Chapter 5 (2/2)

Very soon, the woman put down a box of bayberries in front of Lin ShuYi, not until then did his mood become a bit better.

Shen Fu furrowed his brows and laughed, what a funny little thing. His expressions were written on his face and he was so much fun to tease. “I’m sorry, I really didn’t mean to. Let me compensate you with this box of bayberries.”

Lin ShuYi squinted his eyes and answered in a deadpan manner, “Then I won’t excuse myself.”

Shen Fu chuckled out loud.

When old man Yang turned around, he saw Lin ShuYi was standing beside a stranger. The man was putting his hand in his pocket. Old man Yang didn’t know what he was talking about with Lin ShuYi, but when he saw the bayberries were scattered all over the ground, he became startled and thought something had happened, so he rushed over, “What happened?”

Lin ShuYi picked up the box of bayberries on the ground and stood straight up, “Nothing, he just knocked my bayberries all over the ground. This box is his compensation. Grandpa, let’s go.”

Old man Yang looked at him with suspicion in his eyes. The man gave him a smile, “I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright.” Old man Yang hurriedly waved his hand, and then left with Lin ShuYi.

Both of them soon left with this incident in the back of their minds. By the time they got back home, it was already evening and the sun was about to set. Lin ShuYi poured the bayberries inside a pot, soaked them in salt water for a while and then took them out to dry. All that left was to sun dry them the next day.

He had never made dried bayberries before, but back then he had done some preserved fruits, so there was probably not that much difference.

The next day was a sunny day. After a day of drying outside, at night, Lin ShuYi brought them in to steam for a little bit inside the steamer. During which he added some sugar so that once the sugar dissolved, it would seep into the bayberries and enhance the sweet and sour taste. These were tricks that Song Yan had taught him.

On the third day, he continued drying the steamed bayberries under the sun, so that they could be preserved for a little longer. The dried bayberries were very tasty, the sweet and sour flavor was delightful.

Lin ShuYi took some of his homemade dried bayberries to XiQin restaurant, it was like last time with dongpo meat, it was unanimously praised by everyone.

“Xiao Yi ah, how come you can do anything when you are so young?” The woman threw a dried bayberry into her mouth, and then continued, “You should see my little spoilt child ah, he is as big as you and yet he can’t do a single thing. He can not even eat on his own. If only he was as sensible as you.”

Old man Yang beamed and backed up her words, “That’s right. Our Xiao Yi is very sensible.”

The woman was a real chatterbox, she couldn’t control her mouth, “That’s right, Old man Yang, this grandson you picked up is such a good child, much better than your own grandchildren.”

Old man Yang was stupefied, he then reached out to pat Lin ShuYi’s head, “Yeah.”

Lin ShuYi frowned at the woman and thought that she must have touched on old man Yang’s sour spot.

Old man Yang didn’t care much. When the last guest had left, old man Yang called Lin ShuYi over.

“Xiao Yi ah, do you like cooking?”

Lin ShuYi nodded, but he didn’t know why old man Yang would ask him this.

Old man Yang pondered for a while, “In the future, grandpa will leave this restaurant to you.”

Lin ShuYi widened his eyes, “Grandpa, are you going somewhere?”

“No, it’s just that this restaurant, except you, no one would want it.”