7 Tender Fish Ball Soup

After settling Dong'er into bed, Wen Zhongxia and Xu Xiu conducted a quick inventory check. Despite their hurried departure, nothing had been lost, though a few portions of popcorn remained unsold.

"It doesn't matter; we'll eat them ourselves," Wen Zhongxia said, carefully wrapping each portion to keep them fresh.

As Xu Xiu helped, she hesitated for a long while before voicing her concerns: "Xia'er, perhaps we should stop doing this business?"

Wen Zhongxia paused, asking, "Because of what happened tonight?"

"If something like this happens once, it will happen again and again. We might not be so lucky every time," Xu Xiu sighed. She felt deep shame and indignation at the way that lecherous man had treated her sister-in-law as a barmaid. If malicious rumors were to spread, a young woman’s reputation would be ruined. "Father surely has relatives back in our hometown. If all else fails, we could go to them. Surely they would provide us with a meal for the sake of our shared lineage."

Xu Xiu had lived her life following her father and then her husband; the very concept of trade was foreign to her. It was no surprise that her first instinct when faced with adversity was to retreat.

Wen Zhongxia replied, "Sister-in-law, have you considered whether those uncles would even accept us? There is a saying: 'Do not visit relatives when you are poor; you will only be met with disdain.' Father is currently a man under indictment." She paused, then added, "Even if they did take us in, are we to live our lives at the mercy of others? That life is no easier than the one we have now."

Having lost her parents in her previous life, Wen Zhongxia had spent her entire adolescence drifting between various relatives' homes. She knew the bitterness of living under someone else's roof all too well.

"But I am worried. What if we run into someone like that again?"

"Even if we stop selling, we could still run into thieves or rogues on the street. Are we to never step outside again? This is under the feet of the Emperor; there aren't that many bad people. We’ll just be more careful next time." Wen Zhongxia winked, smiling. "Don't forget, I have that lethal kick of mine."

Xu Xiu recalled exactly where that kick had landed and felt a flush of embarrassment. She sighed helplessly, "You..." After a moment of thought, she said, "Fine, but let's not go out at night for a while, just to avoid running into that lecher again."

"As you wish. We'll revisit it in a few days."

Xu Xiu fell asleep in a state of unease. Wen Zhongxia, however, lay in bed thinking of the young man she had seen standing beside Young Master Feng at the entrance of the amusement quarter. At the time, he had seemed familiar, but now she realized it was none other than the original owner's treacherous ex-fiancé, Han Zeren.

What a small world. The original owner had met him at a Lantern Festival, but they had rarely seen each other since, and there was no deep affection between them. Still, being jilted by a man was a heavy blow to a woman in this era. Wen Zhongxia felt fortunate that the engagement had been broken; she could never accept a loveless marriage.

For the next two days, they only sold popcorn during the day. The income was indeed much lower, but it brought peace of mind. However, something else happened quickly: they gained competition.

Wen Zhongxia discovered two others selling popcorn on Madao Street, charging only three wen per portion. She had little Dong'er cover her face and buy a bag from one of them. Many of the kernels hadn't fully popped, and the flavor was bland; it was clear the syrup was mostly water. They were beginners, but practice makes perfect, and it was only a matter of time before they mastered the technique.

"How detestable," Xu Xiu said, both angry and worried. "What should we do?" Although the competitors' popcorn was far inferior, it was visibly impacting their sales. After all, when it came to a casual snack, who wouldn't choose the cheaper option?

"It's fine. I never intended to sell popcorn forever; it was just to build up some initial capital." Wen Zhongxia accidentally bit into a burnt kernel and quickly spat it out. *If you're going to be my competition, at least manage your quality control.*

"Xia'er, do you have an idea?"

"Sister-in-law, let's go check out Heng Street."

"Heng Street?" Xu Xiu was puzzled. "That's where the Imperial Academy is. Why go there?"

Wen Zhongxia smiled. "The Imperial Academy is exactly what I'm looking for."

Heng Street was just one street over from Madao Street. The Great Song Dynasty's highest institutions, the Directorate of Education and the Imperial Academy, were nearby. The Imperial Academy, which had originally been under the Directorate, had become independent due to the court's emphasis on education and the expansion of the student body. The Directorate primarily enrolled the children of officials with strict requirements, while the Imperial Academy accepted commoners and now had over two thousand students.

These were all potential customers.

***

Turning at the intersection onto Heng Street, they soon arrived at the Xiqing Courtyard, where the Imperial Academy was located. The Directorate of Education was a few minutes further, its facade noticeably more grand than that of the Academy. It was likely class time, as no students were visible at the gates.

Wen Zhongxia observed her surroundings. Heng Street was much quieter than Madao Street. Across from the Academy were several eateries and street stalls selling steamed buns, cakes, and even roasted sweet potatoes. The elderly vendor had placed the potatoes beneath the stove, where the falling wood ash slowly roasted them. It reminded her of her childhood in the countryside, where she had used a similar method, always ending up with ash all over her hands and face. The other stalls sold cheap calligraphy, paintings, and stationery.

Wen Zhongxia was increasingly satisfied. Snack stalls relied on location, and rather than fighting over the established commercial circle of Madao Street, it was better to develop this "blue ocean" at the school gate.

Soon, a succession of carriages pulled up to the gate of the Directorate of Education, and servants stepped out holding food boxes. It was nearing lunch hour, and wealthy families sent servants to deliver meals. There were carriages at the Imperial Academy, too, but fewer than at the Directorate.

Before long, a deep, resonant bell rang from within the courtyard, and a large number of students in uniform light-gray robes poured out. Some took food boxes from servants, while others walked out in groups. The vendors immediately perked up and began shouting their wares.

Seeing this, Wen Zhongxia began to hawk her popcorn as well—she still had half a bag left. However, for the hungry students, popcorn clearly lacked appeal. After she shouted for a while, two students, looking to be about fourteen or fifteen, walked over curiously.

"What is this popcorn?"

"Gentlemen, it is made from corn," Wen Zhongxia said, not bothering to hide it since others had already copied her. "Why don't you have a taste?"

A chubby student with a round face took a few pieces, his eyes lighting up. "Delicious! I'll take some. I'll have something to snack on while I study tonight so I won't get sleepy."

The other, a thin student, nodded. "I'll have a portion too."

"Coming right up!"

It seemed the students at the Imperial Academy were just as hardworking, needing to review late into the night. While packaging the snacks, Wen Zhongxia asked in a casual tone, "Are you heading off to lunch now?"

"Indeed."

"I heard there is a public canteen inside the Academy. Why come out to eat?"

"The canteen exists, and it is cheap, but it is not good," the round-faced student said, curling his lip in disdain. "To be precise, it is terrible. The day before yesterday, I ordered a bowl of mutton noodle soup, and the gamey smell was so bad it made me want to vomit. The taste lingered in my mouth for the next day."

"Exactly. And the menu is always the same; I'm sick of looking at it. I don't like it at all."

"See those carriages? Those with high-ranking or wealthy families have food delivered every meal. We are from out of town and don't have that luxury, so we come out to find a small shop to grab a bite."

"Sigh, I'm actually tired of these shops at the gate, too."

Perhaps because they were resentful of the canteen or perhaps because they found the young woman kind-faced, the two students spoke freely, complaining one after another. Wen Zhongxia listened intently, her smile deepening. The Great Song Dynasty valued education, and those who passed into the Imperial Academy received a monthly stipend. Unless a family was exceptionally poor, these students usually had money to spare. Since the canteen was unpalatable, they naturally chose to eat out.

For her, this was perfect timing and a perfect location.

As the lunch break ended, the students dispersed, and Wen Zhongxia still had nearly half a bag of popcorn left. This was to be expected; she only ever thought of popcorn when she was out shopping or watching a movie, not as an everyday snack. It was destined not to be a long-term business.

*If it doesn't sell, it doesn't sell,* she thought, keeping a calm mindset. They packed up and walked back to Madao Street.

On the way, she revealed her plan to Xu Xiu: "I intend to set up a food stall at the entrance of the Imperial Academy. Firstly, there are many students, and secondly, they are scholars; the odds of running into ruffians are likely lower than at the amusement quarter."

Xu Xiu agreed wholeheartedly with the latter point. "It's just that the popcorn doesn't seem to sell very well."

"We won't sell popcorn, but we need to observe for a couple more days to decide what to sell," Wen Zhongxia said. "We need to look at their class times, their preferences, their budget, and so on."

Xu Xiu looked at her. "Xia'er, you know so much. You're like a real businesswoman." When Wen Zhongxia spoke of food and trade, she was articulate and confident, radiating a sense of certainty.

"Not at all, I'm just talking on paper," Wen Zhongxia waved it off, narrowly avoiding an slip-up.

"I like the Imperial Academy, too," Wen Mengdong chimed in, craning his neck and speaking in his small, milky voice. "When I grow up, I want to pass the exams and study there."

Xu Xiu was gratified. "Our Dong'er has ambition; you will surely succeed."

Wen Zhongxia stroked the back of his head, eyes smiling. "It looks like our family will produce a top scholar one day."

Wen Mengdong suddenly froze. *What? A top scholar... that... that is a bit too ambitious!*

Returning to Madao Street, it took them another hour to finally clear out the remaining popcorn. The sun was about to sink below the horizon, and the dim, golden twilight still lingered on the world. As they bought some vegetables and eggs at a stall and walked home, they saw an old man with gray hair selling fish by the roadside.

Two grass carp, weighing about three or four pounds, lay in a wooden tub, their tails flapping listlessly. The old man explained he had caught them in the Bian River outside the city to supplement his income. Six wen for the large one, five for the smaller one, or ten for both.

"This fish is very fishy and has many bones; it's not tasty," Xu Xiu advised.

"Sister-in-law, whether it's tasty or not depends on how it's cooked," Wen Zhongxia said, paying the money readily. "I'll take them both."

The old man hurriedly threaded a straw rope through the fish gills and handed them over. Wen Zhongxia wanted to make fish ball soup. She cut off the fish heads to keep for broth, filleted the meat along the spine, and removed the large bones. The smaller ones didn't matter; they would be minced into a paste with the meat. To make the fish balls more elastic, she added a bit of white pork fat.

Once minced, it was simple: add scallion and ginger water in stages, stirring in one direction until it became a gelatinous paste.

Xu Xiu sighed, "My dear, eating fish is such a hassle." If it were up to her, she’d just clean it, toss it in the pot, and be done.

Wen Zhongxia laughed. "To someone who loves to eat, it's not a hassle." She had even attempted the famous "Eggplant Morsels" from *Dream of the Red Chamber*, not to mention Wensi tofu or Buddha Jumps Over the Wall—as a former food blogger, she couldn't settle for anything less.

The fish head broth in the pot had turned a creamy, milky white. Wen Zhongxia grabbed the sticky fish paste, squeezed it through the gap between her thumb and index finger to form balls, and scooped them into the soup. The plump, white fish balls rose and fell in the boiling liquid, looking quite lovely. Wen Zhongxia washed some green vegetables and tossed them in for a few seconds before serving. The greens were there for one reason: the contrast of white and green made it look beautiful.

Wen Mengdong had been craving it for a while, but his hands weren't dexterous enough; the fish balls were too slippery, and he couldn't pick them up with his chopsticks. Wen Zhongxia nearly doubled over laughing and told him to use a spoon. After finally getting one into his mouth, he widened his eyes. "Elder sister, it bounces on my teeth!"

Of course it did—she had stirred it for ages.

"It's so chewy, and there's not a hint of fishiness." The fish balls were smooth and springy, retaining the freshness of the fish without the worry of bones. The soup was incredibly savory. For the first time, Xu Xiu could appreciate the wonderful taste of fish.

"Xia'er, I've made fish soup before, but it always turned out grayish. How did you get it so white? Teach me your secret."

"There's no secret," Wen Zhongxia said, swallowing a fish ball. "Just remember that after you brown the fish, you must add boiling water, not cold water. If you simmer it slowly, the soup will turn milky white."

Xu Xiu let out a long "Oh," realizing the truth, and silently apologized to all the fish she had ruined in the past. It wasn't that the fish were bad—it was just her lack of skill.