Chapter 158: Chapter 158: "There’s No Need for Lord Jiang to Worry About That.

Ming Lingyi finally couldn’t resist rolling her eyes at Li Yun.

"I haven’t."

Jiang Yuchuan hadn’t come to Ming’s Restaurant in the past few days, and Ming Lingyi could guess what he was thinking.

She wasn’t one to force someone against their will.

Besides, she and Jiang Yuchuan had never taken that next step in their relationship. If he wanted to cut ties now, she couldn’t blame him.

Under the circumstances, how could she possibly go out of her way to find Jiang Yuchuan and ask for his help?

When Li Yun heard Ming Lingyi say she wouldn’t be looking for Jiang Yuchuan, he subconsciously felt a surge of joy.

But his brow quickly furrowed again.

’If Lingyi won’t accept my help, and she won’t ask Jiang Yuchuan, then who else can she find for the next evaluation?’

"So you have someone else in mind for the evaluation?" Li Yun asked, sounding skeptical.

But Ming Lingyi nodded.

Li Yun wanted to ask more, but Ming Lingyi was already standing up. "The restaurant is about to get busy. I should get back."

Just as she reached the door, Ming Lingyi turned back, glanced at Li Yun, and after a moment’s thought, offered a word of thanks.

This was for everything—for helping her deal with the Xie family, for bringing her news today, and for lending her the Black Armor Guards.

As much as Ming Lingyi was reluctant to admit it, she knew in her heart that Li Yun had helped her a great deal.

As dusk fell, Ming Lingyi stepped out of Ming’s Restaurant and subconsciously glanced at the door next door.

The group of disguised Black Armor Guards who had been standing guard there earlier in the day were now gone.

When she looked up, Ming Lingyi noticed someone standing not far away.

’What is it with today?’

That was the first thing that popped into Ming Lingyi’s head when she saw Jiang Yuchuan. ’Why are all the people who’ve been avoiding me suddenly showing up on the same day?’

Despite her inner grumbling, Ming Lingyi took the initiative to wave and greet Jiang Yuchuan.

"Lord Jiang," Ming Lingyi called out.

In truth, Jiang Yuchuan had come to Huaide Fang right after leaving his office.

After mulling it over for the past few days, he had finally come to a decision. Even if the person Ming Lingyi had mentioned was the current Emperor, he couldn’t back down.

Even an Emperor can’t just steal a woman from the common folk. If he and Mrs. Ming were truly in love, he would not retreat out of fear of imperial power.

It was just...

Jiang Yuchuan had been standing here for a while. He had hesitated to approach because he knew Ming Lingyi was no ordinary woman, and he didn’t know if she had guessed that he’d been deliberately avoiding her these past few days.

But now, as his gaze met hers and he saw her actively smiling and waving at him, a fire suddenly ignited in his heart.

"Miss Ming." Jiang Yuchuan stepped forward until he was right in front of her.

Ming Lingyi asked, "Lord Jiang, what’s the matter? You came all the way to our restaurant, why not come in and have a seat? Don’t tell me the food here isn’t to your liking?"

Jiang Yuchuan waved his hands frantically, his face turning bright red.

"Not at all." ’How could I ever find the food at Ming’s Restaurant unpalatable? It suits my tastes perfectly.’ "I... I was just..."

Jiang Yuchuan was momentarily at a loss for words. He didn’t know how to explain the anxiety and apprehension that had kept him hesitating at the door.

Fortunately, Ming Lingyi wasn’t one to press the issue. Her tone was cheerful as she said, "Even if you didn’t like it before, that might not be the case now. We’ve launched some new dishes in the last couple of days. Lord Jiang, why don’t you come in and give them a try?"

And just like that, Jiang Yuchuan dazedly followed Ming Lingyi into the restaurant.

Xiao Chun and the Wu Brothers, who were waiting tables, smiled and greeted him when they saw him.

Jiang Yuchuan felt an even deeper pang of guilt.

The new dish Ming’s Restaurant had launched in the past two days was a platter of fresh vegetables with dipping sauce.

As the weather grew hotter, many found dishes like roasted milk to be a bit too rich. So, Ming Lingyi had replaced the shop’s drinks with mung bean soup and a more appetizing sour plum juice.

As for the spring rolls, the restaurant’s regulars had also grown tired of them.

As summer arrived, the variety of fruits and vegetables in Shangjing City grew, which made Ming Lingyi think of a dish popular in the regions further north: fresh vegetables with dipping sauce.

Eggs were whisked and poured into hot oil, the fragrant aroma of fried eggs instantly filling the air. A loud SIZZLE erupted for a moment before prepared scallions and garlic were added. Mindful that some customers couldn’t handle spice, Ming Lingyi added dogwood fruit to some batches for a milder heat. Finally, she stirred in soybean paste, thinned it with a splash of water, and drizzled it evenly over the scrambled egg curds. The heat instantly released the sauce’s aroma—rich, mellow, and assertive.

By now, the aroma was already intense. She reduced the heat to a simmer, gently stirring with a spatula to let every piece of egg fully absorb the sauce. She cooked until the color deepened and the oil began to separate from the paste. A final sprinkle of verdant scallions, a quick stir, and it was plated.

The sauce was straightforwardly savory and salty, perfect for dipping crisp, sweet summer vegetables. You could then wrap it all in a piece of lettuce or tofu skin. With one bite, the fresh sweetness of the vegetables mingled with the savory fragrance of the egg sauce, enhanced by the unique flavor of the tofu skin. It was exceptionally delicious.

And it wasn’t heavy at all, even in the summer heat.

When the dish was first introduced, many customers were skeptical. After all, the people of Shangjing City loved their meat. For Ming’s Restaurant to suddenly serve a plate of vibrant, raw vegetables... it looked less like food for humans and more like fodder for cattle, sheep, and rabbits had been served.

But the moment they tried it with the egg sauce, their expressions changed instantly, their eyebrows shooting up in pleasant surprise.

All their reservations about raw vegetables vanished. The diners would quickly turn with excitement to the tofu skins served alongside, eager to try them as well.

Ming Lingyi placed the highly acclaimed vegetable platter on the table and said, "If you don’t have much of an appetite, you can try this. It’s perfect for an evening meal. It’s easy to digest, so you won’t feel bloated, and it’s also very inexpensive. However, Lord Jiang, please consider this particular dish a thank-you gift for your help at the restaurant two days ago. You simply must not refuse."

Ming Lingyi said this with a wide smile, and for a moment, Jiang Yuchuan found himself truly unable to refuse.

Jiang Yuchuan had no appetite. He had been in such turmoil these past few days; how could he have even thought about food?

Upon seeing Ming Lingyi, he had originally intended to explain why he hadn’t shown up for the past few days. But every time he looked up and met her clear, smiling eyes, he felt as if his throat were coated in paste. He felt too cowardly to speak the words.

Miss Ming had always been sincere with him and never hid anything, yet his own heart was full of calculations and hesitation. He felt ashamed of himself.

"When I came in just now, I noticed many tables had this dish," Jiang Yuchuan said, trying to find a new topic. "It looks like another one of your clever creations, Miss Ming."

Ming Lingyi replied, "It’s hardly a clever creation. I’d heard of it before and happened to come across the method in an old book. I just decided to give it a try, and its success is all thanks to our regulars’ support."

Jiang Yuchuan said, "But you’re very impressive to begin with, Miss Ming."

After exchanging a few more words, Jiang Yuchuan felt that things were almost back to how they were a few days ago. He thought for a moment, then ventured, "Miss Ming, will you be needing a judge for your evaluation in a few days? I’m available."

With these words, Jiang Yuchuan had made his stance clear. After all his inner conflict, he was still willing to stand by Ming Lingyi’s side. Regardless of who she was entangled with, he was willing to take a chance.

But the words had barely left his lips when he saw Ming Lingyi, sitting across from him, say with a sweet smile, "Oh, that’s something you don’t need to worry about, Lord Jiang."

Ming Lingyi’s words were still gentle, delivered with a faint smile, but to Jiang Yuchuan’s ears, they meant something else entirely.