Chapter 180: Taste
Translator: Xiong Guoqi Editor: DesTheSloth
"Boss Yuan, I’m really convinced," Wu Hai realized that he, surprisingly, didn’t even know how to answer Yuan Zhou.
"Um, opening hours end now." With a nod, Yuan Zhou expressed his acceptance of Wu Hai’s admiration.
Wu Hai had acc.u.mulated plenty of bad words to say. But thinking of Yuan Zhou’s skills, he could only hold them back and then left with a grievance.
He had always believed that Boss Yuan would be beaten to death if he was not a chef. However, Wu Hai was wrong. He spoke as if no one wanted to beat Yuan Zhou to death even if he was a chef right now.
"Xiaoyun, come at noon." Yuan Zhou nodded to Mu Xiaoyun at the side.
"Humm, I’m leaving, boss," Mu Xiaoyun answered obediently with a smile.
As soon as the clock hands went to 9:30, a girl who carried a big bag on her back and a suitcase in her hand appeared at the door to Yuan Zhou’s restaurant.
She was wearing gray casual clothes. The lively ponytail and the comely face made her appear neat and clean.
"You are Boss Yuan, aren’t you?" When she saw Yuan Zhou at the door, the girl went up and asked for confirmation.
"Humm, I am. Nice to meet you, Painter Fang," Yuan Zhou stepped forward and said.
"Nice to meet you, too. I will have to both you to tell me what you want done," Painter Fang got straight to the point.
"Come over here and have a look." Yuan Zhou was naturally quite happy when he found the girl spoke about work as soon as she arrived.
The painter was different from others, as she charged on the basis of the time used. It was great to save time.
"It’s this price list. I need you to draw a lotus flower on the wall, under the condition that these characters are not wiped," Yuan Zhou led the girl into the restaurant and said to her while pointing to the price list on the wall.
Following a sound of "Peng", Painter Fant put down the small suitcase in her hand and then started to observe the interior surroundings around.
After quite a while, she asked, "Do you need the kind that is dyed or not dyed?"
"Dyed. Please use the best dyestuff," Yuan Zhou nodded.
"No problem. I charge 120 RMB per hour and I can finish it within about 5 hours," Painter Fang told Yuan Zhou about the time required.
"Ok. When can you start?" Yuan Zhou nodded and didn’t bargain with her.
He had already inquired about the price. As expected, it was within the reasonable extent.
"I surely won’t disturb you during the opening hours. So what are your opening hours?" When the girl realized Yuan Zhou didn’t intend to shut the restaurant for this painting work, she said directly.
Subsequently, Yuan Zhou explained to her in detail his opening hours and Painter Fang confirmed the time to work accordingly. She was preparing to come in the afternoon to draw the outline first.
Once she came, however, she found in this plain-looking small restaurant, the business was unexpectedly booming. Even when she arrived ten minutes before the opening hours ended, there were still many people waiting in line outside the restaurant.
What she had no idea was that there were more people in Yuan Zhou’s restaurant in the evening.
At seven in the evening, cars were scattered everywhere in the narrow street. Some cars could only be parked along the main road.
"Honey, what kind of delicious dishes are there in such a remote place in the evening?" In a BMW series 3, a fas.h.i.+onably dressed woman said with discontent.
"The dishes here are especially delicious, but the boss doesn’t allow anybody to order take-out. You’ll know how tasty they are after eating. Let’s get off the car," dressed in casual clothes, the man said with certainty.
"We get off here? What about the car?" The woman was quite surprised.
This was still at the side of the main road, where parking the car was not allowed.
"Never mind. Let’s just leave it here," the man was very generous.
"G.o.d knows how many traffic tickets we are gonna receive after the meal in a while," the footsteps of the woman emitted a discontented sound of "Da Da Da".
"Let’s just go. The dishes are definitely worth it even if we get two more tickets. The opening hours of that restaurant is not long," while speaking, the man went up and pulled the woman, walking in quick steps toward Yuan Zhou’s restaurant.
When the two arrived, there, as expected, were customers who had already lined up outside the door.
It was still when the restaurant was about to be closed that the man carrying wounds came. This time, the wounds on the man’s face became even more severe. Apart from the corner of his mouth that ruptured, one of his eyes had turned black and blue while the other was also ruptured at the corner; besides, all the wounds were still bleeding. He was just waiting in the line expressionlessly.
When it was his turn, he said to Yuan Zhou as usual.
"A plate of Egg Fried Rice," the man spoke in a low voice and moreover couldn’t help inhaling with a "Si Si" sound.
"Ok, one moment, please," Yuan Zhou answered with a nod but didn’t start to cook immediately. Instead, he took out a white towel of which the edge was printed with lotus flower patterns from under the countertop.
"Wipe the wounds, otherwise it will affect the taste of the Egg Fried Rice if the blood drip into the plate," Yuan Zhou handed the towel to the man and said solemnly.
"Ok, got it," the man answered gently. After that, he received the towel and started to wipe the bloodstains on his face and mouth.
Only then did Yuan Zhou turn around and prepare for the dishes.
Having just entered the restaurant, the couples were waiting for their dishes. Seeing the wounded man, the wife became slightly dissatisfied.
"Honey, how could this person come to eat like that, with so much blood on his face and at the corner of the mouth?" The woman didn’t even dare to look in that direction.
"Never mind. There’s possibly any kind of people," while firmly holding the woman’s hand, the man tried to comfort her.
"Are the dishes really that delicious?" After the couple waited for an hour outside in the line and, furthermore, encountered such a b.l.o.o.d.y man while eating, the woman became a little discontented.
"You’ll know the taste after a while," while smiling, the man didn’t explain much, but just said affirmatively.
"Ok," the woman leaned her body on her husband and waited quietly for the dishes being served.
In a short while,
"Here are the dishes for you two. Take your time, please," Mu Xiaoyun helped to carry the dishes ordered by the couples to them and greeted them politely.
Nevertheless, Yuan Zhou personally carried the Egg Fried Rice to the man with wounds all over his face.
"Your Egg Fried Rice," Yuan Zhou put down the dish and said.
"Thank you," the man received the plate.
When he carried the plate, his hands slightly trembled. There were bruises all over his hands.
Having set down the Egg Fried Rice steadily, the man took a look at the dish and then said without any clue, "I made it."
"Um," after nodding, Yuan Zhou turned around and went to prepare the dishes.
The husband, who had been observing the wounded man on the other side, nevertheless frowned and felt it was a little inexplicable. However, since the delicacies were in front him and this matter was irrelevant to him, he no longer paid any attention to that.
It was as bright as day in Yuan Zhou’s restaurant, but the lamplight was mild rather than glaring. On the other side, however, it was quite different.
"You, you and you, come to wipe this place. Where did this handprint come from?" A man dressed in a formal suit was instructing several waiters to do the work.
Just when he was busy, a man rushed to him following with a "Dong Dong Dong" sound and said clearly.
"Manager Gou, I have already finished arranging the main hall. The scentless flowers and unscented napkin papers have also been placed on the table. I can guarantee there’s no other flavor at all over there."
"Great. The person will arrive in 5 minutes. He is said to be extremely punctual. Our boss had invited him for a long time before he agreed to come." Manager Gou revealed an earnest look.
"No problem. I have arranged everything. Also the kitchen staffs have made good preparation. Chief Chef Zheng has acc.u.mulated much strength," the man said with a smile.
"Ok, get all these people to leave now," Manager Gou stood at the door and prepared to welcome the important person by himself.
He couldn’t let these waiters stay as that person would come together with the boss later.
The shop sign outside the door was quite bright, with the several gilding characters of "Lotus Restaurant" written on it. It seemed to be opened not long ago.
"Yanyi, thanks so much for coming. I don’t have to worry about my business anymore with your favorable comments." Three people were walking towards the restaurant from a distance. The man who led the other two looked to be 40 years old or so. The wealthy-looking mannerism and the way he talked indicated that he was the boss of the restaurant.
A young man, who had a joyous appearance and made people happy upon looking at him, followed another person in silence at the side.
The other person was a middle-aged man. Wearing loose-fitting Tang suit, he appeared even slimmer. His face was cleanly shaved but his expression was, on the contrary, quite serious, appearing to be a reserved man. With the corners of his mouth turned down, he seemed not to be an easy-going person.
The moment he spoke, he made people feel embarra.s.sed, "I won’t really say any flattering words."
The boss, "...."