Shocking! The entire court was drooling with envy because of me.

Wu Wendong followed the servant forward, and after walking a few steps, he heard several more excited voices:

"It'll definitely be spicy tomorrow!!"

"No, it's been spicy for two days already, it definitely won't be spicy tomorrow!"

"I think it'll be sour; it'll definitely be sour tomorrow!"

"..."

Besides excitement, these voices also contained a strong sense of anticipation.

Wu Wendong was completely dumbfounded: "What's sour and spicy? What is this?"

"This is a bet on the flavor of Zhiweixuan noodles tomorrow. If the noodles are sour tomorrow, the person who bets on sourness wins, and the person who bets on non-sourness wins. Similarly, if the noodles are spicy, the person who bets on spiciness wins."

Wu Wendong frowned more and more as he listened: "Zhiweixuan? What kind of place is that? What kind of noodles?"

"Oh, don't you know? Zhiweixuan is incredibly famous in Ping'an County now. All because of a bowl of pickled cabbage noodles, Du Ming even tore up his painstakingly created menu and started a completely new one!"

Wu Wendong was stunned. He didn't know Zhiweixuan, but he knew Du Ming, who was a famous gourmet in Ping'an County, and the food on his menu was highly sought after.

"That's an exaggeration. I'm not familiar with Zhiweixuan, so I have no way of predicting its taste tomorrow..."

The waiter waved his hand: "Madam Shen's noodle flavor is random every day. Not only can you not predict it, but even regular customers can't predict it. Let me tell you, the first day is spicy beef noodles, the second day is pickled cabbage noodles, and the third day is tomato and egg noodles."

"To be specific, the first day will only be spicy, the second day will be sour and spicy, and the third day will be sour. Make your prediction based on this."

Wu Wendong frowned and pondered. Noodles, besides sour and spicy, are usually just plain soup noodles.

But given Zhiweixuan's great reputation, the probability of them serving clear broth noodles is very low. Moreover, since they have been switching between sour and spicy flavors for the first three days, the fourth day will most likely still be either sour or spicy, or a mixture of both.

After hesitating for a while, Wu Wendong divided the silver in his pocket into two portions, betting three taels on spicy food and two taels on sour food.

"Hey, you betting like this, do you like pickled cabbage noodles? Me too!" A chubby guy next to Wu Wendong patted him on the shoulder and said with a smile.

"I also bet on sour and spicy, hoping Zhiweixuan will continue to serve pickled cabbage noodles tomorrow!!"

???

Wu Wendong's eyes widened: "Aren't we not going to make another one after we've already done it?"

"Logically, yes, but my favorite is pickled cabbage noodles!"

"You bet based on your own preferences??" Wu Wendong felt like he had seen a ghost.

"Yeah, right!" the older brother said matter-of-factly.

Wu Wendong was completely dumbfounded. Gambling like this?! This is outrageous!

"I love tomato and egg noodles the most, I want to make it sour!!"

"Please, please! I didn't get to eat the spicy beef noodles, please make them again!"

"I need a bowl of pickled cabbage noodles!"

"..."

The sounds from all around him reached Wu Wendong's ears more clearly, and Wu Wendong's jaw dropped in astonishment.

"This isn't a gambling site, it's a place to make a wish..."

"Hey, I said," he turned to the casino clerk and asked, "I don't want to gamble anymore, can I get my money back?"

"That won't do. Once you've placed your bet, you can't go back on it. That's the rule of our casino!" The waiter's voice was loud and arrogant.

Wu Wendong knew the rules of the casino, of course, and could only sigh after a long while.

Never mind, it's only five taels of silver.

Maybe tomorrow's food will really be sour and spicy, and he can win a lot of money then.

......

Shen Qing went home as usual, tidied up, and then opened the system.

[Ding—Congratulations, host, for completing the tomato and egg noodle sales mission]

[Ding—Selecting flavors for tomorrow's sale]

[Ding—Tomorrow's available flavor: Shrimp and Fish Cake Noodles]

The shrimp and fish cake noodles have a very fresh flavor, and the broth is naturally made with seafood.

However, unlike other flavors, the broth for shrimp and fish cake noodles doesn't need to be simmered for too long; an hour is enough.

After thinking it over, Shen Qing decided to go to the shop early the next day to cook it.

The night passed, and another day filled with fragrant aromas arrived.

Shen Qing arrived at Zhiweixuan earlier than usual.

She entered Zhiweixuan and closed the door, then began to simmer the broth.

Peel and devein fresh shrimp, keeping the shrimp meat, and then wash the shrimp heads and shells.

Heat oil in a wok, add the cleaned shrimp heads and shells, and fry over medium heat.

Before long, the shrimp shells became crispy, the oil turned golden red, and the aroma of shrimp filled the entire house.

Just then, pour in boiling water and turn the heat to low.

After simmering for half an hour, filter out the shrimp shells to get a pot of orange-red shrimp soup.

Then soak the kelp and dried scallops until softened, cut them into strips, and add them to the shrimp soup. Next, fry the crucian carp bones until golden brown on both sides, add them to the soup, and simmer for another half hour.

While waiting, Shen Qing began preparing other ingredients.

Devein fresh shrimp, marinate them, and then blanch them.

Mince the fish meat, add egg white, starch, salt and other seasonings, stir until it becomes sticky, steam until cooked, and then cut into thin slices to make fish cakes.

Cut the wakame seaweed into small pieces, and then chop some tofu, scallions, etc.

Shen Qing was busy preparing the ingredients, while the shrimp soup beside him bubbled and emitted a rich aroma that wafted straight to the outside of Zhiweixuan.

"This smells so good!!"

"Why does it smell like shrimp?"

"No...it smells even fresher than shrimp, it's so delicious, I can't wait!"

"..."

The diners were so impatient they were stamping their feet, wishing they could rush into Zhiweixuan immediately and feast to their hearts' content.

At that moment, Wu Wendong was watching from the side. He had arrived early, not to queue up for noodles, but to see the result and determine whether he had won or lost yesterday's bet.

"No wonder...it smells quite nice," Wu Wendong remarked, his eyes fixed on the entrance of Zhiweixuan.

Suddenly, he heard a familiar voice:

"Wen Dong—"

He turned his head and saw his older sister, Wu Cixin.

Wu Wendong jogged up to Wu Cixin: "Sister, why did you come to buy noodles yourself? Why didn't you call a servant?"

"My mom says freshly bought food tastes better, and it won't be stolen," Li Mengmeng said in her childish voice.

Wu Wendong pinched the little tuft of hair on Li Mengmeng's head, and was about to speak when he looked up and saw Li Duan next to him looking embarrassed and guilty.

"Sister...Brother-in-law!"

Wu Wendong was startled and involuntarily took two steps back, like a mouse seeing a cat.

What's this guy, his usually serious brother-in-law, doing here? He can't be here to buy noodles too, can he?