An Lian stared dumbfounded at the cheerful Wan Chu’er, astonished by her unusually agreeable deanor.
Bai Zhixi felt that her daughter was even better at business than herself.
After sending away the driver, the three of them closed the courtyard gate and started packing up.
Wan Chu’er sorted out the belongings of the mother and daughter in the room, Bai Zhixi arranged the jars for pickles, and An Lian helped find a corner in the yard to build a clay stove, convenient for cooking and making pickles.
By noon, Bai Zhixi wanted to cook, but seeing the ssy yard and the still-wet stove that couldn’t light a fire, Wan Chu’er simply suggested they eat out.
Bai Zhixi looked at An Lian, who was covered in mud from working, and also felt they should take him out for a al.
An Lian, afraid of burdening Bai Zhixi and her daughter, didn’t even wash his hands and said he would head back.
Wan Chu’er’s words dispelled his thoughts of leaving: "Teacher An, if you do this, don’t co to our house anymore. It saves my mom and from being criticized for just making people work. I’d also feel embarrassed to learn Martial Arts from you."
It seed like she was ready to sever ties, which frightened An Lian into silence, not daring to step towards the door, rely looking at Bai Zhixi.
Bai Zhixi smiled and said, "Don’t be polite with us."
Luckily, their new ho was very close to Wu Family Noodle House. The three of them tidied up a bit, locked the courtyard gate, and headed to Wu Family Noodle House.
The business at Wu Family Noodle House was booming, and when the three entered, there was no vacant spot for three people. The proprietress, recognizing them as regulars, asked others to make room, finally freeing up three seats together.
The proprietress cheerfully asked, "What would you like to eat?"
An Lian looked at Bai Zhixi, Bai Zhixi looked at Wan Chu’er, and Wan Chu’er, seeing they were relying on her, smiled and said to the proprietress: "Please serve us three bowls of your signature noodles and one order of your pickled cucumbers that go so well with the noodles."
Hearing this, the proprietress laughed heartily and raised her voice, saying: "Coming here for noodles and not having pickles is like eating in vain."
An Lian cleverly added: "Not reaching the Great Wall is not a true man; not eating pickles with noodles is a waste!"
Boss Wu, who was serving noodles to custors, ca out and heard this, quickly joining in: "Not eating pickles with noodles, that’s a good point, we people from Wutong County can’t have a al without our salty vegetables, and Bai’s Pickles are truly exceptional."
Their interaction drew the attention of other custors in the restaurant, so of whom didn’t know what Bai’s Pickles were, quietly asking each other. Once they understood, they too ordered pickles, just a little one or two cents extra.
Bai Zhixi couldn’t suppress the smile on her face.
Soon all three of them were enjoying their noodles. Wan Chu’er, eating with her own family’s pickles, felt a special flavor in this setting, which whetted her appetite so much she quickly finished a whole bowl. Looking up, she saw Bai Zhixi also eating delightfully.
When the proprietress ca to collect the money, she curiously asked, "What made you suddenly decide to co to the restaurant for noodles today?"
Bai Zhixi smiled and replied, "We’ve moved nearby. Just moved in today, and it’s inconvenient to cook, so thinking we were close to your place, we ca over. Your noodles are really delicious, as always."
Being praised for their own noodles, the proprietress was very pleased, "Welco to co and eat noodles often."
Wan Chu’er said: "That’s inevitable, our ho is just diagonally across from Dajiang Market, there’s an elm money tree at the doorstep, very easy to find, in the future if the proprietress can’t wait to send over pickles, you can directly co and take them."
It would be even better to save Bai Zhixi so traveling.
The proprietress laughed: "Oh, that courtyard, I know it, alright, I’ll co and visit your ho when I have the ti."
Bai Zhixi quickly responded warmly: "You’re welco to visit."
After leaving Wu Family Restaurant, Bai Zhixi wanted An Lian to go back and rest, "There’s not much work left, Chuchu and I will clean up a little, you hurry back ho to rest, you did so much heavy work this morning, you must be exhausted."
Oh, her mom’s heart is really kind, she’s already worried. Wan Chu’er was kicking pebbles with her head down.
An Lian thought about it, indeed there was no heavy work left, staying around might make it inconvenient for the mother and daughter, so she nodded and agreed.
When they got back ho, upon the insistent request of Wan Chu’er, they rested for half an hour in the afternoon before continuing to work.
The three main rooms, Wan Chu’er and Bai Zhixi each took one on the east and the west, using the one in the middle as the living room.
All the pickles were put into a small room on the south side, cramd full.
By five or six in the afternoon, the house was nearly tidied up, and Wan Chu’er told Bai Zhixi that she was going out.
Bai Zhixi asked with concern: "It’s so late, where are you going? You’ve been busy all day, it must be tiring."
Wan Chu’er blinked her eyes, her destination wasn’t unspeakable, plus the one asking was her own mom, so she honestly said: "I’m going to see Xiao Bai."
Hearing it was to see Xiao Bai, Bai Zhixi thought of the previous issue about the photo Xiao Bai asked for, her heart skipped a beat and she blurted out: "Did you and Xiao Bai have sothing to discuss?"
Wan Chu’er didn’t expect her mom to be so nervous about her going to see Xiao Bai, she felt a bit strange, but after a little thought, it beca clear. She and Xiao Bai were, after all, strangers, perhaps Bai Zhixi was worried about sothing happening between them.
Although she felt Bai Zhixi was overthinking, Wan Chu’er patiently explained:
"We received so much care from Xiao Bai before, I thought I need to repay this kindness, so I’m planning to visit his shop to offer so suggestions."
Bai Zhixi breathed a sigh of relief, nodded, not really believing her daughter could offer any serious suggestions, and said with a smile:
"You are just a sixteen-year-old high school sophomore, what can you use to repay him? Xiao Bai’s family is wealthy, I don’t think they lack anything. I don’t believe Xiao Bai helped us expecting sothing in return; at this stage, we’re not really capable of truly helping him. I think Xiao Bai enjoys our pickled cucumbers, why not focus on making so good pickles for him.
Moreover, we can keep this kindness in our hearts, and once we have the ability to do sothing for him, we can quietly do it without waving any banner of repaynt. Or if Xiao Bai faces any difficulties and we can lend a hand, we should help him wholeheartedly. Do you think what mom says is right?"
Bai Zhixi watched her daughter’s expression and continued:
"Actually, there are a few words I’ve wanted to say to you for a long ti, I see you always glowering at Xiao Bai. Although Xiao Bai is easy-going, he has helped us so much, we still ought to show him the respect he deserves; that’s the basic decency of being a human."
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