Chapter 23
Gu Xingzhou doubted his own ears.
What did he just hear? “How about letting him take this seat instead?”
Who was “he”?
The fried rice stall owner?!
That was absurd.
Absurd, yet it made him suspicious. Gu Tiancheng was certainly capable of pulling something like this.
As the only son of the Gu family, his mother had passed away from illness over a decade ago. His father had never remarried, but contrary to public expectation, he hadn’t spoiled his only heir with indulgence.
On the contrary, Gu Tiancheng had always been extremely strict with him.
But the stricter his father was, the more rebellious Gu Xingzhou became.
Deep down, he was independent, unruly, and unwilling to be controlled—capable of doing just about anything outrageous.
Ten years ago, caught up in the thrill of the moment, Gu Xingzhou gambled away a nine-figure sum at a casino and nearly lost a finger in the process. At that time, Gu Tiancheng completely severed their father-son relationship, kicked him out of the house, and even adopted a child from a collateral branch of the family to groom as his successor.
If he hadn’t met Ning Sheng, Gu Xingzhou might have starved to death on the streets back then.
As for how he later returned to the Gu family, endured humiliation to regain his father’s approval, and reclaimed his position as heir—that was another long and winding story.
Gu Tiancheng looked at Gu Xingzhou, then at the darts, photos, and messy documents scattered around him. The more he looked, the more displeased he became.
Thinking of his late wife’s smile, he couldn’t help but sigh deeply.
Ah Yue, we spent our lives doing good deeds—what terrible karma did we accumulate to give birth to such a little troublemaker?
“You will be home at exactly five o’clock this afternoon,” Gu Tiancheng ordered, pointing a stern finger at Gu Xingzhou. “I’ve invited an esteemed guest over for dinner. He will teach you how to conduct yourself properly. And don’t even think about getting up to any nonsense.”
Gu Xingzhou clicked his tongue, his dark eyes gleaming. “Dad, I have something to do. Let’s reschedule.”
He had to see Ning Sheng.
Everything was ready—he was about to give Ah Sheng… a “surprise.”
The thought of Ning Sheng’s reaction made Gu Xingzhou curl his lips into an amused smile.
“What scheming nonsense are you up to now?” Gu Tiancheng knocked him hard on the head. “You little menace!”
Gu Xingzhou shivered from the impact. “…”
Gu Tiancheng issued his final warning. “If you’re not home by five, then tomorrow, pack up your things and get the hell out of the company!”
With that, he turned and strode out the door, leaving those words lingering ominously in the air.
Gu Xingzhou stared at his retreating figure in disbelief.
“Dad…”
*
Universal Livestream Room
[HAHAHAHA!]
[“You little menace!”—That was so loud and clear, absolutely satisfying!]
[Chairman Gu is so cool! The older, the wiser! (cheering emojis)]
[Breaking news: Gu Dog hasn’t harassed Ning Baby for a full four days now. Ning Baby has been so happy every day.]
[Why are Ning Sheng’s rich fangirls so rich?! They’re showering money like crazy—Boss Jian’s status is literally built on stacks of cash.]
[I refuse to accept this! Ning Baby falling in love with Boss Jian’s cooking totally counts as romance!]
[What is happening?! (flips table) I’m questioning my entire existence. The only reason I camp in this livestream is to see how Boss Jian advances the plot in ways no one ever expects…]
In just two days, the plot had taken a dramatic leap. Not only had Ming Ruogui been affected, but even Chairman Gu himself was now captivated by Jian Yunlan’s fried rice. Everyone was left stunned by the bizarre plot twists.
Although they hadn’t yet conquered Gu Xingzhou as a character, the storyline had still advanced by 8%, which was enough for Jian Yunlan’s livestream room to stand out from the crowd, soaring into the top twenty rankings!
Another three to four thousand viewers flooded in.
Ning Sheng’s fans were ecstatic, throwing virtual gifts like money was nothing. The more setbacks Gu Xingzhou suffered, the happier they were.
Of course, Gu Xingzhou’s fans strongly protested.
[This made no sense at all!]
[How could a single bowl of fried rice completely win over Chairman Gu? He was even considering kicking Gu Xingzhou out just to let Jian Yunlan take his place?!]
[There had to be a bug in the plot.]
As fans of Gu Xingzhou, they had been insulted and ridiculed before, but never had they felt this suffocated.
They wanted to see Gu Xingzhou suffer—but in a dramatic, angst-filled way: chasing after his wife in vain, going mad, failing to get what he wanted, darkening with obsessive love… Not to see him humiliated, scolded by his parents, and even have a street food vendor threaten his position as CEO!
If Chairman Gu’s words came true, would the plot of Paranoid Possession even be able to continue?
A domineering CEO enforcing his love—everyone loved that trope.
But if he turned into a domineering, unemployed bum enforcing his love…
That would be an instant turn-off.
It just sounded utterly unappealing.
[Gu Dog won’t go down so easily! Just wait, he’ll definitely teach Boss Jian a lesson—sob sob sob!]
[Do you guys even believe what you’re saying? (lights cigarette)]
[Tonight, Chairman Gu has invited Boss Jian to his house as a guest and is forcing Gu Xingzhou to return as well. Let’s just wait and see—who will win?]
[Place your bets! Odds are up, make your move!]
Gu Xingzhou’s fans: …
You people really love stirring up trouble!
*
Outside Yuanzhou Group Headquarters – Street Food Stall
Zhang Mo and Bei Shi stood in the long queue, both looking troubled and awkward.
Zhang Mo’s awkwardness stemmed from pain and heartbreak.
He had thought Bei Shi’s sudden kindness toward him meant they were finally on the same page—that she, too, wanted to spend her life with him.
…Who could have guessed she only cared about Boss Jian’s fried rice?!
Bei Shi’s awkwardness, however, was even more obvious.
The fried rice she bought yesterday had been snatched up and eaten by Ming Ruogui. After going an entire day without it, she had been restless, unable to sleep. At five in the morning, she opened her eyes, determined that no matter what, she must have fried rice today!
To prepare for the occasion, she had taken a bath, burned incense, changed into fresh clothes, and even put on makeup—just to greet her fried rice in the best possible state.
Who knew Zhang Mo would misunderstand everything?
Not only did he misunderstand—he even dropped to one knee and pulled out a ring.
Was there any proposal more awkward than this?
Just thinking about it made Bei Shi want to curl her toes into the ground and dig out an entire Barbie Dream Castle.
Even though they had arrived early, Zhang Mo’s ill-timed proposal had delayed them, and they missed their chance to get in line first. Now, they had already been waiting for an hour.
Finally, when it was Zhang Mo’s turn, he let out a sigh and said, “Boss, I’ll have a pickled vegetable fried rice.”
Sigh. Oh well. Since I’m here, I might as well eat.
Even though his proposal failed, a man still had to eat. With everyone around him enjoying their food, Zhang Mo was starting to get hungry too.
“Got it.”
Jian Yunlan heated up the pan, added oil, stir-fried minced pork, and tossed in pickled vegetables, letting the flames bring out their rich aroma. Instantly, the mouthwatering scent of pickled vegetable fried rice spread through the air.
Before long, a steaming hot plate of fried rice was handed to Zhang Mo.
—Each grain of rice was perfectly distinct, fried to a golden crisp, glistening with oil and sauce. The juicy minced pork was evenly mixed in, its rich flavor seeping into every bite. But the real star was the delicate strands of pale yellow pickled vegetables, cut finely, their intense tangy aroma mingling with the heat rising from the pan, sending an irresistible fragrance straight to the nose.
Zhang Mo’s eyes widened as he stared at the pickled vegetables. “Holy crap…”
One bite of this, and he’d be the happiest little boy in the world!
Seeing Zhang Mo with his fried rice, Bei Shi was overwhelmed with envy.
She turned to Jian Yunlan, eyes shining. “Boss, I’ll have a pickled vegetable fried rice too!”
But things didn’t go as planned.
Jian Yunlan lifted the now-empty ingredient container and regretfully announced:
“Today’s 100 portions of fried rice are officially sold out. Thanks for your support! See you all tomorrow at 9 AM!”
A wave of anguished wails erupted from the crowd.
“No, no, say it isn’t true! Say it now!”
“I waited an hour—an hour!! All I ever think about, morning and night, is fried rice!”
“I don’t care, Boss, you can’t leave! If you go, I don’t want to live anymore! Please, if the fried rice is gone, at least let me lick the pan…”
It didn’t stop there. A young married couple nearby had only managed to buy one portion, and they were now fighting over it.
“That’s MY fried rice!”
“We’re family! What’s yours is mine—just share a little!”
“No way! You’re not getting a single bite of MY fried rice!”
Watching them, the crowd sighed in unison.
So much for “till death do us part.” When fried rice is involved, it’s every man for himself.
Meanwhile, about 70–80% of the customers in line were overworked corporate employees, their mental states already fraying at the edges. Now, they flailed their arms, collapsed to the ground, and crawled in despair, muttering, “Boss…” “Fried… fried rice…” “Haha, great… not like I wanted to live anyway.”
The scene looked like something straight out of a zombie apocalypse.
Bei Shi stood frozen in place, lips trembling.
Why… why did the fried rice have to run out just as it was her turn?
No. This wasn’t real.
Tears welled up in her eyes as she let out a broken laugh, murmuring in a tragic, poetic voice:
“I was a fool, truly… I thought waking up at five in the morning would let me get ahead in line. I didn’t know fried rice could sell out so fast… I didn’t know so many others desired it as well. So many people come and go in this world, but my fried rice… my fried rice… has vanished without a trace, leaving behind only the scent of pickled vegetables…”
Zhang Mo: “……”
As the lucky one who bought the last portion of fried rice, Zhang Mo was now the target of countless envious, resentful, and jealous stares.
He picked up his spoon, just about to take a big bite, when he heard Bei Shi mumbling to herself over and over again.
—What should he do? His girlfriend seemed… broken.
Zhang Mo looked down at the steaming, glossy fried rice in his hands, its tangy aroma filling the air.
Then he looked up at Bei Shi, who stood before him, hollow-eyed and utterly devastated.
His hands began to tremble.
This decision was unbelievably difficult—excruciating, even—especially for someone who had been starving all night. But…
Love conquers all, right?
“Bei Shi.” Zhang Mo took a deep breath, his voice solemn and heroic.
Once again, he knelt on one knee, holding the plate of fried rice in one hand and a ring in the other.
“There’s something I’ve kept in my heart for years, something I’ve always wanted to tell you.”
“Will you spend the rest of your life with me?”
Zhang Mo declared, “From now on, all the fried rice I have—it’s yours.”
For a brief moment, there was silence.
Then the crowd erupted into screams and applause!
“Holy crap, holy crap! He’s actually giving up his fried rice?! That couple over there was just fighting to the death over one bowl!”
“Mom, I believe in love again! Sob sob sob!”
“That’s Boss Jian’s last serving of pickled vegetable fried rice, my god! Even I want to marry him now~”
The one speaking was a burly, 1.9-meter-tall muscular man, who shyly covered his face as he said it.
The crowd: “……”
Someone pulled out their phone, eager to record this once-in-a-lifetime, heartwarming moment for the happy couple.
Bei Shi gasped, covering her mouth in disbelief.
Tears welled up in her eyes, brimming with joy and excitement. She sobbed as she answered:
“I… I do!”
Was there any proposal in the world more romantic than this?
Zhang Mo’s own eyes turned red with emotion. Bei Shi eagerly reached out her hand, and Zhang Mo, overwhelmed with happiness, was just about to slip the ring onto her finger—
—when Bei Shi’s hand bypassed the ring and grabbed the fried rice instead.
Lowering her head, she devoured it like a starving beast.
The succulent, fatty minced pork blended perfectly with the soft yet chewy rice. The crisp, smoky fried rice, the refreshing acidity of the pickled vegetables—each bite burst with flavor. The pickled veggies crunched loudly between her teeth, their juices scalding hot as they seeped into the tender rice, coating her entire mouth with rich, tangy deliciousness…
It was heavenly. Absolutely heavenly!
Burning her mouth in the rush to eat, Bei Shi gasped between bites, “Ah! Hiss! Zzz! Chomp chomp! So good!”
Zhang Mo: “……”
The crowd: “……”
Watching this scene, Jian Yunlan was deeply moved.
His cooking… had actually created a love story. What a beautiful thing.
He had already packed up and was about to leave, but now, he turned his tricycle around and said:
“Congratulations! You two must be happy together!”
“As a wedding gift, I’ll reserve two servings of fried rice for you tomorrow—you don’t even need to queue, just come straight to me.”
The surrounding crowd looked on with even greater envy.
The muscular man who had just said he wanted to marry Zhang Mo shyly took the hand of another equally muscular man, their faces flushed as they hesitated before saying:
“Boss, w-we… we’re getting married too. Can you reserve two portions for us as well?”
Immediately, someone exposed them.
“Wang Xiaoshuang, Wang Dashuang—you two are biological brothers!”
“Trying to fake a relationship just for fried rice? Shameless! Boss, don’t let them fool you.”
“Absolutely despicable.”
The two burly men: “……”
What’s wrong with that?! Can’t brothers get married?!
Haven’t they ever heard of forbidden romance? It’s totally in right now!
Meanwhile, in just the blink of an eye, Bei Shi had already polished off the entire bowl of fried rice.
She and Zhang Mo shared a meaningful look, eyes glistening with emotion. Overcome with gratitude, they both turned to Jian Yunlan with tears in their eyes.
“Boss, you’re such a good person—”
“Can we make you our future child’s godfather?”
Bei Shi and Zhang Mo had a plan.
If they could get their child to acknowledge Jian Yunlan as their godfather, wouldn’t that guarantee them unlimited access to fried rice in the future?
There was no denying it—they were truly a match made in heaven, their minds working in perfect sync.
For most people, marriage was a romantic vow. But for Bei Shi and Zhang Mo, it was a strategic alliance built around a shared interest: fried rice.
Jian Yunlan: “?”
Their child… calling him godfather?
That was a bit much.
“That won’t be necessary,” Jian Yunlan politely declined. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll be heading out. See you tomorrow!”
As Jian Yunlan pedaled away on his tricycle, Bei Shi and Zhang Mo panicked. They ran after him, shouting:
“Boss, we can still negotiate this! If not—”
“If not, we can acknowledge you as our godfather instead! Dad! Dad!”
“Zzz! Squeak! Boss, our newlywed wish is just to eat one more bowl of fried rice—Boss, no, godfather!”
The cries of these two lovebirds echoed endlessly.
The crowd: “……”
Let’s… just wish them happiness.
After closing up shop and returning home, it was still early. Jian Yunlan took a comfortable afternoon nap.
The day was bright and sunny, the breeze gentle. Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, wrapping the room in a warm glow.
Jian Yunlan rolled over in bed, then suddenly felt a chill down his spine—like a wild beast was watching him.
He snapped his eyes open.
Standing by his bed was Taotie, clad in a loose T-shirt, silver hair cascading over his shoulders, and those pure golden pupils staring at him intently.
Jian Yunlan’s scalp tingled with fear. He scrambled upright, blurting out, “What the hell?!”
Having a ridiculously handsome man standing by your bed, staring at you—it sounded nice in theory. But Taotie’s gaze was so unsettling that it was downright terrifying.
“Lord Taotie, don’t scare me like that,” Jian Yunlan laughed nervously. “W-What do you want? Are you hungry?”
Taotie said nothing.
Jian Yunlan’s whole body felt numb under his stare. On the verge of a breakdown, he cautiously asked, “Did I… offend you somehow?”
Still, Taotie remained silent.
After a long pause, Jian Yunlan finally said, “Hey, old man. Say something.”
Taotie: “?”
Finally, there was a reaction. His golden eyes narrowed in anger. “Who are you calling old man?!”
Jian Yunlan: “Haha, sorry. I thought you disconnected for a moment.”
In his mind: This Taotie… really doesn’t know how to take a joke.
Taotie’s expression darkened. His thin lips pressed together. “I am only 38,512 years old this year.”
By the standards of the Shan Hai realm, he was still quite young.
“Yes, yes, only 38,512 years old. You’re still just a baby,” Jian Yunlan replied in the most respectful tone he could muster.
Taotie: “……”
That… sounded weird.
Forget it.
Being the gracious and magnanimous Lord Taotie, he decided not to dwell on it.
“So, Lord Taotie, what exactly did you wake me up for?” Jian Yunlan yawned. Taotie wouldn’t just stand by his bed for no reason, right?
Taotie hesitated for a long time, appearing… almost embarrassed.
Finally, after a moment of feigned indifference, he said:
“Human, I wish to watch ‘television’.”
“The artifacts of the mortal realm are nothing special, but as a being of immense power, I have a duty to understand the ways of the lower world…”
“In short, bring me that so-called television at once!”
Jian Yunlan asked a few questions and quickly understood the situation. Apparently, the butler had casually mentioned that a xianxia drama featuring Taotie as a main character was currently airing. Taotie had been curious, wondering how the people of the small realms perceived him.
Unfortunately, the last television he had was… well, eaten by Taotie.
Didn’t taste very good.
Only after hearing the butler’s explanation did Taotie realize that the so-called television wasn’t meant to be eaten—it was a viewing device, like a Cloud Mirror, capable of displaying moving images.
“…So that’s all you wanted?” Jian Yunlan was speechless. He couldn’t believe Taotie had woken him up just to watch TV. “I’ll have the butler buy you a smartphone.”
A phone could not only play TV shows but also chat, play games, and more.
The butler quickly returned with the latest model of a Fruit brand smartphone.
As soon as it powered on, the phone vibrated, played music, and lit up.
Taotie’s expression darkened. He reacted as if facing a great enemy—his silver hair billowed without wind, and flames gathered in his palm.
“What foul beast is this?! Human, hide behind me! I shall destroy it!”
Then, upon realizing it was just the phone’s startup sound—
Taotie: “……”
He averted his gaze and pretended nothing had happened.
Soon enough, Taotie was completely absorbed in his new toy, playing with the phone nonstop.
It seemed even a 38,000-year-old ancient being couldn’t resist the charm of human technology.
Watching Taotie intently tapping away at Tetris, Jian Yunlan sighed.
Wow, he’s so easy to fool.
Just then, Jian Yunlan’s own phone vibrated with a notification from the Chef God app:
[You have successfully provided a communication device for your first employee! Congratulations on taking your first step from being a ruthless boss to a benevolent one~]
Jian Yunlan: Excuse me, who are you calling a ruthless boss?!
[Taotie’s favorability +15]
[Reaching certain favorability milestones unlocks mystery box rewards. Keep up the good work~ Friendly reminder: Favorability can be viewed in the ‘Employee List’.]
There’s a favorability system too? Jian Yunlan’s curiosity was piqued. He opened the [Employee List], and there was only one entry:
[Employee No. 1]
Name: ???
Race: Taotie (Shan Hai Realm)
Age: 38,512
Role: TBD
Skills: Massacre (Lv. 9999) Devour (Lv. 9999) Intimidation (Lv. 9999) Using a Smartphone (Lv. 1) ??? (Locked) ??? (Locked)
Personal Artifact: Greed, Wrath, Delusion Halberd (Locked)
Jian Yunlan: “……”
…Using a smartphone at Level 1.
That explained a lot.
*
Favorability Rating: ???
Jian Yunlan: “…”
Many of the attributes in the system’s basic profile were marked as “???” and “locked,” and even the section showing his favorability rating was still a question mark!
Wasn’t it supposed to be visible?!
This Chef God system must be bugged.
Jian Yunlan felt speechless and exited the system in frustration.
Just then, his phone alarm rang.
Unknowingly, it was already 5 PM.
Gu Tiancheng had invited him over at 6 PM.
“Young Master, are you going out?” the butler asked respectfully. “Would you like me to prepare the car?”
Jian Yunlan was about to say no—he could just take his tricycle—but then he reconsidered. The Gu family mansion was bound to be grand, and he wasn’t going there to set up a food stall, so riding a tricycle seemed unnecessary.
“Alright,” Jian Yunlan nodded.
The butler was overjoyed. “Young Master, you haven’t driven your Maserati, Lamborghini, Lincoln, Maybach, or Ferrari in so long… Xiaobai, Xiaohong, Azi, and Zhusha all must feel lonely.”
As a dedicated butler, he had given every car a name.
Jian Yunlan: “…”
*
One Hour Later
After getting out of the car, Jian Yunlan was welcomed by the Gu family’s butler and was soon greeted by a smiling Gu Tiancheng, who warmly shook his hand.
“Xiao Jian, I’ve been waiting for you! Come in, come in!”
Gu Tiancheng, like a caring and responsible elder, led Jian Yunlan inside while giving instructions to his staff:
“Lao Zhang, pour some tea for Mr. Jian!”
“You young folks love desserts, so I had the chef prepare some. I hope they suit your taste, haha.”
“Tough journey, wasn’t it? Are you hungry? Was there traffic?”
The servants exchanged glances, their expressions shifting.
The master was treating this young man so well! He even brought in the top chef from Tang Banquet just to prepare this meal—something not even the eldest young master had ever received!
Jian Yunlan felt overwhelmed by the hospitality. “Mr. Gu, you’re too kind! I didn’t prepare much of a gift, just brought some homemade wontons as a token of appreciation…”
Since he had come on short notice, he hadn’t had time to prepare a proper gift. Instead, he reverted to his roots and handmade some wontons, hoping Gu Tiancheng would enjoy them.
Gu Tiancheng was beyond delighted.
Having experienced Jian Yunlan’s cooking before, he could tell at a glance that these wontons were tightly wrapped, delicately sized, with thin skin and generous filling—surely delicious.
His hands trembled as he excitedly handed the wontons to the butler.
“Take these and put them in the safe with our most valuable possessions! No one is allowed near them!”
Jian Yunlan: “…”
Bro, isn’t that a bit much?
Gu Tiancheng waved him inside, beaming.
“By the way, Xiao Jian, since you’re here, I’d like to introduce you to the most important member of my family—”
Standing nearby, Gu Xingshou took a deep breath and rose with a composed expression, preparing to make his entrance.
He was ready to meet this fried rice stall owner. He needed to see what kind of tricks this guy had used to charm his father so thoroughly.
Gu Tiancheng proudly continued:
“—my beloved son, Dahei!”
A robust German Shepherd leapt out, its coat sleek and glossy, its frame well-built. Dahei happily circled Jian Yunlan and licked his hand.
Gu Xingshou, who had been about to shake hands: “???”
Wait a minute.
If Dahei was Gu Tiancheng’s beloved son, then what did that make him?
Was he… a dog???!!!
Haha
(*^^*) I actually love BS+ZM