Husband, Let Me Touch Your Abs - Chapter 143

Chapter 143

 

Actually, upon careful thought, it makes sense. The capital, being a place teeming with people from all walks of life—where a single brick falling could hit someone related to the imperial family—wouldn’t have allowed the merchants’ guild to operate until now if it were merely collecting protection fees.

 

Moreover, although the entry threshold for the guild is high, it significantly ensures that merchants like Lu Yao, who come from other places to do business, aren’t bullied or excluded, which is undoubtedly a good thing.

 

With the guild issue resolved, the renovation of the restaurant sped up.

 

Lu Yao instructed Ma Kuan to take some servants back to Pingzhou to fetch the wine and return after the New Year, bringing Xiao Nian and Xiao Chun back with them as well.

 

Recently, some passersby would occasionally inquire when the restaurant would open.

 

Originally, Lu Yao planned to open before the New Year since the capital was different from Pingzhou. The closer it got to the year’s end, the busier business became. Many people came to the capital to pay visits, send gifts, or visit relatives, inevitably hosting meals. Restaurants and eateries in Xifang were almost always full.

 

But as things stood, opening before the New Year was impossible. Firstly, the restaurant couldn’t open without wine. Secondly, Zhao Beichuan was too busy on his own. Seeing this made Lu Yao anxious, to the point his mouth developed ulcers.

 

Zhao Beichuan couldn’t help but laugh at his state. “Don’t be so hasty. Money can never be fully earned. Let’s wait for Ma Kuan to bring everyone over, and then we can open. In the meantime, we can make the renovations more meticulous.”

 

“Alright.”

 

The basic structure of the first floor was completed. There were eight tables arranged into square booths, making the hall seem more spacious and organized than before.

 

While walking, Lu Yao remarked, “Let’s place some plants here, a hanging screen over there, and glazed palace lanterns in the four corners.”

 

Zhao Beichuan noted everything down. “Are we only replacing the lighting on the second floor?”

 

“Since we have enough time, let’s repaint the walls too. Renovate it following Pingzhou’s style. Don’t skimp on expenses. The capital’s nobles have a discerning eye. If we cut corners, guests might not come back after one visit.”

 

“Alright, I’ll take care of it.”

 

Lu Yao found a stool to sit on. “Is everything arranged with the blacksmith?”

 

“I’ve already sent Lu Jia with the drawings to order ten copper pots. We’ll add more later if needed.”

 

“Good. I’ll head to the kiln factory this afternoon to select the porcelain.”

 

“Take your time and be careful.” Zhao Beichuan reached out and tucked a stray strand of hair behind his ear.

 

“I got it.”

 

For regular purchases of porcelain, people typically bought from stores in the city. But with the restaurant needing a large quantity, this wasn’t cost-effective.

 

When Lu Yao casually mentioned this to the neighboring shopkeeper, Mr. Xu, he enthusiastically recommended a kiln factory in the outskirts. Although it was a civilian kiln, the quality was good. Many porcelain shops in the city sourced their supply from there, and the prices were quite reasonable.

 

Ordinary porcelain bowls cost about 200 wen in stores but were only 50 wen at the factory. Plates ranged from 80 to 100 wen.

 

Custom designs were also available at a higher price. Typically, a custom set of 30 pieces cost 10 taels of silver, while 100 pieces cost 20 taels.

 

Since Lu Yao planned to aim for the high-end market, he naturally opted for customized porcelain, with each bowl and plate bearing the Lu Family Restaurant’s stamp.

 

The bowl design featured elegant silver cloud patterns, with a silver rim around the edge, instantly elevating its sophistication.

 

Lu Yao ordered 200 plates, 200 bowls, 200 spoons, 60 small soup bowls, 60 large soup bowls, and a few large porcelain jars.

 

The jars were intended for storing wine since clay jars displayed at the shopfront didn’t look appealing.

 

These items would take over ten days to fire. Since the restaurant couldn’t open yet, Lu Yao wasn’t in a rush. He paid a deposit of 50 taels and planned to pay the rest when the porcelain was ready.

 

Because selecting the porcelain took a while, it was late by the time he returned from the outskirts. The carriage also broke down on the way, so by the time he arrived home, it was nearly dusk.

 

Zhao Beichuan was waiting outside with a lantern. Seeing him return, he heaved a sigh of relief, then helped him off the carriage, his face tense with worry.

 

Feeling guilty, Lu Yao pinched his cold earlobe. “Don’t be mad. The carriage broke down on the way, delaying me by an hour. I promise this won’t happen again.”

 

Zhao Beichuan said nothing, his face stern as he brought over the meal he had kept warm in the pot and a basin of hot water for Lu Yao to soak his feet.

 

“There were so many types of porcelain at the kiln factory. Each one looked nice, and I couldn’t decide.”

 

When Zhao Beichuan remained silent, Lu Yao knew he was still upset. Using his toes, he playfully nudged Zhao Beichuan’s hand. “Guess what design I chose?”

 

“I don’t know.”

 

“White jade with silver cloud patterns. Porcelain is just a vessel for food. The simpler it is, the more it highlights the colors of the dishes. Too many patterns would steal the spotlight.”

 

Zhao Beichuan dried his feet with a cloth and then poured out the water.

 

Lu Yao stuck out his tongue. It seemed this time he had really made him angry.

 

After dinner, they lay in bed. Zhao Beichuan turned his back to Lu Yao after extinguishing the lamp.

 

Lu Yao slid his hand into Zhao Beichuan’s innerwear and started to fumble. “Husband, don’t be mad~”

 

Zhao Beichuan grabbed his wandering hand and held it firmly. “Sleep.”

 

“It really was an accident today. I won’t let this happen again.”

 

With a sigh, Zhao Beichuan turned and gently pulled Lu Yao into his arms. “Ah Yao, I don’t want to restrict you too much, but you have to take care of your health. You’re not alone anymore.”

 

“I know, Father of the child.” Lu Yao lightly kissed his cheek.

 

Zhao Beichuan was immediately appeased by those words. He placed his hand gently on Lu Yao’s slightly swollen abdomen and caressed it. “Next time, let the others handle things like this. You shouldn’t keep running around.”

 

“Okay, I’ll listen to you.”

 

–

 

The restaurant preparations progressed steadily. With Zhao Beichuan overseeing the work, Lu Yao stayed home to take care of his health. As the months passed, his belly began to show slightly, and several of his old clothes no longer fit.

 

Fortunately, the new clothes had just been made, and the shop assistant delivered them in person.

 

These custom-made garments followed the latest styles in the capital. Winter clothing was looser, fitting Lu Yao perfectly.

 

With some free time on his hands, Lu Yao started experimenting with roasted duck ingredients, lotus leaf pancakes, and sweet bean sauce at home.

 

In his past life, Lu Yao had seen a video tutorial on making lotus leaf pancakes, but he only remembered the basic steps and had never tried making them himself. Now was the perfect time to give it a shot.

 

In the capital, flour was categorized into three grades. The lowest was the gray flour that Lu Yao often ate in the past. It was simple to process, ground with stone mills, and contained bits of wheat husk, giving it a grayish color.

 

The second type was coarse flour, lighter in color than gray flour and costing 100 wen per dou, affordable for most ordinary families in the capital. The best was fine white flour, made from carefully selected wheat and processed through multiple steps. It was almost indistinguishable from modern-day flour and quite expensive, costing 200 wen per dou.

 

Lu Yao used the third type, fine white flour. He took half a jin(0.5kg) of it, added a small spoonful of salt, then one egg white, and mixed it with warm water until it formed a soft dough.

 

The dough needed to rest for an hour. During this time, Lu Yao prepared the sweet bean sauce.

 

Making sweet bean sauce was even simpler. Despite its name, it wasn’t made from beans but was a mix of soy sauce, sugar, and a flour paste. Lu Yao added some ground sea cucumber powder to the mixture and simmered it in an earthen pot for about 15 minutes. A large bowl of sticky, sweet, and savory sauce was ready.

 

It tasted almost identical to the sauce served at modern roasted duck restaurants. Lu Yao could already imagine how delicious it would be to wrap a thin pancake around crispy roasted duck dipped in sweet bean sauce!

 

Unfortunately, his first attempt at lotus leaf pancakes failed.

 

The pancakes couldn’t be peeled apart like the ones in restaurants.

 

Lu Yao frowned at the thick pancake, wondering which step he had done wrong. He recalled the video showing the pancakes stacked together and rolled out into one large pancake. After steaming, they could be peeled apart into thin, translucent layers.

 

After some thought, Lu Yao realized he hadn’t brushed oil between the layers. Using only flour to separate the pancakes wasn’t enough, as the steam would make the flour sticky and cause the pancakes to clump together.

 

Understanding his mistake, he immediately made another batch of dough. This time, he brushed a thin layer of oil between the pancakes before steaming them for 15 minutes.

 

After letting them cool, he tried peeling them apart. While the pancakes did separate into layers this time, they tore easily. The dough wasn’t elastic enough.

 

This stumped Lu Yao. He tried several more times, but all ended in failure.

 

At dinner, Zhao Beichuan looked curiously at the tall stack of pancakes on the table. “Why did you make so many pancakes today?”

 

“Ugh, I can’t get the lotus leaf pancakes for the roasted duck right. These are all failed attempts.”

 

Zhao Beichuan chuckled. “If it doesn’t work, let it go. We can still make a name for ourselves with other dishes.”

 

“No way! We’ve already built the roasted duck oven; how can we give up so easily?” Lu Yao pouted as he bit into a pancake. “I’ll keep trying tomorrow. I refuse to believe I can’t get it right!”

 

–

 

In the blink of an eye, the year was coming to an end. Lu Yao began preparing New Year’s gifts. In Pingzhou, he would send out many gifts every year. This year, since he couldn’t return, he instructed Ma Kuan to handle it for him.

 

In the capital, they also needed to prepare some gifts. The wives he dined with last time all sent theirs. Of course, the gifts for Mrs. Lin and Mrs. Deng should be slightly more valuable, as they have been helpful to them, and they wouldn’t want to owe them favors.

 

When it comes to exchanging gifts among the wives and spouses within the capital’s inner circles, most of the items include accessories, ornaments, or fabrics. Lu Yao didn’t know much about these things, but spending large amounts of money could always guarantee good items.

 

After delivering gifts to each household, they received plenty of return gifts in return, which Lu Yao locked in the storeroom to be used when necessary.

 

Apart from this, Lu Yao also bought two capable male servants from the official market to help him with daily tasks. Bringing Lu Jia and Lu Bing along when visiting the various wives wasn’t very convenient.

 

The two new servants, one aged eighteen and the other sixteen, were originally slaves from official families. They were well-mannered, knew proper etiquette, and could handle themselves with grace, making them presentable in any situation.

 

Lu Yao didn’t change their names and kept calling them by their original ones: Chi Mo and Peng Yan. Their names sounded more like bookboys serving in a study.

 

At first, both of them were cautious and unsure about Lu Yao’s personality, afraid they might do something wrong and incur their master’s displeasure.

 

As slaves bound by death contracts, if they angered their master, they could be beaten to death without legal repercussions.

 

After some time adapting to the Zhao household, they realized that their master was genuinely kind-hearted, never mistreated the servants, and always spoke warmly and politely. It felt as though he was a young master raised with care in a prominent family.

 

However, their master’s husband was the exact opposite, with a rugged and imposing appearance and a fiery temper. Although he had never beaten or scolded them, a single glare from him was enough to terrify them.

 

“Your boss is pregnant, so make sure to serve him well. If anything happens to him, you’ll face the consequences!”

 

The two young servants were so frightened they immediately knelt and said, “We obey your orders.”

 

“Alright, you may both leave for now.” Lu Yao pulled Zhao Beichuan to sit down. “Is the shopwork done?”

 

“Hmm, the first floor is all tidied up. The lighting fixtures you instructed to install have also been placed. Do you have time this afternoon to go take a look?”

 

Lu Yao stood up and put on a cloak. “Sure, I’m feeling a bit bored anyway.”

 

Zhao Beichuan helped tie the strings and adjusted the front of his clothes. “The day after tomorrow is New Year’s. I wonder if Ma Kuan has arrived home, and how Xiaonian and Xiaochun are doing in Pingzhou.”

 

Lu Yao also felt a pang of longing. This was the first time in years that their family would be apart during New Year’s.

 

The children were growing up. In a few years, they’d have their own families and careers, and gatherings like these would become even rarer. It gave Lu Yao a sense of melancholy over his children growing up.

 

Seeing his reddened eyes, Zhao Beichuan quickly comforted him. “It’s alright. Mother and several brothers are there. Xiaonian and Xiaochun will be just like at home. Don’t worry too much.”

 

Lu Yao hadn’t expected himself to tear up. Perhaps it was due to the pregnancy—he felt his emotions becoming increasingly sensitive lately.

 

As the two walked into the courtyard, they happened to see Zhao Beidou and Lin Zijian entering side by side.

 

“Zijian is here.”

 

“Sister-in-law, Big Brother!” Having grown familiar with them, Lin Zijian greeted them cheerfully.

 

“Have you eaten lunch?”

 

“Yes, I just had lunch with Beidou outside.”

 

Zhao Beidou added, “Lu Yuan treated us to a meal at Yunxiang Tower, and we had a bit of wine.”

 

Hearing the name Yunxiang Tower, Lu Yao found it familiar but couldn’t recall where he’d heard it.

 

Still, knowing that the three of them weren’t the type to cause trouble, he advised, “You’re still young, so drink less when you go out. It’s not good for your health.”

 

Zhao Beidou nodded obediently. “Understood, Sister-in-law.”

 

The two young men went inside, while Lu Yao and Zhao Beichuan got on the carriage and headed out. As they approached Xifang, Lu Yao suddenly remembered hearing Mrs. Xiao mention Yunxiang Tower.

 

“Stop for a moment.”

 

Zhao Beichuan reined in the horse. “Whoa—what is it?”

 

“Let’s go to Yunxiang Tower first.”

 

“Alright.” Zhao Beichuan didn’t ask why and directly drove the carriage to the place after inquiring for directions.

 

Yunxiang Tower was also a restaurant. When they entered, the greeters at the door turned out to be two scantily clad women.

 

Zhao Beichuan frowned slightly but avoided the women’s flirtations and kept Lu Yao close to him.

 

In the main hall, there were female musicians playing songs and female dancers in revealing outfits. Around them were several scantily clad men with flushed faces moving back and forth, behaving wantonly.

 

Though these female performers were courtesans, it was clear that this was no proper establishment.

 

The couple rented a private room and ordered a few dishes. Once the waiter left, Zhao Beichuan said with a stern face, “Xiaodou has really outdone himself, daring to come to such a place!”

 

“Don’t be angry just yet. I feel like something’s not quite right.”

 

“What’s not right?”

 

Lu Yao then shared his concerns. “I’ve heard that many debauched young masters use Han Shi Powder here. That drug, euphemistically called Wu Shi Powder, is essentially an aphrodisiac. It makes the body hot and the skin sensitive. After the heat dissipates, it gives a euphoric sensation that is highly addictive. Most importantly, it causes severe damage to the body.”

 

Zhao Beichuan also realized something unusual.

 

“Could that Lu boy be trying to harm Xiaodou and Zijian?”

 

Lu Yao shook his head. “I hope I’m just overthinking it. At their age, they’re naturally curious about these things, and I’m afraid they might take the wrong path.”

 

“I’ll give him a proper talk when we get back!”

 

“No scolding or beating the kids.”

 

“Alright, I know.”

 

They didn’t stay in the place for long. After finishing their meal, they went to check on their shop.

 

The entire restaurant had been almost fully renovated, with carpenters and tilers taking the day off. Now only the signboard at the front was left to be done, which they’d address after the New Year.

 

The second and third floors were decorated according to the previous style and looked quite high-end—much better than the Changhe Ju they’d visited. Later, they could even charge higher prices for the dishes.

 

By the time they returned from the restaurant, it was getting late. As soon as Zhao Beichuan entered the courtyard, he went to find Zhao Beidou to give him a lecture.

 

However, Chi Mo said, “Young Master was just called out again by that Lu boy for a meal.”