Chapter 45 - Getting Rich (1/2)
“Oh, it’s Xiaocao! Did you go to the mountain to set traps on such a cold day?” In the midst of her hesitation, the familiar voice of Third Young Master Zhou sounded from nearby.
Yu Xiaocao turned around and saw a handsome young man, who was dressed in a royal blue colored robe, stepping down from a luxurious horse carriage. Wasn’t this Third Young Master Zhou?
“Third Young Master, what a coincidence? I was just about to send over the game that you ordered! Since we caught a lot of game today, I couldn’t carry all of them by myself. So, I asked for my father’s help!” Yu Xiaocao slightly pushed her father and moved closer to Zhou Zixu.
Yu Hai smiled apologetically, “Manager Liu, I’m really sorry! Zhenxiu Restaurant made a reservation for these game with my daughter. Next time, when I get the chance, I’ll work with Manager Liu.”
Manager Liu’s face violently twitched and his expression instantly darkened. He spat at Yu Hai’s back figure, “Just a filthy poor hunter. Does he even deserve to talk ‘business’ with me? All staff listen up! In the future, we’re not taking any of the game that the Yu Family sends over! Just let them cling onto Zhenxiu Restaurant! Humph!”
Although Manager Liu spoke proudly, he felt extremely distressed inwardly. It snowed really heavily this year. During the blizzard, not many hunters would brave the snow and enter the mountain to hunt. Thus, there was a shortage of game for all the restaurants in town. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have lowered himself and acted friendly with a mere hunter.
Manager Liu could only enviously look at the game, while Third Young Master Zhou was pleasantly surprised. Zhou Zixu smiled happily as he looked at the buck on Yu Hai’s shoulder.
“Uncle Yu, you’re seriously such a life savior! At the end of the year, the county magistrate and the aristocrats in town have all reserved a table at Zhenxiu Restaurant. We were just worried about not having any presentable dishes! With this buck, our Zhenxiu Restaurant’s reputation will surely go up another level!”
“Xu’er, is this our Zhenxiu Restaurant’s great savior who you have mentioned?” A gentle and graceful voice emerged from within the horse carriage.
Third Young Master Zhou smiled at Xiaocao, and then replied to the person within the carriage, “Mother, this little girl is one who gave us the recipe for the oyster sauce. Her name is Yu Xiaocao. We are able to defeat the older and more famous restaurants in town because of the oyster sauce. Thus, it’s not an exaggeration to say that she’s the savior of Zhenxiu Restaurant.”
It was inconvenient for Madam Zhou for come out of the carriage since there was an unfamiliar man present. Thus, she stayed within the carriage as she expressed her gratitude, “Thank you so much, Miss Yu, for being so generous and teaching us your secret recipe. Xu’er, remember to invite the young miss to our estate some other day. Mother should thank her in person.”
Yu Xiaocao quickly said, “Madam is being too courteous. If I keep the formula for the oyster sauce for myself, then only my family can taste it. However, if I give it to Zhenxiu Restaurant, more people can try the delicious taste. All recipes and formulas can only reflect its worth in the hands of people who know how to truly appreciate and use it. Don’t you think so?”
When Madam Zhou heard her reply, she couldn’t help but look differently at the little peasant girl from the mountains. Her manner of speech and thinking were even better than some of the noble ladies in town.
“Mother, you should go back first! I’ll need to go to the restaurant and make the arrangements.” Zhou Zixu was completely focused on the game right now. He wasn’t just concerned about the money. This matter could also affect the restaurant’s reputation.
When the other restaurants couldn't provide decent game to the public, Zhenxiu Restaurant would surely reach new heights by presenting a full deer banquet.
“Xiaocao, you’re seriously my little lucky star! The game that we stocked up before the snow has long been sold out. Recently, a few distinguished, regular customers have been clamoring for fresh meat dishes. My hair is about to turn white due to the stress. At the end of the year, if the dishes on the menu are too simple, then it’s seriously not presentable!” Zhou Zixu took the game from Xiaocao’s hands and walked beside her.
Yu Hai, who walked behind them, was stunned inwardly, ‘When did my daughter become so familiar with the young boss of Zhenxiu Restaurant?’
When they arrived at Zhenxiu Restaurant, Third Young Master Zhou instructed the server to take the game into the kitchen. After that, he invited the father and daughter pair into his own private room and heated up the brazier. Looking at Xiaocao’s reddened face, he couldn’t help but ask with concern,
“You must be freezing, right? Quickly come warm yourself up beside the brazier. There’s so much snow in the mountain, so it must be very difficult to catch prey! Uncle Yu, your hunting skills are truly excellent!”
Yu Hai held a cup of hot tea in his hands to keep warm, while he observed the gorgeous and elegant decors in the private room. He inwardly sighed: ‘I have been to Zhenxiu Restaurant numerous times to sell game, but I have never enjoyed such treatment before. This was all thanks to his daughter!’
According to Madam Zhou, they had learned to make the oyster sauce, which was one of Zhenxiu Restaurant’s specialties, from his daughter. He never knew that his little girl had such skills, and a spontaneous sense of pride and honor surged within his heart.
When he heard the courteous remark made by the young boss of Zhenxiu Restaurant, he quickly straightened his posture and appeared slightly stiff as he replied, “Third Young Master Zhou has overpraised me. I was just lucky today. I also hadn’t expected that we get such results by just setting traps.”
“Uncle Yu, you can just call me Zixu. I knew Xiaocao was skillful in setting traps. However, I didn’t know that the skill runs in Uncle Yu’s family!” The ginger soup that Zhou Zixu instructed to be brewed had arrived, so he personally handed them to Yu Hai and Xiao’s hands.