Chef Hua
Chapter 535: Episode 288: Try It Yourself

Chapter 535: Episode 288: Try It Yourself

On the southern edge of Fuzhe County, there was a Tongzi Forest.

It was the season of falling leaves in autumn; the forest floor was covered with a thick layer of dead leaves, which crunched underfoot.

This area around Tongzi Forest was considered one of the more bustling parts of Fuzhe County. Just a short walk from the forest bend, one would arrive at a cluster of shops, usually bustling with activity. However, as evening approached and darkness fell, the dense forest became nearly deserted, save for a man sitting in front of a dilapidated gazebo, with a small stove beside him boiling water. Around the edge of the stove, a circle of oranges was placed, being roasted by the fire and emanating a faint sweet fragrance.

The sound of footsteps crunching on fallen leaves approached, and soon, a servant-looking young man hurried to the edge of the gazebo. The man at the gazebo did not even lift his eyelids, just picked up a roasted orange and started eating. Perhaps the orange was a bit sour, for he immediately squinted his eyes and suddenly chuckled, "So, how did it go, no success, right?"

"Um..." the servant mumbled in response, "No, no commotion arose, but fortunately, those two were not too foolish, at least no one discovered whom they were following..."

"Come on," the man laughed again, his tone surprisingly amiable, "If they can’t even handle such a trivial matter, aren’t they foolish? A perfect opportunity, wasted so easily by them, wasn’t just a wasted trip but also made people wary. From now on, this will only become more difficult... Xiaoshun, I’m not criticizing you, but usually, you handle things so reliably, where did you find such incompetent people this time?"

Seeing his calm demeanor, the servant named Xiaoshun felt a bit more at ease and vigorously nodded, acknowledging his fault, then added, "But, boss, according to the two of them, although the restaurant in front of Daoxiang Garden is bustling, the garden behind it is quite quiet. Today, throughout the whole day, aside from Lady Fuzhe County and her group, the garden did not make another sale. Why should we..."

The man casually picked up an iron rod that lay at his feet, scraping away the mud on the ground; several round, steaming taro roots rolled out.

He was unbothered by the heat, picked one up, tore off the skin, and took a bite of the white, tender taro flesh steaming with moisture, shaking his head in admiration, "Ah, this roasted taro, it’s truly the tastiest in autumn!"

As he spoke, he glanced at Xiaoshun, "Why are you speaking nonsense today? Daoxiang Garden has only reopened for a month; is it odd that the business is not doing well? If she was making a fortune, she wouldn’t need to eagerly invite Lady Fuzhe County over! Just watch, even Lady Fuzhe County is giving her face; will she still need to worry about business in the future? Such a simple thing, why can’t you understand?"

The servant didn’t dare to make a sound and took a half step back.

"She can’t blame me for seeking her misfortune," the man stuffed the whole taro into his mouth, sipping some tea, "Originally, we were minding our own businesses, not interfering with each other; peace was so good, wasn’t it? But she insisted on opening that Daoxiang Garden, isn’t that obviously opposing me? I’m a person who really can’t stand provocation. If she insists on bumping into me, I can only play along—sigh, I don’t want this either. Xiaoshun, tell me, am I not a very reasonable man? Normally, I treat you all fairly well, don’t I?"

"Yes, yes," Xiaoshun nodded vigorously like pounding garlic, "Boss has always been most considerate of us. So... what do you think we should do next? You know, her Daoxiang Garden is backed by Lianshun Escort Agency, and she also runs a Zhenwei Garden. If something happens, she has plenty of people to help her, while we..."

"Isn’t it just a lousy sauce garden?" The man’s expression darkened, and he sneered disdainfully, "Xiaoshun, do you know what it means to care for the head but not the tail?"

He gestured for the servant to come closer, whispered a few instructions into his ear. Xiaoshun first frowned but then showed a look of sudden realization, repeatedly agreeing and taking his leave.

As the man watched him walk away, he picked another taro, peeled and ate it slowly, with a smirk on his lips.

But this smile, no matter how one looked at it, carried a vicious undertone.

...

That evening, Meng Yuhuai came home a bit late. As he stepped into the courtyard, Meng’s mother and Hua Xiaomai had already finished their dinner; one was tidying up the front yard while the other had just finished bathing and was hanging clothes behind the house.

As Hua Xiaomai’s belly grew larger, she seemed more stable and less likely to slip up. Meng’s mother had become less strict with her than before. Recently, she had taken to washing the clothes that she and Meng Yuhuai had changed out of herself. It was only a few light garments, not tiring for her, and with her recent weight gain, she felt that moving around a bit more gave her peace of mind.