Butcher Fulang’s Noodle Shop - Chapter 18
Purchasing the shop was a tremendous joy for Song Shi’an. As he left the Yamen, he was utterly captivated, holding the paper in both hands and reading the words on it repeatedly. So engrossed in the paper that he didn’t pay attention to his steps and almost stumbled down the stairs. If it weren’t for Xu Zhongyue’s steadying hand on his arm, he might have fallen.
“This much money…” Song Shi’an looked back at Xu Zhongyue, his eyes glistening with emotion. Xu Zhongyue’s heart swelled, and he swallowed hard.
“Isn’t it nice with your name written on it?” Xu Zhongyue said with a hint of teasing, and even the bystander couldn’t help but laugh, saying, “Brother, you have a wonderful fiancé who values you so much. He’s taking advantage of you. I’ll buy you a big dowry before you get married!”
Word had spread about Butcher Xu’s good name, and the tall man in front of them was not only good-looking but also caring and considerate to the fiancé about to enter the family.
When the fiancé, without help from his mother-in-law, set the price low and bullied others, he took the initiative to cover for his mother-in-law, even helping with makeup. People felt envious of such a good man. If their daughters could marry someone like him in the future, they would be happy for life. That’s the thought.
With this joyful occasion, Song Shi’an wanted to prepare a grand feast that evening to celebrate. However, Xu Zhongyue stopped him.
“We’ll have many more opportunities to do that in the future. Tonight, let’s take your aunt and cousins to a restaurant for dinner.”
Only after Aunt Liu emerged to share the good news did Song Shi’an understand the meaning behind ‘we’ll have many more opportunities to do that in the future’ and he blushed slightly.
With Xu Zhongyue by their side, Aunt Liu and his cousins walked with their heads held high and were less frightened on the street. Seeing Xu Zhongyue’s tall and slender figure from behind, Song Shi’an felt that regardless of anyone he compared to in the future, no one would be as considerate as Xu Zhongyue in their marriage.
The restaurant Xu Zhongyue chose for them, Baihe Pavilion, was somewhat distant from the shop they had bought but closer to Flower Street and Willow Lane. Guests from Flower Street would come here to order a meal late at night, so Baihe Pavilion was famous among business travelers and literati passing through Qingjiang Town.
Before entering Baihe Pavilion, they noticed a white crane hovering on the restaurant’s rooftop from a distance, its neck twisting and turning as if reluctant to depart.
Xu Zhongyue, who had visited several times before, introduced, “According to the owner of Baihe Pavilion, when his family was preparing a grand banquet, a white crane, attracted by the aroma, circled the area. So, he named the restaurant Baihe, and there is still a lifelike white crane carved on the upper floor.”
Aunt Liu added, “I heard that the private room on the middle floor has a window open to the sky. Diners in that private room can gaze at the moon and the white crane. But if you go into that private room and don’t order anything, it will still cost you two silver taels!”
This was quite expensive. Aunt Liu continued, “Let’s just dine on the first floor. We don’t need to go upstairs. We have so many expenses—wedding, shop, and all require money. Actually, it would be just fine to return home, and I can prepare a feast for you.”
Xu Zhongyue smiled and hastened his pace. As they moved along, they encountered an ebony carriage—quite upscale.
Song Shi’an, with keen eyes, instinctively moved to shield Aunt Liu and his two cousins. Two of Baihe Pavilion’s staff greeted them warmly. One took the horse’s reins to help stop it, and the other extended his hand to assist them.
The Gao family and Lady Shui arrived, with Lady Shui elegantly dressed in fine silk and wearing striking makeup. Old lady Gao and Gao Yaozu also disembarked from the carriage. Gao Mingda had a triumphant expression, behaving like a renowned actor on stage, attending to Lady Shui with great care and attention, something he had never shown during his marriage to Aunt Liu.
The Baihe Pavilion staff respectfully addressed Lady Shui and her guests, guiding them to the private rooms on the third floor. The Gao family pretended not to notice Aunt Liu and her two daughters, trying to avoid causing any further distress to Lady Shui.
Gao Yaozu, looking at Aunt Liu with her white hair and then at the glamorous Lady Shui, quickly took Lady Shui’s delicate hand and said, “Mom, I’m hungry.”
Lady Shui promptly ushered the child inside, saying, “Come inside, everyone is here. Waiter, set up for the banquet.”
Seeing Aunt Liu’s teary eyes and his two cousins in a state of shock, Song Shi’an consoled her, saying, “Aunt, it’s alright. My cousin is young and momentarily confused.”
Aunt Liu wiped her tears away and said, “It’s fine. After leaving the Gao family, I only have two children, Yu’er and Lu’er.”
They took their seats in the first-floor dining area for dinner. The table was filled with a variety of dishes. Xu Zhongyue took a quick look at the menu and ordered Baihe Pavilion’s signature dishes, including the Sanhe Banquet, Braised Catfish, Sweet and Sour Chicken, Bai’s Pork Belly, and Shrimp and Luffa Soup.
Given their joyful occasion, he also ordered a jar of Jinhua wine and fruit drinks for the two girls.
As they savored the Sanhe Banquet, Song Shi’an did so with care. This renowned dish from Baihe Pavilion featured fish balls made from fresh fish, simmered with flavorful pork balls and pork cakes in a rich broth. The harmonious blend of fish and pork created a memorable taste that attracted customers.
Thinking about opening their own shop in the future, they would need to learn from Baihe Pavilion’s strengths, such as offering allusions to entice scholars and refined patrons, while also developing distinctive signature dishes that people would remember.
The clinking of glasses filled the table, with everyone enjoying their drinks. Faces were flushed, and ears felt warm from the wine. Xu Zhongyue’s intense gaze was fixed on Song Shi’an, who couldn’t help but notice it. Though, unlike when he was the Song Family Noodle House owner, he now felt no discomfort. He only felt a bit shy and bashful.
Gao Yu, being the older one, suddenly spoke up, saying, “Mom, cousin, cousin’s husband, I want to discuss something with you. Since Dad and Grandma no longer consider us part of the Gao family, we don’t want to carry the Gao name anymore.” Gao Lu nodded vigorously, adding, “Yes, no Gao surname, it doesn’t sound good at all!”
Aunt Liu was taken aback and then laughed, tears in her eyes.
“Yes, instead of Gao, we will take mother’s surname!”
Song Shi’an had no intention of changing his surname, as the name Song had no connection to Song Yuchun and was left to him by his late parents in his previous life. He smiled and said, “Liu Yu, Liu Lu, they sound youthful and lovely, very nice!”
.
As the day of the wedding drew nearer, Song Shi’an couldn’t contain his excitement.
Aunt Liu placed her two daughters to bed and then made her way to Song Shi’an’s room. He was sitting by the window, still in his wedding attire, looking a bit dazed. Aunt Liu asked him to sit down and handed him a booklet, explaining that as he was getting married tomorrow and having lost his mother at a young age, there were certain things she needed to convey to him.
With a reddened face, Aunt Liu placed the booklet into Song Shi’an’s hands and urged him to read it carefully before hastily leaving the room.
Curious and a little embarrassed, Song Shi’an opened the booklet and blushed deeply. To his surprise, the booklet contained both images and text, providing detailed instructions for certain intimate activities.
This was a world where such matters were seldom discussed openly. Song Shi’an’s face turned crimson as he realized that certain aspects of marital life were much more intricate than he had ever imagined. He closed the booklet, feeling anxious about the upcoming wedding night.
The following morning, two people arrived at Shuimo Fang Alley. Xu Zhongyue had invited the wives from the Zhou family and another from the Yang family. They arrived early in the morning to assist with the preparations in the new house.
Seeing Xu Zhongyue, radiant in his red attire and beaming with happiness, they couldn’t help but remark that An ge’er was indeed fortunate.
The couple’s new bedroom had been adorned with a brand-new rosewood bed, adorned with double happiness characters all around. They completed the ritual of paying respects to the bed meant for the couple before spreading out the vibrant red sheets and quilts they had sewn themselves. Dried fruits such as red dates, chestnuts, walnuts, and peanuts were scattered into the bed for good luck.
As they arranged the decorations, they spoke auspicious phrases: “Make the bed, make the bed, and fill the house with gold and jade; may you give birth to a precious son soon!”
After finishing, they eagerly waited for the auspicious time.
At the same time, Aunt Liu acted as Song Shi’an’s mother. She was assisting him in kneading the dough for noodles, using cotton thread to carefully remove hair from his face, making it appear as smooth as an egg. However, Song Shi’an’s sensitive skin turned red, so Aunt Liu applied a damp handkerchief to cool it down.
Aunt Zhang, who was helping with Song Shi’an’s grooming, complimented his fair skin, adding that she wondered how he would look when married. This comment caused Song Shi’an to blush again, which Aunt Liu and Aunt Zhang promptly teased him about.
With time running out, they stopped the teasing and focused on helping Song Shi’an prepare. Aunt Zhang combed his long hair with a peach wood comb while reciting auspicious phrases: “One comb makes you grow old, two combs bring many children, three combs bring wealth and good fortune.”
Once the preparations were complete, Song Shi’an had a high ponytail and wore a red hibiscus crown made of grass and flowers atop his head. Due to his naturally fair complexion, they skipped the heavy makeup and instead applied a touch of rouge to his lips. A bright red veil covered his face.
.
The courtyard door was open, and neighbors gathered around. The auspicious time had arrived. Firecrackers were lit, filling the air with deafening noise. Song Shi’an covered his ears as he was led into the sedan. This moment marked a significant step in both his life as a married person. Everyone was watching the scene creating a lively atmosphere as neighbors munching on melon seeds and dried fruits.
Uncle Sun called out, “The auspicious time has come! Get in the sedan chair!”
He lit the firecrackers, creating a loud explosion. Song Shi’an, supported by the woman in charge of marriage ceremony and Aunt Liu, took a seat in the sedan chair. It was the first time for the young man to experience such a moment like a girl.