Blossom in Adversity

C197. Shi Zai Feast.

Chapter 197: Shi Zai Feast

On the day he left the northern region, Bai Mingxia met the steward of the Hua family waiting outside the city, but Hua Zhi did not come.

Shen Qi's disappointment was palpable, and Bai Mingxia could only shake his head. As far as he knew, when the Hua family withdrew the marriage proposal, the Shen family had readily agreed without any hesitation. In hindsight, they should not have been so hasty.

With the Hua eldest granddaughter's personality, she remembered both favors and grievances. He had only looked out for Pingyang's face by giving some consideration, and now she could make such promises. If Shen Qi had accompanied her back then, they could have had a bright future together.

What a pity.

Pulling the reins tight, Bai Mingxia turned his horse around and looked back at the towering city walls. Thinking of his mother's hesitance and his father's silence before he left today left a bitter taste in his mouth. He had been taught by his father to be loyal and respectful, something he had upheld. However, the person who taught him had forgotten those values.

The more he thought about it, the more melancholy he felt. Bai Mingxia didn't bother calling out to Shen Qi and urged his horse forward.

Shen Qi also put away his disappointment and rode after Bai Mingxia. This time, he was going to apologize and make amends.

On a normal day, Hua Zhi would have seen them off, as they were going to visit someone from her family. But today was special—Shi Zai Feast Restaurant was opening.

Without the flashy publicity tactics of modern times, and without a fancy name, simply hanging a sign for Shi Zhai Feast made people aware of its existence.

The opening banquet invitations were only sent to the Lu family, Sun family, Zhu family, and Qin family.

The Lu family was a partner, the Zhu family was a distant relative, the Sun family was related to the Sixth Prince, and the Qin family was the grandmother's family. These families were among the few prominent families in the capital who had clearly shown goodwill towards the Hua family so far.

With Du Cheng busy handling the front, Hua Zhi stayed out of it and just glanced around before heading to the kitchen.

In the bright and orderly kitchen, almost a dozen people were busy with their tasks. Fu Dong was arranging steamed dishes when she suddenly looked up and saw Miss standing there. She quickly knelt down and greeted her.

Hua Zhi pulled her up without asking about her progress and simply inquired, "Are you getting used to it?"

Fu Dong nodded vigorously, her eyes shining with joy evident on her face.

She was delighted to be in charge of a kitchen she had helped set up, where she could cook dishes according to her own preferences. Miss had even said it could earn her a lot of money. Aside from feeling a bit regretful that she couldn't follow Miss around, she was truly happy.

"If there's anything, you can talk to Du Cheng or tell me when you get back. Don't stress about it. It's just a business. Success is good, but failure is not that big of a deal. I have plenty of options."

Hua Zhi smiled softly, her voice gentle. The four senior maids who had grown up with her were often considered more like family than servants. Even though they were technically servants, she treated them more like family. Even so, there was nobody like them to keep her company.

Among the four, Fu Dong was the one she worried about the most. The others could hold their own and wouldn't suffer losses if they were sent out, but Fu Dong couldn't. If she encountered the wrong person, she would be bullied to death.