Aside from training the young girls and boys, Lin Yuan had spent several days tasting every dish prepared by the chefs until she felt it was just right before she was satisfied.

She designed the menu herself, not only placing it inside the restaurant but also giving a copy to each of the waitresses and waiters, making sure they memorized the names so they wouldn’t be clueless when customers ordered.

In addition, she had Lin Jiaxin sketch several of Dong Tian’s signature dishes and after having them framed, hung them up in the hall for everyone to see clearly, causing mouths to water at a glance.

Once all the preparation was complete, Lin Yuan hurriedly chose an auspicious day to reopen before April.

On the twenty-eighth of March, the erstwhile Yi Ran Residence, now Dong Tian, finally unveiled its plaque and commenced business. That day, Dong Tian was a hive of activity teeming with crowds, almost rousing half of the Capital city.

Watching the lively cheering crowd before her, Lin Yuan couldn’t help but feel somewhat embarrassed, as she knew that many among them were shills hired by Xia Zheng.

Yet, she had no other choice but to stage this show, for the distinguished officials and nobility of the Capital city were not as easily lured as the common people of Zhuma Town, neither by price reductions nor firecrackers.

The reason was simple, the denizens of the Capital city had seen too much, how could such lowly tricks attract them?

Although many were hired actors, Lin Yuan remained vigilant, constantly reminding the waiters to take good care of the guests.

As the auspicious hour had not yet arrived, Lin Yuan was in no rush, knowing that Shopkeeper Liu would be busy inside the restaurant, taking care only of the outside preparations.

Dong Qing was in charge of the firecrackers and all welcoming activities, while Shui Xian and Yin Xing were responsible for distributing snacks to the arriving townspeople as a promotion.

The signboard of Dong Tian was personally crafted by Lin Jiaxin, who, after days of refinement, had honed his calligraphy to perfection, giving off the air of a true master at first glance.

A table placed at the entrance displayed offerings of three animal sacrifices and six types of livestock, symbolizing auspiciousness.

Besides that, Lin Yuan also specially exhibited the golden statue of the God of Wealth, inlaid with various jewels, gifted by Xia Zheng during Rice Flower Fragrance’s grand opening.

There were plenty of wealthy and influential families in the Capital city who could display such a statue of the God of Wealth without fear of anyone daring to covet it.

Gazing at the beaming God of Wealth, Lin Yuan felt as though she was transported back to the day Rice Flower Fragrance opened in Zhuma Town. She remembered Jin Yuyu, remembered Loudmouth, Mo Sanniang, and Meng Liangdong, and couldn’t help but sigh inwardly: "How things have changed."

Xia Zheng also heaved a slight sigh, "Finally, it can see daylight again; keeping it locked up really wasn’t pleasant!"

Indeed, Lin Yuan had taken such care with the God of Wealth statue, fearing theft, that she had it hidden in a secret compartment and wrapped carefully in a box when they came to the Capital city. Now, it could finally be displayed openly.

As the two pondered, Yin Xing had already got the ten tall women dressing in cheongsams ready to go.

Since that woman left, Lin Yuan, after much thought, had Xia Zheng quickly find another tall woman to take her place.

After three days and nights of crash training, they were almost ready to perform.

Looking at the noisy crowd outside, the girls were somewhat nervous, but more so excited because they had spotted their families and friends in the crowd—those they had told to come and watch their performance today!

"Alright, ladies, it’s your turn to go on stage!" Watching the growing crowd with some nervousness, Yin Xing turned to the girls and said, "Don’t be nervous, put on your most beautiful smiles. Remember, today you are the most gorgeous girls on the stage!"

The chattering crowd, without warning, suddenly fell silent.

People in the back stretched their necks to peek over those in front, and even before they saw anything, the front row had already erupted into amazed shrieks, sparking more intense curiosity and eagerness among those behind to crane their necks for a look.

What they saw were rows of women in red dresses, one after another, making their way out of Dong Tian’s entrance.

Each woman wore her hair in a high bun, adorned simply by a single peony-shaped hairpin, a touch of simplicity yet elegance.

Their red dresses captured everyone’s attention as they admired the graceful figures and curvaceous lines of the women.

The adorable, yet alluring way the women smiled, showing off their pearly whites, was simply stunning.

After exiting Dong Tian, the women split into two rows, standing on either side of the platform.

Table of Contents