Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Like previously mentioned, perhaps Wu Hai once had this thing called shame. But now, he definitely did not have it.
Wei Wei still had three salty Tangyuans in her bowl. But due to her father’s protection, it was hard to get them. As for Ling Hong and Chen Wei, only soup was left in their bowls. There was nothing to steal from them. Wang Nan still had two Tangyuans in his bowl, but looking at how pale he looked, he really needed more food. Wu Hai couldn’t bring himself to snatch his food. As for Chu Xiao, Wu Hai did not even bother looking at him. As for Jiang Changxi… Wu Hai was terrified of her and wouldn’t dare snatch her food. Therefore, the only target left was Yu Chu.
The only issue Wu Hai had was this was their first meeting. They weren’t familiar with each other. To be precise, they didn’t know each other.
However!
Could a tiny issue like this stump Wu Hai? The moment he took his first bite of Yuan Zhou’s food, he had immediately gotten rid of this thing called integrity like it was worth nothing.
“Hello, brother! I am Wu Hai, the painter with the most expensive paintings among the youth painters of our country.” Wu Hai sat down beside Yu Chu with a completely empty bowl. That’s right. Not even the soup was left in his bowl.
Yu Chu had good communication skills, yet he still wasn’t one who would immediately be close to a stranger like this. He blanked out momentarily before answering,” Hello, I am Yu Chu.”
“Since we have the chance to know each other in Yuan Zhou’s restaurant, we are friends from now on. Don’t you think that friends should help each other?” Wu Hai immediately upgraded their relationship from strangers to friends.
Yu Chu did not say anything. He only nodded awkwardly.
The other people in the shop all rested their chopsticks and watched on with an expression of someone waiting to watch a good show.
“You don’t seem to like eating Tangyuan. All six Tangyuans in your bowl are still untouched. It’s not good to waste food like this. Should I deal with them for you?” Wu Hai offered earnestly.
“Erm…” Although Yu Chu hadn’t started eating, he was already holding onto his chopsticks. He felt like it wouldn’t be proper etiquette to have someone eat his food after he moved his chopsticks.
Wu Hai took charge of the situation and removed this issue from the equation, “Don’t worry. Although you had already moved the chopsticks, I don’t mind.”
This was a live proof that even elites of the corporate world would be helpless when facing a shameless Wu Hai. Yu Chu couldn’t bring himself to say something like “but I do mind that” during a festive season like this.
“Good. That’s decided then.” Wu Hai would eat Tangyuans with spoons. However, he stole from Yu Chu with chopsticks. Wu Hai acted quickly. In less than five seconds, Wu Hai had already stolen four Tangyuans from Yu Chu’s bowl. Among them, three were sweet while the other one was salty.
Since Yu Chu was originally uninterested to eat, he had ordered a bowl of three sweet and three salty Tangyuans. In other words, he only had two Tangyuans left in his bowl, both salty ones.
The conflict over which Tangyuan was the superior one between the sweet and salty Tangyuans had been ongoing for a century. Wu Hai had always maintained his neutrality on this. As far as he was concerned, so long as it was something made by Boss Yuan, he would eat it. Not picky with food was probably the only merit of Wu Hai. Even so, he would only be not picky when he was in Boss Yuan’s restaurant.
Yu Chu was dumbfounded. He had never seen someone so good with chopsticks. Even when picking up the slippery Tangyuans, Wu Hai could still pick them up quickly and accurately.
“You will regret this,” Jiang Changxi told Yu Chu after glancing over at Wu Hai.
“I am utterly convinced. Wu Hai, your Chinese zodiac must be the pig, right? You got four more Tangyuans for yourself?” Chen Wei said, envy and hatred present in his voice. He had finished all 12 Tangyuans he ordered and still wanted more as well. But he truly couldn’t be as shameless as Wu Hai.
“I never do something I will regret. In any case, I have never liked Tangyuans.” Yu Chu did not mind what Jiang Changxi said.
“Even if you don’t like Tangyuans, you still need to have enough food to fill your stomach, right? But almost all your Tangyuans have been snatched by the big brother with a mustache,” Wei Wei said.
“If I’m not full enough I will just get some oats or maybe two slices of bread. In any case, food only serves to allay one’s hunger. What one eats makes no difference.” Yu Chu had long planned ahead.
“Why are you guys bothering him? My friend… right, what’s your name again?” Suddenly, Wu Hai forgot his name. Therefore, he turned his head and asked. Therefore, Yu Chu gave his name again.
“You guys are being too excessive. Since my friend Yu Chu does not enjoy eating Tangyuans, don’t force him. Haven’t you heard of the saying you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink?” As Wu Hai spoke, he took one more Tangyuan from Yu Chu’s bowl.
Now, only one Tangyuan was left in Yu Chu’s bowl.
As for Wu Hai, including the original 12 that he ordered, the ones that he stole from Ling Hong and Yu Chu, he already had 18 Tangyuans all for himself.
“Friend, you are still too young.” Chen Wei sighed.
Mr. Wei couldn’t help himself and spoke as well, “Boss Yuan doesn’t normally sell Tangyuans. If you missed this meal, you will have to wait until next year to eat his Tangyuans.”
“Even while dieting, I had still eaten six of the Tangyuans here.” Sister Wan rubbed her somewhat bloated belly. Looked like she would have to go jogging again tonight.
“Boss Yuan’s food is really very good,” Wang Nan added as well.
Although Yu Chu paid attention to what everyone said, he still did not seem to mind. He still stood firm on what he said to Jiang Changxi, feeling like the only purpose of food was to allay one’s hunger. Therefore, so long as the food did not taste bad, nothing else would matter.
“Once upon a day, there was an evil tyrant. Every single day, he would blackmail Zhang San, who was his fellow villager, for money. Again and again, he did that. One day, when this evil tyrant went overboard by asking to sell everything in Zhang San’s house, Zhang San counter-attacked. Ultimately, both of them suffered.”
Wu Hai was about to take the final Tangyuan in Yu Chu’s bowl. But before he could do it, Jiang Changxi’s voice rang out. When he heard her, his hand immediately stopped moving.
“Come on, it’s only some Tangyuans. Is there a need for this?” Wu Hai looked at Jiang Changxi with resentment.
Jiang Changxi nonchalantly replied, “I am merely telling a story I read once.”
Wu Hai stopped speaking.
“Yu Chu, since you’re already here, give it a try. Coming here but not eating anything is as good as coming for nothing,” Jiang Changxi said.
Yu Chu was finally provoked when he heard “coming for nothing”. He was someone who hated doing something pointless. Since only one Tangyuan was left, he had to eat it so that his trip here wouldn’t be a pointless one.
“There might be a pleasant surprise waiting for you,” Jiang Changxi added.
Yu Chu did not care about any pleasant surprises. He believed that eating would never be an enjoyment. Therefore, he would feel no regret.
No matter what food it was.
He would not feel any regret over it.
Yuan Zhou’s Tangyuans had two flavors — sweet and salty. The sweet Tangyuans had a smooth jade-like layer of white around them, looking extremely likable with their bright and shiny exterior.
As for the salty Tangyuans, they had a green exterior, with some tiny green leaves mixed within, giving off a refreshing look.
Only a green Tangyuan was left in Yu Chu’s bowl. Green and lush, it floated within the clear soup.
Using the spoon, Yu Chu scooped up the Tangyuan. After all, he wasn’t as good with chopsticks as Wu Hai.
The Tangyuan completely filled the jade-white spoon. After all, it was two times larger than the normal Tangyuans sold at supermarkets. Even so, it still maintained its round shape. Resting in the spoon, its exterior was sleek and beautiful. At the same time, steam rose from it constantly.
“Hiss.” Yu Chu inhaled deeply from the heat. He had bitten off half the Tangyuan with a single bite.
And it was this single bite that instantly sent Yu Chu into stupefaction.
