Chen Huihong sized up the attendant a few times, nodded, and followed him into the small warehouse to select dried fruits.
The diners, who had finished eating and were sitting there drinking tea and chatting, laughed and teased, "This Manager Lu is treating the crazy lady like she’s his own miss, serving her well. She ate and took away stuff the other day, and today she’s picking for herself. I bet the crazy lady will be back at Taifeng Building to eat tomorrow."
"Of course, he has to serve the crazy lady well. Do you know what people are saying outside now? They’re saying Taifeng Building is the best restaurant in Beiping because the crazy lady has been eating here for seven days straight. Counting today, it’s the eighth day; I’m afraid even Yonghe Inn will be outdone by Taifeng Building."
"Come on, what does the crazy lady know? Last month, when she was kicked out of her house and only took a maid to rent a place in the Outer City, wasn’t it Prince Guo who pitied her and gave her a snuff bottle?"
"It was ivory, but the crazy lady didn’t even look at it and just walked away."
"She’s a crazy lady; what does she know about snuff bottles? I think the crazy lady just knows which restaurant’s food tastes good."
"But whose young lady is she anyway? I heard from someone last time that she’s a princess from the Prince’s mansion."
"Who knows, families like theirs, especially the Prince and the Beile, care about reputation. If their own miss goes crazy, and a lazy servant can’t watch over her, causing a commotion in the city and running around the streets every day, they’d rather disown her than admit it."
"True, though the crazy lady is eccentric, she still knows some manners, and her demeanor is extraordinary; she might really be a princess."
The diners chatted loudly outside while the scene in the warehouse was quite different.
Chen Huihong was nibbling on candied fruit while the attendant who led her in had already left, leaving only Manager Lu, and they weren’t selecting dried fruits but were settling accounts.
"Miss Chen, here is the payment we’ve agreed upon earlier. Please count it." Manager Lu smiled as he handed over a purse, "As per our previous agreement, you’re supposed to dine here at Taifeng Building for ten days. But given today’s situation, eight days are enough; ten days would be too much. Tomorrow, you can eat wherever you like according to your taste—Yonghe Inn, Babaozhai, Yongfu Building, Qingping Pavilion, anywhere you choose."
"The payment remains as agreed for ten days, and I’ll settle it with you today."
Chen Huihong didn’t take the purse but said, "Then you’ll be at a loss for two days."
Manager Lu, smiling, said, "No loss, the full moon will wane, the water overflowed will spill. Taifeng Building is a new restaurant from outside the border, hasn’t properly paid respects or established a foothold. If too much fame is gained, it’s not a good thing."
Chen Huihong didn’t respond to him but instead asked self-indulgently, "How much does a birthday banquet usually cost here?"
"A birthday, is it Miss Chen’s birthday coming up soon? About when? I’ll send you a banquet; you won’t need to come personally. I’ll have the staff deliver it to the Outer City."
"No need." Chen Huihong shook her head, pointing to the purse, "Is it enough here?"
Manager Lu smiled but said nothing.
"Then prepare enough dishes," said Chen Huihong, "It doesn’t matter what the dishes are, but you must have steamed buns. Black steamed buns...and white steamed buns."
Manager Lu chuckled, "Isn’t it a bit too plain to have steamed buns for a birthday? Even ordinary households would prepare some fine grains to eat a bowl of Longevity Noodles for a birthday."
"Longevity Noodles?" Chen Huihong questioned, "What are Longevity Noodles?"
"It’s noodles with only a single strand of noodle in a bowl, eaten in one breath, symbolizing longevity." Manager Lu explained.
Chen Huihong liked the meaning of Longevity Noodles very much, nodded in satisfaction: "Then switch to Longevity Noodles, but black steamed buns must be there. My... my maid likes it."
Manager Lu was taken aback, "Isn’t it your birthday?"
"No," Chen Huihong said truthfully, "I can’t remember my birthday long ago, it’s my maid’s birthday, Little New Year."
Manager Lu looked at Chen Huihong several times, sighing, "Sometimes I truly wonder, are you really crazy or just pretending, truly foolish or just pretending."
"What matters is that on Little New Year’s day, it’s Hui Niang’s fifteenth birthday, coming of age ceremony, and you must remember to include black steamed buns and Longevity Noodles in the dishes."
Manager Lu withdrew the purse, "Rest assured, I’ll remember, after all, the cooperation between us promises a long future."
Feeling the matter was concluded, Chen Huihong turned to leave, but was stopped by Manager Lu, who handed her two packets of dried fruits wrapped in oil paper, gesturing at her to maintain appearances. Holding the dried fruits, Chen Huihong asked Manager Lu for a copper coin and left.
Seeing Chen Huihong come out, the remaining patrons quickly called for the attendant, expressing their wish to get some of the same dried fruits as Chen Huihong.
Afterward, Chen Huihong continued to stroll down the street.
At this hour, when people have finished their meals, she attracted less attention than before. With no one following her, people on the road just glanced at her more than once as she wandered along, eating dried fruits, in a state of contentment.
Having walked around once and estimating the time as about right, Chen Huihong began heading back.
On her way back, she encountered a hawker selling candied haws.
The hawker’s business wasn’t going well, having sold only a third of the candied haws between the morning and lunch. Now, seemingly tired, he sat by the street with his arms around a bundle of straw, resting.
Chen Huihong walked up, handing a copper coin to the hawker.
The hawker instinctively accepted it, not immediately understanding what Chen Huihong was intending.
She took a candied haw and just walked off, leaving the hawker stunned. Several seconds later, he came to his senses and muttered, "My candied haws are three copper coins."
Then, in a burst of excitement, he shouted at the top of his voice, "Candied haws, delicious and not pricey candied haws, the crazy lady spent money to buy my candied haws!"
With dried fruits in her left hand and candied haws in her right, Chen Huihong returned laden with goodies.
By the time she returned to the Outer City, it was already getting dark.
There were also beggars on the road, and when some passers-by saw a woman like her holding so many things and thought of snatching and running, they’d find themselves kicked to the ground by Chen Huihong, moaning. The onlookers shook their heads, remarking that these were clearly newcomers who didn’t know the crazy lady’s strength rivaled that of a strong man.
When Chen Huihong got home, Hui Niang was cooking sweet potatoes.
Seeing her return, Hui Niang joyfully went up to her. Chen Huihong gave her the candied haws and said, "Let’s save the black steamed buns for a few days; eat this today."
Hui Niang took a bite of the candied haws eagerly and said with satisfaction, "So sweet!"
"Oh by the way, sister, this afternoon I heard that the grain shop to the west is getting a batch of new cornmeal tomorrow, and the prices should be cheaper. The day after tomorrow is Little New Year. Tomorrow I’ll buy some cornmeal, some vegetables and some fish and shrimp, and make you steamed corn buns and stir-fried dishes in the evening."
"Do you have enough money?" Chen Huihong asked pointedly.
"I do. This afternoon I took a new laundry job, plus I have a bit of extra money. For Little New Year, we’ll get some fish and shrimp, and on the New Year’s day, I can go to the Second Meat Shop and buy some meat." Hui Niang said cheerfully, "According to my mother, this would definitely be a blessed year."
Chen Huihong frowned, "Doing laundry in such cold weather?"
Hui Niang drew back her hands full of chilblains, "It’s always been like that. Even before we fled the famine, at home, during the cold days, I’d take on laundry jobs, but back then it was all for the landlord’s house, without pay."
As Hui Niang said so, Chen Huihong didn’t pursue further, "Suit yourself, cooking breakfast on Little New Year will suffice, I remember you don’t eat lunch. In the evening, Manager Lu of Taifeng Building will have someone send a banquet, and there’ll... be dishes you like."
"Wow." Hui Niang remarked in admiration, "Sister, you’re amazing."
"It’s nothing, just an exchange of equal value, fulfilling each other’s needs." Chen Huihong said, pushing the door open to go in and take off her clothes for a relaxed evening munching on sunflower seeds.
Just as she pushed the door open, Chen Huihong seemed to recall something, asking perplexedly, "Do you really only like eating... black bread buns?"
The tone was entirely as if to say, is your taste really that peculiar?
Hui Niang smiled sheepishly, "Black steamed buns are already very tasty, and such treats back home were only had during the New Year."
"The rent here is paid by you, the cotton clothes and bedding were bought by you, you don’t even eat meals at home every day. Being able to eat black bread is already very good."
"Alright then," said Chen Huihong, not pressing further, "as long as you’re happy."