At first, people just watched Lu Ping and Wu Yao on the stage out of curiosity. But later, when they found out that they were promoting wine, they felt more at ease.
These days, shops would come up with all sorts of tricks to sell their goods. Years ago, the Treasure Pavilion on Changming Street even held an auction to sell newly - arrived jade pendants. Even a restaurant like Mu Yun Pavilion had holiday sales. So what was so strange about this Li Family Wine Shop getting two good - looking men to perform a drinking show?
Moreover, these two men were extremely good - looking. They had broad shoulders, narrow waists, sword - like eyebrows and starry eyes. Especially the lines of their arms, which tightened their clothes, clearly showed that they were strong and not weak scholars.
Gradually, more and more people gathered at the street corner. Their gazes on Lu Ping and Wu Yao on the flower - decorated stage became hotter and hotter.
Lu Ping's face was flushed red. He tried his best to steady his hand holding the glazed wine cup so that it wouldn't tremble. He maintained a calm expression and steadily brought the wine to his mouth. He couldn't say a word because he couldn't even taste the wine! But after finishing one cup, there was another. Chun Tao quickly filled another cup for him and signaled with her eyes: Say your lines!
On the contrary, Wu Yao gradually became more at ease. He held the glazed wine jug and shouted, "Ah! Beautiful wine... How lovely you are!"
A woman asked Chun Tao, "Whose sons are they? Why haven't I seen them before?"
Chun Tao quickly scooped up a bowl of wine for her. "Auntie, they are the clerks of our Li Family Wine Shop and also the cousin of our boss!"
"Clerks? Can clerks be this good - looking?"
"Of course! Our boss has high standards. She says that good - looking clerks make better - tasting wine. Don't believe it? Try it. Our wine is definitely better than that of other places!"
Chun Tao spoke fast and moved quickly. Before the woman could react, she was half - coaxed and half - pushed into drinking a bowl of wine.
A blush quickly appeared on the woman's face. "Not bad! It's really good. It's fragrant and sweet!"
She said the last four words while looking at Lu Ping and Wu Yao. It was hard to tell whether she was referring to the men or the wine.
Lu Ping's face was so red that it seemed to drip blood.
After drinking three bowls of wine, Wu Yao completely let loose. "The Li Family Wine Shop offers nectar with a lingering aftertaste!" As he said this, he tilted his head back, raised the wine jug with one hand, and let the clear wine pour into his mouth from mid - air. The fragrant wine wet his cheeks and clothes, making Wu Yao's handsome features look like a newly - painted scroll, bold and vivid. The fragrance of the wine filled the air.
The people below the stage were stunned. The crowd surged forward. "Give me a cup!" "Let me have a taste too!"
The crowd surrounded the flower - decorated stage and kept asking, "How old are you, young masters? Where are you from? Are you engaged?"
Seeing that Chun Tao was really too busy, Li Wanming came to help. She said, "It's not difficult to find out these things. The Li Family Wine Shop is right in this street. As long as you buy wine there, you're sure to see them!"
...
When they were calculating the accounts at night, Chun Tao exclaimed, "Miss, all ten jars of the wine we brewed have been sold out!"
Li Wanming rubbed her arms. "Not exactly sold out. We had a buy - one - get - one - free promotion today. Plus the wine that Lu Ping and Wu Yao drank, we didn't even make back our cost. But it doesn't matter. We've established our name. At least people now know that there's a wine shop here."
Chun Tao said, "When the wine was all sold out at the end, I saw the ladies and girls were so reluctant to leave! I'm afraid they'll break our threshold as soon as we open the door tomorrow!"
"So tomorrow we need to prepare more wine. Let Lu Ping and Wu Yao stand at the door to pour wine for the guests!"
Xiao Jingnan put down the book in his hand and raised his eyebrows. "You still want Lu Ping and Wu Yao to attract customers tomorrow?"
Li Wanming replied, "Yes. You saw how popular they were today!"
Li Wanming had long thought that this method would work, but she didn't expect it to be so effective. In the end, people on the whole street were practically pushing forward desperately.
Led by Wu Yao, Lu Ping also gradually relaxed later.
Wasn't it just drinking? Where couldn't he drink? Moreover, in the end, Lu Ping seemed to be infected by the atmosphere on the spot, and a wave of enthusiasm welled up in his heart. He was a bodyguard and had always been in Xiao Jingnan's shadow for so many years. This seemed to be the first time that he was in the spotlight.
So when Li Wanming told them about the arrangement for tomorrow, Lu Ping was a bit shy for a while but then readily agreed!
Li Wanming was very happy. She looked at them appreciatively. "You two are so good - looking, and today's clothes fit you so well. You're really rare handsome men. It's really suitable for you to stand in front to attract customers!"
Lu Ping and Wu Yao both smiled shyly and went out with Chun Tao to prepare the wine to be sold tomorrow.
The flame of the lamp wick flickered, casting a blush on Li Wanming's delicate nose. She was concentrating on counting the money and keeping accounts. She looked very happy.
After a while, Xiao Jingnan suddenly asked, "Are they really that good - looking?"
"What's that good - looking?" Li Wanming didn't understand at first.
"I mean Lu Ping and Wu Yao."
His tone was a bit strange, as if he had eaten too many sour plums and his voice had become hoarse.
Li Wanming didn't even raise her head. "Of course. Lu Ping and Wu Yao are not just one in a hundred. Their looks are outstanding! You didn't see the grand occasion today. When we said we were going to pack up, people were so reluctant to leave."
"Are you going to set up another stage tomorrow?"
"No. We'll start normal business from tomorrow. The more beautiful a person is, the more we should keep them hidden. Let those who want to see them come to the shop. By the way, I have to buy two more sets of clothes for Lu Ping and Wu Yao. From now on, they'll be the signboard of our shop!"
After a long time, Xiao Jingnan said sullenly, "I also want to be a waiter."
Li Wanming was surprised. "Didn't you say that your sense of taste is sensitive and you're suitable to be a wine taster? You just stay in the back to taste the wine and help me adjust the formula. Don't make trouble!"
Each batch of wine would be affected by air, temperature, and humidity, resulting in slight differences in the wine made from the same formula. So adjustments were needed during the second - stage filtration. Xiao Jingnan's picky palate was most suitable for this task.
"I don't care. I want to be a waiter." Xiao Jingnan said stubbornly.
Li Wanming didn't know what was wrong with him, so she had to agree. "Okay, okay, okay. You be a waiter. I, Chun Tao, Cai Wei, and Qing Lan will be in the kitchen."
In the following days, the business of the wine shop really got better and better. The whole Pingkangfang gradually knew that there was a wine shop here. The wine brewed was mellow and delicious, and the clerks in the shop were handsome.
However, most of the customers were women. Eighty percent of the daily customers were women.
Inspired by this, Li Wanming suddenly thought, why couldn't she brew a special wine for women? Didn't women need to relax after heavy housework? Couldn't women invite a few good friends for a little drink?
A little drink for pleasure shouldn't be a man's exclusive right!
To hell with all those virtues of chastity, gentleness, and propriety!
She wanted to give the women in this world a reason to indulge!