Chapter 1654: Chapter 1654

Lin Yuan tightly closed her eyes, took one last deep look at Xia Zheng, and slowly relaxed her tightly clenched fist before whispering softly, "Let’s go!"

Yaner was stunned. Just as she processed what Lin Yuan had said, she saw Su Qiuyu suddenly collapse to the ground in just two steps with no warning, her lips completely devoid of color!

Meanwhile, He Lienuo stood in shock, his mouth gaping wide enough to fit an entire egg!

"That, that outfit, why does it look so familiar?"

The short man’s eyes darted about as he peered over his master’s arm at Lin Yuan outside. He raised an eyebrow and muttered, "It seems... it looks just like the outfit of that ugly girl—cough, cough—the outfit of the most beautiful woman in history!"

He Lienuo slapped his forehead and nodded furiously. It really was identical to that ugly girl’s outfit, save for the embroidery being different!

Could the two of them know each other?

As he pondered over this, He Lienuo’s attention was quickly drawn to the commotion below.

Madam Ming, dressed in the same deep purple cheongsam, smiled warmly and waved to the crowd from below, immediately silencing the murmurs.

Although Madam Ming’s husband’s family had previously run tea houses, she had never stepped into the spotlight herself. Were it not for their business falling into ruin, she wouldn’t be standing in today’s public scene.

For her first time hosting such a grand occasion, it was impossible to say she wasn’t nervous.

Seeing that all the attention was now focused on her, Madam Ming’s lips trembled slightly, and her hands clenched tightly inside her sleeves out of reflex.

Just as Lin Yuan thought she might falter, Madam Ming’s lips curved gently into a faint smile, and she flawlessly delivered the opening remarks she had practiced countless times.

"Everyone, welcome to the opening ceremony of our Idle Tea House. As many of you know, Idle Tea House may be a tea establishment, but it’s unlike any ordinary one. Here, we feature elegant tea ceremony performances as well as captivating storytelling sessions. Naturally, Idle Tea House also offers the most fragrant and authentic teas. We assure you, you’ll come with anticipation and leave with satisfaction..."

Listening to Madam Ming speak so confidently, Lin Yuan nodded silently in approval. It turned out to be much better than she had imagined, especially since this was the first time she’d handed over all the opening tasks to someone else.

The result? Pretty good!

Once she finished her speech, Madam Ming let out a subtle sigh of relief. Indeed, diligence pays off—more practice does lead to improvement!

"Next, I invite the two bosses of Idle Tea House to cut the ribbon!"

The audience exchanged puzzled looks and stretched their necks to see the two figures standing gracefully at the door. Before they could see any movement, the group of men who had been standing quietly to the side suddenly began playing their instruments.

Some beat large drums, some struck gongs, and others blew peculiar pipe-like instruments clustered with multiple slim tubes.

Though these sounds were far less refined and elegant than the lute or zither played by women in boudoirs, when their various tones mixed together, it produced a peculiar sensation—one that was incredibly stirring and exhilarating!

Amid the drum and musical clamor, Lin Yuan and Tian Hui each took scissors wrapped in red ribbons offered by the maids. Smiling at one another, they walked toward three potted plants covered in red silk cloth placed before them.

As the two approached, maids promptly removed the silk coverings from the pots, revealing lush tea trees inside!

Their fresh green leaves were vibrant, with dense and flourishing branches, and a faint tea aroma wafted gently with the breeze. Such vivid greenery in the frigid winter seemed as dazzling as sunlight, warming and refreshing everyone’s hearts.

The three tea trees were tied together at their waists with bright red silk ribbons, symbolizing unity, connection, and festive cheer like newlywed couples.

Yet, such joyous ribbons were unexpectedly cut apart by Lin Yuan and Tian Hui with their scissors!

The crowd gasped in shock and sadness, involuntarily letting out exclamations, though after their surprise, understanding dawned upon them.

Ribbon cutting—cutting the ribbon, of course! No wonder the two of them had been holding scissors!

As the red silk ribbons were cut, Madam Ming took the lead in applauding, smiling as she declared, "Ribbon cutting successful! May wealth flow in endlessly!"

Her words barely settled before several business-savvy observers grasped the meaning behind them. So ribbon cutting symbolizes continuous wealth—what an ingenious idea!

Realization struck them, and quite a few people began pondering silently to themselves, thinking that they would adopt this method for their own openings someday. Ribbon cutting to start strong—what a fantastic omen!

"Everyone, next comes the auspicious moment you’ve all been waiting for!"

Madam Ming waved cheerfully and called out loudly, "Whoever catches the lucky token will receive a gift upon entering the shop!"