17 Sour Prune Drink (1/2)

When lunchtime came, the number of customers slowly increased. Some of them were like Qiu Chen, who learned about the restaurant from Wang Hao, while the others were like the couple who came in out of curiosity.

Most who were acquainted with Jiang Feng frowned at first when they saw the pricing. But they would still find a seat and tasted the free Sour Prune Drink. The refreshing sour drink was enough to disperse all of their dissatisfaction with the price.

Only a few of the customers who entered the restaurant out of curiosity stayed after they saw the price. Some even thought that restaurant was just a front because of how many customers were in there despite the pricing.

”How many?” Qiu Chen asked about how many customers had come in and left without ordering anything while he laid back on the chair. He and his three friends were still putting up an act as if they were still waiting for the rest of their food to be served.

The plates that were on their table were squeaky clean. Not even a drop of sauce was left.

”Six,” Lian Jianzai, who majored in Chinese Language and Literature, answered. ”They didn't even try the drink. Well, it's their loss.”

Qiu Chen massaged his belly and scanned the customers on the first floor. Even though it was only a few minutes past 12, the first floor was already half-filled with people. The sight of it made him anxious.

”Hey, look around,” Qiu Chen said. ”The restaurant is almost full even though everything is so pricey. Won't we have to wait for at least a few hours just to get in here when the semester starts?”

After hearing what Qiu Chen has said, the other three students also shared his concern.

”Then… Why don't we come here for dinner later?” Liu Zixuan, who wasn't worried about his pocket money, suggested.

”Good idea!” the other three agreed.

It was then that a group of people showed up at the doorway.

Since Liu Zixuan and Qiu Chen were facing the door, they immediately stood up when they saw the group of people.

”Good Afternoon, Professor Wang!”

”Good Afternoon, Mr. Li!”

”Good Afternoon, Professor Chen!”

”G… Good Afternoon, Department Head!”

Among the nine Physics lecturers and Professors, four of them had taught Li Zixuan and Chen Qiu before.

”Professor Wang?” Jiang Feng greeted them after he heard the commotion. ”Good afternoon!”

”Professor Wang is treating us to lunch,” Professor Chen, the youngest amongst the group, smiled. ”I've never thought I would meet so many of our students here. Jiang Feng, are you part-timing here?”

”No, I'm just helping out,” Jiang Feng smiled and explained.

When the group of teachers went into the restaurant, they were shocked to see almost half of the customers were students of Physics.

”What? Are the Physics majors having a party here?” Professor Wang, who usually was stern and serious, couldn't help but crack a joke.

”This is my parents' restaurant,” Jiang Feng explained. ”They are here for the opening day. We have large tables and private rooms on the second floor. Should I prepare a room?”

”That won't be necessary,” Professor Chen smiled. ”We'll take the round table.”

Since there was a menu on the second floor too, Jiang Feng guided the teachers to the second floor and went down to get them their free Sour Prune Drinks while they decided what to order.

”I can't believe there's a restaurant that sells such a wide variation of Shandong Cuisine here near A University,” Professor Li said after he went through the menu.

Even though the foods in Healthy Restaurant were expensive for the students, the price for such a complete and a rather lavish menu was reasonable to teachers of A University who had good pay.

The teachers did not hold back and ordered a few dishes. Among the ordered foods were Sweet and Sour Carp and Braised Pork Hock with Brown Sauce too.

After serving the teachers their free drinks, Jiang Feng checked their ordered foods and relayed the order to Jiang Jiankang in the kitchen.

Jiang Jiankang had braised two pork hocks earlier, he was planning to have them for lunch and dinner. But since the ones who ordered the pork hock were Jiang Feng's teachers, Jiang Jiankang decided to have one less for himself. They were lucky to have carps in their inventory too. After learning about the wholesale market from Jiang Feng, Jiang Jiankang decided to visit it earlier that morning and found two fresh carps there. He'd decided to buy them and keep them if sudden situations arose.

Jiang Jiankang never thought that he would have to cook one straightaway.

Professor Chen took a sip of the Sour Prune Juice and complimented, ”This is really good!”

”No way,” Professor Li said.

Since Professor Li was from Beijing, where Sour Prune Juice originated, he knew about the juice more than anyone else.

”Most Sour Prune Juice sold in supermarkets have food additives in them,” Professor Li then explained. ”It's different from the ones we got when I was younger. Back then, we had to cook the prunes in rock sugar slowly. The people in palaces only used a certain plum…”

Professor Li suddenly stopped talking after he took a sip of the juice.

The lightly smoked flavor enveloped his mouth. It was the same taste like the ones he had when he was still a kid.

No… This is better.

”Certain what?” Professor Chen asked.