Chapter Fifty-Five: Trust

Lin Hongda’s expression darkened, and he was clearly displeased. Nevertheless, he forced himself to remain patient and said, “I am Young Master Yu’s newly hired personal guard.”

“You?” The two gate guards looked at him with open mockery.

They had heard that the young master was recruiting a new personal guard. However, in their minds, anyone capable of earning the young master’s favor would surely be a burly, formidable man. Though Lin Hongda had benefited from better nutrition and diligent training lately, he was still far from the image of a hulking guard. Thus, they refused to believe he was truly the new hire, assuming instead he was just there to swindle some money.

“Get lost now! Or I’ll deal with you myself!” one of them threatened.

Lin Hongda sneered coldly. “I can leave, but if you delay Young Master Yu’s business, none of you will be able to bear the consequences!”

“Oh? Are you threatening me? Who do you think you are?” one guard jeered, throwing a punch at Lin Hongda’s face. Lin Hongda caught his fist effortlessly and squeezed hard, eliciting a howl like a butchered pig from the man.

“Let go of me, you bastard!”

Seeing things go south, the other guard rushed over, but Lin Hongda was ready. He lifted his foot and aimed a kick, which the guard narrowly dodged. These were no ordinary guards, after all. Lin Hongda raised an eyebrow—impressive enough. It seemed he could have some fun.

The two guards tangled with Lin Hongda, but Liao Shuxia and Lin Sangqian watched without worry. They could tell these two were no match for him. Lin Wenyan, however, was anxious and wanted to help, but in his current state, he feared he would only be a burden to his father.

In the end, the two guards were soundly defeated, both sprawled on the ground, clutching their stomachs and groaning. Only now did they reluctantly accept that Lin Hongda was indeed Young Master Yu’s new personal guard. Yet, looking at his slender and unassuming frame, who would have thought he possessed such skill?

“What’s going on here?” At that moment, Uncle Yuan stepped out upon hearing the commotion. He immediately spotted Lin Sangqian and his face broke into a delighted smile. “Miss Lin, you’re here.”

“Uncle Yuan.” Lin Sangqian greeted him. “I brought my father with me, but these two wouldn’t let him in and even resorted to violence. My father had no choice but to defend himself.”

Uncle Yuan glanced at the two dejected guards picking themselves up, but rather than being angry, he seemed quite satisfied. It seemed the young master’s judgment was, indeed, reliable.

After all, the Yu Residence’s guards were no pushovers. For one man to best two of them, Lin Hongda clearly had skill. Having someone like him at Young Master Yu’s side set Uncle Yuan’s mind at ease.

“Please, come in.” Uncle Yuan addressed Lin Hongda with great courtesy.

Lin Hongda thanked him and followed him inside, while the others sensibly waited outside. They didn’t waste the time—Liao Shuxia and Lin Wenyan managed to sell a few handkerchiefs, and Lin Sangqian took the opportunity to inquire about local property prices.

After a while, Lin Hongda returned, his face expressionless. Liao Shuxia, fearing something had gone wrong, hurried over and anxiously asked, “What’s the matter? Did they bully you?”

Lin Hongda looked at her with a grave expression. Liao Shuxia’s heart leapt to her throat—until he suddenly placed a money pouch in her hand.

Confused, she opened it, only to find it filled with bright silver coins.

She was dumbfounded. “W-where did this come from?”

“It’s an advance on my wages from Young Master Yu,” Lin Hongda replied with a grin. “Two months’ pay—thirty taels in total!”

He was finally earning money! At last, he could contribute to the family.

Pride swelled in Lin Hongda’s heart.

“You big lug, you scared me half to death!” Liao Shuxia exclaimed, giving him a playful thump. “I thought something bad had happened! Son, daughter, come look—your father brought home thirty taels!”

Lin Wenyan and Lin Sangqian both hurried over.

“Father, did you ask Young Master Yu for an advance?” Lin Sangqian asked.

“Of course not!” Lin Hongda scratched his head sheepishly. Truth be told, he had considered requesting an advance, but it hadn’t felt right. When he met with Young Master Yu, the young master was very cordial, asking about his residence and future plans. Lin Hongda mentioned he might move his family to town in the future, and Young Master Yu, worried he might need money, proactively advanced him two months’ wages.

Such trust moved Lin Hongda deeply, and he quietly vowed to protect Young Master Yu with all his might.

“I see,” Lin Sangqian nodded after hearing the story. It seemed Young Master Yu truly valued Lin Hongda.

“How much money do we have now?” Liao Shuxia asked, rubbing her hands together in excitement.

“Almost sixty taels,” Lin Sangqian replied. “Let’s head to the Fortune Inn and earn a little more.”

“Great!”

The four of them headed to Fortune Inn. Across the street, at the entrance of the Splendid Pavilion, Qian San was carefully unlocking the doors. Seeing that the troublemakers demanding refunds had finally left, he breathed a sigh of relief and began welcoming guests.

At that moment, he spotted the Lin family and his face twisted with resentment. If not for them, he wouldn’t have had half a year’s wages docked! And now, they were strutting about, helping Fortune Inn and working against Splendid Pavilion…

Hmph! Just wait—he would capture that wretched Lin Sangqian one day and force her to hand over all her secret recipes!

“You’re here!” Yang Shi greeted them warmly. “The manager’s been waiting for you.”

More precisely, waiting for Lin Sangqian.

“All right, I’ll head straight to the kitchen. Brother Yang, could you let Manager Lu know we’ve arrived?” Lin Sangqian said with a smile, and walked toward the kitchen.

“Of course!” Yang Shi replied, then showed Lin Hongda and the others to their seats. Looking up, he caught Qian San glaring at them from across the street, and promptly glared back with equal defiance. A staring contest? He was hardly afraid—he’d disliked Qian San for a long time.

Lin Sangqian entered the kitchen, where the chefs of Fortune Inn greeted her enthusiastically. “Miss Lin, you’re here! What delicious dish will you teach us today?”

“Heh, today I’ll show you how to make a meat dish called Sweet and Sour Crispy Pork.”

“Sweet and Sour Crispy Pork?” The chefs exchanged puzzled glances. They’d never heard of it—did it mean wrapping pork in a pot? How would you even wrap it?

“I’ll show you right away.” Lin Sangqian had already studied the Fortune Inn’s menu and knew this dish wasn’t on it. She had suspected as much; now it was confirmed.

She immediately set to work, taking a piece of pork tenderloin, washing it, and slicing it into pieces. Apart from the two chefs busy with their tasks, the rest gathered around, eager to see what she would do.