Around the lotus pond, temporary booths had been set up in a circle. A rough count revealed about ten of them, separated by thin felt. Once inside, it was impossible to see what was happening in the neighboring booths, to prevent competitors from spying on each other and simultaneously maintain a sense of mystery.
In the middle of the pond stood a pavilion with a long table set up in the center, behind which were five chairs. The table was already laid with empty bowls and teacups, with a few people moving in and out, their features indiscernible due to the distance.
"Once our dishes are ready, they must be sent to the pavilion for the connoisseurs to taste and judge," Song Jingxi looped her arm through Hua Xiaomai's, pointed vaguely in that direction, and without waiting for a reaction, she pulled her straight to a booth by the pond, chuckling, "We'll have to hunker down here for the whole day."
