Chapter 119: Seven Dishes

After stepping into Lou Wai Lou, the group couldn’t help but take another round of curious, wide-eyed glances around.

Inside, it was clean and tidy. A few paintings of flowers and birds hung on the walls, along with some large calligraphy scrolls. The faint fragrance of ink lingered in the air, giving the place a unique charm.

They couldn’t read the words on the calligraphy, but just looking at the bold, dragon-like strokes and the lively brushwork, they could sense the artistry—even if they didn’t really understand it, they felt it was impressive nonetheless.

The usually noisy group instinctively lowered their voices.

In the main hall, more than a dozen square nanmu wood tables were arranged, each with matching armchairs. Some tables were separated by folding screens painted with mountain and river scenes, others by lush potted plants.

There were seats for those who liked a lively atmosphere, and more private spots for those who preferred some seclusion. For even more privacy, you could go upstairs, where there was a public hall overlooking the river, as well as private rooms both large and small, tucked away from view.

Although the restaurant wasn’t big, it was exceptionally well thought out, with attention to every detail—especially the kitchen.

There were large and small pots, ceramic cookware, ovens, spatulas, stoves, big and small plates, fish-shaped platters, teacups, wine cups, luminous goblets, refrigerators, microwaves, and range hoods.

It wasn’t just an old-fashioned kitchen; it was also equipped with the conveniences of a modern one.

In short, this kitchen was a dream come true for any chef, as meticulously designed as the alchemy room in the potion workshop.

Now, the kitchen already had a resident chef, but the potion workshop was still waiting for an alchemist.

Yun Qimu took out the “Nuwa Molding Humans from Clay” card and looked at it again. The character introduction for Song Wu-sao had disappeared, and the image had reverted to a blank portrait of Nuwa.

“Sigh!”

She knew that finding talent wasn’t so easy.

“Village Chief Yun.” Song Wu-sao walked out of the kitchen, gentle and graceful, and gave Yun Qimu a polite bow. Smiling, she asked, “What would you like to eat, Village Chief? The kitchen is fully equipped, though we’re short on some ingredients and seasonings. If you have them, I can start cooking right away.”

Song Wu-sao was a diligent woman—she’d barely arrived at the restaurant before she was ready to get to work.

The others, who were still craning their necks to look around, suddenly lit up and hurried over, forgetting all about the calligraphy on the walls.

Pei Yu squeezed forward excitedly, raising his hand. “Ingredients! I’ve got some! I have snowfish meat!”

Yuan An, his chubby face beaming, chimed in, “Me too, me too! I’ve got Mengji beast meat, and I’ve got lots of seasonings!”

He happily took out his seasonings one by one, laying them out on a square table: salt, vinegar, chili powder, MSG, soy sauce, oyster sauce, star anise, cinnamon… Goodness, he even had doubanjiang!

The others stared in disbelief, asking with trembling voices, “Where did you get all this stuff? You don’t even cook—how do you have such a complete set of seasonings?”

“Well, that’s a long story about my family’s business…” Yuan An sighed dramatically, face solemn, as if about to tell a long tale.

But Pei Yu, eager for good food, had no patience for that. He interrupted with a scowl, “Keep it short. If you can’t, then don’t bother. As long as you have the seasonings, that’s enough.”

Yuan An was momentarily speechless. “Fine. Half of these I brought from outside. Ingredients are expensive out there, but they don’t take up much space, so I brought as much as I could. I can always sell them for a profit. As for the MSG and such, I got those from treasure chests. I don’t know why I keep drawing all these odds and ends—I can’t even cook!”

He was genuinely puzzled by this.

But at least, now they were finally coming in handy.

Yun Qimu glanced at the table—there really was quite a lot piled up.

“How about this, Sister Song, I’ll leave some startup funds for the restaurant. You can use it to buy seasonings and ingredients. If you need anything, just post a request at the Earth Village task hall and trade with the villagers.”

Song Wu-sao asked, “What about the purchase price?”

“You set the price. You’re the owner now—I trust you’ll handle it well.”

Yun Qimu looked at her with absolute trust, her big, bright eyes shining with sincerity, the kind that could move anyone.

But Song Wu-sao’s smile didn’t change in the slightest, the curve of her lips unwavering, making it impossible to tell what she was really feeling.

“Thank you, Village Chief Yun. I appreciate your trust.”

Then, still smiling, Song Wu-sao went off to discuss purchase prices with Yuan An and the others.

Yun Qimu’s smile faded as she stepped aside to let her pass, watching her graceful, upright figure with a hint of worry.

Was she really a real person?

Once all the ingredients were gathered, Song Wu-sao hung up a menu at the counter:

Clear Broth Fish Balls / 15 Spirit Coins

Chopped Fish Balls / 10 Spirit Coins

Smoked Fish / 10 Spirit Coins

Sister Song’s Fish Soup / 25 Spirit Coins

Sweet and Sour Pork / 25 Spirit Coins

West Lake Vinegar Fish / 35 Spirit Coins

Beggar’s Chicken / 45 Spirit Coins

Seven dishes in total, but the prices were jaw-dropping.

“F-forty-five spirit coins? How many treasure chests would Third Brother have to open for that?” Yun He gaped at the menu, swallowing hard.

They didn’t even know what these dishes were, but just the names sounded impressive and delicious.

Yun Qimu’s eyes were already shining with excitement. She waved her hand generously. “Sister Song, I’ll take them all—one of each!”

Song Wu-sao beamed at her, her smile seeming even more genuine now. “Of course, Village Chief Yun.”

Yun Qimu’s eyes curved with delight. “I’d like the table upstairs by the window, please. Just have the dishes sent up at lunchtime—I’ll bring my family to eat together.”

“Absolutely, Village Chief Yun. I’ll make sure your table is reserved.” Song Wu-sao patted her chest and promised with a big smile.

Then she turned to Wu Xingyu and the others standing nearby, her smile warm and inviting. “And what about you, honored guests? Would you like to order? Ingredients are limited—first come, first served.”

Pei Yu panicked—how could he miss out on such good food? He quickly said, “Yes, yes, I want them all! One of each for me too!”

“And send them to the table upstairs by the window. I’ll go get my cousin to eat with me.”

Then he turned to Wu Xingyu and the other two. “Are you guys sharing a table, or ordering separately?”

“I…” Yuan An glanced at Wu Xingyu.

Wu Xingyu, his beautiful face expressionless and brows slightly furrowed, said, “Together. If it’s not enough, we’ll order more.”

Pei Yu grinned. “Great, as usual—split the bill, and whoever grabs the food fastest gets it.”

He was full of confidence in his own food-grabbing speed.

But Yuan An’s chubby face fell a little—his fingers were short and fat, and he could never grab food as fast as the others. T_T

Looking at Yun He, whose chuunibyou spirit was burning bright, and Wu Xingyu, who was as steady as a mountain, he could only sigh and lower his head. “We’ll share a table.”

Poor chubby—grabbing food isn’t easy!"