Chef Hua
Chapter 54 - 46: Unspeakable Affection

Chapter 54: Chapter 46: Unspeakable Affection

Meng Yuhuai’s palm had a layer of thin callus, likely from years of handling weapons. Resting quietly in his hand were several dried red chili peppers, each the size of a pinky finger, looking especially delicate and eye-catching under the sunlight, glistening and releasing a faint spicy fragrance.

"...For, for me?" Hua Xiaomai was equally surprised and delighted; perhaps it was too unexpected, her voice trembling slightly. Her hands rubbed at the hem of her clothes but were slow to reach out and accept, "Big brother Meng, this..."

How could she have ever imagined she would experience such a day? It was only about a dozen chilies, yet they made her heart so joyful that she wanted to jump with excitement! That day in Master Zhao’s residence, although she longed for that pot of chili peppers, she understood more clearly that, in this era, such things were almost impossible to come by for a commoner like her, but now...

Meng Yuhuai saw her expression and the subtle nuances, and the corners of his lips moved imperceptibly as he spoke solemnly, "Today, Master Zhao hosted a banquet, and Uncle Ke called me to join. His home had two or three pots of chili peppers that bore quite a few fruits in June and July last year. He kept some to dry for seeds, intending to give them to friends. I simply asked him for a few."

He spoke in a very calm manner, but Hua Xiaomai was truly touched this time. A few chilies were not valuable in her previous life, but here, they were a rare and precious commodity. Although she did not know Meng Yuhuai very well, she could guess from his usual behavior that he was likely not the kind of person to easily ask others for favors. For him to now ask Master Zhao for chilies must have been very difficult for him.

She reached out and carefully took the chilies from him, biting her lip, "Big brother Meng, I really... don’t know what to say..."

"Don’t misunderstand."

Perhaps because the gratitude on her face was too obvious, Meng Yuhuai looked a bit uneasy. He turned his head away towards the field, not facing her, and cleared his throat, "I didn’t go to any trouble. Master Zhao saw that you didn’t attend the banquet today and was full of regret. So, he decided to prepare another gift for Taihe to bring back to you. I merely mentioned in passing that textiles and other expensive goods were not practical for peasant families. It would be better to give you some chili peppers, so you could try planting them yourself. He immediately agreed."

"Regardless, I still should thank you properly," said Hua Xiaomai, her face earnest as she looked at him, her eyes squinting happily, "Once the weather gets warmer, I’ll plant these chili seeds. If they fruit, I’ll invite you to taste them, okay?"

"You really plan to eat this stuff?" Meng Yuhuai still seemed a bit incredulous, raising an eyebrow, "Well, suit yourself. But before I left Master Zhao’s house, I asked his gardener. He told me that although chili is rare, it’s not difficult to grow. Just make sure it gets plenty of sunshine, water the plants more after they sprout, and it should all survive. Apply liquid manure and soybean cake when the seedlings are young. Before flowering, however, you’ll want to add more wood ash..."

He had even inquired about how to plant chili peppers. Hua Xiaomai felt grateful but also found it amusing. She couldn’t hold back a laugh, "Big brother Meng, you really are meticulous!" Her tone carried a teasing note.

Meng Yuhuai immediately fell silent, with his brows frowning once more, "You..."

"I’m praising you. And honestly, I really don’t know how to thank you enough!" Hua Xiaomai quickly waved her hand and spoke earnestly, "But you saying it once like this, I might not remember it all. When you have time, could you write down how to plant the chili peppers on a piece of paper, and have my brother-in-law tell me? That way, I definitely won’t make a mistake!"

"...Alright then." Meng Yuhuai nodded somewhat helplessly, and added, "About the Escort Agency’s Spring Wine event..."

"No problem!" Hua Xiaomai replied quickly, "As soon as Uncle Ke sets a date, let me know right away. However many people you want to invite, whatever you want to do, just give me a plan, and if you need me to set the menu, just say the word. I can’t guarantee the Spring Wine will be a grand success, but at least, I’ll try my best to avoid any mishaps."

"That’s settled." Meng Yuhuai let out a long sigh of relief. "Then I’ll take my leave now, it’s been a long time since I’ve been home; I should go back and check on my mother." Having said that, he turned to leave.

Hua Xiaomai actually felt a bit disappointed, a feeling welled up inside her as if she didn’t want him to go so soon. Bowing her head, she quickly pondered for a moment, then clenched the chili peppers tightly in her palm, took two steps forward, and called out, "Um... Elder Brother Meng, I really don’t know how to thank you for today’s matter. It seems my brother-in-law has had quite a lot to drink and hasn’t eaten much. There’s still some prepared food at home; if you don’t mind, please come in and eat something with my brother-in-law. It’s neither too early nor too late now, and if you go home now, I’m afraid there won’t be much to eat..."

Meng Yuhuai suddenly turned around, seeing her standing at the courtyard gate, lips slightly upturned, adding a touch of smile to her entire face, those bright eyes looking straight at him, their gaze faintly filled with a bit of anticipation.

He felt a slight stir in his heart, as if something wanted to burst out of his throat. Hastily, he clenched his fist secretly, took a deep breath, and slowly shook his head, "No... no need, I’ve had a bellyful of wine, I can’t eat anything more. It seems Taihe drank quite a bit today, take good care of him... Ah, that’s right!"

He suddenly remembered something, turned back and took two steps towards her: "In a few days, I’ll be heading to Shengzhou as an Escort Master. Brother Taihe mentioned that the area around your and Lady Hua’s hometown is nearby, and that you have a brother living there. Do you have any items or messages that you would like me to deliver?"

Hua Xiaomai thought to herself, posing as an imposter, she didn’t even know where Shengzhou was, let alone have ever met this so-called "brother". How could she possibly have a message for him? Besides, from the hints in Second Lady Hua’s words, it was quite likely that Hua Dashan was no good, and she certainly didn’t want to have anything to do with him!

"Um..." She lowered her head to think for a moment, then hesitated, "I don’t have anything to send back, I’ll have to discuss it with my second sister before deciding."

"That’s fine," Meng Yuhuai nodded.

Having exhausted all topics of conversation, the two stood facing each other in silence for a while, both feeling it increasingly awkward to continue standing there. Meng Yuhuai smiled uncomfortably, turned, and headed towards the south of the village when, at that moment, he saw Guan Rong running over like a bird in flight.

"Xiaomai little sister, I need your help with something!" She rushed up to them, taking Hua Xiaomai’s hand very familiarly and intimately, then turned to look at Meng Yuhuai, adding a hint of reproach to her tone, "Yuhuai brother, have you finally decided to come back to the village? Do you know how much your aunt has been worrying about you? Now that you’re back, why aren’t you hurrying home to see her?!"