Transmigrating with a Five Million Dollar Retirement Life

Chapter 94 The Escort Returns

I didn't expect to find soapberry trees here. They're not usually easy to find in places like this. But the stall owner didn't have any pits with holes drilled in them. It seems I'll have to find some time to go to the nearby mountains to look for them.

Song Jiaojiao thought with a slight sense of regret.

It was still early when we got back to the county. Nanshan Temple wasn't too far from the county seat; it only took about 15 minutes by car, which was even shorter than the drive from Qingshui Village to Yunshui Town.

As soon as I arrived at the inn, I saw a man squatting by the door. His burly figure attracted the attention of many people.

Upon seeing Song Jiaojiao and the others return, they rushed over immediately, startling everyone.

"Mother, you're back. Eldest sister, second sister, did you miss your eldest brother?" It wasn't until the man spoke that everyone could see his appearance clearly. It turned out to be Wang Hefan, who was much stronger and darker than when he last came back.

"He Fan, your sudden appearance really startled us," Song Jiaojiao said, touching her still-pounding heart.

Wang Hefan awkwardly scratched his head and chuckled twice.

Seeing this, Song Jiaojiao didn't say much and invited everyone inside, as it wasn't good to block the entrance of the inn.

Thinking about the lunch we had at the temple today, although the vegetarian food was quite delicious, it didn't keep us full for long. I figured everyone must be hungry, so after putting our things away, we asked the innkeeper for a room and then took everyone to Sifanglou for lunch.

Since that meal at Sifanglou, I haven't been back. When I arrived at Sifanglou, although it wasn't lunchtime yet, the restaurant was already almost full.

Upon seeing Song Jiaojiao and her group, the waiter quickly greeted them, "Are you here to eat, sir? There's only one table left; any later and you'll have to wait in line."

Song Jiaojiao nodded to the waiter, who led them to an empty seat, took out a menu and said to them, "Please take a look first. If you've chosen, just go to the manager to order. The manager will give you a number."

After saying that, the waiter hurriedly went off to do his business.

Song Jiaojiao looked at the dishes, ordered some signature dishes and some dishes that weren't available in town, and then asked Xu Da to order the rest.

A moment later, the waiter brought over two plates of snacks and tea, saying, "These are complimentary from our shop, please enjoy."

After saying that, he left without Song Jiaojiao having a chance to ask any questions. It seems that Sifanglou's business is indeed good, as the waiters in the lobby are all busy.

As soon as one table finishes eating, someone cleans up the table, and new guests sit down in the next table. The whole process is smooth and takes no more than five minutes.

After waiting for almost half an hour, Song Jiaojiao's food finally arrived. The dishes in front of her looked and smelled delicious, and they were much better looking than the ones Song Jiaojiao made herself.

He urged everyone to start eating, and after finishing, he had to make room for the people behind him.

Having been here for so long, it's rare to see fish being cooked, and yet it doesn't taste fishy at all. When Song Jiaojiao saw the spices in the bowl, she immediately understood. It seems that the chef at Sifanglou is no ordinary person; he can apply what he's learned to other dishes so quickly. It seems that what she heard about him being a descendant of the imperial chef was indeed true.

After having eaten and drunk their fill, the group decided to take a stroll outside to digest their food.

"He Fan, where did you go on this escort mission?" Song Jiaojiao asked. She saw a man who was almost 1.8 meters tall, all muscle, looking like he could kill someone with one punch. He was completely different from when she first arrived. She was afraid that few people in the village would recognize him if he returned to the village looking like this.

“Mother, this time we went to Ling’an County next door. It’s much hotter there than here. We also brought you a lot of local specialties. Now that you’re here, I don’t need to make a separate trip.”

"Are you tired from running the escort mission? Are there any dangers along the way?"

Wang Hefan picked out the good points to talk about. This journey was indeed thrilling but without any real danger. They even encountered bandits, and they were lucky enough to run into a victorious army, otherwise they would have been injured. "There was no danger. Our masters know these roads well, and they know better than the locals what's going on. I just went out to broaden my horizons. My master even said that next time I can bring Xu Sen along."

"Really? I can go on a delivery mission next time too." Xu Sen didn't expect to hear this news. He had wanted to go for a long time, but his master said he wasn't qualified yet. He never thought he would be able to go next time.

"Yes, that's what my mentor said, but the specifics depend on the bureau's arrangements." Wang Hefan was somewhat annoyed that he had let slip in his excitement. What if he wasn't selected? Wouldn't that have made Xu Sen happy for nothing?

"Whether you get elected or not, Xu Sen, you must listen to the young master and put his safety first. Even if it means death, you must protect him, understand? Our family is only together because of Madam's care. You must remember that." Xu Fang said to Xu Sen from the side, instructing him not to forget his roots.

“He Fan has the ability to protect himself, and I would prefer that you help each other. Xu Sen, you are He Fan’s confidant. No matter how capable He Fan becomes later, he will never forget you.” Song Jiaojiao said, knowing that she would definitely need their help when organizing the convoy later.

"Madam, you flatter us. We are just servants and will always serve our master. We would never betray you," Xu Fang quickly expressed her loyalty.

Knowing their personalities, Song Jiaojiao didn't say much, but looked at Wang Hefan and continued to ask, "Hefan, what things did you bring back this time?"

"I didn't bring much this time. The main thing was that there was a flower that was particularly expensive, which cost almost half of my money. I thought the flower was very beautiful, and the team leader said that only wealthy families would grow it. So I bought it. There was also something that grows in the ground like a sweet potato, and it was round like an egg, but much bigger."

After cooking, the skin is yellowish when peeled, and it has a soft, powdery texture. People there call it "ground egg." I don't remember any other names for it, but I didn't see it here, so I brought it back.

Wang Hefan explained to Song Jiaojiao in detail that he had spent almost all the money he had brought with him.

"Looks like you've had quite a haul this time," Song Jiaojiao said with a smile.

"Yes, we can buy different things when we go to different counties next time. The tour leader said that there are more things in the capital, many of which we have never seen before. I don't know if we will have the opportunity to go to the capital later."

Wang Hefan thought about what the team leader had said: people in the capital spend money like water, there are so many new and exciting things to eat and do, and there are endless rivers to the south, which the people there call the sea, and the sea level rises and falls every day. These were all things he couldn't imagine. Luckily, his mother sent him to the escort agency, otherwise he would never have heard of these things.

"You've spent all your money this time, haven't you? I'll give you some more later." Song Jiaojiao guessed that Wang Hefan didn't have much money on him. Although he would have some money from escorting goods, he was still an apprentice, so she guessed it wouldn't be much.

"Okay," although the bureau would provide money, buying those things was really expensive, and if his mother needed something, he wouldn't be able to buy it without money.