Ancient Foodie Survival Guide Chapter 71
Translated by Serena Love
Edited by Azure
Chapter 71: Cold Shrimp (Liangxia)
The carriage's window was knocked twice, and a clear voice came from outside, "Sister-in-law?"
Jiang Shuyao breathed a sigh of relief. She could finally escape from the three of them. She raised the curtain.
Xie Xun saw her poking out her head, and his eyes warmed.
Jiang Shuyao smiled at him, got out of the carriage, and said to the three people inside, "Eldest sister-in-law, second sister-in-law, Qingshu, I'll go with him first."
The three people inside responded.
Jiang Shuyao pulled Xie Xun's sleeve and said, "Let's go."
After walking a few steps, there was a sudden shout, which startled Jiang Shuyao.
"Sister-in-law!" "Sister!"
Jiang Shuyao turned her head and found the East Palace's people standing behind them.
Lin Cheng stared at the signs on the street with infatuation and expectation in his eyes, as if he had met his lover, whom he had been waiting for years, and finally held her hand.
"It finally opened," he sighed quietly.
Jiang Shuyao turned to look at Xie Xun.
Xie Xun's face was as stoic as usual, but a trace of disgust flashed in his eyes. He explained in a low voice, "I was looking for you after I finished my duty. Lin Cheng noticed I wasn’t walking back to the house. Then he yelled, and all my colleagues came to follow me."
Xie Xun would have been very welcoming if they had come to cheer for the Lin family's business. However, when they arrived with such a mighty presence, he felt helpless and a little embarrassed. With all the noise and commotion, the dignity and seriousness of the East Palace officials were completely lost.
Lin Cheng sniffed and acted overly familiar. "Why didn’t you tell your brothers about the opening of your shop? We had to come and show support," he said.
A thick-skinned person echoed, "Exactly."
Although the other thin-skinned people were a little bit ashamed, they also agreed with this statement.
Jiang Shuyao glanced at Xie Xun again.
Xie Xun's eyebrows twitched, and he stood silently in front of Jiang Shuyao to prevent the intrusion of these fools.
"Hey, don't stand here and chat. Let's go in to eat, drink, drink, and eat." Lin Cheng clapped his hands and swayed in, just like at his own home.
The rest followed quickly.
Xie Xun stood still, and Jiang Shuyao asked, "Aren't you going with them?"
"No." Xie Xun said without hesitation, then looked at her, "I'm naturally going with you."
His tone had always been flat, but after spending so much time together, Jiang Shuyao had come to notice subtle differences. For instance, now, there was an inadvertent hint of familiar flattery in his voice.
Jiang Shuyao felt an inexplicable flush rise to her cheeks as she tugged at Xie Xun’s sleeve. “Are you hungry?”
“I’m okay,” Xie Xun replied, adjusting his collar. “It’s just a bit warm, and I don’t have much of an appetite.” He’d been thinking about how concerned Jiang Shuyao had been yesterday, rushing over to see him right after work, wanting to be with her—now, the heat was making him sweat.
Jiang Shuyao gently guided him through the crowd. “Then let’s grab something cold to drink and take a rest.”
She led Xie Xun to a restaurant with a narrow corner and said to the proprietress who was busy in the shop, "Please bring a bowl of cold shrimp."
After speaking, she looked back at the tall, thin, and handsome Xie Xun and quietly added, "The biggest bowl."
The proprietress covered her mouth and smiled, "Oh, I understand, it is the sweetest thing for a young couple to eat with the same bowl."
Jiang Shuyao: ...no, you misunderstood. Xie Xun can eat it all by himself.
In order to save Xie Xun's face, she chose to shut up.
The base ingredient of this cold shrimp or Liang Xia was rice. After the rice pulp was cooked, it was strained through a colander and then immersed in cold water to set into shape. The result was short and plump, with a pointed head and a tapered tail. Floating in the cold water, it resembled the shape of a shrimp, hence the name "cold shrimp" for this dessert.
The proprietress scooped out a generous portion of the cold shrimp with a slotted spoon and placed it into a bowl of mixed brown sugar syrup. She then sprinkled it with red and green candied sprinkles, sesame seeds, and crushed peanuts. The white rice "shrimp" swam in the rich, amber-brown syrup, which appeared cool and refreshing, thirst-quenching, and delightfully playful.
Xie Xun and Jiang Shuyao took their seats. The proprietress handed them two spoons, which they both accepted. Xie Xun pushed the bowl to the center of the table, ready to share.
Jiang Shuyao said, "I don't want to eat it."
Xie Xun recalled the proprietress' teasing from earlier and realized that Jiang Shuyao had remained silent, likely to spare him some embarrassment.
Well......
He sighed inwardly, a touch of shame creeping over him as he poked at the plump rice "shrimp" with his spoon.
Jiang Shuyao, ever considerate, spoke up. "Aren’t you hot? Drink it quickly. This cold shrimp is sweet and refreshing, perfect for summer."
Her simple, caring words lifted Xie Xun’s spirits once more. He nodded quickly, scooping up a spoonful of the brown sugar syrup, eager to enjoy it.
The brown sugar syrup was mixed with well water, resulting in a sweet and refreshing blend, its rich cane fragrance filling the air. The sweetness was just right—enough to satisfy without being overpowering—and the flavor balanced between a pleasant bitterness and a lingering sweetness that stayed long after the sip.
Because the syrup wasn’t overly thick or cloyingly sweet, the proprietress had been generous, filling the large bowl with an ample amount of brown sugar water.
Xie Xun scooped a spoonful of the cold shrimp. The small, white rice "shrimp" rippled in the black and red syrup, their delicate forms floating in the clear liquid. As he took a bite, the coolness spread through his mouth, the taste both refined and subtly sweet.
As the name suggested, the cold shrimp danced on the tip of the tongue like a tiny shrimp. Soft, smooth, sweet, and tender, it swayed gently in the sweet yet slightly bitter syrup.
Made from rice, the dessert carried a subtle rice fragrance. Though the outer skin was slippery, the interior was soft, waxy, and yielding. It was as if his tongue couldn’t quite catch hold of the elusive, slippery cold shrimp. When it lingered in his mouth, the way it collided with the brown sugar syrup was rather amusing.
With a few quick bites, he managed to catch the creamy rice "shrimp." The cool, glutinous rice flavor spread across his mouth effortlessly, requiring no chewing. The cold shrimp slid smoothly down his throat with the syrup, its coolness trailing behind, and the summer heat seemed to vanish instantly. He felt refreshed, as though the warmth and weariness of the entire day had melted away, leaving only the simple, sweet, and cooling sensation.
[T/N: To clarify, the "cold shrimps" in this chapter are not actual shrimps. They refer to a dessert made from rice flour, typically served with brown sugar or sour plum soup as an ice-cold drink. This dessert originates from the Chongqing area.]
As Xie Xun sipped the sweet dessert, his stern expression remained unchanged. The contrast between his dignified demeanor and the playful dessert seemed almost comical, yet the more Jiang Shuyao watched him, the more she felt that his face, though serious, had a certain charm—strangely endearing.
After several mouthfuls, Xie Xun finally spoke. "Very good," he commented, naturally adding, "It’s because of the recipe you came up with."
Jiang Shuyao quickly glanced around, relieved to find that no one had overheard him. She turned back to Xie Xun, a bit flustered. "How embarrassing... You’re praising me too much."
Xie Xun raised an innocent brow and continued quietly sipping his cold shrimp, his appetite unabated. Seeing how much he was enjoying it made Jiang Shuyao feel a bit thirsty herself. She picked up a spoon and scooped a small amount of brown sugar syrup, preparing to take a taste.
Xie Xun continued to sip the cold shrimp in silence, but when he saw Jiang Shuyao dip her spoon into the bowl and bring it to her lips, his ears flushed red.
For him, it felt too intimate to eat from the same bowl, especially when he had already consumed nearly half of it. Though he was accustomed to cleaning up Jiang Shuyao's leftovers, this felt different. This time, she was drinking the very soup he had just tasted.
"Why don't you drink more?" Jiang Shuyao asked, noticing his hesitation.
Xie Xun’s throat felt suddenly tight, but he quickly turned his head to mask his discomfort. "It's fine," he muttered, before adding, after a brief pause, "I've had my fill. Don’t you mind?"
Jiang Shuyao couldn’t help but laugh at his words. "Mind? What’s there to mind? You’re always eating the dishes I’ve had. Do you dislike it?"
"Of course not."
"Then I certainly won't."
This is different. Xie Xun thought, but it seemed like now wasn’t the right time to bring it up.
He was pondering how to take Jiang Shuyao to the lakeside pavilion, the kind that often appeared in novels, when a loud voice interrupted his thoughts. "Boyuan, so you’re here."
Turning to see the source of the voice, Xie Xun saw an East Palace friend, holding an unfinished fried skewer in one hand. Upon noticing the cold shrimps in front of Xie Xun, his eyes lit up. "What’s this? Eh, Madam, if you’re selling these in such a big bowl, I’d like to take some to go. I’ll have the servants come by later to pick it up and return the bowl tonight."
After finishing his words, the friend quickly got down to business and turned to Xie Xun. "We’ve got a plan to swim on the lake tonight, and I’ve already booked a painted boat. Are you coming? I’ve bought everything from this street; we’ll eat it all later on the boat." Then, turning to Jiang Shuyao, he added, "Come along too, sister-in-law. It’s cooler by the lake."
This extended invitation was a bit presumptuous, especially since a group of men were involved, and it felt somewhat inappropriate to invite a lone woman like that. He was about to apologize when Xie Xun calmly gave his response, "Okay."
Xie Boyuan: Boating on the lake... this time, I can’t let a good opportunity slip by.
Jiang Shuyao had never been on a boat before and was quite excited. She urged Xie Xun to finish the cold shrimp, and they quickly set off for the lake in a carriage.
By this time, the sun had nearly set. The light was dim and overcast, with the painted boats adorned with lanterns that made them appear to float on the dark lake. The stars dotted the sky, and the moonlight filtered through the haze, lending the night an ethereal beauty.
Xie Xun stepped onto the boat first and extended his arm to help Jiang Shuyao.
She took his arm and confidently stepped aboard.
Inside, the East Palace friends were already enjoying snacks, laughing, and making merry.
Jiang Shuyao hesitated, not eager to join them. The cool evening breeze felt so pleasant outside, far more comfortable than the noise and bustle within.
Jiang Shuyao hadn’t spoken yet, but Xie Xun seemed to have already guessed her thoughts. He suggested she stay outside to cool off for a while and then made his way inside the boat to speak with the boatman.
Jiang Shuyao watched him for a moment, puzzled about what he was discussing with the boatman. Feeling a little bored, she turned her head and happened to glance at the people aboard nearby boats.
A man spotted her and, his face lighting up, waved enthusiastically.
It took her a moment to recognize him, the soft glow of the lanterns helping her make out his features. It was her little uncle.
He had always been busy with business on Lin-shi’s side, so it wasn’t surprising to see him here. He must have just finished his work and come to the painted boat to unwind for a while.
Jiang Shuyao's face was filled with an excited smile when thinking of the excitement of today's snack street and the business's success, and she waved to him as well.
A little far away, the little uncle put his hand around his mouth and shouted to her, "I will go to my second cousin in a while. See you on the shore."
Jiang Shuyao roared back, "Okay, see you on the shore."
When Xie Xun returned, he overheard the two of them calling out, "See you on the shore."
His vision was much sharper than Jiang Shuyao's, and he immediately recognized the man’s figure.
The man was handsome and romantic, with a touch of femininity that added to his allure. It was the same person who had enjoyed a lively conversation with Jiang Shuyao during the Dragon Boat Festival.
At that time, the man had wanted to gift Jiang Shuyao a double-lotus golden hairpin, but after overhearing their conversation, feeling uncomfortable with the closeness between them, he had taken the hairpin back, deciding not to give it to her on the spot.
Xie Xun had felt an inexplicable sadness and bitterness in that moment, though he hadn’t understood the reason. Now, he realized the source of those emotions.
When Jiang Shuyao turned her head, she found Xie Xun standing silently behind her. Half of his face was swallowed by the darkness, giving him an ominous and cold presence.
She opened her mouth, ready to ease the tension, but before she could speak, Xie Xun strode over, causing the wooden planks to creak under his heavy steps.
His brow furrowed deeply, his solemn expression making his already cold demeanor seem even more chilling. The change in him made Jiang Shuyao instinctively shrink back.
Then, without warning, he asked, his voice blunt and sharp, "Jiang Shuyao, I will ask you, why did you want to marry me that day?"
The question came out impulsively, but once it was spoken, Xie Xun felt no regret. The emotions that had been building inside him—throbbing, tangled, and sorrowful—surged all at once, leaving his heart restless. The more he delayed speaking those words, the harder they became to say.
What's more, he could wait. But could Jiang Shuyao wait? Although she married him, they were not a couple at all.
Sure enough, Jiang Shuyao was stunned by the question. She stammered, unsure of how to respond.
Xie Xun had anticipated this reaction. There was no shyness, no lingering attachment like when she had been rescued after falling into the water; no obsession or madness like when she had threatened him with death to force their marriage. Instead, there was only a look of loss and panic in her eyes.
Thinking back to the rejection and distance he had shown her when they first married, he had once believed that she was obsessed with him, but now, it felt like a cruel joke.
A hot flush spread across his face. As memories of the past flooded back, his chest felt tight, filled with embarrassment—but this wasn’t the kind of embarrassment born of shame. It was sadness, pure and simple. He was hurt, not humiliated.
Xie Xun regretted asking the question. He regretted not continuing with his slow, passive approach—boiling the frog in warm water, as it were. Now that the truth lay bare in front of him, he realized he had to face it. She had never liked him.
With that thought, he pressed on, voice quiet but firm, "Have you ever liked me?"
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