Chapter 829: Night Snack
Translator: Lan_ Editor: Efydatia
Bang! As soon as the door was closed, Tse grabbed Qin Guan. They had already gotten to know each other.
"Are these your friends who came to make fun of us?"
"Yes, is there a camera in here? I was just in my shorts!"
You think too much, Uncle Yu. This kind of thing is not popular in China.
As the host, Qin Guan decided to treat them to dinner to compensate for the incident. The two men were heartbroken after all. The three of them let the staff know and left CCTV early. Wang had already told the China Club to prepare Qin Guan's yard. Even the pastry cook had gotten to work.
As soon as they saw the ancient gate, the two men from Hong Kong and Taiwan forgot about the annoying traffic jam they had suffered through on the way there. This was a really quiet place downtown. One could even feel the warmth of the hanging lanterns swaying in the piercing winter wind.
The manager in charge of Qin Guan's yard was waiting for them at the reception. He asked the waiter to lead the guests to the yard, which became their working site that night.
When they reached the yard, even Yu fell silent before its unique charm. On every corner of the grey wall were engraved patterns that added elegance to the traditional yard and winding path.
The plants were withered in the winter, but they still gave off no sense of decadence. The green potted plants spiced up the monotonous view. There was also a maid holding a lantern at every corner. It was definitely a very interesting trip.
Oil lamps lit up one after the other as they walked past them. The men felt like they were inside a scroll painting. Even Tse gave Qin Guan a thumbs-up.
When they finally entered the yard and took their seats in the bright living room, they let out a sigh of relief. They had never been to such a vintage club. The men were really careful with what they said and did and fixed their eyes on Qin Guan, so that they wouldn't make a mistake.
When all the maids left, they suddenly relaxed. Yu stood up to look at the furniiture as he chatted with Qin Guan.
"Wow! This is really good! It must be hard to get a membership here. Plus, the fees must be terribly high."
"Yes, they are."
Qin Guan didn't deny it. He only dropped by for business negotiations, but the contacts and resources of the club were certainly worth the fees. That was no secret.
Yu changed the topic. "Why did you bring us here? It must be a special occasion. I like this place. It's private and elegant. It's a good place for a party! If the food is delicious too, I'll visit you the next time I come to the mainland."
"You are welcome to. The yard is open all day long. As for the food... Wait and see!"
They turned around and saw the waiters approaching quietly with several trays. They served them four dishes and a pot of tea.
There were different kinds of night snacks in China. Tired singers chose delicate desserts instead of cigarettes, wine and greasy food.
First, four kinds of dry and glaced fruit were served, including pine nuts, cashew nuts, peanuts and pistacios. The club's specialty was glaced fruit. There were green plums, orange pancakes, longan pulp and gourd with sugar icing. It was a feast for the eyes.
Rice dumplings, white pastries, cream puffs and bean paste followed. The food was made in accordance with the traditional ways of the imperial palace.
Yu did not seem that interested in the desserts. He looked at the food hesitantly. Qin Guan could guess what he was thinking about.
"Don't worry, I didn't order much tonight. I just wanted to show you a variety of tastes."
Two girls set two more big trays down on the table.
"Here are the main dishes, Mr. Qin. Would you like your staple food served now?"
"Yes."
"Okay. All your food has been served. Please ring the bell if you need anything."
"Okay, thanks."
The girls walked out slowly with calculated movements. The service there was also pretty good.
Yu grinned at the new dishes, which included pine nuts, chicken jelly powder, cherry meat, Buddhist meat, shredded radish, as well as beef mutton tendons.
He was a carnivorous man.
When the Chinese baked rolls with minced meat were served, even Tse, who was a quiet man, couldn't control himself.
They were crisp baked rolls with a delicious meat filling. When one bit on a roll, the sesame on the crust fell like raindrops. The combination of meat and flour was wonderful. The three men ate all the rolls as fast as lightning.
Then they burst into laughter.
Qin Guan made two more friends during that meal. The long-term happiness and luck brought by the food lasted until the day of the gala.
According to CCTV tradition, the news about the gala would be released one month before it took place. The most concerning issue for the public were the famous actors that would be participating.