“What?! You’re saying Mu Wanwan has been getting close to another man? Sister Huiru, are you sure you didn’t see it wrong?”
Wen Xin’s face was full of disbelief.
Early that morning, just after breakfast, Lin Huiru had called her out. Seeing Lin Huiru looking serious and hesitant, Wen Xin had known something was up—but she never expected it to be this.
“I’m sure I didn’t see wrong. Mu Wanwan was indeed very intimate with that man. Xin Xin, I’ve thought about this for a long time and worried it might be a misunderstanding.
But this concerns Brother Wen Lin. I’m afraid Wanwan might… might have done something in a moment of confusion that wronged him.
I can’t tell Brother Wen Lin directly. If it’s really a misunderstanding, it would hurt their relationship. So I could only tell you.”
Every word Lin Huiru spoke sounded as if she were thinking of Wen Lin—but in truth, she had long planned to leak the matter to Wen Xin.
She understood Wen Xin’s personality perfectly. Straight-tempered, spoiled since childhood, and prone to anger.
If she wanted to blow this up and completely ruin Mu Wanwan’s reputation, Wen Xin was the perfect pawn.
“Mu Wanwan actually dares to mess around with another man? Disgusting! I have to tell my brother immediately!”
Wen Xin believed every word. Misunderstanding? Impossible. In her eyes, Mu Wanwan must have betrayed her brother.
A country bumpkin never deserved to be her sister-in-law in the first place—and now she was this shameless? She had to make her brother divorce her!
Seeing Wen Xin about to storm off, Lin Huiru quickly grabbed her.
“Don’t be impulsive! It could still be a misunderstanding. We can’t let Brother Wen Lin know yet—we need proof first.”
Inside, she cursed Wen Xin for being foolish. Outwardly, she remained gentle and persuasive.
After thinking it over, Wen Xin nodded. Without evidence, Mu Wanwan would surely deny it.
“Sister Huiru, then how do we investigate?”
“Don’t worry. I remember what that man looks like. For now, we’ll just keep an eye on Mu Wanwan and confirm what kind of relationship they really have.”
“You’re right. I’ll listen to you.”
Lin Huiru smiled faintly. Dealing with someone like Wen Xin required almost no effort.
With Wen Xin on her side, her plan would surely succeed.
That afternoon, Huzi arrived early to deliver pig offal to Mu Wanwan.
“Sister Wanwan, when I delivered the braised goods to Ke Lai Ju this morning, Boss Ju asked me to tell you that if you’re free this afternoon, he’d like to see you.”
Huzi delivered offal every afternoon and collected finished braised goods the next morning. The errand pay wasn’t bad, and his family’s life had improved—at least they no longer worried about his grandmother’s medicine expenses.
“Alright, I understand.”
Mu Wanwan thought for a moment. She was free that afternoon, so she might as well go.
After informing Old Master Wen, she headed to Ke Lai Ju.
Even from a distance, she heard the noise. As she approached, she saw a long line outside the restaurant.
“They don’t make nearly enough braised goods! Every time I buy some, it’s not even enough for myself!”
“Exactly! Such a big restaurant, and they only make this little every day? If they made more, we wouldn’t have to queue like this!”
“Well, they’re the only ones selling it. For good food, waiting a bit is worth it!”
Despite the blazing sun overhead, many people remained in line, complaining but unwilling to leave.
Inside the restaurant hall, Ju Bairan sat waiting.
“Wanwan, you’re here!”
He walked toward her as soon as he saw her.
Over time, they had grown more familiar, no longer addressing each other so formally.
“Huzi said you were looking for me?”
“Yes. I wanted to ask if you could supply more braised goods. You saw the line outside—there are always many people waiting.
And still, plenty leave empty-handed. I’ve heard many complaints. The twenty jin you make daily simply isn’t enough.”
He even set some aside for his own household each day, leaving even less to sell.
He had expected popularity—but not this level. His restaurant’s business had once been mediocre, but the braised goods had drawn many new customers.
If supply increased, business would improve even more. And constant shortages would only fuel dissatisfaction.
Mu Wanwan lowered her gaze thoughtfully.
She had confidence in her recipe, but hadn’t anticipated such overwhelming demand.
She had only planned to earn some startup money. Twenty jin was already her limit—any more and the cleaning alone would consume her day.
After careful consideration, a new idea formed.
“Bairan, I can’t make more than twenty jin daily. But we can change our cooperation model.”
“What kind of model?” he asked immediately.
“I can give you my recipe. In return, I want thirty percent of the braised goods’ sales revenue.”
It was mutually beneficial.
She hadn’t intended to rely on braised goods forever. Selling the recipe had always been part of her long-term plan—just sooner than expected.
Ju Bairan was trustworthy and upright. She was willing to work with him.
“Alright. I agree.”
He barely hesitated.
Thirty percent wasn’t small—but the returns would be equally significant. It was a worthwhile deal.
Even Mu Wanwan hadn’t expected him to agree so quickly.
“I’ll draft an agreement in the next few days. Once we sign it, we’ll proceed.”
He handled matters thoroughly, which pleased her.
They chatted a while longer before he walked her out.
Mu Wanwan was in a good mood, humming softly as she left—completely unaware of a furtive figure lurking nearby.
Only after she disappeared did Lin Huiru approach Ke Lai Ju. After casually questioning a few customers in line, she learned that the man close to Mu Wanwan was none other than the restaurant’s owner.
Recently, Ke Lai Ju’s braised goods had become wildly popular—arguably the best business in the capital.
When she had lined up before to buy some for Song Meijuan, she hadn’t seen Ju Bairan. And now Mu Wanwan had managed to connect with such a man?
The owner of Ke Lai Ju—without a powerful family background, it would have been impossible to run such a place.
Jealousy flared again.
Mu Wanwan truly had outrageous luck. If she attached herself to a man like that, it wouldn’t be worse than being with Wen Lin.
Though Lin Huiru wanted Wen Lin for herself, she certainly didn’t want Mu Wanwan living too comfortably.
Her fingers tightened into a fist as a plan slowly took shape in her mind.