Closer to Revealing My True Self
Chapter 224 - 178 The year of one’s birth sign_1

Chapter 224: Chapter 178 The year of one’s birth sign_1

Feng Yi sent a message to Bai Lu to ask about ordering dinner.

They weren’t booking New Year’s Eve dinner at a hotel, but Bai Lu had mentioned before that they could order dishes in advance and have them delivered to their home.

Bai Lu had recently been helping out at his family’s restaurants, wherever he was needed, he would be dispatched. At this moment, he managed to sneak a break and was slurping on a sweet soup in the rest room.

The sweet soup they referred to here wasn’t just sugar or brown sugar mixed with water, but a term for certain desserts in the area.

When Bai Lu took a break, he would make a bowl of sweet soup to his taste, adding ingredients as he pleased. He was picky about his food, and the sweet soup he made varied depending on the time of day, and his mood also affected the choice of ingredients.

Bai Lu was in a good mood today, cheerfully enjoying his brief moment of leisure. Upon seeing the message from Feng Yi, he replied immediately and asked what Feng Yi was doing. Learning that Feng Yi had returned to Yang City and was currently free, he initiated a video call.

"Brother Yi, you really came back? I just saw the discussions online; some people said you were back in the country, and I thought it was just those people talking nonsense again."

Previously, after Feng Yi caught the python, he hid in the hotel and did not go out, leading to all sorts of rumors flying around—everything from severe injuries to the use of extreme measures to deal with the python and being investigated... They made it sound so real. However, after Feng Yi attended a press conference, those rumors naturally fell apart.

This time, after two days of not being seen, people said that Feng Yi had returned to the country ahead of time, as the New Year was approaching in the country and perhaps he had specially come back to celebrate it.

The majority of people online were skeptical about this.

Bai Lu didn’t believe it either.

Unexpectedly, Feng Yi really did come back!

Feng Yi hadn’t paid any special attention to online activities due to the doctor’s affairs.

"Are those reporters still tailing me?" Feng Yi asked.

"Can’t help it, you’re a hot topic. Reporters and some self-media are all watching you. I saw a live streamer yesterday saying they wanted to go to Florida to have a New Year encounter with you, but it looks like they’ll only encounter loneliness in the end."

"Are people still heading to Florida? Besides, a meticulously planned event is not an ’encounter.’"

"Standard procedure. At one of our restaurants to the north of the city, I ran into someone who ordered a few dishes, spent two hours taking photos, and finished eating in five minutes."

Bai Lu also curiously asked a few questions about the python hunting event. If it weren’t for the fact that it was New Year’s at home and the family business was busy, he would definitely have called his buddies to go to Florida for the excitement.

"By the way, Brother Yi, what dishes do you want? Do you need me to make some recommendations? This month my family has introduced new dishes, which my dad included in the New Year’s Eve dinner set. They’re especially popular; a lot of people have ordered them. Or maybe I can recommend the latest menu to you... Is your chef there?"

"He’ll be back tomorrow," Feng Yi said.

"If the chef is good, some dishes can just be sent as semi-finished products to avoid compromising the taste when delivered."

Feng Yi also thought this was a good idea.

Some ingredients needed to be prepared in advance, and this time there were 7 people eating together at home, including Feng Yi, who had a big appetite. Bing wasn’t ready to prepare so much, and there wouldn’t be enough time.

Feng Yi had come back early without telling Bing, so there were many things beyond Bing’s planning.

Having semi-finished ingredients would be a lot more convenient.

Bai Lu sent the latest menu he had compiled to Feng Yi, which he had organized himself and recommended to many people. There was no shortage of people wanting to order from his family’s restaurant, and those familiar with Bai Lu had all received this menu. Some had already booked their New Year’s Eve dinner, but with various family banquets during the first month of the year, they also ordered in advance from his restaurant.

"I’ve been so busy lately I haven’t had time to watch the live streams online, and with the time difference, I can only sneak a peek during the day at videos others have compiled," Bai Lu said. After saying a few words, he slurped on the sweet soup, then continued.

From online trends, he moved on to talk about his family’s "slimming" koi fish and then diverted to the daily hustle and bustle.

Bai Lu was helping out at the family’s various restaurant outlets. According to him, he was only there to taste dishes, do miscellaneous tasks, and run errands, without much decision-making power. It wasn’t that his father and brother didn’t want to delegate power to him, but rather, Bai Lu was too easily swayed by others.

"That bunch, getting nothing from my parents and my brother, all target me! Brother Yi, you don’t know, those people are crafty! Some uncle comes up with a smile, holds my hand tight, showers me with enthusiastic praise until I’m dizzy and lightheaded, and just want to send him away quickly without realizing what I’m agreeing to. By the time I come to my senses... Oops? What did I just agree to?!"

"So now I don’t handle things like booking tables or arranging seating," Bai Lu added, followed by two more spoonfuls of sweet soup to ease the bitterness in his heart, "Life is hard for me!"

"From what I see, you’ve been quite diligent," Feng Yi said, having just scrolled through Bai Lu’s social media posts. The young man got up early in the morning and often worked overtime at night.

Bai Lu whispered, "There are red envelopes involved."

Feng Yi was taken aback. Speaking of red envelopes, shouldn’t he also prepare some for his employees?

Meanwhile, Bai Lu was speaking when his father pushed open the door of the rest room.

"Who are you chatting with now? Slacking off again!"

"I haven’t been slacking off, just taking a break when I can! I was discussing the menu order with Brother Yi."

His dad initially didn’t pay attention. "Which Yi brother?"

Bai Lu looked around and leaned in to whisper, "Feng Yi."

Boss Bai raised an eyebrow. He planned to talk to Feng Yi, but someone outside was looking for him, so he had to leave first.

After drinking his bowl of sweet soup, Bai Lu couldn’t continue to laze around either.

"Brother Yi, just leave me a message once you’ve decided. There are two other homes in your neighborhood, if the time is the same, they will send someone to deliver everything together."

"Okay, thanks."

After finishing the call with Bai Lu, Feng Yi asked Bing about the dishes for the New Year’s Eve dinner and also sent him the menu Bai Lu recommended.

After deleting and trimming, Feng Yi sent the modified menu from Bing to Bai Lu.

Having sorted out the New Year’s Eve dinner, Feng Yi sent a message to Mute Uncle.

Mute Uncle lived alone in the ancestral home on Xiao Feng Mountain, and he was probably going to spend the New Year alone. Feng Yi thought about inviting his old man to join them for the celebration. However...

[Have plans! Not coming!]

Feng Yi: "..."

Fine then.

After a moment’s thought, Feng Yi sent him another message:

[I’ll visit the ancestral home on the first day of the New Year.]

He planned to see Mute Uncle and also to pay respects.

Mute Uncle: [Got it!]

Following the text message was a voice message.

It was so rare, Mute Uncle actually sent a voice message. The old man couldn’t talk, a voice message?

He listened to it, and it was the sound of shuffling mahjong tiles.

Feng Yi: "..."

Understood.

Sorry to disturb!

Feng Yi mentioned the matter concerning Mute Uncle to the butler, knowing that the two elders were acquainted.

After listening, the butler said, "You don’t need to worry too much about it. He makes his own decisions. He probably had already made arrangements for the New Year’s Eve dinner with others and planned to play cards after eating. As for mahjong, he can’t speak, but he can find someone to speak for him."

With Mute Uncle not coming, it would just be a few of them.

Jia and Ding arrived in the evening, and the next morning, Bing and Yi also returned.

In the morning, Feng Yi and Jia went out by car to buy some things and decorate the house a bit to make it feel more like New Year’s.

The zodiac hand was about to move from "snake" to "horse."

In the residential area, the faded snake patterns on windows, doors, and walls were being replaced by vibrant horses.

The elders often say that one’s zodiac birth year is a significant milestone.

Feng Yi didn’t know if this was a milestone for him.

In the past year, his life had taken a huge turn.

There were disasters and blessings, worries and joys.

The days ahead wouldn’t be calm, but there was also new anticipation.