“You eat all day and don't move, you must be growing sideways,” Qi Zhenzhen made a face, teasing Song Mingyue.
Song Mingyue was petite, with a touch of baby fat, charming and cute.
Qi Zhenzhen was now considered tall, twelve years old, half a head taller than thirteen-year-old Song Mingyue.
Song Mingyue stomped her foot, “I was still thinking of you, and as soon as you came back, you called me fat. I’m not that fat, just a little bit. And it’s not my fault, I always feel like I’m letting myself down if I don’t eat.”
Qi Zhenzhen understood Song Mingyue’s psychology perfectly. When faced with delicious food, everything else could wait. Losing weight, of course, required energy to lose weight after eating enough.
“You look great like this, plump and full of good fortune,” Qi Zhenzhen cajoled her. “Most families would want a girl like you as a daughter-in-law, looking like you’ll bring prosperity to your husband’s family. Someone like me, who eats without gaining weight, I’m afraid no one will like me.”
“How could that be?”
“How could it not be? If I don’t gain weight, people will think my husband’s family is mistreating me and not feeding me!” Qi Zhenzhen said with a serious expression.
Yun Shi, Yu Shi, and Song Mingyue were all amused by Qi Zhenzhen’s words.
“How old are you, and you still have no sense of propriety. You must be tired from the journey, quickly take the horse to the backyard and rest in the house,” Yun Shi urged.
Indeed, after bumping around on horseback for a long time, it wasn’t exactly comfortable.
“Auntie, Mingyue, I’m off,” Qi Zhenzhen said with a smile.
Lying comfortably on the heated brick bed, feeling a gentle warmth from beneath, Qi Zhenzhen stretched lazily. Home, sweet home, it truly was.
Buried in the soft, thick quilt, she fell asleep in no time.
She slept until evening, waking up hungry, the aroma of food constantly filling her nostrils.
Changing into comfortable clothes, Qi Zhenzhen went to the kitchen. Yun Shi was busy inside.
“You’re awake? There’s warm water in the water urn, wash your hands. We’re making rolled pancakes tonight.”
Eggs and flour were made into thin pancakes, blanched and softened cabbage shreds, finely chopped kimchi, boiled and shredded chicken, and fine potato shreds. These were Qi Zhenzhen’s favorite foods, simple, convenient, and delicious.
“Mom, your pancakes are made so well, much thinner than mine,” Qi Zhenzhen leaned against the doorframe, watching Yun Shi busy herself.
Yun Shi was a beauty, her every move as graceful as a painting. Her good-for-nothing father had doted on her mother in the past, so how could he have allowed the Marchioness to mistreat her? Men were truly fickle, that so-called lifelong love was non-existent.
“When I was your age, I also loved to sneak into the small kitchen to research cooking. I followed books, and made food for your maternal grandparents and your Uncle Qin Lang. They all loved my cooking, but after eating, they would tell me not to enter the kitchen again, fearing the smoke would harm me. Mom truly grew up in a honey pot,” Yun Shi said softly. “Later, when I went to the Marquis’s mansion, I had servants attending to me, so Mom never entered the kitchen. Later still, when our lives were difficult, Mom had no such inclination. Even later, all the food and drink at home were managed by you. After you went to the county town this time, Mom suddenly felt that as a mother, she was utterly useless, never having properly cooked a meal for you or Brother Yi.”
“Grandparents doted on Mom and didn’t want her to enter the kitchen, and I don’t want you to either,” Qi Zhenzhen said with a playful smile. “Mom is so beautiful, born to enjoy a life of luxury.”
Yun Shi gave her a playful glare, “How can a young lady be so glib-tongued?”
Qi Zhenzhen scooped up water to wash her hands and sat at the table. Two small rolled pancakes were placed side-by-side on a pale green plain plate. The pancake wrappers were yellow, which, against the pale green, looked exceptionally beautiful.
“Does it taste good?” Yun Shi looked at Qi Zhenzhen gently and asked in a soft voice.
Qi Zhenzhen nodded, “It’s delicious, exceptionally delicious, and it looks good too. Mom, your cooking skills are amazing.”
After the mother and daughter finished eating, Qi Zhenzhen cleared the bowls and chopsticks, and then they strolled around the yard together to aid digestion.
“Oh, Zhenzhen, Shopkeeper Lin came to our house the other day. He said he found experienced fruit farmers and wanted you to talk to them,” Yun Shi suddenly remembered this matter. “Shopkeeper Lin said to ask you to go over when you have time after you return.”
By the end of February, it would be time to start working on the apricot grove. Today was already the fifteenth of February, so it was time to hurry.
“I’ll go tomorrow,” Qi Zhenzhen replied cheerfully.
“The kimchi business is doing well, and we’re not short of money at home. Do you really want to go ahead with the apricot grove?”
“Mom, you’ve forgotten, we bought the apricot grove first,” Qi Zhenzhen smiled. “It won’t be bad once the apricot grove is developed. We grafted sweet apricots. There are dozens of acres of land, how many apricots will it yield then? Selling fresh fruit, making dried apricots, preserves, it can sell for a lot of money. When the apricot blossoms bloom in March and April, this vast expanse will look so beautiful. When we build a manor and live there when the apricot blossoms fill the sky, how beautiful that would be.”
Yun Shi was romantic at heart. Hearing Qi Zhenzhen’s words, her face also showed a look of longing. “When I was your age, I really wanted to find a beautiful mountain valley and plant all kinds of flowers, with fresh flowers blooming all year round, and plant a few fruit trees, so I could pick them directly when I wanted to eat them. A leisurely life…”
“A paradise?” Qi Zhenzhen smiled. “When we find such a place in the future, we’ll move there.”
Yun Shi pursed her lips, her face soft. “Okay.”
The next morning, Qi Zhenzhen went to town with the cart that was collecting the kimchi.
“Shopkeeper Lin, have the fruit farmers arrived?” Qi Zhenzhen asked.
“They arrived in early February,” Shopkeeper Lin said while brewing tea. “They are staying in the east wing. I’ll have someone invite you over. They are from our owner’s estate and are very skilled with fruit trees. They’ve dealt with fruit trees their whole lives. Originally, the owner granted them permission to return to enjoy their retirement, but people are restless and want to find some work. This large area of yours is just right.”
The person was quickly invited over. When Shopkeeper Lin mentioned retirement, Qi Zhenzhen had expected an old man with white hair and beard, but this person looked only a little over fifty and was full of spirit.
“Greetings, Miss Qi. I am Qian Dong,” Qian Dong bowed respectfully.
Although he was a fruit farmer from the Qian family estate, he had been sent to the Protectorate Duke’s mansion. The heir had given him many instructions and kept him for a period before sending him to Cuiping Town. He had risen from the very bottom to the position of estate manager and had seen many people, making him adept at observing others. Although the heir had not given him direct orders, he knew that this task was very important, and this Miss Qi was even more important.
“May I call you Uncle Qian from now on?” Qi Zhenzhen thought for a moment and said. “And please don’t be so formal. From now on, we are friends and partners, not master and servant. You will help me manage the apricot grove, and I will pay you wages. What do you think?”