Chapter 27 - Xinyuan Restaurant

UNEDITED

The blazing sun rose higher and higher as the market had also reached its peak. You could hear peddlers shouting out their wares everywhere on the street. Ling Jingxuan in one hand carried the jarr and with the other pulled along the two buns. Father and sons, three people squeezed together in the crowd, walked and stopped, walked and stopped. They would walk up to take a look when seeing rare objects people sold, but nothing was bought. Compared to his previous life of seeing the ancient small towns on television, the buildings here were less gorgeous by one point but there was an extra point in the atmosphere of the ancient era. Basically the structure was not too big of a difference.

“Daddy, where are we going this time ah?”

They had walked around for awhile now and sweat had already soaked their shabby clothes. As they walked, Big bun, who was excited, suddenly raised his head. His gaze meaningfully swept over the jars in Ling Jingxuan’s other hand. This isn't him being worried that the jam won't sell, right?

“Hehe… why are you anxious ne, haven’t we arrived?”

Seeing Big Bun’s doubt, Ling Jingxuan faintly smiled towards the gorgeous building not too far away. Ling Wen followed his gaze over and the doubt in his eyes deepened. “That is a restaurant?”

Many females and males with gorgeous clothing were entering this three story pagoda. The crowd passing by could faintly see the people eating inside. He heard grandpa say before that a place that offered food for other people to eat was called a restaurant.

“En.”

Without having the intention to explain at all, Ling Jingxuan dragged them over to the gorgeous restaurant. A piece of grass thrown on the ground was trash. If you bundled it up with cabbage then you could sell it at a low price.  If you bundled it with a big crab then you could sell it for the price of a big crab. The crucial point was how you packaged it. If he sold the jam he made on the street the most he would get would be several Wen. He also was unsure how much it would be selling it to a grocery store. If it wasn’t for the money making plan, perhaps he would have randomly sold it for cheap, but right now…

Xinyuan Restaurant! Datong Town’s biggest restaurant, it was the only one. The gorgeous three story pagoda was located in the town’s most flourishing district. If the people entering were not local government officials or the rich, then it was traveling merchants.If you randomly pull a person, they would still be extremely wealthy. It’s said that every time the county magistrate came to Datong Town they would come here to eat. Thus, compared to other restaurants Xinyuan was undoubtedly the very best.

Standing in front of the restaurant, Ling Jingxuan raised his head to look at the four flamboyant words suspended above the door. The corners of his mouth faintly hooked and he had an aura of evilness. Long and narrow phoenix eyes were full of undisguised calculations. This was it!

“Daddy, are we really going to enter ah?”

Ling Jingxuan, who was pulling them, wanted to enter. The twin faces of Ling Wen and Ling Wu both showed timidness. Because of their shabby clothes on their body, the surrounding people had already started to point fingers at them. Afterall the two children were still small and had matured early. Their faces were full of shame as they started to pale quickly.

Lowering his head to look at them, his indifferent gaze swept across the people on the road who were pointing at them. Ling Jingxuan squatted down to lovelying rub their faces, “Everyone are people, we are only just a bit poorer. We also haven't done anything wrong, what is there to be afraid of?”

“But…”

Ling Wen looked around at his surroundings and wanted to say something but hesitated. Ling Wu shyly hid behind him. Ling Jingxuan helplessly shook his head. “How about you guys wait for me outside ba. I’ll come out after I sell the jam.”

The two buns were sensitive to how others regarded them, this bit he knew. So he also didn't want to force them. It was their first time waiting at a place like this so it was normal for them to shrink back a bit. After all, they haven’t seen much of the world yet.

“No, no need. Wherever daddy goes we will also go.”

After looking at him for a long time, Ling Wen summoned his courage to stammeringly respond. Ling Wu at the same time also silently came out from behind him. Ling Jingxuan gave them an encouraging expression then rubbed their heads again and entered the restaurant.

It was currently not during the busy meal time so the restaurant was unlikely to be overcrowded. But at the majority of the tables sat merchants, rich nobles, and delicate ladies in splendid clothes. The coarse hemp clothed Ling Jingxuan and sons were undoubtedly uncommon creatures. As soon as they entered, they instantly attracted all the attention. Switched to an average person, perhaps they would have been already too terrified that their legs were soft, but Ling Jingxuan seemed as if he didn't notice their burning gazes. Calm and collected, he dragged the two buns to the front desk.

The bun who were still a bit cowardly, upon seeing this they straightened out their backs. Daddy isn’t even afraid, what were they afraid of?

“This guest…”

A waiter immediately ran over to stop them. Ling Jingxuan declined him,  “No need to greet, I’m looking for your shopkeeper to talk about some business.”

“Eh…”

The waiter’s forehead was a bit dark, who wanted to greet them?

“This guest is looking for something with me?”

A seemingly 30-40 year old shopkeeper raised his hand to retreat the waiter. His gaze was oddly looking at them with curiosity, contrarily they did not have any disdain in it.

“This humble self is Ling Jingxuan, a scholar. May I ask the surname of the shopkeeper?”

Giving the jars to Ling Wen, Ling Jingxuan cupped his fist in greeting towards the shopkeeper. His slim and elegant face had a faint smiling expression. There was no deliberate fawning, but it was also not lacking in manners. The shopkeeper inwardly took in the whole scene, smiled and greeted in return. “This surname is Zhang, not sure what the guest needed?”

To be able to take up the position as the shopkeeper of Xinyuan restaurant, Shoperkeeper Zhang was considered to be a very experienced person. Although the man in front of him was wearing coarse hemp clothing, he also seemed to be very young, but he did not give off the feeling of a poor scholar. Just from how calm he was at this time made him treat him with respect.

***