Chereads / Cultivate By Losing Money / Chapter 8 - 5. First day

Chapter 8 - 5. First day

"Who are you?"

Chen Ren's hands paused over the steaming pot of noodles as a shadow fell over him.

He looked up and felt immediate regret when his gaze met the figure before him.

Not because her presence commanded some sort of attention, but because her face resonated in the depths of his memory. The young miss of the Tang Clan— there was no mistaking her. Different memories came rushing into him as he looked at her for a second more.

She was young, with sharp, thin eyes, pursed lips and a pointed nose, with an elegance that belied her age. Her long, black hair flowed, framing a face that could easily be mistaken for a painted portrait. Her eyes, dark as night, held a sharpness that pierced through him— or anyone who could be standing in his position. He finally noticed how her short figure was looking up at him with an unwavering look of questioning—'Who are you?' — really?

Chen Ren mentally slapped himself knowing he could've at least looked up before questioning with such a commanding voice. But what was done was done.

Before Chen Ren could speak up and clean the little mess he made, she spoke.

"So, now you need me to introduce myself?" A slight mocking smirk tugged at the corner of her lips as she continued, "I'm Tang Yuqiu, the young miss of the clan you've been staying with all this time. If you can put on this show with the servants, it seems your injuries have healed. I thought even if you woke up after losing the battle, you wouldn't dare show your face in the Tang Clan."

Chen Ren, unfazed by her words, bowed his head slightly in acknowledgement. He knew better than to take offence; the relationship between them was complex as he had seen and known from Chen Ren's memories. "I didn't know you'd be around," he replied calmly. "And yes, my injuries have healed. As for the servants, I'm just cooking something for them."

Tang Yuqiu arched an eyebrow, scepticism clear in her eyes.

"Cooking? Do you really think I believe that? You've never been one to speak kindly to the servants, let alone cook for them."

Chen Ren allowed a small smile to play on his lips as he gestured to the steaming bowls and the line of servants waiting eagerly. "As you can see, I've changed a bit."

Before Tang Yuqiu could respond, Tang Xiulan stepped forward, her tone respectful yet firm. "Young Miss, young master is indeed cooking and distributing noodles to the servants. I'm helping him with that. It's also not interfering with their work; they come here after finishing their duties."

Tang Yuqiu stared at Tang Xiulan, her expression blank with shock. Her eyes went from his to the sight of the servants eagerly waiting for their turn, empty bowls in their hands.

The idea of a servant, especially one like Xiulan, defending Chen Ren was unthinkable, yet here it was, unfolding right before her eyes. Chen Ren himself was taken aback.

Snapping out of his surprise, Chen Ren turned to Tang Yuqiu, his tone casual yet inviting. "If you'd like, young miss, you can try the noodles for yourself."

Tang Yuqiu looked down at the steaming bowl of noodles in the servant's hand, her brows furrowed in confusion. "What even is that? Noodles?"

"It's made from rice. You'll like it," Chen Ren replied with a hint of confidence as he quickly prepared a bowl for her.

Scooping up the already prepared noodles, he added a good amount of vegetables and broth. After all, he couldn't be stingy with someone who had technically provided him the ingredients.

Tang Yuqiu's eyes widened as he handed her the bowl. She glanced between it and Chen Ren, unable to hide her shock at the sheer audacity of the situation.

The longer she hesitated, the more awkward the moment became.

Without missing a beat, Chen Ren prepared another bowl, this time for her maid, who took it with a clumsy bow. "Don't worry," he said with a chuckle. "It's not poisoned."

Tang Yuqiu's cheeks flushed with a mix of embarrassment and irritation. She looked at the bowl again.

Finally, she relented and took a cautious bite.

Chen Ren watched her closely, a satisfied smile tugging at his lips. The pride of a cook settled deep in his heart.

The last few days had been spent in a relentless pursuit of perfection. Rice noodles were a simple dish, yet within that simplicity lay countless possibilities. He had worked tirelessly, refining the texture and firmness of the noodles, adjusting the broth, and adding just the right amount of vegetables to enhance the taste. Seeing Tang Yuqiu's expression soften as she ate, he knew he had succeeded in conquering the tastes of probably his richest customer until date.

He recalled her father was quite the foodie and because of that, she had eaten quite a lot of different types of dishes. If his noodles could impress her, then he definitely had the required skills to make it big.

When she finally finished, Tang Yuqiu looked at him, her gaze softened by a touch of wonder. "It was… good."

Chen Ren's smile widened. "Would you like seconds?"

She hesitated, her pride flaring up again, but from how she looked at the noodles, it was clear that the allure of them was undeniable for her.

After a moment's pause, she nodded, albeit reluctantly.

As he handed her another bowl, he couldn't help but tease, "Mind if I finish distributing the rest to the servants? There's a lot of noodles, and you can't eat it all, right?"

Tang Yuqiu glared at him, a mix of irritation and amusement in her eyes. "Obviously not. You can continue. We can't waste food."

With a light chuckle, Chen Ren resumed serving the noodles, the servants smiling appreciatively as they received their portions. As he worked, he could feel Tang Yuqiu's gaze on him, her curiosity growing with each passing moment.

"What are you doing with these noodles anyway?" she finally asked, her tone laced with suspicion. "Are the bars closed or have they finally decided to kick you out due to pending tabs? Why are you here cooking these dishes?"

"No," Chen Ren replied, his tone steady as he finished handing out a bowl of noodles. "I'm not interested in bars anymore."

Tang Yuqiu blinked, clearly taken aback by his response. "You're not?"

Chen Ren shook his head. "No, I'm doing this to test out a business idea."

"Are you serious?"

Chen Ren sighed, more to himself than to her. "Why does everyone think I'm not serious? Yes, I'm serious. Very serious. That's why I developed these noodles, and I'm going to start selling them tomorrow."

Tang Yuqiu's expression remained doubtful. "I don't believe it."

Chen Ren's lips curled into a confident smile. "Then come see it for yourself. Do you really think I'm just giving noodles out here for fun?"

She hesitated, clearly torn between disbelief and curiosity. Finally, she nodded. "Sure, I will," she said, setting her bowl down and preparing to leave. But before she could step away, Chen Ren gently reached out and grasped her hand.

Tang Yuqiu's eyes flared with anger, her posture stiffening as she shot a glare at him.

Touching her like that, especially in front of the servants, was a breach of decorum, bordering on something far more intimate. "What do you think you're doing?" she demanded.