Horror Camgirl - Ch. 49: Encounter with Yin Shengyao Again
A-Ling twisted her waist as she walked in, her face stern. "Why isn’t it ready yet? Do you still want this job?"
I pointed at a pot of soup in front of me. "The first dish is ready."
A-Ling snapped angrily, "What kind of dish is this?! Are you trying to mess with me?"
I replied confidently, "A-Ling Jie, don’t worry. This dish will absolutely satisfy the guests. If you don’t believe me, just serve it and see."
Though she was reluctant, someone was urging her. She glared at me and said viciously, "Just wait. If the guest gets upset, watch how I deal with you."
With no other choice, she signaled a waitress to take the soup up.
In the luxurious private room, a middle-aged man was entertaining a young guest, accompanied by a few other important-looking figures, each with a stunning beauty by their side.
The waitress brought in the soup, announcing, "One Leaf Boat."
Upon seeing it, someone laughed aloud, "Hahaha! Mr. Zheng, your chef is something else! A bowl of clear water with a leaf floating on top, and you call it 'One Leaf Boat'?"
Mr. Zheng’s face darkened as he turned to A-Ling and barked, "What kind of service is this?"
A-Ling instantly regretted it and rushed to say, "I'll have them change it right away."
"Wait!" The young lead guest interrupted, "Serve me a bowl."
One of the other bosses immediately poured him a bowl, which he took a sip of. His eyes flashed with a glimmer of surprise, and he finished the entire bowl, remarking, "Not bad."
The others were puzzled. It looked like plain water – what was so special?
They each took a bowl. Upon tasting it, their expressions changed instantly.
They had never tasted such delicious soup! Though it appeared as clear as water, the flavors were rich, almost making them swallow their tongues in delight.
Moreover, after drinking it, they felt a warm comfort throughout their bodies, and even some minor aches and fevers seemed to ease.
They quickly emptied their bowls, and one man commented, "Mr. Zheng, your establishment lives up to its reputation! I can’t wait for the next dish."
"Don’t worry, Mr. Hu, no one’s letting you down. Everyone knows you’re the most discerning gourmet in the southwest." He turned to A-Ling. "Go check on the next dish."
The young lead guest said, "No need to rush; good work takes time."
Mr. Zheng quickly nodded. "Yes, yes, let her take her time. It must be done well."
Back in the kitchen, I had prepared three more dishes. The fragrance wafted through the air as the servers took each one out. After finally finishing all eighteen dishes, I was exhausted, even though I only infused each one with a tiny bit of Spiritual Energy.
Feeling hungry myself, I made a quick egg fried rice. Just as I was about to eat, A-Ling came in with a stern expression, saying, "The honored guest is very satisfied with your dishes and wishes to meet you. Come with me."
I frowned. "Is this really necessary?"
"If you upset the guest, you won’t get your pay," she replied coldly.
I felt displeased, but I put down my spoon and followed her.
"Take off your hat and mask," she said. "If the guest thinks you’re sick, it won’t just be about your paycheck."
So many rules! I’m just a cook!
I complied and followed her to a lavish private room. I entered, bowed slightly, and greeted, "Good evening, gentlemen."
As I raised my head, the room fell silent.
I froze too.
The young man sitting in the seat of honor was none other than Yin Shengyao.
He’s the esteemed guest tonight? What a small world – why do I keep running into him?
Yin Shengyao stared at me, lost in thought.
"Young Master Yin, are you satisfied?" Mr. Zheng asked, smiling. "This is the last dish I prepared especially for you."
I gave him a fierce glare. What does he mean by this? Wasn’t I just hired as a chef?
"Quite the privileged young master," one man sneered.
"Mr. Zheng really pulled out all the stops this time," another chimed in. "Where did you find this rare gem who’s both a talented chef and stunningly beautiful?"
"Truly enviable."
Mr. Zheng laughed. "Rest assured, gentlemen. Tonight, we’ve arranged plenty of entertainment to ensure everyone leaves satisfied."
I’d had enough. It dawned on me that Aunt Li had set me up. She’d tricked me here under the guise of cooking, but her real intentions were far from innocent.
I raised my voice, "Gentlemen, there seems to be a misunderstanding. I am only here as a chef, nothing more."
With that, I turned and strode toward the door. Mr. Zheng’s face twisted in fury. "You dare defy me, A-Ling!"
"Wait," Yin Shengyao interjected, stopping him. Then he followed me out.
As he left, the other men exchanged knowing glances.
"Hah, even a hero can't resist beauty," one of them said. "No matter how high Young Master Yin’s status or how aloof he seems, he’s still a man, as long as he’s straight. He’ll feel something."
"Mr. Zheng, seems you’ll get the biggest share of the spiritual elixir this time."
Mr. Zheng grinned. "Gentlemen, rest assured, we’re all family here. As long as I have a sip of that elixir, so will each of you."
Fuming, I stormed back into the kitchen. The other chefs had all vanished. I hurriedly packed my things to leave, but suddenly, Yin Shengyao stood before me, gazing down at me silently.
Seeing him made my anger flare. My tone turned cold. "Mr. Yin, please move aside."
He remained unmoved, like an unyielding mountain.
I gritted my teeth. "Surely Mr. Yin doesn’t want to sample my ‘last dish’?"
After a pause, he replied, "What if I do?"
My heart clenched. Memories of past nightmares surged back.
Ever since that incident, I’d often woken in the dead of night, haunted by the hatred in his gaze.
The physical wound from his kick had healed long ago, but the wound in my heart? Who knew when that would ever heal?
I took a deep breath, fighting to keep calm. "I’m here only to cook."
His eyes fell on the plate of fried rice on the stove. "Did you make this?"
"Yes."
He sat at the stove, picked up a spoon, and ate it, bite by bite.
The rice had gone cold, yet he savored it, finishing every grain.
"How about working as my chef?" he asked. "I’ll pay you ten thousand a day. It’s a hundred times easier than this job, with no risk."
"Not interested," I replied icily. "If there’s nothing else, I’ll be leaving. Mr. Zheng can send today’s pay to my account."
"There’s a trace of Spiritual Energy in your dishes."
I paused mid-step. "What did you say?"
"We martial artists can sense even the faintest hint of Spiritual Energy," he explained, coming up behind me and lowering his voice. "This Spiritual Energy aids in our cultivation."
He continued, "There are many herbs with Spiritual Energy, but most of them are too impure. My family spent years developing a spiritual elixir that purifies this energy, which promotes health and vitality. But compared to the Spiritual Energy in your dishes, that elixir is worthless."
A chill crept over me. I’d thought nothing of cooking, but he saw through it all.
This man was dangerous. He was deeply calculating, always in control, as if no one could escape his grasp.
I clenched my fists. How could I ever defeat such a formidable foe?
No, Yuan Junyao, you can’t give up!
I reminded myself to think of my brother, Shen Anyi, lying in the hospital. Of myself. Of the way he humiliated me, taking what was most precious to me and stabbing me in the heart.
Someday, I would avenge this.
I said calmly, "I just use a few special methods to prepare ingredients, nothing more. It’s not something that can be mass-produced, so you needn’t worry about me becoming a competitor."
"You think that’s why I want you to cook for me?" He suddenly reached out, gently curling a lock of my hair between his fingers. "What if I told you I simply wanted to eat the food you make?"
"Sorry, I don’t want to cook for you," I said firmly, turning to leave without looking back.
He watched me go, then lifted his fingers to his nose, inhaling with a complicated look in his eyes.
As I left the private club, I felt cold sweat trickling down my back, my hands trembling slightly.
Yin Shengyao was terrifying. Just his presence put immense pressure on me.
I clenched my fists. I had to become stronger.
Back home, there was a knock on my door. To my surprise, it was Aunt Li. She wore a forced smile, bowing repeatedly. "Jun Yao, I’m here to apologize."
My face darkened. "Aunt Li, I don’t recall offending you. Why did you set me up?"
"It was a misunderstanding, truly a misunderstanding! I didn’t do my research. I honestly thought it was a cooking job. Jun Yao, please, forgive me this once?"
Seeing my silence, she hurriedly pulled out a bank card. "Jun Yao, there’s twenty thousand in here. Ten thousand is your pay from Mr. Zheng, and ten thousand is my apology. You must accept it."
I frowned. "I can’t take your apology money."
Aunt Li paled, begging, "Jun Yao, please, I’m begging you. If you don’t take it, my son’s finished."
Comments
Post a Comment