Chef Hua
Chapter 163: Episode 105: Escort Master Also Takes Care of Home Security_2

Chapter 163: Episode 105: Escort Master Also Takes Care of Home Security_2

This troublesome matter really frustrates people, annoys them to death!

Everyone silently waited in the Pan Family courtyard for quite a while, but seeing no sign of Pan Ping’an returning, both Madam Hua and Old Master Pan started to grow restless.

"I say, could he have taken advantage of the night and secretly fled?" Madam Hua, feeling exhausted, sat down heavily on the front steps, mumbling as if talking to herself, yet her voice was so loud it effortlessly reached everyone’s ears, "Hmph, if he really did that, it would be utterly disgraceful. Anyone with a shred of decency wouldn’t do such a thing!"

Old Master Pan was already uneasy, and hearing her say this made him even more anxious. He waved his hands repeatedly, "No, no, Madam, you see, although your uncle Pan might be quite crafty, he still knows right from wrong. Probably he was held up at Old Liu’s... don’t worry, I assure you, he wouldn’t..."

Before he could finish his sentence, suddenly someone turned into the courtyard. It was pitch dark, and his face was not visible, only his deep voice was heard: "Taihe brother, such a big matter, how could you not discuss it with me?"

Is that... Meng Yuhuai?!

Hua Xiaomai suddenly lifted her head and indeed saw the tall figure already striding into the courtyard. He calmly greeted Old Master Pan first, then turned around with a frown to Jing Taihe, "What’s going on here? Such a thing happened at home, why didn’t you tell me? Even if you yourself are tied up, finding someone casually to inform me would have been good!"

Being full of sorrows, Jing Taihe, spotting him, rushed towards him as if he had grabbed a lifeline, shouting, "Yuhuai brother, I..."

"Don’t panic," Meng Yuhuai sighed lightly, glancing at Hua Xiaomai inadvertently, "Uncle Qiao from the paper shop couldn’t stop worrying, he came to my house just now and told me about what happened at the river today. Facing such big troubles, you should have sought me out immediately. Having one more person to think it through is always better. You being anxious here, even if it turns all your black hair white, what use would it be?"

"Uncle Qiao?" Hua Xiaomai blinked in surprise.

"Yes," Meng Yuhuai nodded, "he briefed me about the situation. Guessing you wouldn’t be able to sleep, I just came straight over to see if there’s a way I could help."

"We really don’t know what to do!" Jing Taihe stomped his feet in frustration.

Upon reaching Meng Yuhuai, he would instantly revert back to being a clueless child. It had been the case when the wall of the blacksmith’s shop collapsed, and today was no different.

"This isn’t the fault of my sister— to be honest, Uncle Pan is not to blame either. Isn’t this a case of ’trouble coming when sitting at home’? Just because Uncle Pan sold the sauce my sister made to the Provincial City and it was liked by the restaurants, those from Antai Garden want to give us trouble. Where is the justice? We can neither fight against them nor hide. What should we do? Currently, Uncle Pan has gone to seek Elder Liu’s aid, and it’s been half a day without return, still no word from him, I’m truly..."

In fact, Jing Taihe had initially planned to seek Meng Yuhuai’s help when he first learnt of the matter, but after much deliberation, he ultimately gave up.

Meng Yuhuai might have some reputation in Fire Knife Village or even Fuzhe County, but who would take him seriously in the Provincial City? After all, he was just a young escort leader; how could he possibly handle everything perfectly?

Meng Yuhuai patted his shoulder, pondered for a moment, and said solemnly, "Elder Liu might not come up with any good solutions. He’s getting on in years and tends to avoid trouble; he might not want to get involved in this mess. On my way here, I’ve thought it over carefully. As soon as it dawns tomorrow, I’ll come to your house. I might not be able to help much, but if those people act unreasonably and initiate a fight, I can at least fend them off for a while."

Hua Xiaomai was stunned, her eyes wide open. She quickly gestured with her hands, "That’s inappropriate. You have no direct involvement in this matter; how can we drag you into it? You’ve already helped me a lot..."

"So one more time won’t hurt, have I not said that?" Meng Yuhuai turned to look at her, even managing a small smile, "As an escort master, apart from escorting shipments, if someone in the city faces a special situation and seeks our help to guard their home, as long as they pay enough, it’s feasible. We might not take on long-term contracts, but ensuring a family’s complete safety for up to half a month is definitely within our scope."

At this point, he paused, his tone seemingly teasing, "It all depends on whether you’re willing to spend the money."

The members of the escort agency were highly skilled in martial arts; having their protection would certainly bring much peace of mind. Moreover, as long as the fee was adequately paid, there was no need to worry about owing too much to Ke Zhenwu.

Hua Xiaomai was somewhat tempted and without much thought, blurted out, "Is that... expensive?"

"...Anyhow, you can afford it." The smile on Meng Yuhuai’s lips grew wider, but it quickly faded as he spoke seriously, "In a while, when I return home, I will draft a letter. Tomorrow morning at first light, I will have it sent to the escort agency by Great Saint brother. By noon, the agency will definitely send another three to five people to assist. Tonight, you all should rest easy for now, and when the people from Antai Garden arrive, then we can act accordingly."

...

With Meng Yuhuai’s words, Hua Xiaomai, Jing Taihe, and Madam Hua all felt somewhat relieved. After a short while, Pan Ping’an indeed came back alone with a distressful face, saying that Elder Liu had declined to help, claiming he had been unwell in recent days.

Madam Hua couldn’t bother with him either, grabbed Hua Xiaomai, and both returned to their rooms to sleep and gather their strength.

The next morning, Meng Yuhuai came early to the Jing Family’s small courtyard. About an hour later, Lv Bin and Da Zhong from Lianshun Escort Agency also arrived with two young individuals, filling the already small courtyard to its full capacity.

By the afternoon, Shopkeeper Zhu and three others indeed came looking for them. (To be continued. If you like this work, welcome to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote with your recommendation and monthly ticket. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please visit m.qidian.com to continue reading.)