Mo Lihui smoothed her skirt and glared at Lu Xinyi’s small back. She couldn’t understand why this woman dragged her to meet this mysterious chef that hadn’t been seen in public for ages.
What was Lu Xinyi’s trying to prove to her anyway? Wasn’t it enough that people threw mocking gazes her way, whispering to each other how dumb she was for pursuing Shen Yi shamelessly in front of his wife?
Lu Xinyi stopped and looked over her shoulder. “Miss Mo has a pair of legs longer than mine. Does this mean that your body is weaker than mine? Do I need someone to fetch you and bring you up there?”
No one had mentioned to her that the inn He Haotian was staying was the one near the cliff next to the river. Had she known that she would need to spend an hour walking just to reach the inn, she would have dressed simply like Lu Xinyi.
Lu Xinyi was wearing a simple white T-shirt, a pair of jeans, and white running shoes that have a rugged sole which made easier for her to get a front grip, unlike Mo Lihui who was wearing a pair of flat sandals.
“No way! Just lead the way, and I’ll try to follow you closely.” Mo Lihui knew that Lu Xinyi was teasing her, but she couldn’t just leave this woman behind.
Her brother insisted that she accept Lu Xinyi’s invitation to meet He Haotian. She could use this opportunity to learn more and hear some advice from the chef himself.
Once they reached the peak of the cliff, a spacious garden before an inn welcomed them. There wasn’t anything special about the inn. Just like the other inns that could be found within the town, the peaceful ambiance and picturesque scenery were their main selling point.
It wasn’t surprising that the elusive chef was hiding in a place like this.
Yang Jian sent Lu Xinyi’s message without mentioning that the young madam would be the one to visit and not the Shen Matriarch herself. When the attendants welcomed the pair, they could only stare in disbelief once they found out that Lu Xinyi was the new young madam of the Shen family.
A young girl in twin braids led Lu Xinyi and Mo Lihui to the back garden of the inn where a man in his mid-forties burst into laughter as he conversed with two beautiful ladies. They only stopped giggling when their eyes caught a glimpse of the new visitors at the hallway.
“Eh? Mr. Chu, you have some company you’re expecting today?” One of the women asked the man. Following their sight, the man arched a brow as his eyes landed on Lu Xinyi and Mo Lihui.
“Indeed, I’m expecting some visitors today, but who would have thought that I will see such rare beauties today.” He grinned.
Mo Lihui cringed beside Lu Xinyi while Lu Xinyi kept her RBF[1] in place.
Both women beside the man giggled before standing up from their seat to give way for the newcomers.
“Then we should go. We’ll see you again next time.”
“Don’t forget to bring me some wine, ah!” The man called out and waved a hand in goodbye. He then let Lu Xinyi and Mo Lihui sit across him.
“This is a surprise. I was expecting to see Madam Shen today. Couldn’t she make it on time so she sent the two of you?”
He Haotian opened another bottle of wine and drank it straight from it.
Mo Lihui kept her silence and let Lu Xinyi deal with this man. She couldn’t believe that this man was He Haotian. He looked like anything but a professional chef. His outgrown hair was unkempt and a little greasy, his beard seemed hadn’t been shaved for months, and his scent… ah, Mo Lihui was tempted to hold her breath. She really didn’t like the strong scent of alcohol.
“I am Madam Shen, the Madam Shen you’re expecting today. I’m the one who sent the message.” Lu Xinyi said nonchalantly while letting the girl attendant brew some tea beside her.
The man almost choked from his drink and coughed violently on his hand.
“What? You are Madam Shen?”
He then gave Lu Xinyi a good look. From her hair that was kept in a low ponytail, bare face without any hint of makeup, and clothes that nothing like the socialites he’d seen wearing before.
“Ah! This is a surprise! That old woman never ceased to surprise me. Say, which of those young master is your husband?”
“Shen Yi.”
He Haotian’s eyes widened. He was expecting her to say that she was married to the second young master, Shen Xue. Who would’ve thought that this was the kind of woman Shen Yi likes?
Lu Xinyi’s expression stayed the same. She wasn’t offended that this man hadn’t thought that she would be Shen Yi’s wife. After all, Shen Yi’s reputation on women was known to the public. Her calmness had somehow reminded He Haotian about Shen Yi. It was like seeing a woman possessed by Shen Yi himself.
She sat in such a position that radiated her confidence and elegance. She wasn’t slouching or complaining as she waited for him to speak.
“Shen Yi? Does this also mean that the other Madam Shen sent you here?”
Lu Xinyi nodded and thanked the girl for serving her tea. “She did. The Shen Matriarch had given Grace Palace to me and my husband. We’re trying to figure out how to make it get back on business.”
He Haotian hummed in approval. The only thing that he couldn’t understand was why the Shen Matriarch chose Lu Xinyi until he noticed the two rings in Lu Xinyi’s hand. One was her wedding ring; the other was the Silver Leaf’s ring.
“You’re a student of Silver Leaf?”
[1] RBF stands for ‘Resting Bitch Face’.