Chapter 37

【Mutter the Saitu website three times, do you remember? If you don't remember, I'll ask again in the next chapter. It's best to share it on Facebook.】

As soon as the door to the farmhouse restaurant opened, all the private rooms and tables were filled, and there were still many people queuing outside.

In the kitchen, Zheng Min looked at Zhao Xinyu, "Xinyu, what dishes should we make with so many people?"

"Home-style stir-fries, Sister Min. You help too, and I'll stew some carp later."

They had the ingredients ready, and with both of them working together, the speed was much faster. However, when the home-style stir-fries were served, they immediately caused dissatisfaction among the diners. Most of them had come specifically for the farmhouse stewed carp, but what they were served were ordinary dishes like stir-fried meat and green peppers, stir-fried meat and beans, which they found hard to accept.

"Waiter, bring us the menu, we want to order our own dishes."

"Sorry, we don't have a menu," all the diners who wanted to order dishes received this response, which made several tables very unhappy, and they left in a huff.

But as soon as they left, others quickly filled their spots. When they realized they had come to taste the legendary stewed carp, they found they had no place to sit.

Those who stayed and harbored resentment felt fortunate. They reluctantly tried the home-style stir-fries served by the waiter.

Just one bite, and they were all stunned. Their eyes were filled with amazement. These home-style stir-fries, which they could easily make at home, were now something different. The flavors were better, and even the most common ingredients like green peppers, eggplants, and beans were incredibly delicious.

The home-style stir-fries on each table were quickly devoured.

When they called the waiter to order the same dish again, they were told again that they couldn't order dishes here.

Feeling frustrated but unable to resist the temptation of the delicious food, they could only wait, wondering what the next dish would be.

Shredded potatoes.

When they saw the next dish was shredded potatoes, all the diners were speechless. But after one bite, their dissatisfaction turned into enthusiasm, and they couldn't help but reach for their chopsticks again. Many diners, who were a bit slower, found that the shredded potatoes were gone, leaving only an empty plate on the table.

Garlic eggplant...

Each dish was made with ordinary ingredients, but each one was incredibly delicious. Despite their initial dissatisfaction, the dishes were all devoured within minutes.

In the end, many diners forgot their original purpose of tasting the stewed carp. They were completely immersed in the seemingly ordinary dishes.

As a unique aroma filled the air, the diners all looked up, their eyes brightening as they realized their purpose for coming.

When they finally tasted the stewed carp, the entire restaurant was filled with praise and amazement. When they tried to order another dish of stewed carp, they were told that each table could only order one, and the restaurant did not allow waste.

What was even more unbelievable was that when the diners went to pay, the restaurant charged them only half of what they had expected. Each dish was much cheaper than in city restaurants.

With the diners' word-of-mouth, the farmhouse restaurant became even more popular. Many people came from other regions just to experience the restaurant with no menu, where the dishes were entirely up to the chef's discretion.

Seeing the restaurant packed every day, Zhao Xinyu was also troubled. Although Zheng Min had been helping, he still had no time to read. Even so, diners had to wait in long queues outside the restaurant every day.

"Grandpa Han, there should be other chefs in the village. Talk to them. If they are willing, they can open their own farmhouse restaurants nearby. They can get the ingredients from us, but they must not cheat the customers. If they do, they will never get our ingredients at a low price."

Over the next few days, seven or eight more farmhouse restaurants opened. Although the dishes were not as good as Zhao Xinyu's, they were still much better than many small city restaurants. With the low prices, these restaurants were also packed, and for a time, people with limited means chose to gather at the farmhouse restaurants in Xihanling.

The increase in farmhouse restaurants made Zhao Xinyu less busy. Although his income decreased, this was what he had hoped for.

He grew up in the countryside and knew that when villagers had nothing to do, they often did things that disgraced the village. But if they had work and could earn money, such things would not happen. This was his original intention in encouraging the villagers to open farmhouse restaurants.

Soon, the carp, bluefish, and grass carp from Luoshui, as well as the chickens, ducks, and geese from the courtyard, began to be sold. The farmhouse restaurants and Pengcheng Hotel's businesses boomed again.

After this period, although Zheng Min still couldn't make the stewed carp as well as Zhao Xinyu, the other home-style stir-fries were almost as good. The apprentices could also help with the cooking, which freed up Zhao Xinyu. He only went to the farmhouse restaurant to stew the carp, leaving the rest to Zheng Min and the others.

Because the chickens, ducks, and geese raised by Zhao Xinyu and the freshwater fish from Luoshui were so delicious, the chickens and ducks raised by the villagers became highly sought after, and the prices of freshwater fish in the market also rose. This was an unexpected consequence for Zhao Xinyu.

"Xiao Zhao, I really admire you. How did your fish grow so big in such a short time? I've heard they taste great. What did you do?"

"That's nothing special. I just worked hard. The fish are fed with vegetable leaves."

The boss shook his head, but then his eyes lit up as he saw a large river crab, about the size of a bowl, digging a hole on the shore.

"How can a river crab be so big?" The boss was stunned. He knew river crabs could grow, but he had never seen one grow so large in such a short time.

When he mentioned it, Zhao Xinyu also saw the river crab on the shore. He remembered that he had bought a batch of river crabs when he started farming.

The boss drove away, and Zhao Xinyu used a net to catch the river crab on the shore. Back at the courtyard, he caught over ten more in other areas.

When he returned to the courtyard with the river crabs, he saw Du Mengnan and her friends, whom he hadn't seen for a while.

"Zhao Xinyu, what are you carrying?" Du Mengnan asked, staring at the bucket in Zhao Xinyu's hand.

"River crabs."

Du Mengnan and her friends pouted. They knew river crabs had a muddy taste and, living by the sea, they had only heard of river crabs but never tasted them.

Seeing their expressions, Zhao Xinyu smiled faintly. "Mengmeng, cut a melon. I'll cook the river crabs. You can try them later."

They ate the melons and watermelons, sitting idly. Yu Mo stood up and looked towards the makeshift house. "I'll go check how Zhao Xinyu's river crabs are coming along."

"Mengmeng, Yu Mo said she likes Zhao Xinyu. You have to watch her, or your husband will be taken by Yu Mo," Liu Ruoxi said playfully.

"Xiaoxi, you're asking for it," Du Mengnan blushed. Because they often came over, Du Mengnan and Zhao Xinyu had become very close. They often teased Du Mengnan and Zhao Xinyu, and whenever Zhao Xinyu was mentioned, Du Mengnan would blush. So, they all knew that Du Mengnan had feelings for Zhao Xinyu, but Zhao Xinyu, being a bit dense, didn't understand the hints.

【Do you remember the three times I asked you to mutter the Saitu website at the beginning of the chapter? Sharing on Facebook might bring a surprise.】