Chapter 518

Everyone sat together, looking at what Takumi and Xiangling had made, their hearts full of puzzlement.

How do you eat this?

The beef and other ingredients were sliced so thinly, and many of the dishes were still raw. Even Yoimiya and Kokomi, who had stayed in Liyue for a while, had question marks on their faces.

This looks a bit like Inazuma's cuisine, but is it really this intense? The red soup...

"How do I eat this?" Keqing asked, voicing the doubts of everyone present.

When the rest of them heard her question, they nodded immediately. Yes, how do you eat this?

Seeing their confusion, Takumi smiled and said:

"You'll find out soon. Sit down for a while! It will be ready shortly."

After saying this, Takumi returned to the kitchen. In about ten minutes, all the dishes were ready. Takumi and Xiangling brought out two soup bases—one red and one milky white.

Seeing the red soup base, everyone had even more question marks on their faces. Paimon, in particular, looked horrified.

"What on Teyvat is this? It looks so spicy just by looking at it!"

Even as a foodie, Paimon felt a little uneasy seeing the red soup. Could this really be eaten? Would it burn them to death?

Hearing her concerns, Takumi couldn't help but roll his eyes.

"Just don't rush to eat it later. Come on, everyone, sit down. Guoba, you too."

Takumi called everyone to take their seats and even brought the crispy rice that Xiangling had prepared to the table. Guoba thanked Takumi happily and then looked curiously at the dishes on the table.

"You can just put these things in, like this, and when the soup is ready, you can eat it."

Takumi began to demonstrate. When everyone understood how to eat, they became interested, especially Hu Tao, who loved this kind of lively and interactive meal.

Soon, everyone eagerly started adding the ingredients they wanted into the pot. Besides the common ingredients, Takumi had also prepared beef balls and some offal, which he and Xiangling had put a lot of effort into making.

From the first bite, everyone fell in love with this way of eating. It was cold outside, and eating like this brought immense comfort. The chilly weather seemed to fade away, replaced by warmth and satisfaction.

"It's really good! I think I could open a hot pot restaurant!" Xiangling said with great interest while eating.

This way of dining seemed like it could definitely become a business. Hearing Xiangling's idea, Lumine immediately responded:

"Then I want to invest!"

If this style of eating could be popularized, it would undoubtedly be profitable. The rest of the group became excited as soon as they heard this, eagerly discussing the idea. Everyone supported Xiangling in opening a hot pot restaurant.

When Xiangling heard Lumine's offer to invest, she happily accepted, mentioning that she would discuss it thoroughly and perhaps open the restaurant as soon as the next day. Conveniently, a building next to Wanmin Restaurant was available for rent. She could take it over, clean it up, and start right away. The previous restaurant owner had made the mistake of opening a shop next to Xiangling's, leading to inevitable failure.

After a month of operation, the place was vacant again, giving Xiangling the perfect opportunity. The restaurant setup was already done, and only minor adjustments were needed.

Everyone was very supportive of this idea. After enjoying the hot pot, they were all sweating and thoroughly satisfied. Even Collei and Nilou, who were from Sumeru, felt invigorated. As they left, the cold wind made them feel even more refreshed, despite the possibility of catching a cold the next day.

After eating and drinking to their hearts' content, everyone went home. The next day, Xiangling went to the General Affairs Department to rent the space for her new restaurant. The commercial street was managed by this department, so all rentals had to go through them. When the staff saw Xiangling, they quickly helped her complete the formalities.

Afterwards, she went straight to Takumi's office.

"Brother Takumi! The hot pot restaurant can open the day after tomorrow. Is there anything I need to pay attention to? How should I set the menu prices?"

For these business matters, Xiangling wasn't too familiar, so she sought Takumi's advice. Hearing her questions, Takumi chuckled.

"You're opening a store without even knowing the prices?"

Xiangling felt a bit embarrassed.

"Hee hee\~ Brother Takumi, just tell me, please!"

Though shy, she still boldly asked for his help. Takumi looked at her with amusement.

"Alright, let me explain. You need to figure out the prices, like how much a serving of vegetables costs and how much it should weigh. You can set these details. When people order, just serve it on a plate. Then, set a price for the soup base and a fee for seating. These are all manageable."

Takumi began explaining how hot pot restaurants typically price their dishes. Xiangling listened intently, jotting down notes with great interest. Soon, she had a good grasp of the business model and knew what steps to take next.

After making sure she understood everything, Takumi added another piece of advice:

"Xiangling, you can't run the business at a loss. Don't sell vegetables at cost price. Even if there isn't much processing involved, labor costs are high."

Takumi reminded her gently, knowing that Wanmin Restaurant was always known for its high quality and low prices. He worried that if she managed a hot pot restaurant the same way, she might end up giving away large portions for very little money.

If she charged only 300 Mora for a handful of fresh vegetables, she'd lose money fast. When Xiangling heard Takumi's warning, she blinked and nodded seriously.

"I understand! I'll keep an eye on it."

Takumi had made his point clear, and Xiangling took it to heart. She couldn't run the hot pot place like Wanmin Restaurant. After recording all the important points, Xiangling hurried out to prepare for her new venture.

For a hot pot restaurant, the soup base was the most crucial part. Once that was set, finding a few helpers for the ingredients would be easy. There was no need for intensive cooking, making it quite convenient.

Since the shop didn't need much renovation, Xiangling could get it ready in a single day. She ordered dozens of hot pot sets and made all the necessary arrangements. Then, she went shopping with Lumine to get the supplies.

Regarding the ingredients, she just needed to have her dedicated suppliers for Wanmin Restaurant deliver more. These were minor details. What mattered most was getting the freshest meat, especially the beef, to ensure the taste would be just right!