This eldest daughter-in-law was acting up again. Er Man and San Man were missing, their fate unknown, yet she had the energy to gossip…
“Guihua, go tidy up the storeroom. Xi Tian has started fiddling with milk again. That storeroom is a mess, but if you clean it up, we can store more things!” Gu Shi instructed.
Zhao Guihua heard this and pointed outside. “Mother, what about… what about Huai Hua and Young Master Xiao’s matter?”
“Mind your own business!” Gu Shi glared at her and reprimanded angrily.
Zhao Guihua was startled. Seeing her mother’s stern face, she dared not say more. She returned to her room, put on her thick cotton coat, and went to the storeroom to work…
Meanwhile, in the county town.
After delivering the milk, little Xi Tian and Jin Xiaolou wandered the streets of the county town.
Shop assistants from various stores rushed out, sweeping the snow from their doorways while shouting to attract customers.
“Look, look! Freshly steamed meat buns, thin skin, generous filling, absolutely delicious!”
“New arrivals of rouge, powder, and various accessories. Whether you’re a young lady, a young wife, a noble lady, or an elder mother or grandmother, you’ll surely look beautiful wearing them…”
“Newly opened restaurant! We can make imperial cuisine, southern dishes, northern dishes, and barbarian roasted meats. As long as you come in and try, we guarantee you’ll eat to your heart’s content!”
“…”
Little Xi Tian blinked her big eyes, scanning the pedestrians on the street, but she paid more attention to the shops that were not yet open or had already closed down.
Er Longzi trotted behind the two little dumplings, holding a hand-grabbed pancake that had gone cold from the biting wind before he could take many bites.
“Sister Xi Tian, what are you looking for?” Jin Xiaolou suddenly asked.
Little Xi Tian’s steps faltered. She raised her hand and rubbed her nose with her mitten. It was too cold; her nose tip was already red from the chill…
“I’m looking for a suitable shop to open a restaurant!” little Xi Tian said crisply.
Jin Xiaolou’s face was full of curiosity. “Sister Xi Tian wants to open a restaurant?”
Wow, that’s amazing! Sister Xi Tian not only knows how to make milk but also wants to open a restaurant and make a fortune…
Little Xi Tian sighed helplessly. “No, it’s Big Brother and Sister-in-law who want to open a restaurant. I want to help them find a place!”
And to sell her milk and various dairy products.
Jin Xiaolou said, “Oh,” and stepped forward, helping little Xi Tian tie her scarf tighter. “I remember there’s an empty house at the street corner ahead. Come, I’ll take you to see it!”
After saying that, he reached out to take little Xi Tian’s hand…
Little Xi Tian flinched as if shocked, took a step back, and grinned. “I can walk by myself!”
Jin Xiaolou’s hand hung in mid-air, his expression a little awkward. “The ground is so slippery, I… I was just afraid Sister Xi Tian might fall, so I wanted to hold your hand!”
“No need, I walk very carefully!” Little Xi Tian’s eyes curved into smiles. After sniffing her nose, she set off with her short legs.
Seeing this, Er Longzi’s eyes darted between Jin Xiaolou and Xi Tian’s retreating back, and he thought to himself: Something’s going on…
This fellow is being overly attentive for no reason; it seems he likes that little girl.
Jin Xiaolou turned and glared at Er Longzi, saying resentfully, “What are you looking at? Hurry up and bring the horse-drawn sled over!”
Er Longzi: “…”
Why are you yelling at me? I’m not your servant.
They arrived at the street corner. Little Xi Tian looked up and saw a two-story pavilion standing before them.
The plaque above the door had already been removed, and thick snow had piled up on the steps, uncleared.
Although this small pavilion was old and in disrepair, with holes in its doors and windows, it was built very grandly. If it were carefully renovated, its appearance would be no less than that of the county town’s largest restaurant, Xiang Ding Ge…
“This looks like a spice shop!” Er Longzi walked to the window and peeked inside through a hole.
The spices here were not perfumes or cosmetics, but ingredients for cooking, such as bay leaves, cardamom, angelica, nutmeg, cinnamon, and other seasonings.
Little Xi Tian immediately took a liking to the place. She patted the door, but no one answered. She then trotted to the back door of the small pavilion…
“There’s a room in the back courtyard. Look, smoke is still coming out of the chimney, so someone must be living there!” Jin Xiaolou said.
Little Xi Tian grunted and knocked on the door, calling out in her tender voice, “Is anyone home?”
A moment later, the back door was pushed open, and an old man in his seventies, leaning on a cane, walked out…
Seeing a little girl looking up at him, the old man asked curiously, “Little one, who are you looking for?”
Although the little girl was dressed plainly and had two small pigtails, she was very cute.
She must be asking for directions, coming to knock on his door so suddenly.
Little Xi Tian stood on the steps and bowed to the old man. “Old sir, is this small pavilion yours?”
“Yes, it is. What’s wrong?” the old man asked curiously.
Little Xi Tian smiled slightly. “Are you planning to rent out the small pavilion?”
“Rent?” The old man blinked and asked, “Little girl, you want to rent the building to open a shop, right? Where are your adults?”
After speaking, the old man craned his neck and looked at Jin Xiaolou and Er Longzi…
Looking at their appearances, they didn’t seem like people who would do business.
“Yes, I want to open a restaurant!” Little Xi Tian’s big eyes curved into little crescents.
The old man stroked his white beard after hearing this, his expression somewhat incredulous.
How old was this little girl to want to rent a building and open a restaurant? Was she just daydreaming…
“Alas, you should leave. If you want to rent a place, bring your adults!” He didn’t have time to haggle with a child. It was so cold outside, and he wanted to go back inside for a hot cup of tea as soon as possible.
Little Xi Tian felt very dejected upon hearing this.
“I can talk to you!” little Xi Tian called out.
Er Longzi also stepped forward, his tall frame blocking the old man, exuding a sense of pressure. “That’s right, you have to talk to her today, or else, or else…”
“Oh, Brother Er Long!” Little Xi Tian pushed Er Longzi.
With his posture, it looked like he was going to hit someone.
Little Xi Tian, having finally found a place, absolutely couldn’t let him ruin it.
“Old sir, please put down your cane first. I’m sincerely here to rent a place!”
Seeing the old man raising his cane to hit Er Longzi, little Xi Tian quickly stepped forward to mediate.
The old man glanced at Er Longzi and snorted, “You young man are truly strange. How dare you try to lay hands on me? You’re rebelling!”
Er Longzi: “…”
You’re noble, I won’t stoop to your level.
The old man put down his cane and looked at little Xi Tian. After a moment of hesitation, he said, “Alright, come in with me!”
There was a large single-story house in the back courtyard of the small pavilion. Little Xi Tian followed the old man and slowly walked in…