17 Conquered By The Porridge

"Young man, how about 15 low-grade spirit stones? That's about twice the porridge's price at Fragrance Restaurant." Although some were scared away by the porridge's high price, many still chose to stay and try bargaining with Su Yu.

"Yeah, give us some samples. If it's really delicious, we'll advertise it for you." The people around immediately tried to persuade Su Yu when they saw him showing signs of giving in.

"Yeah, your porridge smells so much better than the one they sell at Fragrance Restaurant. Let us have a taste of it."

…

"Haha, how dare you compare a street vendor's porridge to that of Fragrance Restaurant?"

Su Yu frowned as he saw a handsome young man squeezing through the crowd and walking over. He had soulful eyes, red lips, white teeth, and fair skin. He looked suave in his light gray cloth robe, with hints of beauty.

Although he was talking, he was also staring at the pot in front of Su Yu.

At that moment, Su Yu removed the pot's lid, and the porridge bubbled loudly.

"You're really unlucky. Since I happened to chance upon your swindling tricks, get ready to go to jail," Bai Xiaolong said confidently while looking at Su Yu.

"Swindling tricks?"

Bai Xiaolong's words attracted the attention of everyone who had recognized him. They were astonished and looked at Su Yu differently.

"He must have added agarwood to make his porridge smell so good!" Bai Xiaolong smugly said while staring at Su Yu. "How dare he use his agarwood-enhanced porridge to sell his rice!"

"Agarwood!?" Everyone gasped in shock. When agarwood was added to food, it would intensify the food aroma and make food more delicious. However, if consumed for an extended period, it would be detrimental to one's health. It had a bad reputation and was prohibited on the Five Deltas Continent.

Su Yu's frown grew deeper. Although he did not know what agarwood was, he reckoned that its effects should be similar to his previous life's opium.

"No wonder there is such a fragrance. agarwood does have this effect."

The onlookers immediately chimed in.

"Besides, once you take agarwood, you will experience short-term hallucinations that will make you fall into a trance. If you consume it for a long period, it will affect one's rationality. It's wicked!"

The onlookers couldn't help but take a few steps back. They looked at the piping hot porridge that was emitting smoke with horror in their eyes.

"Hmph! With me, Bai Xiaolong, around in East Delta County, I won't allow you to continue with your swindling practices. What do you have to say?" Bai Xiaolong stared at Su Yu and questioned him coldly.

Su Yu smiled and scooped a bowl of porridge nonchalantly. "Since eating 'agarwood' will put you in a trance, why don't I let everyone have a taste of my porridge? If there's really agarwood, I'll pack up and leave immediately!"

What a swindler. Let's see for how much longer you can pretend.

Bai Xiaolong sneered and said, "Hah, invite everyone to try? Would anyone dare to eat your food now?"

After hearing Bai Xiaolong's words, everyone in the surroundings took a few more steps back. Presently, none of them dared to step forward to try, even though they were initially yearning to eat the porridge.

"Forget it. Since you guys are not willing to eat it, it's your loss!"

"Haha."

Their loss? Bai Xiaolong couldn't help but burst into laughter. Does this porridge vendor really take himself to be somebody important? He is dead once the Spirit Medicine Pavilion's people are here!

Actually, he had only heard of agarwood and did not know how to differentiate between food that had been tampered with agarwood and food that had not. However, he felt that there was definitely agarwood since he had never tasted such a delicacy before despite his identity. Thus, he was extremely certain.

"Let me have a taste of it."

At that moment, the elderly fishmonger at the side suddenly spoke up. The fragrance had tormented him for too long, and his lips were getting dry. No matter what he ate, he would be craving it badly. Now that he could try it for free, he immediately agreed after a moment of hesitation.

"Okay! Uncle, you're the East Delta County's hero!" Bai Xiaolong said confidently with respect in his eyes, "Let's surround this place. If anything goes wrong with this man, we mustn't let the porridge vendor escape!"

The elderly man grabbed the bowl of plain porridge, and his Adam's apple bobbed, feeling tempted by the white porridge. He first took a sip of it, after which his eyes lit up immediately.

Gulugulu…

Unable to resist it any longer, he picked up the bowl of porridge and gulped it down like he was drinking water. In the blink of an eye, the bowl was emptied.

Gulp!

Everyone, including Bai Xiaolong, swallowed their saliva in unison while staring enviously at the joyous elderly man.

How… How is this possible?

Bai Xiaolong swallowed a mouthful of saliva while continuously shouting and clamoring that the fishmonger was not in a trance at all. That was not all. His spirits seemed to have been lifted too.

The elderly man's hands were shaking, and he subconsciously dropped the bowl onto the ground. However, he was still immersed in the porridge's deliciousness as if he could not feel it at all.

"Del-delicious! It tastes amazing! I have no more regrets!"

At some point, he had already burst into tears and raised his voice. At last, he was almost yelling and seemed to be swimming in a vast ocean of bliss, surrounded by an unprecedented sense of satisfaction. He had not lived his life in vain!

Plop!

The elderly man immediately knelt before Su Yu and said earnestly, "Thank you so much for letting me have a taste of this wonderful ambrosial delight. I failed to recognize how wonderful this tastes, and I didn't know the value of this porridge. Otherwise, I would have tried to get a mouthful of it even if I had to go bankrupt. Thank you!"

Is it so exaggerated?

The onlookers were dumbfounded and riled up.

"Young… Young Master Bai, this doesn't seem like the reaction that one should have after eating agarwood…" someone said with uncertainty. Many of them had already been convinced by the elderly man's reaction and were tempted to buy the porridge.

"Everyone, don't let them fool you! This elderly man was right beside this chap. He must have hired this elderly man! They were in cahoots right from the beginning!" Bai Xiaolong continued to lick his dry and slightly chapped lips.

He said to Su Yu, "Let me personally verify this. If you dare, scoop a bowl and let me have a taste of it!"

"Do you want to eat it? You can!"

Bai Xiaolong smiled smugly and patted his chest, waiting quietly for Su Yu to scoop him a bowl of porridge.

Su Yu's eyes betrayed his joy as he added, "2 mid-grade spirit stones per bowl."

"What!?" Bai Xiaolong thought he had misheard and asked in disbelief, "Two of what?"

"Yes, 2 mid-grade spirit stones."

Not only is he not giving it to me for free, but he even raised the price. Atrocious!

"Let me tell you—a vendor like you is fortunate enough that I, Bai Xiaolong, noticed you. How dare you charge me? Do you know who I am?" Bai Xiaolong was on the verge of erupting. He had never been aggrieved before.