THE GAME OF LIFE

Chapter 673: Chapter 671: What Else is Missing Besides the Wedding Banquet

Zhang Chu recounted in detail his and Cao Guixiang’s experiences over the year, while Peng Changping brushed lightly over his and Qin Guisheng’s years abroad—it was nothing more than the rosy plotlines of opening restaurants, booming business, and growing stronger that Cao Guixiang did not choose.

Jiang Feng and the others listened to a long story until, by the time the tale reached its end, the moon hung high in the night sky, bright and clear.

The dinner party was coming to an end.

The desserts on the table had been unknowingly finished, with just some remnants left in the dishes. Jiang Feng rubbed his swollen belly and became even more acutely aware of the dangers of overeating and that he truly was a qualified member of the Jiang Family.

After finishing the story of their years, Zhang Chu felt as if he had aged a lot all at once and could no longer find the happiness of the retired old man who leisurely went for walks in the park, played chess, and watched TV every day.

“Do you have plans tomorrow? During the May Day holiday, your store must be pretty busy, right? How about, if it’s fine with you, I take my grandson out for some fun tomorrow, and we can go climb the Great Wall once you’re free.” Zhang Chu seemed to have a particular interest in climbing the Great Wall. He climbed it last year and wanted to do it again this year.

“I’m free. I’m just here to visit and help out a friend, not stuck in the shop daily like before,” Peng Changping said, glancing at his watch. “Wow, it’s nearly nine o’clock already. Qin Guisheng must be getting anxious by now; we got carried away talking and forgot about the time.”

As he spoke, Peng Changping took out his phone, squinting and fiddling with it, but to no avail.

All eyes were fixed on Peng Changping as he put down his phone and explained, “Qin Guisheng wanted to come too, but a few days before he was set to leave, he got too excited going downstairs and fell. Although he’s younger than me, he’s also an old man, and those old bones can’t take a fall; he broke his leg and is still in the hospital. We’d agreed to video call him after dinner to let him meet both Zhang Chu and Zhang, but I got caught up talking and forgot to call. He’s probably got impatient and gone off to do something else.”

“I’m not here for just one day. We can set another time tomorrow,” said Zhang Chu, standing up. “Oh dear, I’ve eaten a bit too much for dinner, I need to take a walk outside to help with digestion. Zhiyuan, let’s head out first, it’s getting late, and we’re leaving. How about we set a time to climb the Great Wall tomorrow?”

Peng Changping hurriedly waved his hands to decline, “With these old arms and legs of mine, climbing the Great Wall is a no-go. Unlike you, let’s do something more relaxing instead. I’ve heard from Lu Sheng that there are still a few hutongs in the west that haven’t been demolished and are well preserved. I remember your family used to live in that area, right? How about we visit the hutongs tomorrow?”

“My family lived on the east side, it was my master’s home that was on the west,” said Zhang Chu. “I visited my old neighborhood last year and it had already been demolished, but I didn’t check out the west side. We can go take a look tomorrow.”

So saying, Zhang Chu turned his head to Zhang Zhiyuan, “Zhiyuan, are you going to wander around on your own tomorrow or come with us?”

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“I’ll wander on my own.” Naturally, Zhang Zhiyuan chose to stay happily playing with his phone in the hotel.

With Zhang Chu’s departure, everyone else dispersed. Peng Changping would be catching up with Zhang Chu over the next few days, so naturally, he wouldn’t be available to guide Jiang Feng in making Jiang’s Sea Cucumber Soup. Consequently, Jiang Feng had earned himself a two-day mini holiday for May Day to do whatever he wanted (or to help out at Taifeng Building).

Having gained a holiday, Jiang Feng wasn’t particularly happy.

Zhang Chu would only be staying in Beiping for the May Day holiday.

Which meant, if Jiang Feng couldn’t find the reason why Zhang Chu insisted on inviting Peng Changping to dine at the Shunhe Building during the May Day period and help fulfill this wish, this side quest might never be completed.

But what could the reason be?

When Jiang Feng got home, Wu Minqi had not yet returned, which was normal; during the May Day period, the Taifeng Building would be very busy, and even without extending the business hours, closing time would be much later than usual. The aftermath of Jiang Feng’s overeating was him sitting on the sofa with a stomachache, lying down still with a stomachache, hurting whether he lay flat or on his side, his stomach felt as if there was a stone inside, hard and unbearingly heavy.

Overeating had left Jiang Feng sprawled on the sofa, massaging his belly and sighing, wondering what other reasons Zhang Chu could have for insisting on inviting Peng Changping for a meal at Shunhe Building besides the wedding banquet that had failed to happen.

He couldn’t figure out the problem, and his stomach was still in distress.

Jiang Feng continued to rub his belly until Wu Minqi got back.

It was almost midnight when Wu Minqi returned, and from her slightly weary expression, Jiang Feng could tell that Taifeng Building had indeed been bustling that day.

“Fengfeng, why haven’t you taken a shower yet?” Wu Minqi asked, finding it strange that Jiang Feng was sprawled on the sofa rubbing his belly without playing with his phone or watching TV.

“I ate too much, my stomach feels a bit uncomfortable,” Jiang Feng continued to rub his belly, “The restaurant must have been busy today, huh?”

“Very busy, after all, it’s the first day of May Day, so it’s normal to have lots of customers,” Wu Minqi said as she took off her coat and carelessly draped it over the back of the sofa, “But it’s okay, I have a day off tomorrow so I can sleep in. The summer clothes are out now, I plan to go shopping for some dresses tomorrow afternoon, and it’s the perfect time to take Xiaxia with me. I guess the dresses she bought last year won’t fit anymore, I feel like she’s grown at least five or six centimeters in not even a year.”

Jiang Feng nodded in agreement: “Xiaxia’s growing like a bamboo shoot after the rain, shooting straight up. At this rate, I reckon she could be one meter eighty by next year. She must be around one seventy-five now, right? She seems nearly as tall as me?”

“About that, last month Xue measured her at one seventy-three, and she’s probably grown a bit since then,” Wu Minqi nodded, “One eighty might be a bit of a stretch, Xiaxia will be seventeen soon, and I didn’t grow much when I was seventeen, but reaching one seventy-eight should be pretty easy.”

Whenever this subject came up, Jiang Feng couldn’t help but feel a sense of crisis. It was one thing for his apprentice to outdo him at the white cutting board, after all, to each his own specialty, but being dwarfed in height by his apprentice would be too much for him.

But the matter of height wasn’t something Jiang Feng could decide. He could only hope that Xiaxia would stop growing so tall; one seventy-five was high enough. Any taller and he would not know where to put his face as her master.

“If you’re not showering, then I’ll go first. Oh right, Fengfeng, are you going to Yonghe House tomorrow? I’m off tomorrow, and if you’re not going to the restaurant either, I’m worried it might be too busy to handle,” Wu Minqi said as she mused aloud, “Maybe I shouldn’t sleep in tomorrow, I could go to the restaurant in the morning to help out, and then go shopping in the afternoon?”

“I’m not going to Yonghe House tomorrow, rest assured and sleep in, it’s fine,” Jiang Feng hurriedly said.

He had spent more time at Yonghe House than at Taifeng Building these days, almost as if on a learning excursion, merely going to Taifeng Building to prepare the limited-edition dishes before leaving, hardly making any Eight Treasures Chestnut Fragrant Pigeon.

“Speaking of which, Qiqi, can I consult you on something?” Jiang Feng said.

He was still concerned about that side mission involving Zhang Chu. Time was pressing, and he had no leads. Perhaps, seeking the opinion of the master of enjoying the spectacle, Wu Minqi, would be worthwhile.

“What is it?” Wu Minqi asked, sensing that the bath wouldn’t be happening anytime soon and casually sat down on the sofa to wait for Jiang Feng to continue.

“It’s like this, when Sir Zhang was here today, he mentioned wanting to invite Master Peng to Shunhe Building for a meal, then Mr. Xu Cheng told him…” Jiang Feng merged what he had seen and heard today, skilfully using flashbacks and interjections to tell the whole story as if Zhang Chu had told it to them.

“Somehow, it just doesn’t feel right to me. I keep thinking that Sir Zhang simply wanted to invite Master Peng to Shunhe Building for a meal, but for some reason, he gave up. It’s such a pity, and Zhang Zhiyuan also feels it’s a pity. We both think that Sir Zhang had another reason for wanting to have this meal with Master Peng—it can’t be easy for them to meet. Master Qin originally wanted to come too, but couldn’t because he broke his leg and they even had to video call. Zhang Zhiyuan asked me to persuade Sir Zhang, but I don’t even know how to start persuading, as I can’t figure out the reason myself,” Jiang Feng shifted the responsibility to Zhang Zhiyuan.

Wu Minqi fell into deep thought after listening.

“Are you sure Sir Zhang’s intention to invite Master Peng for a meal wasn’t to make up for the regret of not having a wedding banquet at Shunhe Building in the past?” Wu Minqi asked.

“It’s not that,” Jiang Feng denied outright.

“How do you know?” Wu Minqi asked curiously.

Jiang Feng: …

Luckily, Jiang Feng was experienced at fabricating stories and quickly replied: “I asked indirectly, and Sir Zhang didn’t react much, so it’s probably not because of that.”

“I see,” Wu Minqi mumbled, biting her lips in contemplation, “Let me think.”

“I still think it’s about the wedding banquet,” Wu Minqi murmured.

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