novelraw Chapter 677: I’m Sorry
Chapter 677: I’m Sorry
"Yes, Little Boss Gu, we came all the way from Baihe Town. It’s a long journey just to get the crystal cakes. If we can’t get them, there will be children crying and elders causing a fuss back home."
Over the past three years, Yanfu Building’s reputation has spread throughout the entire county, and even gourmets from the Prefecture City and Linhe Prefecture have heard of it, occasionally visiting Yanfu Building for a meal.
Xiao Ji saw that these people kept addressing the Young Master, and many young lads were staring intently at the Young Master, which made him angry. He pulled Little Boss Gu back into the cart, stuck his head out, glared at those youngsters who were looking at the Young Master, and said to those asking, "Our Yanfu Building started preparing the crystal cakes two days in advance. We’ve made a lot, a lot. Latecomers might not know, but you guys in this batch will definitely get some."
After he finished speaking, he ducked back into the mule cart and said to Gu Jinli, "Young Master, why do these people love to haggle for petty gains?"
They come to line up just to get free cakes. Can’t they spend a bit of Silver?
Gu Jinli laughed: "Loving petty gains is human nature. Don’t you also like free stuff? Crystal cakes are easy to make and not costly. Since it’s a holiday today, let’s just make everyone happy. The little kids will be delighted if they get to eat their favorite cakes during the festivities."
Besides, the Silver she earns from selling one leg of ham is enough for her to give away crystal cakes for free every day.
Thinking of the ham made Gu Jinli happy; it was a real moneymaker.
There were too many people at the front entrance of Yanfu Building, so the mule cart did not stop there and instead took a detour to the back entrance. Gu Jinli and her group got off the cart and entered Yanfu Building through the back door.
Qin San Lang was leading the horse and followed Gu Jinli closely, his eyes glued to her, looking for a chance to speak, but Gu Jinli just wouldn’t pay him any attention.
Qin San Lang felt aggrieved. Why was Xiao Yu completely ignoring him?
Qi Kangping had stayed at the restaurant last night, busy with the anniversary celebrations of the inn. After seeing them, he hurriedly came over: "Xiao Yu, you’re here. The stage on the first floor is all set, and the hams are stored in the rear dwelling’s side room of the inn. As per your instructions, all the hams are hanging from the ceiling of the side room. Do you want to take a look and choose which hams to auction?"
Indeed, the hams were to be auctioned; the highest bidder wins. If nobody bids, she’ll just keep the hams as ballast—she would never sell them cheap, that’s how much she loves money!
Gu Jinli nodded, "Alright, thanks for the trouble, Cousin Ping. I’ll go to the rear dwelling now to select the hams."
She planned to select ten hams for the auction.
"Father, Big Brother, you guys go ahead to the main hall and get busy. I expect that soon there will be big customers coming." Two months earlier, Yanfu Building had already sent invitations to Master Qi, Boss Hu, the Zheng Family, the Shangguan family, and many rich patrons who came to Yanfu Building for its famed cuisine, inviting them to a tasting of the ham.
A tasting was just a gimmick. After the tasting, the auction would begin, and they would fleece these wealthy families.
"Eh, you go on, we’ll go to the front to help out. Don’t worry about the front," Gu Dashan replied, leading the mule cart to the livestock shed.
Qin San Lang followed Gu Dashan, leading the horse. After tying the horse up, he quickly left.
Gu Jinli took Xiao Ji to the rear dwelling’s side room specially used for storing hams. This side room was modified for storing hams. Upon entering, a unique aroma of ham greeted them.
Xiao Ji looked up at the hams hanging from the ceiling, frowned, and said, "Young Master, will people really pay big money for these moldy pig legs?"
Gu Jinli glared at her: "What pig legs, this is ham, the kind that makes a fresh pot of soup with just one slice. It’s not moldy; that’s normal. Just wipe it off when eating it."
Xiao Ji had a face full of polite refusal: "I won’t eat it."
Gu Jinli chuckled: "You wish, as if something so expensive is meant for eating—you’re just dreaming."
Little girl, wait until you know how delicious ham is, then you’ll beg me for it. When that time comes, I won’t give you any—don’t you cry then.
Gu Jinli walked around the room, looking up at the hams, and then said to Xiao Ji, "Go get the White Porcelain Basin, I want to use it for the hams. Be careful not to break it; it’s very expensive."
The recipe for making white porcelain is held in the hands of the nobles, hence white porcelain in Great Chu is very expensive. Ordinary families only use pottery.
Although Gu Jinli knew how to make white porcelain, her family was still farmers; she dared not dabble in making white porcelain, which could bring misfortune.
"Eh, the slave will go now." Xiao Ji turned and left the room.
She had not gone far when Gu Jinli felt someone behind her, pulled out the Dagger, and swung at the person behind her.
Qin San Lang caught her wrist but dared not use too much force, afraid of hurting her.
But Gu Jinli was not polite with him. With one hand held, she used her other elbow to hit Qin San Lang’s abdomen hard, then pushed him to the door.
With a bang, Qin San Lang’s back slammed against the door panel, a smile in his eyes as he looked at her: "Xiao Yu."
"What fish? What are you doing here? You’re not allowed in this place," Gu Jinli was very angry, feeling the urge to explode whenever she saw him.
Seeing her angry, Qin San Lang felt a bit panicked and instinctively said, "Sorry."
"Sorry?" Gu Jinli raised an eyebrow, scrutinizing him: "Do you know what you did wrong?"
Qin San Lang honestly shook his head: "I don’t know, but Xiao Yu is angry, so apologizing is the right thing to do."
Gu Jinli was so annoyed she wanted to hit someone: "Why are you apologizing if you don’t know what you did wrong?"
Her elbow retracted, and she turned to leave in a huff.
Qin San Lang had been worried all night and into the morning; how could he let her walk away? He grabbed her wrist and wouldn’t let go: "Xiao Yu, please don’t be mad, alright?"
Gu Jinli turned back and glared at him: "Let go, I have work to do."
Qin San Lang said: "You’ve already picked out the ham, I’ll help you take it down later, you won’t have much work to do."
He held onto her wrist tightly, not letting go. While talking, he stepped forward a few steps, moved in front of her, and leaned towards her.
Gu Jinli was startled, stepped back a few steps, her back against the door panel, and looked up at him angrily: "What are you doing? Are you looking for death?"
I’ll give you a crippling kick soon.
Qin San Lang was taller than most people his age, and although Gu Jinli was not short, she felt a sense of oppression when he leaned in.
He lowered his head, his somewhat deep eyes looking at her, continuing to apologize: "Sorry."
He looked somewhat aggrieved as he apologized.
Gu Jinli didn’t speak and turned her head away.
Qin San Lang didn’t know what to do, his gaze burning as he watched her... Why was she still angry? What exactly was she angry about? Couldn’t she just tell him?
He looked at her belly again; could it be that it was still uncomfortable? But so many days had passed, it should have been better by now.
... Her waist is so slim, why doesn’t she gain weight no matter how much she eats?
Hmm, he should make her eat more in the future, she’d be cuter with a bit more weight, though it would cost a lot in food, but that’s not a problem, he would work hard to earn money, buy more food and meat to nurture her.
His gaze moved upwards, and what he saw was her puffed-up angry face and rosy lips.
Her lip color was particularly beautiful, like the begonias that used to grow in his home, making him unable to resist getting closer to her, wanting to smell if there was a faint scent of flowers.