“What is it, Master?” Ye Qianfan froze.
“The shredded chicken is tender, the flavor rich. It carries the fresh fragrance of the vegetables without losing its own taste. The starch sheets are wonderfully springy, and they’ve absorbed the aroma of the chicken…” Jia Yuxing picked up another mouthful and praised, “Xiaofan, I didn’t expect that after being away from your master for all these years, you actually kept up your skills.”
Listening to Jia Yuxing praise him so generously, Ye Qianfan felt his face burn. He truly did not deserve such high praise from Jia Yuxing. After all, almost everything exceptional about this dish came from the ingredients.
“That’s right. Little junior brother’s cooking really startled me too.” You Guanshan already loved this dish, and now he could not stop eating it. His gaze toward Ye Qianfan softened further. “We’ve been apart six years. Surely you have some interesting stories to tell your senior brother?”
“Of course.” Ye Qianfan smiled. “I’ll tell you now.” The four master and disciples enjoyed the meal immensely.
Much of the distance between Ye Qianfan, You Guanshan, and Zhuang Yan faded as well. After all, they had studied together for far longer than a mere six years.
Just as the atmosphere at the table became warm and harmonious, You Guanshan’s phone suddenly rang.
You Guanshan picked it up. The instant he saw the number, he frowned. He did not answer. Instead, he looked at Jia Yuxing. “Master… it’s a call from that side.”
“…” Jia Yuxing’s cheerful expression immediately became grave. In a low voice, he asked, “Have they contacted you privately?”
“Yes.” You Guanshan hesitated slightly. “…But I kept refusing on the excuse that your health isn’t good. Still… it looks like they haven’t given up.”
Jia Yuxing fell silent. He knew how difficult those people were to deal with. He did not want to go, but it seemed this trip to A City was unavoidable.
“Master… what’s going on?” Ye Qianfan could see the conflict on Jia Yuxing’s and You Guanshan’s faces.
Before Jia Yuxing could answer, Zhuang Yan spoke. “If this hand of mine were still useful… Master wouldn’t have to be troubled by any of this.”
“Enough,” Jia Yuxing sighed. “How could this be your fault?”
“Master…?” Ye Qianfan was still completely confused.
“The people above want Master to go cook for someone,” You Guanshan said in a low, dispirited voice, answering Ye Qianfan’s question. “They say that person is a monster… and if the food isn’t to his taste…”
Wasn’t this a little too fantastical? An incredulous expression appeared on Ye Qianfan’s face.
“I know it sounds like a joke.” You Guanshan shook his head. “But it’s true… You know Elder Yu, right? The one who specializes in Cantonese cuisine? He had no choice and was forced to go. He never came back.” Ye Qianfan’s heart jolted.
Of course he knew whom You Guanshan meant. That elderly chef belonged to nearly the same generation as Jia Yuxing, and his status in Cantonese cuisine was in no way inferior to Jia Yuxing’s status in Shandong cuisine.
If even a man like that could go and never return, then if Jia Yuxing went, the result might well be the same.
A heavy silence spread between the four of them. Then Ye Qianfan spoke again. “Master, I’ll go.” “Nonsense!”
Jia Yuxing rejected him without even thinking. There was no possibility he would agree to let Ye Qianfan take such a risk in his place. “I’m already an old bag of bones. If I’m gone, I’m gone. You’re still young. You have a long life ahead of you. Don’t go sticking your head into muddy water just for the excitement.”
“Master.” Ye Qianfan knew perfectly well that Jia Yuxing responded to softness, not force. He smiled, suppressing all his unease and deliberately looking relaxed. “I’m not jumping into muddy water. You just tasted the dish I made… This may sound immodest, but my skill can already compare with yours at your peak, can’t it?” You Guanshan and Zhuang Yan both wore complicated expressions.
If they had any choice, of course neither wanted anyone close to them involved in this matter. But if someone absolutely had to go… “Enough.” Jia Yuxing looked exhausted. “I won’t agree.”
All of Jia Yuxing’s disciples could cook excellent food, but if one spoke of someone who might genuinely reach the level of a grand master, there were only one or two possibilities among them.
If Zhuang Yan’s hand had never been injured, he might still have had a chance. But now, only Ye Qianfan remained.
“Master.” This time, Ye Qianfan had no intention of yielding. “Do you really have so little faith in my ability? In my opinion, it isn’t surprising Elder Yu was kept there. He’s already old. But if it’s me, things may be different… I’ll definitely make food that satisfies them…” Even if I can’t, at least I can take this blade for you.
There were not many people Ye Qianfan owed in this life. Jia Yuxing was one of them.
“No.” Jia Yuxing shook his head. At that moment, age was clearly visible on his face.
“Master.” You Guanshan suddenly spoke. His voice was low, carrying an almost imperceptible tremor. “…If little junior brother can’t go… then let me try.”
Jia Yuxing’s eyes widened and he was just about to curse when Ye Qianfan interrupted him.
“Senior Brother, enough.” Ye Qianfan said, “Don’t say anything else. If someone has to go, then I’ll go, whether Master agrees or not.”
“…” Jia Yuxing froze. For a moment, he genuinely did not know what to say.
“Little junior brother has grown up.” Zhuang Yan looked thoughtfully at Ye Qianfan. “Master, you should listen to his opinion too.” If his hand had not been injured, he would have been the first person to step forward now.
The greater one’s ability, the greater one’s responsibility.
“Besides, don’t be so pessimistic.” Seeing You Guanshan’s reddening eyes and Jia Yuxing’s trembling body, Ye Qianfan smiled helplessly. “Why are you acting as though this is a final farewell? Master, Senior Brothers, do you really have that little confidence in me?”
Jia Yuxing said nothing. He only closed his eyes gently.
You Guanshan could no longer stand the heavy atmosphere either. He had never imagined that the moment Ye Qianfan returned, something like this would happen.
But Ye Qianfan himself was no longer as nervous as he had been at the beginning. He had suddenly remembered something extremely important. After his suicide, he had seen the scene of Jia Yuxing, devastated by grief, arranging his funeral.
It was almost laughable. His parents had shown no emotion whatsoever toward his death. Yet this master of his had taken the place of his parents—crying for him, grieving for him, even wishing he could avenge him.
That scene had been branded deeply into Ye Qianfan’s heart. Looking back now, perhaps it had been a glimpse of the future. Ye Qianfan clearly remembered that both his senior brothers had also attended his funeral. Did that mean they had safely passed through this disaster? Or, put another way—perhaps cooking for that person above was not as dangerous as they imagined.
Thinking of this, Ye Qianfan looked at the silent Jia Yuxing and smiled. “I promise I’ll come back safely… Believe me, all right?”
“…” Jia Yuxing said nothing. He had always treated Ye Qianfan like his own son. How could he possibly feel at ease watching his son go to what might be his death?
“A master for one day is a father for life.” Ye Qianfan was thinking exactly the same thing as Jia Yuxing. “Trust your disciple this once, all right? Wait for me to come back… and I’ll cook fish for you again.” Jia Yuxing let out a heavy sigh.
In the end, he said nothing and simply walked out, leaving behind Zhuang Yan, who had started smoking, and You Guanshan, whose face looked terrible.
“Junior Brother…” You Guanshan opened his mouth. This was something he should have been the one to take on…
“Senior Brother.” Ye Qianfan smiled reassuringly at him. “It’s settled. You know my personality. I haven’t been beside Master for these past six years. I owe him that. And once I leave this time, I don’t know when I’ll be able to come back…” “…” You Guanshan’s lips moved, but no words came out.
Among Jia Yuxing’s disciples, You Guanshan had the poorest natural understanding. Even if he wanted to take Jia Yuxing’s place, Jia Yuxing would never agree. If Ye Qianfan went, there was still a thread of hope. If You Guanshan went, it would be nothing more than throwing his life away.
“Whatever you do, don’t start feeling guilty.” Ye Qianfan felt stiff all over under You Guanshan’s stare. He reached out, patted his senior brother on the shoulder, and said seriously, “Take good care of Master.”
“I will.” You Guanshan nodded solemnly.