78 Donst Forgive Him So Easily (2/2)

”Alright, I will not mention it again.” Song Qi smiled. He has already achieved what he wanted. Miss Ye already knows the Heir-Son Lord's feelings, maybe she'd treat him a little better now. ”But you have to teach me how to make preserved eggs! The Heir-Son Lord has already finished that vat of preserved eggs so he's asked me to make some more, but I don't know how!”

Ye Jiayao broke into a peal of laughter. ”Alright, I will teach you another day.”

She saw how Song Qi got bossed around and scolded by Chunyu in the mountains. Now, he's getting him to make preserved eggs? Ay, Dumb Donkey, do you think your attendant is Doraemon?

Their conversation made the journey feel short, and before they knew it, they've already arrived at Ruyi Motel.

Ye Jiayao handed the box containing the crown prince's calligraphy to Song Qi for safekeeping. She obsessively reminded him to safeguard it well before she retired to her room to rest.

She intended to sleep, however, every time she would close her eyes, Song Qi's words would start ringing in her ears. Does Dumb Donkey really care about her that much? She has turned him away so many times now, berated and scold him, and even injured his precious jewels... but he was still protecting her. Was all that out of guilt?

That frustrating man! Ye Jiayao tossed and turn, trying to think of something else, anything that's not related to him.

What should she think about? Oh! Chunyu said that Little Jingjing has been performing well lately. That made her proud and happy. Little Jingjing wasn't really that bad. She knew that as long as he was given a chance, he could master things quickly.

And that Zhao Qixuan! What a remarkable, amusing person. She wondered if he was the top or the bottom. He seemed to be a bottom, but he could as easily be a gentle top, too.

Aiya! Ye Jiayao sat up suddenly and slapped her forehead. She forgot to ask Zhao Qixuan to help her get some coconuts!

Ye Jiayao lied back down helplessly. Her mind was a mess!

The next day, Ye Jiayao went to work and found Manager Du waiting for her in the restaurant.

”Big brother, why are you here?” Ye Jiayao asked, surprised.

Manager Du answered, ”When you had someone tell us that you were in trouble and wouldn't be coming back to the inn temporarily, we got worried. I thought perhaps you'd come by last night, but when you didn't, your sister-in-law sent me here. Little Brother Li, are you alright?”

Ye Jiayao's heart warmed. They were strangers who she met by chance and yet, here they were, personally visiting to check on her.

”Big brother, it is nothing. I'm fine. I will be going back after a few days, you don't have to worry, really.”

Manager Du nodded. ”That's good. If you need my help in any way, just tell me, alright?”

Although Little Brother Li swore that he was fine, Manager Du was unconvinced. How can something that forced him to hide just be nothing? He was unbelieving, but since Li Yao didn't want to discuss it, he didn't probe further. Manager Du just wanted him to know that he was there for him.

”Of course. Big brother, I'm sorry but I have to hurry back, the shop is about to get busy.”

At noon, when Ye Jiayao was the busiest, Helian Jing arrived at the restaurant and pulled her out of the kitchen. ”Big Yaoyao, I have good news for you!”

Ye Jiayao's mind was on the vegetables in the wok. She wasn't sure that the other kitchen hands could control the fire and she was afraid they might end up burning the vegetables. Imagine serving burnt vegetables. Ye Jiayao held in a shudder.

”What's the good news? Hurry up, Little Jing, I'm busy.”

”My brother has agreed to let you do my grandmother's birthday feast.”

Ye Jiayao's eyes brightened joyfully. ”Really?”

When she lost the chance, she was very dejected, but she didn't want to put Little Jingjing in a difficult situation so she kept quiet. She never imagined that she'd get the opportunity back again.

Helian Jing smiled, the cute dimples on his cheek appearing. ”Really! Zheng Fugui from Fu Ji has contracted gout so he could not do the feast. He proposed to let his son do it, but I argued that if it was going to be his son cooking, we might as well just let you do it, and my brother actually agreed! It might've also been because he was impressed with the food you made yesterday!”

Well, he would've been impressed sooner if he had actually eaten the dishes I prepared when he first came here to accost me.

Things like culinary competitions were like gymnastics. If everyone finishes their routine similarly, the judges' rating of the performance would be affected by the contestant's reputation as well the country he/she was representing. Judging food was an even more difficult task because people have different tastes - that's when fame comes in handy.

She has obtained a little fame from the chilled drinks she released, but it was not big enough. The crown prince's calligraphy was her trump card and should not be used so easily, so that was out, too.

What she really needed to raise her name in the food and beverage industry of Jin Ling was a platform where she could display her skills. This was the platform. This was her chance.

”Big Yaoyao, are you going to do it?” Helian Jing asked.

Ye Jiayao smiled confidently. ”Yes. If you really trust me this much, I will do it.”