Chapter 247: Becoming Famous (8)
When Miss Yuan saw that Miss Su was chatting happily with Chu Lian, her hands curled into fists. She took in a deep breath and purposely picked up one of the white square snacks on the table. With a voice a little louder than usual, she then said, “This white snow cake from De’an Restaurant matches this Zhengshan so well! I heard Grandmother say that De’an Restaurant’s confections are just as good as the ones in the palace!”
She then looked over to Chu Lian.
Chu Lian waved over the maidservants behind her who were still carrying the boxes of snacks. “Fifth Sister, Seventh Sister, Ninth Sister, would you like to try the confections from my Guilin Restaurant?”
Without waiting for Miss Su to reply, Miss Yuan cut in again, harrumphing.
“Sixth Sister, aren’t you overestimating yourself? You’ve just opened this restaurant and you don’t have any secret recipes. How could your confections be better than De’an Restaurant’s? Even if you make them look pretty, that’s just deceiving people. Sixth Sister, you should just pack these up so you don’t dirty other people’s eyes.”
Miss Yuan had gone overboard with her words. These were just some confections, how could they possibly ‘dirty people’s eyes’?
Miss Su shot a fierce glare towards Miss Yuan and quickly made to reassure Chu Lian. “Sixth Sister, don’t listen to her nonsense! Her personality has always been like this ever since she was little, and I’m sure you know that too. Don’t take her words to heart. Bring out your confections, I want to try them!”
Chu Lian smiled at Miss Su first before looking at Miss Yuan. “If you don’t like my confections, then you don’t have to eat them, Seventh Sister.”
“Hmph, I wouldn’t eat them even if you gave them to me! Let me tell you, I couldn’t care less about your snacks, and I’m not going to eat a single bit of the banquet later!”
Misses Su and Fu were already stunned. Who could have expected the two ladies from the second branch to start fighting right in front of them?
Chu Lian tilted her head as she looked at Miss Yuan without much change in expression. She only said, “Seventh Sister is a guest here at my Guilin Restaurant. Of course Seventh Sister is free to do as she likes.”
After saying so, without a second look at Miss Yuan, she turned to instruct the maidservants on arranging the trays of snacks on the table.
Multi-coloured round little sponge cakes, steamed vermicelli rolls, osmanthus chestnut biscuits, specially made heart-shaped jujube paste cakes… Various types of snacks were placed in porcelain dishes of a variety of different shapes. They looked like miniature art pieces meant for only for admiring: not to be touched, let alone to be eaten.
Each of the confections were made to be about the size of a quail egg, just about enough for two bites, and each tray contained just three or four pieces. That was just enough for them to have something to snack on with the tea and still have room to enjoy the banquet later on.
A light fragrance drifted up from the exquisite, elegant pastries. They were placed right next to the ones from De’an Restaurant.
As long as you don’t compare things, there’s no harm done. De’an Restaurant’s confections looked quite beautiful until they were set right next to Guilin Restaurant’s. They seemed like fine delicacies at first, but now they seemed like a poor man’s fare.
The contrast was too great to ignore. As blind as Miss Yuan was, she could also tell that De’an Restaurant’s confections just couldn’t be compared to Guilin Restaurant’s.
Miss Fu let out a gasp of shock. “Sixth Sister, these confections are so beautiful!”
“Have a taste!”
After they placed the round sponge cakes into their mouths, they could feel the soft and sticky texture of the cake as its unique aroma enveloped their tongues. It wasn’t too sweet and even carried a slight bitterness, almost like tea. Miss Su and Miss Fu’s eyes widened in surprise.
Even the normally steady Miss Su’s face had a mixed expression of shock and enjoyment.
Although Miss Fu carried hidden motives, she was still a young girl. When she found something she liked, she wouldn’t conceal her happiness.
“Sixth Sister, what is this one called? It’s so tasty!”
Chu Lian pointed at each of the confections and gave a simple introduction of each one.
Miss Yuan stared at Miss Su and Miss Fu in disbelief. She ground her teeth in frustration as her gaze landed upon the confections on the table. Although she was about to explode from the pten up emotions in her heart, saliva pooled in her mouth. If not for those words she had said earlier, she would already have grabbed a piece to try for herself and see exactly how tasty these confections were.
Hidden under her broad sleeves, Miss Yuan’s right hand gathered into a fist. The satisfied expressions of Miss Su and Miss Fu as they ate the confections had become the greatest ridicule to her. She reached out with one hand, seemingly headed towards the tray of Guilin Restaurant’s confections- but she turned and picked up a confection from De’an Restaurant’s tray instead.
When she placed the white snow cake in her mouth, she could no longer taste the same feeling of sweetness and satisfaction.
Chu Lian noticed all of her actions, but didn’t say anything. This was what Chu Yuan decided for herself, and she couldn’t blame anyone else. Furthermore, the only consequence was that Chu Yuan wouldn’t be able to eat anything from her Guilin Restaurant. That couldn’t be counted as any sort of punishment.
After fifteen minutes, the trays of confections were cleared away by the maidservants. Out of sight, out of mind. Miss Yuan’s stiff expression loosened a little. However, before she could take a moment’s respite, Chu Lian had already ordered Senior Servant Zhong to bring in the banquet.
It was then that Chu Yuan realised her torture had just begun, thanks to her presumptuous actions.
Chu Lian couldn’t continue accompanying her sisters from House Ying alone, since she still had to attend to Lady Yang and Royal Princess Duanjia. She also had to check in with the male guests in the outer court, since she was the real owner of Guilin Restaurant.
Miss Yuan still had some integrity in her. Right after Chu Lian left, she took the chance to escape and immediately left Guilin Restaurant. Miss Su and Miss Fu couldn’t let her leave alone, so they notified Senior Servant Zhong. Leaving behind their apologies and gifts, they followed Miss Yuan back to the Ying Estate.
Miss Yuan had lost her bait along with the fish today. She had come to pick at Chu Lian, only to slap herself in the face and become a sorry sight.