Chapter 330

Who could have thought that the Master Chef, who was fearless even in front of the head steward, would have a day when his voice choked with sobs.

Zhang Xianglian was shocked and felt a little guilty, wondering if she had gone too far.

But she really could not give him a response.

Her past life of being beaten, bossed around, humiliated and oppressed was too deeply ingrained.

She had barely crawled out of a pool of bitterness. Did she want to step into a new pool of bitterness?

No.

While a dog can't stop eating feces, people have to change.

"Master Chef, it's not you, it's me. I'm a faded, fallen flower that can't bear children either. I just want to live out my remaining years taking care of the kids," Zhang Xianglian said somewhat awkwardly. "I'm not as good as you think. I just want a peaceful life."

If all happiness came at the price of tears and sorrow,

Then she would rather have no happiness than any tears or sorrow.

Peace was the only luxury she sought after being hurt.

"No, you're good, very good," the Master Chef stammered. "Xianglian, you're not a faded flower. You really are very good, better than anyone I've ever met. I want to take care of you for the rest of your life."

"But I don't want to take care of you," Zhang Xianglian took two steps back. "I just want a quiet life into old age. I just want to watch the kids grow up. What's in front of me now is the best."

Her expression was calm and her voice sincere. It was clear she spoke from the heart.

The Master Chef felt as if he had fallen into an ice cellar. Even his round belly shuddered as despair flooded everything. He realized that no matter what, he could not warm this woman's heart or walk into it.

Knowing she feared men's touch, the Master Chef kept his distance from her.

Knowing she was not good with words, the Master Chef negotiated cooperation with Leisure Residence on her behalf to win benefits for Treasures Pavilion.

But in the end, it was still in vain.

It was hard to say if it was disappointment or sadness. The Master Chef turned around in despair and stumbled away unsteadily.

In the distance, someone chanting: As the belt loosens, I have no regrets, fading away for him...

Unfortunately, he didn't even have the qualifications to fade away.

The Master Chef staggered with every step while Zhang Xianglian watched calmly. Only those who knew her well would notice her hands trembling and the tears welling up in her eyes before she quickly wiped them away.

She turned and knocked on the door of the small courtyard, her beautiful figure disappearing as the door closed. At the same time, the Master Chef disappearing from sight as he turned the street corner.

"Sigh..."

"I ask how many worries you could have, just like a river of spring water flowing east."

"The sea can't be blamed for being water, just as Wushan isn't really clouds."

With a long sigh, Wang Xiaosong, Jiang San and Jiang Si recited the lines they had specifically asked Xu Mo to teach them, which were supposedly for pleasing young ladies.

"That's enough, you three," Zheng Ruqian said gloomily. "Go home now."

The Master Chef and Auntie Zhang were so immersed in their loss, they didn't hear the carriage. Anyone else would've thrown them a dirty look long ago.

Jiang San gave an awkward smile and let go of the reins, driving the carriage to the small courtyard in just two or three moves.

When getting off the carriage, Jiang Sheng finally curiously asked, "Second brother, why did Auntie reject the Master Chef yet secretly wiped tears?"

In her eyes, it was normal to reject someone you didn't like.

Secretly wiping tears meant reluctance.

Reluctant yet rejecting, the adult world was so complicated.

"Because...Auntie is afraid," Zheng Ruqian said with a light sigh.

Zhou Zhiquan must not have been an abusive drunk from the start. He must have truly loved Zhang Xianglian at first. But later, affection wore thin and time added fierceness. A once gentle and thoughtful person gradually became unrecognizable.

It's said the human heart is just beyond the belly, no one can truly judge until the coffin is nailed.

"But I'm certain my brothers will always be good to me," Jiang Sheng looked up with bright eyes. "You won't abandon me or hit me, let alone humiliate me."

They were her brothers after all.

Zheng Ruqian's nose strangely turned sour. He reached out and rubbed the little girl's head with a scolding laugh, "Just you and your confidence."

But this confidence was exactly what they had given her.

It probably also had to do with Jiang Sheng's fearlessness and courageous audacity. No matter how much bitterness she had eaten, she was always willing to trust and faced the sun.

Unfortunately, there was only one Jiang Sheng in this world.

More people feared harm. Once bitten by a snake, they would fear the rope of a well for the next ten years.

Their skin hardened from soft to tough. The injuries they suffered became armor, wrapped tightly around them, keeping out villains but also blocking good people.

Didn't they know?

No, they understood perfectly well and saw through everything clearly. But they couldn't overcome themselves. In the kitchen.

Zhang Xianglian had just put the pork hocks into the pot when there was movement behind her.

A round little girl came bouncing over and burrowed into her arms. "Auntie, Auntie, braised pork hocks again today? It smells so good. Your cooking skills are awesome!"

Zheng Ruqian jealously said behind her, "You're so fat yet still eating braised pork hocks."

"Humph! You're not fat but thin. You're practically half as wide as the fourth elder brother!" Jiang Sheng retorted, hands on her hips.

Zheng Ruqian wanted to refute at first but seeing his overly slender fourth brother, he closed his mouth.

Jiang Sheng laughed loudly and happily, her voice like silver bells echoing in the yard.

The slight disappointment in Zhang Xianglian's heart was instantly wiped away. Smiling every day while watching the kids was better than anything. Life was already heavenly and she shouldn't ask for anything more.

She shouldn't.

The braised pork hocks were brought out. Dinner was a joyful time with Jiang Sheng and Zheng Ruqian accusing the other of being fat while picking up large pieces of meat onto the other's plate.

Occasionally, a piece would fall into Xu Mo's bowl and be silently eaten by him.

"Big brother, any incidents at the National Academy?" Chang asked routinely.

Xu Mo's chopsticks paused for a bit as he picked up food. "No malicious events."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief and finished dinner before resting.

Zhang Xianglian was completely at peace, hugging Jiang Sheng as they discussed, "The ratio for the lychee cakes needs to change. It's a bit too sweet. Come to the workshop tomorrow to help out."

The little girl readily agreed.

The next day, the two rode to the white-walled workshop by the river. It took half a day for them to test out two cakes which they brought to Treasures Pavilion for everyone to try.

Zheng Ruqian had just arranged for someone to transport something, no one knew what, from the Sichuan region and came over to take part.

"Leave a piece for us Eastern master," Miao Zhaoying said, pulling Da Ya along.

Treasures Pavilion was lively and exciting so no one noticed an extra lonely Master Chef outside.

After tossing and turning all night, he not only had two eye bags under his round face but his belly also seemed somewhat shrunken. At the moment, he hid in the corner watching Zhang Xianglian, deep pain in his eyes.

"Master Kong, why don't you go in if you want to talk?" Jiang San urged with a blade of foxtail millet in his mouth.

The Master Chef sadly shook his head.

"A man has to speak directly. Hiding and scheming, what does that look like?" Jiang Si added fuel to the fire. "You have to let Auntie see, for her to feel distressed over you."

Would she...feel distressed over me?

The Master Chef seemed to make up his mind. After taking a few deep breaths, he finally worked up his courage.

But someone rushed into Treasures Pavilion before he could, gnashing his teeth as he said, "East Master, as you predicted, the Liao Family made a move, reducing the price of lychees by half!"