Chapter 136: Be My Soul Mate
Ye Xiaoxian could only bow to him again and said, âThen thank you so much for your efforts, Sir. I, being just a humble farm wife, canât thank you enough.â
Fang Shanding then asked, âYou keep referring yourself as a âfarm wifeâ. Are you trying to suggest something to me?â
ââ¦â Ye felt confused.
What did I suggest?
A farm wife meant a married village woman, didnât it? Although she found speaking in that way very annoying, such as âI, a humble maidâ or âI, a humble farm wifeâ, she did not know any other ways to describe herself. Besides, in the modern era, many women in their late thirties still called themselves girls and never hesitated to dress themselves in as young a fas.h.i.+on as possible.
Fang Shanding noticed the confusion in Ye Xiaoxianâs eyes. He found that Ye Xiaoxian did not understand his implication at all. How could he remind her?
Fang Shanding then rephrased and explained, âI just meant that calling yourself âa farm wifeâ sounds very distant. Whatâs your maiden name?â
Ye Xiaoxian replied, âMy family just call me Little Ye.â
âRight, so Iâll also call you Little Ye, is that alright?â Fang Shanding smiled.
Ye Xiaoxian suddenly felt that Fang Shandingâs smirk looked rather hypocritical as if a nasty old guy was coaxing a naïve girl. Could it be that Fang Shanding was bearing some evil thoughts about her?
âSir, you can indeed call me Little Ye as, after all, Iâm younger, but I insist on calling you sir at all times. Youâre my senior and an official, so I must pay my respect to you.â
Fang Shanding stroked his chin and smiled, âLook at you, take it easy, will you? You can call me whatever you like. Still, you donât have to treat me as your senior. Though Iâm older than you, I like making all kinds of friends in my life and some of my younger friends are the same age as you.â
Ye Xiaoxian just smiled and did not say anything.
Fang Shanding then went one step further. âLittle Ye, if you donât mind my pestering, we can actually be equals. From now on, just see me as your friend and Iâll also regard you as my soul mate.â
Ye Xiaoxian immediately took one step back. He had put it so obviously and she also could not keep acting dumb.
âSir, Iâ m afraid that I canât enjoy this kind of privilege. Iâm just a villager and donât know anything apart from cooking, so how am I qualified to be your equal, sir? Itâs late already so I should take my leave. Sir, the chief is still waiting for you, please go back.â
âLittle Yeâ¦â Fang Shanding still tried to keep her there.
But Ye Xiaoxian pretended that she didnât notice and ran out of the backyard of the government office as if escaping.
When she got out of the backyard, her heart was still thumping. The old guy, as expected, did not bear any good intentions. In this case she had displeased Fang Shanding and wondered if he would cause any trouble for her behind her back.
â¦
Fang Shanding did not expect that Ye Xiaoxian would turn him town so directly. He had done everything in vain. This Ye Xiaoxian was really ungrateful and did not appreciate his kindness at all.
Somehow, however, the more Ye Xiaoxian refused him the more attracted to her he became. Especially when she pretended to be calm just now, her appearance made Fang Shanding feel that she was not like other women, as she had courage.
Fang Shanding was about to return to the banquet but the moment he turned around he saw Sister Xiang stand behind him. Fang Shanding knew where Sister Xiang had come from. She and the chief claimed that they were soul mates and best friends but all normal people knew that Sister was the chiefâs mistress.
The chief was transferred from elsewhere and his wife and children had not come along. He was very lonely living here alone, so naturally he would find some women. The chiefâs taste was also unusual. He did not like young girls as they wouldnât share similar interests. He only liked women that were mature and experienced like Sister Xiang.
Sister Xiang bowed to Fang Shanding. âSir, how do you do.â
Fang Shanding quickly bowed back and asked, âSister Xiang, why arenât you remaining at the banquet? Have you enjoyed your food?â
Sister Xiang smiled. âYes, I have. The cook you invited has great skills so how could we not enjoy ourselves? Iâm stuffed.â
Fang Shanding smiled. âThen I feel relieved.â
Sister smiled and asked again, âI feel that you rather like that Little Ye?â
âLittle Ye?â Fang Shanding could not help but ask. âSister Xiang, did you hear me chatting with Little Ye just now?â
âYes, I did. After I heard it, I really feel that Little Ye was quite ungrateful. She could refuse anyone but not you. Iâm really confused. If she doesnât have that kind of intention, why should she agree to cook here? Youâve gone out of your way to do all this for her, however, she doesnât even want to make friends with you. So whatâs the point of all the things youâve done for her? I really feel sorry for you. In my opinion, she is just using you to meet the chief.â
After Sister Xiang instigated it, Fang Shanding suddenly became furious and felt so used. However, he currently could do nothing about Ye Xiaoxian. He could not force her, otherwise he would commit a crime of âintimidating common young womenâ.
Sister Xiang smiled again. âArenât you a tax official? Thereâs must be a way you can do something to her. Iâm also running a restaurant and know that all the eatery owners are afraid of paying taxes. Little Ye must be afraid of that too, right?â
Fang Shanding looked at Sister Xiang and hoped that she would continue.
But Sister Xiang stopped talking and only gave him a mysterious smile. âThink about it.â
â¦
Fang Shanding thought about it for a long while and then realized that he did not need to think at all.
The next day he asked his man to send a letter to Ye Xiaoxianâs restaurant, saying that Ye Xiaoxianâs restaurant was not qualified for the first-tier tax standard, so she needed to pay six taels of silver per month.
After Fang Shandingâs man pa.s.sed the doc.u.ment to Ye Xiaoxian, he did not just leave but said to Ye Xiaoxian, âMiss Ye, our lord said that this is not the formal doc.u.ment and yet to be stamped, so it hasnât come into force yet. Whether or not itâll be enforced all depends on you.â
So, he was suggesting that Ye Xiaoxian should give in?
Ye Xiaoxian held the doc.u.ment feeling furious and then she sneered. Humph, another hypocrite. He pretended to be considerate towards her, as if he wanted to promote her, but in fact he was just one of those men!
She said to the messenger, âNo need. Just let Mr. Fang stamp it. Iâll pay six taels.â
â¦
When the messenger went back and told Fang Shanding about Ye Xiaoxianâs att.i.tude, Fang Shanding grabbed the doc.u.ment and felt so angry that he almost tore the paper apart. This girl was neither enticed by the carrot nor browbeaten by the stick
Good, you have quite a personality!
Fang Shandingâs man saw him behaving this way and asked involuntarily, âSir, so will you still stamp this doc.u.ment? Or rewrite it?â
Fang Shanding said, âRewrite it and increase the tax to nine taels a month. Send it to her again and see how she responds.â
â¦
In The Xiaosâ Cuisine.
Ye Xiaoxian read the new doc.u.ment showing that the tax had been increased from six taels to nine. She sneered again.
She asked the messenger, âIs there any other tax higher than nine taels?â
The man replied, âNo, this is the highest tax bracket for eateries, unless you change your restaurant into a big hotel.â
âThen how much tax does Sister Xiang pay for her Junlai Hotel?â asked Ye Xiaoxian.
âWellâ¦â the man said. âI donât know.â
By no means would he tell this to Ye Xiaoxian.
Ye Xiaoxian said, âOkay, itâs no problem for you to charge me nine taels. After you stamp it, give the formal doc.u.ment to me then.â
The man glanced at Ye Xiaoxian confused. He felt that for a moment a complicated glow flashed across Ye Xiaoxianâs eyes, as if she was about to make a move.