As the children laid out the details of the case, the easygoing expression on Shen Guanting’s face gradually turned solemn.
Although he had already heard about the matter in the capital, he had been unaware of many of the details and connections involved. Listening now to the children’s complaints, he realized that the affair was far more complicated and tangled than he had originally thought.
By the time the children had finished listing all the culprits, Tigerhead suddenly shifted his aim and pointed the finger at his own elder brother.
“Elder Brother, look! When all is said and done, it was that Fourth Young Master Liang who caused it! This whole mess started because of trouble you stirred up before, and that’s why the cake shop got dragged into it for no reason and bullied!”
Faced with this unexpected accusation, Shen Guanting offered not a word of defense. He stopped, turned around, and faced Lin Wu.
The bright afternoon sunlight filtered through the gaps between the branches, scattering shifting patches of light. A few fell across his face, illuminating the unusually solemn expression he wore. His eyes, reflected in the sunlight, seemed all the deeper.
“Shopkeeper Lin, I truly owe you an apology. I was careless. I failed to settle an old grudge from years ago, and ended up dragging you into this trouble for no reason.”
Lin Wu had not expected him to apologize with such gravity. The little thought she had entertained of making him pay had only been a joke, and now that he was taking it seriously, she found herself caught off guard.
“Guanting, you’re making too much of it.” She shook her head lightly. “The matter is over, and we didn’t suffer any serious harm. Besides, it was only thanks to Shopkeeper Qi’s consideration for the greater good and fair handling of the situation that everything was resolved smoothly.”
What was more, Stallholder Zhao, who had fanned the flames in secret, had already had an old grudge against her. Strictly speaking, it could not all be blamed on Shen Guanting dragging them into it.
Sparrow, who had been listening quietly, suddenly cut in. “Elder Brother, you have no idea! While you were away from Huzhou, our Shen family’s glory was practically stolen by Brother Xuan!”
Tigerhead hurriedly chimed in. “Exactly! Our family is the one that’s closest to the shop. But with you gone, we didn’t even have a proper reason to help. That gave Brother Xuan the chance to uphold justice. Everyone says he helped the cake shop and even cleaned up your mess for you!”
Sparrow nodded vigorously. “When it really mattered, Brother Xuan was the one we could count on.”
Shen Guanting resigned himself to the charge. “Yes, it was all my fault. I caused the trouble myself, then made others go to the trouble of cleaning it up. I deserve to be scolded.”
Hearing his elder brother lower his head and admit fault so readily, Tigerhead immediately felt that his side had gained the upper hand and possessed all the justification. He puffed out his little chest and, seizing the opportunity, began calculating the debt on his fingers.
“Elder Brother, you can’t just apologize with words. The shop was out of starch sheets for several days, so business must have suffered. You should compensate Shopkeeper Lin for the money she lost, shouldn’t you?”
Shen Guanting continued walking, nodding agreeably. His tone was even quite approving. “That’s reasonable. Debts should be repaid—only right and proper. I should compensate her.”
Lin Wu listened to the exchange between the brothers, then glanced at Sparrow and Lin Jing, who were nodding in deep agreement. She could not help laughing.
“I originally thought that today, when we went to the wharf to meet you, we were giving you a proper welcome. Only now have I realized that this isn’t a welcoming party at all. It’s creditors coming to collect a debt.”
And now, the debtor himself was being escorted straight back to the cake shop.
Shen Guanting deliberately slowed his pace to accommodate the children’s short legs, and his tone returned to its usual leisurely ease.
“A Wu, that’s not quite right. I am a merchant, and merchants value their reputation above all else. How could I possibly delay repayment? Especially when the debt is owed to Shopkeeper Lin. Besides…” He drew out the word, his gaze sweeping over her brows and eyes. “The longer I delay, the more interest accrues. I’m afraid that if the interest compounds, I won’t be able to pay it all back. That’s why I hurried back from the capital. The very first thing on my list was to settle my debt.”
At his words, Lin Wu gave a soft laugh. The faint sense of unfamiliarity brought on by their long separation seemed to fade away. Shen Guanting was still exactly the same.
“From what you’re saying, did you already know about what happened in Huzhou while you were in the capital?”
“I knew a little.” Shen Guanting nodded and continued walking beside her. “The reports I received were vague. They only said that Shuangmu Cake Shop had been harassed and its supply cut off, and that the business might be in trouble.”
Although he trusted that she would certainly be able to handle such a minor matter, he still said, “That wouldn’t do. Leaving aside the fact that this matter was at least partly caused by an old grudge of mine, how could I stand by while you suffered for something you had nothing to do with? And speaking of which, my fussy palate had finally found food at the cake shop that suited it perfectly. If the shop’s business truly failed because of this, the first thing to suffer would be my enjoyment of good food. For both public and private reasons, I had to hurry back and take a look.”
Tigerhead had the most personal experience with the loss of good food, and he immediately called out in agreement.
“Exactly! Elder Brother is right! Because of that bad Fourth Young Master Liang, I couldn’t eat the shop’s rice noodles or cold starch sheets for several days! Elder Brother, you have to compensate me for that too!”
Shen Guanting cast him a sidelong glance, a half-smile on his lips. “By that logic, should I compensate every person in Huzhou who couldn’t eat Shuangmu Cake Shop’s rice noodles and cold starch sheets during those days?”
Tigerhead was struck speechless. He let out an aggrieved “Hmph,” then rolled his eyes and immediately remembered another major debt.
He reached over and pulled Lin Jing toward him, raising his voice again.
“Elder Brother, Jing and I have been practicing martial arts diligently every single day, come rain or shine. We haven’t missed even one day. You promised us before that if we trained properly, you would take us fishing and let us go play at the estate. By my count, we’ve already saved up a whole lot of trips.”
Lin Jing raised his little face, his eyes shining brightly at Shen Guanting. He held up three small fingers on one hand and one on the other.
“Fishing, three times. The estate, once.”
Shen Guanting surveyed the circle of creditors surrounding him.
“Well then. It seems that I haven’t returned home in glory this time—I’ve come back burdened with debt. My esteemed creditors, lead the way.”
And so Young Master Shen, who was carrying a mountain of debt, was escorted all the way back to Shuangmu Cake Shop by several creditors.
It was the busy hour of the afternoon, and most of the tables inside the shop were occupied. A regular customer with sharp eyes spotted Shen Guanting as soon as he entered and immediately called out with a laugh.
“Isn’t that Young Master Shen? You’re finally back!”
“You look quite well! That trip to the capital was worth it, wasn’t it?”
“Young Master Shen, what treasures did you bring back this time?”
“Young Master Shen, you came straight to the cake shop as soon as you got back?”
Shen Guanting walked into the shop with a smile and answered, “I was cooped up on the boat for several days, and the food was rather plain. The dishes in the capital may have been exquisite, but they lacked the flavors of home, and I’ve been missing them. The moment I got off the boat, my feet simply carried me here first.”
The customers all laughed at that and began recommending dishes to him.
“Then you’ve come to the right place! Shopkeeper Lin has added plenty of new items.”
“Try the tri-colored rice dumpling sweet soup. The flavors change with the season—loquat, sweet melon, and more. It’s refreshing without being cloying, and filling too.”
“It’s hot now. The cold starch sheets tossed with vinegar are wonderfully refreshing.”
Shen Guanting listened with a smile as he took in the shop.
The tables and chairs were arranged with ample space between them. Even with so many customers, the room did not feel cramped. The doors and windows stood wide open, allowing the afternoon breeze to sweep through and dispel the heat.
A wall separated the dining area from the kitchen, with a doorway hung with a blue cloth curtain to keep out the heat and fumes from the cooking fire. The arrangement made the place feel open, clean, and airy.
On the long table by the window sat several pots of lush green plants, adding a touch of elegance and coolness. There was even a small pot atop the counter, its leaves thick and thriving.
Following his gaze, Lin Jing pointed at the plant and made a special introduction. “Brother Ting, that’s peilan.”
The moment Tigerhead heard this, he chimed in merrily, “Peilan, peilan—it’s peilan grass, not Brother Peilan!”
Lin Jing burst out laughing too.
The two little boys looked at the pot of grass, then peeked at Liang Peilan, who was lowering his head and doing the accounts behind the counter. Their little mouths began chanting, “Peilan, peilan.”
Sparrow couldn’t help rolling her eyes. She had heard the bad joke about “peilan grass, not Brother Peilan” at least three times already, yet the two little imps managed to amuse themselves with it every single time.
Liang Peilan didn’t even raise his head. His brush continued moving across the page, and he couldn’t be bothered to respond.
The peilan grass had originally been brought to the shop by him. Its fragrance was fresh and clear, and it could dispel unpleasant odors, making it perfect for a food shop. It was easy to care for as well, so there was no need to keep spending money on fresh flowers for decoration every few days.
After suggesting the idea to Lin Wu and receiving permission, he had brought two pots over the very next day.
Lin Wu had merely sighed and remarked that their accountant was truly capable. Even a touch of greenery had to be carefully budgeted, showing just how attentive he was to every detail.
Once the two little ones had laughed themselves out, they wandered back to the counter. Two small pixiu statues sat at its corners, while scattered among them were various odds and ends: brushes and ink for keeping accounts, a rough pottery cylinder filled with bamboo chopsticks, and the like.
Everywhere in the shop, one could sense a bustling vitality kept in perfect order.
Shen Guanting watched quietly, his heart filled with emotion. He had been away only a few months, yet this little pastry shop had changed completely, inside and out.
Every table and chair, every blade of grass and sprig of wood—even the clever young assistant who had recently joined them—spoke of the care that had gone into running and maintaining the shop.
The customers were delighted to see Young Master Shen, whom they had not seen in so long. At one table, only two or three people were seated. When they saw him standing, they promptly shifted their chairs to make room and called out with a smile, “Young Master Shen, there’s plenty of room over here. If you don’t mind squeezing in, come join us.”
Lin Wu added, “If you don’t mind, Master Shen, you can sit with these gentlemen for now. Rest your feet and have something to eat.”
With that, she turned and lifted the blue cloth curtain over the doorway in the wall, slipping inside. The curtain swayed gently before falling back into place, hiding her from view and leaving only the two distinct characters for “double wood” visible upon it.
Shen Guanting’s gaze lingered on those two characters for a moment. The handwriting did not have the polish of a renowned calligrapher, but it possessed its own earnest, graceful rhythm.
He felt a pang of regret. If he had not left Huzhou, perhaps he would have been the one to write those two characters, making them echo the lettering on the shop sign outside.
Following the enthusiastic recommendations of the regulars, he ordered a seasonal sweet melon and red bean dessert soup with little rice balls, along with a serving of cold tossed rice noodles.
Before long, a boy who looked no older than twelve or thirteen carried the two dishes over on a wooden tray. His movements were brisk, and his smile was bright.
“Here are your sweet soup and rice noodles, honored guest. Please enjoy.”
Lin Jing, who had been leaning against the counter and peering in their direction, immediately introduced him. “Brother Ting, this is Brother Gao Cang. We all call him Little Cang. His family makes tofu, and they also know how to make rice noodles.”
Tigerhead, unwilling to be outdone, puffed out his little chest and proudly showed off their own great enterprise. “We also sell little cloth dolls! The twelve zodiac animals—they’re really pretty!”
Although their business had recently been affected by others copying their designs, the young shopkeepers understood the principles of commerce very well. Business naturally had its ups and downs, and they were already thinking of new ways to turn things around.
They had yet to come up with any earth-shattering masterstroke, but fortunately, their little entrepreneurial team had a solid foundation.
There was no need to mention the Shen and Qi families. Lin Jing and Liang Peilan were both still drawing wages from the pastry shop, rather than relying entirely on A Fu Workshop for their livelihood. With a secure source of income, they could remain calm and unhurried.
Lin Wu had even joked earlier that despite their young ages, they already held several jobs each and were busy to the point of thoroughly enjoying themselves.
Shen Guanting picked up his spoon and scooped up a mouthful of sweet soup.
The melon was crisp and refreshing, the red beans soft, tender, and sweet, while the three-colored rice balls in the middle were pleasantly springy. The textures were distinct, yet blended together perfectly.
After spending so many days aboard the boat eating hard, dry cakes and enduring the salty, heavy flavors of the capital’s cuisine, this bowl of warm, mild, and sweet soup soothed the stomach he had worn down with a long journey and unfamiliar food.
Only then did he truly feel that he had returned to Huzhou, safe and sound.
The noise had faded away. The landscape remained unchanged, and the familiar faces were still here. Everything was exactly where it belonged.
