stonecrandall Chapter 1128 The Owner Behind Gao's Restaurant!
Chapter 1128 The Owner Behind Gao's Restaurant!
"Brother, are you alright?" Fan Sizhe asked cautiously, clearly quite frightened by Fan Xian's actions just now.
"It's nothing." Fan Xian put down his chopsticks, forcing himself to calm down. "I just feel that these dishes... are very special."
"That's what makes it special!" Versace breathed a sigh of relief, his excitement returning. "No wonder the food here is so delicious! I heard the chef was brought in from Dongyi City, and he uses some kind of secret seasoning..."
The West? Fan Xian sneered inwardly. This was not something the West could possess.
His gaze swept across the restaurant again. Now, every detail seemed eerie: the overly neat arrangement of tableware, the landscape paintings on the walls that clearly used perspective, even the style of the frog buttons on the waiters' uniforms... all subtly pointed to an aesthetic system that did not belong to this era.
If the eldest princess is indeed a time traveler, or if she has time travelers under her command, then what exactly is her purpose? Is it merely to open a thriving restaurant? Absolutely not.
This restaurant boasts an excellent location and a high volume of customers, many of whom are high-ranking officials and dignitaries. It was not only a prime location for intelligence gathering but also a platform for building connections and exerting influence. Those dishes that kept officials lingering were, in a way, a subtle form of control.
Fan Xian suddenly recalled a passage Ye Qingmei had written in her letter: "There are many doors in this world. Some doors lead to a way out, while others lead to a trap. You must learn to distinguish between them, and more importantly, you must learn to build your own door at the right time."
What kind of door is Gao's Restaurant?
"Brother, are you still going to eat? If not, I'll eat it all." Fan Sizhe's voice pulled Fan Xian back to reality.
"You eat." Fan Xian pushed the plate towards Fan Sizhe, then picked up his teacup and took a sip.
The tea was top-quality Longjing, with a fragrant aroma. But Fan Xian couldn't taste it. His thoughts had already wandered far away: if there really was another time traveler, and if that person was truly under the command of the Eldest Princess, then had the secret he had been so carefully hiding all along already been exposed?
Was the other party friend or foe? Was Ye Qingmei's disappearance and death related to this?
More importantly—from which era does the other party come? Are they from the early 21st century, like myself? Or earlier, or later? How much knowledge from that world did they bring? And what were these knowledge used for?
One question after another flooded in, leaving Fan Xian feeling suffocated. He had originally thought he was the only anomaly, the only variable in this world. But now it seemed the game was far more complex than he had imagined.
"Sir, here is your bill." The same waiter reappeared at the table, handing over a piece of paper with both hands.
Fan Xian took the bill and glanced at it. The bill was also printed, with clear numbers, distinct items, and a total column at the end. This method of bookkeeping also exuded a modern feel.
"That's twelve taels and seven mace of silver in total," the servant said with a smile.
Fan Sizhe gasped, clearly the number exceeded his expectations. Fan Xian, however, remained calm and took out a silver ingot from his pocket, placing it on the table: "Keep the change."
"Thank you for the reward, sir." The servant put away the silver and respectfully withdrew.
As Fan Xian stepped out of Gao's Restaurant, the afternoon sun was rather dazzling. Standing on the steps, he glanced back at the gilded signboard. The four characters of "Gao's Restaurant" gleamed in the sunlight, as if mocking his ignorance and panic.
"Brother, where are we going now?" Versace asked in a low voice as he followed behind him.
Fan Xian did not answer immediately. His gaze swept across the bustling street towards the direction of the palace. There, Princess Li Yunrui resided in her Guangxin Palace, strategizing and manipulating events.
"You should go back first," Fan Xian finally spoke, his voice eerily calm. "I still have some things to take care of."
"Huh? What's wrong now?" Fan Sizhe asked with a pained expression. "Dad told me to stay with you today and not let you run around..."
“Tell Father I’m going to the Censorate,” Fan Xian interrupted him. “There are some files that need to be checked.”
Before Fan Sizhe could react, Fan Xian had already taken a step and blended into the crowd on the street. His figure quickly disappeared around the corner, leaving Fan Sizhe standing alone in front of the restaurant, looking at the unfinished dishes on the table, then glancing in the direction Fan Xian had disappeared, finally sighing and resignedly walking back.
Meanwhile, Fan Xian was navigating the intricate alleyways of Kyoto. His steps were quick, but his thoughts were even faster.
We must revisit Gao's Restaurant. But not by force. We need a plan, we need intelligence, and we need to find out what secrets it holds.
And then there's the eldest princess. This mysterious woman, how much does she really know? Is she directly connected to her mother's death? How much knowledge and technology beyond this era does she possess?
Fan Xian suddenly stopped. He stood in a quiet alley, flanked by high brick walls, from which a few withered vines peeked out. The afternoon sun cast his long shadow, lonely and solitary, onto the bluestone slabs.
He slowly raised his head and looked up at the sky. The sky over Qing Kingdom was very blue, with clouds drifting lazily by, just like the world he remembered.
But the world is different now.
“I’m not the only one…” Fan Xian muttered to himself, a complex smile suddenly appearing on his lips. “Interesting. Very interesting.”
He took a deep breath, and a light rekindled in his eyes. It was a light that mixed with vigilance, excitement, and determination. The game may have changed, but he, Fan Xian, was never a pawn to be manipulated.
Whoever it is, whoever it comes from, if they are to be enemies, then they are enemies.
If we can be friends... is there really another lonely soul in this world like myself?
Fan Xian shook his head, banishing the unrealistic thought from his mind. He straightened his robes, took firm steps, and headed towards the Overwatch Council.
On the other side, flames roared in the kitchen of Gao's Restaurant, with iron pots and stoves churning and boiling. Steam billowed like white ribbons around the beams and pillars, and the smell of cooking oil mingled with the spicy aroma of star anise and Sichuan peppercorns.
A figure stands in front of the most popular stove, his arm muscles bulging, the heavy black iron pot in his hands constantly shaking and spinning on his wrists—bright red chilies, tender white meat slices, and emerald green vegetable stems tumble and blend in the boiling oil, transforming into a dazzling Kung Pao Chicken.
Sweat trickled down his forehead, only to be evaporated by the fire before it could drip. With a swift movement, he tilted the wok precisely onto the blue-and-white porcelain plate, and the food cascaded in, piling up perfectly into a full, rounded mountain. Almost simultaneously, the waiter beside him bowed, picked up the wok, and strode quickly through the swaying bamboo curtain, carrying the aroma and savory flavors of the wok to the bustling main hall.