Chapter 306: Proprietress
“Master, Yu Family Private Kitchen is just ahead.”
The low-key luxurious carriage stopped not far from Yu Family Private Kitchen.
The black-clothed driver respectfully inquired, “Do you want to go directly to see the Bright King, or should we wait for a better opportunity?”
A slender hand lifted a corner of the hanging curtain, and the cloaked man in the carriage observed Yu Family Private Kitchen through this gap.
Indeed, as the shopkeeper of Jiren Hall had said, someone had set up a medical stall in front of Yu Family Private Kitchen.
A long queue formed in front of the stall, where a man in white robes like flowing moonlight sat, treating patients with a gentle expression.
Even though they hadn’t seen each other for years, the cloaked man immediately recognized the white-robed man as Rongdi’s Bright King, Chunyu Mingyue.
The cloaked man looked at Chunyu Mingyue, the corners of his mouth curving into a smile tinged with mockery.
Born of lowly blood, always lowly blood. Even with half the noble bloodline of Rongdi, he still couldn’t amount to anything.
“He can’t escape. Let’s find a place to rest first.”
The cloaked man wasn’t foolish and quickly withdrew his gaze.
It was now noon, and Yu Family Private Kitchen was bustling with people—quite a crowd of both diners and patients. Going over now, if a conflict arose with Chunyu Mingyue, it might draw out the spies Long Yu had stationed in Daxing Town, which would be troublesome.
“Yes.”
Shortly after, the master and servant rested at Restaurant Manxiang (xiangmanlou), not far from Yu Family Private Kitchen.
The cloaked man booked the best private room on the second floor of Restaurant Manxiang and lavishly ordered a table full of fine dishes, delighting the restaurant’s manager, Yan Boshu.
Restaurant Manxiang hadn’t seen such a wealthy customer in a long time. Not only were there no wealthy customers, but even ordinary diners were much fewer than before.
Thinking of this, Yan Boshu gritted his teeth in anger.
All of this was that damned Bai Mingyue’s fault, going crazy and setting up a stall in front of Yu Family Private Kitchen to treat patients.
Ever since Bai Mingyue set up his medical stall in front of Yu Family Private Kitchen, Restaurant Manxiang’s business had plummeted.
In Restaurant Manxiang’s kitchen, the chefs busily clanged and banged around, preparing all the dishes the cloaked man had ordered. Three waiters were ready to serve the food.
Yan Boshu intercepted one of the waiters at the staircase.
“Give me the dishes. I’ll personally deliver them to the guest in the upstairs private room.”
Ms. Hu emerged from behind the counter and grabbed him, saying viciously, “The restaurant’s business gets worse every day, and instead of thinking of solutions as the manager, you’re doing the waiters’ work.”
Yan Boshu glanced toward the second floor and whispered in Ms. Hu’s ear, “That’s a woman’s narrow view. That person upstairs clearly has an extraordinary status. If I personally attend to him, I might be able to curry favor with someone important. Even if I can’t curry favor, getting some reward money would be good.”
Only then did Ms. Hu let go. After thinking, she said, “I noticed that person upstairs is quite young. Why don’t we let Xiu’er deliver the food?”
Yan Boshu understood what she was plotting.
Their daughter Yan Shuxiu had reached marriageable age. If she could catch the eye of that person upstairs, perhaps their second branch of the Yan family would have someone to rely on in the future.
“That’s a good idea. Quickly go get Xiu’er. Don’t keep the upstairs guest waiting.”
He instructed the other two waiters to wait in the main hall with the dishes while Ms. Hu hurried off to find someone.
Soon, Ms. Hu brought Yan Shuxiu to the main hall.
Yan Shuxiu looked delighted.
On the way to the main hall, Ms. Hu had briefly explained the situation to her, and she was very willing to use the opportunity of serving food to have an encounter with that mysterious distinguished guest upstairs.
“Father, I’ll go.”
Yan Boshu’s gaze swept over her, noting that her outfit today was quite nice and had the demeanor of a young lady from a good family. Satisfied, he handed her the tray of dishes.
“Be careful with your words. Don’t anger the distinguished guest.”
“Yes, Father.”
In the private room, the master and servant had been waiting so long that flowers could have withered, yet still no waiter came to serve the food.
The man in black frowned and looked at his master, “This restaurant serves food too slowly. Master, should I go hurry them?”
The cloaked man had no appetite and waved his hand, “No need.”
Just then, there was a knock on the door, and Yan Shuxiu’s soft voice came from outside, “The food is here. May I come in?”
“Come in.”
Yan Shuxiu remembered Yan Boshu’s instructions and proceeded carefully. Only after receiving a response from inside did she bring the two waiters in.
“You two go busy yourselves elsewhere. I’ll serve here.”
After entering the private room, she dismissed the two waiters and personally arranged the dishes for the cloaked man.
While arranging the dishes, she used her peripheral vision to observe the cloaked man.
Though the man’s face was concealed by the cloak, his hand holding the teacup was slender and fair—clearly a pampered young man. Moreover, this person had an extraordinary bearing.
She couldn’t help but feel her heart flutter.
“Young master, you look unfamiliar to me. Is this your first time in our Daxing Town?”
Before she could finish speaking, the man in black beside her interrupted.
Fearing his master might be recognized, the man in black felt nervous and frowned, “Miss, my master doesn’t like having strangers around when he eats. Please leave.”
Yan Shuxiu was startled by the man in black’s cold voice, her expression changing. Looking at the cloaked man who continued sitting quietly, she bit her lip unwillingly.
Just as she was about to leave, the cloaked man suddenly spoke.
“Don’t leave yet.”
She turned back, looking at the cloaked man with excited eyes.
The cloaked man’s voice was very pleasant—low and husky, tugging at her heartstrings.
“What are your orders, young master?”
The cloaked man raised his eyebrows slightly, glanced at her, and asked, “Are you the proprietress here?”
A proprietress would necessarily be married. Not wanting to be misunderstood, Yan Shuxiu quickly waved her hands to explain, “Young master, you’re mistaken. I’m not the proprietress. I’m the manager’s daughter, and I’m only eighteen this year.”
The cloaked man didn’t care about her age and continued with purpose, “So you’re the manager’s daughter. Your family’s restaurant is quite large, but business seems rather dismal.”
Yan Shuxiu bit her lip.
“Our restaurant used to have very good business.”
“Then why isn’t it good now?”
“It’s all because of that damned Bai Mingyue.”
After answering, Yan Shuxiu belatedly realized she had just said something that damaged her gentle image and quickly tried to make amends, “Young master, please don’t mind. I spoke out of anger just now.”
Apart from paying attention when he heard the name Bai Mingyue, the cloaked man was too lazy to listen to anything else she said.
“Who is Bai Mingyue? Does he also run a restaurant?”
Seeing that the cloaked man didn’t seem to mind and appeared very interested in this topic, Yan Shuxiu breathed a sigh of relief. She pouted and answered in a coquettish tone, “Not at all! Bai Mingyue used to be a doctor at Jiren Hall. Because he caused a fatal medical accident, he was kicked out by Jiren Hall’s manager. After that, he set up a stall in front of Yu Family Private Kitchen to treat patients. Those people who go to him for treatment are truly crazy—they’re not afraid of being poisoned to death by him.”