Chapter 17

Zhong Wen had been a bit gloomy these days.

He thought that by showcasing his amazing culinary skills and conquering the stomachs of everyone in the Piaohua Palace, he would be like the protagonist in a novel, causing a stir and being loved by all the beauties.

Lin Zhiyun did indeed fall in love with his cooking, and her gaze towards him had a hint of affection.

However, as an old soul, he could easily discern that this affection was not love, but more like the admiration of an elder for a junior.

I want to sleep with you, but you want to be my elder?

I can't take it, I can't take it.

So, when he saw Palace Master Lin sweeping the floor, he took the initiative to rush forward and snatch the broom from her hands.

"I love sweeping, sweeping makes me happy!" he declared loudly.

Lin Zhiyun couldn't resist him and left with a strange look in her eyes, a look that was hard to describe.

The subtext was probably: This child, after being injured, may have lost not only part of his memory but also a bit of his intelligence...

How can I make her like me?

Zhong Wen swept the fallen leaves while pondering this question.

Actually, another reason for snatching the broom was that he envied the profession of the "sweeping monk." Normally, they have no presence, but when the time comes, they can show off their power and defeat an enemy boss with a single palm, making them look incredibly cool.

Of course, he couldn't defeat an enemy boss, and with his current cultivation at the third level of the Human Wheel, there wasn't anyone in the Piaohua Palace he could easily defeat.

Yesterday, while chatting with Lin Xiaodie, he learned that this little girl, who always pesters him for stories, was also at the third level of the Human Wheel.

In short, whether it was pursuing a goddess or becoming a sweeping monk, it was a long and arduous journey for him.

As he swept, thinking about the long road ahead, he couldn't help but stop, look up at the sky, and strike a pose as if gazing at the moon on a hot summer day.

At that moment, two women entered the door.

Observing the newcomers, Zhong Wen sincerely praised this world.

The one in front was a red-clothed woman, about twenty years old, exuding the noble aura of a wealthy family's daughter. She was incredibly beautiful, not much different from the goddess Lin Zhiyun. What caught more attention was that through the slits in her red dress, a pair of snow-white, round, and long legs could be seen, adorned with a pair of exquisite long boots, both sexy and playful.

These legs, I... some people could play with them for a year, Zhong Wen thought to himself.

The one behind seemed a bit older, her face covered by a veil, making it impossible to see clearly. However, the fiery figure hidden under the green robe could spark endless imagination.

"Who are you two...?" Seeing no one around, Zhong Wen took the initiative to take on the reception task, after all, he was a little curious about the visitors.

"Who are you? Isn't this the Piaohua Palace? Why is there a man here?" The other party, almost simultaneously, took the lead and fired off a series of questions.

If it were Jin Yuwai, Zhong Wen would have thrown the broom at his face and said, "What's it to you?"

However, facing the red-clothed woman's stunning beauty, Zhong Wen was very gentle: "This young lady, the Piaohua Palace indeed does not accept male disciples. I am Zhong Wen, the head chef and physician here."

The title "physician" was self-proclaimed, and Palace Master Lin knew nothing about it.

"Ah, so you are Doctor Zhong." The red-clothed woman's tone softened slightly, "Please inform Palace Master Lin that Shengyu Trading Company's Shangguan Mingyue has come to visit with important matters to discuss."

Hearing "Shengyu Trading Company," Zhong Wen was initially stunned, then quickly reacted.

Liu Qiqi had once mentioned selling salt to the trading company, and at that time, he had a premonition that they would come to contact him. After all, after tasting the food of this world, he firmly believed that no one could resist the charm of salt.

Back then, Liu Qiqi had only a small half-pack of salt, which she exchanged for fifty spirit crystals, the best proof.

"Alright, please wait a moment." He certainly wouldn't reveal that he was the one who made the salt, but instead ran in to report.

Lin Zhiyun and Shangguan Mingyue met for the first time, yet they were both simultaneously stunned by each other's beauty.

There are actually such beautiful women in this world!

Both of them thought.

"Palace Master Lin, this time Shangguan Mingyue has come uninvited to discuss important matters." Shangguan Mingyue spoke while glancing at Zhong Wen, the "sweeping monk," and emphasized the words "important matters."

Zhong Wen couldn't fail to understand her meaning and left the room on his own initiative, even closing the door tightly.

Sweeping, sweeping!

Sweeping makes me happy!

After about a quarter of an hour, Lin Zhiyun came out personally and invited him back in.

Seeing Shangguan Mingyue's slightly awkward expression, Zhong Wen barely managed to hold back his laughter.

"Doctor Zhong, I heard that 'Shenxian' was developed by you?" After years of business, her face was naturally not so thin, and she quickly adjusted her tone and attitude.

"It's a trivial thing, I apologize for making a fool of myself, Miss Shangguan."

Lin Zhiyun was slightly surprised by Shangguan Mingyue calling him "Doctor Zhong" but didn't ask.

"Doctor Zhong is too modest. I was shortsighted just now and offended you. Please forgive me." Shangguan Mingyue's large, lively eyes looked at Zhong Wen sincerely, and her direct apology made her appear graceful and not off-putting.

"Sure, sure, no blame for the unknowing." Zhong Wen continued to be gentle and evasive.

After a few more words, seeing that Zhong Wen was not swayed, Shangguan Mingyue got straight to the point: "I wonder if Doctor Zhong's 'Shenxian' is for sale?"

"Under the condition of meeting our own needs, any surplus can be sold, but the production is limited, so there won't be much." Zhong Wen replied.

"Doctor Zhong, I mean the formula for 'Shenxian.'" Shangguan Mingyue pressed on, "Our Shengyu Trading Company is willing to buy your formula for a thousand spirit crystals."

Zhong Wen stared at Shangguan Mingyue's beautiful face for a moment.

She is a smart woman, he evaluated in his mind.

In his previous life as an entrepreneur, he was also a businessman and could understand Shangguan Mingyue's shrewdness.

A thousand spirit crystals, is it a lot? Yes, it is.

Is it enough to buy the formula? Clearly not, after all, a half-pack of salt sold for fifty spirit crystals, so once the formula is obtained and mass-produced, how many fifty spirit crystals would the Shangguan family earn? It's hard to calculate.

If Shangguan Mingyue's offer succeeds, she would make a huge profit, but it also gave Zhong Wen a lot of room to negotiate.

At the same time, a thousand spirit crystals is a large sum, not making her seem insincere and leaving a bad impression of a cunning businessman on Zhong Wen.

Since entering the Piaohua Palace, except for misjudging Zhong Wen once, every move of Shangguan Mingyue was just right, naturally leaving a good impression on Lin Zhiyun.

As for Zhong Wen, he could be ignored; any beauty could win his favor.

"Doctor Zhong, I am very sincere about buying this formula. Please consider it seriously." Shangguan Mingyue's voice was pleasant, with a hint of allure.

"Miss Shangguan, Zhong Wen, you two can continue talking. I'll leave first." Lin Zhiyun, seeing it was none of her business, didn't want to listen and planned to avoid any suspicion.

"No, Palace Master Lin." Zhong Wen quickly went up and held Lin Zhiyun's hand, "What if the negotiations break down and they start fighting? I'm not good at fighting."

Lin Zhiyun: "......"

Shangguan Mingyue: "......"

Shangguan Junyi: "......"

"Don't talk nonsense. What kind of person is Miss Shangguan? How could she do such a bandit act?" Lin Zhiyun, though she treated Zhong Wen as a junior, had always been proper. Suddenly being held by a man, she felt very uncomfortable and subtly freed her right arm from Zhong Wen's hand.

However, she ultimately stayed.

Better safe than sorry, such a good chef can't really get into trouble.

"Sorry, Miss Shangguan, I'm just afraid of dying. Please understand." Zhong Wen, seeing Lin Zhiyun stay, was somewhat happy and smiled.

"Being cautious is a good thing." Shangguan Mingyue said politely, but her smile was somewhat forced.

She found that this young man was not only shrewd but also a bit cheeky.

"Since Miss Shangguan is so reasonable, I'll be straightforward. A thousand spirit crystals is too cheap." Zhong Wen suddenly put on a serious face.

"What price does Doctor Zhong think is appropriate?" Shangguan Mingyue countered.

"Palace Master Lin, Miss Shangguan, since you've come to Qingfeng Mountain, why not have a meal first?" Zhong Wen didn't answer but suddenly spoke to Lin Zhiyun.

Lin Zhiyun, though kind-hearted, was not stupid and quickly understood Zhong Wen's intention: "Of course, it's almost noon. Miss Shangguan, if you don't mind, why not have lunch at the Piaohua Palace? We can discuss matters after lunch."

Shangguan Mingyue, with her quick mind, instantly understood that Zhong Wen wanted her to taste "Shenxian" again to sway her, thus increasing his negotiation leverage.

While admiring Zhong Wen's cunning, she didn't refuse.

Besides being a businessman, she was also a true foodie.

Her resistance to the temptation of delicious food was almost zero.

"I'll prepare lunch." Zhong Wen left the room with a smile, leaving the three beauties to chat idly.

Since Zhong Wen became the "head chef," the tradition of everyone in the Piaohua Palace eating separately was completely broken. Every mealtime, from the Palace Master to the little girl, everyone would appear at the dining table on time, without fail.

No other reason, this chef was incredibly capricious, insisting on placing all the dishes in the hall and refusing to deliver meals, completely ignoring his courier-like demeanor.

The girls wanted to resist but ultimately submitted to the chef's tyranny.

No choice, the food was simply too good, and as mealtime approached, their stomachs would start to rumble, and their mouths would unconsciously salivate.

When Shangguan Mingyue entered the hall, she first saw the three disciples of the Piaohua Palace, her eyes brightening, finding each one graceful and extraordinary. With the nature of a businessman to make many friends, she was about to approach and make acquaintances when Zhong Wen already brought the dishes over.

Seeing the dishes on the table, Shangguan Mingyue couldn't take her eyes off them.

So beautiful!

This was the first time she used "beautiful" to describe lunch.

To entertain the guests, Zhong Wen put in a lot of effort, preparing eight dishes and one soup, a mix of meat and vegetables, with a harmonious balance of colors and aromas. Even before tasting, the visual and olfactory appeal was overwhelming.

"Miss Shangguan, the conditions here are not good, just some simple food. Please bear with it." Lin Zhiyun politely invited everyone to start eating.

Out of politeness, Shangguan Junyi also removed her hat.

Shangguan Junyi was already in her thirties but looked only about twenty-seven or twenty-eight. In terms of appearance, she might not be as dazzling as Shangguan Mingyue, but she was very delicate, with a gentle and serene demeanor, like a kind and gentle big sister, a big sister with a fiery figure.

However, her skin was somewhat pale, and a faint gray aura could be seen between her eyebrows.

Shangguan Mingyue, the young lady, could maintain her composure at first, but after a few bites, she entered a state of complete absorption, forgetting all about etiquette, her chopsticks moving so quickly it was dizzying.

Midway through the meal, she suddenly came to her senses, realizing her loss of composure, and looked around awkwardly, but found that no one had noticed her, as everyone was immersed in the wonderful dining experience.

Relieved, the young lady put down her guard and continued to eat with gusto.

Even Shangguan Junyi, who usually