Transmigration: The Little Chef Calls The Shots
Chapter 1230 - 139 Madam Xiao (first watch of the night)

Chapter 1230: 139 Madam Xiao (first watch of the night)

Watching Lin Yuan’s shy little face, Xia Zheng flashed a wicked smile and, unable to control his heart, leaned in again, and with a smack, planted another kiss.

The sound was so loud that even the steadfast Lin Yi couldn’t help but change his expression, a hint of red blooming beneath his dark complexion as he stiffly turned his head away.

Yet Lin Yuan was both embarrassed and flustered, her timid eyes fixed firmly on Xia Zheng’s triumphant, handsome face. Seeing him poised to kiss her cheek again, she quickly raised her hand to cover her puffy little face.

It was only with her face covered that she was startled to realize her cheeks were already unbearably hot, as if on fire.

Overwhelmed with embarrassment, Lin Yuan made a motion to rise, puffing out her cheeks as she huffed, "Fine, don’t say it then. I’m not talking to you anymore! Ouch!"

With an exclamation, a large hand caught her waist and pulled her onto someone’s lap. Feeling the broad chest and strong legs of the man, Lin Yuan’s neck flushed with a faint red.

However, she didn’t realize that sitting there so obediently still didn’t calm the person down.

With the little person sitting securely in his arms stirring his restless heart, Xia Zheng took a deep breath, leaned in close to her ear, and whispered, "Do you want to know? If you do, kiss me!"

Lin Yuan frowned slightly, grateful that Yi Ran Residence was closed for repairs at the moment. Otherwise, with anyone else present, she would already have been dying of embarrassment.

Provoked by Xia Zheng’s antics, Lin Yuan too felt like teasing him and deliberately drew out her words, "I want... in your dreams!"

Xia Zheng had expected her to say "I want" but then those two extra words followed, leaving him both frustrated and amused. He bit her nose gently as a playful punishment.

Lin Yuan glared at him and muttered, "Fine, don’t tell me, I don’t want to hear it!"

"Really don’t want to hear it?" Xia Zheng asked with amusement, lifting his eyebrows. Seeing that Lin Yuan’s ears were as red as if they were about to be cooked, he stopped teasing her and drew her closer into his embrace, then began to tell her about the earlier event.

"When I saw you found the account books yesterday, I noticed that Shopkeeper Xiao’s expression was off, so I had someone keep an eye on him in case he tried to sneak away in the night. Unexpectedly, he ignored his own household issues, opting first to visit his concubine. He had her pack up valuables and prepare to flee with their young son. I then had some people make a bit of noise; those neighbors were actually people I sent."

Lin Yuan nodded, "So, the reason he came late this morning was that you threatened him?"

"Yes," Xia Zheng turned his head, smiling softly, "I had prepared a grand feast for Master Liang. If Shopkeeper Xiao had come back early, then my little deception would’ve been uncovered."

Indeed, it would have been exposed. If Shopkeeper Xiao had returned, then the fake shopkeeper Xia Zheng had installed would have been revealed.

After dealing with Liang Shiyou and Shopkeeper Xiao’s affairs, Lin Yuan realized she hadn’t had breakfast yet.

Xia Zheng curled his lips into a smile and gave Dong Qing a signal. In no time, the servers changed the dishes on the table completely. Upon closer inspection, the dishes were exactly like the ones Liang Shiyou had just prepared. Not only the dishes but even the bowls, plates, and the placement of the food were exactly the same as before. If Lin Yuan hadn’t seen Dong Qing instruct the servers to change the meal, she would have thought it was still the same table as earlier.

It seemed that this meal must have been the one Liang Shiyou had someone else make in his stead. No wonder Liang Shiyou was fooled; the two sets of dishes were virtually identical as if cast from the same mold.

This time, Xia Zheng didn’t stop her, but instead personally picked food for her.

Lin Yuan tasted a soup bun and nodded repeatedly. Although the broth wasn’t very rich and the dough a bit tough, the flavor was still good, at least much tastier than the bony buns made by Liang Shiyou.

The one with the most to say, of course, was Xia Zheng. After swallowing a soup bun, he began to complain, "Now, this is a tasty bun, just now, ugh, it was simply inedible!"

Lin Yuan looked at him amusedly. What did he mean by "inedible"? Wasn’t he a human just now when he ate those buns?

She had agreed with Shopkeeper Xiao to return the silver in three days, but early the next morning, his wife, Madam Xiao, came to her door to return the silver proactively.

Actually, Lin Yuan didn’t know that this woman was Shopkeeper Xiao’s wife, as she looked too much like Liang Shiyou: the same round-faced as a platter, equally tall and burly, and talked in the same loud and brash manner. If it weren’t for the adornments on her head and the women’s dresses she wore, Lin Yuan might have thought she was Liang Shiyou.

However, if one were to judge her looks, she couldn’t be considered unattractive, only a bit more fierce, reminiscent of the women from the grasslands.

Despite her open appearance and character, this person’s conduct was quite dignified and steady.

She pulled a stack of silver notes from her sleeve and handed them to Lin Yuan with both hands, apologizing profusely, "Miss Lin, here are seven hundred and ten Silver Taels in silver notes. Please, count them."

Staring at those silver notes, Lin Yuan couldn’t help but be stunned. It wasn’t surprising to her that Madam Xiao knew of Shopkeeper Xiao’s greed for silver since Liang Shiyou knew about it. But for Madam Xiao to actually repay the silver on behalf of Shopkeeper Xiao was truly beyond her expectation.

"Madam, there’s no need to count, I trust you." Looking at the woman in front of her with her eyes deep-set and swollen like walnuts, Lin Yuan couldn’t help but sigh in sympathy.

If it wasn’t for crying all night, how could her eyes be so swollen? Speaking of which, Shopkeeper Xiao was indeed a scoundrel. He was already of such an age, with a son who had sons, yet he had hidden a mistress and even fathered a son who was about the same age as his grandson. How disgraceful!

Madam Xiao’s lips twitched slightly, but she still pushed the silver notes forward, saying, "Miss, please count them anyway. It would ease my mind."

Unable to refuse Madam Xiao’s persistent requests, Lin Yuan had Shui Xian count the notes, seven hundred and ten Taels, not one more, not one less.

Seeing Lin Yuan nod, Madam Xiao hesitated for a moment before suddenly standing up and bowing deeply, "Miss, I have an impertinent favor to ask, and I hope you can grant it."

Startled by Madam Xiao’s deep bow, Lin Yuan almost panicked and quickly helped her up; Madam Xiao was even older than Lady Liu, and Lin Yuan could not bear such a grand gesture.

Despite her efforts, Madam Xiao refused to stand, being strong and sturdy, Lin Yuan and Shui Xian couldn’t budge her. Left with no choice, Lin Yuan had to agree to her request first.

"Miss, I know it was my husband’s fault for coveting the silver, and as his wife, I failed to manage him properly, which is my error as well. I hope, Miss, for the sake of me returning the Silver Tael on time, you can overlook this once and allow him to keep some dignity, if you would?"

So she was pleading for Shopkeeper Xiao’s sake.

Lin Yuan looked at the woman in front of her, fierce yet wholeheartedly devoted to her husband, feeling a whirlwind of emotions, and finally nodded in agreement, "Madam, rest assured, I am a merchant, simply seeking the return of my own silver. Had I truly intended to make things difficult for him, I would not have allowed a delay of three days."

Madam Xiao thanked her profusely, leaving Lin Yuan quite puzzled, and she asked, "Madam, do you know all that has happened?"