Chapter 92: The Queen’s Thoughts
Chapter 92: The Queen’s Thoughts
Before dinner was ready, Yu Meilin returned.
“Mom!” Li Xiaomei trotted over on her short little legs and hugged Yu Meilin’s leg. “Mom, did you bring a gift for Yaoyao?”
Yu Meilin crouched down and smiled. “Mom didn’t have time to go shopping, so I didn’t buy anything for Yaoyao this time. I’ll get you something next time, okay?”
Li Xiaomei immediately pouted, and all the joy in her vanished.
“Where’s Dad?” Yu Meilin asked.
Li Xiaomei turned her face away. “I’m not telling you.”
Yu Meilin sighed but didn’t say anything. She looked very tired.
Kun Li said, “He’s in the kitchen.”
Yu Meilin nodded, put down her briefcase, and walked toward the kitchen.
Kun Li’s lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but she didn’t.
Li Xiaomei went back to the rug where her toys were scattered, looking unhappy. She picked up a Barbie Doll, grabbed one of its legs, and attached it to where the arm was supposed to be.
Li Zian was in the kitchen, frying some vegetables. On the stove, a pot of Great Benefit Phoenix Claw Soup was simmering.
Yu Meilin tied an apron around her waist and stepped into the kitchen. “Zian, I’m back,” she said.
Li Zian glanced at her. “Take a rest. No need to help. Dinner is almost ready.”
“Thank you for your hard work,” Yu Meilin said.
Li Zian smiled wryly. “Why be so polite?”
“On my way back, I invited Uncle Mu to have dinner at our house. I asked him to bring Chuntao along. Could you make a couple more dishes?”
Li Zian was slightly taken aback and felt inexplicably nervous.
Yu Meilin inviting Mu Chuntao to dinner—wasn’t that like two kings facing off in a game of chess?
But he kept his composure and asked calmly, “What made you think of inviting Uncle Mu and Chuntao over?”
Yu Meilin replied, “I signed a big contract with Uncle Mu, and we’ll be working together long-term. It’s only right to invite him and Chuntao over for a meal. Besides our business partnership, our families are neighbors, and Chuntao and I are good friends.”
“Alright, I’ll make a few more dishes then,” Li Zian said.
He knew very well that, in her eyes, business always came first. Earlier, he had been worried that Mu Chuntao’s visit might lead to an awkward or unpleasant situation, but after hearing her explanation, his worries faded. She needed Mu Long’s orders; how could she possibly cause trouble for Mu Chuntao in front of Mu Long?
“What else do you need? I can wash the vegetables,” Yu Meilin asked.
Li Zian said, “Trim the roots of the cilantro and wash it. There’s a piece of beef cooking in the pressure cooker; we’ll use it for a cold dish later.”
Yu Meilin acknowledged and brought the cilantro to the sink to trim the roots.
If one ignored all the complicated issues, her quiet focus on preparing the vegetables almost gave the impression of a caring wife and mother.
“I heard from Chuntao that your Studio got a job today. How did it go?” Yu Meilin asked without looking at Li Zian.
Li Zian wasn’t at all surprised she asked. “It went fine. The client was a man named Du Zhishan. He had a stroke and was near death, but I cured him.”
“You cured a stroke patient who was almost dead?” Yu Meilin couldn’t stay composed and looked up at him.
Li Zian didn’t return her gaze. He continued stir-frying the wood ear mushrooms and sliced pork. “It was just luck. I used acupuncture to unblock the clogged blood vessel.”
The actual process of treating Du Zhishan was far more complicated, but he didn’t feel like explaining it to Yu Meilin. He didn’t even want to talk to her.
Yu Meilin suddenly remembered something and exclaimed, “The Du Zhishan you mentioned—could it be the vice president of the Zhejiang Chamber of Commerce?”
“That’s him. Why?”
Yu Meilin smiled. “Your Studio really does cater to the high-end market. Du Zhishan is a well-known figure in the business world. He’s the chairperson of Honghai Group. I’ve met him twice, but we’re not close. I’ve also heard he has a good personal relationship with President Ma and a wide network.”
“Which President Ma?”
“Ma Huayun. He’s the king of the business world.” When she mentioned the name, her eyes showed respect.
Li Zian glanced sideways and caught the look in her eyes. He sighed inwardly. Compared to ordinary people—or even most elites—she was undoubtedly successful, possessing everything that most people envied. But she clearly wasn’t satisfied; she wanted even greater success. He wasn’t unaware of who the President Ma she mentioned was. Seeing her admiring gaze, it was clear her goal was to reach the level of someone like him.
What an ambitious woman. Didn’t she ever feel tired?
“And then?” Yu Meilin asked again.
“I cured him, but he was still very weak and didn’t speak to me. Actually, the person who booked me was his daughter, Du Linlin. She gave me two million and wanted me to stay for dinner, but I said I had something to do and declined,” Li Zian said.
Yu Meilin laughed. “You really know how to make money. Another two million, just like that.”
Li Zian didn’t say anything, but he thought to himself, “You still owe me two million.”
“I guess once Du Zhishan recovers a bit, he’ll definitely invite you to dinner. People at his level are very particular about such things.”
Li Zian replied indifferently, “Maybe.”
Yu Meilin glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. “When he invites you, take me with you. Let’s go together.”
Li Zian was momentarily stunned. He had gone to the Du Family with Mu Chuntao, and if he were to go again, he’d want to take Mu Chuntao. He hadn’t expected Yu Meilin to make such a request.
“Why? Is it inconvenient?” Yu Meilin’s tone carried a hint of sadness.
If one listened carefully, there might even be a trace of jealousy.
Li Zian smiled. “What are you talking about? Why would it be inconvenient? Next time President Du or Du Linlin invites me, I’ll take you along. It’d be nice for the families to meet.”
He knew she actually wanted to get to know Du Zhishan.
He had saved Du Zhishan’s life, and she was his wife. Before, it might have been difficult for her to befriend him, but now it was much easier. This incident had essentially built a bridge of friendship right up to the VIP seats in the Du Family’s living room.
But there was no need to voice these thoughts.
Even though he and Yu Meilin had no marital affection, they were still a married couple who had a daughter together. There was no need to belittle or hurt each other. If either faced difficulties, they still had to face them together and solve problems together.
Unless they divorced—but Yu Meilin wouldn’t agree to that.
“Okay. When President Ma invites you, let me know in advance. I’ll need to prepare a decent gift,” Yu Meilin said.
Li Zian nodded.
“The cilantro is washed. What else needs washing?” Yu Meilin asked.
Li Zian said, “Check if the basa fish I put on the plate has thawed. If it has, rinse it with water. I’m planning to steam it.”
“Let me check.” Yu Meilin pressed her finger against the basa fish pieces. “It’s thawed. I’ll wash it.”
Li Zian also plated the stir-fried wood ear mushrooms and pork slices, then moved to the cutting board to smash cucumbers.
Ding-dong, ding-dong.
The doorbell rang.
“Probably Uncle Mu and Chuntao are here. I’ll go check,” Yu Meilin said, putting the plate down, untying her apron, and leaving the kitchen.
Li Zian tried to imagine what it would be like when Yu Meilin and Mu Chuntao met, but he couldn’t picture the scene. Then, uncontrollably, his mind flashed back to the scene in the car where he and Mu Chuntao were kissing passionately, and the glance Mu Chuntao gave him before she walked into the woods—that look could truly steal a person’s soul.
If Kun Li hadn’t shown up, he might have followed her into the woods to “pick peaches,” right?
Green mountains, lush fields, a mighty river flowing by, eating peaches on the soft, flower-strewn grass—wouldn’t that be a beautiful life?
A cucumber suddenly fell off the cutting board and broke in two with a snap.
“Ah!” Li Zian sighed and continued smashing the cucumbers.
Mu Long’s voice came from outside. “I brought a bottle of wine. Let’s have a drink later.”
Yu Meilin’s voice: “Uncle Mu, you didn’t have to be so polite. You could have just come empty-handed.”
“It’s just a bottle of wine, nothing too formal. By the way, where’s Xiao Li?” Mu Long asked.
“He’s in the kitchen, cooking,” Yu Meilin replied.
“Oh my, how virtuous…”
Hearing this, Li Zian nearly smashed the knife onto his hand.
What did he mean by virtuous?
“Oh, I misspoke. Not virtuous—capable. Xiao Li is someone who can handle public appearances and cook in the kitchen. There aren’t many good men like that left. Meilin, you’re very lucky,” Mu Long said with a laugh.
“Uncle Mu, don’t praise him too much. He might get proud,” Yu Meilin’s voice said.
Li Zian muttered, “Old Mu, please don’t compliment me. ‘Handles public appearances and cooks in the kitchen’—that phrase is usually used to describe women, you know?”
Wait…
Why hadn’t he heard Mu Chuntao’s voice?
Just as Li Zian thought this, Yu Meilin asked, “By the way, why didn’t Chuntao come?”
Mu Long said, “She’s putting on makeup. She’ll be here soon.”
Li Zian: “…”
Comrade Mu Chuntao, it’s just dinner next door. Why are you putting on makeup?
Oh well. He couldn’t control what happened between Yu Meilin and Mu Chuntao. The only things he could control right now were the kitchen knife and the spatula in front of him.
Burn, stove fire!
Shatter, cucumbers!
Once he finished cooking all the planned dishes, Li Zian arranged them on a tray and carried it out.
Mu Long and Yu Meilin were chatting in the living room. Kun Li was nowhere to be seen—probably she had left, though he had no idea when.
Tang Qing had also left not long after he returned that afternoon. So this dinner ended up being a meal for two families, with only family members from both households present.
Mu Long stood up. “Xiao Li, stop working so hard. There are too many dishes; we won’t be able to finish them all.”
Li Zian smiled. “They’re just homestyle dishes. I don’t know if they’ll suit your taste, Uncle Mu.”
Mu Long grinned. “Don’t be modest. I’ve heard from Chuntao that the soup you make is exceptional—not only delicious but also medicinal.”
Yu Meilin’s expression shifted slightly, but it was only for a fleeting moment.
Li Zian didn’t notice and replied politely, “Tonight, I made a pot of Great Benefit Phoenix Claw Soup. You must try it later and give me your honest opinion.”
“Look at you, being so polite again,” Mu Long pretended to be upset.
But in the eyes of a master, his acting wasn’t convincing.
Ding-dong, ding-dong.
The doorbell rang again.
“That might be Chuntao. I’ll get the door,” Yu Meilin said, standing up and walking toward the entrance.
For some reason, Li Zian felt a bit nervous.
Two kings were about to face off.
A wise man stays away from danger, but he had nowhere to run.