Farm Tough Girl
Chapter 384 - 384 385 Grand Opening_1

Chapter 384: Chapter 385: Grand Opening_1 Chapter 384: Chapter 385: Grand Opening_1 “Fellow villagers and respected elders, thank you all for your tremendous support of our Mei Garden throughout these years. This time, having thoroughly renovated Mei Garden for the reopening, we wish to offer our gratitude for your patronage. Therefore, on the opening day, all guests will get a 50% discount on their purchases. We invite everyone to step inside and enjoy our new plays—absolutely original scripts and a brand-new experience that will surely leave you satisfied!”

There was a buzz of excitement in the crowd and a continuous stream of cheers; who among the common folk would not want to take advantage of the half-price offer on the first day? As for the wealthy families, Muniang had sent Shen Dong and others early on to personally deliver invitations to their mansions. Now that Mei Garden had undergone a major renovation, its upstairs private rooms, opulent and grand, would certainly please the lords and young ladies of high society.

The crowd surged inside, all keen to snag a bargain and join in the excitement. With Mei Team’s reputation preceding them, the performance was sure not to disappoint, giving them even more reason not to miss this great opportunity.

Muniang and Yu Ze had already been waiting in one of the upstairs private rooms, the bamboo curtains at the doorway already drawn. From here, they could clearly see everything going on in the theater, especially below.

Mrs. Lin was in poor health and could not go out. She had initially planned to bring Qinghe along, but as a young woman waiting to be married, it really wouldn’t be appropriate for her to appear in public.

Muniang’s eyes scanned the room and soon spotted a few familiar figures; she saw Tianniu downstairs waving frantically at her.

Muniang smiled. It turned out to be Lord Lu who had brought Tianniu and Lu Qi’er along.

Once the page has guided them upstairs, Tianniu threw herself into Muniang’s embrace: “Mu!”

“How come you’re here? Did you badger Lord Lu into taking you both out again? Were you after some more fun?” Muniang laughed.

Lu Qi’er pouted: “Not at all. We aren’t at all greedy for fun. It was Dad who said we should come and have a look.”

Lord Lu was caught between laughter and tears: “You little ingrate. Shifting the blame onto me when you’re the one eager for fun. Who was it that begged me at home for ages?”

Lu Qi’er playfully tugged at Lord Lu’s sleeve: “Dad! You just love to spoil my fun!”

The room burst into laughter.

Muniang ushered Lord Lu to take a seat before speaking: “Alright, alright, no matter what, you’re here now. If you’re eager for fun, then be eager for fun. Just remember to be diligent next time.”

Lu Qi’er quickly nodded enthusiastically, dragging a chair over to sit beside Muniang: “Mu, I’ve heard Tianniu talk about this story and I really love it. The actors’ performance is sure to be even more exciting. Mu, you’re so amazing for coming up with such a great story!”

Muniang pinched her cheek: “If you like it, just enjoy the show. It’s rare that you get to come out.”

“Yes!” Lu Qi’er had been pestering Lord Lu since yesterday, insisting on coming to watch. After all, the story was too enticing for her, and how she wanted to see the performance! In the end, Lord Lu could not resist her, and that’s why he had brought these two unlucky kids.

“How come Qingmei didn’t come along?” Muniang suddenly asked.

“She said she wasn’t feeling well and didn’t want to come,” Tianniu replied.

Muniang frowned: “Is she feeling any better, though?”

“Nothing serious, just caught a chill last night. She’ll be fine after sleeping it off under a quilt.”

Muniang suddenly remembered that it had been a long while since she last saw Qingmei. On the several occasions she went to Lu Mansion to fetch people, she didn’t catch a glimpse of her either. But then, the stage suddenly came alive with the sound of gongs.

“It’s starting, it’s starting!” Tianniu said excitedly.

Muniang then pulled her thoughts back and focused on the stage.

After the gongs sounded, the whole audience fell into silence, as if everyone was eagerly anticipating the moment. When Zhong Yulang and the rest of the performers appeared one by one, everyone was taken aback—no painted faces, no theatrical costumes, and even their lines were delivered in ordinary speech. They were not singing an opera; they were acting in a play.

This brand-new mode of performance shocked everyone thoroughly. The novelty immediately piqued their curiosity, and they looked on with great anticipation.

Of course, some felt deceived, having come to listen to an opera only to find not even a single tune. But as they watched the captivating scenes on stage, their restlessness was instantly soothed. Such novel storytelling was indeed rare.

Tianniu and Lu Qi’er, the two girls, watched with unblinking eyes, not wanting to miss a single moment.

Since Muniang had overseen the rehearsal of the play, she naturally didn’t pay as much attention to the performance on stage as they did. She was more interested in the audience’s reactions. Although everyone was surprised at the start, they seemed to have stabilized their emotions by now, becoming engrossed in the gripping plot.

Muniang curved her lips into a smile. It seemed that the effect was quite good. If this premiere was successful and word of mouth spread, would Mei Garden have to worry about business?

Yu Ze leaned over to whisper in Muniang’s ear, “I really don’t know what’s packed in that brain of yours, always thinking up these novel ideas.”

Muniang merely smiled without a word; what she harbored was the advanced culture of the twenty-first century.

As the performance came to an end and the actors exited the stage, it was clear that the audience was still thoroughly enjoying themselves. The abrupt end to the story left them scratching their hearts out with eagerness.

“Why did it stop? Is there another act? The story’s not finished, right? What happens next? I can’t wait to see it!”

The audience began to clamor, not questioning why the opera was “performed” this way. Instead, they were focused on the subsequent plot, revealing their fondness for this new method of storytelling.

A servant darted onto the stage, bowing and scraping, “Ladies and gentlemen, we apologize. Our play is simply too long to be viewed in one sitting, so we’ve split it into several performances. If you wish to see the next segment, please wait for tomorrow’s showing.”

“We have to wait until tomorrow?” There was a collective sigh of disappointment in the crowd; their hearts had been seized by the narrative, and waiting a day was naturally disheartening.

But there was no helping it; they couldn’t just keep performing non-stop all day. Mei Garden needed to cater to more audiences. Although there were two more shows in the afternoon and midday, they were replays of the first act. Muniang’s principle was to keep everyone’s appetite whetted as much as possible to draw in a larger audience.

Lord Lu was feeling quite forlorn at the moment. He had originally caved in to his daughter’s coaxing to accompany her to the show but hadn’t expected to be so captivated by the play. Now he too was suffering from the agonizing suspense.

Bashfully, he asked, “Muniang, what happens next in the play? Do Linghu Chong and Yue Lingshan end up together?”

Muniang couldn’t help but burst into laughter at Lord Lu’s adorable curiosity; however, she replied, “How boring it would be if I told you. Lord Lu, if you liked it, just keep coming back to watch.”

Lord Lu laughed heartily, “Certainly, certainly. You really have a knack for business. Even I, who has never been much interested in plays, am now eager to see more. With Mei Garden in your hands, it’s bound to flourish significantly.”