The restaurant welcomed one and all; its ladle brought forth a hundred flavors.
Drawn by the rich aromas, guests left with their bellies full.
Barbara dragged Peter and Ned to the bustling Chinese restaurant. Even from a distance, they could see the absurdly long line outside Wanmin Restaurant.
These were all diners waiting outside.
Although some tables could be reserved each day, Wanmin Restaurant specialized in affordable food for ordinary people, so aside from the reserved tables, it also kept seats available for walk-in diners.
Those seats were often almost impossible to get, though. Many people came to line up outside before dawn.
Wanmin Restaurant's friendly prices and food that exceeded all expectations made plenty of people willing to wait hours just to try its distinctive dishes.
Its immense popularity had once given rise to a host of scalpers. Targeting diners who had failed to book a table and were unwilling to wait, they lined up early, then sold their places at exorbitant prices.
Only after Wanmin Restaurant's owners discovered what was happening and firmly warned off the scalpers did they put an end to the practice.
"This... this is ridiculous!"
Ned stared, dumbfounded.
There were so many people outside Wanmin Restaurant that even the police had come to maintain order.
Barbara seemed long accustomed to the sight. She pulled Peter and Ned toward the entrance.
"Hey! Hey! Hold on!"
But before they could approach, someone stopped them.
A refined-looking man in a black suit and glasses, his hair slicked back, stood in their path.
"Why are you kids so rude? Can't you see there's a line? You show up and immediately try to push your way inside. What terrible manners."
The refined-looking man spoke quietly, but his tone brooked no argument. He sounded forceful, as though he was thoroughly