Adorable Food Goddess

Chapter 44: Put one’s finger into another’s pie

Ye Jiayao gritted her teeth and paid 100 copper coins on a room with the plate number “earth” .

 

 

After days of sleeping with other guys, finally, she was able to stay in a room by herself . Ye Jiayao carefreely took off her clothes and bra to shower comfortably . For almost a month, she only had been wiping herself clean and she was already starting to feel rotten .

She changed into some fresh, clean clothes and set out to look for food .

She walked to the hall where she saw a few customers quarreling with a staff .

“Why are you serving this disgusting food with such an expensive price? Is this a tourist trap?” One of the young men slammed the chopsticks down causing the dishes and the table to violently shake .

The staff seemed already used to it as he showed no visible signs of panic . He said calmly, “I’ve told you beforehand that the chef was not here today, and we can’t make any delicious meals . It was you who insisted to stay and eat here . ”

The fat customer looked indignant and acted as if the waiter didn’t speak . “The vegetables are over-cooked, and the beans are too salty! And what is this? Is this braised meat in a brown sauce? It looks like crisp fat!”

“It doesn’t matter now if it was disgusting or delicious . You insisted on eating here, and you’ve already finished your meals . You must pay . Four dishes and one soup totals to one silver coin . ” The waiter held his palm open, asking for the money .

“We are not paying anything! As a matter of fact, we are not staying in this place anymore . We’re going!” The customers lifted their baggage, preparing to leave .

“Aye! You can’t go! You haven’t paid the rental fee yet . If you don’t pay, I will report to police . ”

“Go and report for all we care . We are looking for somewhere else to stay . Your business is disgusting . You gave us dirty sheets, cold tea, and foods that were suited for pigs! Pay you? Ha!” The customer was very cocky .

Ye Jiayao realized that these customers were trying to get out of paying the motel . Yes, the food was bad, but the service was quite good, the room was clean, and the tea was hot . The staff especially sent two pots of hot water for her when she wanted to take a shower .

In good conscience, Ye Jiayao could not let this pass . She went to ask the scared cashier behind the counter .

“Sir, how long did they live in this place?”

The cashier answered, “They have lived here for more than half a month and they asked for two rooms with plate number ‘People’ . They only paid two silver coins as a deposit and they still owe us six silver coins . ”

“Where is your manager?” Ye Jiayao only saw the cashier and the wait staff .

“The manager is not here . If he is here, they would have no way to repudiate the debt . They are only doing this because our manager is away,” the cashier despised .

 

 

Ye Jiayao nodded . She had seen ‘dine and ditch’, but not ‘live and ditch’ .   Well, what do you know, ancient times also has its share of reprobates .

The tricksters were starting to cause a scene, pushing the wait staff around and gearing up to start a fight . Other tenants of the motel must’ve heard the commotion and rushed down to take a look . Even people outside the motel circled around to look .

Ye Jiayao saw the unfair incident and couldn’t just stand by and do nothing . She went to stand between the two parties and smilingly said, “Big brothers, you can negotiate with each other and avoid this fight . Don’t get too angry or you’ll hurt your liver . Come, we can settle this inside . ”

The man saw the good-looking guy meddling in their business and was immediately frustrated . They were looking for a reason to leave, they didn’t want to go inside and ‘settle’ the dispute . He said angrily, “Stay out of this! It’s none of your business!”

“I also came to live in the motel . I just heard it was a tourist trap and I wanted to know for sure . If it is really a tourist trap, I don’t want to live here any longer,” Ye Jiayao replied calmly .

The wait staff was worried . “Sir, you can’t believe what they said . Our motel is small, but our service is good . Our price is clear, and we tell no lies to anyone . Our neighbors and everyone who has stayed here can prove that . ”

“Good service my ass! It is definitely a tourist trap . ” The fat man sounded indignant .

“It is!” two other men with him echoed .

“You’re saying all these awful things because you just want to repudiate the debt” The wait staff’s face turned red with anger .

“What did you say?” The fat man grabbed the wait staff’s collar, almost lifting him off his feet and stared at him fiercely .

“You said this place is a tourist trap . Why do you say so? You must give some reasons so that the others would be aware as well,” Ye Jiayao reasoned before turning to the spectators . “How about you all? What do you think?”

The people around them all echoed the same sentiments as Ye Jiayao .

The wait staff felt foolish . He thought that this good-looking young man was a nice gentleman that was coming to his aid . He thought that he misjudged Ye Jiayao as she appeared to take the sides of the troublemakers .

Ye Jiayao deliberately set them up because she knew that these rascals only made up a reason to leave . There was no way they could rationally explain their side of things once she asked them for facts .

“I don’t need to enumerate all the bad things in this motel because the customers who live here already know . We even lost some of our things, and the wait staff was the only one who came in our room . You see they cleverly disguised their thieves as the guards!”

Ye Jiayao sneered .   This low-life really would blame anyone and anything just to get out of paying .

 

 

“Tell us then, which one of you saw me steal your things?” the motel staff countered angrily .

“Well, we can’t really prove anything regarding your missing stuff, as you don’t have a tangible evidence . Even if you go to the police, they can’t convict the wait staff with just your words to go on . What I’m curious about, though, is how bad the motel is . I’m wondering how did you manage to spend more than half a month here if you hated it so much? There are many other better motels in Jin Ling City, surely?” Ye Jiayao said .

The four customers looked at each other, unable to answer her .

Everyone around them understood the situation, and all smiled secretly .

“It seems to me, that you like this motel seeing as you lived here for quite some time . I just arrived here today and I’m staying in a room with a number plate ‘earth’, which by the way, is the lowest . The blankets were soft and clean, they have warm and cold tea, and the service is great . All of that, for the price they’re asking? I say it’s fair . ”

Other tenants of the motel nodded, agreeing with what Ye Jiayao said .

She was on a roll as she continued, “On the account of the dishes not being great as they were supposed to be, you were warned earlier that the chef was not present . It was understandable that the dishes were not as delicious as you expected . How about this? I will make you guys another round of dishes . After you finish eating, you’ll pay the rest of the rental fee, and leave . Is that okay?”

“Manager Du is a great man who runs this motel for so many years . He’s well-liked by everyone . ”

“It is not easy for them to run the business with a small capital . It would be good to just talk through the misunderstanding . ”

The neighbors and tenant rounded out to call for fairness .

“Just let it go,” a voice from the crowd urged .

The four customers had nowhere to go . Their guilty conscience was already showing on their faces and if they refuse Ye Jiayao, they would appear more unreasonable . They had no choice but to go along . “Okay, you’ve convinced us . We will let it go but we refuse to live here anymore . ”

“Alright . Now, go pay the rental fee, and I will go to the kitchen to cook for you . ” Pulling her sleeves up, she turned to the wait staff and asked, “Where is the kitchen?”

The wait staff pointed at the back hall . “It is behind the small yard on the left-hand side . ”

After the dispute has been settled, and the four customers left, Ye Jiayao gave one silver coin to the cashier .

“It doesn’t feel right to take that,” the wait staff said embarrassedly . He thought he misjudged the little brother earlier, but it turns out that he really was a gentleman .

“I insist . ” Ye Jiayao set the money down on the counter and returned to her room .

One silver coin was a lot of money to her, but Ye Jiayao never lost money in business . Sometimes, suffering a loss is a blessing, and she knew that the silver coin would return to her in multiple .

On the second day, Ye Jiayao woke up very early because she was going to start looking for a job .

She was just about to leave when she heard a knock on her door . “Little brother, are you up yet?”

Ye Jiayao opened the door to the wait staff from last night . “Good morning! What can I do for you?”

The waiter’s smile showed excitement . “Little brother, our manager wants to see you!”

“Your manager is back?”

“Yes, he came back last night . He arrived very late and we didn’t want to bother you . ”

Ye Jiayao followed the waiter as he led her to the manager, a short, fat middle-aged man who looked like the Buddha when he smiles .

“Little brother Li, thank you so much for what you did yesterday . ” Manager Du made an obeisance by cupping one hand in the other before his chest to thank her .

Ye Jiayao returned that with a polite gesture and a smile . “It was nothing, manager Du . You’re most welcome . ”

“I’ve felt something wrong about those customers from Wei Zhou ages ago . I should’ve known that they would try to run away when I’m not here . Little Yang told me that you managed to stop them with a few words and get them to pay their rental fee . I am a man who repays his debt, little brother Li . These two silver coins are for you . I can’t let you spend money on a favor you delivered . ”

Ye Jiayao refused to take it, but manager Du forced to put the money in her hands .

“Take it, take it . Otherwise, I won’t let you live in the motel,” manager Du jokingly threatened .

Ye Jiayao finally took the silvers .

Manager Du asked, “What are you doing in Jin Ling, little brother?”

“I’m looking for a job here in Jin Ling . I was a chef in Shang Dong and I only arrived here yesterday,” Ye Jiayao answered honestly .

was a chef in Shang Dong and looking for a job in Jin Ling . I only arrived here yesterday, and I am looking for work right now . ” Ye Jiayao said honestly .

“You are a chef?” The manager was surprised .

“Yes! I studied for a few years and I know how to make a few dishes . ”

“Do you know how to cook Huaiyang dishes?”

“Yes, I am good at making Huaiyang dishes . ” Ye Jiayao was dancing inside . The way that the manager was asking her made her think that he wanted to hire her as a cook .

Manager Du laughed and loudly called, “Second lady, second lady!”

A woman lifted the bamboo curtain and asked, “What is going on?”

Manager Du said, “Isn’t this a coincidence? Big uncle’s hotel needs a chef and here we have a chef in our motel . This is little brother Li who helped us solve the problem yesterday . He is a chef and good at Huaiyang dishes . ”

The woman looked at Ye Jiayao with doubtful eyes . “You’re a chef? How? You’re so young . ”

Ye Jiayao saw the woman’s hand stick with fish scales and guessed that she might be the proprietress as well as the cook . “Big sister, if it will appease you, you can ask me any question . ”

The woman was slightly reassured with Ye Jiayao’s confidence .

Manager Du said, “Are you going to the hotel to help during lunch time? You can bring him to see your brother . If he is happy with little brother’s work, he doesn’t have to look around anymore . ”

Manager Du was a warm-hearted person . He recognized the big help that Ye Jiayao had done for him last night and he wanted to return the favor .

The woman hesitated before saying, “Sure, I will bring him . Heads up, though, my brother is not looking for any mediocre chef . You have to impress him little brother Li . ”

Ye Jiayao nodded, grateful for the help they were giving .

It was true that a good act will always be rewarded .