Chapter 16

At nine o’clock that evening, they pulled into a highway rest stop to get out and eat.

Ying Quhe took only two bites before setting down his chopsticks and retreating to the car. Xi Mi thought he was being remarkably petty. Was a single game really worth sulking over for this long?

She muttered the thought aloud.

Beside her, his assistant Zhou Ming shoveled down a mouthful of rice and said, “Miss Xi, you wouldn’t understand. Our boss has severe OCD. He’s a classic Virgo. You’re the only one he barely tolerates, all thanks to your great cooking.”

“So being a good cook really is a blessing,” Xi Mi remarked with a sigh.

Outside the rest stop, an older woman was selling Minbei Guangbing^[1] under a streetlight. Remembering that Ying Quhe had barely eaten anything, Xi Mi bought two cakes. After getting back into the car, she handed them to him, brown paper bag and all. “Here, Mr. Ying. Eat a little something to line your stomach.”

Ying Quhe was looking down at a financial magazine. Without even raising his head, he brushed her hand away. “Not hungry.”

“Just a little?” Xi Mi held out the brown paper bag again, which irritated Ying Quhe immensely.

Zhou Ming got into the car just in time to witness the scene. He silently marvelled at how ambitious and bold the young girl was, actually trying to force the big boss to eat. He started the engine, once again turning a deaf ear to everything happening inside the vehicle.

“You really won’t eat?” Xi Mi pulled her hand back and opened the paper bag on her own, taking out a piping-hot Guangbing.

The surface of the cake was golden brown, sprinkled with sesame seeds, warm to the touch without burning her fingers. She snapped off a small piece. The crisp skin produced a sharp crunch, and the enticing roasted aroma instantly whetted Ying Quhe’s appetite.

His stomach instantly turned into a bottomless pit. All his lingering annoyance vanished in a flash, dispelled entirely by the scent of roasted pastry, leaving him desperate for a bite.

Seeing his eyes drift over, Xi Mi offered the cake to him again. “Just take one bite. You can’t get these just anywhere. If you crave them later, you won’t easily find an authentic one.”

Ying Quhe finally accepted the Guangbing and took a small, cautious bite. The moment the crust snapped between his teeth, a crisp crack echoed in his ears. The cake was roasted golden outside and soft within; the outer layer was shatteringly crisp, while the inside was steaming, airy dough. It carried a subtle yeasty tang underneath an undeniable, rustic flavor born from the roasted aroma.

This kind of cake, much like artisanal grain liquor, shared a flavor that was simple yet unpretentiously rustic.

It was entirely different from the Wild Mushrooms in Golden Broth Xi Mi had made using jew’s mallow^[2], representing a completely different dimension of texture and taste. Ying Quhe remained lost in thought for a long moment before offering her some advice: “For this top-hundred to top-fifty elimination round, you could try aiming for this kind of simple flavor.”

Xi Mi was on the exact same page. “The ingredients for this round are provided on-site, so their freshness can’t be guaranteed. If I can take simple ingredients, create the purest, most unadorned flavor, and evoke that rustic quality people crave on the tip of their tongue… wouldn’t that count as creative culinary vision too? Don’t you think so, Mr. Ying?”

Had she brought up this theory a day ago, Ying Quhe would have strongly opposed it. But after tasting the grain liquor and the Minbei Guangbing, his perspective had shifted. Once he experienced an exceptional version of a food he used to disdain, it was no longer easy to dismiss.

Just like discovering a talented chef like Xi Mi; once he encountered her, expecting him to let her go was somewhat unrealistic.

Xi Mi’s edge lay in her youth; compared to the set-in-their-ways veteran chefs at Ying Shi Pavilion, she possessed far greater versatility and potential.

*

They arrived in Jinyang well past midnight.

Ying Quhe had urgent work to handle back at his company, so his assistant dropped Xi Mi off at his home first. Ying Quhe’s place was a four-story detached villa. Xi Mi hopped out of the car and stared at the courtyard complete with a fountain, swimming pool, and sprawling lawn. Her heart fluttered with excitement. Was she really getting to stay in a grand villa like this while paying only for a budget hotel room?

What an absolute steal!!

Once inside, Xi Mi felt constrained, not daring to move too freely. In the entryway shoe cabinet, five full rows were lined with men’s leather shoes in shades of brown and black, all appearing virtually identical. She took a pair of slippers from Zhou Ming and changed into them, her eyes still glued to the rows of leather shoes. “Does Mr. Ying run a side business selling leather shoes online while managing his restaurant?”

No wonder he’s so rich…

Zhou Ming nearly choked on his own saliva. “What did you say?”

“Uh, n-nothing.”

Zhou Ming led her up toward the third floor. At the second-floor landing stood a Blue and White Vase with Bamboo, Stone, and Plantain Motif. Beautiful ornaments like this were always irresistible to girls, and Xi Mi, admitting to her own superficiality, was no exception. She paused, walked over to touch it gently, and remarked with awe, “I saw a vase like this at an auction in an old town before. Vases from the Daoguang era^[3] are rare; that one auctioned for over a million Yuan. I never expected to see one here.”

Zhou Ming teased her, “You know about antiques?”

Xi Mi touched the vase again and straightened up. “The ancient town holds auctions every year, so I picked up a thing or two over time. Mr. Ying sure has a relaxed attitude. Putting a vase worth over a million Yuan right in the open like this… isn’t he worried about someone bumping into it?”

Zhou Ming replied, “The big boss said that since it’s a vase, it should be put to proper use. No matter how expensive it is, it’s still just a vase.”

When they reached the third floor, Zhou Ming led her to the door of a bedroom and instructed, “There are four rooms in total on the third floor. You’re staying in this one. The room across from it is the boss’s study. You can’t go in there.”

“Got it. Thanks, Brother Zhou.” Succumbing to a little curiosity, she asked, “Brother Zhou, do you know about the history between Mr. Ying and Miss Nan Qing? Are they really about to get married?”

Zhou Ming cleared his throat lightly and said, “Miss Xi, there’s something I need to remind you of. You haven’t known our boss for long, so you don’t really understand his personality. The big boss is a refined foodie. The reason he treats you well is definitely not because you’re a pretty woman, but because you’re a chef who can cook delicious food. Do you… understand what I mean?”

Xi Mi looked bewildered, only half-comprehending.

Zhou Ming continued, “You’re still young and talented; having this level of skill in cooking at your age is truly rare. The big boss treasures talent, which is why he treats you well. I’ve been with him since he started managing the family business in his teens, so I know his personality inside out. The standard he holds for women is identical to the standard he holds for chefs. He can’t separate work from his personal life at all, which I think is quite terrible. So, Miss Xi, the boss might not be able to separate his feelings for you, but you must keep things clear. Don’t misunderstand his intentions, or you’ll end up getting hurt.”

Xi Mi understood now.

So the reason Ying Quhe was nice to her was completely simple, solely because of her culinary skills.

If not for her cooking, Ying Quhe probably wouldn’t even deign to speak a word to her. Expecting Mr. Ying to harbor any other feelings for her was entirely unrealistic. Even if he were to say he liked her, he would only mean he liked her cooking, not her as a person.

Zhou Ming summarized, “Some men are obsessed with hands, feet, or looks, but our big boss is obsessed with recipes and cooking.”

When Xi Mi came out after her shower, Zhou Ming’s words were still echoing in her ears.

Sinking into the soft, oversized bed, she stared at the ceiling, feeling a bit lost. So there was a reason Ying Quhe had stayed a virgin for thirty years; a quirk like this was truly rare.

There were millions of women in the world who were great cooks. A man might like you for your cooking, but he was just as likely to like another woman for hers.

That wasn’t real affection; it was merely an attachment to an object.

She had harbored a lingering hope of figuring out the relationship between Nan Qing and Ying Quhe, only for a single sentence from Zhou Ming to extinguish all her fantasies.

At two in the morning, she still wasn’t sleepy. Opening Weibo, she searched for the “Xi Xi Xi Mi Fan Club” account. By this time, his handle had already been changed back to “Ji Donglin”.

She was a complete stranger to Jinyang and didn’t want to bother Ying Quhe any further, so she planned to rent a place.

Xi Mi sent Ji Donglin a direct message: Are you there?

– Ji Donglin: “My Empress, your humble servant is present.”

– Xi Xi Xi Mi: “Do you know if there’s anywhere in Jinyang with cheap rent? Preferably not through an agency; I want to deal directly with the landlord.”

– Ji Donglin: “In response to My Empress, your humble servant can offer half my bed for free! (≧▽≦)/”

Xi Mi: “…”

– Ji Donglin: “Just kidding, My Empress! Do you have WeChat? Let me add you.”

The two quickly added each other on WeChat. Xi Mi explained her requirements, and Ji Donglin promptly replied: “Reporting to My Empress, I know an old lady who is renting out an old house. The rent is cheap, and with me as guarantor, as long as you pay on time, you don’t even need an ID card. Are you free tomorrow, My Empress? Let’s arrange a time to meet, and I’ll take you to view the place.”

Xi Mi: “Won’t that be too much trouble?”

Ji Donglin: “It’s not just me. A few fans in Jinyang want to meet you too. If you agree, I’ll pick a few representative fans from the fan club tomorrow to come pick you up together. My Empress, give your fans a chance!”

Xi Mi hesitated for a while before replying, “Tomorrow then. Where should I wait for you?”

“My Empress isn’t familiar with the area, so just give me an address and I’ll come pick you up. ^_^”

Xi Mi shared her location with him on WeChat, then glanced at the time; it was already three in the morning. She hurriedly replied, “It’s already three o’clock! You’re still awake? Staying up late is bad for your health.”

“Blessed with My Empress’s concern, I feel like I could stay up for another century! Address saved. I’ll pick you up tomorrow morning at ten-thirty.”

*

By the time Ying Quhe finished handling his affairs and returned home, it was already ten-thirty the next morning.

As his car pulled up to the entrance, its way was blocked by a blue Maserati. Ying Quhe didn’t know why a car was parked on the road outside his house, so he turned around and took another path.

Just as his car rounded the corner, he saw Xi Mi carrying a bag as she stepped out from the side gate and got into the Maserati.

Didn’t she say she didn’t have any friends in Jinyang?

Feeling a bit annoyed, Ying Quhe went inside. On the living room coffee table, he found two hundred Yuan and a note left for him: “Thank you for taking care of me, Mr. Ying. I’ve left the room fee on the table. If it’s not enough, please let me know, and I’ll send the rest via WeChat red packet^[4]. – Xi Xi Xi Mi.”

Ying Quhe: “…” Ungrateful little creature.