Chapter 27 — Xinyuan Restaurant
The fiery red sun climbed higher and higher, and the marketplace reached its peak. Everywhere on the streets, the passionate cries of vendors hawking their goods could be heard. Ling Jingxuan carried a jar in one hand and held the two little buns with the other. Father and sons squeezed through the crowd, stopping and starting as they went. Whenever they spotted a stall selling rare or curious items, they would always drift over to take a look, though they never bought anything. Compared with the ancient town streets he had seen on television in his previous life, the buildings here were less ornate, but carried a heavier sense of age and rustic solidity. In terms of overall structure, however, there was not much difference.
“Daddy, where are we going?”
They had been walking for quite a while now. Sweat had already soaked through their worn clothes. The big bun, who had been excited the whole way, suddenly lifted his head, his gaze pointedly sweeping over the jar in Ling Jingxuan’s other hand—clearly worried that the jam might not sell.
“Heh… what’s the rush? Aren’t we here already?”
Seeing through the big bun’s suspicion, Ling Jingxuan smiled faintly and nodded toward the magnificent building not far ahead. Ling Wen followed his line of sight, the confusion in his eyes deepening.
“Is that a restaurant?”
Well-dressed, prosperous men and women went in and out of the three-story building. Through the gaps in the crowd, he could vaguely see people dining inside. He had heard Grandpa say that places where people went to eat were called restaurants.
“Mm-hmm.”
Without any intention of explaining further, Ling Jingxuan simply tugged them along toward the lavish restaurant. A blade of grass tossed on the ground was just trash; tied together with cabbages, it could sell for the price of cabbages; bundled with hairy crabs, it could fetch the price of hairy crabs. The key lay in how you packaged and marketed it. If he sold his jam out on the street, he might make at most a few dozen copper coins. Selling it to a general store wouldn’t bring much more. If not for that money-making plan, he might have dumped it cheaply without a second thought. But now…
Xinyuan Restaurant! The largest restaurant in Datong Town—bar none. The luxurious three-story building stood in the most bustling and eye-catching location in town. Those who entered were either local gentry and wealthy elites or traveling merchants. Pick anyone at random and they would be rolling in money, rich enough to dominate a region. It was said that whenever the county magistrate came to Datong Town, he dined here. As such, compared to all other restaurants, Xinyuan clearly reigned supreme.
Standing directly in front of the restaurant, Ling Jingxuan raised his head and looked at the four boldly written characters hanging above the entrance. The corner of his lips curved slightly, an eerie, wicked glint flashing across his face. His narrow phoenix eyes were filled with undisguised calculation.
This was the place.
“Daddy… are we really going in?”
Grabbing Ling Jingxuan just as he was about to enter, Ling Wen and Ling Wu’s thin little faces both showed fear. Because of their shabby clothes, passersby were already pointing and whispering at them. The two children were still young yet clever and sensitive, and their small faces were flushed red with embarrassment.
Lowering his head to look at them, then sweeping a cold glance at the pointing onlookers, Ling Jingxuan crouched down and gently, indulgently stroked their faces.
“We’re all people. We’re just poorer, that’s all—and we haven’t done anything shameful. What’s there to be afraid of?”
“But…”
Ling Wen glanced around, hesitating, while Ling Wu directly shrank behind him. Ling Jingxuan shook his head helplessly.
“Then why don’t you wait outside? I’ll sell the jam and come right back out.”
He knew the little buns were sensitive and proud, so he didn’t want to force them. Standing in a place like this for the first time, it was normal for them to feel intimidated. After all, they hadn’t seen much of the world yet.
“N-no… it’s fine. Wherever Daddy goes, we’ll go too.”
After staring at him for a long moment, Ling Wen finally mustered his courage and stammered the words out. At the same time, Ling Wu silently stepped out from behind him. Ling Jingxuan gave them an encouraging look, ruffled their hair once more, and then led them into the restaurant.
It was not yet the peak dining hour, so the restaurant was far from overcrowded. Even so, most of the tables were occupied by well-dressed merchants, young nobles, or pampered young ladies. Against this backdrop, Ling Jingxuan and his two sons—dressed in coarse cloth and simple hemp garments—were undoubtedly a rare sight. Almost the moment they stepped inside, they drew everyone’s attention. An ordinary person might have been frightened to the point of weak knees, but Ling Jingxuan seemed completely oblivious to the scorching stares, calmly leading the two little buns toward the counter.
The younger bun, who had been a bit timid earlier, couldn’t help but puff out his small chest when he saw this. If Daddy wasn’t afraid, what was there for them to fear?
“Esteem guest—”
The shop attendant, snapping back to his senses, hurried over to block their way, but Ling Jingxuan pushed past him without pause. “No need for formalities. I’m here to speak with your shopkeeper about some business.”
“Uh…”
The attendant’s vision went dark for a moment. Who said he wanted to greet them anyway?
“What business do you have with me, sir?”
The shopkeeper, who looked to be in his thirties or forties, raised a hand to dismiss the attendant and looked at them with unconcealed curiosity. There was no trace of contempt or disdain in his eyes—only puzzlement and interest.
“My name is Ling Jingxuan, a humble scholar,” Ling Jingxuan said. Tossing the jar to Ling Wen, he clasped his fists and bowed to the shopkeeper. His thin, refined face bore a faint smile—neither ingratiating nor distant. “May I ask for your honorable surname?”
“Zhang,” the shopkeeper replied with a smile, returning the gesture. “And what might you need, sir?”
As the shopkeeper of Xinyuan Restaurant, Shopkeeper Zhang had seen all kinds of people. Although the man before him was dressed plainly and looked quite young, he did not give off the air of an ordinary impoverished scholar. His composure alone was enough to merit respectful treatment.
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Translator: LazyHermitGal
Author: LazyHermitGal
A Lazy Hermit Gal. A little support goes a long way! If you’d like to help me keep creating, you can do so at https://ko-fi.com/lazyhermitgal
