Chapter 867: Chapter 866: The Road to the Lantern Festival (Part 2)
The next day, Xia Yu arrived as promised.
“I guess this is it.”
Looking at the text message on his phone, the content was nothing more than a welcome for his visit, along with a detailed address.
This was a bustling street no less lively than the area around Juxia Building. Upon closer inspection, it wasn’t hard to notice that many of the restaurant and snack shop signs along the street bore the Liu name, such as Liu San’s Dumpling Shop and Liu Si’s Cold Rabbit.
Without a doubt, this was the culinary street where chefs of the Liu lineage gathered.
Xia Yu stood in front of a congee and noodle restaurant.
He looked up at the sign, “Manxiang Hall?”
It was morning, during rush hour for work and school, and the small restaurant was doing brisk business. Xia Yu rarely made time in the morning away from his daily practice to visit alone, showing how much he valued that prospective senior disciple.
Just like he told Zhu Qing yesterday, he wasn’t here just for fun.
After entering and finding an empty table to sit down, a young voice greeted him, “Hello, dear guest, the menu is on the table. Take a look and see what you’d like to eat…”
Liu Feng approached with a notebook and pen.
His words came to an abrupt stop.
The lone boy of the same age was smiling at him from across the table.
“Bring me a full set of the signature dishes,” Xia Yu said.
“Y-you just wait a moment!”
Stuttering, Liu Feng hurried away under the astonished gazes of other customers in the shop.
Xia Yu pulled up his mask, so the other guests could only point and whisper about the masked young man.
The restaurant’s kitchen was open with a display window and a counter for picking up food, allowing customers a full view of the kitchen. Surprisingly, there was only one charming female chef busy inside. Despite the nearly full restaurant, cooking and serving were orderly, without the complaints one would imagine.
After a while, Liu Feng brought over a bowl of congee and a bowl of noodles. “These are my mother’s signature dishes, please try them!”
And when Xia Yu noticed a scrutinizing gaze from beyond the display window, he looked over and met the female chef’s eyes.
They nodded to each other in greeting across the space.
“That must be Liu Ying’s mother.”
Xia Yu thought to himself.
Mrs. Liu likely knew his identity. Besides scrutinizing, her gaze contained surprise and respect, but unlike her son, she maintained wisdom and composure in handling matters.
She chose to greet him from the kitchen, rather than leaving it during a busy time, which also showed her respect for the other guests. This is the professional attitude of a seasoned chef.
Not until the morning crowd passed and the small restaurant quieted down, leaving only Xia Yu’s table, did Mrs. Liu come out gracefully.
“How was our Manxiang Hall’s signature congee and noodles, did you find them satisfactory?”
Her gentle tone immediately marked her as a qualified mother.
The two large porcelain bowls on the table were empty.
“Very satisfactory!”
Xia Yu was extremely full and just waited with a smile, not urging.
Mrs. Liu’s face lit up with a smile, “Glad to hear it.”
“By the way, about Little Ying…” her words shifted but she hesitated again, as if embarrassed to say something. Yet, being a mother, she took a breath and boldly asked, “Did you take a liking to Little Ying?”
Those eyes, wise in the kitchen, now gazed steadily at Xia Yu, losing composure with intense emotion.
Probably any parent in the industry would react similarly upon learning that the great Demon King Xia had taken an interest in their child.
“…”
“Could you rephrase that?” Xia Yu rubbed his temples in annoyance.
Mrs. Liu was taken aback, repeated her own words under her breath, then her eyes filled with amusement, “Oh, not taken a liking, but taken a fancy to.”
“No, please don’t!”
Xia Yu still found ‘taken a fancy to’ even more subtle than ‘taken a liking to,’ making him feel like he was here to propose marriage. He coughed, “Aunt Liu, let me be straightforward. I’m considering taking Little Ying into my tutelage, but not as a formal disciple. In my opinion, I plan to let her be a nominal disciple first.”
Mrs. Liu’s expression held both surprise and disappointment.
Just a nominal disciple?
This status was akin to an apprentice and not a disciple who could inherit the master’s craft.
Mrs. Liu didn’t doubt Xia Yu’s qualification to be Liu Ying’s master despite his young age, as he was the same age as her son.
As the new king of the Chinese Realm, an undisputed young monarch, and a genuine Lin Chef…
His credentials were enough to be a renowned master. If Xia Yu’s intention to accept disciples were announced, countless elite descendants would line up to join Demon King Xia’s house.
“Little Ying is fortunate to receive your favor. I thank you on her behalf, but…”
Mrs. Liu hesitated.
“What is it?” Xia Yu was surprised, “Do you disagree with Little Ying’s potential, Aunt Liu?”
“N-no!” Mrs. Liu offered a bitter smile and straightforwardly revealed, “Little Ying is very shy of strangers. She’s been like that since childhood. Although precocious, she has been locking herself at home for years and refuses to go out. As her mother, I can’t persuade her.”
“I consider Little Ying to have a basic flaw in her chef qualities, a personality flaw, and it’s hard to change.”
Mrs. Liu’s face reflected bitterness and helplessness.
Xia Yu listened, furrowing his brows slightly.
Isn’t that just being a homebody? But being too much of one, with a twisted personality, perhaps afraid to interact with others, this becomes a problem.
Like Tanaka Hikari from Far Moon, although a country girl who gets easily shy and nervous, she can still stand confidently on any culinary competition stage, showcasing her talents under public scrutiny.
Besides, chefs ultimately have to face various customers, and while they can refuse excessive interaction, they absolutely can’t be afraid of people.
“Is it that serious?”
Xia Yu raised his brows and asked as if confirming.
Both Mrs. Liu and Liu Feng nodded.
“But yesterday…”
Hearing this, Liu Feng quickly explained, “That was the scheduled monthly date for a duel between Little Ying and Uncle Liu Lan. She only goes out at that time.”
Meanwhile, a voice came from outside:
“I only agree to her unreasonable duel to encourage Little Ying to go out more.”
Liu Lan, the current head of Juxia Building, walked into the small restaurant.
He placed a finely crafted wooden food box on the table and nodded at Mrs. Liu, “Sister-in-law, these are rice cakes distributed by the home family, I brought them over for you.”
Mrs. Liu said, “Thank you, elder brother.”
“Brother Yun asked me to look after you all before he passed, it’s my duty.” Liu Lan’s honest face bore a slight smile.
Xia Yu suddenly stood up and said to Liu Feng, “Take me to see Little Ying first.”
Walking to the front of a residence.
At the door, he could faintly hear activity inside the courtyard.
“Knock knock!”
Mrs. Liu knocked on the door, “Little Ying, Mr. Xia is here to see you.”
“Clang—”
The harsh sound of metal utensils clattering to the ground was followed by a surprised yelp, “Wait! Don’t come in yet!”
Xia Yu could hear a string of light footsteps quickly approaching the door, but they disappeared when they reached it.
Behind the door, the obvious problematic girl had her hand on the door lock, ready to open it, yet there was no follow-up action.
The air was frozen.