Chapter 234 – Arson in the Middle of the Night
Yan Xiaosi had a good eye for people.
After interacting with Bai Mingyue twice, she felt that Bai Mingyue was not a bad person.
Since Bai Mingyue was not a bad person, she was naturally willing to be friends with him. As the saying goes, “the more friends you have, the more opportunities you have”. There’s another saying, “At home, rely on your parents; outside, rely on your friends.”
Ms. Zhong was cooking in the cave, and a fragrant aroma of stir-fried dishes wafted out.
Yan Xiaosi was a glutton. Just by smelling the aroma, she knew what Ms. Zhong was cooking something good.
“My mom stewed wild mushroom and lean meat porridge. She also made a cold dish of purslane, egg rolls with Chinese cabbage, and salt-fried meat. It’s quite delicious.”
Bai Mingyue had come here just to visit Yan Xiaosi. Since Yan Xiaosi warmly invited him, he smiled and readily accepted. “Then I’ll have to thank Little Brother Yan for the treat.”
Yan Xiaosi waved her hand and said, “My mom is afraid I won’t have enough to eat, so she always makes a bit extra for each meal. It’s just adding an extra set of bowls and chopsticks. Dr. Bai doesn’t need to be so polite.”
After exchanging pleasantries, Bai Mingyue followed Yan Xiaosi and her sisters inside.
“Mom, Second Sister, Dr. Bai is here.”
Seeing an unexpected person, Ms. Zhong and Yan Shuxue both paused.
However, the visitor was Bai Mingyue, not General Zhan stationed at Tongluo Plain. After the initial surprise, the mother and daughters relaxed.
Ms. Zhong dished out the food, while Yan Shuxue and Yan Shuqin began to set the table.
Yan Xiaosi sat with Bai Mingyue at the stone table, the corners of her mouth curving into a smile as she said, “My home is simple. I hope Dr. Bai won’t mind.”
Bai Mingyue was infected by the bright smile on her face.
Despite such simple living conditions, she could still live so happily and freely. The mentality and resilience of the young man before him were truly incomparable to ordinary people.
In an instant, the admiration in his eyes for Yan Xiaosi increased even more.
Making the best of a bad situation – that’s how one should live in this world.
The dishes were all on the table. Ms. Zhong and her three daughters also sat down on the other side of the stone table. Bai Mingyue picked up his bamboo chopsticks and ate a strand of cold purslane. It was indeed refreshingly fragrant.
He only knew that purslane could be used in medicine, but he never knew that purslane could also be eaten as a cold dish. Today, his eyes were truly opened.
“I don’t mind. As long as the food is delicious, that’s all that matters.”
He ate another mouthful of cold purslane, savoring it with relish.
“Auntie’s cooking is really good. This cold purslane dish is very refreshing. Recently, I often go to a small restaurant called Yu Family Private Kitchen to eat. The dishes there taste quite good, similar to Auntie’s cooking.”
Hearing the words “Yu Family Private Kitchen,” Yan Xiaosi paused her chopsticks.
Not long ago, she had suggested to Shopkeeper Yu of Yu Family Private Kitchen that they couldn’t just rely on selling take-out at the dock to sustain the restaurant. They needed to carefully manage the restaurant business and expand the restaurant in the future to be secure. In such a short time, even someone like Bai Mingyue had come to enjoy the dishes at Yu Family Private Kitchen. Shopkeeper Yu was indeed an active and diligent person.
“Does Shopkeeper Yu still sell take-out at the dock?”
Bai Mingyue was slightly stunned as he looked at Yan Xiaosi.
“Yan Xiaosi, how do you know Shopkeeper Yu sells take-out at the dock? Do you know Shopkeeper Yu?”
Yan Xiaosi nodded and said, “There was one time when our family’s stockpiled firewood couldn’t be sold. It was the Yu couple who helped us by buying our firewood. At that time, seeing their poor business, I suggested they first sell take-out at the dock.”
Yan Shuxue said, “Even the name ‘Yu Family Private Kitchen’ was named by Xiaosi.”
Bai Mingyue couldn’t help but feel shocked.
The young man before him not only knew medicine but also had some understanding of business.
“These days, the business at Yu Family Private Kitchen is quite good. Shopkeeper Yu no longer goes to the dock to sell take-out himself, but he has the serving boys go to the dock to sell take-out every day at noon and in the afternoon. He said he’s afraid the workers at the dock will go hungry.”
Yan Xiaosi pursed her lips in satisfaction.
The Yu couple turned out to be kind-hearted people. With this kindness and their diligence, it was Heaven’s will that Yu Family Private Kitchen now had good business.
After chatting about Yu Family Private Kitchen for a while, Bai Mingyue thought of Old Madam Yan’s paralysis and said to Yan Xiaosi, “Today, I came to Shaoyao Village because someone invited me. The person who invited me was from the Yan family in Shaoyao Village. The old madam of their family, Ms. Jiang, is paralyzed.”
“Oh.” Yan Xiaosi was not interested in the people and matters of the Yan family. She responded indifferently.
Given what Yan Shujing had done, it would be strange if Old Madam Yan wasn’t angered into paralysis.
Bai Mingyue saw her indifferent expression and knew that her relationship with the Yan family was extremely poor. He thought for a moment and reminded, “Yan Xiaosi, I feel that the Yan family seems to be very dissatisfied with you. You should be careful.”
“Thank you for the reminder, Dr. Bai. Their dissatisfaction with me is not just a day or two. It’s no big deal. I’ll deal with things as they come.”
Seeing that Yan Xiaosi could still laugh it off, Bai Mingyue felt more at ease.
After the meal, the sun was about to set. Considering that Yan Shuqin and Yan Shuxue were unmarried young ladies, it was inappropriate for him to stay long. He bid farewell.
Late at night, Ms. Zhong and her three daughters were already sound asleep in the cave. Yan Xiaosi took the opportunity while the three were asleep to enter the Portable Space to cultivate. When she came out, she inhaled and smelled a strong smoke with the scent of fire.
Because she was cultivating her mental power, her five senses were slightly more sensitive than ordinary people. She noticed that the strong smoke was mixed with a faint scent similar to sandalwood.
“It’s a narcotic incense.”
She hurriedly covered her mouth and nose with her sleeve.
“Eldest Young Master, what if they don’t burn to death?”
“Impossible. This cave only has one exit. We’ve already blocked the exit and released narcotic smoke. Those few wenches inside can’t fly away even if they had wings.”
Around the cave entrance, flames flickered. Wave after wave of heat surged in with billowing thick smoke. Two people stood at the cave entrance talking.
One of the voices belonged to Yan Wenfeng.
Yan Xiaosi had encountered the Yan family a few times and was certain that one of the voices belonged to Yan Wenfeng.
Just now, she had been sitting in meditation in the Portable Space, so she had not heard the movements outside in time.
She was greatly alarmed seeing more and more thick smoke flowing into the cave. The temperature inside the cave also rose higher and higher, and even bright flames started darting in.
There were quite a few wooden items in the cave. Once the flames entered, it would definitely trigger a greater fire.
While the fire had not yet spread to the innermost part of the cave, she hurriedly moved to go to Ms. Zhong and the others.
But having inhaled a small amount of the narcotic smoke earlier, she felt a bit light-headed the moment she moved her feet.
“Cough cough cough!”
A fit of coughing sounded. The unconscious Yan Shuyun was choked by the thick smoke and started coughing.
Hearing Yan Shuyun’s coughing, she immediately became more alert. Gritting her teeth, she mustered her strength and struggled over. Holding her breath, she grabbed the clothes of Ms. Zhong and her sisters. Focusing her mind and silently reciting, in the blink of an eye, the four of them entered the Portable Space.
Outside, the fire was raging. Yet inside the Portable Space, there was not the slightest influence. Blue sky, white clouds, a gentle breeze, and mild weather.
Yan Xiaosi settled the three unconscious people in the bedrooms on the third floor of the Western-style villa.
