22 Chapter 22 (Two in One)
◎The sweeping and mopping robot in your store is really good.◎
In a large basin that was almost as wide as the shoulders, vegetables were piled to the top, with snow-white fish fillets spread on top, covered with sesame seeds, minced garlic, chili peppers and green peppercorns, and a spoonful of boiling hot oil poured over it.
Sizzle——!
The golden-red oil instantly boiled, and the fish slices tumbled, like snow lotus flowers blooming in the morning sun on a snowy mountain, dancing and floating in a sea of red oil. The hot oil fully unleashed the aroma of pepper, which burst out vibrantly from the crack in the closed glass door.
"Gulp." The investigators swallowed their saliva very loudly.
The only one who was hungrier than them was Xiao Kui, who sat at the table without even moving his eyes.
"Ahhh, boss, your boiled fish is even more delicious than the one I had in Sichuan!"
He picked up his chopsticks and was about to plunge into the boiling oil pan when Old Li came to his senses, pushed the door open and rushed in. "Wait a minute, don't eat yet!"
"What?" Xiao Kui was frightened.
Ye Ping'an watched the group of people surrounding the table as if they were facing a great enemy, and pulled out the chair next to it without any surprise.
"...Officers, are you hungry? There's still plenty, no need to rush. The next pot will be ready quickly. Would you like it boiled or in a golden soup?"
As I entered the store, I was hit by a wave of heat. After squatting in the damp and cold reservoir until midnight, the hot and pungent aroma made me feel lively from the inside out.
Old Li rubbed his empty stomach and took out his ID as a matter of routine.
She peppered him with questions. "We're investigating an alien species incident. Where did you buy your fish? Where are the others? Did you process any leftover materials? Did you encounter any strange or suspicious issues while processing them?"
Ye Ping'an, unfazed by her serious gaze, pointed at them one by one. "Here, the breeding license, my purchase records... Officer, I'm running a small business with integrity. I'm a law-abiding citizen and wouldn't illegally sell wild animals. The other fish? They're in the tank. This fish is a bit unusual in shape, but it tastes quite good."
"You want fish bones? You can only look for those kitchen waste in the trash can."
It is normal for stores to face surprise inspections during holidays.
The restaurant's accounts were clear, and the quality of the dishes had always been a top priority. Ye Ping'an led his men to the kitchen with confidence.
Passing by the dining table, Ye Pingan gave Xiao Kui a comforting look and said, "The officers will need this basin of fish. I'll make you a new one later."
Xiao Kui was on the verge of tears as he stared at the fish that had been moved to a separate table by the investigators. "My fish... I've been waiting for half an hour for it, and it's getting cold..."
As it got late at night, the snack stalls on the food street closed one after another, but the kitchen of Xile Hotel was still bustling with activity.
Water tanks lined the wall, oxygenated, and fish and shrimp made a gentle, throbbing noise. Dried chilies hung on the wall, and the oil pan was still hot. The range hood hummed softly, and the countertops, clearly meticulously wiped, remained immaculate.
The brand new white sweeping and mopping robot was diligently circling on the ground, making almost no noise, and slowly turned behind the trash can and out of sight.
The remaining oil stains were wiped clean wherever it passed, and even the tiny fish bones and crushed chili peppers disappeared, leaving only the smooth ground.
If the pot wasn't still there, just looking at the floor, it wouldn't look like a greasy restaurant kitchen at all.
Old Li quickly scanned the area and fixed his gaze on the trash can in the corner.
Fish bones and a large fish head jutted out of the bucket, a skull-like head split in half still filling half the bucket. Dark blood dripped from the white bones, but no one would mistake it for a murder scene.
——In the dirty blood, the cleaned fish viscera, fish scales, and vegetable leaves with soil were mixed together, garlic peels and chili stems were everywhere, and there were a few chicken feathers hanging on the top in a funny way.
Leaving aside the garbage, the fish bones were cleanly shaved and their size was quite abnormal, consistent with the impact force estimates at the reservoir site.
Lao Li took precautions carefully and did not touch the fish bones.
There was only the feeling of wet and sticky sewage under his hands, without a trace of coldness.
Bai Xuan picked up the hedgehog lying quietly in her palm, swallowed her saliva, and whispered to her side, "Xue Rong didn't feel anything strange... I'm so hungry, Deputy Captain."
Old Li breathed a sigh of relief.
She even suspected that the young boss was so calm because he was on guard, but the fish bones were not hidden, and the store was open and honest when she checked them. It seemed that he was just knowledgeable.
When he turned around, Lao Li saw the young boss staring at her hand touching the bone, hesitantly, with an expression: I don't understand, but I respect her personal hobbies.
...There's no need to be so knowledgeable.
reputation damaged.jpg
Old Li immediately withdrew his hand, washed it in the sink, and showed the expert's letter of introduction. "The mutant fish bones may have research value. How much are you selling them for? We need to take them away. Please also give us a sample of the fish meat and remaining internal organs."
When ferocious beasts appeared one after another in the past few years, the Investigation Bureau speculated whether the legendary essence of rare and precious beasts might be at work. However, the facts proved that they were overthinking.
After a ferocious beast dies, only bones remain. What little flesh and blood is salvaged will also be corrupted by the strange aura. Eating it will only cause the vitality to drain away faster.
Now that the strange fish is confirmed to be not a ferocious beast, the reservoir owner's terrifying experience must have been a misunderstanding. Therefore, there's no need to stop the sale. Buying the fish bones and some samples is purely to contribute to the research of my colleagues and experts.
"You auxiliary police have a wide range of duties, including invasive species. You're really hardworking."
Ye Pingan beamed, praising as he rummaged through the trash can, stuffed the fish bones and head into another large bucket, and put it on the scale. "A total of 31 pounds and 1.5 ounces."
After Ye Pingan finished packing the fish bones, a few drops of dirty water inevitably dripped from the bones she pulled out of the trash can. Just as Lao Li was about to remind her, he heard a buzzing sound coming from behind the trash can.
The sweeping and mopping machine turned in circles to wipe the dirty water, then slowly turned back.
"Can robots nowadays automatically detect when to clean? I wanted to buy one before, but I heard that robot sweepers and mops are stupid and don't clean very well. It's easy to get annoyed with them, so I didn't buy one."
Old Li looked at the robot in amazement, "It's the latest model, no wonder... Technology is updating very quickly. The sweeping and mopping robot in your store is really good."
Lao Li added a shopping cart.
The sweeping and mopping robots used in restaurants are definitely more convenient for home use.
Ye Ping'an took out the fish fillets that had been stored separately and placed them on the bucket. Without blinking, he quickly recited the figure, "Add half a pound of fillets and offal, and I'll give it to you at the market price of twelve yuan per pound. I won't take more, so I'll round off the rest and give you three hundred and eighty yuan. Consider it your contribution to scientific research."
Bai Xuan was secretly glancing at the stove and subconsciously started using the calculator. "A total of 31.65 jin. My guess is that black carp is 12 jin per jin...? No, fish bones are also so expensive, cunt—"
Old Li covered the angry girl's mouth and pushed her out of the kitchen door.
It doesn't matter if it's a little expensive. They came over aggressively to intercept them, but the boss didn't refuse to do business with them or charge them drastically. He was already very cooperative.
[Ding Dong, 380 yuan has arrived! ]
Ye Ping'an smiled brightly, "It's so late, have you all eaten yet? Why don't you stay for a meal before leaving? You don't have any dietary restrictions, right?"
Old Li felt the burning, eager gazes behind him and nodded, "Since we have children, could you make the golden soup less spicy?"
"I can eat spicy food!" Bai Xuan protested softly, but was pushed back by Lao Li.
"A pot of boiled fish for that guest. Heat up the fish for us, and a pot of golden soup."
"Wait wait wait, it's just been served a few minutes ago, no need to heat it up!"
Xiao Kui shouted hurriedly in the lobby. Upon hearing that the matter had been resolved, he quickly reached out to the next table and brought back the boiled fish. "I want this! This is the reduced-fat and low-carbon version that the boss made for me!"
He was already anxious enough from smelling the fish being cooked next door at night, and finally made up his mind to come over for dinner. After waiting for half an hour, the fish he was waiting for was almost intercepted.
If he waits another half an hour, he might starve to death!
The investigators were too embarrassed to grab the fish and could only watch the bright red pot of fish disappear with fiery eyes. They sat upright, their attention all on Xiao Kui who was eating with slurps at the next table.
The fish meat is generously portioned, and after being scalded in hot oil, it curls up and blossoms in the soup. Small sesame seeds and chili flakes are even coated on top, making your tongue numb and drool just by looking at it.
The wide noodles, soaked in broth, were translucent and glistening, dripping with orange-red oil. The thick, glutinous noodles bounced on the chopsticks, resilient yet not overcooked and brittle, with just the right amount of springiness.
Pick up a fish fillet, wrap it with a piece of pig blood red, and add a piece of crisp lettuce. The complementary tastes are so tempting that you want more. The more you eat, the more you enjoy it. One sip of the hot and spicy flavor not only tastes the freshness of the fish, but also the richness of the broth that has been infused into the whole pot of food.
Xiao Kui ate so much that tears and snot kept coming out, and he gasped for breath. The red color like a chili pepper spread from the tip of his nose to his face.
The investigators who were so greedy couldn't help but hand him tissues to prevent him from getting too spicy.
Xiao Kui cautiously held the basin and turned it in another direction, "No, no, no. This is the flavor that's so satisfying!"
"Boss Ye's cooking is absolutely amazing. I don't know what kind of chili he uses, but it's spicy, but not so spicy that it hurts my stomach. It's definitely a great weight loss product!" He then changed the subject, "Boss, you only gave me a few wide noodles? They can all eat rice! I can smell the aroma of rice."
Ye Ping'an peeked out from the kitchen speechlessly, "You said you didn't eat any carbs today, so I put some wide noodles in. Otherwise, I shouldn't have put any in at all. You can add noodles or rice if you want. You'll be a few pounds heavier tomorrow, so don't be so hungry all day that you can't stand it and come crying for food again."
"Chili peppers... chili peppers burn fat." Xiao Kui's eyes wandered guiltily.
It takes a long time to prepare the food, but when there are more customers, the food is served faster.
The two pots of fish were taken out of the pot one after another, with not much difference in time.
As soon as Ye Ping'an entered the lobby, he received unanimous stares.
The investigators were drooling at the food show at the next table, and when the food was finally served, they couldn't wait to grab the chopsticks.
As soon as they took a sip of the boiled food, it was like a bomb exploding. They immediately felt that it was normal for the people at the next table to be unable to stop eating.
Old Li didn't compete with them for the boiled fish, but scooped a spoonful of golden soup fish for Bai Xuan next to him.
A solid bowl of rice topped with golden soup whets the appetite with its golden color.
The soaked beans, once pressed, burst forth into a rich, hot and sour broth. The aroma of fresh, seasonal rice thickens the vibrant, stimulating flavor. The freshness of the thinly sliced fish isn't overshadowed by the heavy broth; instead, it becomes even more distinct.
Old Li had just finished checking the fish bones, and the information about the ferocious beast was still floating in his mind. When he saw the fish fillets, he could hardly control the disgusting associations.
She had originally planned to just eat a little, but the aroma filled her, and she couldn't help but turn the spoon and scoop a spoonful for herself.
The fish fillets were so tender that she could even taste the fresh aroma of the fat. The real deliciousness soothed the last bit of uneasiness.
The golden soup doesn't resemble the typical seasoning packets; it doesn't have that subtle grainy, sour, or astringent taste. Instead, it's incredibly refreshing, with a hint of sweetness amidst the sour and spicy flavor. Eating it with rice creates a gentle warmth in your satisfied stomach.
Old Li couldn't help but laugh when he recalled the morning when he slurped down his bowl of noodles. "I'll pack another one later. The bureau is in for a treat tonight."
"Great!" the investigators cheered softly.
The aroma of the boiled fish next to it was even stronger. The table was full of young people, who were wolfing down the food. Without even glancing at it, only half of the soup base was left.
Facing their eager eyes, Lao Li quickly joined the battle for the golden soup fish.
The group of people had eaten their fill, walked in with serious expressions, and strolled out with a lazy air, carrying two large bags of fish and rice in their hands.
Xiao Kui was reluctant to leave after finishing his meal and eagerly asked, "Boss, when will you make fish heads? Fish heads have lower calories!"
"Let's talk about it later. It's a pity that the biggest fish head can't be used. If it hadn't been pecked by the chicken, I could have stewed it in a pot of fish head tofu, and then made a chopped pepper fish head. The big fish head is so satisfying to eat."
Ye Ping'an waved goodbye to the customers, looked at the money from selling bones in the account, and closed the door with satisfaction.
The big fish was given away for free, and the bones were sold for another sum, so she made twice the profit after rounding it off!
The store’s stock will run out sooner or later, and today’s peppers are the best ones picked from the market these days.
The taste is pretty good, and the new product will be on the menu tomorrow.
Ye Ping'an tidied up the tables and chairs, and the dishwasher and disinfection cabinet started working one after another.
The sweeper-mop machine nimbly came out of the kitchen and cleaned the floor with a buzzing sound.
"Cluck, cluck." The hen huddled in a corner of the cage away from the sweeping robot and laid an egg.
Ye Pingan took the egg and said, "Okay, I'll eat you tomorrow."
As the night deepened, Ye Ping'an had just laid down when the phone beside his pillow suddenly rang.
It's an unfamiliar number.
Thinking of the business cards he had recently sent out, Ye Ping'an held up his eyelids and got up to answer the call.
"Hello? Welcome to the Xile Hotel."
There was silence in the receiver, but it was not dead. There was a faint, suppressed whimpering sound coming from the depths of the distance, like a taut bowstring, pulling at one's nerves.
It’s the middle of the night, could it be a harassing call?
"Who is it? We're closed today. If you don't say anything, just hang up."
"Rustle... Ziz, Ziz..." The sound of the electric current suddenly became stronger, squeezing out a strange voice that was so distorted that it was difficult to distinguish between male and female. "The company needs you..."
Company? It must be the company dinner that Lin Yu mentioned recently!
Ye Ping'an immediately became enthusiastic. "Yes, yes, hello, hello. How many meals are you planning to order? What's the meal price? Do you have any dish requirements? We can discuss everything! We'll give you a 99% discount on your first order, and the cooking is guaranteed to satisfy you!"
"I need you..." The distorted voice was cold and gradually spread to the surroundings, like a black shadow silently surrounding her.
The same sentence kept repeating on the other end of the phone, and Ye Ping'an slowly came to his senses.
If you need it but don't talk about it in detail, what else could it be hinting at?
"Want a kickback? Go ask someone else." Ye Ping'an hung up the phone, and the coldness disappeared in an instant.
Ye Ping'an sneered and dragged the number into the blacklist.
She was already heartbroken because of the 99% discount on the opening sale!
She doesn't make money from kickbacks, and now is not the time when there is a shortage of business, so don't even think about it.
I heard it’s a big company, why is it so stingy!
-
The two kinds of fish had just been updated on the menu for two days. When Lin Yu and her roommate An Qi walked in, they were stunned to see the lobby was almost full.
"...Boss, you've only been open for a week, and you're already so popular?! No wonder I wanted to order takeout today, but the store announcement said we were too busy and couldn't do takeout today."
Ye Pingan heard a familiar voice peeking out from the kitchen and nodded as a matter of course, "This is a craft passed down from my ancestors, it's normal for everyone to like it. Come on, come in and sit down. What do you want to eat?"
The May Day holiday is coming to an end, and students who have been traveling or going home are returning to the university town one after another.
The snack stalls in the food street, which had been lukewarm in recent days, have seen a small peak in business. The Xile Restaurant at the end of the street, which usually has few customers, has grown even faster than the snack stalls.
The most frequent people entering the door changed from delivery riders to students from the nearby university town.
I usually don’t think it’s important to have a delicious restaurant. Although Anqi recommends it, I’m too lazy to run to the corners of the university town. I just order takeout.
But she hasn't eaten it for a while. When she returned home these days, she was spoiled by her family's cooking. The takeaway she ordered was simply a world apart in quality from that of Xile Restaurant. She dreams of eating at Xile Restaurant!
There is no way, there is no harm without comparison.
An Qi looked at the crowded store and could probably guess that everyone had the same idea as her.
As soon as she walked in and took a look at the blackboard with the menu, An Qi looked sad. "It's over, Boss, why are you sold out of barbecued pork and wontons? I've been thinking about this since I got home! Wow, I'm just one step too late!"
"Give me a fish!" Although she was howling, she didn't slow down at all when ordering. She kept asking, "The fish won't only be sold for two days, right?" She didn't sit down until she saw the water tank in the kitchen.
After taking a bite of fish, Anqi's eyes lit up, but she couldn't help but think about the past menu.
"Boss, when are you going to re-release the menu? According to what we learned in class, having fixed signature items is more likely to attract popularity and retain customers, and it's easier to make money! Please, stand up and make some money!"
Ye Pingan looked puzzled, "Do you think I'm not making money now?"
"Uh..." An Qi listened to the sound of the payment code beeping one after another and silently gave a thumbs up, "Boss, you are still the best."
Ye Pingan: "Why didn't I see classmate Xiao Xia today? Are you guys busy with graduation soon?"
Lin Yu nodded. "Xia Xia found a part-time job in the real estate department. She plans to take advantage of graduation season to help her classmates rent houses to earn some money, and by the way, look around and choose a place to rent for herself. She's been so busy lately that she's moved into the dormitory."
"Thank you, Boss Ye, for what happened last time. The pervert who was peeping suddenly died. The company handled the matter very seriously. I was recently transferred to another project team."
Lin Yu briefly explained the follow-up to the police report and then thought, "Did the administration contact the boss to order group meals?"
Although the phone call was not pleasant, there is no need to vent your anger on the customer who kindly referred the business to you.
Ye Pingan said casually, "I received a call asking about group meals, but the terms couldn't be agreed upon. I guess someone else has been booked this time."
Lin Yu left with some regret, and on the way he was still holding An Qi's hand, thinking about where he could go to help with the promotion.
An Qi touched her forehead and pointed at the door speechlessly, "You don't have a fever. Do you think the boss is short of customers? Please stop trying to persuade him. If you continue, I'm afraid that the boss will not only stop doing takeout, but also start making reservations in advance!!!"
After the May Day holiday, the bustling crowds at Xile Hotel have only cooled down slightly.
Ye Ping'an looked at the account book showing a sharp increase in customer traffic in early May, and smiled like a flower. He quickly sent a message to Lao Liu to order another batch of drinks.
After a busy day and night, Zhou Shi finally finished cleaning up the reservoir and went to the door with the prepared gifts. Looking at the crowded restaurant at the end of the food street, he looked at the business card in disbelief.
"That's definitely the place... I heard from Sister Qin that it's only been open for less than two weeks. I haven't seen any publicity, and it's in this shabby little corner, so why are there so many people?"
At first glance, she thought it was a newly opened internet-famous store in the university town!
She deliberately chose to come after dinner time so as not to disturb Boss Ye's business. Unexpectedly, the restaurant was still full at this time!
Xiao Kui, with a belly full of dinner, had just left the house when he heard someone ask him a question. Without hesitation, he answered, "Of course it's because the boss's cooking is so good!"
Although he has not yet made up his mind to buy the medicinal food that sounds like a scam, Xile Restaurant has become a restaurant he must visit every day.
Alas, I have gained weight again, which is really worrying.
Ye Ping'an was delivering food with a tray. He caught a glimpse of someone outside the door and honked the horn.
A familiar, enthusiastic greeting came from the loudspeaker, "Scan the QR code at the table to order, pay first and cook later! The rice is in the pot with unlimited refills. There's only one owner in the shop, so please put your bowls and chopsticks here for recycling after you finish eating!"
"Boss, when are you hiring? I'm up for it! Just provide food and lodging!"
"No, no, don't look for him. He's a lazy glutton! He's not as smart as that sweeping idiot. I'm willing to be a waiter. I just want to eat!"
"I think we should stop arguing. It's almost dark. Let's try to get the boss to open 12 hours. Boss Ye used to open the shop early, but now he doesn't open until noon. He's open eight hours a day and closes as soon as he's sold out. He's even more punctual than us going to class. I really can't get enough!"
A burst of laughter rang out in the lobby.
Zhou Shi was stunned. Only then did he realize that although the store was in good order, it was almost entirely filled with customers.
The heavily greasy restaurant, without the constant cleaning staff, remained relatively untidy. The occasional speck of trash and footprints on the floor was quickly wiped away by a sleek sweeping and mopping robot, which didn't even trip anyone.
Zhou Shi and her husband whispered, "Is that the robot sweeper and mop we gave the old man also this model? Why isn't it this smart? I wonder where Boss Ye bought it."
The customers in the restaurant left one after another, leaving only the last table still chatting and eating.
Ye Ping'an listened to the laughter in the room with satisfaction, finished the last piece of fish, and sent it out to the kitchen.
"Hey, Boss Zhou?" Ye Ping'an finally saw the couple who had been waiting in the corner. "Why aren't you saying anything? Have you ordered yet? Have dinner before you leave? It's only been a few days since we last met, and you two look so thin. How are your injuries?"
"The wound is almost healed. What happened that day was so sudden that Boss Ye didn't even catch the fish he wanted to buy for you."
Zhou Shi opened the car door and saw the fish in the tank fluttering with energy. "Just caught the same kind you requested last time this afternoon. They're definitely better than before! The price is what we agreed on."
Ye Ping'an's eyes lit up.
She was just thinking that something went wrong at Zhoushi Reservoir and she couldn't buy new fish!
Zhou Shi came and went in a hurry. By the time Ye Ping'an finished emptying the water tank, it was already completely dark.
The last table of classmates had a meal together, chatting and eating, and laughter and complaints could be heard from time to time, floating into the ears of Ye Ping'an who was leaning behind the cash register.
"Alas, I don't want to graduate. Corporate life is too hard..."
An Qi sighed, "It's better to live independently than be controlled by your parents, right? Xia Xia has been working part-time as a rental agent lately, and everyone's been asking about houses nearby. She's been to many places, met many people, and encountered many strange things. She even told us a few days ago that a girl called her in the middle of the night because she had a problem with her parents and wanted to move out immediately."
The students were all puzzled. "We have to move in the middle of the night? That's not possible, is it?"
"Of course not. That girl was almost scared to death."
An Qi smiled mysteriously, covering half of her lips with her hand. The warm yellow light in the store cast long, swaying shadows on her face.
"Have you heard of 'Flying Head Barbarian'?"
【Author’s words】
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