Qian Feng strolled through the streets of the capital. The case of Shanhai Prefecture was almost closed, and the general had all settled down, so he naturally had nothing to do either.
The capital is nice, but the best food isn't in restaurants, but in those old-established little corner shops. Restaurants can easily cost ten or twenty taels of silver per meal, which is beyond his means; he's spent all his salary on food these past few years!
What's that smell? It smells so good! When Qian Feng walked to Chaolu Street, he smelled the aroma of the food. Instantly, his eyes lit up, and he sniffed the air like a dog that had seen a bone.
"A small farmhouse restaurant, when did this small restaurant open? The smell must be coming from inside!" Standing outside Tao Wanniang's restaurant, Qian Feng even took a sniff to confirm that the smell was indeed coming from inside.
"Want to eat? We're not open yet. Today, Manager Tao and his family are treating their workers to a meal." Jiang Youfu from the grocery store next door held a plate in his hand, eating a piece of braised tofu one bite at a time.
Qian Feng stared at the braised tofu in Jiang Youfu's hand and swallowed hard.
"What is this? It smells really strange."
"Heh, isn't it strange? It's my first time eating it, and it's quite delicious. It was all made by Manager Tao herself. She also gave some of the other things to the merchants on this street."
Qian Feng was really craving it. After thinking about it, he decided to knock on the door anyway. It would open sooner or later, so he might as well have a meal first and see.
"Hey, you, we already said we haven't opened yet. It's not good to disturb people's meals," Jiang Youfu complained.
"Who is it!" Ling Dahu muttered as he opened the door. When he saw Qian Feng, he immediately closed it. He actually saw the person he had seen in the woods before who wanted to eat. Could it be that he came here again because he smelled the aroma?
The moment Qian Feng saw Ling Dahu, he was delighted. "A familiar face! This restaurant must belong to Sister Tao!"
"Open the door! It's me, Sister Tao. I helped you a lot before, you can't pretend you don't know me!" Qian Feng shouted at the top of his lungs.
Ling Dahu opened the door again. It's instinctive to guard food. This person is a complete stranger who wants food as soon as they meet. How could he not be wary?
"Big brother, how did you find this place?" Meeting Qian Feng's bright eyes, Ling Dahu felt a chill run down his spine. This guy really wasn't a dog!
"I just followed the smell! You guys are opening a restaurant? How could you not tell me? I'm such a glutton! I'll go wherever there's good food!" Qian Feng said, pushing Ling Dahu aside and walking inside on his own.
Ling Dahu couldn't stop him, so he could only let Qian Feng come in. Everyone inside was taken aback when they saw Qian Feng; had a guest arrived?
Tao Wanniang, seeing Qian Feng, couldn't turn him away, so she called Ling Dahu back. "Brother Qian, what did you say?"
"Big sister, don't laugh at me. I came here because of the delicious smell. My stomach is growling. How about you order me a few dishes? I'll be your first customer," Qian Feng said with a smirk.
"Alright, please have a seat. Let me see what dishes are left in the kitchen," Tao Wanniang said cheerfully, then turned to the others and called out, "Everyone, eat up! These are old acquaintances. They know I opened a restaurant and came especially to support me!"
"Sister Tao, do you still have that braised side dish that the uncle next door is eating? I'd like some too," Qian Feng said without any hesitation.
"Are there any dietary restrictions?" Tao Wanniang asked in return.
"No, men eat anything, as long as it tastes good."
“Okay, wait a moment.” Tao Wan’s mother walked towards the kitchen.
Qian Feng sat there, looking around. The small restaurants all looked new. He didn't expect that they would actually be eating in the capital. He thought that he could come here to eat more often in the future.
"Is this the same person we met on the road earlier?" Wang Hongyu asked Ling Dahu in a low voice.
"Exactly, just like a dog, saying it came looking for the scent." Ling Dahu's words carried a hint of disdain.
Tao Wan's mother cooked several dishes for Qian Feng using the ingredients she had in the kitchen, along with some braised pork offal, which made it edible.
"Brother, please make do with this. This is all I have prepared for today."
"It's not just any old thing, Sister Tao's cooking is top-notch, and I'm just in the middle of a hungry day!" Qian Feng said with a smile, and started eating without any hesitation.
The foreman and the laborers had almost finished eating, and seeing that Tao Wanniang had guests, they decided it was time to leave.
"Boss Tao, thank you so much! Your skills are so good, your business will definitely grow big in the future," the foreman said sincerely to Tao Wanniang.
"Thank you for your kind words!" Tao Wanniang said with a smile. "Have you all eaten your fill?"
"We're full, Boss Tao. On behalf of everyone, I want to say thank you. We're so grateful. We've worked for others for so long, and no customer has ever been so kind to us. You're a good person; your restaurant is sure to be a great success."
Faced with the foreman's sincere gratitude, Tao Wanniang smiled.
"It is my honor that you have graced us with your presence!" At present, isn't she just a peasant woman from a poor and remote area?
After seeing off the foreman and his party, the son and daughter-in-law had finished eating.
"Mom, you haven't eaten much yet. I'll get you some more rice," Wang Hongyu said, noticing her sharp eyes.
"No need yet, you guys clear the table," Tao Wanniang instructed, then sat down in front of Qian Feng. "How is it, brother?"
"Excellent, Sister Tao, you're amazing at making even simple home-style dishes taste so good," Qian Feng said sincerely. "When are you planning to open this restaurant?"
"It's not decided yet, but I'll be here for the next few days. Does Brother Qian have anyone at home?" Tao Wanniang still remembered that Qian Feng had helped her deliver a message to the Prince Rui's son last time.
"I came from a military background and have been following my general on campaigns for ten years. How could I dare to start a family?" Qian Feng said directly. "I don't have many hobbies, except for being a glutton. All my salary over the years has been spent on food."
Why can you say that so proudly? Tao Wanniang was speechless. Does he think he's so great for eating himself out of poverty?
“Sister Tao, I feel there’s something missing here,” Qian Feng continued.
What's missing?
"How can you have food without wine? This braised pork offal is the perfect accompaniment to wine. Tsk tsk, I don't know what method you used to make pork offal taste so good."
Tao Wanniang rolled her eyes. Did she think this was a tavern?
"Brother Qian, you've had your fill, so let's go. We haven't really opened for business yet. Pack your things and get ready to go home."
"Sister Tao, all right!" Qian Feng smiled.
Just then, Ling Dahu walked over. Qian Feng looked up and suddenly his eyelids twitched. Why did this kid look so familiar? He vaguely resembled someone.
Last time in the woods, Qian Feng's attention was focused on the food, and the firelight also prevented him from seeing clearly. But then, Qian Feng made up an excuse for himself: perhaps it was because he saw things vaguely last time, but this time he saw them clearly, which was why he had this feeling!
"Sister Tao, can you come over for lunch tomorrow?" Qian Feng asked, still wanting more.
"Yes, but if you want to eat here, you'll have to pay," Tao Wanniang said seriously. She wasn't doing charity work!
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