't have the astringent taste of walnut skin, and the kernel flavor isn't as unique as pistachios. Although they have a nutty aroma and a non-greasy oily feel, they don't overpower the other flavors at all.

Its kernels are thick, with a firmer and crisper texture. Thanks to just the right amount of roasting, the chewiness is crisp and firm.

Kong Fuyang stood there, his eyes seemingly looking at the river water near and far, but his mind was completely blank, his soul focused entirely on the taste in his mouth.

He had already chewed many times, and the olives were completely crushed. Together with the melted sugar, they turned into a flowing sand-like texture, rich, smooth, and fragrant, filling his mouth with a sweet aroma.

It's really incredibly fragrant!

The candy, about an inch long and a finger wide, seemed to have been swallowed whole after only a few bites, leaving only a lingering fragrance in his mouth that seemed to challenge him—"Try taking another bite if you dare!"

After haphazardly preparing food for countless days, Kong Fuyang's palate was so bland that he couldn't stand the slightest provocation and couldn't resist picking up another piece.

From light to strong, from strong to fragrant, and then from fragrant back to light...

Unfortunately, this wonderful taste only lasts for the time it takes to chew a piece of candy.

Luckily, he had a whole package of candy wrapped in oil paper! Even if he ate just one more, there wouldn't be enough left to count in two hands!

Standing by the boat, Kong Fuyang unknowingly ate one candy after another until he finally realized what was happening. Looking down, he saw that only half of the candies remained in his hand. He was startled and knew he was in trouble. Not daring to linger any longer, he quickly returned to the cabin while still savoring the candy. He put the cloth bag and oil paper package aside and hurriedly checked the weight of the Shuzhou carts and boats.

The area to be verified is not limited to Shuzhou.

After finishing his urgent tasks, he had to urge others who were in a hurry. When he returned to his seat, his gaze involuntarily fell on a corner of the table.

After a busy day, rewarding yourself with a piece of candy isn't a big deal, is it?

……

By the afternoon, he had finally finished writing the summary that needed to be submitted. Kong Fuyang read it through from beginning to end and was very satisfied. He couldn't help but reach for the oil paper package in the corner again.

—Such good writing deserves a piece of candy?

You know, there are still so many left, not even enough to count on one hand!

It only took half a day to go from not being able to count with two hands, to not being able to count with one hand, and then to not being able to count at all.

So that evening, after everyone had eaten, Kong Fuyang finally mustered up the courage to sneak into the next cabin and squeezed into a corner table.

"Zhengyan... Miss Song, could you give me another pack of those candies?"

"If you keep all this fragrant stuff, what if you steal it from me?"

……

A moment later, Kong Fuyang, carrying a thick stack of manuscripts and with two olive nut candies in his purse, stepped out of the cabin with a swift movement.

Hey!
Having a few more calibers of data is easy and doesn't take much effort. In the future, the credit will be mine—but these two treats are free!

Not only did he get those two candies for free, but Zheng Yan also readily agreed that once they returned to the capital, he would personally pay for Miss Song to make him a large bag of candies, enough for him to eat his fill without having to be stingy anymore!

I just don't know when all the things here will be finished. I remember when we were in Huazhou, Miss Song said that Song's shop would open around the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Will we be able to make it in time this time?
Can we still enjoy his roasted pork, roasted duck, and roasted pigeon that is rumored to burst with juice when you bite into it?

……

Kong Fuyang was not the only one concerned about the restaurant's reopening.

In the afternoon, at the gate of Song's Steamed Bun Shop, located at the end of Suanzao Lane in the capital, the sign indicating that the steamed buns were sold out had only been put up for a short time when a horse-drawn carriage carrying an old man and a young boy led a group of people arrived at the appointed time.

The younger one, as soon as he entered, started chattering away. He greeted everyone in the circle, then asked about Xiao Lian. When he learned that she hadn't returned yet, he wasn't disappointed. He just kept calling out "Sister, Sister" to Song Miao, as clear and crisp as a bird.

When the snacks and drinks were served, she first gulped down half a cup of plum drink, then puffed out her chest and made a gesture of drinking heartily and boldly. She let out a "Ha!" and solemnly slammed the teacup on the table, praising, "Sister, the drinks here are really delicious!"

Children acting like adults are especially adorable.

Suddenly, everyone in the room went to look at her, and as they looked, they couldn't help but laugh.

Aside from the youngest, there was also an old woman sitting to the side. Seeing her granddaughter's appearance, she couldn't help but laugh and pointed at Song Miao, saying, "This one is always nagging me at home, asking me three or five times a day when this restaurant will open. Today she says, 'If I don't go now, I won't make it in time for Sister Song's restaurant to open,' and tomorrow she says, 'If I don't go now, Sister and Xiaolian will miss me to death.' She's like a tug-of-war, so persistent!"

The old woman and the young girl were none other than Madam He and her granddaughter Zhu, whom they hadn't seen for many days.

Hearing her grandmother say this, Zhu'er blinked, picked up the teacup, and moved closer to Song Miao, asking, "Isn't that right? Doesn't Sister Song miss me?!"

Before Song Miao could answer, she immediately added, "I don't believe it! I miss my sister and Xiao Lian so much! Don't you miss them at all?!"

Seeing that the child could sing the whole opera all by herself, Song Miao couldn't help but laugh and replied, "I really want to. Whenever I make sweet and sour or sweet dishes, I always think that if Sister Zhu were here, she would definitely find ways to praise me again and again, making me so proud!"

She added, "Xiao Lian always talks about you, asking me, 'When will Sister Zhu come?' and 'When can I go play with Sister Zhu?' I heard from Second Madam that Xiao Lian even calls your name in her dreams at night! When she sits up, she's still not fully awake, muttering about wanting to have a oxalis contest with you!"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Jie'er nearly jumped up, pacing anxiously in circles, saying, "I just picked several large oxalis plants the other day, it's a pity I couldn't come then, otherwise I would definitely have beaten Xiao Lian—why didn't Sister Song call me!"

She added, "I love sweet and sour foods! I love whatever you make for me, sister—sister, what are we having for dinner tonight?"

As she was talking, she looked up and saw a small figure carrying a bamboo basket enter through the door. Her eyes lit up instantly, and she called out "Xiao Lian" and flew out like a bird to greet her.

The two children held each other's hands, busy talking non-stop. They had to listen to each other while also eagerly saying their own thing. In the end, they were completely talking to themselves. It's amazing that they didn't mind the other being noisy or that they couldn't hear each other clearly.

Xiao Lian, on the other hand, had been talking for quite a while. When she entered the room and saw Old Madam He standing to the side, her face flushed red. Afraid that she would appear ill-mannered, she quickly shut her mouth and ran over to greet her.

The latter waved his hand with a smile and said, "You guys go do your thing, don't mind me."

Song Miao smiled and said to Xiao Lian, "You two go play in the back—your Brother Han sent someone to deliver some things, and I asked him to put them in your room. Don't be afraid when you go inside later."

The two little ones responded with "ooh ooh," and went to the back hand in hand, followed by several maids with smiles on their faces.

As soon as the others left, the smile on Old Madam He's face faded slightly. She turned to Song Miao and said seriously, "Young lady, why didn't you send someone to tell me about the incident that happened here earlier?"

She sounded slightly annoyed: "You even lied about how busy the restaurant was and told us to wait a while and come back later—if it weren't for Old Madam Yan mentioning it casually, I wouldn't have known that someone had broken into the backyard at night and that there were so many other messy things going on. I would have thought that you were really too busy with business here to take care of an old customer like me!"

Song Miao hurriedly explained a few words, and then said, "They are all troublesome things. As the saying goes, fine steel should be used on the blade. It's not good to come to the old lady for help every time you encounter a small problem. In any case, if I really can't handle it in the end, even if you don't mention it, I will take the initiative to come to your door."

Madam He then said, "The children from both families play together, and we often come over for meals. We treat you as a junior. This isn't just a formality or empty words. If you need anything next time, just send someone to call us. There's no need to be so distant. Otherwise, I won't feel comfortable visiting you in the future!"

Seeing this, Song Miao sincerely apologized and thanked her. After chatting for a few moments, she asked, "What would you like to eat tonight, Madam? Or should I prepare it here?"

Madam He then said, "I have a family hosting a banquet tonight, and I can't refuse. I have to go to the banquet later. Will the restaurants be available tomorrow afternoon?"

Seeing Song Miao nod, she smiled and said, "Just prepare a few simple dishes for me. It's just the two of us, Zhu Jie'er and I. Anything will do."

As she spoke, she sighed and said, "It's autumn now, the weather is dry, and people are also feeling irritable. I should eat more soups and broths, but I'm getting old and often have to get up at night. I was thinking of coming here to have some soup to soothe myself, but I don't dare to now."

　Many thanks to McDull Loves Little Du for the "Flow of Inspiration" gift, to Da Nuo Xiao Xi for the two amulets, and to Horse Doesn't Want to Run and Book Friend 20250312005934199 for the one amulet each :)

　　Thank you to the bookstore^Queenie for the three "Lights of Inspiration" and to Fatty for the little gift =3=
　　(End of this chapter)