Sludge suction system

"What is it?" Fang Xiaobei asked, looking at Master Yan sitting above.

Master Yan's eyes were full of earnestness and expectation. He rose from his seat, cupped his hands towards Fang Xiaobei, and said, "Miss, the moment I tasted your 'Golden Jade Plate Emerald Soup' today, I knew I had encountered a master chef. To be honest, in a few days, some very important merchants from the Western Regions will be visiting my residence. They come from different places, have discerning palates, and have tasted delicacies from all over the country. I have thought long and hard, and only your exquisite culinary skills can impress them. I would like to invite you to my residence to prepare a fine banquet, so that they may appreciate the profoundness of our Central Plains cuisine. I wonder if you would agree?"

Fang Xiaobei hesitated for a moment, then lowered her head and said softly, "I am deeply grateful for your kindness, sir. However, I am not a member of the inn. I came here by chance to help out. I have family waiting for me at home and originally planned to return home in the next two days. I really don't know if I can find the time."

Master Yan frowned slightly, pondered for a moment, and then said earnestly, "Miss, I know this is somewhat abrupt, but it is truly a rare opportunity. If you can help me with this great favor, not only will the reward be generous, but your culinary skills will also become famous far and wide. It would be a win-win situation for both of us." As he spoke, he gestured to the servant behind him, who immediately presented an exquisite tray with a heavy silver ingot on it. "This is a deposit, as compensation for your travel expenses on your journey."

Seeing this, Fang Xiaobei weighed the situation in her mind and looked up at Master Yan: "Master, although my cooking skills are not good, I am truly grateful for your high regard and cannot refuse. However, I have another request. I would like to arrange the dishes for this banquet based on my understanding of Western Region cuisine and make some bold innovations. This may make the guests enjoy themselves even more. What do you think?"

Upon hearing this, Master Yan was overjoyed and clapped his hands repeatedly: "Haha, wonderful! With such a clever mind and amazing culinary skills, how could I refuse? Everything is up to you!"

Fang Xiaobei bowed slightly and said softly, "In that case, I thank you for your kindness, sir. I will do my best to live up to your expectations and help you with this great favor before I go home."

Ye Keke and Gao He had been following Fang Xiaobei. Hearing Master Yan's request outside the door, they exchanged a knowing glance. Ye Keke couldn't contain herself any longer. A sly smile played on her lips as she flung open the door and strode inside, ignoring the surprised looks from everyone. She shouted at the top of her lungs, "Master Yan, how could we miss out on such a wonderful opportunity!"

Gao He followed closely behind, his face bearing a hint of feigned humility, but his eyes betrayed his competitive spirit. He bowed slightly, his tone revealing urgency: "Sir, you may not know this, but we have been learning cooking from Fang Xiaobei and have been constantly exchanging ideas with her. We know her skills all too well. Although her soup today is decent, it's inevitable that she'll make mistakes when preparing a whole banquet. It would be best if we could assist her."

Master Yan frowned slightly, a look of doubt on his face, his gaze shifting back and forth between the three. Seeing this, Fang Xiaobei inwardly groaned. These two were clearly here to cause trouble, but she couldn't openly express her displeasure. She could only force a smile: "Master, although I have some…grudges against them, in order to ensure the banquet goes smoothly, having two more people help out can theoretically alleviate a lot of the burden. It all depends on your wishes, Master." Fang Xiaobei deliberately emphasized the words "theoretically," a barely perceptible hint of worry flashing in her eyes.

Ye Keke, with her sharp ears, immediately picked up on Fang Xiaobei's underlying meaning. She snorted coldly, raised her chin slightly, and said boastfully, "Master Yan, my specialty is fruit and vegetable carving. Let alone carving radishes into lifelike flowers, birds, fish, and insects, I can even carve a whole garden scene from a watermelon with ease. I guarantee it will greatly enhance the style of your banquet." As she spoke, she gave Fang Xiaobei a smug look.

Not to be outdone, Gao He took a step forward and crossed his arms: "My knife skills are even more superb. I can slice meat into thin strips that are evenly thin and fast, like lightning. Moreover, I am proficient in several unique cooking techniques. Deep-frying makes the outer skin of the ingredients crispy and the inside tender, while honey-roasting makes desserts attractive in color and sweet but not cloying. With us here, what is there to worry about?" His words were full of self-confidence in his skills, as if this banquet could not be held without them.

Master Yan pondered for a moment, weighing the pros and cons, and finally nodded: "In that case, you may go together. But let me make this clear beforehand: do not cause any trouble in my residence, and follow my instructions." Ye Keke and Gao He, having received permission, instantly broke into smug smiles and hurriedly replied: "Don't worry, Master Yan, we will definitely do our best and will not let you down!" Their smug expressions showed that they didn't take Fang Xiaobei seriously at all.

Just then, Xia Zhi heard the commotion and rushed over, carrying the little bun. She quickly approached Master Yan, looked at him with a determined gaze, and said, "Master, Xiao Bei and I are good friends and excellent cooking partners. We usually study cooking together and help each other. I am good at making all kinds of exquisite pastries, from delicately shaped steamed dumplings to fluffy and soft cakes. I can handle them perfectly and add the finishing touch to this banquet. You have just witnessed Xiao Bei's cooking skills. With the two of us working together, and with me helping to control the quality when preparing the ingredients, we will definitely make this banquet amazing. You can rest assured."

Seeing her sincere attitude and considering that having more people to help out wouldn't hurt, Master Yan nodded slightly, "Alright, since you're so willing, let's go together." Xia Zhi happily agreed, exchanging a glance with Fang Xiaobei, as if to say, "Don't worry, I'm here." At this moment, the atmosphere in the room became even more complex and subtle. A power struggle over the banquet preparations seemed inevitable, and whether everyone could put aside their past grievances and work together to create a stunning feast remained to be seen.

"Xiao Zha, tell me, why are Ye Keke and Gao He suddenly being so kind and offering to help me prepare the banquet? Could there be some shady conspiracy behind this?" Fang Xiaobei frowned, turning to Xiao Zha beside her with a worried expression. Xiao Zha was now completely different. After successfully absorbing the energy from the totem fragments of the previous two worlds, its appearance had undergone a dramatic transformation—its once petite body had now transformed into an adorable kitten covered in soft, fluffy fur. The fur shimmered with a captivating, hazy light in the sunlight, as if draped in a mysterious veil.

Little Zha raised its furry paw and gently stroked its long, thin mustache, replying thoughtfully, "Host, in my opinion, Ye Keke and Gao He are probably up to no good this time! According to the system's precise calculations, they are very likely to make a big fuss about the food at the banquet and try to sabotage it! So, you'd better be on your guard and have a thorough plan in place!"

Upon hearing this, Fang Xiaobei's heart tightened, and she pondered to herself: "If Ye Keke really poisoned the food and then turned around and accused me, the consequences would be unimaginable... No, I must quickly come up with a proper solution!" Thinking of this, she couldn't help but frown, and she fell into deep thought.

Just then, Little Zha blinked its big, round eyes, licking its pink little paws with relish, and slowly said, "Host, hehe, I've come up with a brilliant idea. Would you be interested in hearing it?"

Upon hearing this, Fang Xiaobei instantly perked up, her beautiful eyes immediately shining with eager anticipation as she stared intently at the little rascal in front of her, urging impatiently, "Hey, stop keeping me in suspense, tell me quickly!"