Of course, in order to receive the first group of guests today, I was anxious about whether they would actually arrive as promised.
Before we had guests, we didn’t open this place, so some of the materials and items in the estate weren’t prepared. Since yesterday and today, we have started preparing food.
If the guests don’t come today, the prepared food may go to waste, although condiments can last longer.
The weather isn’t hot yet, so the meat can also be kept for a little while longer. I hope that our first deal will be successful and our reputation will take off.
Ye Shiqi glanced at her elder sisters, not wanting to just sit here; she thought about walking around the estate.
Seeing their younger sister leave the living room, her elder sisters and the little maid followed.
Ye Shiqi was taking in the estate, which wasn’t designed like a typical fish pond. It looked like the fish pond of a wealthy family, not planted with ordinary reeds.
Fruit trees were planted, and the estate had a garden with well-kept flowers, plants, and trees suitable for the Southern climate. They weren’t considered precious, nor were they ordinary wildflowers.
Occasionally, she also noticed this was not an ordinary bamboo grove; this bamboo was decorative bamboo, specially purchased from elsewhere, with some even being purple.
Ye Shiqi observed this type of purple bamboo and thought that it could be used to make flutes.
This was a type of material that craftsmen could use to make musical instruments and also serve as decorative bamboo.
It would usually be found in temples or the gardens of wealthy families.
Ye Shiqi, looking at these bamboos, felt that even though a single stalk seemed quite precious, it must have some practical value now that it was planted in their estate.
"Little maid, go call over my Uncle."
Li Zhijun appeared before them, with the little maid lagging behind.
"Niece, what do you need me for?"
Li Zhijun, while waiting at the entrance of the estate to greet guests, saw a number of carriages and various vehicles pass by on the road, but none that seemed interested in entering their estate.
He knew he was too anxious; coming from the county early in the morning, he would have to wait a bit longer for guests to arrive. When the little maid called for him, he instructed the gatekeeper to report any arriving guests.
"Uncle, have you prepared the fishing rods for when the guests arrive?"
Li Zhijun, upon hearing his little niece’s question, revealed a confident smile and said:
"Ha, haha, my niece, the moment I heard your message, I understood. You certainly meant for those Young Masters to come fishing, and prepare fishing rods!"
Ye Shiqi looked at her uncle, a man in his thirties.
This was the age when a man was most charming, but his charm didn’t come from being handsome or suave. It emanated naturally from his confidence, as she was witnessing now.
It was the demeanor of a man who already had a wife and had achieved success in his career.
This wasn’t something you could sense from a young lad; it was the charm of a mature man!
"Hmm, then take me to see those fishing rods."
Ye Shiqi followed her uncle to inspect the fishing rods, with her elder sisters and others tagging along.
"Niece, what do you think of these fishing tools?"
Li Zhijun didn’t feel embarrassed as an adult asking a little girl such questions.
He always felt that sometimes his concerns as an adult weren’t as profound as those of a little girl.
"Uncle, did you make these fishing rods according to the traditional fishing method?"
Ye Shiqi looked at the simple fishing rods, each just a bamboo pole with a fishing line and a hook attached; could these simple rods really catch fish?
Li Zhijun... Was his lack of confidence because he thought his handmade fishing rods were too rudimentary?
Ye Shiqi knew some things wouldn’t be understood even if she explained, so she simply fetched some paper and a pen.
She recalled when she had gone fishing with friends abroad. They said contemporary fishing rods were very impressive.
At that time, she didn’t believe it, and she didn’t know how to use the rod until her male friend explained it and caught many big fish with it.
Out of curiosity, she asked whether her friend learned to fish and got the fishing rod in their home country or bought it abroad, and if the fishing skills in their own country were that good.
Her friend said that fishing had become popular in their country, that the fishing rods were excellent, and that both men and women enjoyed fishing as a leisurely pastime.
At that moment, she thought that once she returned home, she would definitely try fishing at a local spot.
And she also wanted to admire the skills of fishing masters and see who was the better angler compared to her friend.