“Damn you! You actually touched my woman!” Dong Wenzhong was so consumed by rage that he couldn’t hold back.
Dong Wenqiang, no weakling himself, instantly bristled at the punch. He glared at the man, who was thinner and shorter than him, then raised his hand and struck back. “Dong Wenzhong, you can’t even hold onto your own woman, and you dare to hit me? Let me tell you, not only did I sleep with Chen Yanran, but Dong Wenjie did too! And believe it or not, it was her first time with him! You say you do too, but isn’t it more comfortable to keep her for Wenjie and me?”
Dong Wenzhong trembled with fury. Chen Yanran, that manipulative woman, pretending to be so proper in front of him, but being so wild behind his back!
Dong Wenqiang, having said his piece, was too lazy to argue further. He landed another punch and ran off. Dong Wenzhong stood there, unable to calm down, burning with the desire to rush back and settle the score with Chen Yanran.
Xu Ying rode her bike home, eager to finally use her marrow-cleansing pills. Now she could use them openly. Before taking the pill, she went to the kitchen and boiled several pots of hot water, adjusting the temperature in the bath bucket. Then, she took the pill. Perhaps it was because of her frequent cooking recently, but her skin felt greasy.
As soon as she took the Marrow Cleansing Pill, a searing pain coursed through her body. It felt as if her entire being was steeped in grime. Impurities began to secrete from every pore, making her skin oily, smelly, and incredibly dirty. Even her usually flawless face was affected.
About half an hour later, as the pain subsided, Xu Ying looked at herself with disgust and immediately ran to the bathtub. She didn’t jump in directly but scooped up water from the washbasin, pouring it over herself to rinse off the worst of the grime before finally immersing herself in the tub. After a long, comfortable soak, she grabbed a bath towel from her spatial storage and scrubbed vigorously. Then, she changed the bathwater and soaked again before finally emerging. She stretched, feeling incredibly comfortable. As expected, the marrow-cleansing pills were powerful; after using them, she felt as if every pore on her body was open and breathing.
Xu Ying slept the most soundly that night.
Early the next morning, Xu Ying rose early, ready for a new day. She stretched and washed herself, then pushed her bicycle, preparing to head to work. On the way, her right eye kept twitching, and Xu Ying’s heart skipped a beat. The older generation always said that a twitch in the left eye brought wealth, while a twitch in the right eye signaled disaster. Her right eye continued to dance. Could something bad happen today?
Xu Ying immediately thought of Zhang Quanquan. That guy had been far too suspicious recently. But she still couldn’t understand what his potential firing had to do with her.
As soon as Xu Ying entered the restaurant, she was especially wary of Zhang Quanquan. However, she found that he seemed like a different person today, no longer acting overly enthusiastic toward her. This was a relief; it saved her from worrying.
“This is the new apprentice, Xiao Liu, Liu Guohua. We’ll be colleagues from now on. Let’s take care of each other.” Just like when Xu Ying first started, Director Hong came to the restaurant to make the introduction. When Zhang Quanquan had arrived, he hadn’t received this kind of treatment. Everyone immediately speculated that the new guy either had a powerful background or possessed exceptional skill. Zhang Quanquan was then called out by Director Hong.
Gao Guihua watched the scene unfold, feeling even more pleased. “I knew Zhang Quanquan wasn’t suited for cooking. He’s finally leaving.”
Gao Xianghong was more diplomatic than Gao Guihua. She smiled and said, “It’s just a waste of time to be in a position you’re not suited for. It would be better to be transferred elsewhere. Maybe he’ll discover his talents later and even get a promotion in the future.” Gao Guihua looked a little displeased at her words.
Sun Lifang watched the unfolding drama like she was enjoying a show. This was the first time she had witnessed a conflict between Gao Guihua and Gao Xianghong in such a long time.
Xu Ying remained indifferent to it all, focused on her cooking in the kitchen. She was deeply absorbed in her work. When people asked her why, Xu Ying always said, “I love cooking. Every time I see people enjoying the food I make, I feel very proud.”
Sun Lifang and the others couldn’t quite understand Xu Ying’s deep satisfaction. But Xu Ying’s cooking truly was delicious. Of course, Xu Ying was proud. Every time she heard the system remind her to increase her favorability points, she felt a flood of money coming her way.
Zhang Quanquan returned a short while later, a forced smile on his face. When he looked at Xu Ying, his smile was uglier than a cry. “Dear colleagues, today is my last day at work. I’m honored to have worked with you for so long. Even if we’re not colleagues in the future, we’ll still be friends,” Zhang Quanquan said with an air of sadness.
Everyone was a little moved by his words. Especially Gao Guihua, who suddenly felt a pang of guilt, wishing she hadn’t spoken so harshly earlier. Fortunately, Zhang Quanquan hadn’t heard her.
The new recruit, Xiao Liu, Liu Guohua, quickly changed into his work clothes and entered the kitchen. As soon as he was in, he rushed towards Xu Ying, his face bright with excitement. “Master Xu, I admire your cooking skills immensely! The food you cook is mouth-watering; I can’t stop eating it. I’ve had it several times, and it’s amazing every single time. Can I become your apprentice? I truly want to learn to cook!”
Xu Ying had no plans to take on an apprentice. Besides, she was still learning herself, and many cooking skills were yet to be unlocked. Taking on an apprentice would only add to her worries. She directly recommended Chef Ge: “My cooking skills are far inferior to Chef Ge’s. If you want to become a chef, he’s the one to ask.”
Chef Ge snorted coldly. He was somewhat put out by the newcomer choosing Xu Ying over him. He looked at Liu Guohua with a displeased expression. “I don’t take apprentices.”
Liu Guohua, having been rejected twice, looked a little embarrassed but wasn’t discouraged.
Zhang Quanquan focused on his work in the kitchen. Chef Ge, unable to bear it, said, “Just leave it to the newcomer.” When Liu Guohua heard this, he ran over, eager to take over Zhang Quanquan’s task. Seeing this, Zhang Quanquan moved closer to Xu Ying and continued working.
He watched Xu Ying pour a pot full of hot oil and asked curiously, “Are you frying meatballs today?”
Xu Ying nodded. Every Friday, the restaurant fried meatballs to make meatball soup for lunch. The meatball soup was sour, spicy, and appetizing.
“Let me help you,” Zhang Quanquan offered eagerly.
As the saying goes, “don’t hit a smiling person.” Xu Ying smiled politely and refused, “It’s okay, I can handle the work myself.”
When Zhang Quanquan heard this, he looked a little downcast. “Yes, that’s right. There are enough people in the restaurant now, so I’m redundant here. Otherwise, I’ll just leave now.” Zhang Quanquan took off his apron after saying that.
Xu Ying looked confused. “That’s not what I meant. I’ve always done this myself. I really can manage.”
Zhang Quanquan nodded, took off his apron, and went to the nearby faucet to wash his hands. Then, with a sad face, he said, “It’s okay, I know you don’t mean that. However, there are indeed a lot of people in this kitchen. I can’t stand so many people, so I’ll leave first.” After saying that, he looked at Liu Guohua and instructed, “Xiao Liu, bring the dishes over after you wash them. Just put them over by Xu Ying’s side.”
Liu Guohua was worried about what to do next. As soon as he heard Zhang Quanquan’s words, he immediately walked over, carrying a large pot of potatoes. Zhang Quanquan was about to leave when the two of them turned and bumped into each other.
Liu Guohua felt as if he had been pushed, and he couldn’t help but lurch forward. “Ah, water, get out of the way!”