MGASC -Chapter 134 Who Doesn’t Like a Beauty?

Not only was it possible, the waitress even called over another colleague. The two of them served the six guests together—attentive and overly courteous.

“Dad, the tea here smells so good!”

“This tablecloth is actually white. Aren’t they afraid of it getting dirty?”

“What’s this glass thing in the middle? It can spin!”

Lin Ran and Lin Jin became fascinated with the restaurant’s facilities—one studying the tablecloth, the other experimenting with the lazy Susan in the center.

The waitresses stood at a distance. When the family wasn’t looking, they covered their mouths and snickered.

“Such country bumpkins. They don’t even know what a revolving table is!”

“Probably just newly rich poor folks putting on airs. Otherwise, who orders this many dishes?”

“Maybe I only provoked them a little and they ended up ordering a whole table!”

Lin Tianyue didn’t hear their whispers, but someone at the neighboring table did.

Seated in the place of honor, dressed in a dark suit, Gu Junye glanced sideways toward the source of the laughter.

He saw the broad, upright back of a man. Though dressed plainly, he carried himself with extraordinary bearing. The three children were handsome and sharp-looking—clearly clever and lively.

Finally, Gu Junye’s gaze settled on Zhang Qiao.

At that moment, she was smiling brightly while explaining the purpose of the revolving table to Lin Jin. When she smiled, dimples appeared on both cheeks. Sweet—but not cloyingly so. She reminded one of chilled green grapes in summer.

Refreshing. Crisp. Pleasant.

Gu Junye studied her a few seconds longer before withdrawing his gaze.

Beside him, Sun Jun had also noticed Zhang Qiao’s striking beauty. The moment he turned around, he couldn’t help exclaiming excitedly:

“Did you see that? There’s a beauty! Didn’t expect to find someone so fresh and radiant in Jiangcheng. Not inferior to the girls in the capital at all.”

“What’s this, President Sun? Got your eye on her?”

“Who doesn’t like a beauty?”

Sun Jun couldn’t resist turning back for another look.

Just then, Zhang Qiao stood up to tie a napkin around Lin Jin. When Sun Jun noticed her slightly protruding belly, the hope in his heart shattered instantly.

“Damn—she’s already got a kid? Isn’t that heaven envying beauty!”

Laughter erupted around them as friends teased Sun Jun.

Only Gu Junye remained unhurried, picking up a piece of the newly served signature crispy fish and placing it in his mouth.

The fish was served in a clay pot produced in Cizhou—a sign the chef was orthodox and particular, likely professionally trained.

One bite. First impression: fragrance. The meat was tender. Then came the crispness—soft yet not greasy. The bones were so tender they dissolved like mud. No need to spit out fish bones.

The excellence of this dish lay not merely in freshness—but in its aroma.

“Wow, this fish is so crispy and soft! How can it be so flavorful? It’s amazing! I used to think fish just tasted fishy. Qiaoqiao’s pickled fish was already stunning—but I didn’t know fish could be made like this!”

At the neighboring table, Yingzi took a bite and exclaimed in admiration.

“No wonder this is the most expensive restaurant in Jiangcheng. The craftsmanship really leaves nothing to criticize!”

As she praised it, she raised a thumbs-up. Her voice was naturally loud, and with her exaggerated tone, people far away could hear her.

The waitress covered her mouth and laughed again. Hearing this, Gu Junye curved his lips mockingly.

Sun Jun slammed his chopsticks down. “Young Master Gu, this fish isn’t nearly as authentic as the one we had at the state banquet last time!”

Gu Junye also found the dish ordinary. He set down his chopsticks.

“You’re comparing this place to a state banquet?”

“Fair enough. No comparison.”

With a hint of arrogance, Gu Junye said leisurely:

“This dish originates from Imperial Decree Crispy Fish. In the Song Dynasty, it was once listed as a tribute item. The craftsmanship—from selecting the fish, preparing it, frying it, stewing it, to flavor choices—requires precision at every step. Jiangcheng may be a provincial capital, but how could its chefs compare with those in the capital?”

The others chimed in:

“As expected of Young Master Gu—so knowledgeable. This so-called best restaurant in Jiangcheng is nothing special. If you opened one, it would be a hundred times more popular!”

Gu Junye merely smiled without speaking.

Dish after dish arrived. Soon, Zhang Qiao’s table was completely filled.

Yingzi and the three children declared every dish delicious. In their mouths, there seemed to be no such thing as bad food.

To blame it, they simply hadn’t had much good food before.

Zhang Qiao’s appetite was modest. She only tasted one or two bites of each dish. She didn’t rush to swallow, but savored them carefully.

Unlike Yingzi, who devoured her food, Zhang Qiao sat upright, legs together, movements composed. Even the way she held her chopsticks was refined.

Watching her eat, Lin Tianyue suddenly thought of a word:

Elegant.

He had seen the word in a book he bought recently.

Those foreign royal nobles—princesses and duchesses—had many rules while dining. Their posture had to remain upright; each knife and fork had its specific use…

When reading the book, Lin Tianyue had found the descriptions tedious and dull. But now, watching Zhang Qiao eat, he suddenly thought of a royal princess dining.

Probably something like this?

It was rather pleasing to the eye.

He kept staring at his wife until Zhang Qiao waved her small hand in front of him twice. Only then did he snap out of it.

She asked eagerly, “You tasted every dish just now. What do you think of the flavors?”

Flavors?

Lin Tianyue had heard the discussion from the neighboring table earlier. But he hadn’t stopped the children and Yingzi from praising the food.

After all, taste is subjective.

This was his second time dining here.

“Qiaoqiao, do you want the honest truth?”

“Of course!”

He thought for a moment.

“I came here once before. The first time, the flavors were truly impeccable. Coming again today—the same dishes, like this Eight-Treasure Duck—it doesn’t seem as good as the first time. But you can’t say it’s bad either.”

In short: just average.

The first taste amazes because it’s unfamiliar. But once you’ve experienced it and return with expectations, you realize it doesn’t match the flavor you had imagined.

Yingzi, nearly full now, chimed in:

“That’s right. After a few more bites, it’s just so-so. Especially this fish—it feels like it’s been sitting for a few days. The frying masked the fishiness, but after a few bites, you can taste it.”

She put down her chopsticks.

“Qiaoqiao, my taste buds aren’t bad, right?”

By this point, Zhang Qiao already had a clear understanding in her heart.

She had brought Yingzi today—and ordered so many dishes—for the purpose of testing the food.

Since transmigrating here, she had never dined in a proper large restaurant like this. She wanted to understand the current culinary standards and what flavors were popular locally.

If she were to open a restaurant of similar scale, what preparations would she need to surpass them?

After tasting all these dishes and hearing everyone’s opinions, Zhang Qiao now had her answer.