Chapter 112 Tender and delicious, tangy and appetizing...
Zhong Wei's first reaction upon hearing this was: "Are you planning to hog this pot of sour fish soup all by yourself behind my back?"
Zhong Wei looked at Lin Jingyuan with great vigilance. Even brothers would scheme against each other over food, just to get one more bite. To be honest, Zhong Wei didn't have much confidence in Lin Jingyuan's character.
Lin Jingyuan looked at him with disbelief: "How could you have such a thought? Aren't we right here in front of you?"
As he spoke, he picked up another snow-white fish slice from his bowl. Song Ji's sour fish soup was just right. The fish slices, which were of even thickness, were cooked very tenderly. They seemed to melt in your mouth with just a gentle touch. The fish from Quanshui Town was especially delicious. This was a flavor that could only be made from freshly killed live fish.
The sour soup is even more delicious, with a mellow sourness and a lingering aftertaste, carrying the freshness of naturally fermented sour fruit. When you taste it, you can feel the fresh, sour and slightly spicy flavors layering up in your mouth, with each flavor complementing the others.
After swallowing, the lingering deliciousness of the fish remained in the throat, while the warmth of the sour soup spread through the stomach, making one feel better.
Upon seeing his actions, Zhong Wei immediately exclaimed "Ahhh!" twice, her eyes widening: "You...you're still eating!!!"
Lin Jingyuan asked in confusion, "Didn't you treat me to dinner? Can't I eat?"
Zhong Wei angrily shook off his hand: "You can eat, but don't stop me from eating!"
He quickly picked up a piece of fish and put it in his mouth, removing all the tiny bones. The fish had a natural sour taste, but when you opened it up, you could taste its own sweetness.
It is truly a rare and exquisite product.
Zhong Wei gave Lin Jingyuan a disdainful look: "I know Song Ji's food is good, but how could you lie just to eat a few more bites? And you said the sour fish soup was a bit strange, I think it's just your own imagination."
Zhong Wei was now slandering Lin Jingyuan. He said seriously, "I'm not lying. My hometown is Quanshui Town. I felt something was off when the fish was first brought up."
Zhong Wei glanced at him with some skepticism, but Lin Jingyuan's expression was genuinely serious.
Zhong Wei: "Then tell me what's wrong with it?"
Lin Jingyuan said, "This fish is definitely from our Quanshui Town, but this sour soup is really a bit strange."
Zhong Wei immediately thought of the flavoring additives Lin Jingyuan had mentioned earlier, but he was unwilling to believe it: "I've eaten at Song Ji's many times, and I've never felt unwell after eating there. If they added something, my body would definitely react, right? But..."
As Zhong Wei spoke, he was also thinking about it in his mind. Every time he ate at Song Ji, he would talk about it for days afterward. He even dreamed about eating at Song Ji once. The restaurant's charm was truly terrifying.
Zhong Wei has eaten many good things before, but no restaurant has left such a lasting impression as Song Ji. Could it be that they really added something to the dishes?
Zhong Wei frowned, thought for a long time, and when he came to his senses, he saw that there were only a few pieces of fish left in the large plate of sour fish soup.
Zhong Wei: ? ? ?
"Lin Jingyuan, what are you doing?!" he roared in shock and anger. He deliberately lowered his voice because he was in a restaurant, but the shock and anger in his tone were obvious.
Lin Jingyuan's expression remained unchanged: "Eating fish."
Zhong Wei: "Didn't you say that Song Ji's sour fish soup was a bit strange?!"
Lin Jingyuan smiled slightly: "Yes, I thought it was a bit strange at first, but now that I've figured it out, it's not strange anymore."
Lin Jingyuan wasn't lying; his initial surprise was genuine, because the sour fish soup he ate in Quanshui Town most of the time didn't taste like this.
But a closer taste reveals the reason: Song Ji's sour fish soup uses only sour fruits from Quanshui Town.
This sour fruit is a local wild fruit in Quanshui Town. It needs to be found and picked in the mountains, so the fermented sour fruit juice is not cheap.
The local sour fish soup in Quanshui Town is made by simmering homemade pickled cabbage and sour fruit together. Quanshui fish and sour fruit seem to be a perfect match, and the taste is superb.
However, the sour fish soup in the city is just a marketing ploy; the sour soup is made with pickled cabbage and no sour fruit is added at all.
That's why Lin Jingyuan was surprised when he first saw the sour fish soup. It seemed that Song Ji's sour fish soup was made entirely with sour fruits, and there was no pickled cabbage in it.
But Lin Jingyuan was still doubtful. Would any restaurant really spend so much? So he stopped Zhong Wei and took a bite himself first.
As a local of Quanshui Town, Lin Jingyuan could naturally taste the sourness of the fruit and finally confirmed that Song Ji's Quanshui Sour Soup Fish was made with high-quality ingredients, even better than those in the local area.
However, the initial suspicions were genuine.
After eating the fish slices, he pretended to be suspicious, which was deliberately to deceive Zhong Wei.
While he was on the phone, Zhong Wei had almost finished all the other dishes, so it's normal for him to enjoy this plate of sour fish soup all by himself.
Lin Jingyuan picked up a few slices of fish and put them in his bowl, then ladled a spoonful of golden broth over them. The freshness of the sour fruit and the deliciousness of the fish complemented each other perfectly. He savored the dish slowly and deliberately.
Zhong Wei understood perfectly well, and glared at him resentfully: "Lin Jingyuan, you're such a good actor!"
"Most of this sour fish soup ended up in your stomach; you paid for it yourself."
Zhong Wei knew he was stingy, so she deliberately took advantage of him when it came to money.
To everyone's surprise, Lin Jingyuan readily agreed: "Okay."
He placed the sour fish soup in front of himself: "Since I bought it, I'll enjoy it myself."
I scooped up half a bowl of rice, added a spoonful of sour soup to the bowl, and it tasted exceptionally sour and refreshing, making it very appetizing.
Zhong Wei was still a little incredulous. Had his stingy friend actually made a big deal?
"You've reached a cooperation agreement with that high-end restaurant? They'll be using your company's food from now on?" Zhong Wei naturally knew what business Lin Jingyuan had been busy with lately.
Lin Jingyuan shook his head: "Not so fast. They just visited our food base. There are too many owners in that restaurant, and everyone wants to come up with some ideas and play a role, so it's not easy to cooperate."
Zhong Wei: "So you're being so generous today?"
Lin Jingyuan ate without saying a word.
Seeing how much he enjoyed eating, Zhong Wei couldn't help but swallow. Even though he was already full, his stomach seemed to be able to contract freely in the face of delicious food.
Zhong Wei silently picked up his chopsticks to pick up a piece of fish, but his hand was caught by Lin Jingyuan with lightning speed just as it was raised in mid-air.
Zhong Wei smiled ingratiatingly, "May I try a little?"
Lin Jingyuan, possessive of his food, said, "No, these are all mine."
Zhong Wei frowned: "I'm the one who brought you to Song's Restaurant! You didn't even want to come in the first place. How can you be so ungrateful?"
Lin Jingyuan remained silent, simply tossing his hand away while simultaneously surrounding his own sour fish soup.
Zhong Wei stared at him for a full minute, but Lin Jingyuan remained oblivious to his gaze, continuing to eat his sour fish soup and ignoring everything around him.
Zhong Wei was speechless. He beckoned to the waiter and said, "Another serving of spring water sour fish soup."
That damn Lin Jingyuan, he's more possessive of his food than a dog!
It's not like he's short of money. Look at him ordering another dish; he'll definitely protect it tightly so that not a single whiff of the aroma escapes and Lin Jingyuan can smell it!
Zhong Wei had a good idea, but the waiter apologized, "I'm sorry, sir, due to the quota of raw materials, our restaurant has sold out of spring water sour fish soup for today."
Zhong Wei: ...
He waved his hand: "Alright."
Does God not allow him to eat fish?
But the taste of the fish he had just eaten was still very appealing to him, and he couldn't help but bow his head to Lin Jingyuan again: "Jingyuan, can I try a piece?"
This time, Lin Jingyuan did not refuse. He looked up at him, seemingly pondering something.
Zhong Wei felt a little flustered when he saw the look in his eyes; the other party clearly had bad intentions: "Answer me a few questions, and I might consider letting you eat."
Zhong Wei: "Okay, go ahead and ask."
He was prepared to be interrogated about his privacy, but Lin Jingyuan asked, "Do you know the owner of Song's Restaurant?"
Zhong Wei: "I know him."
Does it look familiar?
Zhong Wei: "It's alright."
Lin Jingyuan smiled slightly: "Could you introduce me to you?"
Zhong Wei: "That won't work."
Lin Jingyuan's expression changed instantly: "Then you shouldn't eat fish. I'm not eating enough myself."
What a wonderful sour fish soup! It's even better than many restaurants in Quanshui Town. The chef's knife skills are superb, producing even slices, and his control of the heat is exquisite. The fish is cooked to be incredibly tender, and every single slice is just as perfect.
Eating this sour fish soup is not like eating to fill your stomach, but like savoring an unparalleled delicacy.
Zhong Wei gritted his teeth: "You're something else."
Lin Jingyuan really ate the whole plate of sour fish soup, not even leaving a drop of the soup, and then drank two sips of it.
Zhong Wei crossed his arms and looked at him coldly, knowing he would never pay for the sour fish soup.
Lin Jingyuan wiped his mouth, then naturally beckoned to the waiter, his smile very gentle: "Hello, do we have two dishes that are on the house for free today?"
The waiter said yes.
Lin Jingyuan said, "Let's make this sour fish soup free. How much is the rest?"
The waiter said, "Sir, we can offer you two complimentary dishes. Which one would you like to have for free?"
Lin Jingyuan: "One dish is enough. Your restaurant's dishes are excellent, so it's only right to pay for the delicious food."
The waiter said, "Thank you for your support of Song Ji."
Lin Jingyuan: "Can I meet your store manager? I would like to thank her in person for opening such a restaurant."
"Actually, I am from Quanshui Town. This sour fish soup made with spring water has a very local style. It is a taste that I have not been able to find in the city for a long time. I didn't expect to taste it today. It reminds me of my hometown and the taste of my childhood. I really like your restaurant. It is a warm place with cultural heritage."
This was the first time Pang Ru had heard such high praise in all the time she had worked as a waitress at Song Ji. It was a well-known fact that Song Ji's dishes were delicious, but customers came to spend money. Most people left with a smile on their face after paying their bill, but they would never ask the waitresses to say a few words of praise.
A small number of customers are outgoing and talkative, and will offer simple compliments, such as "Your restaurant's food is really good." Pang Ru usually responds with a smile and thanks for her support.
This is the first customer to use so many words to praise someone, and they only waived the cost of one dish. Besides... they are also young and handsome.
Pang Ru blushed slightly: "Thank you for your support, but our manager is busy in the kitchen right now and may not have time to meet with you."
Lin Jingyuan's eyes lit up: "Is the manager of Song Ji's restaurant also a chef?"
Pang Ru said, "Yes."
Lin Jingyuan said, "Can I wait a bit? Just stay at the door."
The restaurant was quite crowded, and sitting down to wait would inconvenience the next table of customers.
Pang Ru said, "You can wait inside. All the guests who made reservations for noon today have arrived."
"Thank you." After saying that, Lin Jingyuan nudged Zhong Wei's arm, signaling him to pay the bill.
Zhong Wei: "Me?"
Lin Jingyuan: "Yes, my sour fish soup is already free, the rest is all for you to eat."
Zhong Wei really wanted to swear, but he held back. Only the veins on his forehead throbbed as he gritted his teeth and said, "You were able to waive two orders, but you only waived one, and even waived your own. If you're so rich, why don't you just pay for it yourself?!"
Lin Jingyuan argued vehemently, "Song Ji's dishes are so delicious, how can you bear to take advantage of them? Hurry up and go, the waiter is watching you."
Zhong Wei looked up and realized that he had ultimately lost to Lin Jingyuan, who was as tough as a brick wall, in terms of face. He resigned himself to his bad luck and went to pay the bill.
When I got back, I asked, "Why did you insist on getting to know the manager of Song's restaurant?"
Lin Jingyuan was deep in thought and didn't answer him.
Zhong Wei asked himself, "Could it really be because Song Ji's food is delicious? That shouldn't be the case..."
He knew his friend's personality all too well; if he thought the food was delicious, he would come back to eat there more often, and he didn't even want to associate with restaurant owners unless there was something to gain.
Zhong Wei's eyes immediately turned wary: "What do you want to do? Don't try to scam the owner of Song's Restaurant, or he'll block us and I'll kill you!"
The thought of not being able to eat Song Ji's food one day made Zhong Wei feel that he was capable of doing something drastic.
Lin Jingyuan rolled his eyes: "If you have such a brilliant idea, why don't you write a novel?"
After the number of customers in the restaurant decreased and the kitchen became less crowded, Pang Ru told Song Xinran about it: "Manager, a customer wants to see you. He said that Song Ji is a warm and humane restaurant. The customer has been waiting for you outside for half an hour."
Pang Ru spoke with great joy, never imagining that working as a waitress at Song Ji could bring her such a sense of accomplishment. This sense of accomplishment came not only from her salary but also from the satisfaction and liking of her customers.
Upon hearing those two words, Song Xinran sensed that the visitor was no ordinary person. After waiting for another half hour, she realized that the visitor was not there specifically to express gratitude.
"I'm going out to take a look." Song Xinran's expression was a little serious.
Pang Ru led her to the table, where Song Xinran saw two young men in their twenties or thirties, dressed appropriately and with a rather upright demeanor.
"They probably aren't here to cause trouble," Song Xinran thought.
"Hello, both of you. I am the manager of Song Ji's restaurant," said Song Xinran.
Zhong Wei reacted faster than Lin Jingyuan, standing up abruptly with an even brighter smile: "Manager, I'm a regular customer of Song Ji. I came during your soft opening and have eaten here several times in the past few months. Every time I order from Song Ji, I get a different delicious meal. Even the shredded pork with green peppers and the shredded pork with bamboo shoots taste different, which really surprises me. I didn't expect the manager to have such skills at such a young age. I truly admire him!"
Song Xinran felt a little overwhelmed by the string of compliments, but she still smiled and said, "Thank you for your support."
What's going on? Why are you praising someone like that? Is it really because Song Ji's food is so delicious that you're willing to wait half an hour just to see her?
She was still somewhat doubtful and uncertain.
Zhong Wei added, "I brought my friend to Songji today. His family is from Quanshui Town, and he initially insisted that no restaurant in Yongyan could replicate the authentic Quanshui flavor..."
"Ahem!" Lin Jingyuan coughed twice, his gaze sharp as a dagger. How could this person be so unreliable, actually undermining him in front of the store manager?
Zhong Wei quickly realized, "But as soon as he tasted it, he said that this dish was very authentic. Come on, Jingyuan, say a few words."
He awkwardly handed the conversation to Lin Jingyuan, who felt for the first time that Zhong Wei was really simple-minded!
However, there was no time to deal with that right now. He looked at Song Xinran and smiled slightly, saying, "Song Ji's sour fish soup is not only authentic, but it even surpasses the taste of the local dishes made in Quanshui Town. If I'm not mistaken, the sour soup in the sour fish soup is made by fermenting and boiling local sour fruits, and the fish is also a live fish from Quanshui."
Song Xinran could tell that this person had some taste when it came to food, so she nodded: "Yes, the fish were live fish transported from Quanshui Town, and the sour fruit was also bought from Quanshui Town."
"The manager is truly a thoughtful person," Lin Jingyuan praised again, emphasizing that this was the chef's true intention.
It has to be said that this compliment touched Song Xinran's heart. Sour soup fish could have been replaced with pickled cabbage, but the taste would have been lacking, and it wouldn't have been called spring water sour soup fish.
Since Song Xinran had used this name, she wanted to make an authentic flavor. However, after using all sour fruits, the cost of the sour fish soup skyrocketed.
Therefore, she raised the prices a bit, but there are still quite a few customers who like it.
But Songji is now targeting the high-end market, so when faced with such heartfelt praise, Song Xinran said modestly, "Thank you."
"However," Lin Jingyuan changed the subject.
Song Xinran also became serious. They were about to reveal their real purpose. She was also very curious about what these two were up to. She guessed that the previous praise was just a prelude. She wasn't someone who would fall for sweet talk.
Lin Jingyuan said, "My friend wanted to order another serving of sour fish soup but found out the restaurant was out of fresh fish. I happen to be in the food processing business, and my company is located in Quanshui Town. I have access to absolutely high-quality sources of goods."
"Could the store manager consider partnering with our company to provide you with fresh spring water fish and a sufficient supply of fermented sour fruit?"
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