The customer leaned over curiously to look into the other man's bowl. “Is that tangsuo noodles? I ordered wontons just now, not this.”
“It tastes quite good.” The other man lifted another mouthful with his chopsticks and blew on it. “It looks light and not greasy, but the flavor is surprisingly rich. If you don’t have much of an appetite in the morning, this is just the thing.”
“I’ll have to try it next time.”
As they spoke, his wontons arrived as well. The bowl held a clear broth, with wontons packed closely together, their little tails trailing behind them. The wrappers were so thin that the color of the meat inside could be seen through them. The fillings were not large, but each wonton had been pinched tightly closed. Bright-green scallions were scattered over the top, and a few beads of oil glimmered on the surface. It looked delicious.
He scooped one up and put it into his mouth. The wrapper was smooth and the filling tender; each one was small enough to eat in a single bite. He swallowed it along with the broth. It was fresh, savory, and fragrant.
The wonton soup looked light and refreshing, and the shop itself was bright and clean, without even a trace of greasy smoke. Sitting there to eat put one at ease. It was nothing like those restaurants and food stalls, which were always noisy, with vendors constantly coming over to peddle tea and snacks, abruptly setting things down on the table. One could never enjoy a peaceful meal. Of course, people who liked liveliness were another matter.
Sometimes, the reason people deliberately came to a shop to eat was simply to enjoy a little peace and comfort. There was no need to deal with anyone. They could finish their meal, wipe their mouths, get up, and leave.
Before long, all four tables in the shop were occupied. Besides those who ordered soup noodles or wontons, some customers who had originally intended only to buy pancakes and steamed buns to take away took a look around the shop and, finding they were not in a hurry, decided to sit down and eat slowly. Every now and then, they even exchanged a few words with the people at the next table.
Lin Wu’s hands never stopped as she prepared the wontons. She had not expected people to sit inside and eat pancakes, too. The customers chatted and laughed, making the shop considerably livelier.
She had originally prepared several kettles of plain water and set them on the dining tables. She had assumed that most customers eating in would order tangsuo noodles or wontons and would probably not drink the water. She had not expected so many people to eat their pancakes and steamed buns with it. Lin Wu could not help wondering whether she ought to prepare some cooked drinks instead.
Tea would have been the most suitable choice, according to her own thinking. However, tea these days was mostly prepared through the art of whisking and frothing, which she did not know how to do and could not appreciate. There were other beverages as well, such as quince drink and orange drink, but they seemed troublesome to make. The fruit had to be mashed first, then mixed with various spices and steeped in water.
Fruit syrups were troublesome, too. Different kinds of fruit had to be boiled with spices into a concentrated syrup, then diluted with boiling water when served. Cooked drinks were much simpler: one only needed to seal the ingredients in boiling water and let them steep. There were many varieties, such as agarwood-infused water, perilla-infused water, and cardamom-infused water.
As she stirred the soup pot, Lin Wu thought that she might as well make some citrus-infused water. It would be refreshing and thirst-quenching, much like lemonade. She could also roast some barley and use it to make barley-infused water. It would be simple and inexpensive. When customers arrived, she could simply pour them a bowl without any trouble.
The sun climbed higher, and more people appeared on the street. The tables in the shop remained occupied without a break.
“Two bowls of wontons for table three! Three steamed buns to take away, and two little pouches!”
Liang Peilan stood behind the counter, calling out loudly while keeping her hands busy. She recorded the order and passed the slip through a small window behind her.
The small window opened directly into the preparation area. The ordering system was simple: two pieces of bamboo. When a customer placed an order, Liang Peilan handed over one piece marked with the number three and had the customer carry it inside and wait at the assigned table. She kept the other piece with the note she had written and passed both through the small window to the kitchen.
The notes were equally concise. For example, “shrimp” meant shrimp-and-pork wontons, “fresh” meant plain pork wontons, and “noodles” meant tangsuo noodles. Lin Wu only had to glance at the note in the back to know what needed to be prepared.
At one moment she was boiling wontons and noodles, steam billowing from the pot and reddening her face; the next, she had to find time to shape steamed buns.
Fourth Sister He watched over the pancake griddle out front, her movements already much more practiced than they had been that morning. Mrs. Sun remained by the stove inside, occasionally carrying trays out to the customers. Once she returned, she still had to check whether there were enough bowls and chopsticks and whether they needed to be washed right away.
Everyone was so busy that their feet barely touched the ground. Lin Wu stole a glance at the dining area. All four tables were packed, and several more customers were waiting beneath the awning. She could not help feeling relieved that she had set out only four tables. If she had added even a few more, they truly might not have been able to keep up.
After the lunch rush, the crowd finally began to thin.
One group of customers left after another, until only an old gentleman remained seated in the corner, slowly sipping his soup. The line in front of the pancake griddle had dispersed, and Fourth Sister He was wiping down the surface. Mrs. Sun gathered the bowls and chopsticks into a wooden basin and sat on a stool to wash them.
At last, everyone could take a brief rest. They had been busy for most of the day, and their calves ached, but seeing the shop so lively and business so good made them forget their fatigue.
While she had a spare moment, Lin Wu wiped the sweat from her brow, said something to Mrs. Sun, and headed to the grain shop at the end of the street.
She soon returned carrying a sack. When she untied it and poured the contents into a wooden basin, it turned out to be barley grains.
She washed the barley several times, drained it, and set an iron wok over the fire. Then she slowly roasted the grains over low heat. The spatula scraped back and forth as the barley rustled in the wok, its color gradually deepening. A roasted fragrance mingled with the rich, earthy aroma of the grain and spread through the kitchen.
Mrs. Sun caught the scent and could not resist coming over to look. “Shopkeeper, what new delicacy are you making?”
“It isn’t food.” Lin Wu continued stirring the barley. “I’m planning to use it to make a cooked drink.”
Fourth Sister He turned around curiously. “Barley can be used for cooked drinks? I’ve only ever seen perilla and cardamom prepared that way. I’ve never heard of barley being used.”
Mrs. Sun gazed at the grains as they slowly turned brown and thought for a moment. “Perilla is dried and gives off its fragrance, so it can be steeped into a cooked drink. If the barley is roasted until fragrant, I suppose the principle is the same.”
Lin Wu nodded with a smile. “I’m just taking the easy way out. Tea and fruit syrups are too troublesome to prepare. This is much simpler, and at least it has more flavor than plain water.”
Once the barley was roasted, she poured it into a bamboo tray to cool. The whole room filled with its rich, toasted aroma. Lin Wu took several spoonfuls, put them into a kettle, and poured boiling water over them. Then she covered the kettle and let it steep for a while.
“Try it.” She poured herself a cup first, then filled one for each of the others.
Mrs. Sun lifted her cup and blew away the steam before taking a sip. The drink was smooth and mellow, carrying the toasted fragrance of roasted barley. It was rich without being heavy, with a faint sweetness lingering in the aftertaste.
“Not bad!” She took another sip. “It tastes wonderful—so fragrant, and not bitter or astringent at all. I’ll be able to make this at home from now on.”
Lin Wu took a sip as well and found it even better than she had expected. The barley had been roasted to just the right point, giving off a full aroma, while the finished drink was clear and easy to swallow.
Fourth Sister He nodded. “This cooked drink is good. It has more flavor than plain water, but it isn’t as bitter as tea.”
“Then it’s settled. We’ll prepare this in the shop from now on. Whenever customers come in, we’ll pour them a cup to quench their thirst.”
She gathered up the kettles of plain water from the tables and replaced them one by one with barley-infused water.
They had only just finished preparing it when another customer entered the shop.
This man clearly did not look like an ordinary commoner. He wore a blue cloth robe and kept a short beard beneath his chin. His face was solemn, and his steps were steady. He stopped in front of the counter and ordered only a bowl of tangsuo noodles. His order was simple enough.
Liang Peilan handed him a bamboo token. “Sir, there’s freshly brewed water on the table inside. Please help yourself. Have a seat—the rice noodles will be ready shortly.”
Lord Han took the bamboo token and walked farther into the shop. He had heard of the place long ago but had never visited. Now that he was inside, he found it open, airy, and refreshingly clean. He sat at the table by the window and set the token down. Seeing an earthen cup turned upside down on the table, with an earthenware pot beside it, he picked up the pot and poured himself a cup.
The water was a clear golden color. As it filled the cup, a warm, toasty fragrance rose with the steam. He took a sip. It was smooth and mellow, neither as bitter as tea nor as cloyingly sweet as soup. He took another sip, finding it increasingly pleasant to drink, though he could not tell what it had been brewed from.
Before long, Mrs. Sun emerged carrying a tray. She placed a bowl of rice noodles in broth in front of him, collected the bamboo token from the table, and turned to leave.
“Wait,” Lord Han called, raising the earthen cup in his hand. “This brewed water tastes quite good. What is it made from?”
Mrs. Sun answered with a smile, “It’s barley water. Our shopkeeper brewed it specially. It quenches thirst and is good for the stomach.”
Lord Han nodded and poured himself another cup, sipping it slowly. At her explanation, he understood at once. The drink must have been made by steeping roasted barley kernels. The method was simple, but the flavor was good—far more substantial than those elaborate, showy soups. There was indeed some ingenuity to it. It seemed he had come to the right shop today.
It was a pity that Brother Chen was unable to come out and enjoy such a treat. Perhaps once Lord Han returned home, he could roast some barley kernels himself.
Just then, another customer arrived at the counter. A familiar, booming voice rang out: “A bowl of shrimp-and-pork wontons, and a scallion pancake—with an egg and meat added.”
Lord Han turned his head and, sure enough, saw Shen Zhongming standing before the counter with his hands clasped behind his back.
After placing his order, Shen Zhongming took his bamboo token and walked inside. The moment he looked up and spotted Lord Han, he came over with a laugh and sat down across from him. “What brings you here, Lord Han? I thought I was the only one craving this place.”
Lord Han took an earthen cup, poured him some barley water, and pushed it across the table. “Although I’ve never visited this shop, I’m hardly unfamiliar with it. I’ve eaten its food many times. I heard that they were serving new dishes today, so I came by to take a look.”
Shen Zhongming smiled. “The food here truly is excellent.”
He lifted the cup and took a sip, then lowered his head to examine the water. “Hmm? This water is quite good too. Smooth and not at all harsh.”
“Barley water. It’s my first time trying it as well.”
Shen Zhongming took another sip, smacked his lips thoughtfully, and nodded. “Everyone says this shop is good, and it certainly lives up to its reputation. Even the complimentary water is something fresh.”
Lord Han said, “Exactly. The shop may be small, but everything they serve is honest and substantial. Now that they’ve expanded, it’s clear that people approve.”
Shen Zhongming glanced around the shop. “People’s tastes aren’t all that different. Everyone knows what tastes good and what doesn’t. My eldest grandson is a regular here. He’s terribly particular about food, yet this is the one shop he insists on. Unfortunately, he isn’t in Huzhou at the moment and has no luck enjoying it.”
Lord Han nodded and sighed. “Huzhou has no shortage of delicious food. Back when I was in the capital, I used to crave it too.”
Shen Zhongming nodded and was about to reply when a burst of excited chatter swept in from outside. The voices arrived before the children did.
Shen Zhongming’s brows twitched.
The next moment, Tigerhead came rushing in and skidded to a stop at the counter. “Brother Peilan, I want a bowl of wontons and a bowl of rice noodles in broth! And a steamed bun too!”
Qi Lang followed close behind. “Tigerhead, you won’t be able to finish all that.”
Tigerhead hesitated, but stubbornly insisted, “I can finish it!”
Hearing them, Lin Wu poked her head out from behind the stove. “How about half a serving of rice noodles and half a serving of wontons, counted as one portion? Would that do?”
Tigerhead’s eyes lit up, and he nodded eagerly. “Yes, yes! Let’s do that. I want rice noodles with wontons!”
The other children following behind him began chattering excitedly as well. “I want rice noodles with wontons too!”
Several little heads crowded around the counter. They noisily ordered their food, then surged into the shop and gathered around a table.
There weren’t enough chairs. Tigerhead dragged over two, then went to fetch another, but there still weren’t enough. Two of the children squeezed onto one chair, jostling and shoving each other.
Lin Jing slipped behind the counter amid the chaos and climbed onto his own stool. He reached out and pulled the cashbox toward him, then glanced at his classmates, all bunched together in a squirming heap. He couldn’t help feeling smug. His seat was still the best one.
Once Tigerhead had taken his seat, he finally noticed the person sitting at the neighboring table. He immediately called out at the top of his lungs, “Grandpa! What are you doing here?”
Shen Zhongming glanced at him. “I thought you had eyes only for wontons and couldn’t see your grandfather. Now tell me—why didn’t you go home after school? What are you doing here?”
Tigerhead nodded matter-of-factly. “I came to eat! We agreed a long time ago that we’d come and show our support!”
