8. Shredded Lemon Chicken

A bowl of fermented rice milk ice was swiftly placed on the table, perfectly quenching the heat that Yu Qing and her companion had felt all the way here.

Yu Qing eagerly stirred it slightly with a porcelain spoon before scooping up a spoonful to taste. She made sure to get not only the creamy milk on top but also the fermented rice settled at the bottom. Each bite was a harmonious blend of the milk’s smooth richness and the fermented rice’s gentle sweetness. The delicate texture combined with the chewy rice grains, along with the occasional delightful surprise of small glutinous rice balls, felt like a refreshing breeze sweeping away the oppressive heat.

“What a rich milky aroma!” Yu Qing praised. “And there’s a faint hint of orange—so fresh.”

When ordering, Yu Qing mentioned her preference for a less sweet version of the fermented rice milk ice. Hence, this bowl had no osmanthus honey but was instead garnished with freshly grated orange peel, offering a subtle sweetness accompanied by a delicate orange fragrance.

“My version has osmanthus honey and it’s delicious—sweet but not cloying,” her friend chimed in.

The two then briefly lamented how the taste of milk seemed to be growing weaker nowadays.

By the time their complaints had subsided, the other dishes they had ordered were ready.

Yu Qing immediately pointed to the beef sauce cold noodles and said, “It’s this beef sauce! Old Yang brought me some before, and I devoured it in just a few meals. I’ve been craving it for days—it’s driving me crazy.”

Her friend teased, “Cold noodles that cost over twenty yuan? Yu Qing, if I didn’t trust your taste, I wouldn’t want to be the fool spending that kind of money.”

Yu Qing urged, “Then hurry up and try it!”

Her friend mixed the noodles thoroughly, ensuring every strand was coated with sauce and beef bits. After taking a big bite, her eyes squinted in delight.

She didn’t speak at first but nodded repeatedly. Once she swallowed the noodles, she exclaimed excitedly, “This beef sauce is made with solid ingredients—crispy, fragrant meat chunks, not just filled out with mushroom bits or soybeans. The noodles are especially smooth, and the combination is incredible! Are those pine nuts? No wonder there’s a nutty aroma.”

As she ate, she already planned to take some beef sauce home. The owner had reminded them earlier that the sauce wasn’t sealed or preserved with additives, so it needed to be consumed quickly even if refrigerated. Unlike canned beef sauces bought off the shelf, its shelf life was much shorter.

Reflecting on this, she was certain the owner was just overly cautious. With so little sauce, it wouldn’t last long anyway.

Just as she was pondering how much to buy, Yu Qing across the table suddenly hummed with a puzzled expression.

“What’s wrong? Isn’t it the same taste as when you had it before?” her friend asked.

Yu Qing looked surprised. “It tastes even better than that day!”

She muttered to herself, “Could it be because the noodles at the restaurant are better than the ones I ordered before? Or maybe the owner improved the recipe? Looks like I’ll have to come here more often.”

The two had eaten half a bowl of noodles before remembering there was still a dish of lemon shredded chicken on the table.

Yu Qing said, “I almost forgot! Let’s eat this. I thought the shredded chicken would go well with the cold noodles. Since they don’t sell shredded chicken cold noodles separately, we ordered an extra plate of lemon shredded chicken to mix in.”

Xin Huan happened to pass by and reminded them, “Guests, we’ve recently added shredded chicken cold noodles to the menu, right under the beef sauce cold noodles. You can try that next time.”

Yu Qing hadn’t noticed before and frowned in indecision. “But the beef sauce... and the chicken... I don’t want to give up either. Sigh! Forget it, eating both together is more satisfying!”

Her friend had already reached out to grab some chicken.

The cooked chicken was shredded into small pieces, each almost carrying a bit of skin to enhance the chewiness. Upon closer look, the skin was dark, indicating it was made from black-boned chicken.

“What’s special about that?” her friend asked curiously and took a bite. A refreshing blend of mild spiciness with a sweet and sour tang burst onto her palate. The chicken was well-seasoned, far from bland, with a tender yet resilient texture compared to ordinary chicken. The aroma of lime was rich from the first bite, while the heat from the tiny chili peppers built gradually with lingering intensity.

She exhaled sharply but couldn’t resist reaching for another piece.

“Yu Qing, this is delicious—tangy, spicy, and so refreshing!”

The slight spiciness was there, but thinking it over, without it, the dish wouldn’t be nearly as remarkable. Perhaps this was what it meant to hurt and enjoy at the same time.

Yu Qing hurried to keep pace with her friend, lest all the shredded chicken disappear into that seemingly bottomless stomach of hers. Normally, she claimed to have a small appetite and picky tastes—one place too bland, another too greasy—yet here she was, not putting her chopsticks down. It was quite strange.

After tasting the lemon shredded chicken, she understood.

“Stop!” she called out, halting an almost inevitable tug-of-war over the last pieces. “Half each.”

Yu Qing divided half the plate into her bowl and was surprised to find a few cucumber slices underneath, thoroughly soaked in the sauce and equally flavorful. She included the cucumbers in the division—three slices each.

They almost felt like splitting the plate in two.

Mixing the shredded chicken into the noodles was another perfectly harmonious pairing.

The two finished every dish until their plates were spotless, an oddly satisfying sight. They snapped photos of the empty dishes for social media, captioned, “You’d eat like this too if you came.”

Soon, several people asked where they had dined, and Yu Qing replied one by one with the address of Nanlai Restaurant.

She then quietly scolded her husband Yang Xinzhi for not sharing this discovery. How could he resist telling others about such delicious food? Didn’t he realize how tough the restaurant business was? Shops changed owners every few months. If they didn’t promote this place to friends, what if it shut down? Where else could they find such tasty dishes?

Nanlai Restaurant had few customers, which Yu Qing found worrisome.

Back in college, a small eatery nearby perfectly suited her palate. She frequented it every other day, yet it still closed, leaving her full of regret. Since then, whenever she found a satisfying meal, she never hesitated to spread the word.

Before leaving, Yu Qing and her friend, both fully satisfied, took home ten portions of beef sauce each.

——

Recently, business at Nanlai Restaurant had improved considerably. Though the total number of customers was still modest, many who came once kept returning, steadily increasing revenue.

Nan Tu finally felt confident that running this restaurant could sustain her. She recalled the first week or two after opening: even without rent expenses, they lost money daily. Ingredients that couldn’t be used within a day went to nearby neighbors. Though nothing was wasted, her wallet kept shrinking.

Now things were different. Even Sun Ying at the market, seeing the volume of supplies Nan Tu loaded into her cart, remarked on her growing success.

With some money earned, Nan Tu began inspecting the restaurant, looking for what could be added. The old noodle shop’s kitchen had many small stoves, which she hadn’t removed. Now she planned to buy a batch of clay pots for soups, stews, and braising rice.

High-quality clay pots were expensive, and Nan Tu had to grit her teeth to purchase them, investing not only recent profits but some of her own money.

She glanced toward the back door.

If only more customers came in.

Nan Tu hadn’t forgotten that last time Ji Xiangming appeared, a single order of assorted fried rice, a pot of cold-brewed tea, and a jar of beef sauce brought in nearly five hundred yuan in profit.

Other customers who came once became regulars, but the VIP customers... once they left, they disappeared without a trace.

——

In the Anjin Desert, Ji Xiangming’s mercenary squad was embroiled in a fierce argument.

“What else can we do but turn back immediately after something like this?”

“Have you calculated how much clean water remains? Even if we set out now, can we guarantee everyone will make it back to Tianling City?”

“Then what? Should we act like those disreputable teams and abandon members to fend for themselves? How can we face people after doing that? Does this team still have cohesion? Would we dare trust our backs to teammates ever again?”

“That’s why I said we should stay and hunt exotic beasts, drinking their blood to replenish water.”

“More than half of exotic beast blood is poisonous! What are the chances we find a non-toxic, large enough beast?”

Amid the heated dispute was a subdued voice full of regret: “It’s my fault for not guarding the water bag well. I’m sorry. Let me go—I volunteer.”

Last night, Pan Yang, inexperienced on night watch, failed to notice that the largest water bag had been gnawed open by a midday jerboa. The water leaked silently into the sand and was absorbed completely. By morning, the water bag was half empty.

Compared to the precious loss of clean water, losing some dried meat and canned food was insignificant.

The group continued arguing. After Pan Yang spoke, seizing a moment when attention was elsewhere, he bit his lip and decisively ran off in one direction.

Ji Xiangming, silently standing aside, grabbed Pan Yang’s backpack strap and pulled him back.

Still holding onto the strap, Ji Xiangming suddenly raised his voice: “At this point, why not try that restaurant I mentioned?”

No one had considered that possibility. They all fell silent, exchanging confused looks.

“Jie Wei, did you see the beef sauce I brought back?” Ji Xiangming asked one person.

“I saw it,” said Jie Wei, a woman with short hair and a scar on her temple. She not only saw it but tasted it—and it was delicious. Mixed with their dry noodles, the rich oil from the meat sauce soaked into the brittle crackers, making even the usually choking crackers easier to swallow. The crispy, fragrant meat bits gave a solid, hearty sensation that still made her happy to think about.

Ji Xiangming turned to another teammate. “Old Duan, we live and eat together in Tianling City and pack our gear together. Have you ever seen me bring this jar of beef sauce to the Anjin Desert?”

Old Duan hesitated but replied, “No.”

“Then where did my beef sauce come from?” Ji Xiangming demanded, his voice firm, looking each person in the eye.

His teammates avoided his gaze.

It was too unbelievable—no one believed he had actually found a restaurant in the desert. Ji Xiangming didn’t need their approval, but at this life-or-death moment, he wanted to gamble that mysterious restaurant still existed and could supply them with food and water.

Perhaps then, none of his teammates would perish in the desert.