Adorable Food Goddess

This was Xia Chunyu’s resting day and he didn’t want to go out. There were many gossips about him and he was in the eye of the storm. If he went out, people would pretend to sympathize with him and ask questions to satisfy their curiosity. He didn’t want to answer them. He’d rather stay in here to read books and drink tea.

“Heir-Son Lord, Young Royal Highness Jing is here,” Song Qi reported.

Xia Chunyu frowned. What is Little Jing doing here?

“Tell him to come in.” Xia Chunyu put his book down and fixed his clothes.

Immediately after Helian Jing entered the door, he placed the 500,000 taels banknote he received from Zhao Qixuan and his own 100,000 silver banknote in front of Xia Chunyu.

“Brother Chunyu, this is 600,000 silvers from Da Tong Bank. Give me Li Yao’s contract.”

Xia Chunyu looked at the banknotes and at Little Jing. “What do you mean? Why should I give you Li Yao’s contract?”

Helian Jing said, “Li Yao wants to cancel the contract so this is the compensation.”

Xia Chunyu smiled a little and asked casually, “Did Li Yao ask you to do this?”

“You don’t need to know that. Here’s the money so I want the contract now.”

“Little Jing, I thought that now you’re in the military department, you’d have more experience and understanding of how things work. How are you still so naive?” Xia Chunyu ridiculed laughingly.

“I am not naive,” Helian Jing denied, blushing. “I know why you’re purposely creating difficulties for Li Yao.”

Xia Chunyu leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. “Please, why don’t you enlighten me?”

“I don’t want to play this game with you. Give me the contract now,” Helian Jing said, sounding mad.

Xia Chunyu responded expressionlessly, “First of all, Li Yao did not say that he would cancel the contract. At least, he did not mention it to me. Second, even if he wanted to cancel the contract, I wouldn’t agree. Li Yao is the pillar of Heavenly Residence. Heavenly Residence makes so much money with him there, why would I let him go? I don’t care about six hundred thousand silvers. Hell, you could make it a million and I still wouldn’t agree.”

“You … how can you do this? Li Yao is a free person, not a tool for you to make money.”

“Li Yao might make money for me, but he also earns a large amount for himself. We both benefit each other.”

Xia Chunyu really did not expect Little Jing to do this for Yaoyao. 600,000 silvers are not easy to get a hold of! Even Helian Xuan couldn’t save 300,000 for three years. Little Jing had to have borrowed from others. In the whole Jin Ling City, only Zhao Qixuan could be that rich and generous to lend him the money.

“Mutual benefit? You are torturing him! I’ve always admired you, Brother Chunyu, but what you’re doing is despicable,” Helian Jing told him spitefully.

Xia Chunyu’s lips twitched when he said coldly, “This is something between me and him. Stay out of our business.”

“I don’t care! I can’t just let you bully him. If it is someone I like, I would never make him sad or let him cry a single tear.” Helian Jing grabbed the silver notes and walked away.

Helian Jing was walking so fast, blind with anger, that he didn’t notice Chunfeng until he crashed with him.

“Little Jing, why are you in such a rush?” Xia Chunfeng asked, rubbing his nose.

Helian Jing pushed him away and walked out of the house wordlessly.

Xia Chunfeng frowned, confused. “Second Brother, what is with Little Jing? Who is he mad at?”

Xia Chunyu was in a bad mood. If it wasn’t for Little Jing, things wouldn’t have gone so bad with him and Yaoyao.

“Second Brother, someone from Heavenly Residence came to say that Yaoyao was called to the palace by a Eunuch Yao,” Xia Chunfeng added when Chunyu didn’t respond.

“What? When?” Xia Chunyu jumped out of his chair. He was pretty sure that Eunuch Yao was Liu Li’s servant.

“I don’t know. That’s all they said to me.”

“Song Qi, get a horse ready,” Xia Chunyu called loudly.

Helian Jing went to look for Ye Jiayao. Since his plan failed, he’ll just make her quit work.  Let’s see what you do then, Chunyu.

Xia Chunyu frantically rode his horse to the palace and ran straight to Ning He. He saw Elder Princess Yu De elder come out from there and gave her a quick greeting.

Yu De smiled and asked, “Chunyu, are you here for Li Yao?

“Did Elder Princess see Li Rao?” Xia Chunyu didn’t bother denying it.

Yu De said with a sigh, “Li Yao is so lucky to have so many people worry about him.”

Xia Chunyu was confused. Did others come as well?

“Don’t worry now. I already got him out of the palace,” Yu De told him.

Out of the palace? How did he not see her?

“You don’t believe me?” Yue De challenged when she saw Chunyu looking stunned.

“No, no, of course, I believe you. Thank you, Elder Princess.”

“Come on, let’s get out of the palace together,” Yu De said.

Xia Chunyu wanted to go to Heavenly Residence to check on Yaoyao, but he could not deny the Elder Princess the company she asked for.

“Is your father all good? He has been back for a few days and still hasn’t visited his good brother,” Yu De said unhappily.

Xia Chunyu explained, “He was going to see the Royal Highness, but there are too many people coming to the mansion these days. He couldn’t even leave the door.”

“Oh, that’s right, your father hasn’t been back for a few years.” Yu De wasn’t buying that. No matter how busy he was, he should still carve out the time. She figured that the old saying ‘when people left, the tea would get cold’ was right in this case.

When Ye Jiayao returned to Heavenly Residence, Little Jing came to drag her out before she could rest.

“Little Jing, what are you doing?” Ye Jiayao was weirded out by Little Jing’s behavior. He always has this mischievous and playful look on him, but his face was dead serious right now.

Helian Jing only released her after they walked to the river where no one was around.

“Yaoyao, just quit your job. Don’t worry if you break the contract. Let him sue you if he wants to,” Helian Jing said angrily.

“Little Jing, what happened?” Ye Jiayao has never seen Little Jing like this.

“Nothing. I just cannot let you stay there and get bullied every day.” Little Jing did not want to tell her about the 600,000 silver banknote incident because he knew that she’d just get mad.

Ye Jiayao smiled at his thoughtfulness and assured, “Don’t worry. Manager Zhao is quite good and fair. He’s my superior so it’s only natural that I get scolded. Even the chancellor would get scolded by the emperor, right?”

“Yaoyao, stop lying to me. I know about your things, ” Helian Jing told her, his heart pumping.

Ye Jiayao paused. What did that mean?

“What do you know?”

Suddenly, Helian Jing just didn’t care anymore. He’d give it his best shot and lay everything out.

“I know you are the first daughter of the Ye family.”

Ye Jiayao stumbled, looking at Little Jing in disbelief.  How did he figure it out?

“You are Ye Jinxuan, but I wish you were not.” Helian Jing looked away, licking his lips. He opened his eyes and tried to blink away the tears forming.

When did he found out? Was it the night they were in the water?

“But what can you do even if you are Ye Jinxuan? He doesn’t treat you well! If you choose me, you’ll never be sad. It doesn’t matter if you are Ye Jinxuan or Li Yao, I will always be good to you,” Little Jing swore ferociously, his tears threatening to fall.

It didn’t matter that she was Chunyu’s wife before. He loves her and nothing could stop it. As long as Yaoyao was willing, he would do anything for her.

Ye Jiayao was speechless. Was little Jing about to cry? She didn’t want to cause him any misery. She really loved him… as a little brother. They were always happy when they’re together and he always goes out of his way to accommodate her.

She really wished she could feel any romantic feelings for the friend who has always been good to her, but fate was a cruel bitch who placed her in the path of a ruthless man.

“Little Jing…” Ye Jiayao started sadly. “I am Ye Jinxuan but I wish I could be Li Yao so that I can have a great friend like you and a bunch of brothers in Heavenly Residence. As Li Yao, I can support myself and make a lot of money. I can drink and eat with my friends. I can forget those unhappy things that happened to me before.

“If it is possible, I wish I could be Li Yao forever. We can be good friends and good brothers forever.”

Helian Jing’s lip trembled at Yaoyao’s rejection.

“You can wish whatever you want. I just want you to know that no matter who you are, I will always be your Little Jing. I will do whatever you want, just say the word. I can leave everything behind and take you away.”

After Helian Jing said those words, he turned away to leave. If he didn’t leave, she would see his tears and the pain in his eyes. He’d never hurt like this before. It almost felt like a physical pain that was so insistent in reminding him of what he would never have.

Ye Jiayao watched him walk away, hating herself for hurting Little Jing. She wished she could return his affection, but she couldn’t persuade her heart. Even if Chunyu didn’t exist, Little Jing had always been just her brother and friend.

When Little Jing’s silhouette disappeared from her sight, she turned around and walked back to Heavenly Residence, her heart aching.

Xia Chunyu stood near a willow tree that was not far away from them. He couldn’t hear what they said, but their conversation seemed to be unhappy.

It didn’t seem like a fight.

Were they just both disappointed that he didn’t release Yaoyao from the contract?