Chef Hua
Chapter 230: Episode 139 Foot Store_2

Chapter 230: Episode 139 Foot Store_2

"You’ve gained weight," Hua Xiaomai stared coldly at her face, which had clearly rounded out, "really put on a lot."

"Eh?" Hua Erqiao was startled and hurriedly reached to touch her own cheek, "Can it be, it hasn’t been that long... have I really gained weight?"

Hua Xiaomai couldn’t be bothered to respond to her question, rolled her eyes, and said, "Firstly, you’ve gained so much weight, when my nephew is born in the future, the delivery might be difficult and you will suffer. Secondly, you Hua Erqiao, are the genuine ’flower of Fire Knife Village,’ famous for your slender figure and willowy waist. Don’t say I didn’t warn you; if you keep gaining weight, not only will the villagers laugh at you, even your brother-in-law might scorn you!"

Hua Erqiao was indeed frightened and became more restrained. Finally, Hua Xiaomai could rest and freed her hands, heading to the field every day, meticulously tending to the vegetables on those two acres of land.

It was then that she truly realized that farming was no easy task.

Under the scorching sun, she felt as if she was about to burst into flames. Originally without much flesh on her, the sun’s harsh rays balked out most of her weight, leaving her feeling like nothing more than a bag of bones.

Upon entering the vegetable patch, don’t expect to be able to straighten your back. The cabbage had already sprouted tender shoots. It was necessary to pick out the bad sprouts to prevent them from leeching nutrients from the good ones. Additionally, watering and fertilizing were necessary. Not to mention the fatigue, the key was how dirty it was. After a whole day of toiling in the field, she returned home looking as though she’d been dredged up from a mud pond.

That afternoon, as the sun blazed hotly, Hua Xiaomai was still toiling in the field, and Zheng Yakuai, who lived in the northern part of the village, suddenly came looking for her.

"Ha, Xiaomai, I haven’t seen you for a few days, why are you as tan as a black monkey?" His laughter reached her before he even got to the edge of the field.

Hua Xiaomai pushed her hat back behind her neck, squinting back at him and laughing too, "Is that you, Brother Zheng? Ha, there’s nothing I can do about it. My sister is pregnant now, and we dare not let her labor. My brother-in-law is busy at the smithy all day. He already does physically demanding work; asking him to work in the fields as well would certainly flatten him. I just have to do a bit more."

Pausing briefly, she threw a glance at Zheng Yakuai, "So, has there been any progress with my storefront matter?"

Zheng Yakuai nodded, pulled out a small booklet tucked under his arm, and flipped it open with a grin, "A couple of days ago, Taihe mentioned this to me. Xiaomai, are you planning to open a restaurant? If so, that’s great. When you open, I will definitely come and support you! It’s quite coincidental, I have a ready storefront at hand right now. The owner wants to sell it, but if you just want to rent, that’s fine too. I only wonder if you’d like it."

Hua Xiaomai’s heart leaped for joy. She pulled a handful of wheat straw from the ridge to wipe her hands and walked briskly over to Zheng Yakuai, "Which storefront is it, is it far from our village, how much is it?"

"Isn’t it timely that you brought this up with me?" Zheng Yakuai passed the small booklet to her, suddenly remembering she probably didn’t read, he chuckled sheepishly and scratched his head, "That storefront is in our village, right at the village’s eastern corner shop."

Was it the same roadside inn that Shopkeeper Zhu from Antai Garden and Song Jingxi stayed in when they came to the village?

Hua Xiaomai frowned upon hearing this.

Although she had never personally visited that inn, she had heard bits and pieces about it while selling at the riverside, giving her a rough idea of the place’s condition.

On the upside, since the inn needed to provide food for the passing travelers, the kitchen was already in place. A little refurbishment could make it usable without the need to spend a lot on building a new stove. It was also mentioned that the inn was not very large, which seemed suitable for opening a restaurant.

However, at the same time, it was impossible to ignore that the inn was located at the eastern edge of the village. It was said to be over half a mile away from the nearest household. Thus, if the villagers wanted to try her cooking, they would need to exert considerable effort, which was not as convenient as when she had her stall by the river.

Being that far away, if the diners were unwilling to come, how could business possibly flourish?

"What’s the matter, do you feel there’s something inappropriate?" Seeing her hesitant expression, Zheng Yakuai asked, leaning in.

"I just think that the inn is too far," Hua Xiaomai did not feel the need to hide her concerns and laid out her doubts, "If villagers want to enjoy a meal, they would have to walk two or three miles. Who would have the patience for that?"

Zheng Yakuai was taken aback, then chuckled.

"Xiaomai, I always thought you were clever. How come you’re so stubborn on this?" He spoke earnestly, "The location of the inn might be far for the villagers, indeed, but it also has a unique advantage. The inn is at the village’s east entrance, right by the main road, where there’s constant traffic of carriages and passersby. When people travel, they wouldn’t think of stopping by to rest before evening, but on the road, they’ll inevitably feel hungry. Seeing a small restaurant on the roadside, stopping for a meal won’t take much time and will satisfy their hunger; why would you worry about not having customers?"

Hua Xiaomai felt as if enlightened and suddenly widened her eyes: "Continue."

"Moreover, think about it. Who primarily travels on this road? They’re mostly traders and merchants! These people are used to this road for their businesses. Over time, wouldn’t they become your regulars? Your cooking skills are no secret, and once they’ve tasted your dishes, they might even promote it extensively to their business partners. Consequently, wouldn’t the number of your patrons increase? Furthermore, don’t think of all village folk as lazy. If the food really tastes good, walking a bit more would seem worth it to them!"

His argument made a lot of sense, causing Hua Xiaomai to be somewhat tempted, yet she didn’t want to make a hasty decision and planned to discuss it further with Jing Taihe and Hua Erqiao before replying, "Brother Zheng, have you checked, how much is the rent for that inn each month?" (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please consider voting for it with a recommendation ticket or monthly ticket at Qidian (qidian.com). Your support is the greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)