The little mermaid blinked. "Make money?"
"Yes," Ye Jiujiu said. "You can only buy lollipops if you earn money."
The little mermaid instantly perked up. "Then I want to earn money too!"
"Alright. Sit here and help me keep an eye on the guests." The kitchen was hot and cramped, so Ye Jiujiu moved the vases off the table closest to the kitchen entrance and placed the little mermaid there. "When someone finishes eating and wants to pay, come call me if I'm not around."
The little mermaid nodded vigorously. She would work hard!
Knowing people would definitely ask questions when they saw the little mermaid, Ye Jiujiu crouched down and patiently said, "If anyone asks who you are, you absolutely can't say you're a mermaid. If they find out, they'll lock you up. And they definitely won't give you candy."
The little mermaid was so frightened she immediately covered her mouth. "I won't tell."
"If they ask, just say you're my sister." Ye Jiujiu paused. "Do you know your name?"
The little mermaid rattled off a long, melodious string of unfamiliar syllables.
"…I don't understand a thing you just said." Ye Jiujiu sighed. "Let me give you a local name. You'll be called Ye Xiaoyu."
The little mermaid tilted her delicate doll-like face. "Little Ye?"
"That's right. Ye Xiaoyu. Same surname as your sister." Ye Jiujiu gently tousled her curly hair.
The little mermaid nodded obediently and took another bite of her corn.
"Ye Xiaoyu," Ye Jiujiu called.
The little mermaid looked up. "Huh?"
Good, she responded properly.
After confirming she had adapted, Ye Jiujiu went to open the shop. The moment she opened the door, she saw Lele's mother arriving with her husband and their son.
"Boss, we're here!" Lele's mother said cheerfully.
"Welcome." Ye Jiujiu stepped aside.
The little mermaid remembered her instructions and ran over holding her boiled corn. "Welcome… Guangni," she stammered.
Lele's mother burst out laughing. "Oh my, what a cute little girl! Where did she come from?"
"From the water," the little mermaid whispered. Only Ye Jiujiu understood.
"What? From abroad?" Lele's mother interpreted on her own.
Ye Jiujiu didn't bother correcting her. "Where would you like to sit?"
Lele's mother pointed to a long table. "My in-laws and my sister-in-law's family of three are still coming. Let's sit there first. Boss, what's good today?"
Lele tugged at Ye Jiujiu's clothes. "Pretty sister, I came to see you first. Did you miss me yesterday?"
"Yes," Ye Jiujiu said calmly. She settled the little mermaid back into her seat and handed the menu to Lele's mother.
---
Today's Menu:
Spicy and Sour Seaweed Salad — 88
Shrimp Steamed Egg Custard — 188
Garlic Vermicelli Oysters — 288
Tofu & Fish Zucchini Soup — 388
Boiled Blood Clams — 388
Pan-fried Spanish Mackerel — 588
Steamed Fish Head with Chopped Chili — 588
Raw Marinated Crab — 688
Ivory Clam Sashimi — 2888
---
Ye Jiujiu added, "The chopped chili fish head uses mackerel head—there's only one per fish. And the ivory clam sashimi is a whole clam, about five pounds. Wild ivory clams this size are extremely expensive."
Lele's father asked, "What's tofu fish?"
"It's also called dragon head fish," Ye Jiujiu explained. "Very soft and delicate, perfect for children and the elderly."
"That works well for us." Lele's mother looked at her husband. "How many dishes should we order?"
"Since my sister's family is back, let's get everything," Lele's father said.
"Alright. We'll take one of each."
Lele's grandparents would arrive in ten minutes. The timing was perfect. Ye Jiujiu excused herself and headed to the kitchen.
As she passed the little mermaid's table, she spotted Lele leaning in, offering chocolates.
"You're so pretty," he coaxed. "I'll give you all my chocolate."
But the little mermaid only hugged her boiled corn tighter and ignored him completely.
"What's your name? I'm Zhang Le, but you can call me Lele," the boy said. "Your eyes are blue! Are you a foreigner?"
"Her name is Ye Xiaoyu," Ye Jiujiu said as she gently pulled him away. "She's shy, don't scare her."
If he scared her, she might bite him.
"Don't be scared, Little Fish. I'll protect you!" Lele puffed up proudly. "I'll treat you to chocolate and spicy snacks."
"No… not good." The little mermaid shielded her corn. You can't have it.
"Why can't you talk properly?" Lele huffed. "It's 'eat,' not 'times'!"
Seeing that Lele wasn't bullying her, Ye Jiujiu returned to the kitchen.
Lele's mother followed briefly, only to recoil when she saw the enormous ivory clam wriggling. "Oh my gosh—it's so big. And… still alive. That's terrifying."
"A little," Ye Jiujiu said dryly. "Just don't look at it."
"I won't!" Lele's mother fled the kitchen.
---
Ye Jiujiu cleaned and deveined ten thumb-sized shrimp with practiced ease—one shrimp per second. She steamed two servings of shrimp custard, one set aside for the little mermaid so she wouldn't steal food from the customers.
Next was the mackerel. After stunning it with a rolling pin, she swiftly removed the head, marinated it for the chopped chili dish, and sliced the body. Some pieces were marinated for immediate cooking; the rest went into the refrigerator.
She then stir-fried toppings for the garlic vermicelli oysters and chopped chili fish head. The bright red, yellow, and green colors mixed beautifully over the vermicelli.
While those steamed, she pan-fried the mackerel until golden on both sides, plated it with a crescent of fresh cilantro sauce, and garnished it lightly.
One dish after another, she carried the plates out. When she returned, she found the little mermaid staring at her with shining eyes.
"I'm almost done," Ye Jiujiu whispered, patting her head.
Back in the kitchen, she arranged a wooden tray with steamed egg custard, a piece of pan-fried mackerel, a small portion of raw marinated crab, and a bowl of rice.
"Eat slowly," she instructed.
"Okay!" The little mermaid happily shoveled food into her mouth. Everything tasted so good she could almost swim from joy.
The rest of the dishes came together quickly. When they were served, she heard Lele's mother chatting with her sister-in-law.
"I looked it up—mackerel is great for postpartum weakness and neurasthenia. Eat more."
"Thank you," Lele's aunt said shyly. She'd given birth two months ago and was still frail.
Lele's father nodded. "It's very fresh. I heard it's great for making fish balls—too bad the boss doesn't make them."
"The boss is already doing her best," Lele's mother said proudly, practically Ye Jiujiu's spokesperson.
Ye Jiujiu smiled as she served the soup and blood clams. "These are also very nutritious—good for recovery."
Lele's mother immediately pushed the dishes toward her sister-in-law. "Eat these, maybe they'll even help with milk production."
Lele's aunt doubted that, but accepted politely.
---
After Lele's family arrived, four more tables filled up—friends she had called earlier. By the time everything was plated, the family had already finished eating and was enjoying tea.
Ye Jiujiu calculated the bill. "Including drinks and juice, the total is 6600. Thank you for your patronage."
Lele's father paid readily. "Shall we go catch a movie at the mall?"
"Let's go!" Lele immediately grabbed the little mermaid's hand. "Pretty little sister, I'll take you to see a movie!"
Ye Jiujiu froze.
That little fatty—
I treat you so well, and you actually dare abduct my mermaid?!