MRIFAOTW Chapter 21

Three o’clock in the afternoon.

At this time, which was the least busy period of the day at the Three Thousand Food House, only two people were eating in the outer room. Bai Xianzhi took out his mobile device and posted a message on his newly registered social media account:

【Three Thousand Food House: Rest day tomorrow, dear customers, please do not come to the shop.】

Not many people were following him, only about a thousand, mostly customers of the restaurant. As soon as the message was posted, there were quick replies:

【Ah! Has it been six days again? Why does it feel like only two or three days have passed!】

【Oh no! I have a business trip tomorrow, and I was planning to replenish my temporal energy at the Three Thousand Food House! [Crying.jpg]】

【Just one day, I can endure it (I’ve already bought tomorrow’s food at the Three Thousand Food House today!) [Smile.jpg]】

【Can we do that?! Why didn’t I think of it! I’m going to the Three Thousand Food House right away!!】

【I’ll go too!!】

…

After reading a few comments, besides expressing amazement that solutions were always more abundant than difficulties, Bai Xianzhi put away his phone with relief. After working hard for six days, he could finally rest well tomorrow.

At that moment, a customer finished eating, and Bai Xianzhi went to the customer to settle the bill and clean the dishes. When he came out of the kitchen, another customer suddenly stood up, looking at him hesitantly.

“Sir, is there something you need?”

After much hesitation, Ge Er finally bit the bullet and spoke up, “Boss, please stop selling the four dishes in your menu. This is a notice from Time Moon Hotel.”

Bai Xianzhi took a folded piece of paper from Ge Er but didn’t open it yet. The young man in front of him spoke again, “Boss, your restaurant has many dishes, just four dishes. If you can avoid making them, please do so. After all, Time Moon Hotel is a giant in the dining industry.”

After saying that, the young man hastily left the Three Thousand Food House.

As Bai Xianzhi watched his figure disappear, he unfolded the paper in his hand. The curved handwriting on it read:

Three Thousand Food House:

The dishes White Cabbage Stuffed with Meat, Crispy Pork, Braised Pork, and Spicy Chicken Dices in your menu have infringed upon the interests of Time Moon Hotel. As the creators of these four dishes, Time Moon Hotel hopes that Three Thousand Food House realizes its mistake and immediately removes these four dishes from its menu, ceasing the harm to Time Moon Hotel. Otherwise, the hotel will take serious measures to address this matter!

Time Moon Hotel

Bai Xianzhi: ????

Was he dreaming? Otherwise, why would someone claim that White Cabbage Stuffed with Meat, Crispy Pork, Braised Pork, and Spicy Chicken Dices were creations of his? Even scammers in Huaguo wouldn’t dare to do such a thing!

It was simply ridiculous! Bai Xianzhi never imagined that one day someone would come up to him and say that he created the culinary masterpieces of Huaguo, and that person wasn’t even a Huaguo native! They couldn’t even be considered an Earthling!

From the paper in front of him, the seriousness and solemnity of Time Moon Hotel could be seen between the lines. However, it was this seriousness that made him find it both laughable and absurd.

Who created White Cabbage Stuffed with Meat? Who was the first to make Crispy Pork? As for Braised Pork, it was indeed a creation of Mr. Dongpo, but what about Spicy Chicken Dices?

Three out of the four dishes were most likely the laborious creations of the ancient laboring people of Huaguo, while the remaining one was from the hands of the historical figure, Mr. Dongpo. These four dishes were popular all over Huaguo, and there wasn’t a restaurant in the streets and alleys that didn’t serve them.

But now someone jumped in front of him and claimed that these four dishes were his creations and forbade him from making them. It was simply ridiculous!

A few months ago, when he saw the new menu of Time Moon Hotel, the Four Treasures of the Three Thousand Food House were among the best-selling items. At the time, Bai Xianzhi felt that something was off, but he didn’t do anything about it.

Firstly, he didn’t have any evidence, and secondly, these four dishes were not his patents. Everyone in Huaguo was making them, and in other realms, of course, he couldn’t be the only one dominating the market.

However, he never expected that Time Moon Hotel would go this far. Either the person in charge of the hotel was out of their mind, or Shi Yue Hotel was overly ambitious, making imaginary things seem real.

Thinking of something, Bai Xianzhi suddenly took out his mobile device and searched for Time Moon Hotel online. He clicked on the hotel’s account, and the first message he saw was:

【Time Moon Hotel: White Cabbage Stuffed with Meat, Crispy Pork, Braised Pork, and Spicy Chicken Dices are original creations of our establishment. The interdimensional rift establishment is suspected of imitation. We have issued a warning and ask all orc friends to support originality and resist imitation!】

Below this message were thousands of comments from netizens. He clicked on them:

【”Wow, isn’t the Interdimensional Rift just the Three Thousand Food House?”】

【”So, is Three Thousand Food House imitating Time Moon Hotel?”】

【”Ah, now it all makes sense! No wonder people have been saying online that the food at Three Thousand Food House has gotten tastier lately. That’s the reason.”】

【”I told you so! Three Thousand Food House has been mediocre for so many years. How could it suddenly become delicious with just a change of ownership? I knew something was off back then, but I never expected Three Thousand Food House to stoop so low.”】

【”Tsk tsk tsk, why did they have to do this? Three Thousand Food House doesn’t need to rely on taste to win. Its advantage has always been its prime location. Even if the food is not great, people will still come. But now…”】

【”Don’t just believe everything you hear. Three Thousand Food House had been selling these four dishes even before Time Moon Hotel introduced their new menu. Besides, the versions made by Time Moon Hotel can’t even compare to the taste of Three Thousand Food House. Who is imitating whom is still uncertain!”】

【”The bootlickers are out in full force. They’re probably hoping to gain favor with the divine beings behind Three Thousand Food House. Dream on!”】

【”Get lost!”】

…

The messages kept pouring in, and although there were some people defending Three Thousand Food House, they were outnumbered and easily drowned out by the overwhelming criticism from Time Moon Hotel’s massive fan base. The backlash against Three Thousand Food House was fierce.

Bai Xianzhi returned to his own account and found that there were suddenly hundreds of new comments below his post, all filled with insults. He logged out, realizing that this matter was far from trivial. The feud had begun, and he needed to carefully consider how to handle it.

Later that afternoon, several loyal customers visited the restaurant after seeing the incident online. They came specifically to show their support for Three Thousand Food House.

“Boss, just based on the taste alone, I know Three Thousand Food House is truly original!”

“That’s right! Boss, we’re on your side! Time Moon Hotel’s food is mass-produced; it doesn’t compare to the flavors here.”

“I’ve tried the new dishes at Time Moon Hotel, and they can’t hold a candle to the taste of Three Thousand Food House. Don’t worry, Boss!”

…

Bai Xianzhi thanked each of these loyal customers with a plate of fried rice as a gesture of gratitude. After they left, he posted a message on his account:

【Three Thousand Food House: Time Moon Hotel, empty words mean nothing. Show us evidence to support your claims! The taste is the most important aspect of a dish. Are you willing to compete with me? I believe the creator of these four dishes must be an experienced chef. Let’s settle this on the kitchen battlefield!

PS: I learned these four dishes from a small realm. I wonder when your so-called original creations were invented?】

Later, Time Moon Hotel shared Bai Xianzhi’s post and replied:

【Time Moon Hotel: [Images] Above are the creative sketches from our head chef. Please refrain from using them for other purposes. Let the battle begin, for Time Moon Hotel fears nothing! // Three Thousand Food House: Time Moon Hotel, empty words mean nothing. Show us evidence to support your claims! The dishes…】

Once Time Moon Hotel’s message was out, it ignited a firestorm across the internet. Time Moon Hotel had branches in various realms, and many people already followed them. With the provocative response, countless people rushed to share the news, afraid it wouldn’t gain enough attention. People flocked to Time Moon Hotel’s branches and headquarters, even to the colossal Time-Space Group, after all, Time Moon Hotel was under the Time-Space Group’s umbrella.

The showdown between Time Moon Hotel and Three Thousand Food House became the hottest topic on major websites, capturing the attention of even those who didn’t typically care about Time Moon Hotel or had no interest in Three Thousand Food House.

Amid the anticipation of countless netizens, the date and location for the competition were set: Time Moon Hotel’s Orc Branch in two days’ time.

When Bai Xianzhi woke up and saw the time and location announced by Time Moon Hotel, he was dumbfounded. Shi Yue Hotel’s Orc Branch? Where was that?

But most importantly, regardless of the location, if it wasn’t in Huaguo, he couldn’t go there!

Bai Xianzhi posted on his account, suggesting that the location be changed to Three Thousand Food House, as he couldn’t conveniently go elsewhere.

However, the response he received from countless netizens was filled with criticism and disdain:

【”Oh my, have they no shame? They want to hold it at Three Thousand Food House? Are they afraid of embarrassing themselves in other locations?”】

【”This is just… Three Thousand Food House is such a small place. During the competition, there will surely be a lot of people. Can it accommodate that many?”】

【”This is just a sneaky way to reduce the number of judges so they can pass unnoticed!”】

【”The competition hasn’t even started, and they’re already feeling insecure?”】

….

To be honest, keyboard warriors in any world are equally unreasonable. Three Thousand Food House may be his home ground, but doesn’t Time Moon Hotel have its own home ground as well?

Such double standards are indeed infuriating, but changing the mindset of netizens is not easy. At least for now, with the majority of netizens believing that Three Thousand Food House is imitating the other side, whatever he says or does will be seen as wrong.

However, Bai Xianzhi’s whole life has been marked by his fearlessness of others’ opinions and finger-pointing. He started working in top restaurants at a young age, so his thick skin is beyond comparison.

Faced with these almost cyberbullying comments, he successfully adopted the mindset of “out of sight, out of mind.” As long as they didn’t truly harm him, he didn’t care.

That afternoon, Time Moon Hotel replied to Bai Xianzhi, stating that Three Thousand Food House was too small, and it would be more convenient for Time Moon Hotel to compete elsewhere. They also mentioned that if he knew of any spacious locations, it would be acceptable.

Bai Xianzhi: ………

Is the S City Sports Arena feasible?

Heh, he couldn’t even reach the Orc world, let alone know about any spacious locations!

Furthermore, even if he knew of a spacious location in the Orc world, it would be better for him to go directly to Time Moon Hotel. There was no need for all this unnecessary trouble.

Tsk, annoying. Bai Xianzhi sighed and realized he had dug a hole for himself. He couldn’t even go there in the first place, so what’s the point of comparing anything!

¹TL: YSIAD “You can support me if you like my translations by leaving a comment below, or by sending me a Ko-fi. Thank you 🙂”

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  TL: YSIAD “You can support me if you like my translations by leaving a comment below, or by sending me a Ko-fi. Thank you 🙂”