On the Lantern Festival, the capital city was bustling with activity. Tao Wanniang and her family had booked a private room at the largest restaurant in the capital long ago.

Seeing her two sons preoccupied with eating, Tao Wan's mother became somewhat annoyed.

"Didn't you say you were going to be a waiter? Da Hu, go and see what it's like to be a waiter here."

"And Dapeng, stop just eating all the time, have some sense of propriety, okay?"

After finishing her speech, Tao Wanniang began to eat her food slowly and deliberately. As expected of the largest restaurant in the capital, the food here is just as good as hers!

"Mom, it's so beautiful!" Outside the private room window, colorful fireworks illuminated the sky, and the little girl happily ran to the window to watch them. "Mom, look over there, there are so many people."

"Let's eat first, and then we'll go out and have a look around," Tao Wanniang said, glancing around. "It's the Lantern Festival today, and I don't want you to be bored at home. After you finish eating, you can go and have fun on your own. I'll take Qiao'er, and Zhang Liang will come with me." Tao Wanniang said to Wang Hongyu and Zhou Xiaoyun, "Anyway, when you get tired of playing, just wait where the carriage is parked. We'll go home when everyone is here."

"Okay, Mother, it looks lively outside. I wonder what's fun about it." Wang Hongyu was also envious. The capital city is really different!

"It's the Lantern Festival, so there will definitely be riddles, lantern viewing, and vendors selling candied hawthorns, roasted chestnuts, and sugar paintings. I want to buy a rabbit lantern then," Bai Yumei said, looking forward to it.

“I remember when we were little, you liked rabbit lanterns. Could it be because you were born in the Year of the Rabbit?” Chen Liansheng said, looking at Bai Yumei.

“Yes, I was born in the Year of the Rabbit, and the Lantern Festival only comes once a year. I haven’t been there for a long time,” Bai Yumei said with emotion.

The Ling brothers wandered around outside and returned in a daze. This restaurant was bigger than their home, and the waiters were flitting about like butterflies. They were also very doubtful whether they could handle this job.

"Mother, will your restaurant be this big in the future?" Ling Dahu asked first.

"More or less!" How could the restaurant of Prince Rui's mansion be shabby?

The Ling brothers exchanged a glance, feeling somewhat uncertain.

"Mom, how many waiters are you going to hire?" Ling Dapeng asked subconsciously.

“A dozen or so, I’ll find someone else who can if you can’t handle this,” Tao Wanniang said casually. “Sit down and eat, you need to be full to have the energy to play.”

The Ling brothers were a little worried, but when they saw the exquisite dishes, they immediately forgot about it. It turned out that the food outside was just as good as their mother's cooking!

During the meal, Tao Wanniang didn't want to spoil the mood, so she naturally didn't mention her restaurant.

After eating and drinking her fill, Tao Wanniang didn't hesitate to call the waiter to settle the bill.

"Today, the price for a private room starts at fifty taels. Yours is less than fifty taels, but we will still charge you fifty taels. Do you have any objections?" the waiter patiently explained to Tao Wanniang.

When they booked the private room, Tao Wanniang knew this rule, so she generously gave them the money.

"Let's go!" After paying the bill, Tao Wanniang got up to leave, but saw her son and daughter-in-law looking shocked.

"Mother, fifty taels?" Ling Dahu held out his hand. "Fifty taels for this meal?"

"You're not deaf or blind, I only gave you fifty taels, didn't I?" Tao Wanniang frowned slightly, was she frightened?

"Our little restaurant serves the same dishes for less than ten taels of silver," Ling Dahu said indignantly. "Isn't this a rip-off?"

“That’s how restaurants are. You think you can just listen to their songs for free? Such a nice private room isn’t something you can just walk into casually. And look at all that, the waiters are so polite and friendly. Everything of this costs money,” Tao Wanniang explained. “Let’s go. There are many activities for the Lantern Festival. Let’s go out and have some fun.”

The group left the restaurant and then parted ways.

Tao Wan's mother then brought Xiao Qiao'er along, and had Zhang Liang accompany her.

Chen Liansheng, who was with Bai Yumei, couldn't help but say to her, "Yumei, I'm relieved that my elder sister treats you like a sister."

"My eldest sister has always been a tough-talking but soft-hearted person. Don't let her seemingly greedy nature fool you; she never hesitates to spend money on others," Bai Yumei said with emotion. "Like I said, meeting my eldest sister is truly my greatest fortune."

"After this, will your eldest sister arrange for us to work at the restaurant?" Chen Liansheng asked. "I originally wanted to start a small business, but there's everything in the capital, and I really don't know what to do."

"Then let's listen to our eldest sister." Bai Yumei was very open-minded. "Anyway, I'll follow our eldest sister for the rest of my life."

"Yu Mei, I'm staying at my elder sister's house temporarily, but I have no legitimate reason to stay here!" Chen Liansheng looked at Bai Yu Mei's half-undamaged face. Here, Bai Yu Mei was relaxed and cheerful, just like the little girl next door from before.

"Just wait, I'll arrange work for you and pay you wages. I won't treat you unfairly," Bai Yumei said magnanimously.

"And what about you?" Chen Liansheng took Bai Yumei's hand. As the moon rose above the willow branches, he saw that a man was also holding a woman's hand.

Bai Yumei was taken aback and tried to pull her hand away from Chen Liansheng's.

"Brother Sheng, there are riddle guessing games ahead, shall we go and see the riddles?" Bai Yumei couldn't break free, and a blush rose on her face.

There was always affection between them, but given her past and present state, how could she be worthy of Ah Sheng?

“Yu Mei, I know what you’re worried about, but I’m also penniless and someone who’s been divorced!” Chen Liansheng whispered in Bai Yu Mei’s ear. “In this capital, you have Sister Tao, but I only have you!”

Bai Yumei's heart softened. She looked at Chen Liansheng, but did not agree.

"Brother Asheng, let's go see the lanterns another day!"

"Mommy, that one is pretty, I want that one." Under the lanterns, the little girl pointed excitedly at a butterfly lantern.

"Let me see," Tao Wanniang said, looking at the riddle, "The high platform reflects the bright moon. What character is it?"

"Don't you know?" A familiar voice came, and Tao Wanniang immediately turned around and saw Ling Yunzhou dressed in casual clothes.

"You know about this?" Tao Wanniang couldn't help but frown. In such a large city as the capital, there's more than one place for riddles. How could she encounter this?

"I don't know, but whichever lantern you want, I'll buy it for you," Ling Yunzhou said with a straight face.

"Ha!" Tao Wanniang scoffed, "Tan, the tan of the epiphyllum!"

"Madam is truly amazing! Here, this lantern is for you!" As soon as the vendor heard that Tao Wanniang had guessed correctly, he took down the lantern and handed it to her.

"Qiao'er, here you go." Tao Wan's mother handed the lantern to little Qiao'er. "General, take your time looking at it. Buy whatever you like!"

Ling Yunzhou watched Tao Wanniang lead Xiao Qiao'er away, his brows furrowing again. He had only said one sentence, so why did she dislike him so much?