"Take a guess?"
Hu Tao looked at Xiangling with smiling, squinting eyes, feeling a little proud inside.
Hehe…
She was probably the first person from Liyue to be invited to Blue Star, right? A tiny bit proud.
"Can't tell." Xiangling shook her head.
Early summer in Liyue was already a bit hot. Hu Tao sat properly under the tree in the courtyard. Under Xiangling's curious gaze, she tore open the packaging of the instant noodle cup, revealing the noodle brick and the seasoning packets inside.
"This is noodles?"
Looking at the round noodle cake wrapped in plastic, Xiangling's little face looked even more surprised.
She could tell it was a wheat product, but it felt strange. Wanmin Restaurant's noodle dishes were top-tier, yet she'd never seen hard noodles like this.
"Hehe… this is called instant noodles. Just put in the seasonings, then add boiling water. In about three or four minutes you'll have a steaming bowl of delicious instant noodles."
Seeing Xiangling's astonished look, Hu Tao felt a little smug.
Getting a renowned Liyue chef to show that expression was no easy feat.
"Really?" Xiangling was skeptical.
From her past experience, noodles soaked in water turn mushy and over-soft. That awful texture wasn't great—might as well gnaw on a steamed corn bun.
If you want tasty noodles, you still need patiently simmered broth and careful cooking.
Don't underestimate simple noodles—not everyone can make them well.
"Of course it's true. If you don't believe me, watch."
Hu Tao used Pyro to bring the kettle to a boil, then eagerly poured the water into the cup, finally using the fork attached to the lid to reseal it.
Before long—
As steam began to waft out, a savory, spicy fragrance drifted from the cup.
"Wow… smells so good! Should be about ready."
Timing it in her head, Hu Tao quickly lifted the lid. The once hard noodle cake had loosened but hadn't turned soft; instead it looked springy and bouncy. Bits of dried beef and rehydrated compressed greens floated on the soup, fragrance continuously rising.
"This…" Xiangling was surprised. It wasn't what she imagined.
Not only had it not gone mushy—it smelled enticing.
Hu Tao took out a pair of chopsticks. "Hehe… as the Director's friend, naturally we share blessings. This bowl's for you. I've got plenty more."
Taking the chopsticks, Xiangling instinctively took a bite.
The firm, chewy texture mixed with rich beef broth blossomed on her taste buds.
It wasn't as delicious as Wanmin's noodle dishes, but the taste was quite good.
Most importantly—
In just three or four minutes you could get a steaming, tasty bowl of noodles. That was just too convenient.
If she had these noodle bricks, she could pair them with Wanmin's broths and sauces and open up a new category of noodle dishes. That would not only drastically cut cooking time, it would also greatly enhance flavor.
"Slurp, slurp…"
Xiangling slurped down mouthfuls, and soon finished the spicy beef noodles.
She felt the slight numbing spice on her lips, and a lingering desire for more.
"Tasty, right? And let me tell you, these noodles aren't just tasty—they keep for a long time. As long as you don't tear open the seal, they keep for a whole year."
Hu Tao's smile grew brighter as she cheerfully introduced the features.
If even Xiangling wore that surprised look, what about everyone else in Liyue?
By then, Ken's shop would surely be booming.
And the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor could ride the wave too—maybe orders would skyrocket.
"Hu Tao, where did you get these noodles? With a shelf life this long, if you sold them, they'd definitely be a hit."
Xiangling wiped her mouth, a bit excited.
Liyue had no shortage of adventurers.
Just imagine—adventurers struggling in the wild, able to eat a steaming bowl of noodles when they're starving. What a joy.
And these cup noodles were lightweight and easy to carry, barely adding any load.
Way more convenient than foraging for fruit or hunting.
Hunting depends on luck anyway. Around the frigid Dragonspine, the cold dominates you—spotting prey doesn't mean you can actually make a move.
"Hehe, why don't you guess?" Hu Tao teased.
Xiangling mused, "If this goes on sale, it'll definitely sell like crazy. It's just like Mondstadt's specialty shop… Mond—no, wait. Did you buy these from a Mondstadt caravan?!"
The specialty shop in Mondstadt was already famous in Liyue.
It sold compressed biscuits and bread that were very filling and had a long shelf life. Paired with mineral water and canned meat, they were beloved by adventurers.
Not long after it opened in Mondstadt, word spread to Liyue—but most stock arriving in Liyue was snapped up by adventurers immediately.
Xiangling had snagged some before. Compared with fresh bread, they weren't particularly delicious, but they were light, filling, easy to store, and kept for a long time—perfect for adventurers and also for busy folks with no time to cook.
So after a brief daze, Xiangling thought of the Mondstadt specialty store.
It was said those foods came from Blue Star, and the owner of the Mondstadt specialty store was a visitor from Blue Star with Great Prophecy, Mr. Ken.
Could the store be selling a new product?
"Hehe… you only guessed half right." Hu Tao said proudly, "It is related to the Mondstadt specialty store, because last night, I was invited by its owner to visit Blue Star. These are gifts he gave me. Hehe… here's a little secret: the Liyue specialty store is about to open too!"
"I knew it!" Xiangling exclaimed. "No wonder these noodles are so convenient. When Mr. Ken comes to Liyue, you must introduce me!"
Hu Tao giggled. "Mhm, of course. You want to buy noodles?"
"Perhaps… we can cooperate." Xiangling's eyes sparkled.
Compared to Liuli Pavilion and Xinyue Kiosk, Wanmin Restaurant was always a humble, people-friendly eatery: the most common ingredients, the most universal flavors, the most refined technique—to make the tastiest dishes.
If she could bring in these convenient noodle bricks as a base ingredient and blend various sauces herself, launching a new line of quick noodles would not only save time, but likely attract even more diners.
Of course—
She wasn't trying to steal Ken's business. She just wanted to cooperate: bring in some noodle bricks and cook to order at the restaurant.
"So that's your idea. You can talk to Mr. Ken about it when the time comes. Now let me try the new dish you brought me!"
Hu Tao had plenty of faith in Xiangling's cooking.
After all, she was about to upend Liyue's culinary world.
But when Hu Tao excitedly opened the food box and saw the dish inside, her expression turned odd.
"Is this Qingxin? Stir-fried with… something? Is this really tasty?"
Encouraged by Xiangling's look, Hu Tao suspiciously picked up a bit with her chopsticks and put it in her mouth.
The bitterness of Qingxin mixed with a weird sticky texture made Hu Tao's face change instantly.
"Bleh…"
In an instant, Hu Tao jumped up and ran to the side to retch.
So bad!
"Xiangling, what is this?" After gulping down several mouthfuls of water, Hu Tao finally suppressed the nausea.
Hard to imagine Xiangling would make something so strange!
Xiangling smiled with squinted eyes. "My new dish: Stir-fried Qingxin with Slime Condensate. Looks like you don't really like it."
Slime condensate?
Hu Tao's face went green. "Bleh… Stir-fried Qingxin with Slime Condensate… bleh… is this revenge on me?"
"Hahahahaha… Then how about next time I let you try Hilichurl-wood grilled fish?" Xiangling laughed uncontrollably at Hu Tao's appearance.
Though Hu Tao didn't like her new dish, Qingxin's taste wasn't for everyone to begin with—let alone with slime condensate added.
Xiangling felt this dish would appeal to people who love Qingxin.
"No thanks… this Director doesn't want to be your test subject."
Hu Tao hurriedly waved her hands, then huffed, "Instant noodles are better. I wonder how Zhongli is doing with the shop… Once it's found, Mr. Ken can open for business."
…
Warm wind and bright sun washed a sky as clear as jade. A sea-salted breeze swept the busy streets of Feiyun Slope as two tall figures walked slowly along.
One of them was Zhongli, whom Hu Tao had sent to find a shop.
The other was a young man with short brown hair, bright as the sun and a bit boyish—the Fatui Eleventh Harbinger, Childe Tartaglia, from Snezhnaya.
"Why does Mr. Zhongli want to buy a shop near the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor?"
Upon learning Zhongli's intent, Tartaglia looked surprised.
As a Fatui Harbinger, he had come to Liyue on the Tsaritsa's orders, to conduct covert schemes and obtain the Gnosis.
But unlike Signora's aloof coldness, he hadn't acted rashly upon arrival. He planned to familiarize himself with Liyue first, then make his move.
Know yourself and know your enemy; a hundred battles, a hundred victories.
Through the Fatui's many informants in Liyue, Tartaglia had learned there was a consultant at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor who was very familiar with Liyue's history and customs.
Realizing this man might help him, Tartaglia tried approaching Zhongli.
Sure enough, he found Zhongli erudite.
What surprised Tartaglia today, though, was that Zhongli wanted to buy a shop near the funeral parlor. People in this line of work may have few taboos, but the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor serves the dead. Even if Zhongli didn't mind opening a shop nearby, common folk might. Business might not be good.
"Mm… I'm helping a friend pick a suitable shop."
Zhongli told the truth.
Tartaglia raised a brow. "If Mr. Zhongli truly wants to buy one, the Fatui can help. The shop right next to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor is one of our properties. If you're interested, I'll give it to you."
"That's not really appropriate, is it?" Zhongli said politely.
"It's fine—consider it making a friend. Besides, that shop doesn't do well because it's too close to the funeral parlor," Tartaglia said casually.
In fact—
Even if its business was poor due to the location, a shop on Feiyun Slope—where every inch of land is precious—was still extremely valuable.
But for the Fatui, who monopolized the Liyue banking business, it was a trivial expense.
In Tartaglia's view, befriending Zhongli would greatly benefit his plans. The Fatui didn't understand many of Liyue's customs.
And his next plan was closely tied to one of Liyue's ancient rituals—he'd need to consult Zhongli.
Zhongli smiled. "Since you are so gracious, I shall accept."
"Please, Mr. Zhongli." Tartaglia smiled.
The two walked down the street toward the shop.
Shortly after they left, a tall, upright figure stepped out of a nearby store—it was Ken.
…
After finishing work, Ken had come to Liyue.
Unlike Mondstadt's foreign flair, Liyue's retro streets gave Ken a familiar, intimate feeling.
While strolling the street, he happened to see Zhongli and Tartaglia. Curious, Ken stood in a nearby shop and listened to their conversation.
If he'd heard right, Tartaglia was going to gift Zhongli a shop to do him a favor.
"Hu Tao asked Zhongli to find me a shop; Tartaglia gives Zhongli a shop… Zhongli freeloads off Tartaglia, I freeload off Zhongli—round it up and I'm freeloading off the Tsaritsa."
Ken felt his logic was perfectly sound. After all, Tartaglia was Snezhnaya's envoy; the Northland Bank was a Snezhnayan industry; they all answered to the Tsaritsa.
Considering the Northland Bank's monopoly in Liyue, a little freeloading didn't seem like a big deal.
As for Zhongli…
Truly a man who never carries Mora when he goes out.
Though Venti, Zhongli, and Ei together couldn't scrape up a single Mora, unlike the busking Venti, Zhongli never lacked wallet carriers.
Like Tartaglia now, vying to pay.
That's the Geo Archon's skill… ahem.