“But you can’t use this kitchen for free, young master. You’ll need to give me something in return.”
Green willows and fragrant grass, light blossoms and soft reds—spring has arrived again.
After traveling north for several days, just before reaching Taoxi, Sui Sui suddenly caught a cold. Though she was a young and energetic girl, within a few days, the cold had turned into a hot cough. Beyond Taoxi lay continuous mountain ridges and valleys, with no decent inns for some time, let alone access to medicine. The group had no choice but to rest and reorganize in Taoxi Town, deciding to continue their journey once Sui Sui recovered.
Taoxi belonged to Wuling Prefecture. It got its name from a not-so-high hill nearby, which had a curious feature: a natural spring on the hilltop. The spring water formed a clear stream that meandered down. Perhaps the refreshing sweetness of the water even attracted a peach blossom fairy, who descended to the mortal world and took residence here for a long time.
Thus, every spring, the town was covered in pale peach blossoms. There were also some early-spring flowers like winter daphne and late-blooming plum blossoms, with reds, yellows, pinks, and greens painting the town long before the weather fully warmed. The black-tiled, white-walled town seemed to be submerged in a sea of flowers when viewed from above, making it one of Wuling’s natural wonders.
Every spring, scholars and refined guests gathered here to enjoy the scenery and compose poems.
Yu Jinnian and his companions, dusty from their travels, found that three or four inns were already full. For a moment, they were at a loss. Luckily, the third son of the Min family, who was fond of exploring mountains and waters, had a wide and strange circle of acquaintances. He had visited this place years ago and had made the acquaintance of a close female friend, who now ran a shop in Taoxi Town. Thanks to her, they were able to find a place to stay.
The inn was called Zhuhua Pavillion, an elegant establishment. Its decor was simple but not lacking in taste. Each table had a single stalk of jasmine or winter plum in a narrow-necked vase, while the scent of tea and subtle fragrances lingered in the air, appealing to the pretentious tastes of scholars and literati.
The proprietress was Su Qing’er of the Liyang Su family, known for her charm and grace. When Yu Jinnian and his party arrived, she was entertaining several literary guests, sweet-talking them with gentle compliments. The self-proclaimed scholars, pleased with her flattery, waved grandly and gifted her their calligraphy works. She accepted them with a smile, instructing a servant girl to hang them up at once.
When they entered, Su Qing’er arranged for several superior rooms and prepared a large shared room for the servants. She then pulled Min Mao away for drinks and laughter.
After settling in, it was already noon. Sui Sui missed her mother, had little appetite, and, being accustomed to the flavors of Xinan County, found Taoxi’s food disagreeable. Exhausted from the journey, her small face was pale and sickly. After a few bites, she lost interest and threw a bit of a tantrum, refusing to take her medicine. Yu Jinnian, at his wit’s end, could only let her sleep through the afternoon.
Hearing Sui Sui cough intermittently and the phlegm rattling in her throat, Yu Jinnian grew worried. He felt this couldn’t go on and, by evening, decided to cook some familiar, comforting dishes himself.
Fortunately, Su Qing’er thought highly of Min Mao and treated their whole party as honored guests. When Yu Jinnian asked to borrow the kitchen and ingredients, she didn’t hesitate to grant his request. However, as soon as Yu Jinnian picked up a kitchen knife, she suddenly grasped his hand through his sleeve, teasingly saying, “But you can’t use the kitchen for free, young master. You’ll need to give me something in return.”
Yu Jinnian immediately pulled his hand back into his sleeve, staring at her in horror.
Su Qing’er, leaning against the doorframe, covered her mouth and laughed, “You look like a scholar. How about leaving me a piece of your calligraphy?”
So, it was a request for a piece of calligraphy. Yu Jinnian had noticed her collecting artwork earlier but couldn’t tell if she truly loved these things or just wanted to enhance the inn’s cultured reputation. Either way, Yu Jinnian scolded himself for his dirty thoughts. However, when it came to calligraphy, his ears turned red with embarrassment, and he stammered, “I’m sorry, proprietress, but… I barely know a few big characters, and my handwriting is so awful, it looks like a dog’s scrawl. I really can’t show it.”
Su Qing’er was surprised to find that this fair-skinned, tender-looking young man was not a scholar. But she wasn’t the kind to pester. Seeing that Yu Jinnian wasn’t willing, she didn’t insist. Observing his skillful handling of ingredients and the way the kitchen knife danced in his hands, she began to believe he was simply a chef favored by his master. She stopped asking about the calligraphy and just watched him cook, not in a hurry to leave.
It was early spring, and the fields were sprouting wild amaranth. Yu Jinnian had seen plenty growing in the mountains along the way, and he hadn’t expected to find a whole basket of it in the inn’s kitchen. It seemed someone here was well-versed in foraging wild vegetables. While amaranth could be harvested in both spring and autumn, only the spring variety was tender and crisp. The tender tips made for an excellent dish, whether stir-fried or cooked in soup.
Yu Jinnian took a handful of the spring amaranth, chopped it into sections, and blanched it briefly in hot water. He then prepared a sauce with light soy sauce, minced garlic, and sesame oil, drizzling it over the blanched amaranth before sprinkling it with a handful of roasted sesame seeds.
This was a simple, refreshing, and detoxifying cold dish of spring amaranth.
After preparing the amaranth, he used Sichuan fritillary bulbs, originally meant for Sui Sui’s medicine, to boil water. Then he ground sweet almonds and glutinous rice into a paste. Grinding the paste was a slow and delicate task—if you wanted it to be smooth, you had to be patient and meticulous.
Su Qing’er watched him busy for a long while without getting bored. Suddenly, an idea struck her. She rushed out and returned with a small bag of something, placing it in front of Yu Jinnian with a playful challenge: “I have a bag of fruit here. It’s very sour. Do you have a solution, young master?”
Yu Jinnian glanced inside the bag and saw hawthorn. He was surprised, “Hawthorn at this time of year?”
Su Qing’er sighed, “It was stored in an ice cellar and just taken out in the spring. A guest with strange tastes had their servant deliver it earlier. That guest loves hawthorn but is very particular—they won’t eat hawthorn cakes or fruit tea and only want the whole fruit, but it mustn’t be too sour or too sweet. Most importantly, it has to look refined… That guest is coming in a couple of days, and it’s driving me crazy. Do you have any ideas?”
“This is not difficult at all,” Yu Jinnian thought for a moment and agreed cheerfully, but he added a request. “Once the fruit is ready, could you, Mistress Su, set aside a plate for the little girl from my household to try? She hasn’t had much of an appetite lately, and eating some of this might help her feel better.”
Su Qing’er was delighted and said, “That’s no problem at all! Even if you hadn’t asked, I would have given you some anyway. That guest wouldn’t mind if a few of these hawthorns are taken.”
After exchanging thanks, Mistress Su went to prepare the ingredients Yu Jinnian needed: a jar of freshly brewed osmanthus honey from the previous autumn, a packet of homemade brown sugar, some leftover peanuts and walnuts from the New Year, and additional supplies like glutinous rice flour and sesame seeds.
When Mistress Su returned, Yu Jinnian had already ground the almond-rice paste and boiled it with the Sichuan fritillary water. He set it aside to cool and then began preparing the hawthorns by trimming off the stems and carefully scooping out the seeds with a small spoon, discarding them.
Mistress Su had mentioned that the guest liked hawthorn but not the sour taste, so Yu Jinnian decided to steam the seedless hawthorns first. The water couldn’t be too hot, or the hawthorns would become too soft and lose their firm texture. When the water was at about 50-60% heat, he placed the fruit in the steamer and removed it just as it neared a boil, letting it drain. This process reduced the sourness of the hawthorn without compromising its texture.
Meanwhile, Mistress Su followed his instructions and mixed the glutinous rice flour dough with a hot syrup made from brown sugar and osmanthus honey.
While the dough was steaming, they each used rolling pins to crush the peanuts and walnuts, mixing them with sesame seeds and white sugar to create the filling.
Perhaps because Yu Jinnian looked so refined and scholarly, he really didn’t resemble a chef who would be handling pots and pans. The young kitchen girls, who were assisting in the kitchen, kept stealing glances at him, whispering amongst themselves and occasionally bursting into giggles. The lively atmosphere in the kitchen suddenly became infused with a playful energy.
Su Qing’er shot them a half-playful, half-scolding glance and told them to focus on their work. She then turned to Yu Jinnian and said, “This is quite troublesome. It’s amazing you thought of all this.”
Yu Jinnian smiled and shook his head. “It’s not my idea. It’s all based on the experience of those who came before me. Back when I ran a shop in Xinan County, I made even more complicated dishes. This is nothing.” Mentioning Xinan County brought back memories of Aunt Xu and the happier days of the past, causing Yu Jinnian to briefly lose himself in thought, his face becoming still and distant.
Su Qing’er, on the other hand, was quite pleased to hear that he had experience running a food establishment, and she began discussing cooking techniques and business with him. Su Qing’er was naturally sociable, and before long, she felt like she and Yu Jinnian were friends. This led her to ask about the people traveling with him. She knew Min Mao’s surname was Min and that he came from a prestigious family, but she was curious about the other two noble-looking young men, who seemed even more distinguished than Min Mao.
Yu Jinnian, however, was cautious and only told her they were noble sons from prestigious families in the capital, out on a leisurely trip. He didn’t offer any more details.
Realizing that she wouldn’t get any more information, Su Qing’er dropped the subject and returned to discussing cooking with Yu Jinnian.
The two of them worked together to shape the steamed glutinous rice dough, filling it with the walnut-peanut-sesame mixture, rolling them into small balls, and then placing them inside the hollowed-out hawthorns. Just as they were busy working, Ji Hong entered the kitchen. Seeing Yu Jinnian hard at work despite still recovering from his illness, Ji Hong sighed, “I knew I’d find you here. You’re still not fully recovered, and yet you’re busying yourself again. It’s like you consider the kitchen your home!”
Yu Jinnian smiled and said, “I had nothing else to do, so I made some ‘yuan huanxi’ (round delights). It’s not too tiring.”
“Yuan huanxi,” Ji Hong repeated, curiously glancing at the hawthorn balls in Yu Jinnian’s hand. “Is this what you call it?”
There was one last step—pouring syrup over the hawthorns—but Yu Jinnian thought Ji Hong might not like them too sweet. So, he lifted the hawthorn ball he had just filled and held it up to Ji Hong’s face. “Yes, try it. I made it for Sui Sui to stimulate her appetite, but I’m not sure if you’ll like it.”
The small red fruit looked adorable, plump, and glossy. Ji Hong leaned in, taking a small bite from it. The flavor was a perfect balance of sweet and sour, with a soft, sticky layer of glutinous rice giving way to a fragrant, crispy nut filling. The taste lingered pleasantly on the tongue.
After swallowing, Ji Hong smiled contentedly. “Just the name alone is enough to bring a sense of happiness.”
Yu Jinnian took the remaining half of the hawthorn ball, licked his fingers clean of the sweet, sticky filling, and mused, “If you like them, take a few with you. But your stomach isn’t too strong, so don’t eat too many. Just enjoy a few bites.”
This wasn’t the back kitchen of their own noodle shop. The two of them bantering so casually caught the attention of others, especially the group of kitchen girls. They had never seen such a handsome young noble like Ji Hong, who looked like a celestial being. Compared to him, even Yu Jinnian seemed less striking. The kitchen girls couldn’t stop staring, and they nearly forgot about their cooking, almost letting their pots boil dry.
“Alright,” Ji Hong said, his gaze fixed solely on Yu Jinnian. He wasn’t interested in anyone else and naturally did whatever Yu Jinnian told him. Realizing this, Yu Jinnian quickly composed himself, his expression changing as he shooed Ji Hong out of the kitchen. “Go wait upstairs. I’ll fry up a couple of dishes, and we can eat in the room.”
“Don’t make anything too complicated, just come back quickly.” When no one was looking, Ji Hong stole a quick kiss on Yu Jinnian’s forehead and gently pinched his fingers before reluctantly heading upstairs.
As soon as he left, the kitchen girls sighed in disappointment, their spatulas clattering loudly against their pots, as if venting their frustration.
Su Qing’er, half-joking and half-serious, scolded them with a smile. “You silly girls! Get back to work before you burn the whole kitchen down!”
A burst of laughter filled the room as Yu Jinnian, standing on his toes, watched Ji Hong’s figure disappear behind the door. Only then did he touch his forehead, where Ji Hong had kissed him, and return to the kitchen. Su Qing’er, noticing his actions, chuckled and remarked, “Your master seems to treat you quite well.”
Yu Jinnian froze for a moment, then realized whom she meant by “master.” Not wanting to explain the true nature of his relationship with Ji Hong, he simply nodded casually, saying, “Yes, he does.”
Su Qing’er sensed something unusual about the two but couldn’t quite put her finger on it. Assuming they just had a deep bond as master and servant, she didn’t dwell on it further.
After helping Mistress Su finish making the *yuan huanxi* (round delights), Yu Jinnian selected a few more ingredients. Since it was spring, a time when yang energy rises, it was said that one should “reduce sourness and increase sweetness to nourish the spleen.” With this in mind, Yu Jinnian chose lettuce, peeled and sliced it finely. He mixed in one spoon each of sesame oil, sugar, salt, and vinegar. Then, after frying chili peppers in sesame oil until fragrant, he let the spicy oil cool and poured it over the lettuce shreds, creating a sweet and spicy lettuce salad, perfect for a refreshing bite. To balance the meal, he quickly stir-fried celery and pork, making a simple dish to accompany some flatbread.
Despite the recent long days of travel, the moment Yu Jinnian stepped into the kitchen, it seemed he forgot all his fatigue. Pots and pans may not speak, but they didn’t trouble his mind either. For him, the kitchen was not only a place of work but also a space to ease his worries. After preparing several dishes, he looked up to see that it was already late, and a dark blue hue had spread across the sky outside the window.
He carried out the Sichuan fritillary almond soup and the cold dish of spring amaranth he had prepared for Sui Sui. By now, Zhuhua Pavillion had already lit its six-sided silk lanterns, each adorned with images of graceful ladies, some holding fans and smiling, while others bent down to play with cats.
Seeing the lanterns, Yu Jinnian suddenly exclaimed, “Xiao Dingdang!”
He had completely forgotten about his cat. When they got off the carriage earlier, he had locked Xiao Dingdang in a small, breathable box, fearing the cat would run off. The poor thing had been cooped up all afternoon! Feeling guilty, Yu Jinnian hurried back to the kitchen to ask the young maids for some dried fish, minced meat, and a bit of rice to make a meal for Xiao Dingdang.
With Sui Sui’s meal, Ji Hong’s meal, and the cat’s meal, Yu Jinnian couldn’t carry it all at once, so he had to make several trips.
Meanwhile, for reasons unknown, Sui Sui had been throwing a tantrum. When Yu Jinnian entered the room, she had been sitting on the bed with Qing Huan, drinking sweet tea. But the moment she saw him, she turned her head and lay down, facing away from him. No matter how much Qing Huan coaxed her, she wouldn’t cheer up. Helpless, Qing Huan glanced at Yu Jinnian, furrowing her brow in frustration. Yu Jinnian, too, was at a loss. He couldn’t understand “a girl’s heart” and, for a moment, felt like a father being resented by his daughter, feeling both wronged and powerless. He could only place the food on the table, tell her to eat well, and then quietly leave.
After leaving the room, he lingered outside for a while, watching through the crack in the door. Only when he saw Sui Sui finally agree to eat under Qing Huan’s persuasion did he feel relieved.
“The process doesn’t matter, as long as the result is good,” he comforted himself.
Returning to pack Ji Hong’s and Xiao Dingdang’s meals into a food box, he found the kitchen maids brewing goji berry tea, so he joined in the lively atmosphere for a bit. As the night deepened, Zhuhua Pavillion grew bustling. The inn’s guests returned one by one, gathering in the main hall to drink tea, share poetry, and recount the day’s experiences. Most of the guests were traveling scholars, accompanied by young bookboys and maids. Although young, these attendants were well-mannered, making the lively main hall orderly despite the laughter and chatter.
Not long after, a luxurious carriage pulled up outside Zhuhua Pavillion, accompanied by over a dozen solemn servants. The driver, carrying a lantern, headed straight for the proprietress. After hearing what he had to say, Su Qing’er immediately stood up to welcome the guests. The people inside the inn, curious about the newcomers, began whispering among themselves. A few young maids, unable to resist, peeked out from the windows but were quickly scolded by their masters for being impolite.
Su Qing’er stood at the front of the carriage and greeted softly, “Young Master Lü.”
The carriage curtain was lifted from within, and a tall, slender young man emerged. While not particularly handsome, he carried an air of arrogance, with his chin slightly raised but not overly proud. Dressed as a refined gentleman, he cut an impressive figure. After stepping out of the carriage, Young Master Lü turned back to help others inside. Everyone then saw two delicate young women, one after another, exit the carriage.
The first woman, younger and dressed in a cherry-colored satin dress, was strikingly beautiful. As soon as she stepped out, Young Master Lu took her by the wrist, and the two exchanged loving glances, their eyes following each other tenderly. The second woman, dressed in apricot-colored clothing, didn’t receive the same affectionate treatment. The carriage’s steps were high, and with what seemed to be a slight injury to her foot, she hesitated for a long time, unable to jump down. She glanced around, looking for the driver.
Surprisingly, the first woman in cherry-colored clothes pulled her hand away from Young Master Lu and ran back to assist the other woman.
Although not as radiant as the first, the apricot-dressed woman possessed a quiet elegance and grace. The two women walked into Zhuhua Pavillion hand in hand, leaving Young Master Lu behind.
Someone in the inn recognized Young Master Lu and greeted him warmly, “It’s Yanjia! We haven’t seen you in months. You’ve grown even more impressive! Are these two ladies your wives? My, they shine like the moon… Young Master Lu, you are truly fortunate!” The speaker’s eyes lingered, clearly admiring the beauty of the two women behind Young Master Lu.
Lü Yanjia glanced at the man, internally scoffing but outwardly polite as he replied, “Brother Zhao, I hope you’ve been well.”
The three of them took their seats, with Young Master Lu choosing a spot by the window. He gently fanned open the shutters with a bamboo fan, revealing a distant view of vibrant blossoms. The breeze blowing through the window carried a fragrant scent, making him feel refreshed.
It was quite unusual, given that in noble households, it was rare for wives and concubines to get along so harmoniously. Lü Yanjia, a descendant of the Lü family in the capital, was from a lesser branch but still carried a respectable lineage. Though he had little interaction with the main family, he was considered the most prominent of the nephews and nieces within his branch, excelling in both scholarship and appearance. He was nearly on par with the legitimate descendants of the main family.
The current head of the Lü family had grown up outside the capital and was quite nostalgic, favoring Lü Yanjia as his distant nephew. Lü Yanjia had a reputation for being charming but not indecent, and in his earlier years, he had left a trail of romantic stories in the pleasure houses. The most famous tale was about how he used a *seven-string zither* to win a lover’s heart, though the details of that story had been greatly exaggerated by others over time.
Years ago, Lü Yanjia had traveled south to visit a friend. Passing through a particular place, he heard the sound of a qin from a boat on the river, its music sad and lingering. It was the evening of the Qixi Festival, and the mournful melody touched his heart. Feeling a sense of sympathy, he stood by the river and played his flute, harmonizing with the qin. After that, Lü Yanjia returned every day, but the two remained separated by a painted screen, never seeing each other. They communicated solely through music for half a month, with the singing woman on the boat never speaking a word.
Half a month later, Lü Yanjia had to return home. Before he left, he went to the boat one last time, saying through the screen, “Wait for me ten days. I’ll bring silver to buy your freedom.”
The singing woman knew that such promises from clients were often meaningless, not something to take to heart. But to her surprise, ten days later, Lü Yanjia returned, riding fast to deliver the money. He bought her freedom with real gold and silver and took her back to be his concubine. With the money in hand and her contract torn, the singer embraced her qin and climbed into his carriage. Only then did they finally meet face-to-face for the first time.
This woman who had “flown to the top branch” was none other than the cherry-clad woman now before them, named Han Xiao.
Rumors spread swiftly, especially when it came to romantic affairs like this. Within days, the story of the singer’s high marriage was the talk of the town. Everyone said she had transformed into a phoenix overnight, and someone even wrote an opera about it called “The Lament of the Qin”, which became popular among the courtesans. The tale inspired many of them to long for a lovesick young man to buy their freedom, just like the story.
But rumors are rumors. Lü Yanjia’s successful pursuit of beauty earned him no small amount of envy. While many congratulated him publicly, secretly, people wished for discord in his household, hoping for some scandal to emerge. After all, Lü already had a wife from a respectable family, who had been with him for years. How could she tolerate a lowly singer entering their home?
Yet, three years had passed, and the Lü household remained peaceful without any signs of internal strife.
Today, Lü Yanjia brought both of his wives on an outing to enjoy the spring, and people couldn’t help but observe them closely. To their surprise, the two women didn’t vie for their husband’s affection. On the contrary, they sat close to each other, pouring tea and serving one another politely without a hint of jealousy. When the waiter brought out snacks, they even offered them to each other with remarkable harmony.
Seeing this, the patrons of Zhuhua Pavillion couldn’t help but marvel at Young Master Lu’s skill in managing his wives, making both of them so obedient.
After warming themselves with hot tea, Lü Yanjia waved his hand, calling for dishes to be served. He also instructed the attendant to prepare two upper rooms and heat water for washing, so that after dinner they could rest and be ready for tomorrow’s outing.
Since Lü Yanjia had ordered several complex dishes that required time to prepare, the attendant bowed and said it would take a while. Hearing this, Lü Yanjia’s face darkened, and he tapped the table impatiently with the tip of his fan. Sensing his displeasure, Han Xiao quickly stood up, speaking softly, “These dishes take time to cook properly. Let me go to the kitchen and bring some snacks and sweets to tide you and elder sister over until the food is ready.”
Without a word, Lü Yanjia allowed her to go, and Han Xiao gracefully made her way to the kitchen.
In the kitchen, Yu Jinnian had just finished brewing a pot of tea and was about to head back to his room with a food box. As he stepped through the doorway, he collided with someone. The woman he bumped into was slender, and the impact sent her stumbling to the ground. Yu Jinnian quickly set the food box down and reached out to help her, but she recoiled in fear, her sleeve slipping to reveal a jade-white arm.
Yu Jinnian, startled, said, “Your injury—”
Before he could finish, Han Xiao hastily covered her arm with her sleeve. Just then, Qing Huan came downstairs to ask for hot water for washing. Seeing the scene, she assumed something had happened and rushed over to help, apologizing profusely. After helping the woman up, she took a closer look and gasped in surprise, “Han Xiao? Is that you?”
Yu Jinnian was puzzled. “You know each other?”
Han Xiao kept her head down, her face flushed with embarrassment, as she hurried into the kitchen. Not long after, she came out with a plate of *yuan huanxi* covered in syrup. Seeing that Yu Jinnian and Qing Huan hadn’t left, she shook her head and whispered, “You’ve mistaken me for someone else.”
Qing Huan protested, “How could I mistake—”
“Xiao Xiao.”
A cold voice interrupted her from behind. Yu Jinnian turned to see a young man in fine robes holding a bamboo fan. He wore a faint smile, but there was something unsettling in his gaze, a hidden cruelty beneath the surface.
Lü Yanjia took the plate of *yuan huanxi* from Han Xiao’s hands and, smiling, pulled her close. “You’ve been gone a while. Don’t make your husband worry.”
Despite the tender words, Yu Jinnian couldn’t suppress a shiver.
So, this was the guest Su Qing’er had mentioned—the one with the strange temperament who had a fondness for hawthorn?