Chapter Six: A Secret Kiss

Chapter Six: A Secret Kiss

The death of the Silver Dragon greatly intensified Xu Yun's inner demons. His master had warned him at the time—if he did not conquer these demons, he would forever remain just a first-rate expert, never able to reach a higher realm.

Xu Yun practiced the breathing techniques his master had taught him every day to regulate his state of mind, but the shadow within his heart showed no sign of fading.

Yet today, after that wild chase with the Violent Fox Sovereign, Qiu Yan, Xu Yun sensed a faint loosening of his inner shackles. The feeling vanished as quickly as it came, but it made him more resolute about his half-baked theory—did he really need to fight a worthy opponent, to let his inner demons break forth and be purged?

He’d already voiced this idea before leaving. His master had scolded him mercilessly, saying only a fool like him would come up with such a harebrained scheme!

But as days passed and his daily exercises yielded no progress, Xu Yun’s patience wore thin, and that reckless idea returned again and again.

He sighed. He never could have anticipated the scale of this reshuffling in the underground world of China. Even a titan like Feng Mingguo, a cornerstone of Suzhou and Hangzhou’s shadows, hadn’t escaped the calamity. The mastermind behind this conspiracy must be a truly unfathomable old fox.

And who would have thought that Guoguo was Feng Qiansui’s only precious granddaughter? The Feng family heiress—no wonder she was known as the little witch who shook the underworld of Suzhou and Hangzhou.

Who could imagine Xu Yun would end up acknowledging such a valued daughter?

“Enough, stop thinking about it,” Xu Yun muttered, shaking his head. He had to wake up early for work tomorrow, after all. If he was late, Guoguo might even dock half a month’s wages.

He rose early and went straight to the medicinal cuisine restaurant. Ruan Qingshuang was mopping the floor, while Guoguo, standing on tiptoe, was wiping tables with a rag.

“Daddy, do you know what time it is?” Guoguo asked solemnly, pointing to the genuine Disney Mickey Mouse digital watch on her wrist. “The early bird gets the worm.”

This little devil…

Xu Yun scooped her up and set her on the front desk, tickling her mercilessly. “But the early worm gets eaten by the bird!”

Guoguo giggled uncontrollably, her laughter bright and infectious.

Ruan Qingshuang could only shake her head in helplessness. “Guoguo, that’s enough. Don’t distract Uncle Xu Yun—he needs to prepare in the kitchen. You mustn’t cause trouble.”

Hearing Ruan Qingshuang accept his title, Xu Yun’s mood instantly lifted. “Alright, Guoguo, go help your mom wipe the tables. Your godfather has to get to work.”

“Good, show some initiative! When you’re working for the boss, you must always keep your eyes open,” Guoguo replied with the air of a little manager, lowering her voice. “If you want to woo mom, you’d better be diligent.”

“Guoguo!” Ruan Qingshuang’s cheeks flushed, and she shot her daughter an embarrassed glare.

Xu Yun could only laugh awkwardly.

Come lunchtime, the restaurant was filled beyond expectation. The scene was a sea of waving banners and bustling crowds—customers were packed in layers, inside and out!

Guoguo, excited, climbed onto the receptionist’s chair, calculator in hand, waving her chubby little arm like a lucky cat. “Everyone—grandpas, grandmas, uncles, aunties—please take a number and order! Pay here!”

With such a lovable little accountant at the helm, every customer couldn’t help but order an extra dish. Several well-dressed women reached out to pinch her rosy cheeks.

“To make money, I guess I have to sell this gorgeous face of mine,” Guoguo thought, though she didn’t complain. She smiled warmly at every guest, as radiant as a flower.

Ruan Qingshuang felt as if she were dreaming. Since opening, the restaurant had always just scraped by—never losing money but barely making ends meet.

But with Xu Yun’s masterful touch, her family’s famed health recipes became even more appealing. He eliminated the medicinal taste, making even children love the food—something Guoguo herself could vouch for.

Especially the American ginseng, dendrobium, and lean pork soup—Xu Yun had completely masked the peculiar flavor of dendrobium. Once an unpopular dish, it became the top-selling tonic broth, with glowing customer reviews.

“Old Li, wasn’t your grandfather an imperial chef in the palace? You know your food—come give us your verdict!” an elderly man in his sixties asked his old friend eagerly.

“The flavor is outstanding!” Old Li nodded repeatedly, full of praise. “I never imagined this chef could suppress the taste of Chinese herbs! That’s a skill even many imperial chefs never mastered in a lifetime!”

Hearing the old men’s words, the younger patrons became even more eager to sample cuisine greater than that of the imperial kitchens.

Ruan Qingshuang marveled inwardly. Guoguo truly was a lucky star, bringing her such a talented chef—and at such a low wage.

Guoguo counted money until her hands cramped, yet she was delighted. Her tiny hands tapped away on the calculator; her mind was sharp, orderly, and she didn’t make a single mistake.

As the restaurant’s booming business became the talk of the street, it soon reached the ears of Lu Bao, who was holed up in the nearby internet café. He couldn't sit still any longer and slipped over to the restaurant, stunned by the crowd.

As Guoguo stuffed the neat stack of bills into the drawer, the sharp-eyed Lu Bao spotted her. He crouched low and slipped behind the counter without a sound.

Sensing danger, Guoguo spun around to see Lu Bao, his swollen face twisted in a sly grin, looking at her nonchalantly.

He didn’t take Guoguo seriously. “Hey, little beauty, someone’s looking for you outside. Go play for a while—I’ll handle this.”

“Hah, do you think I’m three years old?” Guoguo retorted, her disdain plain. “Don’t try to act familiar with me—I don’t buy it.”

Worried that Ruan Qingshuang would soon notice him, Lu Bao glared at Guoguo, threatening, “Believe it or not, I’ll sell you off to the mountains as a child bride! You little brat…”

“Daddy!” Guoguo wasn’t fazed. She opened her mouth and shouted.

Before Lu Bao could react, a figure loomed over him. He looked up, his pupils doubling in size with terror. “B-b-brother…”

Xu Yun’s response was swift. With a cold, biting wind, he kicked Lu Bao right in the gut!

Doubling over in pain, Lu Bao flew from behind the counter and crashed to his knees. The sour bile in his stomach nearly erupted.

“What are you, a spinning top? Just can’t help yourself, can you?” Xu Yun twirled the large ladle in his hand. “Scaring kids, huh? Real impressive.”

Many customers turned to look, their gazes full of disdain. Even Ruan Qingshuang, drawn by the commotion, frowned in anger. “What are you doing here? Get out!”

“Need me to help you on your way?” Xu Yun asked, not wanting to dirty his hands.

Sweating profusely, Lu Bao took Xu Yun’s words as a pardon. Holding his stomach, he bowed and scuttled out, seething with resentment but not daring to utter a word.

“That’s my dad!” Guoguo cheered, then sniffed the air. “Wait…what’s that smell?”

Xu Yun caught a whiff of burning and frowned. Damn, the pot was still on the stove!

…

Though there had been a minor disturbance, the restaurant’s business was unaffected. By the end of lunch, they’d served two or three hundred customers—a considerable profit!

“Seven thousand three hundred sixty-eight!” Guoguo wiggled her little hips proudly, waving a stack of bills and the ledger. She’d made a fortune—and finally saw the relaxed smile on her mother’s face. What could be more exciting?

For the first time ever, Ruan Qingshuang felt truly at ease. Their daily takings had usually been just two or three hundred yuan, with little profit left after costs. But in just two hours at noon today, they’d broken the seven-thousand mark!

Xu Yun took off his apron and emerged from the kitchen, beaming. “Sister Shuang, your family’s medicinal dishes are really popular.”

“I can hardly believe it!” Ruan Qingshuang admitted, unaware that the sudden success was due to Xu Yun’s publicity efforts. “Do you think we’ll keep doing this well?”

“Absolutely. It’ll only get better from here.” Xu Yun smiled. “Who knows, in three to five months, maybe we’ll open a bigger restaurant.”

“Really? You worked so hard today!” Ruan Qingshuang, caught up in the moment, took a step forward and, almost without thinking, kissed Xu Yun lightly on the cheek.

Afterward, she felt incredibly embarrassed—her face flushed from cheeks to ears. In all her life, she’d never been so intimate with a man.

But just now, some inexplicable force had taken over, compelling her to such a rash act.

Was it because this man had brought so much change into her life?

Xu Yun wasn’t used to this at all. He’d always been surrounded by rough men whose sweat never washed off—how could he know the gentleness of a woman? That soft, fleeting kiss sent a tremor through him. He nearly lost his composure.

This was better than winning the lottery!

“Give me a kiss, can you? Leave a mark of love on my face!” Guoguo began to hum a tune. “Give me a kiss, can you? So I’ll miss you from my heart…”

Hearing this, Ruan Qingshuang hurried back to the front desk, her face still flushed. She bent down and planted a kiss on Guoguo’s forehead. “There, satisfied now?”

“It’s nothing like when you kiss Daddy,” Guoguo replied, feeling the injustice keenly.

Ruan Qingshuang narrowed her eyes at Guoguo, her cheeks burning but her expression stern. “Come upstairs with Mommy, Guoguo. Let me show you what ‘gentle’ really means…”