Chapter 70: A Table of New Dishes, and a Bowl of Vinegar

“Please, Boss Wei, do enlighten me,” the head chef quickly said.

 

Wei Lan pointed at the roast duck on the table.

“This roast duck is very well done.

The slicing is also good, evenly thick and thin.

However, in the future, when serving the roast duck, you can cut the cucumber into strips, and also the scallions into strips, and serve them together.

Besides this sauce, add a small dish of white sugar.

The duck skin dipped in sugar is the most delicious.”

“Alright, I’ve noted it all down.

I’ll have someone bring them right away.”

Seeing that Wei Lan had a special relationship with their owner, the head chef quickly said.

“Also, I don’t know if you know how to steam those very thin, translucent small pancakes.

Bring out a few more.

Those small pancakes, along with the things I just mentioned, can be sold together as a roast duck set meal, for a little extra silver.”

Wei Lan continued.

“Thin pancakes?

Naturally, we know how.

But no one has ever eaten them this way before.”

The head chef was very puzzled, as Wei Lan’s suggested way of eating seemed quite strange to him.

“That’s fine.

It’s just that you haven’t met me before.

Now that you have, isn’t there someone eating them this way?”

Wei Lan said casually.

 

The head chef was choked by Wei Lan’s words, quickly bowed, and went down to prepare.

 

Steaming the pancakes didn’t take much time, and cutting the cucumber and scallion strips took even less.

Soon, everything Wei Lan had asked for was brought out.

 

Xiao Nanyan had the head chef stay to watch how Wei Lan ate.

After all, Wei Lan was a rather remarkable person.

Not only could she carve jade, but she could also write storybooks.

So, if Wei Lan had any other strange skills, Xiao Nanyan wouldn’t find it unusual now.

 

Wei Lan wiped her hands with a clean cloth nearby, then picked up a thin pancake.

She arranged the sauce-dipped duck meat slices neatly on the pancake, then added cucumber and scallion strips.

She also placed a few pieces of sugar-dipped duck skin inside, and rolled up the pancake.

 

Seeing Xiao Nanyan watching her, Wei Lan handed her the rolled-up pancake.

“Try it.

This is better than eating just the duck meat.

Eating just the duck meat is too greasy.”

 

Xiao Nanyan took the rolled pancake skeptically.

Seeing that Wei Lan’s expression didn’t look like she was joking, she took a bite.

Just one bite, and Xiao Nanyan’s eyes lit up.

 

The savory flavor of the duck meat mixed with the cucumber and scallion strips.

Inside was also the sugar-dipped duck skin, giving a crispy texture.

Combined with the outer thin pancake, the flavors of meat, vegetables, and carbs mingled together.

Just one bite awakened all the taste buds.

 

Xiao Nanyan nodded eagerly.

“Mm-hmm, delicious.

We’ll do it like this from now on.”

 

Wei Lan smiled at her, rolled a duck meat pancake for herself, and ate it.

Her mouth was filled with fragrance.

 

The chef saw the two eating with relish and was skeptical.

Xiao Nanyan instructed him to sell the roast duck this way in the future.

The head chef then accepted the order and withdrew.

 

Xiao Nanyan found it delicious but only ate two duck meat pancakes.

The rest of the food was basically eaten by Wei Lan.

 

When it came to the ability to eat, Kunzes indeed couldn’t compete with Qiankuns.

 

After the two had eaten and drunk their fill, Wei Lan planned to return to the residence to rest.

But just as she came out of the private room, she heard someone calling her.

“Sister Wei Lan!”

“Sister Wei Lan, why haven’t you been doing signing events at the bookstore lately?”

 

Wei Lan looked towards the callers and saw six young girls already rushing towards her.

 

Wei Lan glanced at them and recognized them.

She smiled and said, “I’ve been quite busy lately with other things.

Are you all eating here too?”

“Mm.

We’ve gone to the bookstore to ask several times, but the manager said she didn’t know when you’d hold another signing event.”

Lu Shihuai looked at Wei Lan, her tone even carrying a hint of grievance.

 

Wei Lan felt a little awkward with the young girls too.

She had written the storybooks purely to compete with Chen Zhou.

Now that Chen Zhou was behind bars, she naturally needed to focus her energy on carving jade.

After all, carving jade made money faster than signing events or writing storybooks.

“Sorry, everyone.

I wrote the storybooks just on a whim.

I have other things to attend to.

If I hold another signing event in the future, I’ll have the manager post it on the wooden board outside.”

Wei Lan smiled, trying to placate them.

“Then it’ll still be a long time.

We haven’t seen you in over half a month.”

“Yeah, yeah.

After reading the storybooks you wrote, we don’t want to read anyone else’s.”

“When do you have time?

We’d like to invite you to a meal.”

Lu Shihuai hesitated for a moment, but still said it.

 

Wei Lan was surrounded by the six young girls.

Xiao Nanyan stood to the side, watching the excitement.

She had long heard that Wei Lan was very popular with young Kunzes.

It seemed the rumors were true.

 

After watching the excitement for a while, she felt a gaze looking their way.

Xiao Nanyan turned her head and saw Lu Zijin, accompanied by her guards and maidservants, just coming up to the second floor.

 

Xiao Nanyan looked at Lu Zijin, nodded and smiled at her, then looked back at Wei Lan.

Wei Lan was still surrounded by the six young girls, talking, and hadn’t noticed Lu Zijin.

 

Xiao Nanyan was already secretly laughing.

She wondered if Wei Lan would be in trouble when she got back.

She didn’t warn Wei Lan, instead waiting to see what Lu Zijin would do.

 

Lu Zijin had been negotiating business in the area that morning and inspecting several nearby Lu family grain shops.

By noon, she had simply come here to eat.

Eating the food from her own taverns all the time could get tiresome, so sometimes Lu Zijin would eat at other taverns.

 

But she hadn’t expected to run into Wei Lan here.

Her Qianjun was currently surrounded by six young Kunzes, talking, and still hadn’t noticed her.

Oh, and Xiao Nanyan was there too.

 

Qianxue carefully observed her master’s expression.

She saw Lu Zijin’s lips curl into a smile.

Qianxue quickly lowered her head.

She felt the master was probably in trouble.

 

Lu Zijin smiled faintly and nodded at Xiao Nanyan.

“Boss Xiao, what a coincidence.

Are you also eating here?”

“This is my tavern.

Waiters?

Why aren’t you coming over to properly attend to Boss Lu?

Boss Lu’s expenses today will be on my tab.”

Xiao Nanyan also smiled at Lu Zijin.

 

Wei Lan heard Lu Zijin’s voice and looked over.

Sure enough, her wife had arrived.

Wei Lan gave Lu Zijin a huge smile.

But Lu Zijin completely ignored her and started exchanging pleasantries with Xiao Nanyan.

“Wife.”

Wei Lan called out pitifully, forgetting about the young girls around her.

 

Hearing Wei Lan call her, Lu Zijin pretended to have just noticed Wei Lan.

“Oh, the master is here too?”

“Mm.

I discussed some business with Boss Xiao, and after we finished, I came here to eat.”

Wei Lan said obediently.

She wanted to go over, but there were still people surrounding her, front and back.

 

Lu Zijin’s gaze swept over the young Kunzes beside Wei Lan.

She said to Wei Lan, calmly, “The master seems very busy.

Then I won’t disturb you.”

 

Wei Lan quickly reached out her hand.

“Wife, wait for me.”

 

Lu Zijin raised an eyebrow at her.

“Is something the matter?”

“Mm-hmm.

I’ll keep you company while you eat.”

Wei Lan gave Lu Zijin an appeasing smile.

If she had a dog’s tail, it would probably be wagging already.

 

Lu Zijin smiled kindly at her, putting on an understanding expression.

“No need.

The master seems very busy.

You should continue chatting with these young ladies.”

 

With that, Lu Zijin took her guards and maidservants and headed to a private room.

 

Alarm bells rang in Wei Lan’s mind.

Oh no, her wife seemed angry.

 

Wei Lan quickly said to the young girls, “Excuse me, everyone.

I need to go find my wife.

We’ll chat another time when I’m free.

Excuse me, excuse me.”

 

With that, Wei Lan squeezed through the crowd.

She looked at Xiao Nanyan and said, “Nanyan, you go back by yourself.

I still have something to take care of.”

 

Xiao Nanyan looked at her with a knowing smile.

“What is it?

Appeasing your wife?”

 

With that, Xiao Nanyan covered her lips and laughed secretly.

Even with her veil covering her face, Wei Lan could tell she was laughing very happily.

 

Wei Lan glared at her, ignored her, and walked straight towards Lu Zijin’s private room.

 

But when Wei Lan reached the door, she was stopped by Qianxue.

Qianxue looked a bit awkward and said, “Master, the young lady said she doesn’t want anyone disturbing her while she eats.”

“I’m her wife, not just anyone.”

Wei Lan was eager to go in and explain, but Qianxue was still blocking the door.

“The young lady specifically instructed just now that you are not to enter.”

Qianxue lowered her voice and reminded her quietly.

“Ah?”

Wei Lan pursed her lips.

Well, that confirmed it.

Her wife was definitely angry.

 

Wei Lan stood at the door, unable to enter, but afraid that leaving would make Lu Zijin even angrier.

So she just obediently stood beside Qianxue.

“Then I’ll wait for my wife to come out.”

 

The young girls saw that Wei Lan couldn’t even get into the private room and were immediately outraged.

“This Lu Zijin is really too much!

Making her stand outside.”

“Exactly.

We don’t even have the chance to have a meal with Wei Lan.

How can her wife be like this?”

“Her wife is so annoying.

She doesn’t even give Wei Lan any face.”

Lu Shihuai was furious.

The person she and her friends thought about day and night was being bullied like this.

She couldn’t stand it!

 

The young girls exchanged glances and walked back over to Wei Lan.

“Sister Wei Lan, would you like to come have some tea and snacks with us?”

“Yeah, the tea snacks here are really good.

We’ll keep you company.”

“How can your wife be like this?

She won’t even let you in.

Unlike us, we only know how to care for you, sister.”

 

The more Wei Lan listened, the more flustered she became.

She quickly waved her hand at them.

“I really can’t today.

Please go back first, okay?

Please, I’m begging you.”

 

Hearing Wei Lan say this, the young girls finally left.

But they really didn’t understand, thinking Lu Zijin treated Wei Lan terribly.

“Her wife is so mean to treat her like that.”

“Sister must have suffered a lot in the Lu residence.

What can we do to help her?”

“Sister Wei Lan is so pitiful.

It would be great if she and Lu Zijin divorced.”

“Exactly, exactly.

Sister Wei Lan should belong to everyone.”

“Shihuai, your father is the City Lord.

Can you think of a way to rescue Wei Lan from the fire?

Look how badly she’s being bullied!”

“That Lu Zijin is awful!

How can she treat her like that?”

Lu Shihuai was also very upset.

The sister they liked was being bullied like this; she couldn’t swallow her anger!

If Wei Lan were her wife, she would treat Wei Lan well.

 

The young girls had different thoughts, but they were all very upset about this incident.

 

Wei Lan, of course, was completely unaware of this.

She was still standing guard outside the private room.

Wei Lan signaled to Qianxue.

Qianxue shook her head at her, indicating that their young lady was probably still angry.

 

Wei Lan had no choice but to obediently continue her punishment duty.

She hadn’t wanted to talk to those young girls; they had crowded around her.

She was so unlucky to have run into her wife at that moment.

 

Inside, Lu Zijin ate her meal, deciding to leave the little dog hanging for a while.

That way, her little dog wouldn’t go out and attract bees and butterflies anymore.

 

Her gaze fell on the roast duck on the table.

She noticed that cucumber, scallion strips, white sugar, and a stack of thin pancakes had been added.

She frowned and asked, “I didn’t order these.

Why were the thin pancakes also brought?”

 

The server who brought the dishes quickly said, “Miss, you may not know, but these are a new dish our shop just launched.

The duck skin dipped in white sugar is very delicious.

And with these thin pancakes, you can wrap the duck meat, cucumber strips, and scallion strips inside.

It has a unique flavor.

You should try it.”

“Is that so?

When I came a few days ago, you were still just selling roast duck by itself?”

Lu Zijin asked curiously.

After all, her family’s businesses also included taverns, so she was naturally curious about the dishes.

“This was personally instructed by Boss Wei, a friend of our owner.

He just taught our head chef this dish.”

The server said with a smile.

“A friend of your owner?”

Lu Zijin’s brow furrowed slightly.

Just now, Xiao Nanyan had said this was her tavern.

So a friend of Xiao Nanyan’s, also surnamed Wei – that would be her Wei Lan.

 

Lu Zijin was so angry she laughed.

Good.

Her Qianjun really knew how to please other Kunzes.

Why didn’t she care so much about her own family’s tavern?

Instead, she went to someone else’s tavern and taught them dishes.

Great.

Just great.

“Miss, if you have no other instructions, I’ll take my leave.”

The server quickly said.

 

Lu Zijin took a breath and waved him away.

 

After the servant left, Lu Zijin picked up her chopsticks.

She picked up a piece of duck skin with her chopsticks and dipped it in the white sugar, then put it in her mouth.

It wasn’t as greasy as she had imagined.

The fatty aroma of the duck skin balanced the sweetness of the sugar, making it fragrant, sweet, and crispy.

Very delicious.

 

Lu Zijin closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

She picked up a thin pancake, spread the sauce-dipped duck meat flat on it, then added cucumber and scallion strips.

Finally, she placed a few pieces of sugar-dipped duck skin on top and rolled up the pancake.

 

Lu Zijin took a bite.

The cucumber and scallion strips completely cut the greasiness of the duck meat.

Combined with the outer thin pancake, the texture was very distinct.

Each of these things was ordinary on its own, but mixed together like this, it was especially delicious.

 

Lu Zijin ate two in a row, and got even angrier.

Wei Lan was really something.

She was so attentive to Xiao Nanyan, teaching such a good dish to her tavern’s head chef.

Really, really something!

 

Of course, Wei Lan knew nothing about Lu Zijin’s internal struggles.

She stood guard outside for half an hour before Lu Zijin finished eating and unhurriedly walked out of the private room.

 

Seeing that Wei Lan was still there, she looked up and smiled.

“Oh, the master didn’t go keep your young girls company?”

 

Wei Lan quickly shook her head, afraid that shaking too slowly would spell trouble.

“No, no.

They’re not as important as you.

I like you the most, wife.”

 

Lu Zijin smiled kindly at her.

“Is that so?

I thought the master was chatting quite happily with them.

Oh, and you’re also very attentive to Boss Xiao.”

“No, no.

Nanyan and I are business partners.

When we’re together, we talk business.”

Wei Lan quickly explained.

She wanted to cry.

How did Xiao Nanyan get dragged into this?

“Nanyan?

That’s quite affectionate.

I still have things to do, so I won’t keep the master company.

If you get bored, go find Nanyan or those young girls.”

 

With that, Lu Zijin ignored Wei Lan and quickened her pace.

Her guards and maidservants surrounded her as she left the tavern.

 

Wei Lan wanted to cry.

She had just come out to eat.

Now she was in trouble again; she had made her wife angry.

 

Wei Lan sighed, walked downstairs, called Xi Ye and the other servants, and headed back to the Lu residence.

 

She was listless the whole way back.

Based on past experience, the pheromones in her gland opening were probably doomed.

 

Wei Lan decided to go back, take a long nap, gather her strength, and then go to Lu Zijin’s courtyard to wait for her punishment.

 

Thinking this, Wei Lan quickened her pace back.

 

When she returned to her bedroom, she closed the door, took off her dress, and went straight to bed.

As she slept, she lamented her bad luck.

How could she have run into Lu Zijin like that?

 

Wei Lan slept until the late afternoon, then woke up.

She got dressed, drank a bowl of iced cheese, and finally felt fully awake.

 

Wei Lan pulled one hundred and sixty-four thousand taels in silver notes from her pocket.

She planned to give one hundred and sixty thousand taels to her wife to appease her.

Of the remaining four thousand, she would keep three thousand as her own private savings.

As for the remaining one thousand, she planned to give it to her sister.

 

She had been so busy lately that she had forgotten to give Wei Qing some spending money.

The young girl was afraid of causing trouble for her, so she usually stayed obediently in her bedroom or walked in the Lu residence’s garden, rarely coming to find her.

 

Thinking this, Wei Lan first hid her three thousand taels in several batches, to prevent her wife from finding them all at once.

Then she stuffed the one hundred and sixty thousand taels in silver notes into the inner layer of her clothes.

Ancient people didn’t have pants pockets; they stuffed silver notes into the inner layers of their dresses.

 

As for the one thousand taels in her hand, Wei Lan pushed open her own door and knocked on the next one.

“Wei Qing, are you there?”

 

The young girl immediately opened the door.

Seeing Wei Lan, her eyes lit up.

“Sis, aren’t you carving jade today?”

“Mm, resting today.

What are you doing?”

Wei Lan asked.

“I’m embroidering pouches.

Last month, the pouches I embroidered sold for two taels of silver.”

The young girl was all smiles because she had earned money.

 

Wei Lan smiled back at her.

“Having a hobby is good.”

 

She also thought that embroidering, like carving jade, was very stress-relieving.

 

Wei Lan handed over the silver notes.

“I sold some jade today and earned some silver.

Take this thousand taels as your pocket money.

If you want anything, just take the notes and buy it.”

 

Wei Qing was literate, after all, their family had been quite wealthy before.

It was Wei Wenyuan who had squandered their fortune.

 

Wei Qing glanced at the silver notes in Wei Lan’s hand, her eyes widening.

“A thousand taels?

Sis, you should take these back.

That’s too much.

I don’t need it.”

“Take it.

It’s always good to have some money on you.

But promise me, you absolutely cannot give this money to Wei Wenyuan.

We don’t have a father like that anymore.”

Wei Lan said, forcing the notes into Wei Qing’s hand.

 

Wei Qing, afraid of wrinkling the notes, had no choice but to hold them.

She wanted to say something more, but Wei Lan had already run off.

 

Wei Qing looked at the silver notes in her hand and sighed.

Her sister indeed didn’t seem short of silver.

But she had nowhere to use so much money either.

Wei Qing simply put the notes away, planning to save them for her sister, to give back to Wei Lan when she needed them.

 

By now, Wei Lan had taken a few maidservants and headed to Jingchen Courtyard.

Since she had made her wife angry, she naturally had to appease her.

Even if her gland opening got bitten a few times, it was nothing.

 

Wei Lan decided to bathe first when she got to Lu Zijin’s place, to prepare herself.

That way, when her wife returned, she could bite her directly.

 

Thinking this, Wei Lan quickened her pace.

 

She arrived too early; Lu Zijin was indeed not back yet.

Wei Lan directly instructed Qing Zhi to prepare hot water for her bath.

Then she sat in the bedroom eating iced cheese while waiting for the water.

 

Wei Lan placed the silver notes under the pillow, planning to hand them over to her wife later.

Then she went to bathe.

 

She washed herself very clean, making it convenient for Lu Zijin to bite her later.

 

By the time she finished bathing and dried her hair, only half an hour had passed.

Lu Zijin still wasn’t back.

 

Wei Lan simply took off her outer dress, climbed into bed, and prepared to sleep well.

She would be bitten tonight anyway, so catching up on some sleep was a good idea.

 

She fell asleep immediately.

 

It was almost dark when Lu Zijin finally returned to Jingchen Courtyard.

Seeing Lu Zijin back, Qing Zhi quickly came to report.

“Young lady, the master came in the afternoon.

She should be asleep by now.”

 

Lu Zijin nodded at Qing Zhi.

The little dog was quite proactive.

But she was still a bit sour.

She didn’t plan to let Wei Lan off so easily.

 

Lu Zijin entered the bedroom.

The maidservants, afraid of disturbing Wei Lan’s rest, had only lit one candle on the round table.

 

Lu Zijin walked in and saw Wei Lan lying on the bed, asleep.

She hadn’t lowered the bed curtains, so Lu Zijin could see her very clearly.

 

Lu Zijin snorted softly and walked to the bedside.

Her little dog had made her angry today, yet there she was, sleeping so soundly.

 

Thinking this, Lu Zijin leaned down and bit Wei Lan’s exposed gland opening.

The skin there was extremely delicate.

Wei Lan, feeling both pain and itch from the bite, woke up.

 

Then she saw the person above her.

Lu Zijin was sitting sideways on the edge of the bed, sucking and biting her gland opening.

 

Wei Lan’s whole body went limp.

“Wife, you’re back?

Wuwu… you’re sucking too hard.

It tickles.”

 

Hearing her acting spoiled, Lu Zijin lifted herself slightly.

Her dark, deep eyes were fixed on Wei Lan, like a predator eyeing its prey.

 

Lu Zijin bit Wei Lan’s lip directly, then kissed her urgently and hard, not caring if she could breathe.

“Wuwuwu~” Wei Lan had difficulty breathing and tried to push Lu Zijin away, but her hands had no strength.

In the end, she was kissed to tears, lying limp.

 

When Lu Zijin finally pulled back, Wei Lan gasped for air.

“I couldn’t breathe.

You’re bullying me again.”

 

Seeing her little Qiankun’s face completely red, her chest heaving, and the corners of her eyes still misty, the darkness in Lu Zijin’s eyes deepened.

 

She reached out and pinched Wei Lan’s gland opening, deliberately squeezing it.

“Who told the little dog to misbehave again?

Tell me, who were those female Kunzes?”

“They were all readers who came to my signing event before.

I don’t know how we happened to run into them.

I just chatted with them for a few words.

I never expected to run into you.”

Wei Lan explained pitifully.

She was having such a hard time.

 

The corners of Lu Zijin’s mouth lifted.

She looked at Wei Lan gently.

“So, the master is blaming me for spoiling your fun?

You wanted to chat more with those little sisters, is that it?”

 

Wei Lan quickly shook her head.

The pheromones in her gland opening were being squeezed out bit by bit.

She held Lu Zijin’s wrist with difficulty as she explained, “No.

I didn’t want to chat with them.

I was going to say a few words and leave.

I only like you.”

 

Mentioning this only made Lu Zijin angrier.

She bit the gland opening again.

Still unsatisfied, she deliberately sucked a few times.

Wei Lan hummed with difficulty.

“What about the roast duck at that tavern?

Did you teach the head chef how to make it?”

Lu Zijin said, sucking a hickey next to the gland opening.

The little dog had misbehaved.

She should mark the little dog’s body, to let others know this little dog had an owner.

 

Wei Lan was both comfortable and tormented by the sucking, her eyes about to tear up again.

She sniffled, tugging at Lu Zijin’s sleeve as she defended herself.

“I just mentioned in passing while eating that it was delicious.

Xiao Nanyan then called the head chef over.

I just casually taught him.

We’re friends.

It’s no big deal if I teach him.”

 

Lu Zijin, hearing the little dog still dare to be stubborn, immediately bit Wei Lan’s lip.

Wei Lan felt like she was about to be kissed unconscious by her wife.

When Lu Zijin finally pulled back slightly, Wei Lan felt her tongue was numb.

Her wife had used too much force.

 

She sniffled, not understanding why Lu Zijin was angry about her teaching someone to cook a dish.

But she didn’t dare be stubborn anymore.

 

Lu Zijin tapped Wei Lan’s nose, then began to list her faults.

“You’re so attentive to Xiao Nanyan, teaching her head chef delicious dishes.

Why didn’t you think about your own family’s tavern?

Why didn’t you teach the head chef of our Lu family tavern?

You’re always helping outsiders.

And you attract so many young girls to surround you.

Do you realize you were wrong?”

 

Wei Lan was stunned for a moment.

She had really forgotten about that.

The main problem was that the Lu family had too many businesses; she still hadn’t figured them all out.

But she did know they had a tavern, after all, Chen Zhou had been arrested because of it.

But she had really just mentioned it casually during lunch.

She never expected to make her wife angry!

“I was wrong.

Wife, don’t be angry.

I have even better dishes to teach our own tavern’s head chef.

I promise they’ll be very, very delicious.

I’ll start preparing tomorrow.”

Wei Lan immediately assured her.

 

Hearing this, Lu Zijin’s expression finally softened a little.

But her fingertips still pinched and played with Wei Lan’s earlobe as she continued softly, “Do you think those young girls are pretty?

I heard them all call you ‘Sister Wei Lan.’

Do you like them calling you that?

Hmm?”

 

Wei Lan wanted to cry.

Her wife was so vindictive.

Just as she had resolved the dish problem, she was back to the young girls.

 

Wei Lan quickly shook her head.

“I don’t like it, I don’t like it.

They’re just customers who came to the bookstore, just like customers buying rice or flour.

I talked to them just to drum up business for our bookstore.

Please don’t misunderstand me.”

“Is that so?

Is the master that considerate of the bookstore’s business?”

Lu Zijin looked at Wei Lan with a knowing smile, clearly not believing her nonsense.

 

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