Chapter 26: When Will This Dream End?

Hu Zhaodi noticed that Mr. Ji Ji was tense and trembling with fear, his entire body stiff. She gently patted his back and whispered near his ear, “Mr. Ji, just relax. Eat as much as you want. Don’t worry, I’m here with you.”

Mr. Ji Ji gave a slight nod and, almost instinctively, began to relax a bit.

Their host poured Mr. Ji Ji a cup of tea, pulled out a chair, and sat down to accompany them personally.

He picked up his chopsticks, served Mr. Ji Ji a good amount of food, and then kept piling food onto Hu Zhaodi’s plate as well.

“Young lady, I don’t believe I know your family name yet. How should I address you?” he asked.

Hu Zhaodi replied, “My family name is Hu. You can just call me Zhaodi.”

The host introduced himself, saying, “My humble name is Han Dongsheng. If you don’t mind, you may call me Brother Han. From now on, think of Fumanlou as your second home. You’re always welcome here. Please try our signature dishes and let me know what you think of the flavors.”

Smiling, Hu Zhaodi nodded, “Of course, I don’t mind, Brother Han. I’ll be counting on your care and support from here on out.”

“We’re all family now, no need to be so polite,” Han Dongsheng replied warmly. “To be honest, as your older brother, I’ll be relying on your support too. For now, dig in and tell me how the food tastes.”

Hu Zhaodi picked up a piece of crystal pork from her bowl and savored it. “Hmm, it’s pretty good, though it could use a bit more umami. Once I add my own seasonings, the taste will be even better.”

“Absolutely! Try the other dishes, eat as much as you like, and don’t stand on ceremony with me,” Han Dongsheng encouraged.

Hu Zhaodi nodded, then glanced at Mr. Ji Ji, signaling him to dig in as well.

Mr. Ji Ji was still a bit reserved. For a simple old man who had spent his life working the fields, this sort of setup was unfamiliar and intimidating.

Noticing his hesitation, Hu Zhaodi took the lead by eating the different dishes, even casually commenting on the flavor of each dish.

Seeing her at ease, Mr. Ji Ji finally relaxed and dug in too. He figured that if Zhaodi didn’t have enough money to cover the bill, he’d just offer his ox as collateral to the restaurant to make sure she got home safely.

Han Dongsheng barely ate anything himself, too busy serving food to both Hu Zhaodi and Mr. Ji Ji, his attitude exceedingly attentive.

Once they’d had their fill, Han Dongsheng finally spoke up again. “Zhaodi! Are you full? Do you want me to order more dishes?”

Hu Zhaodi smiled, “Brother Han, I’m stuffed! There’s already so much left on the table; we couldn’t possibly add more.”

Han Dongsheng rubbed his hands together eagerly. “Sister Zhaodi, now that you’ve had your fill, let’s talk business about your seasoning. Could you supply it exclusively to my restaurant?”

“If you agree to provide Fumanlou with your seasoning exclusively, I’ll buy any meat you bring in at the highest price, and every time you come by, you’ll get a free meal. You set the price for the seasoning—how does that sound?”

Hu Zhaodi smiled and nodded, “Since I’m calling you Brother Han, naturally, I’ll prioritize doing business with you.”

“But my seasonings aren’t easy to make. The ingredients are very particular. For each jar, I’ll need two taels of silver, or I’ll be taking a big loss.”

Without hesitation, Han Dongsheng agreed. “No problem! From now on, consider me as your big brother. If you ever run into trouble in Fulin County, come to me. I won’t turn you away if I can help.”

“Alright!” Hu Zhaodi replied confidently. “Since you’ve said that, as your little sister, I’ll do my part too. From now on, I’ll supply the seasoning exclusively to you, Brother Han.”

After all, apart from the seasoning, she had other business opportunities.

Though supplying only to Fumanlou would earn her a bit less, it would help her expand her connections and lay the groundwork for the future.

Besides, her aspirations weren’t limited to this small seasoning business. She wanted to go big, expand nationwide, and make a real impact.

Han Dongsheng’s eyes lit up with excitement, unable to contain his joy.

Glancing at Mr. Ji Ji, dressed in his worn-out clothes, and then at the untouched food left on the table, he carefully suggested, “Mr. Ji Ji, if you don’t mind, I’ll have these dishes packed for you to take home and share with your family.”

Mr. Ji Ji froze, unsure whether to accept or decline. They had barely touched the dishes on the table—just a taste from each—and it seemed such a waste to throw it all away.

But Mr. Ji Ji was perceptive. He knew that Zhaodi had brought him here for business, and he didn’t want to embarrass her.

Before Mr. Ji Ji could speak, Hu Zhaodi smiled and said, “Brother Han, thank you so much! You have no idea—we’re from Dawai Village, and it’s rare for us to have anything tasty to eat. This is the most lavish meal I’ve had in my entire life, way better than anything we have even on New Year’s!”

Looking at Hu Zhaodi’s frail frame, Han Dongsheng believed her. He immediately instructed the waiter to pack up the dishes, even whispering to have the kitchen add two more crystal pork dishes and some pastries.

Meanwhile, Hu Zhaodi explained to Han Dongsheng roughly how much of the seasoning to use per dish.

When the waiter finished packing, everything was loaded onto their ox cart, and Han Dongsheng handed Hu Zhaodi a banknote for sixty taels of silver.

“Sister Zhaodi, you have to come by often!”

Taking the banknote, Hu Zhaodi hopped onto the cart, waving as she said, “Don’t worry, Brother Han, I won’t let your restaurant run out of seasoning!”

Han Dongsheng waved back, watching her depart with a smile.

After leaving Fumanlou’s back courtyard, Mr. Ji Ji still hadn’t fully come to his senses. Since they’d set foot in Fumanlou, everything had felt like a surreal dream.

He looked at Hu Zhaodi, then at the packed food on the cart. “Zhaodi, am I dreaming?”

Hu Zhaodi pinched his arm lightly, “Mr. Ji, does that hurt?”

“No… it still feels like a dream. When will this dream end?”

With a chuckle, Hu Zhaodi pinched him a bit harder.

“Ouch… it hurts! So it’s not a dream?”

Grinning widely, Hu Zhaodi replied, “Of course it’s not a dream! Don’t you feel your belly is full?”

“It’s so full it feels unreal. I’ve never eaten this much in my life.”

“Mr. Ji, you and Mrs. Ji treat me like family, so now you’re my family. I’ll make sure you live a good life—believe me.”

“Of course, I believe you. I’ve struck gold with you. The Hu family was blind to treat you badly. But me? No one in the whole village has an eye like mine! Hahaha…”

“That’s right, hahaha…”

The two of them threw their heads back, laughing loudly and without restraint.

After a while, Hu Zhaodi spoke up. “Mr. Ji, I still need to buy bedding and other items for the young man I saved, but I don’t know where to go. Can you take me?”

Mr. Ji Ji looked at her seriously, “Zhaodi, that person isn’t a bad man, is he?”

“I’m not sure, but he doesn’t seem like one. Still, it’s good to be cautious. For now, he’s staying in a cave, which is safe for everyone.”