If you like something, you like it. A man from the grasslands doesn't hide his feelings, nor does he need to. He almost missed out on it because he was being pretentious before.

Zhao Tingduo was hesitant about how to confess her feelings so that Miss Song wouldn't misunderstand her as being too promiscuous, but she didn't expect to hear Song Liyun's true feelings at this moment.

That one sentence was like a divine, wondrous sound.

Today, Zhao Tingduo wore a long robe with dark indigo brocade patterns, tied at the waist with an indigo silk sash. He looked composed yet refreshing, and his bright smile made him even more handsome.

He took out a bloodstone from his waist, suppressed his racing heart, lifted his robe, knelt on one knee, and looked at Song Liyun frankly, saying, "Yun'er, this is my sincere heart, please accept it!"

As he spoke, he grabbed Song Liyun's hand and placed a blood-red stone, about the size of a thumb, into her palm.

"this……"

Song Liyun was already terrified.

She was just testing the waters, but she didn't expect to make a deal with just one sentence.

Holding the bloodstone was like holding a scorching ball of fire. Even if she had no discernment, she could tell that the bloodstone was quite valuable.

Song Liyun didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Her face was flushed red, and her heart was pounding: God, please strike me dead with lightning! What should I do? What should I do?

Her understanding of Zhao Tingduo was limited to the fact that she wasn't married yet, but she was already proposing... That's too fast!

It feels like I just wanted to ride a bike and admire the flowers, but I ended up on a rocket...

Her expression at that moment, which Zhao Tingduo saw, was one of flushed cheeks and affectionate eyes. This charming look was completely different from her usual bold and outspoken nature. Zhao Tingduo felt her throat tighten and stared at her in a daze.

There were sounds coming from outside. If people saw Ah Shi kneeling down to him, who knows what they would say.

Song Liyun was sweating profusely. She grabbed the bloodstone and pulled Zhao Tingduo up, saying, "Okay, I accept!"

……………………………………

In the teahouses and taverns of Qili County, Tianxianglou, which had been enjoying great popularity for the past two months, suddenly became a hot topic again.

Everyone says that Tianxianglou's roast meat was learned from Chef Gao of Jinxilou.

As for the restaurant, there was no intention to refute the rumors. In fact, when asked about the rumors, the staff even said something ambiguous: "Alas! Poor Chef Gao, his hard-earned reputation has been reaped by outsiders."

It was passed back and forth, and it almost became a done deal.

Inside the Drunken Spring Pavilion, Huang Changsheng's face was ashen.

He ran into a brick wall with Song Liyun several times, not only gaining nothing but also becoming a laughingstock.

Shen Leyan, as the head chef, had always been timid and hesitant, and only now has he emerged.

I only just realized that Jinxilou used this trick.

Song Liyun originally inherited the reputation of Tianxianglou, and she used grilled skewers, which were similar to the previous signature dish, grilled lamb chops.

Once Jinxilou makes its statement, Tianxianglou has no way to refute it or argue with it.

Even if the meat you grill tastes better than Gao Li's grilled meat, you can still say "a great teacher produces a great student".

This is the truly unbeatable strategy.

Despite the rumors, Song Liyun didn't remain idle.

She no longer stayed in Tianxianglou to manage the business every day, but instead took Zhou Xiang, Zhao Tingduo, and Abu to wander around.

Over two days, the four of them visited every restaurant, pastry shop, candy shop, and winery in Qili County.

Nothing happened for the first half of the day, but seeing several people coming and going quickly attracted the attention of the idlers.

No sooner had Song Liyun and her companions left a dried fruit shop than some busybody went to inquire about them.

The dried fruit shop owner was still a little confused.

"Hey! Manager, what did the people from Tianxiang Restaurant say to you just now?"

"He didn't say anything, Manager Song didn't say anything at all!"

If you ask one company, you get this answer; if you ask two companies, you get the same answer.

The idlers heard nothing from Manager Song, and immediately began to gossip: Tianxiang Restaurant is so busy, how could the manager have time to wander around outside? They must be discussing something in private.

Song Liyun and the others didn't say anything; they simply wrote down the names of the owners and shops of the most famous ones.

They've been wandering around the city these past two days, and naturally someone has told Jinxilou about it.

Gao Li stood in front of Shen Leyan with a beaming smile: "Master, what are your orders?"

Shen Leyan held her plump, white hands, which were as well-nourished as a woman's, and said calmly, "Is what was being said outside a few days ago true?"

Gao Li quickly bowed and explained, "Boss, I have a contract with Jinxilou, how could I dare to pass on my culinary skills?"

He earns a high salary and has signed a contract with Jinxilou. If outsiders learn his unique skills, he can be kicked out.

"What did those words mean?" Shen Leyan asked again.

Whether Tianxianglou learned Gao Li's skills is unknown to outsiders, but the owner certainly does.

This question was meant to remind Gao Li that he should be careful not to speak carelessly and to find a way to justify himself, so as not to tarnish the reputation of Jinxi Tower.

Gao Li said this only out of momentary anger. The embarrassment on his face was fleeting. He raised his head and said resentfully, "Everyone knows that Tianxianglou's business is now built on the path I paved. I was just saying a few words. These words were spread by others."

If she comes to cause trouble, I still have something to say!

Gao Li's resentment began the day Song Liyun took over Tianxianglou.

When he retrieved the contract from Song Liyun, he heard her say that all the customers came for him and that he should be paid more, so he actually went back and asked his boss, Shen Leyan, for a 50/50 split.

Shen Leyan was no pushover either, but the newly recruited chef couldn't be fired either; he had to sell twenty servings of roasted lamb chops a day before he could get a raise.

This sales volume is not easy to achieve. Even when Tianxianglou was at its peak, it could only sell ten servings a day.

Gao Li felt that he had been deliberately made difficult, so he decided to return to Tianxianglou.

However, he had already signed a five-year contract with Jinxilou, and if he wanted to leave, he would have to pay a penalty for breach of contract.

He couldn't come up with several hundred taels of silver, while Tianxianglou's business was booming.

This resentment swirled in his stomach, and Gao Li, feeling a surge of bitterness, went outside and said that he was the one who taught Tianxianglou.

Unexpectedly, as soon as the words were spoken, business at Jinxilou improved significantly.

A serving of roasted lamb chops costs 500 coins, which is much more expensive than the skewers at Tianxianglou. Even if the taste is not as good, customers are eating for the sentiment and the chef's skills.

In the past few days, he has instructed his employees to spread the word and attract more business.

When Shen Leyan heard him say that, he frowned. Of course, it was a good thing for business to be booming, but he didn't want to bring trouble upon himself.

In the past two months, he has figured out that there is someone behind Tianxianglou.

Moreover, there were two: the county government office and the garrison.

It's good to have ambition, but you also have to consider your own abilities. Shen Leyan is able to run his restaurant steadily in Qili County, and he has his own way of dealing with people.

That means seeking stability.

In particular, that idiot Huang Changsheng made several foolish moves, which only fueled the growing momentum of Tianxianglou.