Ye Xiaoxian could only bow to him again and said, “Then thank you so much for your efforts, Sir. I, being just a humble farm wife, can’t thank you enough.”
Fang Shanding then asked, “You keep referring yourself as a ‘farm wife’. Are you trying to suggest something to me?”
“…” Ye felt confused.
What did I suggest?
A farm wife meant a married village woman, didn’t it? Although she found speaking in that way very annoying, such as “I, a humble maid” or “I, a humble farm wife”, she did not know any other ways to describe herself. Besides, in the modern era, many women in their late thirties still called themselves girls and never hesitated to dress themselves in as young a fashion as possible.
Fang Shanding noticed the confusion in Ye Xiaoxian’s eyes. He found that Ye Xiaoxian did not understand his implication at all. How could he remind her?
Fang Shanding then rephrased and explained, “I just meant that calling yourself “a farm wife” sounds very distant. What’s your maiden name?”
Ye Xiaoxian replied, “My family just call me Little Ye.”
“Right, so I’ll also call you Little Ye, is that alright?” Fang Shanding smiled.
Ye Xiaoxian suddenly felt that Fang Shanding’s smirk looked rather hypocritical as if a nasty old guy was coaxing a naïve girl. Could it be that Fang Shanding was bearing some evil thoughts about her?
“Sir, you can indeed call me Little Ye as, after all, I’m younger, but I insist on calling you sir at all times. You’re my senior and an official, so I must pay my respect to you.”
Fang Shanding stroked his chin and smiled, “Look at you, take it easy, will you? You can call me whatever you like. Still, you don’t have to treat me as your senior. Though I’m older than you, I like making all kinds of friends in my life and some of my younger friends are the same age as you.”
Ye Xiaoxian just smiled and did not say anything.
Fang Shanding then went one step further. “Little Ye, if you don’t mind my pestering, we can actually be equals. From now on, just see me as your friend and I’ll also regard you as my soul mate.”
Ye Xiaoxian immediately took one step back. He had put it so obviously and she also could not keep acting dumb.
“Sir, I’ m afraid that I can’t enjoy this kind of privilege. I’m just a villager and don’t know anything apart from cooking, so how am I qualified to be your equal, sir? It’s late already so I should take my leave. Sir, the chief is still waiting for you, please go back.”
“Little Ye…” Fang Shanding still tried to keep her there.
But Ye Xiaoxian pretended that she didn’t notice and ran out of the backyard of the government office as if escaping.
When she got out of the backyard, her heart was still thumping. The old guy, as expected, did not bear any good intentions. In this case she had displeased Fang Shanding and wondered if he would cause any trouble for her behind her back.
…
Fang Shanding did not expect that Ye Xiaoxian would turn him town so directly. He had done everything in vain. This Ye Xiaoxian was really ungrateful and did not appreciate his kindness at all.
Somehow, however, the more Ye Xiaoxian refused him the more attracted to her he became. Especially when she pretended to be calm just now, her appearance made Fang Shanding feel that she was not like other women, as she had courage.
Fang Shanding was about to return to the banquet but the moment he turned around he saw Sister Xiang stand behind him. Fang Shanding knew where Sister Xiang had come from. She and the chief claimed that they were soul mates and best friends but all normal people knew that Sister was the chief’s mistress.
The chief was transferred from elsewhere and his wife and children had not come along. He was very lonely living here alone, so naturally he would find some women. The chief’s taste was also unusual. He did not like young girls as they wouldn’t share similar interests. He only liked women that were mature and experienced like Sister Xiang.
Sister Xiang bowed to Fang Shanding. “Sir, how do you do.”
Fang Shanding quickly bowed back and asked, “Sister Xiang, why aren’t you remaining at the banquet? Have you enjoyed your food?’
Sister Xiang smiled. “Yes, I have. The cook you invited has great skills so how could we not enjoy ourselves? I’m stuffed.”
Fang Shanding smiled. “Then I feel relieved.”
Sister smiled and asked again, “I feel that you rather like that Little Ye?”
“Little Ye?” Fang Shanding could not help but ask. “Sister Xiang, did you hear me chatting with Little Ye just now?”
“Yes, I did. After I heard it, I really feel that Little Ye was quite ungrateful. She could refuse anyone but not you. I’m really confused. If she doesn’t have that kind of intention, why should she agree to cook here? You’ve gone out of your way to do all this for her, however, she doesn’t even want to make friends with you. So what’s the point of all the things you’ve done for her? I really feel sorry for you. In my opinion, she is just using you to meet the chief.”
After Sister Xiang instigated it, Fang Shanding suddenly became furious and felt so used. However, he currently could do nothing about Ye Xiaoxian. He could not force her, otherwise he would commit a crime of “intimidating common young women”.
Sister Xiang smiled again. “Aren’t you a tax official? There’s must be a way you can do something to her. I’m also running a restaurant and know that all the eatery owners are afraid of paying taxes. Little Ye must be afraid of that too, right?”
Fang Shanding looked at Sister Xiang and hoped that she would continue.
But Sister Xiang stopped talking and only gave him a mysterious smile. “Think about it.”
…
Fang Shanding thought about it for a long while and then realized that he did not need to think at all.
The next day he asked his man to send a letter to Ye Xiaoxian’s restaurant, saying that Ye Xiaoxian’s restaurant was not qualified for the first-tier tax standard, so she needed to pay six taels of silver per month.
After Fang Shanding’s man passed the document to Ye Xiaoxian, he did not just leave but said to Ye Xiaoxian, “Miss Ye, our lord said that this is not the formal document and yet to be stamped, so it hasn’t come into force yet. Whether or not it’ll be enforced all depends on you.”
So, he was suggesting that Ye Xiaoxian should give in?
Ye Xiaoxian held the document feeling furious and then she sneered. Humph, another hypocrite. He pretended to be considerate towards her, as if he wanted to promote her, but in fact he was just one of those men!
She said to the messenger, “No need. Just let Mr. Fang stamp it. I’ll pay six taels.”
…
When the messenger went back and told Fang Shanding about Ye Xiaoxian’s attitude, Fang Shanding grabbed the document and felt so angry that he almost tore the paper apart. This girl was neither enticed by the carrot nor browbeaten by the stick
Good, you have quite a personality!
Fang Shanding’s man saw him behaving this way and asked involuntarily, “Sir, so will you still stamp this document? Or rewrite it?”
Fang Shanding said, “Rewrite it and increase the tax to nine taels a month. Send it to her again and see how she responds.”
…
In The Xiaos’ Cuisine.
Ye Xiaoxian read the new document showing that the tax had been increased from six taels to nine. She sneered again.
She asked the messenger, “Is there any other tax higher than nine taels?”
The man replied, “No, this is the highest tax bracket for eateries, unless you change your restaurant into a big hotel.”
“Then how much tax does Sister Xiang pay for her Junlai Hotel?” asked Ye Xiaoxian.
“Well…” the man said. “I don’t know.”
By no means would he tell this to Ye Xiaoxian.
Ye Xiaoxian said, “Okay, it’s no problem for you to charge me nine taels. After you stamp it, give the formal document to me then.”
The man glanced at Ye Xiaoxian confused. He felt that for a moment a complicated glow flashed across Ye Xiaoxian’s eyes, as if she was about to make a move.
