C7 What an Eyeopener!

A tantalizing aroma wafted from the kitchen, startling the old man into a shaky stand.

Song Jia quickly steadied her grandfather, asking, "Grandpa, that fragrance..."

He nodded, murmuring, "The owner must have whipped up a new dish."

In the midst of their conversation, Du Binn emerged with a bowl of Golden Egg Fried Rice.

Du Binn wasn't surprised to see them; he had anticipated their return, hence his earlier brusqueness.

"Ah, you've both arrived," he greeted the old man warmly, signaling his regret for the prior coldness.

The old man had already dismissed the earlier incident from his mind. He acknowledged Du Binn with a nod, his gaze fixated on the glistening bowl of Golden Egg Fried Rice.

"Young man, is that your new creation?" he inquired.

"Indeed, it is," Du Binn confirmed. "This is my latest creation, the Golden Egg Fried Rice."

"We'll take two bowls," the old man declared, his mouth watering at the sight of the golden dish, the earlier scent making it even more irresistible.

"Hold on, Grandpa," Song Jia interjected, "shouldn't you ask the price first? Their prices are quite exceptional."

She eyed her grandfather with concern, wary of the potential steep cost.

"Boss, how much for a bowl of this Golden Egg Fried Rice?" she asked.

"523 yuan each," Du Binn replied.

"523 yuan? You must be out of your mind," Song Jia exclaimed, taken aback. She had expected the dish to be pricey, but not to the tune of several hundred yuan.

"Don't underestimate this Golden Egg Fried Rice," Du Binn defended. "This isn't something you'll find at just any restaurant, and it's far from your average fried rice."

The old man, initially taken aback by the price, perked up at Du Binn's words. His previous experience with the osmanthus lotus porridge, which had been a delightful surprise, made him willing to take a chance once more.

"Very well, two bowls of the Golden Egg Fried Rice and two bowls of osmanthus lotus porridge, please."

"I'm terribly sorry, Old Master, but I need to deliver a meal to someone. If it's not too much trouble and you're not in a hurry, could you kindly wait for a bit? I'll be back shortly."

Du Binn was in a rush to get the Golden Egg Fried Rice to Uncle Wang, knowing that its potency would diminish once it cooled down.

Upon hearing Du Binn's request to wait, Song Jia's irritation flared. She slammed her hand on the table and bellowed, "What's the meaning of this, boss? You expect us to just sit here while you take off? That's no way to treat customers!"

As a wealthy heiress, Song Jia was unaccustomed to such disregard and was incensed by Du Binn's actions, especially given his previous attitude towards them, which she found utterly inexcusable.

"There's no hidden meaning. If you'd like to eat, please wait a moment. If you're unable to wait, feel free to do as you please."

"You... I think you're..." Song Jia was so infuriated by Du Binn that she found herself at a loss for words.

Du Binn was confident the old man wouldn't leave, which emboldened him to act so boldly.

Sure enough, the old man didn't reprimand Du Binn. Instead, he chastised Song Jia, "Jia Jia, watch your tone. What did I tell you yesterday?"

The old man had given Song Jia a piece of his mind the day before because the osmanthus flower lotus seed porridge had genuinely helped his health. He had considered taking Du Binn home to cook exclusively for him, but Du Binn had declined. Despite his irritation, the old man found the porridge irresistibly appealing.

The osmanthus flower lotus seed porridge seemed to cast a spell over the old man, who craved it again after just one taste the previous day, as if he had a worm in his belly.

"Grandfather, I..."

Song Jia attempted to defend herself, but seeing her grandfather's stern face, she held her tongue, knowing he was truly upset.

"Young man, go ahead with your errand. We'll wait right here."

The old man's brow furrowed as he spoke, "However, I'm curious—who is this meal for? Do you have a VIP visiting your village?"

The old man was perplexed. It seemed unlikely that anyone in the village could afford such a luxurious dish as Golden Egg Fried Rice, unless a wealthy individual had moved in. But he hadn't heard of any rich newcomers settling here lately.

He feared that a rival might have caught wind of his presence and sent someone to snoop around, prompting his inquiry.

"No, sir, I'm delivering it to our fellow villagers," Du Binn clarified without much thought. Noticing the old man lost in contemplation, he added, "Please, give me a moment, I'll be back shortly."

"Oh, and the water on the table is fresh mountain spring water, drawn just this morning. Feel free to have some while you wait."

As he spoke, a realization seemed to strike Du Binn. "Actually, this spring water is quite special. Consider it a gift from me to you both today."

With that, Du Binn departed swiftly, leaving behind the thoughtful old man and a visibly upset Song Jia in the spacious courtyard.

Meanwhile, Uncle Wang was engrossed in his chores when a tantalizing aroma wafted through the air.

"Wow, that smells amazing. Who's cooking this late in the afternoon?"

He had completely forgotten about his wager with Du Binn. Given the steep price of Du Binn's dishes, Uncle Wang dismissed the idea that Du Binn would just give it away for free, treating his earlier words as nothing more than a playful jest.

Lost in thought, Uncle Wang was taken aback as Du Binn appeared with a bowl of shimmering Golden Egg Fried Rice.

"Uncle Wang, come try the Golden Egg Fried Rice I've made."

Du Binn set the dish before Uncle Wang, who stared in awe at the glistening rice. The enticing aroma made him involuntarily salivate.

"Du Binn, you're really letting me have this on the house?" Uncle Wang asked incredulously.

"Absolutely, Uncle Wang. Remember our bet? If you find my Golden Egg Fried Rice to your liking, you'll agree to lend me a hand with the cooking," Du Binn reminded him, reiterating the stakes of their bet. This time, however, he didn't mention what would happen if he lost. He was brimming with confidence, certain that Uncle Wang would be singing praises after just one bite.

The tantalizing aroma of the Golden Egg Fried Rice proved too much for Uncle Wang to resist. He eagerly scooped up a portion and began to savor each bite.

The rice was perfectly tender yet satisfyingly chewy, each grain generously coated in a luscious golden egg mixture. Its delightful fragrance was truly a feast for the senses.