CH 61

Ye Man is a member of the bird clan. His father is the dominant ruler of the skies, an eagle, while his mother is just a green bird. So, compared to his cousins, he doesn’t really look like a child of the eagle clan. He’s thin and small, with a hint of soft blue feathers.

Because he’s so small and not very strong, Ye Man has been protected by his cousins since he was young. But as he gradually grew up, and due to the tradition of the eagle clan’s children going to the battlefield to train, his adult cousins went off to fight. With his cousins gone and him having come of age, his parents told him to go out and live on his own. This is when he encountered the biggest challenge of his life. He didn’t have any special talents, and he was too thin and small. Surprisingly, no one seemed to want him anywhere!

Ye Man stumbled around looking for a job for a long time. Finally, he became an apprentice at the Three Thousand Food House.

Being an apprentice was not an easy job at all. At first, every day was spent practicing cutting vegetables, and Ye Man’s hands were covered in wounds. Once he passed the vegetable cutting test, he moved on to stir-frying. For the first time, he realized how complex stir-frying could be, and how delicious the results could be. But getting hot oil splashed onto his hands was truly painful!

Despite the pain and exhaustion, Ye Man was very happy. It was the first time he had received praise since he started working, because he was the fastest learner and made the tastiest dishes! Mr. Bai, the owner, said he had the most attentive heart. This was the first time Ye Man had ever been praised like this. Before, he was only ever commented on being weak and frail.

During this process, Ye Man also felt a sense of achievement. The more he did, the happier he became, and he started to love the act of creating things more and more!

On a day when the Three Thousand Food House had a day off, Ye Man joyfully returned home. Finally, he could take charge of the kitchen. Although he was only responsible for two dishes, this proved that his skills were recognized by the establishment, and the food he made was indeed delicious!

The short holiday was precious. Before heading home, Ye Man excitedly went to an orc shop that specialized in crafting knives and picked up the chef’s knife he had ordered earlier. Even though he had never seen a chef’s knife before, he realized its usefulness once he started using it. This time, he planned to cook a big feast for his whole family, and the chef’s knife would undoubtedly be essential!

With the chef’s knife in hand, Ye Man was welcomed by his family when he returned home. The family happily chatted together, and he entered the kitchen, taking out the bought ingredients and beginning to cook.

Cooking at home wasn’t as convenient as at the Three Thousand Food House. Many of the spices that the restaurant had were not available at home, but Ye Man still made good use of the spices he had and prepared a table full of dishes. He tasted the food with a hint of disappointment because it didn’t compare to what he made at the Three Thousand Food House. However, the people at home all praised it as delicious, gobbling it up eagerly and even complimenting him as a great chef. Ye Man was almost embarrassed by all the praise.

Just as the family was enjoying their meal, Ye Man’s cousin suddenly initiated a video call. Ye Man answered the call, and his cousin’s weary face immediately appeared on the screen.

“Hey, what’s wrong? You look so tired, bro.”

The other members of the family also approached with their bowls and chopsticks, expressing concern, “Yeah, Little Meng, what’s going on? Are you injured?”

On the other end of the video call, Ye Meng let out a sigh. Recently, the Stonemen on the battlefield had suddenly increased in number and strength. Everyone was exhausted after a day’s work, but he couldn’t tell his family about this. Sharing such news would only worry them, so he smiled and said, “I’m fine, don’t worry. What are you all eating? It looks so delicious!”

Ye Meng had originally just intended to change the subject, but as his attention shifted, he noticed that the food in everyone’s bowls at home looked really appetizing. Each person’s bowl had something different, but everything looked enticing. Not to mention, everyone continued to eat even while facing the camera.

With a mixture of excitement and shyness, Ye Meng, who was at the forefront of the camera, chuckled and said, “Big bro, this is the food I cooked.”

Ye Meng: “You cooked this, Xiao Man? It looks really delicious!”

Family members behind Ye Man quickly chimed in, “It’s absolutely delicious! The dishes Xiao Man made are the most delicious things we’ve ever eaten!”

Ye Meng chuckled, “Wow! Xiao Man, you’re amazing! How did you become so skilled?”

Ye Man grinned, “Big bro, didn’t I tell you I became an apprentice at the Three Thousand Food House? I learned a lot of cooking techniques there, and the dishes I make… they’ve become tastier.”

The family members behind him showered Ye Man with praise, showcasing and describing just how delicious the dishes were. Ye Meng felt content; his little brother had never been very confident, but now he finally had a skill, and his confidence had grown.

However, the contents of the bowls indeed looked very appetizing! Ye Meng swallowed and said, “Xiao Man, you’re amazing. It’s a pity that I can’t taste your food right now. So unfortunate!”

Ye Man replied earnestly, “Big bro, next time you come back, I’ll make it for you!”

Ye Meng smiled, “Sure.” Before he could finish his sentence, the room suddenly resonated with urgent knocking on the door, and sharp whistles sounded outside. This was… an enemy attack!

Ye Meng’s face changed, and Ye Man also noticed the unusual commotion and asked anxiously, “What’s happening, big bro?”

“It’s alright, it’s just a drill. Gotta go, I’m joining the exercise.”

With that, the video call was abruptly ended. Ye Man felt worried, but the family comforted him, “It’s okay, it’s just a drill. Besides, Little Meng is from the Eagle Clan. Those Stonemen can’t fly, and they’re heavy and clumsy. They definitely can’t harm Little Meng.”

Ye Man nodded. He understood the reasoning, but he still felt uneasy.

The short holiday passed in the blink of an eye. Ye Man returned to the Three Thousand Food House. After contemplating, he decided to prepare some food for his cousin Ye Meng and a few other cousins on the battlefield. Since he couldn’t be with them in battle, this was his way of expressing his care.

….

Back at the Three Thousand Food House, Bai Xianzhi was reviewing the accounts from the previous month with Wen Nuan. The restaurant had earned quite a bit last month. After deducting the employee salaries, which were far above the market average, there was still a substantial amount left. Adding the shares from the “Spicy Hot Pot” and “Time Moon Hotel,” Bai  Xianzhi felt that his earnings this month were unexpectedly high. He had never thought he could make so much money. However, the fleeting joy was quickly replaced by reality.

For him, this money was somewhat disappointing. He couldn’t buy a house in S City, nor could he afford a car. He couldn’t even be present in S City. The amount was too large and could only be used within the Three Thousand Worlds. But he couldn’t access the Three Thousand Worlds, and as a citizen of Hua Country, he didn’t have any strong connection to the Three Thousand Worlds. So, he didn’t have much intention to spend money there.

This was quite sad. He could be considered a minor wealthy person in the Three Thousand Worlds, but in Hua Country, he was just barely considered middle-class.

While he was feeling down, Bai Xianzhi noticed his apprentice Ye Man looking at him hesitatingly. He signaled Ye Man to speak, and after hearing Ye Man’s request, Bai Xianzhi readily agreed. Providing food for his cousins on the battlefield was something he fully supported.

With the boss’s approval, Ye Man exclaimed with joy, “Thank you, boss!” After saying that, he happily went to the kitchen to work. Once his tasks were completed, during their rest time, he could prepare the food for his cousins.

….

As he finished up his tasks on the Three Thousand Worlds side, Bai Xianzhi moved to the other side. The apprentices were already preparing for the day’s service. There were about two hours left before they officially opened. Observing the scene, he saw them chopping and washing ingredients. Although the apprentices weren’t working particularly fast, there didn’t seem to be any major issues. The braised pork was simmering in the pot. With nothing pressing to attend to, he found the recently appointed little manager and gave a few instructions. Then, he returned upstairs.

Upstairs, the two little ones were sitting at the small table that had been set up for them, holding colorful pens and doodling on paper. The sheet was a riot of colors. When they saw Bai Xianzhi, Xiao Lu’s eyes lit up. She slid down her stool and excitedly ran to him with the paper, saying, “Daddy, look!”

Bai Xianzhi took the paper. On it were three little figures: one big and two small. While quite abstract, it was still recognizable. Even at a glance, he could tell that Xiao Lu had drawn the three of them. He gently patted her head, “Is this Daddy, Xiao long, and Xiao Lu?”

Xiao Lu vigorously nodded, “Yes, Daddy!”

Hearing that they had drawn him, Xiao long also ran over to take a look. Then, the two little ones started discussing how they thought each other should look, exchanging opinions and ideas.

Bai Xianzhi quietly approached the sofa. A middle school Chinese language study guide book was still lying on the coffee table, open to the page from four days ago.

After Baoer’s birthday celebration, Feng Ye hadn’t visited in the past couple of days. In fact, Bai Xianzhi felt relieved. The rumors that had inexplicably spread due to the video chat between them during the birthday party were baseless, and while he knew it was entirely groundless, he still felt awkward about the misunderstanding of his relationship with Feng Ye. Especially the thought of facing Feng Ye again made him even more self-conscious. Luckily, Feng Ye’s absence for these two days gave him some time to adjust. Before Feng Ye’s next visit, he was determined to get his mindset right! It’s just a rumor, right? He and Feng Ye had known each other for so long, their relationship was so solid—what was there to feel awkward about?

However, perhaps Feng Ye’s absence these past few days was his way of avoiding any further suspicions. After all, they had been misunderstood, and if he immediately returned to the Three Thousand Food House, it would likely fuel more speculation. Taking a few days to let things cool down was indeed a wise approach.

On the other side, in the Feng family residence, Lin was looking at Feng Ye with a puzzled expression as he practiced calligraphy in the study, “Master, you don’t have classes these past few days?” He clearly remembered that the Master had been going to the Three Thousand Food House almost every day recently. Except for necessary matters, he had hardly missed a day. So, why had he suddenly stopped going these past two days when there wasn’t much on his plate?

Feng Ye’s dark pen halted in mid-air before slowly being set down. He shifted the topic expressionlessly, “How are the negotiations with the other races going?”

Lin: ??? Isn’t this topic change too abrupt?? He’s completely ignoring my question!

However, there was no way around it; after all, the person in front of him was the Master. Lin could only pretend he hadn’t asked and answered, “With the full approval of the Divine Clan, the other races dare not refuse. Each small world has delineated its regions for trial operations.”

Feng Ye nodded, “Very well, you may leave.”

Lin: “Yes.”

Exiting the study, Lin realized he had been brushed off. The Master clearly didn’t want to answer his question!

At this point, Lin already had a suspicion in mind. Just as he was about to close the door, he suddenly blurted out, “Master, are you avoiding suspicion?”

Feng Ye, who had already picked up the pen again, instantly looked over. A hint of confusion flickered in his silver eyes. Lin paused and explained, “Rumors about you and Mr. Bai have been circulating. Keeping a low profile for a couple of days could be useful in clarifying the situation.”

Seeing that Feng Ye wasn’t angry, Lin gathered his courage and smiled, “I had thought, given your close interactions with Mr. Bai… It seems I misunderstood.”

“We’re friends,” Feng Ye glanced at Lin with a faint expression, finally giving a response. Lin smiled faintly, bowed, and left. As the door closed, Feng Ye remained in the study. However, he didn’t continue practicing calligraphy. Instead, he stared blankly at the characters on the desk, lost in thought. After a while, he put down his pen and left the study.

—–

Author’s Note: There should be another chapter tonight, but it might be a bit late. You don’t have to wait; you can read it tomorrow. Thank you for the support!

Special thanks to the little angels who cast their votes or provided nourishment between 2020-08-17 14:32:55 and 2020-08-19 14:33:11~

Special thanks to the little angel who dropped a mine: White Peach Oolong Duck (1 mine);

Special thanks to the little angels who provided nourishment: Warming Ink (30 bottles); Shu Deng (6 bottles); Jiu Shi Mi De (1 bottle);

Thank you all very much for your support. I will continue to work hard!

1TL: YSIAD “You can support me if you like my translations by leaving a comment below, or by sending me a Ko-fi. Thank you ”