Chapter 85: An Invitation to Dinner

Chapter 85: Inviting to Dinner

How could he possibly make Charles obediently eat the medicine? The matter vexed Ye Tian so much he nearly scratched his scalp raw. The best solution would be to boil it into a soup for Charles to drink, but with such bitter herbs, would Charles really drink it without complaint? Besides, Ye Tian didn’t want anyone else to know; it was better to think of a more discreet method.

Make it into a dessert? Ye Tian shook his head. That would greatly reduce the medicinal effect—hardly worthwhile. Cooking! Suddenly, an idea struck him—medicinal cuisine!

Food is the staff of life, but eating all kinds of grains breeds all kinds of ailments. Medicinal cuisine, through careful combination, can greatly improve one's constitution and strengthen the body.

The idea was sound, but he couldn’t serve medicinal dishes every day; otherwise, wouldn’t he become Charles’s personal steward? “No matter, I’ll invite him for one meal first and worry about the rest later.” Gritting his teeth, Ye Tian decided to address the other details in due course.

As he was about to sleep, Ye Tian suddenly remembered—had he forgotten something? “Oh no!” He hurried to the kitchen, grabbed some food, picked up a bottle of wine, and rushed toward the back mountain.

The night wind was chilly. When Ye Tian reached the rear hill, he found Layton standing pitifully atop the plum blossom stakes, gazing at him. Ye Tian flushed with embarrassment. “Well...”

“Enough talking—food!” Layton gritted his teeth.

“Here you go, come down.” In a blink, Layton had hopped down, snatched the basket, and started devouring a piece of bread. “Slow down, slow down. Here, have some wine first.” Ye Tian handed him the bottle.

Gulp, gulp! Layton drained half the bottle, warmth spreading through his body. “Sorry about earlier!” Ye Tian said awkwardly.

“Does that even help?” Layton looked at him with resentment.

“It won’t happen again.” Ye Tian grinned. “Oh? So you’re planning for a next time?” Layton sighed.

“It’s not without results—your speed has improved a lot, hasn’t it?” Ye Tian said with a cheeky smile.

“Has it?” Layton looked doubtful.

“Yes, you just haven’t noticed. Drink a bit more to warm up—I can’t keep you company tonight, I have something to do,” Ye Tian explained.

“What are you always so busy with?” Layton asked, puzzled.

“It’s nothing. By the way, what’s the best way to get someone to eat something they dislike?” Ye Tian asked.

“Make him fight for it himself, of course,” Layton replied disdainfully.

“That’s it! Why didn’t I think of that?” Ye Tian exclaimed, pounding his fist into his palm. “Thanks, Layton!”

The next morning, Ye Tian finished his work early, then went to the kitchen to prepare a delicious meal and gently simmered the medicinal herbs. “Mentor Charles, please come!” Ye Tian called from the doorway.

“How could I possibly refuse when you’re treating me?” Charles replied with a cheerful laugh. “I’ve heard your cooking is excellent—I’ll eat my fill today!”

“It’s nothing, really,” Ye Tian replied with a smile. “There’s a surprise for you later!”

“A surprise? I like surprises!” Charles beamed.

“Please, come in!” Ye Tian led the way. The servant’s dining room was much smaller than the students’, but it was just right for Charles. “Please, have a taste!” Ye Tian said, setting out the cutlery.

“Oh, this looks appetizing!” Charles picked up his fork and speared a piece of glistening red chicken. “Mmm, delicious! Spicy—delicious!” The heat made Charles stick out his tongue, but Ye Tian just smiled—this was precisely the effect he wanted.

“Have some more!” Ye Tian encouraged him enthusiastically.

“Mmm, tasty, tasty!” Charles ate while fanning his mouth with his tongue. Today’s meal was Sichuan-style, using the hottest peppers Ye Tian could find.

“Is it good? Eat first, I’ll go bring out the soup.” With that, Ye Tian headed to the back kitchen. The herbal decoction was nearly ready.

“Here, try this beauty and slimming soup!” Ye Tian announced, setting a bowl of inky-black liquid before Charles.

“What’s this?” Charles asked, chewing on a chicken drumstick, though the aroma wasn’t bad.

“Oh, it’s a beauty and slimming soup I developed. Didn’t you say you wanted to lose weight? Try it—if it doesn’t work, I’ll make something else.” Ye Tian grinned.

“Is it really that miraculous?” Charles was skeptical.

“You can try—it can’t hurt, right?” Ye Tian said.

Looking at his belly, Charles raised the bowl and drank. “So bitter!”

“Yes, it contains herbs for beauty and weight loss, so it tastes bad. Don’t waste it!” Ye Tian smiled.

Clenching his teeth, Charles finished the soup and immediately went back to his chicken leg—the medicine was truly awful.

“Take your time, it’s all for you!” Ye Tian encouraged.

“By the way, Gray, many students in my class are asking about you. Do you want to pick a few to be your assistants?” Charles asked, his smile sly.

“No interest.” Ye Tian smiled slyly. “I only cook for friends, not as a profession.”

“Oh, then I’m really lucky!” Charles’s small eyes nearly disappeared as he squinted with delight.

“Is it good? Have some more!” Ye Tian beamed.

“By the way, I heard you poached one of Plati’s best students. Is it true?”

“You mean Layton?” Ye Tian really hadn’t known who Layton’s mentor was.

“Yeah, you didn’t know? Haven’t seen that kid in a while,” Charles said, his small eyes studying Ye Tian.

“Why look at me? I didn’t sell him off,” Ye Tian joked.

“A pity—ten promising students, wasted,” Charles sighed. “By the way, what if he wants to become your apprentice?”

“No.” Charles refused immediately. “Gray, I can feel the magic in my body dissipating faster and faster. If he stays with me, he’ll never amount to anything. I’m planning to withdraw as a mentor this year.”

“No need to rush, nothing’s set in stone,” Ye Tian replied.

“Heh, thanks, but I know myself best.” Charles sighed. “What a pity, I never managed to train a great mage.”

“That’s not like you!” Ye Tian protested.

“Let’s not talk about that. By the way, there’s a girl in my class who keeps asking about you. She must be interested. Want to give it a go?”

“Oh, come on!” Ye Tian groaned.

“I’m serious! Remember the little girl from the Alphonse family?”

“Lisa, wasn’t it?” Ye Tian recalled—she was powerful, at least among students.

“Yes, that’s her.” Charles grinned mischievously. “So, how did you two meet?”

“I forgot,” Ye Tian scratched his head.

“No way!” Charles exaggerated. “Really, I forgot.”

“What a pity. The Alphonse family holds great power in the Hoffman Empire. If you build that connection, you’ll never want for anything again.” Charles looked at him slyly.

“Not interested.” Ye Tian didn’t even care about the Layton Duchy’s throne, let alone this.

“By the way, it’s about time,” Ye Tian said.

“For what?” Charles asked, then his face changed, and he quickly leapt up and hurried away.

“Time flies,” Ye Tian mused, clearing the table. Charles wouldn’t be coming back.

“Gray, what’s all this?” Layton’s heart skipped a beat when he saw Ye Tian bringing a mountain of items. Was he up to some new mischief?

“Layton, walk a few steps for me,” Ye Tian called.

“Okay.” Layton obediently walked back and forth. After days of intensive training, he could now move confidently atop the plum blossom stakes, though running would still take time.

“Excellent—much better than I expected,” Ye Tian said with a smile. “Come down.”

Layton jumped down, puzzled.

“It’s been days since you’ve bathed, hasn’t it? There’s a pond nearby, right?” Ye Tian asked.

“There is, but bathing is forbidden—something about magical beasts,” Layton replied, recalling the off-limits pond nearby.

“It’s fine, let’s go. You’ll need to apply something, too,” Ye Tian said. “Here, make sure you rub this all over your body. If you don’t, you’ll regret it.” He handed Layton a set of clothes. “Hurry—watch out for magical beasts.”

“You jinx!” Layton muttered helplessly.

“Off you go. I have to prepare some things,” Ye Tian said, pulling a rope from his backpack.

“What are you doing with that?” Layton asked, startled.

“You’ll see. Hurry, I’m busy!”

Though full of suspicion, Layton went off to bathe. Ye Tian got busy with his preparations. Half an hour later, Layton came running back.

“Done. What took you so long?” Ye Tian asked.

“Did you apply the ointment everywhere?” Ye Tian pressed.

“Everywhere,” Layton replied, blushing.

“What’s a man blushing for?” Ye Tian scoffed. “Now, put your feet in those loops.”

“What’s this for?” Layton asked, but didn’t move.

“Cut the nonsense, hurry up—I have things to do!”

“Fine.” Layton hesitated, then gritted his teeth and slipped his feet into the loops.

“Ready?” Ye Tian asked.

“Yes.”

“Let’s begin!” Ye Tian yanked the rope.

“Ahhhhhhhhhh!” Layton’s deafening scream echoed across campus, but everyone just shrugged and went on with their business.

“What are you screaming for? Do you want everyone seeing you like this?” Ye Tian said, exasperated.

“It hurts!” Layton’s face was ashen, sweat rolling down in beads. The pain in his stretched leg tendons was indescribable.

“I told you to apply the ointment everywhere—you must have slacked off,” Ye Tian scolded.

“No, I really didn’t!” Layton gritted his teeth.

“Gray, let me down, I’m dying here.”

“No need to panic, you won’t die. This is the only way—your meridians are just too tough. Bear with it.”

“How long will this take?” Layton could barely speak.

“We’ll see—usually three days,” Ye Tian replied.

“Three days?” Layton’s eyes rolled back and he fainted on the spot.

“Well, that works. At least he won’t feel anything,” Ye Tian shrugged and began tidying up.

With a large bag of herbs, Ye Tian returned—he had to keep watch, just in case Layton really died. Seeing Layton foaming at the mouth, Ye Tian relented and forced a pill into his mouth.

Gradually, Layton awakened, only for a searing pain below the waist to jolt him to consciousness. He opened his eyes to find himself hanging, legs spread between two trees, head-down, just two meters above the ground.

“Feeling better?” Ye Tian asked.

“What do you think?” Layton gritted out.

“Hang in there,” Ye Tian replied. “Once night falls, I’ll apply more ointment.”

“At night?” Layton’s eyes rolled back again, but Ye Tian quickly jabbed a needle into his neck, instantly reviving him.

“Gray, just let me faint,” Layton pleaded. The dizziness and pain were unbearable.

“No—you wouldn’t feel anything then,” Ye Tian replied seriously.

“But I can’t breathe,” Layton’s face had gone from white to red—a sign of suffocation.

“Remember the breathing technique I taught you? Try it,” Ye Tian said.

“Gray!”

“Trust me, I won’t harm you,” Ye Tian assured him.

Left with no choice, Layton began practicing the breathing technique. At first he coughed, but Ye Tian encouraged him to go slowly, one breath at a time. After an hour, Layton finally began to adapt, his color returning to normal.

“Keep an eye on things. I have work to do,” Ye Tian said, remembering his own tasks.

“Hey, Gray! Gray!” Watching Ye Tian run off, Layton was near tears. “How am I supposed to keep an eye on anything?”