Chapter 47: Food Court

The aloof figure had already disappeared from sight, but Yu Wan lingered, unable to look away.

She felt a mix of emotions, perhaps because meeting someone from her hometown gave her a more authentic feeling about the world and the people here.

She used to keep her secret to herself, always feeling like she was dreaming. Every morning when she opened her eyes, she would look forward to returning to her own world.

After a long talk with Guan Yanling today, she could no longer lie to herself.

This is not a dream.

A large, slender hand suddenly waved in front of her eyes, pulling her back to reality.

The boy frowned slightly, his eyes gentle as he looked at her with concern.

What exactly did that woman say?

What could possibly cause a girl who is full of fighting spirit every day to suddenly become melancholy and sad?

This unusual behavior made him inexplicably worried.

Yu Wan took a deep breath. "It's nothing."

He Jing asked, puzzled, "Did that woman say something offensive to you? Did she threaten you?"

Yu Wan smiled faintly: "No, we get along very well. You could say we hit it off immediately, and we had a lot of heartfelt conversations today."

He Jing touched her forehead. "Are you feeling unwell?"

"I'm really fine." Yu Wan had never realized this person was so long-winded.

The boy was still worried and solemnly instructed, "If anyone bullies you, be sure to tell me, and I will help you resolve it."

"I know, I know you're amazing." Yu Wan felt a warmth in her heart.

The world isn't so bad; at least I've met some really nice people.

He Jing stared into her eyes and asked earnestly, "Then can you tell me what you were thinking just now?"

For some reason, he really wanted to know what was going on in this woman's mind.

Besides making money, what else is there?

Yu Wan looked up at the sky and sighed, "I'm just a little homesick."

I don't know if I can go back. Her barbecue restaurant is unattended. What if she owes electricity bills and all the ingredients rot?

Was her original body already dead?

By the way, she's the owner of a popular online restaurant; every day, many people line up to buy her grilled skewers.

I hope that if any kind-hearted customers see her dead in the store, they can help call the police.

Hopefully, this didn't scare the customers.

He Jing didn't understand what she meant. "Isn't this your home? You mean the main store? I'll go back with you tomorrow."

Yu Wan smiled slightly, "He Suzhi, I've discovered that you're quite caring. You said I was abnormal, but I think you're acting a bit strange too. Have you run out of wages and want an advance?"

Lately, Xue Xiujun has been doing this kind of thing all the time. I don't know what he's busy with all day. He goes out as soon as he gets off work and doesn't come back until late at night.

"No. Since there's nothing else, I'll go get back to work." He Jing turned and went inside.

A few days later, Yu Wan went to the county government office and found the magistrate, and bought a piece of land in the south of the city.

Jin Yifei wanted to persuade her further, "Awan, I suggest you think about it again."

Yu Wan had made up her mind. "I've thought it through."

"Do you remember when I talked about General He?" Jin Yifei reminded him.

He Jing, standing to the side, gave him a cold glance.

"I remember," Yu Wan replied calmly.

Seeing that she remained unmoved, Jin Yifei continued to persuade her, "His chances of survival are slim. The Liang Kingdom has already established a new crown prince, and I've heard that our court has also received new information and will soon appoint a new general to rush to the battlefield. When the two sides clash, blood will inevitably flow like rivers, and that day may be very near. Awan, please listen to my advice. I'm doing this for your safety; I won't harm you."

He Jing stepped forward, separating the two people, and facing Yu Wan, asked in a deep voice,

"Can we go now?"

"Mm." Yu Wan nodded, smiling at Jin Yifei. "I know you mean well, thank you."

Jin Yifei sighed heavily, then forced a bitter smile:

"I should have known you wouldn't leave."

He didn't continue the topic, but suddenly remembered something and took two steps back to Yu Wan.

"Is the house you want to build on that land the one you drew in prison?"

Yu Wan nodded, "Exactly, this is the food court I want to build."

"A food court?" Jin Yifei was impressed upon receiving an affirmative answer. "When I saw your painting, I was struck by its grandeur and guessed it must be a massive project. If it can be successfully built, it will surely be extraordinary."

After returning home, Yu Wan started making arrangements to build a house and entrusted this huge task to He Jing.

"I trust you to handle things. You must be strict in your supervision, the quality must be guaranteed, and you must not cut corners."

He Jing managed to gather bricklayers, carpenters, painters, and general laborers—more than twenty people in total—in just three days.

Yu Wan was very satisfied with this, wondering where he had found so many people.

This county town isn't very big, and most of the people there are familiar faces, even if you can't recall their names.

However, most of the people He Suzhi found were people he had never met before.

“They’re from out of town,” He Jing explained briefly.

Yu Wan was pleased. "Not bad, not bad."

It seems that even before any official promotion, people from other places are already willing to come.

Day after day, summer arrived in the blink of an eye.

Yu Family Restaurant remains incredibly popular, with so many delicious dishes that you can't possibly try them all in one visit.

Most importantly, her restaurant's reputation has spread to several neighboring counties, and strangers often come to the restaurant to taste the food and then rave about it.

Yu Wan made summer clothes for the staff and also introduced cold drinks to the shop.

After three months, Lord Zhu had planned the county town in an orderly manner. He also applied the method of helping farmers to encourage people to participate in house repairs, street cleaning, and so on.

Every day, you could see the county magistrate leading his constables from house to house, so busy that his feet barely touched the ground.

The entire county town has improved significantly, and everyone says it's even better than before the war.

At the same time, he actively mobilized the enthusiasm of the merchants, persuaded those who wanted to leave to stay, and encouraged the people to work hard.

To boost the enthusiasm of the people, Yu Wan also made a promise that she would buy any vegetables, chickens, ducks, geese, or fish that were of good quality, as long as they met the standards.

The Drunken Immortal Pavilion, where Guan Yanling worked, also responded.

Instead of becoming bitter rivals, the two major restaurants in the county joined hands to build a better community. In the past few months, everyone has indeed seen the county gradually improve, which has finally ignited their enthusiasm, and they have all actively participated.

At the same time, Yu Wan also recruits some craftspeople, such as those who can make jewelry, trinkets, toys or household items, embroidery, tailoring and sewing. As long as they have a skill, they can sign up with her.

Farmers flocked to reclaim wasteland, but some were unsure what to do and would consult with Yu Wan for advice.

Everyone was immediately filled with enthusiasm.

Yu Wan's food court has been completed. It has five floors, with one hundred shops on each floor, for a total of five hundred shops.

She wants to separate the types of restaurants, such as barbecue shops mainly selling kebabs, and hot pot shops mainly serving hot pot. This way, the staff in each shop will have clear division of labor, their work will be more targeted, and the preparation of ingredients will be more streamlined.

Another advantage of doing this is that diners can choose a stall according to their own preferences.

Overall, it's basically a re-categorization of the original mixed-style restaurants. Also, with a larger space, the queuing situation is better.

The shops on the first floor will focus on shopping, and customers can go upstairs to choose their favorite food when they get hungry.

She also reserves some shops, which she can rent out at a low price if any merchants are willing to move in.

She created an ancient version based on a modern commercial plaza.

All the staff must undergo systematic training at the restaurant for at least a month, followed by a two-week internship, before they can officially start working in the food court.

These days, Yu Wan has been much more relaxed. As long as she explains her needs, He Jing understands her thoughts.

Now she is a manager.

He Jing accepted the task and was about to leave when he bumped into Jin Yifei.

Jin Yifei greeted him with a smile, "A-Su, are you busy again?"

His calm gaze held a hint of ambiguity, a polite smile played on his lips, and a subtle chill emanated from him.

He Jing's face was cold, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes, and he asked in a deep voice,

What are you doing here?

Jin Yifei pointed inside the house, "I've come to see Awan."

The two then heard a girl's voice coming from inside the house.

"Ah Fei, come in."

Jin Yifei pointed inside the room, a rather smug look on his face.

"A-Wan asked me to come, please excuse me."

He Jing stared fiercely at his back, wishing he could pierce the man with his eyes.

As they left the restaurant, Xue Xiujun could still feel the biting chill beside him. He shivered and asked, "What's wrong?"

He Jing snorted coldly, "It's just that I'm annoyed with someone."

Xue Xiujun immediately guessed who it was, "You mean Jin Yifei? You know what, he's quite attentive to the landlady."

Inside, Yu Wan invited Jin Yifei to sit down and have some tea.

"I invited you here today to ask you some questions."

Jin Yifei laughed and said, "You are the clever and decisive Awan, whose knowledge far surpasses mine. I have always admired you. I dare not ask you for advice. Just ask me whatever you want, and I will answer to the best of my knowledge."

He genuinely admired the woman and made no attempt to hide his praise.

Yu Wan smiled and said, "I've heard you talk about traveling all over the world, but I haven't asked you about it in detail. I'd like to hear about the places you've been to, such as their customs, food, the size of the cities, their populations, and their preferences. If possible, I'd also like to know about some of the neighboring countries."

"Sure." Jin Yifei felt a sense of familiarity in his territory, and he became more confident than usual.

"Let me give you a brief overview now. When you have time, I'll bring you my notes and dozens of maps of all sizes. Or I can go back and get them for you now."

Yu Wan quickly replied, "No rush, it's nothing important. I just want to learn about the outside world."

She never had the energy to pay attention to what the world was really like.

She used to work hard every day just to make ends meet, but now that her business is growing and her capable assistants are reliable, she has the energy to think things through.

Jin Yifei said excitedly, "You really should go out and see the world. The world is vast, and we may never be able to travel to every corner even if we spend our whole lives. The customs and traditions of different places are different, and the farther away you are, the greater the difference becomes. For example, many habits, including accents, are quite different between Jiangnan and here. I believe you will gain some insights after you travel around. If you are willing, I can be your guide and travel around with you."

Yu Wan smiled and said, "Okay, I hope I'll have that opportunity."

In ancient times, having a living guide was indeed quite important.

Jin Yifei also brought an important message.

The two somewhat famous friends that Lord Zhu once mentioned have finally arrived. Tomorrow, Lord Zhu will personally accompany them, take them around the county town, then have lunch at her restaurant, and then have dinner at Zuixianlou.