Chapter 113 Even immortals need to sleep...
As it turns out, Zhu Mingyue's idea was completely correct.
Everything attracts those who love it, as if by magic.
On its first day of business, the hot pot restaurant was still deserted even though it was past 7 a.m.
He An was directing the waiter to wipe the dust. He was very strict about hygiene, leaving no corner untouched.
Xiao Cui had someone cover her work today, taking care of her younger siblings. The children were very well-behaved, not making a fuss, just staring longingly at the huge, empty building, their eyes full of curiosity.
Guan Jing also came over with one of his brothers, and they were chatting idly while eating sunflower seeds.
Everyone else looked radiant, except for Zhu Mingyue, whose eyes were covered in dark circles. She arrived late, riding a small pony.
Guan Jing stood up and went to greet him: "Shopkeeper, you went to have an affair last night."
Zhu Mingyue rubbed her sleepy eyes and just stared at him without moving.
Guan Jing scratched his head. He usually lived with his brothers and they talked all sorts of things, both innocent and crude, without any sense of propriety. This time, he spoke without thinking, and it was too late for him to realize what he had said.
He looked annoyed: "Manager, I'm so sorry! I was corrupted by him." He was the youngest in the caravan, and he was so innocent when he first arrived. He was corrupted by the roughnecks in the caravan.
The brother who had been sold out by Guan Jing without hesitation hurriedly got up, with sunflower seed shells still hanging from his mouth. Just as he was about to explain, He An hurriedly walked past him, wiping his mouth with a damp cloth. He An was busy and muttered, "The customers haven't arrived yet. The shop must be clean. There can't be any garbage."
The man froze: ...Was he treated like trash?
Guan Jing wanted to laugh, but then he remembered that Zhu Mingyue was still standing motionless in front of him, and he couldn't laugh anymore: "Shopkeeper, shopkeeper?"
Zhu Mingyue snapped out of her daze: "What did you just say?"
Didn't you hear me? Good that you didn't hear me! He replied, "I was saying that the shopkeeper has been overworked lately and must not have been getting enough rest."
Zhu Mingyue's dark eyes slowly rolled: "How come I remember you saying something different just now?"
Guan Jing: ...
He quickly replied, "Shopkeeper, I was wrong. I really didn't mean to say you were cheating on me. I was just joking because you looked so tired."
Zhu Mingyue said expressionlessly, "Oh, go eat your sunflower seeds!"
Guan Jing: "The shopkeeper isn't angry anymore?"
Zhu Mingyue: "Do you want to make me angry?"
"No!" Guan Jing shook his head vigorously.
Seeing Guan Jing return to his original position, while secretly glancing at him while eating sunflower seeds, Zhu Mingyue felt particularly exhausted.
He wanted to sigh, but felt it was unlucky to sigh so soon after opening a new shop, so he held it back.
Does he not want to sleep? He's asleep! What greets him in his dreams isn't the Duke of Zhou (a figure in Chinese mythology associated with sleep), but Xie Pei's handsome face that makes people weak in the knees, followed by another round of savory and erotic farewells.
As a result, I woke up feeling even more tired than if I hadn't slept all night. I still had to drag my half-dead body to fetch water and wash my pants. If this continued, I felt like my body would be completely drained.
Zhu Mingyue had a lot of resentment but nowhere to release it. After all, this matter couldn't be blamed on Xie Pei. It is said that what you think about during the day, you dream about at night. Who told him that his mind was full of dirty thoughts about him and Xie Pei?
Sigh, I'm so tired!
As the time approached, the kitchen brought out two large pots, one of which was a divided pot (half hot pot and half mild pot), and delivered it to Xiao Cui and the child's table. The table was filled with spicy hot pot, which Guan Jing and his brother had specifically requested.
The hot pot has two broths, one side of which is a rich, red broth topped with lots of dried chili peppers, as if they were free. The other side is a lamb hot pot, with lamb bones mixed with large chunks of lamb that have been simmering over high heat for a long time. The broth is milky white and has no gamey smell at all.
Adults can resist, but children can't sit still when they see something delicious. They bite their fingers, drooling, and can't sit still on the stool anymore. They sway from side to side like little roly-poly toys.
Zhu Mingyue couldn't help but chuckle; his mouth was practically watering if he didn't start eating soon. He looked at Xiao Cui and said, "Let the children eat!"
The child was very timid and relied heavily on his older sister, Xiao Cui. He only listened to her and dared not do what others said. Hearing this, he stared at Xiao Cui with his big, watery eyes.
"Don't rush," Xiao Cui said, distributing the bowls and chopsticks one by one. She poured most of the mutton slices into the mutton soup pot, leaving a small portion for herself. She preferred beef tallow hot pot to a lighter broth.
Compared to Xiao Cui, who was being very demure because she had to take care of her child, the Guan brothers in the back were eating much more heartily, their chopsticks flying everywhere. In their struggle to grab a piece of meat that they both wanted, their chopsticks became blurry images.
"Damn, that was awesome!" Guan Jing's brother exclaimed, his mouth red and sweat beading on his forehead as he wiped his brow.
To maximize the effectiveness of the childcare, He An specifically arranged the two tables of people at the window.
Outside, the cold wind howled, but inside, the people were eating so well that they were sweating profusely.
The aroma of hot pot wafted into the street, attracting many people to stop and watch.
On the street, passersby whispered among themselves.
"Fengxianju is still open? I thought it had closed down."
My companion pointed to the plaque upstairs and rolled his eyes: "Are you blind? This place isn't Fengxian Residence anymore. I heard it's been sold and even the name has been changed."
The man was uninterested. "It's just a change of name, probably still the same old taste from Fengxianju. I'm tired of it."
My companion said, "It would be great if we could go to Mingyuelou to eat. It's been a while since I've been there, and I'm really craving their braised mutton. Even the cook at home can't make it taste the same."
"Pshaw, what's so great about braised mutton? If we're talking about something really delicious, their sea bass is absolutely amazing."
"Alright, alright, I know you've had the sea bass from Mingyue Tower. I'm not like you, bragging to everyone I meet."
"Of course you're not showing off, you've never eaten it." Everyone knows how popular Mingyuelou's perch is. Let me put it this way: a while ago, it was the governor's mother's birthday, and she specifically requested this dish at the banquet. The governor is a filial son, and it's said that he has some connections with the family of the manager of Mingyuelou. He privately approached them, and that's how the old lady got her wish.
Both men came from wealthy families and were sons of officials, so they were naturally at the banquet. Unfortunately, the perch was only served at the main table, and they didn't even get to smell it.
As noon approached, the two of them quickly realized they were hungry after just a few words. "Do you think it's still not too late for us to go to Mingyue Tower for a good meal?"
This time, the man rolled his eyes back: "Dream on. What time is it? The seats at Mingyue Tower have been reserved long ago."
"Sigh! If only I could book the day before."
"Dream on!" Mingyue Tower is great in every way, except that it's hard to get a table there. They don't accept reservations the day before. If you want to eat there, you either have to come in person or have your servants reserve a table on the day of your visit. You also have to pay a deposit. In short, it's very troublesome.
"Hmm?" His companion sniffed. "Can you smell something?"
The man looked suspicious: "What's that smell?" He then sniffed the air himself.
I must say, the scent seems intentional; the more you smell it, the stronger and more alluring it becomes.
gurgle—
The two looked at each other and could clearly hear each other swallowing.
Looking up at the faint steam rising from the upstairs window, the two instantly realized where the fragrance was coming from.
"or--"
"How about we eat here? We need to eat eventually."
As expected of close friends, the two were perfectly in sync when it came to food and drinks, exchanging knowing glances before heading into the building.
These were the first customers the newly opened shop had welcomed. He An's eyes lit up as he stepped forward to greet them warmly.
"What would you like to eat, sir?"
The two of them found He An somewhat familiar, but couldn't quite place where they had seen him before.
Scratching his head, he couldn't remember anything, so he simply stopped thinking about it. They wandered around the city every few days and had seen countless people, so it was normal for them to recognize faces.
The man asked, "What kinds of dishes do you have here?"
"Do you have braised mutton?" His companion had been longing for braised mutton, and asked the question without thinking. He immediately regretted it. Was it really braised mutton that he loved? He clearly loved the braised mutton from Mingyue Restaurant. No other restaurant could compare; none of them tasted the same.
To everyone's surprise, He An pondered for a few seconds before saying, "We don't have the dishes from Mingyue Tower here."
His companion wasn't too disappointed after hearing this; he had just asked casually and didn't really expect to find it here.
He An smiled broadly and continued, "But we have an even newer way of eating it here, and no one in the entire Guangyang County has ever tried it." In fact, he underestimated the potential of the entire Dali County.
His words piqued their interest. If no one had ever eaten it before, it meant they were the first to try it. Young people always wanted to be the first to try everything, and regardless of whether it tasted good or not, they were determined to stay and have a taste.
"Bring all the meat dishes here, except for pork."
Both of them were loaded, and wherever they went, their faces clearly said, "I'm rich, come and rip me off!"
He An was itching to try it; he loved big spenders who ordered food lavishly, but he ultimately held back.
He coughed lightly twice, covering his mouth with his fist: "Our restaurant has a lot of dishes. I'll serve you two some that you like first. If it's not enough, you can order more. But you have to order the hot pot base before ordering the dishes."
"What the hell?" Both of them thought they had misheard. What was the bottom of the pot?
He An's expression remained calm.
The two men felt a pang of unease. They were sons of prominent officials in Ganzhou. If they couldn't even order food properly, wouldn't they be looked down upon?
The two men concealed their embarrassment: "Oh, you meant the hot pot base! I know that, your shop has all the hot pot bases served, right?"
He An: "Sir, for the two of you, we can only serve two pots at most."
The two looked at each other in bewilderment: ...
"Tsk, I don't have much of an appetite. Just recommend two things!"
He An said, "This gentleman likes braised mutton, so you could try our mutton soup hot pot. And another one..." He inquired, "Do either of you have a tolerance for spice?"
"If you can eat it, why can't you eat spicy food?"
Hearing this, He An felt relieved: "Then we'll use the butter hot pot for the other broth. Please take your seats and wait a moment."
The two chose a good spot sheltered from the wind and sat down. Soon, a waiter brought a steaming pot and placed it on the table. He then fiddled with the pot under the table for a while, and soon their legs felt a faint warmth.
They were filled with curiosity, but both were proud and unwilling to appear ignorant in front of the other, so they could only stare at the pot that was not yet hot.
As he looked at it, he couldn't help but mutter a few words, "This pot is quite interesting."
"Yes, it's amazing that such a perfectly good round pot has been split in two."
I took a sniff; it smells so good.
The aroma was so enticing that the two of them almost fainted from the smell.
They kept swallowing their saliva, waiting and waiting but the food never came. They didn't know what to do and didn't dare to speak up and make a fool of themselves.
Just as everyone was getting impatient, the waiters came out one after another with trays in both hands, and in the blink of an eye, all the dishes were served on the table.
The head waiter thoughtfully explained, "To ensure the freshness of the ingredients, everything is cut to order in the kitchen. Please enjoy your meal."
After they finished speaking, a group of people left.
The two of them were left staring at each other, wide-eyed at a table full of lettuce.
This...this...this is all raw, how are we supposed to eat it? Are we supposed to cook it ourselves? It's really too much for these two pampered young masters.
It's infuriating! They kept claiming that nobody in Guangyang County had ever eaten this stuff, but it turns out it's just hot pot broth with lettuce. The broth does smell delicious, but how are you supposed to eat lettuce?!
A pair of slender, beautiful, fair-skinned hands reached out.
Both of them looked up and saw a very handsome man smiling as he bent down slightly to pick up his chopsticks amidst the swirling mist.
Such a beauty is rare in Guangyang County; anyone who has seen her will never forget her. She is far more recognizable than He Anke. The two of them immediately gasped: "Are you the manager of Mingyue Tower?"
Zhu Mingyue replied gently, "Exactly."
Then, seemingly ignoring their surprise, he put the slices of meat into the pot.
The broth boiled and bubbled, and the slices of meat were cooked in no time.
Zhu Mingyue placed the sliced meat from the mutton soup pot and the beef tallow pot into the two people's bowls respectively, then put down her chopsticks and said, "Please enjoy, both of you."
Good heavens! Not to mention how good-looking the person in front of them was, the two were also thrilled that the manager of Mingyue Tower personally cooked and served them food.
The reason for the excitement is similar to that of a loyal fan who suddenly bumps into their idol on the street.
The two quickly thanked him and put the hot meat into their mouths to savor it.
My eyes lit up immediately.
Mmm, this is delicious!
Zhu Mingyue smiled even more and explained from the side, "It's more fun to cook hot pot yourself. Some people like firm meat, while others like tender meat. Everyone has their own taste, so cooking it yourself might be the best for you."
Upon hearing this, both of them felt it made sense, and their slight displeasure quickly vanished.
So what if someone has a prestigious status? There's nothing shameful about doing it yourself, especially since they're only serving you, not others. What's wrong with pursuing your own tastes?
Zhu Mingyue watched the two clumsily pick up vegetables and put them into the pot, then turned and leisurely left, keeping her merits and fame hidden.
The child, having eaten and drunk his fill, quieted down again. This time, instead of drooling over the pot, he started drooling over Zhu Mingyue.
Zhu Mingyue tilted her head in confusion: "Is there food on my face?"
The child was no longer afraid of him, shaking his head and saying in a naive tone, "Big brother, you are so handsome, like a god from heaven." Just now, he was surrounded by evaporated water vapor and wearing a fox fur cloak, walking towards the child as if riding on clouds, and he really did look like a god.
Zhu Mingyue stepped forward, patted his head, and took out a bag of pastries from her sleeve: "Take this and share it."
The child blinked his innocent eyes and asked, "Big brother, aren't you going to eat?"
Zhu Mingyue laughed and said, "Even immortals need to sleep when they're tired."
He covered his mouth, yawned, and went up to the top floor. Goodbye, he was going to dream.
Hopefully, Xie Pei isn't in his dreams, so he can get a good night's sleep in peace.
Perhaps the prayers worked, because Zhu Mingyue slept soundly on the table in the private room.
He was awakened by the noisy commotion. He was full of energy when he woke up, casually tidied his messy hair, and got up to go downstairs.
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