Dragon and Phoenix
Chapter 15: The Work

Cio San woke up at noon. His body feels very fresh. He got up, opened the window and let the sun in. It was so bright that day. The voice of the crowd outside became a sound of entertainment for him. It is so much fun to listen to the crowd after living so long in silence.

As soon as he opened the door, there was already breakfast prepared at his front door table. Without a doubt, Cio San brought him in and started to finish it off. It doesn't matter if the food is poisonous or not. Because he was sure, if the person who followed him wanted to kill him, he could definitely do it from a long time ago, or since Cio San fell asleep. He even considered the person who followed him was a kind of guardian angel for him.

“Hmmm, although my face looks strange and pale, this mask is comfortable to wear. People won't be able to know that this is a mask.”

Once all was done, Cio San decided to take a walk. Although he has not been able to solve the secrets that occur around him, he no longer considers it a burden.

“What happened, happened,” as he thought. The problem will be solved, when the time comes.

After being approached, it turned out that the building was a restaurant. But it's so lonely. There are only two people in it. A waiter waiting by the door, and another sitting behind the counter.

Interested, Cio San entered the tavern.

“Wah, welcome, Sir... Have seat. What message do you want?” greet the servant standing at the door.

“What are the special dishes of this store?” cio San asked with a smile.

“Eh, Sir…. Eh...,” the cashier stammered.

Cio San also said nothing. He just looked at me with a questioning look.

“Actually..actually...,” the cashier is still stammering.

“What is it?” ask Cio San. He was still smiling, although his smile was now also colored with curiosity.

“Ah, I don't know what to say...” said the cashier.

 “Tell me what you want to say, Mr..” said Cio San.

“How does our cooking taste,Master?” ask the cashier.

Cio San smiled, “I have to be honest, Sir. Your cook seems to have a lot to learn again.”

The sad face line on the face of the old cashier was increasingly visible.

“Se..actually..you are our first customer, after these two months,” said the cashier.

“Two months? Why?” Cio San did not need to ask, in his heart he knew that no one would want to eat food that tastes like that.

“Eh….My wife died 3 months ago. At first our shop was crowded. But after he died, nothing else could cook well,” the cashier said.

“Ah...” Cio San has got it. “So now who's cooking?” ask Cio San.

“My son, Mey Lan..,” replied the cashier.

“There have been a few times. But their cooking is not as good as my wife's. Many customers have left. Because it was deserted, I finally had to fire the cook. I can't afford to pay his salary. Even to survive we are hard.”

Suddenly a thought appeared in Cio San's mind.

“Master, I am not a cook. But a little bit, I understand how to cook. What if I work here? You don't have to pay me for 3 months. If 3 months of this store is crowded, the new Master pays me. How?” ask Cio San.

“Hah? How could that be? I've never tried your own cooking... But I'm sure you can cook. But, frankly, I can't possibly hire people without being salaried.”

“I am a traveler, Sir. I am used to living a life of incoherence. Tell you what, what if I cook, and sir value the taste. If you don't like my cooking, you do, don't hire me. But if it's good, please consider my offer again,” said Cio San.

The old cashier thought for a while, then said, “Alright, let's go to the kitchen.”

As Cio San expected, the kitchen was a mess. The first thing Cio San did was rearrange the kitchen. Clean the cookware, and see what ingredients are there. He decided to make the exact same dish he ordered.

It didn't take long, because it worked so fast. The cashier, his daughter, and the waiter looked at him while gawking.

Once the food was finished and they all tasted it, their eyes widened even more.

“This....this is so good,” while talking, their mouths do not stop chewing.

“To be clear, I've never tasted a dish this good. Maybe it is much better than my wife's cooking,” said the cashier still with a amazed face.

“How? Sir accept my offer?”

“Ah... But how can I pay you? This shop is very quiet, I also do not know how much to pay you,” said the cashier.

“As I offered earlier. Three months I work for free here, if it is crowded my new customers are paid,” replied Cio San.

“It's really okay?”

“It's okay, Sir. I am also actually looking for a job,” explains Cio San.

“Alright... Alright….  When can you start working here?” ask the cashier.

“From now on, it's only better tomorrow morning. Now maybe we can rearrange the store, if you don't mind.”

Such is. Finally Cio San worked in the old tavern. The four of them began to rearrange the contents of the kitchen, clean a lot of places, and others. Work that should have been done a long time ago, but maybe this spirit only arises when the arrival of Cio San.

Cio San began to check what ingredients were available. He gave a lot of input to the cashier. The old cashier listened earnestly to all the advice of Cio San. Including dividing dishes for free on the streets, as a form of “introduction” for their cuisine. Despite the weight, the old cashier agreed to it as well.

In addition, Cio San was given a room near the kitchen. The room used to be for employees, but it was empty because there was no other employee besides the waiter. The cashier lives with his daughter upstairs in the back of the store.

Cio San accepted this job with a steady heart. There were already many plans in his mind.