Yummy Yummy Yummy

In the early morning, Shen Shaoguang sat bundled in her quilt on the bed, lifting the bed curtain to peer at the window. The light outside was glaring white, carrying a biting chill—had the snowfall grown heavier?

Faint voices drifted from the corridor outside: "Has the young mistress awakened? The kitchen has prepared chicken soup wontons this morning. They're already wrapped and ready to be boiled if the young mistress is up."

A Yuan's voice replied, "Wait a little longer. The young mistress is still asleep."

Shen Shaoguang called out from inside, "I'm awake."

A Yuan lifted the felt curtain and entered, bringing a gust of cold air with her, followed closely by Ming Nu.

As soon as A Yuan finished hooking up the half-drawn bed curtains and putting away the pillow screen, Ming Nu leaped onto Shen Shaoguang's quilt. Shen Shaoguang scolded in mock annoyance, "Hey, hey! Do you even care how dirty you are, rolling around on my quilt like this?"

Ming Nu rubbed its head against Shen Shaoguang and licked her hand before rolling onto its back, exposing its belly.

Shen Shaoguang sighed helplessly. Weren't you supposed to be a proud, aloof cat? Now that your feline persona has crumbled, have you just given up entirely? She scratched its chin and stroked its head, musing to herself: If only that certain someone connected to your name could be this good at acting cute, I would've surrendered long ago.

She buried her face in the cat's belly and took a deep breath. Hmm, no trace of mud or dampness—clean and dry. Seems it hadn't had the chance to roll around in the snow yet.

"It's been very well-behaved," A Yuan said. "It just sat on the corridor for a while admiring the scenery, then came back to the main hall, jumped onto the couch, and curled up on the cassia-cloth leaning pillow you often use."

Shen Shaoguang chuckled, easily picturing the scene: a cat sitting solemnly by the doorway, calmly observing the vast white snowfall, pondering the mysteries of feline existence.

The more she thought about it, the more amusing it became. She lifted Ming Nu, holding it face to face. "Professor McGonagall, is that you? How do you like the snowy scenery of Chang'an?"

A Yuan had no idea who Professor McGonagall was and simply urged, "Young mistress, stop playing with the cat. The bedding's getting cold."

Shen Shaoguang dressed quickly, slipped on her shoes, and got out of bed. Another maid brought hot and cold water to mix in the washbasin. After washing up, the maid handed her a bowl of ginger water.

Sipping the warm ginger water slowly, Shen Shaoguang began to feel cozy again.

When a maid moved to comb her hair, Shen Shaoguang waved her off. "Go attend to your own tasks." She casually tied her hair into the simplest Hu-style topknot, securing it with a silk ribbon.

The maids brought the chicken soup wontons, and they all ate together. Shen Shaoguang was no true aristocratic lady bound by rigid household rules, so she maintained an easy camaraderie with her servants—just as she had when running her small four-person tavern, and even now after purchasing a grand residence with a full staff. Though with so many people, it was impractical for everyone to gather for meals at once.

One bite of the filling told her it was Princess Yu San's handiwork—pork mixed with minced dried shrimp and aspic, exceptionally savory! Nowadays, Princess Yu San's skill in making soup-filled dumplings had surpassed even her teacher's. Shen Shaoguang couldn't help feeling like the old master left in the dust by her brilliant disciple.

With the holiday and the dreary weather, what was there to do? Shen Shaoguang gathered her maids to paint a winter-counting calendar.

Since it was just to pass the time, they crafted the design with meticulous detail, everyone pitching in—even Ming Nu left a paw print.

Before they could finish, the gatekeeper announced the arrival of Princess Fuhui.

Shen Shaoguang hurried out to greet her.

"I thought to myself, on such a snowy day, one must seek out a kindred spirit to appreciate it with—and you came to mind," Princess Fuhui said with a smile.Shen Shaoguang nodded, "I was just thinking of you, Princess. On such a snowy day, it would be lovely to share something refined—like enjoying a hot pot together."

The princess laughed heartily, "Don't expose me like that! How did you know I was craving your hot pot?"

Shen Shaoguang smiled, "Perhaps because—great minds think alike?"

The princess, who had never heard such a colloquial saying before, was utterly delighted.

Holding an umbrella, Shen Shaoguang walked with Princess Fuhui, who linked arms with her. They passed through the front courtyard and the main hall, heading straight to the inner quarters.

Shen Shaoguang shared an anecdote, "Speaking of minds, I recall a saying. There’s a foreign proverb: ‘Two heads are better than one.’ A young foreign lady added a twist—‘especially on the pillow.’"

Princess Fuhui burst into laughter, playfully patting Shen Shaoguang’s arm. "A kindred spirit! A true kindred spirit! I wish we’d met sooner."

Shen Shaoguang, however, remained straight-faced. "The catch? She wrote this in her homework—and her teacher was a foreign monk..."

The princess laughed even harder.

Under the eaves, Shen Shaoguang closed the umbrella and handed it to A Yuan, while a maid lifted the curtain for them to enter the hall. They took their seats as host and guest, and maids served red date and wolfberry ginger tea along with dried fruits and pastries.

Princess Fuhui sipped her drink and glanced around the hall. "For someone as clever as you, it’s odd that you prefer such rustic decor."

Shen Shaoguang frowned slightly, then smiled. "Maybe to hide some of that cleverness? To appear simple and unassuming."

The princess chuckled, "Such strange talk!"

Shen Shaoguang elaborated, "Being a little dull makes one more endearing."

Princess Fuhui, the self-proclaimed love guru, countered, "No, no. It all depends on whether the other person cares for you. If they do, no matter how sharp you are, you’ll seem delicate and pitiable in their eyes. If they don’t, even genuine simplicity might be seen as scheming."

Shen Shaoguang had no rebuttal—the princess’s words were painfully accurate.

With a hint of melancholy, Princess Fuhui added, "I’m the one who isn’t particularly clever yet always suspected of ulterior motives. How unfortunate..."

Just as Shen Shaoguang was about to console her, the princess brightened. "But fortunately, I no longer care."

Changing the subject, Princess Fuhui asked cheerfully, "What were you doing when I arrived?"

Shen Shaoguang replied, "Just keeping with the season—painting a winter-counting chart with the maids."

She had someone fetch it, and the princess joined her in coloring while chatting. Their conversation meandered from food to the latest trends in the capital—no different from how modern girlfriends might chat.

By the time they finished, it was noon. Servants set the table with two milky soup hot pots, an assortment of thinly sliced meats, fish balls, vegetables, tofu, and a jar of aged rice wine.

Shen Shaoguang smiled, "This wine is said to be over a decade old. I’m no connoisseur, but you should try it, Princess."

Princess Fuhui, who indeed had a taste for wine, replied, "Let me judge it for you."

Shen Shaoguang warmed the wine and tossed in a few candied plums from earlier. Once heated, she poured a cup for the princess.

"Rich and mellow—truly a fine vintage," the princess nodded approvingly. "And the plums add a lovely touch—a subtle sweet-sour note that’s refreshing. I’ve only had plum-infused wine before; I never knew it could be enjoyed this way."Shen Shaoguang smiled, "If it were summer, chilled with ice, I imagine it would taste even better."

Princess Fuhui laughed, "I'll come back to drink this iced version at the summer solstice."

The two ate hot pot, drank wine, and continued their casual banter.

"I've heard that in the south, when a daughter is born, they bury wine underground and dig it up to serve guests when she marries. That's why it's called 'daughter wine' or 'daughter red.' Some is supplied from the south every year, but I find it less fragrant and mellow than yours," the princess remarked.

Shen Shaoguang chuckled, "I've also heard that if it's for a son, the wine is called 'zhuangyuan red.'"

The princess laughed, "Perhaps 'jinshi wine' would be more realistic—how many top scholars can there be?"

Having met many jinshi scholars, the princess thought it was easy. Shen Shaoguang enlightened her, "Passing the jinshi exam isn't simple. There's a saying, 'Fifty is young for a jinshi.' Many spend their whole lives trying and never succeed."

"In that case, those like Lin Yan and Pei Fei, who became jinshi at such a young age, must be exceptionally talented?"

Shen Shaoguang replied objectively, "Whether they're exceptional or not, they certainly have real ability."

Somehow, the conversation turned back to the gentlemen.

Princess Fuhui sighed at Shen Shaoguang's hesitation. "Let me tell you, men have no patience. Don't expect him to wait for you forever. If you don't marry him, he'll eventually marry someone else and have children. With your temperament, you'd probably just forget each other. And to think you've never even slept together—what a waste..."

Shen Shaoguang nodded, imagining meeting Lin Yan years later. She'd be surrounded by servants, and he might be accompanied by his wife. They'd exchange a distant bow before going their separate ways. His wife might ask, "Who is that lady?" Lin Yan might reply, "That's the owner of Shen Ji—their hot pot is excellent." The thought made Shen Shaoguang's heart ache.

Princess Fuhui shook her head. "No backbone!" But then she thought of herself and realized she wasn't much better. Oh well—the pot shouldn't call the kettle black. "Enough about them. Let's drink!"

They raised their cups, drained them, and poured more.

The mellow wine with candied plums was quite pleasant, and soon they were a little drunk. Shen Shaoguang, mindful of the princess's presence, kept some clarity, but Princess Fuhui was truly intoxicated, swaying as she prepared to leave.

Shen Shaoguang urged her, "It's still early. If you don't mind, rest here a while before leaving."

The princess waved her off. "I'll visit another day. Today was truly delightful!"

Her maids supported her as Shen Shaoguang saw her out. After watching her carriage depart, Shen Shaoguang returned inside.

A Yuan steadied her. "Young mistress, you can't even walk straight."

Shen Shaoguang glanced back at her footprints—not too bad.

As the maids cleared the leftovers, Shen Shaoguang eyed the remaining half-pot of warmed wine. "Leave this for me."

A Yuan gasped. "Young mistress, you're still drinking?"

Sitting cross-legged on the couch, Shen Shaoguang frowned thoughtfully. "I haven't drunk enough."

Haven't drunk enough? She was clearly drunk! But just as Shen Shaoguang couldn't bear to make A Yuan give up sweets or meat, A Yuan relented at her pleading look. "Just this much, then straight to bed?"

Hearing her motherly tone, Shen Shaoguang laughed. "Understood, nag."A Yuan asked if she wanted any wine or snacks, but Shen Shaoguang shook her head and pointed to the dried fruits on the table.

When Lin Yan arrived, he saw Shen Shaoguang with one leg stretched out and the other bent, half-reclining against two leaning pillows, eating a sour plum and taking sips of wine directly from the jug.

Shen Shaoguang squinted at him with a tipsy smile and greeted, "Young Master Lin, what brings you here? Didn’t you have a banquet today?"

"I ran into the Princess outside the ward."

Shen Shaoguang nodded, tilting her head to look at him. "You don’t seem too drunk today."

"Hmm, but you are."

Shen Shaoguang narrowed her eyes and grinned. "I got along so well with the Princess that I drank a little more."

Lin Yan pursed his lips. "If you knew you were already drunk, why keep drinking?"

Shen Shaoguang couldn’t recall the excuse she’d given A Yuan earlier and had to improvise again, frowning. "Well, since I’m already drunk, what’s a little more?" She glanced at the wine jug in her hand and had a sudden thought. "It’d be a waste not to drink it."

Lin Yan was both amused and exasperated—so she was just being frugal! What kind of excuse was that?

Seeing her about to take another sip, Lin Yan stepped forward and took the jug. "No more wine for you. Let the maids help you wash up and get some rest. You’ll have a headache tomorrow for sure."

Shen Shaoguang shook her head and patted the couch, gesturing for him to sit. "Stay and talk with me for a bit."

Lin Yan sat down beside her. She was wearing a slightly worn maroon Hu-style jacket, her hair tied simply with a ribbon that had loosened, strands falling around her temples. Her cheeks were flushed like she’d applied rouge, giving her a silly, drunken look. Lin Yan’s heart softened. "Don’t drink like this with the Princess again. You’re not used to it—being drunk is miserable."

Ignoring his advice, Shen Shaoguang just grinned at him and then took his hand to play with.

She compared their hands, then interlaced their fingers. Lin Yan indulged her, holding her hand as she squinted to count the whorls and loops on his fingers.

"Three loops—you should go into business like me, open a pawnshop," Shen Shaoguang declared after her inspection.

Lin Yan had never heard such nonsense and simply chuckled.

Shen Shaoguang let go of his hand, pouting. "Too bad you’re not actually a pawnbroker."

She sat up straight and looked at Lin Yan for a long moment before saying, "I won’t hold you back anymore. There’s no future in this. You should go marry and have children."

Lin Yan frowned. "What’s gotten into you?"

"We’re like carts on different roads—we’d both fare better going our separate ways. Forcing ourselves together would only lead to collisions. I used to think… the longer we could walk together, the better." She bit her lip and lowered her head. "This is my fault. Better to part ways than cling to each other in hardship."

Lin Yan lifted her chin and found her face streaked with tears. He had been a little exasperated hearing her bring this up again, but now his heart ached. What a fool—overthinking when she shouldn’t and underthinking when she should. He had watched her pour her heart into running the tavern, bustling about with such joy, and hadn’t wanted to disrupt her. Besides, even if they couldn’t… this way of being together was still good. Lin Yan was willing to take things slow. But now he saw he couldn’t indulge her like this anymore. She might seem cheerful on the surface, but her heart was heavy—otherwise, she wouldn’t be crying like this.

Gently pulling her into his arms, Lin Yan whispered, "We’ll cling to each other in hardship for a lifetime—isn’t that what you’ve always wanted?"Shen Shaoguang had long forgotten her own twisted interpretation, only feeling sorrowful. She simply burst into tears, smearing Lin Yan's robe with tears and snot.

Lin Yan gently patted her back. After a while, when there was no more sound, he carefully turned her face—only to find she had fallen asleep.

Author's note: Well, as requested by everyone, they finally embraced.

————

①Reference to a quote by Eileen Chang's friend, Yan Ying.

②Adapted from a famous saying by Yi Shu.

③From Ji Han's "Records of the Plants of the South" during the Jin Dynasty: "Daughter's wine was an essential item for wealthy families when a daughter was born or married." However, the term "Zhuangyuan Red" seems to have appeared in later generations.