The Taste of Love Starts in the Kitchen (GL) - Chapter 14

“You really don’t remember what happened last night?”

Song Qinyao looked genuinely confused. She hugged her arms, resting one hand under her chin as she thought for a moment. Then she raised her head, arched one brow, and shook her head at Song Baili.

Song Baili felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders, letting out a quiet sigh of relief.

“You said you were dating two guys at once, and that you often let out silent farts in the elevator at work…”

Before she could finish, Song Qinyao burst out laughing. Then she stepped forward, grabbed Baili’s arm, pouted, and shook her playfully.

“Jiejie, you’re so mean! Since you already know my secrets, shouldn’t you share a couple of yours to make it fair?”

“If I told you, they wouldn’t be secrets anymore.”

Baili pulled her arm free. She felt sticky all over, from head to toe, and could even smell the sweat on herself.

“So… did I say anything else? Like… someone I like?”

Baili paused and glanced at her, only to meet a gaze filled with softness and emotion. Her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly looked away, her expression turning a bit awkward.

“I don’t remember that much.”

Just then, the phone on the kitchen island rang, cutting off their conversation. Qinyao flinched, frowned slightly, and glanced at her watch. Her expression quickly turned anxious.

“Oh no! It’s already this late? I can’t mess around anymore—I need to go!”

She grabbed her bag and rushed out the door like a gust of wind.

Baili stood by the window, arms crossed, staring outside for a long while. Something didn’t sit right. She tilted her head, trying to figure it out, but the only thing she could focus on was the sweaty smell again. Shaking her head, she went upstairs to take a shower.

The scorching sun had worked hard all day, and by evening, it finally grew tired, its warmth turning soft and gentle—the most comfortable temperature of the day.

But on this beautiful evening, a group of troublesome people walked into the restaurant.

Two of Li Shao’s older female cousins and their boyfriends—dressed to impress, but acting like villains straight out of hell. Their words were sharp, their attitudes arrogant. To them, every employee might as well have been a criminal waiting for judgment.

They immediately targeted Qian Qian, nitpicking everything.

The pork’s too fatty.
The lemon’s too sour.
The chocolate’s too rich.
Even a double-yolk egg was considered a problem.

Baili thought, Okay, being difficult is one thing, but now they’re discriminating against food? If pigs aren’t supposed to be fat, should people be instead?

From this alone, Baili could see it wouldn’t be easy for Qian Qian to marry into the Li family. Rich families may look open on the surface, but if you don’t come from wealth or high status, you’d better have skin thicker than a fortress wall—because you’ll definitely be bombarded by attacks.

It’s never just about the couple. Even if the man is willing to marry and the woman is willing to follow, there’s always a horde of monsters behind the scenes casting spells and stirring up trouble—especially for any bride trying to step through the gate.

Baili had no plans to marry into a wealthy family, so she wasn’t afraid of offending the rich. She excused herself to the restroom and sent out a few texts.

Not long after, two well-dressed young men walked into the restaurant. Each sat near opposite corners, close to the four troublemakers. They ordered a drink and quietly stared at their phones.

Qian Qian brought coffee to the table. She was slightly slower this time, and was immediately scolded for poor service. After complaining about the food, the group shifted their attacks to the staff personally.

One of the cousins looked at Qian Qian with a sneer, raised her bejeweled hand without even looking at her, and said mockingly:

“Is Li Shao picking you up after work today?”

“He’s away on a business trip.”

The second cousin tilted her chin slightly and let out a condescending laugh through her nose before sighing.

“Li Shao’s been going on business trips a lot lately… seems like he’s lost interest in someone. But someone just doesn’t know when to quit.”

If contempt had a smell, the whole place would’ve reeked worse than a rotting corpse.

“An’an Jie, Li Shao and I genuinely like each other. We’re together because we both want to be. If he really wasn’t interested anymore, I wouldn’t cling to him like you’re saying.”

“Who gave you the right to call me An’an Jie? You’re just the daughter of a lousy shop owner, and you dream of marrying into our Li family?”

The woman’s eyes bulged and face twisted like a rabid dog whose tail had been stepped on.

“This ‘lousy shop’ is still an honest business. I’ve never tried to cling to anyone.”

“Oh? So you’re saying our Li family doesn’t do honest business?”

The second cousin got more worked up. When she was angry, she wanted to throw things. She grabbed some leftover bread from the table and started hurling them at Qian Qian. When the plate was empty, her eyes landed on the half-full glass of red wine…

As the bread came flying toward Qian Qian, she instinctively raised her hands to block it. Just then, a figure rushed over and stood in front of her. The chaotic storm seemed to pause in an instant, the tension suddenly easing.

The person who stepped in had a long neck and perfect posture. Qian Qian stood behind her like a chick sheltered by a mother hen. Warmth spread in her heart—even if the world were collapsing, someone would be there to stand with her.

“Manager, the new shipment’s missing items. The head chef wants you to take a look.”

Baili gave Qian Qian a meaningful glance. Qian Qian understood and quickly realized everyone in the restaurant was now watching. Her face flushed bright red, her scalp tingled—but there was no turning back. She turned and rushed toward the kitchen.

Baili looked down at the glaring stain of wine on her clothes, furrowed her brows, then slowly lifted her head and shot a sharp gaze at the four people at the table.

The two previously smug women instantly felt a wave of intense pressure crashing down on them. One glance at Baili sent shivers down their spines—they didn’t dare move a muscle.

Then, Baili smiled. It was a graceful, gentle smile as she walked up to the second cousin, bent slightly at the waist, and asked softly:

“Would you like more wine?”

“N-No thanks. Just give us the bill.”

The woman kept her head down, eyes darting around. When she looked up, she saw the man across from her awkwardly pulling out his wallet, staring dreamily at the waitress and blushing.

The moment the man felt a murderous glare on him, he flinched, scratched his ear, and stopped making eye contact with the beautiful waitress.

Baili came out from the back room and saw Qian Qian walking toward her, looking serious and frowning—not like someone coming to say thanks.

Standing before her, Qian Qian’s brows were tightly knit. Her dark eyes shimmered, misty and unreadable.

“You… don’t get involved next time.”

Next time?!

“Mm, got it.”

That’s what Baili said, but in her mind, she was already thinking about serving those people the most expensive wine in the shop next time. Whether they’re happy or angry, drinking it or throwing it—it’d be worth it if she could just sell another bottle.

“That crazy woman will throw anything she gets her hands on. I didn’t want you to get hurt.”

“Okay, I understand.”

Baili was like a gentle breeze—warm and comforting, but impossible to catch or hold onto. Qian Qian tried again and again to start a deeper conversation, but always ended up at a dead end.

“But still… thank you.”

“I…”

Baili paused. Her expression shifted ever so slightly. A soft red flush rose on her face, like a pink filter slowly spreading across her cheeks. Qian Qian stared at her lips, heart pounding with anticipation.

“I… I’m going back to work.”

Qian Qian felt like she heard a loud crash inside her chest—her little love-struck heart had hit a wall and shattered. The warmth faded, and all she could do was wave her off.

That night, a video went viral online, sparking heated discussion. It showed four customers acting outrageously in a Western restaurant, while a stunningly beautiful waitress handled the situation with professionalism and grace, despite being humiliated.

Comments flooded in—thousands of people condemning the four diners. When the restaurant’s name was revealed, things exploded again, with people swearing to visit and catch a glimpse of the gorgeous waitress. Public confessions of love filled the comment sections.

The next day, the moment Langdengfu opened, the place was swarming with customers. Business was so good that even the rarely-seen owner had to step in and hired extra help.

It was the busiest day the restaurant had ever seen. But with little planning and no strong leadership, the team was like a disorganized army going to war. Despite the chaos, they managed to make it through.

That night, food review platforms were full of chatter about Langdengfu, with thousands of mixed reviews:

“Service was slow. Reminded them several times. Too long of a wait. Not coming back.”

“The food was average. Not much better than convenience store meals. Not worth the price.”

“Food was decent, but the waitress? 200% beauty level! Unreal!!!”

“Damn! There’s another goddess too!!!”

“Ahhh! I saw both goddesses. Worth every penny! Beauty on a plate!”

“They’re absolutely stunning, but the food though…”

On her way home, Song Baili noticed someone following her.

She didn’t look back—just picked up her pace. As she stopped at a crosswalk waiting for the light, a girl in a hoodie tugged at her sleeve.

Baili turned and met a pair of clear black-and-white eyes—bright and sparkling, like countless stars in the night sky.

“Song Baili, that video… you posted it, didn’t you?
Did you ever think about how I’d feel?”