Chapter 49: Grandpa’s Worries
Lin Jiu had been trying to figure out how to bring up Si Xu’s birthday, but it turned out he didn’t have to. Si Xu reached out to him first, saying he wanted to bring his family to the restaurant for a meal, and asked if it would be convenient.
Lin Jiu found this incredibly convenient—no issue at all.
To make it easier for Si Xu and his family to celebrate his birthday, Lin Jiu posted an announcement: only lunch would be served that day, with no dinner service.
The comments section was filled with confusion, with people asking if he was going to restock again, given that he had just reopened the day before.
Lin Jiu replied to the comments himself:
Lin Jiu: “A friend’s birthday. No time to open the shop.”
Comments:
– “Is Zen Master Lin back again? Shocked.jpg”
– “What birthday is more important than opening your shop? Get back to work!”
– “Lin Boss, you’re slacking off again! You just said you were serious about making money, and now you’re ditching us. Don’t you want the cash?”
– “Am I the only one wondering who this friend is? Shutting down the shop for a friend’s birthday? This friend must be special!”
– “OMG, it’s Qiu Yuxi’s birthday today! It’s real! They’re really together!”
– “Get lost! Stop riding on Lin Boss’s fame! How many times are you going to cling to him?”
– “They’re basically a couple, so what’s the problem?”
– “Shameless! If you’re not successful yourself, stop trying to ride on others’ fame. Is Qiu Yuxi’s birthday that big of a deal? It’s my idol Si Xu’s birthday today too, so why isn’t Lin Boss celebrating that?”
– “Fan fiction people need to calm down. If Qiu Yuxi’s fans are riding Lin Jiu’s fame, then how is Lin Jiu celebrating Si Xu’s birthday not the same thing?”
– “Argue all you want, but leave Lin Boss out of it. He’s retired from the entertainment industry and doesn’t care about fame anymore, thanks.”
The online debate was heating up, with three groups arguing to defend their favorites.
Lin Jiu didn’t have time to follow the fight online—he had a lot to do that day.
Most of the lunch slots had already been taken by last night’s customers, who showed up with dark circles under their eyes. They looked at Lin Jiu with a mix of admiration and awe. Words couldn’t express their gratitude, so they simply thanked him sincerely.
Only someone like Lin Jiu would dare to face down that creature with nothing but a harpoon. The way Lin Jiu brought out that harpoon defied logic, and the other person who held the creature in place from a distance was even more mind-boggling. Last night, their worldview had been completely shattered. They tossed and turned all night, unable to process it, which is why they returned today, hoping to piece their understanding of reality back together.
Lin Jiu accepted their thanks without fuss, just hoping they’d finish eating quickly so he could clean up and prepare for dinner.
Once everyone was gone, Lin Jiu finally got to work.
He had posted the announcement to prevent people from queuing for dinner, and indeed, no one lined up for it. However, a crowd was still milling around outside, and more people were showing up, some even carrying gifts. Their intentions were clear.
This year, Si Xu didn’t celebrate his birthday with fans, nor did he interact with them, yet some fans had followed him here to try their luck. Lin Jiu felt exhausted—when Si Xu arrived with his family later, wouldn’t they be blocked by these fans?
Lin Jiu called Si Xu to let him know about the situation.
“I figured this would happen. We’ll be there in about ten minutes,” Si Xu replied, already anticipating the scenario.
In the car were just his mother and grandfather. His grandparents were coming separately, and his father’s attendance was uncertain due to work commitments.
Grandfather had been quiet the whole ride. After this birthday, Si Xu would be 29, and that weighed on his mind.
Grandfather sighed, “Maybe you should just quit the industry. It’s getting too inconvenient for you.”
Rather than living in the spotlight, Grandfather hoped Si Xu could recover in peace. His health had improved, and he could continue managing the company. He wanted Si Xu to have more rest, not to return to the entertainment industry and work so hard.
“I’m considering it, but if I do retire, I’ll need to finish the remaining concerts for my fans,” Si Xu said, unwilling to leave things unfinished.
Grandfather disagreed, “Do you have the time or energy for that? Just refund the tickets or offer some compensation. You could even give them double the ticket price. The important thing is not to strain yourself anymore.”
Grandfather swallowed the rest of his words about resting and recovering, not wanting his daughter to catch on.
“These three concerts might be the last time I stand on stage. Let me finish them properly—I don’t want to have any regrets.”
Si Xu’s tone was light, but Grandfather’s eyes reddened. He turned to look out the window, not wanting his daughter to see.
When the car arrived at the small shop, the bodyguards stood by the car, and as soon as Si Xu stepped out, a wave of excited screams erupted from outside.
“Ahhh—!!! Si Idol!!! It’s really Si Idol!!!”
“Happy Birthday, Si Idol!!!”
“Happy Birthday—!!!”
“Ahhh—!!! Si Idol, look at me!!!”
Si Xu took off his mask and smiled at them. “Thank you, but it’s too cold outside. Don’t wait here. Go home.”
The fans shouted in unison, “We’re not cold—!!!”
Lin Jiu came out of the shop and helped open the door. Grandfather pushed Song Mozhi inside, while Si Xu stayed outside, and the bodyguards politely refused the fans’ attempts to give gifts to Si Xu.
Lin Jiu returned to the kitchen and brought out a tall stack of steamer baskets, placing them on the first table near the door. He took the top basket and walked over to Si Xu.
Through the rising steam, Si Xu glanced sideways at the large steamer basket Lin Jiu was holding.
Lin Jiu said, “Open it and see.”
Si Xu lifted the lid, and a wave of heat rushed out, revealing soft, pink, plump longevity peaches—small, delicate, and fragrant.
Si Xu was surprised. He had eaten at Lin Jiu’s Demon Fish shop countless times, but he had never seen any pastries like this.
“Some of them have been wandering outside all afternoon. They’re probably close to freezing by now. Hand these out—one each should be enough.”
Si Xu looked deeply at Lin Jiu, feeling warmth swell in his heart. He wanted to hug him, to kiss him.
It was his birthday today, so Si Xu decided to indulge a little. He reached out, pulled Lin Jiu into a hug, and pressed his head to his chest. Using his body as a shield, he gently kissed the top of Lin Jiu’s head.
Lin Jiu, still holding the steamer basket, leaned against Si Xu, dumbfounded. He caught a whiff of the scent on Si Xu—probably from the car’s air freshener—mixed with the winter cold, and it smelled amazing.
When Si Xu let go of him, Lin Jiu was still in a daze, his face red under his mask. His ears were ringing with the fans’ ecstatic screams—they were nearly losing their minds.
Si Xu looked down at him, his face filled with an unmistakable smile. “Thank you.”
Lin Jiu, flustered, almost dropped the steamer basket, his heart racing uncontrollably. “Y-you’re welcome.”
Si Xu summoned the bodyguards, handing each of them a basket to distribute to the fans.
Seeing the steaming baskets, the fans went wild, screaming in excitement.
Forget about the fact that they couldn’t afford to dine at Lin Jiu’s Demon Fish shop—the sheer difficulty of getting a table was enough to make it seem impossible that they would ever taste the food. To have their celebrity admiration lead to free samples of Lin Jiu’s cooking was something they could brag about all over social media.
The longevity peaches were small, beautiful, and delicate—just two bites were enough to finish one. Each fan received one peach along with disposable gloves.
Some fans couldn’t wait and took a bite, only to be instantly captivated by the deliciousness.
“It’s so good! Thank you, Lin Boss!!! Thank you, Si Shen!!!!”
“Oh my gosh, is this really Lin Boss’s cooking? It’s unbelievably delicious!!!!”
“I’m dying—if these peaches are this good, I could eat 50 of them in one sitting!”
Laughter broke out around them, and the atmosphere was full of joy.
More fans were showing up, and many others were on their way after hearing the news.
Si Xu smiled helplessly, “There’s no more for the latecomers. Lin Boss worked hard to make all these peaches. Thank you all, but once you finish eating, please head home. It’s too cold to wait outside.”
Finally, the two of them were able to head back inside the shop. Lin Jiu tidied up the steamers and returned them to the kitchen.
There was still one steamer left in the kitchen, which Lin Jiu had saved for Si Xu and the bodyguards to try. Lin Jiu hadn’t eaten any pastries in a long time himself. These were made with regular flour that he had ordered for delivery—he didn’t have enough magic points to buy special flour anymore, so he had to make do.
“Try it,” Lin Jiu said, placing a plate aside to bring to the private room.
Si Xu picked one up with wooden chopsticks and took a bite.
“How is it?” Lin Jiu asked.
“The peach is soft, and the filling is rich and flavorful. It’s very delicious,” Si Xu praised.
“Can you tell what’s in the filling?”
“Shrimp and meat?” Si Xu guessed.
Lin Jiu nodded. “That’s right—shrimp and meat.”
Lin Jiu couldn’t afford to use all shrimp for such a large batch of peaches, so he mixed shrimp and pork with demon lobster meat for the filling. As long as the seasoning was done well, the peaches would still taste great.
Lin Jiu ate one himself, brought a plate to the private room, and left the rest for the bodyguards to share.
Si Xu’s grandparents soon arrived. His grandmother was gentle and refined, an elegant elderly lady, while his grandfather looked more serious. As soon as they entered the private room, they were drawn to the small longevity peaches.
“The chef’s skills are amazing. These peaches are so beautifully made,” Grandma Si commented, picking one up and examining it on her plate.
Lin Jiu explained, “These are a treat for the fans, but I brought some over for you to try.”
Si Xu wasn’t old enough to traditionally need longevity peaches, and regular buns didn’t look as festive, so Lin Jiu made them in the shape of peaches.
Si Xu said, “Now that everyone’s here, we can start serving the dishes.”
Lin Jiu was a bit surprised that Jiang Ge hadn’t come, and Si Xu’s father was absent as well. However, he didn’t ask further questions and went out to prepare the food, with Si Xu following to help.
Lin Jiu whispered, “Isn’t Brother Jiang Ge coming?”
“There wasn’t enough space in the private room, so I didn’t invite him this time. I’ll treat him another day…”
“I could just stand and eat,” Jiang Ge said as he pushed open the door.
Si Xu turned to him, “Didn’t we agree to treat you another day?”
“I’m not lacking for a meal invite from you! What I need is a chance to eat at the Magic Fish shop whenever I want!” Jiang Ge then asked Lin Jiu, “What are the requirements to dine on the second floor? I want to go upstairs too.”
Jiang Ge definitely loved the Magic Fish shop, but what he lacked was the spending power.
Lin Jiu replied, “You need to spend a million to get to the second floor.”
Jiang Ge slapped the table. “This birthday dinner’s on me, then. I’m moving up to the second floor!”
Si Xu had already qualified for the second floor, and Jiang Ge couldn’t afford to miss out, or else he’d lose his chance to tag along in the future.
Si Xu interjected, “There’s no need…”
Lin Jiu added, “It’s not necessary, I’m treating this meal.”
Si Xu: “…”
Jiang Ge flared up. “You’re the owner, why are you treating us? Can’t you let me, the customer, have a chance? Will this meal cost a million? If not, add more dishes and wine. I’m getting to the second floor!”
Lin Jiu: “…”
Jiang Ge: “So, is it enough?”
Lin Jiu: “…It might go over.”
Jiang Ge: “Then that’s settled, I’m paying tonight.”
Lin Jiu: “…”
Si Xu said, “Let Jiang Ge pay. You’ve worked hard all day, and you shouldn’t take a loss.”
Lin Jiu: “…”
He was frustrated, feeling like he wasn’t being given a chance to show his appreciation.
Not wanting to drag out the discussion about who would pay, Lin Jiu brought out the prepared dishes, while Si Xu and Jiang Ge helped carry them to the private room.
Finally, Lin Jiu brought out a seafood cake. It wasn’t large, only about 8 inches, decorated with a layer of silver carp meat and topped with fish roe and sea pearls. Two number candles were placed on top.
Jiang Ge, seeing the small cake, felt it didn’t reflect his lavishness. “The cake is too small. Do you have a bigger one?”
Lin Jiu shot him a glance. “How big do you want it?”
Jiang Ge gestured with his hands, “At least 14 or 16 inches, and it should have more layers.”
Lin Jiu responded, “I can make the cake as big as you want, but can you finish it?”
Jiang Ge: “…”
Jiang Ge: “Isn’t the point of a cake for decoration, not eating?”
Lin Jiu replied, “There’s no waste allowed in my shop. Didn’t you know?”
Jiang Ge: “…”
Lin Jiu continued, “Make sure to finish the cake. Most of tonight’s cost is wrapped up in this cake.”
Jiang Ge was stunned. “How can this cake cost hundreds of thousands?!”
Lin Jiu scoffed, “Don’t insult the cake. Hundreds of thousands would only cover the top layer’s silver carp and fish roe.”
Jiang Ge: “…!!!!”
Dumbfounded, Jiang Ge looked to Si Xu. “I think Lin Boss is trying to fleece me.”
Si Xu stifled a laugh. “I don’t think so.”
Lin Jiu pointed at the cake. “This isn’t just bread and cream. Inside is a whole piece of blue magic squid tentacle meat. Blue magic squid costs 500,000 per pound—you can do the math on how much this 8-inch cake is worth.”
Jiang Ge nearly collapsed. This cake could easily cost over two million!
Lin Jiu eyed Jiang Ge. “So, are you still paying?”
Jiang Ge gritted his teeth, trying to stand tall. “Of course I’m paying! It’s just a few million, I can afford it!”
Lin Jiu thought to himself that he was getting closer to the million mark.
The dishes were served one after another, and finally, the seafood cake was brought to the table. Lin Jiu was about to leave when Si Xu pulled him back.
“Stay and eat with us—you’ve worked hard enough.”
“There are no other customers tonight, and you young people all know each other. Join us,” Grandfather chimed in, inviting Lin Jiu to sit down.
The private room had a long wooden table with seating for six on each side, but two more could sit at the heads of the table. Since everyone knew each other, it didn’t matter where they sat. Song Mozhi, in her wheelchair, was positioned at one end of the table, leaving plenty of space for the seven of them.
Lin Jiu brought out some red plum wine as the main drink for the evening.
Each person received a glass, and they clinked glasses together.
Lin Jiu, Si Xu, and Jiang Ge were familiar with the flavor of the red plum wine, but the other four were not. Song Mozhi and Grandma Si, both being women, naturally liked the fragrant and sweet wine, while Grandfather and Grandpa Si weren’t used to the taste.
Grandfather immediately furrowed his brow. “Do you have any stronger liquor? I can’t get used to this wine.”
Lin Jiu hesitated, and Jiang Ge quickly jumped in. “Oh, he’s got a real strong drink hidden away. That’s the kind of liquor a real man should drink.”
Grandfather nodded, “I’d like to try it then.”
Lin Jiu hesitated, but Si Xu reassured him, “It’s fine. I’ll keep an eye on them.”
So, Lin Jiu went to fetch some of the stronger green plum wine, but only brought a small bottle—just enough for each person to have a glass.
Grandma Si smiled. “It’s just you two old men with heavy tastes. Mozhi and I think this wine is delicious.”
Song Mozhi agreed, “The wine is fragrant and mild. It’s really good.”
Jiang Ge added, “That’s women’s wine. This green plum wine is the drink for men.”
Si Xu took the bottle from Lin Jiu and poured a glass for Grandfather, Grandpa Si, and Jiang Ge before placing the bottle beside himself.
Grandfather Song and Grandpa Si clinked glasses and each took a small sip. Both men were surprised, having spent a lifetime drinking alcohol but never tasting anything quite like this—it was incredibly potent.
“Tastes good, doesn’t it?” Jiang Ge had been watching their reactions closely.
Grandfather Song enthusiastically declared, “Good stuff!”
Grandpa Si nodded in agreement. “It’s definitely good.”
After finishing a glass, Jiang Ge insisted they cut the cake, eager to see for himself why it was so expensive.
They lit the candles, made a wish, and blew them out. Finally, it was time to cut the cake, and Jiang Ge watched Si Xu’s hand on the knife without blinking.
Si Xu cut the cake evenly into eight slices, leaving one aside for his absent father.
The sensation of cutting into the cake was completely different from that of a bread cake—heavier and more substantial. Lin Jiu had said it was a pure seafood cake, and that was clearly true. The entire cake was a round cut of blue magic squid tentacle, covered in a thick layer of white fruit sauce that looked like cream but wasn’t. The sauce had a sweet and sour flavor with a slight saltiness, and it paired perfectly with the seafood for a unique taste.
The blue magic squid tentacle had been re-seasoned and braised until tender, making it easy for the elderly to eat. Since the tentacle meat was difficult to digest, the large piece each person received was already enough to make them nearly full, even though there was still an untouched feast on the table. Jiang Ge finally admitted that a larger cake wouldn’t have been a good idea.
After quickly finishing their glasses of green plum wine, Grandfather Song and Grandpa Si wanted another round. However, Si Xu refused, stating clearly that each person could only have one glass. If they wanted to drink more, they could only have the red plum wine.
Left with no choice, the two older men had to accept it and focus on eating more food and drinking less alcohol.
Midway through the meal, Grandfather Song stepped outside for a cigarette break, needing some rest before continuing.
Si Xu stood up as well. “You all keep eating, I’m going to check on him.”
When Si Xu went out, his grandfather wasn’t in the hall, so he pushed the door open and saw Grandfather Song sitting on a bench by the window, smoking. The fans outside had already been persuaded to leave by the bodyguards, as it was too cold for them to keep waiting.
Si Xu walked over and sat beside his grandfather.
The older man didn’t look at him, just quietly smoking by himself.
After a long silence, Grandfather Song finally spoke softly, “29 already…”
Finishing his cigarette, he immediately lit another.
“Stop smoking, it’s bad for your health,” Si Xu said, taking the cigarette from his grandfather’s hand.
“I’m fine now, don’t worry about me. You should take care of yourself,” Si Xu urged.
Grandfather shook his head. “Your situation is exactly like your grandmother’s back then. How can I not be worried?”
Si Xu responded, “I can eat normally now, and I don’t feel any discomfort. I might just be the exception.”
“I want to believe you’re the exception too, but it’s not that simple. Before your grandmother passed, she told me it was a genetic issue, and that her descendants might experience the same illness she did. I was terrified raising your mother, but when she safely made it past 30, I felt relieved. But then, it turns out that this gene surfaced in you instead…”
Grandfather’s voice was hoarse. “When I learned that your memory was extraordinary, I feared this day would come. Over the years, I’ve researched a lot, and I know there are others in the world like you. None of them lived past 30. The symptoms before death were the same—weakness, weight loss, and an inability to eat…”
“None of the people with those symptoms survived, none,” Grandfather’s hands trembled as he reached for another cigarette and lit it.
When Lin Jiu arrived, he saw the two of them sitting on the bench in the cold, smoking without coats.
Lin Jiu hadn’t expected Si Xu to smoke. “Why are you sitting outside? Aren’t you cold?”
Seeing Lin Jiu, Si Xu stubbed out his cigarette. “We’ll head in after this one.”
Suddenly, Grandfather Song stood up, filled with hope as he looked at Lin Jiu. “Young boss, your ingredients have been very beneficial for Si Xu’s health. Do you have anything that could help with his condition? He has brain cancer…”
His voice choked up, and as he looked at Lin Jiu, his lips trembled and tears welled in his eyes. “Do you… have anything?”
Si Xu grasped his grandfather’s trembling hand. “Grandfather, please don’t be like this.”
But Grandfather Song kept his eyes fixed on Lin Jiu. “Is there any ingredient that could help with this illness? If there is, no matter the cost, I’ll buy it. Money is no object…”
Lin Jiu was taken aback by the sudden question, and after a pause, he replied, “All the ingredients in my shop are good for his body. Don’t worry too much; he’ll be fine.”
Si Xu looked at Lin Jiu, surprised. He was sure Lin Jiu didn’t know about his illness, but Lin Jiu’s reaction seemed as if he did.
Grandfather shook his head. “Don’t try to comfort me. I know his condition.”
Lin Jiu sighed. “I’m not lying to you. I’ve already been working to improve his health, and he’s going to get better. He’ll be fine.”
Grandfather was stunned for a few seconds before looking at Si Xu.
Si Xu nodded. “It’s true. He’s been helping me with my health.”
“And… has there been any improvement? What do the tests say?” Grandfather asked anxiously, afraid to hear there was no progress. Lin Jiu’s place was his last hope.
Si Xu hesitated, wanting to say something but unable to find the words.
Lin Jiu knew that without solving the underlying problem, the symptoms wouldn’t go away. No matter how many times they checked or how many treatments they tried, the illness wouldn’t improve.
Seeing the elderly man’s tearful expression moved Lin Jiu, and he reassured him, “There will be improvement. Why don’t you go for another checkup in a few days? You should see some results by then.”
“Really?” Grandfather could hardly believe it.
“Really. You can go along with him. But it’s too cold out here. Let’s go back inside,” Lin Jiu urged them.
Grandfather repeatedly agreed and decided to take his grandson for a checkup in a few days.
