Journey to the West: Starting by taking Sun Wukong as my disciple!-Chapter 413: Bet, Education

"Let the customers cook for themselves?" Jin Zha exclaimed in surprise. "Aren’t you running a restaurant? Why are you making customers prepare their own dishes? They might as well eat at home. Would they even bother coming to your place?"

"At home, they wouldn’t have a pot made from this stone," Chen Nuo replied.

"What you’re saying... Your stone pots are so thick and heavy. It’s easier for people to eat at home. With your tableware, others would have finished eating while your dishes are still raw."

Jin Zha ranted sarcastically, "I think you’re really not cut out for running a restaurant. You might as well stick to tailoring clothes honestly."

"Not cut out for running a restaurant?" Chen Nuo chuckled, as if he had heard a hilarious joke.

"I’m not wrong, am I? You’re truly not restaurant material. Just you try running a place where you only provide utensils for customers to cook their own food. If your restaurant can actually take off, I’ll eat this stone right here!" said Jin Zha.

While working on the stone pot, the Mountain God glanced up at Chen Nuo’s expression. Chen Nuo was truly confident, confidently so and not arrogantly so.

Moreover, one shouldn’t speak with such certainty, the Mountain God, more cautious than Jin Zha, swiftly interjected upon hearing the oath, "Jin Zha, don’t make reckless vows."

"How can this be considered reckless? Taihang, let me ask you. If you went to a restaurant, and you had to cook your own meal, would you go back?"

After some thought, the Mountain God said he indeed wouldn’t go back, "I wouldn’t, but there are certainly people who would."

"If even you wouldn’t, who would?" Jin Zha argued discontentedly. "I understand that one shouldn’t speak too definitively. Even if some might pay for the novelty at first, I don’t believe such a restaurant could stay open in the long run."

"Shall we make a bet then?" Chen Nuo suggested.

"Oh? You, a mere mortal, dare to gamble with me?" Jin Zha replied, somewhat incredulous. "I’ll have you know, I’ve never lost a bet. I won’t bet anything else with you; I’m just saying, your utensils, even if made, won’t sustain a long-term business. If I’m wrong, I’ll find you ten stones of the same size."

"I have enough of these stones already. I don’t need so many. Propose something else," Chen Nuo said.

"Hey, you still dare to negotiate terms with me?" Jin Zha glared at Chen Nuo.

"That’s because I’m certain I won’t lose," Chen Nuo stated firmly. "So, if you lose, you’ll teach me your spell to turn stone into gold."

He really wanted Jin Zha’s spell to turn stone into gold—for later when he might need gold foil for making desserts. Such a convenient spell was naturally something he wanted to possess.

"Turn stone into gold?" Jin Zha took another look at Chen Nuo. "I thought you were different from other mortals, but it turns out you’re no different, always thinking about money."

"What’s wrong? Shouldn’t I think about money?"

Although he wasn’t interested in gold for the money, not all gold was edible and purification was troublesome. Having the spell to turn stone into gold would save him the hassle, but Jin Zha’s remark still irritated Chen Nuo.

"Let me ask you, wasn’t it you who wanted to bet with me?"

"Yes, it was me," Jin Zha answered.

"I don’t have the ability to foresee the future, and I didn’t know you would challenge me to a bet. This shows that I didn’t approach you with an ulterior motive," Chen Nuo elaborated. "Since you are the one proposing the bet, it’s only natural that I can ask for the reward I want. My reason for wanting a particular reward is my own business, and besides, why can’t I want the spell to turn stone into gold?"

"I didn’t say you couldn’t want it," Jin Zha replied, "just that..."

"Just what?" Chen Nuo countered, "Do I appear somewhat special to you, a bit different from the mortals you’ve seen before, so I should be like the immortals, not partaking in the secular world’s offerings?"

"That’s not what I mean," Jin Zha said, feeling slightly guilty under Chen Nuo’s questioning.

"No, that’s precisely what you mean," Chen Nuo said, looking into Jin Zha’s eyes.

Jin Zha shifted his gaze away; Chen Nuo had guessed his thoughts and he didn’t dare to meet Chen Nuo’s eyes.

"By what right?" Chen Nuo asked, "You immortals don’t partake in the secular world’s offerings, but it’s not like you completely abstain; you still drink mortal wine, crave mortal food when hungry, and when you see clothing you like, you want mortal garments, too. How come you can do all that, but when I want a spell to ’turn stone into gold,’ I’m treated this way by you?"

"I..." the usually eloquent Jin Zha found himself at a loss for words.

"Your attitude, as they say in the mortal realm, is that the officials can set fires, but the citizens can’t light lamps, just because you lack for nothing, you can’t understand what mortals lack."

Chen Nuo scoffed, "If I’m not mistaken, all of you require incense power as offerings, right? If you truly don’t care about anything, then why care about that little bit of incense power? Why not just selflessly fulfill mortal wishes without it?" 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

"You mortals have quite the way with words, I was just making a point, and look at you, arguing to the point where I don’t know what to say," Jin Zha said with a laugh, ready to change the subject.

"Mortals need to eat, need to drink, need money, need clothes; they live in the earthly realm and can’t do without these things, just as you can’t do without the offerings of incense power. Without incense power, what would happen?"

Chen Nuo looked directly into Jin Zha’s eyes, "You would fall from your divine altars, or perhaps even disappear completely."

"How do you, a mortal, know all this?" Jin Zha asked with some confusion, "Even the people of Buddhism on their earthly travels don’t speak of such things, so where did you get your information?"

"Don’t worry about how I know. You didn’t even ask what I wanted the ’turn stone into gold’ spell for, you just labeled me right away. Jin Zha, it seems I overestimated you."

Since their first meeting, Jin Zha had been very enthusiastic, making Chen Nuo, who wasn’t accustomed to interacting with strangers, almost unable to cope.

He had originally thought Jin Zha was someone worth befriending. Now, he figured, not so much, not much different from those other Immortal Officials after all.

"I was too one-sided, sorry, I apologize to you," Jin Zha said.

Chen Nuo’s points were valid, and Jin Zha also felt his own faults. Rather than brushing it off with a joke, Jin Zha felt a sincere apology was better.

"It doesn’t matter; I won’t be upset over this," Chen Nuo replied, "I’m just a bit disappointed in you, that’s all."

"Hey, don’t be like that. I’ve already reflected on it internally, my little friend. Have some understanding for me. I’m inexperienced and can only judge others through my narrow viewpoint."

Having already apologized, Jin Zha returned to his former demeanor, "Just forgive me. No matter who wins the bet, I promise to teach you the ’turn stone into gold’ spell, okay?"

"The bet was mine to win regardless of what you wagered," Chen Nuo said.

"Why are you so confident?" Jin Zha asked, "Being too confident is not a good thing, you know."

"I’m not confident, I’m certain."

Chen Nuo’s hand rested on a piece of Maifan Stone. Betting with vegetables was like handing him money; he was bound to win.