107 Black-Hearted Boss (1/2)

Ye Jiayao laughed. ”I'm sorry. We have made an agreement with the Helian Mansion that we couldn't sell the mooncake before the birthday feast.”

The woman persisted, ”We'll promise that we'll keep it a secret.”

”Honesty is important in business. I am very sorry, but we can't sell you this. Please ask your master to wait for a couple more days. He can have as many as he wants after the birthday feast,” Ye Jiayao said.

”I will pay you 10 silvers for each one,” the woman offered, trying to tempt Ye Jiayao with the money.

Ye Jiayao was kind of impressed. 10 silvers each. For five pieces, I would get 50 silvers. This master knew that she already had an agreement with the Helian Mansion and still came to buy it secretly. It seemed that the temptation of the mooncake was great. Maybe they could consider raising the price later on?

Despite the amount of money on offer, though, she still wouldn't sell it. ”I am really sorry. According to the agreement, if I break the deal, I would have to pay 500 silvers. Just tell your master to wait a bit longer.

When the woman realized that she couldn't make Ye Jiayao sell it to her, she left sulkily.

After Ye Jiayao finished working that night, Xia Chunyu came to pick her up again. She had been feeling gloomy all day and couldn't help but complain to him.

”I know the restaurant has its rules, but I invented the mooncake! It will go places, and yet, I only get to take 30%? That's terrible! The worst is that they'll even take away the portable ice cube I invented. That's intellectual property. I was counting on that to make a little bit of money! Ugh!”

Xia Chunyu bit his lip. He really didn't mind the percentage she was complaining about, but the ice cube... He didn't think that Yaoyao had been behind that as well.

He's the terrible boss she was talking about.

”Don't be mad. You're just an employee so you have to play nice. Do you want me to buy you out so you can open your own restaurant?” Xia Chunyu offered, trying to soothe her anger.

”No,” Ye Jiayao rejected without hesitation. She wasn't really anything to him so she'd never ask for things like that.

”Why don't you tell the shopkeeper that you invented the ice cube? Tell him that if he wanted it, he could buy them from you,” he suggested.

Ye Jiayao waved her hands dismissively. ”I am not interested in one or two silvers as a payment.”

Xia Chunyu laughed. ”How much would you sell it?”

”I planned to sell it as five silvers each, 500 silvers for 100 pieces,” she said, her nose scrunched up.

Xia Chunyu frowned slightly. He was thinking at least 10 silvers!

”Ah, I don't want to talk about this anymore. I still have many other good things I can think of. I will bring them out when I open my own restaurant so everything I earn will be just for me,” Ye Jiayao declared.

”If you don't bring the good stuff out, how can you gain fame and get listed as a famous chef?” he reasoned. ”Those master chefs bring out new dishes from time to time so that they won't get eliminated through selection or competition.”

Ye Jiayao looked at him grumpily. ”Is that the only way to become a master chef? To be famous? There would be a competition soon, so if I get a gold, silver, or bronze plate, wouldn't I be a master chef then?”

Xia Chunyu challenged, ”Do you really think that the gold plate is so easy to get? There are many professional chefs with excellent skills in Jin Ling, Yaoyao.”

”You don't have to worry about that. I have my own ways,” she said. ”By the way, have you submitted your letter of apology? Did you pass it?”

”It is called self-examing letter,” he corrected.

”Isn't that the same?”

”No. An apology letter sounds bad. That makes me look like I have done something treacherous.”

Ye Jiayao laughed. ”Talking back to the Empress Dowager is treacherous! But did you pass it?”

Xia Chunyu nodded. ”Yeah. Nothing went wrong. The Emperor really just did it all for the show of 'punishing' me. I'm actually back on duty today.”

What disappointed him was that the Emperor was still trying to push a marriage between him and Liu Li despite him talking back to the Empress Dowager.

He couldn't really decline because it wasn't as if he could just blurt out to the Emperor that he hated Liu Li and that he already had a wife.

Ye Jiayao relaxed at his answer. She told him, ”I will be very busy tomorrow. The birthday feast is in five days so I need to get some stuff ready this early on.”

”How are you feeling about that?” Xia Chunyu asked. The Queen Consort's birthday feast was an extraordinary affair. Every one of high status in Jin Ling would be present and if she succeeds, she'd be famous. If she fails, however, she could kiss her career goodbye.

”Everything is already ready and everyone has been preparing for this. We won't make a mistake,” Ye Jiayao answered confidently.

”Let me give you a kiss.” Xia Chunyu didn't wait for her answer and instead planted a hard kiss on her lips immediately.

Ye Jiayao moved her head back. ”What? Stop taking advantage of me!”

Xia Chunyu sounded innocent as he said, ”I am celebrating your success in advance.”