The Game of Life

It must have been the will.

Due to Xia Mushi’s image these past years as both avaricious and somewhat stingy having deeply ingrained in people’s minds, the impression he gave was that aside from his good cooking skills, he was short of money. Although no one could figure out where exactly he was lacking funds, everyone felt he was in need.

Zhang Guanghang, as Xia Mushi’s only disciple, was very familiar with Xia Mushi’s financial situation.

Xia Mushi was very wealthy because he had lived through wars and had witnessed the last few years of the Republic when currency had dramatically devalued. As a result, Xia Mushi had very little trust in currency, leading him to buy many gold items and real estate to preserve value over the years. Fen Garden, for instance-a nice traditional courtyard occupying a vast area, which Xia Mushi had converted into a private restaurant-was one of the properties under Xia Mushi’s name.

He didn’t have much cash on hand, but the valuation of his entire assets was frighteningly high.

When Zhang Guanghang arrived at Fen Garden, Xia Mushi was still on the phone, more accurately, he was berating someone.

Seeing Zhang Guanghang arrive, Xia Mushi signaled him with a look to wait a moment, to wait until he had finished telling off the person before they talked. Zhang Guanghang noticed that the water glass on Xia Mushi’s bedside table was empty, so he went out to pour him a glass of warm water. Berating someone is exhausting, and after getting worked up, one needs a sip of water to rest.

“Old Sir Xia has been making phone calls the entire day,” the caregiver said to Zhang Guanghang.

“The whole day?”

“Yes, except for a short break this morning when those two lawyers came, he’s been on the phone the rest of the time, starting from last night. When I brought Old Sir Xia his medicine this afternoon, I saw him flipping through the phone book,” the caregiver said, reaching for the takeout box on the living room dining table.

“What’s this?” Zhang Guanghang felt the takeout box in the caregiver’s hand looked familiar.

“This is the dish that you brought back with Old Sir Xia the day before yesterday, seems like it’s Chicken Wrapped in Leaves. I don’t know what Old Sir Xia was thinking; he wouldn’t let me put it in the fridge, nor would he eat it, he just left it on the table. Just now, he asked me to bring it in for him,” the caregiver said, picking up the water glass, “I’ll take the glass.”

Zhang Guanghang and the caregiver entered the room together, where Xia Mushi was flipping through the phone book. Seeing them come in, he said, “Just put the things on the cabinet, I have something to discuss with Xiaohang.”

The caregiver set the items down and left, closing the door behind him.please visit ” sitestorys(.)c0m ” maybe y0u will enj0y the captivating sh0rt st0ries.

Xia Mushi was indeed a bit thirsty from making phone calls; he took the cup and drank two mouthfuls of warm water before casually placing the phone book on the bed.

Zhang Guanghang glanced at it and concluded that this was the phone book for chefs’ contact information.

Xia Mushi had two phone books, one for customers and one for chefs. The one for chefs mainly contained the names of those who had a poor relationship with Xia Mushi; to be precise, he didn’t have many colleagues with whom he was on good terms. He usually had no contact with them at all, and Zhang Guanghang didn’t understand why Xia Mushi suddenly decided to call his “enemies” from the past.

Though calling it berating might not be accurate.

It’s not exact to call it berating, as Xia Mushi never swore nor made baseless accusations when he did so; his words were biting and pointed, yet to those involved, it sounded no different from scolding.

“This is my will, take a look,” Xia Mushi handed the will he was holding to

Zhang Guanghang casually, as if it were just a menu.

“Master, you…”

“This is a copy, the will is with Lawyer Zhuang, and it will take effect as soon as I die. Look it over to see if I’ve missed anything,” Xia Mushi explained his last wishes, “I’ve already purchased a public grave, just bury me with this urn after cremation when I pass away. She, her name is Li Fen, just remember to bring her a bouquet of flowers each time you pay respects. She liked magnolias.” Master…” Seeing Xia Mushi like this, Zhang Guanghang felt nothing but unease and panic.

The last time he had this feeling was twenty years ago when he parted with his maternal grandfather at the airport. Even as a child recognized for his precocity, he then couldn’t grasp the finality of life and death, thinking that lung cancer, like a common cold, would go away with some medication. Nor did he realize that their parting meant forever.

In Zhang Guanghang’s life, there were only two important people; one was his maternal grandfather, and the other was Xia Mushi. His mother was engrossed in the arts, his father was obsessed with cooking; both were extremely fanatical and single-minded individuals. Zhang Guanghang sometimes even suspected that they had married only because they saw a reflection of themselves in each other.

Before he was seven, Zhang Guanghang was cared for by his maternal grandfather, who taught him to read and understand principles, allowing him to grow up healthily and normally in the absence of parental love. After he turned seven, Xia Mushi took over his grandfather’s role-taking him as a disciple and educating him just as Chen Qiusheng had educated him in the past. Xia Mushi was not a paragon of virtue, nor could he be considered a good person, but he was a good master. Xia Mushi had a bad temper, was strict, and often spoke harshly. He frequently showed no kindness to Zhang Guanghang yet he remembered Zhang Guanghang’s birthday, his preferences, his dietary’ restrictions, closed his shop to care for him when he was sick, and even told bed-time stories to him before he was ten.

All the things Zhang Guanghang’s parents failed to do, Xia Mushi did.

Zhang Guanghang still remembered how the new vendors at the market would always be surprised to see that Xia Mushi’s grandson had a Westerner’s face when Xia Mushi took him grocery shopping.

Xia Mushi was Zhang Guanghang’s master, but even more so, he was his relative, his most beloved kin.

It’s just that now, it seemed he was on the verge of losing his most beloved relative.

Zhang Guanghang absentmindedly looked at the will, which was one that 99% of the world would covet.

Xia Mushi had left everything he owned to Zhang Guanghang.

“You are my disciple, and when I first took you in, I did so with selfish intentions.”

“I have no wife or children, not even friends, no attachments at all, old and afraid, seeking someone to care for me in my old age.”

“I know I have a bad temper, and you have endured many undeserved hardships over the years. You are a filial child, coming back to the country with just one phone call from me, willing to work in Taifeng Building as an ordinary chef, and you have been taking care of me all this time. To have a disciple like you is the greatest fortune I, Xia Mushi, could have had.”

“I don’t have much to give you, you don’t lack money, and now at the end, all I have left is money, I can’t even find anything with sentimental value.”

“Master, don’t say anymore.” Zhang Guanghang tried to stop what was about to happen, but he knew he could not.

It was the natural order of things, beyond anyone’s power to stop or change. “For my funeral, invite the people listed in this book here. Those who are willing should come, and those who are not, let them be.” Xia Mushi pointed to the address book and then glanced at the chicken in the takeout box.

Due to the heat, and after being in the box for two days, the chicken was probably spoiled by now.

Open the lunch box.” Xia Mushi commanded.

Zhang Guanghang silently opened the lunch box and handed it to Xia Mushi.

The chicken inside was indeed spoiled, but Xia Mushi seemed not to notice, grabbing a piece with his hand and taking a bite.

He could not taste anything, but it was the feeling that mattered.

How wonderful.

“How has Taifeng Building been doing these past few days?” asked Xia Mushi.

“The business is good, the customers are happy, no complaints, all positive feedback,” ZhangGuanghang replied.

Xia Mushi nodded with satisfaction and smiled.

He thought of Yanzhi, and finally, he was going to see her. How wonderful.

Taifeng Building would become the best restaurant in the world. It certainly would.

On the other side, Jiang Feng, who was discussing with Ji Yue how to turn the story of wontons into a comic, suddenly received a game notification sound.

Ding, received acknowledgment from a customer, quest progress (1/10).”

Jiang Feng had not yet realized how the game came back to life or why he received customer acknowledgment outside of business hours when he received a phone call from Zhang Guanghang.

“Hello? What’s the matter?” Jiang Feng asked.

“My master just passed away.”

Jiang Feng was stunned in place.

What happened?” Ji Yue, seeing Jiang Feng’s reaction, asked.

Jiang Feng came to his senses, and said blankly, “Old Sir Xia just passed away.”

My master passed peacefully, and I will need to take care of his affairs for the next few days, so I am calling to ask for a few days off,” Zhang Guanghang said. Jiang Feng, unsure of how to console Zhang Guanghang, managed to clumsily and haltingly find the words: “Please, accept my condolences, and if there’s anything we can do to help, just let us know.”

“I can handle it, thank you.”

“Thank you for launching Taifeng Building, allowing my master to leave without any regrets.”

“I am very grateful.”