Mrs. Gold Eavesdrops

Leonard Li's question caught Lily Evans off guard for a moment, but she quickly smiled and replied, "My husband and his friends went hunting in the mountains today, so he's not home."

"Oh, that's a bit unlucky then." Leonard Li kept his usual playful grin as he ushered Shane Shen inside, laughing, "Brother Shen, let me tell you, you're in for a treat today. Lily's cooking is leagues ahead of any chef you've got in the capital."

"Seriously?" Shane Shen eyed Leonard Li with suspicion. Leonard was famous for being a picky eater—he'd never praise a chef lightly. Now he was showering Lily Evans with compliments, which made Shane genuinely curious. He wondered if this Miss Su was not only a math whiz but also a culinary genius.

Lily asked Uncle Yuan Jie to entertain the guests while she slipped into the kitchen to get busy. Mrs. Gold greeted her with a smile, "Madam, if you have instructions, just let me do it. Why bother working yourself?"

Lily Evans replied, "We have guests today who want to try my cooking. Mrs. Gold, you can go and rest—I'll handle it myself."

But Mrs. Gold didn't budge, standing in the kitchen with a fawning smile. "Madam, cooking is such hard work—why tire yourself out? How about you sit and let me do the stir-frying? You can just tell me what ingredients and timing to use, and save yourself the trouble."

Outside the kitchen, Mrs. Gold pressed her ear against the door, her hand covering her mouth, eyes wide in shock. It was the first time she realized that recipes could be worth money! No wonder Mrs. Lily wouldn't let her watch—Mrs. Lily was guarding her recipes so she could sell them for a high price! Mrs. Gold instantly understood that Mrs. Lily was protecting her secrets from prying eyes.

Mrs. Gold's eyes darted as a plan formed in her mind. If she could get her hands on those recipes, she could make a fortune herself!

Inside the kitchen, Mrs. Lily kept her tone cold and firm, issuing a direct order. "That's enough, Mrs. Gold. Please leave." As the mistress of the house, she had to set boundaries; otherwise, people would stop respecting her authority.

Sure enough, Mrs. Gold heard the sternness in Mrs. Lily's voice and dared not say another word. She obediently left the kitchen, even closing the door behind her as she went.

Lily glanced at the closed door, then buried herself in cooking again.

Mrs. Gold left the kitchen, fuming inside. She stomped back to her own room, locked the door, and grumbled as she sat on the bed, "Hmph, fine, I'll leave. What's with all the airs? It's just cooking—what's so special about it? It's not like I'm incapable!"

Lily worked quickly and soon had a table full of delicious dishes ready to serve.

Leonard Li's eyes lit up with greed, and he didn't hold back—he dug in heartily, stuffing his cheeks and eating with abandon. Shane Shen watched, amused and helpless, thinking that Leonard really was hopeless when it came to good food—he forgot all his noble airs the moment he saw something tasty.

Still, Shane had to admit, Lily Evans's cooking was truly extraordinary—better than anything he'd ever tasted.

Shane Shen patted his round, full belly and praised, "No wonder Miss Lily became the co-owner of Savory House. With skills like yours, you could easily be a royal chef!"

Leonard Li chimed in, "If you ever want to open another restaurant, let me know. I'll invest!"

Lily Evans smiled, "Thank you for the offer, but for now, I'm happy just cooking for my family and friends. Running Savory House is already enough work."

The group laughed together, the atmosphere lively and warm.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Gold pressed her ear against the door, straining to listen in on the laughter and conversation from the dining room. Her curiosity burned hotter than ever.