Love of the Dragon Warrior

Rush hour

After departing from Ordai once they reached the top of the Jade Palace steps, Po wondered where he and Lam would have lunch. The Furious Five would be finished with their training about now, so that would mean that they couldn't use the kitchen for a private chat. Po decided to go in the kitchen and look for her anyway since she had promised a lunch date and that was the only other place he could think of. He soon crossed the grounds and headed over to the building, expecting Lam to be once again running across the stove top. Instead, he was intercepted by his dad who was waiting expectantly by the door. 

"Dad?!" Po exclaimed in surprise. "What are you doing up here?!"

"Lam wanted me to fetch you. She's serving you two lunch in my restaurant so that she doesn't disturb all your friends. She even offered to serve some of my customers while I came up and got you! Wasn't that so sweet? Of course, I don't know how she's going to serve noodles seeing as she doesn't know our family recipe, but as long as she doesn't run out, I suppose it'll be fine." 

Mr. Ping, thinking now about the long line of customers in his restaurant waiting for lunch, now proceeded to head out of the Jade Palace with Po following him close behind. Po expressed surprise on his dad leaving the restaurant into someone else's hands, but Mr. Ping trusted Lam on the sole fact that she too ran a restaurant. 

"Of course, I don't know how she runs it, but I gave her some instructions before I left so hopefully she follows them carefully. She better not have left a huge line of angry customers though." 

Mr. Ping had no need to fret over this however as by the time he and Po got to the restaurant, it was almost as if Mr. Ping had never left it. Lam kept everything running smoothly and had also simultaneously made a small lunch for herself and Po. Mr. Ping was even impressed that she had restocked the bean buns that had run low. 

"You're so efficient!" he exclaimed as Lam finished handing a customer some soup. 

"My family is all about an assembly line," Lam explained as she effortlessly moved over to the back counter and moved a pot of tea next to the lunch she had prepared. "We use a system to keep all the meals coming smoothly depending on the amount of customers and the number of hands in the kitchen. Of course, you run a different system of operations, so that takes a moment to adapt to." 

"Where's my stir fry dumpling spread?!" suddenly shouted an angry customer from the window. 

Before Mr. Ping could even make apologies, Lam leaped over to him and said in a stern voice, "Sir, I just gave you your stir-fry dumplings. And don't say it was your twin brother because I'm not falling for that trick again!" 

"I do have a twin!" the pig protested. 

"Okay, but I've been watching you the whole time to make sure you got your meal. You sit at the back table in the corner. I'm not giving you more free food!"

Mr. Ping gasped in horror. "Free food?!" he shrieked. "You sir are a disgrace to the restaurant business! How dare you swindle my son's girlfriend like this! That'll be coming out of your pocket!" 

He waved Lam away so that he could take care of the rowdy complainer, and Lam and Po hurried over to the back counter to grab their food. Po offered to take the tea pot, but Lam said to leave it so that she could balance the tray. They then headed outside and to a corner table so that they could eat.

"I feel bad letting you carry all that stuff," Po admitted as Lam hopped onto the table without so much as one morsel spilling onto the floor." 

"Don't be. I do this all the time," Lam promised. She swiftly distributed the food across the table, some steamed buns and rice pudding, and then began to pour the tea into both tea cups. As settled down to eat, the angry customer was coughing up the money he owed Mr. Ping and stormed out of the restaurant, casting a death glare at Lam. The mantis paid him no mind however, and simply dug into her food.