Once the things were confirmed with Chen Yujian, Li Xue moved back to inform Ning Meiling and Mia about it. "Intern Chef Cheng is already on his way to the Chef's Library. Once he gets his hand on the recipe, he will surely let us know. We can expect his call soon. Till let's resume our work".
She said and asked Mia to accompany her. Ning Meiling too nodded with sour heart and then resumed her steps towards her direction of the work station.
Reaching her counter, she immediately pulled her phone out to make a call. As the call got connected, she said in a dark voice. "There is someone coming from Sweet Delicacy to search the recipe of a dessert, 'Our Memories' Delight'. Make sure that he can't get his hands on that recipe. Whether you hide the file or burn it down, it doesn't matter; just make sure that he can't reach the recipe. Do you understand?"
Hearing the meek reply of affirmation from the other side of the call, Ning Meiling disconnected it. Her hand clenched hard on the counter edges as she stressed her words through a low gritted tone, "Chef Li, I will never allow you to win against me. Even if that means to stake the reputation of this lovely place for which I have always cared the most. Your success is not going to be an easy one. It is doomed to become a failure at the end".
Outside, while Li Xue was crossing the main customer area to get back to her counter, she felt someone's eyes staring at her intently. When she turned to look, it was the same woman customer. Her lips were curled looking at her while giving a very different mysterious smile.
Li Xue did not mind to go and ask her because as for the moment the important things she should be caring for should be her special dessert order not her smile of mystery. So giving a slight bow of politeness, she too smiled in her direction then took her steps to her workstation. "Mia, help me send that customer a Mocha smoothie. Put the bill to my account and help me explain to her that it is just as a complimentary for making her wait a little while longer."
Mia did not need to be explained twice. Spending her time with her, she was now well aware of Li Xue's habits and nature. Nodding her head, she affirmed, "I will do it right away!"
Time passed by as Li Xue and Mia completed all the work in hand. When looking at her watch, Li Xue realized that it's already been like 45 minutes and Chen Yujian has not called back. 'Aye, did that boy change his plan of going to the Library? He better would not have acted on his immature instincts or else …'
She thought and pulled her phone out to instantly dial his number. The rings went through but the man did not receive. Li Xue tried the number but it was again left unanswered. "This boy sure knows how to make my nerves itch", she mumbled, getting a little irritated at Yujian's lack of sense of responsibility, but then suddenly the call got connected in an instant.
"Hello, Yujian! What's up with you? I have already called you so many times. Why weren't you receiving the call?" Li Xue growled in a low voice. Even after a month, this boy has not let go of his immaturity.
"Ahh! I am sorry Xena, my phone was kept there in silent mode while I was raking all shelves to get that recipe. But …" he said, taking a pause in her words.
"But? But what?" Li Xue's brows got scrunched as she heard a doubtful remark in between Chen Yujian's words. "Did you not find the file there? It definitely must be there. Just search for it more and you will get it".
"Ummm it's not that Xena. I have got the file of dessert you have asked for but the recipe is not in there. The papers are missing and the one who has the responsibility to safeguard all this has no idea about it. He said that it has always been here but now it has suddenly gone missing", Yujian said, while eyeing the librarian in the light of slight suspicion.
"Huh? How is that possible? This will only jeopardize the thing in the way where even none of my efforts will work" She said. Her tone held a slight tinge of worry which made the man on the other side realize that the situation is not any playful one to joke around. "Chen Yujian, have you really checked every related shelf and file well. There might be chances of the papers getting mixed into other files too".
"I have checked it well, Xena. There are no recipe related papers here. If you want, I can check the whole library for you. But I doubt that it will yield anything fruitful in the end?"
Li Xue sighed as she said, "No, no, no need for that. Just tell me did you find nothing about the dessert. Leave the recipe behind, except the recipe is there nothing you can find there? Like what was the inspiration behind the creation, or any sort of picture clicked of it?"
In place of nothing, it is always better to have something. At least with something, there will still be some hope left.
"Umm … there are some pictures and details of the dessert dish in the file. But I am not sure if that can be helpful to you or not, so I have not mentioned it earlier. Do you want to look into the file? Should I bring it for you?" He said, getting slightly happy that his visit here has not turned out to be a wastage of time.
But before Li Xue could even say anything, the librarian at the side interrupted, "Sorry Sir, but I can't allow you to take anything out from this space. If you want, you can read it here but these files are not allowed to walk outside"
Chen Yujian's jaws instantly clenched tight, as his eyes went to send glares to the man. He was already getting suspicious that the papers of the file were purposely made to go missing, yet the man was showing guts to go against his words.