Yu Wan thought to herself, When I’m not here to see you, I will be caught by you, but when I’m really here to see you, I can’t even find you.
Yu Wan regretfully went to the Drunken Immortal Pavilion.
The Drunken Immortal Pavilion, which had suppressed the Tianxiang Restaurant in the Master Chef Competition and was the best in the industry, had indeed made the right move. Not only had they made a name for themselves, but they had also earned enough reputation. Coupled with their unique signature dishes, the Drunken Immortal Pavilion was filled to the brim every day. In less than half a year, they could surpass the business of the Tianxiang Restaurant.
When Yu Wan went to look for Master Qin before, she always went to Master Qin’s mansion. It was her first time coming to the Drunken Immortal Pavilion, and business was better than she had expected.
“Miss, are you here to eat or to have fun?” A smart little shop assistant greeted her. He did not look down on Yu Wan just because she was dressed plainly.
Before Yu Wan could speak, the young man was slapped on the back of his head. It was Master Qin who walked out in a hurry.
Master Qin glared at him. “What Miss? Open your dog eyes. This is your second boss!”
“Ah! Second… Second boss?” Master Qin had told his subordinates about the little boss of the Drunken Immortal Pavilion. However, they had only heard of her name and had never seen her before. They did not expect her to be such a young and beautiful girl.
The young man hurriedly apologized. Yu Wan’s lips curled up slightly as she said, “It’s fine. Go greet the guests.”
“Yes! Yes!” The waiter left excitedly.
Master Qin’s gaze landed on the jar Yu Wan was carrying. “Could this be sour bamboo shoots?”
“It’s sour bamboo shoots.” Yu Wan was amused by Master Qin’s reaction. Those who didn’t know better would think that her jar was filled with gold.
Master Qin was a businessman. With good ingredients in his hands, there were a hundred ways to produce gold.
“I was just saying that if you still don’t make your sour bamboo shoots, I’ll have to go look for you.” Master Qin decisively took the jar and led Yu Wan to the kitchen. On the way, he didn’t forget to ask about Yu Shaoqing’s situation. “How’s your father’s matter? Do you need my help with anything? Don’t stand on ceremony with me if you need my help. Don’t think that I’ve just started in the Capital. I was this in Jiangzuo!”
He made a boss gesture.
Yu Wan smiled. “Thank you for your concern, Master Qin. If I really have to trouble you, I won’t be polite.”
“That’s good!”
As the two of them spoke, they had already arrived at the kitchen of the Drunken Immortal Pavilion. Two large oil pots were frying black stinky tofu, and the stench filled most of the courtyard. The old chefs were already used to it, but it was hard on the few newcomers. It was so smelly that they were about to cry, but they could not stop the business of the stinky tofu from being good. From morning to night, the oil pot did not stop.
Master Qin called a few chefs over. “This is the second boss of our Drunken Immortal Pavilion, Miss Yu, she was the one who made the stinky tofu.”
Just like the young man from before, everyone thought that the second boss was a fat middle-aged man. When they saw her, they were even more stunned than when they saw Madam Du.
Everyone greeted her.
“This is Chef Zhang, this is Chef Wang…” Master Qin introduced the chefs one by one, then handed them the sour bamboo shoots and ran out without looking back.
As expected, the chefs behind him wailed. Master Qin covered his heart. Fortunately, he escaped quickly!
The sour bamboo shoots were the same as stinky tofu. Even though they smelled bad, they were very fragrant, especially when eaten. The peanut kernels, fermented bamboo, and sour beans were added to the rice noodles cooked in the conch soup. Then, they were sprinkled with a spoonful of white vinegar. The taste was sour, spicy, and refreshing. It was indescribably delicious.
There were a lot of noodles in the Capital, but there were less rice noodles. Moreover, most of them were not authentic. Uncle had taught them how to make rice noodles.
The rarer something was, the more precious it was. Yu Wan could almost be certain that the snail noodles would be extremely popular.
The sour bamboo shoots were the soul of the snail noodles, but the snail soup was also important. A bowl of high-grade snail soup was made of fresh snail meat and pig bones, and it was boiled with spices. Ever since he inherited Grandpa Bao’s mantle, Uncle had improved the conch soup and added a few herbs. The taste of the soup was even richer.
Yu Wan tasted half a bowl and felt that the chefs’ culinary skills were not bad. Of course, the sour bamboo shoots she marinated were even better.
Why am I so talented? Yu Wan thought in amazement.
At first, Master Qin didn’t want to eat. Later on, he brought over half of Yu Wan’s untouched bowl and finished it all. He didn’t let go of a single drop of soup.
Master Qin touched his round stomach and leaned against the chair. He said in an extremely sour tone, “This taste is very good! The price is negotiable. When will you supply?”
Yu Wan thought for a while and said, “I don’t have much bamboo shoots on hand, not enough to supply the Drunken Immortal Pavilion. If you’re hungry, I’ll give you two jars to eat first. I won’t charge you.”
His little brat had been coveting Yu Wan’s things for a long time. It was a good time to bring them back to him so that he wouldn’t keep nagging that he didn’t dote on him as his uncle.
Master Qin smiled readily. “Then I won’t stand on ceremony!”
The two of them chatted for a while more. Master Qin asked Yu Wan if she needed to look through the account book. Yu Wan expressed that she trusted Master Qin’s character and refused to admit that she did not understand the account book.
“I still have something on. I’ll go back first.” Yu Wan stood up and bade farewell.
Master Qin sent her downstairs. Just as they reached the lobby, a customer who had paid the bill turned around and left. However, when he crossed the threshold, he fell to the ground and curled up, unable to get up.
“Aiya! Someone died from eating it!” Someone shouted, and the guests of the Drunken Immortal Pavilion put down their chopsticks in horror.
Master Qin’s expression darkened. The shopkeeper and shop assistant hurriedly went forward and helped the person up.
He was a tea merchant in his fifties. There were a few boxes of superior tea leaves in his bag, and they were all spilled on the ground. He held the top of his stomach with a pained expression. He looked like he wanted to vomit. Anyone who saw him would think that he had eaten something bad.
Yu Wan did not think so. She studied the medical books that Grandpa Bao left for her every night and happened to see a similar case. She wondered how his pulse was.
Master Qin said to the dumbfounded shop assistants, “What are you waiting for? Hurry up and call a doctor!”
A shop assistant slipped away.
The tea merchant was helped into the lobby. A waiter brought a chair and the shopkeeper told him to sit down. He leaned weakly against the chair.
Yu Wan walked forward and said to the tea merchant, “Give me your hand.”
The tea merchant was in so much pain that he was sweating profusely. He looked at Yu Wan weakly and strangely. He was feeling too uncomfortable and did not even have the strength to speak.
Yu Wan did not expect him to cooperate with her. She grabbed his hand and placed three fingers on his pulse.
When everyone saw that a young lady had actually assumed a consultation posture, they could not help but become even more curious.
Master Qin whispered into Yu Wan’s ear, “You’re quite good at pretending.”
Yu Wan glanced at Master Qin indifferently. Once she became a doctor, Yu Wan would not recognize her family.
Master Qin was stunned by Yu Wan’s sudden serious aura.
It was the same as what was recorded in the medical book—the left vein was rising, and the middle vein was sinking. Yu Wan looked at the tea merchant’s tongue again. The body of his tongue was red, and his tongue coating was rough and slightly yellow. Coupled with his ribs pain and his face that was like a yellow scab, there was a high chance that he had acute cholecystitis.
“Bring another stool over,” Yu Wan instructed.
The guys looked at Master Qin.
Master Qin pondered for a moment and waved his hand. The waiters brought the stools over.
“Just put on a show. Don’t really kill anyone. The doctor will be here soon,” Master Qin whispered into Yu Wan’s ear. In his opinion, Yu Wan had a brainwave to stop everyone from talking. How could she really treat someone?
Yu Wan did not have the time to explain. She placed the tea merchant flat on the stool. The stool was not long enough. She pointed at the shop assistant beside her. “Move the chair over!”
The clerk moved the chair over as he was told and propped the tea merchant’s feet on it.
The upper abdomen, just below the nipple, and in front of the seventh rib gap, four inches apart from the middle line. The location of the Sun and Moon Acupoint flashed across Yu Wan’s mind, and she pressed it with the big fish belt (under her thumb).
After a while, the tea merchant neither felt disgusted nor retched. The pain in his ribs was not as intense as before.
“Hey! Look! He’s recovered!” It was the scholar who had accused the Drunken Immortal Pavilion of poisoning people to death.
The tea merchant’s condition was indeed much better. At least, he could speak now. He looked at Yu Wan and said sincerely, “Thank you, Miss.”
Yu Wan said, “This is an emergency. I’m only helping you relieve it temporarily. You still need to continue treatment in the future.”
“What emergency? Did he really eat something bad?”
“That’s right! You guys can smell how bad their food was. They better not be selling spoiled food!” The person who said this was obviously someone who wanted to add insult to injury.
Coincidentally, the doctor arrived.
After the doctor finished diagnosing the tea merchant, he quickly defended the Drunken Immortal Pavilion. “It’s a liver and gallbladder disease, not a stomachache! A group of men, but none of them are as knowledgeable as the young lady!”
Yu Wan took proper emergency measures. Otherwise, the tea merchant would have fainted from the pain. Everyone praised her and the tea merchant thanked her repeatedly.
“I couldn’t tell.” Master Qin sized up Yu Wan. “Miss Yu is so secretive.”
Yu Wan smiled but did not say anything. She was embarrassed to tell him that this was her first time treating someone.
The tea merchant and the doctor left together, and the storm was resolved.
On the outskirts of the city, at Pine Flower Pavilion.
Yan Huaijing saw the legendary Bai Xiaosheng.
Bai Xiaosheng was dressed like a scholar and looked to be in his early twenties. However, Yan Huaijing understood that this was not his original appearance. Not only did Bai Xiaosheng never show his true face to others, but he would never use the same face to meet others. Therefore, he had another name in the pugilistic world—The Thousand-faced Spiritual Master Bai Xiaosheng.
Jun Chang’an leaned against the pavilion pillar indifferently, guarding the surroundings for the two of them.
Bai Xiaosheng and Yan Huaijing sat opposite each other on a stone bench in the pavilion. There was fine wine and snacks on the table. Yan Huaijing was a prince, so he naturally wouldn’t lower his status for a pugilist.
Bai Xiaosheng smiled and personally poured a cup of wine for Yan Huaijing. “Your Highness, please.”
Yan Huaijing went straight to the point. “I have two things to ask you today.”
Bai Xiaosheng smiled and said, “Didn’t Little Brother Jun tell His Highness that I always only answered one question, and will only answer once for a question? As long as I answer it, I won’t say anything even if others ask.”
Yan Huaijing frowned. He wanted to ask about Zhou Huai’s whereabouts and also wanted to find out about that woman back then.
Bai Xiaosheng also poured himself a glass of wine and tasted it carefully. “The wine in the palace is indeed delicious. Unfortunately, it’s not as strong as the wine in the pugilistic world… Your Highness, have you thought about it?”
Yan Huaijing clenched his fists and said with a cold gaze, “I want to know where the woman who saved my life in Prefecture Xu two years ago is now.”
Bai Xiaosheng smiled happily and stretched out a finger. “A Blood Lingzhi.”
The Blood Lingzhi was a healing medicine that was rare in the world. Coincidentally, there was one in the Second Prince Manor. Although the price was huge, it was not something Yan Huaijing could not afford. Yan Huaijing agreed immediately. “Chang’an, go back to the manor and bring the Blood Lingzhi over.”
Jun Chang’an hesitated. “Your Highness…”
Yan Huaijing said, “I have no use for that Blood Lingzhi, so I’ll give it to Bai Xiaosheng.”
Jun Changan looked at Bai Xiaosheng with a complicated expression and left.
Jun Chang’an moved very quickly. In less than an hour, there was a Blood Lingzhi on the table.
Bai Xiaosheng smiled in satisfaction and said to Yan Huaijing, “The person Your Highness is asking about is just right in front of you. You know each other but could not recognize each other.”
Yan Huaijing’s pupils constricted. “It’s her!”
Bai Xiaosheng smiled and said, “Looks like Your Highness knows the answer. Then I’ll take my leave.”
Yan Huaijing felt as if something had hit his heart hard. “How could it be her… She’s clearly pregnant and about to give birth… Where’s her child? Where did the child go?!”
Bai Xiaosheng’s smile did not change. “This is the second question.”
Bai Xiaosheng stood up calmly and cupped his hands towards Yan Huaijing. “Goodbye, we’ll meet again!”
With that, he left with the Blood Lingzhi.
“Your Highness, you shouldn’t have given him the Blood Lingzhi. Bai Xiaosheng is an extremely cunning person. Whoever wants to ask him questions will pay a price that they can’t bear. Perhaps Your Highness will need that Blood Lingzhi in the future…”
Yan Huaijing did not care about Jun Chang’an’s words at all. He was still immersed in shock. “It’s her… Chang’an… It’s really her…”
“Yes, it’s Miss Yu.” Combined with Yan Huaijing’s reaction, Jun Chang’an had also guessed it. Because he didn’t care, he wasn’t too shocked. Jun Chang’an said in a normal tone, “Does Your Highness still want to see that old granny?”
In order to confirm if Yu Wan was the pregnant woman from back then, Yan Huaijing asked Jun Chang’an to find the old granny who had delivered the babies in the palace back then. That old granny’s eyes were very sharp. She could tell if a woman had given birth with just one look.
Yan Huaijing looked into the distance and said, “There’s no need. I’ve already confirmed it’s her.”
But what exactly happened to her? She was from Lotus Flower Village. Why did she go to Prefecture Xu back then? She was dressed like a young lady and had a decent nanny beside her. She was clearly about to give birth. Two years had passed. Where had the child gone? Had she not given birth or had the child died prematurely? And who was the father?
“Yan Jiuchao!”
On the busy street, Yu Wan saw Yan Jiuchao walking his children.
This person really had an appearance that would evoke one’s jealousy. Even in the vast sea of people, people could recognize him at a glance.
The three little fellows originally had their heads drooped as they walked listlessly. When they heard the familiar voice, their eyes immediately lit up. They raised their heads, abandoned their father, and ran over!
Yu Wan jumped off the carriage, bent down, and caught the little fellows who had thrown themselves into her arms.
Yu Wan pinched their little faces. “You didn’t eat properly again, right? Look at you guys, you’ve lost weight again.”
The three of them lowered their heads guiltily.
Yu Wan’s heart softened when she saw them like this. She rubbed their heads and said, “I really can’t do anything about you guys. Forget it, I haven’t eaten either. Are you hungry?”
The three of them nodded.
“How hungry are you?” Yu Wan teased.
The three of them rolled up their shirts, revealing their smooth stomachs. They were so hungry that their stomachs were deflated.
Yu Wan could not help but laugh. She put down the little fellow’s clothes and looked at Yan Jiuchao, who was not far away. Seeing that he did not come over like usual, she blinked in confusion. After informing the coachman, she walked over with the little fellows.
The little fellows jumped around happily.
Yan Jiuchao snorted. When they were brought by him, they would pretend to be dead. Once they were with her, they would be alive and kicking. Who exactly was their biological parent?!
When Yu Wan saw the children, her empty heart was instantly filled with joy. Even her eyebrows were smiling. “Yan Jiuchao, I went to the Young Master Manor just now. When you weren’t around, I thought I wouldn’t be able to see you today.”
“Why are you going to the Young Master Manor?”
“To see you guys!” Mainly to see the children, and to visit you.
Yan Jiuchao glanced at the brats. “I think you’re looking for them.”
Eh? Shouldn’t this fellow say, “You can’t stand the loneliness even if you don’t see me for a day, right? It’s not enough that you followed me to the inn, you even came looking for me in the name of visiting a few children!”
“I…”
“Hmph!”
Yu Wan was about to speak when a certain young master had already gotten into the carriage.
Yu Wan felt bitter. I am really here to see you and the children. Why didn’t you believe me?
Yu Wan carried the three little fellows into the carriage. She opened the bag she carried with her and took out a small food box. There was osmanthus cake, almond pastry, and a few pig buns that she had personally made.
The little fellows drooled when they saw the pig buns.
Yu Wan smiled. “Eat.”
The little fellows were not in a hurry to eat it themselves. Instead, they picked up a pig bun and handed it to Yu Wan. Only then did Yu Wan remember that she had said that she had not eaten anything. The little fellows had remembered it and they even gave her their pig buns?
Yu Wan’s heart warmed. “I don’t like pig buns. I like almond crisps.”
The three little fellows changed to giving her the almond pastry. Seeing her accept it with a smile, they grabbed the pig buns in their hands and started eating them.
Yu Wan gave the last pig bun to Yan Jiuchao.
“I’m not eating it!” Young Master Yan said with disdain.
“It’s delicious.”
“No!”
Yu Wan stuffed it into his mouth.