Chapter One Hundred and One: Pearl Milk Tea

So, big brother, in this lifetime, you must never let yourself get mixed up with gambling,” Lin Sangqian said with grave earnestness.

Lin Wenyan hurriedly waved his hands. “Don’t worry. I’m not interested in that at all.”

“Good. Then let’s go home first.”

“Mm.”

...

After the two of them returned home, they learned that Zhao Xuwei had come again with more men.

Today he had brought two extra people, but his luck had been terribly bad: he had arrived when Lin Hongda was at home.

As a result, all of them were thoroughly thrashed by Lin Hongda. Zhao Xuwei, furious, even shouted as he left that he was going to report the matter to the authorities.

“Report it to the authorities?” Lin Sangqian sneered. “He certainly dares to dream.”

“Where did you go? Why are you back so late?” Liao Shuxia asked. “I left dinner warming in the pot for you.”

“I’ll heat it up for you,” said Zhao Langer, rising at once to go into the kitchen.

Watching her figure disappear inside, Lin Sangqian briefly told Lin Hongda and Liao Shuxia about what had happened that day.

“So you want to start with that Yu Chun?” Lin Hongda asked.

“That’s right,” Lin Sangqian said. “He doesn’t look very bright.”

Liao Shuxia sighed. “I only hope those murderers are brought to justice soon. That child, Langer, is truly too pitiful.”

“It won’t be long now,” Lin Sangqian said with a smile. “Of course, that’s only if everything goes smoothly.”

Suddenly, Liao Shuxia reached out and rubbed Lin Wenyan’s head with a sly grin. “Come to think of it, our eldest is already fifteen. Isn’t it about time we start looking for him a wife?”

In ancient times, people married young; at fifteen, a boy was indeed old enough to be betrothed.

“Mother!” Lin Wenyan’s face flushed crimson at once.

“Oh, let me think... Right now, it seems there’s already one rather suitable candidate.”

The moment she said that, Lin Wenyan’s face turned even redder. Clearly, he knew exactly whom his mother meant.

“Mother, don’t talk nonsense! I, we...”

“Foolish boy, don’t rush to blush just yet. We don’t even know whether the young lady is willing.” Lin Hongda laughed.

They were modern people, after all, and did not follow the old custom of parental orders and matchmakers.

What mattered was mutual affection.

Lin Sangqian stood nearby, drinking water and smiling to herself.

If Zhao Langer really became her sister-in-law, she would support it with all her heart.

After all, she and Zhao Langer got along so well that they would surely never have any conflict in the future, and then her elder brother and sister-in-law could dote on her together.

Mm, just thinking about it made her happy.

...

Early the next morning, Lin Sangqian rose with the dawn and went with Lin Wenyan to the dairy shop in town to buy two large jars of milk.

Indeed, she had already discovered that fresh milk was actually sold in this place as well—cow’s milk, in other words.

Not far outside town, there was a dairy farm.

Milk was not cheap, but it was not prohibitively expensive either. Ordinary households could afford to drink it once in a while.

That was also why she had been planning to open a milk tea shop.

After returning home, she prepared to make the tapioca pearls first.

She poured water into a pot, added brown sugar, and brought it to a boil until the sugar dissolved completely.

Then she added tapioca starch to the brown-sugar syrup, stirring until it formed a shaggy mass. After kneading it into a dough, she rolled it into little balls, then boiled the balls in the brown-sugar syrup until cooked through.

Once they were done, she steamed them for about five minutes, and the pearls for the milk tea were ready.

“Sangqian, what is this?” Zhao Langer had been helping beside her all along. Now, looking at the little spheres one by one, she widened her eyes in curiosity. “Is it something to eat?”

“That’s right. They’re called pearls. Try one.”

Zhao Langer picked one up and put it in her mouth, then exclaimed in surprise, “It’s delicious! Sweet, and the texture is like nothing I’ve ever tasted before! Sangqian, are you going to sell these in your market stall?”

“Yes, but not by themselves.” Lin Sangqian said mysteriously. “Wait a little longer, and you’ll see.”

As for tea, Lin Sangqian had prepared black tea, green tea, and oolong tea.

She started with black tea leaves, boiling them once, then simmering over low heat for a short while before turning off the fire and letting them steep so the fragrance could fully emerge.

Then she added milk to the brewed tea, stirred it evenly, and brought it to a gentle boil over low heat so the milk and tea could blend completely.

When it was done, she poured it out, fished out the tea leaves, added the freshly made pearls, and the milk tea was finished.

“What a lovely smell,” Zhao Langer said involuntarily. “This is a little like the peach oolong you made before, but also not quite the same.”

“This is called milk tea,” Lin Sangqian said. “Langer, do you like it sweeter or less sweet?”

“Sweeter.”

Lin Sangqian poured a cup of milk tea, added a spoonful of sugar, stirred it evenly, and handed it to Zhao Langer. “Try it.”

Zhao Langer took it, and Lin Sangqian reminded her, “It’s still a little hot. Blow on it before you drink.”

After blowing on it a few times, Zhao Langer eagerly took a sip.

“It’s delicious, unbelievably delicious!” she praised endlessly. “I’ve drunk milk before, and I’ve drunk tea before, but I never imagined that combining the two could be so wonderful! And these pearls are even more delicious than I expected—they make it perfect!”

“Hehe.” Lin Sangqian laughed with delight. “Looks like the milk tea shop has hope after all. In summer we’ll make it iced, and in winter we’ll make it hot. It’ll definitely be a huge hit!”

The fame of their fried chicken place would grow even greater.

As she spoke, she sighed again. “It’s a pity our conditions are limited. We can’t make straws.”

“A straw? What’s that?” Zhao Langer asked curiously as she drank.

“Nothing.”

“Sangqian, I’ve realized you know so many strange things,” Zhao Langer said. “You’re clearly a few years younger than me, too. You’re amazing.”

“It’s all right, really. I’m only ordinarily amazing.” Lin Sangqian said shamelessly.

After a while, Aunt Niu and the others arrived.

Lin Sangqian served each of them a cup of milk tea, and everyone praised it to the skies. Aunt Niu especially loved the pearls inside and even asked Lin Sangqian for an extra bowl of them.

“Actually, there are many other ways to make milk tea. It can be mixed with all kinds of tea leaves and fruits. If I have time these next couple of days, I’ll make a few more varieties for all of you to try,” Lin Sangqian said.

The others could not help cheering. Indeed, working for Miss Lin was a blessing they had earned through countless lifetimes.

After delivering the chicken feet, Lin Sangqian went to the fried chicken shop again. The shopkeeper Wang next door was already moving things around.

The fried chicken shop opened, and Lin Sangqian stayed busy as usual.

Lin Wenyan was also busy in the back kitchen, cutting watermelon and pressing out watermelon juice.

After a while, a customer stood in front of her.

“One chicken leg.”

“Very well, please wait a moment.”

Lin Sangqian had been looking down, but the voice sounded somewhat familiar, so she raised her head to glance at the speaker.

The moment she saw who it was, her eyes widened slightly.