Chapter 1

“One tael of silver? There’ll still be some left after getting to Qingzhou.” Chunsheng the boatman asked with a laugh, “Madam, are you going to Qingzhou?”

I nodded.

The boatman looked at me, a little suspicious.

I was dressed in plain household clothes, without a single piece of luggage.

Even the basket I carried on my arm only held three Knife Fish I had just bought from him.

“Madam, are you going home to pack your things? Or waiting for your family to come with you?”

I thought for a moment, then smiled and shook my head:

“No, just me.”

Although Chunsheng found it strange, he didn’t ask further once he had the silver.

The boat set off. The river was shrouded in mist, like the paintings hanging in Meng Heshu’s study.

Chunsheng said it would take two days on the water to reach Qingzhou.

I weighed the half string of coins in my pocket and touched the Bean Jade Hairpin at my bun, only then realizing that I might have been a bit rash.

This morning, Meng Heshu had told me he wanted to eat my Double-Skinned Knife Fish.

When I left home, my son Meng Bai (Baier) had repeatedly reminded me:

“Fairy said last night she wanted to eat fish. Mother, you have to buy four: one for Father, one for Fairy, one for Baier, and one for you.”

Honestly, it’s all Chunsheng’s fault-why were there only three fish left?

With four people, I didn’t know how to divide them, so I was troubled enough to want to run away.

As I was thinking about this, I felt hungry.

I hadn’t brought any food, so I spent fifteen coins to borrow a small stove from the boat’s cook and bought a small piece of tofu.

I wanted to be a bit frugal with my spending.

But without tofu, the fish would be too pitiful.

I gutted and scaled the fish, fried them until slightly golden, then added boiling water.

A pot of milky white, fragrant soup bubbled quietly on the stove.

It drew the passengers outside to sniff and look over constantly:

“Hmm? What a fragrant soup.”

Tofu boiled a thousand times, knife fish boiled ten thousand-the more it boils, the fresher the taste.

When I picked up the third piece of tofu, Chunsheng couldn’t help swallowing:

“Madam, such skillful hands you have! How is this soup as white as milk?”

I gave him a bowl. Chunsheng was overjoyed.

I watched him wipe the bowl clean with his flatbread; the bowl was so clean it seemed it didn’t even need to be washed. I felt a bit proud:

“It’s a pity there’s no Coriander. Otherwise, it would be even fresher.”

After Chunsheng had the soup, he became more friendly with me.

I learned his name was Chunsheng, and he learned my surname was Qiao.

“Madam, did you quarrel with your husband and leave in a huff to go back to your parents’ home?”

No, Meng Heshu is gentle by nature.

We’ve been married for seven years and never quarreled; in others’ eyes, we are considered affectionate.

“…It’s not a quarrel, it’s a separation.”

Chunsheng couldn’t help his curiosity:

“Why did you separate? Was it for money or for someone?”

I was stumped.

Why, indeed?

It seemed it wasn’t for money or for a person.

Was it for the umbrella Meng Heshu held for her half a month ago?

For the plain silver hairpin Baier gave her last night?

Or for today’s three Knife Fish that put me in a dilemma?

It didn’t seem to be any of these.

Oh, I remembered.

“Because of a bowl of noodles.” I held the fish soup in my hands and nodded with certainty. “That bowl of noodles was salty. It made me feel this life was meaningless.”

“Just because of a bowl of noodles?”

Yes, just because of a bowl of Longevity Noodles.