Chapter 93 Lao Mo (4K, first order requested) 17
Returning to the ward with Xiao Li, Fang Yan saw that it was almost time, so that the master would not ask him to have dinner later, he quickly said that he had an appointment in the evening and had to leave now.
Lu Donghua knew that Fang Yan was probably having a date, so he nodded and agreed, and asked him to not just eat, but also give him a small gift or something.
A group of senior brothers even made a fuss, telling him to take it down quickly and hold the wedding before the end of the year.
Fang Yan held his hands in front of all the fellow disciples, said with a smile that he would work hard, and then said goodbye and left Xiehe.
After Fang Yan left the hospital, he didn't take the car directly to Lao Mo. The words of his master before reminded him that although Zhu Lin was inviting guests to dinner today, it didn't seem right to bring nothing with him.
I really should buy some small gifts.
These days, there are far less diverse choices than in later generations. Fang Yan came to the department store, looked around, and finally spotted a hairband, which was cheap, good-looking, and lightweight.
A good interpretation of the word small gift.
After buying it, Yan Yan said he was giving it away and asked the salesperson to wrap the headband box with gift paper. Then Fang Yan took the gift and drove towards the Moscow restaurant in Xizhimen.
Lao Mo is the nickname that people in Beijing give to Moscow restaurants. It is located on Xizhimenwai Street, next to the famous Beijing Zoo, and is a very popular place.
Fang Yan had never been here before, but before traveling through time, he had read many period novels in which the hero invited the heroine to eat here.
Dialect still remembers a lot of the dishes there. It is said to be Western food, but in fact it is mainly Russian dishes, as well as French, German and Caucasian traditional dishes.
Since its opening in 1954, it has been prosperous ever since.
A full meal of Russian-style dishes costs six to ten yuan per person, which is very luxurious in this day and age.
Therefore, young people who usually go there to eat only order a few famous dishes and do not dare to serve Russian dishes. They simply eat for the atmosphere and style. After all, they are eating at Lao Mo, so don’t worry about what you eat. .
When Fangyan arrived at Xizhimen Street, he found that it was extremely lively.
At this time, the streets were full of people going shopping. Fang Yan and Zhu Lin agreed to meet at Lao Mo's door, so Fang Yan looked at the house numbers on the street, then walked through the crowd towards No. 135 Xizhimenwai Street. .
Soon Fang Yan saw a very obvious Russian-style facade on the street in front of him.
It was almost dinner time now, so I could see many people coming and going at the door.
When he came to the door, Fang Yan looked around, but was surprised to find no trace of Zhu Lin. There were indeed many people around. Fang Yan thought that he might have missed it, so he started to look carefully.
Finally he saw Zhu Lin's figure on the steps across the street.
She wore a common floral collared top and a blue skirt, paired with her shoulder-length short hair, which gave her a somewhat mature look.
Because she is beautiful, this common outfit also looks very elegant. Men and women passing by can't help but take a second look.
She probably came early, so she didn't wait at the door of Lao Mo, which was very crowded, but went to the opposite side of the street.
Fang Yan walked across the street towards her.
While walking in the middle of the road, Fang Yan shouted hello to her.
Zhu Lin's eyes lit up when she heard Fang Yan's voice. She followed the sound and saw Fang Yan walking towards her. She couldn't help but raise the corners of her mouth, a smile bloomed on her face, and her whole body suddenly seemed to be brighter.
She no longer stood where she was and went directly to greet him.
"Here we come." Zhu Lin looked up at Fang Yan.
Dialect nodded:
"I've kept you waiting for a long time."
Zhu Lin smiled and shook his head:
"No, I just arrived a while ago."
Fang Yan was infected by her smile and couldn't help but smile and pointed across the street:
"Let's go to the restaurant. It's very crowded today on the weekend. If you don't go, there won't be a seat."
"Okay." Zhu Lin didn't know why, but she felt that her mood suddenly became very good. She smiled and nodded, following the dialect and walking briskly.
"By the way, this is a small gift for you." When he arrived at the door, Fang Yan took out the headband he bought.
Surprise flashed in Zhu Lin's eyes and he asked:
"What?"
The dialect did not explain, but said:
"It's a small thing. You can take it apart when you go back and look at it."
Zhu Lin nodded and took the thing in his hand.
The two of them climbed the steps and entered Lao Mo.
A luxurious scene that was completely different from the outside world appeared in front of him. A seven-meter-high roof was topped with a large chandelier that shone with golden light. Four large bronze pillars stood on both sides of the palace-like hall.
A waitress wearing a black "bragi" dress and a pure white apron shuttled past.
The light yellow tablecloth with complex patterns, bright goblets, exquisite silver tableware, and some Russian-style statues and decorations make people feel like they have entered another country.
Only the guests sitting here remind them of where this place is.
Because of the high consumption, most of the guests here are upper-class people, returned overseas Chinese, and big brothers.
In addition, Fang Yan also saw some blond and blue-eyed foreigners in a corner. Having read period novels, he remembered that these were staff from the Soviet Embassy in China who came here to eat every weekend.
These days, only Lao Mo can eat Western food in Beijing, namely Xinqiao Hotel, Peace Hotel, and Beijing Hotel.
Authentic Russian dishes can only be eaten here.
Today is the weekend, and business here is particularly good, but there are still empty seats. Fang Yan quickly found one. He turned his head and pointed at Zhu Lin with his hand, and then the two of them walked over.
After sitting down, the waiter came quickly and placed the menu in front of Fang Yan and the others.
When I looked at it in dialect, it said:
Soviet Exhibition Hall [Moscow] Restaurant, August menu.
Below is a row of Russian words.
Next is the set menu:
Each dish costs 1 yuan and 20 cents, a total of four dishes.
The dishes cost 1 yuan and 50 cents each, a total of six dishes.
There are six dishes in total for two yuan each.
This is suitable for people who have never been here before. You can just order and eat without having to worry about choosing.
Relatively speaking, it is also very cheap and affordable.
Except for these three set meals, the others are a la carte dishes.
For example, the most classic Russian food is stewed beef and red cabbage soup, which need to be ordered a la carte.
Neither Zhu Lin nor Fang Yan had been here before. After looking at the menu, they finally chose two two-yuan set meals.
One serving per person costs four yuan in total, which is cheap and affordable.
Cold dishes: ham with side dishes.
Two hot dishes: beef and cabbage soup, fried pork slices.
And dessert drinks: boiled fresh fruits, black tea.
Same as the last Russian bread.
At this time, a table of young people in the far corner had finished eating and stood up to leave. Fang Yan saw two of them, who looked like boys from the big courtyard, rolling up their hands on the table. The silverware was stuffed into his pocket.
Another girl even went to get it from the unoccupied table next door.
Fang Yan was stunned for a moment when he saw this scene. He suddenly remembered the story in the chronicle about Lao Mo's silverware being slapped by the disciples in the compound. This moment was happening right under his eyes.
I have seen this in a novel before. It is said that in the 1970s, some of Lao Mo's silverware would be taken away by some customers. By the late 1970s, the loss was even more serious. Every now and then, sets began to be taken away. Go along.
According to legend, the group of people who stole the most were the brothers from the nearby courtyard.
Most of the brothers in the compound here are from the military compound.
Unlike the compound for university families like Fangyan Zhulin and others, their place is unique.
Loose-talking, rebellious, competitive, and possessing a natural sense of superiority.
They gather into natural social groups. As long as one person takes the lead, others will follow suit.
Later, in the 1980s, Lao Mo finally stopped buying new silver tableware and replaced all the tableware in the store with ordinary ones. This stopped the unhealthy trend of stealing tableware. At that time, Fang Yan regarded this matter as a wild history, but he didn't expect that it was actually happening in front of his eyes.
At this time, a waiter saw them. Fang Yan thought the waiter would call for the thief soon, but she turned around and pretended not to see them.
Soon they stole the things, covered their pockets and satchels, and left the restaurant in a hurry.
Zhu Lin, who had also seen this scene the whole time, realized it at this time. She was stunned and said to Fang Yan:
"Eating one meal and stealing tableware from two tables, these people seem to be from a nearby compound. Isn't that too unscrupulous?"
Dialect said:
"I can't help it. I guess the restaurants here want to take care of it, but they can't. Didn't you see that a waiter just turned around and left when he saw them?"
Zhu Lin nodded. If the restaurant itself had this attitude, then it would be hard to say anything.
She picked up the silver knife and fork and said:
"I think the reason why Western food here is so expensive is because they stole the price."
Check out the 16-9 book bar and see the correct version!
Fang Yan couldn't help but want to laugh. It seemed to make sense. After all, the wool came from the sheep. After being stolen for so many years, they still insisted on not using ordinary tableware. They didn't change it until the early 1980s. Where did the money come from? It doesn’t come from the high price of meals.
Next, the set meal for two people came.
It seems to be a small amount, but very delicate.
The two of them looked at it and started eating.
First, he forked the left and right knives and pretended to eat for a while.
In the end, I just couldn't get used to it and switched to chopsticks.
Seeing each other like this, the two couldn't help but smile at each other.
The portion was not large, and the two of them finished it quickly.
There was nothing going on in the stomach, but after finally eating the hard Russian bread, the two of them felt a little full.
Although the environment here is very good and the atmosphere is very atmospheric, the quality of the food is not to their liking.
And it’s very expensive and not cost-effective.
After Zhu Lin paid the bill, he complained in dialect:
"I finally know why they stole the tableware just now."
"With this taste and weight, for charging such a high price, I think everyone would feel a loss."
After that, he came close to Fang Yan and said:
"I think the most delicious thing is the dish you cooked that day."
Being caught off guard by Zhu Lin's praise, Fang Yan felt that the meal didn't taste that bad, at least he was in a good mood at the moment.
The two of them sat there for a while. After feeling the atmosphere, they felt that this place was just like that.
After the novelty wore off, the two agreed that the food here was just that.
So Fang Yan got up first and invited Zhu Lin to her home to make a midnight snack.
I'm really not full today, so I might as well go back for more food.
Zhu Lin also said just now that the dishes made by Fangyan are delicious.
After saying that, the two of them got up and walked outside. After exiting the door, they found that the sky had already darkened and there were fewer people around.
Fortunately, there was a bus at the moment, and the two of them headed back to the bus stop.
When he was about to reach it, Zhu Lin suddenly stopped with an "oops" sound.
"What's wrong?" Fang Yan looked at Zhu Lin who looked nervous, wondering what was going on.
Zhu Lin turned his head and looked at Fang Yan slowly, and said with some shame:
"It seems we have to go back. I put my bag on the chair and forgot to take it."
At this time, Fang Yan also discovered that when Zhu Lin came out, she was still carrying a bag on her wrist. Now the bag in her hand turned into a gift box for the hairband Fang Yan gave her.
The two of them came out chatting just now, but they didn't realize that there was something missing in their hands.
"It's okay, let's go." Fang Yan didn't talk nonsense, turned around and asked Zhu Lin to go back with him.
Soon the two arrived at the restaurant and returned to their previous positions.
By this time the tables had been cleared.
Zhu Lin stepped forward and found that his bag was no longer there, and had no choice but to sigh:
"It's all my fault for being careless. It seems that it was taken away."
Fang Yan thought for a while and said to Zhu Lin:
"You wait here, I'll ask the front desk."
After that, he walked to the front desk and asked if any waiter had picked up the bag at his location.
Dialect described the appearance of the bag.
The front desk staff was relatively easy to talk to. They were not as irritating as other store attendants, and they quickly went to help inquire.
At this time, Zhu Lin also came over. After knowing that Fang Yan had asked the front desk, she still had no hope.
After all, waiters in all industries now look alike.
Fang Yan also saw it just now. Even if someone steals something, others don't bother to care.
Even if someone does find her bag, they may not take it out.
At this time, the front desk clerk who had just gone to inquire came back, followed by another waitress, who was holding Zhu Lin's bag in her hand.
When Zhu Lin saw that his bag was still there, he let out a long sigh of relief.
When the other party saw that it was Zhu Lin and Fang Yan, they recognized them as the people who had eaten there just now. Without asking anything else, they just handed the package back to them.
After Zhu Lin got it, he checked the contents inside. They were all simple documents, as well as some loose change and receipts. Anyway, there was nothing missing.
Zhu Lin said to the dialect:
"Okay, okay, everything is here."
Just now she remembered that there was someone stealing tableware here, and she was already prepared for her bag to be emptied, but she didn't expect it to be empty.
Zhu Lin was very happy when he found the lost bag and thanked the girl who found the bag.
Fang Yan also expressed his gratitude to others.
If someone hadn't picked it up and taken it out, this bag would really be gone.
The other party waved her hand, indicating that she didn't have to worry about it. Guests' things could often be picked up here, and as long as they were in their hands, they wouldn't fall out.
After hearing this, Fang Yan and Zhu Lin's impression of Lao Mo's waiter improved even more.
Sure enough, there is a reason why it is expensive.
At least the service is much better than outside.
Zhu Lin originally planned to give a few cents to others as thanks, but they didn't want anything.
They said they were satisfied and asked them to come again next time.
The atmosphere had reached this point, and the two of them could only promise that they would definitely come.
After leaving Lao Mo, the two of them headed towards the bus stop.
Just when they were about to arrive, Fang Yan keenly discovered that someone seemed to be following them behind them. It was not something he saw, but a feeling.
When he arrived at the bus stop, he found an opportunity to turn his head and suddenly noticed two arrogant-looking people, one tall and one short, walking towards them.
Looking at their posture, Fang Yan immediately understood that these people were a gang of thieves.
He had been staring at Lao Mo just now when he came out, and when he came out, Zhu Lin had an extra bag in his hand, so he was treating them as fat sheep.
(End of chapter)