The Emperor and Little Chubby Boy 6

Lin Lang took the little guy and Uncle Lin to Chunfeng Building. It was dinner time, and with tomorrow being a day off, Chunfeng Building was packed. The private rooms were long gone, leaving only a few small tables in the noisy main hall.

Lin Lang hesitated a bit, but the little guy’s face was full of anticipation that couldn’t be hidden. When Lin Lang was preparing for exams, he had brought the little guy here for roast duck, and the little guy had been thinking about it ever since. Knowing they were coming to eat today, he couldn’t stop drooling.

Lin Lang stood tall and handsome, with a face as bright as peach blossoms, attracting countless eyes in the hall. Many people were secretly sizing him up.

Some whispered, “Isn’t that the new top scholar?! Not only is he knowledgeable, but he’s also really good-looking—”

“Who would’ve thought the top scholar’s child is already so big, looking like a little celestial boy. I wonder which family’s girl is so lucky—”

“Indeed, I heard Old Wang’s daughter has been lovesick ever since she saw the top scholar during the parade. Old Wang only has this one daughter, and he’s so worried—”

“Tsk tsk tsk, haven’t you heard? The top scholar’s wife passed away long ago, and he’s still single now—”

“So what? There are countless daughters from noble families eyeing him, not leaving any chance for us common folks’ daughters—”

“That’s true, but then again, marrying anyone is the same, isn’t it? Everyone has one nose and two eyes, busy with life during the day, and at night, it’s all the same under the covers—”

The people nearby understood the humor and couldn’t help but laugh loudly.

Lin Lang heard bits and pieces of the gossip about him. The original Ning Mo might have cared a lot about others’ opinions, but the current him didn’t mind much. In this world, who isn’t talked about? A few words won’t hurt him, so he just does what he wants—

He called a waiter and picked a small table in a corner to sit down and order. Unexpectedly, someone grabbed his sleeve and said, “Brother Lin, what a coincidence! If you don’t mind, why not join us at our table?”

Lin Lang looked over and found it was Lu Ji. It had been some time since they last met, and Lu Ji had visibly gained some weight, but there was a hint of melancholy in his eyes that even his smile couldn’t completely dispel.

Lin Lang immediately smiled and said, “I’d be delighted—” and then followed Lu Ji to a private room on the second floor with the little guy and Uncle Lin.

Lin Lang laughed, “Chunfeng Building is so popular, yet Brother Lu managed to book a private room. That’s impressive!”

Lu Ji rubbed his nose, a bit embarrassed, “Don’t laugh at me, Brother Lin. I only love two things in life: eating and sleeping.”

“Ever since I came to the capital, I’ve only had two young servants and an old servant with me, none of whom are skilled in cooking. The taste here is quite different from my hometown, and it’s hard to find a suitable cook.”

“But Chunfeng Building, being the largest restaurant in the capital, does the eight major cuisines of Cangxuan very authentically. So whenever I have free time, I come here for meals.”

Lin Lang couldn’t help but laugh, “Why don’t you consider hiring a cook from Chunfeng Building?”

Lu Ji widened his eyes, “Brother Lin, you don’t know! I did think about it, but when I inquired, I found out that the cooks here earn quite a bit. Not to mention the head chef, even an ordinary cook earns at least this much—” He gestured with his hand.

Lin Lang wasn’t familiar with the market rates, “Five taels?” With the current low prices, five taels a month wasn’t a small amount.

Lu Ji clapped his hands, his expression animated, “Five taels? No way! It’s fifty taels!”

Lin Lang was also taken aback. Fifty taels a month, almost six hundred taels a year, was no small sum! Apart from the emperor’s rewards, he hadn’t saved up six hundred taels himself.

Seeing Lin Lang’s surprise, Lu Ji felt satisfied, realizing he wasn’t the only one lacking knowledge.

As they reached the private room, the waiter brought tea and the menu. The menu was different from the modern world, just a few pages of cowhide paper, with the signature dishes, main dishes, side dishes, soups, and staples written in neat small script, sewn together with thread.

Lu Ji pushed the menu to Lin Lang and poured them tea, “Brother Lin, you order first, and get more of what the little guy likes.”

Lin Lang asked the waiter for a higher chair so the little guy could reach the table.

He said to Lu Ji, “Then I won’t be polite.”

He flipped through the menu, and the little guy excitedly kicked his chubby legs, “Daddy! Daddy! I want honey roast duck! Braised pork knuckle! Beggar’s chicken!” Clearly, he was a little chubby boy who loved meat.

Lin Lang didn’t even glance at him, calmly saying, “We agreed you could only pick one. There’s a pork knuckle in the basket we just bought, and didn’t we agree that Daddy would make braised pork knuckle for you tomorrow?”

“If you choose the pork knuckle, Daddy won’t make it for you tomorrow—”

The little chubby boy immediately raised his chubby arm, “Then I want honey roast duck!” Even at his young age, he knew honey roast duck was the most complicated. Daddy would make braised pork knuckle and beggar’s chicken at home, but never roast duck. To eat roast duck, they had to go out.

Lin Lang nodded in satisfaction, “One honey roast duck, two duck legs not sliced, one mountain leek omelet, one garlic leaf stir-fried cured meat, one cabbage tofu soup.”

He handed the menu to Lu Ji, “That’s it. You order what you like—”

Lu Ji ordered sweet and sour ribs, hibiscus shrimp balls, squirrel fish, and mountain delicacy chicken soup, all with sweet and sour flavors, and none of them were cheap.

The dishes came quickly, with the honey roast duck arriving first. The honey roast duck was eaten similarly to Peking duck, with the duck meat sliced, served with pancakes, cucumber strips, scallion strips, and sweet sauce. The duck skin was especially crispy and oily, brushed with honey when it came out of the oven, with a rich aroma from the roasted fat.

A pancake wrapped with two pieces of duck meat and a piece of duck skin, with cucumber strips, scallion strips, and sauce, was just right. Even the little guy could eat five in one go.

But Lin Lang didn’t let him eat too much, fearing indigestion. After wrapping two for him, he picked a duck leg for him to gnaw on.

The little guy happily gnawed on it, occasionally tapping the duck leg bone on the table, exclaiming, “Roast duck! So tasty!”

Lin Lang couldn’t help but laugh, picking the remaining one for Lu Ji. Lu Ji laughed, “Let the little guy have it. I can’t compete with a little kid for food.”

Lin Lang also laughed, “I can’t let him eat it all. This little guy doesn’t know when to stop. He’ll eat as long as you give it to him, and eating too much isn’t good.”

Lu Ji didn’t insist further.

Lin Lang picked some boneless squirrel fish for the little guy. The little guy picked up a piece with his chubby fingers and put it in his mouth, immediately scrunching his little eyebrows, his chubby cheeks wrinkling as if he were being punished.

After a moment, he smacked his lips, finding the sweet and sour taste quite nice, and swung his little legs, “Daddy, more fish! More ribs! More shrimp!”

Lin Lang: No wonder he’s a little foodie, quickly accepting new flavors—sweet and sour is indeed a hit with kids.

Once the little guy had eaten about seventy percent of the meat, Lin Lang gave him half a bowl of rice, scooped a few spoonfuls of cabbage tofu soup, and mixed it for him to eat.

Fortunately, the little guy wasn’t picky. Although he preferred meat, he also liked cabbage, tofu, and rice. With a small spoon, he quickly finished the half bowl of cabbage tofu rice. Although he spilled a lot on the table, he was still quite impressive.

Lu Ji praised from the side, “The little guy is really capable, eating so well by himself!”

The little guy, proud of the praise, raised his little head, “I’m really good at eating!”

Lin Lang wiped the soup-stained mouth, playfully coaxing, “Yes, yes, you’re the best at eating. You’re a little foodie—”

The little guy thought “little foodie” was a compliment and nodded happily.

Lu Ji found the little guy adorable and teased, “What’s your name, little guy?”

The little guy, with a confident expression, said, “My name is Lin Xiaobao. Daddy often calls me Xiaobao, Baobao, or Zai Zai—Uncle Lu can call me Zai Zai or Xiaobao, but only Daddy can call me Baobao—”

Lin Lang was almost in tears from laughter at the little guy’s serious expression, and Lu Ji was also amused, teasing further, “Zai Zai, is the meat here tasty?”

The little guy nodded vigorously.

Lu Ji continued, “Then how about Uncle Lu often brings you here to eat?”

Zai Zai hesitated for a moment, then firmly shook his head, “Daddy’s cooking is better. I like Daddy’s food more!”

“Uncle Lu, you can come to my house often. I’ll treat you to Daddy’s delicious food!”

Lin Lang gently tapped the little guy’s forehead, “You’re such a clever little rascal—”

He then said to Lu Ji, “If Brother Lu doesn’t mind, you can come to my house tomorrow to try my cooking—”

Lu Ji happily replied, “Then I’ll gladly accept.”

Lin Lang added, “I’ll ask Brother Fan too. The more, the merrier.”

The two of them ate casually and chatted about recent events. Since the restaurant was crowded and not a good place for conversation, they decided to talk more when they gathered again tomorrow.