Chapter 39: The Sensation of Xike Restaurant

Early in the morning, Liang Yunqing emerged from her room, stretching her limbs. The new bed was comfortable, spacious enough that even four people could sleep in it without feeling cramped.

Today was delivery day. Auntie Ma had already sent over a batch of ripened Sichuan peppercorns. The yield was similar to last time—78 catties—and their own land had yielded another 27 catties. The fresh peppercorns were already fragrant from being stir-fried. The peculiar, mouth-watering aroma released during the roasting process had drawn quite a few neighbors, but thanks to Auntie Ma’s good standing in the village and her quick explanation that they were roasting medicinal herbs, the neighbors’ curiosity was kept at bay.

Exactly 100 catties of peppercorns were packed neatly into bamboo baskets, leaving the remaining five catties to be used for making steamed dumplings.

Liang Mingxue and Madame Chu accompanied her to deliver the goods as usual. It was only after Li Pinghua’s repeated entreaties that Liang Yunqing agreed to help deliver the new clothes she had made to the county academy. It wasn’t that she found it troublesome; it was simply that she had previously beaten up every single one of those students. Returning there now to deliver clothes felt somewhat awkward—she couldn’t exactly beat them up again. However, unable to resist Li Pinghua’s pleading, and thinking it was high time she checked to see if Liang Youcai had truly changed, she finally relented.

The three of them loaded the goods onto the carriage, and Uncle Ma cracked the whip, urging the horse forward at a brisk pace. Liang Yunqing held the food box from earlier, trying to keep its contents from spilling. This was a snack she had been researching for over half a month: braised spiced tofu. Her entire family had served as her taste-testers. At first, she couldn’t gauge the amount of wild star anise and nearly made the whole family choke. Later, she struggled to get the roasting time right, resulting in a bitter braising broth. Fortunately, after a few failed attempts, the star anise was perfectly roasted, and the broth’s seasoning was just right. Wild star anise was rare, so she didn’t intend to cultivate it; it would be her secret recipe, one she had no plans to sell. The family had been so sick of eating tofu during the process that even after she finally perfected the delicious braised version, they still lacked the appetite for it.

When the carriage reached the county town, the three of them shouldered the peppercorns and made their way to the familiar entrance of the Xike Restaurant. Today, the place was packed to capacity. Every table on the ground floor was occupied, even the private rooms on the second floor were fully booked, and a long queue of customers waited outside.

"Business is booming," Liang Mingxue exclaimed, looking at the endless stream of people.

Liang Yunqing hadn't expected this either. She glanced at the small sign hanging by the door. The traditional characters were a bit difficult to decipher, but she could manage: "Signature Boiled Beef, limited to 66 servings daily; Signature Sweet Pudding, limited to 88 servings daily."

Using scarcity marketing—as expected of someone capable of running so many restaurants. They certainly had a sharp business sense.

The waiter at the door was much sharper this time. Remembering Manager Yang’s instructions, he treated the woman in simple clothing carrying the goods with the utmost respect. "Three guests, there are no tables available at the moment."

Liang Yunqing lifted the food box in her hand. "We are here to deliver goods."

The waiter reacted quickly, his face breaking into a smile as he ushered them inside. "Ah, Miss Liang, right? Please, follow me. The manager has been waiting for you."

Liang Yunqing led her parents through the crowded ground floor. This time, they were all wearing new clothes, so no one cast any disdainful looks their way. Liang Mingxue even held his head a little higher.

They reached the cashier’s desk, where Manager Yang was so busy he couldn’t even look up, his hands flying over the abacus while he shouted orders to his assistants to hurry the kitchen.

"Manager Yang, you’ve been working hard."

Hearing a familiar voice, a smile finally appeared on Manager Yang’s weary face. He looked back at her, his tone brimming with excitement. "My dear lady, you’ve finally arrived. Our Proprietor Xia has been missing you!"

Liang Yunqing knew he was teasing, so she smiled and set the food box on the counter. "I’ve missed Proprietor Xia too—and so has my purse." They both laughed.

Liang’s parents, however, were uneasy. They had met Proprietor Xia before and were struck by her otherworldly beauty. To hear the manager say she missed their daughter was ambiguous, and they couldn’t help but worry about what might happen if their daughter had truly caught her eye. Liang Yunqing didn’t notice this; she knew Proprietor Xia was a woman just like her, so a little joking was harmless. She handed one portion from the food box to Manager Yang and headed straight for the third floor.

Having been there a few times, she knew the way. The maids at the door recognized her and eagerly helped open the door.

"Proprietor Xia, may your business continue to flourish!" Liang Yunqing walked in, holding the food box, her voice ringing out clearly.

Manager Yang, who had just caught his breath at the door, was startled by the volume of her greeting. If it had been anyone else, they would have been gagged and thrown out. Xia Shi’an, who was busy calculating profits, also frowned. Where was she in her count? Just as she was about to look up and scold the person who had interrupted her, she saw the clean, refreshed-looking Liang Yunqing and the food box in her hands.

"You’re here. I heard you before I even saw you." Xia Shi’an stood up and walked gracefully from her desk.

Liang Yunqing ignored the rebuke, taking a few minutes to admire her beauty before placing the food box on a side table. "Proprietor Xia, business is good today."

"Ever since you started supplying the peppercorns, Xike Restaurant hasn't been the same." Xia Shi’an took a moment to look over her new attire. "New clothes?"

"Yes, not bad, right?" Liang Yunqing spun around, showing off her linen-blend dress.

Proprietor Xia didn't shy away, examining it carefully before commenting, "The color doesn’t suit you well, and the fabric is ordinary, but it does make you look quite capable."

Liang Yunqing, who had intended only to liven up the atmosphere, was slightly surprised by such a serious answer. "Proprietor Xia has quite an eye for fashion, too."

"It’s alright." Xia Shi’an didn't dwell on it. She sat at the table and opened the food box, revealing a bowl of warm, fragrant braised tofu.

"Tofu?" She inspected the bowl; there were no other ingredients, just a few pieces of tofu.

Liang Yunqing leaned forward and fanned the aroma toward her. "It is just tofu, but can you smell that?"

"A very unique fragrance. Is this a new seasoning?"

Liang Yunqing wiggled her fingers, gesturing for her to try a bite first. Curious to see how good a bowl of tofu could actually be, Xia Shi’an picked up a piece with her chopsticks and placed it in her mouth. Her movements were soft and elegant. Soon, a fragrance that reached all the way to her nose burst forth—not as sharp as the peppercorns, but infinitely soft and lingering. It made her crave a pot of wine to go with it.

"Proprietor Xia, this is my new dish: Braised Spiced Tofu."

Xia Shi’an couldn’t help but eat a few more pieces before stopping. It was truly excellent. Her eyes glinted as she looked at Liang Yunqing, a sudden impulse to bring her under her wing washing over her. Why were all her dishes so novel and delicious? It was incredible.

"This is very good. How much will you sell it to me for?"

"Uh... I’m not selling it, because the braising liquid is very difficult to make. However, I can provide one barrel of the liquid every month."

Liang Yunqing sat across from her. Xia Shi’an suppressed the urge to keep Liang Yunqing at the restaurant permanently. She held out her hand and said firmly, "Five taels per barrel."

"Ten taels," Liang Yunqing replied decisively. She had been prepared to negotiate, and even seven taels would have been profitable. To her surprise, Xia Shi’an just smiled.

"Deal. Same as always, Xike Restaurant will have exclusivity."

"OK."