Chapter 365: The First Night in the Capital City
Ye Shiqi slept alone in a room, for the quality of sleep, sleeping in an unfamiliar bed would affect her sleep quality.
She locked the door and windows this night, not afraid of the sultry weather suffocating her.
Entering the space, she enjoyed the coolness inside and slept on the soft bed her father had made for her; the entire night, she was undisturbed by the night watchmen banging gongs in the Capital City after midnight.
Nor was she affected by the sound of horses passing through the streets in the middle of the night, as the horses neighed; the Capital did not impose a curfew.
It was only at a certain time that the city gates were closed, and except for special circumstances, the city gates would not be opened in the middle of the night.
Ye Shiqi woke up naturally this morning, perhaps because she had the habit of getting up early for morning exercises.
Her biological clock still woke her up naturally, and without knowing the time in the space, since she was awake, she brushed her teeth and washed her face.
When she left the space, she heard the noisy sounds outside her room, the lively sounds of the street, and the footstep of guests walking outside the room.
"Thump thump thump"
At this time, Ye Shiqi had already dressed herself up and had changed into another set of clothes, which was as eye-catching as the outfits worn by the young girls in the Capital City.
She, who usually kept a low profile with her jewelry and dressing, today specifically chose to wear the jewelry that Tang Shunyan had once given her.
Although it was only a hairpin, pendent hairpiece, and a forehead bead, without wearing earrings or other jewelry, one could still see that these three pieces of jewelry were extraordinary.
She put on embroidered cloth shoes with a somewhat breathable mesh design, which was comfortable to wear in this summer weather.
When she went to open the door, outside stood her elder sister.
Seeing a hint of dark circles under her sisters' eyes, she guessed they were not used to the unfamiliar place, the strange bed, or were affected by the environment.
"Elder sisters, good morning!"
Her elder sisters… Qing was not at all affected by the environment, which they quite envied, and it relieved them from worry.
"Qing, the family is waiting for you to have breakfast!" Ye Luoqi said with a smile.
Ye Shiqi nodded, "Let's go!"
Zhong Xingwang had been up early, too excited last night to sleep until late, and was bothered by the outside noise despite still feeling sleepy, so he got up early to arrange things for the Ye family.
When the Ye family arrived at the inn's dining hall, he had like yesterday, reserved a private room for breakfast, whereas the guards would eat in the main hall without such privilege.
Everything was prepared here, waiting for the five sisters to arrive so they could order breakfast.
The waiter served tea first, along with some peanuts and pastries, as he sat with the future father-in-law, uncle, and his son, conversing while waiting.
"Father-in-law, after breakfast, the broker will take you to see the houses and help you purchase and transfer ownership of a property. Whatever you wish to buy, you can tell the broker!"
Hongji nodded at these words, telling the Young Uncle to stay busy.
Li Zhihao agreed, as he was now free of burdens, not having brought any food supplies with him, only his son, so the most idle person there was him.
With so many subordinates to manage, how could he support so many workers if he didn't find work for them quickly?
"My daughter said to first purchase a shop for selling rice and sundries, then buy a warehouse, start with that. Further plans will depend on the first shop becoming stable," Hongji said and everyone nodded in agreement.
Li Zhihao, looking at so many workers outside, realized that one shop and one warehouse did not require so many employees.
"Brother-in-law, should we buy an extra shop in a more remote location to use for selling and assembling bicycles?"
Hongji... That's a good idea. The employees we've brought with us this time include some who are just his subordinates, skilled workers for the assembly workshop. They all know how to repair and assemble bicycles."
"Alright, when the time comes, we'll get in touch with the Capital's main bicycle distributor, bring in some supply from there to help with assembling bicycles or even for our retail!"
Li Zhihao nodded, "Let's start with that for now."
Upon hearing their conversation, Zhong Xingwang thought their plans were sensible. It was solid business without any pretense. Even though it might not bring in a lot of money, it would be enough to sustain the employees and make some profit."
"Young Master..." The guards who had gone home to stay the night before, arrived early in the morning.
"You're so early. Have you had breakfast?" Zhong Xingwang asked the guards.
"We haven't eaten yet. We came to convey Old Master's and Madam's message; they said to bring the father-in-law over for lunch at noon."
Zhong Xingwang nodded and said, "Go out for breakfast first. I have to accompany my father-in-law in the morning, but I will try my best to return home for lunch."
The attending guards knew that the young master was busy with his in-laws, so they obediently went out for breakfast.
Ye Shiqi and her elder sisters came in, greeted by their future brother-in-law's warm smile, though his gaze lingered on the eldest sister.
Ye Luoqi could feel her future husband's eyes on her and shyly nodded, blushing as she sat down with her sisters to have breakfast with the family.
She didn't even know what her younger sisters had ordered for breakfast, quietly waiting for it to be served.
Seeing her elder sister so shy, Ye Shiqi knew it must be because of their brother-in-law, also feeling his watchful gaze.
She rolled her eyes at her brother-in-law and then helped her elder sister order breakfast.
Zhong Xingwang, on receiving a glance from his sister-in-law, still beamed with a radiant smile, touched his nose, and temporarily shifted his attention.
Ye Wenjie and Li Anning, faced with the guesthouse's breakfast menu, wanted to eat everything, so they suggested ordering more so that everyone could try a little of everything.
Ye Shiqi noticed that this guesthouse was similar to a tearoom, with morning pastries, a variety of cakes, and snacks, including meat dishes like steamed ribs, chicken feet, duck feet, duck wings, chicken wings, and braised pig's feet.
These dishes came with options for black vinegar and spicy seasoning, as well as barbecued or stewed varieties, with a choice of spicy or non-spicy flavors.
They ordered a sampling of it all, though the portions were small, hardly enough for each person to even have a little.
Not to mention the big eater among them, enjoying breakfast there.
No sooner had they placed their orders than the waiter quickly served up an assortment of snacks, including some meats that had been prepared in advance and kept in steamers until served.
The buns were also presented in small steamers, as were the cakes, and besides these, they also ordered noodles and porridge with added meat.
As they indulged in such a lavish meal in the private room, the guards in the main hall settled for more modest fare like noodles with meat, already a breakfast they considered quite a treat.
Ye Jiaxing occasionally glanced at the bustling scene inside the private room, envy creeping in as he silently ate his dog meat noodles.
He couldn't help but feel the sting of disparity. Money might not be everything everywhere, but without it, many things are impossible.
The cost of one night's lodging in this place could be as much as his monthly wage, accentuating the chasm between the wealthy and the common folk. If not for following the Boss to the Capital, they might never have dared to come to Capital City in their entire lives.
Sure, one could walk for a month to reach this place, but what would one eat during such a journey? And even if one made it to Capital City, what could one possibly do here?