Chapter 466: Chapter 466: Yuetai Restaurant
Li Xiulan wanted to say something more, but Gu Jiaojiao pulled her forward. After a few steps, a row of street-facing shops came into view.
There was a motorcycle shop filled with motorcycles, and a bicycle shop, also filled with all sorts of bikes.
There was even a barbershop, but no restaurant in sight. "Jiaojiao, did we take a wrong turn?"
"We didn’t. Look up at the second floor—that’s Yuetai Restaurant, my second brother’s place. We go upstairs through the beer shop."
Gu Jiaojiao confidently pulled Li Xiulan forward. The owner of the beer shop was one of Fu Junyuan’s friends.
That spot was originally just the stairwell to the second floor, with a large, empty area in front. So Gu Jiaojiao had rented it out to Fu Junyuan’s friend to sell beer.
From now on, customers at Second Brother Gu’s restaurant could buy beer from their shop.
And people who liked drinking beer might also go upstairs for a meal, allowing the businesses to drive customers to one another.
The restaurant’s sign was very innovative. The characters for "Yuetai Restaurant" were calligraphed by the renowned master of traditional Chinese painting, Cheng Tao.
The majestic, powerful calligraphy alone was enough to attract customers, and that was on top of Gu Jiaojiao’s own unique design.
The characters were each a different color, an unusual concept that made the sign even more eye-catching.
Once they reached the second floor, they saw several different potted plants at the entrance, including a small pine tree and a money tree with lush, green leaves.
The sight was incredibly soothing, and anyone who made it to the second floor couldn’t resist the urge to step inside the restaurant.
A glance inside the restaurant revealed about twelve or thirteen tables. There were small round ones for two or three people, and large round ones that could seat twelve.
Each table was draped with a large, red, round tablecloth, and the chairs even had backrests.
Just looking at those chairs with backrests made one want to go sit in one and see if it was as comfortable as it looked.
Not only was Li Xiulan stunned speechless, but even Li Xiaobing’s jaw had nearly hit the floor when he first walked in.
If the young man selling *jianbing guozi* hadn’t led the way, Li Xiaobing would have never believed this restaurant belonged to Second Brother Gu.
The surrounding walls of the restaurant were covered in paintings of the menu items. There was a steaming beef hot pot, and next to it, a painting of a lifelike cow grazing in a field.
There was also a seafood hot pot, with a painting of various kinds of seafood that made the illustrated dish look so delectable you’d want to order one on the spot.
There were also soy-braised pig’s trotters. The painting showed a plump pork hock, braised to a deep brown color.
The meat, stewed until it was ready to fall off the bone, clung to a large bone like a thick coat, making it look all the more appetizing.
On another wall were paintings of various stir-fries, so vivid you could almost smell and taste them. They were truly mouth-watering!
Anyone who saw the paintings would want to order one of the dishes. With such unique decorations, it was easy to imagine that Yuetai Restaurant was destined to be a huge hit.
When Li Xiaobing entered the restaurant, the young men and women inside immediately formed a line to welcome him. "Our restaurant isn’t officially open yet. Would you like an advance tasting?"
He had learned his lesson this time and wouldn’t just randomly guess who Second Brother Gu was. He was about to ask where their boss was...
Just then, he heard the young man who sold *jianbing guozi* ask, "Where’s our boss, Gu? Someone take this comrade to see him. I’ve got to get going."
"Brother Hou, you should get back to selling your *jianbing guozi*. Our boss is in the kitchen selecting the head chef. I’ll take this comrade to the kitchen."
A waitress with delicate features stepped forward and said.
Li Xiaobing struggled to suppress his astonishment. He tried his best to sound calm as he said, "Thank you for your trouble, comrade."
’In truth, he was anything but calm.’
The five waitresses and five young men were all dressed in matching uniforms.
They wore yellow shirts with black bow ties at the collar, paired with black trousers. Everyone looked sharp.
The waitress leading the way was particularly striking. Her eyebrows curved like a crescent moon, and her face was dusted with a light, white powder.
’A waitress this beautiful... she was even a little prettier than his own younger sister.’
The restaurant’s tables and chairs were spotless. Though all the tables were round, they varied in size. The layout was simple yet orderly.
Each table was set with a teapot, teacups, bowls, chopsticks, and even a menu for the guests.
When Li Xiaobing reached the kitchen entrance, he saw a large refrigerator inside.
Next to the refrigerator was a fairly large, square counter for chopping vegetables and preparing dishes.
Li Xiaobing knew this because he could see two young men chopping vegetables there.
A single stove had four burners for honeycomb briquettes, each topped with a small iron wok, allowing two chefs to cook simultaneously.
Nearby stood a large iron pot with several steamer baskets stacked on top. The uppermost basket held an array of cooked foods.
For instance, there was fragrant, braised beef and a deep-brown pork hock that looked identical to the one painted on the restaurant wall.
’My God!’
’Yuetai Restaurant!’
’This must be the first privately-owned restaurant in the Imperial City! Even if others copy him later, he’ll have already made a fortune by then!’
Li Xiaobing didn’t say a word after entering the kitchen. He leaned quietly against the doorframe, watching several chefs cook one by one as part of an audition.
One young man in the kitchen stood out from the rest. He looked to be in his early twenties and was tall and handsome.
He wore a long-sleeved, black, crew-neck T-shirt and fashionable jeans. He had a clean scent about him.
A faint smile played on his lips. He was like a dazzling star, shining brightly no matter where he stood.
’Forget that he’s a restaurant owner—even if he just sold *jianbing guozi* on the street, women would be lining up to marry him.’
’Honestly, with looks like that, girls would be willing to marry him even if he were begging on the street with a broken bowl!’
’No wonder his little sister said she was willing to go through thick and thin with him.’
Li Xiaobing couldn’t help but think that any woman who saw Second Brother Gu would feel the impulse to marry him.
Second Brother Gu was intently watching the two young men chopping vegetables and didn’t notice Li Xiaobing by the doorframe.
He was apparently dissatisfied with the young men’s knife work. Frowning, he took a knife and gave it a few effortless swings, turning a piece of daikon radish into thin slices. Then, he picked up a pinch of chopped scallions with the tip of his knife, brought it to his lips, and blew. A lifelike flower appeared in his hand.
The move was handsome and stylish, making him seem incredibly cool and skilled.
Next, he used the same method to carve a piece of carrot into several different flowers.
’That was truly a beautiful sight!’
"Boss Gu, you’re incredible! Even a master carver couldn’t do it that perfectly."
"My knife skills weren’t even as good as yours when I started. Just keep practicing, and in time, you’ll surely be even better than me."
His voice was clear and resonant. As he spoke, he arranged the daikon and carrot flowers on a plate.
Then he said to the two young men, "Take this out to a table in the dining room, and while you’re at it, see if my sister is here yet."
"Second Brother, we’re here! Is the food ready? We have class after this, you know!"
