The Prime Minister’s Little Wife

Chapter 28: This Girl is a Fool

Xu Zhizhi was lost in her thoughts about the future when an excited voice interrupted her.

“Miss Xu, you’re here,” Manager Li said enthusiastically.

Manager Li approached the ox cart and called a few waiters to unload the bean sprouts.

“Miss Xu, our boss is here and would like to meet you.”

“Alright. My third uncle and cousin will settle the payment. Manager Li, could you arrange breakfast for them while they wait for me?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure everything is taken care of,” Manager Li assured.

Xu Dahu thought to himself: It’s different when Sister Zhizhi is here. Not only does the manager personally come out to greet her, but there’s also food.

When he and Daniu delivered the bean sprouts, they had to carry them in themselves, weigh them, get paid, and leave. There was no food.

Manager Li led Xu Zhizhi into a private room where a few pastries were already laid out on the table.

Inside sat a man, presumably the owner of Drunken Fragrance Pavilion.

The man appeared to be around twenty-five years old, dressed in a white brocade robe. His long eyebrows gave him a sharp, handsome look, and his peach-blossom eyes added to his refined and cold demeanor. He exuded an innate air of superiority!

Xu Zhizhi thought: The owner of a restaurant has such presence?!

Xu Zhizhi was intently observing the so-called owner.

At the same time, Nangong Yunhao was also studying the girl who had just walked in. She looked to be about thirteen or fourteen years old.

Her skin was slightly tanned, and her thin frame reminded him of the bean sprouts he had seen yesterday. Her thick, black hair was tied up with a simple string.

She wore a clean blue floral dress, and her plain face was adorned with clear, transparent eyes and a faint smile.

She was openly scrutinizing him, her eyes filled with curiosity but not admiration, appreciation but not infatuation.

His charm was renowned throughout the Great Sheng Dynasty. As the future head of the Nangong family, he had seen countless noble ladies, wealthy daughters, and village girls from Luocheng and its surrounding cities, counties, and towns—all of whom were infatuated with him and wanted to become his concubine.

Seeing the girl’s calm smile, it was clear she had no intention of becoming his concubine. There was only one explanation: this girl was not right in the head!

If Xu Zhizhi knew what he was thinking, she would have retorted, “If I’m a fool, then your entire family is full of fools.”

The two stared at each other, neither speaking.

Manager Li felt the pressure mounting and reluctantly broke the silence. “Boss, this is Miss Xu, the one who knows how to make boiled fish, boiled beef, and more.”

Nangong Yunhao was disappointed. The person who had created such delicious dishes turned out to be a fool.

Xu Zhizhi thought the boss was putting on airs, waiting for her to speak first.

She stepped forward, sat down at the table, and said in a clear, melodious voice, “My name is Xu Zhizhi. I’m seventeen years old. When I was young, my family was poor. We didn’t have much to eat, and I worked a lot. As a result, I grew intellectually but not physically.”

Her introduction was simple, clear, and amusing, delivered with perfect logic.

Nangong Yunhao processed everything she said but struggled to find the right words. Finally, he said:

“I am Nangong Yunhao, twenty-four years old, the owner of Drunken Fragrance Pavilion. We have branches in every prefecture, county, and town across the Great Sheng Dynasty.”

“Wow! A nationwide chain! No wonder the boss has such an imposing presence!” Xu Zhizhi exclaimed excitedly.

Nangong Yunhao didn’t understand what a “nationwide chain” was, but he understood the word “presence.” Seeing the girl’s sparkling eyes blinking at him, his mood brightened.

Without thinking, he blurted out, “Other women I meet all beg to become my concubine. Why aren’t you moved?”

Xu Zhizhi felt a chill. Was this man sick? She turned to Manager Li and asked worriedly:

[Can someone who’s a fool run a chain restaurant like this?]

Nangong Yunhao nearly spat out his tea.

Just moments ago, he had been wondering if this girl—no, this young woman of seventeen—was a fool. Now, she was calling him a fool.

Karma had come back to bite him far too quickly!

Manager Li broke out in a cold sweat. As a lifelong servant of the Nangong family, he had watched the young master grow up. Anyone who dared speak to the young master like this would have grass growing over their grave by now.

Nangong Yunhao looked at Xu Zhizhi, his face filled with disbelief as he turned to Manager Li.

He knew the girl was serious.

He could only explain, “Wherever I go, the noble ladies I meet all shyly ask if I’m married. If I am, they ask if I want a concubine. You’re the first who hasn’t asked.”

“Oh, I see. You scared me!” Xu Zhizhi said, patting her chest.

She had thought she was dealing with someone delusional!

“Boss, my apologies! It was a misunderstanding. I didn’t look closely earlier. You really do have the charm to drive all women crazy,” Xu Zhizhi said, her apology lacking sincerity.

Hearing this, Nangong Yunhao finally felt a bit better.

“Young Master Nangong, if you have something to say, just say it. I don’t like people who beat around the bush.”

After some consideration, Nangong Yunhao realized this girl was no ordinary person.

Watching her calmly sip tea and eat pastries, composed and unruffled in his presence, he decided to be straightforward.

This was his first time in Qingshan Town. A friend of his had been pursued by assassins, and he had rushed here upon receiving the news. After searching for days, he found no trace of his friend.

Remembering that his family owned a restaurant in town, he decided to check it out.

To his surprise, the business was booming.

After tasting the boiled fish, he wanted to try the boiled beef and other dishes, hoping to expand the menu to Luocheng and other locations.

Manager Li had told him that only the Xu family produced bean sprouts, with a daily output of just over a hundred pounds. Not only was no one else in the area growing them, but no one in the entire Great Sheng Dynasty knew how.

His men had investigated and confirmed that no one else grew bean sprouts. Even the villagers of Qili Village had no idea their village produced bean sprouts.

His men had learned about the Xu family from the villagers. They discovered that the Xu family’s daughter had selflessly cared for her future mother-in-law for years, all for the sake of her fiancé and his mother.

The girl’s family had been starving, her father had injured his leg, and her fiancé had broken off the engagement after passing the imperial exams.

The gods in heaven, unable to bear the injustice, had given the girl’s family a special food seed…

Hearing this, Xu Zhizhi didn’t know how to describe her feelings!

Fortunately, she had distributed sweet potatoes to the villagers.

The entire village wasn’t jealous because they believed the gods were watching over her family, so no one dared to cause trouble.

But over time, if her family continued to live lavishly, even the gods might not be able to suppress the villagers’ envy!

None of that mattered now. The most important piece of information was that the beggar was Nangong Yunhao’s friend, and this man was the young master of the Nangong family.

That meant the beggar’s identity was also extraordinary. Should she hand him over to Nangong Yunhao or keep him as her future husband?

“So, Young Master, what do you plan to do?”

Nangong Yunhao couldn’t help but admire the girl’s composure.

“I want to develop the boiled fish series.”

“That’s possible. It depends on your sincerity.”

“Does Miss Xu have a way to make it happen? What kind of sincerity are we talking about?”

“First, tell me what you can offer,” Xu Zhizhi said, taking a sip of tea.

“If the sincerity is sufficient, even the biggest problems become small.”

Hearing this, Nangong Yunhao, who had always maintained a calm demeanor, couldn’t hide his eagerness.

(End of Chapter)