I Have a Countryside Gourmet Restaurant

Chapter 274: Chapter 259: Let’s Enjoy It First

Lu Yuan politely said, ”Not at all.”

Then, in the next moment, an expression of disbelief, mixed with immense pleasant surprise, appeared on his face.

Because the Chopped Pepper Fish Head Li You brought over looked quite good.

No, not just ’quite good.’ It was as if he had never seen a dish with such an incredible presentation.

Lu Yuan had eaten Chopped Pepper Fish Head countless times and had seen many versions with excellent presentation.

But none of them seemed to compare to the one before him now.

Its appearance alone would probably whet the appetite of someone who didn’t like fish heads, or even someone who hated them.

And that was a feeling he had never had before.

Never before, upon seeing a Chopped Pepper Fish Head, had he thought that even people who hated fish heads would find it appetizing.

But now, he felt that conviction strongly.

This stunned Lu Yuan.

’What’s going on? How can this Chopped Pepper Fish Head look so unbelievably good?’

’Judging by looks alone, this Chopped Pepper Fish Head might actually surpass the best one in all of Xiang Province.’

’Could what Liu ZeLin said actually be true?’

It was the first time Lu Yuan had entertained this thought. It made him feel incredibly excited, yet also very nervous and uneasy.

He was excited because he now had boundless expectations for the flavor of the dish before him.

He was nervous and uneasy because he was also terrified that what Liu ZeLin said was true.

He couldn’t accept the possibility that the world’s best Chopped Pepper Fish Head wasn’t in his home, Xiang Province, but right here.

’Chopped Pepper Fish Head is a famous dish from Xiang Province, our pride and joy. The best one has to be in Xiang Province. How could it possibly be in another province?’

Lu Yuan’s emotions were instantly a tangled mess.

He was desperate to pick up his chopsticks and find out what it tasted like, yet at the same time, he was somewhat afraid to do so.

He had boundless expectations for the flavor, but he also feared that it would be truly, exceptionally good.

’If only this restaurant were in Xiang Province, or if Li You himself was from my home province... that would be perfect.’

But alas, there were no such ”if onlys.”

In the end, Lu Yuan picked up his chopsticks.

It was impossible not to eat it.

It wasn’t just that he couldn’t resist the temptation of the dish before him. Even if he chose not to eat, it would be nothing more than self-deception.

’If I don’t eat it, does that mean the flavor of this Chopped Pepper Fish Head ceases to exist?’

’Of course not.’

’So, I might as well eat. There’s really nothing to hesitate about.’

Lu Yuan picked up a piece of fish and put it in his mouth. The flavor was far better than he had imagined; it was an exquisite delicacy the likes of which he had never tasted.

With just that one bite, all his questions were answered.

Everything Liu ZeLin had said was true.

The Chopped Pepper Fish Head here truly did surpass every version in all of Xiang Province. It was the best Chopped Pepper Fish Head in the world.

He could reach this conclusion even without having tasted the single best version in Xiang Province.

Because no matter how delicious the best Chopped Pepper Fish Head in Xiang Province was, it certainly couldn’t compare to the one before him.

Of course, theoretically speaking, this was an unfounded assertion.

There are no 100% certainties in matters like this.

Lu Yuan also hoped that somewhere, in some hidden corner of Xiang Province, a better Chopped Pepper Fish Head existed.

But this was merely a theoretical hope. The probability was just too low.

And so, Lu Yuan could only face reality with sorrow and resignation.

’Li You is so young. How can he make Chopped Pepper Fish Head that tastes this incredible?’

Lu Yuan couldn’t figure it out. All he could say was that it was utterly unbelievable.

Of course, amidst his sorrow and resignation, Lu Yuan also felt an unprecedented excitement.

Because a Chopped Pepper Fish Head with such a flavor actually existed in this world, and he was the one eating it.

For someone whose favorite foods included Chopped Pepper Fish Head, being able to eat a version like this was definitely one of the luckiest moments of his life.

It was also absolutely one of the most exciting.

And so, Lu Yuan began to devour the meal.

’I’ll worry about everything else later. For now, I’m just going to enjoy the best Chopped Pepper Fish Head in the world.’

After feasting for a while, Lu Yuan suddenly stopped and shouted to Li You, ”Proprietor, get me another one—no, get me two more orders of Chopped Pepper Fish Head!”

Li You agreed with a chuckle and said, ”It seems I didn’t disappoint you, Mr. Lu.”

Lu Yuan gave him a thumbs-up and said, ”Disappoint? Far from it! It’s unbelievably delicious, beyond anything I could have imagined. You’re amazing, Proprietor! It’s just a shame you’re not from our Xiang Province.”

Li You said, ”So you’re from Xiang Province, Mr. Lu.”

Knowing that Lu Yuan was from Xiang Province made the last part of his previous statement very easy to understand.

Lu Yuan nodded. ”I am indeed. To be honest, Proprietor, even in our own Xiang Province, you probably couldn’t find a Chopped Pepper Fish Head this good. Your version has surpassed every chef in our entire province.”

’Of course,’ Li You thought. ’I have the Chopped Pepper Fish Head recipe from the system, and the fish head and chopped peppers I use are all top-quality ingredients. Naturally, no chef in Xiang Province can compare.’

Out loud, however, he said modestly, ”You’re too kind, Mr. Lu. There must be many chefs in Xiang Province who specialize in Chopped Pepper Fish Head. Some are famous, and some are hidden masters. So, it’s very possible someone out there makes a better version than mine.”

These words were very pleasant for Lu Yuan to hear.

But unfortunately, that possibility likely only existed in theory.

So, Lu Yuan said, ”You’re being too modest, Proprietor. While I truly wish someone in Xiang Province could make a better Chopped Pepper Fish Head than you, the chances of that are minuscule.”

After offering a few more modest words, Li You went into the kitchen to prepare another Chopped Pepper Fish Head.

Lu Yuan, meanwhile, continued to feast.

The more he ate, the better it tasted. It was truly an exquisite delicacy. Even the chopped peppers themselves were unbelievably delicious.

’Proprietor Li You’s cooking skills are simply divine.’

Lu Yuan marveled inwardly.

Just then, the first group of customers for the evening, other than Lu Yuan, arrived.

There were three of them in total.

The moment they walked in, before they had even chosen a table, one of the customers eagerly called out to Da Bai, ”Da Bai, half a braised chicken and three bowls of wine.”

Da Bai acknowledged the order.

Only then did the three of them find a table and sit down.

This scene caught Lu Yuan’s attention.

It wasn’t because of Da Bai. While waiting for his Chopped Pepper Fish Head, Lu Yuan had already met Da Bai and Xiaohai and had even exchanged a few simple words with them.

He took notice because the three men seemed a little too eager to order their food.

’Could it be that the braised chicken here is also an exquisite delicacy? So much so that people can’t even wait to sit down before ordering it?’

’Should I order some to try as well?’

Lu Yuan thought to himself.

The fact that the three had ordered wine along with their braised chicken didn’t particularly register with Lu Yuan.

Wine, after all, was something almost every restaurant served. And they usually offered many kinds: spirits, beer, and infused liquors; cheap ones and expensive ones.

Besides, it was perfectly normal for customers to want some wine with their braised chicken.

So, Lu Yuan paid it no mind.

But his indifference was destined to be short-lived.

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