After taking a hot shower, Zhang Guodong felt refreshed. The water contained hot spring water, making the shower even more comfortable; Zhang Guodong didn't even want to get out of the wooden tub.
This agritainment business is quite unique; the bathing facilities use wooden tubs and are heated by firewood, just like bathing in ancient times. Zhang Guodong was genuinely surprised when he first entered; the owner had clearly put a lot of thought into making guests feel their money was well spent!
Enjoying an ancient bathing experience and savoring wild game dishes completely free of urban influences makes it all worthwhile.
After getting dressed and drying my hair, I warmed it by the fire until it was almost dry before going outside. As soon as I stepped outside, I noticed that someone else was coming out of a nearby bathroom.
When Zhang Guodong looked, he was surprised to see Lin Yue!
Her cheeks were flushed and rosy, making her look incredibly alluring and seductive. Zhang Guodong stared, momentarily stunned, while Lin Yue was furious. This seemingly ordinary guy was actually a lecher!
You're practically drooling, aren't you?
"Hmph!" Lin Yue snorted coldly, then quickened her pace and left.
Zhang Guodong came to his senses, shook his head and smiled. He felt that the two of them were acting strangely. They hadn't even exchanged a few words, and yet things had already gotten awkward. Thinking back, he couldn't think of anything he had done to offend her. If possible, he probably said something to Lin Yue when they were renting the apartment that gave her a bad impression of him.
However, Zhang Guodong had no interest in such arrogant women. He was well aware of his own limitations and knew he had no connection with these kinds of people. He was just a farmer, a farmer in the city, while these pampered young ladies and gentlemen were all high and mighty.
The group was having dinner in the large restaurant on the first floor. There were two large stoves burning charcoal, one in front and one behind, and the fire was burning very brightly. As soon as you entered, you could feel the warmth and not the cold at all. There were two large tables, one for men and one for women. The women's table was already empty when Zhang Guodong entered because there were fewer people there.
No need to look, those spoiled young masters have all taken over the ladies' table.
Conversely, at the table of Luo Jianhui and his fellow officials, there were only six people. Zhang Guodong was taken aback for a moment, then found an empty seat and sat down. The fat man was also there.
At this table, Zhang Guodong, Fatty, Luo Jianhui, Jiang Lihan, Secretary Li, driver Lao Qin, and Lin Hongmin appeared to have more room.
Zhang Guodong was the last to arrive, but the drinking session at the table had already begun. There was a plate of fennel beans, a plate of boiled peanuts, a plate of fruit, a plate of wild vegetables in chili oil, and four kinds of cold appetizers.
The liquor we drank was Moutai, two bottles, served in small wine cups, the kind you sip from, a completely rural custom that was refreshing to everyone.
At another table, many people were drinking yellow rice wine. Even Zhao Jinlong and the other men were enjoying the novelty and didn't seem to mind mixing with the women.
"Xiao Zhang, right? You're late, you'll have to drink three cups as punishment!" Luo Jianhui had drunk a few cups, feeling warm all over, and relaxed, drinking with everyone. Of course, his official tone was still very obvious.
"That's right, we're all men at this table. No cola, no liquor! Xiao Zhang, three cups!" Jiang Lihan chimed in from the side. Besides Luo Jianhui, he held the highest position at the table—the executive deputy director of the district public security bureau. But at the dinner table, he let go of some of his reserve.
The fat man winked at Zhang Guodong with a smile. They couldn't refuse the wine; Jiang Lihan had personally poured it, showing his generosity and clearly giving the fat man face.
Zhang Guodong gave a wry smile, took the wine cup, thanked him, and downed three cups without saying a word.
"Good!" Everyone cheered. Zhang Guodong drank it down without hesitation. Although he didn't talk much, one's drinking manners reveal one's character.
The fat man picked up where Zhang Guodong left off, standing up and saying, "Zhang Guodong is my college classmate and best friend. He's not much of a talker, but he's honest and straightforward. He opened a restaurant called 'Green Treasure Pavilion' next to the provincial TV station. I hope you leaders will give his business some support!"
Dealing in antiques? He must be quite wealthy! Many people assumed Zhang Guodong was in the jade and antique business, completely unaware of how wrong they were.
At this moment, Luo Jianhui looked at Zhang Guodong in surprise and said, "'Green Treasure Pavilion'? Is that the 'Green Treasure Pavilion' that sells vegetables and seafood at very high prices?"
Upon hearing this, the fat man quickly said, "I didn't expect you to know about that place, boss! Yes, that's the one!"
Luo Jianhui nodded and smiled, "The young man is doing a good job. Although the local and aquatic products are quite expensive, the products are indeed good! My wife has also bought vegetables and aquatic products there, but she always complains that she couldn't buy them. She still goes to order them the next day, haha!"
Everyone was surprised; they hadn't expected that a vegetable seller would be so extraordinary.
Zhang Guodong was even more surprised, but not by the government official's personal praise; rather, he was surprised that 'Green Treasure Pavilion' was already quite well-known.
"No way, Luo District, it would be a real sin to make Auntie wait. If you had known, you could have had Guodong reserve some in advance!" the fat man flattered, then turned to Zhang Guodong and said, "Guodong, Luo District is my superior. You have to give your brother face. In the future, you'll have to reserve some in advance, and you'll get a discount!"
Zhang Guodong gave the guy a disdainful look, but the fat man's flattery pleased Luo Jianhui. Although it was just a small favor, it won him a lot of goodwill, and he had to consider the fat man's feelings.
So he nodded and said, "No problem, let's go with the 40% discount. Leave your phone number later, and you can call ahead if you need anything. You can come and pick it up anytime!"
The fat man secretly gave Zhang Guodong a thumbs up, thinking to himself, "Brother, thank you!"
Luo Jianhui smiled. Although it wasn't much money, he was satisfied with the meal, and it was something he couldn't find anywhere else. He remembered this "Green Treasure Pavilion" thanks to his wife's repeated complaints that the business there was so good that it was impossible to buy vegetables.
That dish was really delicious!
"If the boss says it's good, then I have to try it too. Xiao Zhang, can you give me a discount?"
When Jiang Lihan saw that his leader was also buying groceries here, he immediately clamored for Zhang Guodong to save some for him and ask for a discount, which Zhang Guodong agreed to.
The two leaders were there to "show their support," but the others didn't really care. It's just a vegetable stall; aren't all vegetables the same? It all comes down to the kitchen's skill; otherwise, even the best vegetables are useless. Actually, even Jiang Lihan didn't really care; he was just going along with the leaders' preferences.
The delicious wild game dish was quickly served, with the stove providing warmth and Moutai liquor being served, making everyone eat with even greater gusto!
Pheasant and rabbit meat were served first, braised in large chunks in the kitchen. All the flavors and side dishes were infused into the meat. The skin was tinged with the golden color of soy sauce, and the aroma was irresistible, whetting the appetite. It was so easy to pick up with chopsticks and tear into strips without any effort.
"Not bad!" The fat man picked up a piece, chewed, and nodded. "I'd heard the wild game here is delicious, and after trying it today, it's definitely good!"
Upon hearing this, Manager Yang, who was standing nearby, immediately beamed with joy.
"Thank you for the compliment. I'm glad everyone found the food acceptable. It's a simple meal from the countryside, just some local specialties and farm-style flavors. If Brother Wang needs anything, please let me know. I'll head out now!" Manager Yang said. "Finally, I'd like to propose a toast to all our distinguished guests. Let's finish this first, and everyone please feel free to eat and drink to their heart's content!"
As soon as Manager Yang left, everyone's attention turned to the dining table.
Normally, even if you buy wild game at a high price, there's no atmosphere to enjoy it. But today is different. The atmosphere and the taste are both there, so naturally, the food is delicious and the drinks are enjoyable.
Midway through, the fat guy suggested that everyone praise the performance to liven things up, since there was a karaoke machine nearby for singing!
After a few drinks, people naturally started singing more, and the atmosphere became much livelier. Lin Yue even sang "Parting Feelings," and surprisingly, she sang it quite well. Zhang Guodong, who is tone-deaf, frustratedly punished himself with three drinks, much to everyone's amusement.
After half of the wild game was served, it was time for wild vegetables: stir-fried bracken with scallions, cold daylily salad, stir-fried loofah with green beans, stir-fried local eggs, wood ear fungus with scallions, and shredded potatoes with chili oil. There was also braised pork belly, a favorite of the villagers. A large piece of stewed pork belly was first boiled in a pressure cooker until tender to remove the greasiness, then seasoned with various spices, and finally soaked and fried in oil to color and enhance the flavor.
After starting with meat and then vegetables, everyone felt hungry; there were just too many delicious things to eat.
Zhang Guodong ate slowly, although he ate a little of everything, especially the vegetables, but there was still the best wild boar and roe deer meat to come.
However, among these vegetarian dishes, bracken fern is his favorite. Although daylily is also a vegetable grown in the countryside, and its yield is low and seasonal, it requires a large area of land to grow. Other vegetables like loofah also take up a lot of space. Only bracken fern can be planted as long as there is a gap. It grows to less than half a foot tall, close to the ground, and its plump muscles look very tempting.
"No wonder most people like hunting. The food here is really delicious. It's a pity we can't find it in the city!" The fat man drank about half a jin of Moutai. The others seemed to have a good tolerance for alcohol as well. Three bottles on the table were empty, and a fourth bottle was opened.
Zhang Guodong remarked that officials do indeed have a high alcohol tolerance, which is something they develop through practice.
"Fatty, will this affect our climb up the mountain?" Zhang Guodong reminded him.
The fat man laughed and said, "Guodong, don't be scared. Take Brother Jiang for example, he can drink a whole jin (500ml) of liquor, and he only drank this little bit. He's perfectly fine!"
Jiang Lihan chuckled, it was impossible to tell if his dark face would turn red. He was currently enjoying his drink immensely.
"I'll stop drinking after this bottle. I'll drink more when I get back tonight. It's snowing heavily, so be careful on the road!" Luo Jianhui said. Although drinking half a jin (250ml) is nothing, one can't be careless on the mountain.
"Okay, hey, pour me some!" The fat man shouted and raised his wine cup as soon as he saw that Jiang Lihan had snatched the last bottle. This guy was good at building relationships with people.
"Everyone, thanks to everyone's good fortune, we hunted a wild boar weighing over 100 pounds on the mountain yesterday, and also brought back a young roe deer. Next, we'll serve wild boar meat and roe deer meat. Roast suckling pig is a free gift from our farmhouse, so you have to eat big chunks of this meat!" Manager Yang floated in like a ghost again and addressed the crowd.
"Manager Yang, why didn't you say so sooner? We've lost out big time!" the fat man said with a comical, mournful face. "You only served me after I was almost full?"
"Haha!" Everyone burst into laughter.
Indeed, everyone felt that the vegetarian and meat dishes served earlier tasted pretty good, but they didn't expect there to be more prepared later. As a result, after eating some rice, drinking some baijiu and huangjiu, and eating some vegetables, they were basically 90% full.
Zhang Guodong was saving his appetite. He had eaten wild rabbit and pheasant meat before back in his hometown, though not often. But he had never tried wild boar or roe deer meat, though he had heard they were very famous, and he was determined to try them this time.
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