Grassroots Travel: The Star Lord of Another World

Chapter 325 Fairy Zhao

Gao Xingchen and Nan Li walked side by side on the bluestone road, and the cheers were gradually left behind. Gao Xingchen turned his head to look at Nan Li beside him. The afterglow of the setting sun fell on her fair face, coating her with a layer of light golden light, which was extremely beautiful.

"Are you still thinking about Fairy Zhao?" Nan Li asked softly, with a hint of worry in her clear eyes.

Gao Xingchen retracted his gaze and smiled faintly, "Nothing, I just think she's a little weird. In the past, she was a little spoiled, but she wouldn't lose her composure like this."

Nan Li nodded gently, "Maybe it's because this cooking competition means a lot to her. After all, she has always regarded you as her rival."

Gao Xingchen didn't comment, but he felt a little uneasy in his heart. Fairy Zhao's abnormal behavior seemed to indicate something.

A few days later, the Gao family held a grand banquet to celebrate Gao Xingchen's victory in the cooking competition. Guests gathered, and the atmosphere was very lively.

As the protagonist, Gao Xingchen was naturally surrounded by people toasting and congratulating him. He accepted all the guests and chatted and laughed happily, showing his demeanor.

"Mr. Gao is really a young and promising man!"

"Yes, he has achieved so much at such a young age. His future is limitless!"

Listening to everyone's praise, Gao Xingchen just smiled slightly, but his heart was calm. He knew very well that this victory was inseparable from Nanli's help and support.

"Xingchen, congratulations."

A crisp voice sounded in his ears, Gao Xingchen turned around and saw Fairy Zhao holding a wine glass and walking towards him. She was wearing a red dress today, which made her skin look like snow and bright and beautiful.

"Fairy Zhao, you're too polite." Gao Xingchen raised his glass to gesture.

Fairy Zhao did not drink, but turned her gaze to Nanli, with a meaningful smile on her face, "Miss Nanli, I heard that you and Master Gao were childhood sweethearts, and you have a very deep relationship?"

Nan Li was slightly stunned, then smiled politely, "Fairy Zhao, you are joking. Xingchen and I are just friends."

"Friends?" Fairy Zhao pretended to be surprised, "But I heard that the ingredients used by Master Gao in the competition were all prepared by Miss Nanli herself. So it seems that your relationship is more than just friends, right?"

There was a hint of provocation in her tone, which made the atmosphere at the scene suddenly become subtle. Gao Xingchen frowned slightly and was about to speak, but he saw that Fairy Zhao suddenly knocked over the wine glass in her hand, and the wine spilled all over Nan Li.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean it." Fairy Zhao pretended to apologize in a panic, but there was a sly glint in her eyes.

Nan Li's face changed slightly, and the wine stains on her dress were clearly visible, making her look a little embarrassed.

"Fairy Zhao, you..." Gao Xingchen finally couldn't help but speak, with a hint of anger in his tone.

The atmosphere in the banquet hall suddenly became tense, and everyone held their breath, waiting for what would happen next.

"Fairy Zhao, you can change your clothes if you spill wine, but if you are narrow-minded and lack magnanimity, it will be difficult to change." Gao Xingchen's tone was calm, but with unquestionable majesty, which made Fairy Zhao's heart tremble.

The guests around were whispering to each other. Fairy Zhao had a prominent family background and was usually arrogant and domineering. Everyone dared to be angry but could not say anything. Seeing her being humiliated today, they secretly cheered in their hearts. Fairy Zhao's face turned red and white. She bit her lips and her eyes almost spit fire. However, under Gao Xingchen's sharp gaze, she swallowed her anger.

"Mr. Gao is right. I lost my composure." Fairy Zhao forced a smile and walked away. Before leaving, she looked at Nan Li deeply, her eyes full of resentment.

The storm seemed to have subsided, but Gao Xingchen and Nan Li both knew that this was just the calm before the storm. Fairy Zhao would never let it go.

As expected, a few days later, the business of several restaurants under Gao Xingchen's name suddenly plummeted because there were rumors that the ingredients in Gao's restaurant were not fresh and made people sick. Gao Xingchen sent people to investigate and found that these rumors were deliberately spread by someone, and the mastermind behind them was directly pointed to the Zhao family.

The Zhao family is a business tycoon with significant influence in the Nine Star Realm. They used their resources and connections to suppress the Gao family's industries in all directions, and the Gao family fell into trouble for a while.

"Xingchen, what should we do now?" Nan Li looked at Gao Xingchen, who was frowning, and was full of worry. Gao Xingchen had not had a good rest for several days in order to deal with the suppression of the Zhao family. His originally handsome face was full of fatigue.

Gao Xingchen patted Nan Li's hand gently, signaling her to be at ease, "Don't worry, I won't let the Zhao family succeed."

He stood up and walked to the window, looking at the bustling street outside, with a gleam of determination in his eyes. Although the Zhao family's methods were despicable, Gao Xingchen was not someone who could be slaughtered at will. He was no longer the young man who had just started out.

"Fairy Zhao, since you want to play, I will play with you!" Gao Xingchen sneered, his eyes flashing with confidence. He already had a plan in mind, he wanted to make the Zhao family pay for what they did!

At this time, Nan Li also stood beside him, with a firm look in her eyes, "No matter what happens, I will face it with you."

As night falls, the lights are on in the Gao family mansion's study. Gao Xingchen and Nan Li sit opposite each other, discussing a counterattack plan. A war is about to break out...

In the study, the warm yellow light dispelled the chill of the night, but it could not dispel the haze between Gao Xingchen's brows. The Zhao family's relentless pressure was like a thorn in his side, making him feel more stressed.

"Xingchen, we can't just sit there and wait for death." Nan Li's voice was cold and firm, injecting a bit of strength into the solemn atmosphere. "The Zhao family is powerful, but it is not a monolithic entity. We can unite with other families to fight against the Zhao family's suppression."

Gao Xingchen took a deep breath. Nan Li's words were like a shot of adrenaline, which gradually made his originally flustered thoughts clear. He held Nan Li's hand, his eyes full of gratitude and determination, "Li'er, you are right. I can't lose my composure. Let's go visit other families and unite all the forces we can!"

Therefore, Gao Xingchen and Nan Li started their journey without stopping. They visited each family, explained the evil deeds of the Zhao family to the public, and promised to give generous rewards to their allies once they overcame the difficulties.

Some families that had always been at odds with the Zhao family, or worried about the Zhao family's dominance, extended olive branches to Gao Xingchen. They either secretly provided financial support or publicly supported the Gao family. For a time, the Gao family's original situation of being isolated and helpless was greatly improved.

In addition to seeking external help, Gao Xingchen also knew that the iron must be hard to forge. He reorganized all the industries under the Gao family name, laid off redundant personnel, promoted capable young people, and increased investment in food quality and service to improve customers' dining experience.

Gao Xingchen also personally developed several new dishes, which were not only delicious but also affordable. Once launched, they were enthusiastically sought after by diners. The business of Gao's Restaurant gradually picked up and was even more prosperous than before.

Fairy Zhao originally thought that with the strength of the Zhao family, the Gao family could be easily defeated. However, what she never expected was that Gao Xingchen not only did not get defeated, but became more and more courageous, and turned the situation around in a short time.

She was furious, but she also knew that a head-on confrontation at this time would only result in mutual losses, so she decided to wait and see, waiting for the opportunity to deal a fatal blow to Gao Xingchen.

However, just as Gao Xingchen and Nan Li were actively preparing for a decisive battle with the Zhao family, Fairy Zhao suddenly disappeared without a trace. She seemed to have evaporated from the face of the earth, leaving no clues, which made Gao Xingchen and Nan Li very confused.

Where did Fairy Zhao go? Did she have a more sinister plan? All of this was like a fog, shrouding Gao Xingchen and Nan Li's hearts...

The disappearance of Fairy Zhao was like throwing a stone into a calm lake, causing ripples, but soon returning to calm, leaving Gao Xingchen and Nan Li standing there in confusion.

"Where will she go?" Nan Li stroked the teacup gently, but her eyes fell on the tea leaves rolling in the cup, as if there was some secret hidden there.

Gao Xingchen shook his head. "There is no movement from the Zhao family. It's as if she has disappeared from the face of the earth."

The originally tense atmosphere became even more bizarre because of the disappearance of Fairy Zhao. Gao Xingchen did not relax his vigilance because of the disappearance of his opponent, but became more worried. Fairy Zhao was full of tricks, and her sudden disappearance this time was more like the calm before the storm.

"Could it be..." Nan Li hesitated, frowning slightly, as if he was considering something.

"What do you want to say?" Gao Xingchen keenly caught Nan Li's hesitation.

"I wonder if she is looking for a more powerful backer?" Nan Li finally spoke out her guess. Although the Zhao family is powerful in the local area, it is just a drop in the ocean in the entire Nine Star Realm. Fairy Zhao has always been proud and arrogant, and she is unwilling to be ordinary. If she wants to seek greater development, she will definitely look for a more powerful backer.

Gao Xingchen was shocked when he heard this. Nan Li's guess was not without reason. If Fairy Zhao really found a more powerful backer, it would undoubtedly make things worse for them.

"If an enemy comes, we will fight him with our generals; if a flood comes, we will block it with earth." Gao Xingchen took a deep breath and suppressed the anxiety in his heart. "We just need to do our best and improve our strength, which is the most important thing."

Nan Li nodded and agreed: "You are right. No matter what tricks Fairy Zhao plays, as long as we are strong, we have nothing to fear."

The two no longer worried about the whereabouts of Fairy Zhao, but focused on improving their own strength. Gao Xingchen devoted himself to researching new dishes and constantly improving his cooking skills, while secretly contacting other families to consolidate the alliance. Nan Li strengthened the exploration of the surrounding environment to prevent Fairy Zhao from suddenly appearing and catching them off guard.

However, the arrangement of fate is always full of drama. Just when Gao Xingchen and Nan Li were actively preparing for the battle and thought they were about to face a fierce battle, an unexpected news brought them into a whole new mystery.

One day, Gao Xingchen received an anonymous letter from the dense forest outside the city. The letter contained only a few words: "If you want to find Fairy Zhao, come to the depths of the dense forest to see her."

This letter, like a fuse, ignited the fire of Gao Xingchen's heart to explore the truth. Where did Fairy Zhao go? Who is this mysterious person? Why does he know the whereabouts of Fairy Zhao?

All kinds of questions drive Gao Xingchen and Nanli to embark on the road to the dense forest. What will be waiting for them?