Chapter 489: Chapter 489: His Dream Is Worth Pursuing
When the Si Family arrived in front of the restaurant, they saw Mr. Xiao, Mr. Geng, Mr. Mu, Grandpa Gu, Gu Jiaojiao, and Su Shuochi standing in a row.
The three people in the middle held large red rosettes tied to a red ribbon in their left hands, and scissors in their right.
Mr. Gu and Geng Ruixian each lit a string of firecrackers. As they went off, the trio with the scissors snipped the red ribbon.
The crowd of onlookers burst into enthusiastic applause. Afterward, the other elders walked over to greet Old Sir Si and Grandma Si.
They then gathered around them, enthusiastically asking all sorts of questions. Mr. Geng even invited Elder Si to go on stage and give a speech.
Given Old Sir Si’s current standing, a speech from him would elevate Yuetai Restaurant’s reputation to new heights.
Feeling indebted to Gu Jiaojiao over the matter with his granddaughter, Old Sir Si accepted the invitation without hesitation and went on stage to say a few words.
Elder Geng followed, and then the other elders each took a turn on stage to offer their own remarks.
Finally, it was Gu Jiaojiao’s turn to address the crowd. She wore only light makeup, but it perfectly accentuated her best features.
She wore a fashionable trench coat made from a high-quality fabric that seemed to be from a future era. Her eyes, shimmering like clear water, were utterly captivating.
"Distinguished guests, good morning! On this bright and sunny day, we gather to celebrate the joyous grand opening of Yuetai Restaurant.
On behalf of Yuetai Restaurant and our entire staff, I would like to extend our warmest welcome and sincerest thanks to every guest here today!
The main hall on the second floor of Yuetai Restaurant has eleven tables of various sizes and is also equipped with several high-end private dining rooms.
Whether you choose our main hall or a private room, it is the perfect choice for gatherings and meals.
Here at Yuetai Restaurant, we promise that neither our prices nor our food will disappoint any of our valued guests.
As Yuetai Restaurant opens today, our goal is to win over even the most discerning of palates.
We aim to take everyone by surprise. We may have been quiet until now, but we intend to make a stunning debut."
Gu Jiaojiao finished her speech with a serene smile, her eyes sparkling so brilliantly it made hearts flutter.
Her smile was as lovely as a painting, and her voice was as melodious as an oriole singing on a moonlit night. She was like a rare orchid, suddenly appearing in a secluded valley.
CLAP... CLAP... CLAP... The audience spontaneously erupted in thunderous applause.
The elders’ faces were wreathed in smiles, their wrinkles deepening like blooming chrysanthemums. They politely gestured for each other to go first as they all headed to the second floor.
The young men and women from the prominent families gazed in awe at their beautiful and formidable aunt on stage, their hearts filled with admiration.
A few of the young women whispered to each other. "Wow, if only I were a tenth as amazing as Auntie Jiao."
"Ha, you’re dreaming big. I’d be perfectly content if I were just one percent as amazing as Auntie Jiao."
"Look at how envious you are. All we can do is study hard and be the best versions of ourselves."
Meanwhile, the young men were saying, "I’m jealous too, but I’m even more jealous of our Uncle Shuochi."
"Exactly! If I could design medical equipment like Uncle Shuochi, maybe I could marry a phenomenal woman like our Auntie Jiao someday, too."
"Haha, it’s only noon and we’re about to have lunch. A little early to be daydreaming, don’t you think?"
"Xiao Liu, you lay off Han Wu. All you ever think about is food. Watch out, or you’ll eat yourself into a ball."
"Hey, having no money isn’t a big deal. The real tragedy is having no dreams. Han Wu’s dream is worth chasing. Our Auntie Jiao is both beautiful and a total badass."
Mu Ziquan said with a wide smile. He could walk a few steps now, so no one was surprised to hear him laugh so heartily.
Xiao Jiyan was pushing his wheelchair through the crowd. Their families had already formally arranged their engagement.
Their engagement banquet was to be held at Yuetai Restaurant in a week, and the menu had already been finalized.
At this moment, as Mu Ziquan looked at Gu Jiaojiao again, his feelings had shifted. Now, his admiration for her was plain to see.
He no longer held back. As he watched Gu Jiaojiao’s retreating figure, the warmth in his eyes nearly overflowed.
Whether Mu Ziquan had truly moved on, no one knew. But at least he no longer had to force himself not to look at her, as he once did.
He used to be terrified that others would discover his secret feelings. He knew it was immoral to covet a married woman.
’But when we first met, at my most desperate hour, she was the one who appeared and saved me.’
’From that day on, our paths were intertwined. And as she treated my legs, my heart, once shattered and dead, began to beat again.’
’She pulled me out of a dark abyss, cured me of poison, and healed my legs.’
Mu Ziquan didn’t want to admit he had fallen in love with Gu Jiaojiao, but that was the truth. He had.
He had fallen so deeply he couldn’t pull himself out. His heart would race every time he saw her, thumping loudly in his chest.
He knew she had a husband, that his secret crush was immoral. This filled him with shame and forced him to be incredibly restrained, terrified that she might somehow hear the pounding of his heart.
Mu Ziquan didn’t know if others suspected his feelings, but he was certain she had never known.
But his grandfather and *that man*—her husband—knew how he felt, which was why he always felt so guilty seeing her.
’But things are better now. From now on, I can be myself around her. I can even admire her without holding back. This feeling... it’s nice.’
"Yeah, I really admire how beautiful and badass Auntie Jiao is too," Xiao Jiyan chimed in cheerfully. She was genuinely fond of Mu Ziquan.
A single kind word from him was enough to make her happy for the entire day.
Besides, she never knew that Mu Ziquan once had a secret crush on their revered Auntie Jiao.
If even Xiao Jiyan, who paid such close attention to Mu Ziquan, hadn’t noticed, there was no way the other members of the younger generation could have known.
"Our Auntie Jiao really is beautiful and badass," Xiao Rui said, clapping as he walked beside his cousin.
Xiao Jiyan glanced back at him and scolded with a laugh, "You little brat, always running your mouth. Can’t you think of your own lines? What’s so great about repeating what my Ziquan said?"
"Hehe, but Ziquan said it so well. What’s wrong with me borrowing his line?" Xiao Rui grinned cheekily.
"Oho, Ninth Sister, you haven’t even had the engagement banquet yet and you’re already jumping to his defense!" Eighth Brother Xiao chimed in, rarely passing up a chance to tease his cousin.
Exasperated by her cousin, Xiao Jiyan stomped her foot and turned to the silent Mu Ziquan beside her. "Ziquan..."
"Alright, Cousin, stop pouting. We’ve reached the second floor," Xiao Rui cut in, interrupting Xiao Jiyan.
As soon as they entered the dining area, everyone was struck by the fresh, warm, and immaculately clean environment.
Gu Jiaojiao knew that the state-owned restaurants of this era were affordable and practical, unlike many of the large, flashy restaurants of the future that were all style and no substance.
Some of those future restaurants had inflated prices that scared customers away, while others were cheap but served tasteless food...
So, aside from offering competitive prices, ensuring a superior dining environment was a top priority for Yuetai Restaurant.
They maintained strict control over sourcing ingredients and focused on "green" cooking methods that emphasized preserving the food’s natural flavors.
The restaurant’s goal was to create a comfortable setting where guests could dine without worry. The result was a dining space that felt wonderfully refreshing and pleasant.
