Chapter 136

Woman, Be Ready for The Consequences If This Doesn't Taste Good (1)

Where did this extra part after the WeChat alias come from? It certainly wasn't there in the past.

Gu Shishi closed out of the chat window and went back inside. The red letters were still there.

In her friends' chat log -

Boss Hao - no remark.

Ling Xiaomei - no remark.

What's happening?

"What's going on? This only applies to Chen Kexin?"

[The remark shows up when items that would increase their fondness appear in the marketspace.]

The system finally decided to show her a wee bit of mercy and popped up with a clue.

"That's not right either. Haven't I added Chen Kexin on WeChat a while back? And, by the way, how come I didn't see this remark when I was using my Guru account?"

[You must have the right to browse her friends' circle in order to see the remark.]

[It will not appear when you are blocked.]

Gu Shishi's eyes widened.

"I have her..."

She only said three words when she realized that her "Ink Painting Guru" account hadn't been seeing anything that Chen Kexin had posted lately.

That brat. She had her blocked?

How dare she!

She could see them when she was first added. How was it that after she had learned of her real identity, she had her blocked?

Gu Shishi compared between her two different WeChat accounts. Sure enough, she could see a few of her recent posts from her regular account.

"Insomnia... am I going to breakout again?"

"I refuse to leave the house today! My makeup was a greasy mess on my face in a minute or less! I am going to go insane!"

"To all my wonderful friends. Any suggestions on a good foundation?"

"Any recommendation on a good toner? T-zone.... Anything that can help with blackheads will work too."

She had been posting requests for recommendations of this type in the last 2 ~ 3 days.

A change from her usual posts of pretty purses.

Gu Shishi's cracked up with a big smile.

"Someone's sending me a pillow just when I am sleepy."

She was just thinking that she had exchanged for that useless toner. And it turned out to be just what Chen Kexin had been looking for?

What a coincidence?

Gu Shishi, who had just lost a good chunk of blood, rolled her sleeves up immediately, and replied below Chen Kexin's latest posts.

[I have a secret formula.]

[PM me if you want to try it out.]

She then sent over a list of papers, pens, ink, and inkstones for beginners over to her.

When she was done with all those. She took another look at the system counter with only 23 minutes left on it and sighed.

Shoving her cellphone into her pocket, she pulled out the chef's secret recipe book and walked into the hallway.

Troubled, she quietly paced back and forth on the wooden hallway for 5 minutes and still saw no sign of the boss.

She snuck up to the study and lifted her ears, but she couldn't hear anything from the inside.

Aye.

The boss, upset for some unknown reasons, seemed to be more... withdrawn?

Would it be a good idea for her to force her way in during this time in an effort to raise his fondness for her?

Anyone who had snapped would need a cool down period. Poking the person before the cool down period was over would just be silly.

Gu Shishi lowered her head in resignation and decided to go to the kitchen next to the small dining room with the chef's notes in hand.

It probably wasn't the best idea to put herself in that situation right now.

She was, after all, a person with just a few days of life remaining.

What if the boss's fondness for her dropped all the way to LV0 and he threw her out of the mansion?

Then it'd be game over for her!

***

Chapter 137

Woman, Be Ready for The Consequences If This Doesn't Taste Good (2)

She couldn't risk that, so avoidance was her next best option.

She went into the kitchen and gave the steak preparation that she had learned that morning a try. She also made a stock on the side for the chef to critique tomorrow.

When all was said and done, she had spent close to 3 hours in the kitchen.

She was drenched in her own sweat, and her back was sore from standing for so long.

But, as soon as she thought about that if her cooking was good and the boss's fondness for her reached LV4 or LV5... she couldn't stop chuckling.

She tried a small piece of the steak after she was done before she nodded and put it inside the fridge. She then walked back into her room, content.

***

While she was happily soaking in the tub and applying her face mask, the light in the study was still on.

Huo Sishen, sitting on his leather chair, was holding a notebook in his hand that was just given to him by Siyi.

"You found this?"

Siyi dared not looked up. "I think it belongs to Miss Gu. She left it in the kitchen. It looked like her handwriting."

Huo Sishen frowned and flipped it open.

Tender fried steak.

It looked like Chef Zheng's handwriting. It's his secret recipe book.

He was stunned when he looked over at the end of the page.

Next to the instructions that were written in pen, there were cute drawings and writing in pencil.

[The boss likes meat. Must make!]

Under the words, there was a drawing of a round, cartoon steak.

Surrounding the piece of steak, there was a circle of round, plump vegetables, laughing and fighting to jump into the pot.

[The boss does not like vegetables. Must be stealthy when adding them.]

The handwriting was delicate like that from a girl... And filled with childishness.

Yet, the painting of this childish person would sometimes impress him.

Like the bamboo on the fan.

Her bold, elegant, and antiquitous writing along with the solitary bamboo that was standing straight up by its lonesome, fighting to live...

Acceptable.

Huo Sishen's tightly shut lips started to curve.

The chilliness around him started to dissipate.

"If it belongs to her, why are you bringing it to me? Siyi, your competency is dropping."

SMACK! And the notebook was tossed to the table.

Siyi, being called out, nodded quickly and said, "Okay, I will bring it back to Miss Gu right away."

Boss... your words would be much more convincing if you didn't smile when you talk!

He turned around and headed for the door.

A deep voice stopped him again.

"Come back."

Huo Sishen's long and slender fingers drummed on the desk.

After a while, it stopped again.

"Never mind. It's fine. Go."

Siyi nodded and walked out of the study immediately.

Doctor Qin was right. The boss was different than he was before!

He had become moodier and indecisive...

But he was right about one thing.

The boss's mood improved when he saw Miss Gu's stuff.

When he was in a good mood, it made life easier for everyone who worked for him.

The thought of it lightened Siyi's steps.

***

Gu Shishi was baffled when someone knocked on her door.

But when she saw Siyi and the notebook that she had left in the kitchen, she was pleasantly surprised.

Before she was able to thank him, she heard reminders buzzing in her ears.

So melodious!

[Beep! Fondness from Huo Sishen rising dramatically!]

[Beep! Male lead's adoration is increasing. Back to LV2! Right now, 60% more to LV3!]

Went up so abruptly? And by so much?

She had just fallen back to LV1 and now it went back up. Almost back to the same level as before!

***

Chapter 138

Woman, Be Ready for The Consequences If This Doesn't Taste Good (3)

"The boss, Mr. Huo... is still inside the study?"

Now Gu Shishi was truly curious.

The boss was still awake and fantasizing about all sorts of things on his own and thought about how great she was?

She would never have guessed that he was that kind of a boss!

Siyi nodded but did not elaborate.

But Gu Shishi quickly felt the vibration from her cellphone.

[My Lifeline Boss: If your cooking is bad and I can't eat what you've cooked, you better be ready for the consequences.]

Gu Shishi: "......"

How could the boss sound so righteous after reading her secret manual behind her back?

***

Over at the Li's.

It was the middle of the night, but all the lights were on inside their house.

Third Young Mistress Li just came home from partying with her girlfriends and noticed that something wasn't right at home.

"Mom, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle. Why are you all here?"

Li Yiru has a little pang of guilt all of a sudden.

Normally, everybody was already asleep when she came home at this hour. Nobody really knew what time she got home.

But it was almost 1 AM today, and they were all sitting inside the living room.

"Xiao Ru, what's the matter? Why are you home so late? Didn't I text you to come early today?" Li Chengzheng did not look happy at all.

"It's fine, Second Brother, as long as Xiao Ru is now back." Li Chengxing, next to him, chimed in immediately. Yet the way he was looking at Li Yiru was not kind like it usually was.

Li Yiru bit her lip and said, "I was with an important friend today...."

"Friend? What friend? What kind of awful friends have you been hanging out with? Are your friends more important than your family?" Li Chengzheng slammed hard onto the table.

Li Yiru pouted and said, "Dad, you didn't mention that there was anything wrong in your message."

Li Chengzheng's old face twitched a little. He wanted to unleash on her but was stopped by Grandpa Li.

"Xiao Ru, tell grandpa. Have you caused any troubles outside lately?" There were a lot of folds on his face, but his eyes were bright.

"No, I did. Why do you ask, grandpa?" said Li Yiru as she shook her head.

Grandpa Li did not answer but asked again, "Then, did you have any conflicts with anyone?"

There was a second of hesitation that crossed Li Yiru's little face.

She hung out with her friends day in and day out. Going to work was just an experience for her; her boss needed to be respectful around her.

Who'd she has conflicts with, except....

Her conflict with Gu Shishi a few days ago, at the birthday banquet of the Chen's.

But that wasn't even a conflict. That was just the group of them banding together to teach that evil, peasant girl a lesson!

"No, grandpa." Li Yiru blinked and answered her grandfather.

Everybody here right now was elite in the business world. Her slight hesitation did not escape them.

Li Chengzheng was so angry that his hands were shaking. "And you still won't tell the truth?" He slammed his cellphone hard on top of the table.

"Xiao Ru, your grandpa and uncle are all here. Why don't you tell us the truth?" Mother Li eagerly tried to hint at her. She pointed at a bottle of red wine under the table and asked, "Anything happened in the last couple of days that might have something to do with this bottle of wine?"

Li Yiru, who was still startled by her father's loud voice, was just about to deny.

But when she looked over at where her mother was pointing, she shuddered.

Wine...

She spilled wine on Gu Shishi!

"Mom, what happened? Where did this wine come from?"

Li Yiru's heart sank.

***

Chapter 139

Woman, Be Ready for The Consequences If This Doesn't Taste Good (4)

Seeing her reaction, Li Chengzheng was certain now that she had something to do with it. He was furious!

"That's what I want to ask you!"

"Just yesterday, our contract was up with our biggest business partner and they told us they didn't want to renew it with us! They wanted to take bids on it again! And they also sent over this bottle of wine and said to ask you about it!"

Li Yiru almost lost her composure. "How is that possible, Dad? I thought our biggest business partner is HB. Isn't that a foreign company? What does that have to do with Gu Shishi?!"

When they heard her crying out like that, the looks of everyone in the living room darkened.

Grandpa Li frowned and said, "The kid from the Gu's? Xiao Ru, what did you do to her?"

"I... I accidentally poured some... some wine on her..." Li Yiru gritted her teeth. "And we might have gotten into a spat. But she's just a peasant girl brought back by the Gu's. It's not possible that she has anything to do with that foreign company. She wasn't even respected at the Gu's! Grandpa, I think there's some sort of a misunderstanding here! What happened to our company has nothing to do with this..."

Li Chengzheng lost it right away. "You shut your mouth! What peasant girl? She is the Gu's long-lost daughter. And why were you antagonizing her for no reason anyway?"

In the adult world, especially those who were used to the slyness of the business world, an additional friend means one less enemy.

They didn't think the same way as young people and put more value on family backgrounds, espeically when Gu Shishi has to do with the Gu's.

There was no reason to offend her.

"She's from the Gu's. That doesn't sound like she has anything to do with HB?"

The oldest Brother Li also frowned.

But Grandpa Li waved his hand. "Whether it has to do with it or not, Xiao Ru, you go and apologize to her first thing tomorrow morning and bring a gift with you. Chengzheng, you go with her and ask for Miss Gu's forgiveness in person. Make sure you put a lot of thoughts into the gift and find something a young girl would like. Let's not be rude again."

"Grandpa!"

Li Yiru still wanted to put up a fight!

Li Chengzheng had already nodded in agreement. "Okay, Dad. I will prepare with Xiao Ru's mom. You are right. Whether this incident has anything to do with it or not, we should go and apologize to her."

"Mmm." Grandpa Li lowered his eyes. "Xiao Ru, remember what grandpa is going to tell you right now. You would rather offend a boy than a girl."

Li Yiru looked up.

Grandpa Li stood up slowly with the help of his cane. "You never know how many suitors there are behind a pretty girl who are willing to fight for her."

Li Yiru was stunned. She immediately thought of Gu Shishi's perfect and delicate little face and how stunning she looked that day in her bright color gown. And she was startled.

Someone high up in HB was fond of Gu Shishi?!

The boss of HB had to be on the top 10 most wealthy people list!

No way! No way she was that lucky!

Then perhaps it was the person responsible for the Asian region?

Li Yiru bit down so hard on her lip that she almost broke her skin.

___

Author's rambling:

Boss Huo: Need lots of pampering to be in a good mood.

Siyi: But the truth was, all he needed was a cartoon drawing to be in a good mood.