The Age of Discovery: Chinese cuisine swept across Europe

The two went upstairs and entered the Plum Hall. The table had been cleared and a set of teapots was placed on it. However, Lord Mello did not drink tea. He was holding a wine bottle and pouring wine into the glass. The room was filled with the smell of alcohol. Even with the yellow candlelight, it was obvious that Lord Mello's face was red. How much did he drink?

Min Xi walked up and took the bottle and glass from him: "My Lord, why do you drink so much? You can't drink anymore."

Lord Melo raised his head, looked at Min Xi and Yun Ji with drunken eyes, and burped: "Hiccup - Yun, you are here?"

Yun Ji said calmly, "Sir, have you finished your meal? We are about to close, and it's time to take you home."

Lord Melo stretched out his hand and grabbed the air, as if to grab him: "Yun, you are so cold to me. But I still like you very much, can you be nicer to me?"

Yun Ji was immediately embarrassed. He said to Min Xi, "Ninth brother, you should send him off. I'm leaving first."

Seeing him turn around and leave, Yun Ji hurriedly said, "Yun, don't go. I didn't ask you to like me. I know you like Min, and I just want to be friends with you!"

Yun Ji paused, turned around and looked at Min Xi awkwardly: "The Lord is drunk, I asked his driver to pick him up."

Min Xi was originally watching the show with the mood of eating melons, but he didn't expect that he would be the one to suffer the consequences. How could this drunkard talk without restraint? It was complete nonsense. After Yun Ji left, he poured a cup of tea for Lord Melo and put it in his hand: "Your Excellency, drink some tea to sober up. Why did you drink so much today? Is there something that makes you unhappy?"

Lord Melo grabbed Min Xi's wrist, looked up at him, and said aggrievedly: "Yun doesn't like me, he likes you."

Min Xixin thought, of course he likes me more than you, is there any need to say that? But he coaxed the drunkard: "He doesn't like anyone. Come on, I'll take you home." Then he helped him up.

Lord Melo did not cooperate and sat down on the chair, refusing to move: "Where's Yun? I want to talk to him."

Seeing that he couldn't pull the cart, Min Xi gave up and said, "He's gone to call a driver for you."

Lord Mello continued to mutter: "He likes you, not me."

Min Xixin said, is this the end yet? Why did he bring it up with me? But she couldn't argue with the drunkard, so she said, "There are so many people who like you, and he won't make a difference."

Lord Melo said, "But I like clouds. What about clouds?"

Just as Min Xi was about to speak, the door was pushed open and Melo's driver poked his head in: "My Lord, I'm here to take you home."

Min Xi saw Yun Ji standing outside the door. He had no intention of coming in. It seemed that he was afraid of the drunk Lord Melo, because a drunk Melo was not as restrained and polite as usual.

Yun Ji nodded slightly at him, turned and left. Min Xi and the coachman each supported Lord Mello on one side, coaxing and dragging him downstairs and into the carriage.

After the carriage left, Min Xi came back and found Yun Ji in the kitchen: "Seventh brother, the lord has left. There are guests who want to pay the bill."

"Okay!" Yun Ji showed a relieved expression, put down the work in his hands, and went to the counter to pay the customer.

Min Xi couldn't help but find it funny. This Lord Mello was really troublesome.

After all the guests left, Min Xi walked to the front desk to watch Yun Ji check out. He saw Yun Ji calculating a number with an abacus, so he took the goose feather pen from Yun Ji's hand and prepared to write down the number. His hand touched Yun Ji's hand, and the other party retracted his hand as if he had received an electric shock, and the amplitude of the movement was very obvious.

He didn't take it too seriously at the moment, but he soon discovered that when he looked at Yun Ji, his eyelids were always lowered, unlike usual when he always looked at him with a smile. Occasionally, when they made eye contact, he would quickly look away, as if he was afraid to look him in the eye.

Min Xi finally realized that Yun Ji's reaction was a little unusual. He seemed to be avoiding him. Why? Did Lord Melo's words make him feel embarrassed? But why should he feel embarrassed? Could it be that what Lord Melo said was true? When he said that Yun Ji liked him, Yun Ji did not deny it, but just said that Melo was drunk.

Min Xi thought of this and slapped his forehead. No way? How could this be possible? It's not that you can't hide your love for someone. He didn't think Yun Ji liked him. Well, it's not that he didn't like him. He had always taken good care of him in every way, and he could say that he was meticulous, but he didn't think that was the kind of love.

Did Yunji hide it too well, or was he too slow? He always thought Yunji was very straight, although he didn't find Yunji showing interest in any opposite sex. After all, they were in Europe now, and it was impossible for him to like European girls. Maybe he had a fiancée, so he subconsciously believed that he was a straight man.

In fact, these days, even if a man is not straight, he still gets married and has children. After all, continuing the family line is the top priority, and it doesn't change with sexual orientation.

Min Xi himself had never thought of developing a relationship with Yun Ji beyond friendship. He was not a person of this era, and he would not flirt with someone knowing that she would have a family. Oh no, he never thought that he should like men.

Min Xi couldn't help but feel a little regretful, remembering that when they were eating tomatoes, he made a joke with Yun Ji and kissed Yun Ji on his own initiative, but he was really joking and didn't take it seriously afterwards. But his not taking it seriously didn't mean that Yun Ji didn't take it seriously. Maybe that was the seed planted in Yun Ji's heart, and Yun Ji was turned gay by him inadvertently.

Thinking of this, Min Xi couldn't help but slap himself in the face. He told him to stop doing this and now let's see how you end up.

When he slapped himself, Yun Ji happened to see it. He asked in confusion, "Ninth brother, what's wrong with you?"

Min Xi turned around and looked at Yun Ji. Yun Ji made eye contact with him and then looked away. Min Xi explained awkwardly, "I remembered a stupid thing I did before, and I feel that my sin is unforgivable."

"What's so serious?" Yun Ji asked with concern.

Min Xi sighed helplessly: "I did something that hurt others, but I don't know how to make up for it."

Yun Ji asked curiously, "Is the injury serious?"

Min Xi nodded: "It should be."

"If it's convenient, you can tell me and I'll give you some advice." Yun Ji said.

Min Xi thought about it, but couldn't say it out loud, so he could only shake his head helplessly: "Forget it, I'll try to solve it myself."

"Do you want to take a shower today? The water is ready. I'll go pour it for you." Yun Ji said.

Min Xi quickly called him: "Seventh Brother, I can do it myself."

Yun Ji looked at him in confusion. He had always done this himself, so why didn't he let him help today? "It's okay. I'll do it."

Min Xi said seriously, "I will do these little things by myself from now on, and I will wash my clothes by myself. I always trouble Brother Qi with such little things. I suspect that you will train me to be a useless person who only asks for clothes and food."

Yun Ji looked gloomy, and finally stopped avoiding Min Xi's gaze: "Did I make you feel uncomfortable? I'm sorry, I will try to keep my distance from you in the future and will not cross the line."

Min Xi saw his expression and felt an inexplicable pain in his heart. He hurriedly said, "Seventh Brother, it's not like that. I don't feel uncomfortable. I just feel that I shouldn't feel comfortable enjoying your care. You also work every day, and it's not much easier than me."

Yun Ji's expression was slightly relieved when he heard this: "Of course I have it much easier than you. The most tired person in a restaurant is the chef. I can't help you with cooking, so I can only help you more in life. If you don't let me help you, I can't feel at ease to be on an equal footing with you."

Seeing him say that, Min Xi had no choice but to back down: "Well, then I'll trouble Brother Qi."

Yun Ji finally smiled when he heard this: "I'll go get you some water for a bath."

Min Xi knew that he couldn't bring up this matter again, no matter if Yun Ji really liked him or not, he couldn't bring it up again, otherwise he would become the most familiar stranger. In a foreign country, he had only this person to rely on, and he didn't want to push him away.

When Yun Ji finished washing clothes and went upstairs, he saw Min Xi had fallen asleep on the bed. He was lying on the bed with his long hair hanging down by the bed. It was not dry yet, but he just slept like that without worrying about a headache. Yun Ji sighed lightly, went downstairs and brought up a pot of charcoal fire, placed it by the bed, took the towel, and dried his hair while wiping it.

It was February and there was already a breath of spring. The temperature at night was still not high. There was a brazier nearby, so Min Xi did not feel hot. Instead, he hummed comfortably.

Yun Ji's knuckles passed through his wet black hair, and his white fingers formed a sharp contrast with the black hair. Yun Ji carefully helped him wipe his hair, looking down at Min Xi's innocent sleeping face, but his thoughts drifted a little far away. In the end, he sighed helplessly and shook his head slightly.

When they woke up the next day, it seemed as if nothing had happened last night. Min Xi and Yun Ji went to buy ingredients together as usual. They still cooperated well and talked about everything.

Back at the store, Min Xi prepared the ingredients, and Yun Ji kneaded dough to prepare breakfast and staple food.

The two were busy when they suddenly heard Gail's voice outside: "Old man, who are you looking for?" It was Gail who came to work.

An old voice sounded outside, and soon Gale came in: "Boss, there is an old man outside, saying he is here to see you."

"Who is it?" Min Xi and Yun Ji put down their work and walked outside.

As soon as I came out of the kitchen, I saw a hunched figure standing at the door with messy hair and beard. When I got closer, I saw who else could it be but old Zeus?

When Old Hughes saw them, he smiled and said, "Hello, I made two pairs of shoes for you two gentlemen. I hope you like them."