Chapter 129

Chapter 129

"Next time you bump into something, don't blame others, okay?" Yu Tongtong instructed.

"Sorry," Cong Ge replied, meaning to apologize.

"Right, say 'sorry'. Now, help lift the vase back up!" Yu Tongtong pointed to the fallen vase.

The vase was large and sturdy, unharmed by the collision, but lifting it was a bit too challenging for Cong Ge, a one-year-old child.

Yu Tongtong stepped forward, "Let me help you with that."

"Okay," Cong Ge agreed.

"Then you should say 'thank you'," Yu Tongtong reminded him.

Obediently, Cong Ge said, "Thank."

Yu Tongtong exerted some effort and managed to set the vase upright.

Cong Ge clapped his chubby hands, "Good, good, good."

"Let's go," Yu Tongtong stood up and continued forward with Minghe.

Cong Ge crawled after them cheerfully.

The commotion seemed like it never happened.

Pei Yiyang was impressed, turning to say, "Tongtong is really amazing."

Pei Yanli added, "She's only five but already so sensible."

Xiao Yu commented, "She's very good to her grandparents and little brother."

Pei Yanli added, "Take a lesson from this."

Pei Yiyang nodded emphatically, "Yes!"

Neither Xiao Yu nor Pei Yanli expected Pei Yiyang to agree so readily. They exchanged a look, silently agreeing, "Bringing him here was the right decision."

Seeing Yu Tongtong and Cong Ge getting along so well, Chef Yu and his wife couldn't help but smile.

Xiao Yu turned and said, "Chef Yu, Grandma, let’s also check out the different rooms."

Chef Yu and his wife nodded in agreement.

They all took a tour around, visiting each floor.

Grandma Yu and Chef Yu asked together, "Renting this boat must cost a fair amount of silver, right?"

"No silver needed," Pei Yanli replied.

The two were astonished.

Pei Yanli explained, "It’s borrowed from a friend."

In a low voice, Grandma Yu said to Chef Yu, "Not only is Young Master Pei wealthy, but his acquaintances are affluent too."

"That’s a good thing, a very good thing," Chef Yu remarked.

Grandma Yu, having sensed a special connection between Pei Yanli and Xiao Yu, didn't probe further. Xiao Yu was always a clever and considerate child. While Minghe, Tongtong, Yiyang, and Cong Ge were running around, she and Chef Yu took the opportunity to ask Xiao Yu and Pei Yanli about their plans after arriving in the capital.

"You don’t need to worry about anything. I’ll take care of all necessities like food, clothing, and accommodation," Xiao Yu assured them. He had long planned to open a restaurant in the capital and had studied maps of the city while in the palace, already formulating a plan in his mind.

"You are being too kind," Grandma Yu said.

"I invited you to the capital, so naturally, I'll take care of everything," Xiao Yu replied.

"There’s no need for clothes. We’ll ask our daughter in Qingshi Town to send them later," Grandma Yu planned to write to her daughter after reaching the capital.

Xiao Yu nodded, "Alright, don't worry about the rest."

Since Xiao Yu insisted, Grandma Yu and Chef Yu didn’t ask further. They decided to work hard in the restaurant to repay Xiao Yu’s kindness and relaxed, enjoying the scenery with the children.

Xiao Yu had been worried that Cong Ge, being so young and not used to traveling, might get seasick or carsick, but the boy adjusted quickly, eating and playing well with everyone.

Initially, Minghe and Pei Yiyang were put off by Cong Ge's chubby arms and legs, but soon found his chubbiness amusing, purposely placing him on the floor to feel his limbs.

"They're so smooth, right?" Yu Tongtong asked proudly from the side.

"Chubby," Minghe commented while feeling them.

"And soft," Pei Yiyang added.

"His legs are useful too!" Yu Tongtong exclaimed.

"Useful for what?" Minghe and Pei Yiyang asked curiously.

Yu Tongtong glanced around, then caught a mosquito from a flowerpot and placed it inside Cong Ge's chubby leg folds, saying, "Watch, it will squash the mosquito."

"Dead!" Cong Ge pointed out.

Minghe and Pei Yiyang were shocked by Yu Tongtong's demonstration.

Grandma Yu saw this and quickly intervened, "Tongtong, don't put insects on your brother. If they have venom, he might be hurt."

Yu Tongtong looked at her chubby little brother and said, "Then I won't do it again."

Grandma Yu laughed, "That's right."

Yet the three children continued to treat Cong Ge like a toy, touching, hugging, pinching him... They were thoroughly engrossed in their play.

Cong Ge, generous and not ticklish, let them play and touch him as they pleased, clearly enjoying himself.

"Chef Yu, Cong Ge has a really good temperament," Xiao Yu couldn't help but comment.

"He seems very magnanimous," Pei Yanyi added.

Grandma Yu looked at Chef Yu and said, "I remember Yu Hui wasn't like this when he was young."

Chef Yu replied, "Yu Hui was quite stingy as a child, but our third daughter was always cheerful, generous, and kind." Their third daughter had married well and was living happily, requiring no worry from them.

"Yes, just like our third daughter," Grandma Yu said with a smile in her eyes.

"With the right guidance, he'll be a real talent in the future," Pei Yanyi remarked, looking at Cong Ge.

This gave Grandma Yu and Chef Yu even more confidence.

The adults couldn't help but watch the four children from a distance, laughing along with the innocent humor they created.

A light and cheerful atmosphere enveloped the entire ship, making the journey seem less daunting.

Two days later, they arrived in the capital.

The Yu family was aware of the capital's prosperity, but they didn't expect it to be so bustling. Crowded streets, brightly dressed people, a multitude of goods, herds of donkeys, horses, and mules amazed Tongtong, who exclaimed, "Wow, it's so much busier than Qingshi Town!"

Grandma Yu kept nodding, "And much bigger than Qingshi Town too!"

Cong Ge, held in Chef Yu's arms, was as excited as a chubby carp just landed, wriggling non-stop and babbling excitedly.

"Oh my, oh my," Chef Yu struggled to hold onto the wriggling child.

"Yanyi, can you help hold him for a bit?" Xiao Yu asked.

Pei Yanli immediately took Cong'er into his arms.

Chef Yu, having carried the child for a while, was indeed tired and gratefully handed the responsibility to Pei Yanli.

Upon seeing Pei Yanli's stern face, Cong'er inexplicably behaved himself.

Xiao Yu remarked, "He's afraid of you."

Pei Yanli smiled slightly, "Most children are scared of me."

Xiao Yu glanced at him and said, "You seem quite proud of that."

"That's right, we can't let them act lawlessly."

"You make a good point," Xiao Yu said, glancing again at the exceptionally well-behaved Cong'er. He smiled, holding tightly to Minghe and Tongtong's hands to prevent them from getting lost.

Pei Yanli said, "Yiyang, keep an eye on Chef Yu and Old Lady Yu."

"I understand," Pei Yiyang replied.

As they walked through the bustling streets, Pei Yanli initially wanted to take Chef Yu and his family to the general's mansion or the Pei residence. However, Xiao Yu worried it might intimidate them, so he suggested, "Let's have them stay at an inn for now. I'll rent a house for them in the Southeast Quarter immediately. They can move in tomorrow. As for their identities, we'll find a suitable opportunity to explain everything properly."

Pei Yanli asked in surprise, "Have them live in the Southeast Quarter?"

The capital was large, divided into North, East, West, and South regions. The palace was in the north, the nobility lived in the east, merchants in the west, and commoners in the south, each area having its distinct vibrancy.

The Southeast Quarter, situated between the nobility and commoners, was a street that couldn't unify the interests of both groups nor had the business acumen of the western merchants, gradually becoming a secluded area.

Xiao Yu thought the area had potential due to its vast space and proximity to nobility, boasting good security and promising development prospects. He nodded, "Yes."

"You're not planning to open a restaurant there, are you?" Pei Yanli asked.

Xiao Yu hummed in affirmation.

After a moment's thought, Pei Yanli said, "It might be challenging there."

"Is it any more difficult than Shuiqing Alley?" Xiao Yu countered.

Pei Yanli smiled: "That's not the case."

"Then it's settled."

Pei Yanli nodded.

The two of them sent Chef Yu and his family to the inn. Pei Yanli ordered his secret guards to protect them, then he, along with Xiao Yu, Ming He, and Pei Yiyang, went to the southeastern district.

Xiao Yu had already examined this area on the map, so he quickly identified three small courtyards. After comparing them, he directly bought two adjacent ones.

Ming He said, "We have silver now!"

Xiao Yu smiled and nodded: "Right." Over the past two years, he, Ming He, and Danzi had accomplished much, so buying two courtyards was not an issue.

Having decided on the courtyards, they then went to look at the restaurant.

Business was moderate in this area, so there were many vacant restaurants. However, the storefronts were not cheap. Xiao Yu liked several, but they were all very expensive. Unsure about how the business would fare, he didn't rush to buy. Instead, he chose one, paid two years' rent, took the keys, and decided to start the business to see how it would go. Then they went to check out the nearby market and so on.

"Uncle, can we open a restaurant here tomorrow?" Ming He asked with anticipation.

"Not tomorrow," Xiao Yu shook his head.

Ming He asked, "Why?"

"We haven't prepared things like pots, pans, and ladles."

"Then let's prepare them tomorrow," Ming He suggested.

"Tomorrow we should first help Chef Yu move," Xiao Yu said.

"I'll prepare it," Pei Yanli offered.

"No need, I can do it," Xiao Yu quickly replied.

Pei Yanli suddenly fell silent.

Xiao Yu looked over: "What's the matter?"

"It seems like I'm not of much use anymore," said Pei Yanli.

Xiao Yu held Pei Yanli's hand: "How can you say that? You've always been by my side. Tomorrow, we'll move together."

"Actually, we could just let the servants handle it," Pei Yanli didn't want Xiao Yu to overexert himself.

Xiao Yu laughed: "Chef Yu and I are cooks. We know what kind of kitchenware and ingredients are best. It'll be more convenient to use in the future."

"Alright then," Pei Yanli was convinced.

After they got familiar with the general situation, it was almost dark. They returned to the inn together and went to Chef Yu's family's room, where they saw Cong Ge'er sitting on the floor, bare-bottomed, with his back to everyone, looking sulky.

Chef Yu, Grandma Yu, and Tongtong were sitting around the table drinking tea.

"What's happened here?" asked Xiao Yu, puzzled.

Chef Yu replied, "He's throwing a tantrum."

"He's throwing a tantrum so he won't wear clothes?" Ming He inquired.

Chef Yu explained helplessly: "He was playing wildly with Tongtong at noon. He only slept in the evening and just woke up. His grandmother was trying to dress him, but he insisted on wearing a red bellyband. His grandmother said it was washed and not dry yet, so he got upset and refused to wear anything."

"Tongtong doesn't indulge him at all. She said if he won't wear it, then he can just be naked, so he just sat down there." Grandma Yu, not one to spoil children, thought Tongtong was doing the right thing and didn't intervene rashly. She could only look on with a mix of laughter and tears at Cong Ge'er's nakedness.

Pei Yanli shook his head, smiling.

Ming He and Pei Yiyang couldn't help but move forward to touch Cong Ge'er's chubby arms and legs.

"Hit! Hit!" Cong Ge'er raised his hand to hit both of them.

Tongtong asked, "Cong Cong, are you going to wear clothes?"

"Red!" Cong Ge'er said.

Tongtong decisively said, "There's no red bellyband!"

"No!" Then he refused to wear anything.

"If you don't wear anything, you'll be naked," Tongtong said, holding clothes in her hand. Suddenly she had an idea and exclaimed loudly, "Cong Ge'er, look, it's getting dark outside. Soon there will be bugs on the ground, they'll bite your little pee-pee."

Little pee-pee... Tongtong was indeed extraordinary, leaving Xiao Yu and the others speechless.

Hearing this, Cong Ge'er looked down at his own little pee-pee, then covered it with both chubby hands: "No!" Don't bite!

"They will bite, and you'll cry about it!" Tongtong declared.

Ming He and Pei Yiyang nodded together, "To make you cry."

Cong'er quickly flipped over, clambered up to Yu Tongtong, and started pulling on his clothes.

Chef Yu smiled as he helped him dress.

Xiao Yu and the others laughed at the sight.

At that moment, the waiter brought dinner, and everyone ate together before retiring to rest.

Early the next day, they arrived at a small courtyard in the southeast district, complete with a main house, side rooms, kitchen, front yard, and backyard, all simple and comfortable.

Yu Tongtong was incredibly pleased with it.

Ming He pointed at the wall, "My house is right next door."

Yu Tongtong exclaimed with joy, "We're so close!"

Ming He nodded, "Yes, but we won't be living here for now. We'll move in after some time."

"This place is wonderful." It's bigger, cleaner, and brighter than the houses in Qingshi Town.

Grandma Yu was also very satisfied.

Chef Yu asked, "The rent must be high, right?"

"No rent," Xiao Yu said, looking at the two Yu's, "I bought these two houses. But since Ming He and I usually need to accompany Danzi, we can't live here for now. You can help us look after the next-door house, and that can be your rent."

"How can we accept this?" Grandma Yu protested.

"Don't be polite. Just stay here for now. We can talk about the rent once the restaurant stabilizes. It won't be much anyway." Xiao Yu had no intention of charging the elderly couple rent, and if they really felt uneasy, he planned to accept a symbolic amount later on.

Pei Yanli said, "Right now, opening the restaurant is the priority."

"Then let's hurry and check out the restaurant," Chef Yu said with the same enthusiasm for the kitchen and cooking as before.

Xiao Yu quickly added, "First, we need to purchase some daily necessities."

As soon as he finished speaking, two carriages stopped by, loaded with household items like tables, chairs, stools, bedding, pillows, pots, and pans, all prepared by Pei Yanli.

Xiao Yu said, "As the landlord, it's natural for me to provide these things."

Grandma Yu and the others didn't feel it was their place to comment.

Everyone worked together to decorate both courtyards.

By noon, both places were set up, and then they all went to see the restaurant, which was similar to the Qingshi Town Riverside Restaurant but much larger and requiring many more items.

Chef Yu was extremely satisfied.

The next day, Grandma Yu, Yu Tongtong, and Cong'er stayed in the small courtyard.

Xiao Yu, Chef Yu, Pei Yanli, Ming He, and Pei Yiyang went around buying larger items for Riverside Restaurant No. 2, and gave Chef Yu some money, saying, "Chef Yu, Ming He and I have been away for many days and are very worried about Danzi. So we need to return soon. Please take care of purchasing whatever the restaurant lacks in the next few days."

"No problem." Since Xiao Yu left Qingshi Town, although Liao was in charge of the restaurant, Chef Yu often helped and knew exactly what was needed.

Xiao Yu said, "In a few days, I will hire a few more workers."

Chef Yu nodded, "Okay."

Suddenly remembering about the wages, Xiao Yu said, "Oh, and your wages started from yesterday."

"There's no rush, no rush at all."

Xiao Yu insisted, "Let’s keep things clear. What’s yours is yours."

Chef Yu said sentimentally, "Xiao Yu, it's been two years, and you're still the same, always ensuring others don't suffer losses."

"You've been a great help to me, so I'm the one who's benefited," Xiao Yu replied with a smile.

Chef Yu firmly said, "Don't worry, I'll take care of everything."

"Alright, if you have any issues, just send a message to Pei Mansion," Xiao Yu advised.

"Sure, sure, sure," Chef Yu repeated eagerly.

After arranging everything for Chef Yu and his family, Xiao Yu breathed a sigh of relief, then took Pei Yiyang back to his mansion, and returned to the Eastern Palace with Pei Yanli and Ming He.

"Uncle! Brother!" Danzi immediately threw himself into Xiao Yu's arms.

Xiao Yu lifted Danzi up and, seeing no one else around, affectionately kissed the little guy's cheek.

Danzi was overjoyed.

Xiao Yuanping stretched out his little hands, "Xiao Ziqing, hug me too, kiss me."

"You can't! He's my uncle!" Ming He and Danzi protested together.

Xiao Yuanping pouted.

Xiao Yu soothingly patted Xiao Yuanping.

Ming He immediately hugged Xiao Yuanping, saying, "I'll hug you, don't be sad."

Xiao Yuanping was no longer upset.

Danzi asked, "Uncle, did you see Tongtong?"

"Yes, I did," Xiao Yu replied.

"We even brought Tongtong to the capital!" Ming He added.

Xiao Yu put Danzi down.

Danzi excitedly asked, "Is Tongtong in the capital?"

"He even has a little brother, incredibly chubby!" Ming He said.

Danzi and Xiao Yuanping were greatly interested.

Ming He then relayed the story to them.

Xiao Yu invited Pei Yanli to the room to enjoy the cool and drink tea.

"I can't leave the palace these next few days. If you're free, could you help me look after Chef Yu and his family?" Xiao Yu requested.

Pei Yanli smiled and nodded.

"Why are you smiling?"

Pei Yanli said, "I feel useful now."

"You've always been useful." Without Pei Yanli, Xiao Yu knew his journey would have been many times harder.

"Then you can use me more."

"I've always been using you."

"But you haven't really made full use of me."

Hearing this, which sounded somewhat suggestive, Xiao Yu looked up and saw the mischievous glint in Pei Yanli's eyes, realizing they were both thinking along the same lines. He pushed Pei Yanli away playfully.

Pei Yanli quickly grabbed his wrist and wrapped his other arm around Xiao Yu's waist, leaning in for a kiss.

Although the two were together every day, with Ming He, Yiyang, Tongtong, and Cong'er always around, they seldom did more than hold hands. Now, they finally had the chance to embrace and kiss.

Pei Yanli kissed Xiao Yu fervently, like a thirsty traveler finding a spring, prying open his lips and eagerly tasting him.

Surrounded by Pei Yanli's fresh scent, Xiao Yu lost all resistance, allowing the kiss to deepen and travel further.

Both their bodies and hearts were ablaze with heat.

Pei Yanli pulled Xiao Yu onto his lap, reaching to untie Xiao Yu's waistband.

Xiao Yu quickly pressed down on Pei Yanli's hand.

Pei Yanli stopped, resting his head in the nape of Xiao Yu's neck, breathing heavily with a slightly hoarse voice, "Xiao Yu, let me be with you."

Xiao Yu, holding Pei Yanli, asked, "How so?"

"Sleep with me."

Xiao Yu burst into laughter.

Pei Yanli slid his hand around Xiao Yu's waist, giving it a squeeze.

Xiao Yu's body softened involuntarily, and he dared not laugh anymore.

Pei Yanli asked, "When shall we get married?"

"Once the second restaurant is running smoothly."

"And when will that be?"

"Probably by autumn."

"Then I'll request the Emperor to grant us marriage."

"Mm," Xiao Yu replied softly.

Pei Yanli was overjoyed in his heart and kissed Xiao Yu passionately once again.

After a while of intimacy, Xiao Yu hurried to the mirror to tidy up, only then noticing the red mark Pei Yanli had left on his neck, and he shot Pei Yanli a glare.

Pei Yanli lay on the bed with a smug, almost teasing smile.

Xiao Yu adjusted his collar to cover the mark and decided not to fuss about it, turning to say, "I'll talk to the Emperor about the restaurant tomorrow."

Pei Yanli countered, "Didn't the Emperor already agree to it earlier?"

Officials in Dajing were not allowed to engage in business, except for the imperial merchants. Xiao Yu, not inclined to officialdom, wanted to do business, earn silver, and provide employment opportunities for the people, contributing to Dajing.

He once mentioned this to Emperor Yongxi, and at that time, having many merits, Emperor Yongxi had specially permitted him to run a restaurant. Now that everything was almost ready, Xiao Yu planned to update the Emperor, "I'll tell him about opening the restaurant in the southeast district."

"He will say that place is too remote."

Indeed, when Xiao Yu met Emperor Yongxi the next day, the Emperor thought the southeast district was too remote and offered, "I can arrange a restaurant for you in a busier area."

"Thank you, Your Majesty, but I think the southeast district is quite suitable. If Riverside Restaurant No. 2 thrives, it could also bring prosperity to that area and improve the lives of the local people," Xiao Yu said.

So, he was thinking about the wellbeing of the locals!

Emperor Yongxi felt very reassured by this, but still worried about the location being too remote, he said, "Alright, try it there, and if it doesn't work out, we can change the location."

"Thank you, Your Majesty, but—"

"But what?"

"But managing a restaurant means I will need to leave the palace often."

"Then leave as needed." Although Pei Yanli hadn't yet brought up the matter of marriage, Emperor Yongxi knew that Pei Yanli and Xiao Yu would marry sooner or later. Xiao Yu, even if not residing outside the palace, would frequently visit the General's Mansion. Thus, the Emperor said, "Just follow the regulations."

"Thank you, Your Majesty. I will take my leave from the palace the day after tomorrow."

"That's fine," Emperor Yongxi said with a smile. "I wish you prosperous business."

"Father, I want to go too, I want to see it," Xiao Yuanping, not understanding everything else, was very keen on the idea of leaving the palace.

Last year, Dajing had a bountiful harvest, and with the Zheng brothers punished and Lu Ming dispatched to Nan Yue, the capital was very safe. Emperor Yongxi thus agreed to let Xiao Yuanping and Danzi leave the palace for a couple of hours.

The two children were thrilled.

Xiao Yu spent two days in the Eastern Palace, then went with Pei Yanli and the children to the Riverside Restaurant No. 2 in the southeast district.

In just three days, Chef Yu had already set up the signboard, stove, and other essentials, saying happily, "In three to five days, we can open for business."

Xiao Yu inspected every detail and said, "Excellent, excellent. In a few days, the manager, waiters, and cooks will arrive." These people were from the Princess's entourage, sent to prevent locals from taking advantage of the newcomers. They would assist for a few months and also train the new staff. Xiao Yu, acknowledging his own shortcomings, gratefully accepted the Princess and Pei Yanli's kindness.

"How are Grandma Yu and Tongtong adapting?" Pei Yanli asked.

Chef Yu replied, "They're adapting very well, especially Cong'er, who loves the food here."

"Then let's go have a look," Xiao Yu said.

"Let's go," Chef Yu said.

"I know the way, I'll lead," Ming He ran towards the Yu family's small courtyard.

Danzi and Xiao Yuanping followed.

"Tongtong! Tongtong!" Ming He and Danzi entered the courtyard.

Xiao Yuanping, with his shorter legs, trailed behind. Chasing after them, he saw a pretty little girl in a pink dress skillfully picking peaches from a tree. She gathered a full armload before nimbly jumping down.

Impressive!

He called out loudly, "Sister, you've picked so many peaches!"

Yu Tongtong, focused on the peaches in her arms, didn't realize Xiao Yuanping was speaking to her.

"Ah, sister is ignoring me," Xiao Yuanping muttered, then took a few steps towards Yu Tongtong. Unsure of what to say, he blinked twice and ventured, "Sister, the weather is really nice today, don't you think?"