Stockpiling for an Exiled General Through My Store's Back Door

Chapter 16: Chapter 16: Opportunity Comes Knocking

Hua Buwan observed the old man’s exuberant expression. Compared to his demeanor yesterday, it was as if he had two completely different personalities.

She could easily tell that he genuinely adored his wife. Whenever he was with her, he radiated that boyish energy men seemed to retain no matter their age.

”Of course I don’t mind. Please, have a seat,” Hua Buwan said charmingly, even standing up to pull out a chair for the elderly woman.

The old man’s eyes immediately widened in exasperation. He thought, ”This little girl really lacks tact.”

Seeing that Hua Buwan had stolen his job of pulling out the chair, he ignored all sense of decorum and scurried forward to reclaim his position.

Catching on, Hua Buwan tactfully stepped aside. She had noticed that the first floor was already completely packed with no empty seats left. Even the second floor was full—she had overheard the passing lobby manager and waiters muttering about the lack of tables. Any new customers walking in would have to wait. That was exactly why she had agreed to let them join her; she didn’t want the elderly couple to go through any more trouble.

Once his wife sat down, the old man took the seat right beside her.

At that moment, a nearby waiter stepped forward to bring them two sets of tableware, and the chrysanthemum tea Hua Buwan had ordered earlier was served. ℯℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

As the waiter set things down, she smiled at the couple. ”You two have such a filial granddaughter! She came early to grab a table for you. If you had arrived any later, you would’ve had to wait outside for at least fifteen or twenty minutes for a seat.”

The elderly couple was visibly surprised. They hadn’t realized they were actually benefiting from the young woman’s early arrival, much less that they had been mistaken for her grandparents.

The old man lowered his eyes guiltily. He thought, ”Oops, I completely misunderstood her. The little girl didn’t want to be a third wheel; she was just worried we wouldn’t have a place to sit.”

If she had refused earlier, they would have been left without a table, awkwardly standing by the entrance and craning their necks. That would have been much more embarrassing. Thank goodness the young woman hadn’t listened to him.

After the waiter left, before Hua Buwan could even lift a finger, the old man stood up and grabbed the kettle of hot water to scald their tableware and cups. Everyone in Sea City shared this customary habit when dining out—rinsing everything with boiling water to sterilize and disinfect it.

”Is chrysanthemum tea alright?” Hua Buwan asked. Seeing both of them nod, she poured tea for them.

The dim sum and buns she had ordered began to arrive one after another. The old man handed the menu to his wife so she could pick out a few of her favorites. Just like that, the three of them successfully shared a table.

As they chatted, Hua Buwan learned that the elderly woman had quite a formidable background. Her ancestral home was a courtyard house located right next to the Imperial Palace in Capital City. Tracing back her lineage, her ancestors had been high-ranking officials in the Court. Almost every object in her family’s home was an antique, and even the floorboards they walked on were centuries old.

It turned out the old man’s master was her father. While apprenticing under him, he had conveniently stolen the heart of his master’s daughter.

The old man’s name was Feng Chengde, and he was seventy-nine years old this year. His wife was named Wen Erya, currently seventy-six.

Hua Buwan’s eyes lit up the moment she heard the name. What a cultured and elegant name! She memorized it instantly and loved it.

Wen Erya also felt that the young woman sitting across from her was very much to her liking. She specifically extended an invitation, ”I heard from my old man that you like antiques as well, Buwan. There’s an auction happening in town in a few days, mostly attended by old friends. Would you like to go, Buwan? Why don’t you accompany an old woman like me to take a look? My husband has a friend’s birthday banquet to attend in a few days, so he won’t have time for me.”

Hua Buwan felt that her luck had been off the charts ever since she moved into the supermarket.

First, she had been bound to a system that came with a spatial dimension. Then, she had opened the Any Door and brought over Ling Qianjun from a thousand years ago. Previously, she had wanted to attend an auction but was just a nobody without the resources or connections to do so. Who could have imagined that by simply coming out for morning tea today, the opportunity would be handed to her on a silver platter!

”I’d love to! I’ll go with you!”