Chapter 11: A New Idea

That big bite was really quite hot. Chu Chaoyun covered her mouth and hopped around in the kitchen, but the expression on her small face was one of indescribable joy and surprise.

She had eaten quite a few roujiamos (meat sandwiches) in this world, but she had never tried one made with fish meat.

Mainly because there were more fish, shrimp, and river delicacies in the Ruizhou River, and it was really hard for her to get chicken, duck, beef, lamb, or pork. She was initially just trying it out, but unexpectedly she ended up making a delicacy of the human world!

Calling it a delicacy of the human world was no exaggeration. To a well-informed foodie, the bread was golden and crispy on the outside, soaked in lard and soft and delicate inside, layered with fragrant fish flakes and aromatic reeds stems. It not only cut through the greasiness but also created a unique new flavor. Chu Chaoyun almost wanted to give herself a thumbs up.

However, besides her somewhat equal culinary skills, what Chu Chaoyun actually wanted to praise the most was the seasoning placed in the cupboard.

She didn’t even know exactly what it was — a blend of several fine powders that had a spicy and salty taste, which was why the dishes she made were elevated to another level.

That cook girl was indeed amazing.

Chu Chaoyun admired her inwardly.

Not wanting the finished food to get cold, she picked up the tray with the food and quickly returned to the storage room.

She first sent three fish meat roujiamos to Mrs. Diao, then gave the remaining two in the tray to Xu Xianghe.

“Make sure to keep the door closed tight when eating, so as to avoid unnecessary trouble.”

Chu Chaoyun warned Xu Xianghe, who nodded seriously. After she left, Xu Xianghe quietly closed and latched the door.

Chu Chaoyun walked through the narrow path into Mrs. Diao’s cubicle. As soon as she pushed open the door, a strong fragrance entered her nose. However, the scent didn’t waft far at all because the storage room’s stench was so strong that even the delicious roujiamos couldn’t overpower it.

Inside, Mrs. Diao had almost finished the food in her hand. Sensing Chu Chaoyun watching her, Mrs. Diao shyly licked her lips: “Chaoyun, your cooking skills are really quite good!”

“I’m actually pretty average at cooking.”

Chu Chaoyun shyly smiled, took one, and sat down beside her to eat slowly.

Just now in the kitchen, she had eaten too fast to really savor it. Thinking of how eager she looked, Chu Chaoyun chuckled, feeling like Pigsy from Journey to the West eating ginseng fruit.

With her eyes curved into a smile, Chu Chaoyun quietly enjoyed herself. Her good mood quickly infected Mrs. Diao, who slowed down after finishing one roujiamo and reaching for another.

“Chaoyun, I haven’t asked you yet, what’s this food called? It’s the first time I’ve heard of stuffing meat and vegetables inside that kind of bread.”

“Fish meat roujiamo. Doesn’t Ruizhou have this?”

Chu Chaoyun took interest and chatted quietly with Mrs. Diao.

Mrs. Diao furrowed her brows, as if seriously thinking, then confirmed: “I haven’t seen it before,” and after a moment added, “Not even that cook girl has done it.”

Chu Chaoyun’s eyes darted around, asking more specifically, “Great Qi is vast — what about other places? Do they make it like this?”

Mrs. Diao was at a loss, “This is hard for an old lady like me. I have never been outside Ruizhou.”

Chu Chaoyun was a bit surprised; she had assumed Mrs. Diao, like the original owners, also came from other places. After all, these people are quite reckless but wouldn’t dare to abduct local people to do this kind of business, wouldn’t they be afraid of rumors spreading and trouble arising?

She guessed that Mrs. Diao might have some inconvenient reasons for coming aboard and didn’t want to be impolite by pressing further.

So the topic turned. Looking at Mrs. Diao, she said, “Aunt, I’m an outsider and know nothing about Ruizhou. Since I can’t go out now, why don’t you tell me about the delicious foods of Ruizhou? I want to listen and satisfy my cravings.”

Mrs. Diao broke into a smile. “You're still young — just listening can satisfy your cravings?”

“Yes, it can!”

Chu Chaoyun finished the fish meat roujiamo and wiped her mouth. “It really can!”

The two ate and drank their fill, their spirits high. Even the wind blowing in from outside didn’t feel cold.

Chu Chaoyun sat hugging her knees on the bed, and Mrs. Diao sat beside her, reminiscing about times before boarding. She told Chu Chaoyun about the beautiful scenery and delicious food of Ruizhou, occasionally adding some interesting stories…

Back in her own cubicle, Chu Chaoyun lay flat on the bed, pressed reeds beneath her making a smooth surface, staring at the dark low ceiling with a complicated heart.

Ruizhou was located on the edge of Great Qi. The local people’s lives had been difficult in the past: either drought or floods. Only in recent years had several batches of wealthy families come from other places, and these “wealthy families” settled in Ruizhou, making life barely better for everyone.

As for food, there was nothing special, just some home cooking.

It was precisely because of this that the managers had hired the cook girl from outside.

Chu Chaoyun tossed and turned on the bed, barely able to close her eyes. Meanwhile, across the hall, Xu Xianghe seemed to have gone to the latrine and came back shivering from the cold.

Chu Chaoyun glanced at the remaining reeds under the stool, got up to tidy them, and went to knock on Xu Xianghe’s door.

Xu Xianghe quickly opened, probably unable to sleep because of the cold.

“Here, use these to pad your bed. It’s better than lying on the bare boards.”

Xu Xianghe gratefully took them, but before she could say thank you, Chu Chaoyun folded her arms and went back to her place. She was cold too.

She really should think of a way to get a thicker bed and blanket, Chu Chaoyun thought gloomily, burrowing back under the reeds.

—

Thinking there were probably no major customers on the Flower Boat today, Chu Chaoyun was washing her face and brushing her teeth in the washroom. The West Wharf was as quiet as a sleeping sun—no sound at all.

No business made her happier; it meant less exhaustion for her and Chu Yu could relax more.

Chu Chaoyun tied her hair back with a cloth and was surprised to see that the boatwoman at the front of the queue was none other than Xu Xianghe.

Xu Xianghe had scars on her cheeks, causing some self-consciousness, so she pulled down a lock of hair to cover them, but the lock wasn’t very effective; the wind blew it aside to reveal the scars again.

Xu Xianghe greeted her timidly, almost scared: “Chaoyun… good morning.”

“Morning.”

Chu Chaoyun naturally smiled slightly and moved aside to prepare her work.

There were some uncut firewood stacked at the stern. Chu Chaoyun stretched and then went down to the warehouse to pick a handy axe to chop the wood vigorously.

This firewood included Mrs. Diao’s share; the managers didn’t show favors to anyone just because they were older. As for Manager Zhong’s rule forbidding older boatwomen from rowing, it was mainly out of concern for guest safety in case of capsizing.

After finishing chopping her own wood, Chu Chaoyun swung the axe to chop Mrs. Diao’s pile.

A square-faced boatwoman who had been watching her couldn’t help sneering a bit.

About to go on with her own work, she saw Mrs. Diao walking over and quickly changed her expression into a warm smile, eagerly trying to grab Chu Chaoyun’s axe. “Chaoyun, you must be exhausted chopping so long, you’re young and don’t know how to use your strength. Let me help Mrs. Diao with the rest.”

Chu Chaoyun instinctively dodged her reaching hand, gave her a strange look, then smiled and declined.

“No need to trouble Aunt.”

After speaking, she glanced over at Mrs. Diao’s place and smiled wider: “Oh? Aunt, you haven’t finished chopping yet? Then don’t mind me, hurry up and finish early to go eat lunch.”

The square-faced boatwoman said dryly, with a mix of shame and resentment on her face.

Mrs. Diao came over carrying an axe too, picked up the remaining wood and chopped, then glanced sideways at the square-faced boatwoman, gave Chu Chaoyun a look, and the two left together.

For lunch, each kept a roujiamo for themselves.

After finishing, Chu Chaoyun looked across to see Xu Xianghe sitting alone, quietly chewing her dry bread.

There was a bowl of vegetable soup beside Xu Xianghe, with little left; she must have already drunk some.

While resting, Manager Zhong came walking over, but this time not to see Mrs. Diao, instead she turned towards Xu Xianghe.

After saying a few words, Chu Chaoyun saw both Manager Zhong and Xu Xianghe look up at her.

She frowned and thought for a moment, seeming to understand something.

Sure enough, after Manager Zhong left, Xu Xianghe hurried over and crouched down, whispering, “Chaoyun, do you… have time now? If you still have work, I can help you.”

“You want to learn rowing?”

Chu Chaoyun guessed.

Xu Xianghe nodded. “Manager Zhong told me to learn from you.”

Chu Chaoyun was a bit surprised; she had thought Manager Zhong disliked her, especially after that incident when she got the manager rowing in the river last time, which she hadn’t forgotten.

She laughed helplessly. “If you’re not afraid of her scolding you, just follow me to learn.”

After resting enough, she took Xu Xianghe to the small boat. At first, they learned under Manager Zhong’s watchful eye, but Chu Chaoyun maneuvered the boat farther out.

She slyly rowed the small boat into the reeds and took advantage to cut a lot of reeds. Xu Xianghe, knowing those could be used to make bedding, helped pull them up.

But Chu Chaoyun had a sickle, as reeds were tough and hard to harvest. Xu Xianghe was inexperienced and used brute force; without paying attention, she slipped and fell into the river.

“Oh my god!”

“Xu Xianghe!!”

Chu Chaoyun was startled and quickly dropped the sickle, reaching out to pull her up.

Xu Xianghe waved her off, telling her not to worry. She swam a bit in the water, her face smiling, as if completely relaxed.

Chu Chaoyun breathed out, sat down watching Xu Xianghe in the water, saying, “So you can swim. Then you might as well take a bath. If the manager asks when you go back, just tell her you fell in while learning to row.”

Xu Xianghe smiled and agreed. After a while, she said, “Chaoyun, you’re really clever!”

Chu Chaoyun shrugged. “I’m not — it’s all just to survive.”

In the evening, just as they were hurrying back for dinner, Manager Zhong gave them a harsh glare. They and Xu Xianghe, thick-skinned, picked up the reeds and ran toward the storage room. Thinking Manager Zhong wouldn’t bother them, but when Chu Chaoyun put the reeds away and looked back, Manager Zhong was coldly standing behind her watching.

Chu Chaoyun: “…”

She took a deep breath. “Ahem… As it’s getting cold soon, I need to take care of my body to get more work done, right…”

Manager Zhong glanced at the thick reed mat on her bedboards and said flatly, “Come with me.”

Chu Chaoyun obediently followed. Xu Xianghe across the hall saw and started to follow too.

She was grateful for Chu Chaoyun’s help and wouldn’t let her bear responsibility alone.

Chu Chaoyun quietly waved her off, thinking this girl was honest.

Manager Zhong walked without speaking. They passed around the ship’s side, and Chu Chaoyun was led into the kitchen.

Just as she was puzzled, Manager Zhong gestured with her chin and said: “Today you cook for Chun Ye. She’s been vomiting for days and can’t eat anything. If you can manage her, then you can keep the reeds.”

Chu Chaoyun instinctively asked, “And if I can’t?”

Manager Zhong snorted coldly and said flatly, “Then don’t bother entering the kitchen anymore.”

Watching her leave, Chu Chaoyun rubbed her hands. She didn’t really take Manager Zhong’s threat seriously because last night, she had come up with a new idea.

Manager Zhong must have noticed she was sleepy and sent her this big pillow?!