Snack Time in Kaifeng Prefecture

[Where did my saved list go? I really want winter ❄️ to open]

Shen Suilan transmigrates into the Northern Song Dynasty as the daughter of a poor family.

Her mother runs a wonton stall. She has to raise Shen Suilan and her little sister, while also fending off local hooligans.

Their home is dilapidated and their income meager. Taking advantage of their situation, Shen Suilan's cousin's family tries to force her to become a kept woman and bear a child to repay their debt.

Tokyo is full of merchants, with goods of every kind in abundance.

To make a living, Shen Suilan drives off her relatives and takes over her mother's wonton stall.

At dawn, steam rises along the banks of the Bian River. Yuanbao dumplings bob in boiling pots, while food sizzles on flat griddles.

Wonton with bamboo shoots and bracken, fresh and crisp. Golden shumai, with thin, glossy wrappers.

Crispy shrimp dumplings, generously filled. Sweet-filled guotie, soft and delicious.

The young lady Shen holds a pair of bamboo chopsticks, smiling brightly. "Young sir, would you like some potstickers?"

Soon, students wolf down pastries as they hurry to class, laborers fill their bellies with hot food, and junior officials grab breakfast before work.

Some leave with the strength to work, while others head off groggy from memorizing their books.

*

Song Xu serves as a judicial officer in the Left Hall of the Kaifeng Prefecture.

Everyone says Judge Song is incorruptible and upright, never taking a penny from the people. Just look at how slender he is, and you can tell.

Only Song Xu's colleagues know the truth: he simply can't gain weight!

The Kaifeng Prefecture is swamped with work, and everyone is ravenous, whether before or after their shift.

"Ziyou, have you tried Miss Shen's frothy wontons? The wrappers are thin, the filling is tender, and they taste wonderful."

"Ziyou, try Miss Shen's sizzling lamb tripe. It looks like autumn frost, and it's fragrant without being greasy."

"Ziyou, let's go have cold noodles with sesame sauce. What? You brought some back to the office? Give me a bite!"

Song Xu judges cases fairly and selflessly, clearing the names of many people.

One tearful citizen clutches Song Xu's sleeve and sobs, "I knew Lord Song was wearing himself out for us. Just look how thin you've become... Huh?"

A few months later, before his colleagues could even call for him, Song Xu was already standing at the entrance to the Shen family eatery.

"Suisui, I've washed the bowls. Please don't be mad at me, okay?"

--

Written on December 3, 2024; revised on July 27, 2025.

1. A sweet, wholesome romance with mutual devotion: a sunny girl who doesn't know she's flirting and a clingy man who's not what he seems. The male lead's courtesy name is Ziyou. Set in an alternate Song Dynasty with many fictional details.

2. A companion novel to The Little Eatery Across from the Yamen.

Theme: Ordinary people can build a fortune through hard work.