Lu Xi, who was staying at Zuixianlou, knew nothing about what was happening at home. Although he had heard his senior brothers talking about the Princess of Lin'an, he had no idea that the person the Princess of Lin'an was going to marry was his brother-in-law, An Rong.
"Do you think this Princess Lin'an is blind? She has no choice but to fall for a married man from the countryside, who is penniless. She would rather marry me than him."
The fat man who spoke was Lu Xi's senior apprentice, Chen Guiping. He was in his thirties and had been an apprentice under Huang Daxian for two years before staying at Zuixianlou, where he was skilled in Sichuan cuisine.
The skinny guy next to him is Zhao Mingyang. He just turned thirty and arrived two years later than the fat guy. He is an expert in the cuisine of Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai.
"You? If it weren't for the fact that I, your junior brother, look down on you, the Princess of Lin'an would probably faint from the smell of cooking oil on you if she saw you," Zhao Mingyang mocked him. They were about the same age and often joked around together.
"Get lost! Don't you smell yourself? You never wash your feet, you stink even more than me!" They were both quick to argue, neither willing to admit defeat.
Zhao Mingyang didn't take it seriously: "Who in our room washes their feet every day? It's just Lu Xi."
“Lu Xi is a clean person, unlike us.”
The fat man had spoken in a sarcastic tone more than once or twice, but Lu Xi remained unmoved, diligently slicing potato shreds.
"Lu Xi, I heard that the person Princess Lin'an has taken a liking to is surnamed An. Is your brother-in-law surnamed An?" The fat man winked at Lu Xi, then turned to the thin man and smiled lewdly.
Lu Xi froze. Impossible. Her brother-in-law was a good man; he would never seduce other women.
“Yes, there aren’t many people with the surname An in town,” the skinny man said, adding firewood to the fire.
Lu Xi couldn't help but say coldly to them, "He's not my brother-in-law. I'll only say it once."
They saw that Lu Xi, who was usually not talkative, finally reacted. Although he spoke coldly, they could tell that he was angry.
"Why are you so agitated? If it's not him, it's not him. Besides, you didn't even go back to see him, how do you know it's not your brother-in-law?" The fat man persisted.
Zhao Mingyang thought it made sense. Lu Xi had been gone for half a month, and he didn't know anything about her family situation.
"I knew it." Lu Xi said, as if she was being stubborn.
Seeing that he was really angry, they stopped teasing him. Everyone was busy; joking was fine, but there was no need to take it seriously.
But Lu Xixin couldn't calm down for a long time. Could that person be her brother-in-law? If it really was her brother-in-law, what was their current situation?
DouDou is about to give birth, how could such a thing happen at this crucial moment?
No, this doesn't seem to be just a rumor. Lu Xi recalled why Sister Dou Dou had stayed at the Lu family's house temporarily. She had heard Sister Chun Tao and the others talk about it, and it seemed to be related to Princess Lin'an.
Lord Lu and Princess Lin'an are cousins, which is why Lord Lu was able to protect Dou Dou and the others from Princess Lin'an's revenge.
Thinking about it this way, it's probably true.
Lu Xi's mind became increasingly chaotic as he thought about it. His thoughts were completely elsewhere than on the knife. The sharp blade sliced across his left thumb and middle finger, and blood instantly flowed out, staining a piece of potato.
Huang Daxian happened to come over to check on the kitchen and saw this scene.
His face darkened, his eyes filled with disappointment. Lu Xi had been here for so long, and she had no problem chopping and preparing vegetables. How could she still make such a basic mistake?
"Lu Xi, if you can't do it, then get out." Huang Daxian didn't protect Lu Xi just because he was young.
He was known for his loud voice. If any of his apprentices made a mistake, he would scold them until they couldn't lift their heads. Some couldn't stand the scolding and would run home the next day and never come back.
Lu Xi lowered his head, letting the blood flow from his hands. His mind was in turmoil, and all he wanted was to get back to the tavern as soon as possible.
"Fine, I'll get out then."
Suddenly, an unnamed fire ignited, and Lu Xi, who had always been submissive, finally exploded.
It's better not to be an apprentice at all. Calling someone an apprentice is just being a handyman. You can't finish peeling potatoes, washing dishes, chopping vegetables, or mopping the floor.
"Come back here!" Huang Daxian shouted as he watched him run away.
In the kitchen, the remaining apprentices didn't dare to utter a sound. They all knew their master's temper; Lu Xi had essentially set off a firecracker, and it was unlikely she would return.
As Lu Xi ran out, only one thought occupied her mind: to rush home.
The wind was biting cold outside, and he was only wearing a thin cotton coat, not having had time to go upstairs to get a thicker coat.
But the fire within him was still burning, and he felt no cold at all. He ran all the way to the tavern entrance.
Steam was rising from his head, and he had lost all feeling in his hands and feet.
That evening, the tavern was packed with people. Huang Rong was busy in the lobby, but Dou Dou was nowhere to be seen; she was probably in the backyard.
"Lu Xi?" Huang Rong looked up and saw Lu Xi's thin figure standing there, panting heavily.
At first glance, she thought she was seeing things; it was only the middle of the month, and his return date wasn't yet.
Lu Xi glanced back at her, said nothing, and walked straight to the kitchen. He saw a familiar figure, broad and strong.
"Brother Anrong." He didn't realize that his voice was trembling as he spoke.
An Rong was cutting pig's head meat when he heard a familiar voice and was somewhat surprised. He wasn't wearing a straw hat and his face was completely uncovered.
"Lu Xi, why didn't you stay at Zuixianlou? What are you doing back here?" An Rong simply turned his back to him, thinking he could get rid of him in a few words.
Lu Xi was stunned. Brother An Rong was fine, Huang Rong was there too, and Sister Dou Dou should be in the backyard taking care of An Ji. Everything was as before.
He suddenly breathed a sigh of relief; they were all well, so he was well.
“Brother Anrong, I heard some things and I was worried, so I came back to check on things.”
He dared not say that he had forced his way back, and that Huang Daxian might not want him anymore.
An Rong's eyes were red. It was his fault that he had caused trouble for everyone in the family. He thought that Lu Xi was at the restaurant and would inevitably hear gossip. He just didn't expect that he would rush back in such a hurry.
"Does Master Huang know you're back?" An Rong was vaguely worried, afraid that his actions were also impulsive.
Lu Xi lowered her head and remained silent, indicating her acquiescence.
An Rong received no response and understood the situation, letting out a deep sigh.
"Lu Xi, you shouldn't have come back. What you heard is in the past. Princess Lin'an will never have anything to do with me again." The past entanglements were all wishful thinking on her part, and she dared not have any more entanglements in the future.
That face alone is enough to scare her away.
Lu Xi nodded blankly. He felt that An Rong was a little different. Maybe he was in a bad mood, or maybe he was unhappy that he had sneaked back. He was still facing away from him.
"Brother Anrong, what's wrong?"
Lu Xi suddenly stepped forward, pressed her face against his, and then froze in shock.
He remained silent for a long time.
"Lu Xi, did I scare you?" An Rong looked dejected. Would her current face make everyone disgusted?
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