Tour of the Serenity Vegetarian Bistro
Helen Parker was sitting on the ground, staring at Margaret Evans in a daze. It took her a while to recognize her—wasn’t this the second daughter-in-law, the one kicked out by the Evans Family, Lily Evans’s mother, Margaret Evans!?
It had only been a few short months, but Margaret Evans had changed so much that Helen Parker almost didn’t recognize her.
Helen Parker rubbed her eyes, unable to believe the woman before her was Margaret Evans. The Margaret Evans she remembered was dark-skinned, skinny, withered like dead leaves, dressed in rags, her eyes timid and full of fear.
But the woman before her, sitting tall on the carriage, had fair skin, a hint of plumpness, a calm and composed demeanor, and wore a finely tailored silk robe. The jewelry she wore could pay for Helen Parker’s living expenses for half a year! At a glance, she was no different from a wealthy lady from the city. Helen Parker stared at Margaret Evans—was this really the same second daughter-in-law she used to bully and mistreat so much?
Looking beside Margaret Evans, even Mrs. Charlotte Evans, the fourth daughter-in-law, was dressed in luxury. And Lily Evans—everyone had the air of people from a wealthy household. Even the carriage had its own driver! Next to Margaret Evans stood a maid, attending to her.
Helen Parker was stunned at first, then her eyes turned sour as if she’d drunk several vats of old vinegar—she was so jealous her eyes turned red. She knew Lily Evans and the others must have seen her being driven out by Mrs. Liu just now, looking utterly miserable. Her face burned with shame, and she jumped up from the ground, grabbed her water bucket, and limped away.
“So strange,” Lily Evans muttered, telling the driver to continue. The group arrived at Tenmile Hill before noon.
Arthur Evans led everyone toward the Serenity Vegetarian Bistro, smiling as he said, “Lily, your fourth uncle found the designer and handled the renovations himself. If there’s anything you don’t like, just tell me and I’ll have it changed.”
As they walked, Lily Evans spotted an elegant gate from afar, with a sign reading ‘Serenity Vegetarian Bistro.’ In front, a bamboo fence enclosed a small patch of earth planted with green bamboo. The whole scene was fresh and refined—truly eye-catching!
“Fourth uncle really has great taste!” Lily Evans praised Arthur Evans as soon as she saw the entrance.
Inside, the bistro was decorated mainly with bamboo—simple and elegant. Shelves were adorned with books and tasteful porcelain vases. The entire Serenity Vegetarian Bistro was themed around the Four Gentlemen: plum, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum. It was so scholarly that, if you didn’t know better, you’d think you’d walked into a refined academy instead of a vegetarian restaurant.
The bistro had two floors and a small garden out back, perfect for moon-gazing and wine-tasting—a truly elegant spot. The heart of the restaurant, the kitchen, was made by knocking three rooms together into a super-sized kitchen, fully equipped and spotlessly clean.
Lily Evans stuck out her tongue at Arthur Evans, giving him a dramatic thumbs-up. "Uncle Arthur, you really are the big boss of Laofuxiang! Nobody else could pull this off—your style is unbeatable! This place is even better than I imagined. No wonder you're a famous tycoon from the South—your taste is simply next level!"
Arthur Evans beamed and quickly waved his hands, "Hey, don't give me all the credit! Your Aunt Charlotte helped a ton. All those clever design details? That's her handiwork." He gently nudged Charlotte Evans forward and pointed at a striking plum blossom relief hanging on the wall. "See that plum blossom? It was originally a hairpin your aunt designed. She had a flash of inspiration and turned it into a wall relief. Isn't it gorgeous, Lily?"
Lily Evans made an exaggerated gasp, affectionately linking arms with Charlotte Evans. "Aunt Charlotte, you’re amazing! No wonder you’re the star jewelry designer at Laofuxiang!"
Lily could see that Uncle Arthur and Aunt Charlotte had truly poured their hearts into the Serenity Vegetarian Bistro. She felt a surge of satisfaction—inviting Uncle Arthur’s family to join as partners was definitely the smartest decision she’d ever made!