"She ate it," Grandma Yang said excitedly to her daughter-in-law. "I took her to eat seafood, and she finished a whole bowl of rice without spitting anything out."
"She didn't throw up?" Li Juan was stunned. "Yueyue actually has an appetite now?"
"She really does." The old lady quickly told her about the new seafood restaurant that had opened in Pear Blossom Lane. "When we passed by, Yueyue kept tugging at me, begging to eat there. The food is excellent, but... a little pricey. Even a steamed egg is 188 yuan."
"As long as Yueyue is willing to eat, it doesn't matter how much it costs." Relief washed over Li Juan, her heart finally loosening after days of worry. The joy even followed her back to work.
Her colleagues noticed instantly.
"Sister Juan, something good happened?"
Li Juan couldn't help smiling. "My child finally has an appetite."
"That's wonderful! You've been worried sick these past few days."
Li Juan nodded. "Yes… I didn't expect she'd suddenly start eating just because of a seafood restaurant."
"What restaurant is it?"
"Where is it? My kid's appetite has also been terrible in this heat. If it's really that good, I'll take him too."
"I'm not sure about the details. I'll ask when I get home."
---
Ye Jiujiu finished clearing the table and headed back to the kitchen. Since she was eating alone tonight, she decided to make herself a big bowl of spicy mantis shrimp—no fancy plating needed.
The freshly cooked mantis shrimp glowed a beautiful, bright red. The plump meat, soaked in spicy broth, released a fragrance that made her mouth water. She picked up a piece with her chopsticks and took a bite. The moment the meat touched her tongue, she could feel how firm, tender, and springy it was—completely different from farmed mantis shrimp.
The heat of the sauce only enhanced its natural sweetness. If she focused, she could even taste a faint, almost fruity note of freshness.
Red, glossy, fragrant, spicy—irresistibly good.
Halfway through, she dropped her chopsticks altogether and switched to using her hands. This was the right way to eat mantis shrimp.
Too delicious.
No wonder Gao Yuan had wiped his plate clean yesterday. If it were her, she wouldn't have left a single piece either.
She finished the entire bowl in no time, leaving behind only a few scraps of shell and some leftover broth. A small, satisfied burp escaped her lips.
So good.
Leaning lazily back in her chair, she gazed at the banana leaves swaying gently outside the window. Life felt unexpectedly comfortable.
Fresh, top-quality seafood delivered daily.
Two thousand yuan earned each day.
The work wasn't even exhausting.
The more she thought about it, the more content she felt. For a moment, she almost convinced herself to take the night off.
But her early-evening customers had other plans.
Lele's father, who had come the previous day, returned again—this time with several well-dressed men in suits. "Boss, I'm treating our suppliers to dinner today. Give us everything on the menu."
"Maybe take a look first?" Ye Jiujiu said kindly, pointing to the pricier dishes like the conch and mantis shrimp.
"How big is the mantis shrimp?" one of them asked.
Ye Jiujiu extended her arm. "About this long."
Lele's father clapped. "Perfect. Let's have it."
The supplier, who'd eaten at countless high-end restaurants, looked around the quiet alley skeptically. "There aren't many people here. Is it really as good as you say?"
Lele's father laughed. "Mr. Li, I felt the same way yesterday. Then I took one bite and almost cried. You'll know soon."
When the dishes arrived, the supplier's doubts vanished.
The Thai-style cold clam salad that he had initially looked down on hit him with a burst of refreshing, ocean-bright flavor the moment it touched his tongue. Then came the silky steamed eggs, the spicy stir-fried snail slices, the crisp and sweet cat's eye snails, the savory fermented snails, and finally—the showstopper—the crispy-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside mantis shrimp.
"Manager Zhang… you're right. This place is unbelievable." After a few plates, he even felt more energized. "Only downside is that we can't smoke."
Manager Zhang chuckled. "Next time we can pick a place where smoking is allowed."
The supplier rubbed his stuffed belly and shook his head. "No need. This is worth the sacrifice."
Everyone laughed in agreement.
As night deepened, the temperature cooled, and three more tables of customers arrived—drawn by word-of-mouth praise. After serving them, the mantis shrimp, coconut snails, and conch all sold out. With nothing left, Ye Jiujiu closed the doors early.
By 9 p.m., the crowd had dispersed. She finished cleaning the restaurant and kitchen around 10, took a shower, and lay on her bed, bathed in silver moonlight drifting through the window.
What kind of seafood would appear in the fridge tomorrow?
Just thinking about it made her feel excited.