6. A small-scale trial of vegetarian braised noodles with fresh mushrooms

My husband is a kitchen killer.

Holding the thick wad of cash I earned today, I felt incredibly at ease.

"Waiter, bring us all your restaurant's signature dishes."

Yan Yunzhao waved his hand and took Lou Su to Guiyuelou, the largest restaurant in Lixi Town, where they indulged in a lavish meal.

The waiter, all smiles, quickly laid out a variety of dishes on the table: steamed mandarin fish, stir-fried mushrooms, cold greens, celery and chicken... It looked quite appetizing.

But Yan Yunzhao only took one bite before shaking his head and sighing repeatedly.

"This mandarin fish isn't tender at all. It was overcooked and the meat is too dry, with a strong fishy smell." She took a bite and complained as she chewed.

"The stir-fried mushrooms are too bland. They lack seasonings, and the mushroom flavor is completely lost. They're so bland they could choke you."

"Cold vegetable salad...does that just mean you add some water and call it cold salad?"

"As for this parsley and chicken stir-fry... what kind of culinary expert could make such a terrible combination?"

Yan Yunzhao ate without any taste, suppressing his dissatisfaction in front of Lou Su and not spitting out the food. The next few dishes were also flawed, tasteless, and problematic in every way.

Although she had already experienced the culinary skills of this world, she was still unwilling to give up, thinking that after two hundred years, there would at least be some improvement. As a result, she was naturally greatly disappointed. It turned out that the dishes made in the mortal world were no more difficult to chew than the bitter pills of the immortal world.

However, her visit to Guiyuelou was not just an impulsive purchase, but rather to grasp the culinary trends of this most authoritative restaurant, learn about its business model, and adopt what she could.

This inspection actually put her at ease, even though she was initially a little unsure: if she brought her cola chicken wings, American-style bacon and pineapple beef pizza, and KFC burgers here, wouldn't she make a fortune? With the help of chicken essence, any dish she made would taste better than Guiyuelou's.

Lou Su watched Yan Yunzhao repeatedly express her disdain for the large table of dishes in front of her and asked curiously, "Does the young lady have a good understanding of recipes?"

"I wouldn't call myself a big researcher; I just enjoy food and happen to find pleasure in it." After saying that, Yan Yunzhao put down his chopsticks and sighed.

"What a waste of ingredients. Looks like we need to give them something better to eat, so they'll know what market competitiveness is all about."

Lou Su frowned and pondered for a moment upon hearing the unfamiliar words, then remained silent, watching Yan Yunzhao fiddling with the food on the plate, picking and choosing as if he found it difficult to swallow.

"Young Master Lou, what do you think of this food?"

Yan Yunzhao lost faith in the dishes and put down his chopsticks, placing his hopes on Lou Su.

Lou Su savored the food for a while, then pondered, "The dishes are ordinary, but the taste is acceptable. In the border region of Daqi, they should be considered among the best."

It seems that the culinary skills of this dynasty are nothing special. Yan Yunzhao is full of expectations for his small shop.

"Young Master Lou, now that you've found a good opportunity to cure your illness, where are you headed next?"

Yan Yunzhao had her own ulterior motives in asking this question. Lou Su was efficient, had high emotional intelligence, and was also a great human brand ambassador. Wasn't he the perfect spokesperson? She needed such a capable assistant when the shop opened.

As for treating illnesses... with Ye Qin around, even if it's just a small sect, treating mortals' illnesses is a piece of cake.

"I've heard that this Great Qi holds a secret to healing, but I don't know exactly where it is. I plan to settle here and search for it slowly."

Lou Su glanced at Yan Yunzhao with his deep, unfathomable eyes.

She chuckled and seized the opportunity to extend an olive branch, saying, "Young Master Lou, you're all alone here, unfamiliar with the place, and seriously ill. You're in dire need of someone to take care of you. I happen to have a friend from a cultivation sect who should be able to examine you. Why don't you stay and help out at my shop? I'll pay you your wages, how about that?"

"salary?"

"Oh, that's about salary."

Lou Su smiled slightly and bowed, saying, "Then I thank Miss Yun Zhao for taking me in. I will do my best to accommodate you."

Yan Yunzhao readily put his arm around his shoulder: "I never mistreat my employees. Come on, let me change your clothes. Your clothes were soaked yesterday and look a bit wrinkled."

When Yan Yunzhao suddenly patted his shoulder, Lou Su was stunned for a moment, and the tips of his ears turned slightly red.

After spending only half a day together, Yan Yunzhao started using many words that Lou Su couldn't quite understand, but he could guess their meanings. So he didn't ask any questions and just assumed it was some kind of local dialect.

The afternoon sunlight slanted across their profiles. Yan Yunzhao hummed a cheerful tune as she led the way, while Lou Su gazed at her profile, lost in thought, his expression gradually softening.

A moment later, two figures appeared at the entrance of the Neon Fashion Shop.

The proprietress was idly fiddling with a wilted flower when she saw two handsome men walking in from outside, and she suddenly became interested.

Upon seeing Yan Yunzhao's familiar face, the proprietress greeted her warmly, "Oh, Miss Yan."

She lifted her heavily made-up eyelids, glanced quickly at the handsome young man beside her, and smiled, "I'm here to pick out clothes for my husband. We're such a perfect match."

Yan Yunzhao quickly waved his hand: "We're friends, we're friends."

The proprietress nodded knowingly, but the smug look on her face didn't diminish in the slightest. Yan Yunzhao felt a little uncomfortable being stared at, so she simply turned around and let her hold up a large roll of fabric and manipulate it for Lou Su like a doll.

“This cyan suits your skin tone perfectly. And this pale yellow, this ivory white…” The proprietress picked out dozens of bolts of fabric, and the two of them were dizzy with envy.

The young maids serving in the shop secretly glanced at Yan Yunzhao, but their gazes lingered on Lou Su, their eyes fixed on the two of them for a long time. Only when they saw the two of them finally leave did they huddle together and chatter amongst themselves.

"Hey, which young lady is that? How come her husband is so handsome? To have such a good son-in-law, he must be a prominent figure in town. I've never heard of him before."

"I don't think so. Although that young lady is generous with money, her speech and behavior are not like those of a young lady from a noble family. Perhaps she is a rich merchant keeping a gigolo."

The girls wanted to say more, but the landlady impatiently dismissed them: "Isn't there any work to do? You're always making a racket, noisier than the sparrows outside."

Yan Yunzhao, standing some distance away, rubbed his temples: What wealthy businessman, what sugar daddy, what gigolo...

It's all because the grass demon has such good hearing.

Yan Yunzhao was about to take Lou Su back to the shop when he felt like he'd forgotten something. His gaze fell on Lou Su's pale lips, and he suddenly realized, slapping his forehead: Wasn't we supposed to be taking Lou Su to see a doctor today?!

As dusk approached, Yan Yunzhao thought to herself, if there had been labor and social security laws in ancient times, she would definitely have been accused of "abusing employees" if she took her seriously ill employee out to work... However, Lou Su seemed to be used to his illness, and he worked all day without uttering a sound, with a pale smile on his face.

Yan Yunzhao felt really embarrassed and smiled at Lou Su: "I'm sorry, Young Master Lou, I've been busy with my own things all day and forgot that I was supposed to take you to see a doctor when we went down the mountain."

Lou Su simply smiled and said, "It's alright."

This magnanimous and inclusive attitude made Yan Yunzhao feel guilty, so he quickly took him to the largest clinic in town. Unexpectedly, an old man with a white beard placed his hand on his wrist and remained silent for the entire duration of half an incense stick burning.

The old doctor squinted and withdrew his hand: "Young master..."

"How is he?" Yan Yunzhao asked anxiously when he saw that he had been silent for a long time.

"He is in good health."

Upon hearing this, Yan Yunzhao and Lou Su were both taken aback.

Ji Caotang is a well-known medical clinic in the Cuiliang area. What illness does Lou Su have that even the doctors can't figure out?

She glanced at Lou Su suspiciously; his lips were deathly pale, and he looked weak and powerless, as if the word "sick" was written all over his face.

"Why come here if you're not sick? Honestly!" The people in line behind them were full of complaints and very impatient. Seeing that the old man didn't intend to say anything more, the two quickly apologized and left the hall.

The street was bustling with people. The two walked side by side, each lost in their own thoughts. Yan Yunzhao kept his head down, seemingly pondering something, and remained silent for a long while.

Lou Su broke the silence: "I am already very grateful that Miss Yun Zhao is willing to treat my illness. Unfortunately, my illness is strange and cannot be easily cured, so you don't need to worry."

Yan Yunzhao looked up and smiled at him, suppressing her thoughts.

I hadn't realized before that the pharmacists of the immortal sects were so different from the doctors of the mortal world. It was only when I entered Ji Cao Tang that I suddenly understood. Even though they are immortal sects, their methods of healing are not necessarily applicable to ordinary people.

Now that the promise of medical treatment has been made, the most urgent task is to get the shop up and running as soon as possible. With income, medical treatment will naturally follow. As the boss, I can't just stand by and watch my employee's condition deteriorate until he's terminally ill, can I?

Back inside, the craftsmen Yan Yunzhao had hired a few days earlier had renovated the shop according to the directions she had given them. The crooked wooden planks she had nailed down had been straightened and re-nailed firmly, the roof had been covered with blue tiles, the tables and chairs inside were neatly arranged, and even the signboard that read "Cuiliang Wild Game" was brand new. Bright red hexagonal lanterns were also hung around the shop, adding a touch of elegance to the desolate mountains.

Yan Yunzhao was extremely satisfied, circling the shop again and again, unable to get enough of looking at it.

At this moment, Lou Su was deep in thought, holding the hand-drawn map left by the craftsman: the mountain peaks drawn on the map were surrounded by small circles, one after another, and seemed to be arranged according to some strange rule.

Could it be some kind of mysterious array? Lou Su vaguely recalled the unfamiliar aura he had felt that day, and his expression became more serious.

He focused his mind and carefully examined his surroundings, but found nothing.

"Miss Yun Zhao, what are those circles you drew on the mountain...?"

“Oh,” Yan Yunzhao said, recognizing the line, “These are contour lines.”

"Deng...gao...xian?" Lou Su repeated the word she uttered slowly and deliberately, even more puzzled. He had never heard of Denggaoxian in Cuiliang Mountain.

Yan Yunzhao found a small stick and began drawing a diagram on the ground for him: "The purpose of these contour lines is to show the height of the mountains on the map. Simply put, the more circles a mountain has, the higher it is, and you shouldn't cross it rashly. You see these two mountains, there are two circles on the same horizontal line, which means that the height here is the same..."

She talked at length to Lou Su about what contour lines were, getting more and more excited as she spoke: "Originally, I forgot that the craftsmen couldn't understand these lines and shouldn't have drawn them, but once you get into the habit of marking contour lines, your hands start itching..."

After explaining the contour lines at length, Yan Yunzhao put the small stick on the ground, let out a long sigh, and felt a great sense of accomplishment: modern wisdom has taken another big step towards the ancient.

Lou Su listened to her explanation thoughtfully. The contour line design was ingenious. He had read extensively before, but he had never seen such a profound idea in drawing.

How could a grass demon from a celestial sect know these things? Lou Su glanced at the girl's cheerful figure without showing any emotion.

Throughout the warm, sunny afternoon, Lou Su helped Yan Yunzhao prepare ingredients for the small shop. Yan Yunzhao set up the kitchen, and together with Lou Su, they killed a chicken, washed vegetables, picked mushrooms, and marinated some spicy and salty sauce for seasoning. With this, they should be ready to welcome guests.

Lou Su worked meticulously and attentively. Seeing him peel beans with his delicate hands, his slender fingers deftly picking out the beans, Yan Yunzhao couldn't help but be mesmerized, finding the scene quite pleasing to the eye.

"Lou Su, did you help out like this at home before?"

Yan Yunzhao sat on a small stool, propping her chin up as she observed his skillful movements.

"I had never cooked before. I learned how to peel beans and pick vegetables by watching others."

The setting sun shone through Lou Su's clean-cut profile, casting a soft, fuzzy glow upon him.

"You seem to have skillful hands, why don't you give it a try today?"

Before Lou Su could agree, Yan Yunzhao excitedly pulled him to the stove and introduced the kitchen utensils one by one.

"These two cutting boards are used for chopping vegetables and meat. Here."

Yan Yunzhao handed Lou Su a washed, bright red tomato, "The first dish for beginners: scrambled eggs with tomatoes. Cut the tomato into chunks and put them in a bowl. Crack two eggs into the pan..."

Lou Su listened patiently to Yan Yunzhao's explanation and followed her instructions step by step. Fortunately, there weren't many steps involved in making scrambled eggs with tomatoes. After some adding more seasonings and frying the eggs until they were burnt, a dish that looked somewhat like scrambled eggs with tomatoes was finally ready.

After all, it was Lou Su's first time making it by hand, so he had to give him some face. Yan Yunzhao picked up a piece of dark, mushy egg and put it in his mouth. His face turned from sunny to gloomy, and he choked for a long time before swallowing it shakily.

How does it taste?

"It's...delicious." Yan Yunzhao forced down the unknown thing in his mouth and chuckled dryly.

“Then I’ll do it often from now on.” Lou Su raised an eyebrow.

"Ah! Young Master Lou, helping out is enough. How could I trouble you? Hahaha..."

Yan Yunzhao forced a few words out of composure, but finally couldn't hold back and rushed into the kitchen, where Lou Su couldn't see him, and gulped down several glasses of water.

"Cough cough cough, how can someone not even make good scrambled eggs with tomatoes?"

This culinary master simply cannot understand! I will never dare to let Lou Su cook again. This celestial being is clearly not suited to cooking in the mortal realm! Lou Su should just stick to being a human billboard.

Yan Yunzhao glanced at that handsome figure with mixed feelings, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

On the other side, Lou Su also picked up a piece of charcoal-like substance and put it in his mouth, sitting still for a long time.

"...Let Miss Yan do it from now on."

As the sun began to set, gazing at the distant, layered mountains, Yan Yunzhao felt a pang of melancholy. She wondered when her first customer would arrive. If business was slow today, she would go down the mountain to continue selling mushrooms and promote the business as well; eventually, customers would come.

Yan Yunzhao's body is now like that of an ordinary person, requiring him to eat on time. Lou Su's dish of tomato and egg stir-fry, which was practically poisonous, delayed his evening meal by a full two hours. After finally regaining his appetite and sense of taste, Yan Yunzhao cooked a decent meal.

She and Lou Su didn't need to make a big fuss; they just prepared some delicious side dishes, such as fresh shrimp noodles and mushroom stew, and also made two braised lion's head meatballs. They didn't waste any money and ate with great relish.

Lou Su ate with great elegance, unhurried and unhurried, unlike Yan Yunzhao who picked up the porcelain bowl and ate it all up, then wiped the non-existent oil stains from the corners of his lips with a handkerchief after finishing.

Yan Yunzhao felt that having this person accompany him during meals improved his appetite considerably, and just watching him eat was extremely pleasing to the eye.

However, Lou Su only took a few bites to taste before he couldn't help but praise, "Miss Yun Zhao's cooking skills are indeed outstanding."

Seeing that he was enjoying his meal, Yan Yunzhao said, "I'll cook from now on, so please don't go into the kitchen."

"It's definitely not because your cooking is bad."

Lou Su responded calmly and quietly finished off all the side dishes on the table. He had only tasted a few bites of the "feast" at Guiyue Tower.

Yan Yunzhao's cooking was unlike anything he had ever seen before; it had a unique, indescribable flavor that directly captivated the soul. It wasn't just delicious; it also carried a certain sentiment, always evoking memories of the leisurely moments of childhood.

As the setting sun cast its last rays through the trees, an old man carrying a bamboo basket struggled down the mountain, pausing to look at the "Cuiliang Wild Game" sign.

Seeing him stop, Yan Yunzhao was delighted and invited him into the shop: "Uncle, what would you like to eat?"

The old man glanced at the two people inside the shop and hesitated before asking, "This should be an eatery, right?"

"Of course. Our shop uses the most original ingredients from Cuiliang Mountain, so they're fresh and delicious. Just tell me what you'd like to eat, and I'll definitely make it."

Lou Su poured the old man a cup of tea and said, "Please have some," which made the old man a little uneasy. He looked around, hesitated for a moment, and then took off his straw hat and placed it on the table.

"Then what about the price..."

"Don't worry! The price is definitely fair." After several days of investigation, Yan Yunzhao had already determined the prices of the dishes in this place.

"Then make me a bowl of vegetarian noodles."

Yan Yunzhao responded and went to the kitchen to get busy.

Finely dice carrots, tofu, and potatoes and set aside. Add water and simmer over low heat to create a fragrant and rich sauce. In a bowl, mix flour and water, knead, seal, and let stand for a moment before stretching and adding to a pot. Add a little water and stir until it bubbles and bubbles. Pour all the mixture into the pot, sprinkle with salt and chicken bouillon, and garnish with chopped scallions. A "Fresh Mushroom Vegetarian Noodle Soup" is ready to serve.

Chicken bouillon can preserve the umami flavor of ingredients to the greatest extent. A pot of flavorful soup is enhanced by carrots, potatoes and scallions, and soft tofu is paired with chewy noodles, enriching the texture and flavor.

The rich aroma was irresistible, making one's mouth water. Looking at the perfectly presented and flavorful ramen, Yan Yunzhao placed it on the table with satisfaction.

The old man picked up a handful of noodles with his chopsticks. The noodles were white, thick and straight. The moment he put them in his mouth, his eyes lit up, and he wolfed them down.

“Young lady, this noodle dish is the freshest I have ever tasted in my life! The noodles are chewy and delicious, and the broth is perfectly flavorful. I must tell all the neighbors to come and try this delicious noodle dish.”

The old man's unreserved praise made Yan Yunzhao overjoyed.

Although her magical power was weak, due to her grass demon nature, she had tough bones and muscles and was much stronger than ordinary people. The dough she kneaded was naturally elastic, smooth, and had a white and even color.

The grass demon used arson to cook the noodles, controlling the heat more precisely than when using dry firewood, resulting in an exceptional soup noodle dish.

The old man paid thirty coins, put on his straw hat, and reluctantly left the shop, sighing, "The noodles tasted excellent, but the shop is a bit out of the way. Why don't you open a shop in town, young lady? That way you could attract more customers."

Yan Yunzhao had considered this point, but she felt that opening a shop in town would not only lack a sense of wildness, but also make it difficult to go up the mountain to obtain ingredients in a timely manner, thus missing the core selling point of "wild game".

In addition, grass spirits have an innately keen sense of smell, and can tell whether something in the mountains is poisonous or not just by smelling it, so there is no need to worry about picking poisonous things.

Moreover, land prices in the town are very high, and Yan Yunzhao, who is penniless, has no money to buy land. Although Cuiliang Mountain is a barren mountain, a land deed is still required to buy land. Fortunately, it is located in a remote area and no one has come to investigate for the time being, so he can only slowly save money to buy a land deed.

After hearing her explanation, the old man nodded in approval, picked up his basket, glanced back at the signboard with lingering affection, and disappeared into the distance.

Cui Liang Wild Game's first order was a complete success! Yan Yunzhao picked up Rongrong and spun her around, and the two of them and the cat happily began cleaning the small shop.