Store by the Corner I

We've been busy long enough. 'Tis time for a break! Let's go and feast along Fangxing Avenue!

Yeah! Students aren't exactly rich, but Fangxing Avenue offers great food on the cheap! Once exams are over, everyone celebrates here!

And we did survive a major challenge. This one's on me. Actually, I say our Endmin's got the tab. Heheh.

I think I remember the place. Plenty of students have their meals at the avenue.

Endmin, what a coincidence.

I'll let them do the explaining.

*Sigh*... I guess so. I saw a new post on the bulletin. A business is ending their lease.

I've been perfecting my business plan since last year. Fortune smiles on me 'cos I'm prepared!

Let's all take a step back and talk nicely, okay...?

Captain Mi and Endmin, the Avenue business bidding process might be the problem. It calls for fair competition.

What's your take, Endmin?

Sure thing! We Wulingers have a thing for competitions! Fair and simple! Let's start in two days.

Aunt Tian, both of you have valid reasons, but you know there's only one stall left. We have to reach an agreement...

I know, Liu. I never wanted to make things difficult. Ah Zai and I will do our best and go with the watchguards' arrangements.

Hold up. Count me out if you're going with the arrangements! I'm different, Uncle Liu. I got a plan *plus* the determination to see it through!

Hmph. Got some trouble on our hands.

Endfield can't really handle complicated things like this...

Dinner's on me.

...Oh! I might have an idea! Endmin, come here! Let's talk about this...

Start a competition? Hmm... Sounds like a plan.

And to help Mi Fu out, feel free to ask if you need anything from us!

You darlings are too kind, but I'm fine for now. Why don't you help Ah Zai first?

Are the lady and the young man arguing about who gets to use the stall?

I came here really early in the morning. Just wanna see if I could get lucky with the stall, but I ran into...

Aunt Tian and Ah Zai, you going along? Maybe you could set up your stalls first. May the most popular one win.

This stall is mine to rent, and that's final!

Both are qualified and their business plans are sound, but they're... Ugh. This is a real dilemma!

Count this lady in. There's no way I'll lose!

Oh, it's you! Here to back me up?

I'm ... planning something special. Kinda need someone to take a few photos and check the process.

Hmm. Checking out the process sounds interesting. Your job is as good as done!

Sounds like a great start! I'm syncing you with the coordinates. Just help photograph the listed things for me!

Ah Zai, you ready for the competition?

Are you opening a photography studio?

It's not gonna be a studio! I'm gonna sell — Ahem. It's a secret for now. I don't want to spoil the surprise.

Oh? Done already? Awesome. Show me the photos!

Hmm. Composition is decent, but lighting's a bit off. I was hoping for a sprinkle of sunlight on the Tianshi Pillar. That'd be perfect.

That's alright. There are other steps in the process. Here, take this.

There's a giveaway too? Oh, Ah Zai, we also heard your pre-recordings back then.

You heard it? That means my check-in location sensors are working. I am a genius.

Did you write those tourist-guiding lines as well?

Of course I did. People who achieve great things are meticulous... And they work alone as well!

I'll summarize my event plan for you — Patrons taking photos at the check-in locations will hear my well-prepared intro of Wuling's beautiful sights.

Heheh. I'll tell you when the time's right. So, interested in hitting the next check-in location?

If they bring the photos to my place, they'll get a Connect-and-Win voucher!

Lemme count the photos... Hmm. We're all set. Wow. You ran into Lifeng...?! Alright, here are the rest of the vouchers!

Ah Zai, this event of yours seems really well-planned.

Sorry, I got too carried away — They're the most motivating words I've heard! Everyone criticized me as a kid. They kept saying I aim too high and how my head is full of weird ideas...

Oh, I hope that doesn't feel like too much. I actually learned these tricks from the TGCC.

But your ideas aren't weird. I think they're really innovative, you know.

That's right! Innovation! That's what I was gonna say — My vision is to make Wuling a city of innovations!

She shouldn't simply focus on science and experiments and super boring lessons. The city deserves something new every day. She's gotta embrace innovation —

And Wuling shouldn't keep herself mired in the past. No one should shackle her future!

And thank you all for helping me out.

But sit tight. 'Cuz not all the prizes are ready yet. Swing by when the competition starts!

...Re-really?! You think it's well-planned?!

Hmph, but they won't take me down — Art is the career I chose! I ... am a business artist!

The TGCC's got all sorts of super-rad tricks! You need a really flashy package if you want your things to sell!

Where did I put it...? Ugh, my memories are getting worse with every year...

Aunt Tian, what are you looking for?

Oh, the helpful young people are here. I'm trying to make some braised meat noodles, but I can't find my jar of bamboo sprouts.

Look. I even prepared a huge pot for making the stock.

Getting the pot ready sounds like a ton of work already...

I've followed the steps all my life. Never felt complicated to me. If it's something you're good at, you'll get into the little, gritty details.

They're grove nymphsprouts that grow at the Stragglers Grove. I would get a jar every week. And then I lost it while moving stuff around during the last few days.

We'll dig some fresh ones for you!

I soaked it in the mountain spring of Sword Quenching Marsh and rubbed it down with coarse salt. Look at it shine...! But my sprouts went missing, and now I can't even start cooking!

These grove nymphsprouts are super fresh! I can't thank you enough, kind children.

I got the rest prepped. Washed the liangge turnip, soaked the earthy parsley in oil, and chopped the hot fennel... Everything's set. Time to cook!

Aunt Tian, did you run a stall back at the Residential Area? A five-wheel power-cart with a little canopy on top?

Of course, darling. Are you from Wuling?

I had your noodles back when I was in Wuling! I even talked about them with my friends aboard Dijiang!

Seems we're tied together by fate. I can reveal a few of my secrets so you can make your own.

Braised meat noodles may look simple, but perfection ... requires true commitment.

Our first step is prepping the materials. We need minced long-ear fillets, plus liangge turnips, grove nymphsprouts, rock sugar, earthy parsley, and hot fennel.

And there are three house secrets from Aunt Tian. First, use fresh stock for the nymphsprouts!

Second, cook that meat over a small fire till it's just right. Too fast and it would be too tough. Too long and it would melt into the stock.

The third secret lies in the dough. It's living and breathing, children. You need to find it out yourselves.

Find it out ourselves? Is there any trick to this?

My trick is having the heart to feed someone. Once you get these feels, your meals will end up delicious.

Come, I'll show you what it means! Help me bring the ingredients here. And just what I need, please! Don't bring too much!

It's done, my darlings. Have it while it's hot.

It's so good — Oh I feel so happy right now! It's so soft and sweet and nostalgic!

Oh dear, I just rambled on and on about the past, didn't I? Age is catching up, but days got a lot better. It felt too good to be true.

Alright, darlings. Go ahead and do your thing. This old lady is ending the daily shift.

And I'm happy you like it! Days got better, and so did the fillet.

Huh? So what meat did you use to make braised meat noodles in the past?

Back then it was just straw mushrooms and a mix of other stuff to make it filling.

Indeed. It's a long story.

I never thought about building a big noodle business. The first bowl I made was for a child.

The child then brought friends over to try the noodles, and the other kids brought their parents over for more.

Back in those days, I believe everyone had it hard.

When they were building this city, I worked in the construction crew.

We only received supplies once per month. Hardly any of us got the "braised meat".

This place was literally uninhabited. The fowlbeasts that arrived probably went home because there was nothing around.

The child got sick and everything tasted bitter. So I made some maltose with the remaining grains and added them to the dough with liangge turnip.

The adults couldn't stop crying as they ate! The flavors reminded them of Hongshan and the liangge turnip vines of summer sprawling along the fence.

Got it? Lemme see. Hmm. A perfect capture of the mini shellbeasts!

I love mini shellbeasts! I raised one myself. They like being close to people!

Alright. This photo is done. Well, people, gotta need help at the next check-in location.

Endmin, I didn't expect to meet you here. Is the team visiting this place for some research?

Research? No, of course not. We're here ... on a mission.

Mission? Did Ah Zai give it to you? Hah. I ran plenty of errands for him as well.

We're kinda like classmates, but he quit school to learn a trade... I mean, to start a business.

And Ah Zai seems like someone cut out for running a biz. Our instructor ran out of tricks to get him to read to study.

And he really stuck to his choice and plans. I really admire the guy!

Oh yeah, since everyone's here, why don't we take a group photo?

Got the main ingredients? Don't forget the condiments.

You need the sweetness, the heat, and the herbal aroma!

For the Bell of Three Presences, I've taken six or seven photos of this place already...

I got a feeling that Ah Zai is taking this event really seriously.

Did you forget already? The main ingredients are half a key of long-ear meat and fifty grams of liangge turnip cut in strips!

The condiments are ten grams of syrup, twenty grams of chopped hot fennel, and thirty grams of cut earthy parsley.

It's okay. You'll get better with practice.

This is the location of Ah Zai's coordinates.

Why is he being so mysterious...? This place is great for photographing Chubby Lungs! He does have taste!

Look at this huge speaker... Ah Zai must have placed it here.