Shen Shaoguang invited Liu Feng to sit at a small single dining table, seating herself opposite him while instructing A Yuan to serve the Cheese Drink.
Liu Feng glanced at Shen Shaoguang, his face slightly flushed, then turned his gaze to the wood grain on the table. "Might I ask what Young Lady wishes to discuss with me?"
"Does the gentleman know of my background?" Shen Shaoguang asked gently.
"I’ve heard some from Jingqing of the Luminous Nunnery."
Shen Shaoguang nodded, easily imagining what Jingqing might have said—"a noble lady of the fallen Shen family of Luoyang," "though forced into humble trade due to straitened circumstances, she is well-read and knowledgeable," and likely even lavish praises like "virtuous and gentle," "kind and modest" thrown in generously. Jingqing was a kind soul who surely believed that finding a match like Liu Feng, sparing her the hardships of street life, would be a blessing—hence the glowing recommendations.
"I merely lodge at the Luminous Nunnery. There are some matters Jingqing is unaware of," Shen Shaoguang explained with a smile.
"I am from the Shen family of Luoyang, a palace servant released from the inner court this spring."
Liu Feng abruptly looked up. Daughters of noble families usually entered the palace as imperial consorts; few became maidservants unless their families had been convicted and they were confiscated into servitude. Since Young Lady Shen had been released, she clearly hadn’t been a consort—which could only mean...
Seeing that he understood, Shen Shaoguang didn’t want him to think her "snobbish" or "fickle," so she had already prepared a polite excuse for declining the match: "At present, I have no intention of marriage. I only wish to establish myself, earn a living, buy property, cook chickens and ducks..." By the end, her tone turned playful, and she laughed first.
Liu Feng also smiled faintly.
"I have been presumptuous," he said after a moment of silence, standing to clasp his hands and bow.
Shen Shaoguang rose as well, returning a proper curtsy with a smile. "The honor was mine."
Liu Feng licked his lips, as if wanting to say something, but ultimately remained silent and walked out with his head lowered.
Unexpectedly, he ran into his superior, Lord Lin, at the door—here for a meal?
Liu Feng bowed to Lin Yan.
Lin Yan nodded and entered the shop.
"What would the guest like to eat? How about a bowl of chicken broth with broad noodles? Paired with some chilled cucumber and shrimp paste scrambled eggs?"
"Fine."
Faintly hearing Shen Xiao Niangzi’s Dish Reporting and his superior’s characteristically succinct "Fine," Liu Feng decided he must have overthought things. Young Lady Shen and Lord Lin... impossible.
Liu Feng guessed that Lord Lin had likely been tormented by Minister Zhang of the Court of State Ceremonial late into the night, returning past curfew without a proper dinner, and was now stopping by for a light meal.
Recently, foreign envoys had arrived in droves. Though the Court of State Ceremonial handled most of the receptions, many matters required coordination with the Capital Office, overseen by Lord Lin.
The two offices often worked together, so Liu Feng had some understanding of Minister Zhang. The man was meticulous and particular—even trivial matters like two carriages required "further deliberation," followed by quotes like "The Rites say...," "During the Han dynasty...," "In our dynasty’s Taizong era...," "Gaozong era...," "Xuanzong era..."—enough to make one’s head throb.
Earlier that day, when Liu Feng had gone to seek Lord Lin’s approval for a document, he was told Lin had gone to the Court of State Ceremonial... Liu Feng couldn’t help but sympathize with his young superior. High rank came with its own troubles.
Shen Shaoguang felt a little helpless. Why did this man always come to eat at this hour? Almost everything was sold out!With whatever ingredients were left, she had to make do. The chicken for the jar chicken was sold out, but there was still some chicken broth left. She pinched some dough into small pieces, added some greens, and cooked a bowl of chicken broth broad noodles. She peeled a cucumber, slapped it a few times, and mixed it with minced garlic, clear soy sauce, and sesame oil for a cold dish. Then she took two eggs, a handful of chives, and a spoonful of shrimp paste, stir-fried them in a hot wok—all quick dishes that would be ready in no time.
The sound of chopping on the cutting board and the sizzle of the wok, though the kitchen was out of sight due to the shop’s renovations, filled the air with the bustling atmosphere of everyday life.
Lin Yan turned his head back, his gaze settling on a painting on the wall. Faint green mountains, a winding stream, a thatched hut, and by the door, a wine flag fluttered. Beneath it sat a child peeling lotus seeds. The painting, done in simple ink without color, wasn’t particularly masterful, but it carried a lively and serene charm. Though it bore no inscription, colophon, or seal, Lin Yan knew it was painted by the shop owner herself.
Lin Yan suddenly recalled the incident at the palace gate that day.
The court had been discussing drought relief measures, and after the session, he had gone to Anfu Gate to check on the dismissal of palace maids—a minor matter but part of the benevolent drought policies, not to be overlooked.
From afar, he had spotted a young woman smiling brightly among a group of weeping older palace maids.
The current emperor was not yet thirty and had no empress, nor many high-ranking consorts. Logically, the palace maids should have been...
Yet she had looked as if she had broken free from a cage, full of vitality. What was the excuse? "Ill health"... It was obvious she hadn’t been forced out but had schemed her way out, perhaps even spending a fortune. At the time, her spiritedness had softened his heart, and he had let her go.
After leaving the palace, she had remained vibrant, carrying a wild energy rarely seen among the nobility—like spring grass, making one curious to see how far she would spread.
From the palace to this humble thatched hut serving spring chives and millet—was there charm in that? Lin Yan’s eyes swept over the small shop and lingered on the painting. Indeed, there was some charm.
Perhaps everyone in high office dreams of being a recluse, just as those in the wild dream of power. Lin Yan was somewhat moved by the painting’s reclusive air, but for a young woman like Shen... Thinking of Liu the clerk’s listless demeanor earlier and how he had rather starve than miss Shen’s pancakes, could it be...
Lin Yan suddenly frowned. Why was he dwelling on such trivial matters? As a child, he could spin a romance out of seeing a moth—had he not outgrown that habit? He then turned his thoughts to the diplomatic mission.
Shen Shaoguang brought the dishes and broad noodles on a tray, arranging them on the small dining table. She noticed that Lord Lin never sat at the long communal tables—likely disliking the idea of "facing the wall."
"Enjoy your meal, sir."
Lin Yan nodded in thanks.
A Yuan came in from the back with clean cups, plates, and utensils. Shen Shaoguang had nearly finished tidying the kitchen and told her to take the hot water back to the nunnery first to wash up, while she would lock up later.
"I’ll wait for you, miss."
Shen Shaoguang said softly, "You go ahead. There are still plenty of people on the street—it’s fine." The child was tired from the day and always seemed sleep-deprived; it was better to let her rest early.
A Yuan shook her head and, seeing no more work to do, went to sit on the steps outside to wait for Shen Shaoguang.
Shen Shaoguang smiled helplessly.Shen Shaoguang stood behind the counter, resting her chin on her hand, lost in thought about Liu Feng.
How many love-at-first-sight, non-you-I-won’t-marry stories could there really be? This was normal—normal people, normal affairs. It’s just that in her past life, she had crossed over before ever getting a boyfriend or marrying, and in this life, it seemed she was destined to be single. No wonder she lived in a nunnery. When she got old and lonely—Shen Shaoguang imagined herself living in a grand estate, surrounded by maids and servants, watching snow in winter, eating melons in summer, and hiring someone literate to read her Romance novels… That didn’t sound too bad either!
So, first things first—make money!
After finishing his meal, Lin Yan turned his head and saw Shen Shaoguang’s serene expression. “Shopkeeper—”
“Coming! Did you enjoy your meal?” In an instant, Shen Shaoguang replaced her calm look with a polite, eager smile.
Lin Yan nodded.
“One hundred coins, sir.” Twenty of those covered the cost, while the rest were labor and overtime fees. This guy always came at this hour and always ordered specially prepared dishes. Charging a little extra wasn’t exactly gouging.
Lin Yan took out a small piece of silver from his pouch, set it down, and walked out.
Another two taels or so. Shen Shaoguang felt she was one step closer to her dream of becoming a wealthy landlady, and her mood soared!
After washing the dishes, extinguishing the lights, and locking the door, Shen Shaoguang patted A Yuan, who had already fallen asleep on the steps. “Let’s go, time to sleep!”
Author’s Note:
Later, Lord Lin: I want to go back in time and beat myself to death! All that stubbornness back then is why I’m getting kicked out to sleep on a cold bed by my wife today.
Shen Shaoguang sneered: Hah, weren’t we unrelated?
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