Reborn as the Blissful Wife in the countryside

Chapter 684: Guests Arrive

Mrs. Chen was furious: "Are the wrinkles on your face deep enough to trap mosquitoes? You, Gu Dafu, dare you despise me for being old? Tell me, have you taken a liking to some little demon? You heartbreaker, I’ll fight you to the end!"

Gu Dafu hurriedly said, "What nonsense are you spouting? You hold all the Silver at home, what would I use to support a little demon. Besides, where can you find those money-loving women better than you? We will be buried together when we die, as husband and wife, don’t overthink it and hurry to help, there are so many customers waiting for their dishes."

Mrs. Chen was pleased to hear this and twisted her body, saying, "Fine, I’ll go work in the kitchen. You come along too, don’t you think about checking out any little demon outside."

Gu Dafu, so long as she wasn’t causing a scene, he hurriedly followed her to the kitchen to do some smaller tasks.

Gu Jinli had to admit he was impressed; could those two perform this act every single day without getting tired?

Gu Dewang was holding bamboo boxes filled with dishes, and casually added, "They talk like this every day at home, we’re all used to it."

Gu Defa was also carrying a bamboo box and calmly said, "Getting used to it is good."

However, despite how nauseatingly sweet his parents were, they hadn’t managed to give him a little sister in three years, and Gu Defa quite fancied the idea of being a brother. He thought Gu Dewang wasn’t doing a great job as a brother, he believed he could do better.

Gu Jinli laughed: "Thanks for your hard work, I’ll pay you once you’re done."

Gu Dewang and Gu Defa were very happy, Sister Xiao Yu was always generous, every time they came to help, they received some money. Although it wasn’t much Silver, their mother was too stingy to give them pocket money, so they had to earn it themselves.

"Thank you, Sister Xiao Yu." The two brothers worked even harder, quickly carrying the bamboo boxes, not feeling the weight at all.

Gu Jinli smiled and nodded, then turned to look at the high platform in the hall, about a meter higher than the floor, sparsely furnished except for a long table and a quadruple folding screen.

The screen was embroidered with the Four Gentlemen - plum, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum. Behind the corresponding screen embroidery, there was a small pine tree, a clump of bamboo, a bunch of chrysanthemums, and a blooming early plum.

Such decoration was both simple and vibrant, in the wilted winter month, seeing these lively plants really delighted the eyes, Gu Jinli was very satisfied with it.

Below the high platform were several tables and chairs, only nine sets which were meant for distinguished guests; today, they didn’t serve dine-in, only these tables and chairs were used.

Those who wanted to buy dishes, were taking them packed to take home.

Gu Jin’an was laying out a red carpet with the help of home servants, and seeing Gu Jinli, he said, "Xiao Yu, the guests should be arriving soon, go back upsstairs to keep Cousin Le company."

Xiao Yu was a grown lady now, although she supervised at the building, it wasn’t appropriate for her to greet the guests personally, so she supervised from an upstairs room, everything managed by her elder brother.

"Eh, got it big brother, I’ll go check whether Brother Qin has finished slicing the ham," she said as she ran off to the room where the ham was stored.

Gu Jin’an raised an eyebrow hearing this, Brother Qin, have they reconciled?

He couldn’t help laughing, Xiao Yu really, her temper comes and goes quickly.

However...

He waved his hand to call over Brother Cheng, "Follow your Second Sister, don’t let other people’s pig take too much advantage."

Though he was very satisfied with Qin San Lang as a brother-in-law, they weren’t formally engaged yet; once they are, everything would be easier to discuss.

Brother Cheng nodded vigorously, "Yeah, don’t worry big brother, I’m much smarter than Xiao Ji."

Xiao Ji was too simple-minded, easily persuaded by Brother San Lang and Second Sister to obediently do as told. Just before, he had even helped to find ten white porcelain basins.

Brother Cheng took his responsibility seriously and hurried off to the room where the ham was hung.

Inside, Qin San Lang stood in the middle of room, holding a knife in one hand, slicing the ham, with several bamboo boxes and white porcelain plates arranged on the table next to him.

The ham slices in the bamboo box are given for free to the first hundred locals, while the ham slices in the white porcelain plates are for the soon-to-arrive distinguished guests.

Qin San Lang’s knife skills are excellent; each slice of ham is evenly thin and beautifully shaped.

Gu Jinli and Xiao Ji are wrapping the ham slices from the bamboo box, with five slices per package. Seeing Brother Cheng arrive, Gu Jinli immediately said, "Brother Cheng, quickly distribute these wrapped ham slices to everyone. If it’s late, they will start making a fuss again."

The old women in the town are quite fierce, and once they start making trouble, it’s quite terrifying.

Brother Cheng had just stepped into the room when he was kicked out by his second sister, thinking to himself: Big brother, it’s not that your little brother didn’t try to protect our Bai Cai, it’s that our Bai Cai kicked your little brother away.

"Okay." Brother Cheng obediently placed the wrapped ham slices into the bamboo box, stacking ten at a time, and shakily carried them out.

Gu Jinli saw this and hurriedly said, "Xiao Ji, go help Brother Cheng, he’s still young and can’t carry so much."

Brother Cheng: "..."

The second sister, this Bai Cai, is too formidable; she kicked him out and now Xiao Ji too.

He looked back at Qin San Lang, Qin San Lang looked up at him and smiled, saying, "Brother Cheng, San Lang will ask Grandpa Qin to make you a small long knife, unsharpened, so you can carry it with you."

Straight to the point, Brother Cheng immediately smiled and said, "Thank you, Brother San Lang."

Haha, big brother always says carrying a knife is dangerous and refuses to buy him one, but now that Brother San Lang asked Grandpa Qin to make an unsharpened one, big brother has nothing to say.

Gu Jin’an has no idea that his little brother switched sides in the blink of an eye.

Gu Jinli looked at Qin San Lang: "You really know how to win people over."

Qin San Lang looked at her and smiled, "Brother Cheng calls me San Lang, I ought to treat him well."

Sister Xiao Yu’s brother is definitely someone to win over.

Gu Jinli didn’t respond but urged him: "Focus on the ham, why are you looking at me? Be careful not to cut your hand."

The knife slicing the ham is very sharp.

Qin San Lang chuckled, lowered his head to look at the ham, his knife not stopping, swiftly cutting several more slices of ham.

Busy until past mid-day, after half of the vegetable-buying customers had left, the first wave of distinguished guests finally arrived.

The first to arrive was Boss Hu. When Yanfu Building first opened, he didn’t come in person, and ended up so amazed by Yanfu Building’s dishes that he couldn’t sleep that night.

This time, hearing that Yanfu Building was introducing a new delicacy called ham, he didn’t even wait for Dongzhi festival, hurriedly coming with the wealthy households of the county and regular customers of Futai Building.

"Manager Qi, business at Yanfu Building is still booming," observed Boss Hu, watching the customers scrambling to buy vegetables, his casual praise showing no envy like three years ago.

Three years had passed, and his Futai Building had bought thirty famous dishes from Yanfu Building. Although selling each dish meant a cut for Yanfu Building, Futai Building had expanded to open three restaurants in Yujiang County, Luchang County, and Prefecture City thanks to these dishes.

The restaurant in Prefecture City did excellent business. With the help of Yanfu Building’s dishes, Futai Building had firmly established itself in Prefecture City and was now planning to expand to Linhe Prefecture.

Boss Hu was very grateful to Gu Jinli. It was Gu Jinli that had enabled Futai Building to grow and reach its peak.

The reason Gu Jinli was willing to help Boss Hu was twofold: firstly, Boss Hu was trustworthy, and secondly, the Hu Family had always been in the restaurant business and had many connections and resources. Cooperating with the Hu Family allowed her to earn considerable Silver without the hassle of running the restaurants herself, which was very convenient.