Chapter 27: Calm Down

The buns were delicious and both of them ate them till their mouths were drooling.

The stall no longer provides tea, but only rice soup made from millet, and each person is given a free bowl. This way, it is more comfortable to drink, and one does not have to drink tea after a full meal, which would hurt the spleen and stomach.

After the two sisters had eaten and drunk their fill, they went to buy some beans and some vegetables as usual and headed back.

After returning home, I soaked beans and took a nap as usual, waiting until nightfall to grind tofu.

At dinner time, Fushunlou is bustling with activity.

Business is not as prosperous as during the big market, but as a time-honored restaurant in the town, Fu Shun Lou has a rich variety of dishes with strong flavors, reasonable prices, and large portions. It can be said to be a well-known time-honored brand, and at this moment the tables on the first floor are basically full.

Feng Yongkang walked back and forth in the lobby. When he met a regular customer, he would go up to him and offer him a glass of wine and a small plate of peanuts. This was to bring him closer to the diners and make it easier to attract more business in the future.

"Shopkeeper Qin, you haven't been as frequent these past two days as before." Feng Yongkang saw Qin Hongbao, who was drinking by himself in the corner after ordering two dishes. He walked over with a smile, filled Feng Yongkang's glass with the wine jug in his hand, and also filled his own glass, and clinked glasses with him.

"Well, it's because I've been very busy in the shop these days, and my wife at home is also a worry. She always says that I like to drink." Qin Hongbao greeted Feng Yongkang with a smile, but couldn't help complaining.

"Tell me, is it easy to open a rice and flour shop? I work so hard every day. I am a grown man and I don't have any other hobbies. I just like to have a couple of drinks. I don't drink much. I'm not a drunkard who lies on the ground every day. Is it necessary for you to nag me every day?"

"Well, after I gave you a good talk, I can finally have a couple of days of peace and quiet. I can also go out for a drink at noon when the shop is not busy."

"You just happen to be here too, so I want to ask you, did you change the chef at Fushun Restaurant? Why haven't I heard any news?"

"No?" Feng Yongkang was quite surprised: "Why do you say that all of a sudden?"

"Huh? That's strange. Why did the dishes I ordered for lunch two days ago taste different from what I ordered today?" Qin Hongbao said, "I ordered this braised tofu with sauce for lunch that day. It was delicious. I also said that Chef Zhang's cooking skills have improved. The braised tofu with sauce is much more delicious than usual. I kept thinking about it for two days. Today, I came and ordered this braised tofu with sauce, but it didn't taste as good as that day..."

"Could it be that your chef Zhang was too lazy to cook and just found an apprentice to cook this dish?"

"How could that be?" Feng Yongan explained with a smile, "We only have a few signature dishes at Fushunlou, and this braised tofu is one of them. All the dishes in the restaurant are made by Chef Zhang himself, and he wouldn't dare give them to those apprentices, let alone this signature dish."

"But now that you mentioned that, Manager Qin, I am curious. Does this dish really taste different?" Feng Yongan took out a new pair of chopsticks and, with Qin Hongbao's consent, picked up a piece of tofu and tasted it carefully.

"This is Chef Zhang's usual cooking skill, exactly the same, there is no difference." Feng Yongan said with certainty.

"Oh? That's really strange." Qin Hongbao frowned. "Why did it taste so good that day? The tofu was so fragrant, but it doesn't taste that way today? Could it be that the last two days were the first time I could go out for a drink in a while, so I was in a good mood and everything tasted good?"

"That may be the case. People say that people are in high spirits when they are happy. I guess you were too happy that day, Manager Qin, so you enjoyed the tofu so much." Feng Yongan said with a smile.

"I guess so." Qin Hongbao still frowned in surprise, swallowing the words he wanted to say.

Seeing this, Feng Yongan laughed and walked away.

"Call out your shopkeeper!"

There was an angry shout, followed by the sound of someone slamming the table.

Feng Yongan looked up and saw a sturdy man three tables away, standing there angrily. Li Fang, standing next to him, was trembling with fear, nodding and bowing as he apologized: "Sir, please calm down, calm down..."

Seeing this, Feng Yongan hurriedly walked around the table and said, "Calm down, calm down. We are all here to eat. Harmony is the most important thing. Harmony is the most important thing."

"I am the owner of this Fushun Restaurant. If I have not treated you well, please tell me."

"You've come at the right time!" The sturdy man had a full beard and originally looked rough and scary. Now he was furious and even more frightening: "Let me ask you, how do you do business in Fushunlou? How do you act as the shopkeeper? Do you just let this guy cheat people here?"

Li Fang had just been scolded by Feng Yongan, and now he was accused of cheating. His face turned pale and he hurriedly explained: "Boss, I am innocent..."

You just keep refusing to learn your lesson despite repeated admonitions. Let me see how I’ll deal with you later!

Feng Yongan ignored Li Fang's explanation and just glared at him fiercely, then said with a smile on his face: "Fushunlou has always done business honestly. I think there is some misunderstanding here. Sir, please don't worry, just tell me. If it is really the waiter's fault, I will definitely punish him severely."

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Don't hit a smiling person. Feng Yongan said this, and the strong man's face looked a little better. He said loudly: "I am a merchant selling medicinal herbs. I passed by here. I saw the beautiful scenery here, so I wanted to stay for two more days. I heard that Fushunlou is a time-honored brand in this town, so I came to have lunch."

"I ate the braised tofu you made the day before yesterday at noon, and I thought it tasted really good. I have traveled a lot, but I have never eaten such delicious food. I told others about it when I got back to the inn, and they all said I was lying to them, so I took them here to taste the braised tofu today when I had some time."

"But this time, when they tasted it, they all said it tasted just average, not as good as the ones made in the restaurants in the county town. I tasted it and it was indeed far worse than the previous two days. It was not the same dish at all. So I asked the waiter if the cook had been changed, but he said that the cook had not been changed."

"You are lying with your eyes open. It tasted so good the first time, but it doesn't taste good now. And you say you changed the cook? Is it because my mouth and tongue changed? The taste is different the two times?"

The sturdy man shouted, "Since you are the shopkeeper here, you must give me a proper explanation, or I will overturn your table in public!"

He spoke with such force that even the beard on his face trembled, showing how angry he was at the moment.

Feng Yongkang's brows were furrowed even more.

Just now, Qin Hongbao said that the taste of this braised tofu with soy sauce was different. He thought it was because of his different mood, so the taste was different. But now, someone else said that the taste was different? (End of this chapter)