Before noon, the whole family hurriedly returned home.
Shi Qingran and Yuan Yuan, who were waiting at home, rushed out to greet them in surprise. Jia Xiaomei very perceptively brought out four bowls of sweet water for everyone to warm up.
“Big brother, you’re back so early~” Yuan Yuan threw himself into Yuan Zhao’s arms, warm and soft. “I wasn’t even done missing you yet.”
Yuan Zhao rubbed his cheeks. “We’re not going to the stall for the next few days. You don’t need to miss me—I’ll stay home with you.”
“Really? Then can Big Brother teach us to write? I already know how to write my name!” Yuan Yuan said proudly.
Yuan Zhao widened his eyes. “You’re that amazing?”
Shi Wuxiang couldn’t help but think of when he first taught Yuan Zhao to write. Back then, it almost turned into mutual frustration.
Thinking of that, he let out a faint laugh.
Yuan Zhao immediately shot him a warning look.
Shi Wuxiang coughed twice on cue, and Yuan Zhao instantly changed expression. “You should really see a doctor. This isn’t something you can ignore!”
“Shut up,” Shi Wuxiang muttered through his teeth.
Yuan Zhao looked completely baffled. “I’m worried about you—how can you scold me?”
Yuan Yuan, holding onto Yuan Zhao’s arm, also looked slightly indignant at Shi Wuxiang.
“Shi Wuxiang, go back to your room!” Shi Zhangshi immediately scolded.
Shi Wuxiang raised an eyebrow but obediently went inside, even casually ruffling Yuan Yuan’s hair on the way.
Shi Zhangshi wasn’t truly angry, just exasperated. “Don’t bother with him. He just doesn’t know how to talk properly. He’s read too many books and gone a bit silly!”
“That’s not exactly…” Yuan Zhao tried to defend him softly, then smiled anyway.
His “mother” was clearly on his side.
Shi Zhangshi pulled him over affectionately. “Don’t spoil him too much. He needs a few scoldings to feel satisfied. You’re too soft on him.”
Yuan Zhao hesitated. “Maybe we should get the village doctor to check on him?”
Shi Zhangshi didn’t mind. “Let Qingyue go. You go rest.”
So Yuan Zhao went back to his room with Yuan Yuan. Soon, they heard Shi Qingyue leaving to fetch the village doctor.
Jia Xiaomei stood nearby serving tea, observing the warm household atmosphere. It looked harmonious—but somehow, there was a faint sense of distance she couldn’t quite explain. Still, her own family hadn’t been any better, so she assumed it was just her imagination.
Not running the stall felt unusually relaxing.
Yuan Zhao slept in for once and didn’t wake early. He and Shi Wuxiang even spent a long time talking in bed, far more relaxed than usual.
“Ah Xiang!”
He called out with a slightly hoarse voice. Shi Wuxiang, reading in the side room, walked in and looked at him. “What is it?”
“You’re not going to the stall, so why are you still up so early? I thought I remembered wrong!” Yuan Zhao said, immediately blaming him for no reason.
Shi Wuxiang sighed and rolled up his sleeves. “Do you want me to teach you a lesson?”
Yuan Zhao quickly wrapped himself in the blanket and rolled away.
Shi Wuxiang easily pulled him out of the bedding. “Didn’t you promise Yuan Yuan you’d write together? He’s already waiting for you.”
Yuan Zhao was shocked. “What? He already finished eating and is waiting?”
“And he already knows how to write your name.”
“That fast?!” Yuan Zhao immediately brightened. “He’s so smart!”
But when it came to writing himself… that was another story.
“Yuan Zhao! You clearly wrote it wrong. Don’t you even know where you went wrong?” Shi Wuxiang said in disbelief.
“Y-you just scold me then! Don’t scold my brother!” Yuan Yuan immediately cried out, trembling.
Shi Wuxiang exhaled deeply. “I’m not scolding him.”
“Okay!” Yuan Yuan instantly stopped looking pitiful and calmly went back to writing.
Shi Wuxiang: “……”
He had just been tricked by a child.
In the end, he could only continue supervising their writing. Watching Yuan Zhao’s messy strokes, he found himself unable to stay angry.
Instead, he just wanted to laugh.
“Ha…” He let out a short laugh, carrying a thick sense of helplessness. “Not bad. Well written.”
Yuan Zhao looked at him suspiciously. “Why does your praise sound like an insult?”
“Yuan Zhao, don’t force me to hit you at a time like this.” Shi Wuxiang tapped him lightly with his chin. “Keep writing.”
So Yuan Zhao returned to his writing. During the process, Yuan Wan did not say a single word, focusing intensely on writing. Even his legs hanging below the chair were stiffly tensed, showing just how concentrated he was.
Watching them finish practicing their writing, Shi Wuxiang felt as though he had already exhausted all his strength and methods, but at least he had managed to get all the family members’ names written properly and smoothly.
Yuan Zhao looked at his own characters and kept nodding. “I’m really amazing.”
Shi Wuxiang suppressed a cold laugh, took a sip of the bitter tea, and barely managed to regain a bit of energy.
He rested his chin in his hand and watched the two of them admiring each other’s handwriting. The faint smile in his half-lowered eyes flickered slightly. Only at moments like this did Yuan Zhao seem childlike.
With the atmosphere in the room loosening, they could now hear the sounds of movement coming from outside. It was already around lunchtime.
The Shi household ate three meals a day, and if Shi Qingxuan got hungry, it could easily become four or five meals. At this moment, he was already waiting in the main hall for food.
“I’m hungry too.” Yuan Zhao said, rubbing his stomach with a frown. “Studying is actually more tiring than setting up a street stall. It’s terrifying.”
Thinking about the characters Yuan Zhao had written, Shi Wuxiang nodded in full agreement. “Indeed terrifying.”
Soon after, the aroma of food drifted in through the air. Yuan Zhao and Yuan Wan’s stomachs began to rumble at the right moment, and even Shi Wuxiang felt hungrier than usual.
Without needing Madam Jia Xiaomei to call them, the three of them hurried into the main hall to eat.
After learning their preferences, Jia Xiaomei now dared to cook freely. This meal was made especially to suit their tastes. She herself sat on a small stool at the side with a bowl of rice, eating while occasionally getting up to help whenever needed, without delaying her own meal.
After eating, Yuan Zhao prepared to teach Jia Xiaomei how to make rolled pancakes.
Standing by the stove, he explained, “You already know how to mix the batter. Just scoop a ladle and spread it on the stone pan, scrape it into a thin, even pancake, and it cooks immediately—it’s very fast. You also need to crack an egg and spread it evenly. Watch me do it and you’ll understand…”
“There are spicy and non-spicy sauces. You must always ask the customer which one they want. And also what fillings they prefer. Even though customers will usually say what they want, you still need to ask again. Otherwise, you might waste the whole thing.”
“After it’s done, cut it in half and wrap it in oil paper. That’s it. Be careful with your hands—don’t touch the pancake, or customers won’t like it.”
Compared to teaching her how to cook, Yuan Zhao was more focused on teaching her how to serve customers. Once the shop truly opened, those regular customers would definitely come back. It would be bad if they offended them.
Jia Xiaomei also understood what she needed to do. After watching Yuan Zhao once, she immediately tried it herself. The Shi family had said it didn’t matter if she made mistakes—any failures would just be eaten by them.
As an experienced cook, she quickly got the hang of it. Though she was a bit flustered, she still managed to spread the batter in a fairly skilled manner—cracking eggs, smoothing the batter, flipping it, brushing on sauce, and layering everything inside before rolling it up.
When the knife sliced through it, there was a crisp, crackling sound from the inside. Just hearing it made one know how delicious it would be.
She handed the finished rolled pancake to Yuan Zhao. He took a bite and immediately passed it to Shi Wuxiang. No one in the family bothered with formalities; they just shared it and finished it together.
“So good,” Shi Qingran said in a clear voice. “It tastes just like what Sister-in-law makes.”
Jia Xiaomei was flattered and flustered, quickly glancing at Yuan Zhao before saying, “It’s because the Young Master taught me well…”
Shi Wuxiang said, “There are still other things to learn beyond rolled pancakes.”
These things were not actually difficult to learn—the key lay in the ingredients and sauces.
In truth, even hiring someone else to make the pancakes would work, but outsiders always came with hidden risks.
Jia Xiaomei was experienced in cooking. She could learn meat stir-frying and pancake-making just by watching once. Though she made several mistakes due to nervousness, she gradually became more skilled.
Once the shop was properly set up, they would be able to open after the New Year!
Thinking of the shop, Yuan Zhao naturally remembered those little beggars. They had not gone out to set up their stall these past few days—he wondered how they were doing. Hopefully they could survive and grow up safely; they should be able to find food.
With that thought, Yuan Zhao prepared to head out into the cold wind.
“I’ll go with you.” Shi Wuxiang immediately stood up.
The two of them went out together. At this time, even old pieces of cloth were rarely thrown away, as people preferred to keep them for mending. However, there were still some unusable old clothes and scraps, which Yuan Zhao managed to ask for.
He quickly gathered a large amount of broken fabric, scrap cloth, and even some discarded clothing. For them, these were treasures—they could save them from making new garments.
Watching them carry everything back, Madam Shi Zhang was slightly surprised. “The house doesn’t lack these. What are you collecting them for?”
Shi Wuxiang explained their idea. Although it was still only a rough plan, whether it could succeed would depend on their efforts.
Madam Shi Zhang knew Yuan Zhao had always cared about those little beggars. She did not expect even Shi Wuxiang to support the idea, so she did not object further.
“I’ve seen them before. Just make clothes according to their sizes,” she said.
“Alright!” Yuan Zhao quickly responded, unable to hide the relief and happiness in his eyes. He had thought he might be scolded.
Jia Xiaomei naturally took over the fabric and began sewing after confirming the measurements. With two people working on clothes, it was much faster than one, and the garments would be ready within a few days.
Time passed quickly, and before they knew it, the end of the year was near.
During this period, they went to town again to purchase supplies and checked on the shop. Everything was nearly finished. After inspection, the payment was settled. The owner’s family expressed their gratitude repeatedly and even asked them to help promote the shop in the future.
Shi Wuxiang naturally agreed, promising that if anyone needed recommendations in the future, he would suggest their place first.
More and more peddlers came to the village, selling all kinds of goods—mostly snacks and small toys children loved. Whenever they arrived, children would rush out crying for coins to buy things.
The peddlers made money easily and left happily even if they were scolded a little.
Yuan Zhao also bought a lot of melon seeds and candies, placing them on the table. As for the more expensive pastries, they were stored in a cabinet to be eaten later.
Once everything was prepared, they cleaned the house thoroughly. Fortunately, the house was new and not cluttered, so it was easy to tidy. Every corner of the courtyard was swept clean, tools were neatly arranged, and everything felt orderly and comfortable.
Around this time of year, arguments were common in households nearby, and they could hear quarrels coming from other homes.
“I’ve been working my hands to the bone for this house, and you won’t even lift your butt! You’re just lazy! Lazy father, lazy son—just like you!”
“I’ll clean it later, stop shouting. Aren’t you embarrassed?”
“You always say that but never do it. In the end, I still have to do everything! Just looking at you makes me angry—get out of the way!”
…
Listening to the noise, Yuan Zhao gently patted his chest. He had always disliked the New Year before, because all the work would pile up on him and Yuan Wan. But now, looking at the family working together, that discomfort had long been washed away.
He hummed a strange little tune, visibly cheerful.
He was especially looking forward to the coming new year.
On the twenty-ninth day of the twelfth month, they took out red paper and asked Shi Wuxiang to write couplets. After they dried, they were pasted on the main door with rice paste.
The lanterns at the entrance were not hung yet—they would look better at night.
As they worked, neighbors came out to watch. Seeing that the couplets were being written and posted on the spot, they were very surprised. Some even rushed over after buying red paper themselves.
One man stuffed a handful of melon seeds into Yuan Wan’s hands and said with a smile, “Master Shi, could you write a couplet for our house too?”
“Hey, you’re shameless! Just giving a bit of melon seeds and you want a couplet? Didn’t you already buy printed ones?”
The man replied, “That’s different! This is written by a scholar now! Don’t you want one written by a scholar? Besides, if I get one this year, I can use the printed one next year. I save money!”
That argument was hard to refute.
Shi Wuxiang smiled and wrote a couplet for him. It was not a difficult task, especially since only one was needed.
Many things could not be opened casually once started, but fortunately most households either already had printed couplets or did not intend to paste any, so it did not spread further.
On New Year’s Eve, they ate a simple breakfast as usual. Everyone was looking forward to Shi Wuxiang cooking the reunion dinner—it would surely be delicious.
After lunch, Shi Wuxiang rested briefly before beginning to prepare the ingredients.
Cooking was not only a skill but also physical labor. He did not like people chattering beside him giving instructions, as it was irritating. But since the one chattering was Yuan Zhao, he did not dare get angry.
“Ah Xiang, I want the sweet meat you made last time. You promised you’d cook it this time. I can help too?”
“Do you need me to chop vegetables? I also want spicy dishes—use the sauce I made, alright?”
“Ah Xiang, can you really make so many dishes by yourself? Should I help you instead? Otherwise, it won’t look good if Mother sees…”
He spoke the last sentence very softly, but Shi Wuxiang still caught the unease in his tone with sharp sensitivity. He was being careful—afraid that Madam Shi Zhang might disapprove of him in her heart.
“Then come closer to me.” Shi Wuxiang lifted his chin at him. “Come stand beside me.”
Yuan Zhao reacted as if he had just received an imperial pardon, immediately running over in high spirits. He squeezed right up next to him—when Shi Wuxiang moved left, he moved left; when Shi Wuxiang moved right, he followed right.
He was clingier than batter sticking to a griddle.
“I’ll wash the vegetables for you,” Yuan Zhao said.
“No need.” Shi Wuxiang refused mercilessly. “Your hands just had ointment applied for chilblains. If you rinse it off, it’ll be wasted. That’s all money.”
He had already figured out how to handle Yuan Zhao.
As expected, Yuan Zhao showed a pained expression. The medicine was expensive—he couldn’t let it go to waste like that.
Clatter and chop—Shi Wuxiang first set the bone broth to simmer. He had specially bought bones with marrow still attached, even with bits of leg meat on them. Using them for soup was almost extravagant, but the meat inside could still be eaten anyway.
“I want winter melon. Can we put winter melon in it?” Yuan Zhao suddenly asked.
It was rare for him to express his preferences so directly. If Yuan Zhao wanted something wild, Shi Wuxiang would still find a way to get it for him.
“I’ll go ask next door.” Shi Wuxiang wiped his hands with a cloth and was about to head out.
Yuan Zhao smiled with pursed lips. “Mm-hmm! I knew you didn’t know. Aunt Tian next door grew a lot of big winter melons. She’s been giving them away everywhere. She even gave us one a couple days ago—we just haven’t eaten it yet.”
“Winter melon is large and not very convenient to cook with,” Shi Wuxiang nodded in understanding. “Then I’ll cut some for the soup. It clears heat. You should eat more of it later.”
“Alright.”
The winter melon was large. Shi Wuxiang only cut a strip about the width of two palms and ended up filling an entire plate. The rest could be shared with the villagers later.
After preparing everything, Shi Wuxiang left the kitchen with Yuan Zhao for the time being. The fire hadn’t been fully lit yet, so the kitchen was still cold.
They returned to the warm room. A few children ran over excitedly and gathered around the charcoal brazier roasting oranges. Yuan Wan sat there peeling melon seeds with small hands; when some were too hard, he simply cracked them with his teeth. Shi Wuxiang’s brows furrowed deeply at the sight.
Yuan Wan peeled a small handful of melon seeds. The warmth from his palms made the seeds slightly warm, and he distributed them one by one to everyone in the room—finally placing the largest portion into Yuan Zhao’s hands.
“Brother, eat.”
“Alright.” Yuan Zhao immediately tried to shove them all into his mouth, but Shi Wuxiang tugged him slightly. He glanced over suspiciously, a hint of irritation in his eyes.
Shi Wuxiang looked at Yuan Wan’s bright, moist eyes and ultimately only shook his head helplessly. “Eat them, eat them.”
Yuan Zhao shoved the melon seeds into his mouth and chewed loudly.
“So tasty… crunch crunch…”
“Yuan Zhao, eat more winter melon tonight. It’ll clear the heat,” Shi Wuxiang reminded him softly.
Yuan Zhao turned his back on him immediately. “You keep saying it over and over again. I’m not even throwing a tantrum!”
Shi Wuxiang: “……”