CH 72

Mo Yan wanted to name the store, and ultimately decided on using her and her sister’s name, calling it “The YanLing Shop”.

Lu Junming heard it and repeatedly praised the name. Mo Yan wanted to ask Mr. Cao to write the name of the store for display as her own calligraphy wasn’t good. However, Lu Junming thought his handwriting was too utilitarian and wouldn’t be good for this.

Mo Yan said resignedly, “Then I’ll hire someone to write it for me!”

He cupped his hands and bowed cheekily, “Their words are lifeless. But if you ask me nicely, I’ll help you write your store display.”

“You?”

She knew Lu Junming was literate, but was he really able to write a store display?

“Show me when we go back later!”

“Alright!”

Sir Lu knew Lu Junming had moved his birth mother here, but turned a blind eye and didn’t ask about it. Therefore Lu Junming often moved between his grandfather’s house and his birth mother’s house.

As he often wasn’t home, Mrs. Liang didn’t have to make them meals every day, and she felt guilty for receiving money from the Lu family. Additionally, she was busy making pickled vegetables recently and didn’t have enough time to go to the Lu family. As winter was approaching, her coughing was steadily getting worse as well.

At the Lu family, Lu Junming took out an inkbrush and paper, putting it on the tea table in the courtyard. He lifted his brush and wrote ‘The YanLing Shop’ on the piece of paper.

Sir Lu came over and said, “It’s not worse than Mr. Tian’s calligraphy.”

Mo Yan took a look at the words. They were elegant and graceful, completely suitable for being displayed in a shop!

“Lu Junming, I didn’t know you could do that.”

“There are a lot of things I can do which you don’t know about!”

She took the piece of paper, planning on hiring someone to make it the display of their shop name the next day.

Zhong Cheng had been reclaiming farmland these past few days, and Mo Yan had asked him to pick up the chinese foxgloves he dug up so they could plant it next spring. This piece of saltland wouldn’t be able to grow any crops for now, so they could only plant what had originally grown there. As for how they grew, that’d be determined by fate.

Mo Feng had been bored at home, so he also went to the fields to pick up the chinese foxgloves. He collected a small basket’s worth in the span of two days.

If they wanted to grow these, they had to be kept fresh. Mo Yan remembered what Mrs. Liang said about digging a vegetable cellar. If it could keep vegetables fresh, it’d be able to keep chinese foxgloves fresh as well.

The Ng family courtyard was very large, and Ms. Hua immediately agreed when she said she wanted to dig a vegetable cellar. However, it was tiring work, and Mo Ling had never done it before. As she didn’t want to ask Zhong Cheng for help, she gritted her teeth and started digging, determined to do it on her own.

The soil in the courtyard was much harder than that in the piece of abandoned land, so she had to soften it using a pickaxe before digging it up. The vegetable cellar was supposed to be two metres in every dimension, but Mo Ling had only dug a foot down after working for half a day. At this rate, it’d take her three to four more days.

After digging for so long, Mo Ling was so tired she laid down on the courtyard, not wanting to move a muscle. Numerous blisters had grown on her hands.

She couldn’t help but start venting like Mrs. Liang, “Why did Mo Yan have to ask me to make a vegetable cellar? Is she trying to work us to death?”

“Why didn’t you tell me so I could help out?”

She didn’t need to look to know it was Zhong Cheng. “Why are you here again? And why do you keep clinging on to me?”

Mo Ling waved him off and went to the storefront, while he grabbed the pick and shovel to continue digging out the vegetable cellar.

When he was resting, Ms. Hua handed him a bowl of water and said, “You must be Ms. Mo Ling’s future husband!”

After drinking the water, he simply smiled without saying anything, then went back to work.

Mrs. Liang had already gone back home, which left Mo Yan cleaning up in the storefront. She turned off the stove and put the wares inside the storefront.

Manager Liang from Shunlai Restaurant was buying grain from the nearby dry goods store. After letting his employees carry it back to the restaurant, he went over on his own.

He saw Mo Yan in the storefront, and the words ‘The YanLing Shop’ displayed in it.

“You’ve even opened a shop, pretty impressive!”

She rolled her eyes at him and continued working, “The larger the business the better. We’ve gone away from your restaurant and aren’t taking your business, are you happy now?”

“We’re all just doing honest work here.” [1]

He sidled closer and said, “You even have seafood? That’s pretty impressive.”

“It’s from the Upper Valley, over a hundred kilometres away.”

“You’re even importing food from the Upper Valley? You must have some pretty decent connections.”

“These wares are someone else’s, we’re joint partners with them.”

“Do you have the deed to your storefront?”

Manager Liang found his opportunity to strike after loitering around for so long. Mo Yan put down the cloth in her hand and smiled, “No, this storefront doesn’t have a deed. What are you going to do? Go tell the governing officials to take it down, I dare you!”

Mo Ling had come back then and stood outside the storefront, “If you aren’t buying anything, stop loitering around. You’re affecting our business!”

He scurried away, and Mo Yan asked, “Sis, have you finished digging the vegetable cellar?”

Mo Ling raised her blister-covered hands up, “By the time I’m done with it, I’d have lost both of my hands!”

She sneaked a glance at the courtyard behind their storefront, “Is Zhong Cheng helping you?”

Mo Ling poked her in the forehead, “He’s not helping me, he’s helping you. You’re the one who wanted to dig the vegetable cellar, so you’re the one who owes him!”

“Alright then. I’ll give him some seafood for his family to taste later.”

“It’s not yours, how can you give it to someone else?”

Lu Junming had just come over and heard that Mo Yan owed someone, and said, “I have some pretty good fabrics at mine. It was initially planned to be used to make clothes for the New Year, but you can take it if you want.”

She shook her head and said, “It won’t be necessary, but I want to take a look at that fabric.”

“Then follow me!”

After leaving Mo Ling to guard the storefront, she followed him to the courtyard they rented. It was two streets over, and its surroundings were peaceful. Inside, there was a pathway made of azure bricks, and fountains by each side.

There was a kitchen and a storage room, while the north room’s door was intricately carved with flowers. It didn’t look ordinary at all.

Lu Junming said while opening the door, “Mum, Yan’er’s here!”

A warm voice came from inside, “Come in, take a seat!”

Mo Yan followed him inside. After remembering how his mother looked last time they met, she subconsciously fixed her hair before going inside. Then, she looked down and saw her wrinkled linen clothing.

Lu Junming’s mother was inside. Not only did she look beautiful, she was also graceful in her actions.

“Yan’er, welcome.”

There was a handkerchief in her hand as well, but instead of occasionally dabbling at her mouth with it like Mrs. Cao, she just held it in her hand.

Mo Yan greeted her properly, “Greetings, my lady.”

She slightly raised her head, “My surname is Zhao, you can just call me Ms. Zhao.”

Post-edit notes: Hi! Here’s an early chappie because I’m spending time with some friends after school tomorrow, and I’d feel bad not giving you something to gnaw on. Next chappie should be on Saturday, and thank you for reading!

[1] Your reminder that Manager Liang is a scumbag, if you’ve forgotten.