Chapter 44: Backyard – “I Bought It, Do You Like It?”
Yihuan smiled and said, “Cheesecake is best enjoyed chilled. Once it cools down, we’ll pop it into the ice cellar for a while—that’s when it’s truly perfect!”
Speaking of the ice cellar, Ah-miao said, “Our ice cellar is a bit small. If we want to chill more things, it might not fit everything.”
Yihuan thought for a moment and replied, “It’s not really that the ice cellar is small… It’s that our shop is small.”
She looked out beyond the attic. Behind the shop was a courtyard—not large, but charming and elegant—that had been vacant for some time.
Yihuan had inquired about the rental cost for the courtyard before, but it was far beyond her current means.
Smiling optimistically, she said, “Let’s hold on for a bit longer. If the business in Tianshui Alley takes off, once we have enough money, we’ll rent that little courtyard behind us to live in. How about that?”
Ah-miao nodded eagerly, just as excited at the thought.
*****
As evening approached, the Eastern Market was bustling with people under a canopy of colorful awnings.
The royal carriage from the Prince Qi’s mansion rolled steadily down the street, coming to a stop in front of a dim sum shop.
Attendant: “Shizi, will this place do?”
Liu Hexiao, seated inside the carriage, raised the window slightly to confirm. “It’ll do. Let’s go.”
Cheng Lingwei parked the carriage in front of the shop. “What would the young master like to buy?”
Liu Hexiao: “Huamei.”
Even Cheng Lingwei was puzzled. Huamei?
Liu Hexiao stepped gracefully into the shop. Most of the customers were women or servants running errands, and his refined crimson robes immediately drew everyone’s attention.
“Who is that young master? So elegant and handsome!”
“No idea… What’s someone like him doing in a place selling snacks and preserves?”
“Could it be he’s buying something for a sweetheart?”
The young women whispered among themselves. Liu Hexiao, intrigued, glanced their way, causing a ripple of bashful blushes across the group.
The shopkeeper’s assistant bustled forward enthusiastically. “Young master, what would you like to see?”
Liu Hexiao: “Do you have huamei?”
The assistant was taken aback. “Huamei? What’s that?”
Liu Hexiao: “If not, do you have any preserves or snacks made from plums?”
The assistant thought for a moment before replying, “We do have one type similar to salted plums in stock. They’re refreshing and thirst-quenching. Some call them qingrenmei (‘lover’s plums’). Would that suit you?”
Liu Hexiao: “Qingrenmei?”
The assistant’s eyes lit up. “Yes, yes! They’re perfect for gifting to young ladies. People say that after eating these, even their words turn sweeter when they see the giver!”
Liu Hexiao, amused, smirked slightly. “Wrap it up.”
The assistant beamed. “Right away!”
Standing behind him, Cheng Lingwei couldn’t help but chuckle.
Liu Hexiao shot him a glare. “What are you laughing at?”
Cheng Lingwei: “Dare I ask, shizi… Are these huamei for Miss Yihuan?”
Liu Hexiao cleared his throat lightly. “When I was unwell, she brought hawthorn jelly. This is merely a gesture of reciprocation.”
Cheng Lingwei: “A gesture of reciprocation?”
Liu Hexiao, feeling slightly guilty, added, “And besides, she’s using my name to conduct her business. Since I’m profiting from it, it’s only right to extend a little care in return.”
Cheng Lingwei, internally: Profiting? She’s shared her earnings twice now, but the shizi hasn’t taken a single coin.
Noticing Cheng Lingwei’s odd expression, Liu Hexiao asked, “Do you have a problem with this?”
Cheng Lingwei, quickly waving his hands: “No, no. None at all, young master.”
Satisfied, Liu Hexiao smiled. “Good. By the way, there’s something else I need you to take care of.”
*****
The next day.
“So this is cheesecake, huh…”
Ah-miao and Lin Yiran stared intently at the round cheesecake before them. Its surface had a slight golden crust, while the bottom layer was a tender, pale yellow. Their eyes sparkled with anticipation.
Yihuan laughed. “Shall I cut it open?”
She slowly sliced into the cheesecake with a knife.
The whole cake trembled slightly as it was cut, revealing its soft, creamy interior. The sight alone was thrilling.
She placed a slice on a plate for Lin Yiran and another for Ah-miao, saying, “Try it and tell me how it tastes!”
Both of them nodded enthusiastically. Lin Yiran scooped up a piece of the cheesecake and placed it in his mouth.
The cheese carried a slight salty fragrance, while the cake itself seemed to melt away as soon as it touched his tongue.
Soft, delicate, and utterly smooth, it clung gently to his palate—a taste unmatched by any other food!
Lin Yiran, thrilled, stomped his feet in excitement. “So good! So, so good!”
Ah-miao, having already finished her slice, chimed in, “It’s so smooth, with a creamy flavor that lingers in the mouth. Simply divine!”
Seeing their exaggerated expressions, Yihuan couldn’t help but smile with satisfaction. “You two enjoy it slowly. I’m heading across the street to find Manager Luo.”
It was still morning, so Jinxiu Restaurant was quiet, with only a waiter sweeping the main hall.
Yihuan noticed a woman seated behind the counter, her hair neatly styled in a bun. Her head was lowered as she busied herself with some work, radiating a calm and gentle demeanor.
Yihuan approached her. “Madam Luo.”
Madam Luo looked up at the sound of her name, smiling warmly. “Miss Yihuan.”
She was seated with a small child’s garment in her hands, delicately embroidering it. The rabbit design was adorable and appeared nearly finished.
“Is this for Little Rui?” Yihuan asked curiously.
Madam Luo’s eyes crinkled with a smile. “Yes… Little Rui loves rabbits and begged me to embroider one onto her clothes.”
Yihuan laughed. “Madam Luo, you’re so talented.”
Madam Luo modestly replied, “You flatter me. Are you here looking for my husband?”
Yihuan nodded. “Yes, has Manager Luo returned?”
Madam Luo frowned slightly. “Not yet. I hear there’s been talk of changes to the shop tax policy. The guild got wind of it and called a meeting with the major shop owners on Changming Street.”
Yihuan, alarmed, asked, “What kind of changes?”
Madam Luo shook her head. “It’s the same as always—higher rents and taxes. Doing business has been getting harder year by year.”
Yihuan, frowning, said, “If the court is increasing taxes, it’s not something the guild can prevent.”
Madam Luo hesitated. “That… I’m not sure about. Maybe they have other channels of influence.”
Yihuan fell silent, lost in thought.
“Madam Luo,” she said after a pause, “I have a small request… Could I borrow your warehouse for half a month? I need a place to store some flour.” With Manager Luo still away and Qingmu Zhai’s delivery expected soon, she had no other choice but to ask.
Madam Luo hesitated. “The warehouse key is with my husband. I don’t know what the current state of the warehouse is—it might not have enough space for your goods. Perhaps you could come back this afternoon?”
Yihuan nodded. “I understand. Thank you, Madam Luo.”
—–
Returning to the dessert shop, Yihuan saw there were only two slices of cheesecake left. Lin Yiran, noticing her return, eagerly offered, “Sister, this one is for you. And this one… we’re saving.”
Yihuan, puzzled, asked, “Saving it? For whom?”
Lin Yiran grinned mischievously. “For my master.”
Yihuan, caught off guard, asked, “Master? What master?”
Just then, a voice came from outside. “Is Miss Yihuan here?”
Turning around, Yihuan saw two deliverymen with a cart at the door.
On the cart were seven or eight large sacks of flour and several other bags of ingredients.
Her heart sank. How did it arrive so soon?!
“Miss Yihuan,” one of the men said, handing her a delivery note. “We’re from Qingmu Zhai, here to deliver your order.”
Looking at him closely, Yihuan found nothing outwardly strange about him, yet something about him seemed stiff and peculiar.
Lowering her voice, she asked, “You’re not… an NPC, are you?”
The man smiled faintly. “What do you think?”
Yihuan: “… Definitely.”
Frustrated, she realized that piling so many ingredients into the shop would disrupt business for the entire morning. But asking them to return in the afternoon wasn’t an option either.
Noticing her hesitation, the man asked, “Miss Yihuan, where should we unload this?”
As she racked her brain for a solution, a lazy voice spoke up. “Put it in the backyard.”
Yihuan, startled, turned to see Liu Hexiao leaning casually against the doorframe, his peach blossom eyes glinting with a teasing smile.
She paused. “This shop… doesn’t have a backyard.”
And… When did he get here?!
Liu Hexiao, chuckling, replied, “If I say it does, then it does.”
At his signal, Cheng Lingwei produced a key. “Miss Yihuan, this is the key to the backyard.”
Suspicious, Yihuan stared at Liu Hexiao, who smiled wider. “Well? Go on!”
The deliverymen chimed in. “Let’s go, let’s go.”
Left with no choice, Yihuan led them out through the side door of the shop, arriving at the entrance to the small courtyard behind.
She was baffled. The courtyard had been vacant for years. How did Liu Hexiao have the key?
Still skeptical, Yihuan inserted the key into the lock. With a soft click, the wooden door creaked open.
Inside was a traditional courtyard with a “口”-shaped layout, surrounded by small rooms on three sides.
The corridors were bordered by flower beds, overgrown with greenery despite the long vacancy.
In the center stood a peach tree, adding a touch of elegance to the tranquil space.
From the courtyard, one could look up and see the second-floor windows of the dessert shop—it was the very courtyard Yihuan had admired before.
Stunned, Yihuan felt a wave of joy.
But soon, unease crept in. Clutching the key tightly, it felt heavy in her hand.
“Miss Yihuan, where should we put the flour?” the deliveryman asked.
Without answering, Yihuan abruptly turned and rushed back to the shop.
The two deliverymen were left standing in confusion.
****
Back in the shop, Yihuan found no sign of Liu Hexiao on the first floor. Looking up, she saw him on the second floor.
When she climbed up, she discovered him leisurely enjoying a slice of cheesecake.
Somehow, he seemed more at ease on the second floor than on the first.
Lin Yiran stood beside him, gazing up with admiration. “Master, is the cake good?”
Liu Hexiao, smiling in satisfaction, patted the boy’s head. “Delicious!”
Seeing this, Yihuan hesitated. When did these two become so close?
After a moment, she said softly, “Yiran, go play with Little Rui. Your sister has something to discuss with the shizi.”
Lin Yiran obediently left.
Now, only Yihuan and Liu Hexiao remained in the small kitchen.
Fixing her gaze on him, Yihuan asked quietly, “Shizi… what’s with the courtyard?”
Having finished the cheesecake, Liu Hexiao elegantly wiped his mouth.
In a warm tone, he said, “I bought it. Do you like it?”
*****
T/Notes:
- NPC Reference: “NPC” (Non-Playable Character) is a gaming term used by modern-day Yihuan, indicating her out-of-place familiarity with the concept. This reflects her time-traveling, game-like perspective of the world she’s now in.
- Courtyard Layout (“口”-shaped): Traditional Chinese courtyards often feature this layout, with rooms surrounding an open space, symbolizing harmony and balance in design.
- Huamei (話梅): A type of preserved dried plum popular in Chinese snacks. It is often sweet, sour, and slightly salty. In this story, it symbolizes care and affection, as it’s often shared or gifted.
- Qingrenmei (情人梅): Literally translated as “lover’s plums,” this playful term adds romantic connotations to the salted plums, making them suitable as gifts for young women.
- Cheesecake’s Greek Origins: The brief historical reference to cheesecake in the previous chapter highlights its ancient Greek roots, passed through Roman and European traditions to modern times.
