Early in the morning, Gu Lin and Zheng Hao arrived at the county town. The stall location was still the same as before, but to secure a fixed spot and prevent customers from failing to find him, Gu Lin specially brought two portions of cold dishes to the street manager. “I made these at home. Please take them as a small side dish to go with your wine.”
The street manager naturally knew that the cold dishes causing such a stir these days were made by the ge’er before him. Even at seven copper coins per tube of vegetarian dish, a large crowd still scrambled to buy them. Although he had wanted to buy some, he never managed to get any each time. Now that the other person had brought them right to his doorstep, he accepted them with a smile.
Handing over a wooden placard, the street manager said, “After you pay the rent for half a month in full, you can set up your stall for a full month, but it is limited to the mornings only. Don’t go spreading that around outside.”
The rental methods for county town stalls varied, but some were restricted to daily rentals. Some people rented for the morning, some for the afternoon, and others for the entire day. Since Gu Lin only set up his stall in the morning and paid the half-month rent upfront, with the street manager turning a blind eye, he was permitted to rent for a month all at once. That way, he wouldn’t have to worry every day about failing to secure his preferred spot.
“You can rest assured, Manager. My lips are sealed,” Gu Lin replied.
Hearing the other use such polished phrasing, the manager figured he must be a reliable person, and his mind was set at ease. Besides, even if something went wrong, he wouldn’t have to worry; he could simply push all the blame onto the other person and clear himself completely.
Arriving at the small stall, Gu Lin first went to the neighboring noodle stall to order two bowls of plain noodles scalded in boiling water. Having rushed out early this morning, neither he nor Zheng Hao had eaten breakfast. After pouring the cold dishes over the noodles and mixing them thoroughly, Gu Lin kept one bowl for himself and gave the other to Zheng Hao. When the customers began to arrive, they saw the older and younger figures standing behind the stall, eating their cold dishes with great relish.
Catching the fragrance of the cold dishes, some customers who had come to line up without eating breakfast felt their stomachs rumble. With slightly aggrieved expressions, they looked at the ge’er before them and said, “Boss, we want to eat cold dishes too.”
Gu Lin hurriedly swallowed the bite of mixed eggplant in his mouth and explained, “I’m truly sorry, everyone. When I rushed out to sell the cold dishes this morning, I forgot to eat breakfast. I’m almost finished now, and I can start making the cold dishes right away.”
Hearing that he had rushed over to do business without eating breakfast, the crowd found it hard to harbor any blame. “It’s fine, take your time eating. If we really can’t hold out, we’ll just go buy some other food to fill our stomachs first.”
Though they said that, not a single person left the queue. Catching the scent of the cold dishes and watching Gu Lin eat his noodles, someone asked, “Boss, are noodles good when added to the cold dishes?”
After finishing his last bite of noodles and cold dishes, Gu Lin replied, “Delicious. It doesn’t affect the original flavor of the cold dishes and noodles at all.”
With that, he pulled out bamboo tubes one by one, and the customers rushed forward in a flurry.
Unexpectedly, the first customer was someone Gu Lin was somewhat familiar with.
Chen Wu stroked his black beard and smiled, saying, “Ge’er, your business is truly bustling. I was slightly delayed by something yesterday, and by the time I came back, both you and the stall were gone.”
Gu Lin smiled and replied, “Look at what you are saying. It’s just a small business, how could it ever deserve such high praise from you?”
Opening a bamboo tube, he poured the cold dishes into a large bowl and said, “From now on, I will reserve a portion for you every day. How does that sound?”
To Gu Lin, Chen Wu held special significance. The reason the cold dishes were able to build a reputation on the very first day and sell so well afterward was partly because this man had been willing to be the first to try something new, and with excellent results. Gu Lin held a very favorable impression of Chen Wu.
Hearing those words, the smile on Chen Wu’s face deepened. “If that can be done, nothing could be better.” He continued, “However, I wasn’t exaggerating. Ever since the old lady and the old master at home tasted your family’s cold dishes, everything else they eat lacks flavor. When I couldn’t buy any cold dishes yesterday, I got a thorough scolding from them upon returning home. That’s why I hurried over early today. Ge’er, quickly mix up six portions of cold dishes for me, and follow this exact volume every day from now on, or else I won’t be able to answer to the old lady and old master.”
Gu Lin was amused by the man’s long spiel. “Then you can rest assured today. The stall has newly added dried bean curd, which is smooth and tender when mixed in cold dishes, and the elderly love this texture the most. Take this back, and I guarantee you won’t be scolded by the old lady and old master at home.”
Hearing that a new variety of cold dish had been added, Chen Wu grew quite interested, recalling the delicious taste of the cold dishes he had eaten a couple of days ago. “Then I must savor this properly.”
Gu Lin’s hands moved at lightning speed, preparing Chen Wu’s order in the time it took to speak. “Because of the newly added dried bean curd, the price of the cold dishes has gone up by one coin. Six tubes of cold dishes come to forty-eight copper coins in total.”
“Very well.” After paying the money, Chen Wu said, “I’ll come back to buy more tomorrow.”
First sending five portions of the cold dishes back home, Chen Wu took the remaining portion and headed to the Full House Restaurant.
Upon seeing him arrive, the waiter hurriedly greeted him, “Manager Chen.”
Chen Wu waved a hand to signal the waiter over. “Go and fetch me a bowl of noodles scalded in plain water.”
Seeing that Manager Chen had an errand for him, the waiter broke into a smile as bright as a blooming chrysanthemum. “Please wait a moment, I’ll go right away.”
Arriving in the restaurant kitchen, the waiter relayed Manager Chen’s instructions to the head chef. Finding it strange, the chef asked, “Are you sure you didn’t hear wrong? Manager Chen only wants a bowl of noodles scalded in plain water?”
The waiter patted his chest in assurance. “Rest assured, Head Chef, I definitely didn’t hear wrong.”
Seeing the other’s unwavering confidence, the head chef found it even stranger. While others might not understand Chen Wu, he knew all too well how picky that old fellow’s palate was. Whenever he asked the kitchen to prepare food, which time didn’t come with a mountain of instructions, such as this ginger cannot be used, or that garlic must be sliced thin and fried until fragrant, a whole bunch of nagging details. Still, the head chef had to admit that precisely because of Chen Wu’s picky palate, the business of Full House Restaurant kept getting better and better.
Unaware of how the head chef in the back kitchen was mocking him in his heart, Chen Wu opened the bamboo tube and poured the cold dishes into the noodles as soon as the waiter brought them over. Before he could even mix them, a rich fragrance wafted upward and assailed his nostrils. Even though he had smelled it multiple times, Chen Wu still couldn’t help marveling at it.
At that moment, several people walked in from outside, and the one leading the group asked, “What is that smell?”
Hearing the voice, Chen Wu looked over with a look of startled astonishment. “Young Master!”
Disregarding the long-awaited cold dishes, he hurried forward to bow in greeting. Fang Jiyue raised his folding fan slightly and said, “Manager Chen needn’t stand on ceremony. I’m only here today to look over the restaurant on behalf of my father.”
Chen Wu didn’t dare take the first half of that sentence literally. “Please, Young Master, go upstairs to rest first. Later on, when the main hall gets crowded, I’m afraid it might disturb you.”
Fang Jiyue gave his fan a flick and said, “There’s no need for that. I’ve always liked lively places and places with lots of people.”
Then, turning his gaze to Chen Wu, he asked, “Manager Chen, do you know what kind of food emits the fragrance I smelled just when I walked in? Could it be a new dish developed by the restaurant?”
Realizing what the other was referring to, Chen Wu explained, “It’s not a new dish developed by the restaurant, Young Master. It’s a cold dish I bought at a street stall.”
“Oh? A cold dish?” Fang Jiyue flicked his wrist, opened his fan, and his expression filled with curiosity and exploration.
The person asking was the young master, not someone he could casually brush off. Chen Wu turned toward the counter, picked up the cold dishes, and walked over to Fang Jiyue. “Young Master, this is the cold dish.”
Looking at the various vegetarian dishes in the other’s bowl glistening with red chili oil, Fang Jiyue simultaneously caught a whiff of a rich, sweet-and-sour, spicy aroma. “Manager Chen, where is this cold dish sold? I’ll send someone to buy some.”
Chen Wu shook his head. “There is only one such cold dish stall in the entire county town. The stall is small, but its business is better than some small teahouses. If you went to buy some now, I’m afraid it would already be sold out.”
Hearing this, Fang Jiyue looked disappointed. “Such a pity.”
Seeing the other’s expression, Chen Wu found it difficult to keep the cold dishes all to himself. “This humble servant’s bowl of cold dishes hasn’t been eaten yet. If the Young Master doesn’t mind, you may taste a portion.”
Fang Jiyue raised his head, a smile touching the corners of his lips. “What are you saying, Uncle Chen? How could I possibly mind?”
The corner of Chen Wu’s eye twitched. As expected of the little fox born from the old fox, truly shrewd. When he had no requests, it was Manager Chen; when he wanted something, it turned into Uncle Chen.
Oblivious to Chen Wu’s inner thoughts, Fang Jiyue took the cold dishes and began eating eagerly. The first bite he picked up was the dried bean curd, fragrant, spicy, smooth, and tender. Fang Jiyue’s eyes lit up instantly. He polished off the entire bowl of cold dishes along with the noodles, leaving not a single scrap for Chen Wu.
Fang Jiyue raised his head to look at Chen Wu, showing no trace of the earlier temptation by food, maintaining a reserved expression instead. “Uncle Chen certainly didn’t deceive me. This cold dish is truly delicious, being rich, savory, sour, spicy, and wonderfully refreshing and appetizing.”
Chen Wu looked at the empty bowl of cold dishes. “You have a discerning eye, Young Master.”
Fang Jiyue raised an eyebrow, ignoring the man’s polite banter, and a hint of meaningful depth entered his gaze. “Uncle Chen, have you ever thought about buying the recipe for these cold dishes?”
Having mixed cold dishes for two consecutive days, Gu Lin’s arms were already achingly sore, yet he dared not slow his pace because a long line of hungry mouths was waiting right before him.
At that moment, Zheng Hao walked over from the front and said, “I’ll mix the cold dishes. You go to the front.”
Gu Lin looked at him with some hesitation. “Can you do it?”
Instead of showing annoyance at having his abilities doubted, Zheng Hao replied, “I’ve watched you do it for two days, so I already know how.”
Hearing this, Gu Lin decided to give the boy a chance to try. Seeing Zheng Hao take over the tools from his hands and skillfully pour, mix, and pack the dishes, Gu Lin cast aside his earlier hesitation and walked straight to the front to take over Zheng Hao’s spot.
A customer witnessed this scene and spoke to Gu Lin with a touch of envy, saying, “This ge’er has a good life. You’ve raised such a good son who knows how to pity his stepfather for working so hard.”
Though outwardly he was Zheng Hao’s stepfather, in both his past and present lives Gu Lin was an eighteen-year-old youth, making it difficult for him to view Zheng Hao truly as his own child. Yet that didn’t mean Gu Lin saw Zheng Hao as a stranger either; to him, Zheng Hao was like a younger brother, someone who shared a similar background and had suffered numerous misfortunes in early childhood.
Turning his head to watch Zheng Hao’s earnest and busy movements, Gu Lin could clearly feel over the past few days that the boy’s rejection of him was diminishing bit by bit. He felt a heartfelt surge of joy as he replied, “A sensible child is truly heartwarming.”
Gu Lin greeted the customers as the bamboo tubes were passed back and forth between their hands time and again. Turning his head once more, he saw that about half of the bamboo tubes remained. “Xiao Hao, take a rest and let me swap with you.”
Zheng Hao turned around but did not step away from his spot. Handing the freshly prepared cold dish to Gu Lin, he said, “No need, I can handle it. Your strength is too small; it’s much less troublesome when I mix the cold dishes.”
Hearing those words, a wave of awkward shame washed over Gu Lin, realizing that as a grown man, his work efficiency couldn’t even match that of a young child.
Yet looking at Zheng Hao’s swift movements devoid of fatigue, Gu Lin had to admit that letting the boy do it was the best choice. Seeing that aside from a light sheen of sweat on his face, the boy showed no signs of exhaustion whatsoever, and his arms weren’t trembling either, Gu Lin said, “If you can’t keep going, just call me. Don’t push yourself too hard.”
Zheng Hao nodded, turned back around, and continued mixing the cold dishes.