The waiter responded and left. After Li Ying washed her hands, she was about to go to the kitchen to cook herself.
Since it was for a birthday celebration, making a cake would always be a good choice.
"Boss, there's a strange person outside the store. He insisted on delivering this note to you."
The waiter who was in charge of attracting customers rushed in hurriedly and handed her a crumpled piece of paper.
Li Ying frowned slightly. When she unfolded it, she saw a line of words on it.
"Mrs. Lin is a Buddhist and a vegetarian. She doesn't eat meat."
There were actually such requirements?
Li Ying raised her eyebrows. The handwriting on the note was exactly the same as the one on the warning note from Little Arrow that day.
"What did the person who sent the note look like?"
The waiter stammered, "Boss... that person covered his face with a bamboo hat. We didn't even have time to ask him before he left..."
So it was a master who didn't want his whereabouts to be revealed?
Li Ying put away the note and secretly hid her doubts. Just then, there came faint sounds of an unpleasant argument from Lord Lin's side.
"What's going on? The dim sum my master reserved for Mrs. Lin hasn't been served yet?"
"We sent someone to the dim sum shop to inquire. They said it had been given to your people for safekeeping long ago. You guys shouldn't have embezzled it secretly, right?"
The speaker was a maid who served by Mrs. Lin's side. She was sharp - tongued. Her slender willow - leaf eyebrows were raised, and her thin lips gave a slight snort. Obviously, she was not an easy person to deal with.
Mrs. Lin picked up a handkerchief and covered her mouth and nose, then coughed lightly.
"Don't be so presumptuous. The store must have its own reasons, right, Boss Li?"
She squinted slightly and rubbed a string of Buddhist beads in her hand. She really had an air of detachment from the world.
The maid was scolded by her and reluctantly closed her mouth.
The waiter didn't dare to be negligent and rushed straight to the back kitchen to report to Li Ying.
"Boss, the noble guests at that table are already urging. Why don't we just serve the qiaoguo? Anyway, it won't ruin our own reputation."
Li Ying frowned slightly.
This meal was crucial to Lord Lin's impression of the town. It must not be ruined by Lian Ji!
Mrs. Lin's hand care and maintenance appointment was almost over. There was no more time to delay. Even though Li Ying was usually calm, she couldn't help feeling a bit anxious now.
"Hey? Whose little baby is this? So cute and fair - skinned."
Just when she was in a dilemma, she suddenly heard Mrs. Lin's exclamation.
Li Ying put down the basin of dough in her hand and looked up. It turned out that Granny Sun was standing in the front hall rather nervously, holding Mianmian in her arms.
After receiving the message sent by Li Ying, she also knew that entertaining this imperial inspector today was of great importance. She waited at home for a long time but didn't see Li Ying come back. She just couldn't sit still anymore, so she hurriedly brought the child to see her.
Mao Mao, the inseparable "little bodyguard", naturally didn't want to be outdone and followed beside them.
"Your Honor, please don't blame us. My baby is young. She didn't mean to offend you!"
Granny Sun saw that the Lin couple were dressed in gorgeous clothes. She was so scared that she was afraid of accidentally offending them and causing trouble for Li Ying.
But Mianmian wasn't shy at all. She grinned happily and babbled as she reached out her little hands towards Mrs. Lin.
She didn't know that the lifelong regret of the Lin couple was that they had no children.
Now Mianmian opened her little hands like a soft dumpling and whined and coquettishly asked to be hugged. Mrs. Lin immediately threw all thoughts of dim sum and food aside and carefully took the child from Granny Sun's arms.
Mianmian babbled a series of baby talk that no one could understand and obediently put her little fist that had been waving into Mrs. Lin's hand.
In her little hand like a lotus root joint, there was clearly a lotus petal, which she seriously offered to Mrs. Lin.
Mrs. Lin devoted herself to Buddhist practice every day, so she naturally liked the lotus, a thing full of Buddhist nature. The little dumpling was so cute and smart. Her face immediately relaxed a lot.
Mao Mao, who was standing beside them, naturally didn't want to be outdone. Its fluffy tail gently swept across Mrs. Lin's feet. It jumped onto the seat and pressed its soft and warm little body between the Lin couple. Then it pinched its throat and let out a cute meow.
Lord Lin stroked its belly with his big hand. Mao Mao wasn't angry. Instead, it purred.
Li Ying watched her two little lucky stars. They coaxed the Lin couple to be very happy on both sides. Only then did she breathe a sigh of relief.
She had already mixed coconut oil, coconut milk, an appropriate amount of soy milk, flour and sugar to make a smooth batter.
Adding a small amount of alkaline powder and letting it ferment slightly would result in a soft texture.
Steaming the cake batter would make it more moist and soft, which was suitable for Mrs. Lin, who was in her sixties.
As for the frosting, she whipped the coconut milk over cold water. It was thick and white, with a silky texture no less than that of cream, and it also had an extra hint of unique coconut fragrance.
She paired it with small pieces of seasonal fruits, decorated it with fried walnut and pine nut kernels, and finally sifted a thin layer of coconut shreds on top.
The waiters in the hot - pot restaurant had never seen such a "birthday cake" before. They all stared in surprise.
"Go and find six extremely thin candles. Light them and insert them on the cake. Put out a few candles on Mrs. Lin's side. Wait for my signal, then put the cake on the cart and send it out."
The waiters in the hot - pot restaurant had already practiced the birthday - celebration process and singing the birthday song to perfection. Without much explanation, they all understood what to do.
Mrs. Lin was just teasing Mianmian in her arms when suddenly it became dark around her. Only two high - hanging lanterns left, casting a gentle warm light on her.
Several young and burly waiters pushed a bamboo cart and walked towards her with beaming smiles.
"May you live as long as the heavens..."
Everyone's face was filled with joy. Even though Mrs. Lin had seen a lot in her life, she still couldn't help being a bit stunned.
This feeling was as if she had instantly become the center of the world. It really made her feel very good!
Li Ying looked at her with a smiling face, "Mrs. Lin, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. This is the birthday cake specially ordered for you by Lord Lin. Please close your eyes, make a wish, and then blow out the candles. Your wish will surely come true."
She paused for a moment and then said with envy on her face, "You two are so deeply in love. You really make people envy you!"
A faint blush flashed across Mrs. Lin's face. She scolded playfully, "At my age, still doing such fancy things. Aren't you ashamed!"
But the joy in her eyes could no longer be hidden.
She took a bite of the coconut milk cake and couldn't help but be even more surprised.
Although the hot - pot was delicious, she was a vegetarian. She could only watch her husband enjoy it while she could only taste some vegetables. She was a bit disdainful.
This remote place could only have some fresh mountain products at most. If it came to making delicate dim sum, how could it be compared with the shops in the capital?
The coconut milk frosting melted in her mouth immediately, and the aftertaste lingered on her tongue for a long time. It really made her stunned on the spot.
This cake was truly "wonderful"!
"Mrs. Lin, wait! Don't eat this dim sum! This woman has evil intentions and wants you to break your vegetarian vow on purpose!"
Just when Mrs. Lin was about to enjoy it, there suddenly came a scream from outside the private room.
Looking in the direction of the sound, it was Lian Ji, with a panicked look on her face.