Chef Hua-Chapter 684 - 362: Intentions (Part 1)

Magistrate Tao had been an official in Fuzhe County for over three years, and it was indeed time for his transfer. The news was not unexpected, yet considering Lianshun Escort Agency’s good relationship with him, Hua Xiaomai couldn’t help but feel somewhat concerned. She paused in her steps and looked up at Meng Yuhuai.

However, Meng Yuhuai’s expression was unchangingly calm as he said lightly, "The official reassignment document hasn’t arrived yet, but Magistrate Tao has many friends in the capital who have already spread the news. This is almost certainly true. Unless something unforeseen occurs, by next spring he will go to Lu State to become Deputy Prefect, a promotion of half a rank for him, which is definitely a cause for celebration."

"Then..."

Hua Xiaomai hesitated for a long while, frowning as she said, "I remember you telling me that although our business as an escort agency shouldn’t rely too heavily on the government, we cannot do without it either because having the government’s support often facilitates our work. Magistrate Tao has been in Fuzhe County for three years, and your relationship with him has been good. Now that he’s leaving and a new magistrate is coming, won’t you have to start all over again?"

"So what if we do?"

Meng Yuhuai smiled and tossed the iron hammer he was holding up in the air, "Lianshun Escort Agency has been open for nearly twenty years and has seen seven or eight magistrates come and go. To us, this is nothing new. Do you think because one is leaving, we can no longer continue our business? I know what you are worried about. Don’t think too much, everything Uncle Ke managed to do, I can handle just as competently. All you need to do is rest easy, alright?"

Knowing him to be a dependable person, Hua Xiaomai felt reassured by his confidence. She pursed her lips, smiled, and nodded, then said, "So, by telling me this, are you planning on holding a banquet at Daoxiang Garden to celebrate Magistrate Tao’s promotion and tenure?"

Meng Yuhuai pondered for a moment, then shook his head slowly, "There’s no rush for that, let’s wait for the document to arrive and the dust to settle before we organize this. I just wanted to remind you that you should find a suitable time to invite his wife to the Daoxiang Garden—our garden owes some of its success to her, and since they will be leaving Fuzhe County in a few months, we ought to show some appreciation."

"I understand, do you think I’m a fool?"

While no one was nearby, Hua Xiaomai took his arm and quickly released it, "Don’t worry, I certainly know how to arrange it."

The two walked on in silence for a while, before Meng Yuhuai turned to glance at Hua Xiaomai’s arm and asked, "By the way, I almost forgot to ask you, is there something wrong with your hand? I had planned to take you to a doctor when we got back from the Provincial City, but it slipped my mind since you weren’t complaining of pain. How is it now?"

"It’s fine, it stopped hurting a long time ago!"

Hua Xiaomai raised her arm in front of him and waved it twice, chuckling, "It did not damage the bones, it was just a bit overused. We spent two days relaxing in the Provincial City, and I felt much better—look, didn’t I spend a whole day working at the shop yesterday? If it still hurt, how could I have managed that?"

"Well, alright then," Meng Yuhuai said, half-seriously glancing at her, "but still, you should be more careful. We are in the city today, why didn’t you think to find a doctor to check it out? You..."

"Oh my, you’re so naggy!" Hua Xiaomai waved her hands vigorously, cutting him off, "Why do you keep going on and on? I am trying to talk about something important here! Are you free on the twentieth of July?"

"The twentieth of July? Should be... I don’t have anything special planned, why do you ask?" Meng Yuhuai’s lips curled slightly.

"Don’t ask so many questions, just remember not to schedule anything important on that day. I won’t take up your time during your work, you just need to come back to the village early in the afternoon and head straight to Daoxiang Garden, leave everything else to me."

After dropping this line, she rushed ahead, leaving Meng Yuhuai and Tie Chui behind.

"Uncle..."

Tie Chui, who didn’t talk much and couldn’t get a word in, was already bored and mumbled something to Meng Yuhuai. Extending his chubby little arms, he pointed forward forcefully: "Home, let’s go home!"

"Alright," Meng Yuhuai glanced at Hua Xiaomai ahead, smiled kindly down at him, and said, "Let’s go home and play with your brother, shall we?"

After speaking, he hurried forward with Tie Chui in his arms to catch up.

...

In the following days, the Meng Family was indeed very busy.

They harvested the chili peppers from the fields, transporting the majority to their two stores, keeping a small portion for seeds, and as usual, selling the rest.