Chapter 159: Of Course You Can

The next morning, as soon as dawn broke, Ye Zheng got up and went out for breakfast.

Right after finishing his meal, he headed straight to the restaurant where he had an interview. He hoped to get things settled as early as possible so he could have peace of mind.

Perhaps he had arrived too early, as the restaurant was still closed. With no other choice, he wandered around the streets for a while, planning to return after ten o'clock.

The town was quite bustling, and the shops were well-stocked with all kinds of goods. From now on, he could simply come straight to the town whenever he needed anything.

This place had everything, practically identical to a city, except that the surrounding villages were truly impoverished.

The poor were dirt poor while the rich lived in extreme luxury—that was simply how this place operated.

"Young man, looking for a job? The benefits and perks are fantastic!" A somewhat gaudily dressed woman walked towards Ye Zheng.

Catching the heavy scent of perfume radiating from the woman from afar, Ye Zheng frowned in disgust, stepping back a few paces while staring at her with evident aversion.

"What kind of job, what's the pay, and what are the working hours?" he asked with a furrowed brow, though he already had a hunch that the job was likely far from decent.

"Between ten and twenty thousand a month, and with looks like yours, even more is possible. Here is my business card, take a look." She handed him a card, not forgetting to flash him a seductive wink.

Ye Zheng felt nauseated enough to almost vomit. Damn it, it was just as he had suspected—this was indeed no respectable line of work.

"What, do I look like someone who is desperate for money, or do I look like someone who needs to sell himself?" Ye Zheng sneered, his gaze locking onto the woman with a sharp, fierce glint.

The woman froze for a fraction of a second. She had only approached him because he was exceptionally handsome and couldn't resist striking up a conversation. Had she known he was someone not to be messed with, she would have rather died than come here early in the morning looking for trouble.

"Get lost!" What rotten luck, having his morning ruined by such a disgusting encounter.

If this were back in the past, he would have long since struck her down with a trace of spiritual energy. Anyone daring to insult him was simply unworthy of living in this world.

"Ah, young man, you're far too good-looking. People from that sort of place easily set their sights on someone like you, and they hold grudges. You'd better watch out for your own safety!" An older man selling vegetables kindly reminded Ye Zheng, hoping to prevent any retaliation from them behind the scenes.

Such incidents had happened before, though they usually ended up swept under the rug. After all, those people had connections with higher-ups.

"Thank you for the warning, Uncle. After you buy your vegetables today, head straight home and don't go out again. Stay away from the place you usually frequent; personal safety comes first." After thanking the old man, Ye Zheng offered a kind warning of his own and handed him a paper talisman.

The old man's face suddenly turned pale. How did this young man know that he visited the graveyard every single day? Was he in danger today?

Yet nothing had ever happened before. It was only over the last few days that he had felt dazed and out of it after returning from there.

Could this be the reason? The young man must have sensed something was wrong with him. If that was truly the case, he simply couldn't go to the graveyard today.

Although he still deeply missed his departed wife, the dead could not return, and it was time for him to try and let go.

Watching Ye Zheng walk away into the distance, the old man resolved that if the young man's prediction proved true, he would definitely seek him out to express his gratitude and have him cast a proper fortune.

Ye Zheng strolled through the market for a long time, imprinting the local environment and routes into his memory before walking back toward the restaurant.

It was a five-story home-style restaurant bearing a name that was a peculiar mix of trendy and rustic: Zhang San Chinese Restaurant.

When Ye Zheng arrived, the owner happened to be unlocking the front doors, and Ye Zheng naturally stepped forward to lend a hand.

"Little Ye is here! Wait a moment while I tidy up, and then I'll start cooking. Even if you don't want to be the head chef, I'm also hiring service staff here." The owner was thoroughly satisfied upon seeing how brisk and efficient Ye Zheng was. As long as the young man stayed, he was willing to offer him a high salary regardless of the role.

"I'd prefer to stay in the back kitchen and cook. We can discuss other positions if I ever get tired of cooking, as long as you don't find me a bother, Boss." Courteous and polite, Ye Zheng carried himself impeccably.

Seeing how sensible and agreeable Ye Zheng was, the owner didn't hesitate to offer him a monthly salary of ten thousand yuan on the spot. "Little Ye, I'll pay you ten thousand a month, with two days off every month. How does that sound?"

The owner had initially intended to discuss only the salary and skip the days off, but figuring that a young person should have his own social life, he added the two rest days.

A salary of ten thousand yuan was considered quite high in this town, so Ye Zheng nodded in agreement.

"The kitchen is on the second floor. Go on up and whip up a few dishes; I'm having a few friends over shortly, and they can all try your cooking." The owner was an unpretentious man who preferred to handle moving things at the entrance himself, simply telling Ye Zheng to go ahead and cook.

He trusted Ye Zheng. Deep down, he felt this young man was extraordinary. Putting everything else aside, he had never seen such a focused and serious attitude in anyone else.

"Uncle Zhang, I heard you found a head chef, and that he's devastatingly handsome—the kind of good-looking that makes people furious?" The young girl from the neighboring shop poked her head in and asked, genuinely curious about just how attractive a male cook could be.

"Hah, he's so handsome that your Uncle Zhang feels like he's struck gold! A little girl like you has never laid eyes on a guy this good-looking in your entire life!" Uncle Zhang burst into hearty laughter. He truly believed he had stumbled upon a treasure.

Just as the two of them were laughing and chatting, Ye Zheng walked out, and the young girl from next door caught her first clear look at his face.

She was utterly stunned. Could someone of such breathtaking, otherworldly beauty truly exist in this mortal realm?

Those celebrity idols and internet-famous heartthrobs simply couldn't compare; they paled far too much in comparison.

No, they couldn't even be compared—those idols didn't even qualify, they were utterly unworthy.

"Big brother, big brother, can I add your contact information? I'm the daughter of the boss of this shop, and I can come over to help you out in the future." She stared at Ye Zheng with a completely infatuated expression, leaving both Ye Zheng and Uncle Zhang looking utterly helpless.

Goodness, this little kid was far too direct.

"Of course you can. When you grow up, you can come work a holiday job here at Uncle Zhang's place and help Big Brother serve dishes to the customers." Ye Zheng let the young girl scan his phone's QR code, and then approved her friend request.

At thirteen or fourteen years old, she was lively and cute, reminding him of Xiaxia when she was little—a pure, innocent little girl.

"Are all the items in the kitchen ready to use? If so, I'll start cooking, and you guys can eat in about an hour." Almost forgetting why he had come downstairs in the first place, he quickly turned back to ask Uncle Zhang.

Uncle Zhang immediately replied, "Of course you can use them! Just tell me if anything is missing so I can go prepare it."

His previous head chef had quit last month, leaving him without business for an entire month. He hoped Ye Zheng would bring him unexpected surprises.

At a single glance, this young man clearly wasn't from a small town like theirs; the fine things he must have tasted were probably things they hadn't even witnessed. The dishes he created would undoubtedly be one-of-a-kind in this place.

From now on, all he would need to do was sit by the entrance and watch the door, while a prosperous future beckoned to him.