My Fantastic Chef Wife

379. What If He Likes You?

Translator: Kickassjo

When she returned home that night, Li Hongmei couldn’t wait to tell Xiao Baoshan and Ye Xiaoxian about it.

“A’biao, the one who escorted Baozhu back to Baoning City. Today, I saw him chatting joyfully with Baozhu and the way he looked at her. He must like her and vice versa. Baoshan, Baozhu has reached the age of marriage, I wonder if you can… ”

When they were at the banquet, Xiao Baozhu was still full of joy but when she returned home, she wore an anxious look all of a sudden.

When she heard Li Hongmei’s words, Xiao Baozhu stopped her from saying, “Mom, what are you talking about? I was just happy to see A’biao again after so long, so I chatted with him longer than we should. We are nowhere near getting married.”

Li Hongmei asked, “So I was wrong? I saw that you two were having a delightful conversation and when you left later, you were shy and blushed.”

“It’s too soon!” Xiao Baozhu said, seeming in a very bad mood. She didn’t want to stay in the hall anymore so she said, “I’m tired. I’ll go back to my room and rest.”

Everyone was rendered speechless.

Li Hongmei felt a little wronged, “Did I say something wrong? The two of them did have a very delightful conversation. I even asked A’biao if he was married and he said no. At that time, Baozhu was still looking shy. I noticed her affection towards him and that’s why I told you when I returned.”

Ye Xiaoxian also noticed how Baozhu looked at that time. Baozhu was indeed happy when she was back.

Ye Xiaoxian thought for a moment before asking again, “Will Baozhu think that… she’s not worthy of A’biao?”

“However, the past is past. Even though Baozhu had stayed at the cultivated talent’s house for some time, she is not officially married yet and that she is still a virgin, an innocent lady. Besides, no one in the Capital City knows about Baozhu. As long as we don’t tell, no one will know.”

Ye Xiaoxian agreed, ‘It is how it is. As long as we don’t tell, no one will know.’

In modern times, many people would not reveal their past romances to their other half before they got married. Even if the other half did asked about it, no one would admit. Even if they found out about it later, they were already married and no one would pursue it.

However, some people was not able to lie and Baozhu was one of them.

Ye Xiaoxian said, “How about we don’t mention this to Baozhu first, Mother? Let’s not make it look like Baozhu is desperate to be married. We’ll have Baoshan ask A’biao and see if he is interested in marrying Baozhu and if he is interested, then I’ll talk to Baozhu.”

Li Hongmei sighed, “Fine, we’ll do as what Little Ye said. Alas, I’m really worried about Baozhu. At present, everyone is living a better life, but Baozhu was not married yet. As her mother, how can I not be anxious?”

……

After Xiao Baozhu returned to her room, she lay down on the bed.

She couldn’t help but laugh at the thought of the A’biao, but when she thought of her past, she sighed again.

Back then, she liked Scholar Wong so much that kept getting close to him and didn’t care if Scholar Wong liked her back or not. ‘Why could she be so stupid back then?’

her sister-in-law was right. People can’t stay at the same spot forever. In the past, she met Scholar Wong and she thought that Scholar Wong was the most powerful man in the world.

As she travelled more and met more people, she began to realize that there were always another mountain beyond the horizon and that there was always a better man.

She had followed a man who had treated her like dust and that she was even more insignificant than an ant.

A’biao was such a perfect man who was not only highly skilled in KungFu but also had a high position in the court. He was decent and good-looking. How could she, a married woman, ever be worthy of him?

Even though she was still a virgin, would it affect A’biao’s reputation if he knew about her history?

Xiao Baozhu knew that she have to marry someone at some point.

In the past, she didn’t want to marry, but then when she wanted to, she couldn’t find a suitable man, and as time went by, she was getting older and older.

A’biao was so perfect that even though he was already thirty years old and not yet married, he could pick any ladies in the Capital City. How could he want an old lady like her?

Thinking of the past, Yi Baozhu couldn’t help but sigh.

She thought that if her mother urged her to marry again, she would ask her second brother to help find a nineth-rank official for her to marry.

With her brother in the Capital City, her life wouldn’t be too bad.

……

On the next day.

When Xiao Baoshan was taking the rounds, he went into A’biao.

“A’biao!” Xiao Baoshan stopped him.

A’biao hurriedly walked over and bowed to Xiao Baoshan.

Xiao Baoshan remembered the task from Ye Xiaoxian. Although as a man he was not used to doing this kind of thing, he felt that he had to talk to A’biao about it since it concerned Baozhu.

“A’biao, are you free at the moment? Let’s go to a tea house and talk for a moment, we’ll stay for half an hour at most and I won’t keep you too long.”

A’biao was shocked and then he said, “I have nothing to do now. I can go with General Xiao.”

Xiao Baoshan pointed to the nearest tea house ahead and said, “Shall we?”

“After you, General Xiao!”

……

In the tea house, the waiter quickly served some tea, some sweet peanut and so on.

The waiter recognized Xiao Baoshan. He never thought that his humble tea house would have the honor to serve the first-rank general.

Xiao Baoshan like to cut to the chase. After he sat down, he asked directly, “A’biao, you are not married yet, right?”

A’biao replied, “It’s a shame to mention it. When I was in Baoning City, I have always followed the Sixth King and the Sixth King always wanted to find someone for me, but he also felt that the women over there weren’t worthy of me. He had waited for us to return to the Capital City one day and would find me a woman in the Capital City. Who would have known that we went to fight the war again and another five or six years had passed and when we were finally back to the Capital City, we were so occupied with the business in Capital City. So my marriage was held up till now. However, …”

“However what?” asked Xiao Baoshan.

“There have been a lot of matchmakers coming at my door, trying to introduce ladies to me.”

“Oh really? Have you picked any one yet? “Xiao Baoshan asked.

“Not for the time being. I’m a rough man and I don’t want to wreck those ladies.” A’biao laughed and said, “The Ladies in the Capital City tend to be delicate and I’m not considerate.”

“But you need to get married eventually.” Xiao Baoshan said.

A’biao nodded, “I know.”

Xiao Baoshan poured a bowl of tea and poured another one for A’biao. After he drank up the tea, he said directly, “Here’s the thing. My mother met you at the banquet yesterday and she really liked you so she had mentioned it to me when she was back and she wanted you to be her son-in-law. So I’m here to ask you if you have a good impression of Baozhu?”

A’biao was stunned.

Xiao Baoshan added, “I’m just asking so please feel free to answer directly. What’s important is your heart. My sister, Baozhu is the same as you. Her marriage was held up by the running and the war. She will turn 20 years old this year and she has been considered an old lady in the Capital CIty.

Yan Bao thought about it and said, “Baozhu is very good. She is hard-working and she has a good personality.”

When Xiao Baoshan heard what he said, he felt that it was promising so he asked again, “What if you marry her? Are you willing?”

In this era, many men and women entered marriage without meeting each other in advance. As long as the parents of both parties consented, they could get married.

A’biao and Xiao Baozhu knew each other and they had stayed together for a while. Compared to other people, they were well acquainted.

Seeing that A’biao did not answer, Xiao Baoshan added, “It doesn’t matter. If you don’t want to, then I’ll find another man for Baozhu. My wife had said that we shouldn’t force these things for that it won’t lead to happiness if you are not willing.”

However, A’biao said, “Of course I am willing, but I want to know if Baozhu is willing? I am an rough man who doesn’t know how to be good to people, and my temper is not very good. I am afraid that I will wrong her.

Xiao Baoshan said, “How can it be? I know you. You are just a little impulsive on the battlefield, but you are a very good person in the days. If Baozhu marries you, she will be delighted and will have happiness. Besides, she has been used to being wild since she was young. If she is to marry others, I’m afraid that she won’t be able to adapt to the etiquette and restrictions of other’s family.

A’biaio smiled and said, “If that’s the case, I’m rest assured. There are no strict rules in my house. My parents were gone and she doesn’t need to serve them so if Baozhu marries me, she can do whatever she wants.”

……

Now that Xiao Baoshan had the answer, he told Ye Xiaoxian exactly what A’biao said.

Ye Xiaoxian felt that it was promising.

That day, Ye Xiaoxian called Xiao Baozhu into her room and said that there was some books needed to be checked.

After they finished, Ye Xiaoxian said to Baozhu, “Baozhu, there is something I want to tell you.”

“What’s the matter, Sister-in-law?” asked Yan Baozhu.

“Your marriage.”

“My marriage?” Baozhu was surprised.

“It’s not our business originally but now that you are getting older, it will be more difficult to find you anyone as years go by. Of course, it wasn’t that we don’t want to keep you with us. As long as we are still alive, we will care for you. However, ladies who don’t get married will be judged behind their back, so we want to find a good man for you, someone who knows how to love you and will make you happier than staying at home after you are married.

Xiao Baozhu smiled, “How can there be such a good man? Even if there is, it won’t be for me.”

“Baozhu, tell me the truth, do you still care about what happened before? Do you think you’re not worthy of, for example, A’biao?”

When she mentioned A’biao, a hint of joy flashed across Baozhu’s eyes, but after a while, she said, “A’biao is a good man but he won’t like me.”

“What if he likes you and wants to marry you?” Ye Xiaoxian asked.

“How is that possible?” Baozhu was surprised, “You can’t think he is interested in me after we had met and chatted once, right?”