Prologue (1/2)

t.i.tle: My Daughter is the Family Head - 女大當家

Author :  Yu Wanwan  余宛宛

Total Chapters:  Prologue + 34 Chapters = 35 parts

Catmeme6's notes:

If you dislike violence, this story is not for you.  This story will take you on an emotional roller-coaster of love, hate, sadness, despair, heartbreak, and happiness.

This story has a happy ending.......at least to me, it is a happy ending.

Prologue

If one were to ask about the most famous restaurant in the capital city of Dongyan, nine out of ten people would say it is the Hua Ji Restaurants.

Actually, Hua Ji Restaurant is an old shop but these recent ten years, after the only child and daughter of the Hua Family, Hua Ming Zi had taken over the business, all the Hua Ji Restaurant businesses flourished. Each and every restaurant had its own special menus and the old customers not only frequently return but when a new branch of the restaurant opens for business, everyone would make sure to patronize the new restaurant with their friends and relatives.

And for this very reason, the Family Head of the Ying Family, Ying Yang Long had especially insisted on patronizing the new restaurant soon after his return to the city.  As the owner of the Ying Medical Halls that trade in medicines, he had just completed the task of delivering medicines to his customers.  Although the Ying Medical Halls had no related connections with the restaurants, overall the ways and methods of conducting business were quite similar.  There was nothing wrong with learning a bit more about business.

”Dangjia*, when are we leaving?”

(Dangjia is the t.i.tle of a Family Head.)

Steward Zhu poured a cup of tea for Ying Yan Long.  Before Ying Yan Long could reply, his younger brother, Ying Xue Wen who was sitting beside him turned his head around with wide eyes and said.  ”Why do we have to leave so soon?  I only just drank a cup of tea and I haven't enjoyed enough of the songs* yet.”

(In the olden days, there were people who sing in restaurants for money given by customers in appreciation.  The singers would travel from place to place to make a living and the restaurants let them sing in their premises to attract more customers.  They usually work in pairs and the singer who is normally a girl would be accompanied by her father or teacher who plays a musical instrument such as the pipa or the erhu.)

”Let us have one more cup of tea before we leave.”

Ying Yan Long said lightly and pretended to unintentionally look in the direction about twenty-steps away from where he was sitting.  However, very quickly he withdrew his gaze and continued to look around the restaurant.

The Hua Ji Restaurants truly lived up to its famous name.  In all their ten-plus restaurants, each restaurant's dishes were exquisite, their staff's service was warm and cordial and the only difference was that the quality of the dishes varied and of course, the prices also varied accordingly.

For example, in this new Hua Ji Restaurant in the city which he was patronizing today, a dish of 'Clearwater Lotus' would have cost an ordinary family's ten days' worth of food expenses.  So the quality of attentive service from the staff in the restaurant was naturally extraordinary.  From the floral bowls for was.h.i.+ng hands to the fine quality green tea served, everything greatly emphasized that the cool spring water used was from Qingcheng Mountain Villa.  The brocade covered cus.h.i.+on seats on the chairs, the pictures of different flowers and birds on the walls and the music played by the ladies created an atmosphere that other ordinary restaurants were unable to match.

The only imperfection was that a commotion had started twenty steps away from him at this moment.

Ying Yan Long lifted his head and looked in that direction.

A man wearing a purple-gold embroidered robe was continuously hara.s.sing and approaching a woman whose face was covered by a tulle veil.

Ying Yan Long was actually waiting to see what would happen next.  The woman whose face was covered with a tulle veil was obviously the Head of Hua Ji Restaurant, Hua Ming Ji.  He wondered how she would normally deal with the city's infamous lecher, Luo Ji Cai when they meet.

”Luo Ji Cai, what do you want?”

She narrowed her eyes and glared at Luo Ji Cai who was so drunk that even his eyelids had turned reddish.

”He, he, he......  What will you allow me to do?   Today, I must take a look at you and see your face.  I want to see for myself whether you, Head of the Hua Family, are as beautiful as a flower or as ugly as a ghost!”  Luo Ji Cai laughed slyly and took another step forward as he swayed unsteadily on his feet.

”What has it got to do with you whether I look as beautiful as a flower or as ugly as a ghost?!”  Hua Ming Zi said between her clenched teeth.

”The people in the whole city know that I, Luo Ji Cai, have chosen you as my wife.”

”The people in the whole city know that I would rather die than marry you.”  As soon as Hua Ming Zi said those words, it attracted bursts of laughter from everyone.

This was because the words of Hua Ming Ji were not spoken in jest.

Luo Ji Cai is well-known among the people in the capital city as an unfilial son and relied on his Elder Sister who is the Concubine of the Emperor for support.  His father is a Prime Minister holding one of the two Prime Minister positions in the Imperial Court and because of his father's important status, he would do as he pleased.

Everyone knew that Luo Ji Cai often caused trouble in all corners of the city and it was common knowledge that a girl from a reputable family would never be willing to marry him!

”After I have taken off your veil and looked at your face, then you will have to marry......”  Luo Ji Cai took another step towards her.

Hua Ming Zi tightened her lips with disgust and tried to suppress the rising nauseous feeling caused by his breath that reeked of alcohol.

She took a step back and threw a glance out the window.  Then she sneered and said.  ”Who said that I will have to marry once my veil is lifted?  Where did you hear those crazy words?  Restaurants?  Brothels?  Were you sober at that time?  Or were you drunk, so drunk that you fantasized everything?”

Hua Ming Zi's words made Luo Ji Cai's face turned red and he shot forward a step to pounce on her.  ”This one is going to take off your veil today!”

”You are very bold!”  Hua Ming Zi sidestepped to dodge him and slammed her hand on the table with a loud sound.

The table collapsed instantly.

Immediately, the entire second floor became silent.  Luo Ji Cai looked at the table and his drunkenness had vanished by half.

”What?  I just made a move and you're scared.  Where has your boldness disappeared to?”  Hua Ming Zi glanced briefly behind Luo Ji Cai.

”Who said I am scared?!”  Luo Ji Cai widened his eyes and once again stretched out his hands to make a grab for her.

”Luo Gongzi*, please stop!”  The Captain of the city's North District Patrol quickly stood in front of Luo Ji Cai.

(Gongzi is an honorific for a son of an official or son of a n.o.ble or wealthy family.  It is also a polite way of addressing a man.)

Hua Ming Zi took the opportunity to retreat three steps and stood behind the Captain.

Just now when she saw Luo Ji Cai enter the restaurant, she had sent someone to inform the Captain.  After all, Luo Ji Cai was frequently causing trouble and the Patrol was already very tired of his behavior.  The Patrol helped Hua Ming Zi not only because they gave her face.  Sometimes, when the Patrol patronized the Hua Ji Restaurants, she would still collect the dues according to the bill but the food served to them would always be several times more than what they had ordered and more than the bill they were supposed to pay.