Chef Hua
Chapter 528: Episode 284 Business Sense_2

Chapter 528: Episode 284 Business Sense_2

"Do I feel sorry for her?" Meng’s mother glanced at Hua Xiaomai, "She must be dreaming! If you ask me, that what’s-her-name, the wife of the county official, she’d be the one worrying if she hadn’t brought people along today!"

Oh? Hua Xiaomai raised an eyebrow upon hearing this.

Her mother-in-law truly always surprised her! Having gotten to know her over the past year, she had gradually realized that although Meng’s mother appeared fierce on the surface, she was actually quite clear-headed, capable of distinguishing right from wrong. But she had not expected her to comprehend the intricacies of business so well.

"Worry about what?" Chun Xi didn’t understand and turned to look at Hua Xiaomai.

"It’s simple when you think about it. Sister-in-law, your mind is usually so sharp. How come you’re confused today?"

So Hua Xiaomai smiled and said, "Think about it, we went to great lengths to have Lady Tao come here today. What for? Surely not because we have too much money to spend, right?"

"Of course... it’s to borrow the prestige of the wife of the county official to add to our reputation. To put it plainly, it’s all for the sake of gaining face!" Chun Xi replied without hesitation.

"Exactly!" Hua Xiaomai narrowed her eyes and nodded her head, "She’s the wife of the county official, well-traveled and experienced; our little schemes can’t hide from her. She surely knows it very well! Her willingness to come today was to give us face, allowing Daoxiang Garden to climb higher with her fame. Bringing a few more people is only beneficial to us, there’s no downside."

The husband of Mrs. Yang is the proper parent official of Fuzhe County. Most of his acquaintances are the wealthy and noble of the County. Not to mention the others, just the few who came with her today, if singled out, are considerable figures in the County.

What topics can these official ladies talk about when gathered together? It’s nothing more than recent encounters with certain individuals, amusing events, good food they’ve enjoyed, and so on.

Daoxiang Garden in Fuzhe County is somewhat of a novelty—a fresh concept that didn’t exist before. The garden is located in the countryside with a beautiful scenery, and the variety of dishes—she didn’t want to toot her own horn—compared with the big restaurants in the city wouldn’t be outdone. If these ladies found the conversation to their liking and thought it interesting, it’s likely they would invite three or five friends to regularly visit. If they happened to mention this place in front of their husbands, wouldn’t the fame of the garden spread gradually?

Mrs. Yang’s introduction of these ladies today could likely achieve a publicity effect far better than distributing mooncakes in the city before the opening. After all, they are the group who are willing to spend money for the enjoyment of life, and they can afford it.

Chun Xi is not stupid. She might have been slow in understanding just now because she treated Hua Xiaomai as one of her own, not wanting her to suffer any loss. As she pondered it over carefully, she quickly came to understand and immediately changed her annoyance into delight, her lips curling into a smile, "So, I wronged the wife of the county official! Oh my, I feel rather embarrassed. I’ll go down to the garden to take a look, Xiao Feng and Xiu Miao are both young, in case they overlook anything, I can lend a hand."

With that, she left the room happily, heading out the door towards the stone path to the fish pond.

Hua Xiaomai stayed upstairs in the private room, chatting with Meng’s mother for a while. Judging that the main hall downstairs should be starting to serve guests, she also went to the kitchen, rolled up her sleeves, and got to work on preparing the food.

...

Mrs. Yang and the others were enjoying themselves by the lotus pond, so Hua Xiaomai didn’t go over to disturb them, figuring that she would find another excuse to call her over.

As expected, just after noon, with many diners still in the large hall not yet departed, a waitress named Xiu Miao came hurrying over, saying that the wife of the county official had more things to say to their hostess.

Hua Xiaomai handed over the dish she was cooking to Chef Tan, washed her hands and tidied herself up, straightened her hair, and quickly followed the girl into the garden. As she approached the pond, from a distance she saw Mrs. Yang sitting on a stone stool, smiling at her.

"Take your time, why the rush?" she said affably, "I’m not just saying it to be polite, but this lotus pond is truly delightful. Sitting here for a while makes one feel so refreshed. I heard from that young girl that there’s a bamboo forest in the northeast corner? I’d love to enjoy that scenery next time, I must go sit there."

As she spoke, she turned to the other ladies and said, "Let’s come back again next time, shall we?"

The ladies all agreed, and one of them, a lady who looked a few years older than Mrs. Yang, with a plump figure, said to Hua Xiaomai with a smile, "Your place seems quite spacious, suitable for hosting banquets, right? A few days ago, my husband was discussing arranging a banquet. When I go back today, I’ll mention your place to him; he will surely like it. I just don’t know if we need to make a reservation before coming?"

Hua Xiaomai gave her a measured smile, "If it’s just a casual visit or a meal with the family, you can come anytime. But if it’s an official banquet, it’s best to let us know in advance. That way, we can prepare thoroughly and avoid any oversight."

She gestured towards the row of wooden houses, "Over there the rooms are spacious; male and female guests can sit separately without disturbing each other. In the winter, with a fire going, it definitely won’t be cold. If you wish to arrange a banquet, we’ll prepare the decor in advance, whatever it takes to satisfy the guests, that’s how we’ll make arrangements."

The lady nodded her head repeatedly, saying "That would be best," and soon several others gathered around, also asking various questions.

As Hua Xiaomai was talking with them, she suddenly heard what sounded like a commotion coming from the village road in front of the restaurant. (To be continued. If you like this work, please come to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote with your recommendation ticket and monthly ticket. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to continue reading.)