The Game of Life

buff dishes would have started selling.

Yet, 10 days had passed, and the sales were still at zero.

In this day and age, the people of Beiping were not so easily fooled. Even discounted dishes failed to catch their attention or stimulate their consumption.

On the auspicious date of August 8, Jiang Feng still hadn’t sold a single buff

dish.

After the evening’s business ended, Jiang Feng asked Wu Minqi to head back first, while he himself stayed behind in the kitchen to ponder over the sauce of the Eight Treasures Chestnut Fragrant Pigeon.

Today, Sun Jikai had the day off, and the Eight Treasures Chestnut Fragrant Pigeon research team, without their adviser, made no progress. Despite their constant attempts and efforts over these days to master the deboning of the whole pigeon, the blending of the stuffing, the water soaking of pine needles, and the steaming time, they had it all down pat except for the sauce.

The sauce, as Sun Jikai remembered it-seemingly thick yet pouring like water when scooped with a spoon-remained a figment of his discourse.

Recently, Jiang Feng had become almost obsessed with the sauce, waking up and falling asleep with thoughts of the Eight Treasures Chestnut Fragrant Pigeon’s sauce filling his head, battling it out every night in the kitchen of Taifeng Building, staying even later than Ji Xue.

At 10:24 PM, Jiang Feng’s phone vibrated.

It was a WeChat message.

Jiang Feng thought it might be Wu Minqi messaging him to hurry back, so he washed his hands, shook off the water, picked up the phone, and was surprised to see that it was a message from Zhang Zhiyuan.

Since Zhang Zhiyuan’s late grandmother, Cao Guixiang, was an inheritor of Tan Family Cuisine with nine dishes, Jiang Feng initially interacted with Zhang Zhiyuan with not-so-pure intentions, which, as their conversations grew, almost turned into pure friendship.

The reason it was only ‘almost’ was that ever since the end-of-term exams started and all the members of the Jiang Family moved to Beiping, busy as dogs, the two stopped chatting, and their ‘plastic brotherhood’ faded.

Zhang Zhiyuan: Senior, are you there?

Jiang Feng: I am.

Zhang Zhiyuan: Senior, I saw in your Moments that your family’s restaurant seems to have moved to Beiping. Could you please help me check which hotels are well located and have convenient transportation? I’ve been looking at maps all day and can’t make sense of them.

Zhang Zhiyuan is coming to Beiping to visit?

Helping to check out hotels was a small favor, and Jiang Feng readily agreed, then couldn’t help adding another question.

Jiang Feng: Are you coming to Beiping for a trip?

Zhang Zhiyuan: Yes, I’m coming with my family.

Family!

Jiang Feng was instantly excited. It had been many years since Cao Guixiang’s passing, and the only ways to access her memories were an indefinable side quest that might pop up at any time or by touching objects imbued with a person’s memories.

After such a long time, Jiang Feng had figured out some patterns. Xia Mushl’s memory came after he touched the urn that held Li Fen’s ashes, Li Mingyi’s and Jiang Huiqin’s memories came from touching photographs, and the last memory he received from Zhang Zhiyuan was most likely due to accidentally touching Zhang Zhiyuan’s tears.

This family trip of Zhang Zhiyuan to Beiping might be his opportunity.

Jiang Feng thought for a moment and then sent a message: When will you arrive in Beiping?

Zhang Zhiyuan: On the 10th. My parents and I are planning to take my grandfather to Beiping for a week’s visit, Senior. You just need to help us with the hotel; I’ll handle the room reservations myself. Thanks in advance, Senior.

Jiang Feng: No problem at all, it’s a small matter. What time will you arrive?

Zhang Zhiyuan: The plane will land at noon on the 10th.

Jiang Feng: I’ll pick you up.

Zhang Zhiyuan, who was watching a melodramatic romance drama with his mother at home: ???

“Zhiyuan, what did your senior say?” Zhang Chiyuan didn’t want to watch the melodramatic romance drama with his wife and was constantly paying attention to Zhang Zhiyuan’s movements.

“The senior said he’s going to pick us up at the airport.” Zhang Zhiyuan was a bit confused, trying to recall when her relationship with Jiang Feng had gotten this good.

But wait, she and Jiang Feng weren’t that close, were they?

“Your senior is so hospitable!” Zhang Chiyuan exclaimed in surprise.

Zhang Zhiyuan’s mother, who had been focused on the TV drama all along, also turned her head and said, “Zhiyuan, it’s not appropriate for your senior to pick us up since the whole family is going on the trip.

“I also think it’s not quite right.” No sooner had Zhang Zhiyuan finished speaking than she saw the new message from Jiang Feng on WeChat.

“The senior said he’ll pickus up on the day we arrive, invite us to their family restaurant for a meal, then take us to the hotel, and he can also recommend , some fun places in Beijing.” Zhang Zhiyuan was overwhelmed by Jiang Feng’s enthusiasm.

“That won’t do, dear. We already troubled your senior by asking him to help us choose a hotel, how can we let him buy us a meal too.” Zhang Zhiyuan’s mother said it wasn’t acceptable.

“Yes, yes, your mom is right. I remember you said your senior’s family restaurant serves delicious food, and the stir-fried beef noodles taste just like how your grandmother used to make them, and that was your grandfather’s favorite dish. We’ll go to your senior’s restaurant the day we arrive. We can’t let him treat us—we’ll pay our own way, and we can support your senior’s family business at the same time,” said Zhang Chiyuan.

Zhang Zhiyuan thought her father’s suggestion made sense and started replying to Jiang Feng’s message.

“Oh, wifey, let’s not watch this drama anymore, let’s change it. I remember the last medical drama you watched was very good. Let’s watch that one,” Zhang Chiyuan seized the opportunity to ask for a change of TV shows.

“Don’t talk, if you don’t want to watch you can go to sleep.” Zhang Zhiyuan’s mother expressed her annoyance.

ZhangChiyuan: Cs(-j-_t)3

After settling things with Zhang Zhiyuan, Jiang Feng put down his phone and continued making the Eight Treasures Chestnut Fragrant Pigeon, although his mind had long since drifted away from the kitchen.

In the blink of an eye, the 10th arrived.

Jiang Feng had informed everyone the day before that he would skip two hours of work today to pick people up at the airport. Everyone was so excited for him, and if it weren’t for the fact that Zhang Zhiyuan was a male, they would suspect Jiang Feng might be about to cheat on Wu Minqi.

He had also picked out a hotel for the Zhang Zhiyuan family early on-located in Chaoyang District, close to a subway entrance, with a good location, convenient transportation, and full hotel facilities. It had a good reputation and reviews; the only issue was that it was quite expensive.

Having only been in Beiping for a month, it was Jiang Feng’s second time picking someone up at the airport. He had long since become an expert at airport pickups. It normally took five minutes to get to the airport, and after only waiting for ten minutes or so, he saw Zhang Zhiyuan, who looked like a headless fly, wandering around with two huge suitcases.

Following him were a middle-aged couple who appeared to be his parents, with Zhang Chiyuan dragging a slightly smaller suitcase and Zhang Zhiyuan’s mother carrying a big bag.

The most relaxed was Zhang Zhiyuan’s grandfather, Zhang Chu, strolling at the back, fanning himself with a large fan, very fashionably wearing black sunglasses as if he was out for a leisurely walk after a meal.

“Zhiyuan, send a message on that what’s-it-called Feixin to ask your senior where he is. If he hasn’t arrived, we’ll just go on our own,” yelled Zhang Chu from behind.

“Grandpa, my senior sent a WeChat ten minutes ago saying he was here, oh look, there he is, waving at us!” Zhang Zhiyuan, dragging two suitcases, was a bit flustered.

“Senior!” Zhang Zhiyuan waved back at Jiang Feng, running over to him with the two suitcases, “You’ve really gone out of your way to come pick us up.”

“What senior? Don’t be so formal,” said Jiang Feng with a welcoming expression.

Zhang Zhiyuan hesitated for a moment, then said, “Thanks a lot, Feng.

Jiang Feng: ???