Lin Zhi and Lin Xia didn't delay either and headed straight towards the area at the back of the courtyard.
Since it was broad daylight now, that was the only place with fewer people passing by; when evening came and there were fewer people around, they would have to go to the other side where it was usually crowded.
This way, they were less likely to be discovered.
There was still some distance from the village end to the village center, and as Xu Xiu passed by along the way, everyone was whispering.
They all thought Xu Xiu couldn't hear, but little did they know that, as a former special agent, her hearing was exceptionally sharp, and she heard their words perfectly clearly.
It was nothing more than talking about how the fourth branch of the family, having moved out, would starve to death.
However, life was something one lived oneself, and Xu Xiu truly didn't care about the village gossip.
It was precisely because of this that she wanted the land at the village's end.
At the village center, Zhang Zhiyong's oxcart already had three or four people on it.
Xu Xiu didn't pay any attention to the others' gazes and directly climbed aboard.
She needed to think about how to negotiate the recipe with Manager Wu of Yuexiang Restaurant.
If he was truly willing to buy the recipe, then he would surely also take the dried bamboo shoots and the pork.
Therefore, she absolutely had to get him to try the pig offal she had personally prepared.
This could completely be called a deal where he only stood to gain, not lose.
However, even if Manager Wu didn't buy the pig offal recipe, she had other ways to earn silver.
It was just that she couldn't earn so much all at once.
Anyway, she had already prepared for both possibilities.
It was just that the oxcart was really too bumpy; even when she wanted to sleep for a bit, she couldn't rest properly, feeling as if her internal organs had been jostled out of place.
Fortunately, the journey to the county town took only half an hour and they arrived.
Zhang Zhiyong knew Xu Xiu was going to Yuexiang Restaurant and stopped the oxcart right at its main entrance.
"Sister-in-law, later, come find me at the crossroads by the market; I'll be waiting for you all there," Zhang Zhiyong hurriedly said to her as Xu Xiu had already jumped off the oxcart.
"You don't have to wait for me; I can make my own way back later," Xu Xiu said to Zhang Zhiyong.
She was truly afraid of the bumpy journey back, and besides, the oxcart wasn't really much faster than walking.
If she walked quickly, it would take about the same time as the oxcart.
Moreover, she had many things to buy on this trip.
"That won't do! Walking back, not only will you be tired, but it will also be slow!"
Seeing that she couldn't persuade him, Xu Xiu didn't insist and nodded towards Zhang Zhiyong before walking into Yuexiang Restaurant.
"Esteemed guest, what may I get for you?" As soon as she entered, a waiter respectfully came forward and asked Xu Xiu.
She looked around the restaurant; overall, she had quite a favorable impression.
She didn't know if it was because of her past identity, but often, when Xu Xiu did things, she relied on her first instinct.
If the feeling was good, she would proceed to the next step.
Otherwise, she definitely wouldn't take any further action.
Thinking of this, Xu Xiu said to the waiter again: "I'd like to speak with your manager, is that possible?"
Hearing this, the waiter was momentarily stunned; looking at the basket on Xu Xiu's back, he probably guessed what it was about.
So he spoke again: "Madam, are you here to sell this pork? If so, you don't necessarily need to see our manager."
"Besides the pork, I have another matter I need to discuss with your manager."
"Then, could the young lady tell me what it is about?"
Hearing this, Xu Xiu deliberately put on a troubled expression and said: "This... this matter might really require speaking with your manager directly."
Knowing this alone might not get her an audience, Xu Xiu quickly added:
"I know your manager's surname is Wu. His name is Mingtang. Today, my husband, Zhang Zixuan, sent me to find him. Please go ask him if he is willing to see me."
Hearing this, the waiter was silent for a moment, but ultimately nodded to Xu Xiu.
"Young lady, please wait here for a moment. I will inform our manager first, but I cannot guarantee he will see you."
"Alright, alright, thank you for your trouble, young man," Xu Xiu said very politely.
"Young lady, please have a seat over there; it's not mealtime yet, there are plenty of seats available," the waiter said, pointing in that direction.
Having said that, she walked in the direction the waiter had indicated.
It has to be said, Yuexiang Restaurant gave her a very good first impression.
She was clearly wearing clothes full of patches, yet the waiter showed not the slightest hint of looking down on her.
One must know that Yuexiang Restaurant was one of the top-tier large restaurants in this county town.
Usually, it catered to dignitaries or merchant families; most of these people would arrange to discuss matters in private rooms at restaurants like Yuexiang.
She had thought that someone like her, dressed in rags and looking utterly destitute, would be mocked even if she managed to enter.
She had even prepared herself mentally for being ridiculed; unexpectedly, this waiter gave her a pleasant surprise.
"Young lady, our manager is upstairs. He has agreed to see you. Please go up now; it's the private room to the right at the top of the stairs."
She was deep in thought when she heard the voice of the waiter from earlier.
Hearing this, Xu Xiu immediately became excited.
Manager Wu agreeing to see her meant she was already halfway to success.
Today, on her way here, she had been thinking about how to get to see the manager.
As long as she could see him, she would seize the opportunity and make sure he tried the pig offal she had made.
She was very confident that once he tried it, he would definitely buy her recipe.
Upstairs, turning right, after finding the private room where Manager Wu was, Xu Xiu even knocked on the door properly.
Only after hearing "Come in" from inside did Xu Xiu walk in confidently.
"You are Zixuan's wife?" Wu Mingtang asked first.
Hearing this, Xu Xiu immediately nodded gently and said "Mm," then added: "I didn't expect Manager Wu to still remember Zixuan."
"Remember? How could I not remember? Years ago, I had him deliver something to the capital for me once."
"Oh? So that's how it is!"
"Zixuan didn't tell you?" Manager Wu asked curiously.
Hearing this, Xu Xiu raised her eyebrows and said: "Manager Wu, you jest. Escort agencies, when helping deliver things, never disclose any client information. Even though I am Zixuan's wife, he has never told me anything about the affairs inside his escort agency."
As she said this, Xu Xiu wore a sincere expression.
She knew Manager Wu's words were clearly testing her.
But straightforward people don't speak in riddles; Xu Xiu disliked this feeling of talking in circles.
"Ha ha ha... Young lady, you are indeed straightforward. Speak, what brings you to find this old man today?"
Hearing this, Xu Xiu immediately perked up and said seriously: "Manager Wu, to be honest with you, today I am here to do business with you."
"Oh? Is it pork in your basket? As long as the pork isn't spoiled, for Zixuan's sake, my Yuexiang Restaurant can take it."
"Manager, you misunderstand. Besides this pork, I have also prepared a few novel dishes for Manager Wu, guaranteed to satisfy you."
Hearing this, Manager Wu was immediately disappointed.
This kind of thing happened to him every two or three days, but most of the time it was just a gimmick, offering nothing he found the least bit novel.
Now, hearing Xu Xiu's words, he held out no hope.
It could be said it failed to spark even the slightest interest deep within him.
Seeing Manager Wu's expression, Xu Xiu naturally knew what he was thinking.
So she spoke up again: "Why not let me try, Manager Wu? You won't lose out on this. If it's delicious, you can ask me for the recipe. If it's not good, I won't charge you extra. And there's one crucial point: if you find this dish delicious, I can guarantee it will be the lowest-cost dish in your Yuexiang Restaurant."
"Oh? Young lady, you have such confidence?" Wu Mingtang became curious again.
He was a business executive; hearing Xu Xiu's words naturally appealed to him.
If the cost was low, he would naturally earn more.
"If I came here today, it naturally meant I would have great confidence in this dish. Manager, are you willing to let me try?" Xu Xiu asked again.
"Alright. How long will it take to prepare this dish, young lady?"
"Very quickly, less than a quarter of an hour!"
"So fast?"
"Naturally. Manager Wu only needs to know that I am not the kind of person who casually brings up a slightly tasty dish and makes wild claims. I came up here only because I have absolute confidence that this dish could give Manager Wu a pleasant surprise."
Xu Xiu said with a composed demeanor.
Her manner did indeed pique Manager Wu's curiosity.
"Then, young lady, what is this dish you've brought this time?"
"Let me cook it first. Then, Manager Wu can taste it and see if you can guess what it is, alright?"
"Deal! Young lady, go and make it now!"
Hearing this, Xu Xiu became even more excited inside.
As long as Manager Wu let her into the kitchen, it basically meant success was assured.
One must know, the pig offal she made last night was only stir-fried in an earthenware pot, and the seasonings weren't complete.
Now, cooking here, not only were there seasonings, but also a proper wok; she was extremely confident it would taste much better than last night's.
Then, Manager Wu called someone up to take Xu Xiu to the kitchen.
The kitchen at Yuexiang Restaurant had two head chefs.
They were brothers surnamed Qin. Usually, people call them Chef Qin the Elder and Chef Qin the Younger.
Calling them that had just become a habit.
When the two brothers saw Xu Xiu, the disdain in their eyes was unmistakable.
Xu Xiu also knew that, in their eyes, she was probably like others, just an amateur trying to teach professionals.
However, Xu Xiu never cared about others' gazes; as long as Manager Wu was willing to let her try, everything else was manageable.
Rolling up her sleeves, she took out the pig offal she had prepared beforehand.
This pig offal she had already cleaned in advance.
Actually, when making this dish, washing the pig offal was also a crucial step.
If not washed properly, no matter how carefully it was stir-fried, it would still have a fishy smell.