Crossing Over to Yamada Love

"Is Lan'er making new dishes? She's inviting us to try them, isn't she? Haha, but Uncle-Grandpa likes them. Remember to invite us when you do. We're really looking forward to eating them." The old Marquis immediately understood. He had heard Xue Lingfeng mention that he wanted to open a restaurant, and this girl was probably making some new dishes and inviting them to taste them first.

"Don't worry, Uncle-Grandpa. I'll never forget you two Uncle-Grandpas. I won't bother you any longer. I'll take my leave now." Mo Lan smiled, bowed, and then withdrew.

"Brother, this girl is quite interesting. She's very different from how she was in the inner courtyard. Tell me, is there anything I don't know about her?" The second master felt that Mo Lan was different in front of them than she was in the inner courtyard, so he asked his elder brother.

"You don't know, this girl..." The old Marquis smiled as he spoke to the second master about Mo Lan.

Mo Lan left the study, got into the sedan chair, and followed the servant to the carriage at the door. After getting into the carriage, she looked at the three Xue brothers inside, smiled, and told Granny Bai to go back.

Once the carriage left the Marquis's residence, Mo Lan described the dishes she had prepared over the past few days to the three of them.

"Lanlan, when are you going to treat me to a meal? It's been so long since I've had your cooking. I have to try this new dish first." Xue Linglei was still the same as always; he couldn't resist the mention of food.

"Please, once I've mastered all of these, come on time. I'll cook a whole table of food, and you can all come and help me taste it." Mo Lan's smile was bright; she loved the little fat boy's personality.

"Fifth Brother, Seventh Brother, please make sure to have someone notify me in advance when it's time," Xue Linglei said with a smile to his two elder brothers.

Xue Lingfeng and Xue Lingyun nodded and smiled. They would definitely inform Xue Linglei, otherwise he would definitely get angry with them when the time came.

Mo Lan was also pleased to see the three smiling faces. She interjected, "By the way, Fifth Young Master, Seventh Young Master, let's open a workshop. We need to make rice noodles, as many dishes require them. It's not appropriate to buy them from the Xue family, so we'll make them ourselves. We'll also make vermicelli and rice noodles."

"If we're going to open this workshop, everyone we hire has to be trustworthy. Using the people you train would be too wasteful. If that's not feasible, we should sign contracts. We can offer generous compensation to everyone who wants to work here, and if we sign contracts, they must be long-term. If anyone violates the contract or leaks the recipes, they'll have to pay a substantial amount in compensation. We should do the same when hiring assistants, cooks, and head chefs. Otherwise, if we give them the recipes and they spread them around or find other jobs, we'll be in big trouble." Mo Lan voiced her thoughts; this was something we really couldn't ignore.

The three Xue brothers looked at Mo Lan with shining eyes. Mo Lan didn't explain in detail, but they understood what she meant. It was a good idea, and if arranged properly, it would definitely work.

"Lanlan, what's going on in your head? How did you come up with such an idea?" Xue Lingyun teased Molan.

Mo Lan rolled her eyes at him and muttered, "What else could it be but brain matter?"

Xue Lingyun was taken aback by her words. This girl's words were really too much. How was she supposed to respond?

Seeing Xue Lingyun's discomfiture, Xue Lingfeng and Xue Linglei both laughed. The atmosphere inside the carriage became quite cheerful.

Several people accompanied Mo Lan to look at the seasonings. Mo Lan looked at and asked about all kinds of seasonings. Because there would be so many places where she would need seasonings in the future. Especially when cooking meat, she needed to know what to use and how much it cost.

I also learned what kinds of meat, vegetables, and fruits are available in each season. This is essential knowledge, as restaurant menus need to change with the seasons. Otherwise, what would they use to cook for someone who orders vegetables only available in summer during the cold winter?

Having gotten a general idea, Mo Lan noticed that it was almost noon, so the group chose a nice restaurant to eat at, mainly to see the layout and try the specialties of the dishes.

Inside the private room, Mo Lan savored each dish, finding them quite delicious. She realized that her own cooking wouldn't have been as advantageous if the ingredients hadn't been fresh. It seemed she would have to put in a lot more effort in the future.

The group chatted over their meal, leaving the task of finding a shop to the Xue brothers. Mo Lan only offered a few suggestions regarding the renovations. The specifics of the renovations would then be up to them. They would discuss hiring staff with the old Marquis; she would be responsible for the menu and cooking.

Because they talked for so long, they finished eating well past lunchtime. According to Mo Lan's time, it was probably past 2 p.m.

Xue Linglei asked the waiter to settle the bill, got up and left the private room. As he walked out, he saw the manager personally leading several people up the stairs.

Mo Lan hadn't paid much attention at first; it was perfectly normal for customers to come to the restaurant. But when the three Xue brothers saw the newcomers, they all stopped in their tracks, their expressions turned serious, and a glint flashed in their eyes. Mo Lan sensed something was amiss; these people were definitely not ordinary.

She then looked up and observed the man in the lead. He appeared to be around fifty years old, his hair styled in a high bun and secured with a jade hairpin, showing a few strands of weathered hair. He was somewhat thin, with a long face, fair skin, sharp eyebrows, large, bright eyes, a straight nose, and a few long, flowing whiskers. He wore a blue robe and black boots. At first glance, he gave off a very pleasing impression, suggesting he might be a learned scholar, or perhaps a kind elder.

Behind him were two other men. One was a man in his forties with a dignified appearance and a menacing aura, like someone who had been fighting for a long time. Although he looked imposing, he gave the impression of being very respectful to the old man in front of him.

Another man in his forties, who looked like a butler, stood respectfully behind the old man with his hands at his sides.

As soon as the old man went upstairs, he saw the three Xue brothers and smiled kindly at them.

Mo Lan noticed that although the old man stood there unintentionally, he exuded an aura of authority. It wasn't necessarily intentional; it was probably the natural aura that came from someone in a high position. Compared to him, the three Xue brothers seemed rather immature. Among the people Mo Lan knew, perhaps only the old Marquis could compare to him.

The three Xue brothers looked serious and slightly nervous, while the old man appeared calm and composed. His gaze casually swept over Mo Lan before moving on, showing his indifference to women and his lack of infatuation with any attractive woman. However, after his gaze drifted away, he suddenly looked at Mo Lan again, his eyes bright and startling, filled with surprise and disbelief.

Xue Linglei glanced at his two elder brothers, then stepped forward, bowed to the old man, and said, "Greetings, Elder. May you be well."

"Nephew, please don't stand on ceremony. We're all family, why be so formal? I never expected to run into you here. How is your uncle?" The old man spoke very politely, seemingly very familiar with Xue Linglei. However, while he was replying to Xue Linglei, his eyes kept drifting towards Mo Lan.

Mo Lan was puzzled. Why was this person looking at her like that? Could it be that he recognized her grandmother? The thought startled her.

Seeing this, Xue Lingfeng moved and stood in front of Mo Lan, blocking the old man's view and preventing him from looking at Mo Lan any further.

"Let's go." Xue Lingfeng said coldly. Although he knew this person, he was not a member of the court, so he left as if he didn't know him.

Upon hearing his words, Xue Lingyun and Mo Lan did not hesitate and stepped downstairs.

"Wait!" The old man shouted in a moment of panic when he saw the three of them about to leave. After he shouted, he was stunned. He hadn't been so impulsive in many years.

Seeing the Xue brothers stamp their feet, the old man said, "Nephew Xue, you left without even saying hello to this old man. Have I offended you in the past?"

Seeing the old man's calm, kind, and approachable demeanor, Mo Lan admired his composure.

The Xue brothers, Lingfeng and Lingyun, exchanged a glance. Since the other had spoken, they could no longer pretend to be deaf and dumb. Helpless, they turned around, clasped their hands in greeting to the old man, and said in unison, "Greetings, Grand Secretary Chen."

Logically, since they held no official positions, they should have knelt and bowed to the old man. However, neither of them liked the old man. Since he addressed them as "nephews," they simply performed the usual rituals, since he wasn't wearing any official robes.

Grand Secretary Chen? Mo Lan's heart skipped a beat. Considering the three people's attitudes, she trembled. Could he be Chen Xuewen?

A cold glint flashed in Mo Lan's eyes, and any goodwill she had towards the old man vanished instantly. He had broken off her grandmother's engagement, causing her grandmother's family so much suffering, and even sent people to demand her family's recipe, bringing so much trouble to her own family. It was him! She felt a surge of anger rising within her, and she truly wanted to kick him a couple of times. But she couldn't. Mo Lan forcibly suppressed her anger and listened to their conversation again.

"When did you come to the capital, my dear nephew? Why don't you come to visit me? Do you think my doorstep is too low?" the old man asked the Xue brothers with a smile.

"Please forgive me, Your Excellency. I have just arrived in the capital and have settled in the Marquis's residence. The Marquis said that we have had a long journey and that we should rest well, and that there is no need for irrelevant people to pay their respects. That is why I have not been able to visit Your Excellency. I hope Your Excellency will forgive me." Xue Lingfeng replied with a cold face, his tone not very respectful.

The old man simply smiled at Xue Lingfeng's words. Xue Lingfeng's coldness was well-known in the capital, so he didn't take it seriously. On the contrary, he said kindly, "Lord Dingyuan is still as stubborn as ever. Nephew, don't listen to him. I consider you all my own nephews and nieces. Please come to my residence often when you have time."

"Yes, I will definitely visit you when I have time. We'll take our leave now. We won't disturb you any longer." Xue Lingfeng said, then clasped his hands in a fist salute and withdrew.

"Very well, I'll be waiting for my nephews. By the way, may I ask who this young lady is?" After the old man finished speaking, he asked Mo Lan seemingly casually. In fact, he had a rough idea of ​​Mo Lan's identity. The Xue brothers said that they lived in the Marquis's mansion, and the Marquis's mansion had recently welcomed Lan Zhi to the capital. He heard that her granddaughter, a little girl, had accompanied her. If he was not mistaken, then this girl must be Lan Zhi's granddaughter. They looked so alike.