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Shen Zi’an noticed Su Zhi staring at the dishes on the table and thought she was hungry. He immediately decided to have lunch here before heading back. When he mentioned it to Su Zhi, she readily agreed.
“Okay, let’s eat here. Brother Shitou, both sisters-in-law, Siniang, Huzi and Xiaosuo, we’ll have lunch here today. It’s on me and Zi’an.”
Su Zhi wanted to see how good the food in this inn was. Although this era lacked ingredients like star anise and vinegar, she thought the dishes might still be delicious. She wanted to taste them, believing that knowing the enemy’s strengths would lead to victory. Although Su Zhi had no plans to solely rely on selling recipes to make money, she would be happy if it worked out. After all, who would complain about having multiple ways to earn money?
Su Zhi insisted on treating Li Shi and the others. She wasn’t the stingy type, and she had a good relationship with them all, so she didn’t mind treating them to a meal.
However, Li Qing’s wife and the others had a different perspective. To them, entering such an inn was something they rarely dared to do, except to sell their goods. They felt that they could eat ten times outside for the price of one meal here.
Li Shi had more exposure to the outside world and didn’t see eating at the inn as such a big deal. He didn’t think it would be a trouble for Shen Zi’an to treat them, especially since he often ate at Shen Zi’an’s house. However, seeing Li Qing and the others hesitating, he, as a man, couldn’t insist they sit down. He knew that if Su Zhi wanted them to stay, she could persuade the women without him saying a word.
Su Zhi easily persuaded the three women to sit down.
Huzi and Xiaosuo sat happily beside their respective mothers. Huzi kept fidgeting, moving around and playing with his hands on the table, while Xiaosuo sat upright, with a smile on his face, observing everything around him with curiosity.
“You’re spending too much on us. Eating at this inn is expensive!” Li Qing’s wife said, feeling a bit embarrassed about being treated.
Shugen’s Wife added, “You’ve just gotten married, and you’ll have children in the future. We should save money.”
Su Zhi smiled and replied, looking at the waiter approaching.
“Dear guests, what would you like to order?”
Since Li Shitou and the others were treated, they naturally listened to the orders of Shen Zi’an and his wife. Shen Zi’an looked at Su Zhi; he was here to dine with his wife, so he let her choose the dishes. Besides, Su Zhi was a good cook, so her choices would surely be delicious.
Su Zhi looked at the waiter and asked with a smile, “What do you have here?”
Su Zhi was no longer the woman who had to cover her face with cloth when she went out before. Now, her complexion was fair, her eyes were gentle, and her smile was as refreshing as a spring breeze, making everyone who saw her feel comfortable. The waiter’s attitude immediately changed when he saw Su Zhi smiling at him like that.
“We have plenty of dishes here, young lady. Please take a look. We have menus hanging on several walls, displaying today’s offerings. We can make almost anything. If you don’t want to bother looking, I can tell you the dish names. If you prefer not to hear, just mention a few dishes, and I’ll have the chef prepare them for you.”
Su Zhi had already noticed rows of nails on the outer walls, with long wooden boards hanging from them. The names of the dishes were written in brush strokes on these boards. This was the most convenient type of menu, where each dish that could be prepared was listed on a board. When a dish was unavailable, its board would be removed, making it quite efficient. As for those who couldn’t read, they relied on the waiters. However, those who couldn’t read often didn’t fuss much; many would simply order a dish and let the kitchen handle the rest.
Su Zhi glanced at the rows of menus closest to her table. She found that the names were straightforward and didn’t have the fancy titles often found in modern restaurants, where the dish’s contents were unclear. Here, everything was clear at a glance. It was winter, so there weren’t many varieties available. Meat dishes outnumbered vegetarian options, but there was still a selection of chicken, duck, and fish.
“Just looking at the names doesn’t give us much insight. How about this: bring us eight of your best dishes, and one bowl of rice for each of us,” Su Zhi said. She figured the waiter must be familiar with the restaurant’s specialties, so the dishes he brought would undoubtedly be the best here. Once she knew what the best dishes were like, she would naturally understand whether the dishes she knew how to make in her previous life would have a market here.
The waiter agreed and went to place the order.
“Sister, ordering eight dishes might be too much for us. We won’t be able to finish them,” Shugen’s Wife said. She saw that there were only two men, four women, plus two children. Even though it was one dish per person, the children and women wouldn’t eat much.
Su Zhi replied, “We can manage. Two men can eat a lot, and I’m hungry too. Later, you all should eat more too. Huzi, did you hear that? Eat more so you can grow taller.”
Huzi nodded and said, “I’ll eat a lot so I can run fast and be strong like Uncle Shen. Then, I can go and fight tigers and even stop crazy horses!”
“Good, eat more then,” Su Zhi replied.
Su Zhi heard Huzi admiring Shen Zi’an, and she glanced at him, thinking how honored she was to have a husband whom others admired.
Meanwhile, Xiaosuo was looking at Su Zhi and said, “I want to learn how to read like Fourth Aunt.”
Xiaosuo had just seen Su Zhi carefully looking at the signs on the wall. Since he couldn’t understand them, he immediately thought Fourth Aunt was amazing.
Shugen’s Wife chuckled and said, “This kid, usually, when I talk to him about Ziju’s knowledge, telling him to learn something, he doesn’t show much interest. Sister, my son really admires you.”
Su Zhi smiled and said, “Xiaosuo, seeing is believing. When you see me understanding something you can’t, you think I’m amazing. But Xiaosuo, when it comes to knowledge, your Fifth Uncle knows much more, Fourth Aunt only knows a little. If you want to become a scholar and hold a high position, you should learn from Fifth Uncle.”
Xiaosuo nodded, but still thought Fourth Aunt was more impressive. Fifth Uncle was always inside the house, so he couldn’t see how impressive he was.
The dishes soon arrived, and Xiaosuo and Huzi’s eyes lit up at the sight. As soon as the adults began eating, the two of them also started picking up dishes to eat. Children were always happy when they got meat to eat, so they ate quickly and happily. However, as they ate, they couldn’t help but say that the food wasn’t as delicious as what Fourth Aunt made.
The waiter brought the dishes over and overheard the two kids saying that the food here wasn’t as tasty as what their fourth Aunt made. He found it amusing and shared it with the shopkeeper as a joke. The shopkeeper raised an eyebrow and glanced at the group sitting and dining. He recognized them as villagers who had just sold eggs here, and Shen Zi’an and Li Shi often sold wild game here too. He knew they were just a bunch of country folk, lucky to be able to dine here. He couldn’t believe they dared to complain about the food. If other customers overheard, it wouldn’t look good.
Seeing the shopkeeper’s displeasure, the waiter felt he had talked too much and might have caused trouble for the customers at that table. He had no ulterior motive, just a bit too talkative. He didn’t want to cause any trouble for the customers, especially the lady who ordered. Her smile was truly captivating, and he didn’t want to cause her any inconvenience.
“Shopkeeper, I heard those two kids talking about dumplings, saying they were delicious, and they mentioned several other dishes I’ve never heard of. Just listening to them made my mouth water. They might have actually tried them.”
The waiter hurriedly excused himself, and the shopkeeper waved him off before approaching Shen Zi’an’s table. He said, “Brother Shen, Brother Li, I heard from the waiter that someone here knows a woman who cooks better than our chefs? And she’s a woman? They said she can make a dish called dumplings, and even other dishes he’s never heard of. Is that true?”
Su Zhi couldn’t help but think that in novels and TV shows, people always went to the inn and talk about a lot of things and then overheard by the waiter. Now, seeing it happen for real, she realized it wasn’t just fiction. The waiter remembered everything they said. Fortunately, they hadn’t said anything bad; otherwise, it would have been troublesome.
Li Qing’s Wife and Shugen’s Wife glared at their son, realizing that their remarks had attracted the attention of the shopkeeper.
Li shi’s wife glanced at Shen Zi’an, realizing it was a matter concerning his brother’s wife, so he refrained from speaking up.
Shen Zi’an also knew the shopkeeper and trusted him. He said, “Shopkeeper, your waiter didn’t hear wrong. There indeed are dumplings, and the woman you mentioned is my wife. She’s the one who makes the dumplings.” Shen Zi’an gestured towards Su Zhi, who stood up and courteously greeted the shopkeeper.
Impressed by Su Zhi’s neat appearance and gentle demeanor, the shopkeeper felt a favorable impression towards her. He asked, “Young lady, I’m very curious about the dumplings you make. I heard you can cook other delicious dishes too. What else do you cook? Are they really tastier than the dishes we serve here?”
Su Zhi thought to herself that she hadn’t even considered selling recipes yet, and here the shopkeeper had come knocking. It seemed like fate was pushing her to make money through this method.
“I do indeed make dumplings. They’re a staple food. Besides that, I can also cook some other dishes, though in winter, there aren’t many options.”
The shopkeeper, intrigued, thought that the young lady had indeed admitted to her skills. As the owner of a tavern, nothing irked him more than knowing there was delicious food out there that his establishment didn’t offer. Hearing about it now, especially in the hands of a farmer’s wife, piqued his curiosity. If it truly was delicious, perhaps he could incorporate it into his tavern’s menu.
The shopkeeper also thought of the young lady from his master’s household who hadn’t been eating well lately. If he could send her some tasty food, maybe she would eat a few bites, which would benefit him as well.