C7 He Rushed into the Small Courtyard

The second roast chicken was nearly done, its tantalizing aroma filling the air. A few people were arguing at the entrance of the courtyard when the irresistible scent made them pause.

Gold Tooth and his group weren't intimidated by Bai Lang, and they were reluctant to work under Yang Zhiming. When they noticed the commotion at the entrance of the Lin family courtyard, they made only a half-hearted attempt to intervene.

Drawn by the delicious smell, Gold Tooth headed into the courtyard on his own, eager for another taste of the roast chicken. Seeing their leader walk away, the other young men quietly followed suit and slipped inside.

Lin Ke'er, a gentle woman not known for her strength or eloquence, found herself in a repetitive argument, insisting, "I believe in the boss," and "This is Earth cuisine."

A skeptical young man observing the scene began to doubt his disbelief as the scent of the roast chicken grew more intense. Could it really be the legendary Earth cuisine?

Though the ancient and mysterious Earth civilization had vanished, Martians were well-versed in Earth cuisine, a frequent and tantalizing feature on TV and variety shows, aimed at drawing in viewers.

The young man, eyeing the roast chicken restaurant, felt a growing curiosity to explore inside. He stepped between the two quarreling girls, "There's no need to argue. Young lady, since you're so convinced that this roast chicken is an ancient delicacy, let me go in and see for myself."

Lin Ke'er wasn't sure if the recipe for the roast chicken was top secret, but since Yang Zhiming hadn't given Gold Tooth and the others any instructions to admit people...

She stood her ground firmly, "You can't go in. As I said, if you don't believe me, you don't have to buy it."

Turning to seek assistance from Gold Tooth and his companions, Lin Ke'er found they had vanished. The man persisted in his taunting, "If you won't let me in, what are you hiding?"

The bystanders began to murmur among themselves, and the atmosphere turned increasingly chaotic.

A passerby called out loudly, "Miss, I think you're not aware of the whole situation. Why not let this gentleman have a look inside?"

As he finished, many others chimed in, "Exactly, a quick peek won't hurt anyone." "And once he's seen it, we'll feel more comfortable buying. You're in business too, young lady, so surely you understand."

Lin Ke'er was overwhelmed by the barrage of questions. The insistent young man was pushing her back, and she was quickly being cornered near the entrance.

She could turn down one sale, but she couldn't afford to lose them all. Reluctantly conceding, she said, "Let me check with the boss at the door first."

The young man, seizing the opportunity, intended to force his way past her. "I'm sure your boss is reasonable and will agree to my request. So, I might as well go in now. It'll be the same after you get his approval."

With that, he shoved Lin Ke'er aside and strode into the Lin family courtyard.

Feeling like she had let down Yang Zhiming, Lin Ke'er was frantic. She quickly got to her feet, intending to grab the man's clothing.

Just then, the flamboyantly dressed girl blocked her path with a grin. "He's already inside. What's the point in stopping him now? Besides, you've been arguing that your boss is a great person. I'm sure he won't hold this against you."

Lin Ke'er, slight in stature, was completely obstructed by the girl and let out a resigned sigh. "Why are you all so fixated on going in to have a look? Do you really think we'd deceive you over such a small amount of money?"

The girl in the spaghetti strap dress, seeing Lin Ke'er's dejection, felt a twinge of sympathy. "If you hadn't mentioned it was an ancient delicacy, that man wouldn't have been so adamant. Think about it, who can resist the allure of such a treat? How many people here don't want to go in and see for themselves?"

She gestured towards the crowd that had been egging the situation on moments ago.

Lin Ke'er looked up and realized it was true. The group, lacking the courage to barge in themselves, was eagerly awaiting the young man's return, hoping for some resolution.

One of the older gentlemen tried to reassure Lin Ke'er, "Sister, we've seen our fair share of swindlers hiding behind the guise of ancient culinary delights. But you seem so earnest, you don't strike us as a liar. That's why we're curious to have a look inside."

Despite their words, Lin Ke'er's complexion remained ashen as she crouched on the ground, unsoothed.

Some in the crowd felt compassion for the young woman, seeing her on the verge of tears amidst the men. "Don't cry, young lady. Even if this ancient delicacy you speak of is a sham, we won't give you a hard time. You appear so genuine, and if it's a fabrication, I'd wager it's the boss's doing, not yours."

Lin Ke'er looked up defiantly, "The boss isn't a cheat. He's not just handsome; he's kind-hearted too. I'll be upset if you keep maligning him."

This only solidified the belief of those waiting outside that her boss was exploiting his good looks to deceive an innocent young woman.

They were even more eager for the young man to reveal the boss's true nature and enlighten the naive girl.

Upon entering the Lin family courtyard, the young man discovered some peculiar clay cooking devices.

Their shapes were odd, unlike anything he'd seen before, yet the tantalizing scent of roast chicken was emanating from them.

Before he could investigate further, Gold Tooth and his cohorts spotted him.

Salivating at the aroma of the chicken, one of the underlings nudged Gold Tooth, "Boss, there's a stranger in the courtyard."

Gold Tooth, who had little regard for the fragile Lin Ke'er, scowled, "Lin Ke'er is utterly incompetent. We've barely been here a few minutes, and she's already let an outsider in. Brothers, grab your weapons; let's confront him."

Confronted by Gold Tooth and his gang, who had the demeanor of thugs, they blocked the young man's path and demanded brusquely, "Who are you? What's your business here? Looking for trouble?"

Unintimidated, the young man gestured towards the odd-looking oven, "Is this the rudimentary contraption you use to create ancient delicacies?"

Gold Tooth noticed that the man before him remained unfazed by their threats. He grabbed a steel rod and threatened, "Answer my question, or I'll use this to pound you into a pulp."

Just then, the aroma of freshly roasted chicken wafted through the air, filling the entire Lin family courtyard with its rich, enticing scent. The standoff between the two men paused as they both turned their attention to the man removing the chicken from the oven.

— Content from MiGu Reading