Adorable Food Goddess

That took the wind right out of Ye Jiayao’s sails.

“Well… I’m not going to let this go. Just you wait!” Ye Jiayao huffed.

Xia Chunyu stifled his laughter and said, “I will wait.”

He inched closer to her, forcing her back against the wall. He propped her up with his arms, trapping her in his embrace, and asked in a low voice, “Now, care to explain how you fell into the water?”

It was Ye Jiayao’s turn to be distressed. She should have known that it would get back to him. He has spies everywhere!

“I wanted to swim. Am I not allowed to do that anymore?” She did not want to tell him about Little Jing’s confession because she knew that it would only cause more trouble.

“Really? You went to cruise the river with Little Jing and just ended up swimming in the water?” Xia Chunyu probed, his eyes narrowed into slits. “You fell so ill after that night swim that Little Jing even had you looked over the imperial physician, and you still don’t have anything to explain?”

How did he… the Jiangs!

Ye Jiayao snapped, “Why should I explain anything to you? What is it to you?”

For a second, he looked stunned before his face turned back to that cold calmness he was famous for. “What is it to me? Are you still not clear about that? Or are you really not concerned about my feelings? Or maybe, maybe you just enjoy the feeling of having two men running around you in circles?”

He might have sounded perfectly gentle when he said that, but Ye Jiayao could feel his suppressed anger and disappointment.

How was she supposed to answer these questions? Truthfully, she didn’t have faith in their future together. He was supposed to marry Liu Li! If His Majesty bestows a marriage, could he really defy an imperial decree for her?

Besides, Little Jing was a good friend. She couldn’t throw away their friendship just because the kid thinks he has feelings for her. Wasn’t there a middle ground? A balance?

The pain in her lower abdomen started to become distinct, pulsing.

“You’re putting too much thought in this. Isn’t Little Jing still a child?” Ye Jiayao said weakly.

Xia Chunyu lifted her chin up, forcing her to look at him. “Yaoyao, look at your guilt in my eyes. You know that Little Jing is no longer a child. Many men have already settled their marriage by the age of 16.

“Now, if you really like him that much, then, make a decision right now. I’m not going to fight a brother for a woman. I won’t force you to choose me because I will never allow my woman to think of another man when she is with me.”

He has his limits. He could allow her to run around and cook or open her own restaurant, but he could not tolerate other men.

Ye Jiayao couldn’t even concentrate on what he was saying because her stomach felt like it was trying to rip itself apart.

Xia Chunyu finally noticed her face getting paler and paler as beads of perspiration dotted her forehead.  Sh*t! I’ve seen this before.

“Yaoyao…”

She couldn’t answer him, the pain too much for her to bear. It felt like this was even worse than the previous times.

He immediately picked her up in his arms and brought her inside the carriage. “Go, go, go!”

Ye Jiayao huddled in his embrace, clinging tightly to his collar, gritting her teeth to prevent herself from crying out.  F*ck! Why the f*ck does it hurt so badly?

Xia Chunyu’s heart filled with anxiety as he felt her uncontrollable trembling. “Song Qi, faster!”

When they finally reached home, he carried her to her room and called for Auntie Jiang. Auntie Jiang quickly prepared a heat pack for Yaoyao to hold over her tummy while Jiang Yue brought her brown sugar water.

After a few minutes, Yaoyao’s face started to regain its color.

Xia Chunyu pulled Auntie Jiang aside to ask, “Auntie Jiang, is her problem untreatable?”

Auntie Jiang replied, “I am not sure about that. I have heard that with proper care during confinement after childbirth, it will get better.”

He frowned. There were many women in his house, but he has never seen someone suffer from their period like Yaoyao. As soon as everything settles, he would have to ask the imperial physician about this. If it could not be cured, there could be at least something they could do to lessen her pain. Xia Chunyu didn’t like seeing Yaoyao in so much hurt.

Ye Jiayao hugged the heat pack, curling into a ball.

Xia Chunyu sat beside her on the bed.

“Feeling better?”

Ye Jiayao hummed groggily.

Xia Chunyu sighed. If he could, he’d stay here with her and rub her stomach to make her feel better just like he did in the mountains.

After sitting there for a long while, watching her, she finally drifted off to sleep. Xia Chunyu covered her with a blanket and just as he was about turn away, he saw a tassel peeking out from under her pillow. Not wanting to disturb her, he carefully pulled it away, intending to put it somewhere else.

He didn’t expect to see a familiar looking jade. When he flipped it over and noticed the dragon’s plate, he finally remembered where he’d seen it from. This piece of jade was from the Helian family heirloom. Both Helian Xuan and Helian Jing has one, with Helian Xuan’s dragon head facing up and Little Jing’s facing down.

This is Little Jing’s jade piece.

Xia Chunyu held on to the dragon plate, his heart slowly sinking.

Little Jing has given her his family heirloom and she accepted it.

All this time, he’s been in a one-sided love.  She has chosen Little Jing.

Ye Jiayao spent the night in a fitful sleep. When she woke up in the morning, she felt like she went 10 rounds in a boxing ring.

She was unable to go to Heavenly Residence to work and she didn’t want the brothers visiting her here, so she asked Jiang Li to apply for her leave when he brought the ice cream over. He told them that she has gone on a trip to visit a chef somewhere else.

For two days, Ye Jiayao hid at home to rest. During that time, Little Jing tried to go see her, but Jiang Li sent him away, saying that she wasn’t home. Chunyu, however, didn’t make a peep. He knew she was sick and yet he didn’t visit her which disappointed Ye Jiayao.

By the time she returned to work, a 180-degree change has occurred at Heavenly Residence.

The moment she arrived, she was informed that the restaurant has been bought and that Shopkeeper Li has already left the day before. The new manager was a guy with the surname Zhao, but no one knows who the new owner was yet.

Ye Jiayao was shocked. Heavenly Residence was Shopkeeper Li’s life, how could he sell it just like that? And why would he sell it at a time like this where the restaurant is raking in thousands every day? Was he forced to sell? Did someone powerful coerce him to give the restaurant up?

Could it be Liu Li? Thinking of that possibility made Ye Jiayao break out in cold sweat.

She has to go to Laifu Inn to ask Li Erniang.

Ye Jiayao was just about to slip out when Manager Qian came down. When he saw her, he hurriedly said, “Li Yao, thank heavens you’re finally here! The manager is looking for you! Come on, follow me up.”

Zhong Xiang noticed that Li Yao’s complexion didn’t look too good so he consoled, “The new manager is quite amiable. Go on, it will be okay.”

The new Manager Zhao was a lean, middle-aged man. His bright eyes gave away the fact that he was a shrewd businessman.

“You are the head chef, Li Yao?” Manager Zhao asked with a smile.

“Yes, I am Li Yao,” Ye Jiayao answered, her hands cupped together.

Manager Qian started slowly, “I heard you took two days off?”

“Yes. Because of the culinary competition, I took a short trip to consult an old chef.”

“Although the culinary competition would affect the restaurant’s reputation, now that the restaurant is getting busy, do not go about applying for leave too casually. In the future, you have to obtain my consent before going on leave,” Manager Zhao said.

Amiable my ass.

“Sure. In the future, I would definitely seek your approval.”

“You need to know that most of the customers come for you, Head Chef Li. If you are not around, we cannot satisfy them. For the past two days, we haven’t been receiving the 20% from the private rooms on the third story as we cannot lie to our customers and say that you’re here when you’re not. Therefore, the 20% profit would be deducted from your wages.”

You f*cking prick! Are you serious? 

“Manager Zhao, Shopkeeper Li said that the 20% belongs to me.”

Manager Zhao chuckled. “Have you signed a contract? I didn’t see this clause in your contract. If it is an oral agreement, it wouldn’t count. Besides, this doesn’t go on the regulations, in the first place.

Ye Jiayao wanted to cry.

“There are also two other clauses that are unreasonable,” Manager Zhao continued.

Ye Jiayao could almost see the wings growing on the money in her pocket, lining up and flying away.

“First, the commission for the mooncakes. Although the mooncake is your creation, it is the responsibility and duty of the head chef to develop new dishes to attract more customers. A 30% and 70% split is too much. The maximum is 10%. Let’s go according to the rules.

“Second, the private events. According to the rules, you have to hand over at least 40% of the profit. This also has to change. I have already drafted a new contract so take a look. If you have no other questions, you can sign your name and press your thumbprint here. This way, there is proof so no one would be disadvantaged.” Manager Zhao passed her a contract.

Ye Jiayao was so angry that she could feel her stomach getting upset again. The contract removes her 20% from the rooms on the third story, her cut of profits from the mooncake…  It has cut my dreams of opening up my own restaurant.

“Manager Zhao, I am not signing this contract. This is unreasonable,” Ye Jiayao protested.

Manager Zhao seemed to have anticipated this and took out another contract, chuckling. “Head Chef Li, we have to follow the rules. All personnel of the restaurant has to obey the restaurant’s arrangement completely. Otherwise, it will be taken as a breach of contract and would have to be punished accordingly. If you do not sign this, I shall treat it as you contributing to the restaurant’s funds.”