Chapter Fifty-Seven: Lin Shuimei in Distress

After they left the Fortune Inn, a shadowy figure furtively poked her head out from the darkness.

“Hmph, damn that Lin Sangqian!” Lin Shuimei muttered through clenched teeth. “She even got to ride in a carriage, and I’ve never been on one myself!”

Her mind was consumed with the thought of catching the attention of the Fortune Inn’s manager. She touched the hundred coins she carried and, gritting her teeth, walked into the inn.

“Miss, is there something I can help you with?” a waiter approached.

“I’m here to dine,” Lin Shuimei replied calmly.

The waiter hesitated, perhaps because he’d never seen a young woman dining alone. It took him a moment to regain his composure. “This way, please.”

Lin Shuimei stepped inside, gazing at the spacious main hall, clicking her tongue softly and allowing herself to imagine what it would be like to become the mistress of this place one day.

“Please, have a seat,” the waiter guided her to a small table. “Would you like to order something?”

“Let me see your menu,” Lin Shuimei said, feigning affluence.

The waiter handed her the menu, and as she glanced over it, her scalp tingled in apprehension. The Fortune Inn’s dishes weren’t exactly expensive, but they certainly weren’t cheap.

Her hundred coins would only suffice for a vegetarian dish, a bowl of rice, and a small pot of tea.

She felt reluctant—it had taken considerable effort to coax this money out of Lai Ruyu...

She spent a long time deliberating before finally ordering braised eggplant, a bowl of rice, and a small pot of tea.

The inn was busy, and she waited quite a while before the waiter brought her order.

Lin Shuimei eagerly took a bite of the eggplant, savoring its flavor, her eyes narrowing in delight.

As expected of a grand inn! Compared to this, Lai Ruyu’s cooking was nothing short of pig slop!

She gobbled down bite after bite, and just as she was about to finish the eggplant, she suddenly remembered her purpose for coming. Hastily wiping her mouth, she put down her chopsticks and glanced around furtively.

The hall was bustling with patrons eating and drinking, waiters hurrying to serve, and no one paid any attention to her.

Her heart pounded erratically as she pulled a dead fly from her pocket.

Suppressing her revulsion, she quickly placed the dead fly into the eggplant.

“Waiter!” she called out. Immediately, a waiter rushed over, sweating nervously. “Miss, is there something wrong?”

“Look at your dish—how is there a fly in it?” Lin Shuimei demanded.

“This—this is impossible!” the waiter was stunned. The Fortune Inn prided itself on cleanliness; how could there be a fly in the food?

“How can it be impossible? Look for yourself!”

The waiter saw the fly in the eggplant and jumped in fright, hurriedly pleading, “Miss, please don’t make a fuss. I’ll find a way to resolve this.”

If Lin Shuimei made a scene, the inn’s reputation would be ruined.

“Don’t worry, I don’t want to make things difficult for you,” Lin Shuimei said. “How about you take me to see your manager? I want to speak with him about compensation.”

“Huh? That’s not necessary…” the waiter scratched his head. It was just a plate of eggplant; he could simply waive the bill, no need to bother the manager.

“Not necessary?” Lin Shuimei’s eyes flashed. “Fine, I’ll tell everyone there’s a fly in your inn’s food right now!”

“No, no—please.” The waiter quickly relented. “I’ll take you.”

He carried the plate with the dead fly and led Lin Shuimei upstairs. Lu Chengren was in his office reviewing the accounts. When he heard a knock, he called out, “Come in.”

“Manager,” the waiter entered with Lin Shuimei. “This guest says she found a fly in our food…”

“What?” Lu Chengren was startled and hurried to his feet.

After all, this concerned the reputation of the Fortune Inn.

He glanced at the eggplant and the dead fly, frowning deeply. Though he said nothing, his expression darkened considerably.

Lin Shuimei assumed his anger was directed at the inn staff’s carelessness and tactfully said, “Manager, I really don’t want to make things difficult for you…”

“Just tell me what compensation you want,” Lu Chengren interrupted coldly.

Lin Shuimei hesitated, subconsciously smoothing her hair, then said, “I don’t want any compensation…”

Before she finished, she suddenly clutched her head, appearing as if she might faint.

The next moment, her body toppled toward Lu Chengren.

“Hey, miss?” the waiter was confused. Lu Chengren, however, stepped back without hesitation.

Lin Shuimei crashed to the floor, nearly crying out from the pain.

This manager—how could he be so heartless? He didn’t even help her up!

“Miss, are you alright?” Though bewildered, the waiter went over to help Lin Shuimei up.

“I—I’m fine…”

Lin Shuimei stood, feeling embarrassed and disheveled.

“Escort this lady out and waive her bill,” Lu Chengren said coolly.

“Yes, sir.”

Lin Shuimei wanted to protest, but seeing Lu Chengren’s icy gaze, she dared not utter another word and followed the waiter out.

Once the door closed, Lu Chengren sneered.

Nowadays, there really were all kinds of people—a young woman trying to extort him.

As an innkeeper, he could tell at a glance that the dead fly had been placed there after the dish was served.

But he didn’t bother to argue; making a bigger scene would do more harm than good.

He couldn’t help but think of Lin Sangqian. They were both young women, but the difference was vast. Moreover, the girl just now seemed older than Lin Sangqian by several years. Alas, what kind of parents raised such a child?

...

Yang Shi drove the carriage and brought them to the entrance of Lai Fu Alley.

Lin Sangqian looked and recognized it as the alley she’d noticed before.

By coincidence, as soon as Yang Shi stopped the carriage, he saw the guest he had mentioned earlier.

“Mr. Yan!” Yang Shi exclaimed in delight.

“Oh? Aren’t you the young waiter from the Fortune Inn? What brings you here?” Mr. Yan approached, smiling.

“Mr. Yan, did you sell the courtyard you mentioned to me before?” Yang Shi asked.

“Not yet,” Mr. Yan replied with a troubled expression. “Courtyards are hard to sell these days, and this location is a bit out of the way.”

“Well, I have some friends who are planning to move to town and want to take a look at your courtyard,” Yang Shi said.

“Really?” Mr. Yan’s eyes lit up instantly.

Just then, Lin Hongda and his family stepped off the carriage. He walked over first and shook Mr. Yan’s hand. “Hello.”