TTTQF Chapter 95

Lying is a Waste of Money

"Brother Liu, where are you going?"

A man dressed as a scholar calls out to a hurried passerby, who is using a fan to shield his head.

The man turns around blankly, "Brother Li, what are you doing here?"

"I just went to the bookstore ahead to buy a stack of Xuan paper. What about you? Why are you heading that way in the middle of the day?" The scholar named Li asks, puzzled.

"The breakfast shop on the street ahead has recently started doing business at noon as well. I heard from Brother Zhu and the others that they went there to eat yesterday. They say the menu is unique, refreshing, and appetizing. They're going back today, so I thought I'd give it a try too," replies the man named Liu. "Brother Li, would you like to join me?"

Brother Li hesitates for a moment, unconsciously squeezing the money pouch hanging from his waist. In the end, he nods and follows Brother Liu towards Mingfeng Street.

When they arrive at the entrance of the Jiang family’s small shop, they notice that the canopy hanging outside is raised today. The thick black cloth on top blocks out the scorching sunlight, making the shop appear cooler.

Before Brother Liu even steps inside, he notices that the place is nearly full, with only one table left in the far corner. Sitting there are several scholars, who are their companions. Each of them is quietly focused on eating, not engaging in the lively conversation Brother Liu had imagined, where they talk about the past and the present while drinking.

"Welcome, dear guests," before Brother Liu can walk over, Tang Lin, one of the shop's attendants, greets them warmly with a smile.

"We’re with them. Bring out your best food and drink," Brother Liu requests.

Tang Lin smiles apologetically and says, "Dear guest, our shop only serves one dish at noon, called Liangpi (cold noodles). We don’t have any other dishes available."

Brother Liu is shocked and confused, "You offer such a variety of breakfast options, but only sell one thing at noon? Isn’t that backwards? Can a business even be run like this?"

"Yes, the shop is short-staffed, so we can only make this one dish at noon. But the Liangpi is refreshing and delicious. Would you like to try some? Your companions are all eating it."

Brother Liu frowns, thinks for a moment, and finally says, "Alright, we'll have two servings of Liangpi."

Tang Lin asks about their flavor preferences, then informs Daniu, who is responsible for serving the dishes. Shortly after, Daniu comes over with two plates of Liangpi (cold noodles) and two small bowls of mung bean soup, placing them on their table.

Brother Liu is in the middle of complaining that they should have clarified the menu earlier to avoid embarrassment, but he doesn’t expect the Liangpi to arrive so quickly. The bowls are vibrant and colorful, instantly whetting their appetites. As they get closer, they feel a refreshing coolness coming from the dish. On a scorching summer day like this, eating a bowl of Liangpi followed by mung bean soup truly feels like a delightful relief.

The scholar surnamed Li, who had been anxious earlier, now seems much more at ease. When he first enters the shop, he notices the price board at the door, which reads "Liangpi – 15 wen." This meal is much more affordable compared to the lavish meals at the restaurants they frequent, which often cost several hundred wen per table.

With the popularity of Liangpi, the staff in the shop are all in high spirits, and as the owner of the shop, Jiang Miao is naturally pleased too. However, this happiness only lasts a short while on his face. Often, as he smiles, he lets out a faint sigh, leaving the staff confused, not knowing what is troubling their boss.

Lately, Jiang Miao feels restless and has trouble sleeping. Even when he does manage to sleep, it isn’t restful—he often wakes up suddenly from dreams.

After waking, he can never remember what happened in the dream, but the discomfort lingers, leaving him feeling unsettled. This is unusual for Jiang Miao, who has always been in good health. Why is he suddenly dealing with insomnia and restless dreams?

If he has a smartphone at that moment, he surely looks up his symptoms online to see what might be wrong with him. Typically, online searches suggest something as serious as cancer as a starting point, but once you’ve braced yourself for the worst, whatever the doctor says afterward becomes much easier to accept.

After a few days of internal struggle, Jiang Miao finally goes to a clinic, nervously explaining his symptoms to the doctor. The elderly doctor, with graying hair and a thoughtful expression, feels Jiang Miao’s pulse for a long time before reaching a conclusion—overthinking.

In simpler terms, there is nothing wrong with his body; he is just thinking too much.

Jiang Miao leaves the clinic with two doses of calming tea that he begs from the doctor, finally feeling a sense of relief. If there is no physical problem, that is good. But then, what is this "overthinking" all about?

When Jiang Miao returns home, he intends to brew the tea himself, but the moment the housekeeper, Wu, sees him, he wordlessly snatches the medicine pouch and heads straight to the kitchen, not giving Jiang Miao any chance to do it himself.

Jiang Miao sits in his room, propping his head on his hand, trying for a long time to figure out what he is actually worried about. His career is flourishing, with his business booming, and his daily earnings are enough to comfortably support a middle-class lifestyle. In terms of family, Xiao Shitou is studious and well-behaved, and his relatives in his hometown are hardworking and honest, causing no trouble.

As for love, it is even better—if nothing unexpected happens, he will likely be bound to Pei Che for life. Good brothers for a lifetime, and so on.

As the wedding date approaches... Wait a minute, Jiang Miao suddenly slaps his thigh. He realizes why he is feeling anxious! It is most likely that he has developed a fear of marriage! It is all Pei Che’s fault; every time he visits the Imperial Academy, Pei Che brings up the wedding date again, just like the countdown for the college entrance examination.

Upon this realization, Jiang Miao’s expression instantly falls. If he had known it was just this, he could have skipped the two doses of calming tea and saved the money. Fortunately, he asked the doctor before, and the doctor said that the calming tea could be consumed by those who are not ill as well.

Just as he is thinking about it, Steward Wu brings the calming tea over. He stands beside Jiang Miao, looking at him with an expression that seems to be on the verge of saying something but holds back.

Jiang Miao carefully takes a sip of the tea and notices a faint sweetness in it, as if some ingredient has been added. His mood lifts slightly, and he thinks that when he has time, he will visit Steward Wu’s dried goods shop to buy some ingredients for making sweet soups. Summer can be drying, and a nourishing sweet soup would be perfect.

"Wu Guanjia, is there anything on my face?" Jiang Miao notices Wu Guanjia's gaze. He touches his face and wonders if he has done something embarrassing.

"There's nothing on your face."

Steward Wu pauses and says, "I am just wondering what happened to you. You come back with two doses of medicine after going out for only a short while?"

"Oh, that!" Jiang Miao scratches his head, "It’s summer now, and I must have caught a bit of heat while at the shop, so I went to the doctor and got two doses of medicine. It’s nothing to worry about; I’ll be fine after taking the medicine."

Jiang Miao makes up an excuse. He can’t exactly tell Steward Wu that his anxiety is due to a fear of marriage, can he?

Steward Wu understands, nods, and takes the empty bowl from Jiang Miao’s hands, placing it on the tray as he prepares to leave. Before stepping out, he glances back at Jiang Miao, which makes Jiang Miao feel a bit uncomfortable.

Watching Steward Wu’s retreating figure, Jiang Miao reflects that everyone has a curiosity, and when it is not satisfied, it can really gnaw at them.

At noon the next day, the shop is busy. Suddenly, a cart loaded with goods stops in front of the small store. Two tall, burly men get out and carry something inside.

Before Jiang Miao can approach, he feels a wave of cold air hit him. Looking into the baskets they are carrying, he sees that they are filled with large chunks of ice emitting a chilling aura.

"Gentlemen, what’s this?"

"Are you Manager Jiang? We’re here to deliver ice as ordered. From now on, at this time every day, we’ll bring a basket of ice to you," one of the men says. He goes outside and returns with a copper jug that has many small holes around it. The cold air is dispersed through these holes, and the design prevents the ice from melting too quickly.

"Wait a minute, we didn’t order any ice for the shop," Jiang Miao says hurriedly.

In Daliang, the winter ice storage and nitrate ice-making technology are well-developed. In summer, wealthy merchants in the city spend money to buy ice for cooling. Although expensive, the supply is limited and can’t meet the demand, making ice a sought-after commodity.

Jiang Miao inquires about the price of ice and is taken aback. With such high prices, it seems he won’t be able to afford it. He is wary of accepting the ice, fearing that the next moment the two men will produce a bill for him to sign and pay.

The two men exchange glances, and one of them says quietly, "Manager Jiang, this shop is under the heir’s name, so it’s essentially your own shop. Steward Wu sends us a message, saying you were feeling overheated in the shop and instructs us to deliver a basket of ice daily."

Jiang Miao finally understands what Steward Wu’s gaze meant yesterday. It is his fault for lying, which leads Steward Wu to arrange for the ice delivery. A whole basket of ice must cost a fortune! He wonders if the daily revenue of the Jiang family’s shop can even cover the cost of that basket of ice.

Jiang Miao has Daniu put the ice into two copper jugs, placing one upstairs and one downstairs. The remaining ice is put into basins, with one placed in the kitchen to cool the Liangpi and mung bean soup, and the other in the room to help cool down Pei Mu.

It might be psychological, but when he returns to the front of the shop, it does feel cooler. Customers also try to stay close to the copper jugs, some even pressing their hands against the jug to directly feel the chill.

When he gets home in the evening, Jiang Miao is just about to speak to Steward Wu about the situation when someone walks out of the house. With a face as handsome as the moonlight, it is none other than Pei Che.

"What are you doing here?"

"How are you feeling now?"

The two speak simultaneously—one with surprise and the other with concern.

"Uh..." Jiang Miao is at a loss for words.

Pei Che smiles, takes Pei Mu’s hand, and leads them inside.

"I take a leave of absence from the Academy and will hurry back early tomorrow morning. Yesterday, Steward Wu sent me a message saying you caught a summer heat. Fortunately, I own an ice shop, so I have him send some to you. Did you receive it? Are you feeling any better today?"

"…It is just a minor issue. A bit of medicine would fix it. I don’t really need any ice! You might as well save it for selling," Jiang Miao says, feeling a bit embarrassed.

Pei Che turns back, his gaze gentle, and says, "Your health is more important. I already have enough money."

After hearing this, Jiang Miao feels a mix of envy, jealousy, and hatred. How can someone say in front of him that his money is already enough? He can’t help but be curious about how much wealth Pei Che must have to think that he already has enough money.

Seeing Jiang Miao lost in thought, Pei Che feels a twinge of regret. He knows that Jiang Miao is only focused on money; why did he have to add that last sentence!

Previous Chapter

Next Chapter

Table of Contents