Chapter 298: The Opening of the Beer Festival!

"Boom... Boom boom! Boom... Boom!"

Twelve cannon shots echoed over the waves of Nanjing, scattering sunlight and beer foam across every street.

As the Mayor of Nanjing poured the first glass of beer from Xiao Caishen's beer barrel, the Nanjing Beer Festival officially began!

"Wow!!! So beautiful!!!"

On the bustling, lively streets, young beer maids in white, blue, yellow, and red dresses walked hand in hand at the front of the joyous parade.

Behind them were beer men in brown T-shirts and leather shorts, holding golden instruments and accordions, beating cheerful little drums, and singing happily.

"A carriage! There's even a carriage!"

In the crowd, a girl with twin ponytails and a backpack excitedly raised her phone, her slender, fair arms stretched high to capture the passing black double-row white carriage perfectly in her camera.

Her name was Qiaokeli, a recent graduate of chocolate confectionery studies from abroad, now living in Zaomenshi, Chunyang Province.

Having heard about the Nanjing Beer Festival, she took the 7:23 AM high-speed train and managed to arrive just in time for the opening ceremony.

"Hei Sidai, Xuechuan, Binge, Xiao Caishen... Every beer brand has a carriage!"

Qiaokeli excitedly snapped photos.

Though they were called carriages, they were more like flower carts, each seat adorned with large bouquets of flowers.

The flower carts varied in size, typically featuring six-seater round wooden carved bodies, with the horses decorated in beautiful bands and long feathered tails, resembling a grand outing of a wealthy family in ancient times.

"Oh... This chestnut horse is so fat!"

Qiaokeli exclaimed happily at the chestnut horse on Hei Sidai's cart.

The chestnut horse seemed to hear her, flicking its long black tail in annoyance.

Qiaokeli instinctively stepped forward to get a clearer shot, but the next moment, a beer man in a brown T-shirt approached politely, saying:

"Hello, please stay safe and observe from behind the yellow line."

Despite his polite words, the beer man's arms were already outstretched, gently guiding Qiaokeli back behind him.

On either side of the street, similar beer men were stationed at regular intervals, keeping a close eye on the order and ensuring safety.

"Oh, okay."

Qiaokeli quickly stepped back a few paces, then stood on tiptoe to watch the parade.

As she lifted her gaze, she saw a grand luxury carriage slowly making its way down the street.

This carriage was drawn by four pairs of pure black horses, adorned with wide silver and blue saddles, with fine leather straps decorated with square red, yellow, and green stones near the tail.

Three young men in black suits stood at the front, holding the reins, with red, white, and yellow flower bouquets hanging on either side, cheerfully waving to the crowd.

The bespectacled young man in the center, holding the reins, waved and shouted:

"Drink Xiao Caishen, and everyone will be as prosperous as Xiao Caishen in the New Year!"

Not only them, but the 16 beer maids and beer men sitting in the carriage also leaned out to wave at the crowd.

"This isn't a carriage... This is like pulling a small locomotive!" Qiaokeli exclaimed in surprise.

The carriage's roof was arched like a small hill, decorated with green branches resembling winter pine.

A white sign on the carriage body bore the words "Xiao Caishen Wine Industry" in large characters, with eight bouquets of flowers on each side, hung with red and blue velvet ribbons, looking both luxurious and uplifting.

For girls, there's no resisting vibrant colors!

While Qiaokeli was still engrossed, the "Xuechuan" beer carriage followed.

Unlike Xiao Caishen's black elegance, Xuechuan's carriage was entirely ice blue, drawn by small yellow-maned brown ponies.

The whole carriage resembled a winter sled or a large swing.

A black-haired girl in a red dress danced gracefully, her white feet in black lace-up shoes tapping lightly on the black platform.

Several beer men in white shirts and tight black leggings, overlaid with deep green vests, played small trumpets and accordions, accompanying the girl's dance.

Qiaokeli held her phone, too engrossed to even blink.

However, even the most novel sights grow old after a while.

These parade flower carts were all beer carriages; the initial ones moved slowly and timidly, but the later ones became more exuberant.

From what the young man behind her said, some beer company presidents even boarded the carriages themselves to promote their beer.

One flower cart followed another.

Some large beer companies sent multiple carriages, making Qiaokeli feel visually exhausted after a while.

Fortunately, the parade didn't last too long. It was followed by various music groups, lion dance troupes, and international acrobatic performance troupes.

Not waiting to finish watching the parade, Qiaokeli dashed to the Xiao Caishen beer tent.

Since it was a beer festival, drinking beer was the priority!

Although for a hungry girl who had only nibbled on a few bites of bread, drinking beer first thing in the morning seemed intense.

But, since she was here, there was no way she wouldn't drink beer!

At Menghuanhai Amusement Park,

Big pendulums, sky flyers, drop towers, pirate ships, and Ferris wheels were packed with people waiting to ride.

Under the big pendulum, a deep male voice could be heard shouting:

"Damn... This is terrifying!! Ah!!"

Qiaokeli listened, amused, as she ran to the tent entrance, paid a 100 yuan deposit for a 1-liter glass beer mug, and received a palm-sized white acrylic card.

The card was stamped with a cheerful Xiao Caishen.

"Hello, here is the Beer Festival guide."

In the small wooden booth, a high-ponytail beer maid handed her a colorful booklet.

"The guide includes information about the 14 beer tents and their locations, famous attractions in Nanjing, official souvenir sale addresses, and food recommendations."

"At the bottom are emergency and service phone numbers, as well as the locations of beach changing areas and public restrooms."

"Have a great time and enjoy yourself!"