Chef Hua
Chapter 326 - 187: The Art of Peddling (Part One)

Chapter 326: Chapter 187: The Art of Peddling (Part One)

Hua Xiaomai frowned upon hearing this and half-jokingly, half-seriously glared at a certain Meng, her mouth pouting as she said, "What kind of talk is that? Your mother bore and raised you, how could you know nothing about her food preferences?"

Meng Yuhuai’s eyes flickered as he lowered his lids in thought. After a long while, he concealed his reflection and said, "These past two years I’ve been working at the Escort Agency and have been constantly running around. The chances to eat at the same table with my mother have been few and far between. It’s possible that her dietary habits have changed without my knowing... it would be proper for you to go and ask her yourself."

"I think you’re just trying to avoid the effort!" Hua Xiaomai, who knew well of his strained relationship with Old Lady Meng, suspected he might truly be unaware of the situation, and didn’t want to push him too hard, so she poked him in the shoulder, lightening the topic, "Such a trivial matter, and you won’t do it for me, insisting I should ask myself, how unchivalrous! With my mother’s temperament being a bit... well, unusual, if I were to go and brazenly ask her, wouldn’t I be asking for a scolding? Let’s drop it for now, it’s not urgent. I should think of a roundabout way to probe her preferences."

Meng Yuhuai, touched by her consideration, stretched his arm out and pulled her onto his lap, his rough palm gently stroking her cheek. After a moment, he murmured softly, "Xiaomai, I..."

In that instant, it seemed as if he wanted to blurt out all the words that had been bottled up inside, but for some reason, he ultimately remained silent. Instead, he held the petite wife in his arms, who indeed felt a bit rough to the touch, a little tighter and sighed softly next to her ear.

Months into their marriage, Hua Xiaomai had countless times wanted to broach the subject and understand the conflict between him and Old Lady Meng. Seeing that he had almost spoken but then swallowed his words, she felt an even greater itch in her heart. However, since he wasn’t ready to discuss it, pressing the issue would only add to their worries. She had no choice but to put it aside for the time being and changed the subject with a cheerful grin, "On another note, there’s serious business for you to attend to—the radishes and cabbages in our vegetable field need to be harvested soon. We should fertilize the fields to nourish them in preparation for planting chili. Are you willing or not?"

Perhaps it was her light-hearted tone that seemed to lift his spirits. Meng Yuhuai turned to her with a relieved smile, "That is indeed a serious matter. I should manage it promptly during the next couple of days I’m free. If it’s delayed any further, I might not have the time."

"Is the Escort Agency keeping you busy?" Hua Xiaomai, originally nestled against his chest, felt a clench in her heart at these words and looked up at him, "You’re not about to leave on an escort mission again, are you?"

"No, it’s not about that." Meng Yuhuai noticed the change in her expression and his smile widened by two degrees as he said, "Last year, you organized a Spring Wine Banquet for Lianshun Escort Agency, do you remember? Because Uncle Ke has been unwell this year, the event was postponed. It’s a longstanding tradition that would be a shame to abandon, so this year, the responsibility has fallen upon me."

Did that mean Uncle Ke Zhenwu placed him in full charge of the Spring Wine Banquet?

Hua Xiaomai arched her eyebrow, suddenly getting a feeling in her heart.

During the holidays, she had visited Uncle Ke Zhenwu with some homemade food and found the old man, although thinner, to be lively and in surprisingly good spirits, seemingly having overcome his illness and likely to return to his position at Lianshun Escort Agency soon. Yet now, not only did he rarely show himself at the Escort Agency, but he also handed over the organization of the Spring Wine Banquet to Meng Yuhuai. What did that signify?

The annual "Spring Wine Banquet" was an excellent opportunity to connect with various merchants in the city and drum up business. Could it be...

With a bite of her lip, she clung to his arm, asking hesitantly, "Do you think that Uncle Ke intends to..."

Meng Yuhuai, whose thoughts were more meticulous, understood her conjecture instantly. He shook his head slowly, interrupting her, and said in a grave voice, "Uncle Ke has given me this task, so I will just do it earnestly. There’s no need to think too much about things that I shouldn’t be considering right now."

Hua Xiaomai understood his implication and did not pursue the matter any further, simply squinting her eyes cheerfully, "Then may I ask Leader Meng, will I still be in charge of handling this year’s Spring Wine Banquet?"

"That’s not appropriate." Meng Yuhuai looked at her and said, "You’ve married me and you’re now my own family. Since I am managing this Spring Wine Banquet, if I still had you take care of the preparations, it might attract unnecessary gossip. Although the brothers in the Escort Agency don’t mind these trifles, we cannot rule out the possibility of attracting those with ulterior motives. It’s better to find another establishment to avoid any mishaps."