“Besides the pork, there’s one more thing I would like to discuss with your shopkeeper.”

“May I ask what this matter is, young lady?”

Upon hearing this, Jian Xiu pretended to look troubled and said, “This… this is something that really requires me to meet your shopkeeper in person.”

Knowing that her words might not lead to meeting the person, Jian Xiu quickly added:

“I know your shopkeeper’s name is Wu Mingtang, and today I was sent by my husband, Zhang Zixuan, to find him. Please ask him first if he would be willing to meet me.”

The waiter remained silent for a moment, then nodded towards Jian Xiu.

“Young lady, please wait here for a moment. I will inform our shopkeeper, but I cannot guarantee whether he will meet you.”

“Thank you very much, young sir,” Jian Xiu said politely.

“Please have a seat over there, young lady. It’s not mealtime yet, so there should be a spot available.”

“Okay!” she replied, walking in the direction the waiter indicated.

She had to admit that the first impression of Yuexiang Tower was quite good.

Even though she was dressed in patched clothes, the waiter didn’t show any sign of looking down on her.

It was known that Yuexiang Tower was one of the top restaurants in the county, regularly hosting high-ranking officials and wealthy merchants. Most of these people would meet in the private rooms here to conduct business.

She had thought that, given her shabby appearance, even if she were allowed inside, she would likely be mocked.

She had already prepared herself for some ridicule, but to her surprise, the waiter was quite respectful.

“Young lady, our shopkeeper is upstairs. If he is willing to meet with you, you can head up. After turning right at the top of the stairs, you’ll find his private room.”

Just as she was thinking, she heard the waiter’s voice again.

Upon hearing these words, Jian Xiu became excited.

If Shopkeeper Wu was willing to meet her, that was already half the battle won.

On her way here, she had been thinking about how to meet the shopkeeper.

Once she had the opportunity, she would make sure he tried her pork offal dish.

She was confident that once he tasted it, he would buy her ingredients.

Following the directions, Jian Xiu arrived at Shopkeeper Wu’s private room and knocked on the door in a dignified manner.

Once she heard the invitation to enter, she walked in confidently.

“Are you Zixuan’s wife?” Shopkeeper Wu was the first to speak.

Upon hearing this, Jian Xiu nodded gently and said, “Yes. I didn’t expect Shopkeeper Wu would remember Zixuan.”

“Of course, how could I forget? I once asked him to deliver something to the capital for me,” Shopkeeper Wu replied.

“Oh, I see!” Jian Xiu responded.

“Didn’t Zixuan mention this to you?” Shopkeeper Wu asked curiously.

Hearing this, Jian Xiu raised her eyebrows and said, “Shopkeeper Wu is joking. The escort agency keeps customer information confidential. Even though I am Zixuan’s wife, he never shared any details about his work with me.”

She spoke with sincerity.

Jian Xiu knew that Shopkeeper Wu was clearly testing her.

However, she preferred direct communication and didn’t like playing guessing games.

“Hahaha… Young lady, you’re truly straightforward. Now, tell me, what brings you to see me today?”

Upon hearing this, Jian Xiu became energized and said seriously, “Shopkeeper Wu, to be honest, I am here to do business with you.”

“Oh? Is it about the pork in your basket? As long as it’s not spoiled, I can accept it on behalf of Yuexiang Tower, given Zixuan’s relationship with us.”

“Shopkeeper, you misunderstood. Besides this pork, I have also prepared several other fresh dishes that I guarantee will satisfy you,” Jian Xiu said.

Upon hearing this, Shopkeeper Wu was immediately disappointed.

This was something he encountered every two or three days, but most of the time, it was just a gimmick with nothing new to offer.

Now, hearing Jian Xiu’s words, he had lost all hope and no longer felt any excitement.

Seeing his expression, Jian Xiu understood what he was thinking.

So, she spoke again, “Shopkeeper Wu, why not let me try? You won’t lose anything. If the dish tastes good, I can share the recipe. If you don’t like it, I won’t ask for any money. And here’s the key point: if you find the dish delicious, I can guarantee it will be the least costly dish for Yuexiang Tower.”

“Oh? You’re that confident?” Shopkeeper Wu became curious.

Being a businessman, hearing Jian Xiu’s words piqued his interest.

If it was a low-cost dish, he would naturally make more profit.

“I am confident in this dish, which is why I came here today. Would Shopkeeper Wu be willing to give me a chance to try it?” Jian Xiu asked again.

“Alright, how long will it take to prepare this dish?” Shopkeeper Wu inquired.

“Very quickly, it will be done in less than fifteen minutes!”

“That fast?”

“Of course. Shopkeeper Wu, you should know that I am not someone who would casually bring a slightly tasty dish and speak without thought. The reason I’m here is because I’m confident that this dish will surprise you,” Jian Xiu said with calm confidence.

Her demeanor truly piqued Shopkeeper Wu’s curiosity.

“So, what is this dish you’re bringing?” he asked.

“I’ll prepare it first, and then you can try it, Shopkeeper Wu, and see if you can guess the recipe. How about that?”

“Fine, young lady, go ahead and make it,” Shopkeeper Wu said.

Upon hearing this, Jian Xiu’s excitement grew even more.

As long as Shopkeeper Wu allowed her into the kitchen, her mission would be nearly accomplished.

After all, the pork offal she made last night was only stir-fried in a clay pot, and the ingredients were incomplete.

Now, in the restaurant’s kitchen, not only did she have the full ingredients, but also a wok.

She was confident that the dish would turn out better than last night.

Then, Shopkeeper Wu had someone take Jian Xiu to the kitchen.

Yuexiang Tower had two chefs, brothers named Qin, with the older one usually referred to as Chef Qin and the younger as Junior Chef Qin.

When they saw Jian Xiu, their disdain was evident.

Jian Xiu knew that to them, she probably seemed like just another amateur trying her hand at cooking.

But Jian Xiu never cared about others’ opinions. As long as Shopkeeper Wu was willing to give her a chance, that was all that mattered.

She rolled up her sleeves and took out the pork offal she had prepared earlier.

She had already cleaned it. In fact, cleaning the offal was an important step in the cooking process. If it wasn’t cleaned properly, even the best stir-fry wouldn’t get rid of the smell.