Becoming the Villainess: I Dominate the Cultivation Realm with My Wok!-Chapter 142
Whether Liu Lingshi’s poison could be cured still depended on her own destiny.
Chen Muxue and her group returned to the Qian Ding Sect.
The inn in the small town finally reopened, though it was unclear who the owner was now; the previous shopkeeper was gone.
Before even entering, the enticing aroma of spicy flavors wafted straight into the noses of passersby, seemingly inviting them inside.
Upon entering, it was truly magical; despite the approaching August heat, the inn felt remarkably cool once you stepped inside. Upon closer inspection, it turned out that the inn had such grand efforts with Ice Spirit Stones embedded in the walls on both sides!
Even if you’ve never eaten pork, you’ve certainly seen pigs run; the Ice Spirit Stones emitted waves of coolness, and anyone could tell that they were extremely valuable.
Such things aren’t usually within reach for mere mortals like us.
Unexpectedly, now one can behold Immortal Spirit Stones even at this town’s inn!
The inn hasn’t changed much; only the walls were repainted and tables and chairs replaced. Upon entering, old customers noticed that the place looked much cleaner and brighter, the stale greasy smell from the past was gone, only replaced by the enticing fragrance continuously emanating from the kitchen.
Upon a closer sniff, the aroma did not only come from the kitchen.
In the lobby on the first floor, the benches were replaced with chairs with backs, with a table seating a maximum of four people, and small copper pots placed in front of each seat. If less than four people occupied a table, the waiter would remove the extra pots.
Some had already begun eating, and their tables were laden with prepared raw meat and vegetables, while the copper pots, no larger than their faces, were bubbling away, exuding a delightful aroma.
Newly arrived guests found it quite novel, but before they could take a closer look, they were warmly greeted by the waiter: "How many in your party? This way please!"
The waiter respectfully seated the guests and produced a bamboo skewer case. The skewers were labelled and illustrated, clearly depicting the items, so even someone illiterate could understand.
The tips of each skewer were color-coded: red for meat dishes, green for vegetables, white for staples like noodles, and a natural-colored bamboo skewer, for the sole beverage in the shop—the sour plum soup.
After respectfully explaining, the waiter directed customers to the condiments station: "Condiments and plain water are free, feel free to help yourselves. If you need anything, just call me!"
With that, the waiter’s sharp eyes noticed customers at a nearby table struggling to pour water, so he quickly rushed over and filled their glasses.
Such attentive service was a first-time experience for many patrons. Those choosing the copper pot in the lobby generally weren’t very wealthy, and at ordinary eateries, the best service they got was being treated as a friend by the proprietor.
Being treated like a lord by the waiter, this was the first time! 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎
Soon, the hot pot base was brought to the table, and since it was the first day of business, the waiter also briefly explained how to enjoy the hot pot.
"I know about this! It’s like eating a mutton pot! I—I heard others talk about it!"
Mutton is usually quite expensive, not something common folk can afford, but this little hot pot was affordable and practical. Even with less meat, you could indulge once in a while! Plus, the condiment station offered free sesame oil! That’s a precious commodity!
However, the hot pot sesame oil wasn’t the same as the domestic sesame oil used in home cooking; it was processed, pressed sesame oil blended with other oils. Here, Chen Muxue used corn oil for blending, so it wasn’t as costly as patrons might have thought.
To reduce costs, the condiment station did not include meat bits, as even chicken bits were unaffordable, since meat was quite precious at this time.
On the second floor, the private rooms were where the grand hot pot could truly be enjoyed. Chen Muxue didn’t stick to the simple screens, instead using wooden walls to truly separate the rooms, adding additional decor to appear more luxurious.
The prices were also slightly higher, hehe.
