Chapter 24: A big customer came to the restaurant to book a table, either to fly or to bury...
Song Jin was delighted to find a place to get the dried chilies, and she then asked about the fresh chilies. Changsheng was also happy to say that he could cut a few branches for her in the name of pruning, and that would be enough.
Song Jin was so happy that he almost jumped up. He saw the gardenia and asked about the gardenia fruit. Changsheng actually kept some as well. He said it was a traditional Chinese medicine and he kept it every year.
At this moment, Changsheng was a bit like Doraemon, whatever he thought of came true. Song Jin's heart, which had been hanging in the air, finally settled down.
Song Jin was in a good mood and started chatting with Changsheng.
"Has anything happened at home recently?"
While handling the gardenia, Changsheng said, "What else could it be? The biggest issue in our family right now is who will be the heir. We have been arguing about this for several times."
After saying this, he seemed to remember something and said with wide eyes, "There is one more thing. Sanniang wants to go out."
"Out? Where to?"
"Where else can you go? Just go back to where you came from."
Song Jin was speechless. Xu Cuiyun was a singer, which should be considered a nice way of saying it, but the reason was that Song Jin didn't want to use that word to address anyone.
"Will Grandma agree?"
"How is that possible?" Changsheng said as he stuffed a blooming gardenia into Song Jin's hand: "Take it, put it on your body and it will smell good all day long."
Song Jin took it and put it under her nose to sniff. It smelled really good. When she was a child, her family also had a gardenia tree, which would bloom many flowers in spring and smelled very good.
Changsheng saw that she was happy, so he smiled and continued, "Don't you think that if the eldest lady punished the fourth lady, who would be the next one? I guess the third lady was scared, so she asked someone to notify the original pious woman and asked her to find a way to get her out."
"Can I go out?"
"Don't you know our grandmother's temper? Not to mention one woman, even three or five of them wouldn't be able to convince her. Anyway, she won't let us go. I don't think this matter will end there."
Song Jin curled his lips and stopped talking.
The fights among women in the mansion have always been cruel, but inexplicably conform to the rules here. Each of them has her own little thoughts, and she really doesn't want to get involved.
The two were chatting when Old Lu suddenly came in. He saw the two standing behind the flower stand and talking, and his brows frowned.
"The creeper is back," he said, putting down the flowerpot, "but what's the matter?"
Song Jin said, "It's okay, I just came back to take a look." After saying that, he glanced at Changsheng. The two of them understood each other tacitly, but in the eyes of Old Lu, it seemed like the man was in love and the woman was interested.
"Then you guys continue chatting, I'll go to the back and continue moving the flowers."
"Master, I'll go."
As he spoke, Changsheng smiled at Song Jin, and without waiting for Lao Lu to speak, he ran out, leaving Lao Lu and his daughter behind.
Old Lu looked at Changsheng's receding back and asked, "Do you agree?"
"Dad, what are you talking about?"
"What else could it be? You'll be eighteen next year, and your mother was about to give birth to you when she was your age."
Song Jin's face was filled with displeasure. What's the point of having a child at such a young age? She would still be toiling all her life, so what's the point of having another child?
"I came to see you, but you were not there, so I spoke to him a few more words. It has nothing to do with that matter, so don't mention it again in the future."
After saying that, he walked out, but was stopped by Old Lu: "Isn't Changsheng good? I watched him grow up, he is diligent and honest, and it's good for the two of them to live together. Why are you unhappy?"
"Dad!" Song Jin was helpless. Knowing that saying more was useless, he found a reason to leave.
"I still have to go and report to my great grandmother. I'm leaving now."
After saying that, he didn't listen to what Lao Lu had to say anymore and walked out.
Song Jin didn't go far. She was waiting for Changsheng on the small path leading to the greenhouse. She had to get something before leaving.
Sure enough, not long after, she saw Changsheng coming back with a pot of gardenias, and she waved at him: "Changsheng, Changsheng."
Changsheng heard the voice and trotted over with a smile: "You are still here."
Song Jin smiled and said, "I want to get something from you before leaving."
"Wait for me."
After saying this, he didn't stop, but went to the greenhouse holding the flower, and came out after a while.
Changsheng lived in the servant's room of the Bai family. Song Jin waited for him in the corridor. About a cup of tea later, he saw Changsheng coming out from the octagonal door on the side.
"Here, here you go."
A pair of hands with obvious signs of labor reached out, holding a handful of dried red peppers mixed with a few yellow gardenia fruits. Song Jin quickly pulled up his sleeves and let him put them in his sleeves.
"Is it okay if someone sees this?"
"It's okay. I harvested the gardenias myself. No one wanted them anyway. I planted the pepper seeds this year. If I leave them there, they won't sprout next year. There will be new seeds in two months. It's okay to give them to you."
Song Jin calmed down, and Changsheng whispered again: "Come and get fresh ones when the time comes. Don't let your father see it, it will make him sad."
Song Jin smiled and said "got it", then said goodbye to Changsheng, went out to say hello to Mrs. Chen and the other maids, and then went back to Shiding Tower.
That day, Wasonglu talked lightly, saying that he was powerful and a good eater, but Song Jin waited for more than half a month and still didn't see him. Just when Song Jin began to suspect that the man was bragging, Brother Guan of Wasonglu appeared in the store, but today he changed into a clear mountain blue suit.
"Master Guan." Song Jin was standing behind the counter. When he saw someone coming in, he quickly came out and bowed to greet him: "Are you here to have dinner today or..."
Master Guan bowed and said, "I don't need to eat today. I came here to pass on a message. Mr. Chai will come to the store in three days to taste the shopkeeper's cooking in person."
Song Jin blinked twice and thought that the ancients also used the advance reservation method, but at least you have to pay a deposit, right?
"In three days, I will be waiting here for Mr. Chai. I wonder how many people there are?"
"This great man Chai has come, how can we be short of people?"
Song Jin continued to blink slowly. What on earth did this mean? Couldn't he just explain it clearly?
How many people are there?
Before Song Jin could continue asking, the waiter Arong behind him asked, "Is it Mr. Chai Heng Chai from Cuiping Lane?"
"Is there anyone else in Suzhou who dares to call himself Master Chai?"
Song Jin: “…”
"Is this Mr. Chai really going to come to our store?"
A Rong ran out from behind the counter excitedly to speak, but Song Jin didn't understand what he was so excited about.
"How can this be false? I personally invited them here, so you have to treat them well."
"Yes, yes, that's for sure."
Song Jin was unsure as to who this Mr. Chai was, but he was definitely not an ordinary person, so he just watched A Rong negotiate with Master Guan.
"I don't know what time the master will arrive at the restaurant. I'm afraid some of the dishes will get cold and won't taste good."
Master Guan smiled and said, "It's time for dinner. Remember to prepare some good wine. It would be boring if there were no wine."
"Of course, of course. But how about inviting some girls to sing to liven up the party?"
Master Guan waved his hand and said, "No need, Master Chai, please be considerate so as not to disturb others. Please keep it quiet and the food must be good."
After that, he turned to Song Jin and said, "Although the broad beans that day were delicious, it was too stingy to entertain Mr. Chai. You have to pay more attention, otherwise the reputation of your Shi Ding Lou will be ruined."
When Song Jin heard this, he was shocked. He didn't know whether Master Guan was really trying to find delicious food for the big official or was trying to cause trouble for Song Jin. It would be difficult for a small shop to entertain the God of Food.
I don’t know if it was because he lost the debate that day and felt upset, so he went to find the official to make amends.
No matter what Song Jin thought, he had to entertain him. However, until Master Guan left the house, not a single penny came in. Song Jin became anxious. How could he have a feast without paying a deposit?
So he shouted for the silver and was about to ask, but was stopped by A Rong: "Ancestor, Mr. Chai is coming, what silver do you want from him?"
"If you want to have a feast, don't you have to pay some money first? What if they don't come?"
Ah Rong sighed, "Who is Mr. Chai? Let alone your banquet, even our Shi Ding Lou can buy it at will, so why would we owe you money for the banquet? We have already entertained you, and we will record the bill. When we go to his house, the accountant will pay for it."
Song Jin was speechless: "How do you pay like this..."
"What else? Do you still expect the great official to have several hundred taels of silver in his pocket to eat and drink?"
Song Jin curled her lips. How would she know how the rich people here paid for their meals? In the past, they just paid with copper coins.
"You don't know this Mr. Chai," Ah Rong walked to the counter and said as he was calculating the bill, "He is well-known in Suzhou for his love of food. He has been to all the famous restaurants. Our restaurant has only been open for a few days. I guess he heard it from the young master just now. After all, we are in Suzhou, and there are few Cantonese dishes, so he came faster."
Song Jin nodded and listened to what Arong continued to say.
"This Mr. Chai is from a wealthy family, a scholarly family, and has some knowledge. He even passed the imperial examination. It is said that he did not have good luck in taking the imperial examination that year, so he did not go. He has no shortage of money or connections, so why would he squeeze into the narrow door of the official career?"
"Then how does he eat and drink?"
Ah Rong said, "Just a cup of tea is enough for him to enjoy a lifetime of happiness. He also has the family fortune accumulated by his ancestors, and there are officials in the family in Beijing. He is not short of that little bit of money. Are you afraid that he will default on his debt?"
Song Jin suddenly realized that this was probably a celebrity. They could eat out and drink with just their name, order dishes without asking the price, and pay the bill monthly. They were either regular customers or big customers.
It is obvious that this Mr. Chai is a big guest.
When a big customer comes to a small shop, he either wants to fly or bury. After Song Jin understood this, he suddenly became nervous.
"Then should we prepare well?"
"That's right. The dishes, drinks and decorations are all necessary. But I asked, and there's no need to call a girl to sing. It would save me the trouble. I'll just eat and drink. I'm going to calculate how much money I have left in the account. If there's not enough money in the store, I'm afraid I'll have to go to Ma Ti Lane to get some."
Just like that, Mr. Chai, who had not yet shown up, made everyone in Shidinglou nervous.
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