nucmednet Chapter 66 I'm Here to Find Him
Chapter 66 I'm Here to Find Him
"Hahaha..." A hearty, slightly hoarse laugh rang out, and an old man dressed in tattered clothes, his hair disheveled, strode over. His face was beaming, revealing a set of clean, white teeth. "This old man of mine is called Lu Lianshan, just a wandering beggar. I've come today for two reasons: first, to see if that brat Liu Yufeng is alright; second, hehe, I was lured here by the delicious aroma wafting from your stall!" He then sniffed the air, looking thoroughly delighted.
"I searched around here for ages but couldn't find that brat Liu Yufeng. I was wondering where I could get some food. But then, this smelled so good, it made my mouth water! So, this old man had a wicked idea: I'd sneak a piece of meat to try before continuing my search for that brat. But who would have thought, 'What I was looking for was right under my nose!' I've run into two such capable young friends. You must have saved that brat Liu Yufeng, right? Hahahaha!" The old beggar became more and more excited as he spoke, gesturing wildly as if he had gotten a great deal.
As he spoke, he kept toying with a bright green stick in his hand. The stick was crystal clear, like jade, and faintly exuded a mysterious aura. Under the sunlight, it shimmered with a mesmerizing light.
Ye Qingchen keenly observed the old man, Mr. Lu, and quickly discerned some clues. He was dressed in tattered clothes, with ragged strips of cloth fluttering in the wind, but upon closer inspection, it became clear that despite his simple attire, Mr. Lu harbored an undisguised craving for delicious food.
Moreover, to Ye Qingchen's surprise, despite his seemingly unkempt appearance, Old Master Lu was actually very clean. Not only did he have no unpleasant odor, but his hands and face were also spotless, and his perfectly white teeth were particularly eye-catching.
Thinking of this, Ye Qingchen smiled slightly and said warmly, "Grandpa, since you are Young Master Liu's good friend, then we are naturally friends too! We haven't eaten yet, so why don't you wait a moment while we enjoy our meal together? Today I've specially prepared some top-quality osmanthus wine. This wine is not only mellow and fragrant, but it also won't make you drunk easily. It's a perfect match for this fragrant roasted lamb! In addition, I've also carefully prepared steamed sea bass, four-happiness meatballs, brown sugar lotus root, braised pork trotters, and other delicious dishes. You must taste them carefully later and help me judge how they taste!"
The sprightly old man strode over with a steady gait, a kind smile on his face. "Alright, alright, young lady," he said, "let me tell you a story. Back in the day, I was a regular at the imperial kitchens of various countries! Hehe, those heavily guarded places couldn't stop my skills. I'd often sneak into the imperial kitchen when no one was looking, and indulge in some real food and drink! I've tasted every delicacy enjoyed by any emperor! So, when it comes to knowledge of food, if I dare say I'm second, then no one dares to claim first. I'm a true gourmet!"
Hearing this, Ye Qingchen couldn't help but laugh heartily at the old man's witty and humorous words. She clasped her hands together and said very respectfully, "Haha, that's wonderful! Since you are an experienced gourmet, then please have a good taste of the dishes I have prepared today, and give me your valuable opinions and comments!"
At this moment, everyone present was dumbfounded, their faces filled with disbelief. They never imagined that the renowned and revered Young Master Ye would actually be a woman! This astonishing discovery plunged everyone into utter astonishment.
Dong Nanxi, in particular, stared wide-eyed, his mouth agape. He simply couldn't believe that he had known Young Master Ye for so long yet had never realized she was a woman. Recalling all the details of their past interactions, he was filled with remorse, blaming himself for being so dense, failing to see such an obvious fact.
When Dong Nanxi realized that if Young Master Ye was a woman, then the Seventh Prince, whom she had always followed, was very likely the equally renowned but always low-key and reserved Young Master Gu Changfeng, an indescribable shock welled up in her heart. Young Master Gu was exceptionally talented and highly skilled in martial arts, but he never showed off his abilities, always maintaining a humble and mysterious demeanor. Now, thinking back, perhaps it was precisely because of Young Master Ye's—no, now she should be called Miss Ye Qingchen—deliberate protection that Young Master Gu was able to avoid too much attention and disturbance from the outside world.
Dong Yijia was also stunned. It turned out that the Young Master Ye she had always admired was actually a girl. At such a young age, her skills were already so high—truly impressive. Han Zhi and Zhao Fei were also stunned. They were all followers of Young Master Ye, but since she had said she worked for the Seventh Prince, none of them intended to follow the Seventh Prince; they only followed Ye Qingchen. Now, it seemed she and Young Master Gu were husband and wife. They finally understood why the two of them always slept in the same room!
Ignoring everyone's astonished gazes, Ye Qingchen invited them to come and eat: "Come, come, the food is ready, we need to eat quickly, everyone, come and sit down." So everyone sat down at the two tables. Gu Changfeng, Ye Qingchen, the old man, Liu Yufeng, Dong Nanxi, Xiao Yue'er, Han Zhi, and Zhao Fei sat at one table. The others sat at another. Ye Qingchen took a dagger and cut the lamb into ribs, legs, head, and other cuts. The sharp dagger moved like a nimble fish, deftly gliding between the roasted lamb pieces. Each cut released an enticing aroma, making everyone's mouths water. Soon, pieces of golden-brown, crispy, tender lamb, emitting a rich fragrance, were precisely placed into each person's bowl.
Ye Qingchen took special care of Grandpa Lu and Liu Yufeng, giving them two extra, plump lamb chops. Upon seeing this, the two men's faces immediately lit up with joyful smiles.
Although Liu Yufeng was still injured, he had recovered considerably after a day of rest. Nevertheless, Ye Qingchen, worried that drinking alcohol would affect his recovery, strictly forbade him from touching it. However, the thoughtful Ye Qingchen had specially prepared sweet and delicious milk tea for everyone to enjoy. Thus, poor Liu Yufeng, even though he desperately wanted to taste the fragrant osmanthus wine, could only obediently pick up his milk tea cup and take a small sip. Although the milk tea was indeed delicious, his mind was still preoccupied with the wine that haunted his dreams.
In contrast, Old Master Lu appeared much more relaxed and content. He happily accepted his portion of lamb chop, and the moment the tender, juicy meat entered his mouth, his already bright eyes shone even brighter. At that moment, it seemed as if all the beauty in the world had converged on this small piece of lamb chop, leaving him utterly captivated. He even secretly thought: how wonderful it would be if I could enjoy this forever!