Chapter 33: Very Well, You Have Been Blacklisted
Translator: OnGoingWhy Editor: Vermillion
"Welcome to Bu Fang's Little Store. The menu is on the wall. Tell me when you've decided on your order."
As Xushi stepped into the store, a likable voice rang out. An adorable loli was staring at him while blinking her eyes.
"The young lady from the Ouyang family?" Xushi raised his eyebrows and was slightly surprised. Even though the intelligence from his spies had already mentioned Ouyang Xiaoyi's presence, he was still amazed when he actually saw her.
"Why would the princess of the Ouyang family actually demean herself by becoming a waitress of this little store? Did she become stupid?"
At the entrance, a slim and tall young man wearing a chef's uniform slowly got up. He was cracking his neck as he lazily walked toward the kitchen.
"That's the owner of this store? His cultivation level is really low… How is it possible that he's only a second grade Battle-Master? To be able to kill four Battle-King assassins, he should be at least be a sixth grade Battle-Emperor."
Xushi thought as he stroked his beautiful, long beard while staring at Bu Fang's back in astonishment.
"Hey, what are you ordering?!" Ouyang Xiaoyi unhappily asked. She was annoyed that this old fellow was not paying attention to an adorable loli like her and was staring at the smelly boss instead. Was her adorable charm inferior to that of smelly boss?
Xushi awkwardly smiled as he turned his attention back to her and looked toward the menu on the wall. With this look, his pupils suddenly constricted.
"The rumors were true. The number one shady store in the imperial city is indeed true to its name..." Xushi sucked in a breath of cold air and muttered to himself. Even though he was following the crown prince's orders to investigate this store, he was still bewildered when he saw the astronomical prices on the menu.
"I'll have… Fish Head Tofu Soup." Xushi was not someone who lacked money. He glanced through the menu and selected his favorite one, the Fish Head Tofu Soup.
"Please wait a moment." The little loli snorted and headed toward the kitchen. She did not like this old fellow that paid more attention to the smelly boss than to her.
Xushi found a seat and sat down. The store was not big and there were four tables. It was cozy and compact, while the environment was quiet and clean. The overall feeling that it gave customers was good.
Da da da.
A series of footsteps came from outside. Several people approached from a distance and stepped into the store.
"Hmm? Xushi?" A voice lightly exclaimed. Xushi was puzzled as he turned toward the entrance and saw a middle-aged man.
"Great Secretariat Su, I didn't expect to see you here," Xushi stood up in surprise and did a fist and palm salute while slightly bowing. The middle-aged man in front of him was the great secretariat from the imperial court. Xushi was shocked that such a person would personally come to this little restaurant.
Even though the Light Wind Empire was a martial country, there were still civil servants. After all, considering both martial and civil aspects was the true way of governing a country.
Su Yuanqing recognized the man with the beautiful, long beard in front of him. Xushi, the favorite person of the crown prince, was well known within the imperial court.
Since Su Yuanqing and Xushi were not familiar with each other, they took separate seats after exchanging greetings. Su Yuanqing ordered Egg-Fried Rice.
Bu Fang was already busy cooking in the kitchen. "It seems that there's a lot of new customers today. What's going on? Could it be that someone within the imperial city is helping to advertise the store?"
Even though Bu Fang was puzzled, his hands did not stop. He scooped up a third grade Thunder Silver Carp and started to remove the scales. After the intestines were discarded, he rinsed the fish with water and chopped off the head.
Keeping the head, the rest of the fish was thrown into Whitey's stomach area to be recycled. Then Bu Fang took out the sparkling Ice-crystal Jadeite Tofu from the freezer and began to cook the Fish Head Tofu Soup.
While the Fish Head Tofu Soup was being simmered, Bu Fang took out a white egg that was as big as his fist from the freezer.
It was the first egg laid by a fifth grade Deep Sea Foal Eagle and was rich with spirit energy. Bu Fang heavily tapped it against a blue and white porcelain bowl and managed to crack the egg into the bowl with one hand.
While he was preparing the dishes, Fang Fang's Little Store was already packed with people.
"I'll have the Egg-Fried Rice."
"Give me the Dry-Mixed Noodles! And hurry up!"
"I want the Lees Fish."
…..
Watching as the customers squeezed into the store, Ouyang Xiaoyi was slightly dumbfounded. "When did this store of ours… become so popular?"
She counted at least a dozen customers. "Oh my heavens! Is this really the store that was completed deserted a few days ago?!"
"Everyone, calm down. There's too many people, so queue up first," Ouyang Xiaoyi loudly said. There was nothing else she could do. Since it was really inconvenient for the customers to squeeze into the store, she had to make them queue up. The space within the store was too small.
"Queue up? Little girl, do you know who I am? I am the housekeeper of Lord Zhang! How dare you make me queue up! Hurry up and let your boss serve me my food," A middle-aged man wearing a silk robe unhappily scolded Ouyang Xiaoyi.
"So what if you're the housekeeper of Lord Zhang! Little girl, do you know who I am? I am the main housekeeper of the Director of the Board of Rites!"
"Is a housekeeper of the Director of the Board of Rites that impressive? I am the personal bodyguard of King Mu!"
…...
Ouyang Xiaoyi expressionlessly looked on as the group of customers endlessly quarrelled. Every one of them had self-important expressions on their faces.
Even though the loli was amazed that the subordinates of the bigwigs would come to eat at a store located in an alleyway, she was very upset about how pompous they were.
Xushi lightly shook his head as he listened to the argument behind him and thought that it was quite ridiculous. He clearly understood the reason why this group of people was there because they had the same objective as him.
It was laughable that the crowd actually did not recognize the identity of the girl and wanted to jump the queue by announcing their background.
Among these people, the waitress was the one with the scariest background. However, he could not be bothered to point it out to them.
Just then, a rich fragrance drifted out of the kitchen. The smell was like a piece of silk rubbing across their cheeks. Everyone within the dining area went into a daze as they subconsciously breathed in the fragrance.
The eyes of both Su Yuanqing and Xushi lit up. The smell was… very fragrant! There was a reason why the price was so high.
Bu Fang was carrying the Egg-Fried Rice out of the kitchen when he saw the crowded situation in the dining area. He was stunned for a moment and was slightly unable to accept the fact that the store suddenly became popular.
However, he remained calm and the astonishment only lasted for an instant before he became expressionless once more.
"Everyone has to queue up accordingly. Each customer can only order each dish once. Takeout is not allowed. Cutting in line is not allowed. Anyone who violates the rules will be blacklisted and service will no longer be provided to them," Bu Fang simply said. His voice was not loud but was able to overwhelm the noise.
Then, within an instant, the entire store erupted into an uproar.
These people were sent by their masters to investigate the store. They were used to lording over others outside, so how could they tolerate so many rules from a tiny store like this? They instantly started to clamor.
Bu Fang expressionlessly placed the Egg-Fried Rice in front of Su Yuanqing.
"Here's your improved Egg-Fried Rice, please enjoy your meal," Bu Fang said.
Su Yuanqing's sight was already attracted by the Egg-Fried Rice. He nodded and no longer paid any attention to Bu Fang.
"Be quiet! Don't make such a racket!" Bu Fang coldly shouted while frowning.
"Gosh, darn it! You brat, don't push your luck! I am giving you face by eating here! I am the subordinate of Lord Zhang! I am not someone you can afford to offend!" The housekeeper angrily scolded while pointing at Bu Fang.
The others were also pointing at Bu Fang while indignantly swearing.
The store that was quiet for a moment became noisy once more.
Ouyang Xiaoyi rolled her eyes and then saw the irritable expression on Bu Fang's face. She suddenly decided to silently observe these people for a moment. Of all the places they could act conceited in, they had to come to Fang Fang's Little Store...
With a series of mechanical sounds, Whitey's gigantic figure appeared behind Bu Fang with its mechanical eyes flashing.
"Oh my! Do you think that you're invincible just because you have an iron puppet? Is this where your confidence is coming from?!" When the housekeeper saw Whitey, he was amused for a moment. He had seen plenty of puppets before and knew that they were all just a bunch of junk.
Bu Fang narrowed his eyes and pointed toward the housekeeper of Lord Zhang.
"Very well, you've been blacklisted."