EBE Chapter 149 Slightly Bitter
Chapter 149 Slightly Bitter
"I think this issue should be viewed with an inclusive mindset."
"What you consider elegant may be vulgar in the eyes of others, and what others consider vulgar may be elegant in your eyes. Rather than wasting time arguing about right and wrong, it is more enjoyable to enjoy the beauty of both the elegant and the vulgar."
"Sir, what do you think?"
Jing Zimo looked at Cheng Yuntao, and the doubt in his eyes was gradually replaced by admiration.
"Miss Cheng," Jing Zimo bowed sincerely, "Your insights have enlightened me. I was too narrow-minded. These fried mushrooms, as you said, are indeed unique and elegant."
Cheng Yuntao smiled and nodded, gladly accepting Jing Zimo's apology.
Everyone was inspired by this conversation, and their remaining doubts instantly dissipated. They all took out their money and rushed to buy today's fried mushrooms.
Suddenly, someone in the crowd complained, "Although the meaning of these fried mushrooms is quite elegant, they are a bit too expensive. They even cost one or two taels of silver per serving!" As soon as the words came out, everyone's eyes were instantly focused on the person who spoke.
Another person joked, "They say it's elegant, but they still talk about money. How vulgar!" As soon as these words came out, the crowd immediately burst into laughter.
The people who patronized Cheng Yuntao's stall were all well-off, so they treated it as a joke, which made the atmosphere even more relaxed and joyful. Not to mention, after everyone tasted the fried mushrooms themselves, they all praised them highly: "It's worth it, it's so delicious!"
After buying their favorite food, the theatergoers walked into the theater contentedly. The crowd quickly dispersed, but Jing Zimo remained standing.
Cheng Yuntao was busy packing up her stall and didn't notice it. Instead, Jiang Yu was the first to notice the burning gaze. He stood closer to Cheng Yuntao with some displeasure, trying to use his body to block the other person's sight.
But the other party seemed to be against him. When he turned left, the guy who deserved a beating also turned left. Jiang Yu was so angry that he wanted to beat him up, but he couldn't do it because Cheng Yuntao was present.
Looking at Jiang Yu moving back and forth in front of her, Cheng Yuntao looked up with some confusion and asked, "What's wrong?"
Jiang Yu stared at Jing Zimo, who was standing not far away, with some displeasure, and pursed his lips: "That person has been staring at you, I don't know what he wants to do."
Cheng Yuntao looked in the direction Jiang Yu pointed, saw Jing Zimo, and asked, "But is there anything else?"
Jing Zimo smiled warmly, walked forward quickly, and bowed slightly, saying, "Miss Cheng, my name is Jing Zimo. I was deeply inspired by our conversation just now. I understand that the rumors are true. Miss Cheng is a wonderful person. I admire your insights and skills very much. I would like to wait until you close your stall to discuss a few things with you. I wonder if you agree?"
Cheng Yuntao was slightly taken aback, then smiled and said, "Mr. Jing, thank you for your compliment. If you don't mind, we can chat after we close the stall. I'm just afraid I'll keep you waiting for a while."
Jing Zimo waved his hands quickly: "It's okay, it's okay. I'm willing to wait. It's my honor to communicate with the girl." After that, he stepped aside and waited quietly.
Jiang Yu looked at Jing Zimo's retreating figure, his brows tightly furrowed, and all kinds of feelings surged in his heart.
As a man himself, he keenly caught the undisguised admiration in Jing Zimo's eyes for Cheng Yuntao, which made him feel very uncomfortable, as if the rare treasure he had carefully guarded was suddenly coveted by others.
His gaze unconsciously fell on Cheng Yuntao. As he watched her concentrating on tidying up the stall, his eyes were full of tenderness and concern.
But in a flash, Jiang Yu's eyes dimmed, and a thought suddenly flashed through his mind: perhaps he was just an ordinary friend to Cheng Yuntao.
Jiang Yu clenched his fists and kept reminding himself in his heart that he had no right to dictate Cheng Yuntao's interpersonal relationships, let alone interfere with her interactions with Jing Zimo. However, this rational understanding did not alleviate the bitterness and loss in his heart, but instead made him feel even more depressed.
Cheng Yuntao noticed something was wrong with him and asked with concern, "Jiang Yu, are you feeling unwell? Why do you seem to be in a bad state?"
Jiang Yuqiang forced a smile and tried to make his voice sound normal: "It's okay, maybe I'm just a little tired today."
Although Cheng Yuntao felt that Jiang Yu's answer was a bit perfunctory, seeing that he was unwilling to say more, she didn't want to ask any more questions and could only remind him to get enough rest.
Jiang Yu responded with a muffled "OK", with his head lowered and a listless look, just like a big dog that was neglected by its owner and was full of loss.
Somehow, after seeing this scene, Cheng Yuntao suddenly felt a surge of pity in her heart. Without thinking too much, she subconsciously raised her hand and touched the top of Jiang Yu's head.
Jiang Yu froze at first. The touch on his head was too gentle, making him a little dazed. He slowly raised his eyes and his gaze met Cheng Yuntao's eyes directly.
"Jiang Yu, I'm so grateful for having you by my side these days, running around and working tirelessly." Cheng Yuntao said softly, "When I'm not so busy in the future, I'll definitely make more delicious food to reward you."
Hearing these words, Jiang Yu's mouth curled up slightly uncontrollably. No matter what, even if he was just a friend, he was still needed by Cheng Yuntao, a closer presence than anyone else, and that was enough.
Jing Zimo, who was standing not far away, took in the entire scene.
He was a person with a delicate mind and he noticed at a glance that there was a tacit understanding and intimacy between Cheng Yuntao and Jiang Yu that belonged to them alone, like an invisible barrier that isolated others and made it difficult for them to intervene.
Jiang Yu seemed to sense something, and tilted his head slightly, his eyes accurately catching Jing Zimo's gaze.
A hint of pride flashed in his eyes, and he glanced at Jing Zimo provocatively. Then he hummed a little tune as if no one was around, turned around and threw himself into the work at hand. His movements were light and agile, and all kinds of objects were quickly put into place in his hands.
Cheng Yuntao was naturally unaware of the undercurrents between them.
Seeing that the food was almost clean, Jing Zimo approached with a polite smile, saying, "Miss Cheng, since you can use opera as inspiration to create delicious dishes, you must be quite knowledgeable about opera. What do you think of tonight's performance of 'The Legend of the White Snake'?"
Cheng Yuntao looked towards the theater, thought for a moment, and said softly, "Actually, compared to The Legend of the White Snake, I prefer Leifeng Pagoda."
Jing Zimo was a little surprised. "Although these two plays share the same story background, the plot development and details are very different. 'The Legend of the White Snake' is relatively happy, with Xu Xian and Bai Suzhen falling in love and overcoming numerous difficulties to finally reunite. Most people prefer it. Meanwhile, in 'Leifeng Pagoda,' Xu Xuan and Fahai work together to suppress the White Snake. They're even worried about it coming out to seek revenge, so they constantly reinforce the Leifeng Pagoda. Their ruthlessness is clearly evident."
"I'm really curious, why does Miss Cheng prefer 'Leifeng Pagoda'?"