Mu Jiu Chen ignored her, his expressionless gaze fixed on the two ladies before him.
"Ladies, will you speak, or shall I escort you over to dine with the other lady?"
Xiao Yan quickly shook her head. "No, no, no! We were paid by a woman. She knew we were classmates with Jiang Nuan, so she paid us to humiliate Jiang Nuan. We really don't know who she is."
They had only seen news online about Jiang Nuan participating in a food competition. When the three of them were chatting at a restaurant, a woman overheard them. That woman was heavily disguised, and they had no idea who she was.
They often humiliated Jiang Nuan, and they got paid for it. Being able to pay off their credit cards was a happy thing.
However, after splitting the money three ways, it wasn't much, and she still owed twenty thousand.
Mu Jiu Chen's lips curved slightly, his voice extremely cold. "The lady just now said she knew who it was, but you claim ignorance. In that case, let's all go and dine together."
Xiao Yan rapidly shook her head. "Sir, I absolutely did not lie to you. She also doesn't know who the other person was. The person was wrapped up tightly, but based on the voice, it sounded like an older woman."
Mu Jiu Chen narrowed his eyes and asked, "Which restaurant were you dining at?"
Xiao Yan nervously replied, "At… at Yue Lai Restaurant."
She finally remembered who this man was. This man was the legendary Ninth Master.
Good heavens!
She was truly blessed with immense good fortune to still be standing here speaking.
Mu Jiu Chen nodded, gave a few instructions to the bodyguards beside him, and then turned to leave.
Meanwhile, Ye Xiang, reeking of foul odors, was dragged out by two bodyguards and dumped onto the main road, already having fainted.
The bodyguards drove away, leaving behind three solitary girls who dared not even breathe loudly, moving with the utmost caution. After a long while, the two girls recovered, their legs giving out. They collapsed on the ground, wailing uncontrollably.
Not far away, Xiao Rui Ming watched this unfold, his eyes filled with gloom.
He had lost, and his mood was foul. For these two women to be howling here was simply infuriating.
"Get lost! What are you crying about? You didn't cry when you were bullying others! Serves you right to cry your eyes out, you ungrateful wretches!" Xiao Rui Ming roared rudely.
Seeing Xiao Rui Ming's furiously reddened eyes, as if he were about to devour someone, Xiao Yan and the other girl struggled to get up from the ground. Forgetting about Ye Xiang not far away, they turned and fled.
Only then did Xiao Rui Ming feel much better. He had never understood what he had lost to.
Using the same ingredients and the same effort, why was his soup not as delicious as Jiang Nuan's?
He stood motionless like a human statue, his eyes hollowly fixed on the end of the alley.
Mu Jiu Chen found the restaurant where Jiang Nuan, He Ming Run, and Meng Yuan were dining. When he entered the private room, Jiang Nuan looked at him with disdain.
Mu Jiu Chen saw Jiang Nuan's disgust and immediately explained, "Nuan Nuan, you don't have to look at me like that. I'm absolutely not as disgusting as you imagine. That was just durian mixed with mango, with a bit of chili, and then some stinky tofu added."
Jiang Nuan: "..."
"Wow! Ninth Master, you really know how to play," Meng Yuan exclaimed, surprised by Mu Jiu Chen's creativity. He could even think of such a combination.
Mu Jiu Chen sat beside Jiang Nuan and said, "Does this kind of thing seem difficult?"
Meng Yuan: "I could never think of such a recipe. Ninth Master is amazing! If it were me, I would have beaten the other party up directly."
He Ming Run silently glanced at the woman who praised Mu Jiu Chen, his gaze darkening.
After the group finished lunch, they each went home.
The news of Jiang Nuan winning first place at Jue Wei Tian Xia spread like wildfire online.
This further increased the popularity of the Wellness Center, turning another renowned eatery into an internet-famous check-in spot. Many people flocked to the Wellness Center, forming queues to visit.
In the Mu family's old residence, Yao Lu walked into the courtyard and looked at Tan Xue, who was trimming the flowers. She said softly, "Madam, Jiang Nuan won, and the three women failed."
Tan Xue's hand, holding the pruning shears, paused slightly. She looked at the dahlia in front of her, which was blooming beautifully.
With a snip, the beautiful dahlia flower fell to the ground, landing before her smoke-grey qipao, creating a stark contrast.
She put down the shears and said, "How could they not even handle this small matter?" Her voice was calm, with little inflection.
Yao Lu replied, "Ninth Master was also present. Although those three women didn't get a clear look at my face, they have made Ninth Master suspicious of us. Ninth Master has already sent people to Yue Lai Restaurant. I've already called and asked them to destroy the surveillance footage. You can rest assured about this, Madam."
Tan Xue scoffed, "Jiang Nuan has truly become Mu Jiu Chen's weakness. Jiang Nuan is the mother of his child."
Yao Lu frowned. "Could it be that night six years ago? Ninth Master escaped and then met Jiang Nuan."
Tan Xue nodded slightly. "Precisely, it was that night."
Tan Xue's eyes turned red with anger. Why?
Why? She was always paving the way for Mu Jiu Chen.
Even her son was given to Mu Jiu Chen. Thinking of this, she wished she could slap herself a few times.
"Madam, what do we do now?" Yao Lu felt she truly couldn't compete with Mu Jiu Chen. Madam was truly struggling in her final moments.
Mu Jiu Chen's strength was beyond their imagination. After so much preparation, being hit with a bombshell by Mu Yun Xiao had instantly thrown them into disarray.
"No rush, take it slow. So many years have passed. A small failure like this is nothing." Tan Xue remained very calm. She had suppressed her hatred in her heart for many years. She had endured all these years, and waiting a little longer was not an issue.
"Miss still hasn't come out of her room. She's only been drinking water and alcohol these past few days. If this continues, Miss will be in trouble."
Yao Lu was somewhat worried about Mu Yun Yun. Ever since she learned the truth, after going out to vent for a night, she returned and refused to come out, hiding in her room all day, seeing no one.
"Don't bother with her. She's useless. She'll come out when she's had enough of being sad. When she feels bored alone, she'll come out to find something to do." Tan Xue's expression remained cold. Regarding her own daughter, she understood her very well.
"Alright, Madam." Yao Lu also knew what was on her mind. After all, she was her daughter. If she herself didn't care, then there was nothing Yao Lu could do.
"Lulu, go and confirm whether the child belongs to Mu Jiu Chen and Jiang Nuan. As long as Mu Jiu Chen has a weakness, we won't have to worry about dealing with him." Tan Xue smiled sinisterly. She had waited for so many years, forced the original wife to death, and after ascending to her position, she had put in so much effort. How could she give up so easily?
"Alright, Madam." Yao Lu turned and left the garden.
Not far away, Grandpa Mu, hiding behind the flower bed, also quietly departed.