Chapter Ninety-Six: The New Employee at the Medicinal Cuisine Restaurant

Chapter Ninety-Six: The New Employee at the Medicinal Cuisine Restaurant

After school in the afternoon, Su Xiaoran naturally took on the responsibility of escorting the two back to the medicinal cuisine restaurant. Along the way, she decisively proposed the idea of picking up Guoguo every day, as well as having Xu Yun accompany them as a co-driver daily. Xu Yun readily agreed without hesitation.

Upon arriving at the restaurant, Xu Yun invited Su Xiaoran to stay for a meal, but she felt too embarrassed to freeload any longer and quickly left before Ruan Qingshuang could come out.

Back at the restaurant, Guoguo remarked thoughtfully, “I never expected Teacher Su to take the initiative.”

“Initiative? What initiative?” Ruan Qingshuang couldn’t help but laugh at the seriousness on her face. “What are you scheming now?”

Guoguo touched her chin and continued musing aloud, “It seems girls really do like boys who look a little bad. No wonder Dad is so popular—Aunt Wan’er likes him, Teacher Su likes him, and Mom, you’d better watch out now.”

Ruan Qingshuang was speechless. What on earth was this little one thinking about every day?

“Guoguo, can you stop putting labels on me?” Qin Wan’er snapped, fuming. “I like boys who look a little bad, but not those who have actually gone bad! It’s obvious your dad is the latter kind!”

Guoguo scoffed, unimpressed. “The more you hurry to deny it, the guiltier you must feel.”

Her words sounded so reasonable that Xu Yun didn’t stop her from continuing her analysis. Instead, he looked with interest at the new waitress who had just arrived at the medicinal cuisine restaurant and asked Ruan Qingshuang, “Shuang, is she someone you just hired?”

“She’s Lu Feng’s cousin, Lu Wenyi. Lu Feng asked her to come here to get some experience,” Ruan Qingshuang smiled. “There’s also a chef in the kitchen introduced by Kong Zhong—you know him.”

Know him? Xu Yun was taken aback; he didn’t recall knowing any chef.

“Brother Yun!” Liang Shan popped out from the kitchen, grinning at Xu Yun. “Remember me? I’m Shanzi.”

“You?” Xu Yun was stunned. “You can cook? You’re not some enemy spy sent to ruin my reputation, are you?”

Ruan Qingshuang covered her mouth to laugh. At first, she had also doubted Shanzi’s skills, but after tasting a few dishes he made, she was amazed. This guy’s culinary skills were no joke—on par with Xu Yun’s, both having their own ways to remove the medicinal herb tastes from their dishes.

Liang Shan chuckled foolishly. “Brother Yun, my family ran a restaurant when I was a kid. I could handle a big ladle at five, created a dish called ‘Fragrant to Death’—the restaurant’s signature dish—at six, could cook almost all Shandong cuisine by seven, and by eight was familiar with Sichuan, Cantonese, and Hunan cuisines…”

“Stop, stop the resume—I believe you,” Xu Yun raised his hand to halt him. Having a good chef was great news, at least it would free him up. “Shuang asked for you, so you must be good. Work hard.”

“Got it!” Liang Shan nodded vigorously. Being a chef was more stable than running an illegal taxi and didn’t require dodging the police every day.

Xu Yun then thought of something else. “Hey, Shanzi, get your sister to work here too—we’re short-handed anyway.”

Liang Shan blinked. “Really?”

“Do I look like I’m joking?” Xu Yun replied.

“Brother Yun, you’re too kind,” Liang Shan clasped his fists in gratitude.

Curious, Guoguo sniffed the air near the new chef and suddenly exclaimed, “Burnt!”

Liang Shan panicked and rushed back into the kitchen.

Xu Yun smiled faintly. “Shuang, I didn’t expect so many helpers would show up when I’m gone for just a day. Kong Zhong brought a chef, Lu Feng recommended a waitress… What about Dan Hongning? Didn’t he bring anyone?”

“He did,” Ruan Qingshuang shook her head helplessly. “He sent his younger brother for odd jobs, but that kid didn’t cooperate, got scolded by Shanzi, and was chased away. He even threatened revenge this afternoon. Dan Hongning can’t control him and said we can discipline him as long as we don’t kill him.”

Xu Yun was speechless. Even Dan Hongning had to obey in this restaurant, yet his brother dared to make trouble—he really was hopeless. “Then I’ll teach him a lesson.”

“Dad, don’t forget to collect tuition,” Guoguo reminded, never missing a chance to ask for money.

Just then, a high school student dressed in school uniform pushed the door open. No matter how hard he tried to look fierce and domineering, he couldn’t hide his childishness and guilt. “Boss! Where’s the boss?”

“What do you want?” Xu Yun gave the school bully an impatient glare.

The bully froze, stared at Xu Yun, and glared back. “Who’s the chef here? Our Hao Ge wants to have a word with him!”

Xu Yun pointed to himself. “That’s me. Your Hao Ge wants to meet me? Why didn’t he just come in with you all?”

“Our Hao Ge is sparing this medicinal cuisine restaurant out of respect for his own brother. Now you come with me!” The bully tried hard to look intimidating but failed miserably.

Several customers frowned, sighing that young people nowadays were becoming increasingly unruly.

Liang Shan was about to speak from the kitchen but saw Xu Yun wave him off to focus on cooking.

“Fine, I’ll go out and meet your Hao Ge,” Xu Yun said leisurely. With such a capable chef, he could finally rest easy.

The school bully immediately fled out the door, probably his heart racing wildly.

Qin Wan’er gave Xu Yun a sidelong glance. “Hit them harder. These punks don’t study properly; they deserve a little pain.”

Xu Yun smiled and let it go.

“Uh… but he is Dan Hongning’s brother. Maybe don’t go too far?” Ruan Qingshuang worried. Xu Yun was known to be heavy-handed.

Xu Yun replied calmly, “If he weren’t Dan Hongning’s brother, I wouldn’t bother.”

With that, Xu Yun strode out with style. Guoguo sighed again, “No wonder he’s my dad—real manly. No wonder all the women like him…”

“Ahem! Guoguo, don’t drag me into this subjectively, okay?” Qin Wan’er rolled her eyes.

“Aunt Wan’er, if you had nothing to hide, why deny it so hard?” Guoguo said seriously. “I think you’re the one who’s most deeply involved.”

Qin Wan’er couldn’t argue with Guoguo’s sharp tongue and resorted to action instead. “I think your butt itches the most…”

“Mom, help!” Guoguo cried.

…

Xu Yun stepped out of the medicinal cuisine restaurant, where seven or eight high school students were standing by the roadside, smoking and playing on their phones. When they saw Xu Yun come out, each wore a look of defiance. They flicked their cigarette butts to the ground and surrounded him.

“Who’s Hao Ge?” Xu Yun frowned. “What do you want with me?”

“Who are you? I’m looking for their chef!” Dan Jiahao emerged from the crowd, a cigarette dangling from his mouth. “If you don’t want trouble, stay away.”

Suddenly, Xu Yun’s figure flashed, weaving past the group and standing right in front of Dan Jiahao. The latter’s face changed instantly. He felt a gust of wind sweep past, and the cigarette in his mouth vanished. He didn’t even see what happened.

“The new chef is cooking. If you have business, come to me,” Xu Yun said, tossing away the half-smoked cigarette. “Didn’t your brother teach you not to talk to people with a cigarette in your mouth? No manners, and you still want to hang around?”

Dan Jiahao was shocked. “So you’re Xu Yun?”

“Oh, you know quite a bit,” Xu Yun didn’t deny it.

This was the first time Dan Jiahao saw the man his own brother respected so much, totally different from what he had imagined. How could such a guy command his brother’s loyalty? “Stop pretending. You’re not Xu Yun. I advise you to stop causing trouble. Leave now or don’t blame me for being rude.”

“What kind of rudeness?” Xu Yun challenged the punk with a glare.

Suddenly, Dan Jiahao barked an order. “My brothers aren’t people you can mess with! Attack him!”

The seven or eight punks all followed Dan Jiahao because his brother was one of the notorious Three Tigers of Nancheng in Hedong. Hanging out with Dan Jiahao brought prestige and a sense of connection to the street youth.

At his command, they eagerly stepped forward, wanting to show off a little.

Suddenly, someone fell heavily to the ground, causing everyone to freeze. Their belts had somehow been tampered with; when they tried to move, their pants slipped down. The one rushing most aggressively tripped over his own trousers and fell hard.

Xu Yun sneered and tossed seven or eight belt buckles onto the ground. “People who can’t even keep their pants up want to mess with me?”

“Bastard!” Dan Jiahao was furious and lunged to fight.

Xu Yun showed no fear. “You too.”

Hearing this, Dan Jiahao suddenly felt his pants loosen and hurriedly tightened them.

“Did your brother send you here to do odd jobs and you don’t like it?” Xu Yun raised an eyebrow.

Dan Jiahao glared. “Of course I don’t like it!”

Smack!

A heavy slap hit Dan Jiahao, making him dizzy. He never expected this man to strike first, and the slap was so hard it nearly knocked out his front teeth. This bastard was ruthless!

“Like it now?” Xu Yun asked again.

“No!” Dan Jiahao had never been humiliated like this in his life and refused outright.

Without another word, Xu Yun raised his hand and delivered another heavy slap. Dan Jiahao saw stars and was stunned, unable to tell when Xu Yun had struck again. Panic surged in his heart.

By then, the punks who had been struggling with their pants had fixed their problem. Seeing their leader being beaten without resistance, they were dumbfounded. Was there any fight left to have?

Xu Yun turned sharply, and a chilling aura swept over Dan Jiahao and his gang like a raging storm. Their foreheads went cold, nearly causing them to soil themselves. They trembled under the oppressive presence.

From contempt to fear, their entire attitude shifted—all because of one man’s overwhelming aura. Though they refused to admit it, they had been thoroughly intimidated. Genuine fear was the most terrifying.

“Are you willing to do odd jobs or not?” Xu Yun asked Dan Jiahao once more.

Dan Jiahao finally realized this was no fake Xu Yun. No wonder even his older brother was willing to serve under him. So there really was someone who could defeat opponents with sheer presence alone…

“Yes…!” Dan Jiahao’s words marked his complete surrender. Who would have thought this future leader of the Dan family started from washing vegetables and running errands?

“Go do your work,” Xu Yun waved his hand and then glared at Dan Jiahao’s followers. “Aren’t you all leaving?”

Even their leader obediently went to do odd jobs, so his cronies quickly scattered.

[Note: This is today’s first update. Brothers, please take out all the flowers you have! Less than four weeks remain in the new book period. I won’t emphasize again how important flowers are in these weeks. “The Demonic Soldier King” truly hopes for your support. Little Immortal really needs everyone’s help to push it up. Writing is not easy. If you find it somewhat interesting after reading, please throw some flowers, bookmark it, give it a thumbs-up or check-in—it’s just a small gesture for you but means the world to Little Immortal.]