Chef Hua
Chapter 499: Episode 270: Interrogating You_2

Chapter 499: Episode 270: Interrogating You_2

"No matter what, from now on, whenever things come up, at least let me know," Hua Xiaomai murmured softly, "I usually tell you everything, no matter how small. Do you really see me as unreliable?"

Meng Yuhuai chuckled and agreed, "Alright."

Actually, today Dong Deyou and Lv Bin had gone to Daoxiang Garden for a matter, which Hua Xiaomai couldn’t quite understand.

A deal worth six thousand taels wasn’t small, and it was understandable why it was worth fighting over. However, she vaguely remembered Meng Yuhuai mentioning that Dong Deyou’s late father had made a lot of money in business over the years. He should have a substantial family fortune. Shenglong Escort Agency, located in Tong’an City, was normally able to secure a lot of business. Travelling to Shu, facing countless dangers, and in the end, the Escort Agency made merely three hundred taels—why was he so persistent, relentlessly knocking on their door multiple times?

As she pondered this, she asked Meng Yuhuai, who then smirked, stood up, grabbed a teacup, and poured her some warm water. After she had taken a few sips, he downed the rest in one gulp.

"Dong Deyou and Lv Bin might not have made it clear to you."

He said gravely, "Ruijin is the largest silk store in Tong’an Prefecture, purchasing a significant amount of silk from Shu each year. Twice a year, in March and September, they need to settle payments with their suppliers. As long as the silk store remains open, they will inevitably need to maintain long-term dealings with an escort agency. Originally, another Escort Agency in the Provincial City took care of their silver escort, but a recent fallout had them part ways abruptly, leading Ruijin Silk Store to turn to Lianshun Escort Agency."

No wonder!

A single trip worth three hundred taels might not seem significant to Dong Deyou’s Shenglong Escort Agency, but securing a long-term collaboration with Ruijin Silk Store meant a reliable six hundred taels annually. Who wouldn’t be tempted by such a big deal?

Even now, when the deal had already gone to Lianshun Escort Agency, Dong Deyou still shamelessly shouted about "cooperation" just to have a slice of the pie.

If they couldn’t swallow the whole chunk of meat, having a sip of the broth was still quite appealing!

"If all the affairs at Lianshun didn’t fall on me, I would have really liked to take this trip myself," Meng Yuhuai glanced at Hua Xiaomai, then continued, "For now, Ruijin Silk Store is merely testing us with this profitable deal once. If we handle it well without a single mistake, it could become a lasting business for us."

Hua Xiaomai thought for a moment and then grasped his arm, saying, "Shenglong Escort Agency is right there in Tong’an City, and Dong Deyou certainly has some money. With Ruijin Silk Store also located there, why would they rather seek help from our Lianshun Escort Agency in Fuzhe County? Is it because the ’Shenglong’ name isn’t reputable enough?"

Exactly," Meng Yuhuai nodded crisply, "I’ve told you, reputation is crucial in the escort business. Dong Deyou might be financially strong and have enough men, but he had never been involved in this line of work before and could be seen as a nobody; who would entrust such an important silver escort to him? If I’m not wrong, Ruijin never even considered them as an option from the start."

"Hmm." Hua Xiaomai was getting slightly sleepy. She snuggled into his chest and mumbled vaguely, "Now I finally understand the whole situation. Then...like I said, you don’t need to meet them tomorrow. I haven’t totally turned them down anyway—they are not from Fire Knife Village, and I don’t believe they would keep staying here just to see you."

"...I should still go once." Meng Yuhuai pondered for a moment, then frowned, "I should clarify things once and for all, so they won’t keep pestering you. If it goes on like this every day, can Daoxiang Garden even do any business? Since he’s willing to pay for the drinks, just pile the most expensive dishes on the table. If they’re handing us the opportunity, we should make what we can."

"Pfft!" Hua Xiaomai laughed dumbly, "I always thought you were a simple man, but you can be quite cunning. Don’t worry, Daoxiang Garden now sends our staff to shop in Fuzhe County daily. We might not have other things, but we certainly don’t lack expensive ingredients. If they are being this annoying, they can’t blame me for being inhospitable!"

The couple shared a laugh, and noticing that she seemed extremely tired, Meng Yuhuai gently patted her back, "It’s getting late; let’s go warm up some water so you can wash up and rest soundly."

With that, he led her out of the room.

It was late at night, and the village was utterly silent.

Hua Xiaomai enjoyed a comfortable bath in the washing room, and when she returned to their room, she found that a certain someone had already taken off his shirt and gotten into bed.

She walked over to the window, blew out the lamp, and climbed into bed herself. Just as she crawled under the covers, he cuddled up close to her.

In the pitch-dark room, she couldn’t see his face, but his eyes gleamed slightly in the dark.

"Are you done sizing me up?" his voice concealed an undeniable chuckle, slightly husky as he spoke softly, "Are you satisfied?"

"Yes, you’re fairly honest since you’ve explained everything clearly, so I won’t hold it against you. Just remember, if you come across any trouble in the future, you must tell me,"

Before she could finish, she felt a warm breath on her neck.

"What are you doing?" she quickly pressed down a certain friend’s hand that was moving up from her waist, "Stop it!"(To be continued. If you like this work, we welcome you to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendation tickets and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)