Transmigrated into the Scumbag Ex-Wife of the Prime Minister - Chapter 21.3

People then were preoccupied with their own survival. Many died every day from attacks by mutant beasts, and no one cared whether an irrelevant person like her lived or died.

She was accustomed to danger and never feared it, because that was her life.

She didn’t have to worry about her family being concerned for her, because she had no family after the apocalypse.

The sun sank into the western mountains, and the last ray of sunlight on the horizon had vanished completely. Twilight had begun.

Lu Sheng pushed open the courtyard gate. A white shadow swooped down toward her, rubbed against her neck, and chirped happily, ‘Sister, you’re finally back!’

‘Did you catch the bad guy?’

‘Sister, did you throw him onto a ship and send him away too?’

“Sorry, Xiao Yu, I forgot to bring you melon seeds.” Lu Sheng rubbed its head, her voice low.

She couldn’t even keep her promise to a bird.

‘Sister, are you unhappy?’

Yu Ling immediately sensed Lu Sheng’s low mood and ignored the fact that Lu Sheng hadn’t brought melon seeds. It tilted its head and rubbed the palm of her hand with its crest feathers.

“Mama, you’re back!”

Tangtang poked her little head out of the kitchen. Seeing Lu Sheng, she smiled and ran toward her.

The look of worry vanished, and Lu Sheng smiled, picked up Tangtang, and kissed her little cheek, “Tangtang, my dear.”

Qi Zhenshu came out of the kitchen carrying food, glanced at them, and said neither warmly nor coldly, “Eat.”

Tangtang watched Qi Zhenshu enter the house, hugged Lu Sheng’s neck, leaned close to her ear, and whispered secretively, “Mother made turnips again today.”

Lu Sheng smiled faintly and rubbed her head, “Mama will make you delicious food tomorrow.”

Lu Sheng grabbed a handful of millet for Yu Ling and then placed Tangtang in her seat.

She glanced at Qi Zhenshu nearby, thought for a moment, and said, “I…”

“Whatever it is, say it after we eat. No talking while eating.” Qi Zhenshu interrupted her, handing her the chopsticks.

“Mm.” Lu Sheng softly agreed, took the chopsticks, and ate quietly.

After the meal, Qi Zhenshu was about to clear the dishes as usual. Lu Sheng quickly reached out to take them, “I’ll do it.”

Qi Zhenshu put the dishes into the wooden basin and said flatly, “Go accompany Tangtang; she just woke up and was looking for you.”

‘Did you ever consider what would happen to Tangtang if something happened to you?’

The cool words echoed in her ears again. Lu Sheng paused for a moment, a sudden ache in her heart. She quickly withdrew her hand and replied, “Alright, I’ll go accompany her.”

After playing with Tangtang for a while and then coaxing her to sleep, the moon was already high when Lu Sheng finally excused herself.

Lu Sheng tiptoed out of the room, gently closed the door, and went to the study.

Qi Zhenshu sat upright at the desk, her back straight. Her long eyelashes were slightly lowered, and she was focused. The tip of her brush flowed smoothly, and every character was a perfect, square block script.

The lamplight shone on her, perfectly outlining the exquisite profile of her face: clear features, a straight nose, thin lips—elegant and transcendent.

Lu Sheng stood outside and watched for a while before raising her hand to knock.

Seeing her, Qi Zhenshu put down her brush and asked softly, “Tangtang is asleep?”

“Mm.”

Lu Sheng calmed her mind, suppressing the sudden flutter in her heart, and stepped into the room.

“What happened today was indeed thoughtless of me. I promise I won’t act so rashly again in the future.” Lu Sheng looked down into her eyes, her expression serious, her tone sincere.

“Mm.” Qi Zhenshu collected the paper and brush in her hand, neatly stacked them on one side of the desk, and looked at her.

“Regarding Ding Laizi’s matter, tell Sister Yu about it when she’s next off-duty.” Qi Zhenshu glanced at her, her tone softening slightly, “Even if you have an idea, don’t act alone. Tell her, and she will send people to handle it. You don’t need to put yourself in danger.”

“I understand.”

Lu Sheng nodded in agreement, secretly observing her expression, but could not discern any change.

She swallowed and cleared her throat, asking in a low voice, “Then, are you still angry with me?”

“I am not angry.” Qi Zhenshu sighed softly, “Don’t forget you are Tangtang’s Mama.”

“Mm, I will remember.” Lu Sheng nodded immediately in response.

The evening wind suddenly rose, causing the lamp wick to sway and flicker, jumping with light and shadow, until the north wind blew it out.

The room instantly darkened, becoming silent. Moonlight, like water, spilled through the window into the room.

“I’ll go find a fire starter.” Lu Sheng offered.

“No need. It’s late. It’s time to rest.” Qi Zhenshu stood up and walked toward the door.

“Oh, alright, I’m going to rest too.” Lu Sheng followed behind her.

Just as she took a step, Qi Zhenshu stopped in front of her, turning to look at her.

Qi Zhenshu was silhouetted against the moonlight, the clear light spreading over her. Her long hair was stirred by the cool breeze, giving it a layer of silver light.

Lu Sheng couldn’t clearly see her expression but could feel her gaze.

The next moment, a faint voice cut through the darkness between them and fell into her ears.

“Do you have anything else you want to say to me?”

Lu Sheng’s gaze flickered slightly, and she gently shook her head, “No.”

The night was deep, and the clouds drifted by. The silver moon was half-hidden, the moonlight intermittently bright and shadowed.

October 23rd.

It was deep autumn. The morning wind swept across the branches, carrying down withered yellow leaves.

Lu Sheng took out a thick padded jacket to wear and went to the winery.

Her new wine had started to ferment, and she wanted Lu Hualin to come and take a look.

The winery was steaming with heat. The rich aroma of rice mixed with the mellow fragrance of wine permeated the air. In the courtyard, Lu Hualin was leading the workers to spread out the steamed rice to cool.

“Oh, you’re busy so early. Boss Lu, business is really booming!” Boss Liao walked into the winery, his face beaming with joy.

“Boss Liao?” Lu Hualin put down his bamboo rake and called Qi Nan to take over his work.

Boss Liao said with a chuckle, “Boss Lu, I’ve come to discuss a business deal with you.”

The last time, the compensation was scheduled to be discussed on the twenty-fifth. Now, this person came on the twenty-third and said he wanted to discuss business. Lu Hualin had no idea what he was up to.

Lu Hualin rolled down his sleeves and led him towards an open space, “P-please come this w-way.”

“When people have good fortune, they’re in high spirits. I heard Boss Lu recently brewed a new wine? And it’s selling well?” A shrewd glint appeared in Boss Liao’s eyes.

A few days ago, he heard that the Lu family’s winery had brewed a spirit that was as clear as water, sweet, and potent. Drinking two liang could keep one warm for half a day. Furthermore, the wine was sold in limited quantities, only two hundred jin a day, which led many people to line up early in the morning to buy it.

Because of this wine, the Lu family’s winery had become famous, rising from an obscure little winery to one known by everyone.

“Mm, w-we d-did brew a n-new w-wine.”

The winery had been setting up a stall at the pier every day, and the stalls were packed with people daily. Two hundred jin of spirits could be sold out in less than an hour.

Not only were the immediate sales good, but as of yesterday, the winery had already taken orders for five thousand jin of spirits, with the latest orders scheduled for a month later.

In previous years, the winery would make five thousand jin of rice wine after autumn, which would last until the twelfth lunar month. Now, they had sold five thousand jin of spirits in just one month.

In addition to selling wine, other wineries had approached them in the last two days, wanting to buy their wine-making recipe.

Boss Liao leaned closer to him and whispered, “I wonder if Boss Lu’s wine-making recipe is for sale?”

“What?!”

“If Boss Lu is willing to sell, I can offer two hundred taels of silver to buy your recipe.” Boss Liao stretched out his hand, shaking five spread fingers.

“N-no, not selling, not selling.” Lu Hualin waved his hands repeatedly.

Boss Liao gritted his teeth, “Three hundred taels!”

“No, no.”

“Five hundred taels!” Boss Liao made up his mind and said, “I’ll buy your recipe for five hundred taels. This way, you only need to compensate me six hundred and fifty taels. What do you s-…”

Lu Hualin interrupted him directly, “Boss Liao, p-please s-say no more. I w-won’t sell the w-wine recipe.”

Boss Liao had thought that Lu Hualin would readily agree to use the wine recipe to offset some of the compensation, but he was met with a direct refusal.

After all, five hundred taels for a wine recipe was an astronomical price.

“Since that’s the case, don’t blame me for being impolite.” Boss Liao’s face turned cold. “One thousand one hundred and fifty taels, is Boss Lu prepared?”

“W-what one th-thousand one hundred and f-fifty taels? Boss L-Liao, are you j-joking?” Lu Hualin frowned in displeasure.

Hearing this, Boss Liao immediately raised his voice, “You were the ones who said last time that if you couldn’t deliver the wine on time, you’d compensate me one thousand one hundred and fifty taels!”

“What? Are you trying to welch on the debt? If you don’t pay up, I’ll report it to the authorities immediately!”

Lu Sheng, who had watched enough of the drama from the side, walked over and said with a smile, “Boss Liao, don’t rush. We did agree last time that if we couldn’t deliver the four thousand jin of wine, we would compensate you one thousand one hundred and fifty taels of silver.”

“Yes, yes, that’s what we agreed on last time!”

Lu Sheng nodded, then changed the subject, “But if we delivered the four thousand jin of wine on time, there would be no reason for compensation, right?”

“What?!” Boss Liao shouted loudly, “You made it?!”

Lu Sheng opened the wine cellar door and said with a smile, “We made it. Boss Liao can personally inspect the goods. Four thousand jin of rice wine, not a jin less, it’s all here.”

Lu Sheng had already thought of a solution the last time Boss Liao came demanding compensation.

Rice wine fermentation relies on temperature. In the summer, when the weather is hot, rice wine takes seven to ten days to ferment. In the autumn, when the weather is cold, it takes about ten to fifteen days.

Due to the recent sharp drop in temperature, the fermentation time was extended, which was why the four thousand jin of wine could not be delivered on time.

As long as the temperature of the cellar chamber was raised, the natural fermentation time would be shortened.

Lu Sheng had Lu Hualin build a perimeter of underfloor heating along the walls of the cellar. Then, they built a furnace outside the cellar to transmit heat into the cellar, raising the overall temperature of the cellar.

This way, the rice wine, which originally required fifteen days to ferment, was completed in less than ten days.

“Do you want to take this wine today, or come back on the twenty-fifth?” Lu Sheng asked with a smile.

“You, you all!” Boss Liao was so angry he was speechless, glaring at them with fury.

“Boss Liao, don’t be angry.” Lu Sheng called out to Qi Nan, “Sister Nan, help me pour a cup of water for Boss Liao to calm his breath.”

Boss Liao waved his hand and angrily said, “No need!”

“Didn’t Boss Liao say he wanted to discuss business earlier?” Lu Sheng paused here and said with a smile, “I thought it was a good deal. Do you still want to continue discussing it now?”

“You are willing to sell the wine recipe?!” Boss Liao was stunned again.

“A-Sheng?!” Lu Hualin was also surprised to hear this.

“A-Sheng, the w-wine recipe, it c-can’t be s-sold!”

They had finally obtained a unique wine-making method. Lu Hualin didn’t understand why Lu Sheng would want to sell it?!

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