Husband, Let Me Touch Your Abs - Chapter 84

Chapter 84

 

They earned more than three taels of silver in a single day. If business remained this prosperous every day, they could make about a hundred taels in a month. After deducting rent, they might save nearly a thousand taels of silver in a year—far more profitable than the breakfast shop!

 

And this was without selling alcohol yet. Once they started selling drinks, the profits would undoubtedly increase!

 

Currently, most of the wine on the market was yellow wine, and the slightly better clear wine was shockingly expensive. A small jar could cost two or three taels of silver, yet its taste was far inferior to the white liquor of later generations.

 

Lu Yao planned to buy some large vats in a few days and brew the wine himself. While he couldn’t make other types of wine, he had made rice wine many times in his previous life and was confident it wouldn’t be a problem.

 

Since the day the shop opened, business had been booming for three or four consecutive days, leaving Lu Yao’s arms swollen with exhaustion.

 

The frying ladle was simply too heavy. In this era, craftsmanship in refined iron hadn’t been developed yet, and the iron ladle forged by the blacksmith weighed at least seventeen or eighteen jin. After a whole day of cooking, by dinnertime, he could barely lift his chopsticks.

 

Zhao Beichuan felt distressed. “Starting tomorrow, I’ll do the cooking in the kitchen, and you can greet customers out front.”

 

“Are you sure you can handle it?”

 

“I’ll give it a try.” Over the past few days, when the shop was closed, he had been practicing cooking in the back. During the day, when things were less busy, he also helped out in the kitchen. Although not as skilled as Lu Yao, he had learned the basic steps well enough.

 

Lu Yao was still uneasy. “Our shop just opened. If the food doesn’t taste right to the customers, they might not come back.”

 

“Then we can’t let you keep straining your arms like this. What if you hurt yourself?”

 

“A night’s rest should be enough to recover…”

 

Zhao Beichuan slammed his chopsticks on the table in frustration. “I said no, and that’s final! If you don’t listen, we’ll close the shop tomorrow and only reopen when you’ve recovered!” With that, he stormed out of the room.

 

Xiao Nian and Xiao Dou were so frightened they didn’t dare make a sound. It was the first time Big Brother had ever lost his temper with Sister-in-law.

 

Lu Yao put down his bowl and got up. “You two finish eating. I’ll go check on him.”

 

Outside the door, Zhao Beichuan sat on the steps, his face sullen. When Lu Yao approached, he coughed lightly.

 

Zhao pretended not to hear and stared at the yard with reddened eyes.

 

Seeing his expression, Lu Yao’s heart softened. “I know you’re worried about me… but our shop just opened. Changing cooks suddenly might affect business.”

 

“You just don’t trust me.”

 

“How could I not trust you?” Lu Yao sat beside him, hugging his arm and shaking it gently. “Cooking isn’t something you master in a day or two. How about this: you’ll handle the stir-fried dishes, and I’ll take care of the signature dishes. Once you’ve learned enough, I’ll leave the kitchen entirely to you.”

 

Only then did Zhao Beichuan turn to him, reaching out to touch his arm. “You’re not allowed to wield that iron ladle again. Your arm is thinner than a twig; how can you handle such a heavy iron pan?”

 

“Alright, I’ll take it easy.” Lu Yao leaned his head on Zhao’s shoulder, feeling a wave of warmth in his heart.

 

“Money can never be earned fully, but a broken body can’t be bought back, no matter how much money you have. Isn’t that what you always tell me?”

 

“Mm.”

 

After sitting together for a while, Lu Yao took Zhao back inside to finish their meal. Once they cleaned up, the two children obediently went to rest in the west room.

 

Lu Yao lit an oil lamp and began teaching Zhao how to prepare ingredients and cook dishes. Zhao was eager to learn and had a sharp memory, remembering most of what Lu Yao explained after hearing it once.

 

Cooking well depends on oil temperature and heat control. Without modern technology to assist, everything had to rely on personal experience.

 

Knowing what five or seven-tenths of hot oil feels like couldn’t be learned by listening alone; he had to practice it himself a few times to truly understand.

 

In the following days, whenever he had a break, Zhao Beichuan went to the kitchen to help and observe how Lu Yao cooked. Over time, he managed to learn almost everything.

 

Although his skills were still slightly inferior to Lu Yao’s, he was fully capable of handling the cooking.

 

—

 

Time quickly passed, and it was now late March. During this period, Xiao Dou often went to the postal station to ask Old Master Lin questions about topics he didn’t understand.

 

When Lin Jingxian had free time, he taught the two children how to read. When he was busy, he let them review the material on their own.

 

The prefectural exam was fast approaching. This year, nearly 1,700 candidates from Pingzhou Prefecture were participating. These included newly qualified scholars and older ones who had failed previous attempts. Everyone hoped to pass the prefectural exam, as it would qualify them for the provincial exam.

 

There was a saying among the people: “Gold for a Juren, silver for a Jinshi, and poverty for a Xiucai.” In other words, becoming a Xiucai wasn’t the ultimate goal—passing the Juren exam was.

 

Xiucai: Entry-level scholar degree, earned at the county level.

 

Juren: Mid-level scholar degree, earned at the provincial level.

 

Jinshi: Highest scholar degree, qualifying for top government positions.

 

This was the real bottleneck, with countless candidates vying for a handful of spots. Most would inevitably fade into obscurity in this grueling competition.

 

The prefectural exam was scheduled for the sixth day of April. In the final days leading up to it, Lin Jingxian, fearing that Beidou might overexert himself, stopped letting him study and instead took them out for some leisure activities.

 

After Qingming, the weather turned warmer. Outside Pingzhou Prefecture, there was a large river called Yushui. In early spring, the riverbanks were lined with budding willow branches, and the ground was covered with fresh green grass, making it a delight to walk on.

 

Following the river east for two or three miles, they could see fishermen rowing boats on the water.

 

Feeling tired, Lin Jingxian waved for the servant to spread a straw mat on the ground so he could rest.

 

Meanwhile, the two children played on the embankment, picking up stones and foraging for wild vegetables, thoroughly enjoying themselves.

 

This was the first time Xiaodou had gone out to play since arriving in the prefectural city, and he finally relaxed completely.

 

After playing for two hours, the children were tired, and the three of them headed to a restaurant together.

 

Lu Yao had already prepared their meal: a serving of minced meat tofu, half a braised chicken, and freshly made cold bitter greens.

 

At this time of year, bitter greens from the mountains were available. Every morning, they could be bought fresh at the western market. After blanching, they were seasoned with minced garlic, hot pepper oil, salt, and vinegar to make a refreshing cold dish. Lin Zijian had tried it once and immediately loved it, ordering it every time he visited.

 

They arrived early, so the shop wasn’t too busy. Lu Yao had a rare moment of leisure to chat with the old man and return the jade hairpin.

 

“Thank you for your wife’s kind gesture, but this hairpin is too valuable, and I can’t accept it,” he said.

 

The old man waved him off with a smile. “It was my daughter-in-law who gave it to you. If you want to return it, you’ll have to give it back to her. I dare not accept it.”

 

Lu Yao helplessly handed it to Lin Zijian.

 

“My mother gave it to you, so I don’t dare take it either. Sister-in-law, you should just accept it. She sincerely appreciates you, which is why she gave it to you. While the hairpin is valuable, it doesn’t compare to the value of your goodwill.”

 

One had to admit, Lin Zijian’s emotional intelligence was impressive. With just a few words, he persuaded Lu Yao.

 

“Alright, I’ll thank her in person next time I see her.”

 

The old man stroked his beard. “How’s business at your restaurant these days?”

 

“Not bad,” Lu Yao replied modestly, though the truth was that it was booming!

 

Yesterday alone, they received orders for fifteen tables. When a few customers came in the morning and couldn’t get a reservation, they had to be scheduled for the following day.

 

That’s right—the Lu family’s restaurant was now so popular that reservations were required in advance.

 

Initially, they thought business would only be busy for a few days after opening and then gradually slow down. Unexpectedly, after seven or eight days, the number of customers only increased. The busiest day saw them serving twenty tables, leaving the two of them utterly exhausted.

 

Though it was tiring—Zhao Beichuan was drenched in sweat from working in the kitchen—it was also highly profitable. On that day alone, they made a full seven taels of silver!

 

When they returned home that evening, Lu Yao realized that this way of running the business wasn’t sustainable. First, the two of them were simply overwhelmed, and the increased workload made it easier to make mistakes, such as serving the wrong dishes. Second, earning too much money made him uneasy, as it might attract jealousy and trouble from others.

 

The next day, Lu Yao introduced a reservation system: only fifteen tables would be served daily. Unless familiar acquaintances came by, they might add one or two more tables; otherwise, no exceptions were made.

 

This approach made things much easier, especially when buying ingredients. They could purchase just the right amount, avoiding waste or shortages.

 

What Lu Yao hadn’t expected was that this scarcity marketing tactic boosted the restaurant’s reputation even further.

 

Many people came specifically to experience the hype, reserving tables just to taste the food that had everyone talking—dishes so popular that walk-ins were no longer accepted.

 

—

 

After finishing their meal, the Lin family’s old man discreetly left some money before leaving with Lin Zijian. When Lu Yao saw it while clearing the table, he couldn’t help but smile and shake his head. The old man was truly too polite.

 

By midday, more customers began arriving.

 

Lu Yao greeted the customer with the order, “Excuse me, sir, do you have a reservation?”

 

“Yes, the Shen family reserved a table with seven dishes yesterday.”

 

Lu Yao flipped through the records, marked it with a charcoal pencil, and said, “Please take a seat, your dishes will be served shortly.” He then went to the backyard to help Zhao Beichuan. There were five hot dishes and two cold ones; the cold dishes required little effort from Zhao Beichuan, as Lu Yao quickly prepared and served them first.

 

While serving the dishes, two more tables of guests arrived, both of whom had reserved in advance. Lu Yao assigned them seats one by one, with Xiao Nian helping to bring out the utensils, while he himself served pre-prepared dishes such as braised chicken, scallion-mixed tofu, and cold bitter greens.

 

Just before noon, seven or eight burly men suddenly walked in from outside. Their rough appearance marked them as troublemakers. Leading the group was a man with a face full of scars and a scruffy beard named Huang Yazi, infamous in the city as a scoundrel involved in shady dealings.

 

Huang Yazi shouted in a coarse voice as soon as he entered, “Where’s the owner? Get us some food!”

 

Lu Yao came over with a dish from the backyard, greeting them with a smile, “Do you gentlemen have a reservation?”

 

“No, damn it! You need a reservation just to eat here? Is your food made of gold?”

 

Lu Yao’s eyelid twitched, sensing that these men weren’t here for a meal but to stir up trouble. “I’m sorry, but all tables are fully booked for today. How about reserving for tomorrow?”

 

Huang Yazi pointed to a corner table, “Isn’t that table empty? We’ll sit there.”

 

“That table is already reserved; the customer will be arriving shortly.”

 

“They’re not here yet, are they? We’ll eat first, and they can have it after we’re done!” Without waiting for a response, the group sat down.

 

Lu Yao, prioritizing business harmony, suppressed his anger and asked, “What dishes would you like?”

 

“Bring us one of each of your signature dishes,” Huang Yazi demanded.

 

Lu Yao quickly jotted it down on paper. “Would you like cold dishes as well?”

 

“Yes, bring two,” Huang Yazi said impatiently.

 

“That’s a total of eight dishes. If it’s not enough, you can order more later. What would you like as a staple?”

 

The men, clearly not interested in food, waved dismissively. “Whatever you have, just bring it.”

 

Lu Yao took the order to the kitchen.

 

“A new table just came in; they want six signature dishes, two cold dishes, and seven bowls of millet rice.”

 

Zhao Beichuan noticed something was off in Lu Yao’s tone. “Weren’t we not taking any more tables today?”

 

“A few men just arrived. I suspect they’re here to cause trouble. I’ll serve them the cold dishes first; no need to rush the rest.”

 

Hearing this, Zhao Beichuan’s expression turned serious. “I’ll go check the front.”

 

“No need. Focus on the other tables. If something happens, I’ll have Xiao Nian call you,” Lu Yao said, carrying a plate of scallion-mixed tofu and a plate of cold bitter greens back to the dining area. He placed the dishes on the table for the men.

 

“Please wait a moment; the rest of the dishes will be ready soon,” he said.

 

Huang Yazi sneered, picking at the food with his chopsticks. After tasting a bite, he spat it out with a loud “Pah!”

 

“What kind of crap is this? Is this even edible?”

 

Lu Yao immediately understood; they were indeed here to make trouble.

 

The diners at the adjacent table, sensing the tension, quickly paid their bill and left.

 

Lu Yao approached and asked, “What’s wrong with the food?”

 

“Did you put dog piss in this? Why is it so sour and bitter?” Huang Yazi barked.

 

Lu Yao couldn’t help but laugh. “Sir, have you tasted dog piss before?”

 

Huang Yazi slammed the table and stood up, pointing at Lu Yao angrily. “What the hell are you saying?”

 

“You accused us of adding dog piss. How would we know what it tastes like?” Lu Yao replied calmly.

 

Hearing this, onlookers couldn’t help but chuckle.

 

Huang Yazi, his face flushed with anger, flipped the table over. “Your food is trash, and you dare to run a restaurant?”

 

Xiao Nian, pale with fright, ran to the kitchen to call Zhao Beichuan.

 

Lu Yao, though scared himself, mustered his courage. “I know you’re here to cause trouble. Please inform your boss that if they have the skills, they should compete through their dishes, not resort to underhanded tactics.”

 

The men began cursing and threatening to destroy the shop, scaring away the remaining customers. Lu Yao was anxious but powerless to stop them.

 

“Who dares to cause trouble here!” Zhao Beichuan stormed in from the backyard, wielding a kitchen knife. His intimidating presence momentarily startled the troublemakers.

 

However, Huang Yazi quickly recovered, shouting at the top of his lungs, “The Lu family restaurant is attacking people with knives!”

 

As the crowd outside grew larger, Zhao Beichuan, furious, was about to rush forward when Lu Yao grabbed him by the waist, his face red with urgency. If they truly fought, it would validate the troublemakers’ claims, and the shop would have to close the next day.

 

Among the onlookers stood a man with a moustache, stroking his chin smugly. This was none other than Zheng Yuan, the owner of Ya Zhai Ju and the mastermind behind the troublemakers.

 

Lately, the Lu family restaurant had been gaining too much attention. Even Master Cao had dined there for several consecutive days, drawing all the gourmets of Pingzhou to the place. This left Zheng Yuan’s restaurant business in decline.

 

Competition was fierce, especially since Ya Zhai Ju was known for its food. Losing business to a small eatery made Zheng Yuan furious.

 

After pondering for a few days, he came up with this nasty plan. First, he investigated the Lu family restaurant’s background, confirming they had no powerful backers. Then he hired these thugs to create chaos.

 

If one day didn’t work, he’d try for two; if two didn’t work, he’d try for three. With these thugs causing trouble daily, it wouldn’t be long before the shop had to close.

 

Once the Lu family restaurant was out of business, he’d find a way to poach their chefs and add a few new dishes to his own menu.

 

His plans seemed flawless until he unexpectedly kicked a hornet’s nest.

 

“What’s going on here?” A voice called out as two men in military uniforms approached, followed by four or five soldiers.

 

These two were none other than Captain Ge and Deputy Liang.

 

Hearing about a new restaurant in Pingzhou with delicious food, they had planned to try it today but instead walked into this scene of chaos.

 

The troublemakers instinctively felt nervous at the sight of the officers and quickly tried to appear submissive, lodging their complaint first. “This restaurant serves terrible food and doesn’t allow criticism. When we complained, their chef came at us with a knife.”

 

Captain Ge raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Who’s bold enough to do that?”

 

Huang Yazi, seizing the opportunity, pointed at the tall man inside. “Him!”