Yummy Yummy Yummy

The moment Shen Shaoguang opened her eyes in the morning, she sensed something different—it was colder, and the light outside was unusually bright.

Wrapped in her quilt, she pushed open the window slightly. A gust of cold air rushed in, making her shiver. Peering through the crack, she saw a vast expanse of white. After two gloomy days, the snow had finally arrived.

This was the third snowfall of the winter. The first two had been light, mere gestures that barely lingered before melting away. The thin layers on rooftops and tree branches were disappointingly sparse, and what little reached the ground quickly turned to black mud underfoot. The people of Chang'an, who had planned snow-viewing banquets, had no choice but to abandon their plans with disappointment.

But this snowfall was truly magnificent. It must have started sometime during the night, for the ground was already blanketed in thick white, and the snow was still falling in flurries.

Since they didn’t serve breakfast at the shop, Shen Shaoguang had plenty of time in the morning. She dressed leisurely while waking A Yuan.

Once they were both up, A Yuan went to the front shop to fetch hot water. Shen Shaoguang called after her, "See what Yu Sanlang has prepared for breakfast today!"

A Yuan answered cheerfully and soon returned with the hot water.

"He said we’re having lamb noodle soup this morning!"

Shen Shaoguang nodded with a smile. "Perfect!" On a day like this, a warm bowl of lamb noodle soup in the morning would keep the chill at bay. Princess Yu San really knew how to plan meals well.

After mixing warm water into her toothbrush cup and washbasin, Shen Shaoguang brushed her teeth with green salt and washed her face. By then, A Yuan had finished her own morning routine.

A Yuan went to dispose of the used water while Shen Shaoguang styled her hair.

Shen Shaoguang favored Hu-style clothing, and all her winter outfits this year followed that fashion. Today’s ensemble was amber-colored, with a collar trimmed in multicolored fox fur. On someone with a darker or sallow complexion, this shade might have made them look sickly, but Shen Shaoguang’s fair skin elevated the ordinary Yongzhou brocade into something almost luxurious.

To match the outfit, she styled her hair into a simple and elegant Uyghur-style conical bun and drew bold, sword-like eyebrows. A Yuan, admiring her mistress’s straight shoulders, slender waist, long legs, and the fitted Hu-style robe with narrow sleeves and a wide belt, couldn’t help but exclaim, "You look stunning!"

Shen Shaoguang knew that in A Yuan’s eyes, she could do no wrong, so she was somewhat immune to her flattery.

"Even more handsome than Lord Lin!" A Yuan added, using comparison for emphasis.

"..." Shen Shaoguang turned her head and corrected her, "This is called 'dashing'—more dashing than Lord Lin!"

A Yuan nodded, expanding her vocabulary. But then she looked down at her own belly, her expression falling—even in an era where plumpness was considered beautiful, A Yuan had exceeded the standard.

A Yuan got plenty of exercise; the problem lay in her eating habits. Since following Shen Shaoguang, she had ballooned like a blown-up balloon, growing rounder by the day.

Feeling a twinge of guilt, Shen Shaoguang suggested, "Maybe from now on, you should only eat until you’re seventy percent full?"

A Yuan was about to agree when she remembered the aroma of lamb broth she had smelled earlier. Pressing her lips together, she asked, "Could I start after lunch instead?"

Shen Shaoguang sighed in resignation. "Fine, alright."

When they reached the front, the noodles were just ready—steaming hot and fragrant with the rich scent of lamb.

Instead of diving straight into the noodles, Shen Shaoguang first sipped the broth with a spoon. Mmm—the lamb had been stir-fried to release its flavor, and there was just the right amount of pepper. Delicious!

The noodles were excellent too—wide and chewy. Shen Shaoguang admitted she couldn’t make them like this herself; if nothing else, she lacked the strength for it.Shen Shaoguang praised the food enthusiastically, but Yu San remained indifferent. However, upon seeing the entire pot of noodles devoured—even Shen Shaoguang, who usually ate little, had a large bowl, while the other two were practically clutching their full stomachs—Yu San finally allowed a smug smile to surface.

Having eaten a bit too much for breakfast, Shen Shaoguang stood at the door, gazing at the snow outside that reached past her ankles, and ultimately abandoned the idea of going for a walk.

Yu San remarked, "Qu Dàláng, the fish seller, probably won’t make it today. I wonder if the butcher and the vegetable vendor will come. Luckily, with the overcast weather these past two days, we’ve stocked up on meat and vegetables, and we have plenty of rice, grain, firewood, and charcoal."

Since the business had grown busier, Shen Shaoguang no longer went out to buy groceries herself. Instead, she selected a couple of reliable and honest vendors to deliver meat and vegetables, and the tofu shop sent a fresh slab of tofu daily.

"No worries. We’ll make do with what we have. Even if we run short occasionally, it’s fine—it’s called ‘hunger marketing’..." Shen Shaoguang, full and idle, rambled on lazily, knowing the heavy snow today would surely slow business.

A Yuan rubbed her stomach, unable to find any trace of "hunger."

Yu San’s prediction was correct—the fish seller didn’t come, but the butcher and vegetable vendor did. The meat was nothing special, just pork and mutton as usual. However, the vegetable vendor, who typically only carried scallions, garlic, cabbage, radishes, and taro, brought a delightful surprise—a small basket of fresh hawthorn berries.

"Now this is a rarity!" Shen Shaoguang grinned.

Hawthorns were occasionally sold in the streets during autumn, but people in this dynasty didn’t seem particularly fond of them, so few bought them. Shen Shaoguang sometimes purchased some to make hawthorn cakes, but it seemed most of the berries ended up in medicinal drink shops.

"The owner of the cellar where these cabbages and radishes were stored kept these. His wife, who’s expecting, loves them dearly. Fearing she wouldn’t have any in winter, he stored some in the cellar. When I saw how bright and lovely they looked, I insisted on buying most of the basket."

"Hawthorns promote blood circulation and dissolve stasis, so pregnant women shouldn’t eat too many. When you go back, tell the cellar owner—"

The vegetable vendor quickly thanked her on the owner’s behalf, only for Shen Shaoguang to follow up, "How many more does he have? Could you buy more for me?"

The vendor suddenly wondered if Young Lady Shen’s earlier advice had been a ploy to get her hands on the berries.

Yu San scoffed and carried a basket of cabbages and radishes back to the kitchen.

The vendor hastily smiled and assured, "Consider it done."

Accused (in thought) of snatching food from a pregnant woman’s mouth, Shen Shaoguang bought the berries, humming a tune as she washed them in warm water. The berries were excellent—clearly handpicked before storage, each plump and flawless, without a single wormhole.

"Young Lady, are you making hawthorn cakes?" A Yuan asked cheerfully. The young lady had mentioned that hawthorn cakes aided digestion, so she assumed this was to help everyone after their heavy breakfast.

"What’s so great about hawthorn cakes?" Shen Shaoguang looked as smug as if she’d just been appointed to an official post. "I’ll make you some candied hawthorns to try."

Just the name sounded delicious. A Yuan’s anticipation grew.

Shen Shaoguang let them go about their tasks—chopping vegetables, preparing meat, and kneading dough for lunch—while she stole a leisurely half-day for herself, meticulously pitting the berries, stuffing them with sweet bean paste, skewering them on bamboo sticks, and crafting candied hawthorns.Tanghulu (candied fruit skewers) likely holds a special place in the hearts of every child born in the 80s or 90s. In those days when snacks weren't as varied and pocket money wasn't plentiful, summer ice cream and winter tanghulu were considered the two reigning champions of the snack world.

On freezing winter days, vendors would ride bicycles with straw bundles tied behind them, calling out "Tangdun'er—" (sugar mounds).

These straw bundles would be stuck full of skewers—some with pure hawthorn berries, others stuffed with sweet bean paste, or made with yam, yam beans, oranges, or apples—all coated in a shiny, transparent sugar glaze with delicate sugar threads hanging from the sides.

As for its name, in the nearby capital, it was called "bing tang hulu'er" (rock sugar gourds), while another classmate said her hometown referred to it as "tang qiu'er" (sugar balls). Whatever the name, just mentioning it would make mouths water.

The key to delicious bing tang hulu lies in the sugar syrup's heat control. Simmer it slowly over low heat until, when lifted with chopsticks, it forms fine threads—that's when it's just right. If unsure, test a drop in cold water—if it hardens with a crisp snap, it's perfect.

If undercooked, it sticks to teeth; if overcooked, it turns bitter—far worse.

With her experience making candied yam threads, Shen Shaoguang was skilled at sugar syrup. Testing it, she confirmed it was ready, then rolled the skewers in the syrup before flicking them onto an oiled flat tray, creating beautiful sugar threads. A Yuan came over to help stick them onto a simply tied straw bundle.

Soon, the small straw bundle was filled with twenty or thirty skewers.

Bright red and glistening, they looked utterly delightful. Even Yu San turned his head to look, not to mention A Yuan and A Chang.

Shen Shaoguang instructed A Yuan, "Take it under the eaves to cool first, keeping it out of the wind and snow. It tastes best when the sugar hardens."

A Yuan, as if receiving an imperial decree, carefully carried the straw bundle outside.

A short while later, the shop's proprietress and staff were all enjoying the bing tang hulu—even Yu San couldn't resist grabbing a skewer. The young lady truly had a knack for these whimsical treats.

Holding her tanghulu, Shen Shaoguang stood by the door, eating while admiring the scenery—the vast snowscape, white walls and dark rooftiles, pedestrians, carriages, and two young ladies holding umbrellas. It looked like a scene from an ancient painting or a Romance tale.

Just as the carriage passed by, it unexpectedly stopped, and out stepped a familiar figure—Lord Lin.

No court session today? Shen Shaoguang counted the days—ah, it was his day off. And he still went out in this weather?

Lin Yan had visited the ailing Su Zhen, a professor at the Imperial Academy, that morning. The old scholar had fallen gravely ill, and delaying the visit until afternoon might invite ill omens, while waiting until the next day off might be too late. So he had braved the snow.

On his way back, he had lifted the carriage curtain on a whim—only to see Young Lady Shen, dressed in practical Hu-style attire with her hair in a dashing Hu-style bun, yet comically holding a skewer of red fruit.

After leaving the gloomy bedside of a sick man on such a dreary day, this sudden glimpse of carefree, even playful joy finally eased the frown Lin Yan had worn the entire journey. The corners of his lips lifted slightly—this Shen Xiao Niangzi really knew how to enjoy herself...

"Lord Lin—out admiring the snow? Truly a man of refined taste," Shen Shaoguang greeted with a smile.

"Not as refined as you, Young Lady Shen," Lin Yan replied with a faint smile, his gaze lingering on the tanghulu in her hand."..." Was that sarcasm, a joke, or a sarcastic joke? Shen Shaoguang stared at the back of Lin Yan's head, never expecting that the usually proper Lord Lin could speak like this...

"Our lunch menu isn't ready yet, but we can make you some Broad Noodles right now." Shen Shaoguang set aside her half-eaten candied hawthorn skewer to attend to this rather demanding guest.

Lin Yan seemed to hesitate.

"Or perhaps you'd like a candied hawthorn skewer to nibble on while you decide?" This suggestion was purely mischievous, a playful retaliation for his earlier "not as good" remark.

Lin Yan looked up at Shen Shaoguang.

She responded with a polite, eager smile.

"Alright."

"..." Shen Shaoguang paused, then nodded with a smile. "Please wait a moment, my lord."

What followed was an oddly surreal interlude where all five people in the room silently ate their candied hawthorn skewers.

Yu San finished hers in a few quick bites and led A Chang, who was eyeing another skewer, back to the kitchen. A Yuan grabbed another skewer and followed them. As the proprietress, Shen Shaoguang maintained her composure better than the others, continuing to nibble on her half-finished skewer behind the counter.

Lord Lin, however, being an accomplished scholar and court official, ate with such natural elegance that he appeared completely unbothered by the awkwardness.

The strange atmosphere was finally broken by the arrival of two young ladies—the same pair Shen Shaoguang had seen earlier outside, identifiable by their blue silk parasols.