Chapter 130: The Culinary Tycoon

Fishing

Seeing that Luo Mingda’s attitude was showing signs of softening, Jia Xiaoren took the opportunity to whisper his plan into Luo Mingda’s ear.

After listening, Luo Mingda didn’t express his opinion, he just smiled.

Jia Xiaoren carefully observed Luo Mingda’s expression and asked, “Young Master Luo, what do you think?”

Luo Mingda reached out and tapped him, smiling, “That’s really mean.”

Jia Xiaoren boasted as if to someone else, saying, “This is nothing. If he knows what’s good for him, I’ll naturally go easy on him. But if he insists on opposing me, then he can’t blame me for being ruthless.”

Luo Mingda glanced at him, pushed away the ger beside him and sent him away, then asked, “What about my meals from now on?”

Jia Xiaoren smirked and said, “Without his restaurant and with his reputation ruined, even if he opens another shop, no one will want to go there. By then, you just need to pay a monthly fee, and he’ll come to your house to cook for you.”

“Hahaha!” Luo Mingda burst into laughter, laughing for quite a while. Then he clapped three times and said, “Excellent! Truly excellent!”

Jia Xiaoren’s eyes lit up, and he leaned in closer, asking, “Does Young Master Luo think it’s feasible?” He needed assurance, so even if things escalated and reached the authorities, he wouldn’t be afraid.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

Luo Mingda smiled and shook his head, saying, “I only have control over the matters in our county office. As for everything else, I really don’t know anything.”

Jia Xiaoren paused for a moment and then laughed, “That’s only natural, Young Master Luo, please rest assured.”

“My family buys every meal from Yu’s Delicious Delights and House of Prosperity. I hope you won’t let me and my family fall victim to this scheme.” Luo Mingda expressed his concern.

Jia Xiaoren laughed and said, “Young Master Luo, don’t worry. I will inform you in due time.”

“That’s good.”

When Luo Mingda returned home, it was already late, and Madam Luo was waiting for him in the main hall.

“How did it go?” Madam Luo handed him a bowl of sobering soup and asked.

Luo Mingda drank it and then said, “I did as you said, and then he said…”

Luo Mingda recounted Jia Xiaoren’s plan to Madam Luo and then said, “This Jia Xiaoren is truly despicable. I could never do such a shameless thing.”

Madam Luo looked at Luo Mingda silently and then said, “I see. Did he mention when and which shop he will do it?”

Luo Mingda shook his head and said, “No, he said he would inform me when the time comes. Just to be safe, should I go and gather more information?”

“No, don’t go. If you know too much, you might end up being implicated by him.” Madam Luo said, then he pulled him up and said, “Go freshen up, it’s getting late.”

Luo Mingda got up to prepare for washing up, but as he walked past Madam Luo, Madam Luo held onto him and frowned, saying, “Wait.”

“What is it, wife?” Luo Mingda asked in confusion, then smiled and said, “Do you want to wash together?”

Madam Luo leaned in closer and sniffed his right arm, then angrily said, “Did you go to a brothel?”

Luo Mingda looked puzzled and shook his head, saying, “No, I didn’t. It was just at Xiang Man Yuan.”

Madam Luo narrowed his eyes and looked at him, saying, “Then why do you smell of cosmetics?”

“Cosmetics?” Luo Mingda lifted his arm and sniffed it, indeed detecting a faint scent of cosmetics. His wife, Madam Luo, didn’t usually use cosmetics, so he immediately noticed it.

In panic, he looked up at Madam Luo and said, “Wife, please don’t misunderstand. It was Jia Xiaoren. While we were eating, he suddenly brought in a ger from a brothel. As soon as he came in, he stuck to me. It must be from that guy. Wife, I swear I didn’t touch him. I pushed him away, and he kept clinging to me. Eventually, I managed to drive him out.”

Jia Xiaoren again! When they had just arrived, he had taken his husband to a brothel and got caught by himself. Now, he even brought a ger from a brothel into the restaurant!

He truly knows no bounds!

Madam Luo furrowed his brows, looking at Luo Mingda’s nervous expression, and said, “Go freshen up.”

After saying that, he turned and walked away, intending to find Xiao Lanzi and clarify the situation.

“Hey, wife, I really didn’t touch that person. You have to believe me. I don’t want to sleep in the study! It’s so cold, and I’ll catch a cold…” Luo Mingda called out from behind.

Seeing that his wife didn’t seem to be heading back to the bedroom, Luo Mingda hurriedly had a servant prepare hot water and moved the bathtub directly from the small bathroom next to the bedroom into the room. After washing up, he asked the servant to take it away, and then he lay on the bed, waiting.

But as he waited and waited, his wife didn’t return to sleep. He put on a thick coat and went out to inquire with the servant, only to find out that his wife was in their youngest son’s room.

Entering the room, Luo Mingda looked at his sleeping wife leaning against the bedpost. He sighed and walked over to lift his wife horizontally, intending to carry him back to their room.

As soon as he was lifted, Madam Luo woke up. Seeing that it was Luo Mingda, he struggled a bit, wanting to get down.

“Don’t move, wife. I’ll carry you back,” Luo Mingda whispered.

Madam Luo frowned. “Put me down.” After he had asked about Xiao Lanzi’s situation and learned that his husband hadn’t touched that person, he felt relieved. He had come over to soothe their youngest son back to sleep, but accidentally fell asleep himself.

“Don’t let go. Hey, if you move again, I’ll have my way with you right here.”

“…Luo Mingda, have you no shame?”

“I want my wife. Why would I have shame?”

“Put me down, quickly!”

“Hush, be good. Don’t make a scene. You’ll wake the child up…”

“…”

Early the next morning, after Luo Mingda went to the front yamen, Madam Luo headed to the study and ground ink to write a letter.

At the restaurant, Yu Qingze and Chang Le had breakfast and then went to Xue Residence with gifts. Today, they were starting the treatment.

When they arrived at Xue Residence, the steward, Uncle Zhang, led them to a room.

This room was obviously specially set up. It was warm inside, and Yu Qingze looked around but didn’t find any charcoal basins or the like. It was probably prepared for acupuncture, with the ground dug specifically for the needles. On the right side of the room, there was a row of medicine shelves with labeled jars, and in front of them, there was a long table already filled with various herbs. Dr. Ye was busy preparing the medicine there. Towards the inner part of the room, there was a table and several chairs, and behind them, there was a folding screen, behind which was a faintly visible bed.

“You’ve arrived. Come in and have a seat,” Dr. Ye called out when he saw them entering. “Just sit for a moment, and I’ll be with you shortly.”

Yu Qingze and Chang Le sat down, and a servant brought them tea. They took a few sips, observing that Dr. Ye’s complexion was indeed better than a month ago, which reassured them.

After a while, Dr. Ye finished his tasks and came over to sit across from Yu Qingze and Chang Le. He said, “Summon Boss Yu as well. There’s something that requires your cooperation.”

Yu Qingze nodded and replied, “I understand.”

“Good. Let me first examine Brother Le’s pulse,” Dr. Ye said. Chang Le promptly extended his wrist, and Dr. Ye smiled before placing his fingers on Chang Le’s pulse, earnestly beginning the diagnosis.

Dr. Ye took a long time to pulse Brother Le this time, and then he examined Brother Le’s eyes and tongue coating. Then he said to Brother Le, “Compared to the previous time a month ago, your Qi and blood are more vigorous this time. Have you been taking a lot of tonics?”

Brother Le nodded.

Yu Qingze said on the side, “Every day, we drink some nourishing soup, and I haven’t let Brother Le eat any cooling foods. We also soak his feet before bedtime.”

Dr. Ye nodded and said, “I see. So, Boss Yu also understands the principles of health preservation?”

Yu Qingze smiled and said, “I heard a doctor mention it before, so I made a note of it.”

“Very good. Let me explain the situation first. Based on Brother Le’s current physical condition, acupuncture combined with medicated baths is needed. Starting from today, come for acupuncture every morning, which will take about half a day. Acupuncture will be done continuously for six days and then rest for one day. This acupuncture treatment will last for a month, and then we will assess the situation to determine the frequency of acupuncture. If the condition improves, we will change it to once every two days and gradually extend the intervals. I will make adjustments when the time comes. In the entire treatment period, among the patients I have treated, the fastest recovery took five months to achieve a similar uterine condition as an ordinary person. If progress is slow, it may take two to three years. In the worst case scenario, even with treatment, there is still a possibility of not being able to conceive. You need to be prepared for that psychologically.”

Both Yu Qingze and Brother Le nodded in response.

Dr. Ye continued, “After the acupuncture session, Brother Le will feel tired for a while. It’s best to have someone accompany him and, if possible, send him back in a sedan chair or carriage. Acupuncture will be in the morning, followed by an herbal bath in the evening. I will prescribe some medicinal drinks for him to consume three times a day. Also, during the initial month of acupuncture treatment, he should avoid any sexual activity. It’s crucial to remember.”

Upon hearing this, Chang Le’s face turned red.

On the other hand, Yu Qingze nodded earnestly and said, “Understood.”

“Good. Boss Yu, please go to the next room and wait. We will begin shortly,” Dr. Ye said.

Yu Qingze stood up, patted Chang Le’s shoulder to encourage him, and then left the room.

Once Chang Le was called behind the folding screen by Dr. Ye, just as he was about to undress, Yu Qingze suddenly remembered something and knocked on the door.

Dr. Ye’s assistant, who also served as his personal attendant, opened the door and asked, “What’s the matter, Boss Yu?”

Yu Qingze said, “Brother Le can’t speak. What should we do if he feels uncomfortable? Should I teach Dr. Ye a few hand gestures to communicate with Brother Le?”

Dr. Ye heard it from inside and smiled, saying, “Then come in.”

Yu Qingze entered the room, and Dr. Ye explained the general expected reactions. Chang Le cooperated by making corresponding gestures, which Yu Qingze translated. Yu Qingze also conveyed the meanings of a few other gestures, and only then did he leave with reassurance.

Inside, Dr. Ye and his assistant performed the acupuncture treatment, and Yu Qingze didn’t go to the adjacent room. He waited outside their door.

After about half an hour, the door opened; the assistant came out and asked Yu Qingze to come in.

Yu Qingze quickly entered the room. Behind the folding screen, Chang Le had just finished dressing. Yu Qingze walked over, helped Chang Le put on his shoes, supported him to stand up, and asked, “How do you feel?”

Chang Le gestured, indicating that he felt sore and exhausted.

As Dr. Ye had mentioned, neither of them found anything unexpected.

Dr. Ye was busy preparing the medicinal drinks and herbal bath, and Yu Qingze and Chang Le waited for quite some time. Once Dr. Ye finished preparing the medications, he gave them instructions and arranged for a servant to take them back home in the family carriage.

When they returned to the restaurant, Yu Qingze had Chang Le rest while he started brewing the herbal medicine.

After a while, Yuan Bao from the Luo residence arrived, discreetly bringing a letter.

Yu Qingze’s face immediately darkened after reading the letter.

“Xiaoshu, go and call Brother Chang and Tiezhu. I need to discuss something with them,” he instructed as he headed to the main hall, asking Xiaoshu to find Brother Chang at the snack shop.

Brother Chang and Tiezhu quickly arrived, and Yu Qingze gathered them and Jiabao in the storage room, recounting the contents of the letter from Madam Luo.

“What? This Jia Xiaoren, how despicable of him!” Brother Chang exclaimed angrily after hearing the whole story.

Tiezhu also displayed a face filled with indignation.

Yu Qingze said, “Let’s not discuss that for now. I called you here to discuss our strategy. By the way, Brother Chang, starting from tomorrow, I need you to accompany Brother Le to the Xue Residence for acupuncture in the morning. In the afternoon, I’ll rent a carriage and come over. I’ll stay at the shop to keep an eye on things, just in case something happens and none of us are present.”

“Sure, no problem,” Brother Chang replied.

Afterwards, they discussed the details and finalized their plans.

If Jia Xiaoren dares to come, he’ll regret it!

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

Thandar: what’s the plan? the suspense ughhh