30, Reward (2 more)
In that small bowl was a mix of green and white.
With just one glance, Li Hengyi’s eyes slightly reddened.
He hadn’t expected that in this world, there would be such a stranger who would make this dish for him.
He brought it to the table, then took a spoon and gently scooped it up to taste.
An indescribable flavor, so pure… tofu, with no other ingredients added.
Scallion tofu, one clear, two white.
“…”
Li Hengyi quietly hummed and then had two more bites in succession.
But just those three spoonfuls were the most he had eaten in one meal in three years.
“Miss Xie, this is the dish I made for you, please try it!”
“Miss Xie, this is my…”
“Miss Xie…”
Watching the enthusiastic chefs, Xie Zhinuan laughed helplessly, “Thank you, but I can’t eat this much by myself!”
“Miss Xie, will you leave early tomorrow? Why not stay a few more days…”
“I will leave tomorrow, and I might come back again in a month!”
By that time, when her house was ready, she planned to buy all sorts of household goods like pots, pans, ladles, bedding, and mosquito nets.
Although these items were available in the market town, those in the county town were invariably better.
Knowing that Xie Zhinuan would return in a month, the chefs were delighted.
After Xie Zhinuan had eaten her fill, she carried a bowl of porridge out of the kitchen to feed Routuan.
The little dog was not picky; he ate whatever porridge he was given, and he ate it with relish.
After she took him beneath a big tree, he did his business.
Once done, he returned to Xie Zhinuan’s side, plump and extremely well-behaved.
“Azhu!”
“Miss Xie!” Azhu immediately responded.
“Can you go out and buy me some cotton?” asked Xie Zhinuan.
She wanted to make a simple cushion for Routuan to sleep on.
“How much cotton does the young lady need? If it’s not a lot, I can just ask the mistress for some!”
Xie Zhinuan nodded.
Azhu went to Madam Yuan, stating that Xie Zhinuan needed cotton.
Madam Yuan immediately took out a lump of cotton and asked Azhu to bring it to Xie Zhinuan.
Xie Zhinuan organized it a bit, stuffed a small cushion, placed it inside a bamboo basket, and put Routuan inside.
“…”
Azhu looked on in astonishment.
This was a bed for the dog?
Xie Zhinuan didn’t care what Azhu thought. She scratched Routuan’s belly, and the little dog hummed in comfort. Looking at him, Xie Zhinuan’s mood lifted immensely.
After playing for a while and feeling a bit tired, she took off her clothes and planned to rest a while.
Azhu, lips pursed, left the room and started sewing at the doorway.
Inside the house, one person and one dog slept soundly.
Yuan Cheng was waiting at the counter until Li Hengyi and Yuanbao came downstairs.
“A reward,” was all Li Hengyi said flatly.
Yuanbao, momentarily taken aback, immediately took out a small gold ingot and placed it on the counter. Without looking at Yuan Cheng’s grateful expression, he hurried after Li Hengyi.
“Sir!”
“Hmm?”
“Have you eaten?” Yuanbao asked in a low voice.
“I have,” answered Li Hengyi, pausing for a moment.
He turned back to glance at Yuanji Restaurant, where the scent of Leng Zhuxiang was still present but had faded a great deal.
He then stepped into the horse carriage.
Yuanbao quickly instructed the carriage driver to head to the posthouse.
Inside the carriage, Li Hengyi continued to savor the taste of the tofu.
A bland taste, but it was the rare food he could swallow these past three years.
Behind the counter, Yuan Cheng was still in shock.
Gold, he had actually received gold today…
By the looks of it, it must have been at least five taels, all for a single dish, such a generous reward.
He hurried up to the second-floor private rooms and pushed open the door to the one by the window.
There on the table was just a bowl. He went closer and saw it was a bowl of scallion tofu.
“…” Yuan Cheng suddenly felt disoriented.
Chapter 32