In the private room, Xin Yunmao and the Middle-aged Manager were still in a silent standoff when a Male Server approached from outside with a tray. He carried exquisite wine vessels that seemed to float with ethereal grace, looking uncertainly at the Middle-aged Manager, unsure whether to enter or retreat.
The Middle-aged Manager, seeing the server arriving with food, thought the timing was perfect to avoid further questioning from the customer. He quickly said, "Come in, or the sake's flavor will deteriorate. This is our specialty bamboo sake."
"Bamboo is known as one of the Three Friends of Winter. While traditional sake is usually served warm, our bamboo sake is served cold. We pour specially brewed sake into bamboo tubes from Mount Song, which better brings out the sake's aroma," the Middle-aged Manager explained with a smile. "Please drink quickly, as the taste will change once the temperature shifts."
Drink up, drink up, have some alcohol to avoid the previous topic.
On the elegant small tray sat two delicate bamboo tube cups, slightly smaller than typical baijiu glasses. The slightly chilled bamboo cups were covered with a thin layer of frost, filled with gleaming sake. Beneath the flowers beside the tray was hidden dry ice, creating swirling mists that gave the setting an otherworldly atmosphere once placed on the table.
Xin Yunmao sat with his arms crossed, casting a casual glance at the setup without reaching for the drink: "This isn't bamboo from Mount Song."
"Well, we always purchase fresh bamboo from Mount Song, air-shipping it to the restaurant before crafting it into tubes. Our purchase orders clearly state the origin, which we can show you for verification."
"Why check the purchase orders? It's obvious at a glance," Xin Yunmao raised an eyebrow. "This is bamboo from Mount Tong."
The Middle-aged Manager was stunned. While he had done his research on Mount Song's location, he had no idea where Mount Tong was.
Everyone pulled out their phones to search online, discovering that Mount Tong and Mount Song were in the same province, not far from each other.
Facing the composed Xin Yunmao, the Middle-aged Manager felt uneasy and sent someone to the kitchen to ask the procurement staff whether the bamboo was from Mount Song or Mount Tong.
Moments later, a Kitchen Staff member rushed in, explaining: "Manager, it is indeed bamboo from Mount Tong. Recently, the varieties from Mount Song haven't been very good, so we switched to green bamboo from Mount Tong. Actually, we've always used both types interchangeably, though we usually only list Mount Song in our records. Neither affects the taste, so customers can drink with confidence."
"Why wasn't this important detail written down at the time?" The Middle-aged Manager's face turned ashen, his voice tinged with resentment as he gritted out, "Would it have killed anyone to write down Mount Tong as well!?"
If the purchase orders had been clear, they wouldn't have encountered this nitpicking customer.
The wrongly blamed Kitchen Staff member: "?" But who would care about bamboo's place of origin? Aren't they the same variety anyway?
Chu Zhishui struggled to contain her laughter on the side. Seeing the pitiful Kitchen Staff being scolded, she softly mediated, "It's fine, Mount Tong is Mount Tong, we'll make do with it."
The Middle-aged Manager swallowed his pride, bowing apologetically to the two, admitting defeat: "I'm terribly sorry, we were indeed imprecise in our description, giving you such an unpleasant dining experience."
Chu Zhishui wasn't particularly mean-spirited, so she didn't have the heart to say the experience was actually quite pleasant. She had always thought the manager was like an arrogant smiling tiger, but this was the first time she'd seen him so humbled, mainly because Xin Yunmao's nitpicking had been quite precise.
Just then, a Female Server entered with a tray bearing beautiful desserts. On the jade-green plate was a caramel-covered pudding, decorated with bright red strawberry pieces and topped with a fresh bamboo leaf.
High-end Japanese restaurants adjust their menus seasonally with plant elements, and the Head Chef uses innovative designs to enhance the food's texture. Since bamboo was Zhudou's year-round theme, naturally, every dish incorporated it somehow.
Xin Yunmao glanced at the bamboo leaf and said leisurely: "This bamboo leaf..."
"..." The Middle-aged Manager's expression turned to one of dead-ash despair at hearing the customer about to critique another dish. His rigid body resembled a withered tree trunk as he sighed, wondering where this botanist-cum-food critic had come from.
Fortunately, Chu Zhishui also felt they had dwelled on the matter too long, believing that focusing on eating was most important. She held the caramel fruit pudding plate in one hand and a silver dessert spoon in the other, leaning forward to pass them to Xin Yunmao across the table, gently coaxing, "Come on, have something to eat. You like sweet and sour things, don't you?"
He must be hungry after all that nitpicking.
If he liked fruit tea, he should probably like this too.
As soon as the dessert was placed before Xin Yunmao, the fresh tartness of cut strawberries filled the air, mingling with the sweet aroma of caramel, completely derailing his intention to continue finding fault.
When she deliberately softened her voice, her words were always gentle and pleasant, like feathers brushing against one's heart, creating a light, tender, ticklish sensation, or like a kitten's harmless paws patting repeatedly, drawing away attention.
Xin Yunmao suddenly fell silent. He glanced at the caramel pudding before him, then at her radiant smile, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly as he said in a low voice: "Isn't this inappropriate in public?"
Chu Zhishui: "?"
Chu Zhishui lowered her eyes to look at the pudding and spoon in her hands, then raised them to see him sitting stiffly upright, clearly uncertain whether he should open his mouth or not. In that instant, she understood his unusual train of thought.
Her face grew hot as she said with embarrassment: "What are you thinking? Take the spoon and eat it yourself!"
She had only handed him the dessert spoon out of consideration, not to feed him a spoonful of pudding.
How thick-skinned of him to think she would feed him!
Chu Zhishui was nearly driven mad by him, unable to help raising her voice. This would have been impossible before - she never made loud noises in Japanese restaurants, but now she was trying to wake up his muddled head.
"...Oh."
Xin Yunmao disappointedly took the spoon, his guilty gaze drifting to one side as he obediently ate the caramel pudding, savoring its smooth sweetness mixed with hints of berry tartness.
The Middle-aged Manager seized the opportunity to slip away, instructing the servers to continue bringing dishes while avoiding staying in the private room himself, fearing Xin Yunmao might catch him to demand detailed explanations of ingredient information.
Afterward, the servers remained silent as mutes, not daring to explain any dishes for fear of more criticism.
Chu Zhishui pushed the dishes in front of Xin Yunmao, discovering that he seemed to have developed an appetite after all his nitpicking. For each plate she pushed his way, he would clean it completely, quite different from his earlier listless and disinterested demeanor.
When settling the bill, Chu Zhishui handed her membership card to the Female Server, who efficiently swiped it through the machine and gently suggested, "There's still some balance on your card, and we currently have a value storage promotion. Would you like to learn more about it?"
"No need."
"But your remaining balance might not be enough for next time..."
"It's fine, I won't be adding value, and you can keep the card."
Chu Zhishui and Xin Yunmao stood up one after another, human and supernatural being finished with their meal, preparing to leave Zhudou in style.
"You don't want your membership card?" The Female Server panicked, "That's not good, please keep it, you might need it."
Zhudou membership cards required a minimum value storage amount to obtain and occasionally came with small service perks. Some people even privately rented or resold them outside.
Chu Zhishui smiled warmly: "I won't need it, you can have it."
She probably wouldn't visit Yinhai City often in the future, and even if she came on business trips occasionally, she wouldn't need to visit Zhudou. Her previous life was like past events, with little connection to her future self.
The Female Server didn't dare accept it and hurriedly ran to find someone.
Hearing the news, the Middle-aged Manager rushed over, forcing a smile: "Hello, due to the less than pleasant dining experience we provided today, I've already arranged for the set menu to be charged at 60% of the original price. Please don't let this leave you with a bad impression of Zhudou."
The manager had previously dared to be sarcastic, relying on customers' ignorance and his ability to argue against poor reviews, but this time he had truly met an expert who could not only make sushi on the spot but also instantly identify the bamboo's origin. If word got out, it would undoubtedly damage Zhudou's reputation for high-quality ingredients. Xin Yunmao spoke with authority, and Chu Zhishui held a membership card - they both had the air of hidden culinary connoisseurs.
Chu Zhishui responded warmly: "Not at all, we had quite an enjoyable time."
She wasn't sure if Xin Yunmao had enjoyed himself, but she had certainly been amused by the manager today.
The middle-aged manager felt uneasy seeing Chu Zhishui's spring-like smile. He had encountered many distinguished guests at Zhudou before, and while people like Xin Yunmao who openly showed their displeasure were manageable, he feared those who smiled without revealing their thoughts the most. Though Chu Zhishui appeared friendly now, who knew what she might do after leaving?
People tend to judge others based on their own mindset, and the manager was certainly attributing quite negative intentions to Chu Zhishui.
The middle-aged manager hesitated before saying, "How about this - I'll use my authority to comp your meal today. We welcome you to visit Zhudou again, and we'll definitely provide better ingredients and service next time."
Chu Zhishui was taken aback and quickly declined, "That's really not necessary."
Xin Yunmao raised his eyebrows in displeasure, "Why would there be a next time when the food was so bad? Didn't you say I could easily outdo it?"
"..."
The middle-aged manager had the server void the charge and refund the amount. Ignoring their protests, he stubbornly pushed a membership card into Chu Zhishui's hand and smiled, "We've already comped your set meal. As you're now a member, we'll keep you updated on new items, and we'd like to invite both of you to Zhudou's private tasting events. We look forward to your valuable feedback on our seasonal menu."
Chu Zhishui thought: "?" Are you some kind of masochist? He mocked you and you still want him to come back?
She had been a member before but had never heard about tasting events - clearly this was due to Xin Yunmao's impact.
The middle-aged manager showed them to the door. Watching their departing figures, he finally felt alive again, having successfully seen off these difficult customers.
Outside the building, night had fallen heavily, darkness enveloping everything.
The streets were brilliantly lit, and Chu Zhishui and Xin Yunmao stood by the roadside waiting for a car to return to the Yinhai Bureau guesthouse.
Xin Yunmao habitually kept one hand in his pocket. His gaze swept across her face bathed in lamplight as he suddenly said, "You seem very happy now."
Gone was her earlier gloom; her whole demeanor was quite cheerful.
"Yes, this was the most enjoyable meal I've had at Zhudou, even more novel than my first visit," Chu Zhishui waved the membership card in her hand and smiled, "Not because it was free or particularly delicious, but because it was eye-opening."
"Eye-opening?"
"Yes, my first visit to Zhudou was eye-opening, and coming here with you today was eye-opening again."
When Chu Zhishui first dined at Zhudou, she truly felt like she was seeing another side of the world. Someone less grounded might have believed they had ascended to high society. She had seen this often in her previous work environment - people buying designer handbags and accessories, driving flashy luxury cars, frequenting high-end establishments, all to feel like they belonged among the elite.
Little did they know that high society often harbored low characters - it was all just an illusion created by filters.
She knew many people had complaints about Zhudou but would never confront the manager directly, as that would expose their own lack of sophistication and instantly shatter their carefully crafted perfect image.
Tonight was the most authentic meal she'd had at Zhudou.
Chu Zhishui looked at Xin Yunmao and blinked, "Though I didn't expect you to argue with the manager."
He used to ignore idle people, typically acting as if they didn't exist, never bothering to argue.
"I was just treating him the way he treats others. Is there a problem?" Xin Yunmao's eyes were pitch black as he said softly, "If he likes to talk to others that way, I'll talk to him the same way."
"No problem, it's just surprising," Chu Zhishui said, "I thought you'd resolve it with demon energy. Isn't that how you demons usually handle things? Erasing memories or using some bizarre methods?"
She remembered how he had simply broken Sun Qiao's arm before - truthfully, he seemed more like the type to act rather than talk.
"He's a human without demon energy, why would I do something like that?" Xin Yunmao glanced at her and said quietly, "I wouldn't use demon energy to punish someone just because a mere mortal offended me, but I can use human methods. It can't be that he's allowed to bully others but can't be bullied himself."
He said casually, "I have no interest in interfering with their lives, I just reflect back what they put out."
When Sun Qiao released boundless greed, he turned that greed back on him. When the middle-aged manager treated people with arrogance and hypocrisy, he responded in kind.
Chu Zhishui marveled, "You're actually quite fair, and you understand human affairs."
Xin Yunmao had truly refreshed her impression of him today - not only could he read her moods, but he also knew how to deal with people like the manager. He wasn't just some clueless powerful demon; he actually had a crystal-clear understanding of things.
Xin Yunmao frowned, suddenly feeling something was off, and asked in bewilderment, "Do you think I'm some kind of idiot?"
"Of course not."
Xin Yunmao's expression softened slightly.
Chu Zhishui stole a glance at him, pondered for a few seconds, then mumbled, "Definitely not an idiot, just not that smart."
"???"
Xin Yunmao glared at her, clearly dissatisfied.
"What are you unhappy about?" Chu Zhishui said righteously, "If you treat people according to their attitude, why did you treat me that way at first? That's clearly unreasonable!"
Since Xin Yunmao wasn't mentally challenged, yet he had insisted she liked him at first, anyone would think he was stupid!
Why hadn't he treated her according to her attitude at first?
Xin Yunmao hadn't expected this response. His face showed a flash of embarrassment as he stammered, "That's because you..."
It was because she had always radiated warmth and light, and he only later realized she was like that with everyone, which had led to the misunderstanding.
Chu Zhishui pouted, "Because what? You're showing favoritism?"
"...No." Xin Yunmao felt weak, finding it embarrassing to think back on and unwilling to address the topic directly. He muttered, "Anyway, I initially treated you according to your attitude!"
"What's that supposed to mean?" Chu Zhishui stared at him in disbelief, "Are you saying I was a joke at first?"
She'd never believe that - she had been quite polite initially, and it was his repeated provocations that led to their current dynamic.
"..."
Xin Yunmao had to admit that after getting used to his divine abilities, this was the biggest embarrassment of his demon life, something she could mock him about for a long time. His lips pressed together tightly, and after a long silence, he reluctantly conceded, "It was indeed my fault. I'll give you a bottle of wine to make up for it."
"What wine? The bamboo clear wine from just now?" Chu Zhishui pondered thoughtfully, "I hadn't realized you were a bamboo."
Thinking about Xin Yunmao's harsh reactions after entering, his repeated questions about the bamboo leaves' quality, and how he had created sushi with bamboo leaf fragrance that far surpassed the Zhudou chefs' work, she had vaguely guessed his true form. He rarely appeared in the cafeteria, probably like other plant demons such as Little Yellow, needing water more than food.
"What's so surprising about that?" Xin Yunmao clicked his tongue, his voice full of sourness, "You only just figured it out now, yet you knew that cat was black the moment you met him."
Chu Zhishui: "..."
"No, this isn't my fault," Chu Zhishui looked him up and down, admitting that his appearance was indeed tall and elegant, frost-defying and wind-breaking, but his personality was revealed the moment he opened his mouth, completely destroying the bamboo's noble character. She sighed helplessly, "It really is hard to make the connection."
"What's so hard about it?" Xin Yunmao raised his eyebrows proudly, "Every part of me embodies the spirit of bamboo, or rather, my existence defines bamboo's character."
"You certainly have redefined bamboo's character," Chu Zhishui nodded in agreement, "Argumentative, thick-skinned, empty-headed, and coincidentally there's a species called arrow bamboo."
Xin Yunmao: "?"
Xin Yunmao immediately became angry and thundered, "Do you know how many scholars and poets throughout history have praised my grace and noble character!?"
Chu Zhishui deadpanned, "So your narcissism is the fault of those bamboo-praising poets?"
When Bai Juyi wrote "After thousands of flowers and hundreds of grasses wither, it alone remains to be seen amid the scattered snow," he surely hadn't expected the bamboo would brag about its grace. When Wang Anshi wrote "Once shared rain and dew with humble weeds, now accompanies pine and cypress through frost," he definitely hadn't anticipated the bamboo would boast about its noble character. In conclusion, the fault wasn't with Xin Yunmao - it was all the poets' wild imagination.
Xin Yunmao was immediately sullen and turned his back to her: "I'm not making wine anymore."
"Oh, come on, don't be like that! I used to write about bamboo all the time in my high school assignments. You're humanity's most beloved plant symbol since ancient times!" Chu Zhishui tried to coax him sweetly. "Consider all the countless poems written about bamboo - don't say things that hurt spirit-human relations."
"Hmph." Xin Yunmao only turned his head when he heard "most beloved." He glared at her resentfully and warned, "You can't sell the brewed wine for money, and definitely can't use that money to fill any holes!"
"I won't. Your production volume probably isn't high anyway, so you'll surely want to keep it for yourself to drink."
He seriously added: "And you can't give it to other people or spirits to drink either."
"That strict?" Chu Zhishui was surprised. "I was hoping to share it with Jin Yu, like at department celebrations."
"Absolutely not!"
He could tolerate letting her drink the bamboo wine he made, but the thought of others - human or spirit - touching it made him uncomfortable. It would feel like something pure being defiled.
As the recipient of the gift, Chu Zhishui couldn't complain and simply agreed: "Alright then."
Having secured her promise, Xin Yunmao finally agreed to brew the wine.
The human and spirit took a car back to the Yinhai Bureau guesthouse. Chu Zhishui arranged a room for Xin Yunmao under the bureau's name at the front desk. Since he was already here, staying a few more days wouldn't matter, and the guesthouse didn't charge for accommodation.
After checking in, Chu Zhishui and Xin Yunmao went to a nearby convenience store to buy breakfast and drinks. Now knowing that he rarely ate, she bought various fancy drinks instead, filling a plastic bag with beverages for him to take back to his room.
The nearby convenience store had a rich selection of products, including many unique drinks that even Chu Zhishui hadn't seen before.
They stood at the store entrance, opening soda cans and starting to taste the novel beverages.
"The taste is mediocre," Chu Zhishui said, holding her can as she read the ingredients list. "Why did you pick this one? Do you like drinking this?"
Xin Yunmao finished his first sip and likewise didn't drink any more, innocently confessing: "The bottle looked pretty."
"..."
She shouldn't have let a spirit from Huaijiang choose drinks! He had no judgment when it came to food and beverages!
However, what's done was done, and the mistake was already made.
In the guesthouse hallway, before returning to her room, Chu Zhishui advised Xin Yunmao: "If you really don't want to drink it, just throw it away. Good night."
Xin Yunmao was startled by the unfamiliar phrase. His eyes flickered slightly as he softly replied: "...Good night."
Their rooms were adjacent, with basically identical layouts.
After entering her room, Chu Zhishui casually placed her unfinished drink on the coffee table and went to look for her charging cable in her suitcase.
The electrical outlet was on the wall near the coffee table. While bending down to plug in the charging cable, she accidentally knocked over the can beside her, watching helplessly as the dark soda soaked into the white plush chair's surface.
Chu Zhishui frantically grabbed some wet wipes and desperately tried to clean the stain, but discovered that the soda had special ingredients that made it impossible to remove. Worse still, the white plush chair cover couldn't be removed, so she couldn't take it to the bathroom to wash.
She felt quite panicked for a moment, not because she was afraid of paying compensation, but because it would cause trouble for the cleaning staff tomorrow.
Chu Zhishui's peripheral vision caught the fancy can, and she suddenly had an idea. She called out: "Xin Yunmao."
"What is it?" Xin Yunmao had just sat down next door when he heard her calling him. He appeared through a dark gap, saying quietly, "Didn't we already say good night?"
"Quick, quick! Can you help save this?" Chu Zhishui circled around the white plush chair anxiously, pleading, "Didn't you make my clothes clean last time at the tea garden?"
He seemed to have some strange cleaning abilities.
Xin Yunmao found it absurd and exclaimed in shock: "You finally got your wish granted back, and you're using it to have me clean a chair?"
Seeing him standing there motionless, Chu Zhishui grew more anxious, worried the stain would set deeper. Her tone became urgent: "What wish! This is your fault!"
He asked in confusion: "How is this related to me?"
"I chose this drink because of you!"
Xin Yunmao couldn't argue with that: "..."
"Just this once." He looked at the dirty chair, snapped his fingers, and muttered, "This won't count as your wish."
In the next moment, the white plush chair was restored to its original state, completely free of stains, looking even cleaner than before.
Chu Zhishui breathed a long sigh of relief and gratefully said: "Thank you, Divine Lord."
Hearing her address him this way, Xin Yunmao felt a strange sensation in his heart and didn't know how to respond. He noticed a coat draped over the suitcase nearby and suddenly said: "You can bring out your worn clothes, and I'll clean them for you while I'm at it."
Chu Zhishui was reminded by his words and instinctively looked at her messy suitcase, suddenly realizing that he had entered without opening the door and had seen her disorganized room. They had only interacted at the bureau before and hadn't shown their slovenly sides to each other.
This was the first time she had called him to her private space, and now that she realized it, her face grew hot with embarrassment. Trying to maintain composure, she led him out and politely declined: "That won't be necessary."
"Why not?" Xin Yunmao was pushed to the doorway, not understanding his devotee's sudden change in attitude. He asked puzzled, "You're the one who called me over, and this would be quick?"
A dirty chair and dirty clothes were no different; he couldn't understand what she was worried about.
Chu Zhishui's face was red: "Really, it's not necessary!"
The door closed decisively, leaving the bamboo spirit outside.
Chu Zhishui thought for a moment and felt it was like covering her ears while stealing a bell - if she were wearing the token, he could come and go as he pleased anyway. It had already been proven that he could travel from Huaijiang to Yinhai, so a mere door meant nothing.
A moment later, Chu Zhishui's stern threat came from inside: "By the way, if you dare come in without me calling your name, I'll split you open and weave you into a bamboo mat!"
Outside the door, Xin Yunmao: "!!?"
After hearing these words, Xin Yunmao's ears turned red with embarrassment - she actually dared to think of turning him into a bamboo mat to sleep on!
