In the following days, Qiao Suiman busied himself with preparations for the dragon boat races next month. To attract customers, just perilla drinks wouldn’t be enough. This season, wild tea leaves on the mountains were lush and abundant. They are growing even at the foot of the hills. Villagers often picked them to dry and brew at home.
Every day, he went to the foot of the mountain to pluck the tender tips of the wild tea leaves, not wasting the remaining stems either, which he took them home to use as firewood. After two mornings of this, he had gathered more than half of the wild tea leaves from the area and stopped for the time being.
The peach tree in the backyard was blooming densely. Worried that overcrowding would affect fruit production and also planning to make a peach blossom drink, he pruned a good number of the flowers.
That day, he once again laid out the wild tea leaves and peach blossoms on the wooden rack in the yard to dry. The weather had been favorable lately, and in another day or two, they would be completely dry and ready for storage. Besides these, he also bought half a jin of sugar from the Zheng family. Just half a jin cost thirty wen, and it wouldn’t last long. The expense pained him deeply.
Between the bamboo tubes and the sugar, he had already spent four hundred and fifty wen. Thus, he threw himself into the task with even greater determination, bustling about every day until even Qiao Ruifeng and Qin Yu were both nervous because of him.
Qiao Suiman took some of the partially dried wild tea leaves and peach blossoms, boiled a pot of water, and steeped a small handful of the tea leaves. Once the tea’s color emerged, he added a few dried peach blossoms, and immediately, a fresh fragrance filled the air. He then stirred in a little sugar, mixed it well, and fished out the tea leaves and blossoms.
He took a deep breath. It smelled wonderful. The light aroma of the wild tea blended with the sweetness of the peach blossoms, a scent that lifted the spirits. He fetched three small bowls, poured a little into each, and carried them to the main room.
Qin Yu was stitching shoe soles. Qiao Ruifeng had been working hard at the docks lately, and the soles of both his shoes had worn thin. Qin Yu had simply bought a pile of scrap fabric to make two new pairs. Since soles required sturdy material but not fine cloth, he had gotten a heap of tattered fabric for just two or three wen which is perfect for the task.
“Done?” Qin Yu asked with a faint smile.
“Mm, try it. I’ll go call Da-ge.”
Qiao Suiman hurried off to the backyard, where Qiao Ruifeng was preparing fertilizer. The seedlings in the paddy fields had sprouted, and it was time to fertilize them.
“Ge, come drink this when you’re done.”
“Alright, I’ll be there soon.”
Qiao Suiman returned to the main room and saw Qin Yu had already drunk half his bowl. “Qin Yu-ge, how is it?”
“Delicious. The peach blossoms are sour, but the water ratio is just right this time, and the sugar is perfect. It’s much better than yesterday’s.”
The day before, Qiao Suiman had tried a batch but used too little water and not enough sugar, leaving only the taste of the wild tea mixed with the sourness of the peach blossoms which was not particularly pleasant. Today’s attempt was much improved.
He picked up his own bowl and took a sip. Indeed, with a bit more sugar, the drink went down smoothly. A smile curved his lips. Once the peaches ripened next month, adding some diced fruit would make it even better.
Qiao Ruifeng soon joined them after washing his hands. He gulped down several mouthfuls first to quench his thirst before savoring it slowly. “Tasty. Is this the one you plan to sell?”
“Mm, just one type won’t be enough. Besides the perilla drink and this peach blossom drink, I’m also planning to make plum syrup[mfn]梅子浆 – A thick, sweetened preserve made by boiling plums with sugar, similar to jam or syrup. It can be stored for long periods and diluted with water to make a drink.[/mfn]. I heard at the market that boiling plums into syrups and sealing it can preserve it for a long time. When you want to drink it, just scoop a little and mix it with water.”
Lately, Qiao Suiman had been pondering other drinks he could make. He also heard of a lychee syrup drink from Lingnan, but since lychees weren’t grown in Shuiqing Town and buying them from elsewhere was too expensive, he had to make do with the fruit trees in their backyard.
With these three options plus two types of bamboo containers, customers would have choices, and business would likely fare much better.
Truthfully, the plums from the backyard would be perfect for making plum wine, but his past experiences had left him with a deep aversion to alcohol. The thought of making it himself was out of the question.
“Alright, it’s up to you,” Qiao Ruifeng nodded. Xiao Man had always had a knack for this sort of thing. It is best to let him take the lead.
The courtyard gate creaked softly as someone knocked. Qiao Suiman opened it to find Lu Dongqing standing there, holding three bamboo tubes.
“I’ve finished carving the bamboo tubes. Take a look,” he said, his tone carrying a hint of pride.
“Great, come in and sit.” Qiao Suiman had guessed he will arrive today or tomorrow. Sure enough, here he was, and faster than expected.
Once everyone was seated in the main room, Qiao Suiman fetched another bowl and poured some peach blossom drink for Lu Dongqing, offering it with a smile. “Try this new drink.”
“Thank you.”
Lu Dongqing set down the bamboo tubes, pushing them toward Qiao Suiman for inspection, then picked up the bowl and sipped slowly. After a couple of tastes, he remarked, “You added sugar? It’s good. The flavor is unique.”
Qiao Suiman grinned. “Glad you like it. There’s wild tea in it too.”
Since everyone approved, it seemed the recipe was a success.
He picked up one of the bamboo tubes. The outer green layer had been sanded away, and the body was carved with a scene of zongzi steaming on a rack. It was instantly recognizable. Beside it were a few characters he couldn’t read, but they likely wished good health for the Dragon Boat Festival.
“The carving is amazing! You even sanded it. That must’ve taken a lot of effort,” Qiao Suiman exclaimed.
A faint smile tugged at Lu Dongqing’s lips. “Sanding doesn’t take long. It’s no trouble. Do you like the design?”
With the green outer layer removed, the bamboo revealed a pale yellow surface, making the carvings stand out even more. Qiao Suiman was thoroughly pleased. “It’s beautiful, really beautiful. Your craftsmanship is incredible.”
He examined the other two bamboo tubes. One, as promised, featured a dragon boat. It’s not just the vessel itself but also small figures sketched with a few strokes, each rowing vigorously and creating a vivid scene.
The last one depicted spectators watching the race. Though simple, it captured the crowd cheering for different teams, even including the raised pavilion where the county magistrate and wealthy merchants would sit. The detail was exquisite and clever.
Qiao Ruifeng and Qin Yu also picked them up to admire, praising them endlessly. All three bamboo tubes shared one feature: a character carved at the bottom. Recalling Lu Dongqing’s earlier words, Qiao Suiman guessed it was the character “Lu.”
“This is really special. How did you come up with it?” Qiao Suiman asked curiously.
“I heard the dragon boat races were organized by the county magistrate and wealthy merchants, with lots of spectators. That gave me the ideaand it might attract more customers.”
“That makes sense. I hadn’t thought of that.”
Qiao Suiman felt a pang of regret. Thankfully, Lu Dongqing was full of ideas otherwise, they might have missed a great opportunity. Carving the spectators into the design would surely entice more people to buy.
“Should I keep carving them like this then?” Remembering his mother’s advice, Lu Dongqing deliberately softened his tone.
Qiao Suiman’s heart suddenly raced uncontrollably. The gentle tone flustered him, though he hadn’t even realized when his perception of Lu Dongqing had shifted. He no longer finds him cold and intimidating but instead warm and kind-hearted.
He lowered his head slightly. “Mm, this is perfect.”
Qiao Ruifeng cleared his throat. Watching these two them made his teeth ache. There was something unbearably sweet about the way they interacted. He cut in, “Since the designs are settled, what about the deposit?”
“Thirty percent is fine. I’ll deliver them by the twenty-fifth,” Lu Dongqing replied promptly.
Thirty percent wasn’t excessive. Qiao Suiman nodded. He’d been thinking the same. “Alright. Stay a little longer. I’ll go get the money.”
“Sure.”
Qiao Suiman went to his room and retrieved his money box. Inside was a string of two hundred wen. He untied the knot, counted out seventy-four wen to put back, then retied the string.
Sixty bamboo tubes would cost four hundred and twenty wen, so thirty percent came to one hundred and twenty-six wen. He took out the copper coins, locked the box, and returned to the main room.
Lu Dongqing accepted the coins and carefully tucked them into his robe, saying solemnly, “I’ll have them done before wheat harvest. I won’t cut corners.”
“Mm, I trust you.”
Lu Dongqing couldn’t help but chuckle softly. Even when he returned home, his face still wore a radiant smile.
The three bamboo tubes remained with the Qiao family. Now, he had to focus on carving the rest: twenty of each design. With half a month left, aside from the two hours of daily training and fieldwork, he still had four or five hours a day for bamboo work. It was more than enough. He could even make some other small items.
Miao Lianhua watched her eldest son return home with a grin that hadn’t faded since he stepped through the door. Amused, she asked, “Did you settle things with him?”
“Mm, he said it was great,” Lu Dongqing replied, still smiling. He handed her the one hundred and twenty-six wen. “Mother, this is the deposit. Keep it.”
Thinking of how Qiao Suiman had repeatedly praised his craftsmanship, Lu Dongqing grinned like a fool.
Lu Xuesong returned from the fields and, upon entering, saw his elder brother beaming. “Mother, did Da-ge find money on the ground?”
“He didn’t find money, but I think he lost his heart somewhere.”
Miao Lianhua sighed helplessly. “You keep the money. I still have some. If you like him, work hard and earn more. Our situation isn’t great now. At the very least, we need to fix up the house properly.”
The other day, when Lu Dongqing carved a hairpin and asked her for thread, wrapping it around a few exquisitely carved bamboo leaves and even coloring them, but he didn’t take them from the market to sell. Combined with the way he looked at Man-ge’er, she wasn’t blind. She knew what was going on.
She felt both happy and worried. Her son was no longer young. By all rights, he should’ve married long ago. But after his father’s passing and their family’s hardships, he had shown no interest in romance. Before, when she urged him to talk more with girls and ge’r, he just pretended not to hear. Now, at least, he was making little gifts to please someone.
What worried her was their current circumstances. They were far from well-off. The Qiao family’s house was impressive, and without a burdensome father, their fortunes would surely rise. She couldn’t let her son bring someone into their cramped home. They will need to build a new house at the very least. She sighed again. Then they would just have to work and save.
Back when Lu Lai’an married her, he had given four taels of silver as betrothal gifts. Now, for her son’s marriage, they couldn’t offer less than that.
She inquired about the Qiao family and interacted with them herself. They were well-mannered children. When her eldest helped nail the wooden coffin for a full day and night, she’d initially thought thirty wen was too little, but since Lu Dongqing had suggested it himself, she didn’t argue.
Yet after the funeral, the Qiao family had brought over vegetables and gourds to express their gratitude, even adding an extra fifty wen, leaving her with nothing to criticize. Man-ge’er might seem delicate, but he has a strong will. With children like these, their future would surely be bright.
Thankfully, she made sure her eldest learned a craft early. Otherwise, they might not have been good enough.
“The Qiao family just had a funeral, so they likely won’t be arranging marriages anytime soon. Take this time to save up. It’ll make things easier later.”
“I know.” Lu Dongqing’s voice was firm. In his view, providing for a family is a man’s duty. His father, despite his poor health, had still taught children to read and write to earn tuition. With his own robust body, he had even more responsibility to shoulder.
And besides, he didn’t want Qiao Suiman to suffer anymore.
Translator [LUNE]: I’m going to translate another story! I’ve been trying to hold off on it since I still have an ongoing one but it’s just too cute not to share. ૮(⁔。o̶̶̷ ·̫ o̶̶̷。⁔)ა If you are interested in entertainment circle, fantasy, modern, and mpreg (with twin buns!), please check out The Substitute Succubus Returns with a Ball
Reading this chapter I feel so warm in my heart (ꈍᴗꈍ) ……
Thank you very much translater ……