Chapter 291: Ru Yi's Strange Competitive Streak
The Dingyu Longzhen wasn't a large portion. Probably because the ingredients were so precious, the actual serving size was even smaller than a plate of egg-fried rice.
After finishing the dish, Qi Han patted his stomach, feeling somewhat unsatisfied. He then drank the last sip of his Dragon Blood Wine and stood up.
"Check, please!"
Hearing this, the attendant standing by the door stepped forward.
"Boss Qi, our master has said that this meal is on him."
"Huh?" Qi Han was momentarily stunned. "That won't do. I can't take something for nothing."
"Our boss said that your Jade Dragon Tendon was extremely beneficial to him. This is his way of returning the favor. He also hopes to befriend you, so please don't refuse."
Since the other party had put it this way, Qi Han felt it would be rude to decline further.
So, he nodded and said, "Then I'll graciously accept. Thank you."
Following the attendant's lead, Qi Han soon stepped out of Nine Dragons Delicacy. However, instead of leaving the food street, he turned toward Linlang House, which was diagonally across the street.
A single serving of Dingyu Longzhen was far from enough to satisfy him. Trying out Linlang House's new dishes sounded like a great idea.
Linlang House was famous for its alcohol, known for its mastery of combining various flowers and fruits to brew exquisite wines. Their food selection was limited, primarily consisting of small dishes meant to pair with alcohol, making it an ideal drinking spot—a little like a bar from his past life.
After waiting in line for quite some time, Qi Han finally stepped inside. The moment he did, a rich and intoxicating floral-fruity aroma greeted him, confirming the rumors about the place.
"Welcome, Boss Qi."
The owner of Linlang House was a charming middle-aged woman. Seeing Qi Han, she personally came forward to greet him.
"Hello, I'd like to try your Hundred Flowers Immortal Brew and a serving of Cold Jade Butterfly."
After glancing through the menu, Qi Han quickly made his choice.
The Hundred Flowers Immortal Brew was Linlang House's entry for this year's food festival, currently ranked ninth place. As for Cold Jade Butterfly, it was one of Linlang House's signature cold dishes.
During the last food festival, Cold Jade Butterfly had even won first place.
The owner of Linlang House wasn't surprised by Qi Han's choice. She simply smiled, acknowledged his order, and had her staff prepare the dishes.
About ten minutes later, a bottle of Hundred Flowers Immortal Brew and a plate of Cold Jade Butterfly were brought to his table.
The Hundred Flowers Immortal Brew was stored in a slender, sealed bottle made of semi-transparent glass, shimmering with an enamel-like glow under the lights—truly dazzling.
As for the Cold Jade Butterfly, it was a beautifully arranged cold platter, consisting of various braised and chilled appetizers, carefully laid out to resemble a lifelike butterfly.
Even Qi Han had to admit—this dish deserved to be the previous champion of the food festival.
Uncorking the bottle, a strong yet enchanting floral aroma instantly surged out.
This fragrance wasn't singular—it was a harmonious blend of multiple flower scents. The most astonishing part was that none of them overpowered the others—Qi Han could distinctly identify each one.
He had no idea how they managed to achieve this, but even among Ru Yi's 2 Star wines, he had never encountered anything similar.
"Hmph! Just you wait! I'll find something even better than this!"
Ru Yi huffed in dissatisfaction, clearly displeased by Qi Han's inner thoughts.
Seeing how this had somehow triggered Ru Yi's strange competitive streak, Qi Han couldn't help but chuckle.
He poured the wine into his glass, finally getting a clear view of the Hundred Flowers Immortal Brew.
A pale green liquid swayed gently within the glass, and under the light, faint multicolored glimmers flickered across its surface.
A richer, more layered floral fragrance now drifted from the wide-mouthed glass, tempting any true lover of fine alcohol.
Qi Han raised his glass and took a small sip.
It felt as if he had stepped into a vast sea of flowers, surrounded by countless blossoms in full bloom.
The moment the intense floral essence and the wine's rich aroma enveloped him, Qi Han felt his mind waver slightly, as if he were floating.
The Hundred Flowers Immortal Brew had a slight sweetness, a rich and refined texture, and a long-lasting aftertaste.
Just from one sip, Qi Han could tell—this wine was just a tiny bit below Ru Yi's 2 Star wines.
With this level of quality, it was no surprise that it had reached the top ten on the first day. In fact, Qi Han believed it would stay within the top ten until the festival's end.
Indeed, the world's cuisine should never be underestimated.
After drinking down the first sip, Qi Han picked up his chopsticks, carefully clipping off one of the butterfly's wings from the Cold Jade Butterfly, and placed it into his mouth.
Yes—chopsticks.
As Han Shi's influence continued to grow, so did the spread of chopsticks, a utensil originating from Han Shi's culture.
Many people had quickly recognized the advantages of this new tool.
Compared to forks and knives, chopsticks made it easier to pick up smaller pieces of food and only required the use of one hand, making them far more convenient.
As a result, many general stores in Shrek City had already started selling chopsticks.
After all, they were easy to replicate with just a glance—there wasn't much technical difficulty involved.
Qi Han had long been aware of this phenomenon, but he felt no resentment. On the contrary, he was quite pleased.
Having lived another life, seeing fragments of the brilliant civilization from his past world emerge in this one gave him a great sense of accomplishment.
As a leading establishment in the Food Street, the sharp-minded owner of Linlang House had quickly noticed how useful chopsticks were for picking up cold dishes. Without hesitation, she had introduced them into her restaurant, which was why Cold Jade Butterfly was served with a pair of chopsticks—a very logical decision.
Though Cold Jade Butterfly was a platter of assorted cold dishes, it wasn't like a traditional large sharing platter. Instead, Linlang House had opted for a refined, delicate presentation.
For example, the butterfly wing Qi Han was holding with his chopsticks was actually a thin slice of air-dried beef about the size of a palm.
Air-drying wasn't a particularly complex technique—as a common preservation method, it wasn't surprising that air-dried beef existed on the Douluo Continent.
This particular slice of beef had been carefully trimmed and shaped, making its surface exceptionally smooth. It was about the thickness of a fingernail, with a deep reddish hue and a slight sheen of oil, indicating that it had been coated with some kind of sauce.
A subtle yet enticing aroma wafted from the beef slice.
Qi Han took a small bite, biting off about a quarter of it, and began chewing slowly.
The moisture had been thoroughly removed, but the savory, umami-rich flavors of the beef remained completely intact.
The seasoned coating had a bold, salty taste that perfectly complemented the natural beefiness of the meat.
After swallowing a piece of dried beef, Qi Han took another sip of his wine.
The full-bodied aroma of the alcohol became even more pronounced, intensifying its depth and richness.
Qi Han nodded approvingly, then reached out with his chopsticks for another piece from the Cold Jade Butterfly.
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By the time Qi Han left Linlang House, the restaurant owner herself had come to see him off personally.
He stepped onto the street in a pleasantly tipsy state.
Once outside, he slowly used his spirit power to neutralize the alcohol in his system, gradually returning to sobriety.
"This time, you didn't manage to get much out of the trip," Qi Han remarked as he glanced down at Pururu, the cat in his arms.
"Meow~"
Just being with my human is happiness enough!
Pururu let out a soft purr and shifted slightly in Qi Han's embrace.
Finding a more comfortable position, the cat promptly curled up and fell back asleep.
So cozy!
As man and cat strolled leisurely back toward Han Shi, a shadowy figure suddenly darted out from the side and blocked Qi Han's path.
"Please wait!"
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