Adorable Food Goddess

“Big brother,” Ye Jiayao greeted with a smile.

The first-in-charge looked up in surprise and exclaimed, “Sister-in-law! Did you come to deliver good food for second brother?”

“Yes. I’ve seen that second brother’s complexion looks better.”

The first-in-charge’s smile was not genuine, it was a little estranged and sinister. It was impossible to guess what he was thinking about. His stare always made everyone feel as if he could see right through them. Ye Jiayao has no liking for someone so mistrustful. However, he was the first-in-charge, the king of the mountains. Even Chunyu has to be watchful of him, and as a subsidiary, she should try to curry his favor even more.

“Big brother, how did you get heat sores? You need to eat something cooling. I made some winter melon and spareribs soup, big brother, come have some!” Ye Jiayao invited passionately. The first-in-charge might have developed a huge heat sore on his philtrum due to his worries from the increasingly frustrating matters he has to deal with. He looked like someone from a certain island country, appearing to be even more scheming.

The first-in-charge touched the heat sore under his nose and laughed. “No need. I still have some matters to deal with. I shall try your skills another day.”

Ye Jiayao said, “Then I shall get Peng Wu to deliver it to you. I’ll get him take the honeysuckle tea too, it would go well with the soup.”

Ye Jiayao took her leave without waiting for the first-in-charge to decline.

The first-in-charge squinted his eyes, watching Ye Jiayao thoughtfully as her silhouette became smaller with distance. That woman was not simple. She had only been here for a few days and she had already settled down so quickly.

Upon seeing first-in-charge enter the house, second-in-charge, who was munching on a pigeon leg with the bowl of soup clasp in his hands, paused, putting the bowl down.

First-in-charge waved his hand. “Eat.”

“Big brother, do you want some? The soup sister-in-law made is delicious, it is so fragrant,” second-in-charge said, presenting the treasure.

“It’s alright, you have it.” First-in-charge has never been obsessed with delicacies. “What do you think of sister-in-law’s character?”

“I think she is not bad. She’s cheerful and is also a good cook. Most importantly, she is pretty. If I have known, I would not have given her to third brother. I would have taken her for myself,” second-in-charge answered, his tone filled with obvious regrets.

First-in-charge muttered, “Precisely. She is too good to be true that I think something is amiss. She was extremely hysterical when she first came here and now…”

Second-in-charge replied jealously, “Perhaps it’s because she thought she would have to be married to us. With third brother’s looks, why would she be unwilling? The women on the mountains all swoon at third brother. Hell, even the hens would cluck merrily when they see him.”

First-in-charge frowned, knowing that second brother has a point.

“Peng Wu had been with him for so long and still hasn’t discovered anything strange.” First-in-charge was extremely perplexed. He had to admit, third brother had made many great contributions to the stockade. If he really was reliable, he would make Hei Feng Gang immensely strong. However, first-in-charge could not put his mind at ease and he could not tell why. It was an intuition. In the stockade, he only trusts the earlier batch of people who tolled with him.

Second-in-charge asked in a soft whisper, “Is the spy sent to check on third brother back yet?”

First-in-charge shook his head. “I think it would be soon.”

“What I am most worried about now, is that if third brother is really the spy sent by the imperial courts.” First-in-charge was conflicted. On the one hand, he cherished third brother’s talent, and on the other hand, he was doubtful and worried. Third brother has many supporters. If he was punished without concrete evidence, the masses would not be convinced and the brothers would be disappointed.

“I think the possibility of that is small. This time, third brother did risk his life to save me. Even I was hopeless during the situation then. I told third brother to escape but he insisted on pulling me along. If he is indeed the spy, wouldn’t it be better if he had left me to die under those circumstances? Even if I died, you wouldn’t be able to blame him would you?” Second-in-charge looked at the pigeon leg in his hand, thinking of what sister-in-law had said just now. He recalled the bloody battle, his heart softening towards third brother.

First-in-charge nodded. “I am very grateful to him for that.”

“What about the rest? Wasn’t anyone suspicious found?” second brother asked.

First-in-charge sighed. “That is difficult! Without any concrete evidence, it is hard to come to a conclusion. There are already complaints all around the stockade now.”

“F*ck! If only we could have heard a little more then, we wouldn’t have to spend so much effort now,” second-in-charge grumbled.

“However, I have a last resort. You just focus on resting your mind and recuperating,” first-in-charge said, leaving second brother to rest.

Ye Jiayao returned to the courtyard, coincidentally, at the same time as Xia Chunyu and Peng Wu.

“Just wait a while, I’ll whip up two more dishes and then we can eat.” Ye Jiayao put the lunch box down, rolling up her sleeves as she entered the kitchen. Just as she added two more firewood into the fire stove, she heard Xia Chunyu’s angry howl, “YE JINXUAN!”

Ye Jiayao jumped, suddenly remembering that she brought the two rabbits into the house to play in the afternoon and had left them there.

“Song Qi, watch the fire.” Ye Jiayao rushed to the house. Xia Chunyu’s face was mottled red with anger as he stood before the bed, glaring at the rabbits on the bed like they were his arch nemesis.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I will carry them out right this moment.”

Xia Chunyu furiously said, “Who allowed you to bring them into the house? Take a look at this! Can this bed still be slept on?”

Ye Jiayao glanced at the bed and instantly felt like crying. Obedient rabbit babies, how could you take a dump on the bed?

“Don’t be angry, don’t be angry! Da Bao and Er Bao don’t know better. I would educate them properly.” Ye Jiayao picked the rabbits up and set them down on the floor. “I told you not to go up the bed! Why did you disobey me? Do you want me to stew you?”

Xia Chunyu was in disbelief. Da Bao and Er Bao? I think you are a buffoon.

“Why are you trying to reason with them? They don’t understand you! If I find them here again, I would throw them to Old Head Yu.”

“Did you hear Father Rabbit’s words? If you do this again, I won’t be able to protect you,” Ye Jiayao said, carrying the rabbits out.

Xia Chunyu was flabbergasted. When did he become Father Rabbit?

“Ye Jinxuan, if you want to become Mother Rabbit, don’t drag me with you!” Xia Chunyu was almost roaring in frustration and annoyance. An address like Father Rabbit was intolerable to him, even more unacceptable than being called Dumb Donkey.

“Alright, alright. Da Xiao Bao, don’t be scared. Father Rabbit does not like you but I do. You just have to be good, do you hear?” Ye Jiayao cooed softly as she stroked the rabbits’ ears.

Xia Chunyu was almost certain that he was about to have a coronary. This woman always had to come up with some affair that could infuriate him to no end.

Ye Jiayao changed the bed sheets quickly. She glanced at Xia Chunyu, laying on the couch, reading a book, his face still clearly annoyed. “Chunyu, can I send the honeysuckle tea Auntie Jiang gave us to big brother? When I went to deliver the pigeon soup to second brother just now, I saw big brother. He grew a huge heat sore above his mouth, honeysuckle can clear the heat and detoxify.”

Ye Jiayao was the best at changing topics.

Xia Chunyu snorted flippantly. “How considerate.”

“Ay! What do you want me to do? Living under someone’s shelter, you have no choice but to lower your head.” Ye Jiayao curled her lips in indignation.

Xia Chunyu looked at her from the corner of his eyes. “You know that too? Your head’s just so full of knowledge, you’re going to break the roof.”

Ye Jiayao laughed mischievously. “You’re exaggerating! You’re just mad that the rabbit babies took a dump on the bed. Why are you mad at me? It’s not like I am the one who did it!”

This woman really did lack the basic manners of a lady.

“What I mean is, I did not make them shit,” Ye Jiayao explained embarrassingly, realizing what she had just said.

“Besides, though they are big brother and second brother, we’re not blood-related. If we fall out with them, that would be the end. It is different with you because as husband and wife, it is only common for couples to quarrel and squabble. It creates interest, you know.” Ye Jiayao said happily. She had already found a way to deal with Chunyu’s anger. She would just ramble incoherently with a smile, and it would confuse him, displacing his anger.

“I shall go make dinner!” Ye Jiayao pouted and sent him a flying kiss, leaving with the honeysuckle tea on the table.

Xia Chunyu rolled his eyes at her back with detest. With skin thicker than the city wall, frivolous in manner, she really was not like any decent woman at all.

He lowered his head to continue reading, yet, all he could think of was the image of her pouting. The way her small mouth puckered cutely looked so irresistible, and he wanted to kiss it badly. Xia Chunyu closed the book in frustration. After living with that woman for too long, even his concept of right and wrong was a mess.

Ye Jiayao finished the dishes in record time. She set the winter melon spareribs soup aside, scooping out a bowlful to put in the lunch box.

“Peng Wu, Peng Wu!”

Peng Wu scurried in. “What do you need, big sister?”

“Send this over to first-in-charge, I’ve already promised this to him.” Ye Jiayao handed the lunch box and honeysuckle tea to Peng Wu. “Hurry, we’ll wait for you before we eat.”

Peng Wu accepted the delivery mission gladly.

Song Qi asked jealously, “Sister-in-law, why do you always instruct Peng Wu to run errands for food delivery to first-in-charge and second-in-charge? Why don’t you let me go?”

Ye Jiayao thought about it. Was that weird? Why? Maybe she felt that Peng Wu was more reliable. It was also because she felt that he was more familiar with them.

“You think too much. Why don’t you think about how I always get you to be my helper and not Peng Wu? I don’t even know why! Tell me when you thought about it,” Ye Jiayao replied.

Song Qi was confused.  How would I know what you are thinking inside?

After setting the table, Ye Jiayao walked to the door and called for her husband sweetly.

“Chunyu, time for dinner.”

Xia Chunyu immediately put his book down and headed for the kitchen. Those who don’t know would think that he was famished, eager to eat. In actual fact, if he waited for her to call him for the second time, that tongue would start to roll, and she would call louder.

Xia Chunyu was annoyed that he had actually been reduced to a state where he was at the beck and call of a woman. She should be the one obeying him, yet it was the total opposite now. Whatever warnings or threats he gave were useless to her. She would be responding well in his presence, and in the next moment, would revert to her old ways, acting cute, acting pitiful, and any other theatrics. He had never seen a woman more difficult to deal with.

She really was shameless.

What else could he do?