The Lirong Inn opened up a restaurant, which was essentially a makeshift shack constructed on the inn's empty space. The signage, with its flamboyant "Li Language Dragon Flavor," was crafted by the Painter, and the posters featured a portrait of the owner.

There was a lot of debate about hanging the owner's portrait, as people felt that putting up such a poster meant the closure was just around the corner or, to put it mildly, was a hair's breadth away. However, no one dared to say anything, so it was eventually hung up.

In a seductive red long dress, with heavy yet delicate makeup, the noble Dragon Mother—how to put it—couldn't be said not to be the Dragon Mother, but apart from the clothes, there really wasn't much of a connection. After the Painter artistically processed the bodily curves, facial features, expressions, and so on, she did indeed become more like the Dragon Mother as she imagined herself.

Art always stubbornly survives in all kinds of barren lands.

Kan was performing magic at the entrance, attracting a bunch of kids. Various candies magically appeared from his top hat, all provided by the Dragon Mother.

For the grand opening, they had prepared a little, such as stockpiling supplies and replenishing seasonings. With the Dragon Mother's support, Li Xin actually went to the market to purchase important ingredients, especially soy sauce that needed to be made in-house. Having done this before in the Celestial Capital, the ingredients here were even more abundant. Adding a touch of Spiritual Ability, the effect was essentially the same.

Black bean paste, star anise, fennel, Sichuan peppercorns, etc.—the names varied slightly, and some differed in size, but most could be found. Some things that weren't available in the Celestial Capital were not only here but also quite cheap. The richness in resources was no exaggeration. For example, crucial sugar, an expensive seasoning, which they referred to as brown sugar, here was just a tenth of the price in the Celestial Capital. This was mainly because a local sweet banana, up to half a meter long and oval-shaped, was abundantly produced. Each tree could bear many fruits, which contained a rich sweet pulp from which sugar could be easily extracted. The large leaves were very thick, and sections could even be used to brew wine. Importantly, these grew in large clumps and were plentiful.

The seductive "Dragon Mother" and the Magician attracted quite a crowd. In the kitchen, Li Xin was busy, focusing on a budget-friendly approach since the ingredients were dirt cheap. In the Saint George District, the volume of sales was the key.

Li Xin was in charge of cooking, while Ma Liu assisted, speeding things up. Ma Liu was a handy kitchen helper, with remarkable knife skills. After watching Li Xin do it once, he could do it all. Li Xin wasn't secretive about it; after all, he couldn't be a chef forever. This stuff wasn't overly technical, just a temporary transition.

Although Ma Liu was a bit embarrassed, the pressure to survive made him open his eyes wide, diligently making up for any inner guilt. He indeed saved Li Xin a lot of time. Soon, more people gathered outside because today it was free.

In various churches and assemblies of Hedan, on Sundays, nobles would often engage in charity, offering free meals. Some charities even provided a day of free accommodation. But in the Saint George District, a moral lowland, only the Church of the Earth Mother Goddess persisted. Still, when this philanthropy was happening at the Lirong Inn, the first thought was, did the Dragon Mother pass away?

The Dragon Mother hadn't passed, but a hidden pain lay behind her plump face, reminiscent of cutting her own flesh. Free—this was her most hated word. Who invented such a terrifying term? They should be fried in oil!

But this was Li Xin's strong insistence. The gamble was one silver lire. Introducing new concepts to the surrounding community was incredibly difficult; it either took time or required some brainstorming. In Saint George, the latter was obviously better—straightforward and aggressive, albeit a bit costly initially, yet the promotional effect was beyond imagination.

You can't catch the wolf without risking the child, and naturally, the Dragon Mother needed collateral. If the result matched what Li Xin said, he'd earn one silver lire. If not satisfactory, he'd work for free for a year.

Li Xin, indifferent to the Painter, the Magician, or even a fortune-teller who tried to discourage him, accepted the Dragon Mother's conditions. Watching the three shake their heads and sigh, it seemed like they were the ones losing out.

Free food—if there's no cost, why not take it? Although there were limitations per person, it was still worthwhile. After three days of promotion, opening day indeed attracted quite a crowd. With plate after plate delivered by part-time waitstaff, customers encountered these dishes for the first time. They smelled appetizing, though the portions were small, merely enough for a taste. But since it was free, they couldn't be overly picky, having low expectations for the taste.

Dozens were eating, with more queued outside. "Hurry up, eat and leave, others are waiting!" the Dragon Mother yelled, evidently reverting to her true nature.

Everyone gulped it down quickly, thinking that just for the attitude alone, they'd have to say something unflattering about the taste after finishing.

...?

??

This colorful and aromatic stir-fry was a sensation, challenging traditional Moncalleta cuisine. When every seasoning gets sautéed, it unleashes a different effect. Watching everyone's expressions, the Dragon Mother felt anxious—the tastes, after all, were different. She'd also invested so much capital. How long would that broke Li Xin, who had nothing to his name, take to pay it off if he failed?

After a moment of hesitation, the dishes in front of everyone disappeared in an instant. There hadn't been much to start with, but the aroma had awoken the culinary desires in their bellies. But now, it was all gone.

"Boss, with just this bit, I can't get a taste anymore. How much, I'll buy it!"

"Exactly, hey, give me ten servings!"

"Right, aren't they just leaves and chicken? How much could it be? Give me a large serving."

...

Dragon Mama came out with a beaming smile, spreading her strong and reliable arms, quite intimidating, "Ladies and gentlemen, today is just a free tasting, no sales, the official launch is tomorrow. Those who have finished, please make room, there are more waiting in line."

Seeing the effect of this, even Dragon Mama had become more polite. One group went out, and another came in. Those who left seemed reluctant and tried to blend in with the crowd to queue again, but they were all pulled out by David. At this moment, David transformed into a hero of justice, exuding charm. Dragon Mama's eyes were burning, and at that moment, she even thought of their future child's name. Oh, how happy life will be for a family of five.

In the kitchen, Li Xin and Ma Liu were also busy, bustling with enthusiasm. One person alone couldn't manage. Although Ma Liu was notoriously difficult when it came to talking, his work was truly efficient and he was a pro in the kitchen. He wielded the knife with finesse, his actions swift. After just a few days of working together, the two maneuvered around each other in the kitchen without even grazing each other.

Everyone from the Lirong Inn came to help out. There was no choice; living there, nobody dared to offend Dragon Mama, especially since most had owed or were about to owe rent.

Perhaps because the portions were indeed too small, which amplified the effect, the scene was hotter than expected. Those who ate went back to bring their relatives and neighbors for more, because it's rare to have something both free and amazingly tasty.

Almost everyone who tasted believed that Dragon Mama was finally reformed by the Earth Mother Goddess due to years of being irritable and stingy, reflecting on herself.

Dragon Mama was both heartbroken and happy, thinking that in the future she must pay herself back doubly. After several rounds of tasting, the day's food tasting event ended. Those who had eaten were still not satisfied, while those who hadn't were even more curious. The promotional effect was outstanding.

Maybe one or two people seemed like shills, but with so many people saying it's unprecedentedly delicious, both the curious and the skeptical are eager to try it tomorrow. After the tasting event ended, a price was announced: 6 beans per serving. For the people of Saint George District, it's neither cheap nor too expensive. The spectacle was too grand to miss.

The tasting was a great success. Dragon Mama went to the back kitchen, looking at the two drenched in sweat. Dalivin, Kan, David, and other helpers squatted on the ground having a small feast. Seeing Dragon Mama enter, the eating crowd paused their chewing.

Dragon Mama smiled slightly, opened her big mouth, "Eat up, eat up, finish and have a good rest. Tomorrow is the real challenge."

Everyone worked hard today, and for the rare occasion, Dragon Mama didn't complain. She might be worried that Li Xin would demand payment and leave quickly. Before leaving, she took a few hard glances at David.

David was bare-chested, his well-toned body marked by several scars, making him even more attractive, "Little Li, your cooking is truly amazing, who would've thought you could turn such scraps into something so delicious!"

"Our Lirong Inn is full of talents: Master of Magic, Painter, Hero, Jhin, Gourmet…" Dalivin boasted while eating, and everyone nodded in agreement, frequently showering praises. Fueled by good food and self-admiration, Ma Liu, seeing Dragon Mama was not around, took a jar from behind the stove. Once opened, the aroma immediately roused everyone's appetite.

"Big, big…"

"Shall we all drink together?" Li Xin suggested.

"Yeah!" Ma Liu's constipated expression indicated just how satisfying it was to finally express himself.

Dalivin gave a thumbs up. Wine is a second life for artists. Recently, due to rent, Dalivin hadn't smelled its aroma for a long time.

They drank big bowls of wine with meat scraps mixed with various spicy dishes, everyone was eating heartily, listening to David's vivid and raunchy jokes, which kept the laughs constantly rolling.

The noise from upstairs next door was getting louder. Meanwhile, Dragon Mama, who was putting on makeup and trying on clothes, smirked, "You little brats are stealing my wine again, wait till your next life to pay back, la la, hum hum la…"

Even more intimidating than Dragon Mama herself was her singing, as if it were poison.

Since the release of the Painter's poster, Dragon Mama felt she had been elevated, starting to pay attention to her image. She was truly a beauty in the Painter's eyes. As long as they don't provoke her, she felt she should speak more gracefully. Yes, graceful; isn't this term meant to describe her?

Dragon Mama swayed her hips in front of the mirror. This seemed a bit excessive; she thought again, should grace be like this or like that?

Looking at a smaller portrait beside her, different from the large one, the Painter said different angles represent different beauty. Beauties are versatile like this. Dragon Mama was overjoyed. Tomorrow, after the busy day, she'd find a carpenter to frame it. Thinking about it, who in this place had a good hand at carpentry...

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