novelraw Chapter 676: She Doesn’t Feel Sorry for Him Anymore
Chapter 676: She Doesn’t Feel Sorry for Him Anymore
Elder Qin yawned and said, "I’ve been working at the Songzi Manor as a blacksmith recently, leaving early and returning late, so I’m not quite sure if anyone has upset her. That girl seems the same as before. Today, when she went to Songzi Manor to transport fire ham, she went out of her way to pay her respects to me and even left me a whole fire ham. She seemed quite happy."
Qin San Lang’s brows furrowed as he listened. No one upset her? Then why didn’t she come out to see him?
Seeing that he was genuinely concerned, Elder Qin added, "I guess she is just too tired from being busy all day, so she didn’t get up to see you."
"Really?" Qin San Lang was skeptical and looked disappointed. In the past, even if Xiao Yu was exhausted, she would get up as soon as she heard the birds chirping because she knew he was coming back. She didn’t want to make his evening journey a waste; no matter how tired, she would get up to see him.
She was always so considerate of him.
So why not this time?
Elder Qin, watching Qin San Lang frown in puzzlement and looking a bit aggrieved, chuckled and said, "Don’t think too much, go to sleep. Get up early tomorrow to help out and find an opportunity to ask her. Maybe the young lady just wants to playfully act up a bit."
"Playfully act up?" Qin San Lang didn’t understand. "Is Xiao Yu angry? Did I do something to make her angry?"
Elder Qin laughed and said, "She can playfully act up without being angry. Your mother used to do that often with your father, driving him to panic, so much that he couldn’t even enjoy his meat. But in fact, your mother wasn’t really angry about anything; she just wanted to act up a bit to get your father to coax her."
Elder Qin spoke as if with rich experience: "Just go and coax Xiao Yu tomorrow, say some nice things, and she will be good to you again."
Qin San Lang was still worried, feeling that Xiao Yu wouldn’t throw a tantrum for no reason, but it was already midnight. Since Xiao Yu didn’t come out, and he had already disturbed Gu Jin’an, all he could do was to hold back from seeing her and wait until tomorrow.
"Grandpa, here are your salted meat pancakes." Qin San Lang took out a package of salted meat pancakes and handed them to Elder Qin.
Elder Qin hummed and pointed to the fried fruit strips he had been holding all along, "The old man wants to eat this."
Great Chu didn’t produce many fruits, and there were even fewer in winter. These fried fruit strips must have come from Jiangnan, and a package cost a hefty price.
Qin San Lang said, "This is sweet, Grandpa doesn’t like sweets. Have the salted meat pancakes, I bought the ones with extra fatty meat for you."
"I have been too good to you for nothing," Elder Qin took the salted meat pancakes and went back inside, then turned to Qin San Lang and added, "The food Xiao Yu gave me is much tastier than what you bought, whether it’s fire ham or pickled vegetables with meat - any of them is better than yours. If you ever argue with her in the future, I’m definitely siding with her, not you."
Serves you right for being stingy and cheap!
Qin San Lang smiled, "Right, Grandpa siding with Xiao Yu is good."
If he ever argued with Xiao Yu, it definitely would be his fault.
Elder Qin shook his head, "You really are like your father."
But...
"Treat Xiao Yu well. Who knows how much trouble she will have to endure because of you in the future. Just be grateful that she still bothers with you."
San Lang will have to seek revenge in the future, but that revenge won’t be easy to carry out.
Qin San Lang nodded, "I understand, Grandpa."
He would make sure everything was arranged properly so that Xiao Yu would not be endangered or burdened with difficulties.
"Your brother..." Elder Qin initially wanted to ask about Qin Er Lang but then stopped himself, "Nevermind, it’s late, I’m going back to sleep."
Qin San Lang knew Elder Qin was worried about Qin Er Lang and said, "Grandpa, don’t worry, Er Lang has changed quite a bit. He has done very well these past three years."
Elder Qin nodded, "Alright, I know."
After speaking, he returned to his room to sleep.
Qin San Lang went to the outer room instead, put away the Fried Fruit Strips, took a hot bath, and then fell asleep.
He got up just four hours later when the sky was still dim, but the Gu Family’s lights were already on, and Qin San Lang heard whispering, which he figured was the Gu Family People making arrangements to go to Yanfu Building.
After practicing a set of boxing and blade techniques in the courtyard, he went to the kitchen, heated a small pot of oil, fried the cooled Fried Fruit Strips again, wrapped them in oil paper, changed his clothes, and took the Fried Fruit Strips to Gu Jinli’s house.
Knock, knock, knock!
"Who is it?" Da Tuan asked from the gatehouse.
Qin San Lang: "It’s me."
Hearing his voice, Da Tuan immediately came to open the door: "Brother Qin is back, come in quickly."
Qin San Lang nodded and carried the Fried Fruit Strips to find Gu Jinli, only to find that she hadn’t gotten up yet.
Knowing Qin San Lang would definitely come to look for her early in the morning, Gu Jinli indulged in a lie-in. She didn’t come out of her room, and Qin San Lang didn’t dare to barge in.
With no alternative, Qin San Lang had to help the Gu Family move things to the mule cart to be taken to Yanfu Building while keeping the Fried Fruit Strips with him.
Gu Jin’an was also helping to move things and glanced at Qin San Lang a couple of times, but said nothing.
Gu Jinli didn’t get up until almost chen time; any later and she would miss the right time.
She hurriedly brushed her teeth, washed her face, changed clothes, had breakfast, and then took Xiao Ji on the mule cart with Gu Dashan, Gu Jin’an, Brother Cheng, and Gu Daya to head to Yanfu Building in the town.
Mrs. Cui also instructed her: "Come back early, don’t squeeze into crowded places."
Looking at Qin San Lang, she said: "San Lang, if there’s anything Xiao Yu finds inconvenient to do, help her out. After returning in the afternoon, let Xiao Yu cook grilled fish for you."
The whole Quan Family People liked San Lang, their son-in-law; they had to hold onto such a good young man and not let him slip away.
Seeing Mrs. Cui worried that Qin San Lang might leave, Gu Jinli hastened to say: "Mother, today I’m just going to Yanfu Building to oversee the dishes and to explain how to eat the ham to everyone. I won’t run around, there’s nothing for Qin San Lang to help with, I’ll be back in the afternoon, so don’t worry."
Since it was the third anniversary rather than an opening, it was not necessary for all the families to go, and her going to Yanfu Building was firstly because she was one of the owners, and secondly to check if the cooks had spoiled the ham; there wasn’t much to do.
Qin San Lang felt a pang in his heart; Xiao Yu didn’t call him Brother Qin anymore, which meant she was quite upset.
He was anxious and rode a horse to follow to Yanfu Building.
At the moment, Yanfu Building’s main entrance was bustling with people, many of whom carried baskets to buy food. Seeing Gu Family’s mule cart, they shouted: "Oh, Little Boss Gu is here! Are today’s dishes all 20% off?"
Gu Jinli lifted the curtain of the cart and replied to the questioner: "Aunt Cai, except for the ham, all dishes are 20% off, and we’ll give plenty of food. It’s absolutely worth it."
Aunt Cai’s family also ran a food shop, but the Cai Family was very loyal to Yanfu Building’s dishes. They would come to eat once a month, and during Dongzhi every year, they would come early to line up and buy dishes when Yanfu Building offered discounts.
After hearing Gu Jinli’s answer, Aunt Cai asked: "Manager Qi said that the first hundred customers could also get five free slices of ham, is that true? What is this ham? Can a leg catch fire?"
Gu Jinli laughed when she heard the question: "It’s true that the first hundred customers can have a few free slices of ham. As for what this ham is, you’ll know after you eat it. It’s guaranteed to be delicious."
Aunt Cai was confident in being the first, thus definitely able to taste the ham. She didn’t ask further, and merely waited for Yanfu Building to open so she could try the ham.
Others who weren’t interested in spending money on buying dishes then asked: "Little Boss Gu, can one still receive crystal cake for free?"
Every Dongzhi, Yanfu Building would make a lot of crystal cake to give away for free until they ran out, and these people came to get the crystal cake as their children really wanted to eat it.