On an unseasonably frigid midsummer night, a thin layer of mist condensed on the crystal-clear glass windows, mingling with the dim yellow glow of the indoor lights to evoke a uniquely wintry sense of lazy warmth.
One exquisite dish after another, perfect in color, aroma, and flavor, was served and placed amid the lively gathering. The servants set down the plates with smiles, retreating from the dining room on light footsteps. They exchanged glances, their faces reflecting an unspoken astonishment.
“The mood is so good today—no arguments, no fuss. The old master’s grinning from ear to ear! It’s the first time I’ve seen this bunch of big shots all show up together. I thought something huge was about to go down!”
The person who heard this pointed at the weather outside the window. “With the world turning into this mess—talk of the end times or whatever—doesn’t that count as huge?”
“No one’s frozen to death yet. It’s just an early winter!” another laughed. “If it really is the end of the world, that’s not for us to worry about. What good would worrying do? Let the big bosses sweat it first.”
“True enough. Speaking of which, my daughter called me this afternoon on purpose. She didn’t even want to go to class—said she was flying back to spend a couple days with me.”
“That’s sweet. Guess we owe it to this apocalypse vibe. These big shots probably remembered how good the old master has been to them because of it.”
“Who knows? I took a close look just now, and those brothers don’t look too happy. Feels like they’re holding something back…”
The hushed whispers faded into the distance as the tantalizing aromas stirred appetites. People paired off and headed toward the kitchen.
“Come on, let’s grab something to eat. That Lotus Leaf Pork I saw earlier smelled amazing—perfect with rice.”
“Yeah, yeah! And that Glutinous Rice Lotus Root—tell Old Li to slice up some more later. With weather this cold, we need something sweet!”
On a pristine white porcelain plate, slices of lotus root gleaming almost like caramel were arranged in two neat rows, dotted with golden osmanthus blossoms. Their alluring sweet fragrance wafted gently through the air.
Among the array of colorful cold appetizers, Osmanthus Sugar Lotus Root was always a hit with kids, since young children usually loved anything sweet.
But not today.
The moment this dish was served, Yu Bai instantly recalled a certain someone silently tormenting innocent food in the kitchen earlier. The corner of his mouth curved up involuntarily, and he proactively picked up a slice of lotus root for the man beside him.
“Here, Osmanthus Sugar Lotus Root.” He placed the slice into the other’s spotless bowl and asked softly, “You haven’t gotten tired of it, have you?”
“No, I haven’t. It won’t get old.” Xie Wufang replied in a quiet voice. “I like sweet flavors.”
“Good.”
Seeing the man beside him finally pick up his chopsticks, Yu Bai simply served him another piece.
Say what you will, Xie Wufang had a peculiar fixation when it came to food tastes—nothing like ordinary humans.
It seemed that the first food he ever tried was pure sweetness, and ever since, he’d only craved sweets, avoiding all other flavors.
A full table of dishes lay before them, spanning every major cuisine, each one visually stunning and delicious just by appearance alone—enough to make anyone’s mouth water. Yet Xie Wufang showed no interest whatsoever. His gaze swept over them indifferently, never lingering.
This had left the old man at the head of the table visibly worried for a time, assuming the young man’s illness was still severe enough to kill his appetite. He hadn’t dared press him to eat more.
Now, seeing Xie Wufang finally touching his chopsticks—and apparently quite fond of this dish—Zhang Yunjiang, who had been keeping a close eye on his “patient,” breathed a sigh of relief. He quickly beckoned a nearby servant and murmured instructions. “Have the kitchen prepare some more.”
It was a perfectly ordinary gesture, but to the others in the dining room at that moment, it carried an entirely different weight.
After learning that explosive news from Chang Baoqin’s family, the group had first paled in shock, their souls nearly flying out of their bodies as their stunned gazes chased after the unexpected intruder.
Soon, they were trembling under his terrifying aura and hastily averted their eyes, turning instead to the old master at the head table. They tried to puzzle out just what this gathering meant.
Then they saw Zhang Yunjiang growing gradually concerned as the mysterious young man ignored the feast—until he tried a piece of Glutinous Rice Lotus Root, at which point the old man’s face lit up with relief.
Chang Baoqin’s family, seated to the old man’s left, had heard his order for more Glutinous Rice Lotus Root with their own ears. Jealousy and bitterness flooded their hearts.
…They were all choking down their food without tasting it, so why hadn’t he noticed that at all?
The favoritism was blatant!
In an instant, undercurrents rippled through the dining room. On this grand banquet table, that plate of fragrant, soft, sweet Glutinous Rice Lotus Root became the focus of every gaze—bearing a pressure no innocent food should ever have to endure.
The pretty little girl with the braided pigtails stared at it, hesitating for a moment as she quietly swallowed. In the end, she stretched her chopsticks toward a different cold dish and picked up a slice of Soy Red Smoked Fish, its sweet-salty blend tempting her.
He Xi was a genuine kid who loved sweets, so of course she’d want the Osmanthus Sugar Lotus Root.
But like Grandpa Zhang, she had noticed that God Big Brother, fresh off his fever, seemed uninterested in everything except this one dish.
Gods could be picky eaters too.
How fun.
He’d been poking at it unhappily in the kitchen just moments ago!
So He Xi thought for a second, then considerately turned her chopsticks elsewhere. A smile bloomed on her childish face as she murmured appreciatively, “The Osmanthus Sugar Lotus Root must be delicious.”
Yu Bai, sitting one seat away with Xie Wufang in between, didn’t quite catch it. Assuming the little girl was commenting on some dish’s flavor, he leaned past Xie Wufang to look at her. “In that case, eat more of it. Can you reach? Which one do you like? Want me to get it for you?”
“No need, I can reach it myself.”
The little girl tilted her face up, leaning closer with faint dimples peeking on her cheeks. She grinned and whispered to him, “You should focus on taking care of Big Brother.”
Yu Bai paused, charmed by her response, and smiled back warmly. “Alright, then take good care of yourself.”
Xie Wufang, following his gaze, caught every word of the exchange. His eyes lingered briefly before quietly shifting away.
“Mm!”
He Xi nodded, sipping from her glass of ice-cold cola nearby. She felt her mood warming even more.
Yuan Yuxing, seated on her other side and close enough in height, had overheard the comment clearly.
The old man, not usually one for sweets, caught the rich aroma of the Glutinous Rice Lotus Root. Seeing Yu Bai and Xie Wufang apparently enjoying it so much stirred a bit of craving in him too. He wanted to try a piece.
But as the little boy stretched out his arm toward the plate of Glutinous Rice Lotus Root, he suddenly plunged into an ocean of overwhelming pressure.
Those gray-blue eyes fixed on him from across the gap, utterly emotionless yet unmistakably intent—like the way they locked onto the Osmanthus Sugar Lotus Root itself. A hint of danger emanated from their icy depths.
Yuan Yuxing’s movement froze midair. Cold sweat drenched his back before he knew it.
What was with Xie Wufang today? Why was he so terrifying?
He couldn’t fathom the reason—no way to even reflect on it. He could only chalk it up to some incomprehensible difference between species.
Scared stiff by that flat stare, the little boy trembled violently, finally withdrawing his chopsticks in a sweat-soaked shudder. He pretended he’d just been admiring the view.
…Fine, he wouldn’t eat it! Dad!!
Yu Bai happened to witness Yuan Yuxing’s chopsticks performing a shaky Tai Chi routine in midair—an odd sight that left him baffled yet amused.
When he glanced back, Xie Wufang beside him had his eyes slightly lowered, quietly eating his Glutinous Rice Lotus Root.
Yu Bai thought for a moment and took a slice himself. A rich sweetness bloomed instantly across his tongue.
He couldn’t help thinking that from now on, whenever he encountered this sweet cold dish, he’d instinctively recall that black-haired, blue-eyed non-human.
Taste often became a special, enduring imprint, faithfully delivering memories or sensations tied to the food.
Sometimes unforgettable flavors etched people or events into memory; other times, it was something else that made one fall in love with a taste.
What memories or feelings did that sweets-loving god summon when savoring something sweet?
Yu Bai’s thoughts wandered idly like this, his pale eyes brushing over the deep black hair of the man beside him before settling on the people chatting around the table.
Finally, someone at the table couldn’t hold back. After their expression shifted repeatedly, they forced a calm tone and asked, “Dad, how long are these guests you invited planning to stay at the house?”
The old master had already put on quite the show, leaving little doubt about these people’s status. The only question now was whether this was just a warning shot to keep the newcomers in check—or a genuine push to elevate them.
Zhang Yunjiang at the head table blinked in surprise, his face darkening with displeasure. He snapped sternly, “These are my invited guests. Since when do you get to question their arrangements?”
Asking something like that right in front of guests was downright rude!
The usually kind-hearted old man chilled his gaze in that instant, revealing the unyielding authority he’d honed in the business world. His children fell silent in fear, their hearts pounding even harder.
Yu Bai spoke up in response. “Little Xie’s fever has broken, so we’re about ready to take our leave—”
Before he could finish his words, Zhang Yunjiang eagerly cut in. “No, no, no! You absolutely mustn’t listen to them!”
The Old Man shot an unhappy glare at his children and urged them repeatedly. “Look, Little Xie has no appetite at all. His fever has probably only receded temporarily, and his body definitely hasn’t fully recovered yet. Stay a few more days—that way, I’ll feel much more at ease!”
Yu Bai said, “I’m afraid we’ll be imposing too much.”
Zhang Yunjiang immediately replied, “Imposing? Nonsense! I wish you two would stay here forever. I’m just worried you might not want to!”
What the Old Man truly longed for was still picking up some Go skills on the sly and recapturing that long-lost family liveliness. But the moment those words left his mouth, everyone’s faces changed in an instant, as if they had just heard some doomsday proclamation.
Yu Bai pondered for a moment and vaguely guessed what this group must have taken it to mean. A glint of amusement appeared in his eyes, so he decided to lean into the misunderstanding and cracked a joke. “Stay forever? That’d be way too long. Even if we were up for it, your family would definitely have something to say about that.”
The instant he spoke, someone immediately chimed in with a trembling voice. “Yeah, Dad… think it over some more…”
Zhang Yunjiang was already displeased with their rudeness. He shot them a warning glance, silencing all the half-formed protests on their lips. “They wouldn’t dare! This house isn’t theirs to have a say in yet!”
Then, turning to Yu Bai with utmost seriousness, he said, “As long as you’re willing, stay as long as you like. Come over whenever you want—I’ll welcome you every time. It’s entirely up to you!”
The Old Man had always been tolerant and patient, rarely showing such a stern and authoritative side in front of his children. In that moment, the group exchanged stunned glances. Under the enormous shock, they were all rendered speechless.
Yet from the depths of their souls surged a terror that everything was about to be seized by an outsider.
What was worse, the one on the verge of claiming it all didn’t seem particularly enthusiastic, forcing the Old Man to turn around and plead earnestly with him instead.
…How could something like this happen!
Yu Bai watched their faces—each one looking as if a heart attack might strike the next second—and felt exceptionally pleased. Smiling, he said, “In that case, we’ll impose on you for a few more days?”
“Wonderful, wonderful!” Zhang Yunjiang let out a relieved breath and broke into a grin. “Earlier at noon, I promised Little Xi I’d teach her Go. Now we’ll actually get the chance!”
Yu Bai was a little surprised. “You’re going to teach her?”
He remembered Zhang Yunjiang mentioning once that He Xi had real aptitude for the game.
“That’s right! My skill isn’t top-tier, but teaching the basics is no problem at all!”
Genuine delight shone in the Old Man’s eyes. “She truly has talent. She’d never touched Go before, but at noon, while listening to Teacher Xie instruct you from outside the chess room, she blurted out the right responses several times—faster than you did from inside!”
As he spoke, he realized something was amiss and hurriedly corrected himself. “Ah, Little Doctor Yu, I didn’t mean to imply you’re slow—”
…Too late. He’d said it now.
Yu Bai couldn’t help laughing. “It’s fine. I really have no natural talent for Go. I was pretty slow at it.”
No sooner had he finished than a calm, resolute voice spoke up from beside him.
Xie Wufang stated simply, “You’re not.”
The Non-Human’s reassurance came right on cue. Yu Bai’s eyes curved into delighted crescents as he turned to him and whispered, “No need to comfort me. I don’t mind at all. Besides, I thought I was pretty slow myself when I was learning Go.”
But the man replied with earnest sincerity, “I don’t think you were.”
Caught off guard, Yu Bai paused for a beat, then hastily averted his gaze, unable to meet those frank and ardent emotions directly.
In the radiant glow of the night, the Old Man’s hearty laughter rang out. “See? Even the teacher doesn’t think you’re slow, so you’re really not. You have to trust the teacher!”
In truth, Yu Bai—who had nearly nodded off during that Go lesson—felt even more embarrassed by the praise. He pretended to stay calm and composed by reaching for his chopsticks.
The slender tips of his chopsticks picked up a slice of osmanthus sugar lotus root stuffed full of glutinous rice. The familiar sweetness instantly bloomed across his tongue.
Oblivious as ever to so many things, Yu Bai took a bite. As the delightful flavor enveloped him, he noticed a peculiar little detail.
Why were he and Xie Wufang the only ones eating from this plate of fragrant, tempting osmanthus sugar lotus root?
Unable to puzzle out the reason, he simply took another bite. Soon, nothing filled his heart but pure sweetness.
…So delicious!
