Page 22

Seeing all the diners unanimously cast their votes for Huo Jiu, the head chef of First-Rank Pavilion looked dejected and ashamed. The other staff exchanged awkward glances, feeling thoroughly humiliated.

The diners could not help sighing at the scene before them.

"What a shame. Such a fine establishment..." someone said, shaking their head before trailing off.

After a long silence, Master Yan spoke first. "A bet is a bet. We lost, so do as you please with First-Rank Pavilion."

The lobby manager was the first to panic upon hearing that. "How can that be allowed? What if he demands that First-Rank Pavilion shut down? Master Yan, you're only First-Rank Pavilion's head chef, not its owner. You have no right to agree to such terms."

The lobby manager's words were like a drop of cold water in a pot of hot oil. The diners, whose spirits had been dampened by regret, were enraged once more. "What kind of nonsense is this? Before the cooking contest, you agreed that whoever was less skilled would accept the loss. Now that you've lost, you refuse to admit it. Are you saying that because the head chef isn't the owner, young Huo has to compete with your old master too?"

"If you had no intention of honoring the bet, why agree to a cooking contest?"

"Were you planning to honor the bet if you won, then welch on it if you lost?"

"Someone who could think of using fake shark fin to fool customers, then bite back after being exposed, coming up with such shameless tactics isn't surprising at all."

Diwu Ling, seated at the judges' table, looked even colder.

Seeing the crowd of diners grow increasingly furious, the lobby manager panicked as well. He raised both hands in defense. "I never said we wouldn't acknowledge it. But shouldn't we first hear what this Huo wants? If he really demands something unreasonable, like making First-Rank Pavilion close down, are we supposed to accept that too?"

His explanation only made the diners angrier. "Why didn't you make that clear before the contest, then? Now that it's over, this won't do and that won't do. You're treating us like monkeys!"

They had patiently waited in First-Rank Pavilion's dining hall for so long, wanting to ensure the contest received a fair and impartial outcome. Young Huo had even rejected the judges' suggestion of favoring one side before the contest. He had insisted on convincing everyone with his skill, fair and square. He was immeasurably more honorable than this First-Rank Pavilion that kept going back on its word.

"Say, young Huo, whose child are you? Is your family opening a new restaurant in town? Let me know when it opens. I'll definitely come support you!"

"That's right! We'll all go support the new restaurant. We'll never come to First-Rank Pavilion again."

"Pah! What a bunch of scum who go back on their word and bully the weak. None of us will come again. We'll spread the word among our friends and relatives and make First-Rank Pavilion go bankrupt!"

The lobby manager had not expected his words to provoke such a backlash from the diners. This time, he was truly anxious. "I'm begging everyone, please give us a chance. Let's not rush things. We can discuss this calmly."

If these regular customers went back and spread the news everywhere, First-Rank Pavilion really would be finished. The old master would break his legs when that happened.

First-Rank Pavilion's head chef had anticipated this outcome. He let out a long sigh and stepped forward again. "What he says doesn't count. I am First-Rank Pavilion's head chef. As I said, a bet is a bet. Since my skills were inferior and I lost, I will naturally fulfill my promise. As for how to explain this to the old master, I'll go and apologize to him myself later."

With Master Yan's words, the diners' anger subsided somewhat. Everyone looked toward Huo Jiu.

Under countless watchful eyes, Huo Jiu smiled. "Since you accept the loss, then First-Rank Pavilion will waive the bill for every customer present today. And for the next week, you will provide every dish on your menu free of charge to all diners. Whoever comes must be served, and you may not refuse anyone's order for any reason. You must also promise that from now on, First-Rank Pavilion will never use fake ingredients to fool its customers again."

The reason Huo Jiu set the time limit at one week was because he only had half a month in total after reloading this timeline. He had spent a week buying lottery tickets, leaving only one week. Once the story reloaded, this little incident would be overwritten, and no one besides him would remember it.

Yet to First-Rank Pavilion and the other diners, it sounded as though Huo Jiu was being exceptionally magnanimous and had no intention of holding First-Rank Pavilion accountable.

First-Rank Pavilion's head chef stared blankly at Huo Jiu. "...That's all?"

The lobby manager also looked at Huo Jiu in disbelief. "You have no other demands?"

What other demands could Huo Jiu have? He was merely an ordinary customer who had come for a meal and discovered the restaurant using fake shark fin to deceive customers. He was simply defending his consumer rights.

"You really weren't sent by another establishment to target First-Rank Pavilion?" Even the diners below the stage found it hard to believe. They had heard the lobby manager's analysis and had assumed from the start that Huo Jiu had come prepared.

"Who could have sent me?" Huo Jiu did not know whether to laugh or cry. Setting aside the bug of reloading time, he had been in this city for less than two months in total. He could not even recognize all the signs of the restaurants and eateries on the streets. Who could possibly have instructed him?

"Did we really wrong you?" the lobby manager muttered. Then he slapped his palm, regretting it to the core.

If he had known this would happen, why had he—ah!

Huo Jiu shot the lobby manager a cold glance. He had nothing to say to petty people like this, who refused to give up until they hit the Yellow River and would not shed tears until they saw the coffin.

He might look like he regretted it to the core now, but that was only because Huo Jiu had scared him into submission. If an ordinary diner had raised doubts instead, the lobby manager would have long since branded them a bumpkin who could not recognize genuine goods. Or he would have launched into that string of twisted accusations and slander. Huo Jiu had experienced it all from beginning to end, so he felt no sympathy for someone like that.

Master Yan walked up to Huo Jiu with an apologetic, guilty expression. "I wrongly accused you. I'm sorry."

"Apology not accepted," Huo Jiu said flatly. "The reason you wrongly accused me is either because you're stupid or because you wanted to accuse me. Considering that you and the lobby manager colluded to deceive customers, I don't think you're a good person either. So stop putting on that act of being misled in front of me."