The young night-shift worker gave a dry chuckle and said apologetically to Lao Fan, "Boss, I’m really sorry, but today, the Young Master gave all the chefs a holiday, and they all went home early. No one was left in the building, and even Shopkeeper Liu and the others had gone to bed early. Apart from me, you might not find anyone else."
What, there’s no one else?
Lao Fan’s legs went soft, and he slumped to the ground once more.
Xiao Linshuang lifted her sparkling eyes, clutching at the last strand of hope as she looked at the young worker: "Can you cook?"
The young worker scratched his head and shook it.
Alright, the last strand of hope was gone too. Xiao Linshuang watched Lao Fan with reproach, cursing the old man for making her trick her brother-in-law, who in turn ended up so heartless as to not give her any food. Boo-hoo, sister, how I miss you so, sister!
"Well, Boss, I do have a few steamed buns here. Hey, don’t grab them yet! The Young Master said before he left that if the Boss wants to eat steamed buns, he has to agree to a condition. Otherwise, no steamed buns, and no pickled vegetables either!"
Lao Fan gritted his teeth and stamped his foot. He wasn’t about to fall for the little brat’s tricks; he would rather starve than eat his steamed buns!
"What about me?" Xiao Linshuang looked at the young worker weakly. Though she couldn’t have a big chicken leg, even a steamed bun would be fine. But still, she had to agree to a condition. Forget it, even if she had to do ten or a hundred things, she would accept it!
Just as Xiao Linshuang waited for her sentence, the young worker chuckled and placed a plate full of pastries before her, saying with a beaming smile, "Miss Xiaolin is an exception. The Young Master said that Miss Xiaolin was surely deceived. You don’t have to agree to any conditions, and there are pastries for you to eat."
"Wow, brother-in-law is the best!" Xiao Linshuang grabbed the plate and stuffed the pastries into her mouth one after another.
Lao Fan wasn’t very hungry at first, but seeing Xiao Linshuang eat so deliciously, his stomach protested even more violently.
Seeing his pitiful, longing look, Xiao Linshuang picked up a piece of pastry and offered it to him: "Master, have a piece too."
Lao Fan’s eyes shone, almost bursting into tears; this little apprentice was the one who cared for him the most.
But, just as Lao Fan was about to reach out, the young worker apologetically said to Xiao Linshuang, "Miss Xiaolin, the Young Master said that if you give your pastries to someone else, you won’t be able to eat them either."
Xiao Linshuang’s eyes whirled, and she quickly pulled her hand back, stuffing the pastry into her own mouth: "Master, I’m sorry, I will honor you next time. For today, I’ll just have to be unfilial, haha."
Lao Fan’s mouth twitched, deeply regretting taking this ungrateful wretch as an apprentice.
Lao Fan bit his lip, ready to risk it all. It’s just one condition, what’s so hard about that! I’d rather be played by the little beast than starve to death!
"Give me the pastry, I agree!" Lao Fan exclaimed.
"So the Boss really wants pastry, not steamed buns?"
Lao Fan was taken aback, catching the scent of a scheme.
The young worker chuckled and said, "If the Boss wants to eat cold steamed buns, agreeing to one condition will do. However, if you want to eat pastries, hehe, the Young Master said it’s not impossible, but you’ll have to agree to three conditions to get the pastries."
The young worker extended three fingers, smiling harmlessly.
Lao Fan was so furious his lungs could have exploded. One condition for a steamed bun, three for pastries! Xia Zheng, you little bastard! I swear I’ll smash your head and eat it as monkey brains!