Standing in the courtyard of the rice shop, An Jing spoke with Shi Xiaolan and An Fu before she and Xiao Changyi entered the accounting room together.
The rice shop had plenty of rooms, and one was set aside as an accounting room where An Jing and Xiao Changyi could check the accounts if they came, or just sit for a while.
Meng Lanqing, the shopkeeper of the rice shop, also followed them into the accounting room.
As per An Jing’s request, Meng Lanqing hadn’t made himself look like a rough and fierce man this time, but instead had stuck on a small goatee, had darkened his naturally white face, and his naturally rosy lips were now somewhat pale, making him look at least twenty years older than his actual age.
An Jing looked at Meng Lanqing , said nothing, but asked, "How’s the grain purchasing going?"
Meng Lanqing replied respectfully, "Only thirty thousand catties were purchased. It’s not the time for rice harvesting now. Families that grow rice have essentially sold all the harvested rice already, we can’t buy that much."
An Jing also knew it wasn’t the time to buy rice from people, naturally, she wouldn’t make things difficult for Meng Lanqing; she just heard her say, "Take it slow, this can’t be hurried."
"Then you might as well have the workers pound that thirty thousand catties of rice to sell for now, let’s get the rice shop up and running first."
"You addressed us properly earlier, in the future in front of outsiders you shall call your master the proprietor and refer to me as the lady."
Following that, An Jing and Xiao Changyi looked around the rice shop again, and An Jing was increasingly pleased with how well Meng Lanqing had managed it.
Of course, what she admired even more was her husband’s keen sense of judgment.
Involuntarily, An Jing’s fingers, which were interlocked with Xiao Changyi’s, tightened slightly.
Feeling that little extra pressure on his hand, Xiao Changyi also tightened his grip on the fingers intertwined with hers.
An Jing didn’t tighten her fingers further but just looked at Xiao Changyi and laughed, her eyes brimming with affection.
Now they were standing in the granary warehouse with no one else present, just him and her, so Xiao Changyi lowered his head and affectionately nudged her forehead.
An Jing chuckled even more at the nudge and said, "Since we are both here in the county, and Qian Wei Tavern is so close to our rice shop, let’s go there for lunch. After eating, we’ll head home."
"Mm," Xiao Changyi had no objections.
At the entrance of Qian Wei Tavern stood a waiter who, upon seeing An Jing and Xiao Changyi, invited them in with great courtesy and politeness, regardless of the simplicity of their clothing.
The tavern’s shopkeeper and other waiters also treated people with great courtesy, which reminded An Jing instantly of her first meeting with Wang Youbao; he had been just as courteous and polite.
Truly a tavern managed by Wang Youbao through and through, the staff beneath him were also as knowledgeable in etiquette as he was, showing no disdain for others.
An Jing was very satisfied.
The business at Qian Wei Tavern was very good. Although it wasn’t quite midday yet, there were already quite a few customers, and while they couldn’t see how many people were on the second and third floors, there was but one empty table on the first floor, tucked in a corner.
Without asking if there were any seats available on the second or third floors, An Jing and Xiao Changyi went straight to the empty table in the corner to sit down.
Without revealing that they owned the tavern jointly with Wang Youbao, An Jing directly ordered three dishes from the waiter, one meat and two vegetable dishes.
The dishes would take some time to be prepared and brought out, so the waiter also brought them a pot of tea.
Xiao Changyi picked up the teapot, poured two cups of tea, one for An Jing and one for himself.