Husband, Let Me Touch Your Abs - Chapter 114

Chapter 114

 

The next day, Lu Yao went to the blacksmith shop to order an extra-large barbecue grill and bought some charcoal to start a barbecue business.

 

The workers, when free, began shaving bamboo skewers, splitting bamboo into thin strips with one end sharpened.

 

There were plenty of things to grill: pig trotters, pork fat, pork belly, lamb, lamb tendons, lamb kidneys, chicken gizzards, chicken wings, and various vegetables. From now on, any leftover meat and vegetables could be grilled!

 

Lu Yao even specially prepared a few sauces to brush on the vegetables, making them taste even better when grilled.

 

The grill was quickly welded together, and that evening, Lu Yao hosted a barbecue for everyone.

 

The same meat, when grilled instead of fried, tasted completely different. Sprinkled with a magical exotic spice—ground cumin powder—the aroma instantly tantalized.

 

The first skewer of lamb was ready. Lu Yao tried a bite, savoring the charred flavor. It tasted almost identical to barbecue from his previous life, minus the chili powder!

 

In the sweltering summer heat, sipping chilled sour plum soup and eating a few skewers of barbecue—this combination was unbeatable!

 

“Come on, everyone, try this!”

 

Zhao Beichuan picked up a lamb tendon skewer and took a bite, freezing in place. “Delicious!” Unlike roasted whole lamb, cutting the meat into small chunks made it more flavorful, with a crispy exterior and juicy interior.

 

He wolfed down ten skewers in one go but was still unsatisfied. Seeing others eagerly waiting, Zhao Beichuan handed out a few skewers to each person.

 

“Is this flavor from that aniseed fennel you bought?”

 

“Yes, how is it?”

 

“Delicious! This stuff pairs perfectly with lamb.”

 

Everyone else couldn’t stop praising it, saying it was so good that they could almost swallow their tongues!

 

With the experiment a success, Lu Yao began pricing the skewers. About a pound of meat made 20 skewers. Pork belly and pork fat were priced at 5 wen each, lamb and lamb tendons at 7 wen, and lamb kidneys at 30 wen.

 

As everyone was eating, there was a sudden knock on the front door.

 

“Lu shopkeeper, what delicious food are you making? Are you selling it?” It was the shopkeeper of the neighboring inn knocking on the door. The backyards of the two establishments were separated by a wall, and the barbecue aroma had drifted over, enticing the inn’s guests who begged him to find out.

 

Lu Yao opened the door. “Come in! We’re grilling meat right now. It will officially go on sale tomorrow, but you’re welcome to try it first.”

 

Shopkeeper Tian entered and saw a long grill with rows of meat skewers. “Oh my, you sure know how to enjoy life. How did you come up with this method of grilling meat?”

 

Lu Yao laughed. “Large chunks of meat take too long to cook, but grilling like this makes it ready quickly.”

 

The first batch of skewers had been devoured, and the second round was now on the grill. Lu Yao fanned the flames, while Zhao Beichuan mimicked his actions, flipping the skewers and sprinkling cumin and salt.

 

Soon, the aroma of grilled meat filled the air. The sizzling fat dripped onto the charcoal, causing bursts of flame. Lu Yao quickly fanned out the flames—grilling meat shouldn’t use direct flames, or it would burn.

 

Shopkeeper Tian swallowed hard. “This smells amazing. What did you add to the meat?”

 

“Homemade spices, specifically for grilling.”

 

In less than 15 minutes, the meat was ready. Grilling this way was indeed faster than roasting a whole piece. Lu Yao handed half of the batch to him. “Take some to taste.”

 

“Oh no, I can’t just take it for free. How much do I owe you? This isn’t just for me; our guests at the inn insisted on eating it.”

 

Lu Yao had a sudden idea. “From now on, we’ll start grilling in the afternoon until the hour of Xu (7-9 pm). If your inn guests want to eat, send them over to buy. For every 100 wen you earn, I’ll give you a 10-wen commission.”

 

Shopkeeper Tian’s eyes lit up—who wouldn’t love free money? He immediately agreed. “Deal! If guests want food, I’ll send them your way!” After paying for the skewers, he quickly took them back.

 

Eighty skewers seemed like a lot, but they were gone in no time. People weren’t satisfied.

 

Soon, more people came to buy skewers, some even buying drinks to take home. In just an hour, the 300 skewers prepared were completely sold out. Customers who hadn’t had their fill could only wait until tomorrow.

 

It was getting late. Lu Yao told everyone to rest. Zhao Beichuan extinguished the charcoal, and the two went inside to count their earnings. In such a short time, they had made over seven taels of silver. Barbecuing was indeed a lucrative business!

 

The next day at noon, Lu Yao began grilling in the backyard.

 

The aroma of the barbecue was so enticing that customers didn’t need recommendations. They actively inquired about the source of the smell.

 

Since the skewers weren’t expensive, everyone bought a few to try and soon couldn’t stop. That day, nearly 500 skewers were sold out in less than an hour, leaving many unsatisfied.

 

With the growing demand, Lu Yao outsourced the task of sharpening bamboo skewers. Retired neighbors in the alley were hired to do it for 10 wen per 100 skewers. The quicker ones could finish 500 to 600 skewers a day.

 

Lu Yao also hired two workers specifically for grilling. Barbecuing wasn’t complicated; it was all about controlling the heat and seasoning. After a few days of training, they got the hang of it. From noon to the hour of You (5-7 pm), they grilled daily for 700 wen a month.

 

Barbecue business boomed even more at night.

 

In the inn next door, several merchants from the capital lay in bed, preparing to rest. Suddenly, the aroma wafted through the window.

 

“Third Brother, what’s that smell?”

 

“I don’t know, but it’s delicious. It’s making me hungry.”

 

“Go ask around. Someone must be cooking something.”

 

“On it.” Chen Laosan put on his undershirt and stepped out, noticing other guests also coming out, asking the staff about the smell.

 

“The Lu family restaurant next door is grilling meat. If you want some, hurry over; they’ll close soon.”

 

“Grilled meat? And it’s sold this late at night?”

 

“They’re the only ones doing it.”

 

Hearing this, everyone quickly got dressed and headed next door. Upon arrival, they saw a line of people in the yard, all waiting to buy barbecue.

 

Groups of three or four chatted while waiting. “Manager Li, still awake?”

 

“Nope. My daughter caught a whiff of the barbecue and insisted I get some.”

 

“Haha, same here. My son wants to try it, so I came out to buy a few.”

 

By the grill, the scene was lively. The two workers flipped skewers diligently, sprinkling cumin powder on the sizzling meat. The aroma was so intense it stung the nostrils.

 

“Ah, this smell! Only the Lu family restaurant can make this!”

 

When the skewers were ready, Lu Yao began taking orders and handing out skewers accordingly.

 

“Ten lamb skewers and ten lamb tendons!”

 

“That’ll be 140 wen.” The skewers were easy to take; people grabbed them by the bamboo sticks and left.

 

After waiting half an hour, Chen Laosan finally got his turn. Seeing that not much was left, he bought the remaining skewers in one go, spending just over 200 wen.

 

Back at the inn, his brothers gathered around to eat. The dozens of skewers disappeared quickly, leaving everyone unsatisfied. They wanted to buy more but found the restaurant had already closed.

 

Chen Laosan lay on his bed, savoring the taste with regret. Unfortunately, they were leaving tomorrow, and he didn’t know if he’d ever get to eat such delicious skewers again.

 

After returning, the merchants repeatedly mentioned the Lu family restaurant’s barbecue to others, unintentionally boosting its reputation!

 

Eventually, noblemen from the capital traveled thousands of miles to Pingzhou just to try the barbecue, and the Lu family restaurant became famous.

 

But that’s a story for another time. For now, Lu Yao was planning to buy a house.

 

Since March, he had been asking around, but no suitable properties had turned up.

 

The backyard of the restaurant was spacious, but it was often used by customers to park their carts and carriages. Drivers and porters occasionally wandered around, and Lu Yao had caught people peeking through the windows and doors multiple times. He had to lock everything every morning.

 

With Xiao Nian growing up, as a girl, it was important to ensure her privacy and safety.

 

Lu Yao wanted to buy a large two-courtyard house, enough for the family to live comfortably in the future.

 

In the West Market area, there were plenty of large courtyards for sale, but the locations were poor, and most of the houses were in disrepair. Renovating them would cost a lot, making building a new house a better option.

 

On Changshui Street, most houses were single-courtyard and rarely had two courtyards.

 

Lu Yao had his eye on Changrong Street, which had a good environment and spacious areas, but no houses were for sale. So he waited until June.

 

As the summer heat grew unbearable, even with ice buckets in the hall, it was hard to stay comfortable. Lu Yao kept fanning himself, sweating profusely whenever he stopped.

 

At noon, there were only four tables of customers. With the rare downtime, he leaned back in a chair and dozed off.

 

“Lu shopkeeper, Lu shopkeeper?”

 

“Yes.” Lu Yao opened his eyes to see Zhang Wanbao, a regular customer.

 

“Brother Zhang, welcome.”

 

“Last time you asked me to keep an eye out for houses, right? I’ve got news for you.”

 

Lu Yao immediately got up and had a worker serve two bowls of chilled sour plum soup.

 

Zhang Wanbao didn’t stand on ceremony, drinking a bowl in one gulp. “On Changrong Street, Lord He’s family is selling their house. It’s a proper three-courtyard residence. I’ve been there before; it’s very well built.”

 

“The He family?” Lu Yao wasn’t very familiar with the area.

 

“The assistant magistrate of Pingzhou Prefecture was transferred to Shaozhou in February this year and has now settled there. This residence is planned to be sold.”

 

Hearing that it was an official’s residence, Lu Yao felt a bit uneasy. “I wonder how much it costs. If it’s too expensive, I may not be able to afford it.”

 

“I asked about it yesterday and heard they’re asking six thousand taels. However, since they’re in a hurry to sell, the price can probably be negotiated. Doesn’t your younger brother-in-law live near there? Have him inquire about it.”

 

Six thousand taels was no small amount. Buying a one-courtyard house would only cost three hundred taels of silver, and a two-courtyard residence no more than seven or eight hundred taels. Selling a three-courtyard property for six thousand taels was indeed steep.

 

“Alright, thank you, Brother Zhang! Once the deal is done, I’ll treat you to a good drink.”

 

Zhang Wanbao waved his hand. “It’s just a small errand. No need to be so polite.”

 

In the afternoon, when Ge Changbao came to pick up Lu Miao, Lu Yao mentioned the matter. “When you go back, help me find out the lowest price for the He family’s house. If it’s suitable, I’m thinking of buying it.”

 

“Alright.”

 

Ge Changbao wasn’t very familiar with the He family, but Madam Liang was close friends with Madam He, so he went to the Liang family estate and asked his sister-in-law to help inquire.

 

The next day, when he came to drop off Lu Miao, he told Lu Yao, “The lowest price for the house is five thousand taels of silver. It’s expensive because all the furniture and items inside are included, which are definitely worth the price.”

 

Hearing this, Lu Yao became interested. “Why isn’t the He family taking their belongings with them?”

 

“I heard that from Pingzhou to Shaozhou is over three thousand miles. The journey includes both land and water routes. Moving so many items would cost more than buying new ones.”

 

Lu Yao thought this made sense. Don’t underestimate the cost of new furniture—it would require quite a bit of silver to replace. With this in mind, the price didn’t seem so high. “I’ll go take a look this afternoon, and if it’s suitable, I’ll buy it!”

 

That afternoon, after the restaurant had served its customers, Lu Yao and Zhao Beichuan went to the He residence.

 

The location of the He family house was excellent, situated on the northern side of Changrong Street. Those who lived in this area were all wealthy or influential. From there, it was just a tea-drinking distance to the Ge family home.

 

Standing at the gate, the two paused to take a look. White walls, black tiles, and a red door hung with a plaque inscribed “He Residence.”

 

Zhao Beichuan stepped forward and knocked on the door. Soon, a houseboy opened the door and asked, “May I ask who you’re looking for?”

 

“We’re here to inquire about the house.”

 

The houseboy replied, “Please wait. I’ll inform the madam.”

 

After a short while, the door opened again, and they were invited in. Lu Yao and Zhao Beichuan followed the houseboy through the main entrance. Inside was a single-entry house used as quarters for servants and houseboys. Through the side door, there was a small reception room and the master’s study.

 

Ahead was a screen wall and a second door. Going through this door led to the second courtyard. There’s a saying, “Never step out the main door nor cross the second door,” referring to these two gates.

 

“Gentlemen, please wait here. Our madam will be here shortly.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

After waiting for about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, a beautiful woman walked out. She was Madam He herself.

 

Lu Yao immediately stepped forward to greet her. “Greetings, Madam.”

 

“You’re the ones who inquired about the price yesterday?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Come inside and take a look.”

 

Lu Yao and Zhao Beichuan followed her inside. Upon entering the second gate, they were greeted by an elegant rock garden with a fish tank on either side, housing lotus flowers and goldfish.

 

Madam He explained as she walked, “Originally, we didn’t plan to sell, but we’ll be in Shaozhou for six years, and it would be a waste to leave this house unoccupied. So, we decided to sell it and buy a new one there.”

 

Lu Yao nodded in agreement. “That’s true. Such a fine house would deteriorate without anyone living in it.”

 

“Feel free to take a look around. Everything in the house will stay except for the master bedroom furniture, which we’ll take with us. If you decide to buy, let’s finalize the deed quickly. We’ll be leaving in a few days.”

 

“Alright, we’ll take a look first.”

 

It was a standard three-courtyard house. The second courtyard included three main rooms, plus two side rooms to the east and west, totaling five rooms. There were three rooms in each of the east and west wing buildings, both equipped with kitchens.

 

Beyond the connecting hallway was the third courtyard, which had a row of rear servant rooms, often used as living quarters for servants or for storage.

 

The house was built with high-quality materials. The windows and door frames were lacquered, ensuring they wouldn’t rot for decades.

 

“What do you think?”

 

Zhao Beichuan nodded, clearly satisfied. Such a spacious house could easily accommodate three generations of a family.

 

They didn’t enter the main rooms but took a look at the east and west wing rooms, which seemed to have been used by the He family’s young masters and misses. Inside were canopy beds, tables, dressing tables, and display shelves, all finely crafted. The furniture alone could save a buyer a thousand or eight hundred taels!

 

The more Lu Yao saw, the more satisfied he became. He decided to negotiate the price with Madam He.

 

“Yesterday, I already told Zhang Yu: the lowest price is five thousand taels of silver. I’m telling you the same—no one else would sell for this price.” Zhang Yu was Madam Liang’s given name.

 

Lu Yao said, “This price is indeed a good deal for me. When can we transfer the deed?”

 

“Transferring the deed is simple. Come to the government office tomorrow around the hour of Si. Bring your household registration documents, and I’ll meet you there.”

 

“Thank you, Madam.”

 

“You’re friends with Zhang Yu, so I trust you.”

 

After leaving the He residence, Lu Yao exclaimed excitedly, “I didn’t expect the house to be so nice. Five thousand taels is truly worth it!”

 

Zhao Beichuan smiled and nodded. “I thought it might be an old house, but everything inside looks new.”

 

“Exactly! Even the lacquer on the canopy beds is still shiny. It hasn’t been used for long.”

 

Both were extremely satisfied. When they returned home and shared the news with the children, Xiao Nian and Xiao Chun were just as thrilled.

 

“Sister-in-law, when will we move in?”

 

“We’ll have to wait a few days. Tomorrow, we’ll transfer the deed. Once the He family moves out, we can start preparing to move in.”

 

Xiao Nian jumped up excitedly. “That’s great! We finally have our own house!”

 

Looking back on the past few years, ever since they left Willow Tree Village, they had been renting houses without a place to call their own. Now, they had fulfilled that dream.

 

Back in the room, Lu Yao opened the account book to check their funds. They had 13,000 taels of silver, part of which came from the distillery’s profits and part from the restaurant.

 

Last winter, the restaurant earned over 5,000 taels. This year, with the addition of barbecue sales over the past few months, net profits reached nearly 3,000 taels.

 

The cash at home wasn’t much, as it was used for daily purchases. Most of the silver was deposited in the bank. Tomorrow, they would withdraw 5,000 taels to pay Madam He after the deed transfer.

 

Zhao Beichuan had just finished washing and came in bare-chested, his body still damp.

 

“Is there enough silver?”

 

Lu Yao looked up at him. “We could buy two houses if we wanted to.”

 

“Do we have that much money?” He leaned over and peered at the account book behind Lu Yao. After studying with Xiao Dou over the winter, he had learned quite a few characters and could roughly understand the accounts.

 

“You never handle the accounts. Aren’t you afraid I’ll secretly hide some private savings?”

 

Zhao Beichuan ruffled his hair. “Go ahead and hide them. Everything in this family was earned by you anyway. Besides, I’m yours. Why would I care?”

 

This pleased Lu Yao, who turned to embrace his husband’s neck and planted a kiss on his chin.

 

“In the future, we won’t just buy houses. Once we have enough money, we’ll buy the shop, and even a few estates. Then we can enjoy leisure trips to the countryside.”

 

“Alright.” Zhao Beichuan smiled and kissed him deeply. The shallow kiss gradually turned passionate, their lips and tongues entwining. When they finally parted, a silver thread connected their mouths, and both were breathing heavily.

 

The next day, Lu Yao and Zhao Beichuan went to the government office early. Around the hour of Si, Madam He arrived.

 

Having discussed everything in advance, the deed transfer was straightforward. With her husband being an official, the clerk in charge of household registration respectfully reviewed the property deed, redrafted it, and had both parties sign and leave fingerprints.

 

After leaving the government office, Lu Yao accompanied Madam He to the bank, withdrawing 5,000 taels of silver and handing it to her. Several houseboys worked together to load the silver onto a carriage.

 

Madam He said, “We’ll set off in two days. Once we leave, someone will deliver the keys to your restaurant.”

 

“Thank you, Madam. I wish you a safe journey.”

 

Madam He nodded slightly and got into the carriage.

 

Only after the carriage had left did Lu Yao take out the property deed and repeatedly examine it, unable to hide the joy in his eyes.

 

Three days later, a servant from the He family delivered the keys, officially making the house Lu Yao’s.

 

That very day, the couple couldn’t wait to tour it again, this time exploring the main rooms.

 

The three main rooms were spacious and bright. The central hall, used for receiving distinguished guests, was fully furnished with red sandalwood tables and chairs that felt smooth to the touch.

 

The master bedroom, with its belongings removed, still retained a set of furniture. This room was even more refined, furnished with precious rosewood. Just that set alone was worth over a thousand taels!

 

Lu Yao sat on the bed. “This is truly a treasure! The 5,000 taels were well spent!”

 

Zhao Beichuan asked, “When will we move in?”

 

“There’s no rush. Let’s see what the rooms still need and gradually fill in the gaps. We also need to hire a few servants. We can’t just keep the main gate locked when we’re not home.”

 

“Alright.”

 

The couple busied themselves with preparing the new house, leaving the restaurant’s purchases to Xiao Chun, Lu Qing, and Lu Ming for the next few days.

 

As usual, the three went to the west market today, buying ten pounds of fresh cucumbers. Seeing some good snap beans, Xiao Chun also bought three pounds. Bitter greens had already turned old, so they opted for dried ones instead.

 

At this time of year, persimmons were just ripening. They were golden and soft. Xiao Chun remembered the persimmon tree back home but had never eaten any because his parents wouldn’t allow it, saving them for his older brothers.

 

Back then, as a small child, he would suck on his fingers, gaze up at the tall persimmon tree, and think, “When I grow up, I’ll taste what these persimmons are like.”

 

“How much are the persimmons?”

 

“Two copper coins per pound!”

 

“Give me ten pounds,” Xiao Chun said, taking out his own pocket money to buy half a basket for everyone to taste.

 

After paying, Lu Qing reached out to help carry it. Seeing they had bought nearly everything, Zhao Chun suggested they head back.

 

Suddenly, a voice called out from behind them, “Dunghead?”

 

Xiao Chun’s steps halted, his face instantly changed, and he quickly urged his companions to hurry up and leave.