Chapter 44: Meeting Each Other Halfway

"So it was all because of this thing called the Mountains and Seas Report?" Brother Yi gazed at the gray newspaper in his hand, which was printed with tiny characters.

Lin the Twelfth nodded calmly, seemingly accustomed to it.

"Marvelous! Simply marvelous! Why has such a fine thing never appeared in Chang'an?" Brother Yi was extremely puzzled. Chang'an was the national capital, after all, and logically should be the gathering place for all the treasures under heaven.

"Just a little novelty, not fit for high-brow company. The people of Chang'an have seen plenty of fine things, so I suppose they would look down upon this," Lin the Twelfth waved his hand modestly.

Exchanging courteous remarks, the two finally arrived at the Tianxiang Restaurant.

"Welcome, my two lords. Would you like a main hall table or a private room?" the waiter greeted them enthusiastically.

"A private room," Lin the Twelfth was not short of money, and he feared that Brother Yi might make a fuss and embarrass him later.

The waiter led the two to a tranquil private room and handed them a menu.

The menu of Tianxiang Restaurant was exquisitely made, featuring realistic illustrations of the dishes with their names marked below the pictures.

"Brother Yi, do you want to order and see what you'd like to eat?" Lin the Twelfth pushed the menu over.

"No, no, you go ahead. I've just arrived and don't know what famous dishes Luoyang has to offer," Brother Yi admitted frankly.

"Then this younger brother will not decline," Lin the Twelfth said, complying readily.

Being a regular patron, Lin the Twelfth fluently ordered several dishes that had been all the rage in Luoyang over the past few days.

That long string of dish names left Brother Yi dizzy with confusion.

Sweet and sour fish, braised pork in brown sauce, shredded pork in garlic sauce, saliva chicken, braised pork ribs...

"Stop, stop, Brother Lin, exercise some restraint. If we order any more, we won't be able to finish it," Brother Yi hurriedly reached out to stop him.

Lin the Twelfth took a look; he had indeed ordered a bit too much. He removed a few dishes that were not top-tier and added what he considered the supreme delicacy—hot pot.

He simply had to broaden the horizons of this "city dweller" from Chang'an.

The dishes were freshly made by the chefs. Although servants and attendants helped with the food preparation, it was currently the peak dining hour, so it could not be prepared instantly.

The two chatted distractedly.

Before the dishes were served, two drinks called cheese-topped green tea were brought out first.

Brother Yi looked at the white, milk-like layer on top of the cup, inside of which was stuck something resembling a wheat straw.

How was one supposed to drink this?

Knowing that the other was clueless, Lin the Twelfth explained them one by one.

"Brother Yi, the stuff on top is called cheese foam, made from cream. When drinking, take a small sip first."

Following Lin the Twelfth's movements, Brother Yi took a tentative sip of the foam on top and suddenly widened his eyes.

It indeed had the taste of milk, but it was far more delicious than mere milk. The milky flavor was rich and mellow, the texture light, and it lacked any gamey odor of milk.

"This wheat straw can be used as a straw. Brother Yi, rest assured, the wheat straws are carefully selected, washed, and dried thoroughly."

Brother Yi took a sip of the green tea beneath the cheese foam through the straw. The sweet greasiness of the foam faded away, and a burst of tea fragrance assaulted the tip of his tongue.

"After tasting that, use the straw to stir it well, and what you get to drink then is a cup of milk tea."

Brother Yi did as told and naturally discovered yet another distinct flavor.

"Only today have I truly broadened my horizons. It seems that traveling ten thousand li and reading ten thousand scrolls still requires going out to see the world. Luoyang's delicacies are indeed extraordinary," Brother Yi sighed in admiration.

Once all the dishes were served, Brother Yi tasted them one by one, prompting another round of praises.

This made Lin the Twelfth feel a reflected glory; watching the other's reactions made him feel he could eat three more bowls of rice.

Among them, Brother Yi's favorite was the sweet and sour fish. Although the vinegar smell was a bit pungent, the taste was indeed sweet, sour, and appetizing, and the fish meat inside was plump and tender.

The last time Brother Yi had been so amazed was when he tasted sugared crab. Sugared crab, as the name suggested, was crab marinated in sugar, but the flavor of this sweet and sour fish was many times more delicious than that crab.

He had a premonition that if the sweet and sour fish were introduced to Chang'an, it might well replace sugared crab.

Brother Yi was already half full, but unexpectedly, the waiter knocked on the private room door again and asked, "May I ask if the hot pot should be served?"

"Serve it, serve it quickly!"

The main event was about to begin, and Lin the Twelfth called out impatiently.

Two attendants carried in a strangely shaped small copper pot, ignited the charcoal fire in the center, added hot boiling water to both sides, and dropped in a red block of something whose nature was unknown.

Immediately following that, several plates of dishes, both meat and vegetable, were brought up.

Brother Yi looked on expectantly.

Before long, the water in the pot began to boil, faintly emitting the aroma of beef tallow mixed with various spices. Brother Yi, who had already been half full, suddenly felt his stomach grow much hungrier again.

"Does Brother Yi have any dietary restrictions? I shall go mix an oil dipping sauce."

"What is an oil dipping sauce?" Brother Yi asked without shame.

"The food from this hot pot, once fished out, must be dipped in the oil dipping sauce to truly taste savory." Lin the Twelfth answered patiently, harboring a trace of showing off, now that he was the one enlightening others instead of being enlightened.

"None, I have no restrictions. Younger brother, just prepare a portion for me according to your own taste."

Brother Yi looked at the oil dipping sauce, which seemed to contain sesame oil, cilantro, and minced garlic, among other things.

The meat dishes that had been cooked before going into the pot were now ready to be scalded and eaten.

Brother Yi picked up a chopstick full of lamb tripe. He had not known previously that lamb tripe could also be eaten. Novelty-driven, he picked up the tripe, dipped it in the oil dipping sauce, and put it into his mouth.

Soft with a slight chewiness, a fragrance similar to mutton yet distinct bloomed in his mouth, accompanied by rich condiments that made his appetite surge.

The chopsticks of the two moved at flying speed, sweeping the food in the pot utterly clean.

This meal was enjoyed by both host and guest to their utmost satisfaction. Brother Yi tasted delicious delicacies, while Lin the Twelfth flaunted Luoyang's cuisine and his own breadth of knowledge.

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Expecting to be scolded, Xiaohua turned around only to be rewarded with a large chicken leg by her grandmother.

Xiaohua happily wanted to laugh out loud to the heavens, but fearing that acting too carried away would be unseemly, she could only rejoice in secret.

The next day, she picked some fiery red wildflowers from the fields, gathered them into a bouquet, and placed them in the pottery jar sitting on the windowsill in her grandmother's room.

Then she happily went off to school.

As soon as Granny Wang stepped through the door, her eyes were dazzled by this garish splash of color.

Who put this here? She wondered.

"Xiaohua's mother, was it you who put the flowers in my room?" She turned her head and shouted toward the courtyard to ask.

"Not me, what flowers?" Liu Shi was curious.

Ruling out Liu Shi, and further ruling out the three hopelessly unromantic males of the household, the remaining answer was obvious—it could only be Xiaohua.

This made Granny Wang both delighted and smug.

Which young maiden had never loved to look pretty? Since the family had no money to buy the gold hairpins and jade ornaments worn by young ladies of wealthy households, a few wildflowers from the fields and countryside were the favorite hair accessories of young women and brides.

Granny Wang had also loved wearing flowers in her hair when she was a young maiden. Later, she became a bride, reined in all thoughts of vanity, managed matters both inside and outside the home, washed clothes, cooked meals, and even worked the fields, handling every household chore proficiently.

When she eventually became a mother-in-law herself, she had never mistreated her daughters-in-law either.

Over so many years, which member of the family had she treated poorly? Yet how did these people treat her in return? Everyone took it for granted, and not a single person had ever said a word of thanks to her.

Liu Shi even gossiped behind her back with the eldest son.

Yet, unless one was deaf and mute, one shouldn't act like the head of the family; she had simply pretended not to hear anything.

The ruckus of a few days ago, and Goudan shouting "old hag," had broken her heart completely.

Only Xiaohua, whom she had neglected in the past, recognized her kindness, even if this kindness came late.

Granny Wang sniffed, brushed away those slightly sentimental thoughts, walked up to the window, pulled out a few flowers, and pinned them into her hair.

With head held high, she walked out of the house, inspected the room of the eldest son and his wife, and asked Liu Shi, "Did Xiaohua give these exclusively to me, or does everyone have them?"

Liu Shi obviously noticed the red flower in her hair as well and said with a hint of sourness, "They say affection skips a generation, and I see it's true indeed. Xiaohua didn't even remember to give one to me, her mother."

Granny Wang felt thoroughly satisfied, walked out the door, and strolled around the village.

She exchanged pleasantries with everyone she met, pretending to be nonchalant while actually very deliberately shaking the flowers on her head, "Oh, you're asking about the flowers? They are quite pretty. I don't know where they were picked, but my granddaughter gave them to me."

Those who crossed paths with her all wore looks of astonishment.

Granny Wang was blooming with a second spring in her old age.

For some time now, everyone had witnessed the changes in the Wang family.

Granny Wang, who used to favor boys over girls, had changed like a different person, cherishing her granddaughter like a precious pearl and even sending her to school.

How novel!

When Xiaohua returned from school, the flowers on Granny Wang's head had wilted slightly, but that did not diminish her joy in the slightest.

"Xiaohua, do these flowers look good on Grandma?" Granny Wang's face was creased into a smile like a chrysanthemum as she lowered her head slightly for her to see.

Xiaohua blushed. She had only given a few small wildflowers, never expecting her grandmother to value them so much.

She nodded solemnly, "They look so good! Grandma is the prettiest!"

"Grandma's good granddaughter, your mouth is so sweet." Granny Wang patted Xiaohua's head. "Go wash your hands and eat."

The grandmother and granddaughter moved toward each other, while everyone else in the house remained outsiders.

After dinner, while it was still bright, Xiaohua sat in the courtyard to finish the homework assigned by her tutor.

The adults had all gone to work in the fields. Granny Wang needed to mend the clothes washed today, so she hadn't gone with them.

Goudan, afraid of being urged to do homework if he stayed behind, had gone to the fields to help.

Granny Wang was getting older and could no longer see the needle's eye clearly. She raised her calloused hand to rub her misty eyes, "Xiaohua, help Grandma thread the needle."

"Coming right up." Xiaohua scampered over eagerly.

A child's eyes were sharp; she threaded it in two strokes and went back to her homework.

While mending the clothes, Granny Wang raised her head from time to time to look at Xiaohua, who was studying diligently and muttering under her breath.

What a wonderful child!

As she watched, a sudden wave of emotion welled up in her heart. Her lips quivered, and she whispered, "Xiaohua, Grandma has wronged you."

The hardships she had suffered in her youth had made her vow never to treat her own granddaughter that way.

Why had she later forgotten all about it and become a person just like the grandmother she had once detested, turning a blind eye to everything Xiaohua endured, while deceiving herself with far-fetched excuses to cover up her unfairness?

Xiaohua blankly raised her head. Realizing what her grandmother had said, she became flustered and lost, "Grandma is very good to me, gives me chicken legs, and sends me to school. You haven't wronged me."

In her mind, no one was ever supposed to be good to her.

Granny Wang did not argue about right or wrong, but smiled and told her to continue her homework.

Right or wrong, it was all in the past. She could only engrave it in her heart and vow never to repeat it again.

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Xu Chengyue had been very troubled these past few days.

As an author, the reasons for trouble were limited to those few usual suspects, naturally having to do with her own novel.

It wasn't a case of writer's block or dried-up inspiration; the plot was progressing smoothly so far, having already passed the halfway mark.

It was something else—a trouble that many authors encounter after writing a novel for a long time, namely, the burnout phase.

The burnout phase was actually unavoidable; every author experienced it, and many botched plots and rushed endings started right here.

Authors in the burnout phase could roughly be divided into two categories.

The first kind had an outline. Even if they felt exhausted and numb, supported by the outline, they could still finish the story quite well. Alternatively, their plot had strayed miles away from the outline and could no longer be reined in.

The second kind had no outline. Though numb, their brains still functioned well, and relying on professional integrity, they forced themselves to keep writing and pushed through this period. However, many lacking inspiration would start updating irregularly, then get scolded by readers, which made them feel even more heartbroken and drained of inspiration, ultimately leading to a rushed, sloppy ending.

In short, each had their own misfortunes.

At root, it was because authors, while creating a book, frequently engaged in self-indulgence within their own minds. After indulging for too long, their minds grew tired and disgusted, and they would frantically want to start the next book.

Take Xu Chengyue now, for instance. She was sitting at her desk writing the content of the book currently being serialized, yet her mind was frantically fantasizing about the next one.

Her first two books mostly consisted of plotlines. Her first book was a revenge-driven, gratifying web novel, and the second was an escalating farming and face-slapping gratifying novel, with very few romantic subplots involving a pairing.

But the next one would be different. That was a romance novel filled with wildly tossed dog-blood drama, spending the vast majority of its length on romantic tug-of-war, tropes of forced confinement, substitute lovers, misunderstandings, and chasing one's wife to the crematorium—ah, no, chasing her husband to the crematorium.