Upon seeing Zong Jiayu, Zhong Yuan shouted, "Brother Zong, please spare me and Fuzi's lives!"
Zong Jia shrugged. "It's just a very ordinary thing."
Jiang Xiaoli watched Zhong Yuan jump up and down with a smile.
She discovered that Hu Jingxin not only didn't find Zhong Yuan inconsiderate, but was actually amused by him and laughed heartily.
It's true that everyone has their own preferences!
After chatting for a while, she stood up and said, "You guys chat first, I'm going to see my mom."
The kitchen was preparing food. When Li Guizhi saw her daughter come in, she smiled and said, "Have all the friends arrived? I'll be done here soon."
Tonight is New Year's Eve, and "Guizhi Restaurant" is not accepting reservations. All the other staff members have gone home for the holiday. The various fresh ingredients in the kitchen are specially prepared by her for her daughter's friends.
Jiang Xiaoli looked at the pile of things on the table and said, "Mom, you can just make a couple of dishes. They won't be picky."
Li Guizhi gave her a reproachful look, "How come you're not as good at enjoying life as I am now? It's New Year's Eve, we should eat well, right?"
She spoke while her hands never stopped moving, and with a few quick strokes, she sliced a fish into fillets.
Jiang Xiaoli couldn't help but click her tongue in amazement, "Mom, I feel like your knife skills have improved a lot?"
Li Guizhi replied with a smile, "How could I not improve when I deal with these ingredients every day?"
She glanced at her daughter, who was gnawing on a cucumber, and waved her hand dismissively. "You're no help. Go back and chat with your friends. I have to chat with you here, you're just causing trouble!"
Jiang Xiaoli chuckled awkwardly, "Hehe, alright, alright, I won't disturb Chef Li's cooking, I'm leaving."
As she left the kitchen and was about to return to the private room, she saw someone outside the courtyard looking into the room.
She walked to the door and asked, "Hello, we are not open tonight."
Standing outside was a middle-aged man wearing silver-rimmed glasses, who looked very refined and like a cultured person.
"Yes, I know." He nodded, then asked hesitantly, "Excuse me, has your boss gone home?"
Jiang Xiaoli frowned slightly. Knowing the shop was closed at night, why did she still come looking for her mother? This was...
Having a question in mind, she asked directly, "Is there something you need from my mother?"
The refined man was momentarily flustered. After calming himself down, he explained, "So you are Guizhi's daughter. You do look very outstanding."
Despite her father's passing many years ago, Jiang Xiaoli doesn't object to her mother seeking happiness again. However, her first impression of this refined man is not good; his eyes don't seem genuine.
She said calmly, "Thank you for the compliment."
As if sensing her coldness, the refined man said, "Could you please call your mother out for me? I have a gift I'd like to give her."
Jiang Xiaoli's eyebrows furrowed, and she uttered two words, "Wait." Then she closed the gate and went into the yard.
She went back to the kitchen, leaned against the doorframe, and said, "Mom, there's a man at the door who says he has a gift for you."
Li Guizhi looked up and asked, "Is he a man who wears glasses? He looks quite cultured?"
She nodded. "Yes, it should be him. You know him?"
Li Guizhi replied calmly, "He's come to eat here a few times. Go tell him I don't accept gifts and that he shouldn't send them anymore."
Sensing her mother's displeasure, she responded and went to the gate to deliver a message: "My mom said she doesn't want any gifts, and she also told you not to send any more in the future."
The refined man was completely taken aback by the rejection. He asked suspiciously, "Did your mother really say that? It's not good for children to lie. Your mother has the right to pursue happiness..."
Jiang Xiaoli interrupted him impatiently, "You're right, my mom does have the right to pursue happiness, but she didn't like you, understand?"
The refined man's face turned bright red with anger. "I don't believe it! You must be lying to me because you can't stand seeing your mother with other people. I want her to tell me in person!"
After saying that, he disregarded his refined image and shouted at the gate, "Guizhi—Guizhi—come out for a moment, I have something to say to you—"
The kitchen was at the very back of the yard, and Li Guizhi was making a lot of noise in the wok, so I didn't hear her.
But everyone in the private room heard it, and they all came out to look out into the courtyard.
Zong Jia was the first to walk up to Jiang Xiaoli. "Xiaoli, what's wrong?"
Jiang Xiaoli rolled her eyes. "He wants to see my mom, but my mom doesn't want to see him and asked me to pass on a message. He thinks I'm lying and that's why he's making such a fuss."
After saying that, she crossed her arms and said to the refined man, "Don't make a scene on a holiday. Are you going to leave by yourself, or should I chase you away with a big broom?"
Seeing that there were still so many people in the courtyard, including several boys, the refined man immediately fell silent.
However, before leaving, he didn't forget to say, "How could such a gentle person like Guizhi have a daughter like you! I will come again!"
Jiang Xiaoli made a move to go back to the yard to find a broom, but by the time she came out, the refined man had already run away.
"Who does he think he is!" she angrily yelled at his retreating back.
Zong Jia took the broom from her hand. "Alright, it's cold outside. Let's go inside and talk."
Everyone else returned to the private room, and the two of them went to the kitchen. Jiang Xiaoli told Li Guizhi what had happened outside the door.
Li Guizhi frowned. "This person is like a leech, so annoying!"
Jiang Xiaoli asked in confusion, "Is this not his first time here today?"
“He had come twice before,” Li Guizhi replied. “He was brought here by others for a few meals, and not long after, he made a reservation himself and said he wanted to date me.”
Li Guizhi felt uncomfortable all over when she talked about this with her daughter and godson.
But she knew she should tell the two children the truth, so she continued, "I rejected him right then and there. I had no intention of looking for someone else."
He came again the day before yesterday, bringing his friend along, and brought up the topic again. I refused him as before, making it very clear that I didn't plan to look for him again. I didn't expect him to be so stubborn; why is he here again today!
Jiang Xiaoli pinched her chin and asked, "Do you know what he does?"
Li Guizhi shook her head. "I don't know the specifics, but it seems to be something like literary creation. He even published a book. He was showing off to me last time. It was really funny, but I don't like reading."
"Haha." Jiang Xiaoli was amused by her mother's bluntness. "That's right, this guy really thinks too highly of himself, but he's completely different from us!"
Zong Jiayu smiled and said, "Godmother, do you know his name? I'll look it up so we can find out more about him and avoid him bothering you again and leaving us nowhere to turn."
Li Guizhi nodded, "Alright, his name is Cao Fang, the same as the square."
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