Cute Wife Gourmet

Chapter 58: Exploding

The next day, when Ye Jiayao went to work, Deng Haichuan pulled her aside.

"Brother Xiang got mad last night, you better be careful."

Ye Jiayao was amused when she heard this: "How do you get angry?"

Deng Haichuan looked at her with an incredible expression. How could she still laugh?
"I did as you said and told everyone after we finished drinking that it was Brother Xiang who invited everyone to drink. Brother Xiang's face was so ugly at that time that it could be smelled from ten miles away. I told him honestly that he was returning the reward silver to you and you added two taels. Brother Xiang was speechless for a long time, and then... he smashed the wine jar, pointed at my nose, gritting his teeth. I thought he was going to beat me, but fortunately his fist didn't land, otherwise my face would be bruised today." Deng Haichuan recounted the scene with lingering fear.

This time he completely offended Brother Xiang, and he had clearly chosen his side. He would have to rely on Li Yao from now on.

Ye Jiayao wanted to laugh when she thought about Zhong Xiang's frustrated look. Yes, she was just teasing Zhong Xiang. It was because he and Liu Qisheng mocked her yesterday.

She patted the frightened Deng Haichuan and said, "It's okay. I paid for his dinner. He took all the credit. What can he say to me? At most, he can just return my money!"

Ye Jiayao's guess was right. Not long after, Zhong Xiang came in with a dark face and a face as black as a piece of charcoal. He slapped four and a half ounces of silver in front of her and said bitterly, "Give me back your money. If I want to treat someone, I will do it myself. You don't need to pretend to be so."

Ye Jiayao pretended to be aggrieved and said, "Brother Xiang, I think you misunderstood. We all worked together, and there is no question of who deserves credit or who is responsible. We all worked hard, and we should share the reward money. You refused to take it, so I thought of adding some more and treating everyone to a drink. You paid the bulk of the money, so it's naturally yours. If I did something wrong, Brother Xiang, please don't bother with me because I'm new here and don't know the rules."

Ye Jiayao's words won the approval of most people. For a long time, in the kitchen, the chef has been the supreme existence, and the subordinates can only do their work and be scolded. Over the years, there has only been an exception like Li Yao, who can sympathize with everyone's hard work. Moreover, Li Yao did this to give face to Brother Xiang. Brother Xiang is too narrow-minded.

Cui Dongpeng stood up and said, "Yes, Brother Xiang, Brother Yao just wants everyone to be happy, and he has no ill intentions."

Zhong Xiang was vomiting blood, you guys are happy, you guys are happy watching me being teased, right? I was made a fool of, are you happy?

As the saying goes, I'm not afraid of god-like opponents, but I'm afraid of pig-like teammates. Unfortunately, Zhongxiang's pig teammate appeared.

Liu Qisheng pointed at the crowd and said contemptuously: "You guys, are your minds and eyes filled with shit? How does Brother Xiang treat you normally? When Chef Niu gets angry, is it not Brother Xiang who takes the blame for you? Now that you have accepted a few taels of silver from him, you can't wait to call him your dear father?"

"Liu Qisheng, how can you talk like that? I think it's you who's causing the trouble." Wang Mingde, who usually doesn't speak much, jumped up.

"That's right, what's wrong with Brother Yao sharing the reward money with us? Just because Brother Yao said that everyone has worked hard, I decided to recognize Brother Yao as my friend. Having money or not is not a big deal. Liu Qisheng, you also worked your way up from being a handyman. Have you ever seen anyone like Brother Yao, who always thinks about his brothers? We should be conscientious in life." Cui Dongpeng said.

Others also echoed it, and Liu Qisheng immediately became the target of everyone's venting and public criticism.

Zhong Xiang's face couldn't be any darker. He felt that everyone was leaving him and standing against him.

Seeing that things were almost over, Ye Jiayao stepped out to smooth things over: "Everyone, stop talking. This is my fault. I was not thoughtful enough."

Wang Mingde said: "Brother Yao, you are right about this matter."

Deng Haichuan reacted quickly and said with a sad face: "It's all my fault, it's all my fault. Brother Yao didn't want me to say it. I drank too much and my mind was not clear. Brother Xiang, Brother Yao, this is my fault. I apologize to you."

Ye Jiayao glanced at Deng Haichuan in surprise. Good job, Deng Haichuan, you are really smart and have a bright future.

Public opinion completely sided with Ye Jiayao. Liu Qisheng had been overwhelmed by everyone's accusations. Zhong Xiang was isolated and helpless. He was disheartened and turned away with a gloomy face.

Ye Jiayao said: "Everyone go and do your work, I'll go talk to him."

Zhong Xiang was sitting on the millstone in the yard, sulking. Ye Jiayao walked over and sat down next to him.

"Brother Xiang, I know what you are thinking. How can this kid be on equal footing with me right away? Isn't it because of his relationship with Second Mother and because he is handsome?" Ye Jiayao said, imitating his tone.

This earned him a roll of the eyes from Zhong Xiang.

Ye Jiayao was not annoyed and continued, "You feel that you have worked hard for many years to achieve what you have today, and I am so young, it's unfair." Ye Jiayao smiled bitterly and said, "In fact, there is nothing truly fair in this world. If there is, it is only relatively fair."

"I can say without any modesty that no one in this kitchen has spent more time learning cooking than me. I was born into a family of chefs. Before I could speak, my father held me in his arms and taught me how to cook. Before I could use chopsticks, I could already use a spatula. At the age of six, I could stand on a stool and cook a big meal for the whole family. When others were playing with mud and slingshots, I was playing with all kinds of knives..."

"Although no matter what kind of craft you learn, it is a gift from God and you won't succeed without talent, but it will be even more impossible without hard work. I have paid no less than you."

Zhong Xiang listened to her chatter and his anger gradually subsided. No wonder this kid was so powerful, it turned out he was from a noble family.

"It was purely coincidental that I met Li Erniang. When I came to Jinling, I stayed at her inn. She knew that I was a cook looking for a job and that they were short of cooks, so she brought me here to try. Brother Xiang, in terms of cooking skills, you may not be inferior to me, but cooking is not a rigid procedure, following a recipe step by step. Cooking is like completing a unique work of art, incorporating the cook's emotions into it, resonating with it, and giving it a unique taste. Many people don't understand this, so they can only be cooks all their lives, while some people can become masters." "In this regard, I am better than you, Brother Xiang, you can't help but admit it."

Ye Jiayao looked at Zhong Xiang confidently.

Zhong Xiang was hesitant to speak. It was the first time he heard such a novel statement, and after thinking about it, it seemed to make sense.

Every time I cook, I am just completing a task. I work as a chef just to make a living and have never thought about so many profound things.

"Perhaps you think that I am showing off and trying to win people's hearts by giving out rewards to everyone. As for showing off, I have never thought about it at all. I know very well the hardships of being a cook, especially the hardships of being a cook at the bottom, because I have been there myself. So, I just simply hope that everyone's hard work can be rewarded."

"As for winning people's hearts, I admit that I have such an idea, but it is definitely not for the purpose of forming cliques. It is not easy for everyone to work together. If we work hard every day and still have to fight against each other, it would be too tragic. I hope everyone can be happy and harmonious, so that we can work more energetically. Brother Xiang, what do you think?"

Zhong Xiang's thoughts had been completely led by her, and he could not find any words to refute her.

"From what I sensed from your hostility, let's just say that maybe you just don't like me, which cannot be called hostility. I asked the brothers privately what kind of person your brother Xiang is. The answers I got were surprisingly consistent, and they all said that your brother Xiang is a good person. So, brother Xiang, if it were you who was in their shoes, would you share the reward with everyone?"

Zhong Xiang thought about it and felt a little ashamed. Perhaps he couldn't do it yet.

Ye Jiayao smiled and said, "I heard that you make good pastries. I think that with my ideas and your skills, pastries may become another signature dish of Tianshangju. As long as we work together sincerely, I think Shopkeeper Li won't have to hire any more chefs. This is my opportunity and yours as well. Whether it's a fight or mutual benefit, the choice is up to you, Brother Xiang."

Zhong Xiang was somewhat moved. Li Yao had spoken so much to him in a frank and honest manner, and had pointed him to a completely different path. It was as if his vision had been broadened in an instant, and something in his heart was stirring.

But can he trust her?
Seeing that the ideological work was almost done, Ye Jiayao took out the four and a half ounces of silver that he had returned to her and put them on the millstone.

"If Brother Xiang chooses to fight me to the end, then you can come in later and put the silver in front of me. If Brother Xiang thinks that I, Li Yao, am not that bad and worth making friends with, then take the silver."

After Ye Jiayao finished speaking, she went back to the kitchen. When she turned around, she saw a dozen heads sticking out of the door. When they saw her turn around, they quickly dispersed as if nothing had happened.

These guys, are they afraid that I will fight with Zhong Xiang? Ye Jiayao shook her head and smiled bitterly. Damn, I didn't know I was so talkative. I have said everything I should say. As for whether someone wants to open up or not, that is their business.

She will not just give in and swallow her anger. If you are happy, I will go back. If you want to die, I will send you to hell. It's that simple.

However, she believed that Zhong Xiang would make the right choice. If the two of them had a big fight, Zhong Xiang should know who Manager Li would choose to stay.

In the kitchen, everyone was busy, but everyone was uneasy and looked towards the door from time to time, wondering why Brother Xiang hadn't come in yet.

"Brother Yao, why hasn't Brother Xiang come in yet? Do you want me to go..." Although Deng Haichuan chose to stand on Li Yao's side, he still hoped that Li Yao and Brother Xiang could live in peace.

"No need, let him think about it slowly." Ye Jiayao said lightly.

Only when Zhong Xiang himself truly figures it out, will the matter be over.

About a cup of tea later, Zhong Xiang came in.

Everyone's eyes followed Zhong Xiang's figure. Zhong Xiang took an apron and put it on, then walked to his chopping board and started cutting vegetables.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, finally peace was restored in the world.

Ye Jiayao curled her lips, expecting that Zhong Xiang didn't have the courage to break up again. From everyone's comments on Zhong Xiang, it can be seen that Zhong Xiang is actually a very patient person, so she provoked him to vent his emotions once, and then talked to him. It is easy to get sick if negative emotions are kept in your heart.

"Brother Yao, Brother Yao, the young Prince Jing is here again and wants to see you." Xiao Lu ran in to report.

Ye Jiayao frowned. Didn't I tell him yesterday? Don't come so often. Besides, it's not mealtime yet.

"I'm busy right now, let him wait." Ye Jiayao said unhappily.

Everyone gasped when they heard this. Brother Yao was so arrogant that he even dared to ignore the little prince.

(End of this chapter)