Fair dealing for young and old alike

As it turned out...

Fiendishly catchy marketing worked in every era.

Lin Bai hired a few shills to sing "You love me, I love you, Chef God Restaurant welcomes you" outside the restaurant. Then the temporarily borrowed waiters ushered them inside to eat and drink their fill. When they emerged looking thoroughly satisfied, they immediately ignited the crowd's enthusiasm.

As the festive atmosphere grew livelier and everyone cheerfully watched the performance of "You love me, I love you," they even forgot that this had originally been a house of ill omen.

At last, someone thick-skinned enough could no longer contain his curiosity. He crossed his own mental line and sang that mortifying song in front of everyone. With his spirit elevated, he was led into the restaurant by [Deng Libuduo].

"I thought the owner had just hung that sign outside to annoy people. Who knew it would be even worse inside? Where did he scrounge up these lousy tables?"

The newcomers were two lavishly dressed young men in their early twenties. After they finished singing, [Deng Libuduo] led them inside, where the decor immediately stunned them.

They found a slightly better-looking table and sat down. Before they could speak, Lin Bai was already standing beside them, smiling as he warned, "Gentlemen, please don't move your legs around. The previous customer accidentally kicked away the brick propping up his table. His food spilled all over the floor, and he ended up leaving without eating a thing."

For fuck's sake!

Both young men's eyelids twitched.

One surveyed the surroundings while the other turned over the teacups on the table and poured water for them both. One careless movement sent water from the crooked spout all over his clothes. He could not help cursing, "Fuck!"

Lin Bai pretended not to notice and maintained his smile. "What would you gentlemen like to eat?"

The young man studying the menu turned back. "What are fried pea-cows?"

"Fried peanuts," Lin Bai said.

"One plate." The young man's mouth twitched.

"And braised beef innards must mean braised beef!" Convinced that he had seen through Lin Bai's tricks, the young man gave a soft snort and asked.

"Very perceptive, sir." Lin Bai gave him a thumbs-up.

"One catty," the young man said.

"Coming right up," Lin Bai said.

"Four steamed flatbreads." The young man looked at the misspelled characters on the wooden plaques. "And a pot of liq—pah, liquor."

"Would you like anything else?" Lin Bai asked with a smile.

"No. Bring everything together," the young man said.

"One plate of fried pea-cows, one catty of braised beef innards, four owed-breads, and one catty of white liqour," Lin Bai announced loudly, smiling. "That comes to 350 copper coins. Sorry for the trouble, gentlemen, but please pay first."

Both young men froze.

Looking at the smiling Lin Bai, one suppressed his anger and reminded him, "Owner, we sang to get in. We're supposed to get thirty percent off."

"Sir, that price already includes the discount," Lin Bai said.

"You think I've never eaten anywhere else?" The other young man slammed the table and demanded angrily.

The ill-fitting teapot lid rolled off onto the floor with a clear clatter.

Lin Bai glanced at the lid and thought, Good thing I planned ahead. Otherwise, a single day's breakages would cost far too much.

The young man sneered. "The same food would cost no more than three hundred copper coins elsewhere, even without a discount. You black-hearted owner, what gives you the right to charge fifty more after taking thirty percent off?"

"Sir, that is this establishment's distinctive appeal. We put a great deal of thought into our decor, atmosphere, and service, striving to offer every diner a view unlike anything they would find elsewhere. After all, this is a legendary house of ill omen. Dining here leaves a unique flavor in your heart, and afterward, you have something to boast about to your friends."

Lin Bai maintained his smile, speaking at an unhurried pace. "Most importantly, our prices are clearly listed, and we never cheat our customers. If you find it expensive, you don't have to eat here. The food hasn't been served, and you haven't paid. Neither side has lost anything. Calling us a crooked establishment is going a little too far."

"..."

Both young men's mouths twitched again and again. They felt deeply uncomfortable, yet could not find a word to refute him. Upon closer consideration, every word he had said made perfect sense.

That was right.

The food had not arrived, and he had told them the price beforehand.

If it was too expensive, they could simply leave. Why were they angry? Just because they had sung a song outside?

"Gentlemen, should I still bring the food?" Unconcerned with all that, Lin Bai continued asking.

"Bring it!" The two exchanged a glance. One pulled some small pieces of silver from his sleeve and tossed them onto the table. "I want to see just how your food differs from everyone else's!"

Without even looking at the silver, Lin Bai explained with a beaming smile, "I'm afraid you'll be disappointed, sir. Our owed-breads are steamed flatbreads from Wu's on Epiphyllum Street, our braised beef innards come from Zhang's braised-food shop on Sword Blossom Street, and our white liqour is ordinary Kaoliang Liquor sold on the market. There's nothing special about any of it. We must explain all this to our customers beforehand. If you don't mind, I'll take your money and serve the food. If you do, have a safe trip out, and we hope to see you again..."

[Resentment points from Song Qing and Zhu Huan: +1 +1 +1...]

The two young men glared at Lin Bai, their fists clenched tight as they huffed and puffed.

We didn't come here to fill our stomachs—we came to fill ourselves with rage!

We sang and danced, put up with your broken tables and rotten chairs, and now we have to pay inflated prices for food we could buy anywhere outside. Are you sure you aren't taking us for fools?!

Song Qing quietly retrieved the silver from the table. Truthfully, he already felt somewhat full.

"Gentlemen, are you still eating?" Lin Bai pretended not to notice Song Qing's little movement and knowingly asked, "As I said, what we're enjoying here is the atmosphere. You absolutely won't find this experience or these sensations anywhere else..."

We certainly won't!

No other merchant would dare disgust people the way you do!

Song Qing took a deep breath and stood, suppressing the fire in his heart. "Owner, forgive my bluntness, but if you keep running your business like this, I doubt your restaurant will last long."

That's because you have no idea what I'm after.

Lin Bai bowed to the two and smiled. "Gentlemen, I conduct my business honestly, with fair dealing for young and old alike. To me, business is a matter of affinity. Those who take a liking to me will naturally patronize my establishment. Those who don't can take their own side of the road beneath the wide-open sky. Whether I make money is secondary."

Those words from Lin Bai...

Immediately dispelled more than half the two young men's anger.

They looked at each other.

Zhu Huan shook his head. "You're quite broad-minded, Owner Lin."

Lin Bai said, "It all comes down to affinity. Those who wish to come will come of their own accord. Gentlemen, are you still eating?"

Zhu Huan turned to Song Qing. "Brother Song, what do you think?"

Song Qing glanced at Lin Bai, then suddenly smiled. "We're already here, and we've already sung. We can't let the trip go to waste. The owner's right. We're here for the atmosphere. Let's eat."

With that...

The two sat back down.

Song Qing tossed the silver onto the table again. "Owner, bring the food."

Nearby...

Blacksmith's Son Zhang Dashan and Carpenter's Son Zhang Bao watched, dumbstruck. They looked at Lin Bai as though he were an immortal. That actually worked?

Throughout the exchange...

They had broken into a cold sweat for Lin Bai several times, afraid that a customer would lose control and smash a fist into his face.

What atmosphere? What fine decor? You clearly opened this place in just two days. The paint isn't even dry yet!

Lin Bai came over to them and asked with a smile, "Have you learned how?"

The two nodded blankly.

Lin Bai said, "When more customers arrive, receive them just as I did. Don't mix up the steps, and make sure you explain everything that needs explaining. We would rather earn nothing than deceive our customers."

"Yes, sir," the two replied in unison.

"Remember to keep smiling. Our furnishings are crude, so we can only put our effort into service. Make every customer who enters feel as though they're basking in a spring breeze." Lin Bai glanced at them and added, "As the saying goes, you don't strike a smiling face. If a hot-tempered customer does hit you, don't fight back. Let them hit you. Afterward, we'll report it to the authorities and ask the city lord to uphold justice."

"Yes, sir." His demonstration and instruction had won the two temporary waiters over wholeheartedly.

On the other side...

Having heard every word of Lin Bai's instructions to the waiters, Song Qing and Zhu Huan exchanged a smile. They immediately regretted their impulsive decision to sit back down.

The two young waiters went to fetch the dishes and pour the liquor. Lin Bai turned and came over to Song Qing and Zhu Huan, cupping his hands. "We've only just opened, so the young waiters are bound to be inexperienced. I had to give them a few pointers. I'm sorry you had to witness that."

Song Qing smiled wryly. "You certainly don't leave so much as a crack for water to seep through."

Lin Bai said, "I have no choice. Times are hard. If I'm not thorough, I might starve to death."

You mean you're afraid of being beaten to death, don't you?

Song Qing rolled his eyes at him and grumbled inwardly.

"I still have plenty to attend to, so I won't disturb your meal any further. Enjoy your food, gentlemen." Lin Bai cupped his hands again and saluted each of them in turn.

Song Qing and Zhu Huan returned the gesture.

Lin Bai straightened and headed outside. At the doorway, he turned back. "Gentlemen, when you return home, could you put in a few good words for our little restaurant among your friends and family? As the saying goes, shared pleasure is better than solitary pleasure. Wouldn't it be one of life's joys to let more people experience the beauty of this establishment?"

With that, he walked out without waiting for their answer.

Good words, my ass! You still want us to bring more people here to fall for your tricks?

Song Qing nearly laughed out of sheer anger. He was about to curse Lin Bai, but then reconsidered. He had suffered here, so why shouldn't he get to watch other people be brought low?

That could be a pleasure of its own!

He turned toward Zhu Huan and was just about to speak.

But Zhu Huan was already looking back at him, his face full of a peculiar amusement. "Brother Song, we still underestimated the owner. This restaurant has come alive!"