Transmigrated into an Ancient ABO Fantasy World: A Culinary Comeback - Chapter 5

The next day, the rain had stopped, leaving the air fresh and the sky a clear, washed blue. Wang Xiaojin rose early to prepare, loaded her cart with supplies, and navigated the muddy rural roads to her usual spot at Dongyang Bridge.

As the saying goes, “Each autumn rain brings colder days.” The weather had turned chilly, and by noon, the crowd at her noodle stall had grown lively and bustling. Many nearby residents even brought their own small stools to enjoy their meals.

The river workers were particularly spirited today rumor had it they had just received their monthly wages. Xiang Dazhuang, especially cheerful, was in high spirits. Her strength and diligence earned her a more substantial pay than the others, and her companions were already teasing her to treat them.

Amid the usual chaos, she sold out by a little past one o’clock, earning 550 copper coins. After deducting recent expenses, she had already saved over one tael of silver.

Just as she was about to pack up, that slick young man from the other day came running up again, panting as he waved her down. “Young master, wait, wait a moment.”

Wang Xiaojin paused, eyeing him curiously. The young man, clearly unaccustomed to exercise, bent over with his hands on his knees, catching his breath before speaking. “Young master, I’m Fan Xi. I have a cooking job for you, how does that sound? The pay is negotiable.”

“What kind of job? It can’t interfere with my stall,” Wang Xiaojin replied.

“It won’t. You’d just need to come to my friend Liu’s house in the evenings and prepare a few novel, delicious dishes. Coming up with something new shouldn’t be a problem for you. How about 200 coins a day?” Fan Xi had already planned to later claim the pay was 250 coins.

“Cooking at someone’s home? That does sound like a good gig.” Wang Xiaojin thought for a moment before adding, “Novel and delicious dishes aren’t hard, but I wouldn’t have time to wash the pots and bowls from my stall.”

Fan Xi chuckled. “That’s no issue, the servants at the house can handle that. Also, the master insists this matter stays confidential.”

Once they reached an agreement, the two headed to the Liu residence together. Fan Xi led Wang Xiaojin to the kitchen courtyard and left her waiting by the door while he went to report to Liu Fujin.

In the study, Liu Fujin sipped wine while admiring a painting of a beautiful woman. He instructed Fan Xi, “Today, the retired Elder Xie is visiting and has been chatting merrily with my mother. He’ll likely stay for dinner. Make sure that street vendor cooks something exquisite. Then, I’ll have my wife present it, it’ll surely please Mother.”

Fan Xi clasped his hands in salute. “Leave it to me, brother. You can rest assured!”

While the two were scheming, trouble arose on Wang Xiaojin’s end.

She had been idly waiting by the kitchen door, admiring the grandeur of the Liu estate the pavilions, winding corridors, stone paths, and clear lake. It was astonishing that such luxury belonged to just a local county magnate.

Lost in thought, she suddenly heard a burst of clear, melodious laughter. A young girl, seemingly appearing out of nowhere, was chasing butterflies in the back garden. Dressed in a pale purple short jacket and a fluttering pink skirt, her giggles were so enchanting that the flowers around her paled in comparison.

Wang Xiaojin was spellbound. In modern times, such staring would be considered rude, but before she could snap out of it, the girl noticed and turned her head, spotting a female Qianyuan gawking at her from a distance.

Her delicate face instantly darkened with anger. “How dare you! Who gave you permission to look at me?”

Wang Xiaojin snapped back to reality, embarrassed. She lowered her head and rubbed her nose apologetically. “Forgive me, miss. I didn’t mean to.”

Xie Yu’an was far from satisfied with this apology. She had secretly accompanied her aunt back to their hometown of Dongyang for retirement, keeping her identity hidden. In the capital, everyone knew the name Xie Yu’an, no Qianyuan would ever dare to look at her like that.

But these past few days in her hometown, there had been annoying Qianyuan’s staring at her while she played passing by, blending into the crowd she couldn’t even scold them all, and she was secretly fuming when Wang Xiaojin walked right into her line of fire.

Furious, she stormed over, intending to teach this female Qianyuan a proper lesson. Unexpectedly, the rain had made the ground slippery, and with a sudden wobble, she heard a loud “Ah!” as she landed squarely on her backside. Tears welled up instantly, her expression pitiful and aggrieved.

Wang Xiaojin had just stepped forward to help when several figures swooped in like shadows, lifting the girl to her feet. She silently withdrew her outstretched hand.

Xie Yu’an, now standing, looked at her hands and her mud-stained skirt, growing even more humiliated and indignant. “It’s all your fault, you rogue! All of you! Seize her! I’m going to teach her a lesson today!”

Wang Xiaojin thought to herself that beauty truly was a curse this was an undeserved calamity. Now, with two skilled guards firmly gripping her shoulders, she couldn’t move an inch, feeling utterly helpless.

Just as tensions peaked, Fan Xi arrived late, eyeing the scene with confusion. “Wang Xiaojin, what’s going on here?”

“Wang Xiaojin? Your name is Wang Xiaojin?” Before she could explain, the girl asked in surprise.

Wang Xiaojin nodded honestly, wondering if her reputation as a noodle vendor had spread so far. But the girl’s next words instantly deflated her.

“You’re that Wang Xiaojin from Dongyang County who failed the imperial exams four times and fainted from rage? Just heard about you, and here you are in the flesh.”

“Turns out you’re not just slow-witted and clumsy, but also a shameless lecher.”

The girl’s words dripped with mockery, and seeing Wang Xiaojin’s grimace, she clapped her hands and laughed heartily.

Wang Xiaojin could only manage a bitter smile, thinking she’d have preferred a beating. So now she was the talk of Dongyang County, a laughingstock to lighten the mood, her “fame” spreading far and wide.

At this point, Fan Xi cautiously stepped forward and asked, “I am Fan Xi, a sworn brother of the Liu family’s master. May I ask which noble house the young lady belongs to?”

A servant answered, “Our young lady is from the Xie family.”

Fan Xi’s eyes lit up with realization. “Ah, I’ve long admired the Xie family’s esteemed name, one sneeze from them shakes the five lakes and four seas.” He launched into an effusive praise of the Xie family and Xie Yu’an, concluding with, “Young Lady Xie, please be merciful and spare her. She’s just a lowly servant in our household, and…”

Fan Xi tapped his temple. “She’s a bit well, slow. She surely didn’t mean to offend you.”

Watching the girl’s expression shift to sudden understanding, then to a mix of disdain and pity when she looked back at her, Wang Xiaojin was speechless. She shot Fan Xi a glare.

She had already sensed that this girl was all bark and no bite her heart wasn’t truly malicious, and she wouldn’t actually harm her. Fan Xi’s intervention was unnecessary, and now her image was completely ruined!

Fan Xi was baffled. I’m saving you here, and you glare at me? Do you even know who the Xie family’s young lady is? he grumbled inwardly.

Xie Yu’an didn’t notice their exchanged glances. Propping her chin, she rolled her eyes in thought. This lecher isn’t just a rogue but also a good-for-nothing. But when she looked at me earlier, she did seem a bit, simple. Maybe she really was having an episode. Why bother with a fool?

With that, she waved her small hand, signaling the guards to release Wang Xiaojin. Casting one last glance at her, she sighed with an air of maturity and walked away.

Now it was Wang Xiaojin’s turn to feel annoyed. Fan Xi was still chattering on about how he had saved her. Wang Xiaojin forced a smile and said, “Thanks to you, Brother Fan. It’s getting late shouldn’t we start preparing the meal?”

“Right, right, I almost forgot. Let me tell you, Brother Wang, I really wasn’t wrong about you. You’ve got the right attitude. Others don’t understand you, but I do.” Fan Xi patted Wang Xiaojin on the shoulder.

Understand my foot. Yeah, you understand everything, Wang Xiaojin thought to himself as he chopped vegetables.

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