Fu Sheng Niang?
Lu Fei pondered this name repeatedly, finding it more flavorful the more he savored it.
"Bring it here for me to see."
"Right away! Please wait a moment!"
The waiter bustled into the inner room. After a while, the same waiter reappeared, leading a middle-aged man.
Before he even arrived, the middle-aged man's voice preceded him, "Hello, esteemed guest! I am the manager here."
He offered a business card.
"My surname is Wan."
Lu Fei took the card and nodded slightly.
Seeing that the other party didn't say much, Manager Wan got straight to the point, "To be honest, we don't usually open Fu Sheng Niang casually. But today we have a distinguished guest, so I'll make an exception and open it for your appraisal!"
Upon hearing Manager Wan's words, the surrounding patrons put down their bowls and cups, all looking over.
They had heard of Fu Sheng Niang long ago, but it was prohibitively expensive, and they had never had the chance to taste it. But today, with the hotel manager promising to open it, even just to smell the aroma would be satisfying.
Is it that precious... Lu Fei muttered inwardly. This sales tactic was exactly like the real estate agents he knew, creating a sense of exclusive VIP treatment. But in reality, their thoughts were:
Ah, here comes another ignoramus. Hurry and rip him off!
Lu Fei curled his lips.
"Then I'll trouble you, Manager Wan."
"Not at all! As long as you enjoy yourself, I'll go through fire and water!" Manager Wan chuckled and snapped his fingers.
Before long, a woman in a qipao with exquisite makeup sashayed in, her hips swaying gracefully.
She held a jar, not large, perhaps only the size of a football. Three characters, written in a bold, flowing script, adorned the jar: "Fu Sheng Niang"!
The onlookers stopped their movements, their gazes fixed on the wine jar, eyes filled with longing.
"Esteemed guest, this is our establishment's renowned signature wine, 'Fu Sheng Niang'!" Manager Wan exclaimed, raising a thumb.
"This Jiuquan Town has countless fine wines, but 'Fu Sheng Niang' is unparalleled among them! It can only be brewed by our establishment!"
Manager Wan spoke with great enthusiasm, but Lu Fei knew nothing about wine. Moreover, these wines weren't for him, so he had no interest in listening to the boasting.
He offered a polite smile.
"Open it then, let me have a taste."
Manager Wan froze, his thoughts racing. "What... what kind of composure is this? Even seasoned connoisseurs are captivated and lost in the aroma the first time they smell Fu Sheng Niang, but he..."
This made him doubt whether the man truly understood wine. However, the receptionist had said that an expert wine taster had come in and, upon arrival, had immediately asked for the best wine in the house!
This led to the scene where, as soon as he entered the hall, he began treating Lu Fei as an esteemed guest.
He shot a questioning glance at the waiter. The waiter, seeing this, nodded quickly. Once their gazes shifted away, the waiter breathed a sigh of relief.
He had just made it up. The reason was simple: a customer who looked interested in "Fu Sheng Niang" had finally arrived, and he couldn't miss such an opportunity. If it worked out, he could get a good commission.
"What are you waiting for?" Lu Fei asked, seeing Manager Wan's delay.
"Oh! Oh oh oh..."
"I'll let you taste it right away!"
Manager Wan rolled up his sleeves and carefully broke the seal on the Fu Sheng Niang. Just as a small opening was made, a rich wine aroma wafted out. Some of the connoisseurs among the patrons clapped their hands, exclaiming, "Damn! What good wine!"
"Vulgar!" someone rebuked, then recited, "This wine is only found in heaven; how often can mortals smell it!"
"You're cultured, I'm not. Is it wrong for me to just say 'damn'?"
"Damn! Damn! Damn!.... Heh heh..."
Two onlookers inexplicably started arguing.
Manager Wan took a wine ladle and a delicate, miniature white jade cup from the qipao-clad beauty. He carefully scooped up a ladleful and poured it into the cup. Only when the ladle was empty did he re-seal the jar, fearful of even a drop spilling onto the floor.
Seeing this, the patrons who couldn't afford Fu Sheng Niang leaned closer, their eyes rapturous, licking their lips like infatuated admirers.
Manager Wan respectfully handed the white jade cup, half-filled with Fu Sheng Niang, to Lu Fei and said softly, "Please taste it."
The patrons couldn't help but lean in, as if smelling more would be a great gain for them.
Those who considered themselves cultured patrons nodded sagely, saying, "Such fine wine must be sipped with great care, tasting it first with the tip, then the middle, and finally the root of the tongue before swallowing, to truly appreciate its flavor!"
"Indeed! Merely smelling this aroma makes one linger and forget to return. This trip today was truly worth it!"
Lu Fei looked at everyone with surprise.
Flying Sky Maotai, this precious... He then raised the cup and drank it down in one go, no different from drinking a cup of plain water.
After finishing, he even frowned and smacked his lips.
Finally, he gave a lukewarm evaluation: "Not bad."
Everyone stood stunned, coincidentally thinking the same four words in their hearts: "A waste of good stuff!"
Manager Wan was dumbfounded, his hand holding the wine ladle trembling slightly.
"It's over... Could this be a cheapskate trying to scam free wine..."
Lu Fei glanced sideways, catching the looks from everyone. "Do you want some too?"
Everyone retreated, their thoughts aligning with Manager Wan's: this person clearly didn't understand wine, otherwise, why would he waste it like this? What if he was just a freeloader looking for free drinks, and if he clung to them, it would be troublesome!
With a glimmer of hope, Manager Wan cautiously asked, "Then shall I pack a jar for you?"
"How much per jar?"
"One hundred thousand per jar."
"One hundred thousand?" Lu Fei exclaimed in surprise.
Seeing his reaction, Manager Wan's heart leaped. It was over; he had truly been duped. He glared at the waiter, blaming him entirely for deceiving him, which led to this mistake.
He had already started contemplating a salary deduction.
However, the next moment, a sound like celestial music reached his ears.
"Then just give me ten jars."
"Also, I'll give you a million as a deposit. You can prepare a thousand or so more jars of good wine for me, and I'll give you an address later to arrange for delivery."
"And also find me a few workers, I need to build a wine cellar."
Suddenly, the entire winery fell silent...
In a daze, Manager Wan accepted Lu Fei's deposit. When the money hit his account, it still felt somewhat unreal.
Lu Fei walked towards the exit.
He glanced at the patrons all around, their jaws nearly hitting the floor, and announced loudly, "Manager Wan, the Fu Sheng Niang that was opened just now, consider it a gift for all my friends here to sample."
The next moment, Manager Wan's eyes beheld a sight like a locust swarm.
In mere moments, even his clothes were torn and tattered. The beautiful girl in the qipao also suffered. Her private parts were exposed, revealing smooth, fair flesh, and she fled with a scream...