Chef Hua
Chapter 142 - 95: Look at Each Other

Chapter 142: Chapter 95: Look at Each Other

Anyone involved in escorting valuables always prioritizes the protection of the silver coins, cargo, and even personal safety, so, they often hold the word "harmony" in high regard.

In normal interactions with the government, they naturally greet with smiles, and during the escort, if they unexpectedly encounter bandits, no matter how domineering the other party is, they must endure and maintain courtesy to prevent trouble from arising. Recklessly revealing weapons will only escalate the situation beyond control, resulting in the loss of both money and goods, and could even endanger lives. For this reason, those with fiery tempers and high spirits simply weren’t cut out for the role of an escort master.

In Hua Xiaomai’s view, Meng Yuhuai was an exceptionally composed and calm individual with mostly solid martial arts skills. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have reached the position of leader at such a young age. Handling tough opponents should not be difficult for him; therefore, how could things have developed to this extent?

Meanwhile, Hua Erniang kept talking endlessly, "This is truly a disaster heading right for us, you can’t even dodge it! Someone as capable as Brother Meng from the Meng Family, how could he encounter such a situation, and now there’s not even a bit of news from him? Tsk, the village is full of gossip, who knows if the news has reached his old mother’s ears by now, that old lady has a temper hotter than my stove’s firewood, if she hears her son has been involved in such a matter, she may very well faint on the spot! Although I don’t like that old lady, just thinking about the many years she has depended only on her son, my heart can’t bear it!"

The way she spoke sounded terribly ominous, almost as if confirming that Meng Yuhuai’s situation was more likely to end poorly. Hua Xiaomai frowned unconsciously, and the corners of her mouth twitched slightly. After a moment of silence, she started a new topic, "Didn’t they say that a worker managed to escape back to the Escort Agency? Didn’t he bring back any useful information? Like, what was happening with Brother Meng when he fell into the water in such a hurry? Surely he must have seen something."

"Well, you know he fell into the water in a panic, just trying to save his own life, how could he care about anything else!" Hua Erniang slapped her thigh and said resentfully, "I’ve heard from people in the village that the cargo carried on that escort ship was extremely valuable, and Lianshun Escort Agency had sent seven or eight skilled swimmers, taking it very seriously. However, even so, they couldn’t withstand the numerous and overpowering pirates, and the rocking of the boat didn’t allow any room to maneuver! The worker was young, scared out of his wits, barely able to say anything except how people kept falling into the water, plopping down like dumping dumplings. It was at night, how could he make out who was who?"

Hua Xiaomai, left with no words, hung her head and thought to herself for a while, feeling more certain that the situation was indeed perilous, and couldn’t help feeling a bit frightened.

But... to put it superstitiously, that man doesn’t look like someone fated to die young, he shouldn’t just... lose his life like that... right?

Seeing her silent, Hua Erniang sighed, "Just now, your brother-in-law went to the blacksmith’s shop, and halfway there he ran into Brother Great Saint. The two discussed going to Lianshun Escort Agency to try to gather some information. Brother Meng was their childhood friend, now that something like this has happened, they must be feeling unsettled!"

Lianshun Escort Agency must be bustling with activity right now. Jing Taihe and Great Saint going there might not necessarily result in useful information, nor could they help much. It might even divert attention needed elsewhere, better to stay calmly at home. Hua Xiaomai opened her mouth, intending to ask Hua Erniang to persuade Jing Taihe, but somehow, she couldn’t bring herself to say it, just nodded her head and turned to go behind the house.

The chili plants had been carefully moved back from Zhao’s mansion to Hua Xiaomai’s vegetable patch where they grew lush and glossy. Idle and with nothing better to do, she picked up a watering can and sprinkled water into the soil, bright droplets rolled off the leaves and sparkled in the sunlight.

Hua Xiaomai stared for a moment, then turned to leave, when suddenly, she realized something, hurried back to the chili plants, and delicately parted the verdant leaves, only to discover buried beneath were tiny white buds.

Could they be about to bloom? A wave of excitement surged in her heart.

The chilies were supposed to bloom in early May, but due to the rainy season and a broken shed impacting them, their blooming was delayed by nearly half a month. Hua Xiaomai had already prepared herself for the possibility that the chilies might not bloom this year and could only hope they would survive the winter and bear fruit next year. Yet just as June approached, they surprisingly started forming buds!