Chapter 189 - 186: A Large Group of Female Students Also Came for Guyi
Overjoyed, the customers began ordering more drinks.
Yesterday, they drank a whole bowl of wine with just two braised chicken feet. Today, they had ten, and they were even more delicious, so of course they had to drink.
...
The time slowly ticked toward 10 a.m., and Xia Xiaoyue, Mu Qingye, Yu Wei, and the other girls arrived.
This time, there were over thirty of them, all girls.
Most of them were familiar faces. Only a few looked unfamiliar; it was probably their first time here.
"Sister Xiaoru, congratulations!"
When the girls saw Ling Xiaoru, they all congratulated her.
Among them, Mu Qingye, despite not being an art major, knew that Ling Xiaoru had stumbled upon a massive opportunity this time.
Ling Xiaoru thanked the group of girls and said, "I was just lucky. I also have the boss’s shop to thank for it."
Then, Xia Xiaoyue said, "Sister Xiaoru, where’s your painting? Hurry and show us."
Ling Xiaoru nodded. "It’s on one of the walls inside the shop."
Everyone walked into the shop together.
As soon as they saw the painting, they also caught a whiff of a rich aroma.
Besides the aroma of Steamed Pork with Preserved Greens, there was also the scent of braised food.
Xia Xiaoyue, Mu Qingye, Yu Wei, and all the other girls were pleasantly surprised.
They knew it was the scent of the braised chicken feet.
Yesterday, besides telling them about Guyi, Ling Xiaoru had also mentioned that Li You had launched a new dish: braised chicken feet.
’Are the braised chicken feet already out of the pot this early?’
’It smells so incredible!’
Mu Qingye asked impatiently, "Can we eat the braised chicken feet now?"
Ling Xiaoru said, "Of course! I’ve already eaten ten. They’re incredibly fragrant and delicious!"
Hearing this, the girls of course immediately asked Li You to bring them some braised chicken feet.
They asked for five for each person to start.
They wanted to eat braised chicken feet while admiring Ling Xiaoru’s painting.
Li You smiled and said it was no problem. Then he brought five braised chicken feet for each of the girls.
The girls didn’t bother with plates, simply holding all five chicken feet in their hands.
Ling Xiaoru asked for another five as well.
’Everyone else was eating, so of course she had to join in.’
’Otherwise, she was afraid she’d start drooling.’
’I braised a total of 500 chicken feet today, but I’ve already sold over 200 of them.’
Li You had thought 500 would be enough. But now, it looked like they most likely wouldn’t be.
’I’ll see what happens after they sell out.’
’If it works out, I’ll braise another 500. Anyway, I still have plenty of raw chicken feet on hand.’
Xia Xiaoyue, Mu Qingye, Yu Wei, and the other girls ate their braised chicken feet while admiring Ling Xiaoru’s painting.
"Sister Xiaoru, you paint so well! Much better than me. No wonder it interested Ancient enough to comment," Xia Xiaoyue said with envy.
Ling Xiaoru said, "Xiao Yue, you’re just as good as I am. Besides, you’re still a student, so you have more potential than me."
Xia Xiaoyue shook her head. "My talent can’t compare to yours. I definitely don’t have as much potential."
Ling Xiaoru added, "I think your talent surpasses mine. If Ancient saw your paintings, he would definitely be even more interested in commenting."
The two of them went back and forth, humbly deflecting the compliments.
Li You had actually seen Xia Xiaoyue paint once before.
It was the first time she and Yu Wei had come here.
Back then, both of them had painted at the gorge.
’From my layman’s perspective,’ Li You thought, ’Xia Xiaoyue’s painting was also very good, certainly no worse than Ling Xiaoru’s.’
’Her talent must be quite good, too.’
’Including Yu Wei—I think Yu Wei painted very well, too.’
’They’re all so skilled!’
’I can only admire them.’
After Xia Xiaoyue and Ling Xiaoru exchanged modestries for a while, Xia Xiaoyue spoke again, "Sister Xiaoru, if Ancient really does come later and sees that so many of us came here specifically to see him, do you think he’ll be unhappy?"
This was a question that had been worrying Xia Xiaoyue, Mu Qingye, Yu Wei, and all the other girls.
Ling Xiaoru said, "I asked the boss that same question. He said he wouldn’t be, and that we shouldn’t worry."
"Really? Boss." Xia Xiaoyue, Mu Qingye, Yu Wei, and all the other girls looked at Li You.
Li You smiled and nodded. "Of course, it’s true. In fact, when Ancient sees so many art students like you, he might even be very happy."
"If that’s really the case, that would be great!" The girls finally felt relieved.
After that, they all went outside the shop to rest and chat in the orchard.
They kept a close watch on the parking lot the entire time.
They were both expectant and a little nervous.
The time slowly ticked toward 11 a.m.
By now, customers had started arriving for lunch.
Many of them had also come for Guyi.
They had heard the news too late yesterday and missed the chance to see Guyi in person. Then they heard a rumor that Guyi would probably be eating at the restaurant in Jiulong Gorge again for lunch today.
So, they had come as well.
’We missed him yesterday; we can’t miss him again today.’
So they would order first, and then eat slowly.
Eating while they waited.
Customers started placing orders, so Li You went into the kitchen and got busy.
After Li You left, Xia Xiaoyue, Mu Qingye, Yu Wei, and all the other girls inexplicably grew more nervous.
With Li You around earlier, they hadn’t been so tense.
Now that Li You was in the kitchen, it felt as if their pillar of support had suddenly vanished.
Even Ling Xiaoru started to feel a little inexplicably nervous.
And right at that moment, an elderly man on a motorcycle arrived at the parking lot.
Who else could it be but Guyi?
Ling Xiaoru suddenly became even more nervous, but she was also very excited. She said, "Ancient is here."
Even before Ling Xiaoru spoke, Xia Xiaoyue, Mu Qingye, Yu Wei, and all the other girls had also seen the elderly man who had just arrived at the parking lot on a motorcycle.
Their hearts all skipped a beat. ’Could that be Ancient?’ they all wondered.
And then they heard Ling Xiaoru say, "Ancient is here."
It really was Ancient.
Besides being excited, Xia Xiaoyue, Mu Qingye, Yu Wei, and the other girls became even more nervous.
’And the boss isn’t here.’
’What should we do now? Should we all go over to meet Ancient together? Would that be too forward?’
"Sister Xiaoru, why don’t you go over first and tell Ancient about us? What do you think?" Xia Xiaoyue said.
Ling Xiaoru thought for a moment, then nodded. "Alright, I’ll go first."
Ling Xiaoru walked toward the parking lot.
As she approached Guyi, she said excitedly, "Ancient, you’re here."
Guyi smiled faintly. "Miss Xiaoru is here as well."
Ling Xiaoru continued, "Ancient, I have some friends who are students at the Xingshui Academy of Fine Arts. After they heard from me that you were here..."
Ling Xiaoru explained that Xia Xiaoyue, Mu Qingye, and the other girls had come specifically for him, then waited nervously and apprehensively for Guyi’s response.
’Even though Li You had said Ancient wouldn’t be angry, I’m still terrified right now.’
Guyi just looked toward the restaurant, smiled faintly again, and said, "Are you talking about those young ladies in front of the restaurant?"
Seeing Guyi’s reaction, Ling Xiaoru instantly relaxed and nodded. "Yes, that’s them."
Guyi nodded and added, "Students are wonderful! They are in the prime of their youth, an age always full of vitality. Come on, let’s go over and see them."
Ling Xiaoru saw that not only was Guyi not angry, but he actually seemed rather pleased. She was even more delighted.
’The boss said Ancient might even be very happy.’
’It seems the boss was right after all.’
’The boss really has a better read on people.’
Ling Xiaoru thought to herself as she followed Guyi toward the restaurant.
Xia Xiaoyue, Mu Qingye, Yu Wei, and the other girls had been watching Ling Xiaoru and Guyi the whole time.
Although they couldn’t hear what the two were saying, it looked like Guyi wasn’t displeased.
This was great!
All the girls relaxed completely.
They were still a little nervous, but it was mostly excitement now.
The number one figure in the Art World, the contemporary Painting Saint—they had finally seen him in person.
And it wasn’t just seeing him in person; they might even get to speak with him, or even ask him a few questions.
Although it couldn’t compare to Ling Xiaoru’s situation yesterday, this could also be considered a great opportunity.
That’s why the girls were all so excited.
Even though Mu Qingye wasn’t an art major and had no questions to ask Guyi, it didn’t lessen her excitement.
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