Can Your Puppet Work at Our Shop?

Whether the goods in the shop could be sold, and why the diners needed to be the ones to decide—

Shen Le hadn't yet figured out this difficult question when the Landlady had already answered with an "Oh," set down a dish on the table of diners in the middle, and turned into the kitchen with a smile.

Before long, she came out with a steaming bowl of noodles. On top of the noodles, a small hill of braised mutton was piled high, fragrant, trembling, and glistening with a bright red luster.

"This is the first portion of mutton; add more if it's not enough. Eat it while it's hot!"

Shen Le didn't have time to protest why there was only one portion. He couldn't wait to scoop up a spoonful of mutton broth, blew on it twice, and popped it into his mouth—

"Delicious!"

When he was walking down the Old Street outside the restaurant, the aroma of the mutton broth had already made his insides churn, and his cravings had bubbled right up!

Now that this bowl of mutton noodles was served, he felt as if two hands had reached out from his stomach, wanting to grab the bowl and pour it directly inside. And as that spoonful of soup entered his mouth...

The phrase "intoxicated by the fragrance" was not an exaggeration at all; it was a literal description.

For a moment, Shen Le felt his entire brain buzz. The blood supply in his head seemed to rush toward his mouth and tongue, wanting to recklessly savor this fresh, delicious flavor:

It wasn't the artificial umami of MSG or chicken bouillon, and it far surpassed the taste of any chicken, meat, or fish broth he had ever had in his daily life.

That spoonful of mutton broth felt as if every molecule was dancing on his tongue, and as if his body knew these were the essential elements it desperately needed, hungrily wanting to absorb them all.

The aroma of this mutton broth was truly worthy of the "Heavenly Fragrance" in the name of the Heavenly Fragrance Restaurant!

Shen Le held the mutton broth in his mouth for a moment, swallowed it with reluctance, and immediately picked up a piece of the tender, stewed mutton with skin, stuffing the whole thing into his mouth:

His four front teeth cut through the mutton, feeling a slight resistance. After the meat sank in slightly, it was severed in two and instantly sprang back.

It brushed gently against his palate, his tongue, and his cheeks, spreading the juices trapped within the meat to every corner of his mouth:

The mutton itself also seemed to bounce lightly in his mouth as he chewed.

Wherever it touched, it felt as if tiny sparks were bursting, or as if faint electric currents were shooting between his lips and teeth, stimulating his mouth with a slight, tingling numbness.

Strangely, this numbness didn't interfere with his sense of taste at all; instead, it made every sensory cell in his mouth work at full capacity, making every subtle sensation even more vivid.

"Ah... so delicious..."

Shen Le couldn't help but exclaim. The Landlady, who was clearing dishes and wiping tables nearby, looked up and smiled upon hearing this:

"Good, right? If it's good, keep eating, but don't force yourself if you can't finish!"

How could he not finish something this delicious? A young man in his twenties—let alone a bowl of mutton noodles, he could finish a bowl even if it were all mutton!

Shen Le silently retorted in his heart. However, after swallowing that one-inch square piece of mutton, it actually brought a heavy sense of fullness, as if he had swallowed half a pound of spiced beef.

Shen Le froze for a moment. Just as he was about to rub his stomach, it gave a low rumble and began to churn, followed by a surging, vigorous heat that swept through his entire body:

"Ugh—that feels good!"

He closed his eyes and let out a breath, waiting for the heat to pass. Once the heat subsided, he suddenly felt hungry again. He lowered his head and hurriedly picked up a large mouthful of noodles to stuff into his mouth.

Then, with a slurping sound, he devoured the meat and noodles together, eating for all he was worth:

As he ate, he felt countless tiny electric currents spreading outward from his mouth, esophagus, and stomach.

His muscles, bones, and even the depths of his bone marrow felt a tingling, numbing pleasure; the muscles in his arms and thighs were twitching rhythmically.

Fortunately, this tingling sensation wasn't uncomfortable; rather, it felt like being massaged by countless tiny, electrified hands, causing every muscle to relax. Shen Le wolfed down the rest of the mutton noodles, and by the time he finished, he was covered in a light sweat:

"Whew, so full!"

The Landlady had been watching him quietly, and only when he stood up and walked toward the counter did she breathe a slight sigh of relief. She operated the machine for a moment and pushed the payment scanner toward him:

"54."

Hiss... that's expensive.

Everywhere else only sold them for thirty-something.

Shen Le's mouth twitched, but he had to admit that this bowl of mutton noodles at the Heavenly Fragrance Restaurant was worth the price. He paid the bill readily, but just as he was about to leave, the Landlady reached out to stop him:

"Sir, please wait a moment. Could we rent this puppet of yours to perform in our restaurant every day?"

"Huh?"

Shen Le was stunned, subconsciously covering his backpack.

This puppet of his had only made its debut today after being repaired, and it had only performed half a song in the hospital room.

He hadn't opened his backpack since entering the restaurant, so how did the Landlady know?

She shouldn't have known there was a puppet in this bag at all!

Besides, Xiao Ling was alive and possessed intelligence; whether she performed or not wasn't up to him!

A soft laugh echoed from the corner of the lobby. The Landlady glanced in that direction, then turned her gaze back and smiled charmingly:

"The town is small, and news travels fast. Our restaurant has recently been looking to develop intangible cultural heritage and host some entertainment projects to attract customers. Your marionette is perfect for this.

—How about it? The rent for the puppet is one hundred a day, and as a bonus, you can eat at our place for free!"

A bowl of premium mutton noodles cost 54 yuan; three meals a day would be over a hundred.

Even if he got tired of it and didn't eat at her place every single day, he would still save at least one meal's cost per day.

Plus the puppet's rent—no, Xiao Ling's wages—at three thousand a month, for a homebody like him, that was already enough for his daily life!

He could even afford to buy some woodworking tools, masonry tools, pigments, and quality lumber. The various furniture and decorations in the house could also be slowly repaired bit by bit.

Shen Le was still hesitant. He lowered his head and, through the backpack, touched the Little Puppet.

"Hey, what do you think?"

"You're already alive; whether you want to take this job or not, that's up to you!"

[I want to! I want to!] The Copper Fragment vibrated gently, conveying Xiao Ling's cheerful reply:

[I want to perform at this shop! Oh, and the money we earn—give me half to buy clothes!]

Shen Le carefully opened his backpack and lifted the Little Puppet out. Instead of handing it over to the Landlady immediately, he held it in his arms and looked around.

"Do you have anyone here who knows how to perform puppet shows?"

"We certainly do!" The Landlady beamed. She turned toward the kitchen and raised her voice:

"Xiao Yu, Xiao Yu! Come out here and perform a puppet show for our guest!"

"Coming~~~"

A crisp response rang out from the kitchen. Moments later, a fair-skinned, beautiful young woman stepped out quickly. She bent down and first shook hands with the Little Puppet.

"Little one, what is your name? Will you cooperate with me for a performance?"

Seeing her actions, Shen Le was already somewhat satisfied. He handed Xiao Ling over to her. Xiao Yu held the wooden board flat with one hand and manipulated the strings with the other; her movements were indeed highly skilled.

In her hands, the Little Puppet raised its arms, took steps, bent its waist, and spun around. Suddenly, it "walked" to the edge of the table, moving with grace and charm, and lifted a wine cup with both hands.

"Please, dear guest, have a drink~~~"

Supporting the wine cup, it "walked" with tiny steps to stand before Shen Le, set the cup down, and even performed an elegant curtsy.