Chapter 35

"I meant your tea-making skills were bad, not your cooking skills." Ao Qingyuan's mother looked at his father in bafflement. "Besides, you haven't cooked for me in over a decade. Ever since you opened Gluttony Pavilion, when have Qingyuan and I had the chance to eat your cooking? We either went to restaurants or had Old Chen cook at home. After being out of practice for so many years, your cooking is probably about as good as your tea."

Ao Qingyuan's father was utterly defeated.

Wenren Yan was somewhat surprised. "Gluttony Pavilion was opened by Uncle?"

No wonder that Chinese restaurant played Ao Qingyuan's albums every day.

"Of course! So drink the tea without worry. Your uncle's skills are still guaranteed." Ao Qingyuan's father paused, then added, "I know you and Qingyuan are both busy with work. Come back more often when you have time, and I'll show you what I can do."

Wenren Yan smiled. "All right."

While Ao Qingyuan's parents chatted with Wenren Yan, Ao Qingyuan sat beside them eating. His mother found it both irritating and amusing. "Don't just keep your head down and eat. Join the conversation, okay?"

"I think you're having a great conversation." Ao Qingyuan took a bite of watermelon. "This melon's really sweet. How about you stop talking for now and have some fruit?"

"This child!" His mother shook her head and said to Wenren Yan, "He's still so immature. All he knows is eating and having fun."

Wenren Yan smiled. "He's wonderful."

By noon, everyone sat down to eat. Seeing the dishes on the table, Wenren Yan found them familiar. Once he tasted them, they were indeed the flavors of Gluttony Pavilion.

Ao Qingyuan frowned in distaste. "Dad, don't tell me you had takeout delivered from the restaurant?"

His father shot him a glare. "What? You don't like it?"

"I've been eating it for decades." Ao Qingyuan sighed. "Can't you order from somewhere else for once?"

How could the owner of Gluttony Pavilion possibly order takeout from another restaurant? Hearing his foolish son, Ao Qingyuan's father was so angry he nearly grabbed a slipper to smack him. The key was that his wife was even chiming in beside their foolish son.

Wenren Yan couldn't help the upward curve of his lips. The Ao Family had a different atmosphere from the Wenren Family, but both possessed a warmth that made him feel comfortable, at ease, and able to relax.

It was the feeling of home.

After a lively lunch, Wenren Yan and Ao Qingyuan chatted with his parents for a while longer before leaving. When they left, they carried bags upon bags of things—all snacks Ao Qingyuan's father had specially prepared for him.

"You little brat, stop skipping meals and starving yourself just to lose weight for filming. Being too thin doesn't look good at all. Later, I'll have your mother talk to your aunt. Why is she being so ruthless with her own child? My son's still growing! How can he go without food?"

Ao Qingyuan nodded, fully agreeing with his father. "And I dance, too. I really can't afford to go hungry."

After a pause, he added with some conflict, "But when I'm filming costume dramas, being fat really doesn't look good either."

"Then don't film costume dramas." Ao Qingyuan's father waved a hand grandly. "Our family doesn't lack money. Film whatever you want. If a production team thinks you're too fat and won't cast you, we'll spend our own money and make it ourselves."

Ao Qingyuan was at a loss for words. "...It's not like anyone dislikes me. Your son is still very capable."

Standing to the side and watching the interaction among the three members of the Ao Family, Wenren Yan's expression was gentle and content. In a daze, he recalled the first time he had seen Ao Qingyuan dance. It had been just after he founded Yan Feng Capital. Ever since childhood, he had been an unquestioned top student. At Stanford, all his grades had been exceptional, and his internship record on Wall Street had been equally impressive. Wenren Yan had ambitiously wanted to establish his own investment company. Yet shortly after the company was founded, Chinese concept stocks suffered a crisis of confidence across the entire capital market. Then, after shorting gold alongside Wall Street tycoons, he ran into the wave of Chinese aunties snapping up gold. Two consecutive failed trades had caused Wenren Yan to waver, ever so slightly, in his luck and judgment.

It was then that he saw a video of Ao Qingyuan competing in WOD. As a mere sixteen-year-old student from China, no one had believed in Ao Qingyuan. Before the competition, he had even been mocked by many people. Many used all kinds of analyses to prove that Chinese people were unsuited to street dance. Yet Ao Qingyuan's performance onstage had unquestionably conquered the world.

In the words of one judge from that competition, "Standing on that stage, he shone brighter than a star."

Now, that light brighter than a star was held in his hand.

He believed their love would shine like a star as well.

[End of Main Text]