latelenovela Chapter 127: Treating Guests
Chapter 127: Treating Guests
Chapter 127: Treating Guests
"You're the boss, all of us depend on you for our livelihood," one of them said politely.
She smiled, neither confirming nor denying. The next dishes arrived quickly, and Ji Meiqing promptly took them and carried them upstairs.
The dishes were mostly what I usually make, but some were prepared on the spot. For example, the mushroom soup that was being served.
Ji Meiqing specially picked the vegetables, dried them, washed them clean, scalded them, and then started cooking them.
The moment the soup was served, the air was filled with the rich aroma of mushrooms. Ji Meiqing stood to the side, watching them eat, and then went back to the kitchen.
Inside, preparations were underway to wrap things up. On a small stove sat an earthenware pot. Ji Meiqing lifted it to take a look, but the contents weren't fully cooked yet, so she put it down, somewhat bored.
"Eat first, it's not too late to eat it when it's cooked." Lu Yu's sudden appearance almost made her faint.
Looking at the person in front of her... Ji Meiqing hurriedly took the bowl and chopsticks from his hands.
A stool was brought over, and she sat on it, eating while watching the stove. Everyone in the kitchen was resting; Lu Yu went outside for a stroll and then returned.
The place was bustling with noise and people were having a great time. He had been given two small drinks before returning home; since marrying Ji Meiqing, he had rarely touched alcohol or such things.
The contents of the jar began to bubble. Lu Yu lifted the lid, and a burst of white mist rose into the air and quickly dissipated, but the fragrance remained unforgettable.
Ji Meiqing also heard the commotion and ran over. Lu Yu took the jar down and placed it on the ground.
He casually picked up the spoon next to him, scooped some soup from the jar, tasted it a couple of times, and smacked his lips.
"Chicken stew with mushrooms, would you like some?" Ji Meiqing asked him with a smile.
A spoon was used to pick out a piece of meat and a mushroom and held it out to him. Lu Yu was curious and did not refuse.
He drank the soup and ate the meat. Ji Meiqing leaned closer to him, looking at him anxiously, "How is it?"
His face lit up with anticipation, and Lu Yu nodded unconsciously.
Having received approval, she went to the cupboard, took a bowl, filled it with soup and meat, and distributed it. She shared the remaining portion with Lu Yu.
"What is this?" he asked, pointing to the mushroom that was grayish-black on the outside and white on the inside. Then, thinking about what she had just said, he guessed, "This is a mushroom?"
"Mmm, mushrooms." She nodded vaguely and finished everything in her bowl in one go.
“I went to the mountains and found some. It’s been raining these past few days, so the weather is damp. These things love to grow on wood after the rain, but some are poisonous and some are not.” She explained this to him, then stared intently at the door to the front hall.
The bowl was empty, and she wanted to have another, but unfortunately, the jar was completely empty. The regret on her face stirred something in Lu Yu's heart.
After the people outside finished eating, they came in to thank Ji Meiqing. After seeing them off, she stood at the door for a while. There were still people talking to Lu Yu inside, but Ji Meiqing was too lazy to listen, so she just stood at the door.
On a rare sunny day, the sun shone brightly, reflecting light beautifully in the puddles. Mrs. Li arrived with her son and, seeing Te lost in thought, decided to tease him.
"What's wrong with you? You look so worried."
When Ji Meiqing came to her senses and saw that it was them, she calmly suppressed her emotions.
"It's nothing, I'm just a little tired," she said with a forced laugh.
Li looked her up and down, and even Li Ming's gaze was somewhat obscure and difficult to understand. She couldn't figure out what was wrong with him either.
"Then you should get some rest." Not knowing what else to say, Li could only force a conversation like this.
Ji Meiqing nodded, but that didn't mean she agreed.
"It's getting late, so we'll head back now. You should go home and get some rest too."
Ji Meiqing saw them off, then stood there for a while before going inside. Almost everyone had left, and the table was a mess of cups and plates, with all sorts of things scattered about.
Lu Yu moved the stools aside and, seeing her lost in thought, couldn't help but want to wake her up.
"What's wrong? Are you too tired?" Lu Yu asked, his voice not loud, but it rang in my ears.
Ji Meiqing snapped back to reality, her pupils contracted, and she only felt calm when she looked at Lu Yu.
"It's alright, go ahead and get busy. I want to go back and rest." She walked right past him, helped clear the table, and the food in the kitchen was already ready; it was all done in less than an hour.
Ji Meiqing had the plaque at the entrance of the restaurant taken down by her men. She said indifferently, "Just put it in the warehouse. Don't worry about the rest."
After looking around, she went upstairs to lie down in the temporary rest room. It would take a while to tidy up outside, so she could get a good night's sleep in the meantime.
Lu Yu quickly restored the restaurant to its previous state and then went to retrieve his belongings.
The temporary helper also took his money and left, and soon only the two of them were left in the restaurant. Not knowing how long Ji Meiqing would sleep, he watched her from the doorway for a while.
When she woke up, it was already dark. The outside temperature had dropped, but thankfully she regulated her internal energy to keep herself from getting cold.
Lu Yu tidied up his things before going upstairs. Ji Meiqing had already huddled up because of the cold, but her cheeks were still red.
He didn't dare let her sleep for too long, so he woke her up after about an incense stick's time.
She rubbed her eyes, repeatedly telling herself she didn't want to move, but she still moved her hands anyway.
"What time is it?" she asked instinctively, but then quickly corrected herself, "How long have I been asleep?"
"Go back to sleep after an hour."
The two then got up, and the restaurant behind them was locked. They went home. As soon as Ji Meiqing entered the door, she saw her younger brother running excitedly towards her, and suddenly her head started to ache.
"Sis, how did things go today?"
Knowing which one he was asking about, Ji Meiqing said calmly, "It's alright."
“She’s a little tired, let her go and rest. You go back and read your book first. If you don’t understand anything, you can ask me.” Lu Yu suddenly interrupted, coming in halfway through their conversation. The two looked at each other blankly. Lu Yu glanced at her, then went back to his book.
The two of them suddenly felt confused.
Granny Mei also came over, looked at Lu Yu who was reading a book, and asked with a smile, "Is Madam pregnant? She's been so tired these past few days, and all she wants to do as soon as she gets back is sleep."
Lu Yu looked a little embarrassed, but once someone saw him, he quickly regained his previous calm and collected demeanor.