Chef Hua
Chapter 386 - 215話 Fire Fish Fin_2

Chapter 386: 215話 Fire Fish Fin_2

Hua Xiaomai had never been fond of squeezing into crowds and even just the sight of it made her feel hot for them. She only glanced briefly before walking away, roaming aimlessly and eventually found a less crowded silk and satin shop to casually step into. She looked around, felt the silver in her belt was ample, and boldly selected fabrics for herself and Meng Yuhuai, not forgetting to choose a few elegant ones to bring back for Meng’s mother, hoping that aside from happiness, she might also be able to exchange them for the brightly colored fabric in her chest.

Once a woman’s shopping desire is ignited on a spree, the consequences are unimaginable. Silver flowed continuously from her purse, and she gradually lost control, not only becoming more enthusiastic about her purchases but also developing a satisfying sense of abundance. She paid no mind to the scorching sun overhead nor felt any hunger, bustling around the flourishing areas of Tong’an City, covering seven or eight out of ten, until it was nearly noon. After buying a heap of items, both big and small, she let the shopkeepers, grinning broadly, help her send them back to Dong’an Inn, and she herself followed merrily and slowly meandered back.

Although Dong’an Inn was a place to stay, every mealtime, it wasn’t uncommon for guests stopping by for food, filling the spacious lobby. The young attendants, with trays in hand, flew back and forth through the crowd. The shopkeeper couldn’t possibly idle behind the counter at such times; he incessantly greeted customers with handshakes and pleasantries, sending them out the door with courteous words, occasionally calling out joyfully, "Oh, you’re here? Please come in, this way!" But as soon as he turned his back to the crowd, his expression changed, stamping his feet and frowning, muttering, "Ah, how shall I deal with this?"

Hua Xiaomai watched the shopkeepers carry items into the inn one by one, settled the payment, and turned around to catch sight of the shopkeeper’s troubled appearance. She raised an eyebrow quizzically and greeted him with a smile, "Shopkeeper Deng!"

"Ah, Lady, you’re back. And bought so much, too?" The shopkeeper’s face immediately stretched into a smile as he eagerly approached and cheerfully said, "Well, how about it? Once in Tong’an, can’t keep control of that purse, eh? Ha, your husband, Leader Meng, is very capable, earning money. Spending a bit, no issue, no issue at all."

"Isn’t that true? I don’t usually care much for random shopping, but just now, I really wanted everything I saw." Hua Xiaomai replied with a laugh, and casting an eye upon his face, she murmured, "You look a bit unwell; with Dong’an Inn under your management, everything is so well arranged. What could possibly trouble you?"

Her inquiry was casual without a real expectation for an elaborate response, but to her surprise, Shopkeeper Deng suddenly slapped his thigh and pointed upstairs with a sigh, "Ah, don’t remind me, I regret it so much my guts are turning green! There’s a guest who arrived yesterday, just like you, who came to the city specifically to buy some dried seafood. Because it was his first visit, he didn’t know his way around and asked me which store sold good, honest merchandise. I recommended the one on the east side of the city—I meant well, but who knew it’d bring trouble?"

"What happened?" Hua Xiaomai asked, unable not to inquire further upon his extensive complaining, "Could it be there was an issue with the dried goods he purchased?"

"What issue could there be? They’re of excellent quality!" The shopkeeper vehemently shook his head, "That guest, also quite generous, selected some expensive goods, several of them. But it turned out he had a lot of doubts; after coming back, he started to suspect that the shopkeeper sold him counterfeit goods. In just a few words, he implicated our inn, unreasonably accusing us of colluding with the store to swindle his silver. Oh dear heavens, our Dong’an Inn has been doing honest business in the Provincial City for decades, we’ve always been conscientious. He can’t slander us like this!"

Hua Xiaomai gave a noncommittal "hmm".

Truth be told, she didn’t think the guest had a significant issue. Being cautious was always right when suddenly arriving in an unfamiliar place. But it seemed the man got the wrong end of the stick; if he truly felt something was off with his purchase, shouldn’t he have taken it up with the seller? What good would it do to entangle himself with an inn’s shopkeeper?

These were her thoughts, and she voiced them, leading Shopkeeper Deng to sigh, "That guest is really outlandish, claiming his palate is so refined that he can differentiate between real and fake with one taste. Therefore, he threw out all the dried shark fins and skin he bought, insisting that our kitchen cook them into dishes in front of him to taste and verify. If you ask me, if he truly bought fake goods, he wouldn’t dare to put them in his mouth for fear of being poisoned."

What a peculiar idea... Hua Xiaomai felt an urge to laugh, her curiosity piqued, and she asked, "May I know what dish the guest requested the chef to prepare?"

"It’s called... Fire Fish Fin?" Shopkeeper Deng continued to bemoan with a frown, "I’ve heard of the dish, but it’s quite different from the usual fare at our inn. My lady, it’s not that I’m evasive, but you’ve tried our chef’s skills yesterday. To be blunt, we are just an inn; with expensive ingredients like shark fins and skins, who would dare to casually prepare them? Alas, not everyone in this world understands reason like you and Leader Meng do."

Hua Xiaomai’s mind stirred, her eyes twinkled, and with a gentle smile, she offered, "Shopkeeper Deng, if you trust me, may I give it a try?" (To be continued. If you like this novel, please visit Qidian (qidian.com) to cast your recommendation ticket and monthly ticket. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please go to m.qidian.com to read.)