Sludge suction system

"Fang Xiaobei, one day I will make you beg for mercy on your knees!" Ye Keke swore in her heart.

The culinary competition has come to an end, and the participating teams have all departed. Fang Xiaobei and Xia Zhi also embarked on their journey home side by side.

Fang Xiaobei gently tidied her slightly messy hair, her eyes sparkling with excitement, and said to Xia Zhi, "Xia Zhi, the competition a few days ago was truly thrilling. Even now, thinking back on it, it still feels like a dream. Thanks to you for always being by my side, giving me support and encouragement, I really don't know if I could have persevered without you."

Xia Zhi smiled playfully, gently patted Xiao Bei's shoulder, and said, "Xiao Bei, don't say that. You won this championship with your own skills. I was just cheering you on from the sidelines. Your lemongrass roasted tilapia was truly amazing. I could tell from the judges' expressions when they tasted it that this championship was definitely yours."

Fang Xiaobei blushed slightly and said modestly, "Actually, I was just lucky and happened to perform to my best ability. However, this competition allowed me to witness the superb culinary skills of many masters, and I also learned a lot."

Xia Zhi nodded repeatedly, her eyes filled with longing, and said, "Yes, this competition was truly eye-opening. The use of those strange and unusual spices, and all those unique cooking techniques, have benefited me immensely. Xiao Bei, do you think we can try incorporating these new things into our dishes when we get back?"

Fang Xiaobei pondered for a moment, then smiled and replied, "That's a good idea. We can first carefully study the dishes that have impressed us, and then combine them with our own style and local ingredients to innovate and improve them. Perhaps we can create some unique delicacies."

Xia Zhi jumped up excitedly, clapping her hands and cheering, "That's great! I can't wait to go back and show off my skills. Xiao Bei, we must work together to let more people taste our cooking."

Looking at Xia Zhi's energetic appearance, Fang Xiaobei couldn't help but laugh out loud: "Okay, let's work hard together. But before that, let's get some rest first. Everyone's exhausted from preparing for the competition."

Xia Zhi stretched and said, "Indeed, I feel like I'm about to fall apart. When I get home, I must first get a good night's sleep, and then I'll plan our new dishes properly."

As they talked, the two quickened their pace and headed towards their hometown.

Not far away, Ye Keke and Gao He stood with faces ashen. Ye Keke walked hurriedly, her hairpins swaying slightly, even the embroidery on her shoes seemed to reflect her anger. She clutched a silk handkerchief tightly in her hands, her knuckles white, muttering resentful words under her breath. Her beautiful eyes flashed with malice as she frequently glanced back at Fang Xiaobei, her gaze like a poisoned arrow, determined to get revenge someday. Gao He followed behind, dejected, his steps heavy and dragging as if he were carrying a thousand-pound boulder. His expression was complex and unreadable, a mixture of fear of Ye Keke, regret for his past actions, and an indescribable sense of loss. He occasionally stole glances at Fang Xiaobei, a fleeting hint of admiration in his eyes, but these were quickly averted under Ye Keke's angry glare, leaving only a barely audible sigh that dissipated in the wind.

As the setting sun cast a blood-red glow and dusk deepened, Fang Xiaobei, Xia Zhi, Ye Keke, and Gao He arrived at an inn while on their journey.

Fang Xiaobei wore a moon-white dress, its flowing sleeves and matching ribbon swaying gently in the wind, accentuating her graceful figure. She held a fluffy little dog named "Little Baozi" in her arms; the little guy's bright black eyes curiously surveyed everything around him. Xia Zhi, on the other hand, wore a light pink ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) embroidered with delicate floral patterns; her eyes crinkled when she smiled, radiating youthful energy.

Ye Keke remained haughty, dressed in a magnificent brocade robe, the gold embroidery shimmering brilliantly in the afterglow of the setting sun. She moved with light steps, her eyes carrying a sharp edge. Gao He followed behind her, looking slightly tired, but his posture remained upright.

As the four stepped into the inn, they heard a commotion. The innkeeper stood before the counter, a forced smile on his face, large beads of sweat rolling down his forehead. Opposite him were several burly men dressed in black, their faces menacing. The leader, arms crossed and a toothpick dangling from his mouth, snarled, "You old man, do you know who we are? We ate a meal at your inn today, and now we have stomach problems. Tell me, how are you going to compensate us?"

The innkeeper was so frightened that he bowed repeatedly and said in a trembling voice, "Gentlemen, my shop has always been an honest business, and the ingredients are always fresh and clean. Is there some misunderstanding?"

"Misunderstanding? Hmph!" The burly man slammed his hand on the counter, making the teacups on the table jump. "Stop arguing with me. Either pay up or smash up the shop. You choose!"

Seeing this, Fang Xiaobei frowned slightly, a surge of indignation rising in her heart. She gently placed "Little Bun" on the ground, took a step forward, and said neither humbly nor arrogantly, "Brother, please hear me out. You said you felt unwell after eating at this inn, but have you considered whether you ate anything else besides at this inn during the day? This stomach discomfort might be due to accidentally eating unclean fruit, or perhaps you caught a chill at night. How can you so readily conclude that it was caused by the food at this inn?"

Upon hearing this, the burly man's face flashed with panic, but he quickly regained his fierce demeanor and roared, "You little brat, don't spout nonsense! My brothers and I haven't eaten anything all day, so it's clearly a problem with the food at this inn. Mind your own business, or we'll take care of you too!"

Fang Xiaobei was not intimidated by his imposing manner. Her eyes remained firm as she calmly said, "Brother, everything should be based on reason. Look at this inn. Although it's not luxurious, it's clean and bright. The owner must have been diligent in running it. You have no solid evidence, yet you're demanding compensation from the innkeeper based solely on conjecture. That's unreasonable and unjust. Furthermore, if you smash up this inn today, the local people traveling here will have nowhere to rest and eat. How can you bear that?"

The innkeeper said anxiously from the side, "Gentlemen, please don't worry about it. We can't afford to offend these gentlemen."

But Fang Xiaobei did not back down and continued, "Boss, you don't need to be afraid. In broad daylight, how can they act so recklessly? Brother, I think it would be better if you felt unwell, we could call a doctor to take a look and see what the cause was. If it really has something to do with the food at the inn, we can discuss how to compensate you in detail. What do you think?"

Hearing Fang Xiaobei's words, the burly man was speechless for a moment, silently weighing the pros and cons in his mind. He glanced at Xia Zhi, Ye Keke, and Gao He behind Fang Xiaobei, and then at the other guests who were gradually gathering around. He knew that if he continued to cause trouble today, he probably wouldn't get away with it. So, he glared at Fang Xiaobei and said, "Hmph, you little brat, I'll let this old man go for now, but this isn't over!" After saying that, he left the inn with a few of his men, cursing and swearing.

The innkeeper breathed a sigh of relief and quickly thanked Fang Xiaobei and the others: "Thank you for your righteous help. If it weren't for you, my inn would have been in trouble today."

Fang Xiaobei smiled and said, "Boss, you're too kind. When you're traveling, you should look out for each other."

However, one problem after another arose. The innkeeper was now facing a new predicament. A wealthy man named Yan from the area had sent someone to inform the innkeeper that he needed to prepare an extremely rare dish to entertain distinguished guests. This stumped the innkeeper. He stood in the middle of the kitchen, his brow furrowed, his eyes filled with anxiety and helplessness. He kept wiping his rough hands on his apron, but the sweat on his palms wouldn't dry. Various fresh ingredients were laid out on the stove: tender green vegetables, plump pork, lively fish and shrimp, and all sorts of fragrant seasonings, but none of this brought him any peace of mind.

He stared at the already heated iron pot, muttering to himself, "What am I going to do? I've never even heard of the dishes that Master Yan specified, let alone made them. If I can't make them, not only will the inn's reputation be ruined, but I'm afraid it will also attract Master Yan's wrath."

The boss's gaze darted back and forth among the ingredients, trying to find some inspiration, but his mind was blank. He recalled Master Yan's picky tastes and arrogant expression, and his heart grew increasingly tense.

“Last time that Master Yan came to the shop, he was very picky about the dishes. This time, he even specially ordered this strange dish, saying that he wanted to entertain important guests. If I mess it up, how will my little shop survive in this town?” the owner sighed, his wrinkles seeming to deepen.