Blissful Days After Widowhood - Chapter 506

Food of Heaven’s literary gathering took place in mid-November when the weather had already turned cold. At that time, Gu Yin was nearly five months pregnant and found it inconvenient to move around, so she couldn’t personally attend. Instead, she entrusted Ge Zhu to represent her and oversee the event.

The literary gathering attracted a good number of literati and scholars, though not an overwhelming turnout. Some scholars, who held themselves in high esteem, were put off when they learned that women could participate. Gu Yin had encountered many such men who looked down on women since she opened the store, so she intentionally excluded them from the event to avoid causing annoyance and to maintain a pleasant atmosphere.

During the literary gathering, impromptu topics were given, allowing participants to write poems, lyrics, or articles without being constrained by specific forms. The final rankings were determined by anonymous on-the-spot voting, with the top three winners receiving prizes.

Three prizes were up for grabs. First, a VIP voucher from Food of Heaven containing a hundred taels of silver. Moreover, if the winner was interested in the hard-to-get play on the fifth floor, they could enjoy priority seating with this voucher. The other two prizes were an inkstone and a wolf-hair brush, each valued at over a hundred taels.

On the day of the literary gathering, the second floor of Food of Heaven was reserved in advance for this event.

Xu Qingchuan arrived early, ordered a pot of tea, and sipped it leisurely.

As more people gradually filled the second floor, others arrived with their partners and friends, occupying full tables. Only Xu Qingchuan’s table had empty seats.

“Excuse me, may I join this table?” A young man wearing a large cloak and an azure silk jacket with a round collar approached him.

Xu Qingchuan raised his eyes and saw a fair and handsome face, a blend of elegance and beauty, making it impossible to distinguish between masculine and feminine features.

“Please go ahead,” Xu Qingchuan politely offered half of the table.

The young woman, upon closer inspection, revealed herself to be no young man but a maiden in her prime.

After seating herself, the young woman surveyed the restaurant and muttered in a slightly regretful tone, “If I had known, I wouldn’t have dressed up like this.”

The implication was clear—she thought the literary gathering was primarily for men, hence her choice of attire.

Upon hearing this, Xu Qingchuan couldn’t help but smile.

The young woman’s regret didn’t last long, as her ordered food quickly arrived.

All the delicacies were crafted by Gu Yin and exclusively provided for the third-floor.

With both male and female attendees at the literary gathering, everyone could freely place their orders.

Observing the slender young woman indulging in five or six sweet treats, Xu Qingchuan couldn’t help but sigh as she finally touched her belly, reluctantly setting down the last piece of shaqima.

Although Xu Qingchuan was reserved by nature, seeing her vibrant expression, he couldn’t help but curve his lips.

After savoring her sweets, the young woman, sensing his harmless smile, returned it with confidence, saying, “I grew up in Yunyang, not a noble in the capital. I haven’t tasted these delicacies before, so I couldn’t resist trying a few. I hope you don’t mind, Brother.”

Xu Qingchuan shook his head slightly, “Sis… Brother need not say so. The desserts here are unique, and I used to enjoy them a lot. You’ve shown remarkable restraint.”

The young woman smiled and said, “So, Brother also has a sweet tooth. We share the same taste.”

The two chatted and exchanged surnames. Xu Qingchuan learned that the young woman’s surname was Xie.

However, Xu Qingchuan didn’t probe further to confirm her gender. Instead, they engaged in light conversation, with Xu Qingchuan responding to whatever she said.

With guests gathered, Ge Zhu took charge of hosting the literary gathering. She randomly selected a winter-themed topic from the slips of paper and gave the various literati and scholars two-quarters of an hour to prepare.

Writing a poem about winter scenery was easy, but crafting an exceptional one was challenging.

Two-quarters of an hour might seem either lengthy or short, depending on whether one was composing an article, poem, or lyrics. Ms. Xie and Xu Qingchuan both composed a poem on the spot.

Ms. Xie’s verses were more adorned with eloquent language, while Xu Qingchuan’s verses were more pragmatic and plain. Both unconsciously used personification to express their feelings—one leveraging snow to express yearning for loved ones, the other articulating concerns about the livelihoods of the common people during the harsh winter.

After the votes were cast, Xu Qingchuan emerged as the winner by a narrow margin.

Although Ms. Xie gracefully accepted defeat, Xu Qingchuan modestly deferred.

When it came time to distribute the prizes among the top three, Xu Qingchuan naturally had the first pick.

The three prizes were of equal value, and Xu Qingchuan initially intended to casually choose one. However, it seemed the young woman had already set her sights on something. She stood beside him, holding her breath, watching attentively as he made his selection.

As Xu Qingchuan’s hand landed on the VIP voucher, her blossom eyes immediately drooped, and she appeared somewhat dejected.

Xu Qingchuan paused for a moment, then picked up the inkstone nearby. Only at that moment did she instantly perk up and her eyes were full of smiles.

This reaction was vivid and animated, reminding Xu Qingchuan of a little cat he had raised back in Hanshan Town. It was not only greedy but also adorable, making him laugh heartily.

Though the literary gathering’s process was simple, it took considerable time because each person had to recite their poems to the audience and then conduct voting. By the time it concluded, dusk had settled outside.