After finishing his noodles, Ninth Brother Tang didn’t leave. Instead, he carried his bowl over to Lin Dan’s side and whispered, “Here in the Southern District, most people are non-locals who like to stick together. There are hometown associations for people from different regions, and the six largest ones are the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia, Shuzhou, Baiyue, Jiangnan, Hubei-Hunan, and Yunnan-Guizhou hometown associations. In the future, when you prepare toppings, just use six pots and season each one according to those six different tastes. You don’t need to worry about any other flavors. It’s too troublesome.”

“That’s one way to do it. If a customer specifically requests a special flavor, I can always make it for them. Thank you for your advice, Ninth Brother Tang.” Lin Dan replied with a grateful smile. She also wanted to save some trouble, but she truly had no idea about the population structure on the south side of the city.

“No need to thank me. Now, how about another bowl of noodles for me? Make it sour and spicy this time.” Ninth Brother Tang said as he tapped his empty bowl.

Lin Dan shook her head with a smile, then swiftly prepared another bowl of noodles.

———pr


Madam Qin, who usually stayed up late to entertain guests and naturally woke up late in the day, couldn’t resist the overwhelming fragrance that suddenly wafted into her room. The aroma was so strong and enticing that it made her mouth water and sleep impossible. She struggled in bed for a long time before finally giving in, hastily getting dressed, and rushing outside to investigate.

“Where’s that smell of braised meat coming from? Go find out and bring me back half a pound of it!” She ordered a few of the errand boys.

“Yes, Madam, we’ll go look right away.” The boys replied, still groggy from sleep. They were clearly awakened by the smell as well. It wasn’t long before the girls upstairs also climbed out of bed, leaning over the railings and sweetly calling out, “We want some braised meat too! Bring back extra!”

The errand boys cheerfully agreed, but after they left, they didn’t return, and the smell of braised meat only grew stronger, soon mixing with the aromas of sour and spicy flavors, scallions, and more, making everyone’s mouth water. At first, Madam Qin waited in the main hall, but then she grew impatient and went to the door to watch for the errand boys. Eventually, unable to wait any longer, she waved her handkerchief at the girls, saying, “I’ll go check it out myself. You all go back to sleep.”

“With such a delicious smell, how can we sleep?” The girls complained, rubbing their stomachs.

Equally tempted, Madam Qin hurriedly followed the scent, running through the alleys until she found herself at the same little eatery she had visited yesterday, the one she was sure would fail. She was momentarily stunned, thinking she must have come to the wrong place. But when she stretched her neck to look inside, she saw her own errand boys sitting there, devouring noodles with an eagerness that was almost comical.

A large clay pot by the door was bubbling away, releasing a thick, mouth-watering aroma that seemed to seep into her very bones. Madam Qin, torn between pride and desire, finally gave in and half-covered her face as she walked inside, trying to hide her embarrassment.

“Welcome, please come in.” Xiao Zhu greeted her with a cheerful smile, then exclaimed in surprise, “Oh, aren’t you the one from yesterday……?”

“Enough with the ‘this one’ and ‘that one’, just give me half a pound of braised meat and a bowl of noodles with topping.” Madam Qin demanded, her old face turning red.

Despite recognizing the other party, Lin Dan looked up from her work with a gentle smile. “Of course. I’d guess from your accent that you’re from Qianzhou? How about I toss the braised meat with some roasted chili, litsea oil, and garlic sauce for you?” Having traveled extensively, Lin Dan understood the value of good hospitality.

Madam Qin, who had been dreading any sarcastic comments from Lin Dan about yesterday, immediately relaxed, her face breaking into a broad smile. “Yes, yes, please mix it for me. Back home, that’s exactly how we eat our braised meat. Otherwise, it has no flavor! I haven’t had that taste in over ten years!” She spoke eagerly, wiping her mouth with a handkerchief as if afraid she might drool.

“Not only do you mix braised meat like that back home, but raw meat, pig liver, pig blood, and chicken blood can also be mixed and eaten the same way. Especially pork and liver, finely chopped and mixed with rice wine, litsea, roasted chili, minced garlic, and vinegar. It’s particularly refreshing.” Lin Dan replied casually, not expecting her words to excite Madam Qin even more.

Madam Qin stared at Lin Dan with wide eyes, full of hope. “Yes, exactly! That’s how we do it! You really know your stuff, Little Boss. Can you make it?”

“Such heavy flavors aren’t good for the stomach in the morning. How about you come back at noon? I’ll make it for you then. I spent a few months in Qianzhou and learned to cook some of the local specialties.” Lin Dan nodded.

Madam Qin eagerly agreed, then apologized, “Little Boss, I was wrong about you yesterday. With your skills, you won’t lose money even if you open a shop in the most hidden corner!”

Lin Dan just smiled and shook her head, her expression still gentle. Hearing their conversation, a customer approached and asked, “Boss, do you know how to make rice noodles? Where I’m from, people usually have rice noodles for breakfast.”

Lin Dan’s eyes brightened as she quickly replied, “How could I forget? Of course, I can make rice noodles. If you come back tomorrow, you’ll be able to enjoy them. Oh, and I’ll also make some rice tofu, which tastes amazing when mixed with sour and spicy garlic sauce.”

These people were as happy as could be, eagerly promising to return not just tomorrow, but every day after that. They had never encountered anyone with culinary skills as impressive as this little boss. It seemed as though there wasn’t a single dish, no matter how exotic, that she couldn’t prepare.

Seeing that Madam Qin and the others could enjoy dishes from their hometown, the rest of the diners couldn’t sit still. One after another, they rushed to Lin Dan’s side to place their orders, their eyes filled with hope. Fortunately, Lin Dan was well-versed in a wide variety of cuisines and could prepare most of the dishes requested. Even for those she hadn’t made before, she could recreate the flavor after hearing a detailed description from the customers.

The atmosphere in the restaurant was lively. As people began discussing their favorite hometown dishes, it was as if a floodgate had been opened and they could go on for hours. Lin Dan listened with a smile, her expression calm and pleasant.

Ninth Brother Tang had already eaten his fill but remained seated, unwilling to leave. He liked the atmosphere of this restaurant, which felt warm and homey— much like the feeling Lin Dan gave him.

Just then, a group of men entered the restaurant. Each one had a menacing face, looking like they were not to be trifled with. They pushed aside Xiao Zhu and the two waiters, shouting loudly, “Where’s your boss? Get him out here! Anyone opening a business in this area has to pay respects to our Daquan^[1]Big Circle Gang. Don’t you know the rules?” It was clear they had come to collect protection money.

Ninth Brother Tang knew most of the major powers in the south side of the city and could handle them, but he had never even heard of this Daquan Gang. As the saying goes, ‘the king of hell is easy to see, but the little devils are hard to deal with’. These people were likely the troublesome little devils who specialized in bullying ordinary folks without any connections.

Just as Ninth Brother Tang was about to step forward, Madam Qin slammed her bowl down with a bang and cursed, “Where did these scoundrels come from? How dare you act so arrogantly in my territory? Be careful, or I’ll cut your tongues out!”

The men didn’t recognize Madam Qin, so they only saw her as a strong-willed shrew trying to cause trouble. One of them raised his fist, ready to strike at any moment. Madam Qin’s errand boys tossed their chopsticks aside and stepped forward, ready for a fight. Just as a brawl was about to break out, another group of people entered the restaurant. Leading them was a tall, slender man with strikingly handsome features and dressed in luxurious clothes— a clear sign that he was no ordinary person. His lips were pale, with two unnaturally rosy spots on his cheeks, and his clear eyes seemed slightly intoxicated, exuding a charming and elegant demeanor.

“Where did these little flies come from, buzzing around non-stop? Get out of the way for this Marquis!” With just a casual wave of his hand, several armed guards emerged from behind him, pushing the ruffians aside.

The noisy front hall fell silent in an instant and everyone exchanged puzzled glances. It was clear that this man was someone of significant wealth and status. To have guards accompanying him, his rank had to be at least that of a general.

“Everyone, stay seated and continue eating. Don’t mind me.” The handsome man said with a gracious smile before turning to look at Lin Dan. Hesitating slightly, he asked, “Are you Shopkeeper Lin?”

“Yes, I am.” Lin Dan replied, bowing with neither arrogance nor servility.

“Do you still have any Thousand-Day Wine for sale here? I’d like to buy a few jars. No, not a few— I’ll buy however many you have and take them all.” As soon as the man spoke, Lin Dan guessed his identity. Someone who called himself ‘this Marquis’, appeared slightly drunk, and went out before dawn with a group of guards to buy wine could only be the notorious Marquis Weiyuan, known for his obsession with alcohol.

Why Marquis Weiyuan had suddenly come to her store could be traced back to two days prior. On that day, the bearded general had sent a jar of Thousand-Day Wine to the marquis’s residence, but the house steward had shelved it without much thought. One day, Marquis Weiyuan, feeling particularly good, took some guests to tour his wine cellar and ordered a servant to bring down the best jar of wine from the shelf to share. As the servant descended the ladder, he stumbled, causing the lightest jar— the Thousand-Day Wine— to fall and shatter on the floor.

It was just an unmarked, modestly packaged jar of wine, so Marquis Weiyuan hadn’t paid it much mind. He was about to walk away when an overwhelmingly rich aroma suddenly filled the air, overshadowing all the other scents in the wine cellar. One of the guests, who couldn’t hold his liquor, turned red-faced without even taking a sip and stumbled a few steps, while the usually unshakeable Marquis Weiyuan was immediately intoxicated and entranced.

“What kind of wine is this?” He didn’t care about the dirt on the floor and quickly dipped his finger in the spilled wine to taste it. His eyes instantly lit up. “What an excellent wine! It’s the best I’ve ever tasted!” Realizing what had just happened, he quickly grabbed a cloth to soak up the spilled wine. Unfortunately, since the wine cellar was insulated with wooden floors and a heated base instead of marble, the liquid quickly seeped through the cracks, disappearing entirely.

A jar of divine wine had been right under his nose, yet he hadn’t noticed it until it was too late. It shattered without him even getting a proper taste. How could Marquis Weiyuan accept such a cruel reality? He immediately lost interest in entertaining his guests, ordered the clumsy servant to take a punishment of twenty heavy strikes, and instructed his steward to find the person who had offered the wine. After two days of searching, they finally tracked it down to Lin Dan, prompting him to rush over before dawn.

Lin Dan was unaware of these details, but she could tell that Marquis Weiyuan was in a hurry. After carefully observing him for a moment, she shook her head and said, “I don’t have any Thousand-Day Wine here. But even if I did, I wouldn’t sell it to you.”