The next morning, the day was slightly bright, and the dew heavy.
The streets were still quiet; only occasional dog barks and rooster calls echoed, traveling far along the long alleys.
Shu Rui got up and washed his face and hands with the water he had brought inside last night. In summer, the water wasn’t cold, and with the sun not yet high, it felt pleasantly cool.
He wrung the cloth dry and wiped his face, feeling fully awake.
He thought that in summer, the cool water was bearable, but in autumn and winter, it would be harsh. Perhaps he’d need a small stove inside then.
Once ready, he carried water and opened the door—he found Lu Ling already at the well, drawing water, and the stove in the kitchen already lit.
“This early?”
Lu Ling held a bucket, carrying water to the kitchen.
“I went to Qiugui Street yesterday. The martial arts school suggested I teach, though it might have been casual talk. I thought about it—there’s little I can help you with at the shop. Maybe I should check out the school.”
Lu Ling had thought much last night. Earlier, without clarity, he only wanted to cling to Shu Rui, not realizing the need to take responsibility. Having lost his memory, his childlike nature was more pronounced.
Now that it had returned, simply revolving around Shu Rui would be pleasant, but not pursuing proper work would burden Shu Rui further. For the long term, he couldn’t keep doing that.
Shu Rui’s brow moved slightly, thinking Lu Ling was sensible, planning this well. A capable man, confined all day in a guesthouse with no proper work, was indeed wasted talent.
Earlier, Shu Rui had worried about him being easily deceived when he lacked memory and couldn’t persuade him to take up proper work—but now, that concern was gone.
“Going to the martial arts school to find work uses your skills well. It’s a good thing, not wasting your abilities.”
Lu Ling said, “If I find something suitable, I’ll be out in the morning and back in the afternoon. But with only you here, you can’t manage everything alone—you’ll need someone quick-handed to help, even one or two.”
He took a round token and a certificate from his body, giving them to Shu Rui. He had hidden these in his knife before and forgotten about them.
If he hadn’t found them now, it would have been troublesome, needing to return to the capital for replacement and payment.
“Use the money as needed. There should be enough for a while. Don’t overexert yourself.”
Shu Rui, of course, recognized the items as belonging to the local treasury. Though he had never actually handled such matters before, he had heard people speak of it. If he hadn’t lacked funds back in the small town of the Bai family, he might have added his own modest savings.
Seeing Lu Ling suddenly hand him this, Shu Rui recalled what he had said yesterday—this person wasn’t just poor and unsure of life; he truly had savings!
It struck him that Lu Ling had the virtue to give money even when he had lost his memory and been foolish; now, with his mind restored, he was still willing to part with it.
Shu Rui smiled and asked, “How much is there?”
“I counted it yesterday—five hundred and eighty guàn.”
Hearing this, Shu Rui felt his hands burn with surprise. Flustered, he hurriedly stuffed the token and certificate back into Lu Ling’s hands.
He had assumed it would only be a few tens of guàn—who would have thought the boy could have accumulated so much, and so casually offer it? He was completely bewildered.
“Keep your own money for yourself. Whatever you placed with me before, I’ll return to you. Now you’re fully capable of managing your own funds.”
Shu Rui spoke gently: “You gave me money out of goodwill, and I accept it. But I would never take your possessions. Even if we earn slowly and can’t repair the inn immediately, I won’t rush. Step by step, patiently, and I’ll be at ease.”
Lu Ling had long suspected Shu Rui would refuse, but seeing him truly decline, he felt a little disappointed. Not taking it was, in a sense, still sharing—this naive boy, why couldn’t he be a little greedy?
“Even if you refuse to use it, keep it. That way, I can rest easy.”
Shu Rui turned away, refusing to take it. “This is far too much. If it’s here with me, I’ll always worry and sleep uneasily. It’s far safer with you.”
Lu Ling said, “What if my mind falters again someday?”
“Then you send it back home—they’ll keep it safe for you.”
“No. I’ve already sent other money to my family. This is the savings I kept for establishing a household.”
Realizing this, Shu Rui’s face flushed slightly—since it was meant for marriage and family, entrusting it to him would be… a delicate matter.
They spent the morning negotiating, nearly burning a pot of porridge in the process. In the end, Lu Ling kept his own savings, but the money previously stored with Shu Rui would remain Shu Rui’s.
From then on, any earnings at the inn would contribute seventy percent toward expenses, ostensibly for food and lodging.
Between the two options, Shu Rui chose the latter—it was better than taking Lu Ling’s entire savings outright.
After breakfast, Lu Ling went out. Today he only planned to visit the martial arts school. Even if he were accepted, he wouldn’t start immediately and could still return early.
By the time the afternoon heat set in and the drinks were ready for sale, he could be back to help.
Shu Rui taught him not to rush—the drinks could be made and sold at their own pace; it wasn’t urgent. Lunchtime was another matter, but business had been slow recently. Preparing ten meals was easy enough.
Thus, Shu Rui carried a basket and went out to buy fresh perilla. They split at the main street, each heading in a different direction.
“A Shao!”
Shu Rui was momentarily stunned by the call. Turning toward the voice, he saw none other than Qing, smiling broadly.
“Where are you going? I was just about to look for you at the shop.”
Qing carried two baskets.
“My aunt came from the village by the sea, bringing some seafood with her. My mother asked me to bring some to you.”
Shu Rui had intended to buy perilla, but seeing Qing’s load, he immediately returned with him to the inn.
“So much! How could we possibly finish it all? Traveling from the fishing village to the city must have been difficult. Your aunt and family even managed to get such good seafood for me at a fair price.”
Shu Rui saw in the baskets green-shelled shrimp and palm-sized oysters. The shrimp weighed three to four jin, and the oysters numbered over ten.
“These would be excellent in the village, fresh from the sea. Mother and I thought of you, wanting you to enjoy something fresh.”
They poured some tea and Shu Rui asked if Qing had eaten breakfast. If he wasn’t in a hurry, he could have a bowl of drinks before leaving.
Hearing that Shu Rui would sell drinks at the inn in the hot weather, Qing was delighted and insisted on helping.
“You have visitors at home, and instead of staying to accompany them, you come help me?”
As they spoke, they went together to buy the perilla that had been unavailable earlier.
Qing said, “I wanted to avoid her.”
“A while back, after that incident, my mother couldn’t contact father or elder brother and felt worried, so she wrote to my aunt. My aunt came to the city to see me. I appreciate her concern, but she used the past incident as a reason to try and arrange a marriage for me.”
Originally, Qing’s aunt intended to marry him off to a family in the fishing village, which was well-off, owning a large fishing boat employing ten men per trip.
“I never wanted to marry far away, but thinking carefully, if it’s a good family, distance doesn’t matter. My aunt mentioned this family, and mother, hearing how well-off they were, also warmed to the idea. Later, she heard the man is almost thirty and disabled. So I declined. Yet now, after recent events, my aunt brings it up again.”
She warned that Qing was growing older and attractive; if he went out and drew attention, it might bring trouble. He needed to stay home for safety, while also reminding family to keep an eye on him.
She added that the family was well-off and would provide a substantial bride price, which could improve their household finances.
At home, Qing felt uncomfortable hearing this. His mother rarely insisted on such matters with his sisters, and her nature was gentle—she couldn’t speak harshly. So she sent Qing out to deliver seafood to Shu Rui.
Hearing this, Shu Rui frowned. He had encountered such situations before—relatives taking advantage of goodwill to push their own agendas—but he couldn’t directly criticize them.
He comforted Qing: “Elders often think they’re acting in the best interest of the young, but that’s not always true. Don’t take such words to heart.”
“Luckily, your mother stands with you. Do you have your own thoughts?”
Qing said, “Our family isn’t wealthy. I’ve been saving for my elder brother’s marriage. I don’t want to marry so soon. I want to work, help the family, save a bit for myself, and only consider marriage in a couple of years.”
“Good. If you have your own mind and mother can understand, you can explain it to her. This will prevent your aunt’s words from swaying you easily.”
Qing nodded.
“I can only think clearly, but I don’t have a proper skill yet. I can do laundry, odd jobs, or other rough work. I’m not afraid of hard work, but the city is bustling, people compete for everything, and everything requires connections. The inn work before came through a broker.”
Shu Rui knew the hardships of ordinary people. Many sought shortcuts, not realizing that temporary ease often demands repayment later.
“You already have your own ideas—that’s rare. Most people live blindly. You have thought and perseverance; you will find suitable work and life will improve.”
Qing smiled, linking arms with Shu Rui. “Talking with you has lifted the gloom from my heart.”
They chatted on the way, bought a basket of perilla, and returned to the inn.
For their first batch of drinks to sell, Shu Rui didn’t plan anything elaborate. He intended only three: sweet bean soup, strained pear juice, and winter melon drink.
He combined dried herbs, black beans, yellow beans, and similar ingredients, cooking them in a pot until the beans softened, breaking their skins to release creamy paste. A touch of ginger and perilla enhanced the aroma.
Strained pear juice was simple: small pears, cleaned, mashed in a mortar, strained to remove pulp, then simmered slowly until thickened. Diluted with water and served with ice, it was convenient.
Winter melon drinks varied by household. Previously, Shu Rui would extract juice, add small tapioca pearls, combine with other vegetable juices for color, cook, then mix in chopped winter melon, raisins, hawthorn jelly, and dried osmanthus. Each bowl was colorful and flavorful.
Since these drinks were to be sold just past noon, and too filling for lunch, he opted for a simpler method this time: chopped fruit with sugar and ice.
Unexpectedly, Qing’s arrival added an extra pair of hands. He helped mash the pears, stoke the fire, and tend the stove with surprising skill and speed. Tasks that Shu Rui had estimated would take half a morning were quickly completed in no time at all.
Seeing this, Shu Rui was willing to make a little extra effort—he rolled some tapioca balls to serve Qing a bowl later.
“Hey, is this old shop opening up? What kind of business are you running? So quietly, I haven’t heard a thing.”
“People have moved in for some time, but they enter through the back. The shop itself isn’t fully fixed yet,” Shu Rui explained.
Following the proper hour, after finishing the morning market, Shu Rui noticed the sun climbing higher. He went to unlock the front door of the shop and set up the long table that Lu Ling had carried out the day before.
The table was placed under the large elm tree in front of the shop, which offered shade and a cooling breeze from the alley ahead.
Shu Rui wrote the day’s available drinks on paper and affixed it to a wooden board with rice paste, hanging it at the door for passersby to see.
As he finished hanging the board, Qing had already scrubbed the table and stools twice and cleaned the front door. Previously, an old vendor had occupied the spot, selling mutton soup, leaving greasy and grimy residue everywhere.
Shu Rui had cleaned it up the day before, though some stains were stubborn. Lu Ling had even suggested replacing the door, and though Shu Rui hadn’t commented, Lu Ling had wanted to confront the old man. Shu Rui had calmed him down, saying they would change the door when they had the funds and not to beat the elder.
Now, watching Qing clean, everything looked much tidier, though Shu Rui couldn’t fathom how he managed it.
“Use warm water, thick cloth, let it soak a bit in the grime, then scrub hard—it’ll work better,” Shu Rui instructed, seeing Qing carrying the water to rinse the dirt. He thought to himself why hiring managers always asked if someone had experience in this work—Qing clearly did.
Seizing the moment, Shu Rui called out to the street:
“The shop opens today! We’re selling drinks for neighbors and visitors to enjoy a cool refreshment!”
The crowd merely chuckled; selling drinks wasn’t remarkable. People said a few words and went on, not yet sitting to drink.
Shu Rui didn’t expect customers immediately. After calling out for a while, he went inside to check the stove, then peeked outside again.
Yang Chunhua, passing by with a departing customer, saw Qing arranging stools and said with a smile, “Ah Shao, looks like you’ve hired helpers—your shop seems quite proper now.”
Shu Rui waved his fan. “Don’t tease me. We haven’t officially opened yet. A manager like me can’t afford staff, so I rely on Qing helping out.”
“Don’t worry. When it gets hotter, people will come. Look at my business—today I only earned ten copper coins,” Yang Chunhua said, holding up a finger, “sold a lotus handkerchief.”
Shu Rui laughed: “We’re in the same boat, eh?”
Yang Chunhua smiled as well. She then glanced as Qing checked the stove in the back, whispering: “Last time he helped you clean the house, he was quick and clever. Now he tends the fire while you chat with me—what a capable boy.”
Shu Rui nodded. “He’s home for now.”
“I see your shop is nearly ready. With a big inn like yours, you and your brother can’t handle everything alone—you need assistants. Qing can help out here for now.”
Yang Chunhua, with years of business experience, added: “He’s honest and reliable. If my shop needed staff, I’d hire him myself.”
Shu Rui’s brow twitched. Lu Ling had suggested hiring staff too, warning him to find someone trustworthy. Last time, the assistant they hired, Xiang Jie, had caused some trouble.
But Shu Rui hesitated: “I know he’s good, but my business isn’t stable yet, and funds are tight. Besides, a good young man like him may not want to work here.”
“Just ask—doesn’t hurt. Once your shop officially opens, you’ll need to find help through brokers or contacts anyway. You never know who you’ll get.”
Yang Chunhua encouraged him, then noticed a familiar man approaching her own shop and said, “Go think about it—my business needs me.” She went to greet the customer warmly.
Shu Rui watched her lead the customer inside, still pondering her advice. He knew she was right: good assistants were hard to find, and you couldn’t rely on luck.
After a pause, he strode over to Qing tending the fire in the back.