Before Dai Zi had been in a trance for even a quarter of an hour, Mo Xuan, with an ice pop in his mouth, strolled leisurely into the backyard. Although he didn't know what the wisteria demon had done, his face was full of schadenfreude.

"You little devil, taking advantage of my wife's usual leniency towards you, you've become so lawless—wife, a wealthy old man has come outside, saying he wants to buy foreign fruits. Should we chase him away or let him stay?"

Ordinary people buying tomatoes?

Xu Milu was somewhat surprised. Although the polar fast-growing tomatoes had many advantages over ordinary fruits and vegetables, their bright colors and unusual size made them a taboo subject for the people of Chang'an, who regarded them as poisonous.

So these past few days, most of the people coming to buy tomatoes have been mountain spirits, monsters, local deities, or eerie ghosts; a living person is the first one I've ever met.

Yin Wenjiao nudged her and laughed:

"You can go ahead without worry. Tuan'er and I will handle the rest. Business is the priority. Right now, your whole family's food and drink depend on you, a young woman, to manage and support them. It's really quite tiring. Fortunately, Young Master Chenxiang and your assistant are strong. Look at me, I've been too talkative again. Go on now."

Although there wasn't a single "living person" in the Shan Hai Restaurant family, Yin Wenjiao always seemed to treat Xu Milu as an ordinary person, only feeling that she worked hard to support the family. As for the gods, ghosts, mountain spirits and monsters that came to the door, she automatically ignored them all.

Xu Milu always felt that Yin Wenjiao had a natural and simple worldview. Even though she had become a non-human, this "Buddha Mother" preferred to be a mortal.

—This monk still sews cotton-padded clothes and hats for the enlightened Tripitaka Master.

Xu Milu also seriously considered whether her bald head would be cold in winter, but the story ended with Sun Wukong hitting her on the forehead three times for "disrespecting her master."

“Good sister, I’ll be right back. Chang’an is a very wealthy city. You can throw a brick and hit several members of the royal family. Who knows, it might be some nobleman who likes new things. It’s a good start. Maybe in the future, you can see families growing tomatoes everywhere in Chang’an.”

Xu Milu took off her apron, went inside to change her clothes, and then rolled up her sleeves before following Mo Xuan to the front to meet the people.

...

...

Inside the restaurant, Chenxiang held a small flag, about three feet three inches long, with a blue border and a large "wine" character printed on a white background with black lettering.

He first compared the height of the signboard, then looked at the gaudy banners in front of other shops around him, before suddenly jumping up and leaping up the steps like a swallow, easily hanging the small flag steadily next to the signboard.

After the flag was hung up, it began to sway in the wind, making the character for "wine" on it even more eye-catching.

"Excellent! Young man, what superb skills you have!"

The customers waiting in the shop couldn't help but exclaim in delight, their eyes fixed intently on Chenxiang.

"I observed that young sir's breathing was long and deep, and his inner strength was not revealed at all. His skill in hanging the flag just now was also extraordinary. Our Great Tang Dynasty was founded on martial prowess. If young sir joins the army, he can rise above others and obtain wealth, honor, fame and fortune at his fingertips. Why be content to be a waiter in this restaurant? Why not follow me and serve the Emperor?"

Chen Xiang was taken aback. He noticed that although the guest had white hair, his eyes were incredibly bright, even more so than those of an ordinary young man. Therefore, he was momentarily unsure how to address him, and could only scratch his head and reply:

"I don't want to stand out from the crowd, nor do I want to enter the palace. My senior sister promised to teach me how to grow vegetables, brew wine, grind tofu, and pickle vegetables... I really don't have time to learn anything else."

"So that's how it is? In that case, young master is Madam Xu's junior brother?"

The customer asked another question, then chuckled, stroked his slightly graying beard, and looked around the shop's layout before laughing:

"Everyone says that Madam Xu is a divine immortal, and now that I see it, it is indeed true. Not only can she hide the magnificent flowers and scenery indoors, but she can also summon the Crystal Palace of the East Sea at will. It is hot outside, but it is cool inside, and there is also immortal energy. It must be because Madam Xu used immortal magic."

As he spoke, he seemed to become interested, pointing to the juicy fruit in the fruit bowl on the table and saying:

"Plums, lychees, hawthorns, loquats, pears, and melons—it's not even June yet, and there are already plums and hawthorns. Even oranges aren't in season yet. Even in a prosperous place like Jiangnan, I'm afraid we couldn't gather enough fruit for this bowl."

With such cultivation, Madam Xu lives in seclusion in a corner of Chang'an City; she truly embodies the carefree spirit of an immortal.

Xu Milu had just stepped into the store when she heard this complete stranger praising her profusely, and she was momentarily unsure whether to leave.

A riotous display of flowers—refers to a wall covered in a modified version of the Bloodthirsty Roses.

East China Sea Crystal Palace – various ingredients swimming around in a diamond-shaped fish tank.

A cool, ethereal aura emanates from the ice-type slime huddled in the corner, diligently working away.

Various off-season fruits – generously provided by the monkey troop of Huaguoshan.

Ever since she sent all sorts of exotic seeds to Flower Fruit Mountain, the monkeys there seem to have unlocked some kind of magical potential, focusing intently on clearing land and cultivating crops: ping-pong grapes, egg cherries, climbing strawberries, giant delicious radishes, fast-growing loquats, fast-growing blueberries...

There was so much fruit that we couldn't possibly eat it all. I heard the monkeys have started dumping it on the market. I guess they'll be starting a company soon. I wonder if Sun Wukong will be the CEO or just a mascot.

Thinking of this, Xu Milu couldn't help but shake her head, kicking the possibility out of her mind before straightening her expression and walking out:

"We are truly sorry for not welcoming you properly. May I ask your name, sir?"

The guest was over fifty years old, dressed in a black round-necked brocade robe, with a soft turban on his head and a gold belt around his waist. He was short and stocky, and although he was dressed like a wealthy man, he had the sternness of a soldier. In contrast, the two young men behind him with their faces painted with makeup looked somewhat effeminate.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!