GBP Chapter 10 Picnic and Barbecue
Chapter 10 Picnic and Barbecue
When Young Master Zhao was driving through the village, Su Yuning, fearing gossip, asked him to wait for her at the foot of the back mountain. She then went alone with her purse to distribute wages to the villagers.
Seeing the decent income they received, the villagers all expressed their intention to continue working for Su Yuning next year. Some even curiously inquired whether Su Yuning had any other money-making projects.
Su Yuning pondered for a moment, then spoke to them.
"In the sweltering summer heat, under the blazing sun, it's the perfect time for everything to flourish and grow. Eggplants, green beans, cucumbers, tomatoes, and other plants are laden with fruit. If you have some free time, you can help pick vegetables in the vegetable garden in the next village. You won't earn much, but at least you'll get something for your effort."
The villagers applauded in agreement. Then someone asked a question.
“Miss Su, if you saw us working for someone else, wouldn’t you feel sad? After all, we’ve also made money with you, and we really don’t want to make you unhappy.”
Su Yuning responded calmly, "As long as everyone makes money and lives comfortably, I won't fuss over such a small matter."
The villagers once again gave them thunderous applause.
"Not only plants, but animals also become active during this season. Birds flit among the trees, searching for food and feeding their young. Frogs croak incessantly by the pond, and fish swim leisurely under the lotus leaves. If any skilled fisherman can catch lotus fish, I will pay him a high salary," Su Yuning promised earnestly in front of everyone.
“Alright, let’s go fishing tomorrow!” the two young brothers agreed in unison.
"Alright, everyone, you can all leave now. I have something to do, so I'll be going now!" Su Yuning then waved goodbye to the villagers and headed towards the back of the mountain.
When the woman finished preparing lunch, she discovered that her daughter had already left home. She told Old Su to eat first, and then ran out onto the street to inquire about Su Yuning's whereabouts.
Because the villagers were simple and honest, and Su Yuning was a popular girl, some kind villagers gave the woman directions, and that's how she learned that Su Yuning had gone to the back mountain.
The woman was furious that Su Yuning had left home without saying goodbye. Back home, everything seemed perfect to her; she banged on the table, kicked the chairs, and complained angrily.
"A son grows up and is no longer under his mother's control, a daughter grows up and is no longer kept at home; the old saying is absolutely true. That brat didn't even say goodbye before heading to the back mountain."
"Let her go, she's probably off hunting with her friends," Old Su replied nonchalantly.
At this point, the woman stamped her feet in anger, "No! It's not as simple as you think! Someone saw with their own eyes that a young master drove my daughter to the village. And do you know what? That young master also drove to the back mountain, so those two must have gone up the mountain for a date!"
Old Su, who always protected his daughter, also felt that she had gone too far. "How could she do this? Marriage is a serious matter and cannot be taken lightly! Throughout history, a girl's marriage must be arranged by her parents and a matchmaker. How could our precious daughter make a private engagement with a stranger?"
The woman sat angrily on the doorstep, unable to eat her meal.
"Mother, now that you know where the girl is, why don't you go after her and look for her?" Old Su asked in a very anxious tone.
The woman glared at him, then offered her opinion: "These days, many young people are in free relationships. What can I do about it? Besides, what if I bump into them holding hands in the woods? Wouldn't that be so awkward?"
Old Su was speechless, but he was worried about his daughter's safety, so he ignored the woman's nagging and walked slowly and laboriously towards the back mountain with his cane.
In the capital, the young man in black had just settled into the inn when his subordinates came to report the situation to him.
“Your Highness, while you were away from the city for a few days, Miss Su came by once. She bought some ingredients at the restaurant and then ate at the market.”
The young man in black smiled faintly, "It's normal. Don't report such news to me in the future. Food, clothing, shelter and transportation are the most basic things in life."
"But..." The subordinate hesitated, looking unsure whether he should speak or not.
"Speak your mind, stop beating around the bush!" Ye Beichen was a straightforward person, and seeing his subordinate's attitude, he couldn't help but frown and urge him on.
"Miss Su was taken home by the restaurant's young master," the subordinate said bluntly.
"Are they very familiar with each other?" Ye Beichen asked jealously.
"They seem to be old friends. They even went to the market together and bought a lot of ingredients. The market vendors said they were planning to have a picnic together." The subordinate dared not hide anything and reported everything he knew to the young master in black.
This was like a super jealous person being violently overturned! The sour smell instantly filled the air, almost pungent. It was like a sudden storm that had turned a calm lake into a raging torrent.
The young man in black's face turned incredibly grim, his eyes flashing with anger and jealousy, as if he wanted to burn everything around him to ashes. His lips were tightly pressed together, revealing an unspeakable dissatisfaction and grievance. His entire body seemed to tremble slightly from the inner turmoil, as if he might explode at any moment. The air was thick with tension, making everyone hold their breath, afraid of accidentally touching that sensitive nerve.
"Smash!" The teacup on the table was smashed to the ground by the young man in black, shattering into pieces.
"Your Highness, please calm down. Three-legged toads are hard to find, but two-legged people are everywhere. If we can't find a suitable princess consort here, we can look elsewhere—the northern deserts, the grasslands, the coast—anywhere will do!" his subordinates advised kindly. But the young man in black wouldn't listen at all; his mind was filled with images of Su Yuning laughing and chatting with others.
"Have I treated her badly?" the young man in black asked.
The guards bowed and replied, "His Highness treats Miss Su exceptionally well. He sends her anything she likes."
"That night I asked her where she lived, and not only did she not tell me, she also used the excuse of inconvenient transportation to prevent me from going to her house. And what happened? In the blink of an eye, she had another man take her home. She's just using me as a scapegoat!" the man in black said irritably.
At this moment, a guard stepped forward and reported, "I have already inquired about Miss Su's family situation. Although her family lives in a mountain village, she has an older brother who works in the capital. If Your Highness wishes to develop a further relationship with Miss Su, perhaps you could make friends with her brother first!"
"Oh?! Her brother is in the capital? Tell me more!" The young man in black became interested and immediately pulled his subordinate to sit down on a stool next to the table.
“There are three siblings in the Su family. Su Yuning is the youngest. She also has an older brother who works as a waiter at a tea shop in the capital. Her brother is a cheerful person, and everyone, whether passersby or customers, has a good impression of him.” The guard answered without reservation.
"If that's the case, why doesn't Su Yuning find a job in the city?" the young man in black asked.
The guard scratched his head, looking completely bewildered, and replied, "That's a good question, but I don't know either."
"Since you've investigated Miss Su's background so thoroughly, why don't you lead the way so I can meet her brother?" The young man in black smiled slightly and then suggested.
"Yes, sir!" the guard replied, bowing respectfully.
In summer, the mountains are lush with green trees and blooming with flowers; the beauty of nature is intoxicating.
After searching for a while, Su Yuning and the young master of the Zhao family finally reunited with the Zhou siblings.
"Who is this?" Zhou Xi asked, noticing an unfamiliar face.
Su Yuning introduced with a smile, "This is Young Master Zhao. His family lives in the city. He not only owns a restaurant, but also..."
"Ahem!" Young Master Zhao quickly reminded her, and Su Yuning also shut her mouth.
"Haha, this brother is not only a big boss, but also a beautiful boyfriend, right?" Zhou Dong asked playfully, and Su Yuning could only nod in response.
"These two are my good friends and hunting partners. The older sister is named Zhou Xi, and the younger brother is named Zhou Dong!" Su Yuning continued to introduce them.
"Hello!" Young Master Zhao greeted them politely.
"Greetings, Young Master Zhao!" the siblings responded politely. For some reason, although it was Zhou Xi's first time meeting Zhao Shouyi, he had a feeling of déjà vu.
"Did you come out hunting this time? Or to enjoy the scenery?" Zhou Xi asked, noticing that they were empty-handed and didn't seem to be after prey.
At this point, Su Yuning gave a straightforward response.
"Young Master Zhao and I bought some ingredients in the city, and we were thinking of having a picnic and barbecue with you."
"We can have a barbecue, but there are many trees on the mountain and the terrain is steep. Let's have a picnic down the mountain instead," Zhou Xi replied in an adult-like tone.
"Okay!" they all agreed in unison.
Afterwards, they chatted and laughed as they descended the mountain. Su Yuning was in charge of skewering the ingredients, while Zhou Dong went around collecting dry branches and leaves to start a fire. Unexpectedly, Young Master Zhao unloaded a simple barbecue grill from the carriage and two boxes of fruitwood charcoal. He then started a fire with Zhou Xi to grill the skewers.
"Wow, this is so advanced! Using charcoal to start a fire?!" Zhou Dong, who had just returned from gathering firewood, was so surprised he couldn't close his mouth.
"Little brother, go help with the skewer making. You can leave the fire-starting to Young Master Zhao!" Zhou Xi urged, and the little brother had no choice but to go and do the work.
"Young Master Zhao, you're so handsome, do you have a girlfriend?" Zhou Xi asked curiously.
"Not yet. I'm interested in the girl, but I don't know what she thinks of me," Young Master Zhao replied somewhat uncertainly.
Little did she know that Zhao Gongzi's words caused Zhou Xi to misunderstand. She blushed and replied, "What is destined to be yours will be yours, and what is not, you cannot force. Let nature take its course. Zhao Gongzi is handsome and charming, and no girl would dislike him."
"I hope so," Young Master Zhao replied with a smile.
The barbecue was finished in no time. Although the lamb skewers didn't look very appealing at first, they tasted great. Su Yuning ate one and couldn't help but praise them.
"These lamb skewers taste amazing! They smell so good!"
Zhou Dong also gave a thumbs up, saying, "The lamb skewers are spicy, flavorful, and delicious; you'll want to eat them again and again!"
Upon hearing this, Young Master Zhao chuckled and replied, "As long as it tastes good. I was worried about wasting ingredients at first because I didn't control the heat well."
Afterwards, Zhao Gongzi grilled skewers, and Zhou Xi fed him skewers. Anyone who didn't know better would think they were a couple.
Afterwards, tender and delicious roasted mushrooms, fragrant and spicy roasted peppers, golden and crispy roasted fish, sizzling beef and lamb skewers, spicy and flavorful roasted tofu and roasted quail eggs were all prepared, and the group ate with great relish. Just then, Su Yuning's parents arrived.
"Father, Mother, how did you find us?" Su Yuning asked incredulously, since she hadn't told anyone about her itinerary.
At this moment, Old Su responded angrily, "I could see the smoke rising from the foot of the mountain from a great distance. Finding you is not difficult at all."
"Daughter, what is your relationship with this young master? Why do the villagers all say that he drove you back to the village?" the woman asked, barely suppressing her anger.
Su Yuning, with nothing to hide, replied frankly, "This is Young Master Zhao. He owns a restaurant in the city, and the ingredients for the previous sales were all sourced from his kitchen. In a way, he's a benefactor to me!"
"Pah! A noble person, my foot! I think he's a toad trying to eat swan meat, trying to pursue you!" Old Su cursed loudly, not caring whether there were people around or not.
At this moment, Su Yuning whispered a reminder, "Father, you must not speak rudely. This is the son of Emperor Zhenzong of Song, the current prince."
"What? The emperor's son?" Old Su was stunned. He quickly pulled the woman along to bow and pay their respects.
"Greetings, Your Highness!"
"No need for formalities!" Young Master Zhao replied politely.
"This humble subject was unaware of your identity and misspoke just now. Please forgive me and my wife, sir, for I have spoken out of turn." Old Su apologized with an embarrassed expression.
"As the old saying goes, ignorance is no excuse. This is a trivial matter, nothing to worry about, you don't need to take it to heart," Young Master Zhao replied very kindly.
Only then did Old Su and the woman feel relieved.
“Uncle Su, Auntie, you’re looking for Su Xiaomei, right? She had a picnic with us, and now that she’s had some lamb skewers, she’s full. Why don’t you let her go back with you?” Zhou Xi smoothed things over like an older sister.
"Okay." Old Su nodded in agreement, and then he and his wife took their daughter's hand and went home.
After Su Yuning left, Young Master Zhao lost interest in the picnic and jumped into the carriage to leave.
"Young Master Zhao, there's still plenty of barbecue left. It would be a waste if we didn't eat it," Zhou Xi kindly reminded him. Actually, she wanted to spend more time with Young Master Zhao, since he perfectly matched her criteria for a partner.
"I'm not eating, you guys eat," Zhao Gongzi replied sullenly from his seat in the carriage.
"Big brother, you haven't packed up your barbecue grill yet. Why don't you wait a bit before you leave?" Zhou Dong reminded him.
Young Master Zhao smiled faintly, "It's just a barbecue grill, I don't need it, you can have it. Goodbye!"
Afterwards, Mr. Zhao drove away, leaving the siblings to clean up the kitchen waste.