novelaction Chapter 308: A Full House
Chapter 308: A Full House
Chapter 308: A Full Table
Once on the second floor, the guests found places to sit down, while outside, the lights twinkled. The second floor was still somewhat dark when someone suddenly clapped their hands, and the candles and lanterns on the second-floor walls lit up. The guests on the second floor were surprised and delighted by this sight.
"Dong dong dong... dong qiang... dong dong qiang..." Suddenly, the sound of gongs and drums rang out on the pitch-black stage, making everyone in the audience feel a little eerie, yet none of them wanted to leave. A figure walked out of the stage, her back to all the guests. Zhao Ning'er was dressed in a white, light gauze dress, her hair styled in a bun like a young girl's. Her earrings were small bells, and even her walk produced a clear, melodious sound. Her slender figure evoked pity in everyone who saw her; she was a rare beauty.
The drum struck twice more, and another person emerged—a man named Zhao Lei. His attire was somewhat unusual to the guests, yet it couldn't conceal his gentle and refined demeanor. The two walked around each other twice, Zhao Ning'er covering her face with a gentle smile. Zhao Lei, meanwhile, placed one hand behind his back and the other in front of his chest, gazing at Zhao Ning'er. The person behind the screen took out his pipa and began to play slowly. Zhao Lei then retreated from behind the screen.
The sound of gongs and drums mingled with the urgent sound of the wooden fish. Zhao Ning'er began to lower her hands from her face. As soon as the music stopped, Zhao Ning'er moved lightly on the stage while singing in a high-pitched voice: "I left my home to save my beloved Li Lang."
Unexpectedly, he would be the top scorer in the imperial examination.
The top scholar wore a red robe.
Wearing palace flowers in your hat is lovely!
So fresh! So fresh!
As soon as she started singing, the guests clapped and cheered, whether they thought she sang well or were amazed by her ethereal beauty.
After singing a verse, Zhao Ning'er addressed the guests in her original singing voice: "Thank you all for coming to watch my performance. Today we are performing 'The Female Imperial Son-in-Law,' please enjoy." Suddenly, the stage lights went out, causing a stir among the guests, who seemed disappointed, thinking the performance was over.
Shen Bin sat in the crowd and said, "Waiter," and as soon as he finished speaking, the waiter downstairs immediately came up and said, "Sir, what would you like to eat?" This action attracted everyone's attention to Shen Bin. Shen Bin said with a hint of delight, "I'll have a jar of pear blossom wine, braised crucian carp, stir-fried pork, stir-fried bok choy, and garlic egg drop soup."
Shen Bin finished speaking in one breath, and the waiter slowly wrote it down with a brush. Just as he was about to turn and leave, Shen Bin called him back and said, "Oh, right, and a plate of fried peanuts." The waiter hurriedly wrote it down and couldn't help but say to Shen Bin, "Sir, you've already ordered quite a lot of dishes. Isn't it a bit much to add the wine?"
Shen Bin said, "Sigh... watching a performance without drinking and eating some snacks is not a good way to enjoy it. Among all the snacks, peanuts are the best." Shen Bin went on and on, which made the waiter go downstairs with an embarrassed look on his face.
The guests at the table found Shen Bin's words reasonable and all started calling him "Waiter." They all wanted wine and peanuts, leaving the waiter quite helpless.
The second floor was packed, as was the first floor. The difference was that the first floor was filled with elderly people, women, and children, while the second floor was filled with young men and strong men, including many from wealthy families and sons of officials. The first floor served vegetarian dishes and simple meals, while the second floor was filled with wine, peanuts, and other snacks, creating a stark contrast.
Shen Bin sat in his seat, savoring the pear blossom wine, and couldn't help but admire Ji Meiqing's craftsmanship. The wine was smooth and gentle, not harsh on the throat, and didn't cause heartburn after entering the stomach; it was like drinking sugar water, yet not cloying.
"Sir, all your dishes are ready." The waiter carried a tray and brought Shen Bin's dishes to the table one by one. The aroma filled the entire restaurant. Shen Bin looked at the dishes on the table in surprise, and then at the waiter. He could hardly believe that his family's cooking skills were so superb.
The waiter immediately raised his voice and said, "Sir, these are all made by our restaurant's newest master chef. If you are satisfied, please come again next time." Hearing the waiter say this, Shen Bin picked up a piece of fish, took a bite, and couldn't help but nod and praise, "The meat is not greasy, not fishy, not spicy, not mushy, and the aroma is wonderful. It truly is made by a master chef." The waiter was also very happy to hear Shen Bin say this. As soon as he finished speaking, the customers upstairs went wild and ordered a lot of dishes.
The customers downstairs also pulled the waiter aside and asked, "What is this that smells so good?" As soon as the waiter heard it was a business opportunity, he immediately started talking non-stop, adding, "Our shop is not luxurious. Once something is eaten, it's gone, so everything is cheap and inexpensive." After the waiter said that, the people downstairs also ordered a lot of dishes.
The performance on the second floor continued. Zhao Ning'er, dressed simply, paced back and forth on the stage, looking preoccupied. Behind the screen, Ji Meiqing said, "You must break off your engagement with the Li family." Zhao Ning'er appeared heartbroken. A desk had appeared on the stage, complete with writing implements. Zhao Ning'er moved to the desk, picked up a brush, and began writing and singing: "My parents' command is hard to disobey, but my beloved Li is on the verge of death. Forgive my unfilial daughter, I will go alone to the capital to save my beloved Li... save my beloved Li." Her brush stopped as she finished singing. The gongs and drums struck a few times and then stopped, replaced by the rapid sound of a wooden fish. The stage went dark, and Zhao Ning'er retreated from behind the screen.
Lu Yu was quite bored and wandering around outside. He had gotten a bit far from the restaurant when he suddenly heard a lot of noise coming from there, so he immediately headed towards it. He was a little surprised to find so many people inside. Then he heard the sound of gongs and drums coming from upstairs, as well as the sound of people chatting, so he went up to the second floor.
He was eating when he saw Lu Yu and asked him to sit down and eat with him. Lu Yu didn't know why, but in his opinion, he didn't really like Shen Bin, though he didn't know why.
Silence fell over the dance floor; no one spoke. Some of the guests stirred. Suddenly, candles were lit on the stage, and Ji Meiqing stood in the center, looking at everyone and saying, "I'm so glad you all came to Zuixianlou Restaurant today to witness our grand opening!"
Sitting next to Lu Yu, Shen Bin stared intently at Ji Meiqing on the stage. Every move she made seemed to affect Shen Bin's expression, a doting smile playing on his lips. Lu Yu finally understood why he disliked Shen Bin; he felt Shen Bin was dangerous, another man trying to steal his wife. He exuded a dangerous aura. Lu Yu glared at him with hatred.
"Young Master Lu, is there something on my face?" He noticed Lu Yu looking at him with hostility and asked, somewhat puzzled.
"It's nothing," Lu Yu replied coldly to Shen Bin. Shen Bin smiled awkwardly, then looked at Ji Meiqing on the stage. Lu Yu, watching Shen Bin's affectionate expression, clenched his fists tightly, making a cracking sound. He felt an urge to explode, and more than anything, he wanted to take Ji Meiqing home and hide her away.
Ji Meiqing stood on the stage, clapped her hands, and Xiao Lian, who was behind the screen, walked out with her head down. Ji Meiqing spun around on the stage twice, flicked her sleeves, and then walked up to Xiao Lian. Like a playboy, she lifted Xiao Lian's chin, and suddenly a rose appeared in her hand. Xiao Lian looked at Ji Meiqing with surprise, and then looked her over with a puzzled expression. The seated guests also couldn't contain their curiosity and stood up to see if Ji Meiqing was hiding anything else, but to no avail.