As soon as customers walked inside the freshly opened hot pot restaurant, there were two rows of women dressed identically with flawless makeup, yet devoid of any trace of artificial scent. They all wore warm smiles on their faces, radiating genuine kindness and sincerity.

An observant person counted them and found exactly eight.

Qing Ning led the group inside one by one, providing customers with basic service and handing out menus for their orders.

Their demeanor was warm and gentle, their service thoughtful and considerate, making the customers felt at ease without being overly fawning.

Jiang Zhou personally experienced this and couldn’t help but marvel. Maids trained by wealthy families truly excel in making people felt comfortable. They were adept at reading cues and responding appropriately, never making anyone felt uneasy. It was just right.

Had the townsfolk ever experienced such attentive care?

Having grown up as simple farmers, they had never been pampered so sincerely. To them, this level of service was typically reserved for the affluent – suddenly, the modest sum they paid felt remarkably worthwhile!

This sentiment solidified further when Qing Ning and her colleagues gently explained that the customers had to choose their own soup base, but the mushroom soup base at the center of the table was complimentary.

The hearty mountain-fresh soup base, paired with succulent meat cubes dipped in savory sauces, proved immensely satisfying.

Of all the options, the wolf peach soup base stood out with its robust flavor. Unlike the ones they cooked at home, lacking with a hint of bitterness, this soup base seemed to feature only the finest wolf peaches, cooked down to a rich, flavorful soup base.

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When Jiang Zhou delved into Lu Heng’s memories, he developed a craving for the crispy fried pork of modern cuisine. Its exceptional taste lingered in his memory, prompting him to recreate the recipe, experimenting with various techniques.

His approach differed from the conventional method; he marinated the meat in fermented bean curd before frying. Initially, he used spice powder for seasoning, but upon finding it clashed with the pepper powder he enjoyed, he switched to fermented bean curd, which imparted a stronger flavor.

Wen Yan also expressed a desire to enhance the crispy pork in the future.

Additionally, Jiang Zhou meticulously arranged the sauce plate according to the seasoning preferences from his memories, ensuring nothing was overlooked.

By openly showcasing his powerful food ideas, Jiang Zhou’s name made another hot discussion.

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As Jiang Zhou toured the restaurant, Qing Ning stopped him before he left and shared some news: “I heard that a new hot pot restaurant opened in the north of the city today.”

Motivated by the possibility of earning their freedom through good performance, and bonded by their shared past, the women were diligent in their work. Beyond their duties at the restaurant, they actively sought out information, discovering the new establishment.

Jiang Zhou was taken aback, “A new hot pot restaurant is opening today?”

Their restaurant just opened today but there was another place opening at the same time. If it wasn’t provocation against them, they would be a fool to not understand it!

Qing Ning frowned, “I believe he did it deliberately.”

They hadn’t encountered many internal conflicts before. After some inquiries from the waitresses, they finally found a clue, “The individual behind that hot pot restaurant are old acquaintances of yours. I heard he stole a shop from you and his subordinate compensate you back. Didn’t he got exile and later managed to get back.”

She spoke in rapid succession, and Jiang Zhou finally grasped the situation. Ah, it was Liu Lin again?

“It’s alright, just a minor setback. Didn’t he just snatch a chicken and lose the rice this time?”

At first, Liu Lin’s initial plan was to tarnish Jiang Zhou’s reputation with scandal, but his reputation was very good in the town. It didn’t affect him much, now the man wanted to steal the thunder by opening on the same day.

However, anyone could see the considerable effort and investment Jiang Zhou had poured into the hot pot restaurant. The lavish decor alone was a testament to the substantial investment. No one would be willing to miss it for others.

Anticipating Liu Lin’s persistence, Jiang Zhou instructed Qing Ning, “Be vigilant in the restaurant during the week, and don’t allow anyone to cause trouble.”

Qing Ning assured him, “Don’t worry, nothing escapes our eyes.”

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Despite their assurances, a major incident occurred shortly thereafter.

Just a little after a customer entered the restaurant to dine, he began foaming at the mouth.

With dinner service in full swing and a queue forming outside, the sight of a man collapsing sent shockwaves through the whole restaurant.

Reacting swiftly, Qing Ning summoned Qing Ju. Qing Ju, as someone who had once served the old madam of noble family and had picked up a few medical skills from a local doctor to care for the elderly. However, upon her approach, Qing Ju was shoved aside.

A distraught woman clung to her husband on the ground, wailing, “Get away! Your soup base is poisonous! My husband’s been poisoned by you! What more harm do you intend to cause?”

Her cries were genuine, stirring sympathy among those who heard. The accusation of poisoned soup base grabbed everyone’s attention.

Concerned customers around them demanded evidence, “You claim the soup base is poisoned, but do you have proof?”

Amidst her tears, the woman protested, “My husband was fine when he arrived. He’s like this after just two bites. If it’s not poison, what else could it be?”

Stepping forward, Qing Ning refuted, “That’s impossible. Our soup base is prepared from the same pot. Why would it poison only you and not others?”

Undeterred, the woman retorted, “Who knows what you’re up to. Regardless of the reason, my husband was poisoned after dining here. Don’t bother with excuses!” Her words sparked a flurry of discussion among the onlookers.