Chapter Sixteen: Steward Yang

The elderly woman clutched her granddaughter in her arms, pulling the child further behind her. Only then did Liang Yunqing notice a small bamboo basket near the stall, lined with a thin quilt; it was clearly where the little girl had been sleeping.

"Granny... want bun, Yuanbao want bun."

The tears the old woman had just wiped away welled up again instantly. She held the little girl, sobbing in a low voice.

"Is she your granddaughter?" Liang Yunqing asked softly, observing the child.

The old woman immediately pulled the girl behind her, shielding her like a mother hen, and glared at the group with hostility. "Don't you dare have any designs on my granddaughter!"

"Are you selling? I'll offer one tael of silver."

Liang Yunqing’s blunt offer made the old woman bristle. She held the girl tightly, cursing loudly, "Go to hell! I would rather die than sell my granddaughter. Even if you offered ten thousand taels, I wouldn't sell her!"

"Good." Liang Yunqing nodded in satisfaction, while Li Pinghua beside her turned away, feeling somewhat uneasy.

"Here, for you." Liang Yunqing took out a *shaomai* she had been keeping warm in her bosom as breakfast and handed it to the little girl with a faint smile.

The old woman looked at her defensively, but the starving child couldn't resist and reached out her hand. Liang Yunqing tore open the paper wrapping and held the *shaomai* to the girl’s lips. "Eat. I wouldn't stoop to harming a child."

Watching Yuanbao eat the *shaomai* in large bites, the old woman gently stroked her cheek and said in a low, weary tone, "I'll clear the spot. Let's go, Yuanbao." She took the little girl’s hand and pushed the charred wooden cart, walking away with a stumbling gait.

Li Pinghua shot her an annoyed look, then excitedly pulled Lady Chu over to set up their table and start business. Liang Yunqing didn't consider herself a particularly compassionate person, but the sight of the old woman and the child left her feeling unsettled.

Lady Chu pulled her arm away from Li Pinghua and walked over to Liang Yunqing, speaking gently. "Qing'er, Mother doesn't know any grand truths, but I know you aren't happy right now."

"I'm not unhappy," Liang Yunqing replied, averting her eyes. Lady Chu saw right through her, but said nothing more.

The stall was set up as usual. As the day brightened, pedestrians began to pass by on the town street. Liang Yunqing continued to call out to passersby. Many who hadn't managed to get a taste the day before queued up to buy *shaomai*. A long line soon formed, and everyone who received their food tasted it with delight. Praises echoed constantly.

Li Pinghua’s face was practically beaming as she wrapped *shaomai*, barking orders at A-Yan and Xiao Hong to add firewood under the steamer. Though the two children’s faces were smudged black with soot, their smiles never faded.

***

By noon, workers coming off their shifts followed the scent to the stall. Three *wen* apiece wasn't cheap, but for laborers who had toiled all morning, a filling meal of *shaomai*—rich with oil, rice, and meat—was the best choice.

When all 300 *shaomai* were sold out, there were still many people in line. Liang Yunqing had to say, just as she did yesterday, "My apologies, everyone. The *shaomai* for today is sold out. I will make more tomorrow."

Regretful sighs rippled through the crowd, and soon the area was clear. Li Pinghua happily weighed the bag full of coins. Liang Yunqing took the bag and counted: about 846 *wen*. Combined with the 382 *wen* left from yesterday, she now had one tael and 228 *wen*. However, the costs were significant; the rice and flour bought the day before were exhausted. After deducting expenses, the net profit was 698 *wen*.

The three of them returned home, satisfied.

At night, the courtyard was once again crowded with people lying about in disarray. Returning late after shopping, then steaming rice, frying meat, kneading dough, and wrapping *shaomai*—it was already deep into the night by the time they finished.

"My poor back..." Grandmother groaned in pain, rubbing her lower back. Liang Mingxue, who had been lying on the ground, immediately stood up. "Mother, let your son rub it for you." He reached out to support Lady Wang, massaging her back continuously until she squinted her eyes in comfort.

Liang Yunqing couldn't help but give him a thumb’s up. Her father was exhausted, yet still able to get up and tend to his mother—truly a model of filial piety. But then, noticing the concerned look Lady Wang cast toward Liang Zhiyan, Liang Yunqing felt a pang of pity for her father. The mother he respected and loved so much had never shown him such care; instead, it was the selfish and henpecked Liang Zhiyan who held Lady Wang’s heart.

Exhausted, Liang Yunqing lay on the ground, gazing at the star-filled night sky, calculating how long it would take to save up 15 taels of silver.

She returned to her room and slept through the night without a dream. The next morning, the group was back to their busy routine. Once they reached the stall and set up the wooden table, A-Yan and Xiao Hong lit the brazier and heated the steamer.

The crowd today was much like yesterday’s. Among the long line were many familiar returning customers. Liang Yunqing greeted them with a smile. Just as she was about to walk to the back of the queue to continue calling out, a middle-aged man called out to her in a low voice.

"Hey... little girl."

Liang Yunqing walked closer. The man was Qin Yuan, the very first person to have tasted her *shaomai*.

"What is it, Uncle Qin?"

Qin Yuan lowered his voice and gestured with his eyes toward a man in the front of the line wearing a cotton coat with dark embroidered patterns. "That’s the manager of the Xike Restaurant in the county. I heard him say in line just now that he wanted to try your *shaomai*."

The manager of Xike Restaurant? Liang Yunqing looked skeptically at the short, stout man. "Thank you, Uncle Qin."

Liang Yunqing took three steaming *shaomai* from the stall and handed them to him, thanking him for the tip.

Soon, it was the manager's turn. He didn't rush to buy; instead, he leaned toward the steamer to sniff the aroma, observing for a good while. It wasn't until Li Pinghua shouted, "What are you looking at? Are you going to buy or not? Don't hold up the people behind you!" that he smiled and placed a string of coins on the table.

"I’ll take ten *shaomai*."

Seeing a big spender, Li Pinghua’s demeanor turned sycophantic, and she quickly wrapped up the ten *shaomai*. The stout man didn't walk away. He held one *shaomai* in his hand, inspecting it carefully before taking a bite. A moment later, his eyes lit up as he looked at the stall. Ignoring the people still waiting in line, he blocked Li Pinghua’s path and asked, "Did you make this? Did you make these *shaomai*?" Then, looking at Lady Chu, who was helping nearby, he added, "Or was it you?"

Li Pinghua, blocked from handing out more food, looked the man up and down. "Who are you? Why are you asking?"

The stout man quickly bowed politely. "I am the manager of Xike Restaurant, surnamed Yang."

"What’s Xike Restaurant? Can you stop blocking the way? There are people waiting to buy behind you!" Li Pinghua waved her hand to push him aside, but Manager Yang stood his ground, as if his feet were rooted to the spot. He pulled out another string of coins and placed it on the table. "You must have made these *shaomai*. I have a matter I would like to request..."

"You should ask her," Li Pinghua interrupted, gesturing with her chin.

Manager Yang turned around and saw a slender, delicate-looking girl standing behind them, appearing to be no more than fifteen or sixteen years old.

"Manager Yang, what brings you all this way?"

"Did you make these *shaomai*?"

Liang Yunqing nodded. She gestured for him to move to a different spot to talk. Manager Yang, being a shrewd man, immediately moved. "I would like to invite you for a cup of tea, Miss."

The two arrived at a teahouse. There were few people there at that hour, and Manager Yang ordered the waiter to bring the finest tea. He then adjusted his collar and asked, "Forgive my presumption, but may I ask your name, Miss?"