Chapter 77: Huang Qingwan’s Subtle Thoughts and the Assignment of Chun Zhu to Monitor Su Mo - Ah? The Wives I Abandoned Turned Out to Be Real

Chapter 77: Huang Qingwan’s Subtle Thoughts and the Assignment of Chun Zhu to Monitor Su Mo "Crackle, pop..." Amidst the constant sound of firecrackers, Su Mo's restaurant, "Linjiang Spring", officially opened its doors. However, due to recent rumors of demons causing trouble, no family dared to venture outside during this time. As a result, even though the grand opening involved the interests of the General's Residence, only a few local gentries and officials showed up. Wang Qinghe did not attend due to his only daughter's capture, leaving only the county magistrate to show support with the local officials. The officials from the General's Residence and the county office dined in separate private rooms on the upper floor. The wealthy patrons were seated at window-side tables on the second floor, while nearby merchants and other dining guests were accommodated in the main hall of the restaurant. The culinary assistants and Chef Ma from the General's Residence were called in to help. With specialized staff handling tasks like chopping vegetables and cleaning, Su Mo found himself with little to do apart from cooking. In fact, because there were so few guests, all dishes were served within an hour, leaving him feeling unusually lighthearted. Su Mo had already decided to hire a few kitchen assistants and laborers from Linjiang City and the surrounding countryside. Since they lived close by, it wasn’t necessary to provide housing, just one meal a day sufficed. After all, ease of work was his top priority. ... On the second floor, the clinking of cups and the exchange of cheers could be heard all around. "Come on, everyone, eat up." "The taste of these dishes is truly remarkable. I've been to many prefectures but I’ve never had anything like this." "This chef is truly exceptional!" "And this wine, it tastes so sweet without any hint of dregs." "Indeed, I wonder how the General's Residence could let such a talented chef open a restaurant." "If it were me, I would've definitely kept him home." "Being able to enjoy good food is one of life's greatest joys." In the private room of the General's Residence, the sounds from the second floor were much quieter and almost inaudible. Huang Qingwan and Guo Lin sat before a table brimming with dishes, attended by Chun Zhu, Shao Yao, and Chun Lan. Huang Qingwan, painted in a delicate ochre makeup, had her hair styled high, adorned with a gold phoenix hairpin holding pearls, and wore earrings of mutton-fat jade that dangled by her ears. She was dressed in a pale green waist-clinching gown made from ice silk, with embroidered shoes woven with golden threads peeking beneath. Her presence was one of supreme beauty and unmatched elegance. Despite the lingering cold weather, she wore this thin attire hoping to make a stunning impression on Su Mo. Fortunately, a stove warmed the room, warding off the chill. Recalling the earlier glance Su Mo stole at her, Huang Qingwan felt an unusual sense of satisfaction. Her recent effort to study fashion and makeup from the "Lanzhi Collection" seemed worthwhile. Surely, Su Lang must like how she looked today. While Huang Qingwan’s thoughts lingered on Su Mo, Guo Lin was less pleased. She wondered why her mother had adorned herself so beautifully, even surpassing her in appearance. Seeing Su Mo's glance at her mother, along with Xu Miaoyin helping Su Mo busily, felt like a heavy stone pressing against her heart. Looking up at her mother's portrait-like elegance, Guo Lin deeply wished she were Huang Qingwan's biological daughter, so she could inherit such looks and stature, giving her an edge over Xu Miaoyin. Noticing Guo Lin's apparent discontent, Huang Qingwan was curious. She gently brushed Guo Lin's hair with her fair, delicate hand. "Lin'er, what's wrong? You haven't touched your chopsticks." Momentarily unsure of what to say, Guo Lin insisted she was fine. "I'm fine, mother, you should eat." Chun Lan, however, was well aware of Guo Lin's thoughts. "Madam, it's because of Supervisor Su." Hearing Chun Lan speak up, Guo Lin was delighted. Chun Lan could voice what she found difficult to express. "Oh?" Huang Qingwan inquired, "What happened?" Chun Lan proceeded to recount the matter involving Xu Miaoyin. Huang Qingwan immediately thought of the stunning heroine she had seen earlier at the restaurant, initially mistaking her for just another dining patron. The realization that the situation involved someone so strikingly unique brought about a sense of self-defeat in comparison. Her figure was only proportionate, while the heroine was unreasonably gifted. Such proximity to Su Lang was unsettling! What if he couldn't resist temptation? Someone had to keep an eye on him! Resolving this, Huang Qingwan assumed a solemn demeanor. "It's quite an issue. Chun Lan, when you have the chance, inform Supervisor Su that our restaurant only provides meals, not lodging." "Yes, Madam!" Chun Lan complied promptly, while Guo Lin rejoiced inwardly at the decision. It was imperative to prevent extraneous influences. Next, Huang Qingwan turned to Chun Zhu. "Chun Zhu, until Xu Miaoyin departs, you will stay at the restaurant to assist Supervisor Su with his personal affairs. Keep a close watch, and ensure no ill-meaning individuals lead him astray." Guo Lin eagerly supported this. "That's perfect. I really sense that Xu Miaoyin has ill intentions." Hearing this arrangement from Madam, a flush crept across Chun Zhu's fair cheeks. The idea of living there temporarily left her wondering how she wouldn’t end up as Su Mo’s prey. However, now that Huang Qingwan had spoken, Chun Zhu could neither alter the decision nor object. She nodded in agreement. "Yes, Madam. I'll retrieve my belongings tonight." Meanwhile, Su Mo leisurely sipped tea in the kitchen, while Xu Miaoyin practiced her skills in her room. The culinary helpers devoured the food he had just prepared with unrestrained gusto, indifferent to decorum. Chef Ma, witnessing the scene, couldn't help but remark. "Supervisor Su, your culinary skills are truly a hidden gem. If you had cooked like this at the General's Residence, we’d all have been out of a job." Delighted by the compliment, Su Mo beamed, although he remained verbally modest. "Not at all, not at all." Just then, Chun Zhu approached. Her blue attire accentuated a refined allure on her rounded face, though she seemingly appeared slimmer, perhaps due to lighter garments. Seeing Su Mo after some time stirred mixed feelings within Chun Zhu. She was supposed to come the previous day, but heavy rain had made it unsafe. "Supervisor Su, Madam Huang wishes to speak with you." "She has something to discuss." Surprised by the invitation, Su Mo was puzzled, fearing she might reclaim the one thousand silver she had invested. So be it. If she demanded it, he’d return it, pretending the money never existed. He still had several hundreds left, which would suffice for the restaurant's profitability. "Alright, Sister Chun Zhu, I'll head up now." Steeling himself for the potential financial blow, he set down his teacup and followed Chun Zhu upstairs. Despite several attempts to inquire about the matter, Chun Zhu remained silent, leaving Su Mo bewildered. Upon entering the General's Residence's private room, the distinct, delicate fragrance of powders wafted through the air. With his culinary talents, Su Mo instantly recognized it as a blend of Huang Qingwan’s personal scent and rose rouge. He refrained from looking up. After all, status mattered, and he had to maintain respect. Observing his demeanor, Huang Qingwan skillfully hid her tenderness. "Supervisor Su, you've worked hard these days. Living alone, you must feel exhausted. Until we recruit new staff, Chun Zhu will help manage your daily tasks. She can also handle your laundry and such." Surprised by such generous arrangements, Su Mo was momentarily taken aback. Leaving such a charming young woman in his care? An array of playful, inappropriate thoughts rushed through his mind. He certainly wouldn't turn down such a favorable offer. Even without proper lodging, he’d find a way to make a partitioned space for Chun Zhu. "I’m grateful, Madam. I really could use someone to handle the laundry." "In that case, Chun Zhu is in your hands." "Thank you, Madam. I’ll take good care of her." ... After spending a short while in the private room, Su Mo returned downstairs. The thought of Chun Zhu moving in with him filled him with an indescribable joy. He wondered if it was divine intervention that had blessed him with such good fortune lately—everything had been going his way. Now, he needed to find Xu Miaoyin and set up a bed so Chun Zhu could share a room with her at night. ... At the Yin-Yang Marketplace, Bai Suzhen and Xiao Qing were strolling along, observing the various peculiar items on display. Although Bai Suzhen felt somewhat ill at ease, she endured it temporarily to evade Fahai's pursuit. Suddenly, a vendor's voice called out through the market. "Knowledge of the past five hundred years, foresight of the next five hundred years—guaranteed or your money back!" Intrigued, Bai Suzhen looked over to see a one-eyed, limping old Daoist seated by the roadside, using a three-foot piece of blue cloth as his stall. On the cloth rested tortoiseshell, divination stalks, copper coins, and a yellowed book titled "The Three Ages." A bit skeptical yet curious about Su Mo, Bai Suzhen couldn't resist approaching the vendor. “Old Daoist, can you truly see five hundred years into the past and future?” The old Daoist's single eye shimmered with a cunning gleam as he saw a potential customer. “Of course, of course.” “Fortune-telling, choosing auspicious dates, geomancy, numerology, character divination—I can do it all. What would you like to know, young lady?” At that moment, Xiao Qing tugged at Bai Suzhen. "Sister, these fortune-tellers might work for ordinary mortals, but they can't possibly discern our origins." Not wanting to lose business, the hobbling old Daoist quickly interjected. “I said it before; if it’s inaccurate, it’s free.” "You can't argue with that," he added. Unable to refute, Xiao Qing conceded, "Alright. But if you go back on your word, I won’t let it slide!" “Rest assured, I stand by my promise. Young lady, what would you like to inquire about?” Bai Suzhen pondered a moment. "Divination by a character." "Which character?" "Su." "From which word?" "The ‘Su’ from Suzhou." "And what are you seeking?" "I'm looking to find where my future lover is." "Very well!" Hearing that Bai Suzhen wanted to divine the character "Su," the old Daoist nodded and leafed through his worn book, "The Three Ages." On a blank, yellowed page, he wrote the character "苏". Then, the old book emitted a misty glow. The old Daoist furrowed his brow. "The 'Su' character has the 'grass radical', suggesting lush greenery—indicative of the southern parts of the Song Dynasty." "Below is the union of water and fire, a sign of vitality, suggesting he is in a city near water." "The south is associated with fire, which has a flowing nature." "From what I gather, your future lover should currently be in a city oriented southeast, near water, a lake, a riverbank, or a river." (End of chapter)