Uedly, Zhang g turned out to be the son of Huojian Ge. Yileng chuckled and said, "Misuanding. It’s like when a flood washes over a Dragon King temple."

  No one bmed him. This situation would have to be hahis way regardless of whose responsibility it was. Huojian Ge was a very loose and rough father. He said, "Ah, why didn’t I think of this earlier? If my little bastard ever misbehaves again, I’ll buy a freezer."

  Saying this, he still untied his son’s ropes and helped him massage his limbs, which had suffered from blood restri due to being tied up. Rou Mingrui brought a set of utensils in front of Zhang g and said, "Drink this, warm yourself up."

  Yileng reted the ihat had happened and ughed, saying, "Huojian Ge, you should care more about my big nephew. You o buy him a phohat’s not something you should skimp on. You see, he’s already bee a killer and nearly killed his uncle."

  Huojiaook his flip pho of the leather holster at his waist and said, "I haven’t upgraded to the iPho."

  Rou Mingrui asked, "Huang Ge, what did yinally pn? To send him to the police station?"

  Yileng replied, "If we send him to the station, the child’s life will be ruined. But leaving him without supervision oreets will be even worse. The biggest issue is that these children are idle and without guidahey need a school to disciplihem."

  Huojian Ge said, "It’s not that I haven’t sidered it. The kid was expelled from school fhting every day. I found him a new school, but within a few days, he ran away because he liked pying online games. I don’t uand, what’s so fun about games?"

  Zhang g chimed in, "Yeah, games aren’t fun. It’s the hair-washing salons that are fun."

  Huojian Ge’s face turned red in anger as his muscles in the back of his head twitched. He raised his hand to sp Zhang g.

  Rou Mingrui said, "Let’s not resort to violehere’s no point in w a job without dire. We should find the child a trade to learn. Big nephew, what do you like?"

  Zhang g replied, "I like pying LoL."

  Rou Mingrui said, "Young people should avoid overpying games. Don’t ruin your kidneys."

  Yileng added, "petitive gaming could be a path. One day, it might even bee an Olympic sport."

  Everyone looked fused at this ent. How could such a mature and steady chef say something so childish?

  Yileng expined, "The first Olympic events were about running, javelin throwing, and shot putting—skills necessary for survival and war at the time. These have developed into moders. With the adva of teology and the future development of drone warfare, pying video games could also bee a test of coordination, skill, and strategic thinking—much like petitive sports."

  Huojian Ge, who wasn’t well-educated, listened, bewildered. He thought games were just games and couldn’t be sidered a profession.

  Yileng ged the tone of the versation: "But any profession requires talent first, followed by effort. You’ve been pying for how many years, big nephew?"

  Zhang g said, "About two or three years, I think. I’m not sure."

  Yileng asked, "How’s your skill? Have you ever peted in any tours?"

  Zhang g eechless. He was just a casual gamer without much skill—someone who pyed purely for fun.

  Seeing this, Yileng uood and turo Huojiaoday, I sparred with your nephew and found out he’s not very skilled in fighting. His academic performance is likely worse. What if he learns to bee a chef instead? With three years ht, chefs will arve. If he learns this trade well, he’ll always have work."

  Huojian Ge said, "Zhang g, why don’t you go over and bow to your teacher?"

  The defiant teenager crossed his arms and said, "Why should I?"

  Huojian Ge said, "Because your teacher has turhe hotel into one of the most famous in the area in just a few days."

  Zhang g said, "Then which school did he attend? I’ll just go to that school."

  Rou Mingrui asked, "Huang Ge, did you go to Lanxiang for training?"

  Yileng replied, "Old memories… I learned my skills in the mountains."

  Huojian Ge said, "I was w about your background. Was it at Salt Lake Farm or the Fourth Prison? This is fate."

  Yileng and he shared a drink. Yileng expined, "No, it was in the Northwest."

  Huojian Ge said, "That’s over ten years ago. Zhang g, e over here and bow to your teacher."

  Zhang g remained defiant: "You wao bow? Who do you think you are?"

  Huojian Ge was about to act out when Yileng stopped him, saying, "Fet it, don’t force the child."

  Rou Mingrui ged the subject: "Huojian Ge, do you knoe cshed with Yin Bingsoerday?"

  Huojian Ge asked, "I really want to know."

  Rou Mingrui expined, "The i café ohird floor caught fire, and a dozen childrerapped. The fire was blocked by a stainless steel anti-theft he firefighters couldn’t reach them. I climbed up to the third floor and smashed ope, allowing the children to escape. I and a group of people brought a rge truck over to allow them to jump down to safety. My brother risked his life by entering the fire to save a child who had already lost sciousness. If it weren’t for my brother, many lives would have been lost. I came here that day looking for trouble, but after seeing my brother’s heroism, I was deeply impressed."

  Huojian Ge was astonished and asked, "So what does Yin Bingsong have to do with this?"

  Rou Mingrui expined, "The television broadcast said that Yin Bingsong saved the children. It was a joke. I have video evidence proving otherwise. He was angry and tried to make trouble, but my brother disarmed him on the spot."

  Huojian Ge cursed Yin Bingsong in anger.

  Zhang g was deeply moved by this revetion. He realized that his savior was Huang Shifu. Feeling the weight of this revetion, he k down without hesitation.

  Everyone was shocked. What had e over this child?

  Zhang g said, "I was ier café that day, too. I was the st child to be pulled out."

  Everyone was startled. Zhang g was indeed Huojian Ge’s son, but his life had been saved by Huang Shifu. This was more than just respect; this was a bond.

  With that, Zhang g sincerely khree times, took a cup of wine, and paid homage to Huang Shifu. His apprenticeship ted.

  Huojian Ge had no choice but to be moved, presenting Zhang g with a string of red beads, saying, "This is my gift to you for your apprenticeship."

  Yileng humbly refused at first, saying it was too valuable but ultimately accepted the gift.

  At this moment, Ali arrived, having just finished her work. She asked Huang Shifu when he would return, as the guests were waiting for their food.

  Yileng said, "Excuse me, let’s have a drink ter when we’re done."

  He stood up to leave as Zhang g, ever clever, expressed his desire to learn the craft. Yileng reassured him, "Stay with your father for a while. Rare is the time for father and son to share a meal together."

  Huojian Ge was very touched by this, raising a gss in honor of their bond. This moment was heartwarming, and Zhang g began his jouroward learning this rade.

  The group drank until very te before leaving. Huo Jian Ge was thhly drunk and had to be dragged to the car by his younger brothers. Zhang g said he would e by the m to learn a few tricks of the trade, so he left with them as well.

  Today’s business had been good—the twenty portions of Da Hong Pao prepared had all sold out, and so did twenty side dishes. This meant four thousand yuan in revenue, and with other side dishes, staple foods, and alcoholic beverages bihe total came to five thousand yuan. That meant earning fifty thousand yuaen days or one hundred and fifty thousand yuan in one month. Subtrag costs, the profits were astronomical.

  Wu Yumei happily calcuted with her calcutor, a big smile on her face. Xiaohong beside her was snag on melon seeds and asked, “Do you think we give ourselves a pay raise?”

  Over at the back kit, Ali eo find Yi Leng ing the stove. She seemed as though she had something to ask, and without turning his head, Yi Leng said, “Say it. What do you want to know?”

  “Why did you deliver meals to Yi Nuannuan?”

  Yi Leng already had his answer prepared but hadn’t expected it to e from Ali. Looking at the situation from another perspective, Ali really was a kind person, a responsible aed teacher with a genuine for her students' well-being, including their mental health.

  “I… know her father,” Yi Leng said, “Very well.”

  “Did you meet him in prison?” Ali asked. “Like that guy who uses a tube to eat?”

  That had been something Wu Yumei mentioned earlier to Ali, not in a tone of mockery or s but with pride. After all, small restaurant owners sometimes rubbed shoulders with all walks of life, and being involved in these dealings was like being a part of a semi-jianghu world—a life that wasn’t easy for a woman. Just like Jin Xiangyu, the owner of the Longmen Inn, who would have liked a man to stand by her side, Huang Pihu was a man with a retively det nature and a history of hardship—he was a great choice, even if having been in prison wasn’t ideal.

  Yi Leng lit a cigarette, his voice cold and distant: “No. We’re rades, not inmates. As for who Nuannuan’s father is, I’ll find the time to speak to her alone about it.”

  Ali said, “That’s great. This child has no parents and is very lonely and introverted. If you bring news of her father, I think it would be a great psychological fort.”

  Yi Leng nodded.

  “It’s too te today. I’ll bring Nuannuan to the restaurant tomorrow at noon,” Ali said. She paused before adding, “This child is too pitiful. Thank you, Huang Shi Fu.”

  Yi Leng found himself a little surprised. Ali’s eyes shimmered with emotion—this girl truly had the heart of a parent, taking care of her students. If every teacher were like this, then students would ruggle in their studies.

  “Thank you, Teacher Ou,” Yi Leng said sincerely. If Ali hadn’t acted as a bridge, he would never have found a way to approach his daughter, after all. The friendship between a middle-aged man and a teenage girl would have appeared strahout this intermediary.

  The following m, Yi Nuannuan couldn’t trate during css. The mystery of the meal boxes had finally been solved. With Ali’s assistance, by examining the food types and the smell and appearance of the meal, they deduced that the meals both she and Ali brought had e from the same source. Ali’s meal was delivered by Huang Pihu, meaning the man iion was indeed Huang Shi Fu.

  Ali had said she would take her to the restaurant at noon to clear everything up. At lunch, the meal boxes arrived as usual—this time, the two girls received identical ohe box had a Pikachu design on it, with tents that included plum mackerel, tempura shrimp, eel rice, miso soup, and fruit (kiwifruits paired with a few red grapes).

  This sumptuous lunch sparked jealousy among Jian Shiyu and Mei Xin. Unfortunately, the older sister wasn’t around, and Yi Nuannuan always seemed to be paired with Ali, leaving the two of them gring helplessly.

  Despite being middle schoolers, the students were highly perceptive to shifts in dynamics. Yijianmei fell behind in social standing due to Yin Weiran’s absence, while Yi Nuannuan, aided by Ali, had risen in social influence among the Sed Year Css 5 students.

  Ali was undoubtedly the ter of attention wherever she went. She had bee an i to her students, and her presence brought Yi Nuannuan into the spotlight as well. As their iions grew, the students discovered that Yi Nuannuan wasn’t just shy but also a quiet intellectual with much depth beh her reserved exterior.

  After lunch, Ali brought Yi Nuannuan to Yumei’s restaurant, which had been rebranded but still maintained Huang Pihu's e. At the moment, there weren’t many patrons. Yi Leng saw Ali enter with Nuannuan a his work aside, leaving his apprentice Zhang g to tinue his task of peeling garlid onions. He led the two of them to a quieter er.

  Ali said, “Nuannuan, sit here with Uncle Huang and chat with him. I’ll be right nearby.”

  Nuannuan nodded. She felt no apprehension. From the moment she id eyes on Huang Shi Fu, she had an inexplicable sense of familiarity. Then it struck her—his voice was identical to her father’s.

  “I’ve beerusted by your father to take care of you,” Huang Shi Fu said, startling her.

  “You’re my father’s friend?” Nuannuan asked. She had suspected this even on the way here, but there were still maails she wao crify—her father’s occupation, how he disappeared, and so on.

  “Not just a friend. We’re rades. Brothers. We went to college together and shared a dorm. After graduation, we joihe same pany. I was there whe your mother.”

  Yi Leng trolled his emotions as he narrated his history from a third-party perspective. The details aio real to Yi Nuannuan, who began tearing up, her voice shaking as she asked, “Mom said Dad was a fn trade manager who died during a terrorist attack abroad. Uncle… is that true?”

  “Child, that’s the official at. His real identity went far deeper than that. Some people work in the shadows to serve their try. Your father’s disappearance is cssified as missing, not death—he’s alive,” Huang Shi Fu reassured her.

  Yi Nuannuan’s eyes sparkled with hope. Her father was alive! At fourteen, she felt an explosion of energy. With her father alive, she was no longer alone.

  “You must have faith, Nuannuan. He was captured by enemies, but we opped looking for him. Trust in him. Trust in yourself,” Huang Shi Fu said, extending his pinky finger. “This is highly fidential and ot be shared with anyone. Do you promise?”

  Nuannuan solemnly hooked her pinky with his, saying, “Uncle, I promise. I’ll ell anyone—even if I see Dad, I’ll pretend I don’t know.”

  Huang Shi Fu nodded, proud and forted: “You’re the daughter of Yi Leng and Xiang Mo. Remember this—you’re stronger aer than anyone else. You’re not a mere ugly dug; you’re a little swan who has wandered away from its flock.”

  “I remember, Uncle,” she said, resolute.

  “From now on, I’ll make your lunches. If you ever need money, just e to me. I’ll take care of you until your father es back.”

  “Thank you, Uncle!” Nuannuan beamed with joy.

  On their way back, Yi Le his daughter home and Ali, who felt warmth in her heart as she and Yi Nuannuan discussed the uping New Year’s gathering.

  “This time’s celebration will be a little special. The idea is to hold a parent-child gathering, with parents io school for dinner and activities. It could help many students’ strained familial bonds,” Ali expined.

  Yi Nuannuan didn’t pay much attention. She wasn’t self-scious anymore—her father was alive, and his life was filled with meaning and heroism, a true warrior battling through darkness and storms.

  [--------------------------------------------]

  Enjoyed the chapter?

  If you want early access to +10 Advance chapters and to support the tinuation of this story, sider subscribing to my Patreon. Your support means a lot and helps me bring mreat tent to you!

  Join me on Patreon: Patreon./flokixy