Volume One, Chapter 19: Fan Xiu’s Little Admirer

Fan Xiu paused for a moment, then recalled that when he was at the Fan family, he had told Mr. Zhao that the gold coin had been given to him by an old man. Could it be that Mr. Zhao summoned him, not for business, but because he saw the gold and assumed Fan Xiu had connections with some important figure? But that person was entirely a fabrication— the gold was actually slipped to him by Xiao Ruoqing. However, he would never admit this to Mr. Zhao.

“Mr. Zhao,” Fan Xiu said mysteriously, feigning caution, “there are some things I dare not say lightly. I hope you understand.”
“Of course, of course!” Mr. Zhao laughed heartily. “Let’s not mention that matter then. Brother, let’s talk about the business you mentioned. What kind of business is it?”
Fan Xiu chuckled lightly. “Naturally, a profitable one. I recall you own a restaurant, don’t you?”
“Yes,” Mr. Zhao nodded. “The Zhixiang Pavilion in the eastern part of town is mine. But these past few years have been chaotic with war and unrest. People barely have any money, and business has been tough. The restaurant is barely staying afloat.”
Fan Xiu clasped his hands politely. “I’m no expert, but recently I’ve developed some novel dishes that are both inexpensive and delicious. Would you be interested, Mr. Zhao?”
Before crossing over, cold noodles and such snacks did not exist in this era. Moreover, they were simple to prepare and refreshing to eat—just right for the times.
“Oh?” Mr. Zhao raised an eyebrow in surprise. “A scholar like you, dabbling in recipes?”
“Poverty,” Fan Xiu replied. “If you’re interested, I can supply these dishes exclusively to Zhixiang Pavilion.”
Mr. Zhao hesitated. “Well…”

At that moment, a light, youthful voice rang out.
“Father!”
Accompanied by the tinkling of bells, a small, lively girl bounced in from outside.
She had an oval face, wearing a light lotus-colored short jacket with narrow sleeves, and a dark blue cotton skirt tied at the waist. Her skin was fair with a rosy glow, and her large, sparkling eyes curved slightly at the corners when she smiled, full of mischievous charm.
“Yufei? What are you doing here?” Mr. Zhao’s voice turned stern.
Fan Xiu smiled awkwardly upon seeing the girl. He recognized her as Zhao Yufei, Mr. Zhao’s youngest daughter, and also his junior fellow student at the academy. The Fan family had been able to borrow eighty taels of silver from the Zhao family partly because of her connection.
But after the original owner passed the imperial examination as a scholar, the two rarely met.
“Father,” Zhao Yufei giggled, hugging Zhao Defu’s arm and flashing two playful little fangs. “Fan Xiu is my senior at the academy. His cooking must be excellent. You should definitely agree to his proposal.”

“Nonsense!” Zhao Defu glared at her. “Business matters are not something to be trifled with!”
“Father~~” Zhao Yufei coquettishly shook his arm. “Our little restaurant is almost failing. Why not give it a try? What if it revives?”
Zhao Defu felt a headache coming on.
“Alright, alright!” He sighed helplessly. “I’ll give him a chance. But whether it succeeds depends on his own ability. Fan Xiu, prepare some dishes for us to taste. If they’re truly good, I’ll cooperate with you.”
“Thank you, Father!” Zhao Yufei jumped up excitedly, the bells on her clothes jingling wildly. She then winked playfully at Fan Xiu.
Fan Xiu clasped his hands. “Thank you, Brother Zhao, and thank you, Sister Zhao.”
“You’re welcome.” Zhao Yufei waved her small hand with a smile. “Senior, you and Yang Wenyan both passed the exam. Yang Wenyan has already returned to the academy. When will you go back?”
“I don’t plan on studying anymore. I want to go into business,” Fan Xiu replied.
Zhao Defu squinted his eyes. No wonder Fan Xiu didn’t want to grant him the tax exemption qualification—he wanted to enter commerce too. At that moment, Zhao Defu’s gaze brightened.
“Ah?” Zhao Yufei’s eyes widened, sparkling with surprise. “You… you worked so hard to pass the exam and now you’re giving up studying?”
Fan Xiu nodded. “Studying won’t save my family. I have other matters to attend to. I must go now.”
He didn’t want to talk much with Zhao Yufei. Just seeing her made him feel awkward. It was like a poor student who had borrowed a lot of money from a wealthy junior female student’s family, now wanting to make money through her father—he felt utterly uncomfortable in front of her. Probably because he was too poor...
Zhao Yufei puffed out her cheeks in anger as Fan Xiu turned to leave. She kept watching the doorway until his figure disappeared, completely unaware of the serious look in Zhao Defu’s eyes behind her.
Zhao Defu was a man with experience, already having eight concubines. He had seen it all. Could it be that his foolish daughter had developed a crush?
“Yufei.”
“Hmm?” Zhao Yufei turned her head, tilting it in confusion. “What is it, Father?”
Zhao Defu’s expression grew serious. “What do you think of Fan Xiu?”

“He’s wonderful,” Zhao Yufei said with a giggle, clasping her small hands behind her back and gazing at the ceiling beams, her eyes sparkling. “He’s very talented and a good person. When we were at the academy, he often helped me out. Once, when Yang Wenyan and the others teased me for my handwriting looking like chicken claws, it was Fan Xiu who helped me and even taught me how to write!”
Zhao Defu’s eyes narrowed slightly as a light flickered in his mind.
Zhao Yufei spun on her toes, the bells on her skirt ringing crisply. “Father, you don’t know—his essay that passed the exam was publicly read by the dean, who praised his lofty ambitions. Given time, he might even top the examination! It would be a waste to have him go into business!”
Zhao Defu clutched his chest, taking a deep breath. He was certain now. His foolish daughter was indeed interested in Fan Xiu, perhaps without even realizing it herself. After all, she was still young and naive about matters of the heart, thinking it was just ordinary fondness.
Damn it! That scoundrel Fan Xiu! I never should have let you come here. Just one visit, and you stole my daughter’s soul!
But... on second thought, though Fan Xiu was poor now, he was a successful candidate in the imperial exam. How many such scholars were there in Zhiyuan County? He might not be an unworthy match for his daughter.
Still... it just made him angry.

Fan Xiu was completely unaware of Zhao Defu’s thoughts. After leaving the Zhao residence, he wandered around town twice, buying some wheat flour, oil, and other ingredients needed to make cold noodles, as well as some other supplies. The ten taels of silver he had brought were completely spent.
What puzzled Fan Xiu was that the city patrol officers seemed more numerous than before. However, he paid it no mind. After finishing his shopping, he returned home directly.
Upon arriving, Fan Xiu noticed something strange. His sharp-tongued sister-in-law and the “Liu Qing sisters” were chatting and laughing together, getting along quite harmoniously.
“You brat, why did you buy so many things?” Li Shi’s face darkened when she saw Fan Xiu carrying bags and packages, and she demanded angrily. No wonder Xiao Ruoqing worried he would waste money. She had just given him ten taels, and he immediately spent so much?
“Hehe,” Fan Xiu smiled proudly. “Sister-in-law, Brother! Let’s get to work! We’re going to start making money!”