Chapter 16

Cheng Tianxiang used his noodles to scrape up the last bit of pork knuckle sauce from the bowl and popped it into his mouth, letting out a satisfied burp.

Little Chengyu had the heart of a foodie but not the stomach for it. Clutching his full, bulging belly, he watched his dad clean out every dish on the table with a mournful face. “I haven’t had enough yet.”

Cheng Tianxiang ignored his son’s complaint. He pulled a napkin from the cardboard box on the table, wiped his mouth, and called out to Qian Jiafeng, “Hey Qian boy, come over and settle the bill.”

Qian Jiafeng glanced at the table number and quickly walked to the window. “Sis, Table 3, Uncle Cheng’s table, wants to pay.”

Qian Jianing had just opened her mouth to ask how many beers they’d had when she heard Treasure Bowl in her mind say, “Two bottles of beer, total is thirty-seven yuan.” Qian Jianing’s mouth twitched slightly. “You keep track of the bill too? Aren’t you afraid it might tarnish your divine image?”

Treasure Bowl waved his chubby little hand, his face serious. “Frugality is the guiding principle of this god’s divine life. My divine image means nothing when it comes to money. That Qian Jiafeng boy is too scatterbrained. I saw him getting flustered just now. If he forgets one bottle, we’d be taking a loss. I have to watch carefully!” Treasure Bowl’s eyes were round and earnest. “We can’t undercharge even a single cent.”

Qian Jianing nodded in complete agreement. “I believe you. Just don’t overcharge, and we’re good.”

“Never! We want repeat customers for our business,” Treasure Bowl said, wearing a “how dare you question this god” expression. “This isn’t playing poker with those immortals where I could scam them a little here and there.”

Judging from his words, it sounded like Treasure Bowl had swindled quite a few deities back in the heavens. But Qian Jianing decided to stay out of divine affairs; after all, the more Treasure Bowl had scammed in the past, the richer her future prizes might be. She was already looking forward to the next lucky draw.

Since the shop wasn’t busy at the moment, Qian Jianing opened the fridge and took out a bowl of homemade ice cream. She scooped half a bowl, topped it with walnuts, candied red beans, pine nuts, raisins, and diced peaches, then added a spoonful of chocolate sauce and brought it to the takeaway window. “Xiaofeng, have a bowl of ice cream to cool off.”

Just as he was about to head home with his parents, Chengyu turned around at the words. Seeing the ice cream topped with all those goodies at the window, he couldn’t budge. He rushed forward and hugged his dad’s thick waist, nearly squeezing out the pork he had just eaten. “Daddy, daddy, give me a bowl too! I promise I’ll finish all my summer homework tonight!”

Cheng Tianxiang froze, his hand halfway to his wallet. His thick brows furrowed. “You haven’t finished your homework yet?”

Chengyu shrank back a bit. Normally, he’d have run away by now, but…

He glanced over at Qian Jiafeng, who was already burying his face in the ice cream, and he gulped droolingly. “Just one essay left. The teacher said to write about an unforgettable day… but I didn’t have one before. Now I do! Today’s meal is something I’ll absolutely never forget. Dad, if you buy me that ice cream, it’ll be even more unforgettable.”

Cheng Tianxiang was both amused and exasperated. “If you wrote as fast as your mouth runs, you’d be at the top of your class.” He checked the price list and pulled out one yuan. “Go get it then. Tell your Sister Xiaomi to let you take the bowl home. Return it when you’re done.”

“Got it!” Chengyu took the money and dashed off. “Sister Xiaomi, I want a bowl too!”

Qian Jianing gestured for him to put the money into the box and gave him a hearty serving of ice cream. “You just finished gnawing on pork—can you still eat more?”

“Watching Qian Jiafeng eat makes me hungry again.” Chengyu craned his neck to peer into the bowl and added, “Sis, give me extra raisins. I love those.”

Qian Jianing filled a heaping bowl and set it at the window. Chengyu eagerly scooped a spoonful into his mouth. Unlike regular popsicles that only had a mild milky taste, this ice cream was rich and creamy, filling his mouth with a smooth, velvety texture. The cold, sweet goodness washed away all memories of summer heat, leaving only the delightful mellowness behind.

“Delicious!” Chengyu looked over at Qian Jiafeng with envy. “How did this dumb kid luck out with such an awesome sister? Look at what he gets to eat—his face’s getting rounder already.”

Qian Jiafeng grinned. “My sister says being able to eat is a blessing. She wants me nice and chubby!”

That hit a nerve for Chengyu—he desperately wanted a sister who could cook and fatten him up too.

***

The marinated meats and dim sum on the menu were prepared ahead of time, and the other ingredients had all been washed and drained. With everything ready to go, Qian Jianing finished cooking for ten tables in no time. After the last customers paid and left, she grabbed the four corners of the tablecloth to gather the used dishes and placed them in the dishwashing cabinet behind the screen. When she closed and reopened the cabinet door, the white tablecloths were washed clean and folded neatly on the top shelf; the bowls and plates were gleaming like new, organized neatly by type below.

She took out a clean tablecloth and laid it on the empty table. Old Grandpa Zhang and Grandpa Wang, who had been sipping tea that morning, immediately walked in, grumbling, “We’re late today—had to wait over half an hour. Hey Xiaomi, I heard your pork knuckle is rich and flavorful without being greasy. Give me one. And a plate of pig head meat, spicy pork tripe, and marinated goose feet.”

Qian Jianing smiled wryly. “Gentlemen, have you declared war on meat or something? It’s scorching hot—maybe go for pork knuckle and some veggies instead?”

“Oh, come on!” Grandpa Wang sat down and refused outright. “I’ve been chewing on greens my whole life. Now I finally have a pension, and you want me to keep eating leaves? I came here for the meat! My old lady can’t make it taste the way you do.”

“Exactly! Gimme that knuckle,” Grandpa Zhang chimed in. “I was drooling when I peeked through the window earlier—I must have it today or I won’t sleep tonight!”

Qian Jianing shook her head, chuckling, and quickly got their orders ready. She threw in an extra plate of hawthorn jelly. “I made this as a snack. After your meal, have a piece.”

Grandpa Zhang grinned. “Afraid we’ll get too full and need some help digesting, huh?”

Qian Jianing laughed, “It’s free anyway, just eat up.”

A nearby table, tempted by the glistening, chilled hawthorn jelly, chimed in: “Xiaomi, let me try a couple pieces too—I need to digest as well!”

So Xiaomi brought out a big piece from the fridge, sliced it thin, and served a small dish to each table. Seeing how clean their dishes were, Qian Jianing truly worried they might overeat.

The customers here had all tasted her food before and knew her skills. Some, like Cheng Tianxiang, came not for the low prices, but for the freshness. Though they discovered the place had strict rules—no smoking, no loud chatter, no drinking games, only one bottle of baijiu per table—they didn’t mind the moment they took the first bite. Even a dozen rules wouldn’t matter. What bothered them most was that Qian Jianing refused to stay open once school started. How could foodies survive that?

So every customer, upon paying, would ask, “Xiaomi, are you really closing once school starts?”

At first, Qian Jianing would nod yes, but as the questions piled up, she began to reconsider. She had already reviewed the curriculum for both her junior and senior high school years. She was confident she could get into one of the top universities in Huaguo even if she took the exam now. But beyond college, her greater priority was to save money for a Life Extension Talisman. Without it, her family might escape one disaster only to face another due to fate’s design. Only that talisman could guarantee them a long, healthy life.

After pondering for a while, Qian Jianing started giving a new answer when asked. “Once school starts, I won’t be open every day, but doing a few tables is fine. Spread the word: starting tomorrow, I’ll take reservations. I’ll serve ten tables each evening on school nights. Each table can design their own menu, but I need the list three days in advance so I can buy the ingredients. Also, there’s a ten yuan deposit per table, deducted from the bill.”

The clientele here weren’t short on money—at least dual-income families or retirees with generous pensions. A meal costing thirty or forty yuan wasn’t cheap, but they could afford it. Upon hearing about reservations, a middle-aged man around forty piped up, “I’ll come first thing tomorrow to book a table. I’ve got a business deal hanging in the air. If I treat him to a good meal, maybe he’ll sign the contract.”

Qian Jianing beamed. “Great. Ask ahead about his food preferences so I can ‘prescribe’ the right dish.”

“Great phrase!” the man laughed heartily. “I’ll leave it to you.”

****

At 1:30 in the afternoon, Qian Jianing saw off the last customer. She brought out a platter of braised rabbit leg, a dish of thin pancakes with minced pork, a bowl of poached cabbage, and two bowls of shrimp fried rice. Removing her chef’s jacket and placing it on a chair, she called out, “Xiaofeng, come eat!”

To Qian Jiafeng, the best thing he could hear now was those words. Getting to eat his sister’s cooking every day was enough to make all the neighborhood kids jealous.

Even though he’d been helping all morning, Qian Jiafeng hadn’t stopped eating—steamed buns, wontons, and samples of marinated meats and pastries as they were made. Though it was well past lunchtime by now, he didn’t feel hungry at all.

But saying you’re not hungry and resisting the food’s aroma were two different things. He picked up his spoon and scooped some shrimp fried rice into his mouth. The soft egg-fried rice, golden and fluffy, was topped with plump, fresh shrimp and green peas simmered in chicken broth—each bite smooth and savory. Qian Jiafeng felt like he could eat two bowls of this rice alone.

Zibo City wasn’t coastal, but it was only about 80 kilometers from the sea—a little over an hour’s drive. Since seafood didn’t fetch high prices in coastal cities, fishermen preferred to sell their catch in nearby towns for better earnings. Though a bit of a hassle, the profit margin made it worthwhile. Besides learning to cook from the Food Elder, Qian Jianing had also learned how to select top-quality ingredients. So the fruit, vegetables, and seafood she purchased were always the freshest.

As she ate, Qian Jianing mentally planned the evening’s menu. Thanks to her Immortal Realm kitchen equipment, the crabs she’d bought seven hours ago were still lively in the water tank, snapping their claws furiously. She would turn them into a delicious seafood congee—light yet flavorful. The live shrimp could make Longjing shrimp and shrimp meatballs. The three remaining pork knuckles would become chilled braised pork—perfect as a cold dish. And the plump wild ducks she bought this morning would be just right for duck rice, paired with bright green vegetables and rice soaked in rich broth—a true gourmet treat.

While she daydreamed about the menu, she unintentionally finished her bowl. She stuffed her utensils into the cabinet and shooed Jiafeng away. “Go take a nap. When it cools down tonight, you can go play outside.”

Previously, Qian Jiafeng wouldn’t return before 10 PM, but now he had no desire to go out. What was the point of running around with those kids when he could stay and help—and eat well too? He stood up and let out a burp. “It’s cooler in the shop than outside. Besides, you pay me two yuan a day; I can’t slack off while taking your money.”

Qian Jianing burst out laughing. “Such integrity!”

“Of course!” Jiafeng puffed out his chest, then added cheekily, “Sis, what’s for dinner?”

Qian Jianing couldn’t help giggling. She reached out and tapped his forehead. “You just want to eat!”

After Jiafeng left, the little shop instantly returned to its spotless state. Even the oil stains on the curtains disappeared. Stretching lazily, Qian Jianing looked at the refreshed shop and called out, “Treasure Bowl, thank you for the amazing kitchen setup. So… is there anything you like to eat? I can cook it for you.”

Treasure Bowl’s pudgy face scrunched up in hesitation. “Do I have to pay?”

Qian Jianing facepalmed. “Order anything. I won’t charge you. But honestly, with how stingy you are, I doubt you’d bankrupt me.”

“How is that stingy? It’s resourcefulness and thrift!” Treasure Bowl wobbled and vanished from her mind. Just as she frowned in doubt, a chubby little hand tugged at her.

“Open your eyes! This god is right here.”

Qian Jianing opened her eyes to see an adorable, white, and pudgy doll-like figure in front of her. Without thinking—something she’d wanted to do for so long—she scooped Treasure Bowl into her arms and kissed his squishy cheek.

“Treasure Bowl, how are you so cute?!”

Treasure Bowl’s eyes went wide in horror. “You trying to leech my Wealth Energy?!”