Chapter 83: 驚雷
[Thunderclap *fig. surprising turn of events]
After observing the sky, he realized it was nearly time. Carefully, he retrieved the wine and poured it into specially crafted bottles. The liquid inside glowed with a faint pink hue, carrying a delicate floral fragrance that tempted one to take a sip at the very first whiff. Yet after filling five bottles himself, Tang Xiaobao stopped. The rest would wait for the servants to handle.
Carrying his filled bottles, he walked toward the cellar. Seeing the person waiting for him above, he couldn’t help but smile. “Why are you here?”
“I was handling business nearby and thought to drop by. Waiter mentioned you were in the cellar, so I figured you must be checking on your wine. That’s why I followed.” He glanced sideways at the bottles Tang Xiaobao clutched tightly, smiling faintly. “Looks like your wine is finally ready to drink.”
As Ji Ling reached out, he instinctively handed over the bottle in his grasp. Watching him, he gave a sheepish grin. “I just checked downstairs and confirmed they’re drinkable. I brought these bottles up specifically for you to taste.”
Seeing his cheerful expression, Ji Ling nodded. Freeing one hand, he took Tang Xiaobao’s and led him toward the house. Only once inside did he hand the bottles to the waiter who had been waiting nearby, instructing him to warm them before returning. The waiter complied obediently, bowing respectfully as he carried the bottles away.
After the waiter departed, Ji Ling turned to Tang Xiaobao and asked, “How’s business been lately?”
Hearing Ji Ling’s question, Tang Xiaobao nodded, his face lighting up as if illuminated, radiating a dazzling glow. Smiling at Ji Ling, he replied, “Lately, more people have been coming to eat at my place, and they’re ordering more dishes. But I hired two extra helpers, so it’s not too tiring.”
Listening to Tang Xiaobao chatter on, Ji Ling appeared genuinely interested. After Tang Xiaobao finished a task on his own, Ji Ling even patted his head in a way that felt like praise, offering encouragement. Seeing Tang Xiaobao behave like a docile kitten under his guidance, Ji Ling felt deeply satisfied, his expression clearly pleased.
They chatted for a while until a call from outside summoned Tang Xiaobao to stir-fry the vegetables. He slowly rose and headed toward the kitchen. Ji Ling offered a few final reminders not to overwork himself, then said no more. He understood Tang Xiaobao enjoyed these tasks—that was precisely why he kept at them.
Seeing that lunchtime was approaching, Ji Ling decided to stay put. He wondered whether to call Tang Xiaobao over for a meal together—surely there was time for that. Otherwise, what if he is hungry later?
Coincidentally, Tang Xiaobao was pondering the same thing. Normally, he’d either eat before his shift or grab something light. But today was an exception—his husband had arrived. As he pondered this, Tang Xiaobao also secretly contemplated how he might abuse his position to get someone else to cover his shift.
After the First Lady’s visit last time, the matter had never been brought up again. Even the Second Family, who used to send gifts occasionally, had gone silent. They likely wanted Sang Jiayi to sort things out on her own. But Sang Jiayi’s mind was a tangled mess now—not something that could be untangled easily. Especially since she’d come to understand Ji Tao’s character thoroughly over this period. She didn’t want to marry someone like him, yet she knew Ji Ling would never take her as his wife. If she didn’t marry, she’d have to return to her own family. Aside from her eldest aunt, she had no support whatsoever within the Ji household.
Sang Jiayi was deeply conflicted. Her maid, Xiao Jing, noticed this and recalled the words the matron had shared with her that day. She felt compelled to offer comfort, but ultimately held back, fearing it might create a rift between the two. Instead, her gaze kept drifting over her young mistress, as if she herself were wrestling with an agonizing decision.
During this period, Sang Jiayi hadn’t sought out Tang Xiaobao and the others. Instead, she occasionally dined at that private dining establishment. Even though she hadn’t seen Tang Xiaobao once, Sang Jiayi still found it a deeply satisfying experience.
Being a regular customer, an attendant would usually approach her upon arrival, escorting her to her private room. After Sang Jiayi ordered her usual dishes, the waiter took the menu with both hands, bowed respectfully, and said, “Miss, we’ve recently introduced a new sweet wine. Would you like to try it? It’s specially crafted by our chef and is said to have beautifying effects. Many female guests who’ve tried it have praised it highly.”
Hearing this, Sang Jiayi’s interest was piqued. She looked at him with genuine curiosity and smiled, “In that case, I’ll have some to try.”
Seeing how agreeable she was, the waiter was clearly delighted. He bowed his head slightly and departed with utmost respect.
Only after the waiter was gone did the smile slowly fade from Sang Jiayi’s face. She stared blankly out at the sky. A sudden, absurd thought crossed her mind—she wanted to ask Tang Xiaobao what she should do now. But the thought vanished as quickly as it had come. She shook her head with a self-deprecating smile, thinking she was being rather presumptuous.
Soon, the waiter returned with a neatly arranged table service for Sang Jiayi, bringing a warmed pot of wine that smelled quite delicious. After placing the wine on the table and noticing Sang Jiayi following its movement with her eyes, the waiter remarked with a hint of pride in his voice, “This is wine made by our head chef. He specifically instructed that although its alcohol content is low, drinking too much will still make you drunk. Please be mindful, miss.”
Sang Jiayi’s expression remained composed as she gave a slight nod to indicate her understanding. She then picked up her chopsticks and reached for the fish, its flesh a translucent pink that looked utterly delicious. Feeling the exquisite flavor spread across her tongue, Sang Jiayi felt deeply satisfied. She turned to Xiao Jing standing beside her and said softly, “Xiao Jing, pour me some wine.”
Xiao Jing hesitated for a moment. Her young miss could get drunk after just one glass; she never touched alcohol even within the mansion. Yet, inexplicably, her hand reaching for the wine bottle didn’t stop. While speaking words of caution to her miss, she filled the glass to the brim. Watching her face flush after just one sip, Xiao Jing bit her lip and, urged on by her miss, poured another glass.
After just three cups, Sang Jiayi began staring straight ahead at her glass, murmuring, “Wine really is a wonderful thing. No wonder my father loved it so much.”
“Young miss,” Xiao Jing called softly from the side. Seeing no change in her, uncertainty began to creep in. After another call went unanswered, she realized her mistress was drunk. She then took a handful of something from her bosom, sprinkled it into the wine, stirred it gently, and refilled her mistress’s cup. Watching her drink it down without hesitation, her heart immediately clenched. She watched her miss’s reaction with intense anxiety until finally, seeing no adverse effects, she exhaled in relief—a mix of relaxation and puzzlement.
When Sang Jiayi finally left the private dining establishment, she was practically being supported out by her maid. The waiter who saw her was visibly startled, his eyes filled with disbelief. How could something without any discernible alcohol content get someone this drunk? In the end, it took the help of the waitstaff to get their young miss into the sedan chair.
Watching the figure grow utterly silent once inside the sedan chair, Xiao Jing couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief. But soon, as they emerged onto the street, Ji Tao appeared, standing directly opposite them as if he’d materialized out of thin air. Spotting Xiao Jing, he remarked with a hint of teasing, “Is that your young miss in the sedan chair? If she’s out for some fun, I happen to know a rather splendid place.”
Xiao Jing hadn’t expected to encounter Ji Tao here. Her face froze in surprise, then she seemed to remember something, her expression turning frantic as she glanced toward the sedan chair. Just then, the sedan chair, which had been quiet while they spoke, suddenly jolted. A beautiful woman stumbled out, clumsily stumbling down the steps before throwing herself into Ji Tao’s arms. She kept sniffing at something, as if throwing herself into his embrace.
Seeing this, Ji Tao beamed with delight. Running his fingers through Sang Jiayi’s hair, he remarked softly, “It seems Miss Sang is quite pleased to see me too.”
Xiao Jing stared at Ji Tao in horror, suddenly feeling as if she had made a terrible mistake. Yet, she had no chance to speak.
The next morning, Sang Jiayi awoke to a strange sensation in her body. An instinctive sense of unease washed over her as her hand brushed against something warm and smooth beside her. Her face drained of color instantly. Opening her eyes, she saw the man sleeping beside her.
Recently, Tang Xiaobao’s Peach Blossom Wine had been selling exceptionally well, quietly becoming the favorite drink among the local wealthy ladies. Even in Tang Xiaobao’s absence, the restaurant continued selling these items. The price was exorbitant, yet the wealthy ladies bought them without batting an eye—some even sent their servants back multiple times when they realized they hadn’t purchased enough.
“Boss, this wine is something else—people are practically fighting over it.” The shop’s sole waiter had stayed on after Tang Xiaobao took over the establishment. Noticing the young man’s sharp wit and natural talent for cooking, Tang kept him on as an assistant to learn the culinary arts.
Wiping sweat from his face, Tang Xiaobao announced they were no longer taking customers for the day. He then smiled warmly at the young waiter named Jiang Wei and said, “That’s because there’s a secret in that wine. Women who drink it truly gain beauty and radiance, their faces as rosy as peach blossoms.” His baby-faced features were filled with earnestness.
Jiang Wei smiled and didn’t press further, simply looking at his employer and thinking he was quite the remarkable fellow. Not only did he cook superbly, but he’d even found such a wonderful husband.
Just as he was pondering this, the person sent to fetch Tang Xiaobao arrived. Lü He looked at Tang Xiaobao and said respectfully, “Young Madam, let’s return. Young Master said he’d be home early today.”
Tang Xiaobao removed the apron that had shielded him from the cooking fumes and placed it with the pile of laundry needing washing. He then turned to Jiang Wei and said politely, “Please be so kind as to tidy up here before heading back.”
“Yes, ma’am. You’re too kind, Madam.” Hard work? Not really. Thanks to the Madam, the staff here essentially worked only half a day, yet earned exceptionally high wages. Those who knew they worked here envied the job immensely. And now that he was practically a half-foreman, he rarely had to lift a finger himself.
Returning to the Ji residence with Lühe, he took a bath at her insistence, applying hair and skin care products. Though he found it odd, Lühe insisted she’d do it herself if he didn’t, compelling him to comply. Over time, he even began to notice the benefits.
Only after Tang Xiaobao emerged and confirmed which products he’d used did Lühe take a silk cloth to meticulously towel-dry his hair, all the while murmuring, “Young Madam, your hair has grown a bit dull. I’ll replace your hair treatment soon. Though you’re still young, essential care mustn’t be neglected. “Otherwise, what if those fox spirits lure away our young master? What would become of the young madam then?”
Just as Tang Xiaobao was drifting off from the constant nagging, he heard Ji Ling’s footsteps returning. He jolted upright, rushing to Ji Ling’s side where he was swept into an embrace.
Encircling the child in his arms, Ji Ling recognized the dazed look—Green Lotus had undoubtedly lectured him again. But since it was for his own good, Ji Ling said nothing, instead shooting Green Lotus an appreciative glance.
Then, he leaned down and whispered into Tang Xiaobao’s ear, “Sang Jiayi is going to marry Ji Tao.”
Instantly, the person in his arms froze like a startled hamster, staring at him with a blank expression.
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