With the power out, they could only work by hand. Lin Yuezhen led the other two in preparing the ingredients for sachima.

After seeing a group of customers out of the shop, Lin Lan took out her small notebook to write down the recipe for honey buns, planning to bake some to sell.

Salt, honey, flour, butter... Lin Lan jotted down the ingredients, then asked Qiaohui to come out and watch the shop while she returned to the back kitchen to start mixing.

She mixed the prepared ingredients, slowly adding warm water and kneading the mixture into a smooth ball. She then flattened the dough and divided it into equal portions. Taking one portion, she used a rolling pin to shape it into an oval.

She rolled it up from top to bottom into a long roll, cut the roll in half, dipped the bottom of each piece in white sesame seeds, and placed them on a baking sheet that had been thickly greased with butter. Then, she set them aside to rise a second time.

’It’s gotten colder since the twelfth lunar month began,’ Lin Lan thought. ’It’s more comfortable working in the kitchen than sitting in the shop.’

She took out a few bamboo cups, went back to the breakroom, and grabbed some bamboo pith from a small jar on the desk. Peeking her head into the kitchen, she asked the two women, "Do you want some bamboo pith tea?"

Without looking up, Lin Yuezhen nodded, her focus entirely on using a large strainer to fish the golden noodles out of a big pot.

Tong Xinglan, who was pressing the molds, shook her head. "I don’t like it. I’d rather have honey water."

Lin Lan nodded. "Okay, wait a moment, I’ll make you some."

She took out the bamboo cups, steeped three cups of bamboo pith tea, and mixed a cup of honey water for Tong Xinglan. She said to them, "It’s dry in the kitchen. Drink plenty of water."

Tong Xinglan picked up her cup, blew on it to cool it down, and took a sip. "So sweet."

Seeing her cheerful expression, Lin Lan smiled. "A little sweetness puts you in a good mood."

Lin Lan carried a cup of bamboo pith tea out to Qiaohui. "Have some bamboo pith tea. It’ll cool you down."

Qiaohui took the cup and looked at Lin Lan. "Cousin, Vegetable Market Street gets quiet in the afternoon, but there are more shoppers over by the department store. We should open a pastry shop over there."

Lin Lan gave her an approving look. "Not bad. You’ve only been here two days and you’ve already noticed that."

Qiaohui’s eyes sparkled as she looked at Lin Lan. "Cousin, I’m right, aren’t I?"

Lin Lan looked at her. "You are. The shop next to the department store is already renovated. We just don’t have enough staff right now. We’ll open it once we’ve hired more people."

Qiaohui nodded. "Your husband has been gone for a few days now. He should be back soon, right?"

Lin Lan did a quick calculation. "It should still be a few more days. I’m going over there to do inventory this afternoon. If it gets quiet, we’ll close up early."

She was worried it would get cold and start snowing. If the snow on the mountains got too thick, Li Xiangyang and his men might get stranded. It would be a huge problem if they ran out of food and warm clothes.

****

Li Xiangyang and his group had already set out with their cargo. Duan Hongjun was driving, Li Xiangyang sat by the window, and Liu Biao and Li Bing were squeezed together in the back, fast asleep.

It had just rained, and the truck was now on an extremely muddy stretch of country road. Farmers occasionally led their livestock across the road, and the truck swayed and lurched, its speed slowing to a crawl.

Fortunately, they made it through without incident, arriving in a small county town just as dusk fell.

On the way into town, people occasionally waved, inviting them to stay at their lodgings. Duan Hongjun just waved them off and kept driving.

Li Bing and Liu Biao were well-rested and surprisingly energetic. Cranking their necks, they crunched loudly on some crackers. Liu Biao said, "Let’s go to that guesthouse we always stay at. You guys get some rest; Li Bing and I will keep watch tonight. We’ll hit the road early tomorrow."

Staring at the road ahead, Duan Hongjun replied without turning, "Alright. Have them cook up a few good dishes. We’ll have a proper meal."

In front of one inn stood several women holding red gauze scarves, swaying their hips and waving incessantly.

Li Bing cracked a dirty joke, and all four men burst out laughing.

Just as they were talking, the truck arrived at the guesthouse. The owner rushed out and eagerly guided the truck into the courtyard.

Duan Hongjun said to the slightly heavyset, middle-aged man, "Brother Lu, cook us up a few good dishes and a pot of hot soup."

With cargo in the truck, the men never drank.

This was a small guesthouse in the county town. The manager was a veteran from Sichuan Province who had been transferred here after his service. Duan Hongjun’s group had gotten to know him well on their cargo runs, and now they made a point of stopping here for the night after a couple of days on the road.

"You got it!" Manager Lu replied crisply and hurried toward the main hall.

The men parked the truck, got out to give it a quick inspection, and then went straight into the main hall, sitting at a small square table by the window.

Boss Lu brought over a plate of peanuts and poured a few cups of tea. "It’ll just be a moment."

Duan Hongjun nodded. "Make it spicy."

"Got it," Boss Lu replied with a smile.

Li Xiangyang took a sip of tea and slowly ate the peanuts, picking them up one by one.

At a large table deeper in the hall, five travel-worn men were drinking and bragging loudly.

A big-bearded man said, "I’m telling you, you should’ve stayed at that little inn next door with us. You two just had to stay here. Let me tell you, I always stay there when I’m passing through. The girls inside... waists so tender you could just about squeeze water out of ’em! HAHAHAHA..."

Another man looked at a guy in an army-green coat. "Boss, the truck’s parked here. Should we head over there later?"

The man in green shook his head without hesitation. "No. If something happens to the cargo, we’re in deep trouble."

The bearded man clapped him on the shoulder, grinning. "A man shouldn’t go around saying he can’t perform..."

The man in the army-green coat said seriously, "There’s nothing wrong with being cautious. Last time, someone on the road fell for a honey trap. They lost the truck and the cargo."

Hearing this, Duan Hongjun and Liu Biao exchanged a look. This was exactly why they never stayed at small inns when they were on the road.

Old Lu came over carrying an earthenware pot, followed by two servers who placed the rest of the dishes on the table.

The sour aroma of pickled vegetables, the fragrance of garlic sprouts, the scent of spices from the braised pig’s trotters, the bright green garlic spinach... A wave of delicious smells washed over them, and the men couldn’t help but swallow.

Duan Hongjun laughed heartily. "After two days of dry rations, this is what I call real food! Thanks, Brother Lu."

Old Lu said with a smile, "I figured you’d be back in the next day or two, so I bought a big silver carp and kept it fresh. I made the pickled vegetable fish myself, and I also made some twice-cooked pork..."

"Manager! We asked you for some good dishes and you said you had none. Are you looking down on us or what?" the bearded man shouted, slamming his hand on the table.

Manager Lu gave them a faint smile. "That’s not what I meant at all! These brothers are from my hometown. The fish, the twice-cooked pork, the braised pig’s trotters—I paid for all of it out of my own pocket and had it prepared specially for them."

Duan Hongjun smiled at the man and said, "Meeting is a kind of fate. Brothers, you’re welcome to come and eat with us."

The man in the army-green coat stood up and cupped his fists. "Brother, my apologies. My friend here has had too much to drink."

Duan Hongjun returned the gesture. "It’s nothing, it’s nothing."

Li Bing tried to pull Old Lu down to sit and eat with them, but Old Lu just smiled and shook his head. "I just ate not long ago. You all take your time."

Duan Hongjun pulled a watch from his pocket and handed it to him. "Brother Lu, I got that watch for you."

Old Lu accepted it gratefully. "Thanks so much. You all enjoy your meal. I’ll go have someone get your rooms ready."

Duan Hongjun smiled and nodded. "Thanks for the trouble."

Old Lu waved his hand and left, still beaming.

Li Xiangyang and the others picked up their chopsticks and began to eat heartily.