Chapter 931 From Arrogance to Obsequiousness: Returning to the Dining Hall
Only Li Wan knew that Ouyang Rong had returned from the foot of the mountain.
She must have been the one who spread it.
As for why Song Zhian, Yu Mili, and others were called over, perhaps it was to invite Lu Jinghong over as well.
After what happened last time, Lu Jinghong subconsciously avoided them.
As for why Sha Ergou also came, it's probably because Yu Mili let it slip.
It was just a fleeting guess, but Ouyang Rong already had a headache.
The relationships between these people are all so complicated.
Ouyang Rong turned his head and glanced at Song Zhian, who was walking over quietly.
Only this Miss Song could make Lu Jinghong attend despite the embarrassment and loss of face.
However, Song Zhian was clearly not very interested in him.
Or rather, this young woman from Jiannan Road was very polite to everyone around her.
Ouyang Rong couldn't help but recall the strange behavior of Song Zhi'an, who stopped early during the third test at the Hall of Mental Cultivation. He wondered what kind of unresolved issue she had, like a roadblock blocking her way.
At this moment, Ouyang Rong had just finished his work for the day and had some free time.
Madam Chen tacitly approved of this, and Ouyang Rong, who had no personal relationship with her, took the initiative to greet everyone.
Regardless, those who came were among the few in Jianze who cared about him. Even buddies are friends, and besides, these friends were all quite innocent.
Even someone as complex as Song Zhian has never done anything to harm the interests of others.
Aside from being too pretentious and eager to show off, Lu Jinghong's words are not particularly problematic.
Not to mention Sha Ergou and Yu Mili.
After greeting everyone, Ouyang Rong turned to Song Zhiruo, who was silently observing her surroundings, and casually asked:
"When did Miss Song return?"
Lu Jinghong, sword in hand, stood discreetly beside Li Wan, keeping a distance from Yu Mili and Sha Ergou, pretending not to see them. At this moment, he couldn't help but ask with concern:
"Miss Song, you should still be careful. I heard last time that you went out with Fairy Qiutang again, and you went deep into the Great Swamp."
Song Zhian smiled:
"With the Six Goddesses leading the team, there's no danger. We're just going to a place that our sect's matriarch explored alone. After five years, we'll collect a rare item. That place was marked before..."
She spoke vaguely, turning to the curious crowd, and said softly:
"However, we did see a lot of interesting things along the way. For example, there was a place where a school of fluorescent fish followed the large ship. My senior sisters said that if you eat this fish, you will be covered in fluorescent light at night, but you will have trouble sleeping for three days. There was also a lake where, as we were passing by in a boat, the Six Goddesses mentioned that a man from Chu had passed by during the Spring and Autumn Period and his sword fell into the lake. No one knows exactly where he fell, and people have been searching for him every year. Later, people have been looking for him. This great lake is truly magical."
Everyone listened with great interest.
Unfortunately, Song Zhian knew when to stop and understood the importance of restraint.
Yu Mili said enviously:
"Sister Song is really amazing. I heard that this time when the senior sisters of Qiutang went out, they only brought you, a new Yue girl. The other two who entered Qiutang at the same time were not qualified to go..."
Lu Jinghong nodded in praise:
“Miss Song must be highly regarded by the Sixth Lady.”
"That's not true."
Song Zhian said a few modest words, but her expression showed no smugness.
Not wanting to be talked about, she changed the subject to Ouyang Rong:
"Brother Liu, I heard about what happened to you. It was truly an undeserved disaster. Brother Liu, you're having some bad luck."
Sha Ergou also said indignantly:
"That's right, that little fairy, isn't she trying to extort money? She didn't even explain clearly and tricked Brother Liu. It was clearly her own disciple's fault. That second goddess is being unreasonable. She didn't teach her disciple properly, so why punish Brother Liu? ... If you don't allow your disciple to be greedy, then don't let her go to the kitchen."
Yu Mili glanced at the somewhat weary and desolate warehouse behind her and said regretfully:
"Brother Liu is just too kind. He's so sincere to everyone. Unlike the other people in the dining hall, who are always so cunning and wary of this and that, Brother Liu probably took pity on Li Shu and thought she was starving. She fell for his trap without even realizing it..."
Li Wan interjected:
"What that Fairy Li did was indeed a bit unethical. Perhaps she's too young and doesn't yet know the limits of propriety..."
Lu Jinghong glanced at Ouyang Rong, then at the desolate and lonely warehouse where he was.
There was no mockery or disdain.
Lu Jinghong sighed slightly, and patted Ouyang Rong on the shoulder with a rare show of affection:
"Brother Liu, don't worry, it's normal for a man to have ups and downs."
His tone was somewhat wistful.
Perhaps he was thinking about his recent setbacks and low point: he had been made a disciple of "Sha Er Gou, whom I always looked down on," and then he was humiliated in front of his mother and Miss Song...
Everyone chimed in, expressing their indignation on Ouyang Rong's behalf.
Even if it's just a performance to show support, it's still heartwarming.
Ouyang Rong shook his head: "It was my stupidity."
At this moment, Song Zhian spoke up:
"I recently met a senior sister from Lantang. After learning about Brother Liu's situation, I helped her ask around. Actually, this matter isn't too serious. The Second Lady didn't mean to punish you. She just told the people below to be stricter with Li Shu, but it was an overcorrection."
"The Second Lady stands too high. Her will is transmitted down, and the pressure is amplified layer by layer. In addition, Li Shu is, after all, a direct disciple of the Lady's Palace. No one dares to really manage or offend her. So, Brother Liu is in his current situation. The people in charge at all levels below are just 'just in case'... But in fact, even if Brother Liu goes back to the dining hall to continue working, it will be normal and nothing will happen."
Yu Mili muttered to herself:
"Then why not transfer him back from this dirty and shady place? Isn't it unfair to Brother Liu because some people are making things difficult for him?"
Everyone fell silent.
Song Zhian also stopped talking, having nothing more to say.
Seeing this, Ouyang Rong decided to make a joke to lighten the mood.
Although it didn't quite fit his reserved personality, he didn't want people to talk about these things about him anymore.
Sha Ergou, who was behind, suddenly said:
"Actually, I talked to my master about it, hoping he could help me see if I could let Brother Liu stay..."
Song Zhi, Li Wan, and the others immediately turned their gazes in that direction.
Ouyang Rong turned his head to look.
Yu Mili asked, "And then? What did Senior Jia Shu say?"
Her tone was somewhat expectant.
Facing everyone's gaze, Sha Ergou scratched his head and said:
"I had just spoken when Master tapped me on the head, telling me to focus on practicing my sword and stop talking nonsense..."
Everyone fell silent.
Lu Jinghong seemed distracted when he heard Sha Ergou's words, as if he wanted to leave.
Li Wan, who was standing to the side, was also observing her son's expression.
Song Zhian asked Ouyang Rong:
"Brother Liu, have you never mentioned Miss Liu Qing to anyone else?"
Li Wan couldn't help but speak on behalf of the "dull-witted" Ouyang Rong:
“Ah Liang really didn’t mention it. If he had, how would those people have dared to shirk their responsibility? Ah Liang himself didn’t say it, and he also told me not to say it either. Sigh.”
Song Zhian nodded, glanced at Ouyang Rong again, and understood somewhat.
Others didn't say much, expressing some regret.
Lu Jinghong took the initiative to strike up a conversation:
"Miss Song, Miss Yu, let's have dinner together tonight. It's been a long time since we've all gotten together."
"Tonight won't work, Qiutang has something to attend to."
Song Zhian shook her head, then turned to Ouyang Rong and said:
"Brother Liu, I'll go and inquire about your matter..."
"No."
Ouyang Rong waved his hand to interrupt:
“It’s not a big deal. It’s not good for Miss Song to owe favors everywhere. I don’t know how to repay you. It’s good to stay here and buy a house. I can go down the mountain every month to go sightseeing. But I can’t go to the town.”
He apologized to Yu Mili and Sha Ergou, saying, "So I may not be able to keep the promise I made to you before we came down the mountain."
Yu Mili laughed and said:
"It's alright, these are all minor matters."
Sha Ergou said enviously:
"I wish I could work with Brother Liu."
The short-haired youth looked envious, and his tone seemed genuine.
Hearing this, Lu Jinghong, who was already feeling down because of Miss Song's polite refusal, felt like he was going to vomit blood.
Li Wan was speechless, unable to understand why this silly boy was valued by the two most powerful sword cultivators in the Bamboo Hall.
Seemingly noticing their discomfort, Sha Ergou shifted his gaze over.
Lu Jinghong immediately looked away and glanced elsewhere.
Sha Ergou noticed the surrounding air had quieted down, and feeling somewhat numb, he looked around in confusion:
Why are you all so quiet?
Song Zhian and Yu Mili exchanged a glance.
In fact, everyone was quite surprised and puzzled by Sha Ergou's extraordinary good fortune in the Bamboo Hall.
Being accepted as a disciple by the Jade Token Sword Cultivator Jia Shu is, in a sense, no less than Song Zhian, who was selected to join the Autumn Hall.
Although Bamboo Hall is not a core branch, it has renowned masters who teach swordsmanship, which alone makes it superior to Autumn Hall where all the Yue women train together...
They had asked about this matter privately these past few days, but it was to no avail, because Sha Ergou himself was confused and didn't know the reason.
If he wasn't feigning ignorance, then for now we can only attribute it to the good fortune of fools.
On the other side, outside the warehouse, under Madam Chen's direction, the ingredients that had been taken out in advance had already been transported away by the cooks of various dining halls.
It was time for the various dining halls to prepare dinner. Ouyang Rong and the other purchasing staff had finished all their work, so they only needed to leave some people to stand guard at the storeroom entrance.
Madam Chen gave him special permission to go home early today since he wasn't on duty.
He prepared to tell everyone to leave.
Suddenly, a group of people appeared not far away and quickly arrived outside the warehouse.
They blocked Ouyang Rong and his group's path.
Where is Liu Aliang?
A woman asked, sounding somewhat anxious.
Li Wan recognized the person who had arrived and looked surprised.
"Aunt Sun? What's wrong with you...?"
Among the newcomers was none other than Madam Sun, the head chef of the Qingliang Valley Kitchen.
Sun glanced quickly at Li Wan, then immediately searched through the crowd. Seeing Ouyang Rong at the back, her eyes lit up, and she rushed forward.
"My little darling, I've finally found you! Quick, quick, come back to the dining hall with me, we've been waiting for you..."
The air was silent for a moment.
Song Zhian, Yu Mili, Li Wan, and Lu Jinghong all turned around and looked at the dull-witted young man with puzzled expressions.
Ouyang Rong glanced at the enthusiastic and smiling Sun Shi.
He remained unfazed.
But I was also quite surprised.
Ouyang Rong did not respond to Sun Shi immediately, but quickly looked at the other visitors.
Besides Sun, there were several other cooks, including Zhu and Wu Cui.
When she noticed Ouyang Rong looking at her, Wu Cui nodded slightly, her gaze towards him somewhat complicated, containing a hint of admiration.
Zhu winked and gestured with her chin at Sun's back, whose attitude had completely changed.
Ouyang Rong pondered for a moment and asked:
“Madam Sun, why do you want me to go over there? I’m a servant in the purchasing department, not a servant in the kitchen. I can’t just run around like that and break the rules.”
Madam Sun waved her hand and gave a fawning smile:
“Ah Liang, your cooking is excellent. How could our canteen be without you? We wanted you to lay low for a few days, it was for your own good. Now that things have calmed down, we naturally want you back. We're family. I'll talk to Madam Chen and ask her to let you come back. There's no good place for you here, it's better for you to come back…”
At this point, she urged impatiently:
"Hurry up, Ah Liang, everyone's been waiting for your return. Perfect timing, the Sixth Lady specifically asked for you today. She wants a pot of chicken soup made for dinner and sent to Qiutang to reward the fairies who have returned from their travels. Ah Liang, hurry up and pack your things, we'll head back right away, it's almost time..."
As Ouyang Rong listened, his eyebrows rose.
Just as Madam Sun thought he was about to happily agree, Ouyang Rong sighed softly and said in a measured tone:
“I’m not a master chef, I don’t have my own stove, and I’m not qualified to cook chicken soup in the dining hall. All of you ladies cook it better than me. You should be the ones cooking this soup. I can’t overstep my bounds.”
Seeing that he was dull and wouldn't leave, Madam Sun became anxious.
"You...you...well then, you're now the head chef of this kitchen, and you'll have a spot to make soup. Come back soon, we've reserved a new spot for you."
Ouyang Rong still didn't move. He looked at Madam Sun and the other people in the dining hall who were eagerly waiting for him, and asked in a puzzled tone.
"To be a butcher? There are only a few stoves in our dining hall. Which one is mine? Are there other ladies who have left? It can't just be a title, can it?"
Madam Sun's face stiffened slightly. She stared at him for a moment, then gritted her teeth and said;
"Yes, yes, here's what we'll do: you can have my stove. From now on, you'll be the cook in our dining hall, and you can cook whatever you want, just like the other ladies!"
"Okay! Let's go."
Having negotiated the price and secured the bargaining chips he wanted, Ouyang Rong, who had initially been hesitant, made his decision and left without further ado.
Upon seeing this, Madam Sun's expression changed slightly.
However, having already agreed, it was not appropriate to go back on one's word in public, so one could only force a smile and follow along.
Ouyang Rong was somewhat surprised that the seat he had been eyeing in the dining hall was obtained so easily.
Today truly marks the turning point from adversity to prosperity; the changes have come far too quickly.
However, there are some doubts. Why did the sixth lady suddenly want to drink soup today? Did something happen?
Madam Chen was pulled aside by Madam Sun for a talk and explanation.
The other menial workers who worked with Ouyang Rong all cast envious glances at him.
Song Zhian, Yu Mili, Li Wan, Lu Jinghong and others exchanged bewildered glances, seemingly never expecting such a sudden turn of events, and their eyes couldn't help but scrutinize Ouyang Rong.
Just then, a short-legged black figure hopped through the crowd and ran up to Ouyang Rong, stretching out a small hand.
"Here you are."
After wandering around the warehouse for a long time, she handed something to Ouyang Rong.
A lively, bouncy... Camellia chicken.
(End of this chapter)
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