Guan Xiyue made her way confidently to Dongkang Restaurant, intending to sell another couple of recipes and earn some quick money.
This time, however, Manager Wu looked rather awkward.
The reason was simple.
Before leaving the Zhou family, Guan Xiyue had caused such a scene that, despite Madam Wan’s strict orders to keep the matter quiet, the servants couldn’t resist gossiping. The dramatic incident quickly spread throughout the county.
In an age with little entertainment, juicy scandals traveled fast.
Naturally, the He family had heard about it as well.
Only then did they realize that the person who had sold them the braised pork recipe was actually a concubine from the Zhou family.
Their first thought was whether some sort of scheme was involved.
But after hearing that the concubine had been sold off because of the matter, things became rather embarrassing.
Technically, they were only buyers and bore no responsibility, but they had still been involved.
More importantly, this concubine’s arrival at the Zhou household had been anything but ordinary.
She had supposedly cured Young Master Zhou, who had been bedridden and beyond the help of medicine, simply by serving as a bride for a luck-bringing marriage.
In the eyes of many people, she was his savior.
Yet the Zhou family had sold their benefactor for the sake of money.
The rumors had become so intense that the Zhou family’s gates had remained shut for several days. Even Master Zhou had stopped appearing in public.
What puzzled everyone even more was this:
If she was a member of the Zhou family, why hadn’t she sold the recipe to Fulin Restaurant instead?
Of course, they didn’t know that Guan Xiyue had no idea Fulin Restaurant belonged to the Zhou family.
And even if she had known, she would still have sold the recipe elsewhere if the Zhou family expected her to hand it over for free.
As far as she was concerned, things had worked out perfectly.
The entire affair had given her a legitimate reason to sever ties with the Zhou family.
Manager Wu never expected to see Guan Xiyue again.
Hadn’t she been sold?
Yet she showed no trace of embarrassment.
Smiling, she greeted him.
“Manager Wu, I have another new recipe. I wonder if you’re interested.”
He froze briefly.
Another one?
Then he remembered—now that she was no longer tied to the Zhou family, nobody could stop her from selling recipes.
Still, he politely declined.
Guan Xiyue was stunned.
She had actually been rejected.
Who turns away good business?
What she didn’t know was that when the He family heard the colorful rumors, Young Master He Ziming had laughed so hard he nearly couldn’t breathe.
His good classmate Zhou Zhengye had actually sold the woman who had saved his life!
Unfortunately, Master He had already lectured him severely.
No matter what happened, one should always leave room for future relations.
Businessmen valued harmony.
Competition was one thing; publicly humiliating others was another.
The person who slapped someone else’s face today might have his own slapped tomorrow.
Since the whole matter had begun with Dongkang Restaurant purchasing the braised pork recipe, Manager Wu had also received a scolding.
There was no way he dared buy another recipe from Guan Xiyue now.
Guan Xiyue left the restaurant looking calm, but inwardly she was disappointed.
If she couldn’t sell recipes, where was she supposed to make fast money?
Then a thought suddenly occurred to her.
Ling Jingren’s black jade pendant was still lying inside her spatial storage.
It was an excellent piece of jade and ought to be worth a considerable amount.
Quietly pressing the mole on her temple with a finger, she used her mind to retrieve the jade and place it into a small pouch.
She planned to visit a pawnshop and have it appraised.
Just to check the value, of course.
She wasn’t necessarily going to pawn it.
As she walked down the street, someone suddenly bumped into her.
Rubbing her aching shoulder, she saw the man hurry away.
Moments later, a horse galloped past.
The rider shouted loudly,
“Thief!”
Guan Xiyue immediately reached into her sleeve.
The pouch was gone.
The thief had stolen it.
Without hesitation, she gave chase.
“Catch the thief!”
she shouted, completely abandoning any concern for appearances.
Unfortunately, Guan Xiyue was still carrying around a rather heavy body.
Before long she was panting heavily and forced to stop.
Fortunately, the outcome had already been decided ahead.
The rider had leapt from his horse, delivered a powerful kick, and knocked the thief flat on the ground.
He retrieved the pouch and returned it to her.
Guan Xiyue squeezed the pouch and felt the jade still inside.
Relieved, she repeatedly thanked him.
Ancient China really did seem full of handsome men.
This young hero who had stepped forward to help was handsome as well.
Unlike Ling Jingren’s dark and brooding beauty, this man possessed a refined elegance.
His face was as smooth as polished jade, his bearing gentle and scholarly.
Guan Xiyue appreciated good looks, but after seeing countless handsome men in her previous life—and being a great beauty herself—she remained perfectly composed.
Accepting the pouch, she smiled.
“Thank you for helping me recover it. Unfortunately, I’m completely broke right now and have nothing suitable to offer in return. If you don’t mind, how about I treat you to a simple meal? My name is Guan Xiyue. May I ask yours?”
The young man found her refreshing.
She spoke openly and naturally, without a trace of shyness or affectation.
“My surname is Tang, given name Yan,” he replied.
“It was a trivial matter, not worth mentioning. As for the meal, allow me to treat you instead.”
Guan Xiyue immediately objected.
How could she let the person who helped her pay for the meal too?
Yet Tang Yan simply led her into a nearby restaurant.
Taian Restaurant.
Looking at her remaining three taels of silver, Guan Xiyue suddenly felt uneasy.
What if she couldn’t afford the bill?
Before she could stop herself, the thought slipped out aloud.
“This restaurant looks expensive. What if I don’t have enough money?”
Tang Yan laughed before quickly suppressing it.
“I told you I’m paying. No need to worry.”
The manager rushed over at once.
“Young Master, you’ve finally arrived.”
Guan Xiyue’s eyes widened.
One restaurant owner’s son after another.
What kind of strange fate was this?
The manager immediately arranged a lavish banquet for them.
The food tasted decent enough to Guan Xiyue.
Yet she felt it lacked anything truly memorable.
Perhaps because the atmosphere was relaxed, she voiced her opinion openly.
Tang Yan didn’t seem bothered.
“It’s fine. I don’t rely on this restaurant for a living. As long as it turns a modest profit, that’s enough.”
Guan Xiyue let out a long, understanding “Oh.”
So this was what a genuinely wealthy person looked like.
Someone who didn’t care whether one or two restaurants made money.
But she was desperately short of cash.
How could she let such an opportunity pass?
“Young Master Tang,” she said, “even if you don’t care about the restaurant’s business, I think it’s a shame. I happen to have two new recipes that might turn things around.”
She smiled brightly.
“You helped me recover my pouch and even treated me to a meal. So I’ll make you a special offer—buy one recipe, get one free. What do you think?”
Tang Yan looked at her round face.
She wasn’t particularly beautiful at the moment.
Yet her long eyelashes and deep eyes were filled with anticipation.
It was difficult to refuse her.
For someone as gentle and accommodating as Young Master Tang, agreeing was hardly a challenge.
He nodded.
Immediately, Guan Xiyue jumped to her feet excitedly.
After explaining the situation to the manager, she hurried straight into the kitchen to inspect the available ingredients.
A quick glance around was all she needed.
“I’ll make pickled fish first.”
One of the chefs frowned.
“We already know how to make pickled fish. There’s no need to trouble yourself, Miss.”
When it came to her area of expertise, Guan Xiyue showed no politeness.
“I know.”
She pointed toward the dining hall.
“There was pickled fish among the dishes we just ate.”
Then she smiled confidently.
“And it’s precisely because I tasted it that I decided it’s time for all of you to broaden your horizons.”