Adorable Food Goddess

Xia Chunyu was uncomfortable with Liu Li’s pitiful look, but he was well aware of how manipulative she was.

He said ruthlessly, “Princess, you have the Empress Dowager to spoil you and everyone in the palace to jump at your beck and call. How can you be lonely? I don’t have time for this and I really have to go now. If anything goes wrong, the Emperor would have my head.”

Liu Li bit her tongue to prevent herself from lashing out. She had already begged him so much! What more does he want? If he was just any other man, she’d already have forced him to do her bidding. Unfortunately for her, Chunyu was a breed and a class of his own and he would never go for her high-handedness.

“Okay, but you have to promise to take me out of the palace and play with me when you can, or I won’t let you go,” Liu Li demanded, grabbing Xia Chunyu’s sleeve tightly.

Xia Chunyu was scared that anyone would see them like that so he said, “When I’m free, I’ll let you know.”

Liu Li smiled happily. “You promise?”

“Promise.” Anything to get her to let go.

She released him, pleased with his compliance.

The next day, Zhao Qixuan came to Heavenly Residence to treat his friends, but Susu wasn’t with him.

Little Jing told people that Susu was not ready to leave yet and was intending to do business with Zhao Qixuan.

Ye Jiayao said, “Didn’t you say that he is very smart? Like Jin Ling’s most talented person or something?”

“He’s freer this way. You have more concerns when you become an official,” Helian Jing responded.

Well, it looked like Susu finally made a sacrifice for love.

“You should come up and sit down with us later,” said Helian Jing.

“I can’t. You know I get so exhausted after work. I just want to go home early and rest.” Ye Jiayao was actually feeling particularly tired these past few days so she figured that her period was coming.

Helian Jing’s heart ached upon hearing her woes.  Then, just stop working! I’ll open a restaurant for you and you can be the manager. I will provide you with anything you need!

He couldn’t say what he really wanted to say because he knew that Yaoyao still liked Brother Chunyu. He would just have to wait until Brother Chunyu gets married before swooping Yaoyao up. He knew that he’d win her one day with his hard work and sincerity.

I just have to patient.

Ye Jiayao finished the last dish and took off her apron. “Brothers, I will hand these over to you and leave now.”

“Brother Yao, you can rest assured!” Deng Haichuan said.

Ye Jiayao paused. Why did his words sound so sad?

Ugh. Whatever.  She really couldn’t focus on anything else because she could now feel her stomach cramping.  Stupid period!

She was still baffled as to why her period seemed to hurt this much. She would have to go to a doctor soon to take care of this problem.

When she finally made it outside of Heavenly Residence, Ye Jiayao saw Chunyu’s horse carriage. She counted in her head and found out that it really had been seven days since she saw him last.

She had initially counted days of his return, but when she found out about Liu Yiyi, she deliberately put it out of her mind.

Ye Jiayao pretended to not see the carriage and walked forward, her eyes staying on her path.

“Heir-Son Lord…”

“Yes?”

“Madam walked away.”

“Huh…” Xia Chunyu’s eyes that were previously closed due to exhaustion flew open. He looked out and saw Ye Jiayao quickly walking away.

“She didn’t see the horse carriage?”

Song Qi said weakly, “She should’ve seen it because I waved at her.”

What the hell is going on?

“Chase her,” Xia Chunyu ordered.

Ye Jiayao heard horse hooves behind her and quickened her pace even more.

Xia Chunyu was confused. Was she mad at him again? Unbelievable! She was the one who went on a cruise with another man!

“Stop the cart.”

Song Qi hurriedly dragged the reins.

Xia Chunyu jumped down the horse carriage and caught up to her.

“Yaoyao!” Xia Chunyu called, grabbing her arm.

“Leave me alone.”

“What’s wrong? I went to see you as soon as I got back…”

“Did I ask you to see me? Get your hands off me,” Ye Jiayao said coldly.

“What are you mad at me for? Did I do anything wrong?” Xia Chunyu asked unhappily.

Ye Jiayao was mad at Chunyu for being with Liu Yiyi and Qing Liu and other women she might not even know. What was even her place on the list?

“Get your filthy hands off of me!” Ye Jiayao gritted her teeth when she saw his cocky face. This guy might look like a gentleman, but he was just a playboy through and through.

Xia Chunyu’s lips thinned, his eyes burning with anger.

“Filthy hands?” he echoed, aggravated. “What nonsense are you talking about, Ye Jinxuan? Maybe you could enlighten me before you start throwing baseless insults?”

“You should know what you have done,” Ye Jiayao replied indignantly.

“I don’t know what it is that you’re mad at me about!” Xia Chunyu told her frustratedly. Whoever said that absence makes the heart go fonder was a crock. He rushed to her the moment he got back, refusing to even stay and chat with his mom because he just wanted to see her. And for what? To get insulted by the woman he loves?

“You don’t know? Oh, right, what should I expect from a playboy? Do you even know how many women you’ve played?”

Xia Chunyu reared back.  Is she jealous?  He had already explained to her the situation about Qing Liu. Which girl was she jealous of now?

“Who are you talking about? Tell me,” Xia Chunyu said, calming down now that he knew the problem.

Ye Jiayao saw the indifferent expression on his face and got so angry she tried to kick him.

Xia Chunyu effortlessly dodged her.

“Gentlemen don’t use hands, just mouth,” Xia Chunyu reminded her with a smile.

She bit his wrist.

“Ah!” Xia Chunyu quickly pulled his hand away and saw the indent her teeth left. “You are such a dog.”

Ye Jiayao gave him a saccharine smile. “You told me to use my mouth.”

“Well, you’ve already kicked and bitten me, can you now tell me why?”

“Liu Yiyi,” Ye Jiayao spat out the name with hatred.

Xia Chunyu was stunned. “Where the hell did you get this from?”

“Everyone knows about it! You spent thousands of silvers just for one night with her!”

He silently cursed. He should have known that Yaoyao would see Liu Yiyi when she went to the courtesan’s competition.

“Okay. I admit that I did pay 10,000 silvers for her…” Xia Chunyu began honestly.

Ye Jiayao felt her stomach recoil. “Fuck off! I don’t want to see you again.”

She knew it was true, but hearing him say the words drove the knife deeper. F*ck! How many more? Will someone turn up again tomorrow?

Ye Jiayao turned away and ran but Xia Chunyu quickly pulled her back. “Can you just listen to me before you get mad?”

She covered her ears childishly.

Xia Chunyu grabbed her hands and forced them down. “I did spend 10,000 silvers for her, but I didn’t do anything with her.”

“Ridiculous! What, you spent 10,000 silvers just to drink tea with her? Who the f*ck are you trying to fool?”

“We didn’t even sit down to drink tea!”

“So you just felt like spending that kind of money to take her away from the bidders? Do you think I’m stupid, Chunyu? Did the air in that temple messed with your already crooked brain?” Ye Jiayao sneered.

“She’s an old friend’s daughter. I had been searching for her ever since her family got into an accident. I wasn’t able to find her until the courtesan competition. I spent 10,000 to get her out of that dilemma. I was only returning a favor for old friends. I have nothing to do with her,” Xia Chunyu explained quickly.

“Old friend’s daughter? Or your ex?”

“She really is the daughter of an old friend. When I fought pirates in Fu Jian, her father was a good local county official who helped me out. I have tremendous respect for her father. When I returned to Jin Ling, I heard that her father was involved in a corruption case and that he was killed after the arrest. His wife couldn’t take it so she killed herself as well.

“His only daughter, Liu Qianmei, disappeared after that. She changed her name and came to Jin Ling. She entered the society to avenge her father’s death. If you don’t believe me, you can ask Helian Xuan. He knows all about this.”

Ye Jiayao hesitated. Was it true?

“Well, even if you were helping an old friend’s daughter, you were so generous to her. Back in Black Wind Ridge, I asked you to give me five silvers and you refused! You gave her 10,000 silvers! Go die, you bastard!” Ye Jiayao may have been overreacting slightly, but she really couldn’t care less.

Xia Chunyu laughed, liking her jealousy. “I gave her that money to repay a favor. I’m already yours, what else do you care about?”

“That’s even more unforgivable! If you are mine, your things are mine, too. You threw 10,000 silvers out and didn’t ask for my opinion!” Ye Jiayao raged.

Xia Chunyu smiled at her and said innocently, “I didn’t even know you back then.”