"I'll make a fool of myself, sir."
Li Ying placed the last stew on the table. Then, with humility, she stood aside with her hands clasped in front, quietly waiting for Yan Lianzhi's advice.
This great scholar might be very particular about his diet. She didn't dare to sit at the same table with him, fearing that she might break his rules.
Yan Lianzhi picked up a piece of bamboo fungus stuffed with meat. His eyes lit up, and he praised, "What a delicious dish! Truly a masterpiece! It would be even better if there were some fine wine to go with it!"
Lu Xunguang was also standing beside him. Hearing this, he quickly opened another bamboo wine container and placed it beside Yan Lianzhi.
Yan Lianzhi tilted his head back and took a big gulp of the wine. He said heartily, "Marvelous! With such delicious food on the table and bamboo wine to accompany it, what a fulfilling life! How could one not be happy!"
Putting down the bamboo tube, he beckoned Li Ying and Lu Xunguang over. "Come here! Girl, you have quite the cooking skills. I like it!"
Li Ying smiled and said, "It's just a trifling skill. If it can happen to catch your eye, sir, I'll be extremely grateful!"
This meal was a pleasant one for both the host and the guests. After Yan Lianzhi had his fill of food and wine, he chatted with Li Ying about delicious foods from all over the world. Seeing her talk eloquently and respond fluently, he was even more delighted. He felt as if he had found a kindred spirit and regretted not meeting her earlier.
Li Ying was worried about her daughter at home. Seeing that it was getting late, she was about to get up and leave. She tentatively asked, "Sir Yan, I wonder about the matter of inviting you to come out of seclusion and witness the Martial Arts Conference..."
Yan Lianzhi was stunned for a moment. Then he let out a laugh and pretended not to hear. "A Ying, since you still have things to do, I won't keep you. When you're free in the future, come and sit in the bamboo forest more often!"
Li Ying smiled bitterly to herself. This old man was really good at pretending to be stupid and talking on his own!
It was Lu Xunguang who shook the bamboo tube in his hand and casually said in a soft voice,
"On the day when my mother sealed the bamboo wine, you once said, sir, that if you could ever taste even a sip of it in the future, you would be willing to exchange your life for it and would grant any request. You're a respected person. You surely won't renege on your promise just because we're young, right?"
Yan Lianzhi didn't expect him to say such a thing. His old face blushed slightly. Lu Xunguang continued, "The delicious foods in the fishing village night market are as numerous as the stars in the sky. There are all kinds of them that you've never heard of or seen before. Are you really not interested in taking a look?"
Under such coercion and temptation, Yan Lianzhi rolled his eyes and frowned tightly. Finally, he waved his hand resentfully.
"Fine, fine. On the appointed day, I'll go down the mountain with you!"
Li Ying was overjoyed.
Could this almost impossible task really be accomplished just like this?
Lu Xunguang knew his temper well. He pestered him to write a personal letter and stamped it neatly with his seal. Only then did he hand it to Li Ying with confidence.
"A Ying, the old master has a childlike heart. Verbal promises often don't count. It's better to have it in black and white. With this letter, you can explain things more easily."
Having his secret exposed, Yan Lianzhi blushed again. But he was used to being idle and didn't like to be restricted by rules. He often did things as he pleased when he was in the mood, so he really couldn't refute.
Li Ying carefully put the letter in her bosom. Then she bowed to bid farewell to Yan Lianzhi and went down the mountain with Lu Xunguang.
The black horse obediently stayed where it was waiting for them. Just like when they came, Lu Xunguang firmly held her in his arms.
It was late at night, and the dew was heavy. He kindly told her not to speak, lest she inhale a bellyful of cold wind and have trouble sleeping at night.
Li Ying had no choice but to suppress her deep gratitude. She quietly listened to his breathing, which mixed with the rustling night wind and tickled her ear.
Finally, they returned to the fishing village. Lu Xunguang gently helped her down. Li Ying carefully chose her words and said softly, "Brother Lu, every time you spare no effort to help me. I really don't know how to thank you."
Lu Xunguang stared at her, frowning slightly. His voice was a bit lower than usual.
"A Ying, we share a bond of life and death. If you keep saying thank you, it will make us seem distant."
The words "life and death" were indeed appropriate, but for some reason, when Li Ying heard them, she always felt that there was a hint of love and affection in them.
The bright moon shone between them. The sound of the waves was gentle, and the night wind rustled the leaves. The atmosphere was ambiguous and subtle for a moment.
Li Ying was flustered by his gaze. She forced a dry smile and tried hard to make a joke.
"Haha, haha... Brother Lu is right... Of course, we have a life - and - death friendship..."
Hearing her words, Lu Xunguang's face darkened a bit more. Li Ying was panicked and quickly changed her words. "We're not distant at all! But I still have to thank you... For such a great kindness, it would even be appropriate for me to marry you!"
As soon as she said this, Li Ying regretted it so much that she wished she could bite off her own tongue!
What on earth was she saying!
Lu Xunguang watched the various expressions on her face. She looked so cute that his frown relaxed.
"A Ying, there's plenty of time. I'll wait."
Li Ying was still deeply annoyed and couldn't extricate herself. She was completely confused by his mysterious words. After he left her a gentle "Sweet dreams" and walked away gracefully, she stared at his back and only then did she come to her senses.
Just now, did she agree to something extraordinary?
Li Ying returned to her bedroom with a strange expression. Mianmian had drunk enough goat's milk and was sleeping soundly in the cradle. But Li Ying stared at a warped board on the ceiling and didn't sleep a wink all night.
The next day, Li Ying got up early and went to check on the canned food factory first.
With Mrs. Zhang's hands - on training, the female workers really picked up the skills quickly, and they had already produced quite a few cans.
Considering that the bamboo - tube canned food was easy to spoil, speed was of the essence. Several "sales specialists" had already taken the free - sample cans and sealed cans and set off early to sell them in their hometowns. If there were no accidents, they would send back news before sunset.
Li Ying also took three sample cans and rushed straight to the yamen.
The fishing village night market was booming every day, so the county magistrate was much more polite to her. He looked at the personal letter from Yan Lianzhi and the canned food samples she brought. After hearing that the major shareholder of the Ping'an Bank was willing to guarantee the "Martial Arts Conference", he immediately agreed without hesitation to serve as a "judge".
With these two guarantees, Li Ying confidently stood in front of the major shareholder again.
The major shareholder looked at Yan Lianzhi's seal. There was actually a rare look of surprise on his calm face.
"Boss Li, I really underestimated you. In just one day, you were able to find him?"
He composed himself and said seriously, "Fine, I'll agree to your request. You can just use the name of the Ping'an Bank!"
Li Ying was overjoyed, but she still looked like a mature young person on the surface. She politely bowed to him.
"Thank you for your trust, sir. I will surely not let you down!"
After leaving the inn, she rushed non - stop to the printing house to print the promotional posters for the "Martial Arts Conference".
Registration, investment promotion, advertising fees... These brand - new concepts all had to be explained by her from scratch. In the following days, she would surely be very busy!
Li Ying was in a hurry and didn't know at all that beside the small window on the second floor of the inn, Lian Ji was staring at the direction where she left with gritted teeth. She lowered her voice and ordered, "Go and find out who is secretly helping her!"
Her expression was sinister, and her delicate fingers were clenched so tightly that the tips turned white.
"Such an eyesore must be eliminated root and branch!"