Liang Peilan tucked the shaobing under his arm and headed for the Compassionate Care Home.
His father, Liang Jimin, was working there today.
Ever since he had been dismissed from office and returned to his hometown, none of the pharmacies or medical clinics in the city had dared to hire him. Who knew what might be behind the court’s decision to strip a physician of his post? What if hiring him brought trouble?
The Compassionate Care Home had been built by the prefectural government, so it had some official backing and knew at least a little of the inside story. Since he had merely been dismissed rather than imprisoned or exiled, he was probably just an unfortunate man who had been dragged into something he ought not to have touched. Hiring someone like that was not taboo—and he came cheap.
The institution was stingy in its day-to-day spending, though its frontage looked grand enough: gray tiles and blue-gray brick, respectable on the outside. Inside, however, they saved wherever they could. Every five days, Liang Jimin went there for a day of consultations, taking the pulses of the elderly who had no family. He received no wages, but was given two meals and an additional five sheng of rice.
Something was better than nothing. Liang Jimin was not picky. Examining patients was examining patients, and a man had to eat.
When Liang Jimin finished work, father and son walked back toward the city together.
Winter days grew dark early, and the road was sparsely traveled. Following his father’s pace, Liang Peilan suddenly said, “Father, I saw the Shen family’s eldest young master and the Shen family’s young master today.”
Without turning his head, Liang Jimin asked, “Which Shen family?”
“The Shen family that runs Zhiyun Trading. The young master is Shen Linzhou, and he has a good friend named Lin Jing, about my age. I even spoke with them. I asked whether they wanted to rent our shop.”
Liang Jimin raised a hand and smacked him on the shoulder. “Who told you to rent out the shop?”
Liang Peilan did not dodge. “If we can rent it out, we’ll have enough money to rent a better room for Uncle Chen. Our shop is so small, and there isn’t even a room in the back. It’s no place for anyone to live. Uncle Chen can’t keep cramming himself into the shop forever.”
Liang Jimin opened his mouth, but no words came out.
Liang Peilan continued, “Besides, Lin Jing and the Shen family’s young master seem to be very close. If we can rent out the shop through him and get a chance to speak with the Shen family, perhaps we can also ask about what happened in Nan’ya. Didn’t you say Young Master Shen had just returned from Nan’ya?”
Liang Jimin was silent for a while. At last, he said only, “You certainly have a lot of ideas.”
He did not say no.
Lin Wu, however, had no intention of renting a pushcart or a shop before New Year’s Day.
She could not quite say why. Perhaps, before the festival, her attention was always occupied by a hundred little things: preparing offerings, making new clothes, and getting gifts ready for relatives and friends. It was like those few days before a school holiday, when no one could sit still. Her thoughts drifted, and she could not settle down to anything.
Or perhaps it was because the days after New Year felt like a fresh beginning. Anything that could wait until after the holiday seemed to have a perfectly good excuse to wait.
In any case, they would talk about it after the New Year.
Liang Peilan clearly did not see things that way.
Lin Wu set up her stall as usual that day. The following day would be New Year’s Eve, and she and Lin Jing intended to keep the stall open through the very last day. The morning market was packed with people buying their final New Year goods, and it was livelier than ever.
She had only just set up the iron griddle when she saw a half-grown boy saunter over to the stall. He did not buy anything, merely stood there watching.
“Little Jing!” he called, with the familiarity of an old acquaintance.
Lin Jing was crouched behind the stall, arranging sheets of oiled paper. He looked up at the sound. “Oh, it’s you.”
Liang Peilan nodded, then turned to Lin Wu and gave her a proper salute. “You must be Aunt Lin. My name is Liang Peilan. I met Jing yesterday in the countryside outside the city.”
Lin Wu looked at the boy before her. His eyes were bright and clear, and he neither dodged her gaze nor fidgeted. He spoke with easy confidence.
She smiled and nodded. “So you’re Young Master Liang. A-Jing mentioned you when he came home.”
Liang Peilan was not shy in the least. He went straight to the point. “Yes. Thank you for the crisp wafers you and Little Jing gave me yesterday. I came today to ask whether you might be interested in taking a look at our shop.”
Lin Wu looked at the eager, forthright boy and felt both amused and helpless.
He was so enthusiastic that she almost suspected he was trying to trick her into something.
As she turned the cakes on the griddle, she asked casually, “Since your father is a physician, why doesn’t he reopen the shop himself? He could practice medicine there or sell medicinal herbs. Either would be better than leaving it empty.”
Liang Peilan did not conceal anything. He answered frankly, “My uncle used to run that shop. For a while, he sold medicinal herbs, but later someone reported him, claiming that he mixed genuine and fake herbs together when he sold them. The shop’s reputation was ruined. Even if its reputation hadn’t suffered, our family couldn’t afford to reopen it. Stock costs money, and repairs cost money. We don’t have the silver to purchase goods, so the shop has just sat empty. The longer it stays empty, the more run-down it becomes, and the more difficult it is to find a tenant.”
Lin Wu nodded, now having a clear idea of the situation. Then she said, “Young Master Liang, I understand what condition the shop is in. But we aren’t planning to rent a shop before the New Year. It will have to wait until after the holiday. We are simply too busy with the New Year preparations these days.”
Liang Peilan was not disappointed in the slightest. He grinned. “I understand. Every household is busy before the New Year. Aunt Lin, you take care of your own affairs. We can discuss it after the holiday.”
As soon as he finished speaking, his eyes swept over the street and spotted a matron passing by with a vegetable basket. He immediately raised his voice.
“Auntie, why not take a look at these jade cakes? They’re soft, glutinous, and refreshing—the perfect thing to cleanse the palate during the holiday feasts. And these taro-and-golden-jade cakes: taro strengthens the spleen and nourishes the stomach, making them especially good for you. An elderly person can eat one because it’s soft and easy to digest, and a child can eat one because it will keep the stomach comfortable and prevent food from sitting heavy.”
The matron stopped at his call and curiously examined the stall.
Liang Peilan immediately pointed to the date-paste golden-jade cakes beside them. “You know red dates, don’t you? They replenish the qi and blood, calm the mind, and nourish the complexion. They’re perfect for winter tonics. On New Year’s Eve, when you stay up late and wear yourself out, eating a couple of these is much better than drinking those bitter medicinal brews.”
At just the right moment, Lin Jing picked up a small porcelain dish and held it out. “Please have a taste. It’s free.”
The matron accepted it and tried a small piece. “This is rather good. Sweet, but not cloying. How much do they cost?”
Lin Wu named the price.
The matron frowned. “Oh dear, five wen for a piece this size? There’s no meat or oil in it. That’s quite expensive.”
Liang Peilan immediately took up the argument. “Auntie, that isn’t quite fair. Think about it. The pastries at ordinary sweet shops are loaded with oil and sugar. They taste delicious, but eat too many and you’ll end up with indigestion and excess heat. People already eat rich foods during the New Year—can their stomachs really take even more? These cakes are made with fine white flour, taro, and date paste. There’s none of that miscellaneous filler. They may be a little dear, but they taste clean and refreshing, and they sit comfortably in the stomach.”
Coming from a half-grown boy, the speech did not sound like a sales pitch. Instead, it struck everyone as amusing, and several passersby stopped to listen to him chatter.
Seeing that he had an audience, Liang Peilan became even more animated. “Besides, it’s the New Year. You ought to buy some delicate pastries that are a little different and put them on the table. That’s what makes things look presentable—and gives everyone something new to enjoy. At the New Year, isn’t that exactly what people want?”
The matron nodded again and again. In the end, she actually took out her money and bought two pieces.
Liang Peilan did not stop. He pointed at the thin crisps and continued, “These thin crisps are fragrant too—crisp without being hard, fragrant without being burnt. They’re perfect for the elderly to nibble on and for little children to strengthen their teeth. Take a couple of bags home and set them out on the table. Once your relatives and friends have tried them, I guarantee they’ll ask where you bought them.”
The old woman was delighted and took out her money to buy two more bags of thin crisps.
As she was leaving, she turned back and praised him once more. “That young man certainly has a silver tongue.”
Lin Wu watched from the side, completely bewildered.
So this was how hard one had to work to rent out a shop?
Lin Jing listened while nodding earnestly, doing his best to memorize everything Liang Peilan said. In the future, he would be able to say it all himself.
Lin Wu could not help laughing. “Thank you, Young Master Liang. My business today owes you a great deal. Once we close up, I’ll have to pay you for your work.”
Liang Peilan narrowed his eyes with a smile and waved his hands repeatedly. “No, no. It’s not necessary. I’m idle at home anyway. Staying there only means arguing with Auntie and the others. I might as well come out and help you call out to customers. It’s lively.”
With that, he turned to the next passerby and began calling out again.
“Good sir, why not buy a piece for your grandson to try? It’ll strengthen his spleen and stomach and help him grow tall!”
“Auntie, take a look at this Golden Jade Cake. Its golden color is so auspicious. Put it on the table during the New Year, and it’ll bring good fortune!”
Anyone who passed by the stall was bound to be coaxed into stopping and taking another look by his sales pitch.
Just as he was calling out with great enthusiasm, someone suddenly brought a heavy slap down on the back of Liang Peilan’s head.
He turned around. His father, Liang Jimin, had appeared behind him without him noticing.
Liang Jimin withdrew his hand and hurriedly cupped his fists toward Lin Wu. “This lady, I’m truly sorry! The boy is young and thoughtless, and he’s been causing you trouble. I’ll take him away at once. Please don’t take offense, please.”
Liang Peilan rubbed the back of his head. “Father, I wasn’t causing trouble. I was helping Aunt Lin sell pastries.”
Liang Jimin glared at him, then turned back to Lin Wu with an apologetic smile.
Lin Wu shook her head and said gently, “Doctor Liang, you’re being too serious. Your son is a sensible and clever boy. Business has been better than usual today because of him, so please don’t scold him. Those customers just now were all brought over by him.”
Lin Wu wrapped up the last few pieces of pastry for the customer beside her, tidied the stall, and stood up. “Doctor Liang, your son mentioned your family’s shop just now. As it happens, we’re closing early today. If it wouldn’t be too much trouble, would you take me there to have a look while we’re on our way?”
Since Shen Guanting had said that the shop was in a good location, she naturally trusted his judgment. It was on the way, anyway, so she decided to go take a look with the father and son.
Liang Jimin nodded repeatedly. “Not at all, not at all. It’s just up ahead, only a few steps away.”
On the way, Liang Jimin still seemed embarrassed and kept apologizing on his son’s behalf. “Mrs. Lin, I’m truly sorry. My boy can be rather talkative. He’s bothered you for half the day, and I feel terribly apologetic.”
“Doctor Liang, please don’t say that. Your son is bright and sensible, and he’s helped me tremendously.”
Liang Jimin sighed before adding, “There’s one other matter I ought to make clear. An old servant from our household is still living inside the shop for the time being. He returned with us from the capital. Since our house is too small to accommodate so many people, we let him stay in the shop temporarily. But rest assured—he is a very clean and orderly man.”
Lin Wu nodded. She did not mind.
They had left the capital more than a decade ago, only to flee back to their hometown in haste after that calamity. The years had transformed everything, and nothing was as it had been. Their present circumstances must have been difficult indeed. That they had brought their old servant with them and remained unwilling to abandon him spoke of a rare bond.
After crossing the main street, they turned a corner and stopped in front of a shop.
The storefront was small, with only a single room. The wooden door panels were old, their paint badly chipped and peeling.
Liang Jimin knocked first, then called out, “Uncle Chen, we have guests here to look at the shop.”
The door soon creaked open.
The shop was cramped, less than two zhang deep, and dimly lit. A few miscellaneous items were piled against the wall beneath an old cloth. In the corner stood a narrow bed, with a small bundle at its head, all neatly packed.
Liang Jimin pushed open the window. The thin winter sunlight streamed in, brightening the room at last.
He pointed around as he introduced the place. “Mrs. Lin, have a look. The counter could go here, and goods could be displayed along this side. There used to be a small partitioned room in the back, but it has since been removed, so there’s more space now…”
Lin Wu looked around, silently calculating in her mind.
Lin Jing followed behind her. Though he did not understand much, he looked around curiously all the same.
Suddenly, he felt someone’s gaze settle on him.
He raised his head and met the eyes of the old man in the corner.
Uncle Chen stood beside the bed in a dark blue cotton-padded jacket. He was neatly dressed, but his face was utterly ordinary—the sort of face no one would look at twice in a crowd. His brows and eyes were plain, his nose flat, and there was nothing distinctive about him. Only his tall, lean frame and ramrod-straight posture stood out.
Lin Jing felt uneasy under his stare and edged closer to Lin Wu.
Uncle Chen continued looking at Lin Jing. His chest began to heave violently, as though he could not catch his breath. He coughed again and again until his waist bent low and his shoulders shook.
Liang Jimin hurried over to pat his back, then explained to Lin Wu, “Please don’t take offense, Mrs. Lin. It’s an old ailment. At his age, the cold weather makes him prone to coughing. Uncle Chen, sit down and rest for a while.”
Uncle Chen waved him off and slowly regained his breath, though his face had grown even paler.
His gaze remained fixed on Lin Jing. When he saw the child hide behind Lin Wu, apparently frightened by his stare, a pang went through his heart. He slowly looked away, but his eyes gradually reddened.
He remained silent for a long while before finally parting his lips. His voice was so hoarse it was almost inaudible.
“Would you be willing to speak with me somewhere else, madam?”
Lin Wu froze. She instinctively tightened her hold on Lin Jing’s hand. “Uncle, may I ask what this is about? You can say it here.”
She felt uneasy. Something about this man was not right. She was already considering telling Liang Jimin that she would leave with Lin Jing.
But Uncle Chen slowly and laboriously lowered himself into a crouch, bringing his face level with Lin Jing’s.
There were countless wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, yet his gaze was exceptionally clear and gentle.
Looking at Lin Jing, he said with trembling lips, “Little… Leaves falling to the roots means returning home; leaves entering the register means remaining through autumn. Trees have a day when their leaves fall, and people have a time when they grow older. The New Year is the day after tomorrow. You’ve grown another year older now.”
Lin Jing stared blankly at the completely unfamiliar face before him—the plain brows and eyes, the lips so pale they were almost bloodless.
He clearly did not know this man, yet he felt that he had seen him somewhere before. In particular, there was something familiar about those eyes. He seemed to have heard those words somewhere as well.
Without realizing it, he tightened his grip on Lin Wu’s clothes.
Lin Wu looked down at him, then raised her head to study the old man.
She suddenly remembered that Liang Jimin had once served in the Imperial Medical Academy, and her heart sank.
This man was clearly no ordinary person.
Lin Wu glanced around. Although the Liang family’s shop was quiet, it stood right beside the marketplace, and the walls offered little soundproofing. It was hardly a suitable place for a private conversation. Besides, this was someone else’s territory, and she did not feel at ease.
After a moment’s thought, she said, “This is not a convenient place to talk. Would you be willing to go somewhere else? I know a place that should be relatively safe.”
Liang Jimin was taken aback. He looked toward Uncle Chen, who slowly nodded.
Lin Wu led Lin Jing out of the shop and headed toward the main street. Liang Jimin and his son, along with the old man, followed behind them in silence.
Before long, the group stopped in front of Jizhen Pavilion.
Gazing at the signboard, Liang Jimin never would have imagined that this young woman who sold pastries from a street stall had such a close relationship with the Shen family.
Lin Wu entered the shop and explained their purpose to the manager. “Manager, we have something to discuss. Would it be possible for you to send someone to inform Young Master Shen and ask him to come here?”
At present, the Shen family was the only one in all of Huzhou who knew Lin Jing’s true identity. Shen Guanting was their ally, and having him there meant an additional measure of protection.
Besides, Young Master Shen was tall and well-built. If anything happened later, she could at least ask him to stand at the front and shield them. She would make sure he had more than enough pancakes from then on.
Hearing this, the manager quickly replied with a smile, “Mrs. Lin, you’re too polite. The young master instructed us long ago that whenever you came to the shop, we were to treat you well and never slight you. Please, all of you, have a rest in the tea room. I’ll send someone to fetch him right away.”
The group went to the tea room, but they fell into a tacit silence.
Holding his teacup, Liang Jimin tried several times to speak, yet stopped himself each time. He looked at Lin Wu, then at Uncle Chen, his thoughts in turmoil. Liang Peilan, for once, showed admirable tact. She sat quietly to one side, stubbornly keeping silent.
Uncle Chen sat in the corner, saying nothing as he calmly sipped his tea.
Lin Jing stayed pressed close to Lin Wu, occasionally sneaking a glance at Uncle Chen.
Before long, hurried footsteps sounded outside the door.
Shen Guanting pushed the door open and his eyes immediately fell on Lin Wu. Seeing that she was unharmed and composed, he finally relaxed.
Then, as usual, a faint smile curved his lips. His gaze swept over everyone present, and he naturally came to stand beside Lin Wu. “My apologies for being late. What urgent matter brings Shopkeeper Lin here to summon me personally?”
His tone was relaxed, but his body was angled slightly to shield Lin Wu and Lin Jing from view.
Lin Wu looked up at him and asked softly, “Young Master Shen, could you find us somewhere private to talk?”
Shen Guanting lowered his gaze to her. Without asking anything further, he nodded. “Upstairs.”
The group followed him upstairs and entered a quiet side room.
Once the door was closed, Uncle Chen looked at Shen Guanting. “Young Master Shen, might I ask you to do us a favor?”
Shen Guanting shook his head, the smile still lingering on his lips. “Uncle, at present, there is only a young woman and a child here, both of whom are complete strangers to you. If anything were to happen in Jizhen Pavilion, how could I answer for it?”
Uncle Chen looked at him in silence for a moment, then glanced at the young master of the Shen family. From beginning to end, Shen Guanting had remained half a step from Lin Wu’s side—not too close, not too far, yet never leaving her for even an instant.
After living so many years, how could he fail to see what that meant?
Lin Wu also said softly, “Young Master Shen is no outsider. Speaking here at Jizhen Pavilion while excluding its owner would only make us seem overly formal.”
At her words, the smile in Shen Guanting’s eyes deepened slightly. “Since Shopkeeper Lin puts it that way, I’ll accept your invitation. If there’s anything I can help with, then this trip won’t have been in vain.”
Uncle Chen let out a sigh and slowly nodded. “It seems Mrs. Lin and Young Master Shen share a deep bond. Very well. It is better that you remain here.”
