Chapter 143：It Is Indeed You

After Deng Haichuan left, Helian Jing thought hard about who he could ask help from. His big brother was out as he would just definitely ignore him. Xia Chunfeng! That was perfect! Chunfeng was now working in Crown Prince's Office so he would be able to check the documents in the name of the Crown Prince!

Helian Jing immediately left and headed to Crown Prince's Office to look for Xia Chunfeng.

After hearing his story, Xia Chunfeng accompanied Little Jing to the constables. 

They used the excuse that the Crown Prince was the one looking for the documents which made the people from the constables retrieve it .

When they saw the signature on the document, the two exchanged dumbfounded looks.

"How... how can it be my brother?" Xia Chunyu asked, incredulous.

Helian Jing also didn't know what to make of it. Wasn't Brother Chunyu and Yaoyao pretty close? Why was he doing this to Yaoyao?

"There must be some misunderstanding here. My brother may have bought the restaurant but that doesn't necessarily mean that he's the one running it. His subordinates could be making the rules here," Xia Chunfeng guessed.

Helian Jing nodded belatedly. Yes, that made much more sense. "What should we do?

Xia Chunfeng replied, "Let's go straight to my brother. This is his matter, it would be more appropriate for him to solve it."

Both of them rushed to the palace only to find out that he has already left. They went to the Jing An Marquis Residence next where they were told that he wasn't also there.

"Where on earth is your brother?" Helian Jing asked anxiously.

"How would I know? Why don't we just go to Heavenly Residence and tell Li Yao about this?"

In the Heavenly Residence's kitchen, Ye Jiayao was cooking numbly. She has lost all her passion and enthusiasm to cook and her actions have become mechanical.

Little Lu brought a new list of orders in. "Brother Yao, there is one more table added on the second floor. This is the order." 

Zhong Xiang said, "Give it to me, I am in charge of the second floor."

"But Manager Zhao said that this customer wants Brother Yao to cook for him," Little Lu protested.

"Bring it here," Ye Jiayao said. One more table doesn't really matter to her. If there are still customers outside, she wouldn't be able to leave anyway.

"But the third floor has been constantly full all afternoon..." Zhong Xiang has noticed that Li Yao didn't speak much today. It was apparent that he wasn't in a good mood and Zhong Xiang just wanted to help him.

Ye Jiayao forced a smile. "It's not a problem. It's just a few dishes."

Zhong Xiang passed the order list to her. "They are all troublesome dishes."

Ye Jiayao scanned the list and quickly ordered, "Haichuan, cut some tofu slices, Wang Mingde, Dongpeng, mince two catty of meat and prawn paste. Check if the roasted duck is done…"

After the Wen Si Tofu was served, Ah Xing brought it back.

"Brother Yao, the customer said that this Wen Si Tofu is too thick and is requesting for it to be redone."

"What? Who is that demanding customer?" Deng Haichuan asked angrily. He was the one who cut the tofu, and it was definitely not too thick! This was the first time someone complained to him about that!

Everyone echoed his sentiments, piqued.

Ye Jiayao said calmly, "I'll cut it."

Deng Haichuan's tofu slices were actually good, just a little thicker than hers.

"Don't make the dishes on this order sheet, I will do it myself." 

The second time it got sent out, it did not get sent back.

However, not long later, Ah Xing returned again with the double flavored egg roll. "Brother Yao, the customer said that the duck's skin is too old."

Wang Mingde said, "This is the only roasted duck we have. We have used up the rest and this one is just slightly older."

"Who is so f*cking picky?" Deng Haichuan was losing his patience.

Ye Jiayao said, "Ah Xing, tell the customer that the roasted duck is all sold out for today. Get him to change his order."

Ah Xing went to negotiate and came back saying, "The customer ordered Buddha Jumps over the Wall. Brother Yao, we don't have this dish in our restaurant!"

Finally, Ye Jiayao got angry. 

She put her knife down and said, "Ah Xing, which room is the customer in? I will talk to him."

"He is in Manager Zhao's room and he's serving him personally."

Everyone stilled. If Manager Zhao was serving him personally, he's either the Emperor or the new owner. Guess which one was it?

Ye Jiayao would finally meet this mysterious owner.

She headed straight to the second floor and stopped in front of Manager Zhao's room.

She knocked on the door.

In a flash, Manager Zhao opened it and frowned upon seeing her. "Shouldn't you be cooking in the kitchen? What are you doing here?"

From the way he was blocking the doorway, Ye Jiayao knew that it was indeed the owner inside. She pushed him aside and said, "Passing messages through Ah Xing is such a hassle so I came here to deliver it myself."

Xia Chunyu.

Song Qi was standing at his side, serving him.

Ye Jiayao asked emotionlessly, "Are you the new owner?"

It suddenly made sense why she was tasked to deliver the dishes to Zui Chun Lou, why her wages got deducted, why her dishes were picked on...

There are men that turn into an enemy once the relationship fizzles out. Clearly, she had the misfortune of meeting one.

"I am here to spot check today," Xia Chunyu simply said.

Ye Jiayao laughed, anger swiftly rising in her. "Very well. I would suggest to you that you say everything you need to instead of inconveniencing everyone by delivering it piece by piece.

He smiled as if everything was just perfectly normal. "I found many problems today, Head Chef Li. You better think of a way to solve it."

"Brother Chunyu…"

Helian Jing and Xia Chunfeng barged into the room and was surprised at what they saw.

"Li Yao, why are you here? You already know?" Xia Chunfeng asked.

Ye Jiayao watched Xia Chunyu coldly. She never would've thought that it'd be him. She never expected him to buy a restaurant just so he could torment her. Thousands and thousands of silver just to make her life a living hell. Well, he spent more than 10,000 silvers for me, that's for sure.

"Brother Chunyu, the manager that you hired keeps targeting Yaoyao. What is going on? Yesterday was a holiday and he still made Yaoyao deliver dishes to Zui Chun Lou. Is this what a head chef should do?" Helian Jing quickly started complaining.

"Little Jing, stop it," Ye Jiayao shouted. She knew that it wasn't Manager Zhao's fault since he's only acting on orders.

Xia Chunyu let out a cold laugh. She went to Little Jing to grumble about her problems. Figures.

"A head chef is also a worker, what is wrong with him delivering dishes? If others can do it, why can't he? And only someone like him, with the status of a head chef, is fit to deliver dishes for Liu Yiyi, don't you think so?" Xia Chunyu drawled.

"Second brother, how can you say that?" Xia Chunfeng was outraged. His brother wasn't usually like this!

Helian Jing yelled indignantly, "What did Yaoyao ever do to you? Why must you bully him like that? Liu Yiyi is just a promiscuous woman! How could she even compare to Yaoyao?

"Little Jing, this is my restaurant's operational matters. As an outsider, you have no say in any of this."

"Outsider? Yaoyao is my friend! I cannot allow you to do this to him."

"Little Jing, stop it!" Ye Jiayao screamed, fed up with everything. "Go home! I will settle my problems by myself."

She thought that after last night's humiliation, she wouldn't have to see to see that bastard again. Now, as her employer, there's no escaping him.

Helian Jing looked at Yaoyao, feeling sorry for her. Why was Brother Chunyu doing this to her? Did he also confess to Yaoyao? Did he get rejected so he's turning his embarrassment into anger and picking on Yaoyao purposely?

Ye Jiayao raised her eyes to look at Chunyu. "You want Buddha Jumps over the Wall, right? Wait."

Helian Jing followed her out. "Yaoyao, I will help you get out of your contract." 

She was moved by Little Jing's dedication to her. She wanted to cry but she already swore last night that that was the last time she was going to be weak. No more. I can't afford to let Chunyu see me broken.

"Little Jing, I appreciate your kindness, but I will not accept it. It's just three years, it will pass by in a flash." Ye Jiayao lowered her head, now wanting Little Jing to see the sorrow and hurt in her eyes. "Go on, I still have to work."

In the room, Xia Chunfeng asked, puzzled, "Second Brother, why are you making things difficult for Li Yao? Did he offend you?"

Xia Chunyu looked at him from the corner of his eyes. "Why are you with Little Jing?"

"Little Jing wanted to find out who is the new owner of Heavenly Residence so he got me to help him check. I can't believe that it is you, Second Brother! When did you buy the restaurant? Why are you so rich?"

Xia Chunyu snorted. Little Jing really was willing to go to drastic lengths just for her. How sweet. Not.

"Second Brother, even if Li Yao has offended you in some ways, can't you just be more forgiving and forget about it?" Xia Chunfeng persuaded.

"Why do you think I am making things difficult for him? I am merely running my business. I bought the restaurant to earn some money and I do things with the interest of the restaurant at heart. I don't think there is anything wrong with that."

Xia Chunfeng was confused. Was that it? But Little Jing made it sound very serious and Li Yao's expression didn't seem right, too.

"If he can't take such grievance, then how is he going to continue working? He's just like us. Don't we also have to be lectured by our superiors?" Xia Chunyu continued.

"But comparing him to Liu Yiyi is a little inappropriate," Xia Chunfeng told him.

Xia Chunyu shook his head. "How is it inappropriate? Liu Yiyi sells her talent and not her body. A woman who has great talent and passion, principled and incorruptible, is worthy of respect."

Xia Chunfeng rolled his eyes frustratedly. He could never win against his second brother. "Whatever. I'm hungry. I've been so busy looking for you, I didn't get the chance to have my dinner."

After taking two bites, Xia Chunfeng said cheekily, "Second Brother, since this restaurant belongs to you now, does this mean I can have free food?"

Xia Chunyu didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Fine. You can eat here every day, but you have to keep it a secret, otherwise, I would go bankrupt. If that happens, I'm going to ask you for money."

"I promise to keep it a secret," Xia Chunyu vowed laughingly.