Chapter 229 - 225: Who Is Closer to the Boss?

Chapter 229: Chapter 225: Who Is Closer to the Boss?

All that was left was to wait for customers to arrive.

Time slowly ticked by to 11 AM. Ye Shengge still hadn’t returned, but the first customer had arrived.

It was a familiar face—Zhao Yu, the owner of a smoke shop in the town market.

This time, Zhao Yu came alone.

Li You was lounging in the rocking chair at the entrance of his shop.

When Zhao Yu spotted Li You, he called out from a distance, "Boss Li, I heard you’re launching a new dish today—Chopped Pepper Fish Head, is that right?"

Li You got to his feet and walked over to greet him, asking with a smile, "Boss Zhao, who told you that?"

Zhao Yu said, "Someone came to my shop this morning to buy cigarettes, and he mentioned it. He said you treated them to a free portion of Chopped Pepper Fish Head last night. Is that true, Boss Li?"

’So it was one of the customers from those two tables last night.’

Li You nodded. "That’s right. I had them help me test out the dish last night. It’s officially on the menu today."

Zhao Yu said with delight, "In that case, Boss Li, hurry up and get me one!"

Zhao Yu was very eager, as Chopped Pepper Fish Head was one of his favorite dishes. He often made it for himself.

’But how could his own cooking ever compare to Li You’s?’

When he’d first heard the news from that customer buying cigarettes this morning, Zhao Yu had been incredibly surprised and excited.

He knew that from this day forward, he would be able to eat the most delicious Chopped Pepper Fish Head in the world.

In fact, Zhao Yu had often wondered if Li You would ever add Chopped Pepper Fish Head to his menu.

’He never expected it to actually happen today.’

’This was a huge surprise!’

Seeing Zhao Yu’s impatient expression, Li You couldn’t help but chuckle. "Boss Zhao, you really like Chopped Pepper Fish Head, don’t you?"

Zhao Yu nodded again and again. "I love it. I make it for myself all the time."

Li You said, "In that case, Boss Zhao must be quite the connoisseur of this dish."

Zhao Yu laughed. "I wouldn’t dare call myself a connoisseur, I just have a little experience. But it’s nothing compared to you, Boss Li."

Li You said, "You’re too modest, Boss Zhao. I just hope you won’t be disappointed after you try my Chopped Pepper Fish Head."

Zhao Yu replied, "You’re the one who’s truly being modest, Boss Li. I’m certain that today, I will be eating the best Chopped Pepper Fish Head in the world."

Li You laughed. "You’re putting a lot of pressure on me, Boss Zhao. By the way, didn’t Boss Deng, Boss Xie, Boss Wang, and Boss Liu come with you?"

Zhao Yu said, "They’re coming later. It’s market day today, so their shops are pretty busy. I came ahead to eat while I wait for them."

Li You smiled faintly. It was clear Zhao Yu was truly eager.

In that case, no sense in delaying. Li You said, "I’ll go get it started right now. If you’ll just wait a moment, Boss Zhao."

Zhao Yu nodded eagerly. "Great, great. Thank you, Boss Li."

Li You replied, "Not at all, Boss Zhao."

With that, he walked into the kitchen and got to work.

All the prep work had already been done, so all he had to do was heat up the wok with some oil, stir-fry the chopped peppers, and then start the steaming process.

Before long, a serving of Chopped Pepper Fish Head was ready.

Li You brought it to Zhao Yu himself and said, "Here you are, Boss Zhao! If you have any issues or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to tell me."

Zhao Yu nodded. "Of course, of course."

Then he ordered a bowl of wine. When trying a new dish, a drink was an absolute must.

Before the wine even arrived, Zhao Yu picked up his chopsticks and dug into the Chopped Pepper Fish Head.

’This Chopped Pepper Fish Head looks so much more delicious than the ones I make.’

’And the taste... it really is.’

’The flavor is leagues beyond anything I could make.’

’This really has to be the most delicious Chopped Pepper Fish Head in the world.’

’I’m so lucky to be able to eat something like this.’

Zhao Yu was thrilled.

Just then, Da Bai brought over a bowl of wine.

He took a sip of wine, feeling completely content.

He continued to eat and drink.

A little later, Ye Shengge returned. "Boss, I’m back."

Li You asked, "How was it? Did you buy anything?"

Ye Shengge replied, "I didn’t buy anything. Mostly because I’m not in a hurry to leave yet. As for how it was, it was great! It has such a lively, everyday atmosphere."

Li You nodded. "Town markets do have more of that everyday feel."

Ye Shengge said, "That’s what makes them more interesting."

As the two of them were talking, more customers arrived for a meal.

These new arrivals also noticed that there was a new dish on the menu today: Chopped Pepper Fish Head.

The customers were all pleasantly surprised by this.

’Finally, a new dish! And a famous one like Chopped Pepper Fish Head, no less.’

’48 yuan a serving isn’t expensive either. We have to try it.’

And so, the customers began ordering the Chopped Pepper Fish Head one after another.

Li You, knowing that many customers would be ordering the Chopped Pepper Fish Head, had already steamed thirty servings in advance.

Now, all he had to do was serve them.

The customers were dumbfounded. "That was incredibly fast!"

Li You chuckled. "I knew you’d be ordering it, so I prepared some in advance."

The customers all gave him a thumbs-up. In that case, it was time to dig in.

Once they started eating, the restaurant filled with sounds of praise.

「Outside the shop.」

Ling Xiaoru had also arrived.

She had said yesterday that she would come to try the Chopped Pepper Fish Head today.

At that moment, Ye Shengge was sitting in the rocking chair by the entrance.

When Ling Xiaoru saw Ye Shengge, a look of stunned admiration flashed in her eyes.

’This woman is gorgeous! I’m considered a beauty myself, but compared to her, there’s a clear difference.’

’Forget me, even Xiao Yue doesn’t quite measure up to her.’

’Is she one of the boss’s customers too?’

’I never expected to see such a beautiful woman among the boss’s customers.’

’And it seems like she knows the boss quite well.’

’Otherwise, she wouldn’t be sitting in the rocking chair the boss always uses.’

’Wait, could it be her?’

Ling Xiaoru thought of someone: Ye Shengge.

She knew Ye Shengge was renting a room on the second floor, and she had also heard Xia Xiaoyue mention her before.

Xia Xiaoyue had said that among the boss’s customers, there was someone who was taller than her, with a better figure, and even more beautiful.

There weren’t many people more beautiful than Xia Xiaoyue—in fact, they were exceedingly rare.

’In that case, this must be Ye Shengge.’

Thinking this, Ling Xiaoru approached her. "You must be Ye Shengge, right?"

Ye Shengge sized up Ling Xiaoru. ’What a beautiful woman. Maybe not quite on my level, but the difference isn’t that big.’

’The boss certainly isn’t short on beautiful women around here!’

’Also, how does this woman know my name?’

Ye Shengge was a little puzzled. "I am Ye Shengge. How do you know my name?"

Ling Xiaoru said, "I’ve heard the boss and Xiao Yue mention you. They both said you were very beautiful. I think you’re even more beautiful than they described."

’So that’s how.’

Ye Shengge smiled. "You’re very beautiful, too. By the way, do you know the boss well?"

Ling Xiaoru nodded. "Very well. There have been a few nights where I’ve had dinner and drinks with the boss and then stayed here."

"Ah, I see!" Ye Shengge nodded. "So you’re Ling Xiaoru."

"Hmm?" Ling Xiaoru was also a bit surprised. "Miss Ye, you know me?"

Ye Shengge said, "Of course. The boss just mentioned you last night when we were having drinks. He said you have a great talent for painting, and that even Master Guyi has praised you."

’So that’s how.’

Ling Xiaoru then asked, "I wonder, how is your tolerance for alcohol, Miss Ye?"

Ye Shengge replied, "I don’t know, either. I hardly ever drink and don’t have a habit of it."

"Is that so?" Ling Xiaoru asked. "Then I assume you didn’t drink too much last night, Miss Ye?"

Ye Shengge smiled faintly and said, "I didn’t drink much, no. The boss, however, had a little too much."

"Really?" Ling Xiaoru added, "The boss’s tolerance really isn’t that great."

Ye Shengge said, "I think so, too."

...