Chapter 36: Eat Your Fill!

Qi Shaolin pulled Jiang Luan into his arms, turned, and kicked the door open, coming face-to-face with the ringleader, Ruibao.

Ruibao met Qi Shaolin’s gaze and instantly lost his nerve, urging the others, "You guys go! You guys go first..."

The young men charged forward holding water basins, but Qi Shaolin dodged them all with ease. Like a fish darting through water, he moved gracefully among the crowd, lifting his legs to kick them away one by one.

Jiang Luan, clutched in Qi Shaolin’s embrace, flew back and forth, shrieking in fright. Qi Shaolin pressed Jiang Luan’s head into his chest and kicked away a basin held by one of the men. The water splashed all over the man, and the basin went flying, landing upside down on another person’s head. The scene was chaotic, with basins soaring through the air.

After a long struggle, not a single drop of water had touched Qi Shaolin.

"I want to form a soccer team," Jiang Luan suddenly said, seemingly at random.

"What?" Qi Shaolin tilted his head slightly.

"A soc-cer team!" Jiang Luan shouted. "Brother Lin, they’re coming at us again!"

These young men were hot-headed, and failing to take down Qi Shaolin only fueled their frustration. Three of them lunged at once. Qi Shaolin nimbly dodged a flying tackle, reached out to press one man’s head, and shoved him into the person behind him. The two men tumbled into a heap. At that moment, Qi Shaolin raised his foot and stepped on the third man's backside, sending all three flying together.

Everyone Ruibao brought was turned topsy-turvy; not a single one remained standing. Only Qi Shaolin stood in the center like a war god. He appeared completely oblivious to his own prowess as he set Jiang Luan down.

"How are you so good at fighting?" Jiang Luan asked, clutching his shoulder, his heart still racing.

Qi Shaolin replied, "Eat more, grow strong."

Zuo Lang, watching from the sidelines, silently took note of this, deciding to add an extra bucket of rice to his meals from then on.

Seeing that everyone had been defeated, Ruibao panicked and turned to run. Qi Shaolin picked up a basin from the ground and hurled it at Ruibao’s retreating back. Ruibao let out an "Ouch!" and tripped, sprawling onto the ground. His clothes were already wet, and now he was covered in mud. As he climbed up, he grumbled, "I’m just a fragile Ge! Did you have to be so cruel?"

Unfortunately, his complaints fell on deaf ears. In Qi Shaolin’s eyes, the world was divided into two types of people: Jiang Luan and everyone else. As for this "everyone else," regardless of whether they were men, women, or Ge, Qi Shaolin treated them all the same.

...

Three days later, the restaurant reopened, hosting a unique "tasting event" for ten wen.

The restaurant had been making quite a stir these past few days, and almost every customer who had dined at the Qingshan Eatery was watching the spectacle. But that wasn't enough. Jiang Luan had arranged for street performers to announce the reopening. Ten wen was a small price, and every diner received a free sweet-water shrimp, so the news spread quickly.

On the opening day, customers arrived in a continuous stream. Jiang Luan politely asked them to line up, take numbers from Zuo Lang and Ruibao, and enter in order. The dining area, previously a wasteland, was now a vibrant garden. Inside, two long tables held hundreds of plates with all kinds of dishes. Each diner was given a bamboo skewer, allowing them to sample every dish. The two tables offered the same selection; guests would walk from one end to the other and circle back, so they could grab their favorites at the second table.

Chef Li and his apprentices had set up stoves behind the building, working in a frenzy to replenish the dishes. Jiang Luan stood by the second table, silently recording the volume of food consumed to observe which dishes best suited the local palate. People pushed past one another, moving quickly, and no one dared to linger for long. At ten wen per person, Jiang Luan was still making a profit. He even put everyone to work, stationing Qi Shaolin at the entrance to collect money. With Qi Shaolin’s large, imposing frame, no one dared to skip out on the bill.

Everything was orderly. The copper coins in the basket piled higher and higher, and the customers cycled through in waves. Because the food was excellent, diners spread the word upon returning home. The crowd only grew larger, and the entrance to the restaurant became as packed as a market.

Meanwhile, the Qingshan Eatery was noticeably quieter. Its head chef watched as people from the neighboring restaurant came over to fetch more ingredients, growing increasingly dissatisfied. He stomped upstairs and confronted his master:

"Young Master, I don't understand. In the past, that restaurant was barely hanging on and didn't bother us at all. But now that they are booming, why are we providing them with ingredient supplies?"

Jiang Hao sat by the second-floor window, swinging his fan with an air of nonchalance. "Even if we didn't provide the ingredients, do you think Jiang Luan’s restaurant wouldn't have opened anyway?" Jiang Hao said calmly. "Relax, just wait a little longer."

"I can't relax!" the chef muttered. "What are you waiting for, Young Master? Could something actually happen to that restaurant?"

"Who can say for sure?" Jiang Hao replied softly.

Just as he spoke, the noise from downstairs intensified. Someone arrived in a carriage, pushing through the crowd, with the coachman shouting loudly.

"Oh, business is good, so many people here?" The man stepped off the carriage, asking with a puzzled look. He had a very distinct appearance—his head was wrapped in bandages, and he walked with a limp. This was Wang Yi, who had tried to harass Jiang Luan while drunk at the Red Sleeve Pavilion, only to be pushed down the stairs and beaten until his face was swollen like a pig’s.

He looked around as soon as he stepped off the carriage, his eyes fixing on Jiang Luan inside. Jiang Luan noticed the hostile gaze and glanced at Wang Yi—but he didn't recognize the man at all. He simply looked down and went back to his writing.

Seeing Jiang Luan completely ignore him, Wang Yi was consumed with rage. He walked to Zuo Lang to get a number. "Fifteen people, one hundred and fifty wen!"

Zuo Lang pointed toward Qi Shaolin. "Pay over there."

Zuo Lang and Ruibao hadn't been present during the incident at the Red Sleeve Pavilion, so they didn't recognize the man. Wang Yi only remembered Jiang Luan’s cute but infuriating face, having little impression of the person who actually pushed him down the stairs. He limped over to pay Qi Shaolin, failing to recognize him either.

Qi Shaolin only looked up at him coldly, saying nothing.

After taking a number, one still had to wait for it to be called. Wang Yi ordered his servants to kneel on the ground so he could sit on their backs with his legs crossed, drawing stares from everyone.

"Why is it taking so long!" After waiting less than half a quarter of an hour, Wang Yi grew impatient and started shouting. "I’ve already paid! Are you people running a scam here?"

Xiao Lin, who had been running errands, hurried over to appease the guest. "Sir, please wait a moment. Everyone is lining up in order. If you can't wait, you are welcome to have some tea in the tea shed..."

"Do I need you to tell me that?!" Wang Yi, accustomed to his arrogance, didn't spare Xiao Lin a glance. "Get lost! Just looking at your face ruins my appetite!"

Without needing an order, his servants immediately grabbed Xiao Lin by the collar and threw him aside.

Ruibao heard the commotion and walked over to investigate. He first ordered the tossed-aside Xiao Lin to take over his work, then squinted as he walked forward. "What’s going on?"

Wang Yi’s servants tried to do the same to Ruibao. But the moment Wang Yi saw Ruibao’s face, he smiled and shouted at his servants, "What are you doing? Are we here to eat or to cause trouble?" The servants immediately fell silent and retreated with a frightened "Yes, yes."

Wang Yi turned his head, staring at Ruibao with a lecherous grin. "Little beauty, you weren't scared, were you?"

"So, what are you planning to do?" Ruibao looked at him with half-lidded eyes.

Wang Yi replied, "Naturally, I’ll keep waiting."

Ruibao turned and walked away. Wang Yi’s hooligan behavior drew disgusted looks from the people in line. He shouted at the customers, "What are you looking at? Keep staring, and I’ll gouge your eyes out!" His toad-like, biting attitude immediately drove away several customers, but Wang Yi continued as he pleased.

Jiang Luan watched the man from afar, frowning, though he didn't act immediately. The customers flowed through, and the line moved quickly. Finally, Wang Yi’s number was called, and he led his burly servants inside. Xiao Lin tried to hand them bamboo skewers, but Wang Yi waved him off.

"Don't need that junk," Wang Yi laughed, pulling a large ladle from his sleeve. "It’s much more satisfying to eat like this."

Xiao Lin: "..."

The men Wang Yi brought all pulled out cooking ladles. As soon as they entered, they began eating like starving ghosts, stuffing their faces and clearing half a platter of food at a time. Wang Yi followed behind, eating lazily and picking through the dishes: "This really isn't much." "What kind of skill do you even have to open a restaurant?" "Tastes terrible!"

His behavior infuriated the servers, who wanted to confront him, but Jiang Luan stopped them.

"Let them eat," Jiang Luan said coldly.

After Wang Yi and his men finished a round, there was hardly anything left for the customers behind them. Jiang Luan instructed the customers to slow down and told Chef Li to speed up the food service. Ruibao noticed the commotion from the entrance and asked Zuo Lang in a low voice, "Are they here to cause trouble?"

Zuo Lang looked up, unconcerned. "It doesn't matter. Young Master Jiang will handle it."

After finishing their round, the group came out, and Wang Yi paid another one hundred and fifty wen. This time, he brought in ten more men.

Good grief, it was a wheel battle! Jiang Luan narrowed his eyes. They were definitely here to wreck the place. Before Wang Yi and his men could enter again, Jiang Luan walked over and blocked their path.

"Sir..."

Seeing Jiang Luan finally forced out, Wang Yi smiled, thinking his scheme had succeeded. But before he could gloat, he heard Jiang Luan ask politely, "May I ask your surname?"

He didn't recognize him?! Wang Yi was incredulous. Since returning home humiliated from the Red Sleeve Pavilion, Wang Yi had spent his time nursing his wounds and biting his blankets in rage, obsessing over Jiang Luan, losing sleep, and quickly sending people to find out his name. To think this brat didn't remember him at all!

Wang Yi suppressed his anger and smiled. "I am surnamed Wang."

Jiang Luan showed no reaction, clearly still unable to recall who he was, and asked quite casually, "I wonder, Young Master Wang, how was the meal?"

Wang Yi wiped his greasy mouth and lied through his teeth, "Honestly, it was nothing special."