Chapter 135

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Chapter 135: Restaurant

Zhang Xiaohua followed the footprints down the mountain from in front of the Mountain God Temple.

However, he quickly noticed something peculiar about the footprints. It seemed like there were two sets, one was deeper, the other shallower. But they both had one thing in common: the strides were large. For them, one step meant Zhang Xiaohua had to take several. Zhang Xiaohua was a bit taken aback, how long were these people’s legs?

Moreover, when descending the mountain, the footprints led through steep areas, but Zhang Xiaohua couldn’t manage that. He had to find a gentler slope and then try to pick up the trail again at the foot of the mountain.

After walking for a while, Zhang Xiaohua figured it out. There was a small grove ahead, and when he reached it, the footprints disappeared. They reappeared on the other side of the grove. By now, having experienced a bit of the martial world, Zhang Xiaohua realized that the footprints he was following likely belonged to a martial arts expert.

But what were these experts doing at the Mountain God Temple? Zhang Xiaohua didn’t care about that. He just wanted these footprints to lead him back to civilization.

After walking for a bit longer, Zhang Xiaohua encountered another problem, the footprints split into two directions.

When faced with this kind of dilemma, Zhang Xiaohua didn’t hesitate. He easily made the correct choice.

Why?

Even using the back of his foot to think, Zhang Xiaohua knew to follow the deeper footprints. The shallow ones were likely from someone with excellent lightness skills. In this vast expanse of snow, if the person decided to show off with some “walking on snow without leaving a trace” technique, wouldn’t Zhang Xiaohua have wasted his time following them?

Having chosen his direction, Zhang Xiaohua followed the footprints of this “never-before-met” martial arts expert, walking confidently towards the rising sun.

These footprints were worthy of Zhang Xiaohua, although they sometimes varied in depth, Zhang Xiaohua could distinguish them well enough. As he continued, the path was mostly flat, which made him incredibly grateful. He kept silently thanking this heaven-sent person. Meanwhile, back at the shop, Manager Liu, who had long returned and was hoping Zhang Xiaohua would freeze to death, was sneezing repeatedly and silently cursed in his heart. That unlucky Old Mei actually chose such a remote place for their meeting. Didn’t he know how cold it was outside? Great, now he had caught a cold and would have to spend money on a doctor.

Around noon, Zhang Xiaohua started to feel hungry. When he left, he had only brought a bit of dry food, intending to eat it halfway through the journey. Now, he had no idea where he was, and he had already finished what little he had brought in the morning. If he didn’t find some sign of life soon, he would be going to bed hungry tonight. As he was lost in thought, he suddenly noticed smoke rising from the horizon in front of him. Filled with joy, Zhang Xiaohua immediately changed direction and headed towards the smoke, no longer bothering to follow the tracks of that mysterious master.

The immediate result of this change was that the sneezing of Manager Liu, who had just stepped outside after receiving some silver, suddenly stopped. He touched his nose, shook his head, and thought to himself: “Heaven really does look after the righteous. Last night, I didn’t go through with killing that country boy in the abandoned temple. I just sealed his acupoints, hoping he’d freeze to death on his own. I guess that small act of mercy has earned me some karmic reward, I won’t have to spend money on a doctor after all. Seems like I should learn from the higher-ups in our organization, killing without shedding blood is the mark of a true expert.”

Meanwhile, Zhang Xiaohua left the tracks he had been following and set out towards the smoke. He pressed on with determination, when you encounter a mountain, open a path; when you come across water, build a bridge. Carrying forward the fearless spirit of the Jianghu. Finally, in the afternoon, he arrived at a small rural town.

From a distance, Zhang Xiaohua could see the town, the houses around it, and the free-range poultry wandering about. He felt a surge of emotion, he had finally found civilization, and he no longer had to worry about starving.

Walking briskly along the small path into the town, Zhang Xiaohua took in the scene. It was a typical countryside town, even smaller than Lu Town. As it was New Year’s, the streets were lively with people dressed in bright, new clothes, all smiling and greeting each other warmly. Many boys around Zhang Xiaohua’s age, or younger, were lighting firecrackers with joy, creating a festive atmosphere.

Zhang Xiaohua’s appearance, though not shabby, was far from tidy and certainly didn’t fit the festive mood. The townspeople found it odd, after all, even the poorest families would dress their children in new clothes for the New Year. Seeing someone like Zhang Xiaohua without any new clothes was rare, and since his face was unfamiliar, they assumed he must be an orphan from the countryside.

But how could Zhang Xiaohua care about what others thought?

He was focused on finding a place where he could buy some food. After searching for a while, he suddenly realized that it was New Year’s, and most of the small shops were closed. Where was he going to find something to eat? He secretly felt the money pouch inside his clothes and smiled bitterly. He had never held so much silver in his life, yet he was still going to bed hungry. Life was truly unfair.

Seeing that almost all the shops in the town were closed, Zhang Xiaohua couldn’t help but smile bitterly. Would he really have to wait until after the sixth day of the new year to buy some food? He started to wonder if he could even last that long.

Zhang Xiaohua sighed. It seemed he had no other choice but to find someone’s house, knock on the door, and buy something to eat.

At that moment, a young man in his twenties walked towards him. He was dressed brightly, with an elaborate hairstyle and a fresh look, and seemed to be humming a tune. Zhang Xiaohua quickly approached him, cupped his hands in greeting, and said: “Excuse me, big brother.”

The young man, who was lost in thought and had his eyes squinted, was interrupted and showed his impatience. Seeing this poor, country bumpkin, he frowned and thought to himself that it was unfortunate. Was this a beggar? If he gave money, it would hurt his own pocket; if he didn’t, it would be unlucky. He was in a dilemma.

So he asked: “What’s the matter?”

As he spoke, he reached into his pocket and secretly took out a small coin, ready to use it if the request was for money.

Zhang Xiaohua smiled and said: “Excuse me, brother. May I ask what time it is right now?”

The young man was taken aback. It turned out he wasn’t asking for money. He relaxed and said with a smile: “It’s currently a quarter past the hour of Wei (3 PM).” He was about to walk away when Zhang Xiaohua asked again: “Sorry for the misunderstanding, but I meant what day is it today?”

The young man was even more puzzled. He looked Zhang Xiaohua up and down and asked: “Are you feeling alright, little brother? You don’t know the date?”

Zhang Xiaohua smiled and said: “I wandered into the mountains and lost track of time. I don’t know what year it is tonight.”

The young man, seeing Zhang Xiaohua’s unusual response, immediately felt respect and said solemnly: “It’s currently the sixth day of the first month in the twenty-third year of the Jinfeng era. What year did you enter the mountains?”

Zhang Xiaohua cupped his hands and said seriously: “Probably the first day of the twelfth month in the twenty-second year of Jinfeng.”

The young man laughed and said: “Impressive, impressive! Truly a great destiny!”

Then, his smile froze. What did that have to do with anything? It’s just a month’s difference. Was he joking?

Zhang Xiaohua secretly smiled in his heart and asked: “Could you please tell me where I can buy something to eat in this town? Anything will do as long as it fills my stomach.”

The young man was about to speak when he suddenly had an idea and said with a smile: “During the New Year, most shops are closed. However, if you don’t have high demands and just need to fill your stomach, there is a place you can go.”

Zhang Xiaohua was delighted and said: “Please, big brother, tell me.”

The young man pointed into the distance and said: “Go straight ahead until you reach an intersection, turn left, and walk straight to a general store. After turning right and going straight, you will find a restaurant called ‘Food as Heaven’. It might be open at this time. If it’s not, you might end up hungry.”

After expressing his thanks repeatedly, Zhang Xiaohua hurriedly followed the directions given.

The young man, watching him leave, sneered and walked away.

When Zhang Xiaohua arrived at “Food as Heaven” following the directions, he couldn’t help but be stunned.

It wasn’t that “Food as Heaven” wasn’t open, on the contrary, the entrance was bustling with activity. The place was swarming with people and traffic, with a noisy crowd at the door. It turned out that “Food as Heaven” was the most popular restaurant in the town, and New Year’s was the busiest time for business. How could they not be open to guests?

However, Zhang Xiaohua found himself in a tight spot.

For one, Zhang Xiaohua had never set foot in such a grand establishment before. The only time he had eaten at a roadside inn was during his journey to Pingyang City, and that was with his brother Zhang Xiaohu. Moreover, the guests entering this restaurant were either arriving in carriages or dressed in luxurious silk and satin, each one looking wealthy and well-fed. It was clear that this was a high-end place, leaving Zhang Xiaohua unsure if he should go in.

As he hesitated, Zhang Xiaohua’s stomach growled loudly.

Having no other choice, Zhang Xiaohua braced himself and walked forward.

The waiter standing at the entrance of “Food as Heaven” was busy welcoming guests, sweating profusely. When he suddenly noticed a hesitant young country boy approaching, he frowned inwardly, thinking to himself: “A bumpkin, and he doesn’t even know what kind of place this is, just waltzing up here.”

He was about to scold Zhang Xiaohua when he got closer but then noticed that while Zhang Xiaohua’s clothes were old, they weren’t made of the usual fabric worn by country folk. The waiter, sharp-eyed, took a closer look and saw that the clothes were well-tailored and likely not something stolen or picked up. Though not new, the outfit made it hard to judge Zhang Xiaohua’s status. Quickly, the waiter changed his demeanor, smiling as he said: “This little brother, what brings you to ‘Food as Heaven’?”

Zhang Xiaohua, seeing the waiter’s attitude, thought to himself that the service in this large restaurant was truly professional, they didn’t lower their standards just because he was young.

Zhang Xiaohua smiled and said: “Why else would I come to a restaurant but to eat? What else could I be here for?”

The waiter blushed, realizing that he had assumed the restaurant was too high-end for the young man, thinking he might be there to find someone or ask a question. He hadn’t considered that the boy was actually here to eat. The saying was true, you can’t judge a person by their appearance, just like you can’t measure the sea with a cup. This seemingly ordinary young boy might actually be someone with money.

The waiter quickly bowed, gesturing politely for Zhang Xiaohua to enter.

Once inside the restaurant, Zhang Xiaohua was awestruck. It was already well into the afternoon, long past lunchtime, yet the place was still lively, with hardly any empty seats. As Zhang Xiaohua stood there, unsure of what to do next, the waiter suggested with a smile: “Would the guest like to go up to the quieter private rooms on the second floor?”

Hearing this, Zhang Xiaohua thought to himself: “Forget it! Who knows if there’s a room charge or a minimum spend up there? Even though I’ve never dined in such a place, as the saying goes, ‘Even if you’ve never eaten pork, you’ve seen pigs run’. Stories of being fleeced are all over books. I’m not about to let myself get ripped off for no reason.”

Zhang Xiaohua quickly waved his hand and said: “Right here is fine, it’s so lively.”

The waiter didn’t insist and found a small table on the first floor for Zhang Xiaohua to sit at.

Afterward, the waiter poured him some tea and handed him the menu to order. Zhang Xiaohua wasn’t too familiar with the dish names on the menu, but he could certainly understand the prices. As he flipped through the menu, he couldn’t help but secretly pout, everything was so expensive! He didn’t even know what they were, so he couldn’t help but feel reluctant to spend his silver.

Seeing Zhang Xiaohua flipping through the menu without ordering, the waiter assumed he hadn’t found anything to his liking. So he smiled and said: “If nothing on the menu pleases you, we also have some special dishes. Let me suggest a few and see if they suit your taste.”

The waiter then enthusiastically rattled off a list of dishes, his voice rising and falling melodiously, almost like he was singing. Zhang Xiaohua was quite amazed, this restaurant was indeed different, and even announcing the dishes sounded like a performance. However, when he casually asked about the price of one of the dishes, his excitement quickly faded, it was much more expensive than anything on the menu.

Zhang Xiaohua’s eyes darted around as he thought of an idea. He asked: “Waiter, how much do you charge for plain rice?”

The waiter was momentarily stunned but quickly replied, “Plain rice is free.”

Upon hearing this, Zhang Xiaohua was overjoyed and clapped his hands, saying: “Great! Then bring me five large bowls of plain rice!”

The waiter was so shocked that he almost dropped the menu he was holding. He glared at Zhang Xiaohua angrily, and if it weren’t for the fact that they were in public, where such behavior might hurt the restaurant’s reputation, the waiter might have grabbed Zhang Xiaohua by the neck and thrown him out. Was this kid playing a joke on him?

Seeing the waiter’s fierce gaze, Zhang Xiaohua was puzzled and, with an innocent smile, asked: “Waiter, why are you just standing there? Hurry up and bring me the rice.”

The waiter gritted his teeth and forced a smile, saying: “Sir, the rice is free, but you still need to order at least one dish.”

Zhang Xiaohua was taken aback and said: “You didn’t mention that earlier.”

The waiter bowed his head and said: “That was my mistake. Please forgive me.”

Zhang Xiaohua asked: “So I have to order a dish?”

The waiter replied: “Yes, that’s correct.”

Zhang Xiaohua asked again: “Are you sure? I really have to order a dish?”

The waiter firmly responded: “Yes, I’m absolutely certain.”

Zhang Xiaohua chuckled and said, “Hehe, I only knew I needed to order after you told me. How would I have known otherwise? Since you’ve said so, I guess I have no choice but to order one. Alright, I’ll take this one.”

He pointed to the cheapest dish on the menu, “Spicy Chicken Offal”.

The waiter looked at the dish and asked: “Are you sure, sir?”

Zhang Xiaohua nodded: “Absolutely sure.”

The waiter confirmed: “And you won’t regret it?”

Zhang Xiaohua smiled: “I won’t. I’m a man of my word. As the saying goes, ‘A gentleman’s word is as swift as a whip’, so this is the dish I’ll stick with.”

The waiter nodded: “And you don’t want to add any other dishes?”

Zhang Xiaohua shook his head: “No need. But I still want those five large bowls of plain rice.”

With that, the waiter took the menu and said: “Please wait a moment.” He then walked away, filled with frustration.

After the waiter left, Zhang Xiaohua poured himself a cup of water and gulped it down. Still not satisfied, he drank three more cups in quick succession before finally slowing down. He thought to himself: “The tea here isn’t that special—nowhere near as good as the spring water from back home. But since it’s free, I might as well drink more of it.”

Just as he was about to pour a fourth cup, he realized the teapot was empty. Zhang Xiaohua called out: “Waiter, could you refill the tea?”

The waiter, who had just handed the menu to the chef, was puzzled. He distinctly remembered filling the teapot to the brim earlier. Had he made a mistake?

After refilling the teapot, Zhang Xiaohua poured himself another full cup and drank it. Zhang Xiaohua then began to look around the restaurant.

By this time, the peak dining hour had passed, and most of the customers were now simply drinking and chatting. Near Zhang Xiaohua was a table with five men dressed in sturdy attire, drinking and conversing loudly.

Perhaps because they were sitting close by and the men’s voices were loud, Zhang Xiaohua couldn’t help but overhear their conversation, even though he hadn’t intended to listen.

One of the men grumbled: “Damn it, why did we have to be sent to this godforsaken place during the New Year? This is no way to live.”

Another replied: “Yeah, every year I spend the New Year with my wife and kids. How did we end up on this long escort mission this year?”

Someone else chimed in: “There was no choice. The client was in a hurry, and the timing was tight, so we had to work over the New Year.”

Another man remarked: “But the pay is pretty good this time, double what we usually get.”

One man laughed and said: “You must be out of the loop. The government has a rule that holiday work should be paid triple. So how is this just double?”

The last man added: “Really? I didn’t know that. No, I’ll have to talk to Boss Zhang about it later. We can’t let ourselves get shortchanged.”

One of the men spoke up: “Forget it. Boss Zhang is still new. While he’s earned some respect lately, he’s not officially recognized as a head guard by the escort agency after all. It might be better to quietly gather some information first.”

Another chimed in: “Still, we should give him a heads-up, just in case. Maybe he’s not even aware of the situation himself.”

A third man agreed: “That’s true. Boss Zhang has been pretty straightforward and friendly most of the time. If we talk to him, he might bring it up with the higher-ups, and we could get some compensation.”

Then another voice added: “Let’s sort all this out when we get back. We came to the restaurant to drink, didn’t we? The sooner we finish this job, the sooner we can head home. This town may be small, but at least this place is decent. There’s nowhere else even worth considering, not even for a bit of fun.”

One of them responded: “There are places, sure, but are they really up to our standards? Besides, it’s the New Year. Everyone wants to be home with their families. How many of them are still hanging around waiting for customers?”

The men then began to talk about some less savory topics, the kind that made Zhang Xiaohua, who was just on the cusp of understanding such things, blush. He felt embarrassed listening to them, but there was no way to block out the conversation. Trying to distract himself, he kept drinking water, but before he knew it, the teapot was empty again.

Reluctantly, Zhang Xiaohua called out: “Waiter, more water, please.”

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