Transmigrated into the Scumbag Ex-Wife of the Prime Minister - Chapter 7

“Is there a way?” Lu Lizheng was a little suspicious.

Lu Sheng had never learned how to brew wine, so how could she know a way to turn this sour wine into good wine?

“It was Father who told me. He saw a method in an ancient book. Using it can prevent the wine from turning sour, make the cloudy wine clear, and make it more fragrant, mellow, and intoxicating.”

“He mentioned it to me before he last went out. He was planning to try it when he returned.”

Lu Sheng couldn’t say that the method she thought of was modern distillation technology, so she could only push the matter onto Lu Huacheng.

Distilling rice wine can increase the alcohol concentration while also reducing the content of acetic acid in the wine.

However, this method is only effective for slightly soured rice wine; it is still difficult to remove if the sourness is too strong, and a deacidifying agent is needed to neutralize it.

In her original world, the small town where Lu Sheng was born was famous for shaojiu (distilled spirits), and almost every household in the town knew how to make it.

Lu Sheng’s grandfather was a well-known brewing master. Through years of exposure, she was thoroughly familiar with every step of the distillation process for making shaojiu.

Thinking of the adorable old man who loved holding her while making shaojiu, a look of unconscious longing appeared on Lu Sheng’s face.

Then, the image of the old man desperately protecting her when the apocalypse came, only to die under the claws of an (mutated beast), flashed through her mind.

Lu Sheng’s eyes filled with an unbearable sorrow.

Lu Lizheng only thought she was sad because she remembered Lu Huacheng, so she pulled Lu Sheng’s hand and comforted her, “Good child.”

Lu Sheng withdrew from her memories and forced a smile.

“As long as you and Ashu are well, your father will also be comforted in the underworld.”

A slightly cool palm covered her hand. Lu Sheng lowered her head and saw a pair of fair hands, with slender, scallion-like fingers, delicate skin, and distinct knuckles.

It was Lu Lizheng who had placed both her and the other person’s hands together.

“I understand, Auntie Po,” Lu Sheng answered softly, feeling a little embarrassed.

Looking up at Qi Zhenshu, Lu Sheng found that he was also looking at their clasped hands, and a faint warmth rose on his face.

Lu Lizheng looked at the two of them with a beaming smile, then patted their overlapping hands again: “That’s wonderful.”

The old lady’s look gave Lu Sheng the strange feeling that she was being “shipped” as a couple.

She coughed, withdrew her hand, and pretended nothing had happened as she asked, “Why are you here? Is Tangtang home alone?”

“I asked Auntie Niu to help look after her. I had something to talk to Auntie Po about, and hearing she was at the winery, I came over to check.” Qi Zhenshu’s tone was gentle, no different from usual.

“Asheng, quickly, quickly tell me, h-how to t-turn the s-sour wine b-back into good wine.”

Lu Hualin was so preoccupied with the spoiled sour wine that he couldn’t help but interrupt the young couple’s conversation.

Switching to the main topic, Lu Sheng put aside everything else and said seriously, “Uncle, did you notice that the vapor that rises when you boil the wine is particularly strong?”

Lu Hualin had been a brewer for more than twenty years, so of course, he knew this.

He nodded, but he didn’t understand what Lu Sheng meant.

“If we collect the vapor that rises, wouldn’t that be a more fragrant, mellow, and rich wine?”

Lu Hualin frowned, “T-the p-principle is i-indeed that p-principle, but h-how do w-we c-collect the w-wine v-vapor?”

It was a bit difficult for Lu Sheng that she couldn’t use modern professional terms to explain.

She thought for a moment, then found a tree branch, squatted on the ground, and began to draw while explaining.

The method Lu Sheng proposed was so novel that the winery workers also gathered around curiously to listen.

At first, they were afraid Lu Sheng wouldn’t let them listen, so they didn’t dare to get too close. After all, the distillation method was like a secret recipe, and no one would easily let outsiders hear about it.

However, Lu Sheng didn’t think too much about it. Seeing that they wanted to listen, she moved her position so everyone could see.

Seeing her action, the workers all breathed a sigh of relief. Some of the bolder ones also squatted beside her to watch, and even asked questions when they didn’t understand.

Lu Sheng was not impatient at all, explaining the confusing issues to them in detail. Her words were easy to understand, making the point immediately clear.

Listening to her explanation, the frown on Lu Hualin’s brow gradually relaxed until finally, he laughed and clapped his hands in surprise.

“G-good, good, good, th-this m-method is g-great.”

“The winery has the two large pots already, but I’m afraid the jiuzeng (steamer) needs to be made,” Lu Hualin said after thinking.

Lu Sheng pointed to a large wooden bucket and said, “I think we can modify that one and use it for now. We can’t wait with this sour wine; if the acidity is too high, the resulting distilled wine will also be sour. Uncle, do you know any carpenter who can modify it today?”

“Leave this to me. I know carpentry, and I can modify it in an hour.”

The speaker was a female worker squatting beside Lu Sheng. Although she was a woman, she was taller and more robust than most men, and her skin was a little dark, but she was quite good-looking, with a hint of heroism between her eyebrows.

Seeing that the person was about the same age as her, Lu Sheng didn’t have too many reservations. She happily patted her shoulder and praised, “Amazing! Then I’ll leave this important task to you. What’s your name?”

Lu Sheng’s eyes were round and bright. Qi Nan felt a little shy being looked at and said with a flushed face, “Miss Lu, my name is Qi Nan.”

Perhaps because her skin was too dark, Lu Sheng didn’t notice her blush, only thinking that the person was a bit timid.

Lu Sheng smiled and said, “We’re about the same age, you don’t have to be so formal, just call me Lu Sheng.”

“O-okay, I-I’ll g-go m-modify the w-wooden bucket.”

Qi Nan said quickly, her face red, and took the wooden bucket to find tools.

Seeing her so enthusiastic, Lu Sheng smiled and said to Lu Hualin, “She’s good-looking, hardworking, and so diligent. She’s truly a good worker!”

Lu Hualin nodded in agreement and said with a little pride, “S-she is m-my apprentice, and sh-she b-brews w-wine very w-well too.”

With Lu Hualin mentioning it, Lu Sheng did have some impression of this person.

Qi Nan was an orphan. When she was seven or eight, she begged for food at the entrance of the winery. Lu Hualin felt pity for her and kept her to help out.

Later, Lu Hualin saw that she worked diligently, was quick-witted, and could endure hardship, so he took her on as a junior apprentice and would even take her home for meals during festivals.

However, the original owner was condescending and naturally looked down on the apprentice her uncle had taken in, so the two of them had barely exchanged any words.

Glancing at the remaining few workers, Lu Sheng smiled again and said to Lu Hualin, “Uncle, after this rice wine is distilled and collected, it will be new wine. If our new wine is successful, shouldn’t we celebrate?”

Although Lu Hualin was honest, he had been the manager of the winery for a while and could somewhat guess the thoughts of the people under him.

He understood the underlying meaning in Lu Sheng’s words and responded with a smile, “O-of c-course. If this w-wine is s-successful, e-everyone h-has p-played a p-part, and w-we m-must r-reward e-everyone p-properly.”

As soon as Lu Hualin spoke, the remaining few also became highly motivated, scrambling to get to work.

“I’ll go stoke the fire.”

“I’ll go scrub the pot.”

“I’ll go fetch the wine jars.”

…

While Qi Zhenshu was talking to Lu Lizheng, her peripheral vision caught sight of Lu Sheng squatting in the center, surrounded by a circle of people. Lu Sheng had completely shed her usual condescending manner, chatting and laughing with them in perfect harmony.

She had lived under the same roof as Lu Sheng for nine years but had never seen this side of her.

When did this person start changing?

Qi Zhenshu meticulously thought over the events of the last two days and found a few clues.

It was yesterday at noon!

Before she went out yesterday, Lu Sheng was clearly no different than usual, often speaking to her with impatience.

She was originally going to the Dean’s house for a wedding feast, but on the way, she ran into a classmate who mentioned seeing Lu Sheng holding a child in the street.

Lu Sheng disliked Tangtang so much that she hadn’t even carried the child to the banyan tree at the village entrance, so how could she have brought Tangtang to the county town?

A bad premonition welled up in her heart.

She didn’t even step inside the Dean’s house before rushing to find them.

All the way, she kept reassuring herself, maybe she was mistaken, or maybe her classmate was wrong.

Until she saw Lu Sheng and Tangtang at the entrance of the brokerage.

At that moment, she felt as if she were in the biting wind and snow of deep winter, her whole body icy cold and her limbs numb.

She thought, even if Lu Sheng disliked Tangtang, she was still her own flesh and blood. How could she be so heartless as to sell the child!

She was blinded by anger at the time, focused only on taking the child back, and hadn’t noticed Lu Sheng’s change.

But now that she thought about it, Lu Sheng must have been different even then.

The original Lu Sheng would surely have cursed her out after she blocked the slap.

But how could a person undergo such a profound change in just a few hours?

A preposterous and daring guess surfaced in her mind. Qi Zhenshu slowly raised her eyes and looked at Lu Sheng with disbelief.

On the other side, Lu Sheng was busy discussing the precautions for distillation with Lu Hualin, completely unaware that Qi Zhenshu was observing her with a strange look.

By the time she finished her task and thought of Qi Zhenshu again, she realized the person was no longer in the winery.

The workers were all quick and efficient, and everything was ready in less than half an hour.

The rice wine was poured into the pot, the jiuzeng (steamer) and tianguo (condensing pot) were placed on top, and the connecting seams were sealed tightly with cloth strips. Lu Hualin couldn’t wait and eagerly instructed people to light the fire and add firewood.

The fire burned stronger and stronger, and the aroma of wine filled the air.

Two ke (about 30 minutes) later, clear liquor flowed out of the inverted bamboo tube, emitting a rich wine aroma.

Seeing such clear liquor for the first time, Lu Hualin gasped, quickly grabbed a bowl to catch a mouthful, and was about to bring it to his mouth.

Lu Sheng was startled and swiftly stopped him.

“Wait! Uncle, you can’t drink this initial spirit!”

Lu Hualin looked at her in confusion. Lu Sheng explained, “Father said the book mentioned that the first liquor to come out is too potent and must not be drunk. Drinking it could kill a person.”

The initial spirit is at least 60% ABV or higher, sometimes even 70-80%. Drinking this would surely be fatal or at least cost a person half their life.

“T-this, this.” Lu Hualin wiped away a cold sweat. “Then when can we drink it?”

Lu Sheng estimated the output, “At least after three bowls have come out.”

Lu Hualin was anxious. When the fourth bowl was collected, he couldn’t wait and picked it up to taste.

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