Chapter 12#
Under the enthusiastic toasts of friends and old classmates, Nan Shuyi accepted every drink without refusal, downing two glasses himself. Later on, even Zhou Yi and the other best men started blocking drinks for him, and even Jiang Yifeng and Jiang Yiting were coaxed into drinking. By the time the banquet was about to end, Jiang Yifeng was staggering with trembling legs as he walked, darting into the restroom to hug the toilet bowl and vomit violently.#
The only one who remained completely sober was Jiang Yicen.
The guests left one after another. As a member of the host family, Jiang Yicen accompanied Nan Anru and his wife to see off the last guest. Meanwhile, Nan Shuyi was sprawled out on the sofa in the lounge area, his suit jacket unbuttoned and his collar slightly open, resting with his eyes closed.
Nan Anru asked Jiang Yicen, “He looks like he’s drunk. Do you want to go home or stay at the hotel?”
Jiang Yicen’s luggage had been packed and sent to Nan Shuyi’s residence two days earlier. The house was a coming-of-age gift from Nan Shuyi’s family when he turned eighteen, located close to his current company, so he had chosen it as their wedding home.
Since they were now married, it was natural that they couldn’t live apart—the first one to object would be Nan Anru.
Jiang Yicen respected Nan Anru deeply. In him, he could find a hint of his own father’s shadow.
“Either is fine for me. I’ll visit you with Nan Shuyi another day.”
Nan Anru said, “We’re family now; no need for formalities. You two rest well tonight. Come home for lunch tomorrow. Remember to tell Nan Shuyi.”
Jiang Yicen nodded obediently. “I will.”
The more Nan Anru looked at this child, the more satisfied he became. He directly handed him a bank card. “I didn’t get a chance to give this to you earlier. No spending limit. Buy whatever you like.”
A card with no limit? How much could one spend? There was no such thing as an unlimited card in banks—he had no idea how this card worked. He’d have to look it up online later. Jiang Yicen hesitated, glancing at Nan Shuyi, who was slumped over like he was asleep, hoping to get his advice.
Nan Anru chuckled. “What are you looking at him for? This is for you.”
Jiang Yicen had no choice but to accept it graciously. “Then I’ll gratefully accept.”
Nan Anru was far more generous than Jiang Gongming, and his perspective was on a completely different level.
Nan Shuyi was thoroughly drunk. Nan Anru had Assistant An stay behind to send off the young masters from various families. For those too drunk to manage, they were arranged to stay overnight at Yongjiang Hotel. Jiang Yicen didn’t need to worry about anything—there were more than enough hands.
Today, Yongjiang Hotel had been booked out entirely by the Nan and Jiang families. Now that everyone had left, the vast lounge area was left with only Jiang Yicen and Nan Shuyi.
Jiang Yicen carefully sat down beside Nan Shuyi. He leaned back against the sofa, gazing up at the crystal chandelier on the ceiling. He felt as if he were still in that era, sitting in the hotel that hadn’t yet been sold, savoring his second brother’s favorite coffee. He used to drink tea with the elders, but later, he had gradually come to love coffee—loving the blend of roasted bitterness with milk and sugar, sweet and fragrant.
Nan Shuyi was genuinely drunk, but sleeping on the sofa in the lounge area wasn’t ideal. Jiang Yicen called the hotel manager to have someone help him back to the temporary wedding suite.
He took off Nan Shuyi’s jacket and shoes. Just as he was about to cover him with the blanket, Nan Shuyi grabbed his hand and pressed it against his waist.
Nan Shuyi furrowed his brows. “Uncomfortable.”
Jiang Yicen leaned in. “Where does it hurt?”
With his eyes closed, Nan Shuyi made a forceful demand, probably an instinctive reaction. “The belt buckle is digging in. It’s uncomfortable.”
Jiang Yicen had only ever unbuckled his own belt. He had never served anyone else before, not even before his death, when he still had a butler managing his daily affairs.
“Alright, I’ll take it off for you.”
Jiang Yicen undid the belt buckle for him. It went smoothly. He even took a moment to admire Nan Shuyi’s firm waist. Even through the shirt, he could see the outline of his abdominal muscles. If they had only been heading toward friendship from the start, he wouldn’t have had the lewd thoughts that suddenly flashed through his mind. The tips of his ears slowly reddened.
He seemed to be thinking a bit too boldly. Fortunately, Nan Shuyi was drunk.
When Nan Shuyi was drunk, he was very quiet—not even a single snore.
Jiang Yicen traced his gaze along Nan Shuyi’s jawline upward. This face was truly unforgettable. Until today, he had been a fiancé; now, he was his husband.
Back when he was born, arranged marriages still existed in the countryside. The bride wouldn’t know what her husband looked like until the wedding night. He was probably luckier than most people.
Nan Shuyi came from an excellent family, had received a higher education, had no bad habits, and aside from the fact that he was male, there was nothing to fault.
This time, it was Nan Shuyi’s turn to rest, and he was left to himself.
After a moment’s thought, he took the room card and left the suite. Familiar with the route, he took the newly replaced elevator down to the first floor and found the kitchen.
The current Yongjiang Hotel had changed hands who knew how many times and fallen into whose possession. The management was nowhere near as strict as it had been during his time. On his way to the kitchen, he even saw waitstaff hiding in the stairwell, smoking and playing games on their phones.
The hotel’s management was far from strict—it could even be called very lax.
This was his second time returning to his family’s hotel since arriving in the modern era. He might not have the sharp business acumen of his brothers, but even he could tell that this grand hotel, which used to be fully booked with reservations needed far in advance, was now as deserted as a sparrow on a rooftop.
Still, as the saying goes, “A lean camel is still bigger than a horse.” The fact that his and Nan Shuyi’s wedding could be held here meant the hotel’s reputation still held, enough to give both families face and prestige.
But could he really buy Yongjiang Hotel back?
The kitchen was in the middle of being cleaned, though there wasn’t any mess on the floor. Jiang Yicen asked a young man who was busy working.
“Excuse me, is the chef in?”
“The chef? My master is resting. What do you need him for?”
The kitchen of Yongjiang Hotel was quite hidden. The hotel was large, and the pathways were winding. To prevent customers from accidentally wandering in, signs reading “Kitchen Area: Customers Prohibited” were posted at every corner. Even if someone barged in, they might not find it easily.
The young man thought that if this person had managed to find the kitchen, he must be no ordinary visitor.
Jiang Yicen said, “I’d like to ask the chef to make a few dishes.”
The young man replied, “If you need anything, you can just place an order. I’ll get you today’s menu.” Then he remembered something and slapped his forehead. “Oh, right—today’s a wedding banquet, so we only have the wedding banquet menu.”
Jiang Yicen said, “My requests might be a bit specific. Could you please find the chef? I need to speak with him in person. Thank you.”
The young man responded, “Please wait a moment.”
This person clearly wasn’t an ordinary guest. The young man wiped his hands on his apron and turned to leave.
While waiting, Jiang Yicen observed the layout of the new kitchen. It was different from before as well.
The current kitchen was more spacious and brighter, filled with many new kitchen gadgets he had never seen before—some even had timers. The hygiene was decent. When he looked up, he noticed several surveillance cameras installed in the corners of the wall.
He had only recently learned about this new technological invention called surveillance cameras. The Jiang family had several installed at their entrance as well. These machines could save a lot of manpower, enhance security measures, and allow for early detection of emergencies. Similarly, when placed in the kitchen, they eliminated the need to personally supervise the kitchen staff while also monitoring for laziness or unrelated activities.
What a wonderful modern era this was. Times had changed so rapidly, and technology had advanced to the heavens. He could study day and night and still never fully grasp all this knowledge.
With a learning mindset, Jiang Yicen toured everything in the kitchen. Before long, a middle-aged man in a chef’s hat entered.
The newcomer was the chef, somewhat surprised to see the protagonist of today’s wedding banquet.
Chef Xu greeted him, “Guest, how may I help you?”
Jiang Yicen replied, “I’d like to ask the chef to make a few dishes.”
Chef Xu asked, “Which dishes would you like? The ingredients arranged for today’s hotel banquet may not all be readily available on short notice.”
Jiang Yicen inquired, “What fresh ingredients are currently available?”
Chef Xu answered, “For meats, we have chicken, duck, and fish. For vegetables, we have the spring bamboo shoots unique to our city, red toon shoots for spring greens, and fresh morel mushrooms and yam for the soup stock. Common dried goods like red dates and shiitake mushrooms are fully stocked.”
Jiang Yicen settled on five dishes: “Morel mushroom chicken soup, beer-braised duck, steamed fish, oil-braised spring bamboo shoots, and scrambled eggs with toon shoots.”
Chef Xu quickly noted them down. “Alright, what time should I send them over?”
Jiang Yicen checked the time—it was two in the afternoon. Nan Shuyi would likely sober up in about three hours.
“Send them at five. But I have one small request.”
Chef Xu said, “Please, go ahead.”
Jiang Yicen instructed, “For the soup, use freshly harvested spring morels paired with free-range chicken. The soup must be clear of oil, light in flavor. For the beer duck, remove any gamey smell and enhance the flavor. Use young ginger instead of old ginger. I see there’s fresh perilla on the counter—add some perilla and a bit of chili, but not too spicy. For the oil-braised spring bamboo shoots, use the ’thunder bamboo’ variety. Since there’s no earthen stove for slow simmering, cook it using your own method. For the vegetables, just use your judgment.”
Chef Xu was taken aback after hearing his instructions. This guest’s demands were indeed picky, but every word hit the mark, addressing the exact points where chefs often fell short. It had been a long time since anyone had actively made requests of him. Most guests here just ordered whatever was on the menu, and rarely did anyone make demands of the head chef.
Jian Yicen added, “Oh, do you have bighead carp?”
Chef Xu replied, “Yes.”
Jiang Yicen said, “Then please use the fish head to make a bowl of hangover soup and send it to Suite 5.”
Chef Xu asked hesitantly, “The hangover soup from the ancient text Yinshan Zhengyao?”
Jiang Yicen confirmed, “Yes.”
Chef Xu said, “I’m not sure I can make it to your taste. Please be lenient.”
This young man was extremely particular about food. At first, Chef Xu thought he was just a young master putting on airs, but the more he spoke, the more detailed and nuanced his requirements became—a true connoisseur.
Jiang Yicen said, “No worries. Just try it.”
Chef Xu nodded. “We’ll prepare the meals and send them up.”
Jiang Yicen gave a slight nod and turned to leave.
The apprentice beside him was bewildered. “Master, are we really going to listen to that young master? Does he even know what he’s talking about?”
Chef Xu replied, “He knows far more about eating than you do. Go catch me a fish.”
Ever since the hotel’s new executive chef had started pushing some trendy “new Chinese cuisine,” Chef Xu hadn’t had the chance to seriously study traditional cooking techniques for a long time. Suddenly, he felt a surge of motivation.
·
Nan Shuyi was woken up by the sound of voices.
He was genuinely drunk this time. He had no memory of how he got back to the room, but he still remembered this place.
This was the temporary resting room for him and Jiang Yicen at Yongjiang Hotel.
His head was pounding, the alcohol hadn’t completely dissipated, and his whole body reeked of liquor.
Nan Shuyi washed his face in the restroom and walked into the living room. His head was still spinning, his body felt heavy, and he pressed his temples uncomfortably.
He saw Jiang Yicen, who had changed out of his suit jacket into a light-colored shirt, holding a white porcelain bowl. Standing beside him was a middle-aged man in a chef’s hat, with the hotel manager behind him, who had been in charge of today’s banquet.
In the traditional standards of the culinary world, the higher and more pleated a chef’s hat, the higher his skill and experience.
Nan Shuyi had recently taken over two companies, and he knew perfectly well that the man speaking to Jiang Yicen was the chef.
He knew this Chef Xu. He had recently considered poaching him for his own restaurant, but the man was proud and had rejected the offers sent by their recruiters.
Yet now, he was asking Jiang Yicen respectfully, “Mr. Jiang, how is the chicken soup? This was made according to the method you provided.”
Jiang Yicen took a sip and set down the bowl. “The soup has a strong chicken flavor, but there’s a bit too much ginger. It adds a slight spiciness that overshadows the sweetness of the chicken. If you could reduce the spiciness by just a touch, it would be a perfect dish.”
Chef Xu nodded. “I tasted that too.”
He appreciated this Mr. Jiang’s critique—just a few words that hit the nail on the head.
Then, the chef took another bowl from the plate held by his apprentice and handed it to Jiang Yicen.
“This is the traditional hangover soup. Please taste it. I don’t make it often.”
As Jiang Yicen set down the bowl, he noticed Nan Shuyi standing at the doorway, pressing his temples.
He picked up the bowl and walked toward Nan Shuyi. “Not feeling well? Drink this hangover soup.”
Nan Shuyi: ???
A popular internet meme flashed through his mind: “Dàláng, time to take your medicine.”
But under Jiang Yicen’s concerned gaze, Nan Shuyi still downed the hangover soup in one gulp.