Lu Dalang arrived with his daughter-in-law to visit their restaurant.

His wife was slender and petite. Due to her poor health, her face appeared sickly pale, but she possessed a very gentle personality. She smiled upon meeting people: “I thought you were planning to cook here today. The weather is so bad. Since there are no merchants here, I brought you some vegetables and meat.”

Wen Yan quickly declined: “What are we going to do with these? We can’t eat so much, especially we already have plenty at home.”

“It’s fine, please accept it.”

Jiang Zhou glanced and noticed half a catty of rice noodles, tender leeks, cabbage, a dozen eggs, and freshly slaughtered pork.

He chuckled, “Since you’re all here, let’s stay for a meal.”

After saying that, he headed to the kitchen without waiting for their consent.

The stove was the first to be cleaned, and it was already spotless. Jiang Zhou began by kneading the dough with flour, water, and eggs. After it rested, he kneaded the dough and rolled it into thin sheets, cutting them into squares with a knife.

While the noodles were resting, he fried leeks, eggs, cabbage, and pork, chopping them into small pieces. He then mixed them with seasonings and placed them in a large basin.

After adding firewood and water to the stove, he patted the flour on his hands and said, “You guys sit down for a while, and you can eat in a bit.”

Lu Dalang and his wife took a seat, and Wen Yan joined them. Liu Buping, while sweeping away the ashes, tilted his head to listen to their conversation in a fair and aboveboard manner.

Lu Dalang inquired, “What is your restaurant doing?”

Having observed it carefully, he deduced from the complete kitchen utensils that it should be a food establishment but wasn’t sure about the specifics.

His wife added, “Weren’t you selling oden originally? Are you still doing that?”

Wen Yan shook his head, “No, the oden business hasn’t been doing well lately. When the market opens after the Chinese New Year, several roadside stalls selling oden have popped up.”

They were all here to compete with Jiang Zhou, but the cost was almost the same, they didn’t dare to lower the price for fear of not making much profit.

However, many restaurants had sold it, and some were indeed cheaper than Jiang Zhou’s. Although the taste wasn’t as good, it was still decent. Therefore, Jiang Zhou’s business had been affected, but he had gained a reputation from his previous business.

Those who weren’t short of money were used to the old taste of his oden, so they still came to him.

Madam Lu expressed regret, “If it weren’t for malicious competition, this would be a good business.”

Wen Yan reassured, “It’s okay. We’ll continue the oden business but won’t specialize in it like before.”

“Then what will you do?”

“Zhou-ge’s restaurant is going to have something special.” Wen Yan’s eyes lit up: “Every day, the things provided in the restaurant will be different. Depending on Zhou-ge’s mood, it will vary in the morning, noon, and evening. We’ll ensure everything you eat is fresh every day.”

For example, this morning, it would be noodle soup; at noon, it might be a “box lunch,” and in the evening, it was oden. In short, Jiang Zhou planned to put out and sell all the delicacies he had learned in his memory!

The restaurant was too small, and selling the same thing repeatedly would become monotonous. He wanted to make it unique!

They not only sell different items every day but also offer limited editions. Xiao Long Bao? There was a limit of ten baskets, so come early to get yours.

The menu changed daily based on the latest vegetables, and special dim sum, pasta, and dishes were sold during holidays, making this restaurant would be the first in town.

Wen Yan mentioned it briefly, but Lu Dalang and the others found it intriguing: “This seems too troublesome. Do you have to check the vegetables and meat every day and make new things?”

Wen Yan shook his head, “No, just think about it. We have either porridge or noodles for breakfast every morning. If there’s a restaurant offering something new every day, wouldn’t you give it a try?”

He only said this, and Liu Buping’s eyes lit up next to him, unable to help but swallow his saliva. He had found out before coming here that this restaurant belonged to Jiang Zhou, the one known for making sponge cakes and selling oden. If this restaurant opened in the future…

.

While he drooled, Jiang Zhou brought out two ocean bowls – clean white porcelain bowls with steam rising from them. From a distance, Liu Buping could smell the faint aroma.

He watched as two bowls floated past and landed in front of Lu Dalang and Madam Lu. The emerald green onions, the slightly yellowish thin skin, and the bulging fat belly reflected the light color of the meat inside.

“This is…” Lu Dalang picked one up and observed it carefully.

“Little wontons,” Jiang Zhou said casually, “You can make them as you like. Try them.”

Lu Dalang tasted the wonton skin; the skin was extremely thin. After being boiled, it became transparent and melted in a sip. The meat filling inside was chewy, with finely chopped cabbage, and a hint of cabbage aroma.

Lu Dalang, a carnivore, received cabbage and pork stuffing. Madam Lu, preferring vegetarian, had leek and egg stuffing. Wen Yan, with a sweet tooth, got cabbage and pork as well.

One bowl per person. Just as Jiang Zhou was about to sit down, Liu Buping sipped his saliva and exclaimed, “Hey, hey, hey? Where’s mine?”

His two servants also watched eagerly.

Jiang Zhou, seemingly remembering him, said, “Oh, there’s you too? Want to eat?”

Liu Buping hesitated but was enticed by the aroma and whispered softly, “I want to.”

“Little wontons, twenty coins per portion.”

Liu Buping, thinking it was a fair price, happily exclaimed, “Isn’t it just twenty cents? I can afford it!”

He put the money on the table.

Jiang Zhou raised his eyebrows, “Take it yourself.”

Liu Buping turned to the kitchen and found a bowl of ready wontons on the chopping board, “Hey, so it was prepared for me?”

He held the bowl and stuffed two wontons. After a moment, he thought of something, “When will your little shabby restaurant open?”

Jiang Zhou: “The day after tomorrow.”

Liu Buping, glancing at Wen Yan quietly eating wontons, remembered his advice and said, “Tsk, for the sake of these wontons, I will bring someone here to support you. But don’t let me down.”

Most of the people he knew were from wealthy families, indulging in daily pleasures. They frequented tea houses and restaurants, but the simplicity of this place intrigued him.

When a group of people always enjoy foods and drinks, they were naturally picky, and among the picky eaters, the rich were truly discerning.

If Liu Buping indeed brought people here, it could potentially attract numerous customers for Jiang Zhou.

Lu Dalang and Liu Buping didn’t have any deep grudges.

Lu Dalang always believed in settling scores and grievances without harming innocent people. Therefore, his feelings towards Liu Buping were fine. He was a little surprised to hear this.

“You’re bringing customers for me? Don’t you dislike me?” he asked, wondering if Liu Buping saw him as an enemy.