Chapter Thirty-Five: Is This the Road to Ruin?

"Another stomach?" Luo Chen tugged at the corner of his mouth. Could it be that his sister's body was constructed differently from ordinary people? Should he have her undergo a physical examination? Well, he didn't have the courage for that just yet.

"How about we eat outside, then?" Luo Chen sighed; it wasn't as if he could cook himself. After tasting his own cooking last time, Luo Chen had never entertained the idea of cooking again.

"Let's go to the Food Street!" Hearing the prospect of going out, Luo Tianyi tossed aside the half-eaten bag of snacks and eagerly put on her shoes, ready to leave.

"Don't even think about it!" Luo Chen remembered all too well the million yuan debt hanging over his head. Now that he had finally saved a little, he couldn't afford to squander it. If he did, he'd never be able to repay that debt.

When she realized it wasn't the paradise she'd imagined, Luo Tianyi's face clouded over, standing her ground and fixing Luo Chen with a stare.

"Alright, anything but Food Street," Luo Chen relented. He couldn't bear to see his sister disappointed, and after all, it wasn't as if he had no money. As long as it wasn't Food Street, a meal or two wouldn't cost much.

"Eh? Anything at all?" Luo Tianyi tilted her head in thought, then nodded. For some reason, Luo Chen suddenly had a bad feeling.

The Celestial Pavilion, an abbreviation for the Celestial Cuisine Pavilion, was renowned for offering the finest specialty dishes from all over China. If Food Street was a collection of most of the nation's snacks, then the Celestial Pavilion was a showcase of regional delicacies. It was said to have the best ingredients, the top chefs, the most comprehensive menu, and the highest prices. Of course, this was only rumor, and sitting here, Luo Chen refused to believe it—how could it be so expensive?

Luo Chen felt that this so-called Qingshui City ought to be renamed Food City. What other city had so many strange places?

"Tianyi, maybe we should just go to Food Street," Luo Chen said with a wry smile. The Celestial Pavilion wasn't any better.

"No way! We already tried everything there last time," Luo Tianyi replied, smiling at him.

Hmph, how dare he disparage Sister Yanhe—didn't he know that was an important livelihood?

"Waiter, I'd like donkey meat buns, sticky rice pork, sweet and sour pork, Dongpo pork, donkey rolls, boiled shrimp, and Buddha Jumps Over the Wall." Luo Tianyi scanned the menu, each dish looking irresistibly delicious. Should she just order them all?

"None of these!" Luo Chen snatched the menu away, eyeing the prices—hundreds at least, thousands at most—and decisively canceled all the dishes Luo Tianyi had ordered. It wasn't that he couldn't pay, but if they kept eating like this, he'd go bankrupt sooner or later. In a few days, he'd be selling his house.

"Ah, ah, listen to me!" Luo Tianyi puffed her cheeks angrily, flashing her tiny tiger teeth at the bewildered waiter, though it had little effect.

Luo Chen chuckled at his sister's attempt to intimidate the waiter. Usually, it's the one paying who gets listened to. Unexpectedly, the waiter took note of every dish, then promptly turned and walked away, leaving Luo Chen and Luo Tianyi staring at each other.

"What... what's going on?" Luo Chen wondered, watching the departing waiter. Didn't they worry about customers not being able to pay?

"Hehe," Luo Tianyi shot her brother a provocative glance, then returned to studying the menu.

Luo Chen watched the waiter's retreating figure and ultimately didn't have the heart to stop him. He couldn't embarrass his own sister, after all. As for the debt, it would just have to wait.

Luo Chen could only mourn for Luo Song for a few seconds—not that he didn't want to repay him, but he really had no money. If he couldn't pay up in time, he'd just borrow some people from Yanhe to block the door. Anyway, Yanhe wasn't exactly a saint.

Within half an hour, over a dozen dishes were brought out in succession. Luo Chen's heart bled at the sight of the sumptuous feast—so much money, all money!

Luo Tianyi seemed oblivious to her brother's conflicted expression, grabbing a large piece of meat and biting into it with satisfaction.

"Luo Chen, aren't you eating?" she asked, puzzled. It was so delicious, after all.

She picked up a dish in front of Luo Chen and tried it herself. It was quite tasty.

Luo Chen glanced at his happily eating sister. Oh well, they'd ordered anyway—he might as well eat. After sampling a few bites, he realized the high prices weren't without reason; at least, the food was truly excellent.

Sadly, no matter how good it tasted, it couldn't ease Luo Chen's pain—this was a meal that sent his finances back to square one.

At noon, twelve o'clock, the peak hour at the Celestial Pavilion, the gentle background music faded away, replaced by a melody Luo Chen knew all too well.

"Steamed buns, barbecue pork buns, custard sesame bean paste buns.
Big meat buns, vegetable buns, and soup-filled buns.
Food is in man's hands, fate is in heaven, ages pass in the blink of an eye.
Only at the feast, a thousand years of abundance never change."

The ballad softly echoed through the Celestial Pavilion, and the entire hall fell silent. Even the diners seemed to pause, listening quietly to this unfamiliar yet melodious song.

"Waiter, did your boss commission someone to compose this song recently? It's quite nice—how come I've never heard it before?" asked a man in his thirties at the next table. Such a pleasant tune, so fitting for the Celestial Pavilion, had never been played before. Listening to it while dining, his appetite had increased.

"No wonder the Celestial Pavilion's expenses are so high—the owner really knows how to spend. Composing such a fitting song must have cost a lot."

"That's why it's so expensive here; the owner certainly has taste."

Many diners nearby praised the owner’s thoughtfulness. The expense might be nothing, but such an atmospheric song required special care—and to find a suitable singer was no small feat.

The sweet, delicate, and gentle voice moved many middle-aged men to declare they could now eat several more bowls of rice.

The waiter, however, had no idea how to respond. Knowing a bit about the inside story, he understood the song hadn't been commissioned by their boss. Though they had the original creator's permission, it was only authorized as the Celestial Pavilion’s featured music.

But could he contradict them? Unless he didn’t want his job, he absolutely couldn’t say otherwise.

With so many loyal patrons looking at him expectantly, he dare not utter a word of dissent.

Faced with so many attentive eyes, the waiter steeled himself.

Thanks to the readers "Guarding Your Smile," "Big Gourmet Youyouzi," for their reward of 100 Starting Coins—throwing flowers. Also, thanks to "Guarding Your Smile" for helping promote this book. As for extra chapters, I’d love to add more. If I have drafts, I’ll add them.