The Game of Life

He was Chen Xiuxiu’s boyfriend and also her senior in school, who knew her even before she started her weight loss journey, planning to visit Chen Duxiu with Chen Xiuxiu during the National Day holidays this year.

Of course, that was only his plan, Chen Xiuxiu didn’t yet know about it.

As for why he only started dating Chen Xiuxiu after she lost weight…

There’s a saying that goes, “Begin with looks, fall for talent, stay for character.”

You have to start with looks; without them, talent and character mean nothing. He was all about the appearance, and the slimmed-down Chen Xiuxiu was pretty.

If everything went smoothly, they would get engaged after Chen Xiuxiu graduated from college, and after a few years of working and establishing a financial foundation, they’d get married and then have one or two adorable children. As the kids grew up, he could look forward to losing his hair while smoothly entering a mid-life crisis.

There might be twists and turns in their relationship, possibly even crises.

But he hadn’t expected a crisis to come so quickly, so abruptly.

.

Jiang Feng sneezed in the kitchen.

“Did you catch a chill last night?” Wu Minqi asked with concern.

“Nope.” Jiang Feng rubbed his nose and went to wash his hands, “Probably just an itchy nose.”

“Feng, Little Qian just said Mr. Xu has arrived.” Sang Ming was, for some reason, always by the window.

The sneeze forgotten, Jiang Feng focused on prepping the dishes.

Xu Cheng ordered 12 dishes.

There were Jiang Feng’s Li Hongzhang hodgepodge, Chopped Pepper Fish Head, Vegetable-stuffed Chicken, and Pickled Vegetable Meatballs, Wu Minqi’s Chrysanthemum Fish, Ants Climbing the Tree, and Pure Meat Shao Mai, Zhang Guanghang’s French Sauce Spinach Pile, French Rosemary Roast Lamb Chops, French Red Wine Baked Mutton, and Strawberry Cucumber.

Ever since Zhang Guanghang came to Taifeng Building, his cooking style had completely deviated, and every dish in the menu that contained the word “French” was actually based on the authentic Shandong cuisine. French Sauce Spinach Pile was simply spinach with thickened sauce poured over it, and if you removed “French” from the Rosemary Roast Lamb Chops, no diner would ever guess it was French. French Red Wine Baked Mutton was simply red wine stewed lamb with potatoes, and the least French-looking dish among his four, the Strawberry Cucumber, was the authentic French dish.

The dishes Xu Cheng chose this time were odd. Jiang Feng’s most popular Sweet and Sour Yam and Eight-Treasure Porridge weren’t on the list, Wu Minqi’s signature dishes like Mapo Tofu, Boiled Fish, and Spicy Boiled Beef weren’t ordered either, not to mention Sichuan cuisine examination dishes like Kung Pao Chicken and Twice-cooked Pork, which test the chef’s skills the most. As for Zhang Guanghang, there’s no need to mention that not a single Shandong dish was ordered.

Why Xu Cheng would order such dishes was a mystery to Jiang Feng, and Xu’s assistant couldn’t figure it out either.

“Mr. Xu, how come you ordered dishes today that you’ve never ordered before?” The assistant confirmed the order with the Taifeng Building’s staff so they could prepare to serve.

“Got tired of those dishes, just wanted a change of taste,” Xu Cheng said.

Assistant: ???

“Give Han a call and ask where they are,” Xu Cheng said.

The assistant took out his phone to make a call and right then, Han Guishan, along with his wife and child, entered — uh, pushed the door and came in.

“You finally made it, if you were any later, the dishes would be on the table,” Xu Cheng said, calmly sipping tea. “The menu is over there, if there’s anything you want to add, just add it.”

“Mr. Han, they are all staff from Taste, and this is Professor Ye Shi from Capital University, our special guest reviewer for Taste,” Xu’s assistant introduced Han Guishan to everyone and vice versa, “This is Mr. Han Guishan, the founder of Good Taste and the man behind the Good Taste Culinary Contest. His wife is Wang Jing, his son is Han Youxin. Mr. Han and his family just arrived in Beiping yesterday, and since today’s interview features the finalists of the Good Taste contest, Mr. Xu has invited them to dine together.”

Han Guishan instantly understood; everyone was here for a free meal.

In the end, Xu would be the one writing the articles, so everyone else’s job was just to eat.

After exchanging a few niceties, Han Guishan sat down and started happily exploring the tablet like every new diner.

Han Youxin recognized Xu Cheng and trotted over to him, putting on an adorably naive face, “Uncle Xu, can I have Beiping roast duck?”

Han Youxin was still preoccupied with the Beiping roast duck he wanted to eat.

“We don’t have Beiping roast duck here,” said Xu Cheng with a beaming smile.

Han Youxin: T^T

Looking at the dishes Xu Cheng ordered, Han Guishan got so excited he slapped his thigh, “Xu, you really get me, you actually ordered the Pickled Vegetable Meatballs!”

Han Youxin: ???

∑(°Д°)

Han Youxin didn’t even have time to change his expression when the servers brought in the dishes.

“Pickled Vegetable Meatballs, please enjoy.”

“Li Hongzhang hodgepodge, please enjoy.”

Xu Cheng ordered two portions of Pickled Vegetable Meatballs, with Li Hongzhang hodgepodge served between them, looking as appealing as flowers framed by green leaves, making everyone’s mouth water.

One epitomized luxury, the other simplicity.

One had a golden cornmeal base sprinkled with bits of pickled vegetables, the other a delicate bowl filled with ingredients blooming like flowers.

Even Han Youxin, not yet ten years old, knew what to choose.

Han Youxin made his move.

Han Youxin felt he had a significant advantage.

Han Youxin picked up his chopsticks.

Han Youxin realized he might not be able to reach the Li Hongzhang hodgepodge.

Han Guishan placed Pickled Vegetable Meatballs into Han Youxin’s bowl.

Han Youxin admitted defeat.

KO.

“Long time no eat pickled vegetable dumplings, I’ve missed it so much, it’s just the taste! Wife, do you want one too?” Han Guishan started eating first.

Wang Jing glanced at him and silently served Han Youxin the quail egg placed on top in the Li Hongzhang hodgepodge.

Han Youxin bit into a pickled vegetable dumpling fiercely, and when he saw Wang Jing serving him a quail egg, he was moved to tears.

Indeed, his mom still loved him.

Han Youxin ate the quail egg of love.

He really cried.

“Wuu… wuu… I don’t want to eat pickled vegetable dumplings.” Han Youxin shed tears of sorrow, feeling a bit better inside.

Han Guishan: ???

Wang Jing: ???

The others: ???

Shen Yao could only silently lament in his heart that the affairs between the wealthy are indeed beyond the imagination of us ordinary folks. Han Youxin seemed to be a golden boy born with a silver spoon, but unexpectedly, he suffered such inhuman treatment behind closed doors—the son of a billionaire, reduced to eating pickled vegetable dumplings.

Behind the pickled vegetable dumplings, what is it that’s really lost—the essence of humanity or the degradation of morality…

Ah, he forgot that he’s now a photographer’s assistant, not an editor.

“You made pickled vegetable dumplings at home by yourself?” Xu Cheng was also stunned by Han Youxin’s tears.

“No, after Healthy Stir-fry Restaurant closed down, this kid of mine hasn’t eaten pickled vegetable dumplings, and he’s not as chubby as before. Yesterday, his mom even took him out for sashimi, so I haven’t mistreated him.” Han Guishan was somewhat perplexed as well.

“Maybe he’s just throwing a tantrum.” Wang Jing snagged a chopstick-full of quail eggs for herself and served Han Guishan a chopstick-full of squid, “Eat up, don’t mind him; he’ll get over it soon enough.”

“Xiuxiu, let me serve you some food.” Shen Yao was very attentive.

“Editor Jiang, have some pork stomach; I’ve had this Li Hongzhang hodgepodge before, and the pork stomach has the strongest flavor.”

“Mr. Xu, try the pork stomach; it’s the most flavorful.”

“Don’t be shy, Professor Ye, the rest of the dishes are coming, try this one first.” Xu Cheng said with a smile.

Wang Jing gulped down the quail egg.

Han Guishan nibbled on a piece of squid.

Editor Jiang picked up a slice of pork stomach.

Chen Xiuxiu put into her mouth the Magnolia Tablets that Shen Yao had just served her.

Shen Yao also tasted a piece of Magnolia Tablets.

Xu Cheng reached for the sea cucumber with his chopsticks.

Deputy Editor-in-Chief Wang…

…

A chorus of crying filled the private room.

Chen Xiuxiu looked dumbfounded at everyone.

Why suddenly everyone started crying?

Xu Cheng cried with restraint; he actually didn’t want to cry, but every time he remembered he had to rewrite Gu Li’s manuscript and there were three more pieces to write, the tears came.

Editor Jiang cried the hardest; even after everyone else stopped, Editor Jiang continued to shed silent tears.

The waiters carrying in the dishes were all stunned.

“Good day, please enjoy the chopped pepper fish head slowly.”

“Enjoy the steamed chicken with vegetables.”

“Enjoy the chrysanthemum fish.”

“Enjoy the French rosemary roasted lamb chops.”

Wang Jing wiped her tears with a napkin and laughed, “This food is really strange, after eating it, it made me remember some upsetting things, but I felt much better after crying.”

“Yeah.” Deputy Editor-in-Chief Wang agreed, “It’s quite odd, not sure what’s been added, but it apparently has this effect.”

“Many years ago, I had noodles made by an old lady in Hang City, and after eating them, many customers including myself started thinking about their loved ones. I heard her daughter went missing; her daughter loved eating noodles the most, so the old lady set up a stall at the place her daughter disappeared, hoping she would come back,” Professor Ye shared.

“A good chef can infuse their own feelings into the dishes, so the diners can taste them; this is my first time tasting such an emotion that makes people cry,” Xu Cheng said helplessly, “It’s really too much for me to take in.”

Chen Xiuxiu listened to their conversation feeling somewhat bewildered.

Are we really eating the same dish?

Why don’t I feel like crying at all?

Chen Xiuxiu took another chopstick-full of Magnolia Tablets.

Upon tasting it…

Salt, cooking wine, shredded ginger, Shaoxing wine.

Too much Shaoxing wine.

It was made by Jiang Feng.