Chapter 92 - 87

Chapter 92: Chapter 87

The first dance wasn’t even over when the first guests arrived at the dining area.

The old man with the cane was also dressed in a formal suit today, his hair neatly combed. His eyes were bright, and he looked full of vigor.

"Finally, we can eat. Lisa’s opening was way too long-winded, kept me waiting forever. I’ll start with some appetizers to whet my appetite."

The old man picked up some shrimp ball salad, braised tofu, and bacon-wrapped crepes. He then craned his neck to look down the long buffet table and squinted into a smile at Ning He, the corners of his eyes crinkling.

"That crunchy radish from last time was excellent. Do you have any today?"

Ning He laughed. "The pickled radish? You really know your food, sir. I’ll go get it!"

Ning He had pickled several jars of it. She had only used less than half of what she’d brought today, so she simply poured the rest, along with a jar of pickled cucumbers, into a small serving container and brought it over.

Ning He’s pickling brine was now well-aged. She could make more whenever she wanted, and they would be ready to eat in two or three days. It was very convenient.

These two pickled vegetables were sweet and sour with a hint of spice, especially crisp and delicious, and perfectly salted. They were the perfect accompaniment to richer dishes, cutting through the grease and stimulating the appetite—an essential side dish.

Just as Ning He returned to the banquet hall, she saw a few more people had gathered around the old man with the cane. The gray-haired old man, the skinny old man, and the chubby, middle-aged Tom had all come over.

The skinny old man was muttering something to the one with the cane, who looked utterly impatient.

"How is a cripple like me supposed to dance? And you won’t even let me come get something to eat first?"

"Don’t you know we only had breakfast today? You came over without calling us, and I almost got dragged out to dance!"

The two of them were bickering loudly, but they immediately fell silent when they saw Ning He approaching. They each grabbed a plate and held it at the ready.

The old men were all dressed elegantly today, their expressions and movements calm and composed. That didn’t slow down their food gathering, however. In the end, each of them was holding two large plates piled high with food. Vance and Youzhen even helped them deliver a salad platter, and the four of them firmly occupied a table.

Three songs had played on the dance floor. The guests gradually dispersed; some went on stage to give speeches, while others chatted or continued dancing. Ning He waved at several of her students, who then grabbed trays and dove into the crowd.

These students from the culinary academy had experience as waiters in restaurants, so handling such an occasion was not difficult for them. They carried either drinks and wine or appetizers, nimbly weaving through the crowd.

The four types of appetizers were brightly colored and bite-sized. The braised dried tofu was even threaded onto small skewers, making it easy to pick up by hand. They were an instant hit with the guests. The servers’ trays were soon empty, and they returned to the food bar to restock. Vance and Youzhen were quick; after refilling a batch, the group set off again to continue serving.

They wore matching uniforms custom-ordered by Ning He, with the words "Heqi Chinese Restaurant" clearly visible on their name tags. This was a chance to make their presence known to these high-end clients ahead of time.

It would be a waste not to seize such a perfect advertising opportunity.

Gates had already tasted these appetizers and was prepared for the reaction. However, the three guests talking with him were trying them for the first time.

One of them, a middle-aged man with a hooked nose and a long face, took a bite of the braised dried tofu. His expression clearly paused for a moment. Then, he raised his hand to call back a passing waiter and took two more skewers.

The other two had the same reaction.

This richly savory dried tofu paired with the fruity, slightly sweet champagne was a perfect match!

Gates’s gaze swept across the room. Everywhere, guests were raising their hands to flag down waiters. The young servers in blue uniforms weaved nonstop through the crowd.

Clearly, the appetizers were a huge hit.

Gates’s lips curled into a smirk as he swirled the glass in his hand.

’Good. The more popular they are now, the more desperate everyone will be later.’

’Just as I planned.’

The appetizers certainly worked up appetites, and soon, guests began making their way to the food bar to get their meals.

These guests were all from the top tier of the First Ring. They had eaten high-end banquet cuisine in Beiluo City countless times and could probably recite the menus by heart. But today, they found few dishes they recognized. Fortunately, the ingredients and flavor profiles were thoughtfully listed next to every dish, so they could choose according to their preferences.

But soon, no one was using that method anymore.

Because every time a food warmer was opened, a unique aroma would waft out, and the colors were just as enticing. At a time like this, who could think about anything else? They had to try it first. Out of habit, however, they all restrained themselves and took only a small portion.

Only one guest went straight for a large portion of the Fish Fillets in Sour Soup.

Ning He looked up instinctively. It was someone she knew.

"Mr. Rochester!"

Mr. Rochester was still wearing his usual serious suit, his expression as impassive as ever. He gave Ning He a slight nod.

"I didn’t expect you to be the one catering Mr. Leitel’s banquet."

As he spoke, he glanced at the dozen or so serving dishes on the food bar.

"It seems there’s a lot more you can do."

Ning He blinked. "That’s right. As long as I have the right ingredients, I can make anything."

Mr. Rochester gave a rare smile. "See you next time we’re out of the city."

"No problem."

Ning He agreed readily and placed a small bowl filled with Fish Fillets in Sour Soup onto Mr. Rochester’s plate. He then selected a few other dishes and sat down at a nearby table to eat in peace.

His status was clearly extraordinary, as someone soon approached and asked to sit next to him.

Rister had heard a great deal about Mr. Rochester, the wealthiest man in Beiluo City, and had always wanted to get acquainted with him. But the man was notoriously low-key, making it hard to find an opportunity. Now that he finally had the chance to meet him, he naturally wanted to try and build a connection.

But he had barely spoken two sentences before Mr. Rochester cut him off with a subtle glance.

"Food this delicious would be wasted if not properly savored. Whatever you have to say, let’s talk after we’ve finished eating."

Rister couldn’t help but look embarrassed. His mind raced, wondering anxiously if he had said something wrong. He randomly speared something with his fork, stuffed it into his mouth, and chewed a couple of times before suddenly freezing.

"What is this?"

He looked in astonishment at the thin strips of food on his plate. The sour, spicy, and crisp sensation still lingered in his mouth, along with a strange, numbing tingle on the tip of his tongue.

"It should be potato."

Mr. Rochester replied, forking a piece of tender braised beef brisket.

Ning He had added the potatoes for the brisket in two batches. The first batch had been slow-cooked until it dissolved into a puree, soaking up the sauce and coating the chunks of brisket. The second batch was cooked until it was as soft and fine as sand, tender and flavorful.

The brisket’s sauce was rich and fragrant, and the complex flavors of various spices had penetrated the innermost fibers of the meat. With a single bite, the thick potato puree on the outside melted on the tongue along with the beef. Savory juices seeped out, carrying not just the aroma of meat and spice, but also the natural, subtle sweetness of onions and carrots that had dissolved into the sauce.

All the stews he had eaten at banquets before suddenly seemed bland in comparison.

Rister also tried the braised brisket on his plate and immediately understood what Mr. Rochester meant.

’When you’re tasting something this delicious, who has time to talk?!’

The same scene was playing out elsewhere.

Tables of people who had sat down laughing and chatting soon fell silent, each person focused on carefully savoring the food they had taken. Because they had taken such small portions, guests were soon getting up to go back to the food bar for more.

The guests who had been busy socializing in the hall finally remembered about eating. But when they turned around, they discovered that lines had formed at every station of the food bar. One line even had more than a dozen guests in it!

These weren’t ordinary people. Any one of them was used to eating the signature dishes of Beiluo City’s best restaurants. What kind of food could possibly make them stand in line?

Curiosity and hunger drove them to join the lines. Soon, the first wave of food was gone, and Ning He, Connie, and the others quickly brought out a second, piping hot batch.

She had considered this when designing the menu. Most of the banquet dishes were suitable for being kept warm for long periods without affecting the texture. Dishes like the braised pork belly, yellow braised chicken, and braised beef brisket even tasted better the longer they were simmered. As the banquet continued, the popularity of these dishes was visibly high, with a constant line of people waiting for them.

To go with these dishes, even the wine and beverages prepared by Leitel were being consumed quickly. The servants had to come in and out several times to replenish them.

The tables in the hall gradually filled up. Guests started sharing tables; some four-person tables were seating six or seven people, but there still wasn’t enough room.

This kind of situation was rare, and for a moment, Leitel was at a loss, tugging at his beard in distress. Fortunately, Gates offered to help. He quickly had dozens of beautiful dining sets brought in from outside, filling the entire dance floor.

All the guests in the hall sat down to enjoy the dinner. From Ning He’s vantage point, the entire hall looked like a packed restaurant, filled to capacity. All she could hear was the clinking of cutlery, interspersed with low gasps of amazement and soft whispers.

Ning He thought for a moment, then told everyone to put the food warmers directly onto serving carts. Vance and the others pushed the carts between the tables, and at the same time, she placed business cards for Heqi Chinese Restaurant in the most conspicuous spot on the carts. As expected, more than half of them were taken very quickly.

Having long since eaten their fill and now enjoying dessert, the old man with the cane and his friends glanced at the surrounding guests, feeling half-proud and half-worried.

"Looks like we’ll have to wait in line to eat at the little lady’s place from now on."

"Mmm, we should go ask her for a VIP membership later. Tom, we’re counting on you," said the skinny old man.

Tom took a sip of tea and nodded with a grunt of affirmation.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the room, Gates was in a bad mood again.