Jiajia Restaurant (Part 1)

The newly completed Aquarium at Lingyou Zoo currently has a rainforest area, a touch pool, an underwater area, a polar area, and other sections, using a total of over 6,000 cubic meters of seawater and freshwater.

The rainforest area will display freshwater fish, primarily featuring large wall-mounted installations, and the entire exhibition hall is decorated to simulate a rainforest environment.

Marine life will be displayed in the underwater area, which uses the most common tunnel-style viewing system in Asia, making the viewing area seem like a pipeline embedded in the underwater world.

The exhibition area is also arranged according to the underwater environment, with the sequence moving from shallow to deep sea. This setup allows visitors to feel as if they are truly there.

The polar area, as its name suggests, is modeled after the polar regions, and there are plans to introduce creatures like penguins and seals. This part has not yet been required by the tasks, so the introduction plan might be slightly delayed compared to others, but it is a must-have. It holds great appeal for the citizens of Donghai City, who live in a place where it is spring all year round.

The touch pool will feature selected marine creatures suitable for human contact, such as sea turtles, starfish, and so on, giving visitors the chance for up-close viewing and interaction. It includes multiple areas, one of which is a simulated beach.

Since Lingyou Zoo's Aquarium has completely canceled marine life performances, not even having a venue for them, the touch pool will become one of the main marketing focuses.

Many aquariums also introduce diving programs, which are quite good. But given that they are in Donghai City, where there are too many diving attractions—and those are in real seawater—this was introduced but not as a key promotional item.

Based on discussions and planning with Bai Haibo, Duan Jiaze decided to implement a voluntary rotation system for the touch pool after opening, along with an incentive mechanism.

Building an aquarium is really not easy. If it were the old Cape Zoo, it definitely couldn't have been built. Besides, the visitor traffic from Donghai City alone would not be enough for the aquarium to recoup its costs.

An aquarium of this scale requires an investment of tens of millions. If not for the System's assistance, Duan Jiaze would have failed just from handling all the various procedures.

Currently, Huang Qi had not yet finalized negotiations for all the marine life. This task was too tedious. While he was still worrying about various things, he discovered that a 'friend' of Duan Jiaze's had already airlifted a large number of freshwater fish, as well as a small portion of marine creatures.

A rough count showed that the freshwater species exceeded the required types and quantities that Duan Jiaze and Huang Qi had discussed!

"I'm donating these," Bai Haibo said, seemingly very cool. Having lived in human society for over a thousand years, he naturally had his own connections. From transportation to donation and registration, all the procedures were absolutely legal and complete.

Huang Qi was already stunned. Watching the workers continuously bring in the fish, he said to Duan Jiaze, "Zoo Director, do you have any more friends like this?"

This didn't cost the zoo anything. If a few more like him came, Huang Qi wouldn't have to work at all! You know, this was happening so fast that he hadn't even had time to find and finish training the staff for the Aquarium.

Duan Jiaze: "For now... it's just him."

With Donghai City as the base of Linshui Temple, and Lingyou Zoo as a friendly affiliate of Linshui Temple, it was really not easy for a demon to just stumble upon them...

Huang Qi looked at Bai Haibo with emotion and then said, "Zoo Director, I suggest moving the arctic foxes to the polar exhibit in the future. Also, according to our survey, the number of in-province visitors has increased significantly, and the number of out-of-province visitors is also on the rise. The advertising effect is working and gradually building up. With the arrival of the peak tourist season after the new year, we will see a substantial increase next year—and our popular animals are pretty much established, so we can consider making souvenirs."

In the beginning, Lingyou Zoo's reputation wasn't well-known, and its fame was limited to a small circle. Later, it expanded online, but back then, everyone was short-staffed, so naturally, they didn't consider souvenirs.

It's different now. The popularity has been cultivated, a wave of volunteers has come in, and we need to hire another batch of workers. Of course, we can consider making them now.

"Okay, once we hire someone specifically for merchandise, we can start planning," Duan Jiaze said. "The restaurant is also being renovated. I've scouted a kitchen team. You can plan an event for the opening."

The contracted barren mountain had an illusion cast on it, and was planted with Purple Bamboo and the five grains. They were cultivated using heavily diluted Willow Branch Nectar, allowing for a harvest about once a week. After the Willow Branch Nectar runs out, it will return to a normal cycle, and the quantity will be very small. But by then, the restaurant will surely be stable, so it won't matter.

At this time, the workers had placed all the freshwater fish into the wall-mounted aquariums. Schools of ornamental fish swam inside, all of them recruited by Bai Haibo from rivers, lakes, and seas.

Duan Jiaze also poured the fish from his own miniature aquarium into the tank. Huang Qi was beside him, recording a short video to send to Xiao Su.

Bai Haibo watched as the fish, after entering the water, didn't scatter but instead gathered around Duan Jiaze from behind the glass. This further confirmed his suspicions; Director Duan was definitely hiding his true abilities. But since his own power was inferior, he naturally had to accept whatever the other said.

Meanwhile, Xiao Su also posted an update on the Aquarium's progress on Weibo, sharing the video: Out with the old, in with the new. The real Aquarium is starting to bring in fish.

The comments flooded in:

I object! Why is the Zoo Director touching fish, where's the great Luya?

Literally touching fish...

It's been Aquarium this, Aquarium that, restaurant this, restaurant that for days. I don't care, I want to see the Zoo Director feed the hens, boo hoo hoo...

Feed the hens?? Luya would want to peck someone after hearing that.

The admin said before that the Zoo Director kept a tank of fish. It seems the Zoo Director's true love is actually fish.

A change of heart?

Don't you guys think this is heartbreaking? Luya only has one master, but the master has so many animals QAQ

Boring. I can't believe I spent ten minutes scrolling through these heartfelt comments shipping a human and a bird.

I don't care, Bird-Director is real! Admin, film some behind-the-scenes clips!

......

After tireless work, Lingyou Zoo's Jiajia Restaurant is now open.

The official blog and Weibo had long since posted previews. The entire restaurant's style is based on ecological and natural decor, with large areas of indoor plants, blending seamlessly with the Cape Mountain environment.

The ingredients used are all green vegetables and fruits from surrounding villages, and meats like chicken, duck, pork, and lamb... all locally raised, guaranteed fresh and pollution-free.

There are also some high-grade ingredients produced from our own cultivation base.

When you're tired from exploring the zoo, why not come to the restaurant to eat, drink, and rest, and savor some ecological cuisine.

For the first month of opening, everything is 40% off, and you also have a chance to win tickets to the soon-to-open Aquarium...

The restaurant's promotion didn't seem much different from most other similarly positioned restaurants. Its significance was perhaps only to announce that Lingyou Zoo now had a restaurant, so visitors could come without bringing their own food or eating packed lunches.

As a restaurant inside a zoo, it was like a standard supporting facility.

Many restaurants in large amusement parks in the country are both expensive and mediocre in taste. However, after Jiajia Restaurant's promotions went out, people felt that for a supporting restaurant in a small-city zoo, it was quite practical.

—Although they hadn't seen the menu prices yet, the moment they saw the restaurant's name, countless people had already decided that its positioning was very down-to-earth.

Some people even, for some unknown reason, kept remembering Jiajia Restaurant as 'Jiajia Homestyle Restaurant'...

As Duan Jiaze's elders, Sun Aiping's family made a special trip to show their support on opening day.

As the boyfriend on probation, Bai Haibo hadn't had the chance to meet Sun Aiping yet. Today, the couple Sun Aiping and Liu Li'an, along with their daughter Sun Ying, went to Lingyou Zoo together.

Sun Ying had long been dressed and was urging her parents, "Hurry up, let's go early."

Ever since tasting the food at Lingyou Zoo that day, Sun Ying couldn't forget it. She was the one who strongly pushed for this visit.

"What's the rush? Is it really that good?" Liu Li'an squatted down to feed the deworming medicine to her golden retriever daughter, saying, "I think it's because you eat too much cafeteria food. I told you to come home for meals. Oh, my baby, we're going to see your sons today, it's a pity we can't take you..."

Thinking of those mutts, Liu Li'an wasn't as indignant as before. The anger from when her 'daughter' gave birth to a few mutts had long dissipated with time. After all, they weren't hanging around in front of her, and she heard they were doing a good job guarding the gate at Lingyou Zoo now.

After Sun Aiping and Liu Li'an finished getting ready, they left with the impatient Sun Ying, driving to Lingyou Zoo.

It was the weekend, and quite a few people were at Lingyou Zoo. It wasn't because of the restaurant's opening, but there were indeed many visitors who knew about the new restaurant and planned to eat there. That's why Jiajia Restaurant basically didn't have to worry about customer flow.

At the visitor center, they saw one of the mutts. They hadn't seen it in a few months, and the mutt had already grown up. Its fur was originally white but now looked a bit yellow, as if it had been slightly toasted. Its coat was sleek and glossy, and its build, perhaps inherited from its mother, was quite tall and strong. Its eyes were very bright, and standing there, it looked quite imposing.

One had to admit, it was a very outstanding mixed-breed.

Liu Li'an exclaimed, "Aiyo, which one is this? It was only this big before, it grew so fast. It looks... a little bit like our Baobao."

Although Xu Wen had never met Liu Li'an, she recognized Sun Aiping and Sun Ying. Seeing them together, she came over and said, "Director Sun, this is the eldest, Xiao Hong. The other three are guarding other areas. They are our security chiefs here and have prevented several thefts."

When the zoo is crowded, thefts are bound to happen. These dogs are incredible; they can actually identify acts of theft. Many people thought they were retired police dogs. With them around, theft has basically been eliminated.

"Is that so? Then they're suited for this job. Baobao would just run off with a bad guy." However, Liu Li'an still felt that she loved her adorable Baobao more.

Xiao Hong, who was actually Moli Hong, normally didn't let strangers touch him. But now, to Xu Wen's surprise, he suddenly approached Liu Li'an, sniffed her, and then actively rubbed against her hand.

Xu Wen said in disbelief, "He's very well-trained and never gets close to strangers."

Liu Li'an was also stunned for a moment. Feeling the furry texture in her hand, it was clear this dog was very affectionate with her.

Sun Aiping sighed and said, "I remember you were the one who helped Baobao give birth, and you raised them for a while afterward. Baobao only trusts you. Maybe he recognizes you, or recognizes Baobao's scent on you."

The Four Heavenly Kings were only just a month old when they were sent to Lingyou Zoo. They're so big now, could they really still recognize her and Baobao?

Liu Li'an's expression immediately became complicated. She squatted down and rubbed Xiao Hong's head. "Good boy, do you really remember me and your mom?"

Xiao Hong couldn't speak. He whimpered and rubbed against Liu Li'an's leg, as if in response to her words.

After leaving the visitor center, Liu Li'an pulled Sun Ying along to tour the zoo and see her other dog-grandsons. She was curious if the other dogs could also recognize her.

Sun Aiping, on the other hand, had little interest in touring the zoo, as he had been here before. So he went directly to find Duan Jiaze. With Duan Jiaze as his guide, he could get an early look at the yet-to-be-opened Aquarium.

"This place of yours is quite nice, the scenery is very well done!" Sun Aiping liked raising fish, so he was naturally excited to see a room full of freshwater ornamental fish. He didn't need Duan Jiaze to look after him; he could watch them by himself for half a day.

At noon, Duan Jiaze called Sun Aiping, Liu Li'an, and Sun Ying to the restaurant. There were quite a lot of customers; even the outdoor seats were full. Luckily, he had reserved a table in advance.

Liu Li'an said eagerly, "You know what? The dogs really recognized me! They were so affectionate. But when other visitors saw them being friendly and tried to pet them, they turned fierce."

Thinking of the ferocious aura the mutts gave off, like Tibetan mastiffs, Liu Li'an felt a lingering fear. Thankfully, it wasn't directed at her.

Liu Li'an thought it must be because the dogs were raised in a zoo and often saw fierce beasts, so they had grown up to be extraordinary.

Sun Aiping was hungry. He had felt fine before, but as soon as he entered, he felt unusually hungry for some reason, perhaps from smelling the aroma of the food from other tables.

Many visitors were small families with children, ordering a mix of meat, vegetable, and soup dishes. The dishes looked like simple, home-style cooking, but they were brightly colored, not greasy, and inexplicably whetted one's appetite.

It wasn't just Sun Aiping who was hungry; many customers also felt a strong appetite. In fact, as they passed by, they felt the environment was great and perfect for a meal. Some who had originally planned to go to the barbecue next door ended up staying.

A plate of stir-fried free-range chicken had a tempting aroma. The chicken was golden-brown, slightly seared, and glistening with oil. A customer put a piece in their mouth and chewed a few times, finding it perfectly seasoned, the meat firm yet not dry, and especially good with rice. The customer showed a satisfied expression, even unconsciously licking the oil from their lips...

Facing Liu Li'an's words, Sun Aiping was already distracted, engrossed in watching how heartily others were eating. He mumbled a few responses, picked up the menu, and gave it a quick scan. The prices were quite reasonable; for example, the stir-fried free-range chicken was only 35 yuan, and even cheaper with the discount.

But when his eyes fell on the recommended dishes section at the top, Sun Aiping was dumbfounded.

Shennong Series:

Shennong's Five Grains Porridge: 100 yuan/bowl (discounted to 60)

Wheatgrass Juice: 40 yuan/cup (discounted to 24)

Soy Milk: 50 yuan/cup (discounted to 30)

......

Luojia Series:

Cold Shredded Bamboo Shoots: 120 yuan (discounted to 72 yuan)

Fresh Bamboo Shoot Soup: 180 yuan (discounted to 108 yuan)

......

Seven or eight dishes made from grains or bamboo shoots were all priced exorbitantly. Even with the discount, it was unbearable. Fifty yuan for a cup of soy milk, did they add ginseng to it?

These prices were worlds apart from the dishes below them. It was even noted at the back, 'Limited quantity, available until sold out.' Would anyone really order this?

Not to mention other eateries, their own menu had plain white porridge at the bottom, and its price was very normal.

Sun Aiping also overheard some newly arrived tourists saying, "Holy crap, what's with this Shennong Series and Luojia Series? The owner must be crazy, sixty yuan for a bowl of porridge after the discount."

"How can they be so bold? The dishes below are all quite affordable, especially with the discount. Why is this series so expensive?"

"They really think it was grown by Shennong and Guanyin, selling it for so much. It's insane."

Someone called a waiter over. "In your Shennong Series, are there any special ingredients added?"

The waiter was bald and said with a smile, "Hello, the ingredients are just as the names suggest. The five-grain porridge is made from five types of grains like rice and wheat, and the soy milk is made from pure soybeans. However, they all come from our own cultivation base and are specially developed rare varieties. The taste is many times more delicious than ordinary ones, which is why the price is higher, but it's absolutely worth the money."

That was quite a boast, almost reaching for the heavens. It sounded like something a WeChat micro-merchant would say. Everyone looked at each other, half-convinced and half-doubting.

Most tourists just laughed it off when they saw the price and ordered from the lower section. Only a few young tourists, laughing and joking, wanted to try how delicious the 'rare varieties' were and why they were sold for so much.

Over here, Duan Jiaze acted as if he hadn't heard anything and checked off the Shennong Series, then invited them to order a few home-style dishes.

Sun Aiping remembered his daughter's lavish praise for the porridge and dishes here, and thought, 'Could it really be worth the money?'

Things like porridge were prepared in advance, so Sun Aiping's table and the young tourists' table were served the five-grain porridge and wheatgrass juice quickly, almost at the same time. The wheatgrass juice was even chilled.

The young people had only ordered one bowl in total, as a joke among themselves. Now that it was served, the tourists who had been planning to find fault were a bit speechless.

The porridge was brightly colored, and the grains looked distinct, plump, and soft. As steam wafted from it, it spread a fragrance that made them involuntarily swallow.

Simultaneously, everyone temporarily skipped the process of evaluating first impressions, picked up their spoons, and put a spoonful into their mouths.

On this side, Sun Aiping and the others also took a sip of porridge at the same time, though they each had their own bowl.

And again, almost simultaneously, an exclamation of praise rose from both Sun Aiping's table and the young tourists' table: "Delicious!"

A thousand words could only be condensed into that one sentence; there were no other adjectives.

The delicate texture, the rich aroma of the grains, each grain seemed to have countless flavors concentrated within it. The flavors of the five grains blended together yet remained distinct. It was invigorating, and their appetites soared.

The few young people sharing one bowl of porridge, after their praise, simultaneously sped up, one spoonful after another. In less than two minutes, they had finished the entire bowl. The dregs at the bottom were scraped clean. Each person didn't get much, and now, they were all even hungrier.

One of the girls blankly slapped her forehead and said regretfully, "I forgot to take a picture..."

She had said before that she wanted to take a picture of such an expensive porridge to post online, but the moment it arrived, she completely forgot.

Since Sun Aiping's group each had their own bowl, they still had a lot left. At this moment, they were also hunched over, drinking it down eagerly.

The tourists sitting nearby were all a bit suspicious. They had faintly smelled something, and it was indeed fragrant, but was it really so good as to fight over it like those young people? Could they be shills?

In fact, the restaurant's other home-style dishes were already very delicious. The ingredients were fresh and substantial. It was completely believable that they were freshly picked and butchered that very morning in the nearby village.

And for some reason, the restaurant gave off a particularly comfortable feeling. Maybe it was the good environment, but in any case, it boosted one's appetite.

But the more this was the case, the more others began to crave it when they compared themselves to those people.

'They're eating so heartily, maybe there's really a reason for the high price?'

Under this temptation, although it was only a few, some tourists couldn't resist and ordered dishes from the Shennong and Luojia Series.

Author's Note: Someone asked about Luya's thought process. It's very simple:

To be dissed by the keeper again, so angry!

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Wait, why does the Human Realm have this kind of song? Let me check first!

↓

The full lyrics are actually 'I love you so deeply, but you love that idiot, you even knit a sweater for that idiot'

↓

Loves me deeply?

What, so it was a confession born of envy and jealousy.

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...He's forgiven.

[Completely illogical, self-centered narcissism]

So this time he won't burn the Zoo Director

Alright, I'm just talking nonsense