Chapter 31: Last Night...

"Brother Lin, aren't you going to drink any? This batch I made turned out quite well."

Jiang Luan poured out the yogurt and had already finished half a cup himself before noticing that Qi Shaolin hadn't moved and wore a very strange expression on his face.

"..."

Qi Shaolin simply changed the subject, asking, "My wife, why have you been spending so much time in the kitchen lately?"

Jiang Luan gave a mysterious smile. "I'm researching new dishes for our restaurant."

He had been secretly tinkering for several days, just waiting for the right opportunity to gauge the locals' preferences. Since Qi Shaolin had brought it up himself, Jiang Luan decided to take action today.

"Brother Lin, accompany me to the restaurant in Greenwater Islet this afternoon."

Qi Shaolin naturally wouldn't refuse. "My wife, is there anything I need to prepare?"

"No need," Jiang Luan said. "Just bring Master Li along."

...

...

At this moment, the South Garden was silent.

The servants were working through the night to prepare wedding robes, red candles, and other items for a wedding that no one was happy about. Yet, everyone was busy, their faces devoid of any joy, and they didn't even dare to breathe too loudly.

"Was he wearing purple today?" Prince Suping asked inside the room.

A servant knelt on the floor, head bowed, and said, "Yes, your highness. This servant just saw the Young Mistress wearing purple as he went out, accompanied by the Young Master and Li Ru from the kitchen."

"Good. You may go." Prince Suping looked thoughtful. "And send Liu Deng to me."

"Yes."

The servant backed out and pulled the door shut, returning the room to silence.

In the corner of the room, the sound of someone sobbing quietly became all the more distinct.

Prince Suping said impatiently, "Stop crying. It’s giving me a headache."

"Your Highness..."

The person raised her tear-streaked face; it was Huazhao.

"Do you think I want you to leave?" Prince Suping said. "It’s the only way to save your life!"

Huazhao was wearing a bright red wedding robe, her hair and makeup untouched, sitting on a stool and weeping to herself.

"Your Highness, is there really no other way?" Huazhao sobbed. "I have followed you since I was thirteen; I truly do not want to marry!"

"Is it that you don't want to marry, or that you don't want to marry Liu Deng?" Prince Suping sneered.

"..." Huazhao fell silent.

Although Huazhao was twenty-five or twenty-six, she was in the prime of her life, growing into a graceful, flower-like beauty. Prince Suping looked at her for a moment; having been with him for over a decade, he felt a pang of reluctance.

He sighed and said, "I know your plight... Just marry him for now. As for the future, I will naturally find you a better man."

Since her master had spoken, what else could Huazhao say? She wiped her tears and nose with a handkerchief, barely managing to stop crying. "I will obey your command, Your Highness."

Prince Suping stood up and personally began to fix Huazhao's hair.

Huazhao was flattered and startled, trying to stop him. "Your Highness, you shouldn't..."

"It’s only for today, so let’s get your makeup done," Prince Suping said. "We have been master and servant for a long time, after all. Since you are taking this burden for me, I will keep it in mind."

Hearing this, Huazhao lowered her face, her eyes flickering.

As Prince Suping combed her hair, he said in a sinister tone, "Don't worry, I will definitely have my revenge. On your wedding day, I will make sure to deliver a 'great gift' to that wretch on your behalf."

...

The master and servant in the room were whispering, unaware that two people were crouching on the roof.

Qi Shaokang replaced the roof tile he had lifted and shook his head. "To be thinking of someone else before even entering the house... I think any man would find such humiliation unbearable."

After saying this, he looked meaningfully at the man across from him.

Across from him was Liu Deng, dressed in his wedding attire. Hearing this, he nearly ground his teeth to dust, clenching his fists in the shadows.

The two of them had been hiding on Prince Suping’s roof, hearing every word spoken inside—including Prince Suping’s promise to "find her another man" in the future.

"Thank you for the reminder, Young Master." Liu Deng’s face was dark as he turned and climbed off the roof.

Qi Shaokang watched him leave, reached up to touch his chin, and smiled slightly.

"A 'great gift', is it..."

It seemed there might be an opportunity to play the hero saving the beauty after all.

Jiang Luan was unaware that someone was currently plotting something quite elaborate regarding him.

He, Qi Shaolin, and Master Li took a carriage to the west bank of the Cloud River, then boarded a boat to head toward Greenwater Islet.

Master Li pulled a paper parcel from his satchel; inside was a fragrant, glistening pile of shredded beef.

"Young Mistress, this is the spicy shredded beef I made according to your recipe. Would you and the Young Master like to taste it?"

Jiang Luan didn't decline, grabbing a handful to eat.

The shredded beef was spicy, numbing, and savory, leaving a lingering fragrance on the palate. One had to admit that professionals were professionals; following his lead, Master Li had done even better than he had.

Reassured, Jiang Luan nodded. "Very good, though the beef could be fried a bit drier."

Receiving Jiang Luan's approval, a hint of a smile appeared on Master Li’s dark face.

"Brother Lin, you try some too." Jiang Luan pushed the paper parcel toward Qi Shaolin.

Qi Shaolin had been sitting on the edge of the boat playing with the water, but hearing this, he reached out to grab some beef.

"Hey," Jiang Luan slapped his hand away. "Isn't that river water dirty?"

"But Lin'er didn't bring a handkerchief," Qi Shaolin said with an innocent expression.

Master Li was a rough man and didn't carry such things, and Jiang Luan subconsciously thought of handkerchiefs as something only young girls used, so he didn't have one either.

Since there was no clean handkerchief to wipe his hands, Jiang Luan had no choice but to say, "Then I'll feed you."

He picked up a small portion of the beef and held it to Qi Shaolin's lips.

Qi Shaolin paused for a moment, looking at the jade-white fingers before him, then ate the beef from Jiang Luan’s hand. He was being extra careful, but his lips inevitably brushed against Jiang Luan’s fingers.

Despite Qi Shaolin’s tall and sturdy frame, his lips were very soft.

As Jiang Luan watched, he thought, *This little fool actually has quite nice lips.*

Without thinking, he pressed his own finger against them.

Qi Shaolin: "??"

Jiang Luan: "!!"

He snapped back to reality, pulled his finger away in a panic, and stared at Qi Shaolin with lingering regret.

*What is wrong with me lately? Why am I acting so strange?*

*Damn it, I hope I'm not turning into a gay man. I should probably stay away from Qi Shaolin in the future and not bring him everywhere I go.*

Qi Shaolin didn't know he was about to be heartlessly "abandoned" by his wife, still happily pestering Jiang Luan for more to eat.

"We'll talk about that when we get to the restaurant."

Jiang Luan hardened his heart to refuse Qi Shaolin and packed away the beef. Just as he was about to hand it to Master Li, he noticed the cook was looking at them with an enigmatic smile.

"The Young Master and Young Mistress have such a wonderful relationship," Master Li said with a laugh. "I imagine the Qi household will be welcoming a little master before long."

Jiang Luan: "..."

*You... I kindly taught you a recipe, and you give me such a 'malicious' blessing in return?*

Greenwater Islet was not far from Cloud River City, and the boat soon docked.

After stepping off the boat, Jiang Luan noticed that while the buildings here were not as numerous as in Cloud River City, they were elegant, mostly consisting of independent courtyards with red tiles and green walls.

Walking along the street, shops were lined up, and the bustling crowd made it quite lively.

Seeing that there wasn't even a beggar on the road, Jiang Luan already had a plan in mind and asked Master Li, "How much further is the restaurant?"

At the mention of the restaurant on Greenwater Islet, Master Li’s expression became somewhat subtle.

"Not far now, it's just ahead," he replied.

The three of them turned a corner at the edge of the street and reached the end of the market.

"We're here," Master Li said. "That's it."

Jiang Luan looked at a four-story building in front of them with a plaque that read "Mountain Green Eatery."

The building was simple and elegant, connected to two separate courtyards. Two magnificent stone lions adorned with red silk stood at the entrance, and bronze wind chimes hung from the eaves, ringing in the breeze.

People were coming and going, and business was booming, making Jiang Luan smile uncontrollably.

"This place is actually quite nice..."

Jiang Luan lifted his foot to head inside, but Master Li called out to him.

"Young Mistress, please wait," Master Li said, sweating slightly. "Our restaurant is the one next door."

"Huh?" Jiang Luan looked confused. "Isn't this the only restaurant? The Mountain Green Eatery."

"No, it's the one next to it," Master Li said. "Our restaurant is called 'There’s a Food Stall'."

Master Li pointed at a small shack.

Following the direction of Master Li’s finger, Jiang Luan finally saw an inconspicuous little building next door. If you didn't pay attention, you would think it was the cow shed for the Mountain Green Eatery.

The little shack was only about twenty square meters, with a shed and two tables set up in front, and a sign standing next to them that read "There’s a Food Stall."

Jiang Luan: "..."

*Good grief. At least "Qianlai" had a gold-and-jade exterior to hide its rotting interior, but this restaurant in Greenwater Islet doesn't even bother with appearances. It has nothing.*

Qi Shaolin had clearly been here before, as he stepped in with his long legs and sat down in the shed.

"I just want to ask one thing," Jiang Luan said sincerely. "Why did we open our restaurant right next to such a big competitor?"

Master Li seemed to have expected Jiang Luan’s reaction.

"This place used to be a post station, and the mountains behind it connect to the thousands of acres of terraced fields belonging to the Qi family," he explained. "Later, as more people settled in Greenwater Islet and a market formed, the 'Mountain Green Eatery' moved in afterward."

Jiang Luan’s mouth twitched. So, their place wasn't even really a restaurant; it probably just served as a tea stall. It was just that, compared to the Mountain Green Eatery next door, their little stall looked pitifully poor.

"Forget it, let's go in and take a look." Jiang Luan sighed.

When they approached, Qi Shaolin was already sitting there, drinking tea as if he were at home.

The waiter—or rather, the manager, since he was the only person there—came out with a beaming smile.

"Young Mistress, why didn't you let us know you were coming? We could have prepared!" the man said. "My name is Lin; you can just call me Little Lin."

The manager was a young man with a long face. Although his words were sycophantic, he didn't have an unpleasant appearance.

Jiang Luan thought expressionlessly, *With three broken bowls and four stools—one of which has a broken leg—what exactly is there to prepare?*

"I'm just here to take a look," Jiang Luan nodded at him. "Our inner hall..."

*Well, there is no inner hall.*

Jiang Luan glanced into the little house and saw bedding, beds, and daily necessities; it was clearly where the long-faced young man lived.

Little Lin was sharp and quickly said, "Our dining area is right here in the shed."