Gossip News

Dougto dared not disobey, and the next day there were four more people in the restaurant: two burly old women and two thin young men like Kraft. Dougto's shrewdness was sometimes misused. Because the purchase volume had increased significantly, he arranged for Kraft to go grocery shopping with Philip, and Mi sent Kraft to Philip's bedside as well, so the two of them could sleep together for two hours after returning from grocery shopping.

After more than a month of operation, everyone knew that Dougto's Restaurant, which only sold lunch, always had a daily menu featuring either a tender and savory stew or a juicy and flavorful roast; a main dish as fluffy and soft as fine white bread or a crispy and tender pancake; a refreshing salad that was always crisp and refreshing; a complimentary serving of sweet and sour pickles; occasional savory and salty pickles; and a rotation of sweet and savory soups, with occasional desserts. After the set meal portions and prices were readjusted, the gossip columnist strongly condemned Dougto's Restaurant for its opportunistic practice of raising prices based on the half-pound portion limit. However, all of this did not affect the restaurant's revenue. Because of the portion adjustments, one serving was enough for the girls, and the restaurant actually attracted more female waitresses from the east of the city. These pretty girls attracted more bachelors and adventurers, and Dougto's Restaurant saw an increase in customers. Mi went to the carpenter again and ordered twenty takeout boxes, with a fifty-copper deposit per box, so that the girls waiting at the door could take their meals home. Soon, the takeout boxes were not enough, so the girls learned to buy two takeout boxes and order their meals for the next day a day in advance. Doug Tor immediately provided takeout services for the girls, and he hired another young man to deliver the food. The kitchen also added a vegetable chopper, and the rice was divided into six silver dris.

Doug Tor's restaurant went from almost deserted to thriving, always running out of food. Naturally, this attracted the covetous eyes of some. People kept coming to inquire, some even blocking Mi's way to try and persuade him to switch sides. Some offered money, promising a high salary of one gold derry a month plus bonuses. Others tried to intimidate him, directly mentioning the name of a certain duke. Mi simply smiled; his marigolds and gold coins were more than enough to fend off these petty men.

With sufficient staff and lunch service running smoothly, Mi had some free time in the afternoons. It was then that she discovered the gossip newspaper. Doug To had been buying the newspaper for almost two months, and now she spent some time each day at the restaurant, reading the old papers while ensuring the kitchen was clean and the waiters and helpers were well-fed. With Mi's stable job, Beatrice's mood had fully returned to normal, and Fried was still on his way with the two girls. Mi was finally living a normal life, spending her days thinking about food, reading the gossip, and having enough time to leisurely explore the entire city of Sun City.

Springtime in Sun City is filled with the fragrance of flowers. Bellflowers, fragrant wildflowers, Mucuna birdwoodiana, wisteria… these blossoms, each with its own unique scent, bloom in profusion. The girls of Sun City love to adorn themselves with flowers; spring is their favorite season. A fragrant wildflower is tucked into their braids or blouses, and they feel enveloped in its aroma all day long. But the dahlia, which blooms regardless of the season, is revered as the national flower of the Flower Kingdom. It's also known as the silly flower that blooms randomly regardless of the season. This enchanting spring, a city-wide event is related to it: the annual "Dahlia" Flower Crown Contest, organized by the local gossip news outlet, a major event that involves the entire city of Sun City for a month. Every year, the gossip news selects two champions: the "Dahlia's Melodious Voice" and the "Dahlia's Beautiful Image," recognizing the woman with the most beautiful voice and the woman with the most stunning appearance in Sun City. They are awarded a dahlia crown, the national flower of the Flower Kingdom. The dahlia crown winner, along with other high-vote contestants, will perform at "Dahlia Night" at the Derek Royal Theatre, where they will have the opportunity to meet the King and other nobles. This is Sun City's second most important event after New Year's Day. The dahlia crown selection process lasts for a month. Voting involves cutting out a corner of a gossip newsletter—a small piece depicting a dahlia—and casting it into the name of your favorite candidate.

The Gossip News will set up a ballot box for each candidate behind the newspaper office. These ballots will be collected and counted in front of all the citizens of Sun City, and the candidate with the most votes will receive this year's Dahlia Crown. The Gossip News will dedicate a special page each day to introducing different performers and singers, and will also invite insightful people from the city to participate in the commentary.

Sun City boasts numerous theaters and even more performers, making it especially important to stand out among them, as nobles invariably invite these winners to perform at their balls. Besides the popular Dahlia Crown selection, a contest held annually through gossip and entertainment, Sun City also hosts an official competition every five years, the "Flower Nightingale," presided over by the city lord. The annual Dahlia Crown winner automatically qualifies for the Flower Nightingale competition, while other spots can be sponsored. The royal family holds the most spots, directly appointing three participants, while nobles can also designate their own candidates. The Flower Nightingale election is a battle of power and money.

Dougto's restaurant stopped introducing new dishes, the culinary enthusiasts' desire for lavish decor remained unfulfilled, and the gossip news ceased its coverage. However, Dougto, the owner, still bought a copy of the gossip every day because the "Dahlia Crown" competition had begun. Philip and Kraft eagerly awaited Dougto's reading each day, scrutinizing the blurry pictures before waiting for Mi to read the articles aloud.

Philip and Kraft were illiterate, and every day they would stare at the blurry black shadows of gossip news and imagine how beautiful the women were and how melodious their songs were. They would either read the contents to them when Dougto was in a good mood, or wait by the side while Mi was reading the newspaper. Mi would read the contents to them while reading the newspaper, and at this time Philip's younger sister, April, would sit quietly by and listen.

“Why don’t you two learn to read with Dougto?” Mi saw Philip and Ralph begging Dougto to tell them about the news in the newspaper again, or when Mi sat down to rest after lunch service, she would whisper, “Sir, could you read the newspaper?” She asked the two young men, since there were no customers in the restaurant in the afternoon and they had half a day of free time.

"Sir, this character is too difficult to recognize. It's all crooked and twisted, and it gives me a headache just looking at it." Philip frowned, afraid that Mi would make him recognize the character.

“Yes, sir, every time I learn a word, it takes a turn, and I don’t recognize it anymore,” Kraft replied, rubbing his hands. It was only then that Mi realized how rare Fried was; he always tried his best to learn. Mi closed the newspaper, calculating the time; Fried should be arriving in Maicheng soon. He wondered if their journey had been smooth. Little April, Philip’s younger sister, had only recently arrived and was a bit timid. She whispered, “I want to learn to read.” Mi heard her and gave her a quill pen and a book. Little April would copy from the book whenever she had free time.

The gossip column not only set up a column in the newspaper, but also, to help the residents of Sun City better understand these contestants, it dispatched different carriages at different times each day, each carrying a stone player that played songs. Large banners bearing the singers' names were displayed on the carriages, and the music played on a loop throughout Sun City. Of course, the carriages also carried thick stacks of the gossip newspaper, allowing fans to buy them and vote at any time.

The entertainment industry in the Flower Kingdom is a peculiar circle, especially among actresses. It includes noble ladies and courtesans alike, and every year there are competitions for the "Dahlia's Most Beautiful Voice" and the "Dahlia's Most Beautiful Image." The "Dahlia's Most Beautiful Voice" is usually won by noble ladies, while the "Dahlia's Most Beautiful Image" is typically chosen by the most alluring women, though there are exceptions. The current Queen Agnes once won the "Dahlia's Most Beautiful Image" crown, not for her captivating charm and allure, but for her striking, capable, and spirited demeanor! Currently, Queen Agnes oversees the affairs of the Flower Kingdom, while King Derek spends his days surrounded by women. Five out of ten headlines are about how charming and elegant the King's new favorites are. Rumors circulate that the Queen is the mastermind behind these gossip tales, while others argue that the Queen has no time for such trivial women; the King is the true mastermind behind the gossip, and whoever is favored makes the headlines!

Amelinda, a countess and coloratura soprano, was frequently invited to perform at royal balls. From the blurry photos in the tabloids, it was impossible to tell which of the beautiful woman was singing in the palace. The tabloids were quite interesting; all the pictures were very abstract, making it impossible to discern the contestants' true appearances. It wasn't that no one offered suggestions, but the tabloids simply wouldn't change. Coupled with the lack of other tabloids, the criticisms continued indefinitely, and the uncorrected remained unchanged. Even more interestingly, the tabloids would specifically publish these reader letters demanding changes in the margins, thus attracting even more condemnation and more letters demanding corrections. The margins of the newspaper were perpetually filled with readers' complaints.

Connie is a star performer at the Star Theater, hailing from Star City 6. Rumored to be the darling of Star City 6's lord, she was the reigning champion of the Dahlia's Beautiful Voice competition, losing by a single vote to the previous Dahlia's Beautiful Shadow champion. This time, she's aiming for the Dahlia's Beautiful Shadow title, frequently parading around Sun City in an open carriage. It's said that when an admirer rushed to present her with flowers, the horse was startled, and Connie tumbled headfirst from the carriage, her white open-crotch pants and dark pubic hair clearly visible beneath her dress. The gossip news commissioned the painter Antiss to depict the scene—"Connie's Horse-Startling Incident"—the only time the gossip news published with clear text and pictures. It sold out immediately upon publication and went through three reprints. Currently, Connie has the loudest reputation among the common people, though it's not a good one. Since the horse was startled, Connie stopped flaunting her carriage rides, and many other beauties who had wanted to do the same stopped as well, much to the dismay of the city's carriage shops and idle men. Seeing Connie's grand entourage and numerous admirers, the carriage shops worked through the night to commission over ten more luxurious open-top carriages, which now sat idle in their warehouses. The shop owner, through some connections, managed to get the carriages advertised in the gossip section, stating that those who qualified for the carriages would receive a painting by Antis himself, which would be published in the day's gossip. Antis was the painter who had suddenly become famous after painting Connie's "The Horse Startled," and with the gossip advertisement, the carriages immediately found buyers. Every day, beautiful women in gorgeous attire parade on carriages along the ring road of Sun City, attracting crowds from all over the city. As the advertisements promised, every contestant who bought a carriage received a clear portrait of the beauty. However, everyone said that Connie's Horse-Raising Adventure was the masterpiece of the painter Antis!