Chapter Twenty-Seven: Pouring Tea

Qin Jian gazed at Zhao Mu with eager eyes, yet Zhao Mu deliberately kept him in suspense.

"Shopkeeper Qin, how about we have some water first?" Zhao Mu paused mid-sentence, intentionally clearing his throat.

Qin Jian immediately replied, "It is my fault! Let me have the waiter... no! I shall pour the tea for Young Master Zhao myself!"

With that, he rose to fetch a teapot. Seeing his intent, Zhao Mu quickly stood up and said, "Shopkeeper Qin, I am merely thirsty; there is no need to trouble you." He then took the teapot and poured tea for everyone at the table.

Qin Jian had initially felt a spark of irritation, thinking Zhao Mu was playing games with him. But as he watched Zhao Mu take the pot and serve everyone, he realized that might not be the case. In truth, Zhao Mu was genuinely parched, especially after preparing that chili oil; his throat felt terribly dry. Only after taking a large gulp of water did he feel some relief.

Seeing Zhao Mu finish the tea in one go, Qin Jian realized he had indeed misunderstood him. He stood up to refill Zhao Mu’s bowl and apologized, "The fault is mine. I forgot that Young Master Zhao had been busy for quite some time and had not even had a drop of water."

Zhao Mu waved his hand and suddenly smiled, "Shopkeeper Qin, you don't actually like that pickled fish dish, do you?"

Qin Jian froze, startled. "You could tell?"

Wen Zhi and Wang Wu were left completely bewildered. Just downstairs, Qin Jian had been heaping praise on the pickled fish, even declaring he would enjoy it all by himself. Yet now, Zhao Mu claimed Qin Jian did not like it at all.

Zhao Mu smiled, "The pickled fish is quite good, but not everyone enjoys the taste of pickled cabbage."

Qin Jian nodded vigorously, as if he had found a kindred spirit. "Young Master Zhao is absolutely right!" He said with sincere intensity, "I truly dislike the taste of pickled cabbage, but since many patrons enjoy it, I had no choice but to have the kitchen prepare a vat of it."

Wen Zhi and Wang Wu were stunned, unable to fathom why Qin Jian was contradicting what he had said downstairs. The kitchen staff of the Tianxiang Restaurant were efficient, and within moments, the waiter began bringing in several bowls of food. Looking at the spread, Zhao Mu suddenly felt ravenous. He lost all desire to keep playing games with Qin Jian and just wanted to finish his explanation so he could eat.

"Shopkeeper Qin, as I mentioned, this chili oil can serve as a condiment; I was not deceiving you," Zhao Mu said, picking up the bowl of chili oil. "As for the ingredients, it is made from those 'foreign peppers' you threw into the back kitchen as ornamental plants."

Qin Jian blinked, confused. "Foreign peppers?"

Zhao Mu nodded. "Indeed, foreign peppers." He had just recalled memories from his predecessor, confirming that the Great Qi Dynasty did indeed have an ornamental plant by that name. Though his predecessor had never seen one, he was certain this must be it.

Qin Jian poked at the chili oil with his chopsticks, then realization dawned on him. "It really is that! According to you, this plant is not for display, but a seasoning?"

"Correct," Zhao Mu replied. "This chili oil isn't meant to be eaten as a standalone dish, but it has many wonderful uses as a condiment." He picked up a slice of meat, dipped it into the oil, and placed it on the plate in front of Qin Jian. "Please don't mind, Shopkeeper, my chopsticks are clean." Zhao Mu added instinctively, worried Qin Jian might be squeamish—in this era, there was no concept of serving chopsticks, and no spares on the table.

Qin Jian popped the meat into his mouth. After a few chews, he began to hiss. "Hot! So hot!" He took a few sharp breaths, yet his eyes fixed on the bowl of chili oil with increasing intensity.

Seeing this, Zhao Mu knew he had won his gamble. While the number of people who liked pickled cabbage was limited, the number of people who loved spice was far greater! And, naturally, everyone's tolerance for heat varied—some preferred a mild tingle, others loved a fierce burn, and some sought a truly punishing heat. Qin Jian clearly had a high tolerance.

Qin Jian gulped down more tea and reached out to dip another slice of meat. Zhao Mu stopped him with a laugh, "Shopkeeper, don't be in such a hurry. I only wanted you to taste the flavor; that is not how one truly enjoys this."

Qin Jian looked at him, puzzled. Zhao Mu asked, "Do you enjoy noodles?"

"Naturally," Qin Jian replied. "Our Tianxiang Restaurant always has various noodle dishes ready."

"Then do this," Zhao Mu suggested. "Have the kitchen prepare a small bowl of noodles. Once they arrive, mix in some of this chili oil and taste it again."

"Done!" Despite his reluctance to stop, Qin Jian followed the suggestion.

Zhao Mu picked up his chopsticks again. "Shopkeeper, since this is a seasoning, you can add it to stir-fried dishes as well. After we eat, I can teach your chefs how to make it and suggest which dishes it pairs best with."

Qin Jian was even more intrigued now. He felt fortunate for his decision. He had noticed Zhao Mu when he first walked in, but because of his ragged clothes, he had dismissed him as a beggar and didn't care when the waiter tried to chase him off. It was only when Wen Zhi entered that he decided to give the young man a chance. He hadn't expected that, in doing so, he was giving himself a chance as well. If other restaurants caught wind of this chili oil before he did, the Tianxiang Restaurant would be in trouble.

Soon, the waiter brought the noodles. Seeing Qin Jian’s impatient expression, Zhao Mu asked, "How did you find the level of heat earlier?"

Qin Jian was slightly confused. Zhao Mu clarified, "When you ate that slice of meat, was it not spicy enough, or was it too much?"

"It was... just right," Qin Jian decided.

Zhao Mu took a spoonful of the chili oil and added it to Qin Jian’s bowl. "Stir it well. If it’s not enough later, you can add more."

Before the words were even out, Qin Jian was already stirring. Once mixed, he dove in. As the noodles hit his tongue, his eyes brightened with every chew. Despite the hissing and the heat, he felt a profound sense of satisfaction. It was just a bowl of noodles, yet he felt it was the most delicious thing he had ever tasted in over thirty years.