yu

The sky has grown dark for a while now.

A snowstorm rages outside. One would do well to stay inside the restaurant where it is warm.

The chef looks to be around thirteen, fourteen years of age. He stretches out to add oil to the lamp on the table.

There is not much to do right now, but he gives the wick a little pull.

'Every flake of snow that falls upon new graves is a gold coin for the children,' or so the proverb says.

Look at all those graves outside the city. The streets will be filled with rich people in a few decades.

This wine's gone cold, Young Chef. Can you heat it for me?

Again? There won't be much left but water if you heat it again!

I might as well throw in a few tea leaves, get you sobered up, so you won't babble anymore.

Gui, your dad's funeral...

Basically done. He picked the place. I had the best stonemason in town carve the gravestone and carried it up there myself.

But the snow keeps putting out the pile of joss paper I was burning. Maybe it's Dad telling me to go.

Stop bothering him. Here's your wine, go drink it in a corner.

Have some tea first, Gui. I've kept your food warm. Got to eat a little, even if you don't have the appetite.

Thanks... say, how much did Dad owe the restaurant? I'll settle it while I'm here.

Haven't got the memory to remember who owes what. If you really have to know, ask this—

The chef points to a celadon bowl on the counter, which is half-full of coins.

I know your rules, but I also know my dad. He couldn't even find the door when he's drunk, I doubt he'd have the presence of mind to put in the coins.

How about this, I'll make a few new sets of furniture for this place one of these days, and then we'll be square.

So you're officially taking over your dad's carpentry business?

Yeah... didn't expect my first big job to be Dad's coffin, though.

Well, it's not such a bad line of work, being a carpenter. It's a skill that pays the bills. Shops come and go on this street all the time, and they've got to have a new sign every time a new shop opens.

Signs...

Here's your food, Gui. Eat up! You always liked this steamed beastmeat in flour. There's more, if that's not enough.

Thanks, Young Chef. You're always so kind...

Alright, cut it out and tuck in so you can go home before the snowstorm gets worse. Watch that you don't get your ears frozen off.

Who's looking for food in this bad weather? Just come in already, and close the door behind you!

S-Sorry.

There's hot tea on the counter, help yourself. I'll get a towel for you... come on, sit down, don't tell me you need me to pull out a chair for you?

Wow, look at you. Is the snow that bad outside?

I should be going. Take care, Gui.

The diner leaves with his lukewarm wine pot and tosses a few coins into the celadon bowl on the counter.

The coins make a pleasant clink as they hit the half-full bowl.

The sound echoes in the room with the pleasant aroma of steamed beastmeat, making the scholar's mouth water.

Here, you can use this towel. It's clean.

I-I'm fine...

Alright, thanks. Actually, I...

Have some tea—<i>please!</i>

Thanks, innkeep... but I don't have any money...

Just a cup of tea. No charge.

Wh-What I mean is, I had money, but it got stolen.

Just now? That's one hardworking thief, robbing you in a snowstorm like this. Anyway, it looks like you haven't eaten in a while.

Oh, uh, no, it happened just now...

Can I borrow a meal—two buns, that's all I ask.

I didn't know you could 'borrow' meals these days.

Well, wait here a moment.

Here, take these meat buns. They're still hot. Is that enough? Want a bowl of congee?

Th-That's plenty. I'll, er, have my family send the money soon.

I came to Baizao to take the imperial exam. The Academy will take care of my needs once I pass... I have no reason to lie.

Trying to save face never does anyone any good. We'll talk once you've actually passed.

I'm heading out, Young Chef. The steamed beastmeat was great, but... just not in the mood today.

I was thinking, this place could use a sign and a pair of couplets. I could carve them for you while I'm at it.

The furniture stuff can wait, but you really could use a shop sign...

Not like you couldn't find the place without a sign. I'm no rush, just wait for me to come up with a name.

Alright, I'll wait for you.

I-I'll be going too, then...

Those meat buns would freeze to ice in the cold outside. You can finish them here. Just close the door behind you when you leave. I'll be cleaning the pots in the back.

The snowstorm batters the windows, but the light in the restaurant does not flicker.

What is left of the plate of steamed beastmeat has gone cold, and the fat has solidified into a thin layer on top.

A candlewick cracks. The flickering light reflects off the celadon bowl on the counter and into the scholar's eyes.

If I hadn't been robbed by that cursed thief...

I walked a thousand li to come all the way here. If I can't pay the examination fee—I can't very well walk another thousand li back!

Alright, I'll just take enough to pay the exam fee, and I'll pay it back double once I'm rich.

But... I'll need to change my clothes too... and the soles of my shoes are almost gone...

The silhouette moves from one side of the wall to the other, blocking the lamplight.

All is dark in the shadow. The snowstorm outside seems to blow even fiercer.

Don't... get... seen...

As soon as the scholar sneaks out, the snowstorm rushes in as though trying to slam the door shut.

Afraid about making a sound, he turns around to close it gently—

Just before the door is closed shut, he catches a glimpse of a steaming hot bowl of congee on the table nearest the door. It is warm and white, giving off a pleasant aroma.

But it is too late.

The door is shut.

The snowstorm has subsided.

Twin moons hang high in the sky.

The moons are bright tonight. Saves a lot of lamp oil.

The chef blows the oil lamp out and opens the window, allowing bright moonlight to pour in.

The wind causes shadows to ripple across the snowy ground like water.

The restaurant has been here for decades. Every night, it leaves a single lamp lit behind the window, to light the path for people passing by, inside and outside.

Tonight, though, the moonlight seems warmer than the lamp.

I've almost forgotten about this pair of lights above our heads! Much brighter than an oil lamp. You two can illuminate the place tonight, so my lamp can take a break.

Young Chef—

What's going on, Gui? Why the firecrackers in the middle of the night?

Come outside! I got your sign!

<i>Savors at Yu's</i>... took you years to think of the name. What's the meaning behind it?

What meaning could there be? You savor the dishes Yu serves—it's that simple.

True! And here, take this red envelope!

What's that about? Made a few coins, and now you're acting all rich?

Of course not! I want to reserve a banquet for my son's Manyue shower, which is in two days' time! This is the deposit.

Besides, my new storefront has just opened. Might as well celebrate both of them together!

I was wondering why you were grinning all day. Guess you did a bit of good business.

But spare the red envelope. It's so banal! Besides, what does it matter? Sounds like you could use the money with all that's going on in life.

Of course it matters! I remember when my dad died twenty years ago, and you treated the entire neighborhood to the funeral banquet out of your own pocket.

I can't owe you any more debts. Besides, my shop's business has been going pretty well lately.

Fate works in mysterious ways, doesn't it? With the expansion of Baizao, this old street will become part of the new town's commercial district soon.

Why is the restaurant opposite the street setting off firecrackers too? Are they celebrating something as well?

Of course not. They just want to one-up us on everything.

What's their name again, Fortune House, I think? Not a single bright match in the entire box, from the owner to the waiters.

It's been a dozen years, hasn't it? When you do breakfast, they do breakfast; when you do late-night, they do late-night. Whenever business is good here, they do special offers...

It's almost like they WANT people to know that their chef learned all he knew from you! Now they're trying to run you out once they've started making a few coins!

What? Don't let them walk all over you if that hunzhang really tries to run you out, Young Chef!