Chapter 244: What Goodies Did You Bring?
Right away, Meng Nan led Bai Zhi and Hu Feng to the largest restaurant in the city, the Diner Inn.
The moment Meng Nan appeared at the entrance of the Diner Inn, the Shopkeeper behind the counter hurried over to greet him. “Lord Meng, it’s been quite a while since your last visit.” As he spoke, the Shopkeeper’s gaze shifted to the people behind Meng Nan, discreetly sizing them up.
Meng Nan asked calmly, “Is Boss Chen in?”
The Shopkeeper nodded eagerly. “Yes, yes, he is. He hasn’t been in for a few days, but he just arrived today. He’s upstairs in the accounting room going over the books. I’ll get him for you right away.”
The Diner Inn was no ordinary restaurant. It was an establishment owned by the Wan Family, the wealthiest family in the Capital City. Boss Chen was only the manager, not the actual owner.
The Shopkeeper’s deference to Meng Nan wasn’t just because he was the Assistant Governor of Qingyuan Town. Even the County Magistrate himself might not receive such a warm welcome.
It was because Meng Nan was a young master of the Meng Family from the Capital City—a status that was immeasurably more prestigious than that of a mere Assistant Governor.
Boss Chen was a middle-aged man in his early forties. Perhaps because the restaurant’s profits were so handsome, despite having just turned forty, he was as large as a hog. Even walking seemed to be an effort for him.
“Lord Meng, you’re finally here! I heard you’ll be leaving Qingyuan Town in a couple of days. I was just thinking of hosting a farewell banquet for you, and now here you are.”
Meng Nan laughed heartily. “It seems you and I are on the same wavelength, Boss Chen!”
Boss Chen’s laughter was genuine, not the polite, hollow laugh of a typical host. It was clear his relationship with Meng Nan went deeper than that of a simple proprietor and a patron.
Meng Nan stepped aside to introduce her. “Boss Chen, this is Bai Zhi, a friend of mine. I brought her here to see you today for a special reason. You’re in for a real treat.”
The moment he heard the word “treat,” Boss Chen’s face lit up. “There’s nothing I love more than a good meal! Did you bring something delicious?”
Bai Zhi said, “Boss Chen, I’ve brought some earth melons I grew myself. In a little while, I’d like to prepare a couple of dishes with them for you to try.”
When Boss Chen heard they were earth melons, his brow furrowed instantly. “Earth melons? People have died from eating those! Why on earth would you dare to grow them?”
Bai Zhi smiled. “Earth melons are actually a wonderful food. I’ve heard the stories about people dying, but that’s because they were eaten the wrong way. They ate earth melons that had already spoiled, and that’s why they got sick. As long as the earth melons are fresh, there’s no danger of poisoning. Besides, only a few people ever got sick from them. Countless others ate them and were perfectly fine. Doesn’t that tell you something?”
Boss Chen considered this. ‘She has a point,’ he thought. The Diner Inn had sold earth melons in the past. He’d eaten some himself, and so had the customers and the staff. There had never been a single problem. He’d been quite puzzled when he later heard the stories about people being poisoned.
Bai Zhi turned to Meng Nan. “Brother Meng, why don’t you explain to Boss Chen what I told you before, about how people get poisoned from earth melons? I’m going to head to the kitchen and start cooking.”
Boss Chen quickly had the Shopkeeper show her the way, then went upstairs to a private room with Meng Nan, Jin Xiao’an, and Hu Feng.
It wasn’t mealtime yet, so the restaurant was empty of customers. In the kitchen, the staff were busy chopping vegetables, but the woks and stoves were still empty.
She took out several earth melons and washed them clean. She cut one into rolling chunks, julienned another, and diced the third.
The kitchen was well-stocked with a wide variety of ingredients, including an abundance of meat. It had everything needed to prepare almost any dish.
The kitchen was bustling with workers: some were sorting and washing vegetables, others were chopping produce and meat. The head chefs, however, were sitting by the entrance, chatting idly.
The Shopkeeper had personally brought an outsider into the kitchen to cook. Though the staff pretended not to care, they couldn’t resist sneaking glances to see what was happening.