Tled by Serena Love

Unedited

Chapter 83: Hot Pepper Soup

Xie Lang couldn't remember how long he hadn't spoken to Zhou-shi. Every time he saw her, she would glance at him from a distance and then walk away blankly. At the start, Xie Lang only thought that she was angry, and he could coax her back when her anger died down. However, as time passed, he realized that she was not angry, but she did not even care anymore.

These days Xie Lang has been thinking about what the problem is. Once, when he took a concubine for the first time, Zhou-shi was angry. However, within a few days, she returned to him as if nothing happened, as if she only cared a little bit about it and didn't need him to coax. As long as he smiled at her, say a few words, she would smile and forget the unpleasantness.

Sometimes when he was thinking back to the past few years, he felt that a long time had passed. It was so long that he was about to forget the scene when he met Zhou-shi. He only vaguely remembered the young woman on the horse, waving her horsewhip grinningly. Seeing them, these traveling scholars, she was curious and boldly asked questions.

When Xie Lang realized that she was not angry, he suddenly began to panic.

The longer the time, the more complicated his mood becomes. His interest in playing chess or chanting poems has disappeared. All day long, he was frowning and worrying, drinking and complaining to Xie Li.

At first, Xie Li would still accompany him. Later, after Xu-shi said something, Xie Li did not come anymore.

So he drank in the pavilion alone.

His little concubine has been here, the eldest brother and the third brother have been here, and even those maids who looked at him with distressed appearance and thoughts that they shouldn't have, they have also been here. Xie Lang was annoyed with all of them.

Boredom. Xie Lang felt this emotion for the first time.

Perhaps Zhou-shi had also been bored. The mixed feelings in her heart, now he finally understands it.

He shook the porcelain bottle in his hand, and there was only a little bit of the wine left. When he was about to pour it into his mouth, a soft sound suddenly came from behind him.

"Father."

Xie Lang was startled. He was drinking heavily but was not drunk, just a little dizzy. He immediately became sober when he heard Xie Sheng's voice.

He didn't want his daughter to see his alcoholic appearance, so he hurriedly put the bottle under his cuff to hide it and looked back at Xie Sheng.

Xie Sheng asked her maid to wait in the distance, so she was the only one here.

She went to sit down in front of Xie Lang and said, "Father, summer has passed, and it is getting cold at night. You always drink here, be careful of catching a cold."

Xie Lang looked at Xie Sheng softly. She is his and Zhou-shi's daughter.

"It is nothing. I won't be drunk. I just drink a little bit, so I could sleep well at night."

Xie Sheng nodded and said nothing. The long caring sentence just now was her limit.

Xie Sheng is good at poetry, and Xie Lang is so talented. She often came to ask for advice, so Xie Sheng and Xie Lang are more intimate. Xie Lang liked this daughter very much, but he didn't know how to treat her. At this moment, seeing her with her head down, the atmosphere was a little stiff, so he said, "Why are you here?"

"Uncomfortable, take a walk." Xie Sheng said flatly.

Xie Lang immediately became nervous, "Where are you uncomfortable? Do you want someone to call a doctor? Why do you come out for a walk when you feel uncomfortable?"

Xie Sheng raised her eyes and glanced at him. She said, "I feel sick in my stomach. My mother gave me sliced ​​noodles and several dishes at night, and I was eating too much."

Xie Lang's expression froze, and his body which was leaning towards Xie Sheng slowly leaned back because of tension. Finally, he sat upright and said with difficulty, "It turns out to be like this. It's good. It's a good thing for you, mother and daughter, to be close, but don't eat too much in the future. It's not good for your body."

Xie Sheng nodded, "Mother said the same. She said she was very happy to see how much I ate, but then I ate more, and she became unhappy again and hurried to boil hawthorn water."

Xie Lang heard about Zhou-shi's panic, and her image appeared in his mind immediately. He chuckles subconsciously, but then his smile stagnated and turned into bitterness.

The faint night wind blew Xie Sheng's hair.

She came here only because she had to come over to salute and greet her father according to the rules. Now that she has shown care and talked to him, it is time to go.

She stood up and prepared to salute and withdraw, but Xie Lang suddenly said, "What is your mother up to recently?"

This question made Xie Sheng a little confused. She tilted her head and asked, "Father doesn't know?"

The smile on Xie Lang's face was even more bitter, but he would not show his depressed side in front of his daughter. He tried to say in a plain tone, "I don't know." Zhou-shi did not allow him to enter her yard. Her maids also avoid him, keep their mouth firmly, and dare not say much.

Although Xie Sheng was puzzled, she still replied obediently, "She was busy with her favorite things."

Xie Lang did not expect this answer. He said blankly, "Did she pick up the sword again?"

These words stunned Xie Sheng. She was surprised, "Sword?"

She was too surprised. Xie Lang reacted and was even more puzzled, "What else can it be?"

"Go to the kitchen and think about food." Xie Sheng's tone was unusual, and she sat back on the stone bench, "Swords? Mother used to practice swords and martial arts?"

Zhou-shi tried her best to avoid her past since she got married in the capital. She wouldn't expect Xie Lang to tell this to their daughter. Xie Lang hesitated, but he nodded.

Unexpectedly, Xie Sheng did not show any expression of disgust. She blinked, her eyelashes flickered, and her face finally brought a little vivid childish expression.

She slowly digested this fact and asked after a while, "Then why did mother give up her preference for martial arts?"

Hearing these words in Xie Lang's ears was like a thunderbolt in the clear sky, and a sudden huge light illuminated and sober him up. The incomprehension and perplexity in his heart dissipated. Xie Lang felt a little dull in his mind and kept repeating Xie Sheng's question.

Why?

"...Because of me." He had never felt that it would take so much effort to say these words. After speaking, he was completely depressed.

Yeah, because of him.

If it weren't for him, how could Zhou-shi's change from that girl with a flamboyant nature to a woman with a weird temperament after living in his house? This radical change took only a few years.

Xie Sheng couldn't understand him, but she could feel his emotions.

She was at a loss but didn't want to comfort her father. Although children cannot understand some things and cannot tell one, two, or three, they still have some feelings in their hearts.

She saluted again, walked a few steps to return to her room unwillingly.

Xie Lang's back was no longer straight, and his posture looked a little bit decadent.

This appearance made Xie Sheng a little helpless. She endured her discomfort and said, "On the 15th, the Lin family's breakfast stall will open in the east of the city, and my mother will go there." She didn't know why she said this. In a word, it was just her intuition that Xie Lang should go and take a look. Even she could see her mother's change, but her father was still immersed in the past and unable to extricate himself.

Before Xie Lang had time to speak, Xie Sheng had walked away.

On the fifteenth, Xie Lang took a special leave and rushed to the market in the east of the city early in the morning.

He looked for several passers-by to ask for directions, but he couldn't found the Lin family's market. When he was walking around in the street, he suddenly smelled a delicious and rich fragrance. He followed the fragrance to find his way and finally saw the shop.

This shop is very small and doesn't fit Lin's wealthy family's style at all, so he had passed without paying attention.

Now, because he was circling around for a while, the shop has opened to welcome guests.

It is late summer and early autumn, the temperature difference between day and night is large, and there is a slight coolness in the early morning. The steaming white mist floats out of the market, attracting a large number of diners.

The people living in this neighborhood are ordinary people with spare money in their hands. There are merchants who wake up early in the morning to go to catch the boat, some shopkeepers who rush to their own silk and satin shops, some who go home yesterday to see their parents, teachers rushing out of the city, and so on. They passed by the shop, smelled the fragrance, and saw that it was still early, so they hesitated and stopped in front of the shop.

More people have gathered, so a waiter came to greet them. The diners took their seats one after another, and the shop gradually became lively.

At this time, a carriage drove up and stopped not far away.

As soon as the carriage curtain was lifted, Zhou-shi, wearing a neat cotton cloth, jumped down. Then she turned and helped Lin-shi get out of the carriage and said nervously, "Be careful."

"I am very stable." Lin-shi got off the carriage.

"You shouldn't come here either. If my younger sister-in-law find out, she must be angry."

Lin-shi suddenly shrank, "I have to come." She turned to look at Zhou-shi, "You have to come here too. You should understand my thoughts."

Speaking of this, Zhou-shi said in a quiet voice, "I just want to see if the taste I tuned are suitable for the diners." Zhou-shi's tongue is a tongue of a pure ancient person. Jiang Shuyao has asked her opinion about everything, and the two pondered to correct the flavors. She is diligent and not afraid of hardships. Now, she even knows how to knead gluten by herself. She is busy all day long without resting, and she has a lot of credit for opening the breakfast shop so quickly.

"Yes, the opening day is the most anticipated." Lin-shi walked with her towards the back door, "Watching the diners stop by for these strange foods, then taste it with relish and leave with satisfaction. I will feel very comfortable in my heart."

Zhou-shi very much agreed and rubbed her hands, "If it's not inappropriate, I really want to try my craft here. My younger sister-in-law said I am very talented."

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Lin-shi was helpless and pulled her against it.

Xie Lang stood at the corner, in a daze.

How long has he not seen such a vigorous and silly Zhou-shi? It's been too long, and he almost forget this appearance.

He was standing on the way, and someone hurriedly passed by and bumped into his shoulder.

The man was thin and short. He was knocked back two steps. He stared at Xie Lang and wanted to curse a few words. Seeing his good-looking and impressive appearance, he abruptly held back his anger.

The short man rubbed his shoulders, muttered a few words, and walked towards the breakfast stall.

The residents around here all knew each other. As he walked, he greeted the diners who had breakfast in front of the shop, "What did you eat? How did it taste?"

Everyone laughed and praised the breakfast in the shop.

"It's delicious. I feel comfortable all over."

"It turns out that breakfast can still be so delicious. It won't be annoying to get up early in the future."

"I bought one and prepared to take it away. Then I took a bite and turned back to buy a second one. How do you think it tastes?"

"Hey, Old Ding, is it time to pick the goods again? You are so early today?"

Old Ding nodded, rubbing his arms, and said, "Yes." The merchant ship has passed through the capital, and his cargo arrived. He has to go to the dock for inspection before unloading. He didn't believe in other people's eyes and went by himself every time. He was thinking about the sun on the pier, so he dressed a little thinly. Who knew it was so cold in the morning.

He glanced at the densely packed food in the market and finally just said, "Is there something warm? Give me a portion."

"Good." The waiter went in, and after a while, he brought out a bowl of soup and a plate of fried dough, "Hot spicy soup and fried dough, please try them."

Old Ding looked in front of him and saw that the so-called hot spicy soup was a bowl of reddish and brownish soup. He couldn't see what was in it. The soup is sticky and has a strong but not pungent spicy aroma. It has various ingredients: black fungus, brown-green kelp, translucent mung bean noodles, light yellow tofu skin and gluten, etc. Covered by the heat of the white mist, it looks particularly attractive.

He hadn't eaten this kind of breakfast before. He hesitated for the moment, took a spoon, and scooped it. The soup was very rich, and when it was scooped, it hung on the spoon like a piece of silk thread. The soup dripped into the soup and looked extremely thick.

Because it is mixed with glutenous water to thicken the soup, the color of the soup will look thick and bright. His first reaction is that the soup is really thick, but the taste is still fine. Then there is the sweet aroma of bone soup and the numbness of pepper gradually overflowing to the tip of his tongue. With the warm and sticky taste, the strong fresh numbness rushes into his mouth. It filled his stamina and very enjoyable. From the tip of his tongue to his throat, it was warm all the way to the stomach.

The gluten is soft and strong. It has a light bean aroma when chewed. The fungus is crispy, the kelp is firm, and the noodles are springy. When chewed, a variety of rich tastes are attacked with different degrees of flavors. Although the spicy soup has the word "spicy," it is different from pepper's spicy stimulation. The spiciness tastes very fragrant, and it tastes warm, and it stretches out all at once.

He slurped and ate happily, but suddenly someone sat down across him.

Xie Lang said to the waiter, "Give me the same thing like him."

Seeing that he didn't look like a local resident, Old Ding didn't look at him much and ate his own food.

He picked up the fried dough and pressed it into his spicy soup.

The slimy soup immediately wrapped the fried dough from all sides, and when it was picked up, a thick layer of bright sticky soup hung on the end of the fried dough. He put it in his mouth. The soup is thick enough and will not soften the fried dough. The fried dough is crispy, with a light oily fragrance, and they are covered by the spicy and delicious flavor of the soup. It is crisp and sticky, thick and filling, fragrant and numbing, very enjoyable.

It has been a long time since Xie Lang has seen people be so careless about food, which made him have an appetite. When the waiter came up, he immediately took a bite.

Hu spicy soup has a strong flavor and a mellow numbing flavor. Various spices and herbs such as dried ginger, ginger, pepper, long pepper, cinnamon, galangal, etc., are mixed together to form a light, rich and flavorful strange fragrance. It is spicy, soft, and delicate, with an endless aftertaste.

Xie Lang seldom eats heavy food, but this spicy soup was not unbearable. Because although this spicy soup is spicy, it does not make your tongue hurt, but a kind of warm spicy flavor. There is numbness in the freshness. It is also creamy, soft, and sticky. You can also chew while drinking and feeling the taste of different ingredients and their fragrance. After eating a bowl, you will have another bowl without hesitation.

This time the waiter is still very fast and immediately brought the spicy soup. Xie Lang did not pay attention and can't wait to eat...

"Cough!" An unfamiliar strong hotness struck him. He was choked, and he kept coughing with his sleeve covering his face. His throat and tongue were so hot and sore.

Lin-shi secretly probed and said to Zhou-shi, "It seems to be very spicy."

Zhou-shi hugged her chest, "Of course it is. I put three spoons of chili sauce in his bowl."

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Lin-shi saw he was coughing violently, and Zhou-shi stopped a waiter and warned him not to pass him any water. She hesitated and said, "It seems that he is coughing too hard."

"The delicacy from my hand, I don't want him to enjoy it." Zhou-shi gave Lin-shi a look, and Lin-shi immediately understood. If Lord Xiangyang was here, she also would let him cough to death.

Finally, the shopkeeper brought Xie Lang a glass of water, and he drank it in a hurry to stop his cough.

Seeing him coughing so uncomfortably, Old Ding asked hesitantly, "Are you all right? Does this bowl taste bad?"

But he didn't want to smile in front of this handsome gentleman opposite him. He lowered his eyes and smiled and said, "It's okay, it's my wife who teased me." Just like the Zhou family in Mobei, who had coaxed him to drink strong alcohol, just to look at him. After he was choking, they raised their eyebrows arrogantly and laughed at him, a noble from the capital who were as soft as cats.

Thinking of this, the smile on Xie Lang's face faded, and the spiciness in his mouth disappeared, leaving only the bitterness.

He understood why Xie Sheng wanted him to have a look.

Zhou-shi has changed. She has changed back to the cheerful and unrestrained Miss Zhou from Mobei. However, he is no longer the second young master Xie who had attracted her in Mobei.

During the seven years of marriage in the capital, her temperament was distorted, and her edges and corners were smoothed. Now she had became herself again. Her edges and corners were gone, and her feelings for him were also gone.

Xie Lang couldn't sit down anymore and hurriedly left after checking out.

"Weird." Old Ding watched him go. He shook his head and continued to taste the delicious food in front of him.

The restaurants are crowded and bustling, the hot aroma dispels the morning's tranquility, and many diners are talking and laughing. There should only be unlimited joy and comfort here, and there is no room for sadness.

---

[T/N: Hulatang, also known as hot pepper soup or spicy soup, is a kind of Chinese traditional soup created in Henan Province but became popularized in the cuisine of Shaanxi Province. Chinese immigrants have introduced it to the United States, where it is known as "spicy soup."

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