A Bite of Douluo Continent

Hearing Fuya's words, Ye Lingqing felt more confident and looked at Fuya gratefully, "Thank you."

"No need, you should thank someone else, not me."

Leaving behind this cryptic remark, Fuya turned and left.

"How is it? Is it..." Seeing Fuya walking towards them, Ying Shuangshuang couldn't wait to go up and ask.

Before she could finish speaking, Fuya patted her head, interrupting her, "The bouquet is for the boss, to express our gratitude."

"Hmm... okay." Ying Shuangshuang pouted, slightly disappointed.

"You idiot, Ye Lingqing only just learned your name, how could he possibly send you flowers? Do you expect him to fall in love with you at first sight?" Fuya couldn't help but say.

"It seems...so it is, huh?" Ying Shuangshuang felt that she might have been overthinking things after being reminded by Fuya, and she smiled foolishly, becoming happy again.

Seeing Ying Shuangshuang like this, Fuya shook her head and sighed softly.

Ying Shuangshuang was already a bit silly, but now that she has someone she likes, she's become even sillier.

Love really does make you stupid.

I, Fuya, will never date in my life.

...

Soon, the lunch service at Hanshi Restaurant came to an end. Apart from Ye Lingqing, who was still waiting for Qi Han, all the other diners had finished eating and left.

After wiping his hands and taking off his apron, Qi Han came out of the kitchen.

"Boss!" Fuya stepped forward first and briefly told Qi Han about Ye Lingqing's purpose for coming.

Gu Qihan looked at Ye Lingqing, who had stood up and was looking over in his direction somewhat awkwardly, with a hint of surprise, and then smiled.

"Ye Lingqing, please sit down and wait for me for a while."

After saying this, Qi Han looked at the seven employees in front of him, and his gaze quickly settled on the three people from Xingluo City. "Are you three sure you want to stay here for a few more days?"

Qin Yao spoke softly, "Boss, the three of us have already discussed it. The afterglow of the food festival will probably last for a few more days. We'll stay here and help you during this time. We'll go back once business here returns to normal."

“That works too.” Qi Han nodded, then a strange look appeared on his face. “It’s just that… the diners in Star Luo City are probably going to complain.”

"Pfft." Beside Qin Yao, Qin Yue chuckled, "When the boss first came to Xingluo City, the Shrek City store was closed for a month, wasn't it?"

That seems to be true.

After a moment of silence for the diners of Xingluo City, Qi Han quickly and ruthlessly put them out of his mind. "Alright, you can go back now."

"Okay!" Everyone got up and walked towards the door. Only Ying Shuangshuang glanced at Ye Lingqing with some worry, and then was pulled away by Fuya.

Qi Han inadvertently noticed Ying Shuangshuang's little action, and his heart stirred.

Did something happen between these two that you don't know about?

Forget it, forget it.

"Sorry to keep you waiting." Qi Han walked towards Ye Lingqing with a smile on his face.

Ye Lingqing took a deep breath, then held the bouquet in both hands, bowed slightly, and held it above her head. "Mr. Qi, thank you so much!"

Having already learned of Ye Lingqing's purpose from Fuya, Qi Han was not surprised. "I'll accept the bouquet. Please get up."

It wasn't an expensive gift, just a bouquet of flowers, and I heard that Ye Lingqing picked them herself, so Qi Han naturally had to accept it.

This is also a way of respecting the other person's feelings.

Receiving the carefully wrapped bouquet, Qi Han was touched; this was the first time he had ever received such a gift.

As Qi Han accepted the bouquet, the atmosphere between the two seemed a little awkward. Ye Lingqing's expression was hesitant and conflicted, but she didn't speak for a long time.

"Next, will you go straight back to your hometown?" Qi Han asked, breaking the awkward silence.

He remembered that Ye Lingqing came from a village called Zhilan Village. She came here to sell Mowu Tuan just to let more people know about the local delicacies. Now that the food festival is over, she should go back home.

This left Qi Han with a slight regret. Hanshi was still quite short-staffed, and it would probably be even more so after the Qin sisters and Keke left in a few days. He had a good impression of the pure-looking young man in front of him. If the young man did not go back, he could persuade him to come and work at Hanshi.

Qi Han has always been relentless in his efforts to abduct shop assistants.

"No, I probably won't go back."

"Oh?" Hearing Ye Lingqing's reply, Qi Han raised an eyebrow with some curiosity. "Why?"

Ye Lingqing blushed slightly. "Because... I've always loved researching food, and I love the praise from diners after they taste my creations. It gives me a great sense of accomplishment."

“That’s true.” Qi Han nodded in agreement; on this point, he and Ye Lingqing shared the same feeling.

"After arriving in Shrek City, I discovered that there are so many different kinds of delicious food here that I've never seen before, far more than in my old village, Zhilan Village." Ye Lingqing's eyes sparkled. "So, I plan to stay here, earn enough money with my cooking skills, and then bring Grandpa Village Chief to live in Shrek City!"

Upon hearing this, Qi Han couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

This familiar feeling…

Is the third story coming?

"Please sit down first, I'll get you a glass of water." Qi Han said seriously, "Let's talk slowly."

Chapter 324 I want to... become your disciple! (Bonus chapter for Ningmeng-chan's donation)

Seeing Qi Han's reaction, Ye Lingqing was a little stunned. It wasn't until Qi Han placed two glasses of water in front of them and gestured for him to continue that Ye Lingqing spoke in a daze.

“My parents are the best chefs in Zhilan Village. They run a restaurant together. Since I was little, I have developed a love for food because I spend so much time with my parents. I dream of becoming a chef as good as my father and mother in the future.”

"But later..." Ye Lingqing's face showed a hint of sadness, "My parents went to participate in the food competition in Notting City. On their way back with the others, an accident happened. An uncle who survived said that their convoy encountered evil spirit masters. My parents died in that accident."

"It's a pity I don't have the talent for cultivation, otherwise I would definitely work hard to cultivate and avenge my parents." Ye Lingqing's hands clenched slightly, and the surface of her fists turned white from the force.

Seven or eight years have passed, but he still can't let go of those past events.

Evil Soul Master, huh...

Suddenly, Qi Han recalled the venomous voice that echoed throughout the entire city of Xingluo on the day of the palace coup.

"Please accept my condolences." After a long while, Qi Han finally sighed softly.

“From then on, I became an orphan. I was only seven years old at the time. My martial soul had just awakened, and I had no innate soul power, so I could not cultivate. I could only be an ordinary person. It was difficult for a seven-year-old child to even support himself. When the village chief heard about this, he took the initiative to find me and asked me to stay at his house.”

"Back then, because of my parents' death, I was filled with hatred for the whole world. Because I was young and ignorant, I couldn't control my emotions and would get angry. I didn't appreciate the kindness of the village chief at all. But the village chief didn't give up on me. Instead, he kept teaching me how to love and how to treat others politely."

"Besides the village chief, the other uncles and aunties in the village were also very kind to me. After they learned that my parents had passed away in an accident, they would bring me some delicious food from time to time, most of which was their homemade black glutinous rice balls."

At this point, Ye Lingqing's face showed a touch of emotion, "Looking back now, if it weren't for everyone, I might have starved to death in my own home back then, right?"

"Because I can't become a Soul Master, my dream remains unchanged. I want to become a chef as skilled as my parents. Grandpa Village Chief is very supportive of my dream. Every time he tastes the food I make, he praises me for it..."

“Once, Grandpa Village Chief didn’t finish his food, and I secretly tasted it myself. It was clearly not very tasty, but that day Grandpa Village Chief still smiled and said to me, ‘I really like the food you made. Keep up the good work, Xiao Lingqing.’” Ye Lingqing’s face showed a touch of emotion. “That’s when I realized that no matter how well or poorly I made it, Grandpa Village Chief would always praise me. He couldn’t bear to discourage me.”

"Later, I practiced more and my cooking skills improved. I really became the best chef in the village, just like my parents." Ye Lingqing smiled. "But I became a little dissatisfied."

“I remember the kindness that everyone in the village showed me when I was a child, and I feel that now that I’m grown up, it’s time for me to repay them.”

“So, I thought of the Shrek Food Festival, because Mo Wu Tuan is really famous in our Zhilan Village. Almost every household knows how to make it, but you can’t see this kind of food in other places.” Ye Lingqing said earnestly, “So at that time, I thought, if I could let more people know about Mo Wu Tuan, wouldn’t the villagers be able to make a better life by selling this kind of food?”

"But you didn't achieve your goal, did you?" Qi Han couldn't help but ask. "You didn't make it into the top ten, so the Mowu Group didn't get any promotion."

"No, it's actually finished." Ye Lingqing smiled. "A gentleman named Pan Kong is very interested in the Mowu Tuan I made. I've already told him that everyone in Zhilan Village knows how to make this kind of delicacy, so he should be on his way to Zhilan Village now."

Pan Kong…

Qi Han raised an eyebrow, remembering such a person.

When I first opened my shop, he even encouraged me to open a branch.

This is a very straightforward businessman, so it's normal for him to see the business opportunities in the Mowu Group.

How popular was stinky tofu in its past life?

In almost every city across the country, you can find stalls selling stinky tofu in any night market that's even slightly popular.

The Pan family business is indeed financially powerful; with him around, the Mowu Group is able to sell its products all over the Douluo Continent.

At that time, the villagers of Zhilan Village will also be able to have a very good income.

However, since merchants are driven by profit, would he abandon the people of Zhilan Village and make money for himself?

Gu Qihan frowned slightly, deciding to ask Pan Kong about his plans the next time he came to the restaurant to enjoy the food.

If Pan Kong is indeed such a cunning businessman, then I will have to think of another way to help the villagers of Zhilan Village.

Unaware of Qi Han's change in expression, Ye Lingqing continued, "Originally, I did plan to return to the village after the food festival, but after staying here for a while, my thoughts have changed."

“Shrek City truly lives up to its reputation as the largest city on the continent.” Ye Lingqing’s face was filled with longing. “From the very first day I arrived here, I was awestruck by its prosperity. The largest city I’ve ever been to is Notting City, but compared to this place, Notting City is vastly different.”

"So I want to stay, work hard to earn money, and then bring Grandpa Village Chief over to live with us."

“I remember when I was a child, the village chief mentioned to me that he had traveled to many places when he was young, and his biggest regret was that he had never seen the prosperity of Shrek City. So I want to use my own efforts to let the village chief retire in Shrek City.” As Ye Lingqing said this, her eyes seemed to sparkle.

"I haven't told Grandpa Village Chief about this yet. I think... I'll definitely be able to give him a surprise." As if imagining the look of surprise on Grandpa Village Chief's wrinkled face, Ye Lingqing couldn't help but laugh.

A smile appeared on Qi Han's face.

This smile came partly from Ruyi's reminder.

With Ye Lingqing finished telling her story, the progress of the fifth main quest was finally completed.

On the other hand, it was also an appreciation for Ye Lingqing.

Qi Han already had a good impression of this innocent boy, and after hearing the boy's story, his good impression of him deepened even more.

They are grateful, filial, and kind.

It's a real shame that such a good child isn't working as a clerk at the Cold Food Festival.

If Ye Lingqing had originally intended to return, Qi Han wouldn't have had the same idea, but Ye Lingqing chose to stay in Shrek City…

I need to think carefully about how to trick this silly kid into becoming an employee at the store…

Before Qi Han could figure out how to start the conversation, a conflicted look flashed across Ye Lingqing's face.

He hesitated for a moment, then slowly said, "Mr. Qi, may I... make a somewhat unreasonable request?"

"Oh?" Qi Han raised an eyebrow. "Tell me first."

"I...I want to become your apprentice and learn cooking!" Ye Lingqing took a deep breath and then said loudly.

After speaking, he nervously clenched his hands together tightly, and his toes pressed together with his feet due to excessive tension.