I'm a Druid at a farmhouse.

Chapter 75 New Guests

Pei Ziyou, with his female companion in his arms, approached step by step. His steps were casual, and he made little noise as he stepped on the bluestone slabs.

On the contrary, the woman beside him, with her high heels clicking against the ground, made a crisp clattering sound that seemed particularly out of place in the quiet courtyard.

"Ziyou, is this the interesting place you were talking about?" the woman asked, her voice tinged with a hint of coquettishness. She looked around, her brows furrowing almost imperceptibly. "Isn't this just a farmhouse inn? It's quite remote to drive here."

Her name is An Qi, and she is Pei Ziyou's latest female companion.

"My dad recommended it." Pei Ziyou's answer was brief, but his gaze swept over the vegetable garden and chicken coop in the yard with great interest.

Song You heard their conversation from afar and immediately understood; they were the second generation of a repeat customer.

Judging from this young man's clothes and that flashy sports car, he's completely different from Tian Wenwu, who rented a car to show off his wealth.

This person is truly wealthy, and was recommended by an elder.

"Welcome." Song You greeted them.

"Boss?" Pei Ziyou's gaze finally settled on Song You, looking him up and down before raising his chin and pointing around. "Your place has some interesting ideas."

He didn't ask what we wanted to eat, nor did he ask what the specialties were; his first question was about this.

This was the first time Song You had encountered a customer like this.

People come here either to fish or to eat; no one has ever cared about his business philosophy.

"Oh? How so?" Song You also became interested.

"Vegetable garden, chicken coop, and that reservoir over there." Pei Ziyou's logic was clear. "Vegetable leaves feed the chickens, chicken manure fertilizes the fields, and the ecosystem in the reservoir is probably also related to these two things. Are you trying to create a circular ecosystem?"

Song You's heart stirred slightly; it seemed this young man had a keen eye for observation.

He smiled and nodded: "I guess so. We're self-sufficient and make the most of everything. The vegetables are grown by ourselves, the chickens are raised by ourselves, and the fish are wild-caught from the reservoir. We guarantee that every bite our guests eat is the freshest of the best."

Song You gave a brief explanation of how the system works.

"Interesting." Pei Ziyou repeated, his expression even more satisfied. "These days, everything is packaged up so exquisitely; they want to tell you a thousand stories just by having a meal. It's rare to see something like yours, something you genuinely created yourself."

Angie, who was standing nearby, listened to the conversation between the two but couldn't get a word in edgewise.

She quietly tugged at Pei Ziyou's sleeve and complained in a low voice, "Ziyou, it's all dirt and mud here. Let's go to the city to eat. I know a newly opened French restaurant with a really nice atmosphere."

Pei Ziyou seemed not to hear. He walked around An Qi, went straight to the edge of the vegetable garden, squatted down, picked up a leaf of green vegetable and looked at it.

"These cucumbers are really good-looking," he commented.

Su Yunxi was watering another vegetable patch when she heard this. She paused, secretly glancing over there, where Su Yunxi had just finished.

Song You also noticed Su Yunxi's little gesture, but said nothing, and continued to introduce to Pei Ziyou: "Want to try some? You can pick them and eat them directly."

"Okay." Pei Ziyou stood up, clapped his hands, and actually reached out to pick it.

"Oh dear, Ziyou!" Anqi quickly stopped him. "It's covered in dirt, how can you pick it directly? It'll be filthy!"

Pei Ziyou stopped moving. He turned around and glanced at An Qi without saying a word, but his gaze made An Qi swallow back her words.

He withdrew his hand but didn't insist. He simply turned to Song You and said, "Show us around. I want to see your reservoir."

"Okay." Song You nodded and led the two towards the back mountain.

Su Yunxi watched the three people's backs, especially the exquisitely dressed woman, and cursed her inwardly for talking nonsense without knowing anything. This kind of woman is healthy.

She lowered her head and continued watering the vegetables, the water gushing out.

The road to the reservoir was difficult to walk on. Angie was wearing high heels and had a very hard time walking. She almost twisted her ankle several times.

"This road is so difficult to walk on!" she couldn't help but complain again. "Ziyou, slow down, wait for me."

Pei Ziyou walked ahead, her steps light and easy, as if she hadn't heard a word she said.

He walked to the edge of the reservoir, looked at the vast expanse of water, and took a deep breath.

"The air is so fresh," he exclaimed. "Much more comfortable than those air purifiers with added fragrances in the city."

Angie finally caught up, leaning against a nearby tree to catch her breath. Hearing this, she pouted and said, "It all smells of water and mud. What's so good about it?"

Song You listened silently.

This couple, or rather this pair, is quite interesting.

"What kinds of fish are in your reservoir?" Pei Ziyou asked.

"We have grass carp, common carp, and crucian carp. There are also some mandarin fish, but those are fierce and hard to catch," Song You answered truthfully.

"Oh?" Pei Ziyou's interest was piqued. "How big is the biggest one?"

"A while ago, a customer caught a grass carp that weighed over 100 jin (50 kg)."

"Over a hundred pounds?" Pei Ziyou's eyes lit up. "Really?"

"Absolutely true."

"Okay, that's interesting." Pei Ziyou nodded, walked around the reservoir again, and then turned back.

Back in the courtyard, Pei Ziyou found a table and sat down. An Qi followed suit and carefully wiped the stool several times with a tissue.

"Boss, let's order," Pei Ziyou called out.

Su Yunxi immediately put down what she was doing, grabbed the menu and notebook, and ran over, her movements already quite practiced.

"Handsome, what would you like to eat? Our free-range chicken and reservoir fish are local specialties."

Pei Ziyou didn't look at the menu and asked Song You directly, "Can you recommend two dishes?"

"A spicy chicken, a steamed fish, and a vegetable dish, is that enough?" Song You suggested.

"Okay, these three will do," Pei Ziyou decided.

"Ziyou, I don't eat fish," Anqi protested quietly from the side.

Pei Ziyou seemed to have just remembered that there was someone next to him, and glanced at her sideways: "Then let's play PUBG."

Angie's expression instantly became quite interesting.

Just then, a customer who was fishing walked over and shouted into the yard, "Boss, whose yellow sports car is that by the gate? Could you please move it? My Wuling Hongguang can't get out."

All eyes in the courtyard turned to Pei Ziyou.

A hint of embarrassment and displeasure flashed across Angie's face.

Pei Ziyou, however, did not feel uncomfortable at all. He stood up, took out his car keys from his pocket, and gestured with his chin to the guest.

"Mine, right away."

After saying that, he strode out of the yard, started his sports car, and skillfully reversed to make way for the Wuling Hongguang.

Throughout the entire process, there was not a trace of impatience.

The passenger in the Wuling Hongguang thanked him repeatedly, but Pei Ziyou didn't even glance at him. He simply parked the car back in its original spot before strolling back to his seat.

"Boss, the dishes are ready to be served," Pei Ziyou said to Song You after sitting down.

"it is good."

Song You turned and went into the kitchen.

He first scooped out a grass carp weighing about three pounds from the tank, activated [Divine Skill], and gently stroked the fish's body with his palm. The lively fish instantly calmed down.

Then, he picked up the newly won cleaver and, with swift strokes, scraped off the scales, removed the dirt, and modified the blade, all in one smooth motion.

Next comes processing the chicken.

His ability to "distinguish the texture of ingredients" allows him to clearly "see" the direction of every fiber in the chicken. He cuts the chicken into evenly sized pieces following the grain.

Light the fire and heat the pan.

[Heart of the Heart] activated.

The blue flames were no longer a blurry mass in his eyes, but rather composed of countless dancing particles of heat. He could feel the flames breathing and predict every subtle change in the oil temperature inside the pot.

Instead of adding ingredients, he first repeatedly heated the large iron pot that had been with him for months over the fire, feeling the resonance between the pot and the flames.

It's too light.

The thought popped into my head again.

This time, however, he adjusted his breathing, combining the technique of "stirring the wok" with his own strength. With a slight flick of his wrist, the oil in the wok slid evenly across the bottom, forming a thin film.

Add the chicken pieces and stir-fry.

"Sizzle—"

The aroma exploded instantly.

His wok-tossing movements were no longer as expansive as before, but had become more refined and restrained. With each toss, the chicken pieces in the pot seemed to be supported by an invisible hand, tracing perfect parabolas in the air before precisely landing back in the pot.

Chili peppers, ginger, garlic, and various seasonings are added to the pot at the most appropriate time.

His ability to harmonize the five flavors has allowed him to reach a whole new level of control over taste.

The entire cooking process was fluid and rhythmic.

In the courtyard, Pei Ziyou was looking around listlessly, while An Qi was constantly touching up her makeup.

A strong and overpowering aroma wafted out of the kitchen without warning.

The aroma was intense, first the spiciness of chili peppers, which fiercely filled the nostrils and instantly ignited the appetite. Then came the rich, enticing charred fragrance of the stir-fried chicken.

The two flavors intertwine, creating a wonderful balance rather than clashing.

Pei Ziyou stopped moving.

He looked up and took a deep breath.

Angie smelled it too. She stopped applying makeup and looked surprised.

Soon, Song You came out carrying a plate of bright red and fragrant spicy chicken.

"The food is here, please enjoy."

He placed the plate of food on the table, then turned and went back to the kitchen.

Pei Ziyou's gaze shifted from Song You's back to the dish.

The red peppers, golden chicken pieces, and bright green scallions look so appetizing.

He picked up his chopsticks and took a piece of chicken.

Anqi watched from the side, her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but seeing Pei Ziyou's focused expression, she swallowed her words in the end.

The chicken enters the mouth.

Pei Ziyou paused for a moment while chewing, and his usually nonchalant eyes finally brightened.