Chapter 444: Slipped Up
When Qi Han walked out from the sculpture-training space, it was already time for lunch service.
Although he hadn't trained carving like this in quite a while, his carving skills hadn't deteriorated due to daily cooking. In fact, through constant use, he had gained new insights.
Those insights erupted during the training process, making Qi Han clearly feel that his carving had improved even faster than before.
This was a good thing, since this meant his chances of reaching the Perfection tier in carving within a hundred days were even higher.
"Teacher, do I really have to keep running breakfast later on?"
As Qi Han came downstairs, Ye Lingqing quickly came over to greet him.
"Of course," Qi Han smiled. "You've been doing very well these past few days, so why stop? Don't worry, I'll teach you more noodle dishes later. Once you master them, you can introduce them during breakfast service."
Receiving Qi Han's affirmation, Ye Lingqing nodded. "Alright then."
Even though breakfast service was still quite busy for two hours, that was the only time of the day that was hectic. Ye Lingqing wouldn't feel tired at all.
Seeing his teacher insist, he didn't argue further.
Being able to help his teacher and reduce his workload made Ye Lingqing genuinely happy.
"Teacher, are those four dishes going to be introduced at lunch today?"
At the mention of this, anticipation immediately appeared on Ye Lingqing's face. He had tasted all four dishes himself, each one was incredibly delicious. Introducing four dishes like that at once would definitely delight the customers.
"That's right." Qi Han pointed toward the tables in the dining area. "The menus already have the new additions printed."
"So fast?"
Having been in the shop the whole time, even he didn't know when the menus were updated. But after spending so long in Han Shi, he had become accustomed to occasionally unexplained things and no longer bothered questioning them.
He casually picked up a menu to look, and soon found the prices for the four new dishes:
Pheasant Soup — 1200 Gold Coins / serving
Lantern Shadow Beef — 1000 Gold Coins / serving
Yangzhou Fried Rice — 500 Gold Coins / serving
Pearl Hidden in the Dark — 2000 Gold Coins / serving
"Teacher, Yangzhou Fried Rice is that cheap?"
After looking at it for a moment, Ye Lingqing couldn't help asking.
Qi Han's expression became a little strange. He still remembered how this kid once sold Mo Wu Tuan for just a few copper coins, and now he was calling a five-hundred-gold-coin dish cheap.
Truly, Ye Lingqing had inherited his teachings well.
Ye Lingqing also realized how odd that sounded. Rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment, he quickly explained:
"I mean, that dish also has a vision phenomenon and special effects. Why is it so much cheaper than the others?"
Up until this point, the cheapest 3 Star recipe had been Jade Dragon Tendon at eight hundred gold coins. Now this Yangzhou Fried Rice clearly refreshed the lower price limits for 3 Star recipes.
"Lingqing, do you remember what rice Yangzhou Fried Rice uses?"
"Golden Thread Cloud-Patterned Rice."
Ye Lingqing answered without hesitation, after all, he had memorized the Douluo Continent Ingredient Encyclopedia thoroughly.
"Correct. Even though that rice is considered a Heaven and Earth Treasure, its value is lower compared to other treasures. After all, it can be cultivated in large quantities, even if the conditions are a bit demanding."
"As for the other ingredients in the dish, while they are precious, they're only used in small amounts as supporting ingredients. So the overall cost of the dish isn't high, which is why the price is lower."
Hearing Qi Han's explanation, Ye Lingqing finally understood. He let out a sheepish chuckle.
"In that case, I bet there's gonna be a lot of customers ordering Yangzhou Fried Rice at lunch."
When he had tasted it, he'd felt truly amazed by it. Although, just like Fried Egg Rice and Bodhi Vegetarian Dish, it was technically a fried rice dish, the ingredients and method differed quite a bit. Its flavor was far superior to ordinary fried egg rice.
And with a price half that of other Purple Card Dishes, it was more than enough to make many customers—who originally wouldn't have splurged—grit their teeth and give it a try.
"Alright, they've arrived too."
Qi Han glanced outside at the five employees standing neatly in a row. A stronger smile appeared on his face.
"Let's have our staff meal."
…
"Whoa! That's a lot of people lining up. Good thing we came early."
Standing in line outside Han Shi, Cao Yun craned his neck to look at the crowd behind him and couldn't help exclaiming.
"Of course. Master Qi closed for five days and only reopened today. Plus, rumor has it he's introducing four new dishes, and all of them are Purple Card Dishes. Naturally everyone wants to try them."
Li Hong, beside him, looked far less surprised. As a restaurant owner himself, he had already mentally estimated the kind of traffic Han Shi would draw.
"By the way… you didn't open your restaurant today?"
Giving Li Hong a curious look, Cao Yun asked:
"Your place has fried egg rice and a few stir-fries now, business is booming way more than before. You're practically making a fortune daily. You're really willing to close during the lunch rush?"
"That's what you don't understand."
Li Hong smirked mysteriously.
"Today is Master Qi's reopening. For us, it's probably the day with the worst business anyway. Since he's launching new dishes today, closing up for a bit to satisfy my curiosity actually minimizes the loss. If I closed during a busy day, that would be the real money sink."
"Look over there, isn't that Boss Long from Nine Dragons Delicacy?"
He nodded toward Long Hanyun standing further ahead in line.
"I bet we're not the only food street merchants who thought of coming today."
Unlike ordinary customers, restaurant owners had their busiest hours during mealtimes and were usually unwilling to shut down and sneak away. Even if they wanted to try other restaurants, they would normally go after the rush.
But Han Shi wasn't like other restaurants, it only opened during mealtimes and closed once the rush was over. So for the food street owners, actually getting to eat here wasn't easy.
They would normally pick a time when their own restaurant's business was weak, this way, they could enjoy good food without suffering heavy losses.
After explaining, Li Hong glanced at the half-understanding expression on Cao Yun's face, then abruptly asked:
"And you? Weren't you whining about being broke not long ago? Purple Card Dishes aren't cheap."
"Tch!"
Cao Yun suddenly became energetic.
"I wasn't whining, I really was broke back then. But now things are different!"
"Oh? How so?"
"At the time I took every coin I had and gambled on several batches of century-aged Five-Colored Brocade Chickens. Those birds are insanely expensive, each costing over a hundred gold coins!"
Cao Yun grinned.
"And when you buy them, they don't just start laying eggs immediately. You gotta pamper them, feed them good stuff, all that. So yeah, I really didn't have money back then."
"But now the hard days are over. The chickens I bought have finally started laying. Ever since you guys learned fried egg rice, I haven't had to worry about selling eggs at all!"
So that was the reason.
"No wonder, I wondered where you got the eggs to sell to the Nine Dragons Delicacy even though I've been buying so many Five-Colored Brocade Chicken Eggs from you recently, turns out you expanded your chicken farm!"
Li Hong suddenly understood, then shot him an angry glare.
"Sell me more later!"
Cao Yun: "…"
…Crap.
He accidentally spilled the beans.
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