bayedsolid Chapter 939 After the New Year, the daughters turned 7.
Chapter 939 After the New Year, the daughters turned 7.
After finishing their business at the academy, the two packed up their stall and returned to Bailu Beauty Shop, located on the main street of the city.
Inside the shop, February was sitting behind the counter, holding an abacus and making a clattering sound.
Several well-dressed ladies were selecting items in the store, and July was accompanying them, gently introducing the products to them.
"Madam, please take a look at this face cream."
In July, she picked up an exquisite white porcelain bottle.
"This is made from snow lotus petals newly sent from the Western Regions; it's incredibly nourishing."
"Apply a thin layer before bed, and you'll wake up radiant the next day."
Her voice was soft and pleasant, and she spoke eloquently about the products, making people believe her without even realizing it.
The lady was indeed tempted and immediately wanted to buy it.
In another corner, April and May, along with several new employees, were carefully sorting and shelving a batch of newly arrived goods.
"Fourth sister, this is lip rouge. It should be placed on the cabinet over there."
May pointed.
April nodded and walked over with the box in her arms.
In June, she came over from the backyard carrying a small food box.
"Sisters, you've been busy all day, let's take a break."
She opened the food box, which contained cut fruit and several plates of delicate pastries.
"I just made mung bean cakes."
In March, the first person to cheer cheered, ran over, grabbed a piece, and stuffed it into their mouth.
"Hmm, our June cooking is still the best!"
The sisters sat around a small table, eating snacks and chatting about what happened at the shop that day.
"Madam Wang came again today and bought five bottles of Snow Lotus Face Cream in one go."
July said.
In February, he didn't even look up as he fiddled with his abacus.
"Yes, I took note of it."
"The stock of Snow Lotus face cream is running low. Remember to remind Brother Bingnian to ask Huai County to send over a batch as soon as possible."
"The academy received more than a dozen orders today."
I drank some water in March.
"Some wanted books, some wanted writing brushes and ink, and a student wanted to send a piece of Qingzhou brocade to his elderly mother at home."
January added from the side, "I've written it all down. The list is ready and can be handed over to the caravan tomorrow."
When Bai Lu walked in from the backyard, her daughters were each doing their own thing in an orderly manner.
They were no longer little girls who needed to hide under her wing.
They are growing little by little in their own way, becoming independent and strong.
Bai Lu's lips unconsciously curled up slightly.
She clapped her hands gently.
"Look how hard our little managers have worked today, so I've decided to cook for you myself to reward you."
Bai Lu's eyes were filled with laughter, and her tone was full of doting affection.
"How about we have a barbecue in the backyard tonight?"
"Great!"
March was the first to cheer, jumping up from her chair in excitement.
"Meat roasted by my mother is the best!"
The sisters' eyes lit up. Their mother was usually busy with various things, so there were few times when they could get together like this to enjoy the food she made herself.
In January, he immediately closed the ledger and began giving orders: "In June, go to the kitchen to check the ingredients; in April and May, go to move the oven and light the charcoal; in July, we'll set up the tables, chairs, and bowls!"
Soon, the backyard became bustling with activity.
A clean tablecloth was laid out on the long table, and all sorts of ingredients were brought out one by one, a dazzling array that filled the air with aroma.
The ingredients were truly plentiful.
The lamb hind leg meat, sourced from Liangzhou pastures and marinated for two hours in a secret sauce, is sliced as thin as cicada wings.
There was local yellow beef with beautiful marbling, seasoned only with a little sea salt and black peppercorns (legal beef).
There were also chicken wings brushed with honey and plum sauce, and a whole plate of tender white pork belly cooked in spiced water.
There were plenty of vegetarian dishes: bright green asparagus, tender mushrooms, thickly sliced potatoes and eggplants, and red and yellow bell peppers.
The small dish next to it contains cumin, chili powder, sesame seeds, and a special barbecue dipping sauce—everything you could need.
Just as the charcoal fire was burning brightly and making a crackling sound, a few light footsteps came from the courtyard gate.
"Lady White Snake, this fragrance is simply bewitching the souls of the entire street!"
A clear, melodious voice rang out.
Four teenagers walked in together. Leng Bingnian was the leader, followed by Su Jinyu, Ximen Liuyun, and the young prince in casual clothes.
"You lot, your noses are definitely more sensitive than anyone else's."
Bai Lu smiled and playfully scolded him, then laid a large piece of marinated mutton on the scorching hot grill. The fat was instantly rendered, producing a wonderful sizzling sound, and a rich aroma of meat immediately rose up.
"That's right! It's the White Snake Lady's food radar, we brought it with us!"
The young prince approached with a grin, picked up his chopsticks, but his eyes were fixed on the piece of mutton on the grill, which was slowly turning from red to golden brown.
"If you want to eat, make it yourself."
Bai Lu handed him the clip.
"You won't get to eat if you just stand there."
The young prince didn't stand on ceremony. He took the tongs and clumsily tried to flip the meat, but he used too much force and the slice almost flew off, which made March burst into laughter.
Ximen Liuyun is a master at grilling meat.
He skillfully picked up a few pieces of beef and placed them on the edge of the grill, roasting them over a low flame. He said to April and May, "The beef shouldn't be overcooked. Once you see the blood seeping out, flip it over immediately and roast it for another ten or so breaths. That's when it will be the most tender."
The two younger sisters nodded repeatedly and studied diligently.
Leng Bingnian picked up a brush, dipped it in sesame oil, and carefully brushed it onto the mushrooms and eggplants. He then handed it to Yiyue, who was struggling with the accounts: "Eat something vegetarian to fill your stomach first. You always forget to eat when you're busy."
January looked up, a gentle smile on her face, and took the roasted mushrooms, saying softly, "Thank you."
Su Jinyu was excitedly watching Eryue grill slices of pork belly until they were golden brown on both sides, with all the fat rendered out, then wrapping them in lettuce leaves, adding a clove of garlic, a little dipping sauce, and handing them to him.
"Try this, it's refreshing and helps cut through the richness."
February's voice was gentle and melodious. Su Jinyu took the food, savored its deliciousness, and praised it repeatedly.
In June, the shrimp were turned over with chopsticks from time to time, and the aroma of garlic was fully brought out by the charcoal fire, making March and the little prince drool.
Looking at this lively scene, Bai Lu found herself to be the most leisurely person.
She leaned back in her chair, holding a skewer of grilled chicken wings in her hand, slowly savoring them.
The aroma of roasted meat quickly filled the entire yard.
At that moment, the courtyard gate was gently knocked on three times.
"Who is it? Visiting at this hour?"
March, her mouth stuffed with meat, mumbled incoherently as she got up to open the door.
As soon as the door opened, an elderly man with a refined appearance, dressed in a royal blue casual suit, stood there with a smile.
Behind him followed two burly servants, who together carried a huge tray covered with a thick cotton cloth, from which a domineering fragrance still wafted out.
March paused for a moment, then her eyes lit up, and she rushed over excitedly, grabbing the man's arm: "Grandfather! What brings you here!"
Upon hearing the sound, everyone in the courtyard stood up in surprise.
Bai Lu quickly stepped forward to greet him, saying, "Godfather, why didn't you tell me you were coming? I could have come to pick you up."
The visitor was the prefect of Qingzhou, who was also Bailu's adoptive father and the nominal maternal grandfather of the seven little moons.
"Haha, if this old man had told you beforehand, there wouldn't have been any surprise!"
The prefect of Qingzhou affectionately patted March's little head and laughed heartily.
"I could smell the delicious food from my granddaughters' place from afar. Knowing there was good food to eat, how could I miss it?"
"You've come all this way, why did you bring anything?"
Bai Lu looked at the servants behind him and scolded them reproachfully.
"That won't do. How can a maternal grandfather visit his granddaughter empty-handed?"
With a wave of his hand, the prefectural governor's servants placed the enormous tray steadily on the stone table in the courtyard.
When the cotton cloth was lifted, everyone gasped in amazement.
That was a whole roasted lamb, golden and glistening with a crispy skin!
The lamb was sprinkled with cumin and spices from the Western Regions, and the lamb fat roasted over charcoal was still slightly shiny. A rich aroma of meat, a mixture of milk and the fragrance of herbs, instantly filled the entire courtyard.
"This...this is far too lavish!"
Su Jinyu stared wide-eyed.
The prefect smugly laughed and said, "This is a lamb that I specially invited from Yipinlou. It was slow-roasted for a full three hours with fruitwood charcoal. The skin is crispy and the meat is tender, and it's fatty but not greasy."
"Come on, everyone, try the good stuff your grandfather brought!"
He also magically took a food box from another servant, opened it, and inside were more than a dozen exquisite bamboo cups, sealed with wooden stoppers.
"I know you young girls like new things,"
The prefect said with a smile.
"This is the signboard of your Seven Fairies Milk Tea Shop, what's it called... oh right, 'Taro Boba' and 'Mango Pomelo Sago'."
"I had my servants queue for a long time to buy it, so it's a good way for you to cleanse your palates."
Seven Little Moons: "..."
"If you want to drink it, just tell us and we'll go buy it for you. You're already paying extra, which is such a waste. Why go through all this trouble?"
Ximen Liuyun respectfully took the knife and deftly sliced pieces of mutton with crispy skin off the whole roasted lamb.
Although the young prince and the other boys were not familiar with the prefect, they knew his identity, so they all restrained themselves and respectfully invited their elder to start eating first.
The prefect waved his hand with a smile: "We're all family, don't be shy! Eat, eat!"
He personally sliced off the first, crispiest piece of lambskin and placed it in Bailu's bowl. He then served meat to each of his granddaughters before calling out to the other boys, "Don't be shy, everyone, start eating!"
With the elders speaking up, everyone became lively again.
With a cup of milk tea in hand, a bite of crispy and juicy roasted lamb, and a sip of sweet and refreshing milk tea, the taste buds are greatly satisfied.
Bai Lu felt a pang of sadness as she looked at the few new strands of white hair at her godfather's temples.
She picked up a cup of tea and said, "Godfather, your daughter respects you. Over the years, thanks to you, my daughter and I have been able to live a peaceful life."
The prefect took the teacup, looked at her with satisfaction, then at his seven granddaughters surrounding him, and said with emotion, "Silly child, no need for thanks."
"You are my family. Protecting you is my responsibility and my blessing."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the laughing and playing boys and girls, his eyes full of approval: "Besides, look at my seven granddaughters, each one of them has grown into a graceful and capable young lady, far superior to the daughters of many noble families in the capital!"
"This is all thanks to your excellent teaching."
"As the grandfather, I'm very proud!"
A few words from her made the daughters a little embarrassed, but also secretly delighted.
After a satisfying meal, the young men tactfully took their leave.
The daughters thoughtfully cleared away the dishes, leaving space for their mother and grandfather, whom they hadn't seen in a long time.
On the stone table in the backyard, July brewed another pot of Pu'er tea to aid digestion and cut through the greasiness.
The moonlight, like water, fell on me, bringing a touch of coolness.
The prefect of Qingzhou looked at his adopted daughter, who was now capable of handling things on her own, with a look of satisfaction in his eyes. He took a sip of tea and slowly said, "Bai Lu, besides visiting you, I also have something I'd like to ask you."
"Godfather, please speak."
Bai Lu respectfully refilled his teacup.
"Qingze and Jinshu have received letters from home in Kyoto."
"They've been married for a while now. Although the circumstances were special and everything was kept simple, it was still unfair to Jinshu... You're going to the wedding banquet in Kyoto, aren't you?"
The prefect spoke in a gentle tone.
"This is not only to give Jinshu an explanation, but also to declare to those people in Kyoto that the Bai siblings are united!"
Bai Lu felt a warmth in her heart upon hearing this.
Her godfather always thought things through more thoroughly than she did.
She had indeed intended to do so for a while, but she was too busy at the beginning of the beauty store's opening, which delayed it.
"What my godfather said is true; it was my daughter's oversight."
Bai Lu nodded.
"My daughter is planning to do just that."
"In Qingzhou, by February, he was already able to handle things on his own, and the store's operations were back on track."
"I plan to head to Kyoto once I'm done with this busy period."
The prefect stroked his beard with satisfaction, a hint of anticipation flashing in his eyes: "That's good then."
"When the time comes, count this old man in."
"I should also go to Kyoto to stretch my muscles and see some old friends, and pave the way for you and the children."
"It would be even better if my godfather could come along!"
Bai Lu was overjoyed.
It wasn't until late at night that the prefect, escorted by his servants, returned to his residence to rest, completely satisfied.
time flies.
The city of Qingzhou was already tinged with the desolation of winter, with the cold wind carrying scattered snowflakes that tapped against the windowpanes.
The streets and alleys were adorned with festive red lanterns for the Chinese New Year, adding a lively and bustling atmosphere.
Bailu's beauty store also ushered in its first sales peak since its opening.
The limited-edition Winter Sunshine series skincare balm and lip balm sold out immediately upon release.
The daughters were so busy they barely had time to breathe; the abacus beads in the accounting room were almost constantly clicking away.
Finally, the shop put up a sign announcing that it would be closed for the Chinese New Year ahead of schedule.
After reviewing the accounts and distributing generous year-end bonuses, Bai Lu specially arranged for Luo Niangzi to come to Qingzhou, entrusting her with all the affairs of the shop.
After the Chinese New Year, my daughters will officially turn 7.
Bai Lu also wanted to go to the capital with the prefect of Qingzhou and the children to attend Bai Qingze's wedding banquet.
Bai Lu gave red envelopes to the children and also to Lady Luo, then left with her entourage.