Chapter 9 Lin Lan Returns (1/2)

”Esteemed Master Zhou, this is Chief Steward Li. It is his duty to ensure that Yunxuan Restaurant operates smoothly… if Esteemed Master Zhou does not wish to personally oversee the running of Yunxuan Restaurant, you can delegate this duty to Chief Steward Li.”

Upon seeing that Zhou Donghuang had kept the title deed of Yunxuan Restaurant, Zhao San introduced the middle-aged man standing behind him.

”After I leave, he will remain at Yunxuan Restaurant and serve the Esteemed Master Zhou.”

”Chief Steward of Yunxuan Restaurant, Li Xian, here, acknowledging your presence, Young Master Zhou,” the middle-aged man said humbly as he saluted Zhou Donghuang.

Zhou Donghuang nodded mildly in acknowledgment and turned his gaze back to Zhao San.

”Will you be preparing to leave Qingshan Town and return to the Governor's Household in the prefecture capital?”

Zhao San nodded, ”It seems that you already know that I am of the Governor's Household… you are correct, I set out today for the Governor's Household in the prefecture capital.”

”If you ever have the time, you are welcome to see me in the Governor's Household in the prefecture capital, and I will be delighted to entertain you,” Zhao San said with a slight smile.

”Moreover, as I have promised earlier… the money that I have loaned to the Magnolia Guild from this moment on belongs to the Esteemed Master Zhou,” Zhao San said with a glance at Granny Lian.

Following that, Zhao San and Zhou Donghuang chatted for a short while, but upon seeing that Zhou Donghuang had no interest in continuing their chat, he tactfully chose to leave with Li Xian.

Zhou Donghuang, under the dumbfounded gaze of Granny Lian, returned to his room to practice.

Young Master… is now the owner of Yunxuan Restaurant?

Granny Lian was still grappling with reality, and she felt as though she was dreaming. It all felt too surreal.

Outside the Magnolia Guild, Li Xian was walking behind Zhao San.

”Elder San, you gave Yunxuan Restaurant to him just like that? That is the most profitable business in Qingshan Town, and it rakes in money every day!”

Zhao San grunted in acknowledgment and nodded. ”I will be returning to the prefecture capital soon, and keeping Yunxuan Restaurant will not benefit me. I owe him big time, and I consider giving Yunxuan Restaurant to him to be paying off this moral obligation.”

”Elder San, in the past, your support sustained Yunxuan Restaurant, and no one dared to attempt a takeover… now, with you gone and Yunxuan Restaurant in the hands of a new owner, I fear there will be many takeover attempts.”

Li Xian cast a probing gaze at Zhao San and asked, ”If there really is a takeover attempt… when that happens, should I warn them that even though Elder San has left, he will still not stand for any takeover attempts?”

At Li Xian's words, Zhao San stopped and looked back in the direction of the Magnolia Guild.

After that momentary halt, he looked away and said mildly, ”Since I have already given Yunxuan Restaurant to him, whether or not he is able to hold on to it will depend entirely on how capable he is.”

Although one word from Zhao San would have been enough to forestall anyone who was planning a takeover attempt on Zhou Donghuang's Yunxuan Restaurant, he would not say the word.

He felt that Zhou Donghuang, who had been able to cure his chronic ailment, was no ordinary person, despite rumors saying that Zhou Donghuang was unable to practice and was a martial invalid.

Would a martial invalid be able to maim Wang Feng, the grand master of the Wang family, and tie his arm into a knot?

Thinking back to the news he had heard about the events of that day, Zhao San was still rather startled.

Interesting fellow… I only hope that since you have accepted Yunxuan Restaurant, your performance will not disappoint me.

Of course, Zhao San said this in his heart and not out loud.

”Depending on how capable he is?” Li Xian's eyes lit up suddenly at Zhao San's reply, and a look of greed flickered across the depths of his eyes.

Zhao San obviously did not have eyes in the back of his head and noticed nothing.

…

Two days later.

Zhou Donghuang was awakened once again from his practice, but this time, it was because his mother Lin Lan had returned from the Lin family in the prefecture capital.

Lin Lan sought him out soon after returning.

”Mother, have you given the formula to the Lin family?”

Zhou Donghuang had a look of tenderness in his eyes as he looked at Lin Lan.

Although Lin Lan was only his adoptive mother, the love she had shown him was no less than his biological mother had. It was even more than most mothers showed their own biological children.

Lin Lan remained unmarried till this day because of him.

When he was young, he had overheard Granny Lian advice Lin Lan to find a good family to marry into, but Lin Lan had firmly rejected her advice.

Lin Lan's exact words had been, ”This life of mine has been saved by Donghuang's father… In this lifetime, I will never let Donghuang suffer even the slightest wrong.”

Evidently, Lin Lan had felt that if she were to marry and bear children, she would have wronged Zhou Donghuang. Therefore, she had never considered marrying.

Even when Zhou Donghuang had grown up and matured, and he advised Lin Lan to marry, she had deflected the advice with a smile.

”I would.” Lin Lan smiled and gave a slight nod, but the look she gave Zhou Donghuang was conflicted.

Just now, upon her return, Granny Lian had apprised her of what had happened while she was away from the guild…