Chapter 69: Anomalous Time 35

The appetizing cold platter that the two young men had claimed for themselves was slowly running out. While Yu Bai puzzled over why no one else was eating any of it, he casually picked up the last piece of glutinous rice lotus root and gave it to Xie Wufang.

Once the plate was empty, the servant waiting nearby quickly cleared it away and brought a fresh plate of osmanthus sugar lotus root. This one was larger than the previous serving, and its rich, sweet fragrance lingered just as enticingly.

Yu Bai was a bit surprised at the sight. He instinctively glanced at Zhang Yunjiang beside him, just as the old man’s voice, brimming with amusement, rang out. “It’s rare to see you boys enjoy it so much. Have some more!”

Then Yu Bai watched as Xie Wufang—who had maintained an unapproachable aura all evening—glanced at the kindly old man and spoke to someone else for the first time. “Thank you.”

His tone was flat, but it only made Zhang Yunjiang beam even wider. “No need to stand on ceremony! The important thing is that you’re enjoying it. Oh, right—how about some hot drinks? The kitchen has everything ready: milk, yellow wine, red date tea… oh, and hot chocolate. I hear you young folks love that one…”

The little boy nearby perked up at the mention of hot yellow wine, an itch stirring in his heart. The words slipped out before he could stop them. “I want some yellow wine!”

But as soon as he said it, the tantalizing aroma of the osmanthus sugar lotus root—visible but untouchable—made him shudder deep in his soul. Instinctively, he turned to Xie Wufang. “…Um, c-can I have some?”

Better to ask this ancestor’s permission now than get his hopes up only to have them dashed later.

Sigh. Why did even a simple meal have to leave him on pins and needles?

At his words, the young and handsome man glanced at him expressionlessly, saying nothing—as if the question was too ridiculous to dignify with a response.

“…”

Yu Bai couldn’t help chuckling at the exchange. He stepped in smoothly. “I’ll have some too. I’ll pour you a little to try later.”

In his heart, he marveled at Uncle Yuan’s dedication. The man was going all out to help his old friend vent some frustrations, playing the doting father to perfection. The effect was utterly natural and convincing.

Of course, the stern and aloof “father” wouldn’t respond. That was where the uncle had to step in.

“Great! Hot yellow wine hits the spot on a cold night.”

Zhang Yunjiang, who had wanted a drink anyway, now had company and grew even happier. He spoke up for the hesitant little boy. “A sip or two won’t hurt a kid. It’s a rare chance tonight—pour some for Little Hang too!”

He thought to himself that this was truly a beautiful and precious evening. It was just a shame one old friend was missing.

Butler Uncle Ah, seated on Zhang Yunjiang’s other side, soon fetched a pot of warmed wine. With a cheerful smile, he poured it into glasses and passed them around one by one.

Amid the clear, rich aroma of the yellow wine, the even older man with his shock of white hair seemed to think of something and let out a soft sigh. “It’d be perfect if Fugui were here.”

Butler Uncle Ah gazed at the rare sight of the whole family gathered quietly together, a wistful smile crinkling the corners of his eyes. “Yunjiang must feel this meal is missing just one person—Fugui. Sigh, where on earth has he run off to?”

“No idea.” Zhang Yunjiang, whose thoughts had been read, chuckled good-naturedly. He patted the note in his chest pocket absentmindedly. “Once he’s mulled it over for a couple days, he’ll come looking for a chess game. He can’t hold out forever.”

As Butler Uncle Ah bent to serve the hot wine in porcelain cups to the guests that evening, he replied, “That’s right. Fugui’s always been the impatient type. I just hope the cold snap lasts a couple more days—”

Zhang Yunjiang picked up the thread seamlessly. “Then we can warm up another pot!”

While the two old men chatted, Yu Bai couldn’t help glancing at the person who hadn’t actually been absent—the one Butler Uncle Ah had called Fugui.

Little Hang accepted the wine cup from the old man with both hands, murmuring softly, “Thank you, Uncle Ah.”

He kept his head lowered, his expression hidden, and simply downed the orange-tinged hot wine in one gulp.

The old men laughed helplessly at the sight. “Oh dear, that’s not how you drink yellow wine! What if you get drunk?”

Little Hang mumbled something under his breath and held out his cup to Butler Uncle Ah with pleading eyes.

Butler Uncle Ah blinked in surprise, his eye crinkles deepening with laughter as he poured another. “What a little booze hound!”

Amid the lively banquet, only He Xi—who sat right next to Yuxing—caught the whisper drowned out by the wine’s aroma.

“Drunk is fine,” she said. “Better if I never wake up.”

The little girl, with hot milk in one hand and hot chocolate in the other, blinked in confusion, not understanding.

But Brother Little Bai looked her way from across Divine Big Brother and soothed her gently. “Don’t be scared. Everyone’s just having a little. Nothing bad will happen.”

He Xi’s eyes widened in astonishment.

How did Brother Little Bai know she was afraid of people who drank?

“This wine smells different from Daddy’s,” she whispered. “I… I’m not scared. It’s okay.”

As He Xi spoke, the stinging stench of alcohol and tearful cries from traumatic memories seemed to fade, gradually overlaid by the mellow wine aroma and warm scene around her. Strangely, she really wasn’t afraid anymore.

She even took the initiative. “Brother Little Bai, you should drink some too. It smells so good!”

Caught off guard by the child’s encouragement, Yu Bai actually drained his cup of hot yellow wine.

The slightly bitter, sweet liquid slid down his throat, and he wrinkled his face without thinking.

Truth be told, Yu Bai’s tolerance wasn’t great, and he rarely drank. He’d only asked for it earlier to play along with Yuxing.

What he really wanted was hot chocolate.

But it was too late for regrets now.

Anyway, the few times he’d gotten drunk in life, he’d always blacked out upon waking, but no one had ever complained about him going wild or anything. They just smiled and said it was fine—actually pretty good.

So, it should be okay. Worst case, he’d just pass out.

Yu Bai thought that this special night was perfect for a little drink.

Seeing his bold swig mirror Little Hang’s, the two old men exchanged a glance and chuckled. “Little Hang takes after his uncle.”

The hot wine warmed his belly, and his mood suddenly lightened, as if he’d climbed onto a drifting cloud.

No longer holding back, Yu Bai stood and took the wine pot from Butler Uncle Ah. “Uncle Ah, let me pour. You sit.”

“All right, all right.” Butler Uncle Ah didn’t stand on ceremony and released the pot with a grin. “Just relax like you’re at home!”

Yu Bai toasted the two old men first, refilled their cups, and then sat back down.

As he did, his gaze met the eyes of the man beside him.

That gray-blue stare seemed to brush over his slightly flushed cheeks before settling on the porcelain cup in his hand, where the wine swayed gently.

Yu Bai paused, as if reading the unspoken wish. He curved his eyes into a smile and leaned in to whisper, “Patients can’t drink, so I can’t pour you any.”

His warm breath ghosted over an ear that should have been cool to the touch—hotter even than the lingering fever.

Xie Wufang abruptly looked away. After a slight hesitation, he replied a bit stiffly, “I won’t drink.”

Yu Bai considered it and decided the man was lying through his teeth.

Normally, he might not call it out—just smirk to himself.

But tonight, with his spirits so high, he held back for a few seconds… and failed.

“You’re lying.” His voice, still laced with amusement, brushed the ear again. “Too obvious.”

“…”

The man, who had been staring elsewhere, startled at the words and turned back to him. In a low voice, he said, “Sorry, I didn’t know patients couldn’t—”

He didn’t finish. His words seemed swallowed by the scene before him—the warm, pale eyes of the man beside him now like a night sky cradling the stars, reflected in the wine of the proffered cup.

Yu Bai decided to generously indulge the non-human’s small whim. He handed over his own cup. “Just a little sip.”

Sick people couldn’t drink.

But a sick god? Maybe not.

Xie Wufang rarely showed interest in food, so Yu Bai certainly didn’t want to disappoint him.

He couldn’t lose to Zhang Yunjiang, who had thoughtfully prepared a second plate of osmanthus sugar lotus root!

Fueled by this bizarre competitive spirit, Yu Bai watched Xie Wufang take the cup, brimming with anticipation and curiosity.

The warm yellow lamplight traced the sharp, profound lines of his profile. His long, strong fingers gripped the white porcelain cup. He hesitated a moment, then lowered his eyes and took a sip.

It should have been a beautiful yet distant scene.

Until his Adam’s apple bobbed gently. The rich wine slid down, and the thick brows hidden beneath his dark, tousled hair furrowed deeply, revealing stark distaste.

Just like an ordinary human forced to swallow bitter medicine.

Yu Bai struggled to hold back his laughter. “A bit bitter, huh?”

“…Mm.” Xie Wufang returned the cup without a second thought. “So this is what bitter tastes like.”

“It’s the complete opposite of sweet,” the man murmured. “It smells so good, though.”

His tone was so earnest, tinged with bewildered confusion, that Yu Bai couldn’t hold it in anymore. He covered his face with one hand and burst out laughing.

Zhang Yunjiang, who had noticed the pair’s exchange, had been about to chide Yu Bai for giving alcohol to a patient. But at the sight of Xie Wufang’s furrowed brow, surprise gave way to laughter of his own.

He Xi, seated right beside Xie Wufang, also giggled quietly and promptly offered the full cup of hot chocolate from next to her hand.

“This one’s sweet!” she said. “I haven’t tried it before! I only drank milk earlier.”

The bitter, faintly spicy aftertaste lingered on his tongue and palate. Upon hearing her, the tall God Brother felt a flicker of interest. He lowered his gaze toward the cup, seemingly about to take it.

But Brother Little Bai, sitting on his left, suddenly interjected, “Chocolate is bitter too.”

A soft, lively amusement danced in his clear voice. “Hot chocolate is more like… sweet, then bitter, sweet, then bitter?”

The flavors of human food were so contradictory and intricate.

As his words trailed off, the hand that had so intently maneuvered the black and white Go pieces—cold and resolute—halted abruptly in midair. It hovered there, hesitating, without reaching for the cup of deep brown hot chocolate.

Zhang Yunjiang laughed so hard he kept wiping at the corners of his eyes. “Come on, come on, have some candied lotus root! That’s the sweetest of all!”

Butler Uncle Ah chuckled and shook his head. “After all those sweets, any more wine is bound to taste way too bitter!”

In an instant, this end of the dining table brimmed with cheerful laughter and chatter, a stark contrast to the heavy gloom at the other end.

The relatives, who had watched the old man dote on this family throughout the meal and overheard snippets of their conversation, now felt their spirits plunge to rock bottom. They didn’t even have the will to chime in.

“You all enjoy yourselves—that’s what matters most.” “Little Hang really takes after his uncle.” “Make yourselves right at home.”

It was clear the old man was dead set on supporting this long-hidden illegitimate son. He’d laid his stance out plainly in front of everyone.

The group exchanged glances, seething with resentment and bitterness, yet not one dared voice it aloud.

Chang Baoqin, her exquisite makeup still flawless, first glanced at her ashen-faced husband, then at her son who was trembling like a leaf. A bleak darkness loomed over their future.

If this interloper of a bastard son had been anything like her husband—or like any of the old man’s other children—she never would have let him finish the meal in peace.

But the man simply sat there quietly, scarcely glancing their way, and yet he instilled a profound, bone-chilling fear in every soul present.

The fact that they weren’t visibly quaking on the spot was already a testament to their utmost restraint.

Only now did she understand why her usually bold son had been frightened enough to wet himself.

Be it his image, his aura, or the old man’s private passion for Go… the newcomer had triumphed utterly.

Chang Baoqin reflected that their one remaining advantage lay in time.

The maid who had announced their arrival mentioned they were visiting for the first time. Combined with Zhang Yunjiang’s earlier demeanor, it seemed they weren’t close. With a doctor in tow, they might well be a newly acknowledged son and grandson.

She and her family had spent years alongside the old man. Even with the ups and downs, genuine bonds had formed—bonds a short-term illegitimate couldn’t supplant.

As long as they played their cards right, Chang Baoqin believed, they could still wrest the old man’s favor back from these other kin.

She steeled her resolve inwardly, her expression sharpening. Grabbing her son’s ear, she hissed, “Later, tell Grandpa you want to learn Go too—with that little girl. Got it?”

Zhang Yizhe was utterly reluctant and terrified of defying his mother. He was about to nod with a miserable pout when a familiar bark cut through the air. He whipped his head toward the sound.

Chang Baoqin looked too. There was the adorable Corgi Zhang Wei, trotting into the dining room on its stubby little legs, pursued by a muscular man they hadn’t seen before.

“Zhang Wei, stop running!” the man called. “People are eating in here!”

From the head of the table, Zhang Yunjiang called out at once, “No worries at all! Perfect timing—you’re here too. Stomach feeling better? Pull up a chair and join us!”

The brown-haired young man whom Zhang Yunjiang had addressed as Little Doctor Yu gave a half-smile. “So, does Zhang Wei want to come to the dining room… or do you?”

“Haha, obviously Zhang Wei,” the muscular man replied without missing a beat. “I’ve already downed half a box of digestive aids—there’s no way I could eat dinner now!”

Even so, his actions spoke louder as he plopped down at a spot newly set by the maid. He let out an exaggerated sigh. “Walking the dog wore me out. Mind if I rest here a bit? What a spread this dinner is—hiss! Little Bai, you’re drinking?”

Amid the lively hubbub, Corgi Zhang Wei’s round, glossy eyes flickered with unmistakable terror upon catching sight of a certain figure.

It bolted straight for the most familiar face present, Zhang Yunjiang, making as if to leap into his arms.

The ever-polite Zhang Yunjiang merely bent down to stroke its head, soothing it gently. “What’s got you so scared this time? I can’t pick you up right now—we’re eating. Why don’t you go play off to the side?”

The little dog let out a pitiful whine and halted, visibly dejected. Its bright eyes scanned the rest of the room, as if seeking the next safest harbor.

Chang Baoqin saw her opening. Before her other children could react, she directed her son. “Quick, go play with Zhang Wei. Coax it nicely this time—no bullying!”

For once, Zhang Yizhe agreed eagerly. He hopped down from his chair. “Grandpa, I’ll play with Zhang Wei!”

Truth be told, he had zero desire to share the table with those two terrifying figures any longer.

Zhang Yunjiang smiled warmly. “All right, but keep it down—everyone’s still eating.”

Zhang Yizhe nodded obediently and approached the little dog, arms spread wide in a beaming smile, ready for a hug.

Corgi Zhang Wei’s shiny black eyes darted around, seemingly content with its choice. It broke into a speedy trot.

The short-legged pup dashed right past the feet of the neatly suited, delicate boy—without so much as a glance.

Zhang Yizhe’s smile froze solid.

Chang Baoqin’s expression turned rigid, her eyes wide with disbelief.

Under everyone’s watchful gaze, the dog, which had always shunned strangers, circled the feet of the little boy who was quietly nursing his yellow wine. Only when the boy set down his cup with a sigh and scooped it up did it get its wish.

“What is it, Zhang Wei? I’m eating here.”

Undeterred by the mild rebuff, the little dog burrowed happily into his lap. It nuzzled its fluffy head under the boy’s chin, quickly coaxing away his faint air of loneliness. Even the old man at the head of the table cracked a smile.

The scene was one of perfect harmony and affection.

As if they had been together for ages.