Chapter Seven, Aunt Luo
Outside the door, Aunt Luo was holding a food box. Upon seeing that it was the young master himself who opened the door for her, her eyes turned red as she said: "Young master, I am currently employed by Old Master Wu from the north of the city to cook at his home. I am worried that you and the two young ladies might not be accustomed to the food prepared by others. Coincidentally, there were some extra dishes made at Wu's residence today, so I brought a few for you, young master. Rest assured, these have not been served at the table and are absolutely clean"
Upon hearing such warm words from Zhou Chong, Steward Xu also displayed a hint of excitement on his face. He then spoke in a dry voice, "Young Master, the idea of renting out the courtyard is excellent, but there is one key point to consider: our Songjiang Prefecture is a small place, and there are not many people in need of rental housing. For instance, the shopkeepers often provide food and accommodation for the assistants they hire from the countryside. Moreover, it is already mid-October, and in just two months, it will be the New Year. Therefore, it may not be an easy task to rent out the courtyard at this time."
A dish of sweet and sour pork was completely devoured by Zhou Chong and Duo'er. Even Zhuo'er, who usually has a small appetite, managed to eat more than half of the steamed fish. Aunt Wang had a bowl of porridge and some stir-fried cabbage, while the mushroom soup was entirely consumed by Steward Xu. The remaining dishes and a small half basin of porridge ultimately found their way into Steward Xu's stomach. Even so, Zhou Chong estimated that Steward Xu still wasn't full, as he had witnessed Steward Xu eat eight bowls of rice in one meal before, making him a true glutton. The remaining dishes and a small half basin of porridge ultimately found their way into Steward Xu's stomach. Even so, Zhou Chong estimated that Steward Xu still wasn't full, as he had witnessed Steward Xu eat eight bowls of rice in one meal before, making him a true glutton.
Upon hearing the words of Zhou Chong and Butler Xu, Aunt Luo immediately understood that the two were acting in her best interest. She tidied up the food box and then nodded to Zhou Chong and the others, saying: "Alright, young master, you are a capable person and will surely restore the prestige of the Zhou family. When that time comes, this old woman will return to cook for you and the two young ladies!"
The current Zhou Zhong is no longer the bookish person who was oblivious to human emotions; he can naturally discern that Aunt Luo had been lying about these dishes, which makes him feel even more touched.
Hmm! Steward Xu responded and stood up to pack the clothes he was about to take to the pawnshop into a bundle. However, when Zhou Chong saw him stuff the large red silk shorts into the bundle, he couldn't help but speak up to stop him: "Steward Xu, you can keep the big shorts for yourself; I have plenty of clothes, so just take a few more pieces for me!"
From these dishes, it is evident that they are certainly not leftovers from the Wu residence; they should have been secretly prepared by Aunt Luo. If the Wu residence were to discover her actions, she would face a reprimand at the very least, and at worst, she might even lose her job. However, she refrained from telling the truth because she was concerned about Zhou Chong and the others.
Aunt Luo's culinary skills are truly exceptional, especially when it comes to the sweet and sour pork, which is Zhou Chong's favorite dish. This is a type of Cantonese cuisine from the south, characterized by its predominant sweet and sour flavor, hence it is also known as sweet and sour meat. It is made by coating tenderloin with flour, frying it in oil until it is about 60% cooked, and then stir-frying it with a specially prepared sweet and sour sauce. When eaten, the dish offers a delightful combination of sweetness and sourness, complemented by the tenderness of the tenderloin, making it an absolutely wonderful experience
Just as Zhou Chong poured the porridge he had prepared into a porcelain basin and helped Steward Xu prepare two types of pickled vegetables to bring to the inner residence, he suddenly heard someone knocking on the Zhou family's front door. This surprised both Zhou Chong and Steward Xu, who exchanged a glance. Zhou Chong then set down the dinner and said to Steward Xu, "I will go take a look. I wonder who would come to visit us on such a cold day"
As dusk approached, Zhou Zhong arrived in the kitchen to find Steward Xu, preparing to deliver the prepared meals to Aunt Wang's courtyard. Although the residence had a designated dining room, only the five of them were currently living in the entire house. At night, it became pitch dark, and with the cold weather, it was inconvenient for Aunt Wang and the others to come out. Therefore, dinner was generally eaten in Aunt Wang's quarters.
After dinner, Butler Xu took the items to the kitchen to clean up. Duo'er’s mother, Aunt Zhao, had run away, so naturally, she could only sleep with Aunt Wang that night. Additionally, Duo'er had eaten quite a bit of meat that evening, and Aunt Wang was concerned that sleeping too early would hinder digestion. Therefore, she and Zhuo'er played with Duo'er in the room, while Zhou Zhong returned to his room, continuing to worry about how to support the family.
Zhou Chong did not conceal anything and recounted the incident of Aunt Luo delivering vegetables. As a result, Aunt Wang and Zhuo'er were so moved that they shed tears, while the four-year-old Duo'er, not understanding the situation, merely stared at the plate of his favorite sweet and sour pork, drooling.
Hearing that Aunt Luo braved the cold wind to deliver vegetables to him, Zhou Chong felt a warmth in his heart. He wanted to express his gratitude, but his throat felt as if it were blocked, and he could not produce any sound. After much effort, he finally managed to say to Aunt Luo: "Thank you so much, Aunt Luo. At your age, why didn't you have Luo Da or Luo Er bring them over? Come in quickly to warm up, don't stay out in the cold!"
Butler Xu and Zhou Chong arrived at the inner residence and selected several garments made from exquisite materials. However, as it was already late and the wind outside was quite chilly, Zhou Chong specifically instructed Butler Xu to prepare the meal first, stating that they could visit the pawnshop tomorrow without haste
In a small place like Songjiang, the population flow is inherently low, and most people have their own residences. If one wishes to rent out their house, there must be someone willing to live there! Thinking of this, Zhou Zhong couldn't help but feel a headache, while secretly resenting why it wasn't the 21st century in Shanghai. Otherwise, just based on the courtyard in his hands, it would be enough to make him a millionaire!
Upon hearing that Aunt Luo would still deliver tomorrow, Zhou Chong, while feeling touched, hurriedly advised, "Aunt Luo, the weather is so cold now, and the northern part of the city is so far from here. Please do not deliver vegetables anymore. In the past couple of days, Steward Xu and I have already figured out a way to make money. The situation at home will soon start to improve, and perhaps we will even invite you back to cook for us!"
Young Master, renting out the courtyard is indeed a good idea. As for the inner residence, there is no need to mention it; it should still be reserved for you and Concubine Wang. The front courtyard where I reside is divided into east and west wings, and each wing can further be divided into two smaller courtyards. Currently, I am living in one of them. This way, at least three courtyards can be freed up for rent. However..." At this point, Steward Xu raised his head to glance at Zhou Chong, as if there were some words he hesitated to say.
Zhou Chong turned around and left the kitchen, but at that moment, a breeze unexpectedly picked up. Although the wind was not strong, in the damp and cold air of winter, it carried a bone-chilling sensation. Zhou Chong couldn't help but shrink his neck and quickened his pace to the front door. Upon opening the door, he was surprised to find a familiar face standing outside.
At this moment, Aunt Luo placed several dishes on the tray in the kitchen, then picked up the pickled vegetables from the tray and set them aside, saying: "Young Master, it is not good to eat too many of these pickled vegetables. You can eat these dishes today, and I will bring you some more tomorrow evening"
Aunt Wang, Zhuo'er, and Duo'er were all quite surprised when they saw the dishes brought in by the two. After all, ever since the household servants were dismissed, their daily meals had mostly been prepared by Steward Xu. Coupled with their mounting debts, the food they had was naturally quite simple. Now, with several of their favorite dishes suddenly presented to them, they felt both delighted and somewhat puzzled.
"Young Master, you are being too formal. Back when my husband passed away, I had two children at home clamoring for food. Fortunately, I encountered the Master and Madam Wang. In the end, the Master not only paid for my husband's burial but also arranged work for me, allowing me to raise my two sons. Although the household is facing difficulties now, as long as we get through this hurdle, everything will be fine. As for those two rascals at home, I am not at ease with their clumsiness!" Aunt Luo has been with the Zhou family for many years, having lived in the household for over a decade, so she did not stand on ceremony with Zhou Chong. Carrying the food box, she entered the residence. During this time, Zhou Chong wanted to take the heavy food box from her, but Aunt Luo refused.
Hearing Xu's explanation, Zhou Zhong felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over his head. He had not considered this issue before. Although Songjiang Prefecture is the future Shanghai, the current Songjiang Prefecture is a place that is exceedingly small. The prefecture only governs the two counties of Huating and Shanghai, and its population is not large. Not to mention comparing it to future Shanghai, even the neighboring Suzhou and Hangzhou are countless times more prosperous than Songjiang Prefecture.
Zhou nodded weakly after listening again and said: "Alright, I will leave the rental matter to you, Steward Xu. Additionally, we can take our clothes to pawn, but do not touch the clothes of the madam and younger sister. Also, do not inform them about the situation at home for the time being; I will find a way myself"
"Aunt Luo, what brings you here?" Zhou Chong said with some surprise. Standing outside the door was a plump woman in her fifties, with rough hands, feet, and a thick neck, clearly the type accustomed to hard work. Her round, chubby face was shiny with grease, resembling a character from a picture book depicting nutritional excess. In fact, this woman referred to as Aunt Luo by Zhou Chong was a cook, specifically the former cook of the Zhou family. Her culinary skills were exceptional, and she used to be responsible for preparing meals for Zhou Chong and Zhuo'er, the masters of the house. After the Zhou family fell from grace, Aunt Luo, along with a group of servants, was dismissed by Zhou Chong.
Aunt Luo was a straightforward woman. She quickly stopped her tears, then removed the lid of the food box and took out several dishes: a plate of steamed fish, a serving of sweet and sour pork, a dish of stir-fried bok choy, and a bowl of mushroom soup. The steamed fish was the favorite dish of Zhuo'er, while the sweet and sour pork was the favorite of Zhou Chong and Duo'er, hence it was served in the largest portion. The stir-fried bok choy and mushroom soup were prepared for the vegetarian Aunt Wang. Additionally, the food box in Aunt Luo's hand was specially designed for affluent families, featuring a compartment at the bottom for holding boiling water, which helped keep the food warm, so the dishes were still steaming when taken out.
Aunt Luo's husband passed away early, leaving her with only two sons, named Luo Da and Luo Er, who are slightly older than Zhou Zhong. In their childhood, they were considered playmates; however, as time went on, Zhou Zhong developed a fondness for reading, while Luo Da and Luo Er had to work in the household, resulting in the three of them losing their connection.
Seeing Zhou Chong looking somewhat dejected, Steward Xu hurriedly consoled him, saying, "However, young master, do not lose heart. We can spread the word about renting out the courtyard. Although Songjiang Prefecture is not large, there are still quite a few businesses here. Perhaps one of them needs a courtyard for storage. When the time comes, we can set the rent a bit lower, and it should be possible to rent it out!"
Feel free to speak your mind; it's just the two of us men at home now. Please don't regard me as some young master; just treat me as your junior.
Seeing Duor's appearance, Zhou Zhong hurriedly advised Aunt Wang and Zhuoer a few words, taking the opportunity to point at Duor. As a result, both Aunt Wang and Zhuoer found it both amusing and heart-wrenching, and they stopped crying. They invited Steward Xu to sit down and eat together. Steward Xu held a high position in the Zhou residence, and now that the Zhou family had fallen, he remained loyal and refused to leave. Therefore, Aunt Wang did not treat him as an outsider. For the past few days, everyone had been eating together. At first, Steward Xu declined a few times, but later he naturally sat down with them.
Aunt Luo has never been one to beat around the bush. After saying all of this, she took her leave from Zhou Chong. Zhou Chong also understood that Aunt Luo had a long way to go back to the northern part of the city, so he did not keep her, and together with Steward Xu, saw her out the gate. Only then did he carry the meal to Aunt Wang's courtyard
Butler Xu is also a shrewd person, and at this moment he spoke up to advise: "Indeed, what the young master said is correct. Aunt Luo, it is not easy for you to find work. Moreover, the Wu family has many eyes and ears; if someone were to discover you delivering meals to the old master’s family, the Wu family would not be pleased. Therefore, you must never deliver food again in the future"
Upon hearing Zhou Chong's words, Steward Xu responded with an acknowledgment, then reluctantly took out his pair of underpants. Although he believed the fabric of these underpants was of good quality and could fetch a few coins, since the young master had said so, he had no choice but to keep them. In fact, this type of underpants was referred to as "kūn" in ancient times, a kind of short pants that did not extend beyond the knees, serving a function similar to modern underwear, albeit much looser.
Aunt Luo entered the kitchen on the right side of the main door with a food box. Upon learning of Aunt Luo's intentions, Steward Xu inside praised her for her loyalty and affection. However, when Aunt Luo saw the dinner prepared by Steward Xu, she could not help but shed a few tears.
After a night of silence, the next day, Steward Xu took the clothes he had prepared the day before to the pawnshop. He also took the opportunity to spread the news about renting out several courtyards in front of the Zhou residence. However, he did not expect that as soon as the news was released, the first tenant would arrive shortly thereafter
The kitchen of the Zhou residence is located to the right of the main entrance. It was previously responsible for preparing meals for the entire Zhou residence, thus occupying a considerable area. The kitchen is divided into two sections: the large kitchen is designated for the servants to cook, while the small kitchen is reserved for Zhou Chong and the concubines of the inner quarters, and it is not far from the main entrance
Previously, Zhou Chong suspected that Steward Xu remained to merely make a living. However, upon seeing how much Xu cared for the Zhou family, he felt somewhat moved. Yet, alongside this feeling of gratitude, Zhou Chong's earlier suspicions were further solidified. After all, despite having served as a steward for so many years, Xu's savings were still insufficient for them to last until the New Year. Given his situation, if he were to leave the Zhou family, he would surely starve, which naturally meant he could only cling tightly to the Zhou family.