Chef Hua
Chapter 496 - 269: To Interrogate You

Chapter 496: Chapter 269: To Interrogate You

"Hmm," Hua Xiaomai responded, feeling tired herself, so she picked a stool to sit beside the two, took the bowl of water Meng Yuhuai offered her, and took a sip. She carelessly wiped her hand on his, "You can fix shoes too?"

"As I’ve told you before, an escort master must be skilled in all sorts of things when traveling, such as setting up stoves and mending shoes. Escorting is tough work, and the more trouble you can avoid on the road, the better. If you don’t know even these things, how can you take care of yourself?" Meng Yuhuai said with a smile, "Are you hungry? There’s some food ready in the kitchen and hot water has been boiled. Why don’t you go wash up first, and then..."

"There’s no rush."

With matters weighing on her mind, Hua Xiaomai couldn’t wait and literally sprang up, dragging him toward the room without explanation, "I have something to talk to you about, come inside with me."

Old Lady Meng, hearing this, immediately called out loudly, "The hot water is ready, why don’t you go wash up instead of dallying? If it cools down, we’ll have to heat it up again, wasting the firewood! You finally earn a bit of money and forget how to save, always looking for a scolding!"

"Mom—" Hua Xiaomai today really wasn’t in the mood for back and forth, drawing out her call in a long whine while gazing at her pleadingly.

Old Lady Meng couldn’t stand seeing her act so pitiful. She turned her face away and clicked her tongue, waving her hand with great impatience, "Enough, enough. Go, go, go, if you two have something to talk about, go and talk by yourselves. I’m going to sleep. Later, just reheat the water yourself and don’t you dare use it cold!"

Hua Xiaomai nodded hastily in agreement, and dragged Meng Yuhuai back to their room.

The room’s window was, as usual, left cracked open just a sliver, and a lamp was lit on the desk by the window. Occasionally, a gust of wind would flutter in, causing the warm yellow light to flicker.

The two sat down beside the bed, and Hua Xiaomai immediately began to speak, eager to get to the point, "I..."

"Today, Lv Bin and Manager Dong from the Provincial City’s Shenglong Escort Agency went to Daoxiang Garden, right?" Meng Yuhuai took over the conversation with a smile on his lips, appearing very composed, "Lv Bin used to come over sometimes, and mom saw him a couple of times, so she remembered him. Though she can’t recall his name, once she described his appearance, I knew who he was."

"So you knew?" Hua Xiaomai immediately stood up in front of him, half seriously and half mockingly glared at him, "Leader Meng, you really have quite the nerve, to be so calm! Fine then, since that’s the case, I won’t be polite. Sit properly, I’m going to interrogate you!"

Meng Yuhuai was amused by her earnest attitude, "What kind of act is this now?"

"You have the nerve to ask?" Hua Xiaomai pouted, "Turns out, since the end of last year, that Dong Deyou has approached you many times, wanting you to join his Shenglong Escort Agency in Provincial City. You flat-out refused him every time, preventing his wishes. After Lianshun Escort Agency took the Ruijin Silk Store order, those two came visiting several times—just thinking about it annoys me, and it must have been even tougher for you. How come you didn’t tell me anything when you came back?"

Meng Yuhuai cuddled the bedding closer, comfortably leaning back against it.

"They’re just trifles, what good does it do to speak of them?"

Hua Xiaomai rolled her eyes inwardly, sat beside the bed, and kicked his leg, not nicely at all, "Get up, sit straight. I told you I’m reviewing your case, at least show me a proper attitude, right?"

Meng, having no choice, sat up again, trying hard to suppress his laughter while looking at her sincerely.

"I don’t know much about the escort agency’s affairs, and I rarely intervene, thinking it’s fine as long as you don’t run into trouble."

Hua Xiaomai turned towards him, seriously saying, "But it was today I found out that Lv Bin and Dong Deyou have been pestering you for so long. If you were troubled, you could have come back and talked to me. Even if I couldn’t help much, it would’ve been good to relieve some stress! But you? Do you really not consider me part of your family at all?"

"Nonsense."

Meng Yuhuai patted her head, "I never regarded it as a troubling matter. It’s genuinely redundant, not a pretense. I already had made up my mind about them; even if they came to me countless more times, it wouldn’t make a difference. If they came and I had time, I’d handle them briefly; if I was too busy, I would just send someone to dismiss them. How was there any trouble?"

This man’s nature is like this, composed and self-disciplined, never in disarray. To see him in a panic would likely be harder than reaching the heavens.

For his family, such a disposition is undoubtedly reassuring, seemingly obviating any need for concern. But... keeping everything to himself, in the long run, isn’t good for him either!