You are unlucky and I am tough

Chapter 284 Opening Ceremony 3

Later in the evening, the building was mostly filled with literati, idle young men, and businessmen. These people had high spending habits, and the restaurant had everything from dishes and drinks to tea. They could sit for half a day at a time.

The waiters in the building were finally able to relax, and the dozen or so chefs in the kitchen were exhausted and quickly rested and ate something.

Prefect Zhu also came because his two sons did not return to the academy after leaving Taibai Tower, but instead went home to tell him that last year someone had reported that the crayfish, which could destroy crops, had been used by Taibai Tower to make dishes.

If it weren't for his son telling him that the Wei family had become the second owner of the new Taibai Tower, Prefect Zhu would have immediately taken his men there and sealed off the tower.

He brought his advisor with him to investigate, and when they entered and saw the images of crayfish on the display shelf, their faces turned pale.

Xie Zhiyou was completely confused. Finally, Cheng Shuang and Wei Qinglang arrived and invited the two to a private room to explain the situation.

The two explained that they saw a notice posted by the government in the prefectural city last year, and then by chance found that outsiders were selling crayfish in Qushan County. They bought them all and planned to burn them. During the burning process, they discovered their unique fragrance, so they kept the rest as pets.

Using the medical skills taught by the divine physician, Cheng Shuang confirmed that crayfish were non-toxic and then experimented with cooking methods, developing several ways to prepare them. She also ensured that crayfish would not damage crops if properly farmed.

After hearing the explanation, Prefect Zhu tasted the crayfish and found it to be a rare delicacy.

But he was still not at ease, saying that he would personally visit the breeding site another day before he would feel at ease, and bluntly stated that if any ordinary people followed suit and caused harm due to their large-scale breeding, they would be held responsible.

The two felt like they had shot themselves in the foot, but they weren't worried because, apart from Cheng Shuang's online store, no one else had the means to buy so many shrimp larvae for large-scale farming.

Furthermore, once word spreads that crayfish are edible, given the population of Daliang, they would be served on the dinner table before they could even reproduce, let alone become an infestation.

Even if business people take advantage of crayfish's super reproductive ability to raise breeding shrimp, it will take at least six to eight months to reach the breeding season, and female shrimp can only reproduce once or twice in their lifetime, after which they gradually lose their fertility.

It would take several years to acquire ingredients and steal business this way. Besides, even if they had lobsters, they wouldn't have chili peppers and couldn't make it taste like theirs.

As for how they manage to have so many supplies, that's none of anyone else's business.

After seeing off Prefect Zhu, Wei Qinglang was pulled away by Xie Zhiyou to entertain other guests, who kept introducing him to people from various walks of life.

Before it got dark, Cheng Shuang arranged for a carriage to take her family home. She and Wei Qinglang planned to go back later, but business was still booming that night, and they couldn't get away at all.

In the end, Cheng Shuang couldn't even find Wei Qinglang anymore; she didn't know where Xie Zhiyou had taken him.

Cheng Shuang was also quite tired, so she went upstairs to her room to rest and fell asleep on the couch without realizing it.

I was woken up close at nearly 11:00 PM, and the restaurant had already closed because they had run out of ingredients.

Daliang was prosperous and stable with no curfew, and the night market was thriving. Most restaurants were open until the third watch (after midnight), and many even operated all night long.

Taibai Tower operates from 6 a.m. to midnight. The staff work in three shifts, with each shift having more than twenty waiters.

Cheng Shuang opened her eyes groggily and looked at the man sitting by the couch, the air filled with the faint smell of alcohol emanating from him.

"What time is it? Can we go back now?"

“It’s eleven o’clock, the building is already closed.” Wei Qinglang placed a pillow behind her back. “It’s too late to go back tonight, just sleep here.”

Cheng Shuang rubbed her eyes. "Finally closed for the day. The customer flow was terrifying. One dish in our restaurant isn't cheap. There are so many rich people in the city."

Wei Qinglang laughed, "Isn't it all thanks to you? Tomorrow, the people coming for the play 'Dream Play' will probably pack the front building to the brim."

Cheng Shuang was quite pleased with the compliment and smiled at him, "Do you think I should go find Lin Zhelan and discuss singing for a few more days?"

Wei Qinglang shook his head, "I think we can stop for a while. Things are valued for their scarcity. We need to let people in the city know that this play is not something they can see whenever they want. We can sign a cooperation agreement with Baixiyuan and have them perform in our building once every two weeks. They can't request this play in their own theater, and they can't perform it more than three times a month."

Cheng Shuang thought it was feasible. Anything that is obtained too easily will not be cherished. If this play is like other plays that can be watched or requested whenever one wants, how can it become a classic that is passed down through generations?

When tickets are in high demand, even if the show only performs once or twice a month, Baixiyuan can still make a fortune.

She smiled and nodded, "Okay, whatever you say."

Their eyes met, and Wei Qinglang reached out to touch her head, then slowly lowered his head, his lips gently touching her forehead, then down her nose, finally resting on her lips.

Cheng Shuang smelled the strong smell of alcohol on him, but she wasn't disgusted. She slightly parted her lips and responded to the kiss, slowly wrapping her arms around his neck.

The two slowly lay down on the couch, their lips and teeth intertwined. Cheng Shuang's mind went blank for a while until she felt her belt being untied and a rough hand landing on her waist.

She trembled slightly and instinctively pressed down on that hand.

At that moment, Wei Qinglang opened his eyes and all his movements stopped. He wasn't drunk, but he was a little tipsy from the alcohol.

Looking up and seeing the tension and a hint of panic in Cheng Shuang's eyes, his mind immediately cleared.

He withdrew his hand and immediately sat up, straightened Cheng Shuang's disheveled clothes, and re-tied her loose belt. He said gently, "It's getting late. Take a shower and get some rest. You'll be busy tomorrow."

Cheng Shuang propped herself up, looking somewhat embarrassed, but clearly relieved. Wei Qinglang noticed this and gave her a gentle smile.

He won't force it; if he doesn't love you enough yet, then he'll keep trying.

Just then, the waiter on duty knocked on the door and asked through the door, "Boss, would you like the hot water to be brought up now?"

After a long day, everyone was covered in sweat. The staff, seeing that they had settled in the building, promptly prepared hot water for them.

Wei Qinglang patted Cheng Shuang's head, got up to open the door and said to the people outside, "Bring it up."

The room is very large, divided into an indoor and outdoor room, a study, and a bathroom. When you open the window, you can see a sky full of stars and a night market street that is still open.

Hot water was quickly delivered to the bathroom. Cheng Shuang didn't want to waste it, so she sprinkled flower petals into the tub and took a hot bath. Wei Qinglang went into the space to wash up by herself.

Cheng Shuang soaked in the hot water, lost in thought amidst the swirling steam. It wasn't that she was unwilling to do that kind of thing, but for her, doing it meant committing to this man for life, and she didn't yet have the courage to take that step.

On her first night at the restaurant, Cheng Shuang slept very well, perhaps because she was too tired, and didn't have trouble sleeping in the same bed.

When she woke up, half of the bed was empty, and a light purple dress was placed beside it; it was her clothes.

The water and toiletries were prepared. After Cheng Shuang got dressed and washed up, she went out of the room and looked at the scenery outside, feeling a sense of comfort and tranquility.

She stretched and walked out, intending to go downstairs to check on the morning market. Before she reached the stairs, she heard voices ahead. Upon closer inspection, she found that it was Wei Qinglang and Xie Zhiyou reporting their earnings from the previous day's business.

Xie Shuyu was also there, but this playboy didn't care about the restaurant's business. He was holding a plate of dried fruit and tossing one into the air to catch it.