Yinzhou City.
The farmhouse restaurant within Longqi Mountain Scenic Area.
As the sun began to set, tourists, who had been out enjoying themselves all day, began arriving in twos and threes to eat.
On the grills set up in the courtyard, several whole roasted lambs, golden brown, were sizzling with oil. When Lin Xu’s second uncle-in-law, Shi Wenming, ca over to baste them with clarified oil, tourists frequently asked, "Chef, is this really Boss Lin’s roasting technique?"
While asking, they also took out their smartphones or caras to film short videos.
As he basted, Shi Wenming said, "This is indeed the roasted whole lamb thod my nephew taught . Even the dipping sauce is sent from his place, Lin Ji, in Beijing. You’ll see when you taste it."
At his words, all the surrounding tourists looked on with anticipation. Since this was the thod taught by Boss Lin, and the dipping sauce was also shipped from Lin Ji in Beijing... Doesn’t that basically an Boss Lin is personally making roasted whole lamb for us?
After Shi Wenming finished basting, he turned to the waiters attending to the grill and said, "Keep an eye on the rotisserie speed; slow it down if it’s too fast. The lamb is almost ready, so just a gentle rotation will do."
It was National Day, and the scenic area’s business was booming. Consequently, Shi Wenming suggested to Lin Hongqi and Chen ijuan that they recruit so helpers. He worried that if he were on his own, he’d burn out before the holiday even ended.
Chen ijuan recruited so nimble won from nearby villages as servers and hired a few village banquet chefs to bolster the kitchen staff.
Shi Wenming finally had the bearing of a head chef.
After returning the basting oil to the kitchen, he wiped his hands and went to a newly opened private room adjacent to it.
Inside were the honored guests for this National Day holiday: Shen Guofu and his wife. They were accompanied by Chen ijuan, Chen ide, and Chen iliang—the three siblings—as well as other relatives like Second Aunt Lin Hongxia and Eldest Uncle Lin Hongjun.
Lin Hongqi was simply too busy to even think about eating.
Shen Guofu said as he poured Shi Wenming a glass of wine, "Brother Wenming, your rustic dishes are truly exceptional! My son-in-law may be a culinary consultant at the Fishing Platform State Guesthouse now, but when it cos to ho-style country cooking, you’re the most authentic."
These relatives were truly genuine. The previous day, when their high-speed train still had half its journey to go, a whole crowd of them had gone to the station to et Shen Guofu and his wife. As soon as they t at the station exit, everyone was full of solicitous questions and warm welcos, making Shen Guofu feel deeply respected. This greatly pleased Shen Guofu, who had always enjoyed a bit of fanfare.
Upon their arrival at the scenic area, Old Mrs. Lin and Old Mrs. Chen were already waiting. The entire extended family had a boisterous lunch together, after which they all accompanied Shen Guofu and his wife on a walk up the mountain, treating them as if they were long-lost kin.
Of course, Shen Guofu was also very generous. He distributed a variety of valuable gifts—fine leather goods, cigars, pipes, barware, antiques, calligraphy and paintings, wrist malas, and Buddhist prayer beads—handing them out as freely as if they were water. Even Shi Wenming’s daughter, Shi Molli, received a pink, diamond-studded hair clip, which delighted the little girl so much that she kept calling him "Good Uncle Shen!"
Shen Baobao had stayed here for a week on her previous visit and rembered all the relatives’ nas and preferences clearly. So, before this trip, Shen Guofu had specifically chosen gifts tailored to each person. There was sothing for every adult and child. His daughter had been so thoroughly pampered by the whole family during her visit; this ti, he, Old Shen, absolutely had to show his appreciation.
Shi Wenming raised his wine glass, clinked it against Shen Guofu’s, and said, "It’s Second Brother who provides such excellent ingredients. Whether it’s the eel, the crabs, or this soft-shelled turtle, they’re all absolutely first-rate."
Chen ijuan’s second brother, Chen iliang, chuckled, "It’s all from our own reservoir. Just cast a net casually, and you’ll haul them in."
After three rounds of drinks, Shen Guofu raised his glass and said, "I’ve noticed the valley area within the mountains is quite large and relatively flat. So, I’m thinking of investing in a Horse Farm. If we do, it could beco the first Equestrian Club in the Central Plains. It would be quite distinguished and could also boost tourism. What does everyone think?"
Chen ijuan had initially assud her son’s father-in-law was just visiting to eat, drink, and have so fun. She hadn’t expected him to actually want to invest in the scenic area.
Such a significant investnt was naturally a good thing, but if they built a Horse Farm in Yinzhou, would people actually co to ride? She’d heard that raising horses was incredibly expensive. If it lost money, wouldn’t that be letting her in-law down?
Just as she was about to voice her concerns, Shen Guofu continued, "This isn’t an impulsive idea. The environnt here is excellent. It’s encircled by mountains, naturally suited for raising horses. And the grounds are expansive enough for riders to gallop to their hearts’ content."
He went on to list nurous benefits of raising horses, leaving his audience rather mystified.
Finally, Shen Guofu raised his glass to Chen iliang and said, "Second Brother, investing in a Horse Farm is a major commitnt, and I wouldn’t be comfortable without a family mber overseeing it. Everyone else in our family has their own work. You, Second Brother, live like a carefree spirit. How about you do the favor of getting things started and managing it for ?"
Chen iliang was montarily stunned.
He had rely co over to have a few drinks, chat, and then planned to return to his little cabin by the reservoir for a good sleep. This request had caught him completely off guard.
However, as Yinzhou City’s once-famous "Chicken King," Chen iliang did feel a flicker of interest in raising horses. It was mainly because he hadn’t had much contact with horses before. Although his net worth had once surpassed the ten million mark during his heyday, his prosperity had been too brief. He hadn’t even had ti to pick up the bad habits of the wealthy, like indulging in debauchery, before he went bankrupt.
Hmm, as long as you go bankrupt quickly enough, the vices of the rich can’t catch up to you.
Shen Guofu sat down beside Chen iliang and said, "After my daughter returned last ti, she specifically ntioned you. She said that you, Second Brother, are a lot like . I’ve also gone bankrupt several tis, burdened by enormous debt. But I just couldn’t accept defeat, so I gritted my teeth and persevered until I pulled through. You, on the other hand, Second Brother, after experiencing such turmoil, seem to have gained true perspective and detachnt, living like a carefree spirit. To be honest, I truly envy you."
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