Chapter 101: Violet Lightning Pierces the Clouds

Chapter 101: Purple Lightning Pierces the Clouds

Xu Yun’s actions naturally drew no complaints. Since he had already served the ponytailed beauty a bowl of soup, he also went to the kitchen to bring some old vinegar peanuts and other small dishes to a few regular customers.

“Boss Xu, don’t go too far, or the boss lady might make you kneel on the washboard,” Uncle Li joked. As a regular at the medicinal cuisine restaurant, he often teased Xu Yun and Ruan Qingshuang. Both understood his good intentions and took no offense.

Xu Yun waved his hand grandly. “My boss lady isn’t that petty.”

Soon, Shanzi prepared the two signature dishes Xu Yun had ordered for the ponytailed beauty. Lü Wenyi, seeing Xu Yun chatting with several customers, took the initiative to carry the two signature dishes to the ponytailed girl’s table.

The ponytailed girl waited quietly for the delicious food to arrive. Suddenly, her fingers trembled slightly, and a tiny paper ball, indistinguishable to the naked eye, transformed into a faint white light and shot out...

Lü Wenyi, just about to place the dishes on the table, suddenly felt a numbness in her knee. She instantly lost strength and balance, letting out a sharp cry as she nearly collapsed!

In a flash, Xu Yun sprang forward. With his left hand, he caught the nearly falling Lü Wenyi, while his right hand swiftly set down the tossed dish of celery with black bean and eel. Then, with a move called "Fishing the Moon from the Sea," he caught the steaming duck with yam that was about to fall, acting with lightning speed.

“Phew!” Xu Yun exhaled deeply as he placed the duck and yam dish on the girl’s table and steadied Lü Wenyi.

Lü Wenyi broke out in a cold sweat but was otherwise unharmed. She wasn’t afraid of breaking plates—after all, she knew Ruan Qingshuang’s gentle nature—but she feared staining the customer’s clothes, which would have been troublesome.

“All good now. Go on and get back to work,” Xu Yun reassured the startled girl.

Lü Wenyi nodded shyly and went to bring the soup over.

“Sorry to have scared you,” Xu Yun apologized to the ponytailed girl. “She’s just a recent college graduate with little experience. Heh, really sorry about that.”

The ponytailed girl smiled faintly. “It’s alright.”

“This meal’s on the house to make up for it,” Xu Yun generously offered.

“Would you like to sit down and eat with me?” The ponytailed girl looked up at Xu Yun with a warm smile.

Xu Yun was momentarily stunned, guessing she might find him too talkative. “No, you eat. I have work to do.”

Watching Xu Yun walk away, the girl’s smile shifted from composed to suspicious. She picked up a piece of yam and tasted it. Indeed, the flavor was extraordinary—delicious beyond compare.

As she savored the food, she pondered. The waitress nearly falling was entirely due to the small paper ball she had flicked. The ponytailed girl’s purpose at the medicinal cuisine restaurant wasn’t merely for the food. She wanted to uncover what kind of expert was concealed beside Director Chen’s female police officer.

She suspected the quietest, most low-profile waitress, which was why she targeted her first—but evidently, she wasn’t the one.

Instead, that slick-talking “Boss Xu” seemed more suspicious. To protect someone and prevent the dishes from falling in such a crisis, he must be either an acrobat or a true expert.

Xu Yun chatted amiably as he entered the kitchen. Once inside, he opened his palm to reveal a tiny paper ball made from a crumpled tissue. It was unusually hard, far beyond what could be formed with ordinary pressure.

He had noticed it accidentally when catching the steaming duck and yam dish earlier and had picked it up.

It was clear now that Lü Wenyi’s near fall wasn’t due to clumsiness; someone had tampered with her.

To numb a person’s knee acupuncture point with a paper ball no bigger than a peppercorn—this was no ordinary feat. Even top experts might not accomplish it.

Because this was the “Purple Lightning Pierces the Clouds” hidden weapon technique!

Such a technique was not something anyone could learn. Xu Yun knew this well because he had only ever mastered one hidden weapon technique—the very Purple Lightning Pierces the Clouds.

Who exactly was this ponytailed girl? Xu Yun’s mind filled with questions.

“Brother Yun, what are you thinking about?” Liang Shan suddenly interrupted Xu Yun’s thoughts. “Table 13’s dishes are ready. They’ve been urging us several times.”

Xu Yun snapped back, smiling faintly. “Got it, got it.”

On his way to serve, Xu Yun passed by the ponytailed girl’s table again. He clearly saw a tissue with a torn corner lying there. Without a doubt, the one who had flicked the paper ball using the Purple Lightning technique was the seemingly pure ponytailed girl.

For such a young woman to have reached the realm of a top expert was no ordinary matter.

Xu Yun silently delivered the dishes to table 13. Though he knew the ponytailed girl’s identity, he chose not to expose her. Her choice to use paper balls suggested she didn’t want to cause harm. What exactly she intended remained unclear to Xu Yun.

At that moment, the ponytailed girl suddenly put down her chopsticks and rose to approach Ruan Qingshuang.

Xu Yun’s eyes narrowed slightly; his breathing slowed, almost ceased. He was prepared to subdue her immediately if she showed any abnormal behavior. Having transcended to the level of a super expert, Xu Yun’s strength was incomparable to before. He had long passed the initial stages and become a true master among masters.

“How much is it?” The girl’s demeanor remained normal. She naturally took out her wallet to pay.

Ruan Qingshuang glanced at Xu Yun and smiled gently. “Sorry for scaring you earlier. This meal is on us.”

The ponytailed girl smiled back. “No, thanks. I don’t usually take food without paying. Thank you.” She placed a hundred yuan bill on the table. “This should be enough.”

“No need for that much,” Ruan Qingshuang hurriedly said.

The girl praised generously, “Keep the change. Thank you for letting me taste such delicious medicinal cuisine.”

Xu Yun stepped forward. “Sorry, we don’t usually overcharge customers. Fifty yuan will do.”

“I’ll come back for dinner. I want to pay in advance. Is that okay?” the girl asked softly.

Xu Yun’s lips curled into a sly, imposing smile. “Sorry, we don’t have a reservation system, and we don’t welcome guests who waste food.”

He gestured to the table where two dishes remained mostly untouched, and the soup was only half-drunk.

The ponytailed girl didn’t argue further and turned to leave.

“Xu Yun, what’s going on?” Ruan Qingshuang sensed something off. He had been polite to the girl at first, but now his words were sharp and pointed.

Xu Yun realized Ruan Qingshuang was still nearby and chuckled awkwardly. “Nothing. Just that this young lady seems careless with food—eating only a few bites and leaving the rest. Such waste, and she didn’t even ask for a takeout box.”

“Maybe she just doesn’t like medicinal cuisine,” Ruan Qingshuang smiled helplessly. Though she disliked wasteful customers, they were hard to avoid. Fortunately, most of her patrons weren’t wasteful. The real food waste came from corrupt officials who threw lavish banquets.

Xu Yun wasn’t truly upset about the wasted dishes. Compared to those officials spending tens of thousands on a meal or a bottle of wine, this was nothing.

At that moment, Shan Jiahao suddenly pushed open the door and entered. The instant he stepped in, he looked utterly exhausted.

Ruan Qingshuang was shocked. Why had he suddenly come?

“...Water...” Shan Jiahao’s voice was hoarse, as if his throat was on fire.

Lü Wenyi quickly poured a glass of water and handed it to him. The young man wasted no time and gulped it all down, then immediately asked for more. After three glasses, he seemed much more comfortable.

“Are you trying to chase the sun like that legend Kuafu?” Xu Yun frowned. “Look at the time. Don’t you have work to do?”

Shan Jiahao looked aggrieved and held up a packet of goji berries. “Brother Yun, you told me to go to Deming Pharmacy in the Central District every day to buy these goji berries. You said if I stuck with it, you’d take me as your apprentice!”

“Do you believe everything I say? I said I’d take you if you shot down the moon. You actually tried that?” Xu Yun was speechless.

“I can’t shoot down the moon, so I won’t try that. But this, I can do,” Shan Jiahao said seriously.

Xu Yun pointed to the clock on the wall. “See this? The medicinal cuisine restaurant starts preparing at 10:30 a.m., but you don’t show up until 12:30. You’re a general helper, and showing up that late is basically not showing up. I don’t just want you to buy goji berries.”

Surprisingly, Shan Jiahao didn’t get angry or upset. “Brother Yun, I understand! Tomorrow, I’ll buy the goji berries by 9:30 and be here ready to work!”

Xu Yun was speechless. This guy really was determined.

“Fine, if you can do that, I won’t stop you,” Xu Yun said lazily. “Come at 9:30 to wash vegetables, chop, prep ingredients, sweep, mop, wipe tables—that’s what a helper’s eyes should see: work.”

Shan Jiahao shoved the goji berries into Xu Yun’s hand, rolled up his sleeves, and headed into the kitchen, as if all fatigue had vanished.

Ruan Qingshuang felt a pang of sympathy. “Xu Yun, isn’t that a bit much?”

Xu Yun smiled faintly. “Kids that age always start like this—full of enthusiasm for three days, then quit soon after. Don’t worry, no one will die.”

Suddenly, his phone rang. Xu Yun quickly answered.

It was Guoguo calling to say she wouldn’t be home for dinner. Teacher Su had invited her and Sister Qiu Yan to a buffet, and buying three tickets would get one free. She asked Xu Yun if he wanted to come.

Originally, Xu Yun hadn’t planned to go, but Ruan Qingshuang encouraged him, saying the restaurant wasn’t short-handed.

Still, Xu Yun hesitated to face Qiu Yan, especially after the slight panic caused by his brief absence that morning. He guessed Qiu Yan hadn’t forgiven him yet.

But then a familiar voice came through the phone.

“Xiao Ran, what a coincidence to run into you here! Haha, is this beauty your friend? Aren’t you going to introduce me?”

That voice, that familiar nickname—it was obviously that sleazy teacher named Liu or something.

[PS: Truly sorry, I had a birthday celebration yesterday and drank a bit, so I forgot to update the promised chapter last night... Sweat, very sorry...]