Chapter 13: Stepping Into the Same River

                               

Night had fallen, and the city was quiet under curfew when Lin Yan returned home. As he passed through the main hall, Manager Zhou hurried toward him with an anxious expression.

“Master, the Old Madam began complaining of stomach discomfort about half an hour ago. A physician has already been sent for,” he reported quickly.

Lin Yan’s brow furrowed. “What did she have for dinner?” he asked, his footsteps quickening toward his grandmother’s courtyard.

“According to her maid, she had several jade-tip dumplings from a newly opened shop, half a bowl of water celery soup, and a few bites of raw fish,” Zhou replied.

Lin Yan nodded, though unease flickered in his eyes. Observing this, Zhou hurried to explain, “A new food stall—Shen’s Food Store—opened recently, selling freshly made meat buns. The kitchen, knowing the Old Madam’s appetite has been low, bought some to please her. The elderly are often prone to cravings, and she has grown tired of home-cooked food. Usually, the young master has let it slide. We can’t be certain if these dumplings caused her discomfort.”

Reaching the courtyard, Lin Yan saw a maid waiting quietly. “She vomited once and used the toilet, but she’s calmer now,” she whispered.

Inside the room, Grandmother Jiang reclined on the couch, a thin blanket draped over her stomach. Though her face was pale, she smiled faintly. “Don’t worry, I’m feeling better now,” she said, her voice soft but steady.

Her spirits remained strong despite her age, and she recognized her grandson. Lin Yan approached, sitting beside her and placing his hand on her wrist to feel her pulse. The room fell into a hushed silence, all eyes upon him.

“It’s nothing serious,” he said gently after a moment, releasing her wrist and feeling her forehead. “Grandmother’s digestion is weak, and with the heat, eating greasy food has caused some discomfort.”

“A Su worried the dumplings weren’t clean,” the Old Madam said, “but they looked fine—nicely pleated, good filling, pork mixed with bamboo shoots, juicy and fragrant.”

Lin Yan smiled wryly. Even in her frailty, her mind lingered on food. “Once the weather cools and your digestion improves, you may enjoy them again,” he said.

At that moment, the physician arrived. Lin Yan rose to greet him, clasping hands in respect before personally leading him to the Old Madam’s side.

After a careful check of her pulse and a few questions to the maids, the physician spoke with measured authority. “The Old Madam is advanced in age, with a delicate digestive system. Rich food in the evening has caused these symptoms. I will prescribe two doses of medicine to strengthen the spleen, boost energy, and regulate digestion. With this treatment and a light diet for a few days, she should recover fully.”

Lin Yan thanked the physician, instructing the manager to ensure the medicine was procured from the pharmacy immediately.

The household remained attentive through midnight. Once the Old Madam had taken her medicine and fallen into a peaceful slumber, Lin Yan watched over her for a while before retiring to the outer room. By dawn, though she had not yet awakened, her pulse had improved markedly.

After washing and offering strict orders to the kitchen staff, Lin Yan handled household matters with his usual precision. Having slept little and feeling faint, he only sipped porridge and ate a boiled egg before leaving for court.

By evening, lanterns were lit, and Lin Yan returned home to check on his grandmother. She had fully recovered, laughing and playing cards with her maids. After giving a few instructions, Lin Yan finally exhaled in relief, changing out of his official robes and washing up before retiring for the night.

“Young Master, have you eaten yet? The kitchen still has food ready—excellent lamb and duck,” a maid asked with a gentle smile.

Lin Yan waved a hand. Having indulged at the palace banquet at noon, the rich flavors of oil, salt, and sugar still sat heavily in his stomach. “No need. I’m going for a walk,” he said.

Carrying his money pouch, he dismissed the guards and servants who wished to follow, leaving quietly under the veil of night.

The ward streets were calm, cicadas droning softly in the warm evening air. Only a few residents lingered outside, enjoying the cooling breeze, while a drunken man was being guided home by attentive servants.

A lantern swayed gently in the night wind, its paper marked with the word “Shen’s.” Lin Yan paused. Yesterday’s troublesome jade-tip dumplings had come from some “Shen’s”—perhaps this very shop. His thoughts flickered to the palace maid who once sold pancakes at the gate. She had disappeared in recent days; he had assumed she had returned to Luoyang, but now… perhaps she had found a new venture.

He entered Shen’s Food Store casually.

Before encountering anyone, his gaze fell upon a simple yet inviting meal: a bowl of emerald-green rice porridge steaming on the table, halved salted duck eggs, plain lettuce strips, and sour bamboo shoots with minced meat, seemingly waiting for a customer to arrive.

The homely dishes stirred an unexpected hunger within him.

In the back, the water vat clinked as Shen Shaoguang and A Yuan busied themselves with washing hands and faces. Shen Shaoguang, cloth draped over his shoulder, water still dripping from his sideburns, stepped through the back door into the lamplight—and immediately froze upon seeing the Assistant Magistrate.

“What would the customer like to eat? We have freshly made sweet date and egg yolk glutinous rice dumplings,” Shen Shaoguang said, regaining his composure.

Though the buns were sold out, the dumplings for the next day had been steamed and kept warm overnight—a careful technique ensuring soft, fragrant rice. Serving a few now posed no problem.

Lin Yan gestured to the porridge and took a seat. “This will do.”

Shen Shaoguang pressed his lips together but dared not displease him. Ladling a small bowl of porridge, he placed all side dishes before Lin Yan, adjusting the salted eggs so he could enjoy them as well.

Lin Yan stirred the porridge slowly. Lotus seeds and Gordon Euryale seeds lent a subtle aroma of lotus leaves, soothing the spleen and easing the summer heat—a thoughtfully prepared dish indeed.

When A Yuan returned, she found the dishes already vanishing into Lin Yan’s appreciative appetite. She pouted, but Shen Shaoguang reassured her with a gentle pat and, fearing Lin Yan might still be hungry, brought two glutinous rice dumplings from the large pot.

The lettuce strips, lightly dressed with vinegar and sesame oil, were refreshing; the sour bamboo shoots with minced meat were flavorful, salty, and perfect with porridge; the salted eggs were rich yet delicate, their yolks grainy without excess salt. Before long, Lin Yan had finished the porridge and most side dishes, leaving only half the salted eggs.

Satisfaction softened his features, and the day’s burdens seemed lighter. He teased himself quietly, thinking he had unknowingly followed in his grandmother’s footsteps, stepping into her simple joys.

Rising with a small smile, he left a tael of silver on the table. “Thank you for your hospitality,” he said softly.

Under the flickering lamplight, his smile seemed like a lotus pond bathed in moonlight, a gentle breeze rippling the surface. Shen Shaoguang was momentarily stunned. Though the Assistant Magistrate was handsome by day, he often appeared distant and cold. Now, in this gentle glow, he seemed entirely different—enchanting in demeanor and presence.

As Lin Yan departed, Shen Shaoguang weighed the silver in his hand, thinking: the young man was not only beautiful but remarkably sensible.

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