Transmigration: The Little Chef Calls The Shots-Chapter 771 - 094 Li Mansion Celebration_4

Lin Yuan flashed an innocuous smile and waved at him, even causing the fellow to flee as if his feet never touched the ground.

"Hmph, serves him right!"

With a sneer, Lin Yuan had not yet set out in search of Ma Xiaonan when she heard Ma Xiaoqian’s slightly sharp voice: "Xiaonan, how come you’re walking with this little country girl? Don’t you know she has a grudge with me?"

"Cousin, Miss Lin is really nice, don’t say that..." Ma Xiaonan apologetically glanced at Lin Yuan and anxiously tried to explain to her own cousin.

Alas, Ma Xiaoqian was simply a woman with an even smaller mind than a needle’s eye, impervious to any persuasion. She snorted coldly, grabbed Ma Xiaonan’s hand, and walked away: "Come with your cousin, don’t bother with that obstreperous shrew!"

"Cousin!" Ma Xiaonan frowned, attempting to retract her hand, but the more she tried, the tighter Ma Xiaoqian gripped.

Helpless, Ma Xiaonan could only let Ma Xiaoqian pull her away, unsure how to explain to Lin Yuan, she could only turn back and look at her with apologetic eyes.

Lin Yuan was speechless toward Ma Xiaoqian, who’d snatched someone’s husband and even driven out the mother-in-law, calling her the shrew. Didn’t she think about her own self? Ma Xiaoqian’s notorious reputation as a wicked daughter-in-law had already spread throughout West Street; whenever her name came up, no one could resist shaking their heads.

At the women’s seating area, all the ladies were already seated, and Lady Jin had taken her place. Seeing Lin Yuan arrive fashionably late, Lady Jin personally sent her principal maid, Da Ya, to welcome her.

The women who were originally sitting with Lin Yuan in the hall did not expect this lone young girl to be received personally by the Madam County Magistrate’s principal maid, spurring their curiosity. Upon discovering that this seemingly ordinary maid was none other than the owner of Fuman Building, they were both shocked and regretful.

They were shocked that someone so young could manage several restaurants, and moreover, that she was so unassuming. They were regretful for not recognizing her earlier, missing the opportunity to form a valuable connection.

"Yuanyuan, why are you so late?" Lady Jin pulled Lin Yuan’s hand warmly, her gesture carrying a different meaning in the eyes of the onlookers. The owner of Fuman Building was famously enigmatic, currying no one’s favor, rumored to be backed by a powerful figure from the Capital City. Who could have imagined that she would be so cordial with the County Magistrate’s wife? The Magistrate’s wife truly was extraordinary!

Seeing the envy and jealousy in the eyes of the others, Lady Jin’s vanity was unprecedentedly gratified. She was well aware of Xia Zheng’s status, and just as clearly understood his regard for Lin Yuan. To curry favor with the future Second Young Lady of the Xia family was certainly her wish.

How astute Lin Yuan was! With a mere thought, she grasped Lady Jin’s intentions, delighted to grant her this honor, and sweetly said, "Please forgive me, Aunt. I ran into an acquaintance and got held up chatting."

Lady Jin reveled in being addressed as Aunt, her smile even more brilliant, as if the person getting married today were her own son.

"You must be hungry after talking for so long? Come, have a seat, sit next to your Sister Yuk," Lady Jin pointed to Jin Yuyu, seated at her right, where a place was conveniently vacant. Never one to let opportunities slip away, she certainly wouldn’t be foolish enough to seat Lin Yuan anywhere else, especially given the friendly terms between Lin Yuan and Jin Yuyu.

Among the young women present, Lin Yuan had a decent impression of only Jin Yuyu and Ma Xiaonan. Since Ma Xiaonan was already seated next to Ma Xiaoqian, Lin Yuan naturally took her place beside Jin Yuyu.

Liu Limin was also present, but compared to Jin Yuyu, her winery was just starting out and she naturally couldn’t sit near the front. Moreover, a madam was already sitting next to her.

No sooner had Lin Yuan sat down than she felt a hostile glare atop her head. Following the gaze led her straight to Meng Chunyan, who was looking at her with disdain.

It wasn’t surprising for Meng Chunyan to dislike her, first due to Jin Lingling, and then the carriage collision and the Five Stones Powder incident. The feud between the two women was quite serious.

However, as much as she was disliked, Lin Yuan did not behave like Meng Chunyan, treating every encounter as if seeing an arch-enemy. If she stared down everyone who disliked her upon meeting them, her eyes would have long gone into spasm from exhaustion.

Shrugging indifferently, Lin Yuan provocatively picked up a piece of pastry, flaunting it in Meng Chunyan’s direction before popping it into her mouth, as infuriatingly nonchalant as one could be.

Steam practically spewed from Meng Chunyan’s ears with anger—this woman actually had the appetite for sweets! But when she saw the pastry in front of her, Meng Chunyan grew even more enraged, pushing the plate forward without a second glance.

Why? Because the pastry was from Rice Flower Fragrance, and clearly, Lin Yuan had picked it up just to demonstrate her defiance!

Fuming, Meng Chunyan muttered under her breath as she fidgeted with her handkerchief: "I won’t eat anything from Rice Flower Fragrance! Not just Rice Flower Fragrance, I won’t patronize Fuman Building either! Anything related to you, Lin Yuan, I will not consume! Hmph, if I do, I might as well be a pig! I’ll stick to pig feed for the rest of my life!"

Soon, the meal was served, and Meng Chunyan, already famished, found the exquisite and fragrant dishes even more tempting.

Just as she picked up her chopsticks, Lady Jin’s remark sent her crashing from the sky to the mud.

"Ladies, please don’t be shy. Today’s dishes are all courtesy of Fuman Building’s head chef, surely to everyone’s taste."

Meng Chunyan: ...