Chapter 45: Boss Lin, Come Acknowledge Your Mom
The people waiting at the store had already lined up on their own, huddling in the cold wind with their necks tucked in.
From past experience, they knew that if too many people were already waiting, those arriving later wouldn’t bother—waiting any longer would just mean freezing and wasting time. Boss Lin was cold and unyielding; he wouldn’t soften for anyone. So, once they saw five tables were full, they gave up waiting.
Today, however, with six tables and eight single seats available, the crowd had noticeably grown—there were already more people than usual for lunch.
At first, Lin Jiu would advise those who couldn’t get a table to leave and try another day. But now he no longer bothered, as it was useless; they would just cling to him, pestering endlessly.
Lin Jiu parked his bike, brought the thermal box inside, placed today’s ingredients in the fridge, tidied up, wrote today’s menu, and took the chalkboard outside.
Everyone who saw the day’s menu was stunned.
There was only one line on the board:
**Today’s Menu: 6,998 yuan per person (four courses)**
No details on the four dishes were provided, and ordering a la carte wasn’t an option. Some people who had tightened their belts to come try the seafood were outraged by the price. They had come for the seafood rice, crab congee, or shrimp porridge. While those dishes were already over 1,000 yuan, they could manage that once a month. But now, a meal priced at 6,998 yuan per person was terrifying—most people simply couldn’t afford it.
Someone shouted, “Didn’t you say there wouldn’t be a price increase? How come it’s suddenly 6,998 yuan per person?”
“I wanted to spend 298 yuan to try the seafood rice, but now I’m hit with a 6,998 price tag—who can afford that?”
“I don’t want all four dishes. Can I just pick one?”
Those who thought they wouldn’t get a seat grew excited. “If the people ahead don’t want it, can we have their spot? We’ll eat!”
“This is clearly a way to stop us from eating! We’ve been waiting in line for so long!”
One person chimed in, “Have you seen the news lately? Do you even know what seafood costs now? Are you expecting a bargain at the Magic Fish Store?”
Another added, “Technically, the price hasn’t gone up. Last time I came, I ordered just shrimp porridge and shrimp tail sashimi, and that was nearly 6,000 yuan for two dishes. Now it’s four dishes for this price. What’s there to argue about? If you can’t afford it, don’t eat. If you can, keep waiting. No matter how much you complain, Boss Lin isn’t going to change the price. So why bother?”
Outside the store, people were arguing loudly, but Lin Jiu ignored them, focusing on preparing lunch for the day.
If he continued allowing individual orders as before, some ingredients would be overused while others remained unsold. He would also end up preparing the same dish repeatedly, wasting time and effort. By setting a fixed price and deciding which four dishes to serve, Lin Jiu could adjust the menu based on available ingredients, ensuring more balanced use of supplies.
The price was displayed outside. Those who wanted to eat could stay, and those who didn’t could find another place.
After preparing the necessary ingredients, Lin Jiu went to open the door and invited the customers inside.
When Lin Jiu came out, the people who hadn’t left yet started to complain again.
“Boss Lin, aren’t your rules too strict? You just post a price and list four dishes, but what if there’s something we don’t want to eat? Are you forcing us to accept whatever you serve?”
Lin Jiu, dressed in the shop’s chef uniform and wearing a black mask, had his long hair tied up and tucked under his chef’s hat. He looked clean and efficient, with a cool, indifferent expression showing through his eyes.
He replied, “The rules at Magic Fish Restaurant have always been strict. Regular customers know that. As for not wanting to eat something…”
The waiting customers saw Lin Jiu’s cold eyes soften a little, then heard him say, “Magic Fish Restaurant specializes in curing picky eaters.”
The customers: “…”
The person who had spoken was stumped. He wanted to eat but didn’t want to order so much—it was too expensive. One meal would cost him an entire month’s salary.
“But… what if someone is allergic to seafood? Are you still going to make them eat it?”
Lin Jiu glanced at the person. “Why would someone with a seafood allergy come to a seafood restaurant?”
That person: “…”
Lin Jiu added, “The price is posted. If you can accept it, come in and eat. If you can’t, don’t force it. It’s just about money. I don’t list specific dishes because the four dishes change regularly, and I can’t write them in advance.”
The phrase “just about money” hit a sore spot for most people.
They were complaining because of the price—they wanted to eat but felt it was too expensive, hoping that arguing might change things.
Lin Jiu stepped aside. “Those who accept can come in now.”
At the front of the line was an older woman, round and plump, dressed in a thick fur coat that reached her knees, trying to keep warm as she stomped her feet.
The woman smiled kindly. “Little boss, can I wait a bit before going in? Please save me the first table. My son is on his way, and I came early to make sure he could have a meal.”
Seeing that the woman was cold, her feet stomping for warmth even inside her high boots, Lin Jiu said, “Go in and wait. You can order when your son arrives.”
Just as the woman was about to head inside, feeling the cold biting at her, she heard someone running over.
“Mom, we’re here!”
Two young men came running from the parking lot. One was also round and plump, looking just like her son, and the other had a more ordinary appearance—what you’d call a “common face,” with no distinctive features.
The plump young man, breathing out clouds of white in the cold air, gave his mother a hug. “Thanks, Mom. This is my colleague, Weng Cheng.”
The woman smiled, taking off her gloves. “Nice to meet you. Thank you for taking care of our Han Han.”
Weng Cheng, overwhelmed by the woman’s enthusiasm, didn’t quite know how to respond.
The woman pushed her son toward the door. “Let’s get inside, don’t block the entrance.”
As Lin Han and Weng Cheng walked in, they couldn’t help but take a few extra glances at the rumored boss, Lin Jiu. After looking at him, they exchanged glances with each other.
Lin Han: “Is this the famous Boss Lin? He seems pretty aloof.”
Weng Cheng: “He sure does. Anyone who can get our captain to go easy on them must be a tough character.”
Lin Han nodded in agreement.
Even after sitting at the first table, they kept sneaking glances at Lin Jiu.
Lin Jiu, however, didn’t linger at the door and went straight back to the kitchen to continue preparing the meal.
Though some people were still complaining about the strict rules, high prices, and how they couldn’t afford it, plenty of others came in. A regular customer brought three friends, taking over a private room, and the bar counter seats were particularly popular, especially with female customers. Even if they could sit at a four-person table, they preferred the bar, hoping to get a closer look at the good-looking boss. Unfortunately, his face was hidden behind a mask. They thought maybe they could at least chat with him.
However, Lin Jiu was focused on cooking and ignored all meaningless small talk.
Lin Han and Weng Cheng exchanged a look: Boss Lin really was aloof!
The older woman, noticing the two young men sneaking glances, whispered, “What’s wrong? Is something off with Boss Lin?”
As Lin Han’s mother, she was aware of the existence of enhanced humans. Regardless of how others viewed that department, the Lin family was deeply grateful to them for saving their son’s life, which made them see the department in a positive light. The Lin family was wealthy, often donating “research funds” to the department.
Lin Han was well aware of Magic Fish Restaurant’s special ingredients. His team leader often bought red plum wine from the place, but people like Lin Han could only look on; only those on missions got to take it with them. Researchers at the department suspected that the transformation of people like Si Xu and Jiang Ge into enhanced humans had something to do with consuming too much energy-rich food.
Lin Han dreamed of becoming an enhanced human himself. Since the researchers were speculating, why wait? If money could solve the problem, then it wasn’t a problem. He wanted to eat those foods, and a quick call to his mom had her standing in line for him.
Lin Han was determined to use money to get into the enhanced human ranks.
He shook his head and whispered, “Nothing’s wrong. Boss Lin is just someone even our team captain has to show respect to.”
Lin Jiu, while cutting shellfish, paused for a moment. Where had these rumors come from? And who exactly was their captain?
The older woman was shocked. “Really? Even Captain Lu respects him?”
Lin Jiu: “…”
So, they were from the enhanced unit.
“Absolutely. Otherwise, why would I need to trouble you to stand in line for me? Even our captain has to wait for a chance to eat here.” Lin Han hugged his mother. “You’re the best, mom. When I want to eat, you’re here waiting in line for me. Thank you!”
The aunt was all smiles, “If you ever have time, just let mom know. I’ll stand in line for you, we don’t lack money or time, so you can eat here whenever you want.”
She didn’t forget to invite Weng Cheng as well, “You too, Xiao Weng, next time come with Han Han, and Auntie will line up for both of you.”
“Thank you, Auntie.” Lining up was fine, but his wallet wouldn’t be!
Weng Cheng hadn’t come to mooch a meal—he just didn’t have time to stand in line and wanted to take advantage of the Auntie’s spot. He planned to pay for his meal himself.
Lin Jiu placed each dish onto a wooden tray, with enough food for one person per tray. He carefully set out wooden spoons, chopsticks, soy sauce, a green fern garnish, and a hand towel.
Today’s four dishes were seafood rice, grilled magic-claw crab legs, marinated shrimp tails, and shrimp and shellfish sashimi, along with a complimentary bowl of fresh shrimp soup. The portion of seafood rice had been adjusted—after all, if the rice filled them up, what would happen to the other dishes?
Lin Jiu strictly controlled portion sizes to make sure customers ate enough but wouldn’t waste anything.
Customers sitting at the bar found it convenient as Lin Jiu placed the prepared trays there for them to pick up. For those at four-person tables and in private rooms, Lin Jiu delivered the trays personally. Some customers at the four-person tables opted to fetch their trays from the bar themselves, which was faster than Lin Jiu delivering them one by one.
Lin Han and Weng Cheng chose to carry their trays themselves, with Lin Han also grabbing his mother’s tray.
Each thin wooden tray was like a miniature world, with each dish meticulously arranged. The wooden spoon, chopsticks, and hand towel were placed in the most convenient spots.
Looking at the beautifully arranged food, many people felt it was worth the price. Not only was the presentation lovely, but the portions were also enough to fill one person. Plus, getting to try four dishes at once was a treat. With Lin Jiu’s usual temper, even having four dishes available in a day was lucky, and they often couldn’t taste them all. This new system, with adjusted portions and more variety, was perfect.
Photos of the lunch soon made their way onto social media, leaving followers who couldn’t get a seat drooling with envy.
Lin Han, phone in hand, took photos from every angle, planning to make his friends jealous later. After taking enough pictures, he finally prepared to dig in.
The presentation was so beautiful that it became a problem—Lin Han didn’t know which dish to start with. In the end, he simply took a spoonful of seafood rice and popped it into his mouth, closing his eyes in satisfaction at how delicious it was.
Lin Han and Weng Cheng froze after their first bite, exchanging shocked glances, unable to hide their astonishment.
The energy in the food was overwhelming!
Eating this kind of food every day, it was impossible ‘not’ to become an enhanced human!
The aunt praised the food, “This place is amazing! The food tastes great, and the ingredients are so fresh. No wonder it’s so popular online… Son, eat more. Here, take this crab leg.”
Lin Han quickly waved it off, “You eat, Mom. I already have one. This is plenty for me.”
The aunt wouldn’t hear of it and gave her crab leg and sashimi to her son. “It’s not often you come out, so eat more. I can come eat here anytime… Xiao Weng, you too. Don’t be shy.”
Weng Cheng quickly thanked her.
A female customer sitting at the bar suddenly asked, “Boss, can I order some wine separately? I’ve been craving your red plum wine for a long time.”
Lin Jiu, who was cleaning the counter, paused. “Not today. It’ll be available tomorrow.”
The woman grumbled. She managed to get a spot today, but who knew if she could make it tomorrow.
All the red plum wine had been sold to the Special Security Division. Lin Jiu had been so busy since then that he hadn’t had time to brew more. He’d need to make a batch soon—tomorrow was Si Xu’s birthday, and if he came to the shop, he’d likely want some wine. If there were friends or family with him, they could only have red plum wine, as green plum wine wasn’t appropriate.
Just as he was thinking this, the door opened, and Xiao Qiu walked in.
The sight of Xiao Qiu immediately reminded Lin Jiu that he had forgotten to prepare a magic meal for Si Shen!
Si Xu was the customer with the highest spending and loyalty at the shop, which earned him certain privileges from the Chef God system. For instance, takeout orders for Si Xu still counted toward the shop’s revenue, which was why Si Xu had been able to make it to the second floor so quickly.
“Boss Lin, I’m here to pick up lunch.”
Lin Jiu: “…”
Lin Jiu glanced at the ingredients he had just put away. “Wait a moment.”
He’d quickly prepare something to send to Si Xu, even if it wasn’t a magic meal. The nutrition level would still be higher than most other foods.
Someone at the bar asked, “Can Magic Fish Restaurant do takeout now?”
Lin Jiu continued working. “No, it can’t.”
“Then… is this a special privilege?”
“Privileges exist everywhere.”
“We’re out here freezing in line, and he gets to take food to-go. I’m so jealous.”
Xiao Qiu: “…”
Did I just cause trouble?
Lin Jiu was about to tell them to read the restaurant’s ‘Dining Rules’ and learn what “Rank” meant when the aunt at the first table chimed in, “Why are you all being so sarcastic? Don’t you have family? If you owned a shop and didn’t feed your own family, would you be so strict about following the rules?”
Lin Jiu: “…”
Wait, Auntie, please don’t say that—this really isn’t family…
Xiao Qiu: “…”
Oh no! Has this misunderstanding gone too far?
The aunt’s words hit hard. Rules and fairness didn’t matter when it came to family.
Someone asked, “If it’s really family, we can’t argue, but is this person really family?”
Everyone loved a good bit of gossip, especially about Boss Lin, who had become quite popular recently. There were too many people eager to dig into his personal life.
Lin Jiu found a small insulated box and carefully placed each dish inside before handing it to Xiao Qiu.
Xiao Qiu, knowing he’d caused a stir, quickly grabbed the box and left without hesitation.
“Boss Lin, is he really family?” someone pressed.
Lin Jiu wiped his hands. “No, he’s not family. He’s someone very important to me.”
“Ohhh~~~” The customers let out a long, drawn-out “Oh.”
Lin Jiu: “…”
Fine, but why did their “Oh” have to be so dramatic and full of meaning?
“It seems like it won’t be long now; you’ll soon become family,” the aunt continued her shocking remarks.
Lin Jiu: “…”
Auntie, please, I beg you, stop talking.
Lin Jiu couldn’t even imagine what it would be like if Si Xu became “family”… No, no, he couldn’t think about it—just the thought was making his face burn.
“Wow, it’s really happening! Boss Lin, are you blushing?” someone exclaimed.
Lin Jiu, in a cold, emotionless tone, “No.”
“Don’t think wearing a mask hides your embarrassment. Your ears are already bright red.”
Lin Jiu: “…”
This group of customers… He wished he could chase them all out with a fishing spear!
—
After lunch, Lin Jiu closed the shop but didn’t leave. He went upstairs to the super-intelligent kitchen and began brewing red plum wine.
He planned to brew a larger batch this time, pulling out a 20-liter barrel. While brewing, he made sure not to start singing by accident—if he accidentally turned it into magic wine and sold it to customers, there would be big trouble.
Lin Jiu spent the entire afternoon in the smart kitchen, unaware that rumors about him had exploded online—people were even speculating that he had a child.
It all started with his earlier comment: “Someone important to me.”
A female customer took to social media, crying:
“Terminally obsessed with good looks: I came for Boss Lin’s looks and food, and while the food satisfied me, I didn’t get to see his divine face! He wore a mask the entire time. I’ve turned into a jealous lemon, wishing I could be that mask! Do you think just not seeing his face was bad enough? Reality hit me hard—Boss Lin already has someone important to him! Who in the world has managed to win over our gorgeous Boss Lin? Wasn’t he supposed to belong to all of us?!”
The post didn’t have many followers at first; it was mostly for fun—talking about handsome guys and good food. But unexpectedly, the post gained traction, and soon the comment section was buzzing with people speculating about who Boss Lin’s “important person” was.
People who had dined at Magic Fish Restaurant that day chimed in, gossiping away. They didn’t beat around the bush—this “important person” was clearly family, right?
Soon, the gossip shifted from guessing who Lin Jiu’s “important person” was to figuring out who his “family member” might be.
After some intense internet sleuthing, the title of Lin Jiu’s “family member” was pinned on a female celebrity named Qiu Yuxi.
The reasoning was based on three key points:
First, she had been in the same company as Lin Jiu (which had since been sold by Creation Star to Fengshuo), and they had plenty of chances to interact. She had even collaborated with the group Dream, and there were several photos of her and Lin Jiu talking (although they were just chatting, she was smiling sweetly in every picture).
Second, she had publicly stated that she liked quiet, introverted guys like Lin Jiu, who also had killer good looks. Rumor had it that she had pursued Lin Jiu intensely—whether she succeeded was uncertain (previous rumors that Lin Jiu liked men were now seen as a cover-up, meaning it was more likely he preferred women).
Third, Qiu Yuxi had posted wedding dress photos a year ago, sparking rumors of her marriage. People speculated that her mysterious spouse could very well be Lin Jiu.
People soon dug up more. Six months ago, Qiu Yuxi had shared a social media post about baby care, leading to rumors that she had a baby. Given her lack of public activity in the past year, people naturally assumed she had taken time off for pregnancy and childbirth.
One thing led to another, and soon the narrative became: Lin Jiu had not only found someone important but also had a family. He had secretly married and had a child, now several months old. His year-long disappearance had been to accompany his spouse and care for the baby.
A photo even surfaced, showing a group of people with Qiu Yuxi in the center, holding a baby whose face was pixelated. The setting looked like a one-month celebration for the baby.
Lin Jiu’s fans had initially been watching the gossip for fun. Not many believed it at first—after all, Lin Jiu was only 20; it seemed unlikely he’d marry so early. But once the photo came out, his fan base exploded. Some screamed in disbelief, demanding a legal team to sue for defamation, while others zoomed in on the baby’s face, searching for traces of resemblance to Lin Jiu or Qiu Yuxi.
By the time Si Xu got a call from Wen Qin, the internet had already come up with a name for Lin Jiu’s supposed child.
Si Xu: “…”
Si Xu’s temples throbbed. “It’s fake. Send a cease-and-desist letter to the rumor-mongers.”
Wen Qin: “How do you know it’s fake? Do you know what he was doing during that year he disappeared?”
Si Xu: “…”
Well, he really didn’t know.
Wen Qin: “You should probably confirm with him.”
Earlier that day, Si Xu hadn’t intended for Xiao Qiu to go pick up lunch from Magic Fish Restaurant. It was Jiang Ge who called and asked when he was going to the restaurant, wanting to tag along and grab a bite. He mentioned that Lin Jiu had changed the menu, with four dishes for lunch and two new items—he had already seen pictures online.
Si Xu had also seen the picture. It looked amazing, and he was sure it tasted even better. He had been waiting for Lin Jiu to call and ask when he’d pick up his meal, but after waiting and hearing nothing, he eventually sent Xiao Qiu instead.
The food he brought back tasted the same as the restaurant’s, but without the pretty dishes, elegant plating, or the restaurant’s ambiance, it just wasn’t the same.
Si Xu tried calling Lin Jiu, but as usual, his call didn’t go through. Reaching Lin Jiu by phone was entirely a matter of luck.
Si Xu tried calling again periodically, curious to see when he might finally get through.
Lin Jiu’s phone was in his pocket, which he had taken with him into the smart kitchen. The kitchen’s special space blocked the phone signal—if he’d left the phone outside, he might have heard it ring, but taking it inside meant there was no reception.
By the time Lin Jiu finished brewing the red plum wine, it was nearly time for dinner. After tidying up, he headed downstairs to prepare.
Lin Jiu roughly calculated that with the current prices and customer flow, he’d be able to open a mystery box once a month—of course, assuming the shop operated normally. If he kept closing it for ten days or more at a time, one month definitely wouldn’t be enough.
The phone in his pocket kept vibrating. Lin Jiu took it out and saw several missed calls, all from Si Xu.
Lin Jiu was confused. The phone had been in his pocket the whole time, yet there was no notification for incoming calls. Now, what’s the point of it vibrating?
Thinking Si Xu might have something urgent, Lin Jiu hurriedly called him back.
“Where are you?” Si Xu asked as soon as he answered.
“I’m at the shop,” Lin Jiu replied, feeling a bit guilty. Missing Si Xu’s calls seemed to have become normal.
“Your phone…”
“I had it in my pocket the whole time, but it didn’t notify me…” Lin Jiu paused, realizing it wasn’t the phone’s fault. It was probably the smart kitchen that had blocked the signal.
“Did you put it on silent?” Si Xu continued probing.
Lin Jiu, feeling cornered, blamed it on the phone being on silent. “Yeah, I must have accidentally turned it on.”
Si Xu didn’t ask further. “I’m almost at your shop.”
Lin Jiu: “???”
He glanced outside at the sky, then checked the time. It wasn’t dinner time yet.
Lin Jiu responded with an “Oh,” hung up, and obediently waited for Si Xu to arrive.
Meanwhile, on the internet, girls who had been scrutinizing photos didn’t find any resemblance between the baby and Lin Jiu, but hilariously, they found a resemblance between Lin Jiu and a woman in the photos!
The internet exploded with laughter, and many people tagged Lin Jiu, asking if he needed a mom and telling him to come out and acknowledge her.
They hadn’t uncovered a baby, but they had uncovered a “mom”!
—
