Courtyard Houses: From Bronze Compasses to Global Reach

Chapter 183: The Hotel's "Gourmet Food" and the Brothers' "Plastic Friendship"

After more than five hours of bumpy mountain roads, when they arrived at the luxury hotel in South Lake Tahoe, even the energetic Li Wenbin and Zheng Jiaming couldn't help but show signs of fatigue. Tang Liuqian carefully supported Yang Xi'en, clearly indicating that the long journey had taken a toll on the woman.

Seeing the slightly tired looks on his friends' faces, Lin Yan gave up the idea of ​​going out to find food and decided to have a simple dinner at the hotel restaurant.

However, when they entered the hotel's restaurant, which had a rustic, mountain-style decor but an extremely "American minimalist" menu, Lin Yan's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. The menu offered very few choices, mainly consisting of burgers, fries, and hot dogs, with perhaps a few salads and soups.

"This stuff... even a dog wouldn't eat it." Lin Yan thought to himself, but his face remained expressionless. For him, whose palate had already been spoiled by Wang Yuling and the food from his spatial dimension, these standardized American fast foods were not even as good as dog food.

The waiter quickly brought their food. Looking at the large hamburger in front of him, which was made with substantial ingredients but clearly exuded an industrial feel, Lin Yan could almost picture the dry texture of the beef patty and the monotonous taste of the sauce. Without much hesitation, he casually pushed his almost untouched hamburger plate in front of Li Wenbin, who was eagerly anticipating his hamburger.

"Wenbin, you can have this too, I'm not very hungry," Lin Yan said calmly.

Li Wenbin was taken aback at first, then his face lit up with immense emotion and joy. He took the plate with both hands as if it were a precious treasure, and proudly raised his chin at Zheng Jiaming and Tang Liuqian across from him, his tone full of boasting:

"See that! See that! Ah Yan still cares about me the most! He knows I'm growing and is afraid I won't have enough to eat, so he doesn't eat any himself and saves it all for me! That's what brothers are for! That's what it means to show favoritism!" As he spoke, he patted Lin Yan's shoulder hard, in a touching gesture of "good brothers for life".

Zheng Jiaming, who was sitting opposite him, had just taken a sip of coffee when he heard Li Wenbin's "heartfelt" speech and saw his smug look. He couldn't help but "pfft" and almost spat his coffee directly onto Li Wenbin's face, which was full of "emotion"!

"Cough cough cough..." Zheng Jiaming coughed several times, choked by the fumes, and quickly picked up a napkin to wipe his mouth.

Li Wenbin let out a disgusted "Ow!" and jumped back a considerable distance, chair and all, staring at Zheng Jiaming in horror: "Hey! Zheng Jiaming! What are you doing! Aren't you dirty?!"

Zheng Jiaming finally caught his breath, lifted his eyelids, and looked at the still-shaken Li Wenbin with a pitying gaze, as if he were looking at a fool, ruthlessly shattering his beautiful illusion:

"Wenbin, is it possible... that Ayan simply thought the burger was too awful and just tossed it to you to avoid wasting food?"

The entire dining table fell silent for a second after those words were spoken.

immediately--

"Pfft..." This was Yang Xi'en's involuntary laugh as she covered her mouth.

"Hahaha..." This was Tang Liuqian's unrestrained laughter.

Even Lin Gang, who was standing behind Lin Yan and always had a serious expression, twitched at the corner of his mouth, as if he was trying his best to endure it.

The emotion and pride on Li Wenbin's face froze instantly, then crumbled little by little. He turned to look at Lin Yan in disbelief, trying to get a negative answer from him.

Lin Yan elegantly picked up a napkin to wipe his hands, stood up expressionlessly, as if acquiescing to Zheng Jiaming's "accusation," and left only the words: "You guys eat slowly, I'm a little tired, I'll go back to my room to rest first."

Li Wenbin was left alone, facing the two hamburgers in front of him, amidst his friends' unrestrained laughter, sinking into deep self-doubt and contemplating his "aesthetic" view of hamburgers. Meanwhile, Lin Yan, back in his room, entered his spatial dimension without a care in the world, ready to have the puppet chef inside prepare a "late-night snack" that met his standards.

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Perhaps the long journey the previous day had exhausted everyone, because the next day, everyone got up a little later than usual. It wasn't until around 10 a.m. that the group gradually gathered in the hotel corridor on the same floor.

After a night's rest, everyone felt refreshed, but the memory of last night's unforgettable "hamburger feast" still lingered in their minds. Li Wenbin, rubbing his stomach, was the first to complain: "No way! We absolutely can't eat at this hotel for lunch today! We have to find something really good to eat!"

The proposal was immediately approved unanimously.

Before going downstairs, Lin Yan had a sudden thought and silently contacted the drivers of the convoy who were responsible for picking him up from the airport yesterday through the spatial imprint, asking them to wait at the hotel entrance immediately.

As the group stepped out of the hotel, a rush of crisp, cold air greeted them, but the sunlight reflecting off the surrounding snow created a dazzling spectacle that instantly lifted their spirits. Five minutes later, four black luxury cars slowly pulled up in front of the hotel.

After everyone got into the car, Lin Yan instructed the driver in the front seat: "Go to the best and most distinctive restaurant in South Lake Tahoe."

"Yes, young master." The driver was clearly quite familiar with the area and started the car without hesitation.

The vehicles drove along the lakeside road, with the crystal-clear sapphire-blue Lake Tahoe visible through the windows, its waters reflecting the surrounding snow-capped peaks in a breathtakingly beautiful scene. After driving for less than twenty minutes, the convoy stopped in front of a charming, rustic wooden and stone building. The sign above it read in elegant cursive script: "The Christiana Inn."

"Young master, ladies and gentlemen, we've arrived," the driver introduced. "This is one of the top restaurants in the Lake Tahoe area, offering exquisite European cuisine and local specialties. The ambiance and reputation are excellent."

Everyone got out of the car and entered the restaurant. The interior was warm and elegant, with a huge stone fireplace burning brightly, dispelling the winter chill. The wooden beams and pillars and warm lighting created a cozy and comfortable atmosphere. Compared to the "fast food" style of the hotel restaurant last night, this was a world of difference.

The waiter led them to a table by the window, where they could see cedar forests and part of the lake. The menu was indeed much more extensive, with fresh lake trout, roasted lamb chops, and various carefully prepared game and seasonal vegetables, clearly better meeting the expectations of these discerning young people.

"That's more like it!" Li Wenbin looked at the menu, his eyes shining. The shadow cast by the burger from last night seemed to have been instantly dispelled.

Tang Liuqian carefully pulled out a chair for Yang Xi'en and ordered hot drinks for both of them to warm up. Zheng Jiaming, on the other hand, had already begun to consider which appetizer would be more distinctive.

Lin Yan looked around, taking in the dining environment, so different from yesterday, and finally nodded in satisfaction. At least, his stomach's needs had been properly met before he could start his enjoyable skiing. Outside the window was a stunning snowscape, inside, warm food and good friends—this was what a vacation should be like.

The waiter respectfully presented the exquisitely crafted menu. After browsing through it, the group quickly made their choices based on their individual preferences.

Lin Yan ordered a French onion soup. He liked the sweet aroma of caramelized onions simmered over low heat, and the rich texture of melted Gruyère cheese covering the bread slices, which was especially comforting on a winter's day.

Tang Liuqian ordered a plate of grilled trout roe from Lake Tahoe for him and Yang Xien as an appetizer. The roe, made from fresh trout from the local lake, was simply pan-fried with butter and served with lemon and herbs, resulting in a delicious and distinctive local flavor.

Li Wenbin took a liking to the classic Caesar salad, which was prepared by the waiter right at the table. He watched with great interest as the waiter skillfully mixed the sauce in a large wooden bowl, finding it quite impressive.

Lin Yan chose grilled venison tenderloin with port sauce as his main course. Sierra Nevada game is a specialty here; the venison is lean and flavorful, and paired with the sweet port sauce and grilled local mushrooms, it's an excellent choice for the cold weather. He specifically requested the meat be rare to retain its juices.

At Tang Liuqian's suggestion, Yang Xi'en ordered a relatively light and delicate Vichy cream chicken gazpacho. The chicken breast, slow-cooked with white wine, cream, and carrots, is famous for its small carrots in Vichy. It is tender and smooth, and the sauce is rich and flavorful, making it very popular with ladies.

Tang Liuqian ordered roasted lamb chops with mint jelly. The high-quality lamb chops were roasted to perfection and paired with classic French mint jelly, making for a refreshing and palate-cleansing experience.

Li Wenbin generously ordered a ribeye steak, also requesting it rare, served with roasted potatoes and asparagus. He has a particular fondness for this kind of hearty meat.

Zheng Jiaming tried another dish on the menu: wild game braised bison in red wine. The bison, slow-cooked for a long time, was tender and flavorful, with the aroma of red wine fully infused into it. Paired with root vegetables, it was incredibly delicious.

Lin Yan specially ordered several side dishes for the table to share: baked potato crepe, creamed spinach, and pan-fried foie gras.

As for drinks, Tang Liuqian demonstrated his taste by ordering a bottle of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon for the gentlemen to pair with the red meat and game. He also ordered a glass of Pouilly-Fussé white wine for Yang Xi'en to accompany her chicken.

Despite ordering a lot, Li Wenbin couldn't resist ordering a chocolate lava cake with vanilla ice cream when he saw the dessert menu. Zheng Jiaming ordered a classic French crème brûlée. Tang Liuqian and Yang Xi'en shared a strawberry Charlotte cake. Lin Yan simply ordered an espresso to cleanse his palate.

The lunch, from the fresh lakeside ingredients to the classic European cooking style, from the exquisite plating to the comfortable ambiance, thoroughly satisfied the young people, completely washing away their bad impression of dining at Lake Tahoe the previous night. They enjoyed their meal while admiring the lake and mountain scenery outside the window, discussing their skiing plans for the afternoon in a pleasant and relaxed atmosphere.

Just as Lin Yan and his companions were enjoying the exquisite food in a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere, a discordant noise, like a tiny crack on the ice, silently seeped in.

At another table not far from them sat five blond, blue-eyed Caucasian youths of similar age. They were impeccably dressed, clearly from wealthy families, and their demeanor carried the slightly aloof arrogance characteristic of the Anglo-Saxon elite. One of them seemed to inadvertently notice Lin Yan's table, especially the group of Asian faces. He nudged his companions with his elbow, and their gazes were unabashedly fixed on him. They then began whispering amongst themselves, their faces filled with undisguised contempt and mockery, occasionally letting out low, grating laughter.

Li Wenbin, Zheng Jiaming, Tang Liuqian, and Yang Xi'en were focused on their food and conversation and did not immediately notice the malice emanating from the corner. However, for Lin Yan, Lin Yi, and Lin Gang, who possessed powerful divine sense, the whispers and thoughts of the people at that table were as clear as pebbles thrown into a calm lake.

"...Look over there, a few Easterners..."

"Hmph, dressed up like a proper lady, I wonder where he scraped together the money to come to Lake Tahoe to broaden his horizons."

"They've probably never even touched skis before? Trying to ski like us rich people?"

"Be careful not to break those short legs, haha..."

Malicious speculation and racially discriminatory mockery, like cold, venomous snakes, clearly reached the senses of Lin Yan and his companions.

Sitting next to Lin Yan, Lin Gang's eyes instantly turned cold, and his aura froze for a moment, almost imperceptibly. In his mind, daring to offend the young master like this was an unforgivable sin. He took a small half-step forward; with just a glance from the young master, he could make those few loose-tongued fools pay a heavy price for their words and actions.

However, when his gaze swept over his young master, he saw Lin Yan calmly and methodically cutting the venison tenderloin on his plate with his silver knife and fork, his movements elegant and composed, seemingly completely unaware of anything amiss, not even lifting an eyelid. However, Lin Yi and Lin Gang, who knew Lin Yan well, keenly noticed the fleeting hint of malice deep in the young master's eyes when he took a sip of red wine.

Lin Gang immediately concealed his presence and returned to his original position. He understood; his young master wasn't unaware, nor was he being magnanimous. On the contrary, his young master was, at heart, extremely vengeful. He simply disdained responding in such a crude and rude manner in this situation. This debt had clearly been remembered by his young master, and as for when and how he would settle it… Lin Gang couldn't help but silently mourn for those arrogant and ignorant spoiled brats for half a second.

The restaurant was still filled with soothing music and the whispers of most of the guests. The warm fireplace flickered, and Li Wenbin and the others continued to chat and laugh, completely unaware of the small storm caused by their ignorance and arrogance. Lin Yan simply enjoyed his lunch slowly, as if it had nothing to do with him.