**Chapter 81: Xiao Li, the Chosen Employee**
1417 Words
Fenghuang Temple, side room.
Assistant Xiao Li was in such a good mood he felt like dancing and singing.
After spending a full six months at this temple, Young Master Yun was finally getting ready to go home. And what did that mean? It meant *he* could finally go home too!
Sure, he hadn't done much actual work these six months, but the food situation had been rough. Aside from sneaking off to Qionghua Eatery now and then for a decent meal, he'd been eating vegetarian along with Young Master Yun.
Not that Master Zhengyuan's vegetarian cooking wasn't delicious — but he was a carnivore.
But tomorrow, this life would finally end.
*Braised pork hock. Big fatty pork knuckle. Here I come!*
After packing up, he pulled out his phone to relax and saw the message in the Qionghua Eatery group chat. He burst out laughing.
"Young Master Yun, Qionghua Eatery is only selling r****h dishes today. The pictures show they're freshly picked — look really fresh and crisp. Want me to pack a box for you?"
Yun Tingyi nodded instinctively.
Last time Master Zhengyuan went out, he couldn't stomach the food from the other temple chefs. He'd been so hungry he saw stars and almost keeled over.
His assistant Xiao Li couldn't stand it anymore and ran to Qionghua Eatery to pack him a box of Emperor Qianlong's Cabbage (Qianlong Bai cai).
Maybe it was because he was starving, but he thought that was the best cabbage he'd ever eaten — crisp, sweet, and refreshing. The sesame sauce and honey in it were unforgettable too.
So he completely forgot his own words about never eating Qionghua Eatery's food again and started sending Xiao Li to pack vegetarian dishes every few days.
After eating that way for months, he'd developed a bit of an attachment.
Thinking about going back to the family estate tomorrow — he probably wouldn't get to eat this again for a long time.
He thought for a moment, then called Xiao Li back.
"If they're only making r****h dishes today, let's go eat at the restaurant directly. When you pack it to go, the steam always softens everything. It'll never taste as good as eating it fresh."
Xiao Li nodded happily over and over. "So rare, Young Master Yun — you're finally willing to go out. We can go early when there are fewer people, nice and clean."
Plus, he could say goodbye to Boss Jiang in person.
---
Fenghuang Temple was very close to Qionghua Eatery.
Yun Tingyi hadn't gone out in ages. His legs felt weak. The few-hundred-meter walk took him forever — stopping and starting, dawdling the whole way.
"How did this place get so ugly?"
The last time he came was summer. The eatery had been surrounded by blooming flowers — quite pretty. Now all those flowers had been pulled up. All he saw around it was bare black soil.
"Young Master, how long has it been since you last went out? It's winter. Flowers wilt — it's normal."
When they walked into the dining hall — maybe because there was no meat on the menu, or maybe because it was still early — there were hardly any customers. A few servers were huddled at the front desk.
Yun Tingyi didn't sit down. His gaze traveled from the floor to the tables, then over to the kitchen door. He was a little surprised.
Qionghua Eatery was *very* clean. Even the kitchen's ceiling, walls, and floor tiles were spotless white.
*Not bad.* Satisfied, he picked a table that looked the newest, walked over, and shot a glance around.
Assistant Xiao Li immediately pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped down both the table and the chair in front of him.
Yun Tingyi sat down gracefully.
"You go order."
Liu Yanghe watched the two of them with wide eyes and muttered under his breath, "What's wrong with these people? I washed that table myself — it doesn't get any cleaner. What are they pretending to wipe? And are we in the Qing dynasty? Who has servants anymore?"
Zhu Lili quickly coughed softly. "Ahem — keep it down. Don't say stuff like that. What if they hear you?"
Xiao Li walked straight to the front desk and announced loudly, "Hello — ready to order."
Zhu Lili quickly put on a smile and went to greet him.
"Xiao Li, long time no see. You're not doing takeout today?"
"Heh heh. We'll have all three dishes, plus two bowls of rice." Xiao Li pointed at the menu, ordering everything. Then he gave a little wink. "The boss came in person today. You know what I mean."
Zhu Lili gave an OK sign. "Got it. *Super clean.*"
After Xiao Li went back to his seat, Liu Yanghe leaned in again.
"You know that guy?"
Zhu Lili whispered quickly, "Regular. You probably haven't noticed him. The guy across from him is his boss. Extremely germaphobic."
Xiao Li came often to pick up vegetarian dishes for his boss. Every time, he had one request — clean, clean, absolutely clean. That's why she remembered him so clearly.
"Germaphobe?" Liu Yanghe held out his palm. A stream of clean water swirled above it. "Too bad he's not a woman. He'd be perfect for me — I specialize in curing germaphobes."
Zhu Lili choked on her own saliva.
"...Ahem. Dude, please! Stop talking nonsense. I'm going to help in the kitchen."
---
On the other side, the moment Zhu Lili entered the kitchen, she gave Jiang Tingyun a meaningful look.
"Sect Master, Xiao Li and his boss are here in person. They ordered all three dishes. Request — make it clean."
Tingyun was surprised. "His boss came too? Usually it's just Xiao Li picking up takeout."
Honestly, she was starting to regret making vegetarian dishes today.
This boss of Xiao Li's was a really difficult person. She really hoped he wouldn't start nitpicking in her restaurant. What to do? She kind of didn't want to serve him.
She shook her head and pushed that unprofessional thought aside. Then she started cooking the r****h dishes.
Today's three r****h dishes were extremely simple to make.
The spicy-sour pickled r****h slices were already done — they'd been marinating. She had Zhu Lili take those out first.
The braised r****h clay pot had been simmering. She just needed to reduce the sauce.
Only the clear r****h shred soup had to be made from scratch.
Tingyun peeled the r****h, sliced it, then cut the slices into thin shreds.
She sautéed them in oil until soft, added boiling water, and let it simmer. Right before taking it off the heat, she added only salt and white pepper to season. That was it. The whole thing took less than ten minutes.
This clear r****h shred soup — no stock to boost the flavor, no animal fat, not even an egg. Just the pure taste of the r****h itself.
Her homegrown radishes really tasted excellent — sweet and crisp, not spicy even when eaten raw. That's why she dared to make such an utterly simple clear soup and sell it.
---
Yun Tingyi and his assistant felt like they'd just sat down.
The food arrived quickly.
"Spicy-sour pickled r****h slices." Zhu Lili carefully set down the plate. She didn't dare say a single word more and immediately turned and left.
She always felt that Xiao Li's boss, despite being good-looking, seemed like trouble. Better to get out fast before he found something to complain about.
Yun Tingyi glanced at Xiao Li.
Xiao Li promptly pulled out Yun Tingyi's personal eating utensils from the bag he always carried, rinsed them again with hot water, and handed them over.
Then he used the serving chopsticks to move half the r****h slices into his own bowl. "Heh heh, boss, go ahead." *[Translator's note: The original text says "into his own bowl" — logic unclear; possibly a typo in the original intended to be "into the boss's bowl"?]*
Liu Yanghe had a clear view of this whole scene from the front desk. He couldn't help remarking to Pei Jingmo, "Look at this Xiao Li — now *that's* talent. In the old days, he'd be at least Su Peisheng level." *[Su Peisheng: a famously sycophantic eunuch in the Qing dynasty imperial court]*
Pei Jingmo was busy with the accounts and didn't even look up.
"Don't gossip about the customers."
But in his heart, he was a little confused. Who was Su Peisheng?
- Writer
