Chapter Fifty-Six: Sweet and Sour Pork Strips

Lin Sangqian mixed the starch with water, stirred it thoroughly, and then added the meat, ensuring each piece was evenly coated. She heated oil in the wok, dropped in the tenderloin pieces, and fried them until they turned a golden yellow before lifting them out.

By now, the aroma of the meat was irresistible—someone with a weak will might have already stolen a piece to taste. Next, she sliced the ginger into fine threads, reheated the wok, and added salt, sugar, and white vinegar, stirring continuously. Once the sugar had completely dissolved, she added the fried pork and tossed everything together, making sure each piece was coated in the sweet and sour sauce. She finished by adding a touch more oil and quickly stir-frying, then tossed in scallions and ginger for a final blend before taking the dish off the heat.

“There, the Sweet and Sour Pork is ready,” Lin Sangqian announced as she plated the dish. “You can always add side ingredients depending on the guests' preferences—carrots, celery, cilantro, or even the tomato sauce I showed you all before.”

Once the meat was plated, she smiled. “Go ahead, try it.”

Everyone had been waiting eagerly. Even Yang Shi couldn’t resist, grabbing a pair of chopsticks and stepping forward to taste.

The crust was crisp, the meat tender, and the sweet and tangy flavor was simply divine.

“Delicious!”

“Miss Lin, your skills are truly remarkable!”

“Sangqian, I have to call you the Goddess of the Kitchen!”

Yang Shi quickly ate one piece and, finding it wasn’t enough, was about to reach for another when he saw Lu Chengren walk in. Startled, he hid his chopsticks behind his back.

“Manager, you’re here! Come taste the Sweet and Sour Pork Miss Lin just made—it’s incredible!”

Lu Chengren had already caught the scent lingering outside the kitchen and had been swallowing his saliva in anticipation. Now, he nodded to Lin Sangqian, eagerly picked up his chopsticks, and tasted the dish.

“Wonderful!” he exclaimed, nodding in approval. “This new dish is sure to be a bestseller! Miss Lin… how much are you asking for the buyout fee this time?”

He rubbed his hands together, ready to bargain, convinced that today’s dish would fetch a much higher price than the chicken feet or potato chips before.

“This time, I won’t ask for a buyout fee,” Lin Sangqian replied with a bright smile.

“What?” Lu Chengren was taken aback, then grew flustered. “Miss Lin, you’re not planning to sell this to another restaurant, are you? We can negotiate the price!”

This dish had never been seen before, and it tasted so good that he was certain it would bring a flood of business to Fortune Inn.

Yang Shi quickly added, “Sangqian, whatever your terms are, just say them. Our manager will do his best to meet them.”

“Manager Lu, please don’t misunderstand,” Lin Sangqian said. “I have no intention of selling to other inns. Since we’ve already established our partnership, I wouldn’t betray your trust.”

“Then…” Lu Chengren wondered if she was planning to give him the recipe for free. But that didn’t seem possible; Lin Sangqian was known to cherish every coin and would never give anything away for nothing.

“Manager Lu, may I ask, how much do you plan to price this dish at?”

He considered for a moment. “Two hundred coins per plate.”

“After all costs, the profit should be about one hundred coins per plate,” Lin Sangqian said. “This time, I want a share of the profits. For every plate of Sweet and Sour Pork sold at Fortune Inn, I want ten coins.”

Lu Chengren sighed helplessly.

He’d expected as much—this clever girl would never cut herself a bad deal.

After a moment, Yang Shi caught on and gave Lin Sangqian a thumbs-up. With the chicken feet, she had to constantly supply the product to keep earning, which was labor-intensive. As for the potato chips, once she received the buyout fee, whatever the inn earned afterwards had nothing to do with her.

But now, with a profit share, as long as Fortune Inn kept its doors open and continued serving Sweet and Sour Pork, Lin Sangqian would continue to receive her share.

Brilliant—truly brilliant.

And Lu Chengren couldn’t refuse. Even after giving her a share, the dish would still bring significant profits. In fact, the profit per plate probably exceeded a hundred coins. By only asking for ten coins, Lin Sangqian was already being generous.

“All right, I agree,” Lu Chengren replied without much hesitation.

Lin Sangqian had expected as much and simply smiled.

“Hurry, add this Sweet and Sour Pork to the menu and start promoting it!” Lu Chengren instructed.

“Manager Lu, wait a moment,” Lin Sangqian said. “I have a plan.”

“What kind of plan?”

“Since Wanhua Restaurant keeps trying to steal our recipes and snatch our customers, why don’t we…” Lin Sangqian whispered her plan to Lu Chengren, who immediately burst into laughter, giving her a meaningful look. “You are quite the cunning girl.”

“I don’t bother others unless they bother me—but if they do, I won’t let it go so easily,” Lin Sangqian replied with a mischievous wink.

“Hahaha! Excellent! We’ll do as you say.”

“Oh, there’s one more thing I’d like to ask your help with,” she said. “Could you keep an eye out for any courtyards for rent in town? My family is looking to move here.”

Buying a house was out of the question for now; renting was their only option. Once they moved, earning a living would become much easier.

“I haven’t heard of any recently,” Lu Chengren said, frowning.

“I know of one!” Yang Shi chimed in. “A customer mentioned it the other day—his older brother’s family moved to the city, leaving their courtyard empty. He asked me to let him know if anyone wanted to buy it. I suppose if you wanted to rent, he’d agree—better than leaving it vacant.”

“Really?” Lin Sangqian’s eyes lit up. “Where is it?”

“In Laifu Alley, near Haixing Academy!”

She immediately remembered—the very courtyard she’d noticed after leaving the academy.

“That customer lives nearby. If you’d like to rent it, I can take you over to ask right now,” Yang Shi offered, turning to Lu Chengren. “Manager, is that all right?”

“Of course,” Lu Chengren replied. “Go ahead and help Miss Lin. Just don’t get distracted.”

“Manager, as if I would!” Yang Shi chuckled, then led Lin Sangqian outside.

Lin Hongda and the others had been waiting outside. Upon hearing about Laifu Alley, they decided to go together. After a quick bite to eat, they set off. Yang Shi even arranged a small carriage for them—cramped for four, but far better than walking.