Feng Fei smiled and walked deeper into the alley. After a while, a young scholar wearing a pink long robe came out of the alley.
Standing at the entrance of the alley, the young scholar grinned at the "Ma Xiang" restaurant and soon arrived in front of it.
Just then, that person walked out of the restaurant.
"Jiang Chengyou, Chef Jiang!"
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The second update I promised for today~~~
Chapter 47 Chef Jiang Chengyou
Jiang Chengyou paused, turning to his right in the direction of the voice. He saw a young scholar in a light red robe, with a gentle and refined appearance, smiling at him. Jiang Chengyou asked in surprise, "Did you call me?"
The young scholar had a faint smile on his face. Hearing Jiang Chengyou's question, he nodded, glanced around, and said to Jiang Chengyou, "Chef Jiang, why don't you and I go aside and talk?"
Jiang Chengyou was taken aback, then glanced around. He had just come out of the "Ma Xiang" restaurant and was still at the entrance when the young scholar called out to him, now blocking the main entrance. Jiang Chengyou quickly apologized to the person he had blocked and then walked with the young scholar to a less crowded area.
“Chef Jiang, it’s not good to stand like this. Why don’t we find a quiet place and have a proper meal?” The young scholar turned slightly to the side, revealing half of his glowing left cheek, with a meaningful smile on the left corner of his mouth.
Jiang Chengyou's heart skipped a beat, but he maintained his previous expression, his eyes slightly narrowed as he looked at the young scholar for a moment before laughing heartily, "Alright, let's go to the teahouse up ahead then. There shouldn't be many people there right now." With that, he led the way. The young scholar simply smiled, following slowly and unhurriedly, his demeanor elegant and refined—truly a handsome young gentleman.
Jiang Chengyou walked ahead at a slow pace, trying to figure out who the young scholar was, but he couldn't come up with the answer no matter how hard he tried.
Before long, Jiang Chengyou led the young scholar to a teahouse.
This teahouse is an open-air stall. The signboard with the word "tea" on it sways gently in the breeze. The owner sits leisurely to the side, holding a pot of tea in his hand. He fills his cup, takes a sip, and looks completely absorbed.
Jiang Chengyou coughed lightly, and the teahouse owner slowly opened his eyes. He was taken aback when he saw Jiang Chengyou, then laughed and said, "What wind blew our Chef Jiang here?"
Jiang Chengyou was actually acquainted with the owner of this teahouse.
Jiang Chengyou gave the young scholar an apologetic smile, then strode to sit opposite the teahouse owner. Without a hint of annoyance, he poured himself a cup of the tea the owner was offering, took a expectant sip, and couldn't help but show a look of intoxication on his face. After a while, Jiang Chengyou finally exhaled and laughed, "Indeed, only here can I find good tea. Alas, those people really have no taste."
Jiang Chengyou gave a lecture, then praised him, and finally pointed at the young scholar, saying, "That young scholar wanted to talk to me because he was looking for a quiet place, and that's why I thought of your place."
"Oh! Are you trying to subtly imply that my business is bad?" The teahouse owner immediately raised his eyebrows and looked quite angry, but from his smiling eyes, it was clear that he was joking.
Jiang Chengyou also feigned a panicked expression: "Oh no! How could I do this! We've been friends for years!"
"Haha!" The teahouse owner finally burst out laughing. "Alright, alright, every time you come to my place, you always have to tease me like this. You old rascal!"
"Likewise!" Jiang Chengyou laughed heartily, exchanged a few more words with the young scholar, and then led him to a table by the roadside, a table where no one would go. The teahouse owner brought them a pot of tea and a plate of peanuts before returning to his own seat, sipping his tea and lost in thought.
"Alright, this gentleman, cough cough, I don't know how to address him?" After drinking his tea, Jiang Chengyou spoke first.
The young scholar took a sip of tea, looked up at Jiang Chengyou, and said with a smile, "I am a scholar, and my name is Scholar. Chef Jiang, you can just call me Scholar."
This young scholar was none other than Feng Fei, who had disguised herself and was actually wearing the clothes she had bought in Qingfeng Town to give to Yuan Jue. Before she could give them away, she had put them on herself.
Jiang Chengyou paused, his smile almost faltering. He lowered his head to take a sip of tea to hide his embarrassment before raising his head again and smiling, "Scholar, you are truly interesting." Seeing that the young scholar opposite him did not react in any particular way, Jiang Chengyou continued to probe, "I wonder what important matter has brought you here to see me, Jiang?"
Feng Fei gently placed the teacup on the table. The sound of the porcelain cup touching the wooden table resonated in Jiang Chengyou's mind, and beads of sweat appeared on Jiang Chengyou's forehead. "This scholar is really strange," Jiang Chengyou thought to himself, somewhat puzzled as to why this scholar had come to him.
"I am a naturally dull person, please explain, scholar. If you let me make wild guesses, I will..." Jiang Chengyou was about to continue, but was interrupted by Feng Fei waving his hand.
Feng Fei laughed and said, "Chef Jiang, it seems that you are not only excellent in cooking, but also quite skilled in imaginative thinking!"
Jiang Chengyou blushed and murmured a few words, but ultimately said nothing.
Seeing Jiang Chengyou's expression, Feng Fei stopped teasing him and straightened his face, saying, "I wonder if Chef Jiang still remembers what happened three years ago in Wanfeng Forest outside Fengdu City."
Jiang Chengyou's face immediately showed vigilance, and his voice involuntarily took on a stern tone: "What exactly do you want to do!"
Feng Fei waved his hand, signaling Jiang Chengyou not to be so nervous, "I just want to know if you, Chef Jiang, still remember."
“Of course!” Jiang Chengyou answered without hesitation. “I almost lost my life that time. If it weren’t for my benefactor saving me, how could I be sitting here talking to you now?” Jiang Chengyou’s eyes still held a wary look.
Feng Fei nodded in satisfaction: "If I were your benefactor who entrusted me to come and find you, would you believe me?"
Jiang Chengyou was taken aback at first, seemingly somewhat disbelieving. After carefully confirming with Feng Fei, he finally said with tears in his eyes, "I never thought I would know about my benefactor in this lifetime. Is there anything my benefactor needs my help with? I will certainly not refuse, and I will do my best to help even if it costs me my life!"
"Whether you live or die is not important, I just wanted to trouble you to find out some information. Since you are at Jinmanlou, a place frequented by powerful and influential people in Fengdu, I need to ask Chef Jiang for some information." Feng Fei whispered to Jiang Chengyou, then stepped back and smiled to see Jiang Chengyou's reaction.
Jiang Chengyou agreed without hesitation, clearly finding the request quite simple. Finally, Jiang Chengyou said, "Since you are my benefactor's person, then you are also my benefactor! Don't keep calling me Chef Jiang. If you don't mind, I'll shamelessly call you 'little brother,' and you can call me 'Brother Jiang,' what do you say?"
Feng Fei smiled and replied, "Brother Jiang, I'll have to trouble you with this. I'll come back to find you in three days, but I don't know where to look for you."
Jiang Chengyou thought for a moment and said, "Please come to Maolin Alley in three days. My residence is behind the tavern at the end of the alley."
After agreeing on the matter, the two parted ways.
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I was a little late because of something, I'm so sorry...
Chapter 48: First Clues Emerge
Three days later, Feng Fei was still dressed as a young scholar, but now he carried a bamboo basket on his back. It wouldn't be good to suddenly reveal something out of thin air and arouse suspicion.
Feng Fei strolled along at a leisurely pace. Maolin Alley was a well-known alley in the northern part of the city, mostly inhabited by ordinary people, but it also boasted a century-old shop that lived up to its reputation for "good wine needs no bush." Wandering along the cobblestone path covered with sparse moss, Feng Fei felt quite relaxed. The walls on both sides were covered with lush vines, which, even in autumn, thrived in the still-warm weather.
Soon, the enticing aroma of wine wafted into Feng Fei's nostrils, slowly seeping into her heart and soul. Feng Fei was intoxicated, her eyes half-closed, using her peripheral vision to follow the path beneath her feet, her pace slowing considerably. The light inside the box grew dimmer, but instead of casting a shadow over her heart, it brought a sense of tranquil comfort.
Suddenly, a light appeared ahead. It turned out to be a dimly lit oil lamp at a right turn. The lamp was covered by a fragile-looking, semi-circular lampshade, made of an unknown material. It showed little sign of age, with only faint light brown marks.
Turn right, and a long-established restaurant will come into view.
A white banner bearing the character for "wine" swayed gently in the breeze, making the elegant character appear even more graceful.
A rich and intoxicating aroma of liquor wafted over, making even someone like Feng Fei, who never drinks baijiu, feel his mouth water.
They walked quite a distance, and the restaurant was long gone, but Fengfei still felt the lingering fragrance in her mouth and nose, a truly unforgettable experience. Fengfei suddenly had the urge to try it, but then immediately shook her head; she never knew how strong the aftereffects of baijiu could be.
The rich aroma of wine hadn't yet dissipated from his nose when a faint, yet intensely familiar, fragrance wafted over. Feng Fei was startled, unsure where this familiar feeling came from. After carefully discerning it for a long time, he was astonished to discover that it was the fragrance of the phoenix flower, which only blooms in the height of summer.
Feng Fei quickened her pace and noticed that several branches that had climbed over the courtyard wall were covered in phoenix flowers. Although there weren't many phoenix flowers, the vibrant clusters of blossoms still moved Feng Fei to tears.
The moment this impulse surfaced in Feng Fei's mind, he felt a chill run down his spine.
How strange! Why would she suddenly have this inexplicable feeling? Although she loved phoenix flowers dearly, she would never have such an impulse. Feng Fei, who had been quite relaxed throughout the journey, suddenly became alert, and that long-standing unease slowly resurfaced.
Feng Fei squinted and looked around. As he continued walking, he recalled everything he had encountered since entering the alley, but he found nothing of interest. Feng Fei had no choice but to suppress his thoughts and quicken his pace, wasting no more time.
Suddenly, Feng Fei stopped in her tracks, unable to recall where Jiang Chengyou had been.
After pausing for a moment, Feng Fei returned to the tavern and carefully recalled what Jiang Chengyou had said.
"Maolin Alley... behind the restaurant..."
Feng Fei vaguely remembered only these three words. Frowning, he walked past the tavern again, venturing deeper into the area, only to retreat back to the tavern's entrance. This repeated several times, further muddling through Feng Fei's memory.
As Feng Fei passed by the tavern again, the gate of a courtyard next to the tavern suddenly opened, and Jiang Chengyou walked out.
Seemingly surprised that Feng Fei would appear in front of his house, Jiang Chengyou's face was full of astonishment, which then turned into surprise in the next moment.
"Young man, you've finally arrived! I thought you couldn't find this place, and I was just about to go out and look for you to bring you here." Jiang Chengyou's voice was full of surprise as he grabbed Feng Fei's arm and said repeatedly.
Feng Fei seemed to only come to her senses after being grabbed by Jiang Chengyou. Her confused consciousness gradually returned. Feng Fei frowned, trying to figure out what had just happened, but she couldn't remember anything. After Jiang Chengyou entered the courtyard, Feng Fei completely forgot everything that had just happened, as if nothing had occurred. Jiang Chengyou also stopped waiting for a long time but never heard from Feng Fei.
Jiang Chengyou led Feng Fei to sit down at a stone table in the courtyard and said with a faint smile, "Young brother, please sit for a while. I'll go inside and fetch some pastries and tea."
Feng Fei nodded and looked around after watching Jiang Chengyou enter the room.
The courtyard wasn't large; there was only a small flowerbed with trees and flowers in the southwest corner. The ground was paved with ordinary, dusty flagstones, but it didn't look dirty or messy. There was a gate on the north side of the courtyard, presumably where Jiang Chengyou's family lived.
Before long, Jiang Chengyou came out of the courtyard gate carrying a pot of tea. As Jiang Chengyou stepped aside, a beautiful young girl dressed in a color very similar to Feng Fei's appeared, carrying a food box in her hand.
"This is my daughter, Su'e." Jiang Chengyou's face was full of smiles as he warmly introduced his children to Feng Fei. Su'e blushed slightly, bowed her head slightly to Feng Fei, and then walked to the stone table to scoop out the food from the food box and place it on the table.
"Su'e is very skillful. She came up with all these pastries herself. We didn't pay much attention to them at first, but after trying them, we found them to be incredibly delicious. In this respect, my Su'e is far superior to me." Jiang Chengyou couldn't stop smiling as he praised his daughter. Feng Fei could tell that Jiang Chengyou's mouth would stretch to his ears in the next moment.
Looking at Jiang Chengyou, who was incessantly introducing how outstanding his daughter was, Feng Fei couldn't help but smile bitterly: Could it be that Jiang Chengyou had actually regarded him as a son-in-law?
Su'e stood aside listening to her father's boasting, her little head almost drooping to the ground, seemingly trying to suppress a laugh. Her slightly trembling shoulders made Feng Fei smile knowingly as well.
Feng Fei coughed lightly, interrupting Jiang Chengyou's "sales pitch" praising Su'e, and said tactfully, "Brother Jiang, I still have some things to ask you!"
Jiang Chengyou was taken aback at first, then laughed heartily, "Look at me, I couldn't stop talking after I started, and I even forgot about the important matter." Patting his head, Jiang Chengyou said gently to Su'e, "Su'e, you should go back first. It seems your mother was looking for you just now, go and see her."
Su'e responded softly and then turned and left.
After watching Su'e leave, Jiang Chengyou solemnly said to Feng Fei, "I have found out everything about the information that my benefactor asked me to investigate a few days ago."
Feng Fei's face also became serious. He straightened his back, scooped out paper and pen from the bamboo basket behind him, and wrote down everything Jiang Chengyou had said.
Finally, as Jiang Chengyou finished writing the last word, Feng Fei also finished writing. He scooped up the paper, blew the ink off it, and smiled as he thanked Jiang Chengyou: "This time, I've really troubled you, Brother Jiang. Here's a cookbook, mostly records of dietary therapy recipes. I think it will definitely be of some use to you." With that, he took out a yellowed and slightly curled book from the bamboo basket and handed it to Jiang Chengyou.
Jiang Chengyou accepted the book with delight, his hands trembling as he touched the cover. His words were somewhat incoherent: "Thank you so much! Oh, this is wonderful. At my age, what I need most are these recipes! Tsk tsk, a benefactor is a benefactor, you've saved my life again." Towards the end, his body seemed to tremble slightly. Several times he wanted to open the book and study it carefully, but because Feng Fei was still there, he was afraid that he would forget to return it if he got too engrossed in reading.
Feng Fei noticed the eagerness and hesitation in Jiang Chengyou's eyes and understood the reason. He immediately stood up and smiled, "Brother Jiang, this trip has been very successful. I can go back now."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Chengyou quickly stood up, seemingly in a hurry to see Feng Fei out. He stopped abruptly at the courtyard gate, turned back with a face full of shame to Feng Fei, who was still at the stone table, and said, "I'm so sorry, I..."
“I understand.” Feng Fei walked to the courtyard gate, said goodbye to Jiang Chengyou after stepping out of the courtyard, and left briskly, without noticing Jiang Chengyou’s suddenly strange smile and cold eyes.