Chapter 62 Conspiracy

"That's true! If we grit our teeth, we can bring our families and spend the night together," the person holding the flyer said, clearly tempted.

"If all else fails, we can stay here and save the accommodation fee. We can just order some food instead. It's not far from town anyway."

"Go! I haven't taken my wife and kids out for a trip in so long, I'll go back and discuss it with my wife!"

The flyers were so well-designed that people were quickly drawn to the farmhouses depicted in the pictures and decided to visit them, while others, who were short of money, simply kept the flyers as souvenirs.

The publicity was very effective, and Song Yushu's farmhouse welcomed its first batch of overnight guests, with all ten cabins fully booked.

Guests who didn't manage to snag a room weren't discouraged, since the place was huge and it was just right to explore for a while before heading back.

The treehouse has now become the children's favorite place, and Zhou Chengzhu is currently selling snacks and tea inside it.

Candied hawthorn skewers, fried dough twists, pumpkin cakes, roasted chestnuts... the treehouse is filled with a sweet aroma that children can't resist.

The wives who came to accompany their children sat at the tables and chairs provided on the platform, ordered some snacks and plum juice, and chatted in twos and threes.

There were also many families busily barbecuing and eating hot pot in the pavilion, and they could pick the vegetables that had grown in the vegetable garden. Of course, Song Yushu also asked Xiong Erni to guard the garden to prevent anyone from causing damage.

The visitors didn't leave until late afternoon, and the occasional sound of a child crying could still be heard.

Song Yushu tallied up the silver earned that day. After deducting costs, it came to forty-five taels, the highest daily income since the agritainment business opened.

At night, it was naturally the place for guests to stay. Before dark, Song Yushu set up the firewood and surrounded it with a ring of large stones to prevent guests from getting too close to the fire.

A circle of tables and chairs is set up around the campfire for guests to dine, and lanterns are hung in the pavilion.

As darkness fell, lanterns were lit at the entrance of the wooden house, and guests came out one after another carrying lanterns.

Seeing that it was almost time, Song Yushu asked Xiong Erni to light the bonfire. In an instant, the fire grew larger and shot up several feet high, illuminating the faces of the guests watching from the surrounding area.

At the same time, all the pavilions inside the farmhouse were lit up with lanterns, and dishes were served and placed on the tables.

While delivering the dishes, Song Yushu asked the guests for their feedback on any shortcomings. Fortunately, most guests were satisfied, but some more particular guests offered a few suggestions. After seeing that she had written them down, the guests were finally satisfied.

After the campfire was extinguished, it was time for the guests to go back to their rooms to rest. Song Yushu and his men cleaned up the area and made sure all the fire sources were extinguished before they finished.

Fearing something might happen to the guests at night, Song Yushu didn't dare to sleep too soundly and could only take turns on duty with Aunt Zhong and Xiong Erni.

It wasn't until the morning, when Song Yushu and Wei's mother had prepared breakfast for the guests and had it delivered, that Song Yushu had the wooden house cleaned up after the guests had finished eating and were about to leave.

Of the ten wooden cabins, only two families wanted to stay another night. Song Yushu paid the extra fee for them and then let them move around freely in the agritainment center.

It was early, and there weren't many guests. Only the sounds of the two families who had stayed longer, with their children playing and laughing, could be heard from the treehouse.

After they had prepared all the ingredients, another group of guests arrived one after another.

"What brings Manager Zhu here?" When Song Yushu saw Manager Zhu from Taixing Restaurant arrive, he greeted him politely.

"Boss Wei's business is booming now, how could I not come and congratulate him?" Manager Zhu said to Song Yushu in a familiar manner.

"It's just a small business, nothing like Taixing Restaurant. If Manager Zhu still wants to discuss the recipe, he should head back now. If he wants to have a meal in my secluded place, there are private rooms upstairs."

"Of course we're here to eat. Bring out all the signature dishes. We're old acquaintances, so we should at least patronize Mr. Wei's business," Manager Zhu said with a meaningful smile to Song Yushu.

When Song Yushu noticed that the surrounding guests were looking at him with strange expressions, he went to the kitchen to find Wei's mother.

"I'll bring the dishes upstairs with some people later, you can stay in the kitchen," Wei's mother said worriedly.

Song Yushu nodded in agreement and began preparing the dishes.

Since Manager Zhu cheated her, she should naturally treat him to a good meal.

Manager Zhu led his servant to a private room. Even if he didn't want to admit it, the room was indeed clean and elegant, with an excellent view from the window, something that couldn't be achieved in town.

Only after Wei's mother and her entourage brought out dish after dish, filling the table to the brim, did he retract his earlier comment.

"Are these all your restaurant's signature dishes?"

"There are still a few dishes to be served, please wait a moment..."

"No need! This is fine! There's not even enough room for a table. Your boss really doesn't treat me like an outsider..." Manager Zhu said through gritted teeth.

"Not at all. Our restaurant was just afraid of neglecting such a distinguished guest as you. Please enjoy your meal," said Madam Wei as she led her people downstairs.

“I think he’s up to no good again. He looks kind, but he’s actually full of schemes,” Sister-in-law Wei complained to Song Yushu.

"Who can we do when someone has powerful backers? We can't afford to offend them, so we can only avoid them," Song Yushu said. He was also annoyed with Manager Zhu, but he couldn't kick him out with so many customers around.

"Thirty taels of silver in total," Sister-in-law Wei told Manager Zhu, who had come downstairs, to settle the bill.

"What? Thirty taels of silver! Are you trying to rip off my manager?" Manager Zhu, whose belly was round from eating, immediately had his servant shout loudly upon hearing the price.

Sure enough, the surrounding customers turned their attention to the counter.

“Esteemed guest, you asked us to serve your signature dishes. We have twenty signature dishes, some of which are newly developed by our boss and are quite expensive. Besides, you are staying in a private room. Surely you can afford this much money?” Sister-in-law Wei said earnestly as she gave the bill, adding a rhetorical question at the end.

"Pay up! I never expected your restaurant to be more expensive than Taixing Restaurant. This is truly an eye-opener for me," Manager Zhu said sarcastically.

"No, that's not it. Most customers don't order that much, since they all have normal appetites. You... Besides, all the dishes in our restaurant are clearly priced, so we won't cheat our customers. Don't worry!" Sister Wei raised her voice at the last sentence and addressed the customers in the restaurant.

Her words made Manager Zhu feel aggrieved, but considering that he had not yet achieved his goal, he could only ask the servant to take out the silver to pay the bill.

"Take care, Manager Zhu! Come again next time!" Sister-in-law Wei happily accepted the thirty taels of silver for Song Yushu and ran to the back kitchen to show off.

"If it were anyone else, I really wouldn't have been able to rip them off so badly, but if it's this Manager Zhu, I feel I didn't perform well enough just now, I should have quoted a higher price!" Sister-in-law Wei said, still feeling a bit unsatisfied.

"Pah! You jinx! This Manager Zhu is heartless. He won't be so easy to deal with next time he comes. He'd better not come!" Mother Wei glared at Sister-in-law Wei.