bioinnovel Chapter 133 Osmanthus Cake!
Chapter 133 Osmanthus Cake!
"Here?"
Zhang Yan raised an eyebrow. "The boat is rocking so much."
"What, it's not allowed?"
Nie Qingcheng looked at him defiantly, "Who was it at the inn just now who boasted that they were proficient in all the arts, including music, chess, calligraphy, and painting?"
A man cannot say no.
Especially when his wife is looking at him like that.
Zhang Yan chuckled and closed the folding fan in his hand.
"OK."
He didn't use that sheet of Xuan paper.
Instead, he picked up the blank folding fan and spread it out on the table.
That familiar feeling welled up in my heart again.
The brush in his hand seemed to become an extension of his body; the ink's density, the thickness of the lines, and even the swaying of the boat were all under his control.
Zhang Yan picked up his brush and dipped it in ink.
Without any pause, the pen tip landed on the fan surface, flowing like clouds and water.
He didn't paint in the meticulous realism style, but instead used the freehand style.
With a few strokes, the silhouette of a lady holding an umbrella and standing at the bow of a boat leaps off the paper.
That's Nie Qingcheng.
Although only a few strokes were used, and even the facial features were not detailed, the unique charm of languor, allure, and a touch of aloofness was captured with unparalleled precision.
Then, the writing style shifted.
The ink spread out, transforming into the misty rain of Jiangnan, into the distant stone bridge, and into the flowing water beneath it.
"good!"
The old man at the stern couldn't help but cheer.
He had been rowing boats for decades and had seen countless tourists trying to appear cultured, but this was the first time he had ever seen someone paint so skillfully and steadily on a rocking boat.
Although the tourists on the bridge couldn't see the details clearly, they couldn't help but exclaim in amazement at Zhang Yan's effortless movements.
"alright."
Zhang Yan put down his brush and gently blew the ink dry.
He picked up the folding fan and handed it to Nie Qingcheng.
On the fan, two lines of cursive script were inscribed:
"I searched for him a thousand times in the crowd, but suddenly when I turned around, I found him where the lights were dim."
The handwriting is vigorous and powerful, exuding a sense of arrogance, which contrasts sharply with the gentleness of the picture, yet they are strangely harmonious.
Nie Qingcheng took the fan, looked at herself in the painting, then at Zhang Yan in front of her, and her eyes turned slightly red.
She has seen countless paintings and calligraphy by famous artists, and her collection of antiques fills several warehouses.
But at this moment, she felt that this ordinary paper fan was more precious than anything else.
"A gift for me?"
Her voice was a little soft.
"Um."
Zhang Yan poured himself another cup of tea. "Keep this as a token of our love safe. If we ever go bankrupt, this fan can be used to buy us a meal."
"Pah, you jinx."
Nie Qingcheng carefully put the fan away, as if it were some rare treasure, then leaned over and gave Zhang Yan a big kiss on the cheek.
"This is the fee for your writing."
……
By the time the boat docked, the rain had completely stopped.
The two disembarked amidst the lingering gazes of the tourists.
Nie Qingcheng was in a great mood. She took Zhang Yan's arm and, not minding the inconvenience of walking in her dress, strolled enthusiastically through the cobblestone alley.
"Zhang Yan, I'm hungry."
After strolling around for a while, Nie Qingcheng rubbed her stomach.
I was so busy taking pictures and flirting on the boat that I didn't eat much breakfast.
"What would you like to eat?"
Zhang Yan asked.
"I want something sweet."
Nie Qingcheng pointed ahead, "I smelled it just now, the osmanthus fragrance is wonderful."
Following the direction she pointed, there was a secluded alley.
Deep in the alley, hangs an old sign with black background and gold lettering: "Su's Pastry".
The gold paint on the signboard had peeled off quite a bit, making it look quite old, but the rich aroma of osmanthus and steaming glutinous rice definitely wafted from there.
"You have a pretty good nose."
Zhang Yan smiled and said, "Let's go take a look."
The two walked to the store entrance.
However, the store was half-closed, and unlike other popular online stores, there were no long queues. Instead, it seemed rather deserted.
Through the crack in the door, you can see that the shop is simply furnished, with several glass counters that are clean and tidy, displaying traditional snacks such as Ding Sheng Gao (a type of rice cake), Osmanthus Tiao Tou Gao (a type of rice cake), and Qing Tuan (a type of glutinous rice dumpling).
But something felt off.
An elderly man with gray hair, dressed in a white chef's uniform, was sitting on a long bench behind the counter, holding a wooden mold in his hand, wiping away tears.
A middle-aged man was standing nearby, impatiently grumbling about something.
"Dad, stop arguing! How much money can this shabby shop make in a day?"
"Those trendy online stores use semi-finished products, which have low costs and high profits. You insist on sticking to some traditional handmade methods, working yourself to death and still losing money!"
"Listen to me, let's sell this shop. That bubble tea shop is willing to pay a high price for it, wouldn't it be better for us to collect the rent?"
The old man didn't speak, but just gripped the mold tightly in his hand, his calloused hands trembling slightly.
"I don't want to trade..."
The old man's voice was hoarse, tinged with tears, "This is a craft passed down for five generations in the Su family... it can't be lost in my hands..."
"Craftsmanship? Can craftsmanship put food on the table?"
The middle-aged man's voice rose several octaves, "Who eats this kind of outdated stuff these days? It's hard and dry, has no preservatives, and will spoil in two days!"
"We have to adapt to the times! Times have changed!"
Zhang Yan stood at the door, his brows furrowed slightly.
He glanced at Nie Qingcheng beside him.
Nie Qingcheng also dropped her playful smile, her expression becoming somewhat complicated.
As a businesswoman, she knew perfectly well that the middle-aged man was right.
Survival of the fittest is the law of the market.
But as...
"Zhang Yan".
Nie Qingcheng tugged at his sleeve and said in a low voice, "I want to eat his family's pastries."
"It's not just because of the fragrance."
She looked at the old man wiping away tears, as if she remembered something, "When I was little, my grandfather often bought me these kinds of pastries wrapped in oil paper."
"That flavor, modern machines can't replicate."
Zhang Yan patted the back of her hand to reassure her.
Then, he reached out and pushed open the half-closed wooden door.
"Boss, are you in business?"
A clear voice interrupted the argument in the store.
The middle-aged man paused for a moment, then turned to see the two people dressed in ancient costumes with extraordinary bearing. He subconsciously swallowed back the words he was about to say.
The old man hurriedly wiped away his tears, stood up, and awkwardly wiped his hands on his apron.
"Did...did."
The old man forced a smile. "What would you two like to eat? The osmanthus cake is fresh out of the oven and still warm."
Zhang Yan didn't rush to order.
He walked to the counter and glanced at the neatly arranged pastries.
[Ding! Related skill area detected.]
[God-level Dessert Mastery (Activated)]
[Analyzing the target item...]
Zhang Yan's nose twitched slightly.
The osmanthus fragrance is very pure; it uses last year's aged flowers, which have lost their harshness and become more mellow.
The glutinous rice flour is also water-milled, so its fineness is not an issue.
but……