In the early years, the state built a Soviet exhibition hall complex near the Beijing Zoo. The most famous structure among them was the Laomo Restaurant. The building was grand and imposing, its golden spire reaching toward the clouds and adorned with a red star that shimmered brightly, visible even from a great distance.
It gained its reputation because it had once hosted the "Exhibition of Soviet Economic and Cultural Achievements," for which Premier Zhou himself had cut the ribbon. After the era of Sino-Soviet friendship passed, the Laomo Restaurant began opening its doors to the general public. With its palatial luxury, waitresses in beautiful *platyas* bustling about, and delicious signature dishes like pan-fried prawns, creamed fish, and beef stew, it became the favorite haunt for intellectuals and the petty bourgeoisie, as well as the go-to spot for entertaining foreign guests.
The one observing all this from the second floor was none other than that old white lotus. Why was she there? Thanks to an introduction from a "friend," she had managed to snag a meal with a member of the Mitsui family, who was in Huaguo on an investment scouting trip. She was ambitious; otherwise, she wouldn't have set her sights on a family with such "red" credentials as Jiang Yan’s father. Nowadays, with the country’s atmosphere gradually opening up, there was no point in wallowing in old grievances and hatreds—filling one's own pockets was what truly mattered.
Chapter 210