Qi Zhenzhen smiled, "Big sister must be exhausted after working all morning. Younger sister made some cold jelly with fruit, chilled in the well. Have a bowl, it's refreshing and dispels the heat."
"Yes, Mingzhu, your second sister loves to tinker with these things. And honestly, they're quite delicious." Old Madam beckoned. "We'll talk about your duties later. Look at your flushed face, you must be very hot. This cold jelly doesn't use ice, so you don't have to worry about getting sick."
Qi Mingzhu swallowed her refusal, "Then I'll trouble second sister."
Qi Zhenzhen handed her a bowl, then placed the fruit preserves and honey in front of her, "I don't know Big sister's taste, so please mix it yourself."
Qi Mingzhu was initially dismissive. A country bumpkin, what could she possibly be good at, even if she could make a few signature dishes and desserts? That vegetarian dish made to look like meat was just a trick, a novelty that garnered much praise. In reality, the taste was just so-so! As for this cold jelly with fruit, it looked crystal clear and beautiful, but beautiful things weren't always tasty.
With this mindset, Qi Mingzhu took the first bite. It was smooth, wonderfully elastic, coated in sweet and sour fruit preserves, and refreshingly cool. The taste was truly special, and the闷燥 (mèn zào - stuffiness/irritation) in her heart seemed to fade considerably.
A bowl contained only five or six pieces, each about the size of a die, not much at all. Qi Mingzhu finished it without realizing.
"Is it quite tasty? But your second sister doesn't let me eat much. It's always just a few bites, never enough to satisfy," Old Madam grumbled. "Zhenzhen, you're not going to be stingy with your big sister, are you? Give her another bowl."
Qi Zhenzhen nodded, "Of course."
Qi Mingzhu demurely waved her hand, "No need. Second sister, no matter how delicious something is, one shouldn't be greedy. One bowl is already plenty."
"Grandmother, did you hear that? If you were as disciplined as Big sister, I wouldn't have to waste so much breath and effort, pleading and strategizing!" Qi Zhenzhen pouted and mumbled.
An old child, an old child. When people grow old, they need to be coaxed in every way. Old Madam also favored delicious food, but her digestive system was poor, and eating too much would make her uncomfortable. Qi Zhenzhen always portioned her food for her, and Old Madam kept it all in mind.
Qi Mingzhu watched the bickering between the old and young, her thoughts churning. Old Madam was her paternal grandmother, but in her memory, she had never been so close to her. She had always followed her mother, and her visits to Old Madam were merely perfunctory greetings. As soon as her mother left, she would leave too, and she didn't have any particular affection for Old Madam. On the contrary, her maternal grandmother's side was where her mother visited frequently, and her maternal grandmother doted on her, often letting her stay over. They ate, drank, and slept together, so she was more attached to her maternal grandmother.
"Grandmother treats you so well," Qi Mingzhu said.
As soon as the words left her mouth, Qi Mingzhu realized what she had said. "Younger sister has a pleasing personality and can keep Grandmother company with conversation. I am a dullard. If I were to cling to Grandmother every day, she would likely be bored to death," Qi Mingzhu quickly added. She prided herself on her dignity and always maintained an air of composure, so being called a dullard was somewhat fitting.
"It's just that as people get old, they like liveliness. Otherwise, I wouldn't need this mischievous little girl. You're already betrothed, so rein in your temperament a bit. Learn from your Big sister to be dignified and polite, do you hear me?" Old Madam's expression was unchanged as she lightly tapped Qi Zhenzhen's forehead with her index finger, her affectionate gesture clear.
"Yes, yes, yes, learn well from Big sister." Qi Zhenzhen made a funny face. "But your granddaughter is used to being unrestrained. I'm afraid I'll end up like a dog trying to imitate a tiger and become a laughingstock."
"Listen to you all, such a sharp tongue!" Old Madam pretended to glare at Qi Zhenzhen.
"Grandmother, Big sister is waiting to report her duties to you. I won't disturb you any longer. I should go back and supervise. Granny Fang, when serving meals later, please keep an eye on Grandmother and don't let her eat too much. The cold jelly with fruit is also quite filling and slow to digest."
"Second Miss, rest assured."
Leaving Chaohui Hall, Qi Zhenzhen went directly to the main kitchen. She gave Steward Sun and his team a sum of silver to improve their meals, providing each with one meat dish and two vegetable dishes, with plenty of steamed white buns. She also instructed them to have the main kitchen prepare the food and send it over.
When the food arrived, Steward Sun and the other workers were quite excited. Inventory was their duty, and they never expected to have such a lavish meal. Most importantly, the main kitchen had sent it over, still warm. This felt wonderful. They usually picked up their own meals, and by the time they got them, they were only slightly warm. How could it compare to the enjoyment of hot, freshly cooked food?
"Thank you for your generosity, Second Miss," Steward Sun said, thanking Qi Zhenzhen.
"Generosity? I've given you so much work for no reason, I feel quite embarrassed," Qi Zhenzhen said. "Eat slowly, Fei Xu and I will be back this afternoon."
Qi Zhenzhen had initially intended to eat there, but this was not the countryside. If she lowered her status and ate with the servants, who knew what rumors might spread.
"Farewell, Second Miss. You don't need to worry about this place, I will keep a close watch," Steward Sun said.
After the person had walked away, a few older women started chattering, "Steward Sun, this Second Miss seems like a very nice person."
"Yes, yes. Working is our duty, and Second Miss paid out of her own pocket to treat us to a good meal. These meatballs are so chewy."
"We actually interacted with a young lady today! Usually, any tasks are communicated by the people around the masters, aren't they?"
They chatted animatedly, one after another.
"I think this Second Miss is better than the Eldest Miss. Eldest Miss doesn't even deign to give us a glance when she sees us."
"Indeed, it's a pity that Second Miss is of concubine birth."
Steward Sun listened to their unguarded chatter and reprimanded them, "Are your mouths still running even with food? Hurry up and eat, then get back to work! Have you grown bold enough to eat bear's heart and leopard's gall? How dare you gossip about the masters! If Madam finds out, you'll be in for it."
The few older women shrunk their necks, their expressions sheepish, "We were only saying this in front of you. We'll be quiet now."
"Disaster comes from the mouth. Remember this well from now on. You work for me, and if anything goes wrong, I'll be implicated too," Steward Sun warned them.
Qi Zhenzhen returned to Longxiang Garden and had just sat down when Li Nuan returned, looking exhausted.
"Is there something difficult about the duties?"
Li Nuan first drank a cup of tea to compose herself before speaking, "There's nothing particularly difficult. It's just following the usual procedures. However, I've never done this kind of work before, and I was determined to do it well. When distributing the fabric, some people felt that the fabric they received was not good, so they came to me. I thought it was the first time I was handling this matter, and I wanted everyone to be satisfied, so I helped to coordinate. As a result, everyone started coming to me..."