Adorable Food Goddess

“Besides, didn’t that servant lady mention that Wei Liujiang and the Second Lady Ye have long set their sights on each other? Wouldn’t First Lady Ye just spoil things for them? They might have even conspired against her,” Ye Jiayao said as she walked in. She has actually arrived long ago, but when she heard them talk about the Ye family affairs, she stood outside for a while to listen to their theories.

Xia Chunyu looked at her profoundly.

Helian Jing sighed and said, “If that really is the case, then those two fellows are just too shameless!”

“They should not be pardoned. We have to expose their wrongdoings and humiliate them in front of everyone,” Xia Chunfeng said resentfully.

“Mm.” Helian Jing nodded in agreement. “Brother Chunyu, Yaoyao, think of a plan. How do we expose their plot?”

Ye Jiayao shrugged. “I think it’d be best if we create some discussion. Put some pressure on them.”

“After that, we should find the real First Lady Ye. As long as the original appears, all their lies will unravel,” Xia Chunyu said nonchalantly, trying not to look at Yaoyao.

Ye Jiayao frowned slightly. Make her appear? She wasn’t sure if she could let go of her identity as Li Yao.

“That’s a good idea, but where should we go looking for the First Lady Ye?” Helian Jing asked.

Xia Chunyu stifled his smile. The person they were looking for was right under their noses. “I don’t know. What I know is that they can’t hide the truth forever. I’m sure that the first young lady is waiting for her chance to exact revenge.”

“But if they really plotted against First Lady Ye, won’t all the traces of that be destroyed by now?” Xia Chunfeng was not confident in the plan that they were hatching.

Ye Jiayao said ambiguously, “Then we shall put our trust in heaven! It is just a matter of time before the good and evil reap their karma.”

The four of them chatted for a while. Xia Chunyu noticed that the other two didn’t seem to have any intention of leaving so he stood up announced, “It’s getting late. We should leave because Li Yao still has to make ice cream.”

“Ah? Yaoyao, you make the ice cream at home? I want to stay and watch.. and also eat,” Helian Jing said eagerly.

Xia Chunfeng also expressed his interest. “I want to stay and watch, too. That thing is too incredible. I only managed to have one of those that you sent over yesterday.”

Xia Chunyu cursed his mouth. Why on earth did he mention ice cream? Now, the two gluttons only found an excuse to stay longer.

“What are you yapping about? This is Li Yao’s secret recipe, you can’t just watch him make it,” Xia Chunyu said darkly.

Helian Jing still didn’t see anything wrong with that. “It doesn’t matter. We are not going to open a restaurant and steal from Yaoyao’s business. Can we stay, Yaoyao?”

Ye Jiayao was torn. If she agrees, Xia Chunyu would be unhappy. If she doesn’t, it would seem like she was being petty.

Xia Chunyu, fed up with making up excuses, simply dragged them out, one brat on each arm. “How can you have the nerve to ask that? Come on, let’s all go home.”

“Ay, ay, ay… don’t pull me, I can walk on my own.”

“Second Brother, let go! I am suffocating!”

Ye Jiayao could not help but laugh at them. Little Jing was really just like a simple child! Chunyu must be thinking too much.

Xia Chunyu was on his way back when he suddenly remembered that there was something important he wanted to tell Yaoyao today. The two brats just screwed it up for him.

He was going to the Pu Ji Temple for seven days tomorrow. He could not just leave without a proper farewell.

“Second Brother, you bought that house two years ago, right?” Xia Chunfeng asked suddenly.

Xia Chunyu was shocked for three seconds before he managed to quibble guiltily, “Says who?”

“Don’t even try, Second Brother. I won’t go around telling people about it. Anyway, you bought it with your own money, no one really cares.”

Xia Chunyu snorted. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Second Brother, you don’t have to lie. Way back, I went to your study to look for you but you weren’t around. There was a property deed on your table and I saw it all. I even passed by here at one point to take a look at the house. I think its location is pretty good, you know? It’s a quiet area in a busy place.”

“I heard from Little Jing that the Uncle and Auntie Jiang staying there have helped you when you were in Black Wind Ridge. Li Yao also saved you before, giving them a place to stay is the right thing to do,” Xia Chunfeng continued.

Xia Chunyu shot him a glance. “You didn’t tell Little Jing, right?”

“No, Second Brother. Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone. Even if you hide your mistress there, I won’t tell anyone,” Xia Chunfeng said laughingly, putting an arm around his brother’s shoulders.

With a flip and a twist of his arm, Xia Chunyu has Chunfeng under his grip.

“Aiyo, hurts, hurts, hurts…” Xia Chunyu cried loudly.

“Rascal, if you dare to spout such nonsense again, I am going to rip your arm out.”

“It’s not gonna happen again! Never again!” Xia Chungfeng exclaimed loudly.

Only then did Xia Chunyu let him go.

Chunfeng massaged his arm, grumbling with a pout, “Second Brother, we are brothers from the same mother, how can you be so ruthless?”

Xia Chunyu looked at him from the corner of his eyes. “Do you want to have another go?”

“No, no. I know you love me the best.”

After accompanying his brother back to the residence, Xia Chunyu snuck out again.

Unless he tells Yaoyao personally about his departure tomorrow, he wouldn’t feel at ease.

Back in the courtyard, Xia Chunyu was shocked when he saw Helian Jing sitting at the grindstone in the courtyard, playing with the Kong Ming* lock that Jiang Li made. That little devil actually snuck back!

“Helian Jing,” Xia Chunyu shouted furiously.

Helian Jing looked up, startled. “Mm? Brother Chunyu, what are you doing back here? Oh… you must be back for the ice cream!”

Xia Chunyu glared at him.  No, you idiot, I’m not back for the ice cream. Also, unlike you, I don’t use the ice cream as an excuse to hang around Yaoyao.

“I left something behind,” Xia Chunyu said unpleasantly.

“What is it? I’ll get it for you,” Helian Jing offered.

Xia Chunyu really felt like giving him a flying kick.

“Where’s Li Yao?”

Helian Jing pointed to the direction of the kitchen. “He is making ice cream with the Jiang siblings inside! I’m not going in to watch, don’t worry. I am just going to wait here until the ice cream is ready.”

Xia Chunyu ignored him and turned to head to the kitchen.

Helian Jing blocked him immediately, saying firmly, “Brother Chunyu, you must not go in! This concerns the secret recipe.”

“There is something I have to ask Li Yao,” Xia Chunyu replied impatiently.

Helian Jing did not budge. “You were here a long time ago, shouldn’t you have asked him already?”

Helian Jing might act simple and childish at times but he has an acute intuition. He did not miss how especially close Brother Chunyu and Yaoyao are. The way he looked at Yaoyao was just like how Zhao Qixuan looked at Susu, full of tender feelings.

Although he has always held Brother Chunyu in high regards, Yaoyao was dear to him so he would not just roll over to him.

Xia Chunyu looked at Little Jing, confused and irritable. He saw the resolution in Little Jing’s eyes and he sneered. Was this brat really willing to fight him over Yaoyao? Ha!

Ye Jiayao heard some movement outside so she came out to take a look. She saw the two of them standing in the middle of the of the courtyard staring at each other. Little Jing even has his arms open wide to stop Chunyu.

What the f*ck is going on?

“Hey, what are the two of you doing?” Ye Jiayao broke their staring contest.

Xia Chunyu turned to her, his eyes furious.  You didn’t me believe me when I told you about Little Jing’s crush, right? Well, take a good look for yourself right now. Your little brother has evolved into a bull in oestrus.

Helian Jing puts his arms down and said with a smile. “Nothing. Oh, Brother Chunyu, you said you left something behind, right? What is it?”

Xia Chunyu answered thoughtlessly, “I dropped my thumb ring in your room.”

Helian Jing’s heart sank a little. He was in Yaoyao’s room?

“I’ll help you look for it,” Helian Jing said, walking towards Yaoyao’s room.

No! What the f*ck is this brat trying to do?  Ye Jiayao remembered that the dress that she had changed out of was still lying on the bed. What if he sees it?

“Stop right there,” Ye Jiayao shouted frantically. “You don’t know where it is, you’ll just mess up my room. Go to the kitchen and help beat the eggs.” She pulled him back and pushed him into the kitchen.

Helian Jing was fuming but he didn’t dare say a word.

Xia Chunyu followed Ye Jiayao into the room.

Once the door shuts, Xia Chunyu pressed her against it and kissed her deeply and passionately, pouring all the pent-up aggression he was feeling in the kiss.

He panted, “You still think he has no interest in you? I saw it with my own eyes. If you came out a little later, we would have fought.”

Ye Jiayao was getting dizzy from the lack of oxygen and from the lust she was feeling. “I know. I tried to chase him out but he just won’t leave.”

“You are not firm enough,” Xia Chunyu said.

Ye Jiayao rolled her eyes. What did he want her to do? Throw Little Jing out with a broom?

“Alright, alright, I know. Where did you leave your thumb ring?” Ye Jiayao asked.

Xia Chunyu stared at her deeply and said with a gravelly voice, “It was not my thumb ring that I left here, it’s my heart.”

Ye Jiayao flushed with pleasure from his words.

“Yaoyao, I am going to Pu Ji Temple tomorrow to escort the Empress Dowager for the Seventh Prince’s ritual. I will be gone for seven days so you have to take care of your own safety. I will have Song Qi stay in the residence to await orders. If there is anything you need, look for Song Qi, he will find a way to inform me. What happened today will not happen again. I’ll always be here when you need me, one way or another,” Xia Chunyu said sincerely.

“Seven days…” Ye Jiayao could not help but feel down.

Her melancholic expression touched Xia Chunyu’s heart. He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her over and over again. “Seven days will pass by quickly. Remember, don’t get too close to Little Jing, okay? I will be jealous and I will go crazy.”

A man who gets jealous and goes crazy for a woman must be madly in love with her, right? Ye Jiayao giddily embraced him. “Alright, naggy.”

Xia Chunyu pinched her nose. “I am not nagging! Wait until my return, I’m going to punish you for that.”

He pressed harder against her, letting her feel his desire.

Ye Jiayao understood the punishment he was referring to when she felt his enormous bulge. She blushed shyly and pushed him away half-heartedly. “We should get going. Little Jing might get suspicious.”