Wine-scented Beauty

Chapter Sixteen: A Glimmer of Hope

Ji Meiqing and Lu Yu exchanged glances, wondering if they needed a recipe for brewing wine. If they revealed the recipe to others, it would be tantamount to cutting off their own escape route.

Once the recipe becomes known, it ceases to be a secret. After much deliberation, Ji Meiqing could only apologize and say, "I'm sorry, I cannot sell this recipe."

Mr. Wu was somewhat skeptical. "I'm willing to offer ten thousand taels."

"I'm sorry." Ji Meiqing hesitated for a moment, but she couldn't cut off her own escape route for the sake of immediate gains.

Mr. Wu said with some regret, "In that case, it's a pity. But could you sell me your other wines?"

"You'll have to ask my elder brother; the wine was made by him," Ji Meiqing said.

Boss Wu turned her gaze to Lu Yu standing next to her, and Lu Yu nodded.

Mr. Wu's eyes lit up. "Could you let me see the wine you're making?"

“Okay.” Lu Yu got up and went to the backyard to bring back a few jars of wine. As soon as the seal was opened, the whole room was filled with the aroma of wine, which seemed to last for three days and three nights without dissipating.

Mr. Wu finally snapped out of his daze from the aroma and exclaimed, "Good wine, truly good wine!"

"Yes, thank you for the compliment." Ji Meiqing nodded slightly and said, "Although we can't sell you the wine shop's list, we can have other ways to cooperate."

Mr. Wu's eyes lit up. He thought that if he could get his hands on this wine, he wouldn't have to worry about not making a fortune. As long as he had the recipe, everything would be easy. But now that there was a new alternative, he was naturally willing to listen.

“We can cooperate. We’ll provide you with the wine, and then we can become one of the owners in your building.”

"You want to take a share of the restaurant?"

Ji Meiqing smiled and nodded, "If you are not willing, we will only have a portion of the wine we produce."

"You're threatening me." Boss Wu narrowed his eyes.

Ji Meiqing said leisurely, "Businessman's mindset."

“In that case, I have no choice but to agree.” Mr. Wu nodded. “I will send someone to deliver the contract later.”

"Well then, I wish us a pleasant collaboration. How about we have a meal together to celebrate?"

Lu Yu nodded with a smile, and the group entered the city together. They went to the Tengda Restaurant, where they had just been kicked out. Su Luojin and Lu Yu were dressed in coarse linen clothes, but they were neat and clean. Beside them was a man dressed in fine clothes, looking like a merchant.

The gatekeeper hesitated for a moment, but still welcomed them in. The restaurant was decorated in a magnificent style, and Ji Meiqing secretly clicked her tongue, wondering how much this meal would cost.

The three of them sat down, and Ji Meiqing naturally washed her and Lu Yu's dishes. Boss Wu looked at them, smiling as he stroked his beard.

The waiter ran up to them, and Ji Meiqing, being somewhat shameless, declined a few times. Boss Wu ordered a few dishes, which, although not fancy, still cost money, and he was still a little heartbroken.

The dishes were served, and the group drank heartily until they finished eating, at which point the waiter came to collect the bill.

She placed the wine she had brought on the table and said with a smile, "I'd like to use this to pay off the debt."

The waiter chuckled twice: "Sir, you're joking."

"I'm not joking. Please invite your manager over. He'll understand."

Ji Meiqing continued smiling, showing no remorse or fear for having dined and dashed. The waiter hesitated for a moment, then ran off, casually asking the waiting waiter nearby to keep an eye on them.

Mr. Wu looked at them with surprise, a feeling creeping into his heart that he was about to dine and dash. He was a wealthy businessman, rolling in money, yet one day he was about to eat and dash. The thought made him feel uneasy.

After a while, the shopkeeper was invited up. Su Luojin stood up and brought the wine to him. "Shopkeeper, why don't you try it first? If you feel that this wine is not worth the price we paid, we are willing to go to the government office."

The shopkeeper looked at her suspiciously, then at the wine in her hand, and finally could only take the bottle from her with some doubt, and then slowly took a sip.

"It tastes good." The shopkeeper nodded. "I'd like more of this wine."

His meaning was clear. Ji Meiqing stepped forward and said, "This wine can not only be drunk, but also used as a condiment and eaten."

The innkeeper became interested when he heard her say that. "Oh, how do you make it? If you can make it, not only will you be exempt from paying for today's meal, but I will also give you a luxury feast."

"Simple!" Ji Meiqing took the wine from his hand. Seeing that things were not going well, the waiter next to her leaned over to the shopkeeper and said a few words.

"If you're not satisfied, I'll not only take this wine, but you'll all have to go to jail."

With a confident smile, Ji Meiqing walked towards the kitchen under their guidance. At the same time, Boss Wu, who was following behind, tugged at Lu Yu's sleeve with some uncertainty and asked worriedly, "Will everything be alright?"

"No." He supported Ji Meiqing's decisions with complete faith.

Such a woman is unmatched by anyone else.

A large group of people entered the kitchen, and those inside made way for her. Ji Meiqing didn't hesitate and directly asked for a prepared duck, which she then soaked in the wine she had brought.

The onlookers pointed and whispered, seemingly not understanding Ji Meiqing's actions. Ji Meiqing ignored them, and after completing the routine, her forehead was covered in sweat. She wiped it clean and continued with her work.

After the dishes were finished, she placed them in front of them and asked, "Would you like to try some?"

The shopkeeper stepped forward, picked up a piece with his chopsticks, and a rich aroma of wine mixed with the flavor of meat burst forth between his lips and teeth.

"Miss Ji, your cooking is excellent." He praised, "In that case, I'm relieved."

"Thank you for the compliment." She took off her apron and looked at the shopkeeper with a smile, asking, "In that case, may we leave now?"

"Could you leave your address? We'll send someone over another day to invite you to discuss cooperation."

Ji Meiqing wrote down the address, and another collaboration was thus concluded, which naturally pleased her. The two saw Boss Wu off and apologized to him.

"I'm so sorry to have startled you."

"With such talent as Miss Ji, she is destined for great things in the future."

She smiled and said, "Mr. Wu, you flatter me. It was just a matter of taking shortcuts. The underhanded methods used certainly gave Mr. Wu and us quite a fright."

"It's alright, I'll be going now. Let's have a proper drink another day."

"of course."

After seeing him off, the two planned to return home. Ji Meiqing smiled and looked at Lu Yu beside her, saying, "You weren't scared either, were you?"