Adorable Food Goddess

Ye Jiayao and Chunfeng entered Heavenly Residence together.

Xia Chunyu was infuriated. He wanted to barge in and grab her, but this was a restaurant and it would not look good if he caused a ruckus. He could only grit his teeth and ride back to wait for the right time.

Seeing that Li Yao brought the Third Young Master of the Jing An Marquis residence, the waiters served them especially attentively.

Ye Jiayao said to Xia Chunfeng, “Take a seat for a while, I’ll take a look in the kitchen.”

Xia Chunfeng asked, “Didn’t you just say that you didn’t need to cook?”

Ye Jiayao smiled. “That is under the circumstances of not having an extinguished guest. Now that the extinguished guest has arrived, I have to cook personally. This is the restaurant’s rule.”

Xia Chunfeng frowned. He has no idea when Little Jing would arrive and if Li Yao cooks, that would just leave him alone. He said, “Forget it. We will just eat casually today. Don’t go, sit with me.”

Xia Chunfeng pulled out a chair and pushed Li Yao down onto it without allowing him to say anything.

Xia Chunfeng was again surprised at how thin Li Yao was. He and Little Jing were also skinny, but not  this  skinny. They had good physique with lean muscles. Li Yao, though, felt soft, as if she had no toned muscles, like… like awoman.

Ye Jiayao really didn’t like how Xia Chunfeng was manhandling her. Yes, it was normal for men to behave like this with each other, but she was not really a man!  But he doesn’t know that…  Ye Jiayao held in her sigh.

“The embarrassing story about Little Jing you were talking about yesterday, what is it? Little Jing is not here yet, so share it.” Xia Chunfeng smiled evilly.

“You have to share one first. The story about the bridal room, what happened after that?”

“That story… haha… it is killing me…” Xia Chunfeng started laughing before he even began telling the story, clutching his stomach.

Ye Jiayao resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

“Let me tell you, haha…” Xia Chunfeng looked like he was not going to stop laughing at any minute.

“Okay, okay. We were lying down under the bed prepared to eavesdrop, right? After that, the groom came in and we were extremely excited. Guess what happened?” Xia Chunfeng began when he finally composed himself.

Ye Jiayao held in her scorn.  You’re just perverts. Why are you so interested in sex at such a young age?  “What happened?”

“The bride and groom just sat there for two hours without moving! We were so anxious then because these two were just wasting time. Everyone said that every moment of that joyous night was worth thousands of gold, but that was all just a bore!”

This time, Ye Jiayao didn’t hold in her eye-roll. She sneered, “How old were you to know that every moment of that ‘joyous night’ is worth thousands of gold? That clearly shows that all you know were bad things!”

Xia Chunfeng blushed a little. He justified, “We really didn’t know all of that back then. We were just curious and being nosy. I just learned that saying afterward.”

“Okay, continue your story.”

Xia Chunfeng took a sip of tea before he continued, “It was midsummer at that time and it was sweltering hot underneath the bed. Little Jing started to fidget around uneasily beside me. He looked like he was in pain so I asked him what was wrong. He told me he wanted to pee and he couldn’t hold it in any longer. Of course, I told him to just endure it no matter what, because if we get caught…”

Ye Jiayao had a pretty good guess of what happened next.  How could Little Jing be so unlucky?

“What happens after that?”

Xia Chunfeng started laughing out loud again.

“Little Jing peed in his pants and cried out loud, giving the bride and groom a scare! Oh, they were so embarrassed! We got lectured badly by the adults because of that and we were grounded for a whole month.”

Ye Jiayao almost spat out a mouthful of tea. Even if she already knew what was going to happen, she could not help but laugh still. She could only imagine how hilarious must’ve Little Jing’s embarrassed face looked.

Xia Chunfeng chuckled and urged, “It’s your turn!”

Ye Jiayao took a deep breath to dispel her giggles. “It actually isn’t that funny.”

She wanted to tell all Little Jing’s embarrassing feats on their way to Jin Ling, but she was afraid that he’d get mad at her and end their friendship.

“If it isn’t funny, then what is it?”

Ye Jiayao said, “Does sleeping on a plank bed with more than 10 people counts? How about sleeping in pavilions and run-down temples? Or maybe eating only one  bun every day?”

Xia Chunfeng was shocked. “Are you serious? That pathetic?”

“He doesn’t have a single cent on him back then, and I also don’t have much money on me. It really is a miracle that we got back to Jin Ling,” Ye Jiayao told him.

“Tsk, tsk. Little Jing was pitiful on that trip,” Xia Chunfeng concluded, sympathizing with his friend.

Ye Jiayao nodded. Noblemen like Chunfeng who were born with a silver spoon in their mouths have never suffered before, so hearing that story must’ve been a shock. In reality, there were many people in the world who couldn’t even afford a single bun. There were families out there of more than 10 people that have to squeeze in in a run-down little house.

“Are they inside?” Little Jing’s voice carried from outside.

Both of them quickly changed the topic.

“Li Yao, do you only have three types of chilled drinks here?”

“Currently, there are only three types, yes. If the restaurant can survive, I am preparing to come out with more,” Ye Jiayao said with a sigh.

“What are you guys talking about?” Little Jing pushed the door open and entered the room.

“Oh, we were talking about chilled drinks.” Xia Chunfeng pointed to the seat by the side, motioning Little Jing to take a seat. “Li Yao, what do you mean ‘if the restaurant can survive'”?

Ye Jiayao poured a cup of tea for Little Jing, explaining, “I went to look for Little Jing today for this matter, I hope you guys can help me out.”

Helian Jing’s eyebrows knitted together. “What happened?”

“Today, the owner of this building, Boss Sun came and said that he wants to take this building back. He wants us to move out within three days. I think he is implying that there is someone who’s making him do this, someone who wants to shut Heavenly Residence down,” Ye Jiayao said honestly.

Xia Chunfeng’s sharp inhale was audible. “What?”

“Don’t you have a contract? How can Boss Sun breach the contract just like that?” Helian Jing asked.

“Boss Sun said that he would forgo this year’s rent. What else can we do?”

After some thought, Helian Jing said, “Give me Boss Sun’s information. Chunfeng and I will go investigate.”

“Mm, the two of us would definitely be able to settle this,” Xia Chunfeng agreed, nodding. Just as he finally found a great place to hang out, it’d be shut down? No, that won’t do.

Ye Jiayao knew that they would help, but their eager agreement and lack of hesitation touched her. She was really lucky to have friends like them.

“Alright. I’m going to get Shopkeeper Li so that he can talk to you.”

Ye Jiayao went to look for Shopkeeper Li, but he was not around. Manager Qian said that he went to look for Boss Sun.

“Do you know any information about Boss Sun?” Ye Jiayao asked.

Manager Qian replied, “Of course I do, we know each other.”

“Okay. The Young Royal Highness and Third Young Master Xia are in the Lotus suite right now and they have agreed to help. Tell them what the situation is.”

“That’s great! I’m going over there now!” Manager Qian was elated.

There weren’t many customers that night and no one was really in the mood to do anything. After sending Little Jing and Xia Chunfeng off, everyone just packed up early and went their separate ways.

Ye Jiayao went back to Auntie Jiang’s house where Jiang Li told her that the Jing An Heir-Son Lord was waiting for her. He warned her that he wasn’t in a good mood.

Not in a good mood? Fantastic. We’ll just be foul with each other, then.

Inside her room, she saw Xia Chunyu sitting on her bed, his face dark and stormy.

“Hey! This is a woman’s room, Chunyu. You can’t just come here whenever you want.” Ye Jiayao suddenly recalled that she left in a hurry that morning and left her undergarment lying on the bed. How mortifying!

Xia Chunyu stared straight at her, his eyes barely holding his emotions concealed.

“So you know you are a woman?” His tone was obviously mocking her.

“What’s wrong with you?” Ye Jiayao stared at him. “And how many times do I have to tell you that what I am and what I do is none of your business anymore?

“Ye Jinxuan, I dare you to say that again!” Xia Chunyu yelled.

Ye Jiayao stood frozen in shock at his sudden outburst. She was surprised to hear him shout at her. Ever since they’ve reconnected, he never so much as raise his voice at her. He would just patiently bear it if she started screaming and hitting him. Was he trying to turn the tables around today?

“What are you yelling at me for? If you want to exhibit your prowess as an Heir-Son Lord, go back to your mansion because that’s not going to fly with me,” Ye Jiayao retorted rudely.  I have too many things to worry about, Dumb Donkey. I don’t have the spare time to bother with arrogant young masters like you.

Xia Chunyu stood up with a growl, his gaze piercing, and his whole body practically vibrating with tension. He slowly walked towards Ye Jiayao, his ruthlessness evident by each step.

Ye Jiayao had never seen him like this before and she could not help but feel a little afraid. She stepped back warily. She might act fierce, but if Chunyu was really angry, she knew that she’d just cower off.

“You… w-what do you want?” she stuttered.

Outside, Jiang Yue ran out to look for her parents. “Father, Mother, Heir-Son Lord and Third Madam are quarreling!”

Auntie Jiang was surprised. “Really?”

“Really, really. I heard the Heir-Son Lord shouting extremely loud and Third Madam doesn’t seem to be giving in. Mother, what should we do?” Jiang Yue was at a loss.

“What do you mean ‘what should we do’? This is their problem. Why should outsiders like us get involved? We are only going to make it worse,” Uncle Jiang said.

Auntie Jiang nodded in partial agreement. She said worriedly, “Yue-er, go and keep watch. If things get out of hand, we’d go up and help.”

Jiang Yue nodded and ran back.

In the room, Xia Chunyu was still steaming with anger. This woman was too heartless. Yes, he was the one who was wrong in the first place but wasn’t he already paying for that? He had done everything to help her. He even arranged a place to stay for her! He tolerated her time and again, not retaliating when she hit him, staying quiet whenever she scolds him. He had thought that once she got over her anger, they’d live happily again.

She did not care about him at all. If she did, she wouldn’t have ridden with Chunfeng today.

“Ye Jinxuan, you are a heartless woman,” he growled. “Listen to me. You are my woman.  Mine.  So don’t even think about flirting with other men, especially Chunfeng. You don’t want to see what I’d do if this happens again.”