Cute Wife Gourmet

Chapter 43: Just a Foodie
When Ye Jiayao came back from washing up, Helian Jing had already fallen asleep hugging the pillow.

"Hey, get up and wash up before going to bed." Ye Jiayao pushed him.

"Don't disturb me, I want to sleep..." Helian Jing slapped her hand away, turned over and continued to sleep.

"Hey, do you want to be a bedbug? Get up quickly." Ye Jiayao pulled the pillow out of his arms.

Helian Jing was helpless with her nagging, so he had to get up slowly, without even opening his eyes, and staggered to the bathroom.

Ye Jiayao put the four long stools that accompanied the octagonal table together to make a simple bed, and then took a pillow and a thin blanket to half-pad and half-cover it.

The mission was accomplished, Ye Jiayao lay on the simple bed and breathed a sigh of relief.

Although the bed was a bit hard and a bit uneven, it was much better than sleeping in the pavilion of a dilapidated temple, and it didn't have the unpleasant smell of a large bunk bed. I'll just sleep there for one night and see if I can ask Butler Li for a reclining chair or a straw mat tomorrow.

Helian Jing came back from washing up and saw Ye Jiayao sleeping on a long bench. He wondered, "Why don't you sleep on the bench instead of the bed?"

Ye Jiayao snorted, "I'm not used to sleeping in the same bed with someone."

"Aren't you sleeping on the same bed with so many people? Are you afraid that I will molest you? I'm not that intolerable." Helian Jing said disdainfully.

Ye Jiayao thought to herself: If you were really a homosexual, I would feel relieved.

"You're so nagging. How about you sleep on the stool and I'll sleep on the bed." Ye Jiayao glared at him and turned away, ignoring him.

Helian Jing sat on the edge of the bed and watched her curled up on the stool, feeling very uncomfortable. Although she was fierce all day and always took pleasure in bullying him, it was obvious that she still took good care of him. She always gave him food first, and even if she slept in a dilapidated temple, she would give him a clean and dry place to sleep. She had been busy all night today, and watching her cook smoothly, it seemed very easy, but he was not stupid. Those old women who only helped complained of back pain and arm pain, and her work was the heaviest, so it would be strange if she was not tired.

Thinking of this, Helian Jing said, "Come and sleep on the bed."

Ye Jiayao said impatiently: "I've already said it, I'm not used to being with people..."

"I'll sleep on the stool and you sleep on the bed." Helian Jing said.

Ye Jiayao was stunned for a moment. She was a little surprised that he was willing to give her the bed. He was a spoiled rich boy who always complained about this and that. Now he has learned to consider others. This is a good thing. People will never grow up without going through hardships.

Just like her, she never had to worry about making a living, but once she came here, she had to face all kinds of challenges of survival crisis. Is it useful to complain? No, is it useful to be depressed? It will only make you die faster, so she has been working hard, trying to live, trying to live a better life. Even if the whole world abandons her, she will not give up on herself.

"Forget it. You're so tall, and you don't sleep well. Don't fall down in the middle of the night. Go to sleep quickly." Ye Jiayao said in a bad tone, but she felt warm in her heart.

Helian Jing lay down sullenly, looking at the thin figure sideways. Being so far away, he couldn't smell the faint fragrance on her body, the kind of breath that made him feel at ease and warm, and he longed for it very much.

He knew that he was not an easy person to get along with. Just as she said, he was very pretentious, arrogant and had a bad temper. But in the palace, everyone indulged him, and he thought it was natural and justified. He had never felt so uneasy and guilty as he did now.

He had experienced more in the past few days than he had in the past sixteen years. He had never thought that a person he met by chance on the Lotus Lake would have such a great impact on him. They were about the same age, but he was like an ignorant child in front of her. He knew nothing and could do nothing. He was used to being flattered and always felt that he was great. For the first time, he realized that he was so incompetent. If it weren't for her, he might really have to beg for food.

Dayaoyao, when we get to Jinling, I will definitely fulfill my promise and let you live a good life without having to wander around.

Helian Jing silently repeated his promise in his heart, raised his hand and waved at the candlestick, the candle flame flickered a few times and went out.

In three days, Ye Jiayao felt like a fish in water in Mr. Li's house. Everyone, from Mrs. Li to the gatekeeper's big yellow dog, liked her very much.

Helian Jing summarized the reasons why Ye Jiayao was so popular. First, she had a good-looking appearance and a harmless smile. Second, she was very enthusiastic and warm. She greeted everyone she met and was hardworking.

So Helian Jing was depressed again. She was always smiling at everyone, so why was she so mean to him? Could it be that he really deserved to be scolded as she said? Was he that bad?

On the fourth day, the Li family's caravan set off as scheduled.

Ye Jiayao and Helian Jing sat on the herbal bags on the cart. Although the means of transportation was a bit crude, they finally didn't have to walk. Ye Jiayao was very satisfied and in a very good mood, singing loudly.

"The river flows eastward, and the stars in the sky are like the Big Dipper..."

Shandong is home to many heroes, so singing a hero song is the most appropriate thing to do. However, she deliberately shouted in a hoarse voice, and the absurd tune gave Helian Jing, who was standing beside her, goose bumps.

"Hey, can you stop howling? Don't attract the wolves later." Helian Jing said in pain, blocking his ears.

Ye Jiayao rolled her eyes at him and continued singing: "When you see injustice, speak up; when it's time to take action, take action..." Everyone in the caravan laughed. These two guys were so funny.

Seeing that everyone was happy, Ye Jiayao sang more and more enthusiastically. At first, everyone found it novel, but after listening to it four or five times, they finally couldn't stand it anymore and started cleaning their ears.

"Brother Li, are you tired? If you are, take a rest." The leader of the caravan was Li Mao, the son of Steward Li, who couldn't help but said implicitly.

Helian Jing burst out laughing.

Ye Jiayao stopped talking awkwardly, thinking: I am singing so passionately, I am just trying to encourage you and liven up the atmosphere, but you guys just don't know how to appreciate it.

Ye Jiayao shook her fist as big as a bean paste bag at Helian Jing as a warning. Helian Jing then stopped his wanton ridicule, but he couldn't help but curl his lips, and his shoulders twitched and shook.

No need to worry about not being able to find food, no need to worry about where to stay tonight, the journey becomes easy and fun.

Two days later, the caravan arrived in Jining and changed to the water route. The boat had a favorable wind and water, and could travel hundreds of miles a day. Ye Jiayao calculated the distance and realized that at this speed, they could reach Jinling in more than ten days.

As they were about to arrive in Yangzhou, Ye Jiayao became conflicted. Should she get off the boat in Yangzhou and go back to visit the Ye family?
Would her stepmother be so surprised when she saw her? Did her father know about this substitution? However, even if he knew, I believe he would not seek justice for her. He might even help her stepmother and second sister to harm her for the reputation of the Ye and Wei families.

Ye Jiayao thought about it and gave up the idea of ​​taking this risk.

Then... go to her grandparents' house? Her grandma loves her the most and will definitely make the decision for her.

But on second thought, Ye Jiayao shook her head again. At the beginning of the year, someone from her maternal grandparents' house came and said that her grandmother was not in good health. If her grandmother knew that her most beloved granddaughter was bullied like this, she would be so angry that she would die. It would be better not to cause trouble for her.

"Hey, what are you thinking about?" Helian Jing came to the deck and saw Ye Jiayao sitting at the bow in a daze, so he came over to ask.

Ye Jiayao glanced at him indifferently. "You little bastard, why are you just like that stupid donkey, always saying "feed, hey, hey".

"I'm thinking about what to eat for lunch." Ye Jiayao answered lazily.

Helian Jing smiled and said, "In fact, if you don't cook in different ways every day, wouldn't it hurt your brain? I'm just wondering, you said you're not a cook, how can you cook so many dishes."

Ye Jiayao raised her eyebrows and said, "What's so strange about this? I'm a genius, and I have a good understanding, don't you understand? It's just like when you learn music, chess, calligraphy, painting, horse riding and archery, and you have the same master, some people can quickly master the skills and integrate them, while some people just can't learn them well. You are one of those people who don't have much understanding, so you find it strange."

Helian Jing said, "I praised you a few words and you became so proud. I think you are just a foodie who only thinks about food all day long."

Ye Jiayao grinned and said with a fake smile: "Congratulations, you are not hopelessly stupid. Interest is the best teacher and the source of motivation. Only when you are interested in something will you concentrate on it, devote yourself to it, and do everything possible to do it to the best of your ability. So, no matter what you do, the most important thing is to put your heart into it."

"Preaching again. I think you can not only be a cook, but also a teacher." Helian Jing pouted embarrassedly.

Ye Jiayao smiled self-deprecatingly, these were all valuable advice, but unfortunately she didn't understand them before. She was very annoyed every time the teacher nagged her. Now she deeply understands it. If she had listened to them and learned more skills, perhaps she would have had another way out now instead of just relying on making a living.

Li Mao came out of the cabin and shouted to Ye Jiayao, "Brother Li, we will arrive in Yangzhou soon. We need to go ashore to deliver goods. Do you and Brother Jing want to go ashore and play?"

Helian Jing said excitedly: "Let's go ashore and have some fun! I've been to Yangzhou before and I know a lot of fun places. I'll take you there!"

Ye Jiayao's mouth twitched. You just came here. I grew up here in my past and present lives, okay? Who's taking who out to play?
"Okay, let's go ashore too." Ye Jiayao replied loudly to Li Mao.

The boat slowly approached the shore, and Li Mao directed everyone to carry some of the goods ashore. They were going to send the medicinal materials to Jirentang, the largest pharmacy in Yangzhou.

Ye Jiayao asked Helian Jing to help.

"It's okay, Brother Li, you guys go and have fun! The boat will stay at the dock overnight, so you don't have to cook dinner tonight. Let's go ashore and have some drinks." Li Mao said with a smile.

In other words, they are free today and have a day off.

So Helian Jing happily pulled Ye Jiayao ashore.

In Room No. 1 of Yuelaiju, the largest inn in Yangzhou City, Xia Chunyu drank tea while listening to Song Qi's report on the news he had obtained.

"I have already found out clearly. The Ye family has three sisters and one brother. The eldest daughter is Ye Jinxuan, who is seventeen this year. The second daughter is Ye Jinrong, who is sixteen this year. The third young master Ye Zhongyuan is fourteen this year. There is also a fourth daughter who is only ten years old. Madam Ye was originally a concubine. She was made a wife after the original wife of Ye Tongzhi passed away. Now, Miss Ye and Miss Ye are not in the mansion. The Ye family is very calm, as if nothing happened. The servants all say that Miss Ye married into the Wei family in Jinan. The whereabouts of Miss Ye are unclear, but she is not in the mansion anyway."

(End of this chapter)