Who understands? He traveled through time with a high-spec spatial ability.

On the eighth day of the seventh lunar month, the day Yilixiang reopened after its renovation, Qiao Jingjing got up early.

I didn't expect my parents to have already gone out to harvest rice. Well, it's cool now so they can work harder; they can come back to rest when it gets hot. I was worried about leaving Xiaoming alone at home, so I pulled him out of bed, took out some shrimp dumplings and a glass of milk from my spatial storage, and boiled an egg.

Qiao Shiming was still dazed and hadn't fully woken up when his older sister carried him to a chair and made him open his mouth to be fed. One bite, and the deliciousness of the shrimp dumpling made his eyes light up instantly. "So delicious! Sister, you should eat some too!"

The slightly chubby little guy swung his legs on the chair, his happiness was truly heartwarming. This whetted Qiao Jingjing's appetite, and she ate quite a bit. After eating, she planned to take Shi Ming to the county town. She told the neighbor on the left to let them know if her parents returned so they wouldn't worry. She heated up her parents' breakfast in the pot, then leisurely set off in the carriage.

The little one was extremely excited the whole way, looking out the window here and there. Even though the flowers and plants were the same as those in front of our house, they just seemed different and so beautiful.

It was already past nine in the morning when we arrived at Yilixiang. Everyone was there, and preparations began. The kitchen staff were washing the vegetables and preparing spices and side dishes. Everyone, from the head chef to the chopping block staff and apprentices, wore the same aprons and dark blue hats. Since white was considered unlucky in ancient times, they were given a different color. The four front-of-house staff, including Li Wang, were also dressed uniformly, though slightly differently from those in the kitchen.

The little beggars were effective again today, calling out their names every day on several nearby streets for the past few days, and starting again this morning. After calling out so many times, many people subconsciously wanted to check out Yi Li Xiang. They heard that Yi Li Xiang had changed its menu and was offering free delicious iced drinks. Wouldn't it be foolish not to take advantage of such a good deal?

However, some people thought it wasn't that good, since ice is so expensive, and you'd have to eat expensive dishes to afford it. But most people decided to come with the mindset of getting a good deal and just taking a look. After all, they had to eat anyway, so they figured they could just order cheaper dishes and not lose out.

Some people hesitated, but upon hearing the beggar's words, "Limited quantity, first come, first served," they stamped their feet and came.

People started coming in at 11 a.m. Qiao Jingjing knew exactly why: the temperature was rising, and the hottest part of the day had begun!

Li Wang stood outside the door, welcoming guests in while repeatedly saying, "Welcome!" The other three waiters moved around the hall. "Table number one has three customers. Bring three bowls of plum juice." Immediately, someone brought three bowls of iced plum juice on a tray.

Just like the initial reaction of everyone at Yi Li Xiang, these guests were absolutely amazed after taking their first sip of the chilled plum juice. Their taste buds were completely awakened, and each sip was indescribably comforting. Then they looked at the menu—wow! They had never seen such clear illustrations before, with the price listed below each dish.

A group of customers placed their orders amidst various novelties and waited for their food to be served. The enticing aromas wafting from the kitchen made the already hungry customers extremely envious.

When the dishes were finally served, everyone was stunned after taking a bite of the braised pork. They had never known that braised pork could taste so good. The group of three or more grown men felt they hadn't had enough and asked for more dishes.

Amidst clinking glasses and exchanging toasts, everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

After a satisfying meal, the guests paid their bills and left. Manager Lu explained the membership details to the guests and informed them that the restaurant would be adding new dishes every month. Some wealthy customers topped up 10 taels of silver, and Li Wang respectfully handed them a wooden plaque, bowing slightly, saying, "Honorable member, this is your membership card. We will register your personal information to prevent anyone from impersonating you and using your identity to dine and record your bill. Future meals will be deducted from your membership account first. We look forward to your next visit." These guests' vanity was instantly boosted, making them feel incredibly important! Qi Ye'an stood at the door seeing the guests off, a satisfied smile on his face.

The wooden sign has a serial number and the store name. There are anti-counterfeiting features inside the small hole for tying the rope, which most people wouldn't look at, making it difficult to counterfeit. Manager Lu will register the customer information corresponding to the serial number, one sheet per person, recording the time of consumption and the dishes ordered.

"Your dishes are absolutely amazing! I'll definitely come here often from now on," one customer said.

"Thank you for your compliment. Welcome to visit again!" Qi Ye'an replied with a smile.

The restaurant across the street, Ke Lai Xiang, was no longer smiling. That arrogant waiter was soliciting customers in the middle of the road, but everyone who came had heard that Yi Li Xiang's free plum juice was incredibly delicious—they'd regret it if they didn't try it—so they all flocked to Yi Li Xiang's doorstep. He inadvertently caught a glimpse of Qiao Jingjing in the opposite hall and quickly went to report to the manager. Manager Hu's face darkened upon hearing the news; how dare they go against Ke Lai Xiang!

"Here's what we'll do," Manager Hu instructed. "Have someone pretend to be a customer and go eat across the street. Bring back all the signature dishes. Know your enemy and yourself, we can taste them and then discuss our strategy."

"Yes!"

Yi Li Xiang was doing so well today that Manager Hu waited for an hour before he received the packed food.

He opened the package and found nothing special compared to usual. He picked up his chopsticks and tasted each dish. There were four dishes and a bowl of plum juice in total. With each bite, his brow furrowed more deeply. When he tasted the plum juice, his eyes widened. To be honest, it did taste better than Ke Lai Xiang. It was a flavor he had never tasted before, yet he couldn't discern what had been added. He searched through the dishes but found nothing. The same ingredients tasted completely different; there must be a secret recipe. It seemed that Yi Li Xiang had someone behind it. He wasn't sure if it was that girl who had done it; a peasant girl didn't seem like someone with such abilities.

Before the opening, Qiao Jingjing repeatedly instructed the kitchen staff to pick out all visible seasonings from each dish before serving. The kitchen staff were all under contract with the Qi family. When the chef was poached, Qi Ye'an replaced the non-contractual employees with his own servants.

So for now, there's no concern about the secret recipe being leaked. However, this situation won't last long; the county town is only so big. If the other party is willing to investigate, they can find out what it is by looking at the store's purchasing activity. Therefore, the more crucial thing is to frequently introduce new products to keep customers interested and maintain their appetite.

Qiao Jingjing wasn't worried about that. Once the other side discovered the secret recipe, they'd have to figure out how much to add and how to combine it. By the time they figured it out, her recipes would have been updated countless times. Besides, she still had her ultimate culinary weapon—hot pot—that she hadn't yet introduced.

No rush. One must eat one bite at a time, and walk one step at a time. When it really comes to offering up the hotpot, then the profit sharing will need to be renegotiated. However, the Qi family business is ultimately a bit too small; perhaps we could consider other partners, or maybe open our own shop?

Qiao Jingjing sat in a private room on the second floor, her slender fingers tapping the table as she pondered her future direction.