On the seventh floor of Wafuu Inn, at the central area, stood a ten-meter-high, three-story building in the style of an ancient Huaxia tavern. Within the spacious floor, it was divided into three smaller levels. The first floor was the largest, filled with wooden tables and benches.
The other two floors lacked a central area, instead featuring walkways and private rooms along the edges, each furnished with long tables and wooden chairs for dining and rest.
No one knew what the designer of this floor had been thinking, recreating the kind of tavern seen in Huaxia's costume dramas. Yet, thanks to ample funding, it was crafted with elegance and authenticity, exuding an ancient charm.
Unquestionably, it had become one of Wafuu Inn's most famous attractions. Alongside its hot springs, gardens, and beautiful attendants, it was counted as one of the "Four Beauties of Wafuu." The creative design had earned unexpected praise and popularity.
After all, with Huaxia's growing strength, and Neon never having fully separated from its influence, more than 90% of its people admired Huaxia deeply. To be able to experience such distinctly Huaxia-style architecture in their own country was a delight.
Though, due to the cost, most who came here to stay were wealthy or well-off. Few others would come just for a meal. Yet everyone who did leave bore expressions of satisfaction.
It was, no doubt, thanks to the culinary mastery of the Cantonese chef. His skill left guests deeply impressed. No wonder the Zhao family had gone to great lengths to win him over, even making him a partial owner of the inn, using his craft to elevate its reputation. His abilities were simply extraordinary.
The girls sat together in a private room, listening as Chu Lian slowly explained the background of the tavern. Their faces showed curiosity.
Surprisingly, Liu Yanran—usually so quiet—was the first to speak: "Chu Lian, if this master chef is truly so skilled, then what kind of opponent could have defeated him so completely that he ended up working under the Zhao family?"
Though her family had nothing to do with chefs, as someone with an unrelenting passion for food, she couldn't help but wonder. For someone of such caliber, even worldwide, few could force him into failure.
"I don't know the answer. Zhao Ziming's information on this was vague, only glossed over with a few words. There must be secrets and stories behind it we don't know." Chu Lian tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, frowning slightly, her tone uncertain.
"But still, it's someone else's private matter. It wouldn't be right for us to dig too deeply." Li Xiu'er blinked and glanced at the girls as she spoke gently.
"This young girl is quite good—she understands me well…" Just as the topic was about to end, a powerful, resonant voice came from beyond the screen. Moments later, an elderly man with a head full of silver hair entered with a faint smile.
Chu Lian was startled at the sight. "Mr. Gan, why are you here?" Gan Yixue—that was the name of the elderly man, soft-sounding yet his presence was strong. He was both the head chef of this Cantonese restaurant and a hidden co-owner of Wafuu Inn.
She knew his name because Zhao Ziming's materials had included his profile.
They had just been discussing his story, and now here he was in person. Though she knew it wasn't intentional, the girls' cheeks all burned hotly. The timing was too embarrassing. They weren't yet capable of keeping a straight face in such situations. Even with a stranger, they would feel awkward—let alone when that stranger was a widely respected elder.
Sensing that his arrival had made the girls uneasy, Gan Yixue sat down calmly with a gentle smile, placing his hands on the table. Looking around at the circle of girls, he said: "No need to worry. My story isn't a secret—many people know it. Plenty have discussed me the same way you just did. It's nothing shameful."
The elder seemed to be in a good mood. His expression was warm as he spoke. Yet the observant could see his eyes occasionally flickering toward Chu Lian and Chu Chu. No doubt, the reason he had come was because the two of them were here.
Chu Lian, accustomed to such subtle glances thanks to her past life's experiences, quickly recovered from her initial embarrassment. Composed, she sipped her tea elegantly, feigning ignorance.
But Chu Chu's temperament was more straightforward. Without Chu Lian's composure and experience, she soon grew unsettled when she noticed his eyes resting on her and her elder sister from time to time. At last, she couldn't hold back and spoke: "Mr. Gan, out of respect for your age, Chu Chu can endure many things. But why do you keep looking at me and Big Sis? If we've done something improper or offensive, please tell us directly. There's no need to keep staring like this."
Even in irritation, Chu Chu's upbringing showed through. Raised under her mother's strict discipline, she sometimes acted spoiled, but in public she always carried herself like a proper young lady. Perhaps this was what people meant by a 'mask.'
"Hehe, don't be upset. I'm not here to cause trouble. It's just that upon seeing the descendants of an old acquaintance, I couldn't help but take a look." Gan Yixue wasn't offended. He waved his hand lightly to calm her before explaining.
"Descendants of an old acquaintance? Who do you mean, Mr. Gan?" Since he had spoken of her and Chu Chu as descendants, it was clear he knew their family background. But whose acquaintance was he referring to?
"It's been about ten years now. That person has likely forgotten me, a defeated rival unworthy of memory." His eyes grew distant as he sank into recollection, beginning to speak to himself as though telling a story.
"Ten years ago, I was the undisputed number one Cantonese chef in Guangdong. In Huaxia, everyone knew the name Gan Yixue. Even abroad, the culinary world had heard of me."
"Fame makes a man arrogant. And it draws challengers. Many sought to defeat me as a stepping stone to their own reputation, coming from all over the world to Guangdong to compete."
"Of course, only those who passed through my disciples could reach me. And those who did were already famous chefs in their own right."
"Perhaps out of pride, or perhaps because they weren't truly invested, those who reached me still weren't stronger than I. Soon, I had a record of thirty consecutive victories."
"I was still young then, and my growing record made me lose sight of myself. One day, I even challenged one of the most renowned culinary masters."
"She didn't refuse, nor ask for time to prepare. She simply cooked a few homestyle dishes herself and let me taste them…"
"And the result was—I lost. Lost completely."
"Very few knew of the outcome, and they knew her identity, so the story never spread. I managed to preserve my reputation as the number one master of Cantonese cuisine."
"But escaping one calamity didn't mean I could escape the next."
"Her disciple heard I had challenged her master and took offense. During a competition, when I had reached thirty-seven consecutive victories, that disciple appeared…"
"I can never forget the feeling of that day, though I can no longer find the words to describe it."
"Compared to her master, the ingredients and dishes she used were far more complex. But the result was unchanged. I still lost…"
"Hehe, fortunately that competition had already ended, with no media attention. The challenge took place in private time and space, so not many knew of it either."
"But this time, I truly lost. Because before we competed, she made a wager with me. If I won, I would receive one hundred billion Huaxia yuan. If she won, all my property would be hers, and I would be forbidden from remaining in Huaxia's culinary world."
"Those who knew who she was never doubted she could put up such a sum. I, however, eager to shake off the shadow of losing to her master, agreed to the wager…"
"The result is what you see now. All my property was lost to her. Unable to stay in Huaxia anymore, I accepted the Zhao family's invitation and came here as head chef…"
The story wasn't long. The old man spoke without emotion, without recounting details of the match, without showing regret. It was all so calm. As if the story wasn't his own, as if he had already let go of it.
What Chu Lian and the others saw before them was a man with a tranquil bearing. It was hard to imagine what kind of person he had been ten years ago, for him to call himself proud and unrestrained.
"Then can you tell me now—who was the old acquaintance you mentioned?" Chu Lian asked after listening. The dissatisfaction she'd felt from his earlier gaze had faded, replaced with a quiet respect.
Ten years of storms. From the heights of glory to the depths of defeat, and then rising again with such detachment—how many could achieve that?
"That person was your mother…" The old man's eyes turned toward Huaxia. After a long pause, he finally revealed it.
The girls froze in place at his words—some in disbelief, some at a loss, some with thoughts in turmoil.
By the time they gathered their wits, the old man was already gone, and dish after dish of sumptuous food had been served to the table.
"Mother… what kind of legend was your past?" Chu Lian tasted the food quietly, her mind filled with thoughts.
Who would have thought that on this trip to Neon, she would encounter part of Li Mingxue's past? A woman who had hidden so many secrets, yet was content to live now as a devoted mother. What kind of heart was that?
She didn't know—but she wanted to…