Chapter 134:
“Fresh food?”
“No, what’s up?” Zhao Xiaomei quickly said.
“That’s really strange then.”
“Did something happen?”
“Nothing much, just that our rival Yumian Tower has been doing surprisingly good business lately.” Speaking of this, Li Zheng Sen understood and immediately perked up his ears to listen.
“Dad knows that Yumian Tower, wasn’t it about to close down?”
“It was basically about to be swallowed up by our Hongyun Tower, but suddenly it came back to life, because several never-before-seen delicious dishes appeared.”
“The taste is truly exceptional, every signboard dish like: Termite Mushroom Oil Mixed Noodles, Braised Yellow Eel, Dry Pot Bullfrog, Acorn Bean Cool Jelly!”
“People who went to Yumian Tower to inquire said these ingredients are all wild game from the countryside!”
“That yellow eel and frog, aren’t they perfectly suited to grow in our Zhao Li Village? Termite mushrooms too. Our head chef found it strange and specially sent me back to investigate!”
Actually, they also sent other helpers back to their own village to investigate.
Mainly, Li Wei wanted to make himself sound more impressive, so he deliberately said it was specially to send him back to investigate!
Zhao Xiaomei felt that Wei Wa was promising and had received the head chef’s favor!
“Luo Zhi’er?”
Li Zheng Sen murmured.
“What?”
Li Wei looked at Li Zheng Sen with a nervous expression.
“Your mom heard from Zhao Er’s wife that Luo Zhi’er said a few days ago she caught yellow eel to eat, right?”
“Wei Zi, you didn’t hear wrong, did you? That stuff is really edible?”
How did it end up on Yumian Tower’s menu?
“Dad, not only is it edible, that Braised Yellow Eel is worth over three taels of silver for just one plate! Shiny white silver!”
“Ah?”
“Then let’s catch some, make it, and sell it in town, how about that?”
Zhao Xiaomei’s eyes lit up!
“Mom, they have a recipe. If you make it, it won’t be the same.”
“Is that so?”
Then wouldn’t the one selling vegetable recipes make a fortune?
“Luo Zhi’er does have something to do with this.”
“But how is that possible? She just got lucky like a blind cat bumping into a dead mouse. Wei Wa, you know, your oldest brother’s family went to jail because of Second Brother, and she got released first.”
“Right after getting home, with nothing to eat a few days ago, she caught some crabs in the small river and scooped some yellow eels from the fields to eat as meals!”
“Is that how it is?”
Li Wei pondered faintly.
“What else?” Zhao Xiaomei completely didn’t believe Luo Zhi’er had that ability.
Besides, everyone in Zhao Li Village knew how harsh Zhou Meizhen was to her daughter-in-law. If she had that much silver, she would’ve run away long ago!
“Your mom has a point. This Braised Yellow Eel is probably a new product developed by some big chef. If she had that ability, could Big Brother’s family still be poor all these years?”
“That’s true!”
However, this matter made Li Lei suspicious, thinking of how she had just bought a mule cart. Was it such a coincidence?
After lunch, Luo Zhi’er took Miaomiao to the field ditches to catch bullfrogs!
These bullfrogs had no choice but to be caught during the day; you couldn’t see at night.
After heading out in the afternoon, she had just entered Yan Tang Bay and caught a few when she felt something was off. She always felt like someone was staring at her from behind.
Her back prickled, and when she turned around, sure enough, not far behind was a face both strange and familiar. Seeing her turn to look, he gradually approached.
When the man got close, Luo Zhi’er frowned slightly, and a voice in her mind rang out: this person was called Li Wei.
The only son of Li Zheng Sen from the second son’s family.
“Fourth Uncle? Eh, Fourth Uncle, when did you come back?”
Miaomiao called out crisply first.
Li Wei’s inscrutable expression changed slightly, revealing a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “Miaomiao, where are you all going?”
Luo Zhi’er felt this smile was very piercing, and for some reason, she had a particularly bad feeling about the person in front of her.
A bit restless.
Instinctive reaction: better keep distance from this person!
Miaomiao glanced at Luo Zhi’er and said, “Catching crabs!”
Only then did Li Wei shift his gaze to Luo Zhi’er. That feeling came again; this scrutiny made her extremely uncomfortable.
“Hehe, Third Sister-in-law, what are you doing?”
Luo Zhi’er composed herself. “Fourth Brother, didn’t Miaomiao just tell you? We’re catching crabs!”
“Oh? Catching crabs? Then why are there frogs in this bucket?” Li Wei pretended to point at the bucket in confusion.
“Of course we caught them!”
“What are you catching these frogs for?”
His gaze fixed on her face, as if appraising whether she was lying.
“Of course to eat them. Why else catch them?”
Luo Zhi’er said indifferently.
“Fourth Uncle, my mom’s frogs and crabs are delicious. Do you want to try some?”
Miaomiao said sensibly.
“Oh?”
Li Wei’s gaze continued to scrutinize Luo Zhi’er’s face.
Luo Zhi’er said boldly, “Yeah, our family has no rice, no grain, let alone meat, so I’m taking Miaomiao to catch some meat to eat and nourish our bodies!”
“Oh? Third Sister-in-law, how do you know frogs and yellow eels are edible?”
A moment of silence passed in the air.
Luo Zhi’er remained calm. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, isn’t this food something Yumian Tower just launched? How do you know it’s edible?”
“Could it be”
Let’s see how you explain.
“Because I went to town, of course I’ve heard that Yumian Tower has several particularly delicious dishes lately. Yesterday I even saw a long line!”
“And that day when Miaomiao and I were released, we passed by and smelled something particularly delicious, it made my mouth water.”
“Later I found out what ingredients they used, but it costs a lot of silver to eat even one plate, so I caught some and killed them to cook for Miaomiao to eat!”
So that’s how it is!
She didn’t seem to be faking it; her eyes lit up at the mention of food. He felt contempt inwardly: such a country bumpkin.
Heh, so he had overestimated this Luo Zhi’er!
“Is there something wrong with that?”
“Oh, nothing. No wonder then. You all continue catching.”
“By the way, Third Sister-in-law, I heard you bought a mule cart? May I ask what you bought the mule cart for?”
Li Wei asked again as if suddenly remembering something.
“I don’t need to tell you that, but there’s nothing to hide. I plan to do some livelihood. With San Mao and the others not home, Miaomiao and I need to live. Otherwise, Fourth Brother, can you find me some job in town?”
“Aren’t you doing well? Let me work at your restaurant! Even as a server is fine!”
“Ah, no, no, you should think of doing something yourself. The restaurant, cough, the restaurant’s business hasn’t been good lately, not recruiting people!”
Li Wei quickly backed off. That was the steward’s job; he was just a waiter.
He didn’t have that ability; he just came back sometimes and deliberately bragged to his mom and them.
Saying the steward had a great relationship with him and listened to him. Besides, he didn’t want to cause himself trouble.
“Fourth Brother, you didn’t come specifically to probe this and follow us, did you?”
Luo Zhi’er suddenly questioned.
“Hehe, how could that be? I was just passing by. Doesn’t Yan Tang Bay have our family’s fields? I came to check; it’s been a long time since I came back, I don’t know how the summer beans are growing!”
“Oh, then take a look. We’re heading off first!”
Luo Zhi’er had no interest in catching more and took Miaomiao back.
“You’re not catching anymore?”
“This is enough already. We mother and daughter can’t eat that much!”
“True!”
Seeing the mother and daughter walk far until their figures disappeared, Li Wei then headed home.
Along the way, he kept feeling something was off earlier, but he couldn’t pinpoint it.
Luo Zhi’er was secretly angry. Old Li Tou and the others were in jail and they didn’t care, but her making some food and they were scheming to probe!
Sigh, what kind of people are these?
