Chapter 15: A Valuable Offer

At the Zhenxiu Pavilion, every table was already occupied, and more guests were waiting for seats. All around, diners reveled in the feast before them, glasses clinking in lively toasts, the atmosphere charged with merriment.

Ling’er followed closely beside Ning Yaxin, marveling at the bustling scene. “Miss, I’ve never seen the young master’s establishment this crowded before.”

“It is quite rare,” Ning Yaxin replied with a slight nod, her gaze sweeping the hall in search of Ning Yongqiang.

Just then, a server carrying a steaming dish passed by. An unfamiliar aroma wafted through the air, catching Ning Yaxin’s attention and piquing her curiosity. She followed the server to get a closer look at the dish, which was a vibrant blend of yellow and green—something she couldn’t immediately identify.

The server announced, “Gentlemen, your stir-fried eggs with chives. Please enjoy!”

“Stir-fried eggs with chives?” Ning Yaxin echoed, having never heard of such a dish. She turned to Ling’er. “Have you seen this on the menu before?”

Ling’er shook her head. “Never heard of it.”

At that moment, a call rose from a nearby table. “Waiter! The sand has all run out, and we’re still waiting for the scallion tofu!”

Ning Yaxin glanced over to see a large table crowded with nine people, their table already laden with dishes. In the center stood an hourglass, now empty.

The server hurried over, glanced at the hourglass, and said, “Please wait a moment, I’ll fetch the manager.”

Soon enough, Luo Wannian arrived at the table, beaming. “My apologies, dear guests. We are a bit overwhelmed today, but rest assured, we stand by our promise: any dish not served within the allotted time will not be charged!”

The guests were delighted. Not only had they won a thirty percent discount at the entrance dart throw, now they were getting a dish for free—fortune had smiled on them twice.

Luo Wannian then placed three wooden tokens engraved with “twenty percent off” on the table. “To make up for today’s lapse, allow me to offer these discount tokens for your next visit.”

“Don’t worry, Manager. The food here is so delicious—we’ll be back often!”

“Yes, we’ll definitely return!”

The table erupted in gratitude, and Luo Wannian, after seeing to their needs, turned to leave—only to spot Ning Yaxin and Ling’er.

“Young Miss! Weren’t you supposed to return tomorrow?” he greeted her with a respectful bow.

Ning Yaxin waved it off calmly. “The journey went smoothly, so we arrived a day early.” She then asked, “Manager Luo, why haven’t I seen Yongqiang?”

“He’s in the kitchen, Miss. Please wait a moment; I’ll fetch him at once.”

With that, Luo Wannian hurried away, soon returning with Ning Yongqiang.

“Sister, you’re back!” Ning Yongqiang greeted her with a radiant smile.

Ning Yaxin nodded, glancing at the festive scene. “Yongqiang, since when has business become so brisk?”

“Just today!” he replied.

“Today?” Ning Yaxin was surprised. “So the dart toss at the door and the hourglass on the tables—all new today?”

Ning Yongqiang grinned and said, “Sister, it’s too noisy here. Let’s go upstairs to talk.”

Ning Yaxin agreed, and together they ascended to a private room—Ning Yongqiang’s refuge for rest.

“When did you arrive, Sister? Have you eaten?” he inquired.

“I just got in. I meant to have a meal here, but the place is so packed there’s nowhere for me to sit,” she replied.

“That’s perfect! We have several new dishes today—you must try them!” Ning Yongqiang exclaimed, then stepped out to give careful instructions to a server.

He returned shortly to find Ning Yaxin sipping water. She set her cup down. “Yongqiang, how did you come up with the dart game idea?”

He shook his head. “It wasn’t my idea, Sister. It was Mr. Xu’s.”

“Mr. Xu? Which Mr. Xu?”

Ning Yongqiang briefly explained about Xu Mo, omitting the man’s gambling vice for the moment.

But Ling’er interjected, “Miss, I’ve heard of this Xu Mo. He’s a notorious gambler!”

“A gambler?” Ning Yaxin’s brow furrowed. “Are you sure?”

Ling’er nodded emphatically. “Absolutely, Miss. My cousin’s aunt lives in Jiming Alley. She said Xu Mo’s family once had modest means, but he fell in with bad company and took to gambling. In less than three months, he squandered all his family’s assets!”

Ning Yaxin’s frown deepened.

Ling’er continued, “That’s not all, Miss. My cousin’s aunt said Xu Mo even sold his wife’s dowry after losing everything else, and he gambled that away too. Now he’s buried in debt!”

Ning Yaxin’s expression turned stormy as she fixed her gaze on her brother. “Yongqiang, is this true?”

Caught off guard, Ning Yongqiang could only admit, “Sister, Mr. Xu has a weakness for gambling, but he is truly talented. You can see for yourself—since he advised me, business has boomed!”

Ning Yaxin remained unmoved. “So it’s all true, then.”

“Sister!” Ning Yongqiang protested. “That’s beside the point! We have to admit, his ideas really work.”

She fell silent in thought before speaking again. “I’ve seen the dart game at the entrance—it’s certainly a clever way to draw in customers. But what I don’t understand is, after they’ve already earned their discount, why set a time limit for serving dishes? Why offer free food if the kitchen misses the mark—what’s the point?”

Ning Yongqiang wagged his finger. “You don’t understand, Sister. Mr. Xu calls this a ‘valuable discount.’”

“A valuable discount?” Ning Yaxin repeated, puzzled. She understood each word separately, but together the phrase made little sense.

Ning Yongqiang straightened, chin slightly raised. “Mr. Xu says that discounts and perks should never be given away for nothing—if they are, guests won’t value them. By setting a small challenge or hurdle, customers feel they’ve earned the reward themselves, and it becomes meaningful. Only then will they truly treasure it.”