Starting from a Bankrupt Sichuan Cuisine Restaurant

"A private menu? So there are conditions to unlock it, then?" Huang Ying asked thoughtfully. She pressed on, "If I manage to buy a big wild carp next time, can I get you to cook it? I’ll pay for the preparation!"

"Well..." Zhou Yan pondered. It was a new business avenue worth exploring. He nodded. "If I have the time, yes. We can discuss the price then."

"Great!" Huang Ying smiled, completely satisfied. ’The braised fish I missed out on this time... I’ll get my hands on it sooner or later!’

That evening, Huang Ying ordered a Huo Xiang Carp to soothe the craving that had been awakened.

Huang Bing was having Kneeling Beef twice a day now—it had become his staple. He probably lost too much fluid cycling every day, and he preferred the beef broth to plain water.

The broth came with free refills, and he could drink a bowl and a half in one sitting.

When the local factory let out, the restaurant started to fill up, and Zhou Yan went back into the kitchen to handle the rush.

Zhao Dong was buying some braised pork head meat from a stall near the entrance when he spotted his niece and nephew inside the restaurant. Grabbing the meat, he walked in with a smile. "Yingying, Huang Bing, do you two really run over here to eat three times a day?"

"We do! Mom gave us money for food and told us to eat all three meals here, not a single one to be missed," Huang Ying said with a grin, extending an invitation. "Uncle, why don’t you join us? We ordered Huo Xiang Carp and double-pepper minced beef. It’s enough for the three of us."

"I’ll pass. I bought some braised pork head meat to take home for your grandma and aunt," Zhao Dong said with a smile, turning to leave.

Just then, their Huo Xiang Carp was served.

Seeing the container in his hand, Huang Ying quickly stopped him. "Wait a second! Take one of the fish back for Grandma and our cousin. We ordered a bit too much."

"No, no, you two eat," Zhao Dong said, waving his hands in refusal. He had only stopped by to say hello.

But Huang Ying had already snatched the container and opened it. Huang Bing then lifted the platter and slid one of the carp into the box, spooning the toppings and sauce over it. It looked quite presentable; their packing job was a success.

"Be careful the sauce doesn’t leak, Uncle," Huang Ying said with a smile, handing the container back to Zhao Dong. "Tell Grandma to watch out for bones. This Huo Xiang Carp is delicious, and she really liked it last time, remember?"

"You two..." Zhao Dong didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Securing the container, he said, "Alright, I’m off. Eat up and head home early. It gets dark sooner these days."

"Will do!" they answered with a laugh. Watching Zhao Dong leave, they exchanged a smiling high-five for their successful teamwork.

"What happened to your hand?" Huang Ying asked, picking up her chopsticks and glancing at the bandage on Huang Bing’s hand.

"Cut myself practicing my Knife Skills. It’s just a tiny nick, nothing to worry about," Huang Bing said nonchalantly, helping himself to a bowl of broth first.

"Wait, are you really planning to sell braised meat?" Huang Ying stared at him, astonished and a little teasing. "Just stop torturing Master Sun, will you? The man works hard enough already."

"Shut up and eat!" Huang Bing seethed through clenched teeth. "Fortunes change! Don’t bully a young man for being dumb!"

"You can change being poor, but being dumb is for life. You should read more, Bro," Huang Ying suggested earnestly.

"Get outta here!"

...

Feiyan Restaurant stood on Yutang Street.

The sky had just begun to darken, but the neon lights already bathed the restaurant’s sign in a dazzling, eye-catching array of colors.

A pedicab carrying passengers pulled up in front of the restaurant.

A young woman with tightly curled hair was the first to step out. She wore a black wool sweater layered under a dark brown, wide-shouldered blazer. Below, she had on a pair of light-colored jeans that showed off her long legs. A thin Gucci belt was cinched at her waist, and she carried a Double G bamboo-handle bag on her arm.

Her features were lovely. With her hair tucked behind her ears, she revealed a pair of exquisite diamond earrings. The overall effect was chic and expensive.

An elderly, silver-haired woman followed her out of the pedicab, and the young woman quickly reached out a hand to steady her.

The elderly woman wore a black, three-quarter-sleeved qipao with embroidered shoes. She was tall and slender, a string of white pearls adorning her neck. Her silver hair was swept up and held in place by a peach-wood hairpin inserted at an angle. Draped over her shoulders was an off-white, fringed shawl. As she took the young woman’s hand and stepped down from the pedicab, she exuded an air of calm elegance.

In comparison, the aura of the fashionable young woman—dressed head-to-toe in designer brands so exclusive they were rarely seen even in the city’s finest boutiques—was completely overshadowed.

"Thank you, driver," the elderly woman said, her voice cool and crisp.

"You’re welcome!" the driver called back, pedaling away.

"Grandma, let’s go. I’m starving," Duan Yu Yan said with a smile, linking her arm through the elderly woman’s.

"Alright," the elderly woman nodded, and they walked into the restaurant together.

Huang He, sitting behind the counter, spotted them immediately and hurried out to greet them.

"Mrs. Qiu, Miss Duan, welcome," Huang He said with a smile, stepping forward to greet them. His tone and demeanor were several notches more deferential than they were with his usual patrons.

Mrs. Qiu’s full name was Qiu Qi. She had been a customer of Feiyan Restaurant for decades. Even before the founding of the new nation, the Qiu Family were already regulars. After Mrs. Qiu married into the Duan Family, she and Mr. Duan continued to frequent the restaurant.

He had inherited the business from his father, and this woman with her storied past was a VIP his father had, before passing, repeatedly instructed him to treat with the utmost respect.

Huang He remembered seeing Mrs. Qiu when he was a boy. Back then, she had been the undisputed belle of Jiazhou City. Her wedding to Mr. Duan had drawn crowds of all ages from across the city, all eager for a glimpse.

Decades had passed. Her hair was now streaked with silver and her face lined with wrinkles, but her elegance remained as profound as ever.