Jian Wen was kicked hard and took a while to recover.

When he finally got up, he was so furious that he almost lost his mind.

But when he turned around, he saw Shen Qiming, who was nearly half a head taller than him, standing expressionlessly next to two girls.

Jian Wen didn’t dare to act rashly, so he could only cover his lower back, which was sore from the kick, and threaten that he would call the police for personal injury.

Shen Qiming didn’t even spare him a glance, while Jin Yaotiao was busy comforting Luna and couldn’t be bothered with him.

Jian Wen actually took out his phone as if to make a call, and the other customers in the restaurant couldn’t stand it anymore, mocking him.

“What’s with this guy? He hit his girlfriend first, then got beaten up, and now he still wants to call the police?”

“Disgusting. I heard earlier he was angry because his girlfriend didn’t lend him money.”

“Turns out he’s a kept man, trying to take advantage of her!”

“If he dares to call the police, I’ll stay here and testify. How unlucky is it to run into such a scumbag on a date?”

The surrounding people were speaking in disgust, occasionally throwing him contemptuous glances.

After hearing all this, Jian Wen was so enraged that he felt dizzy, holding his phone in confusion, unsure whether to make the call or not. At this moment, the restaurant staff brought over security to surround him.

“Sir, please leave immediately. You’re disturbing our business.”

What a humiliation! What a humiliation!

Jian Wen’s lips trembled. “They’re the ones who started it!”

The staff looked at him in disdain.

A few steps away, Jin Yaotiao sneered, “Then why don’t you call the police? Should I wait to help you?”

Jian Wen’s teeth ground together in frustration.

He had an immense sense of pride, and being the subject of ridicule from so many people was more painful than being killed.

After a tense moment, he couldn’t bear it anymore and limped away, clutching his back.

---

Luna was terrified and heartbroken, crying and hiccupping on the way, “Yaotiao, how could Jian Wen do this to me? He was always such a good-tempered person…”

Over the years, Jian Wen had always been incredibly obedient to her, and Luna had always believed that as long as her boyfriend treated her well, it didn’t matter if he had money or not.

Jin Yaotiao shook her head, comforting her, “Don’t think about it.”

Luna was in a mess, “What should I do?”

Jin Yaotiao patted her head, “I won’t let anyone bully you. Give me your dad’s phone number.”

Luna initially didn’t want to tell her father, fearing she would be scolded, but her best friend insisted. Eventually, she relented.

When Luna’s father heard that his daughter had been bullied, he rushed home from the company.

Only when he saw that Luna was okay did he finally relax.

Jin Yaotiao explained everything clearly and then advised, “Uncle, don’t blame her. It’s not her fault that she was bullied for being kind.”

Luna’s father’s anger dissipated, and he sighed before thanking her, “Yaotiao, if it weren’t for you, Luna would really be eaten alive. I don’t know how to thank you.”

Jin Yaotiao smiled, “There’s no need for that. She’s been good to me, and that money I lent her before, I didn’t need it in the end. I’ll transfer it back in a few days.”

Luna’s father grew serious and said, “Stop talking about money. Yaotiao, don’t worry about anything. If you ever need help in the future, just say the word. Uncle will always be there for you.”

Jin Yaotiao told Luna’s mother to take her back to her room to rest, and before leaving, she pulled her uncle aside and gave a suggestion: “Uncle, Jian Wen suddenly asked for a large sum of money, claiming he wanted to start a business to impress you. But I still find it suspicious. You should be careful and don’t let him try to entangle Luna in the future.”

When he heard the name, Luna’s father’s face darkened, and with a cold grunt, he said, “Don’t worry. He works in my company. It was Luna who liked him before, and out of sentiment, I didn’t make things difficult for him. Now… hmph. If he tries to take advantage again, then I’ve wasted these decades.”

Jin Yaotiao sighed, feeling sympathy for the parental love that never changed.

---

After Jin Yaotiao left, Luna’s parents stood at the door, watching her go, shaking their heads in the cold wind and sighing.

“She’s a good child. Our daughter’s intelligence isn’t the best, but she has a friend like this. We’ve really accumulated some good karma over the years.”

“She’s someone who can handle big matters. If Luna were just a little bit smarter… Never mind, didn’t you get an invitation from the Cheng family this morning? For the Muhe Mansion banquet? I heard it’s a competition between their family and ours. Let’s skip it, don’t go.”

---

Before Jin Yaotiao got in the car, she glanced around and noticed something, tossing her bag into the car as she took a few steps back. “You’re not going back?”

Shen Qiming got out of the car parked behind, hands in his coat pockets, looking down at her.

His long lashes cast a shadow. “Hmm, is your friend okay?”

“She’s fine.” Jin Yaotiao realized she had forgotten to thank him. “Thank you today, Mr. Shen.”

Shen Qiming looked down at her.

There was a brief silence before he spoke. “Yaotiao, why… did you cancel the engagement with me?”

Jin Yaotiao felt mixed emotions.

She had thought Shen Qiming wouldn’t ask such a question.

A person like him would never hold a grudge over a breakup.

But the atmosphere now felt much better compared to the one at the coffee shop a few days ago.

They had just joined forces to take down another enemy, and although he was technically her ex, in this moment, they could be considered comrades.

Jin Yaotiao smiled lightly: “I know I brought it up a bit suddenly, and my attitude that day wasn’t very good. I should apologize to you. But I wasn’t lying to you that day—I was just tired. Mr. Shen, you might not understand, but waiting for someone every day is really exhausting.”

Especially when that person doesn’t understand how to be considerate.

Shen Qiming opened his mouth as if to say something, but Jin Yaotiao shook her head. “I didn’t mean to blame you; it was my choice. Mr. Shen, I’m really grateful that you’re willing to help me today. Although we can’t be together, I hope we won’t hold any resentment toward each other in the future.”

Shen Qiming slowly shook his head as he looked at her. “I don’t resent you.”

Finally, the air between them cleared.

Jin Yaotiao extended her right hand. “That’s good. I hope we can still be friends in the future.”

Of course, it would be even better if there wasn’t too much interaction.

After a few seconds, Shen Qiming pulled his hand from his pocket and shook hers.

Jin Yaotiao’s hand was small and cold, easily enveloped by his palm.

He lowered his head and looked at their hands, not sure what he was thinking.

She’s really this cold?

The driver saw Jin Yaotiao open the door and not get in the car.

He came down to look around, and she waved her hand, saying, “Uncle Huang is urging me. Mr. Shen, you should go back soon. Drive carefully, and thank you for today. Also… thank you for everything in the past. I wish you prosperity in business.”

---

Jin Yaotiao got into the car. Uncle Huang said to her, “Yaotiao, your phone rang just now.”

She opened her bag and realized it was a call from Xunxiangyan.

After dialing back, the call was answered by Master Tu’s young apprentice, Wang Sheng.

He said, “Manager Jin, I called to tell you not to come back yet. Master Tu is throwing a tantrum in the back kitchen.”

Jin Yaotiao was stunned. “Who made him angry? Did you mess up the Eight Treasures Mountain Delicacy?”

“No!” Wang Sheng replied. “There was a customer named Li who showed Master Tu an invitation. It seemed to be from Muhe Mansion. After Master Tu looked at it, he got angry.”

Muhe Mansion?

The Cheng family?

Jin Yaotiao immediately recognized the name.

The Cheng family was from out of town.

Initially, they weren’t well known, but suddenly they rose to prominence, eventually reaching a level where they could rival the Jin family.

She searched the name online, and the results made her raise an eyebrow in surprise.

Muhe Mansion is holding an event? Oh, and the date is the same as Xunxiangyan’s anniversary?

The internet was flooded with press releases, claiming that Muhe Mansion had developed a molecular cuisine banquet that was highly refined, rarely seen in the country, and poised to become a main feature of their restaurant.

They even organized a grand celebration, inviting numerous social elites to attend, with food critics flying in from overseas to taste the dishes.

There was much discussion online. Muhe Mansion had always been well known, though their brand targeted a niche high-end market.

Over the years, the Cheng family had spent a lot on marketing.

Their middle-tier restaurant, Yunding, had become a popular social media hotspot in Linjiang, attracting many influencers and young celebrities, all eager to visit for the prestige it brought.

In comparison, the Jin family’s Mingde Grand Courtyard seemed to fall short.

Jin Yaotiao’s father had even launched a competing brand line to challenge them, which is where Jin Yaotiao worked now, in the “Hidden Banquet” project.

The Cheng family’s momentum was strong. If there was anything the Jin family still couldn’t match, it was their position in the industry.

The restaurant market in Linjiang had become fiercely competitive in recent years.

Although Xunxiangyan had declined, it was still an old brand with a solid foundation, and loyal customers like Old Wang still preferred it.

A few years ago, Muhe Mansion hadn’t taken off, and the Cheng family had even resorted to buying marketing to put down local old brands, establishing their “luxury restaurant” reputation by defeating competitors.

These days, young customers in Linjiang viewed Xunxiangyan as old-fashioned, largely thanks to Cheng family’s efforts.

Now, with such a huge event, it seemed the Cheng family was aiming to solidify their “luxury brand” status.

Xunxiangyan’s anniversary was overshadowed by Muhe Mansion’s name, which was rather ridiculous.

Jin Yaotiao called her father to ask about it.

Jin Father was silent for a moment, then told her not to worry.

He clearly knew about it but didn’t intend to tell her, choosing instead to endure the frustration of being provoked but unable to retaliate.

Jin Yaotiao hadn’t been involved in the family business before, so she didn’t know about the dispute. But now that she thought about it, Xunxiangyan hadn’t opened since she returned.

She sighed. “Dad, you should have told me.”

Her father acted like he didn’t care. “It’s no big deal. Why should I tell you? It’ll only make you upset.”

“What’s there to make me upset about?” Jin Yaotiao was finally calm.

---

When she arrived at Xunxiangyan, Master Tu was indeed scolding his apprentices, criticizing them for the pickled cucumbers on the chopping board.

Jin Yaotiao washed her hands, grabbed the criticized cucumber, and threw it away.

She signaled the crying apprentices to go hide in a safe corner.

The apprentices scattered quickly. Master Tu’s face darkened like a pickled cabbage. “Hey!”

Jin Yaotiao ignored him and opened the large pot simmering on the stove.

Through the steam, she could tell the meat was well-cooked.

She pulled out a beef rib with a hook.

The aroma filled the room.

The beef rib was tender and had been stewed to perfection, trembling slightly on the hook.

She easily removed the bone.

Jin Yaotiao took a knife and cut the meat into pieces, offering it to Master Tu. “Try it.”

Master Tu was still angry, but the smell of the meat tempted him. Unable to resist, he took a piece with his chopsticks.

The stew’s seasoning had been carefully prepared by Jin Yaotiao.

The high-quality beef ribs had been cooked to a rich, brown color.

The lean meat was tender and the fat translucent and crystalline.

The meat’s connective tissue around the bones was soft and delicate.

The moment he bit into it, the richness of the stew complemented the tender, juicy meat—simply perfect.

Jin Yaotiao asked, “How is it?”

Delicious. He had never tasted beef this good.

Master Tu’s anger had mostly subsided, and he grunted. “Hmph!”

Jin Yaotiao crossed her arms and watched him. “Uncle, I’m not trying to make things hard for you. Scolding them won’t solve anything. Save your energy to take on the Cheng family.”

Master Tu raised an eyebrow. “I’d love to! But where can I fight them? They’re so crafty, with one dirty trick after another. Who can beat them?”

Jin Yaotiao smiled and picked up her phone to make a call. “Hello, Dad, let everyone know that on the day of the anniversary, all branches of Mingde Grand Courtyard should prepare enough stewing pots. In addition to offering discounts, we’ll give out stewed beef ribs to customers, celebrating the sub-brand’s anniversary under the name of Xunxiangyan.”

“And…” she asked, “I remember there’s a Mingde Grand Courtyard branch near Muhe Mansion, right?”

When she got a confirmation, Jin Yaotiao was even more pleased. “Great, make that branch the center of attention. Let’s make a bigger deal out of it. After all, Mingde Grand Courtyard is an affordable brand. Set up an outdoor cooking area, make sure the security and logistics are in place, and draw as many people as possible.”

She hung up the phone and looked at Master Tu. “Is this move crafty enough?”

Master Tu was stunned.

Jin Yaotiao picked up a piece of beef and ate it slowly. “The Cheng family is a bunch of nouveau riche. They don’t realize who’s running Xunxiangyan now. They messed with me? They’ll regret it.”