The sheer number of infuriating aspects to this matter was overwhelming. For instance, Su Muxian detested Ye Tiancheng siding with Hou Mingzhu. Su Muxian desired Ye Tiancheng to be her exclusive possession. She had initially viewed this collaboration as a promising signal, only to be profoundly disappointed. She had no idea what insidious methods that venomous woman Hou Mingzhu had employed to keep Ye Tiancheng perpetually by her side.
However, Su Muxian was not worried. Su Muxian and her grandfather had already seized the initiative, preemptively acquiring the shares of Ye Tiancheng's Farmhouse Cuisine. Their intention was to challenge Hou Mingzhu directly. Now that Farmhouse Cuisine was in the Su family's hands, Hou Mingzhu would have to think twice before making any moves.
Although Hou Mingzhu was curious about why Ye Tiancheng possessed such remarkable skills after receiving his assistance, her repeated inquiries yielded no answers. She was forced to resort to underhanded tactics, as direct questioning was clearly futile.
Initially, Hou Mingzhu had attempted to bribe Xiao Pang. However, that fellow was as dense as a block of wood, utterly loyal to Ye Tiancheng and incapable of deviating from his path.
Hou Mingzhu had extended her overtures with sincerity, offering Xiao Pang a substantial sum of money. Naturally, she had dispatched someone to do so. At this juncture, Hou Mingzhu was still collaborating with Ye Tiancheng and dared not expose her despicable intentions.
The result was that the dispatched envoy returned with a report: Xiao Pang stated he only wished to work diligently under Ye Tiancheng and had no interest in such underhanded dealings. He had told them to leave immediately, warning that he would resort to violence if they dared to return.
"How can this person be so unappreciative? He fails to grasp the opportunity for wealth and truly believes he is someone extraordinary. This short-sighted, fat fool is destined to spend his life frying food in the kitchen, forever enveloped in smoke and steam, with absolutely no chance of ever becoming rich!"
Hou Mingzhu was so enraged that she began to curse vehemently. Previously, with her stunning beauty and inexhaustible wealth, everything she desired had gone smoothly.
But ever since she began interacting with Ye Tiancheng, for some inexplicable reason, her luck had taken a turn for the worse. Everything she did became fraught with difficulty, even leading Hou Mingzhu to question her own existence. Ye Tiancheng's appearance felt like a deliberate attempt to bring about her downfall.
"My lady, please do not be angry. People's awareness levels vary. If you get angry, you lose. Such individuals are simply not worthy. Let him continue to fry dishes in that dim, suffocating kitchen forever. We can devise other methods."
The subordinate, intending to appease Hou Mingzhu, only managed to enrage her further. In a display of her fury, Hou Mingzhu proceeded to smash a multitude of objects.
"My lady, please calm down. There will surely be a solution. Those scoundrels are not worth your anger; you are the most esteemed!"
Having grown weary of such platitudes, Hou Mingzhu, in her rage, slapped the subordinate directly. "If you have something to say, say it. If not, do not speak empty words and offer no solutions. Standing here spouting nonsense – do you wish to infuriate me to death!"
The subordinate, struck forcefully, fell to the ground. The blow stunned him, and it took him a considerable time to recover his senses.
"Perhaps, my lady, we could find a spy and slowly cultivate them to be like that fatty, someone who can infiltrate Ye Tiancheng's inner circle, gain more information about him, and thus facilitate the surveillance of Ye Tiancheng's every move."
Upon hearing her subordinate's suggestion, Hou Mingzhu's expression shifted, displaying a look of profound admiration. She felt as though her subordinate had suddenly had an epiphany.
"It seems my slap was not in vain. Your mind has become much sharper than before. To think of such an excellent plan – how did I not consider it? We shall find someone to pose as nothing special, to subtly disguise themselves by Ye Tiancheng's side, posing no threat to him. The objective is simply to monitor him discreetly."
"My lady, that is precisely my thought. Moreover, I have already identified a suitable candidate: He Wu, who possesses a certain foundation in physical fitness."
Not only had he offered a solution, but he had also recommended a person. Hou Mingzhu greatly appreciated such comprehensive talent.
"Excellent. However, you must train him thoroughly on the specifics. Do not let him reveal any flaws and embarrass me."
Hou Mingzhu's mood had finally improved, and her subordinates dared not even breathe loudly. They immediately bowed and replied subserviently, vowing to fulfill Hou Mingzhu's wishes and never disappoint their lady.
After undergoing training, He Wu was fully aware of his mission. Therefore, despite his naturally domineering and arrogant disposition, he had to maintain a facade. He could not reveal any aspect of his former self. If Ye Tiancheng were to dislike him and dismiss him, he would fail the mission assigned by Hou Mingzhu and face a grim fate.
Seeing the kind-faced, familiar old man before him, Ye Tiancheng was certainly not foolish enough to believe this fellow had genuinely come to pledge his allegiance.
"You may leave. I do not take in people here."
The first step proved to be unexpectedly difficult. If he failed to complete his mission, he might very well be devoured alive by Hou Mingzhu.
Thus, the unfortunate spy could only kneel and cling to Ye Tiancheng's leg, pleading for him to let him stay, even if it were only as a general laborer.
"Have you thought this through? Staying here with me will not be as carefree as your previous life, where you enjoyed the finest food and drink."
"I am here to endure hardship and temper myself. Furthermore, Brother Ye, after hearing of your reputation, I have always admired you greatly and wished for an opportunity to follow you. This opportunity is now before me, and I will not let it slip away under any circumstances. Even if I must die, I will die at your command."
This profoundly moving declaration utterly astonished Ye Tiancheng. He marveled at how these aspiring followers would go to such lengths to achieve success, daring to utter any words.
"Very well, then you shall be an odd-job man. Coincidentally, your brother Fatty has been a bit overwhelmed lately. You can go to the kitchen and assist him. To be clear, this job is very demanding. After all, the Farmhouse Cuisine restaurant is currently thriving. You cannot simply stay here and eat for free. However, do not worry; I will not force you into indentured servitude. If you are unhappy at any point, you can leave immediately. I will not stop you."
Whether he stuck his neck out or cowered, the outcome was the same. Having no other choice, he had to agree to Ye Tiancheng's terms. Ye Tiancheng was acutely aware that this person could not be trusted.
Xiao Pang, on the other hand, was quite pleased. "This is great! I've been saying for a while that I need an assistant, but there's been no progress. I've been exhausted. It's been so long since anyone called me 'Fatty'; I've felt so lost."
Ye Tiancheng found Xiao Pang's boastful remark amusing, almost to the point of tears. If he hadn't urged Xiao Pang to lose weight before, the man would likely have become so obese that he would have been unrecognizable. How could he possibly be like this now, almost having developed an eight-pack?
"Alright, don't say that. What if heaven hears you? Heaven has all sorts of ways to make you fat; you'll gain weight even by drinking water."
"Heh, please don't curse me. My current physique is not yet ideal; I still need to continue losing weight."
While the two chatted animatedly, He Wu remained silent, his head bowed respectfully, awaiting instructions.
"Alright, Fatty, I've taken in a new subordinate for you. You must cherish him dearly and absolutely do not bully him. Lead him well in earning money. Only by developing all your subordinates can you become a leader."
"Rest assured, Brother Ye. As long as this fellow doesn't cause me trouble, I am generally magnanimous. Regardless of his origin or who he followed before, as long as he repents and reforms, I am willing to accept him."
Ye Tiancheng felt quite gratified. Under his guidance, this young fatty was growing increasingly refined and could now be considered a potential leader.
Ye Tiancheng's Farmhouse Cuisine was immensely popular. What was once just a restaurant had now expanded into numerous integrated projects. Of course, Ye Tiancheng was primarily concerned with collecting payments and rarely managed the accounts. When he felt overwhelmed, he would simply delegate the task to Su Muxian. After all, the Su family was exceptionally professional in business matters, rendering Ye Tiancheng's intervention unnecessary.
Ye Tiancheng was living a blissful life. With little to do recently, he began going on dates with Hou Qing'er. One day, as Hou Qing'er lay in Ye Tiancheng's arms and asked when he would marry her, Ye Tiancheng suddenly felt the question was beyond his scope.
Previously, in his dreams, there had been no such plot involving Hou Qing'er. However, this current choice was slowly altering everything. Ye Tiancheng was actually feeling a bit tired and desired to settle down. But marriage was something a man should initiate. Ye Tiancheng pondered whether he should devise a proposal plan.
Ye Tiancheng's thoughts were impossible to conceal and were soon discovered by the Nuwa Stone. The Nuwa Stone immediately intervened.
"No, I can see your destiny. You cannot be with Hou Qing'er. If you do not abide by the rules of fate, it will bring harm to both of you."
The Nuwa Stone had been silent for a long time, and now, every time it appeared, it contradicted him. Ye Tiancheng detested this talk of destiny. Many of his current circumstances differed from those in his dreams. Although some paths led to the same destination, many changes had occurred.
For instance, Hou Mingzhu's attitude towards him. Ye Tiancheng was certain that although that woman did not voice it, she definitely had feelings for him. But in his dreams, it was different; they viewed each other as mortal enemies, constantly bickering. Hou Mingzhu had even sent people multiple times to try and take his life.
Ye Tiancheng had also come to a clear understanding: since things could be changed, why should they remain exactly as in his dreams? Wouldn't that make him a mindless robot?
"Ye Tiancheng, I am not joking. You can play around with that woman Hou Qing'er, but if you intend to marry her, it will be disastrous for both of you!"
It seemed that ever since he gained the ability to communicate with the Nuwa Stone, this was the first time Ye Tiancheng had seen the Nuwa Stone so agitated, as if Ye Tiancheng had committed some heinous offense.
"What's wrong with Hou Qing'er? I think she's wonderful. She's virtuous, understands me, and treats me well. That's precisely what I value in Hou Qing'er. As for others like Hou Mingzhu, she merely has a beautiful face. And that woman is indeed wealthy, but I am not lacking in wealth either. My fixed assets are already so substantial that they could last several lifetimes. I could be living a life of leisure, so why should I force myself to do things I don't want to do?"
Seeing that Ye Tiancheng was not listening, the Nuwa Stone was becoming increasingly frantic. "I understand everything you're saying, but there is one thing you absolutely must not do: defy destiny. This is inviting heavenly tribulation, and you will surely regret it!"
Ye Tiancheng detested this notion of fate the most. Now, with the Nuwa Stone insisting on discussing it, Ye Tiancheng felt a surge of annoyance and no longer wished to continue the conversation. He felt like lashing out at anyone. It was best to calm down for now and avoid damaging his relationship with the Nuwa Stone.
"Let's not discuss it further for now. Let me consider it."
Ye Tiancheng was extremely vexed and did not wish to see anyone at the moment. However, when Hou Qing'er called, Ye Tiancheng couldn't help but curve his lips. Just seeing Hou Qing'er's name on the caller ID made him feel happy. Had he truly fallen for her?