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The small courtyard of Qingyan Mountain was tranquil and serene, with a gentle breeze rustling the flowers and grass.
Bai Linglong sat on a rocking chair, tenderly stroking her prominently rounded belly, where four little babies were quietly growing, making her figure appear slightly cumbersome.
Suddenly, she seemed to remember something, and a glimmer of light flashed in her eyes.
“System, system! Don’t I have one more draw left?” Bai Linglong called out urgently in her mind.
“Do you wish to draw now?” The familiar mechanical voice of the system echoed in her mind.
“Have the points been delivered?” Bai Linglong asked
“Yes, it is delivered.” The mechanical voice of the system answered.
“Then let’s draw now!” Bai Linglong said and took a deep breath, her heartbeat quickening.
In the blink of an eye, a shimmering virtual spinning wheel appeared in her consciousness, densely filled with various prize labels. The pointer slowly came to a halt, firmly landing on the “Revival Pill” section.
“Congratulations, you have obtained a bottle of Revival Pills. As long as there’s a breath left, taking one can bring someone back to life, with ten pills in a bottle.” The mechanical voice of the system said.
Bai Linglong’s eyes widened, joy flooding her heart. She carefully picked up the bottle of Revival Pills, murmuring to herself, “Wow, this is a lifesaving treasure. With this, I’ll have some confidence.”
But before her excitement could subside, the realities of life presented themselves immediately.
The children in her womb were growing day by day, and the need for money would only increase, while there were too few people available to help her.
After pondering for a moment, Bai Linglong decided to start by building a business and cultivating her influence.
“Wang Meng, Zhao Gang, come in!” Bai Linglong called out.
The two quickly entered, kneeling on one knee with a thud. “Master, what are your orders?”
Bai Linglong’s expression turned serious. “There’s an important task. Wang Meng, go out to the streets and gather those homeless little beggars. Bring back anyone who is willing to follow us. I want to train a group of Hidden Guards; they will be our right and left arms in the future. Here is ten thousand taels of silver—use it to buy a house to accommodate them. You must handle this well!”
Wang Meng accepted the money pouch with both hands, nodding vigorously. “Rest assured, Master! If I fail, I’ll bring my head to you!”
Bai Linglong then turned to Zhao Gang. “Zhao Gang, I am planning to open a hot pot restaurant. First, find a good storefront in town. Once things stabilize here, we can open chain stores in other places. This is a lucrative business, so you need to pay close attention.”
Zhao Gang scratched his head, looking puzzled. “Master, what’s a hot pot restaurant? Sounds quite new.”
Bai Linglong smiled mysteriously. “Don’t worry, I’ll let you taste it tonight. It will surely blow your mind!”
Once the two left, Bai Linglong focused her thoughts, and various ingredients from her space that appeared in the kitchen.
Tender beef with clearly defined marbling, a sign of top-quality meat; Plump lamb slices, neatly stacked layer upon layer; Fresh vegetables, so vibrant green they seemed to still carry the dew from the fields; Round mushrooms emitting a light fragrance; And handmade noodles, possessing a perfect chewiness. Additionally, there were shrimp balls, each one plump and round, made from fresh shrimp meat carefully pounded; Beef tripe, cleanly processed with distinct patterns; and various soy products, including tofu, bean skins, and bean curd puffs, all complete.
Bai Linglong also took out the carefully prepared hot pot base. As she opened the spicy red broth, a pungent aroma instantly filled the air, making one’s mouth water just from the smell. The clear broth base was milky white, exuding a fresh fragrance.
“Xiaocui, Grandma, come to the kitchen! Bai Linglong called out cheerfully.
“Today we’re going to make a special dish called hot pot. Xiaocui, please wash these vegetables and sort them by type. Grandma, could you slice the beef and lamb as thinly as possible?” she said.
Next, Bai Linglong began to teach them how to prepare the soup bases and said “For the spicy broth, we first put the hot pot base into the pot, then add an appropriate amount of water. Once it boils, we turn it down to a low flame to simmer, allowing the flavors to fully blend. For the clear broth, simply boil the milky base with water, adding a few slices of ginger and scallions for fragrance.” Under Bai Linglong’s guidance, Xiaocui and Grandma busily worked together.
By evening, a large table was set up in the courtyard, with ten guards seated around it, all eagerly watching, filled with anticipation for the delicious meal about to be served.
“Everyone, dig in! This is the food from the hot pot restaurant I plan to open.”
After a few swishes in the pot, the beef changed color instantly. Bai Linglong dipped it in sauce and placed it in her mouth, satisfied as she said, “See? Just like this, it’s delicious! You all try it.”
Zhao Gang picked up a slice of lamb, imitating Bai Linglong’s actions and swished it in the pot. After tasting it, his eyes widened in surprise. “Wow! This flavor is incredible! It’s both fresh and tender; the lamb just melts in my mouth, it’s so fragrant!”
Li Fei grabbed a piece of beef tripe, curiously asking, “Master, do we eat the beef tripe like this too?”
Bai Linglong nodded. “Yes, but don’t cook the tripe for too long; seven or eight swishes is enough. That way, it will stay crunchy.
Li Fei followed her instructions, swished the tripe, took a bite, and exclaimed, “Wow, indeed! The texture is both crunchy and chewy, it’s amazing!”
Sun Yang looked at the shrimp balls with curiosity, asking, “Master, how do we eat these round things?”
Bai Linglong smiled. “You place the shrimp balls in the pot, and when they float to the surface, they’re done. They’re so fresh!”
Sun Yang placed the shrimp balls in the pot, and after a short while, they floated up. He took a bite, and the juices splattered out. “These shrimp balls are so fresh they almost make my tongue fall off! They’re delicious!”
Zhou Yu tossed in a handful of noodles, asking as he did, “Master, how long do we cook these noodles?”
Bai Linglong patiently replied, “Cook them for two to three minutes, until the noodles soften and soak up the broth, then they’re ready to eat.”
Zhou Yu fished out the noodles, mixed them with the broth, and took a bite, leaning back in satisfaction. “These noodles are soaked with broth; one bite is packed with flavor! I feel like I could eat three big bowls!”
Wu Hao, who favored vegetables, grabbed a big helping of greens to dip in the broth.
Zheng Qiang, while eating, asked, “Master, how do we prepare the dipping sauce? It’s so fragrant I almost swallowed my tongue!”
Bai Linglong laughed and explained, “It’s simple sesame paste, minced garlic, cilantro, scallions, and a bit of chili oil.”
Chen Feng sighed in admiration, “Master, you’re amazing! You came up with such delicious food, and even the dipping sauce is exquisite. I feel like I could eat three bowls of rice just with that sauce!”
Liu Hui chimed in, “Our hot pot restaurant will definitely become popular all over the Jianghu!”
Ma Jun ate with his face flushed, wiping sweat as he shouted, “It’s so spicy, but it’s so good! My mouth feels like it’s not my own anymore. Someone help me! But I still want to eat ten more plates of meat!”
Several bottles of bubbly “Happy Fatty Water” were placed on the table. The transparent bottles contained a brownish liquid that shimmered enticingly under the light, with fine bubbles constantly rising and making a “hiss” sound.
“Master, what is this?” Wang Meng curiously stared at the Fatty Water, leaning closer and inspects the bottles from different angles.
Bai Linglong smiled and explained, “This is called Happy Fatty Water, a peculiar item I stumbled upon. When paired with hot pot, it creates a unique flavor.” As she spoke, she picked up a bottle and gently twisted the cap. With a “pop,” a puff of white mist escaped, and the bubbles inside began to churn vigorously.
Zhao Gang took the bottle, carefully sipping a mouthful. His eyes widened instantly, and he let out a “hiss” sound. “Wow, this thing is both cool and exhilarating! It has a special flavor that pairs perfectly with this spicy hot pot—it’s incredible!”
Seeing this, the other guards quickly grabbed the bottles to try it as well.
Li Fei took a sip but coughed a few times as the bubbles surprised him. Yet, he couldn’t help but laugh, saying, “This feeling is so marvelous! I’ve never had anything this invigorating!”
Sun Yang leaned back in his chair, looking satisfied as he exclaimed, “This Happy Fatty Water, once it goes down, makes me feel completely relaxed. It neutralizes the spiciness of the hot pot and whets my appetite even more!”
Everyone chimed in, praising the Happy Fatty Water.
Bai Linglong watched their reactions, feeling quite pleased. “Since everyone likes it, we should add this Happy Fatty Water to our hot pot restaurant. I’m sure it will attract even more customers.”
Wang Meng slapped his thigh, “Great idea, Master! With this novelty and our hot pot, our business will surely be a hit throughout the Jianghu!”
At that moment, Zhou Yu raised the bottle, curious. “Master, how is this Happy Fatty Water made? Can we make it ourselves?”
Bai Linglong smiled mysteriously. “The method is not simple, but I’ll explain it to you when the opportunity arises. For now, just enjoy the food to your heart’s content.”
The group began to feast again, the steam from the hot pot mixing with the bubbles of the Happy Fatty Water, laughter and joy echoing in the small courtyard, creating a lively atmosphere.
After finishing the hot pot, Bai Linglong said seriously, “Zhao Gang, go find a good storefront tomorrow; the location must be prime. Wang Meng, hurry up and gather the little beggars to train as Hidden Guards. We’ll work hard together, and life will definitely get better!”
Everyone nodded, their eyes filled with determination, as if they could already see the brilliance of the future.
From then on, Zhao Gang tirelessly searched the town for a storefront, nearly exhausting himself running around. He finally found an excellent shop in the town center, surrounded by shops and inns, bustling with activity.
Wang Meng was also hard at work, wandering the streets for several days and finding over thirty clever little beggars. When these kids heard they would have a place to stay and could learn martial arts, their eyes lit up, and they happily followed Wang Meng.
Wang Meng used the ten thousand taels of silver to buy a spacious house for the children, settling them in and establishing a strict training regimen. Every morning before dawn, he took them out to train. The children trained diligently in martial arts. Although they were young, they picked up the skills impressively well.
Meanwhile, Bai Linglong was also busy, personally designing the decorations for the hot pot restaurant, formulating the menu and pricing. She even taught Xiaocui and Grandma how to prepare the hot pot base and dishes, meticulously refining every detail.