Chef Hua
Chapter 498: Episode 270: Putting You on Trial

Chapter 498: Episode 270: Putting You on Trial

"Um," Hua Xiaomai answered, feeling tired herself. She picked a stool and sat down beside the two men, took the bowl of water Meng Yuhuai handed her, sipped it, then casually swept her hand over his, "You can repair shoes too?"

"I have told you before, being an escort master and traveling abroad necessitates skills like setting up stoves and repairing shoes. Guarding the caravan is arduous enough; the journey should be made as worry-free as possible. If one doesn’t know these basic skills, how can they take care of themselves?" Meng Yuhuai said with a smile, "Are you feeling hungry? There is food prepared in the kitchen, and hot water has been boiled. Why don’t you wash up first, and then..."

"Let’s not rush."

With matters weighing on her mind, Hua Xiaomai couldn’t wait to clarify them. She abruptly stood up and, without further ado, pulled him toward the house: "I have something to tell you, come with me inside."

Upon hearing this, Meng’s mother immediately yelled out, "The hot water is ready there, why don’t you hurry up and wash, instead of dallying till it’s late? Later it will cool down, and we would need to heat it again, what a waste of firewood! Making a little money and no longer knowing to save, always just asking for scolding!"

"Mother—" Hua Xiaomai, not in the mood to argue that day, called out in an elongated tone, gazing earnestly at her.

Meng’s mother could never stand seeing her act pitiful. With a ’tsk’, she turned her face to one side and waved impatiently with her hand, "Fine, fine, fine, go away, both of you have your talk, I am going to sleep. Later, just reheat that water yourself, and don’t use it cold!"

Hua Xiaomai nodded hastily in agreement, and pulled Meng Yuhuai back into the room.

The window in the room was usually opened just a crack. A lamp was lit on the table by the window, and occasionally, a draft of wind would flutter in, making the warm yellow light flicker.

The two sat down beside the bed, and Hua Xiaomai immediately couldn’t wait to speak: "I..."

"Today, Lv Bin and Boss Dong from the Shenglong Escort Agency in the Provincial City went to Daoxiang Garden, right?" Meng Yuhuai took over the conversation with a smile on his lips, appearing very composed, "In the past, Lv Bin occasionally visited our home. Mother met him a couple of times and he left an impression. Though she couldn’t recall his name, once she described his appearance, I knew immediately."

"So you knew?" As soon as Hua Xiaomai heard this, she immediately stood in front of him, glaring at him half-jokingly, "Leader Meng, you really are carefree, to remain so calm! Well, then, since that’s the case, I’ll also not hold back. You sit up straight now, I’m going to question you!"

Meng Yuhuai couldn’t help but laugh at her serious manner: "What’s this act about?"

"You still have the nerve to ask?" Hua Xiaomai pouted, "Ever since the end of last year, Dong Deyou has approached you many times, trying to get you to join his Shenglong Escort Agency in the Provincial City—each time you bluntly refused him, he couldn’t achieve his wishes. After the Lianshun Escort Agency took the deal with the Ruijin Silk Store, they visited several more times—I just think about it and get annoyed. It must have been even harder for you, so why didn’t you talk to me about it when you came back?"

Meng Yuhuai pulled the quilt closer to him and lay back comfortably.

Hua Xiaomai internally rolled her eyes, sat by the edge of the bed, and kicked his leg, saying in annoyance, "Get up, get up, sit up straight. I said I’m questioning you. At least show some proper attitude, won’t you?"

Meng, with no choice, sat up again, striving to suppress his laughter, looked at her sincerely.

"I don’t know much about the affairs of the Escort Agency and rarely enquire about them. I just hope that you won’t encounter troubles."

Hua Xiaomai turned towards him, very straightforwardly, "But it was only today that I found out Lv Bin and Dong Deyou have been bothering you for so long. If you had troubles, you should have talked to me about them. Even if I couldn’t be of much help, it would have been good to relieve some stress! And you? It appears you don’t consider me family at all?"

"Nonsense."

Meng Yuhuai stroked her head, "I never considered this a troubling matter, truly no need for relief, and that’s no lie or pretense. Anyway, I already had plans in mind; no matter how many times they came, it wouldn’t make a difference. If they came and I had time, I’d deal with them casually, and if I was busy, I would have someone send them away, where’s the trouble in that?"

Such was his nature: composed, self-controlled, always in order. Hoping to see him panicked was perhaps harder than reaching the heavens.

To his family, such a character was undoubtedly reassuring—seemingly with no need to worry about him at all. But...keeping everything to himself over time, isn’t good for him either!