Chef Hua
Chapter 490: Episode 267 Uninvited Guest

Chapter 490: Episode 267 Uninvited Guest

If it were up to Hua Xiaomai, she would have preferred to prepare for the grand opening after the Mid-Autumn Festival, but when she shared this thought with everyone, Wang Zhanrui immediately stood up and shook his head.

"We’ve already made all the preparations, so why put it off until that moment?" He pondered and slowly said, "In my opinion, reopening before the Mid-Autumn Festival would be better. For one, we can take advantage of the festival to make a big celebration, and secondly, it could act as a draw for people. The most important thing on the opening day is to create a buzz. You, the owner, have already decided to host a banquet on that day, which we won’t discuss now, but we should also consider the local people who haven’t been invited. It’s only right that we take care of them too."

Hua Xiaomai didn’t have a firm decision in mind initially, only thinking that on the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival she would inevitably be busy, and she could plan for the garden’s opening once things calmed down, which would be somewhat of a relief. Hearing him say this, she raised an eyebrow and laughed, "Although I am the owner, I inevitably miss some things, and it’s not necessary for everything to go my way. Master Wang, since you have an idea, why not put it forward for all of us to discuss?"

"Sure." Wang Zhanrui, not one to decline, sat down comfortably at the table and didn’t forget to beckon everyone else to join him.

"During the Mid-Autumn Festival, every household will want to eat mooncakes, which are laborious to make at home, and buying them will inevitably cost some money. If we open before the Mid-Autumn Festival, why not make some mooncakes to share with everyone? We could set up a stand at the entrance of the restaurant where any local who wants them can take them. We just specify a limit for each household, so there’s no worry about them taking too much. This way, won’t the popularity come to us?"

Hua Xiaomai felt enlightened by his words and opened her eyes wide with consecutive nods, "You make a good point; you’ve given me a great idea! Our garden was originally planning to attract more city people for business, so since we’re making mooncakes, we might as well make extra and distribute them to the passersby in town. On the external wrapping, we can write our name, and insert a small note inside, indicating where our shop is located—make the mooncakes exquisite, so it’s convenient for the locals to eat or gift them, and that’s advertising for us!"

This tiny eatery, now expanded, obviously shouldn’t be as obscure as before. The only literate person Hua Xiaomai knew in the whole of Fire Knife Village was Scholar Wen, who lived near the riverbank. Knowing that he was going to sit the imperial examination in the autumn, she had asked him early to help name the newly built garden "Daoxiang Garden."

The name was to suit the environment of the garden, which sounded rather ordinary, but the two areas, the bamboo forest and the fish pond, called "Bamboo Grove" and "Lotus Edge" respectively, seemed to have a touch of interesting flavor. Hua Xiaomai had specially asked him to write a signboard to be placed in front of the gate, which looked eye-catching and was easy to remember, thus it would likely be easily remembered by people.

"Exactly," Wang Zhanrui nodded, "Your method is better, the owner. This way, the people in the city would also know we’ve opened. After tasting our mooncakes and finding them delicious, they might be curious to come and see. This back and forth would gradually bring in more business, wouldn’t it?"

Hua Xiaomai smiled in response and lowered her head to think.

When she first had the idea to expand the small restaurant, she had planned to extend an invitation to Lady Yang, the wife of Magistrate Tao. It went without saying that if she came on the opening day, it would provoke discussion and inadvertently elevate the status of the restaurant. But...

It felt a bit too calculated, as the intention to use someone else’s name to enhance her own prestige was blatantly obvious, which seemed... perhaps not quite right?

After considering it from every angle and still feeling it inappropriate, she decided to put the matter aside for now and wait until the business had been open for a longer time before proceeding with any invitations. So with a clap of her hands, she laughed, "Then let’s settle it, we’ll open before the Mid-Autumn Festival! Chun Xi and La Mei, the two sisters-in-law, please trouble yourselves to consult with the old Taoist priest outside the village to select the most auspicious day. After that, we’ll need to get busy!"

Chun Xi and La Mei nodded and responded with a smile, "You don’t need to feel overwhelmed. We’ve made thorough preparations and have bought all the necessary items. With five or six days left, as long as we get all the ingredients ready, there’s no need to rush. The rest is not a worry. Let me tell you, when the small restaurant first opened, we’ve experienced quiet business. In my opinion, there’s no need to be impatient now. We have the capability and can afford to wait. Slow and steady, I’m sure we will thrive more and more with each passing day."