Chapter 182 - 182 Spicy Flavor
182 Spicy Flavor
Su Fengmao was thrilled that night. Although he was limping, he walked home excitedly. “Thank you, Binglan. I’m glad to see your third uncle doing better. It’s just that I couldn’t do anything when I saw how Fengzhi looked.
“But he’s better now, so he can pull himself together again. He’ll also have a profitable business soon, and your grandparents will feel more at ease.”
Su Binglan agreed with her father. “There’s no need for us to talk about these things since we’re father and daughter.”
Su Fengmao responded, “I know that, but I don’t know what else to say. Your grandparents only have four sons, and we’ve been close since we were young. You might not know, but I was the second son. I was the most insensible and disobedient.
“I often caused trouble, and your third uncle always took the blame. Your grandparents would beat Fengzhi for what I did. Fengzhi is younger than me, but he always protected me like the elder brother.”
Su Fengmao was full of emotion when he thought of the past. “Fengzhi relied on himself and learned to cook by becoming an apprentice. You might not know how hard it is to be an apprentice.”
Su Binglan could imagine what her third uncle had gone through. “I know it’s not easy to be an apprentice.”
Su Fengmao said, “It might also be hard for you to understand that our family doesn’t have any connections. I wondered why his teacher was willing to take your third uncle under his wing because we couldn’t afford to pay him much.
“Your third uncle did odd jobs just to pay his teacher. Still, his teacher would throw tantrums and reprimand your third uncle. Fengzhi was only 13 years old then and often hid in his room to cry.
“His teacher didn’t teach him much either. Fengzhi was the one who worked hard and paid attention to what others did so he could secretly learn. Fengzhi suffered so much to develop his cooking skills just for his nose and throat to get damaged. That’s why he was so depressed.”
Su Binglan understood what her third uncle had gone through. She inwardly sighed because she knew that the lives of ordinary people were not easy. However, one had to live life no matter what, so one would eventually improve.
“Don’t worry, Father. Uncle Fengzhi and his family will live better lives now. Their lamb and charcoal business will do well,” Su Binglan reassured her father.
“Yes, I believe you, Binglan.” Su Fengmao looked at his daughter and smiled. He knew how great his daughter was.
…
It was very dark outside, and Su Binglan guessed it was almost midnight. However, she noticed a dim yellow light in the house when she reached home. She felt a warmth in her heart when she saw the light.
When she entered, she saw her husband asleep at the table, holding a book in his hand. Su Binglan thought her husband was waiting for her to come home.
‘Hmph, I know he was waiting for me, but he won’t admit it. He said he was reading as an excuse last time.’
Su Binglan quietly walked over and wanted to take the book from Luo Jin’an so she could usher him to the bed, but she felt like she was looking at a beautiful painting when she saw her husband under the dim light.
Luo Jin’an’s eyes were intimidating whenever he looked at his wife, and Su Binglan dared not look into them, but he was asleep now, so Su Binglan could look at him attentively. She thought her husband was a beauty that was pleasing to the eye.
She blinked her beautiful eyes and turned her attention to Luo Jin’an’s skin. She realized his skin was perfect, much better than hers. She envied her husband’s skin and even wanted to touch it.
Su Binglan saw that her husband was sound asleep and gently touched his cheek with her hand. Then she noticed how long his eyebrows were. No wonder his eyes were so beautiful, like a poem or a painting, profound and pretty.
She looked at him intriguingly, but Luo Jin’an suddenly opened his eyes.
“Ah!” Su Binglan was unprepared for such a surprise. Her eyelids trembled as she hurriedly lowered her head, wondering if Luo Jin’an noticed her staring at him.
Luo Jin’an looked at his wife, who had her head lowered. He said softly, “You’re finally back.”
Su Binglan nodded and stammered, “Y-Yes, I’m home.”
She seemed to have thought of something, so she raised her head and looked at her husband. “You were waiting for me to return, weren’t you?”
Luo Jin’an was about to put the book away when he heard Su Binglan’s words. He paused, put the book away, and said, “I just happened to be reading when I fell asleep.”
Su Binglan carefully scanned her husband’s expression and said, “You’re lying. You were waiting for me but refuse to admit it.”
Luo Jin’an sighed as he turned to his wife and asked, “Why were you out so late?” Although he knew where his wife had gone, Luo Jin’an still asked the question in his mind.
“Were you worried?” Su Binglan picked up the kettle and poured some water for her husband. Then she said, “Drink some water. Have you taken your medicine?”
Luo Jin’an said softly, “Yes.”
With such a short reply, Su Binglan did not know Luo Jin’an was worried about her or that he had taken his medicine. Still, she was just asking and did not expect her husband to respond because she only teased him.
Luo Jin’an was typically quiet and gloomy, after all. However, Su Binglan remembered her husband asking why she was out so late and explained, “I talked to Uncle Fengzhi about some business ideas just now and taught them how to make barbeque lamb skewers.”
Luo Jin’an drank some water and briefly responded, “Okay.”
Su Binglan nodded. “Well, it’s very late now, so let’s rest. We have to wake up early tomorrow.”
She still had plenty of things to do the following day. Although the following day would be hectic, she felt fulfilled.
…
Su Binglan had a good night’s sleep and went to town alongside the others the following day. She spent the whole morning making many desserts, so she told Li Shi and Zhou Shan to help look after the shop.
She cooked and delivered lunch at noon, and the day went on as usual. However, she heard the customers discussing the haggis soup when she went out at noon.
“The weather is getting colder, so this haggis soup is perfect for warming me up.”
“I don’t know what kind of soup this is. It’s so spicy.”
“Hahaha, I was apprehensive about the spicy soup at first, but I got used to it after a few sips. I came to drink the haggis soup for its spiciness.”
Su Binglan listened and smiled as she walked away, but when she looked back, she saw people still coming and going. It was apparent that business was booming.
After delivering lunch to the academy, she told her husband, “I’ll be going home earlier this afternoon so you can take the oxcart with Wenzhe.”
Luo Jin’an put down his chopsticks and frowned. “What’s the hurry?”
Su Binglan explained, “Didn’t I tell you yesterday that I needed to teach Uncle Fengzhi how to prepare the lamb skewers? I’m going to his house in the afternoon. You can have some lamb skewers when you come home tonight.”
Su Xuehai curiously blinked his big eyes. “Aunt Binglan, what are lamb skewers?”
Su Binglan gently pinched her nephew’s cheek and thought his skin felt soft. “It’s a delicious lamb dish. Study hard today, and you can have some tonight.”