Chasing Sya

Baozhai Restaurant (2)

The group stared at the calamitous beauty as she worked. Her fluid movements was enchanting and mesmerizing. They were caught in a trance until she placed the dishes on the windowsill and rang the bell.

"Ai, food is ready." Sya's flowing voice caught them in her spell.

It was only when Ai stepped in front of Sya that they could snap out of their daze.

Nori waved a hand in front of his face before leaning forward to whisper to his friends.

"A beauty like that is more trouble than a reward." Nori said softly as he shook his head side to side. "What pity to be born so beautiful yet it in turn becomes bad luck. I'll pass on Lady Sya and take Ai anyday!"

The six men nodded in agreement. They knew what a beauty such as Sya could do to a man. They've been warned about it since they could use their penises, they've seen it themselves and have kept away from such beauty.

Ai came forward with four dishes in her hand first, before bringing the other dish. She placed them in the middle of the table and gave them their second jug of wine.

"Please enjoy." Ai said as she bowed to them.

Sya came out from the kitchen area and watched as the six men was caught in a trance by the sight and smell of the food. One by one they tasted the dish and one by one they nodded in agreement and ate the dish with vigor. Not a drop of stew could be seen as they licked the bowl clean. Not a grain of rice could be seen, not a stalk of vegetable left, not one bone from the snake curry was left behind, even the curry was gone. Not one piece of tiger's meet was left as they ate and ate, then licked each plate clean. The wine flowed as they drank and drank until the two jugs were done.

"Lady Sya." Dean said as he stood up and bowed at the two women. "We have misjudged your cooking skills and brought great dishonor on us. We shall fulfill our agreement and pay the price for the amazing food we just ate."

"That'll be 675,000 gold coins please!" Ai said sweetly as she smiled at them while holding both hands out with her palms up.

The six men looked at each other and groan inwardly at the exorbitant price. But everyone chipped in to pay the bill. When the money was handed over, Ai walked them to the door and bowed to them as they left.

"Thank you for visiting Baozhai Restaurant. May you come again and enjoy our food and wine!" Ai said sweetly at them.

The men looked back at the two beauties and a sense of longing could be felt inside of their hearts, they wanted to see them again and eat her delicious food while flirting with Ai.

As they left, they went directly to the Colorful Flowering Garden and told everyone of the small mystical restaurant they just visited. Word spread like fire as the stories of the restaurant became a legend over night.

When Sya opened the restaurant in the morning, the six men from late last night were already waiting outside.

"Lady Sya!" Kyo said as he stepped forward and bowed to her. "Your food was all we could dream about last night! We have come again to taste your wonderful dishes."

"Em." Sya said as she nodded at them. They weren't important enough for her to talk to.

Ai welcomed them in and again they ordered the same thing. They flirted with Ai as she welcomed two more people inside and sat them by the window. Ai worked and flirted with the men, while being nice and cordial to the two men by the window. Her sweet smile and attention won over the two serious men by the window and soon they too were flirting with her.

When the dishes were ready, Ai served the food to the six men, then the two men by the table when another two men came to eat. She sat them down in the corner, but was also by the window and took their orders. No one complained about the price. The smell coming from the kitchen of the restaurant was intoxicating as the two men who were waiting for their food. They could only stare at the other men eating deliciously in front of them.

To calm their hunger, they ordered tea ahead of time and wine so they could drink it with their food. And when the smell of the tea captured their attention, they no longer felt jealous of the other men. The tea alone was worth coming to this restaurant, hidden in the city.

Soon there was a line that formulated outside. It became the "it" place to go to eat. When they had a committed following of patrons, Sya changed the menu and the pricing, causing everyone to be excited to eat the new food, but were sad every time they looked at their empty wallets and purses at the end of the meal.

Because of this change, they only got half of the following that they once had, but now they would only deal with the extremely rich, the extremely powerful, and the extremely influential people.

Sya smiled as she closed the door to her restaurant to help Ai clean up. This easy life was the kind of life she wanted. No matter how busy it got in the restaurant, it gave her a sense of accomplishment. From the ground up, she and Ai built this store and made it themselves, without the help of her father and his men. She was happy. And as long as Sya was happy, Ai was as well.

Sya was thinking about her good fortune too soon, as the next day she met the calamitous star that wouldn't leave her alone. Duke Ju Long Wei, heir and son of the Head of the Wei Clan.