Chapter 84: 盯上
[Fixated]
Seeing Tang Xiaobao’s astonishment impossible to contain, Ji Ling wrapped an arm around him and said calmly, “I don’t know the details either. Only the servants gathering intelligence for me mentioned it. Besides, my uncle and the others have all agreed. I expect the wedding ceremony will be held for them before long.”
“Mentioning this, Ji Ling lowered his gaze to the person in his arms, seemingly recalling how he’d only had a simple ceremony when he first followed him. Now, having come here, he’d endured so many hardships.
Thinking of this, he felt even more guilty toward Tang Xiaobao. Holding him close, he sighed softly into his ear, “Though I cannot give you a proper ceremony now, I will make sure everyone knows that one day, you will become the most honored person in the Ji household—second only to me.”
Though Tang Xiaobao didn’t understand why Ji Ling said this, he nodded obediently.
The wedding arrangements for Sang Jiayi and Ji Tao proceeded swiftly. Within less than a month, everything was prepared. Tang Xiaobao witnessed for the first time the spectacle of a wealthy household in full swing. The entire manor buzzed like a bustling marketplace, though amidst the floral splendor, a hint of extravagance lingered.
On the wedding day itself, the guests arrived in such numbers they were impossible to count. Even Tang Xiaobao, considered family, could only watch from beyond the two human walls formed by attendants as the couple performed their ceremonial bows. Staring at the kneeling bride and groom in the center, Tang Xiaobao felt Sang Jiayi’s form tremble slightly. For some inexplicable reason, it stirred an inexpressible ache within him.
After the three ceremonial bows, it was time for the bridal chamber. But since it was still early, Ji Tao merely escorted the bride to her chamber before stepping out. Then came round after round of toasts. As one of only two legitimate sons in his generation, Ji Tao’s status commanded significant respect.
Ji Ling and Tang Xiaobao remained calmly seated at their table, eating and drinking. To be honest, the feast alone was worth the trip. When Tang Xiaobao had eaten his fill, Ji Ling reached out and took his hand, asking softly, “Shall we go back now?”
Tang Xiaobao glanced around at the noisy crowd, recognizing no one. He nodded.
Thus, unnoticed by anyone, the two slipped away quietly. Even those at their table who saw them didn’t try to persuade them to stay, thinking it might be the couple’s private preference. Instead, they turned to chat with other acquaintances.
Before the wedding, Tang Xiaobao hadn’t seen Sang Jiayi. Though he still cared about this friend, he felt it was unavoidable under the circumstances. Days later, Tang Xiaobao happened to encounter Sang Jiayi heading in the same direction. Compared to before, she seemed to carry an added chill about her, appearing slightly thinner. Even the gentle expression that had always graced her face now seemed somewhat obscured.
When Tang Xiaobao greeted her cheerfully, Sang Jiayi offered only a cold nod before turning away with her maid, walking off without a backward glance. Tang Xiaobao froze at her reaction, staring blankly at her retreating figure, utterly bewildered.
As Sang Jiayi walked away with her maid, a fleeting trace of sorrow flickered across her previously distant face before vanishing as quickly as it had appeared.
Noticing Tang Xiaobao’s dejected state, Lü He approached and gave him a gentle pat on the shoulder. She offered reassuring words: “Perhaps Miss Sang was in a hurry to attend to something. If we get another chance, we’ll surely have a proper chat.”
Tang Xiaobao nodded in acknowledgment, though a lingering gloom still hung over him. He couldn’t shake the feeling that Miss Sang’s glance earlier held some deeper meaning—something he couldn’t quite put his finger on, yet it left him with an uneasy, vague discomfort. As he replayed the scene in his mind, his round, dumpling-like face gradually furrowed.
Only upon reaching the shop did his mood begin to ease slightly. Then he spotted Jiang Wei, now promoted to assistant manager, rushing over with an excited look. “Boss, the two new stew soups we launched are incredibly popular! They sell out almost immediately every day. Some customers who couldn’t get any are complaining we shouldn’t make more. What do you think?”
Tang Xiaobao understood what he meant. He thought for a moment, then shook his head.
Seeing this, Jiang Wei said nothing more and obediently followed Tang Xiaobao to the kitchen to lend a hand.
At that moment, Young Master Huang sat with Lei Ming in the teahouse, staring at the two small bowls before him. He inhaled the aroma wafting from them, yet despite the fragrance, he showed no sign of wanting to eat. He merely closed the lids swiftly, sealing in the scent.
After a long while, Young Master Huang turned to Lei Ming and asked, “You claim this soup has medicinal properties, but how could it possibly be better than properly brewed herbal decoctions?”
Lei Ming scratched his head. He wasn’t entirely sure himself, especially since his expertise lay in martial arts. Under Huang Gongzi’s persistent gaze—one that seemed to imply he’d stare until an answer came—he finally scratched his ear and came up with a possible explanation. “Could it be that the chef has some secret recipe? Something that allows the medicinal properties to be infused into the food while still being effective?”
Young Master Huang nodded in tentative agreement. He’d originally ordered it casually—a regular customer at the restaurant, he’d spotted the new dish on the menu and its reasonable price. Little did he know that after tasting it, he felt a refreshing clarity throughout his body. From then on, he subconsciously ordered it every visit until his routine medical checkup. That imperial physician revealed the poison he’d accidentally ingested as a child seemed to be gradually being purged. This was truly earth-shattering news to him.
After that, even when he couldn’t go himself, he’d send his servants to purchase this restorative soup daily for delivery to his residence. He even shared some with Lei Ming. Lei Ming too sensed the extraordinary nature of this soup, so the two of them came here together.
Considering the soup’s efficacy, and how the other soups sold here also possessed similar effects to varying degrees, he thought that if he could secure the person who made the soup to serve him, it would provide a certain assurance in one aspect.
But before that, there was another question: who exactly owned that courtyard? Just then, a knock sounded at the door. The gate swung open, and a tall, slender figure entered, walking straight over to sit beside them.
Upon seeing Ji Ling seated beside him, Young Master Huang suddenly seemed struck by a thought. He turned to Ji Ling, his tone tinged with inquiry. “Do you know who owns that private kitchen?”
Hearing this, Ji Ling turned to look at him, seemingly puzzled by the question. But then, thinking of Tang Xiaobao who should be getting busy by now, his face relaxed involuntarily. He replied to Young Master Huang with humility, “I have a slight acquaintance with the owner there. What might Young Master Huang require?”
Hearing Ji Ling’s question, Young Master Huang remained entirely composed, speaking plainly: “I greatly admire the chef who invented those nourishing soups. I simply wish to ask Brother Ji to convey a message—could that chef be made available? As for the price, everything is negotiable.”
Ji Ling studied Huang Gongzi, detecting no pretense in his eyes. He pondered Tang Xiaobao’s recent actions—nothing particularly out of the ordinary—and wondered why he’d drawn such attention. Just as Ji Ling hesitated over whether to refuse on Tang Xiaobao’s behalf, Huang Gongzi smiled again. “If it’s too much trouble, then there’s no need to trouble you, Ji Gongzi.”
Upon hearing this, Ji Ling glanced up at Young Master Huang, as if something had occurred to him. He spoke directly, “That shop is run by my husband. As for the items inside, they were all procured by my husband.”
Hearing this, Ji Ling saw both men before her start in surprise. Then, Lei Ming spoke with apparent puzzlement, “Brother Ji, why would your husband do such a thing?” In their minds, someone married into a prominent family like this would never, no matter how difficult things got, step out into the public eye. Especially someone like Ji Ling’s husband, who actually cooked food himself. With this thought, the look they gave Ji Ling grew strangely peculiar.
Ji Ling didn’t meet their varied gazes. Instead, his eyes seemed to soften further as he said lightly, “Because he enjoys it. I don’t ask him to earn money. Having a small hobby to tinker with is harmless.”
Both men, having never seen Ji Ling like this before, froze. They exchanged glances, each seeing the astonishment in the other’s eyes. After much deliberation, Young Master Huang decided to abandon his plan. After all, compared to a cook who could only tend to his health, a treasure trove that could bring him a steady stream of wealth was far more important.
Once he grasped this, Young Master Huang became remarkably straightforward. He smiled at Ji Ling and said, “In that case, I apologize for my presumption. But your husband’s creations are becoming increasingly hard to obtain—now even rationed daily. It’s truly a predicament.”
Ji Ling smiled faintly, offering no reply.
Young Master Huang raised an eyebrow, his heart tightening slightly at Ji Ling’s impassive demeanor. Then he recalled how he’d always been fawned over by others. Ji Ling clearly knew his identity, yet treated him like an ordinary person. One could say he was either incredibly carefree or remarkably bold.
Lei Ming sat there, watching the two engage in their silent game. Though he couldn’t decipher what they were doing, he sensed something formidable about it, smiling foolishly.
After a long while, seeing Ji Ling still silent, the young master Huang laughed, patting his shoulder. “Young Master Ji, you truly are an extraordinary man. Your husband must be just the same, to earn such devotion from you. Rest assured, if I can’t touch him, neither can anyone else.”
“Thank you.” Ji Ling knew that even if it was just a light-hearted jest, Young Master Huang was making a sincere promise.