Synopsis
The moment Li Jiu opened her eyes, she found herself in Chang'an.
An age of peace and prosperity, right at the emperor's doorstep, with city residency in the capital secured. At first glance, it seemed like a blessing, but a closer look revealed that things had gone catastrophically wrong from the start.
Her original body's father came from a poor family and had worked his way up to become the prefect of the capital, only to die from overwork in office, leaving her with two young siblings.
People are quick to forget the dead. Her fiance promptly latched onto a more influential family and broke off their engagement.
The whole city lamented: How could a helpless young woman, saddled with two dependents, possibly survive in Chang'an, where people spent money like water?
Li Jiu, who had run a teahouse in her previous life: Then I'll go back to my old trade.
She set up a stall, opened a shop, and went from tea eggs, sour plum drink, and perilla tea to cola, bubble tea, and fruit bowls with taro balls. The Li Family Teahouse carved its way through Chang'an's foodie scene.
Customers praised her drinks, and said the snacks served with tea were even more extraordinary.
Li Jiu smiled without a word: Thank you, modern civilization.
Her business kept growing. She moved to a three-courtyard residence and opened a two-story teahouse.
Leaning by the window, she looked down at the lively Nuo dance in the western market. A young man danced bare-chested, broad-shouldered and narrow-waisted, beads of sweat rolling down his spine.
Li Jiu was perfectly content: With delicious food in hand and handsome men before my eyes, I wouldn't trade this life even for a visit from the immortals!
Her ex-fiance came back to try to win her over, but before he could finish speaking, the Marquis of Wu'an, rumored to be savage and cold-hearted, hurled a spear at him and said in a frigid voice, "Get lost! She's the future mistress of the marquis's estate."
Xie Xingjian was notorious for his brutality, a famous "living King of Hell" in the army whom everyone avoided.
After returning to the capital with a title bestowed for his military achievements, his gaze often fell on the snow-skinned, jade-featured proprietress of the Li Family Teahouse.
Once a noblewoman from an illustrious family, she now sold drinks from behind a counter. She was all smiles, but her eyes no longer held him.
Watching her gaze longingly at the young men dancing Nuo in the western market, looking as though she wanted to reach out and grab a handful, Xie Xingjian ground his back teeth together.
Back in Tanzhou, who was it that stared at his abs without blinking, then stuffed the biggest pouch of reward money into his arms?
Now she'd forgotten him completely!
Xie Xingjian quietly undid his collar.
It didn't matter if she had forgotten. He had plenty of ways to make her remember.
[Reader's Note]
1. The setting is a partly fictionalized Tang Dynasty. The author has made up a lot of details, so please don't nitpick.
2. Food and business, with a gentle slice-of-life pace and a romance plot.
[Coming Soon] The Abandoned Wife's Little Apothecary
Gentle, wife-like older sister × clingy younger brother with high needs
Lin Hanzhang transmigrated. The moment she opened her eyes, she found herself in the middle of a full-blown rivalry between women.
Her husband held a pitiful white lotus in his arms and said righteously, "Yinniang is carrying my child. She only asks for the position of secondary wife. Why must you be so jealous and refuse to accept her?"
Her hypocritical, cold-blooded father-in-law declared solemnly, "Providing heirs for your husband's family is the duty of the principal wife. When the child is born, you'll still be its legal mother. No one can take your place."
Her sweet-tongued, poisonous-hearted mother-in-law scolded her harshly: "You've been married for three years without a child. Now that the marquis's family has finally been blessed with an heir, how dare you turn the baby away?"
The white lotus sniffled, tears running down her face. "Sister, I'm not here to break up this family. I'm here to join it."
The original owner died of anger, unable to catch her breath.
Lin Hanzhang: ...I've had enough. No more putting up with this. Whoever wants to stay in this pit of fire can have it!
She packed her bags, took the money, got a divorce, and left, all in one go.
To make a living, she cleaned up the apothecary in her dowry, which had been losing money year after year, and reopened it.
Not long after the shop opened, Lin Hanzhang found an unconscious old woman at the door and hesitated for a moment.
You shouldn't pick up a man off the street, but surely you can save an old lady... right?
As it turned out, the old woman was the wet nurse of the Dingyuan General's household. And by an even happier coincidence, the nurse lived next door.
At first, the servants from next door would come by now and then to buy medicine. Gradually, the young general, who rarely left his home, started coming too.
Ji Linxuan, the young master of the Dingyuan General's household, was handsome and full of spirit, but he had unfortunately injured his leg on the battlefield. The imperial physicians declared that he would spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair.
The marriage discussions that had been underway came to nothing, and the young man who had once ridden out in fine clothes became a laughingstock in the capital.
To find some peace, Ji Linxuan moved to a residence in the outskirts of the capital to recuperate.
Unexpectedly, the abandoned wife from the marquis's estate next door brought ripples of hope back to his stagnant life.
Sitting in his wheelchair, he followed her with his eyes and asked in a soft, clingy voice, "You'll come by with medicine tomorrow too, won't you, Sister?"
Half a year later, the apothecary had become famous, and the wealthy and powerful came in droves.
The marquis's heir came too, first to ask for medicine for his mother, and then to remarry Lin Hanzhang.
Lin Hanzhang looked at him calmly. "Young Lord, don't joke. Please leave."
Her ex-husband flew into a rage. "You'll regret this!"
The young general, rumored to be unable to walk, strode out from the back courtyard, grabbed the scumbag by the collar, and threw him out of the shop.
"Get lost! If you come back, I'll break your legs!"
Later, the young general, who always had the final say outside, trapped Lin Hanzhang between his desk and his chest, his damp puppy eyes showing a hint of grievance.
"We've already kissed. When are you going to give me a proper title, Sister?"
Reading Guide:
1. The dynasty is fictional, and the setting is made up. Information on traditional Chinese medicine is taken from various sources. If you're ill or need medication, be sure to see a doctor and follow their instructions.
2. The heroine is not a virgin, the hero is. It is a romance between an older woman and a younger man, with a five-year age gap.
3. Contains lots of everyday scenes of ordinary town life.
Theme: Food is the first necessity of the people.
