bayedsolid Chapter 979 Seven Fairy Milk Tea Shop and Potato Noodle Shop Open Together
Chapter 979 Seven Fairy Milk Tea Shop and Potato Noodle Shop Open Together
He picked up a piece of food with his chopsticks, still somewhat skeptical, and slurped it up.
The next second, his eyes widened suddenly.
That domineering, complex, and unprecedented fragrance instantly overwhelmed all his senses.
He paused for a moment, then abandoned all pretense of aristocratic decorum and began to slurp and munch, soon a fine layer of sweat beading on his forehead.
Mmm...it smells so good!
The sea breeze, carrying a salty and damp scent, caressed this border town that was half fishing and half hunting.
The owner of the franchise store here is a mook named Puchahong.
He was a generous and open-minded person and was highly respected in the local area.
His shop wasn't as luxurious as Huanglongfu, but it was decorated strictly according to standard blueprints, making it exceptionally clean and tidy.
The opening ceremony was simple and direct, with no flower baskets, only rows of tribal warriors who came to show their support.
Puchahong stood at the shop entrance and laughed loudly at the gathered fishermen, hunters, and soldiers: "Brothers! I, Puchahong, used to treat you to drinks; today, I'll treat you to something special!"
"This is a delicacy that both the Prince of Shunyi and the Great Shaman approve of. It's a dish that came from the Great Zhou Dynasty and is called Seven Fairy Potato Noodles!"
A hunter who knew him well asked loudly, "Lord Mouke, is this thing powerful?"
"Can it compare to our dried fish and venison?"
Puchahong laughed heartily: "Whether it's potent or not, you'll know once you eat it!"
"I'm just telling you, this stuff can warm us up from head to toe after a single bite of it when we come back from hunting in the freezing cold!"
"It will also give our wives and sons another way to make money!"
He waved his hand and said, "Open the door! Today it's my treat, the first hundred bowls are on me!"
"Even if you have to pay for the rest yourself, we'll still give you a 20% discount!"
"Lord Mouke is mighty!"
"Go for it! Let's try it!"
The crowd cheered and surged into the store.
The decor here is simpler and brighter, with fishing nets and bows and arrows even hanging on the walls as decorations, full of rugged regional characteristics.
This is a variation of the Bailu standard, allowing each store to make minor adjustments based on local characteristics to enhance its approachability.
An old fisherman held a bowl and carefully took a sip of soup. He was immediately burned and grimaced, but he couldn't bear to spit it out.
He smacked his lips and said to his companion, "Hey, this tastes great!"
"It's not the same as the strong liquor we usually drink, but this spiciness goes right to your bones, it's so satisfying!"
"Yes! And these glass noodles are so smooth and delicious!"
"There are also meatballs and vegetables inside. One bowl will fill you up!"
In the kitchen, Puchahong's wife was leading several nimble women, strictly following the procedures in the training manual.
A woman added an extra spoonful of meat sauce to her bowl, and was immediately slapped on the back of the hand.
"What are you doing? The standard portion is one spoonful!"
“These are the rules set by Lady White Snake. If we break the rules, how can we do business in the future?” Puchahong’s wife said sternly.
The woman stuck out her tongue and muttered under her breath, "I know, sister-in-law. I just wanted him to eat more since he's family."
"No! It has to be the same for everyone! That's called standardization!"
"Mr. Zhou, sent by Lady White Snake, said that only if every customer tastes exactly the same food in every shop can our Seven Fairies brand stand the test of time!"
Wanyan Zonghan and the great shaman Wanyan Xiyin arrived together once again.
They didn't disturb anyone; they simply sat with Bai Lu in a private room on the second floor, looking out the window at the still bustling business below.
On the table was a huge map, marked with thirty-six red dots in vermilion ink, indicating that the businesses had just opened.
"Lady White Snake, you are truly an extraordinary person." Wanyan Zonghan looked at the map, his eyes filled with amazement and admiration. "In one month, a full thirty-six shops, spanning thousands of miles of my Jurchen lands."
"I originally thought this was just a beautiful idea, but I never expected that you would actually do it."
Xi Yin stroked his snow-white beard and nodded slowly: "At noon today, I sent people back with messages through the falcon stations in various places."
"Huanglongfu, Shangjing Road, Supin Road... all the shops opened on time, and every single one was packed with customers, without exception."
"This is a prairie fire, unstoppable!"
Bai Lu smiled faintly and picked up her teacup: "This is not my achievement alone."
"Without the swift and decisive call of the Prince of Shunyi, and without the strong execution ability of the Jurchen tribes, it might not have been accomplished even in a year, let alone a month."
"We simply combined our respective strengths perfectly."
Wanyan Zonghan laughed heartily, "Well said! This is what you always call a win-win situation!"
"Lady White Snake, you are now the god of wealth for our entire Jurchen tribe!"
"I'll toast you with tea instead of wine!"
The three raised their glasses and clinked them together lightly.
Thirty-six potato noodle shops opened simultaneously within the territory of the Jurchen tribe, and two more shops opened right next to each other in the south of Pingzhou City.
One of them is Seven Fairies Potato Noodles.
The other shop had a sign that intrigued everyone – Seven Fairies Milk Tea Shop.
These two stores were jointly opened by Bai Lu and Gu Liang in their personal capacities.
Since the launch of the franchise program at the head office, Bai Lu has keenly noticed a problem: Pingzhou City is too big.
Although the main store is very popular, it is mainly located in the north of the city and the city center.
For residents living in the south of the city, getting a bowl of potato noodles requires crossing most of the city, which is quite inconvenient.
When Gu Liang discussed things in the backyard that day, he added fresh milk and honey to brewed black tea, along with a few chewy tapioca pearls made from tapioca flour.
Gu Liang took a sip, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Bai Lu: "Look, in Pingzhou City, when people are thirsty, they just drink tea, water, or plum juice."
"The restaurant has some fruit syrups, but they are all ridiculously expensive."
"But your milk tea has a rich flavor, it's sweet but not cloying, and it makes you feel warm all over after drinking it. It's much more interesting than dry tea."
"Moreover, I think it's not just women and children who don't like to drink it; men might also enjoy it."
Gu Liang's words were like a bolt of lightning, cleaving through Bai Lu's train of thought.
Yes! Drinks that accompany food and beverages!
Potato noodles have a strong flavor, being both numbing and spicy, so customers naturally need to relieve the spiciness and thirst after eating them.
Although the main store offers free tea, that's just a basic service.
If only we could offer a paid beverage with an exceptional taste and unique style...
So, a month later, after the potato noodle shop opened in Nancheng, the Seven Fairies Milk Tea shop also opened.
On the opening day, the Nancheng branch was also bustling with activity, with drums and gongs resounding and crowds thronging the entrance.
The shop's storefront is small, with warm natural wood tones and elegant off-white as the main colors, and the window frames are carved with exquisite auspicious cloud patterns.
There were no flamboyant red ribbons hanging at the entrance, only a smooth, polished black wooden sign with a few lines of text written in elegant calligraphy:
"Seven Fairies Milk Tea Shop"
Savor a cup of fragrant wine and enjoy a moment of leisure!
Today's featured product: Peach Four Seasons Spring Tea
This understated yet elegant style stands in stark contrast to the bustling potato noodle shop next door.
"Milk tea? What kind of tea is this? Do you boil milk and tea together?"
"That sounds weird, will it taste good?"
"Look at that sign, it says 'Peach Four Seasons Spring'? What does that mean? It sounds quite elegant."
People were buzzing with discussion, their curiosity piqued.
Just past noon, the potato noodle shop was already packed with customers.
Many people ate until they were sweating profusely, exclaiming how satisfying it was, but also felt their mouths were dry.
Just then, a pretty shop assistant wearing a uniform light green apron walked over carrying a dozen or so thumb-sized white porcelain cups filled with a pale golden liquid.
"Dear customers, our shop is newly opened! Enjoy a free sample of our sister shop, Seven Fairies Milk Tea's hot peach four-season spring drink. It's refreshing and helps to cut through the spiciness and greasiness!" The shop assistant's voice was sweet and clear.
The diners curiously took the small cups.
A burly man who had just finished a whole bowl of spicy potato noodles was gasping for breath from the spiciness. He took the small cup, glanced at the clear tea inside, and drank it down in one gulp with some skepticism.
The moment the liquid entered his mouth, he first felt a warm, gentle sensation.
Immediately afterwards, an extremely delicate tea aroma bloomed on the tip of the tongue. It was not the bitterness of ordinary tea, but a fragrance similar to orchids.
Following the aroma of tea, a sweet and fresh peach fragrance immediately washes away the lingering spiciness in your mouth.
After swallowing the tea, a faint, lingering sweetness remains in the throat, leaving a delightful aftertaste.
"Delicious!" the burly man couldn't help but exclaim. He felt as if his mouth, which had just been ignited by the chili, was being caressed by a gentle spring breeze, leaving him feeling incredibly refreshed.
"What...what kind of water is this? It tastes so good!"
"It's sweet and has a fruity aroma! It tastes much better than plum juice!"
"It really relieves the spiciness! Give me another bite!"
In no time, praise for the Peach Four Seasons Spring Noodles filled the entire potato noodle shop.
The pretty shop assistant smiled and pointed to the shop next door: "If you'd like, ladies, the Seven Fairies Milk Tea shop next door sells them!"
"A large cup costs only fifteen coins. It's served in one of our special paper cups, so you can drink it while you're on the go!"
She held up a hard paper cup with an elegant seven-fairy pattern printed on it, a small lid, and a thin straw inserted in the middle.
This unprecedented portable design has once again amazed people.
"You can carry it around? That's convenient!"
"Let's go buy a cup after we finish our noodles!"
"Honey, wait here, I'll go buy you a drink to try!"
Waves of diners emerged from the potato noodle shop and then enthusiastically flocked into the milk tea shop next door.
The interior of the milk tea shop is even more of a hidden gem.
There is no oily smoke, only a faint aroma of tea and fruit.
Behind a long bar, several employees, all wearing light green aprons, were working diligently and methodically.
They shook a shiny metal cup, making a clear, tinkling sound; their movements were skilled and graceful, making it a very entertaining sight.
Gu Liang was standing behind the bar, personally overseeing the operation.
"A glass of Peach Four Seasons Spring Tea, regular sugar, no ice."
"Three cups of signature milk tea, two with pearls, and one to go!"
The guests looked curiously at the wooden menu hanging on the wall: [Signature Milk Tea], [Taro Boba], [Four Seasons Spring Macchiato], [Full Cup of Red Grapefruit]...
The novel names, paired with simple flavor descriptions, are dazzling, making you want to try them all.
Several young women who had come together each held a cup of peach-flavored Four Seasons Spring tea and chattered excitedly.
"This tastes so good, sweet and fragrant, not cloying at all!"
"Yes, and look at this cup, isn't it beautiful! When we walk down the street with it, people are all looking at us!"
"I'm not going to drink that bitter tea at home anymore; I'll buy a cup every day!"
Bai Lu stood on the street corner, quietly watching the two shops.
The family was bustling with activity, their voices filled with the warmth of everyday life.
A fresh and elegant place, filled with the aroma of tea and fruit.
If potato noodles capture everyone's stomach, then milk tea is about to capture the hearts of all the young people and women in this city.
As the sun sets, it casts a warm golden glow on the outline of Pingzhou City.
On South City Street, the bustling atmosphere of the two Seven Fairies shops did not diminish; on the contrary, it reached another peak as dinner time approached.
Bai Lu and Gu Liang did not stay in the shop the whole time.
They were standing side by side in a private room on the second floor of a restaurant not far away, gazing into the distance.
This location offers an excellent view, allowing you to see both shops and the constant flow of people in front of them.
A gentle evening breeze stirred, ruffling their hair and clothes.
None of them spoke; they simply watched the scene before them with satisfied smiles on their faces.
"Lady White Snake." Finally, Gu Liang spoke softly.
His voice carried a touch of dreamlike emotion.
"Hmm?" Bai Lu turned her head and looked at him tenderly.
The Gu Liang before me was no longer the poor, dusty young man I first met in Liangzhou.
He was already the third-ranked scholar in the imperial examination, the eldest son of the Duke of Anguo, and an imperial envoy; his future was limitless.
Gu Liang's gaze remained fixed on the two adjacent Seven Fairies signs in the distance, and she said softly, "Sometimes I feel like all of this is a dream."
"Do you remember how much effort we put into opening our first little milk tea shop back in Liangzhou?"
Bai Lu's thoughts drifted back to that distant beginning, following his words.
She remembers.
How could she not remember?
At that time, they had nothing but a small shop.
I'm exhausted every day, just trying to survive and live a little better.
Gu Liang's eyes were slightly moist as she continued, "I remember back then, our biggest dream was to keep the milk tea shop running smoothly and to earn a few hundred more coins every day."
“I never dreamed that one day we would actually be able to open a shop in Pingzhou.”
"From Liangzhou in the far west to Pingzhou here."
"In between, there is Qingzhou."
Gu Liang's voice was full of amazement, "We not only crossed the border, but we also gained a foothold in Qingzhou and Pingzhou."
"and......"
He paused, his tone becoming even more excited: "And that's not all! Liangzhou is where we started, Qingzhou has our stable industries and the workshops our children run, and now in Pingzhou, we have these two more shops."