Chapter 60

Sweat! Is it really that serious?

Li Qi hurriedly got up to stop Bai Qianuo, saying, "Madam Bai, please calm down. Indeed, I did make a mistake, and I apologize to you." As he said this, he really bowed to Bai Qianuo in apology.

Seeing Li Qi actually humble himself and admit his mistake, Bai Qianuo was taken aback, and her expression softened a bit. However, she wasn't about to let Li Qi off so easily. She coldly snorted and turned her head away, but she stopped in her tracks.

Li Qi knew all along that Bai Qianuo wouldn't just walk away. If she really didn't want to do business with him, she could have given the silver directly to Wu Xiaoliu. There was no need for this extra step. She was just trying to save face.

Li Qi had plenty of things, but the one thing he had in abundance was face. He could give it in bulk.

"Madam Bai, I didn't go to our meeting today because I had no choice. Please, sit down, and I'll explain everything to you," Li Qi said with a sincere look.

Fine! I want to see what story you'll come up with to deceive me today.

Bai Qianuo found an excuse and snorted, sitting back down.

Seeing this, Li Qi felt a great relief and quickly sat opposite her. He sighed deeply, looking aggrieved and pitiful, and said, "You don't know how badly I slept last night, fearing that I might delay Madam Bai's charitable work—"

"Mr. Li, you seem to be in great health! Despite not sleeping well last night, you still look so energetic," Bai Qianuo said with a cold laugh. She wouldn't be fooled by Li Qi so easily.

Ah! I said it! Li Qi had a sudden idea and said with a puzzled look, "I don't know what happened. I was dozing off just now, but as soon as I saw Madam Bai, I suddenly felt full of energy. My back doesn't hurt, my legs don't ache, and I feel very spirited. Could it be that Madam Bai is the reincarnation of Guanyin Bodhisattva?"

Bai Qianuo's lips twitched, and she held back a laugh, giving Li Qi a look and saying, "Don't talk nonsense. If you offend the Bodhisattva, I won't be responsible. And if you keep rambling, I'll leave."

"No! I'll explain, I'll explain."

Li Qi chuckled and said, "Here's what happened. This morning, just as I was about to leave, Lady Qin's maid, Xiaotao, came. She said Lady Qin wanted me to visit her. I immediately refused, thinking nothing could be more important than doing charitable work with Madam Bai. But then Uncle Wu came and said this matter was crucial for Zui Xianju's survival. He begged me to go. You know, I always respect Uncle Wu. How could I refuse him at his age? It really put me in a difficult position!"

What a smooth talker! He's trying to shift all the blame to Sister Wang and Uncle Wu, yet he still acts like he's the one who's wronged.

Bai Qianuo shook her head helplessly but knew that what Li Qi said wasn't entirely false. Given her relationship with Lady Qin, she could easily verify the truth. Li Qi wouldn't be foolish enough to use Lady Qin as an excuse. She said calmly, "If Sister Wang asked you to come, there must have been an urgent matter. You should prioritize the bigger picture, but you should have informed me beforehand."

"Yes! I thought the same, but then I thought, how great it would be to accompany Madam Bai in her charitable work. Many people would envy me. I couldn't just miss this opportunity. It was still early, so I decided to go to Lady Qin's house to clarify things and then come to find you. Who knew—sigh!" Li Qi sighed heavily.

Bai Qianuo's expression tightened, and she asked urgently, "What happened? Tell me quickly! Did something happen to Sister Wang?"

Li Qi's eyes flashed with a hint of amusement, but his face was serious as he sighed, "I thought Lady Qin was overreacting, but when I arrived, I realized the matter was truly serious. I was stunned when I heard about it."

Bai Qianuo asked anxiously, "What exactly happened?"

"Uh—this—these are just some mundane business matters. Madam Bai wouldn't be interested," Li Qi said with a sheepish smile, thinking to himself, "No way, these are business secrets. I can't tell you. I need to remind Lady Qin not to leak any information."

Bai Qianuo knew what he meant, pouted, and snorted disdainfully.

Li Qi chuckled inwardly and continued, "Uncle Wu and I were busy with this matter all day. Actually, it's all my fault. I got so busy that I forgot everything."

That's the truth. In the past, Li Qi often forgot his wife's birthday because of work, a true workaholic.

"Of course, it's your fault. Don't think that just by saying nice things, I'll forgive you," Bai Qianuo said, though she had already forgiven him in her heart, just not in front of him.

"Of course, absolutely. I can't forgive myself either," Li Qi said with a righteous tone.

"Hmm?"

Bai Qianuo was taken aback and looked at Li Qi suspiciously.

Li Qi chuckled and said, "To make up for my major mistake, I've prepared a special dish for you. It's not a rare delicacy, but you've never tasted it before. And after eating it, you'll feel happy."

A dish that makes you happy? This piqued Bai Qianuo's curiosity. She asked doubtfully, "Is there such a dish? I've never heard of it."

Li Qi smiled and said, "It's my latest creation. You wouldn't have heard of it."

"Really?"

"Of course, I've already asked the boys to buy the ingredients. They should be here soon. Please wait a bit longer."

Bai Qianuo nodded, half-believing him.

After about the time it takes to burn an incense stick, Wu Xiaoliu and the others finally arrived.

Li Qi smiled at Bai Qianuo and said, "Madam Bai, please sit here. I'll be right back, it won't take long."

Bai Qianuo nodded, looking forward to it.

In the kitchen, Li Qi looked at the large basket in front of him, feeling like crying. He scolded Wu Xiaoliu, "Xiaoliu, I just asked you to buy some, but you brought back the whole basket!"

Wu Xiaoliu said pitifully, "You didn't specify how much to buy. If I bought too little and messed up your plans, you'd scold me again."

Zhu Zi and Chen Anan also nodded in agreement, supporting Wu Xiaoliu's explanation.

Li Qi sighed, looking at his apprentices, and said, "Alright. You always complain that I don't teach you cooking. Fine, I can't use all these ingredients alone, so you'll help me."

This is a blessing in disguise!

Wu Xiaoliu said happily, "Brother Li, what are you going to teach us?"

Li Qi smiled and said, "A dish essential for flirting."

"Flirting?"

Except for Wu Xiaoliu, the other three looked puzzled.

Wu Xiaoliu said proudly, "Ha! You don't know, flirting means pursuing the woman you love. Got it?"

Swish, swish, swish!

Zhu Zi and Chen Anan blushed deeply upon hearing this. Although they were about the same age as Wu Xiaoliu, they weren't as mature.

Li Qi didn't deny it and said with a smile, "You don't need to be shy. You'll all go through this eventually."

"By the way, Brother Li, are you planning to flirt with Madam Bai?" Wu Xiaoliu leaned in and chuckled.

"Flirt with you!" Li Qi's body trembled, and he delivered a heavy blow to Wu Xiaoliu's head with a move called "Repentant Dragon."

"Ouch!"

Wu Xiaoliu clutched his head and cried out.

Li Qi scolded, "See if you dare to talk nonsense again." But he thought it was a good suggestion.

Wu Xiaoliu pouted and shook his head vigorously.

Li Qi ignored him and quickly picked out some high-quality ingredients from the basket, placing them on the table.

Wu Xiaoliu and the others followed suit, each selecting their own ingredients. Even Chen Anan, who usually had no interest in cooking, joined in. It seemed the idea of flirting was the culprit!

Li Qi first washed the fruits thoroughly with clear water, then scooped a spoonful of honey into a small bowl, added some orange juice, and mixed it with a little hot water, stirring it well.

Next, he selected a small, sharp knife and began peeling and pitting the fruits. The knife in Li Qi's hand seemed to have a life of its own, moving quickly and accurately, leaving Wu Xiaoliu and the others amazed.

Soon, all the fruits were peeled and pitted, revealing their fresh and tender flesh.

Li Qi then demonstrated various cutting techniques—straight cuts, pull cuts, and rolling cuts—slicing the pears, apples, and oranges into small pieces of different shapes—diamonds, squares, circles, and more.

The entire process was smooth and seamless, a skill that required at least seven years of practice.

Wu Xiaoliu and the others watched in awe, finally understanding why Li Qi had been urging them to practice their knife skills.

After cutting, Li Qi mixed all the fruits in a dish and poured the orange-honey sauce over them, stirring them well.

Finally, he carefully arranged the fruit pieces into a smiley face, using pears for the face, longans for the eyes, apples for the nose, and orange pieces for the mouth.

"Phew! It's done!"

Li Qi took a deep breath. This dish was a fruit salad, a favorite among women.

Wu Xiaoliu and the others leaned in, their eyes filled with admiration and excitement.

"What's the name of this dish?" Chen Dazhu asked with a simple smile.

Li Qi smiled mysteriously and said, "You can think of a name yourselves."