Xie Jiang walked to Xu Hengyan and stopped, then bent down to stare into his eyes. "I admit what you said makes a lot of sense. Going to the Imperial Academy wouldn't be bad for me, but is that truly the only reason you're suggesting it?"
Xu Hengyan, with a righteous air, replied, "In any case, it's for your own good."
Xie Jiang snorted, "Do you think I have too many bad habits and want me to learn to be better?"
Xu Hengyan said, "You're already quite good, but wouldn't it be even better if you could be even better?"
Xie Jiang reluctantly asked, "If I don't learn to be better, will you stop being friends with me?"
What strange wording. Xu Hengyan assured her, "Our friendship won't change."
Xie Jiang tilted her chin. "I think I'm quite good. What's not good about me? Aunt He and the others all say I'm the best young master in the world. What else do I need to learn?"
Xu Hengyan chuckled, "Learning is endless. Whenever I have free time, I also pick up a book and read."
He had already witnessed how people around her doted on her, and thinking of this, Xu Hengyan shook his head.
~
Xu Hengyan and Xie Jiang were discussing whether to attend the Imperial Academy.
At this moment, a group of youths arrived outside the low wall. A flippant voice was heard saying, "The divine chef they were talking about lives here? Which one of you is the divine chef? Step forward and let me have a look!"
The two who were chatting turned to look outside the low wall.
Outside the low wall, there was sudden silence.
Five or six youths were struck dumb by the appearance and demeanor of the two.
Xie Jiang asked, "What do you want?"
From their boisterous words, Xie Jiang and Xu Hengyan had already guessed the identity and intentions of these youths.
"Uh, I, I, I, I'm looking for the divine chef." The youth, who was the center of attention, stammered, unable to meet her eyes.
Xie Jiang asked, "What business do you have with your grandfather?"
The stammering youth continued to stammer, "My grandfather, where is my grandfather?"
Xie Jiang replied, "I am your grandfather. And who are you all?"
The stammering youth was so dazed he almost called Xie Jiang grandfather. A dark-skinned youth with his chest bare quickly pulled him.
Reminded by his companions, the stammering youth finally came to his senses.
He must have been possessed by a ghost just now, almost calling his own father "father."
His father would surely break his legs!
The stammering youth coughed forcefully, cleared his throat, and dared not look directly at Xie Jiang. "Are, are you the divine chef everyone is talking about?"
Xie Jiang said, "It's me. Spit it out if you have something to say."
The stammering youth finally straightened his tongue. "My name is Luo Dahai. My father is Second Master Luo of West Village. In a couple of days, it will be my father's birthday. I heard you are a very good cook, so we've come to invite you to be the chef for the banquet."
Xie Jiang flatly refused, "Not doing it. Get lost!"
Luo Dahai and his six companions, facing Xie Jiang's refusal, didn't dare to utter a word and slunk away with their tails between their legs.
Lu Baohong, hiding in the shadows, was waiting to watch a good show, especially wanting to see the "muddy-legged" Luo Dahai and his group insult that little brat Xie Jiang. He never expected such an outcome.
Where was that fierce spirit he showed when fighting with Luo Shou's gang?
To be so cowardly in front of that little beast Xie Jiang!
Why didn't he just kneel and call Xie Jiang grandfather!
Lu Baohong cursed Luo Dahai and his group as useless "muddy-legs" in his heart, then ran out from the shadows to block their path.
"Xie Jiang agreed to be the chef for the birthday banquet, right? As expected, this matter still requires Brother Dahai to step forward!"
Did a thing covered in mud deserve to call him brother? Didn't he even take a piss to look at himself in the puddle and see what kind of character he was!
Lu Baohong didn't mind addressing him that way; it was Luo Dahai's birthday, not his.
Lu Baohong pretended to know nothing, not knowing that Luo Dahai had been thoroughly rejected by Xie Jiang, and said whatever would stir up trouble.
"Xie doesn't give face to anyone, but he should at least give face to Brother Dahai! Xie has already cooked several meals for Luo Shou and the others from East Village. Now, it's Brother Dahai himself personally inviting him for Second Master Luo's birthday banquet. Xie should be racking his brains to prepare the menu right now, shouldn't he?"
Lu Baohong acted as if he were blind, completely failing to notice Luo Dahai's dark expression. "I wonder if there will be braised pork and braised pig trotters? Those two dishes are simply superb!"
"I humbled myself and said all the nice things, asking Xie to make me a dish of braised pork, and he actually dared to give me a cold shoulder!"
"If it weren't for the fact that Xie still has some use, and the taste of that braised pork is indeed..." Lu Baohong's words weren't entirely false; he dreamt of eating braised pork.
"I'm now just waiting for Second Master Luo's birthday to arrive soon so I can also benefit from the good fortune of Second Master and Brother Dahai and have a taste."
Before Luo Dahai could speak, one of his companions exclaimed, "He didn't agree."
"What?!" Lu Baohong expressed his disbelief. "Xie is so unappreciative, not even giving face to Brother Dahai and Second Master Luo!"
Luo Dahai, with a dark face, said, "Isn't he just a pretty boy? Can he even hold a cleaver? Is it all just talk?"
Heh, stick your neck out and see if Xie can wield a knife.
Lu Baohong said, "I saw Xie's cooking with my own eyes! The aroma was so..."
Lu Baohong couldn't describe it, and his constipated expression said it all.
Another of Luo Dahai's companions licked his lips. "My father and Uncle Da Niu both came to see yesterday and almost managed to snatch a piece from Xiao Hu, but they were stopped by people from East Village. My father said he had never eaten such fragrant meat!"
Luo Dahai said, annoyed, "Didn't your father not manage to snatch it?"
That companion said, "You can tell how good it is just by smelling it. The aroma made everyone's hearts ache. It's impossible that it's not delicious."
"You didn't see how Luo Shou and the others ate. Their heads were almost in the basins, and in the end, Luo Shou and the others were all fighting to lick the bottom of the basin clean..." Lu Baohong deliberately mentioned Luo Shou again.
Luo Dahai and Luo Shou had been rivals since childhood. Luo Shou had already eaten and taken things from Xie Jiang several times, and Luo Dahai was refused so thoroughly on his first visit.
Could Luo Dahai tolerate this?
Absolutely not!
"What does Xie mean by this? He'd rather flatter that Luo Shou than give face to Brother Dahai? Does he think our West Village is inferior to their East Village?"
Lu Baohong continued to instigate shamelessly. He couldn't deal with Xie Jiang himself, so it would be good to use Luo Dahai.
Luo Dahai's companions couldn't stand it anymore.
Xie Jiang could refuse them, but he couldn't let East Village be superior to them. Where was West Village inferior to East Village?
Luo Dahai and his companions, filled with indignation, returned to the small courtyard where Xie Jiang lived.
They had agreed on the way to teach Xie Jiang a lesson, but now, facing Xie Jiang, they didn't even dare to look him in the eye. Xu Hengyan's cold gaze made them even more apprehensive.
But no matter what, they couldn't be inferior to East Village! Otherwise, wouldn't Luo Shou and the others become insufferable! What face would they have left!