She Wants to Divorce Me

Chapter 42

Most of the staff at the small restaurant had gone home for the New Year, leaving only a few locals lazily staying behind. Of course, the one cooking was An Muyu. Knowing that Lu Yusheng had come specifically for her, she was even more eager to show off her skills, after all, her current honors and opportunities all came from Lu Yusheng. Since following Lu Yusheng's advice, apart from displaying fancy techniques during livestreams, she rarely cooked herself, and had no time to learn and research new dishes. When she saw the kitchen, An Muyu's brows furrowed tightly, but quickly relaxed. She no longer needed this small world full of grease and smoke; she had found another path to quickly approach her dreams.

Cheng Henian took a turn around the room, finally sitting down opposite Lu Yusheng. She leaned back in the redwood chair, arms crossed over her chest, her expression lazy and somewhat disdainful: "The layout here is very similar to the place across the street." Perhaps due to preconceived notions, she had a higher impression of the restaurant across the street, and thus when she saw Miss An in the livestream subtly disparaging the other restaurant, it gave her a subtle feeling.

"All the shops in this alley are more or less the same," Lu Yusheng looked up and replied calmly. In fact, she knew well that the dishes here were somewhat similar to those across the street, but the taste was never as good as "Spring Banquet". An Muyu's explanation for this was that when they were neighbors, back when this street was still quiet, they often sat in front of their doors discussing new dishes, and many things were the result of their joint research.

Neither of them had a voracious appetite and couldn't eat much, but An Muyu was so eager that she almost filled the table with porcelain plates of delicacies. Finally, as the proprietress, she sat down next to Lu Yusheng, smiling lightly as she said, "I didn't have a chance to ask earlier, Yu Sheng, I assume this person with you must be the famous Cheng Henian?"

What kind of "famous" this was, everyone knew in their hearts. Was it really no time, or deliberate ignorance? Cheng Henian laughed lightly, waiting for Lu Yusheng to take the first bite before picking up a spoon to sip some soup. After slowly savoring a mouthful, she lazily opened her mouth and said, "That's me." Her tone was not without arrogance and pride.

Lu Yusheng's brow furrowed, hearing hostility in Cheng Henian's brief two words. But when her gaze fell on her, she saw her expression calm, neither showing the melancholy seen in the car, nor the dazzling arrogance from before, but rather a cold and quiet like a winter pond. She ate her food methodically, her elegant demeanor very much like that of a young lady from a wealthy family. How many more facets of Cheng Henian were yet to be revealed?

"Is it really you?" An Muyu's tone rose at the end, her eyes full of delight, like a small fan meeting her idol, full of admiration and longing.

"Could there be a fake?" Cheng Henian smiled, curling her lips.

An Muyu's eyes lit up, her hands clasped in front of her chest as she deliberately lowered her voice and said, "I really like you."

Such a bold and straightforward confession should be pure, but Cheng Henian couldn't feel this at all. She put down her cutlery and looked An Muyu up and down through narrowed eyes, feeling that the beautiful woman before her was like a bottomless abyss. People are accustomed to using various emotions to cover their true inner thoughts. "What do you like about me?" Cheng Henian asked with interest.

An Muyu feigned shyness and said softly, "I like your songs."

Cheng Henian nodded, her fingers curled, tapping on the table surface neither too hard nor too soft. The rhythmic tapping sound seemed as if anything could become an instrument under her fingers. "Can you tell which one it is?" Seeing An Muyu stunned, she lifted her eyelids again and said lazily, "You're not a qualified fan, you should go back and practice more."

Of course, An Muyu wasn't really Cheng Henian's fan. She cast a pleading look at Lu Yusheng, while her left hand at her side had clenched into a fist. A vague awkwardness circulated among the three of them. Cheng Henian's tone was undisguised, how could she not hear the true meaning within? It was an attitude of contempt and disdain. Not knowing where she had offended her, she had already been sentenced to death. However, what right did Cheng Henian have? What did she amount to? She was nothing but a derelict piece who neglected her duties and acted frivolously. An Muyu had seen the rumors spreading all over Weibo. Having offended Sheng Tang Era, did she still think she could continue in this circle?

"Muyu, you said last time you had good news to tell me?" Lu Yusheng's voice was like a porcelain spoon breaking thin ice in a porcelain bowl, clear and bright. She also happened to break the stagnant atmosphere of subtle competition.

"Yes," An Muyu nodded, this time her smile was extremely sincere, even carrying a hint of pride. The number of followers on Weibo and in the livestream room was growing rapidly, and several interviews on food programs had given her more exposure. She had already been approached by management companies. Her tone was light as she dispelled the gloom brought by Cheng Henian, "I've signed with Sheng Tang Era."

This result wasn't too surprising. Pausing with the spoon in her hand, Lu Yusheng looked up and smiled, "That's good, Sheng Tang Era treats their artists quite well. However, do you not plan to continue running this restaurant?"

"Of course I will," An Muyu shook her head and smiled. "This is my heart's blood, but the focus will gradually shift. I'll continue doing food livestreams, just less frequently. As for running the restaurant, I trust my group of partners. The chefs here are first-class and can provide a great dining experience."

Lu Yusheng replied, "That's not bad. From now on, it will depend on your 'golden signboard' to bring this secluded antique street back to life."

An Muyu smiled and asked, "Which manager was Teacher Chang under before?"

Lu Yusheng said, "Qiao Xi, why?"

An Muyu shook her head, lowering her eyes to conceal her emotions. She replied, "Nothing, just a bit of admiration."

Lu Yusheng nodded and said with a light laugh, "You and Qiao Xi probably won't have any fate. After Chang Yu terminated her contract, Qiao Xi left with her. Both sides have already made statements. I know you see Chang Yu as your idol. If you want to get close to her, you should work harder and strive to be noticed by Chang Yu's studio in the future."

"That's probably not something that can be forced, right? Wouldn't that disrupt the relationship between those two?" Cheng Henian suddenly interjected. Seeing Lu Yusheng glare at her, she shrugged and stood up. "Teacher Lu, thank you for your hospitality. This meal is over, I should be going back." If it was catching up with a friend, there was really no need to bring her along. Anyway, the things she said weren't very likable, so it was better to be out of sight.

The two strangers didn't know why their auras were so incompatible. Lu Yusheng felt somewhat helpless. She said, "Wait for me a moment." Then she turned to An Muyu apologetically and said, "We'll head back first. If there's anything, we'll be in touch."

"Alright," An Muyu smiled gently, nodding slightly before starting to clear the table. After the two figures disappeared at the doorway, her expression suddenly changed. She took out her phone from her pocket, looking at the flashing screen, a smug smile curling at the corners of her lips.

The street that had been quiet on the way there suddenly became congested, with car horns blaring one after another. It wasn't clear which rule-breaker had parked their car inside the alley. Cheng Henian and Lu Yusheng hadn't walked more than a few steps when they heard a series of camera shutter sounds—followed by short-barreled cameras and microphones. Working year-round without holidays, chasing news wherever it appears, this "Most Dedicated Award" probably belonged to no one but these entertainment reporters.

A Cheng Henian at the center of attention, plus the music industry icon Lu Yusheng, provided no shortage of material for their imaginations to run wild. Under Sheng Tang Era's threats, those daring to approach Cheng Henian were few. Lu Yusheng appearing by her side at this time, what did that indicate?

—Miss Cheng, have you really cut off contact with your family as the rumors say?

—May I ask if you really hit Mr. Jiang for no reason?

—Miss Lu, what is your relationship with Miss Cheng? Is your appearance here a chance encounter or a planned meeting?

One question after another, touching on various aspects, with different entertainment reporters focusing on different points. Surrounded by the crowd, Cheng Henian showed signs of impatience. She frowned, taking a few steps towards one of the reporters and snatching the recording pen from her hand. Her raised hand made a hitting motion, startling the person who instinctively stepped back, after all, this was the person who had put Sheng Tang Era's young master in the hospital with a beer bottle. Taking advantage of this moment, an opening was created, and she pulled Lu Yusheng out of the circle, while the seized recording pen fell in a parabolic trajectory.

If they had run back to An Muyu's restaurant at this point, closing the door tightly would have shut out the media's harassment. But Cheng Henian clearly didn't want to do this. She followed this dilapidated alley, turning several corners, winding to a point where even she couldn't distinguish the path ahead. Finally, hearing the voices, she made a bold decision and pulled Lu Yusheng into a courtyard with its back door open. With a "bang", she closed the wooden door, shutting everything out.

Her heart was pounding from the intense run. Cheng Henian bent over, patting her chest. After her breathing had calmed, she looked up to see this small courtyard. The shops along the street looked narrow, but there was a hidden world deep in the alley. The square courtyard retained an ancient charm, like a secluded peach blossom spring beneath the neon lights.

Meeting a pair of gentle eyes, as clear as a spring stream after the ice has broken, Cheng Henian suddenly felt extremely calm. She smiled slightly at the young woman sitting in the rattan chair and said, "I'm sorry for disturbing you, we'll leave right away."

The woman just gave a soft "mm" in response, her gaze returning to her book.