Chapter 262: Chapter 262: Uninvited Guest
"And this last dish is called Immortal Crane Peach. It’s a dessert.
"The immortal crane is made with a skin of glutinous rice flour dough, filled with sweet ingredients like fine red bean paste and date puree, and then skillfully shaped into its form. Black sesame seeds are used for the eyes, and bits of red date adorn the crown of its head," Ming Lingyi explained, pointing to the final pastry now that the entire Lucky Three Treasures set was on the table.
"Longevity peaches are actually quite common in restaurants." Feng Shuyu glanced at the longevity peaches next to the crane, looking unimpressed. She felt the first two dishes had been innovative enough and tasted wonderful—especially the Qilin Jade Book. The mutton was cooked until it was tender and flavorful, without the slightest hint of gaminess. It was the perfect dish to eat with rice; in the short time it took Ming Lingyi to introduce the last dish, she had already finished half a bowl.
Hearing Feng Shuyu’s comment, Ming Lingyi didn’t rush to object. She simply said, "Why don’t you try one?"
Feng Shuyu ladled herself a bowl of soup. It had been simmered over low heat with the most tender fish meat, resulting in a broth as creamy white as milk.
One sip, and it was so savory her eyebrows nearly fell off.
As for Ming Lingyi’s suggestion, even though she wasn’t keen on eating a longevity peach, a dessert you could find in any restaurant, she still picked one up, planning to take just a small bite.
But who would have guessed? The moment she took a bite, Feng Shuyu’s eyes lit up.
"Mmm!"
But before she could say another word, she took a second bite. In just a few more, she had devoured the entire longevity peach she’d planned on just nibbling.
"This is incredible!" Feng Shuyu immediately forgot what she had just said. Her eyes sparkled with excitement as she looked at Ming Lingyi. "This isn’t made from dough like other longevity peaches at all!"
The longevity peaches she’d eaten at restaurants in the past were almost always just red bean buns in a different shape. When she first saw this Immortal Crane Peach dish, she had assumed it was merely a more exquisitely crafted version than what other establishments offered.
Who could have known the flavor would be completely different!
It wasn’t a flour-based pastry at all!
As if she had expected this reaction all along, Ming Lingyi nodded. "I told you I wouldn’t let you down. This longevity peach is made from fresh peaches that are peeled, minced, and then stewed with a tiny bit of glutinous rice flour. The outside is a transparent skin colored with peach juice. It’s very thin and carries the fruity fragrance of peaches."
That’s why the texture was completely different from a flour-based pastry.
It was like eating a fresh peach, but with a delightful, chewy quality.
"The only thing is, this final treasure of the Lucky Three Treasures is only available in season," Ming Lingyi said with a hint of regret. "Manager Qian had to source these Mid-Autumn peaches specifically. There aren’t many varieties of fresh peaches at this time of year. Next year, the restaurant will purchase and store some in advance."
Feng Shuyu couldn’t resist picking up another small "longevity peach." Hearing Ming Lingyi’s words, she nodded repeatedly. "You should definitely buy more! They’re delicious. I love them!"
Ming Lingyi laughed.
Whether she was running Ming’s Restaurant or this new one, what she loved most was receiving positive feedback from her customers. It made her feel that everything she was doing was worthwhile.
’People live for that feeling of being recognized by others.’
Ming Lingyi smiled warmly. "Besides the Lucky Three Treasures, we’ve launched quite a few other new dishes. Would you like to try some more? I can give you a few recommendations."
Ming Lingyi was also very proud of the other dishes. They all had the most auspicious names, making them hard to resist.
For example, there was a bamboo shoot dish called "Rising Higher with Every Step," a sweet and sour fresh river fish in a tomato-based sauce named "A Hall Filled with Gold and Jade," and many others whose names alone sounded like blessings.
Feng Shuyu shook her head like a rattle drum. "No, no, that’s alright. I think these three dishes are more than enough for the two of us. We shouldn’t waste any more. But... if you were to bring out a Crispy Pork Belly with Honey Glaze... hahaha, I could make room for that!"
Back at Ming’s Restaurant, Feng Shuyu had taken a great liking to this crispy-skinned pork belly. Even now at the new restaurant, despite all the new dishes, she still craved a bite of that rich, sizzling meat.
How could Ming Lingyi possibly refuse?
Downstairs, the private rooms were a cacophony of voices, exceptionally lively and bustling.
However, two of the private rooms were quiet.
Jiang Yuchuan had also brought Cai Jie to the Ming Family Restaurant today.
As a friend, he felt he had to come and show his support for Ming Lingyi’s newly opened restaurant.
It just so happened that before leaving today, Jiang Yuchuan saw that Cai Jie was also preparing to go out.
Their wedding was approaching, and Cai Jie couldn’t very well be married from the Jiang Mansion only to return to the Jiang Mansion—it would make them a laughingstock. So, Jiang Yuchuan had recently rented and decorated a small courtyard house for her, assigning staff to it as well. The plan was for her to move in the night before the wedding. But the bride-to-be needed to familiarize herself with the place, so Cai Jie often went over to arrange the dowry she had purchased.
Jiang Yuchuan had assumed Cai Jie was heading to the courtyard two streets away today. He was surprised when she saw him and took the initiative to invite him along. "Lord Jiang, Miss Ming’s restaurant is opening today, and I was planning on going to have a look. Would... would you like to come with me?"
Cai Jie still addressed Jiang Yuchuan as "Lord Jiang." They were hardly familiar with each other, and for a moment, she couldn’t think of what else to call him.
Cai Jie’s invitation had merely been a polite gesture. She never expected the man standing opposite her to pause for a moment and then nod in agreement.
Cai Jie: "..."
She had only meant to inform Jiang Yuchuan of her plans and had issued the invitation casually. She hadn’t actually intended for him to accept.
On the way there, Jiang Yuchuan was busy reflecting on whether he had been too neglectful of Cai Jie. Meanwhile, Cai Jie couldn’t think of a single thing they had in common to talk about. Consequently, they were silent for the entire journey, a silence that they carried right into the private room at the restaurant.
After taking their order and leaving the room, the waiter glanced back at the door, puzzled.
’What strange customers,’ he thought.
Compared to the relatively peaceful quiet in Jiang Yuchuan and Cai Jie’s room, the atmosphere in the adjacent room was much more oppressive.
Hu Tuchao had also come to "support" Ming Lingyi today.
Of course, he didn’t actually want to see the Ming Family Restaurant flourish. After all, just one month ago, this very location had been his Hu family’s restaurant.
For two restaurants to operate in the same location—one with dismal business, so deserted you could catch sparrows on the doorstep, the other flourishing, with bustling traffic and an endless stream of customers—the contrast made his family’s previous establishment look rather incompetent.
But Hu Tuchao had to admit, having a meal at the Ming Family Restaurant today was the most exciting and fashionable thing to do in Shangjing City.
He couldn’t afford to be absent, even if it was just to join in on the excitement and follow the so-called trend.
Otherwise, wouldn’t it make the Hu family seem completely out of touch?
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