Chapter 25: Surrounded on All Sides

Past eleven o’clock at night.

Most of the restaurants along the old street had already closed their doors. The few that remained open were either bustling with business or busy with their end-of-day cleaning. The street itself was quiet and desolate, broken only by the faint sound of a bottle shattering somewhere in the distance—likely a few more drunks had joined the night.

Next Door Kitchen.

Clang, clang, clang—

Inside the restaurant, aside from the crisp clatter of chopsticks against porcelain bowls, all was still as death.

Su Rui fiddled with her phone at the cash register, occasionally casting a glance toward the source of the noise.

The bodyguard in a suit, sunglasses, and black gloves stood there as rigid as a log, exactly as he had when first seen.

A middle-aged man, hair streaked with gray, was wolfing down white rice and scallion beef, not uttering a single word as he ate.

Li Can sat upright across from the man.

“Su Rui, it’s getting late. You should head home,” Li Can said.

“Are you sure you don’t need a hand?” Su Rui’s thoughts were as clear as a mirror; she knew Li Can was trying to send her away. Still, she felt uneasy about leaving all the cleaning to him alone.

“I can manage.” Li Can gave a slight, affirmative nod.

“All right, then. I’ll head off.” Without another word, Su Rui slung her bag over her shoulder, walked out, hailed a cab, and rode off toward the end of the street.

Inside the restaurant, only the three men remained.

Clang, clang, clang—

Perhaps because there were no outsiders left, or perhaps because the scallion beef was simply too delicious, the middle-aged man poured the last half bowl of rice into his plate, mixed it thoroughly, and ate directly from the dish.

Roughly a minute later, when the final bite of rice was gone, he set down his chopsticks with satisfaction.

The young bodyguard handed him a glass of water, followed by a capsule-shaped pill.

“Ah, my digestion isn’t what it used to be. When I overeat, I have to rely on medicine, or I’ll be miserable the next day,” the man said, tossing back the capsule.

“Not bad. Your cooking hasn’t declined—in fact, it’s better than ever.”

The beef strips were tender and succulent, the scallions charred and fragrant, the smoky note perfectly balanced, the heat precisely judged. The sauce was rich without being greasy, the layers of flavor distinct and abundant, the sweetness of red pepper a flawless complement. Nowhere in Sakura District, he reckoned, could anyone fry a better scallion beef.

Hearing such high praise, Li Can remained impassive, his face devoid of pride.

He had not lied to Su Rui: this middle-aged man was indeed far more formidable than the so-called richest man in Sakura District. The top ten conglomerates in Canglan City were all his holdings, and even a single one of those was worth more than the entire fortune of Sakura District’s wealthiest resident.

His name was Wei Zhong—a family patriarch unknown to the world, yet able to stir the winds and summon the rain. He was also the father of Wei Lan.

“You don’t seem particularly happy to see me,” Wei Zhong remarked to himself, his expression unreadable, betraying nothing of his true intentions.

“If Uncle Zhong wishes to eat my cooking, I have no reason to refuse,” Li Can replied with neither arrogance nor servility.

A hint of gratification flickered across Wei Zhong’s face as he looked around. “So, how do you find life here?”

“It’s fine. At least I don’t have those few annoying flies from the Royal Court buzzing around me.” Li Can knew better than to ask how Wei Zhong had found him; a man of his means had ten thousand ways to track him down. What did surprise Li Can was how quickly he’d been found—barely a day since leaving the Royal Court. It meant Wei Zhong had been keeping an eye on him all along.

“If you give the word, I can make the Royal Court disappear this instant, or have those irritating flies kneel before you and apologize,” Wei Zhong said serenely, his words carrying a weight that would have made any outsider laugh in disbelief.

Li Can did not laugh. He knew this middle-aged man was more than capable; as long as he made his wishes known, countless people would scramble to see them fulfilled.

“So? Do you want to vent your anger?”

Li Can met Wei Zhong’s fathomless gaze for a long moment. “And what’s your price? I can’t believe you’d do all this just for my father’s sake.”

Wei Zhong sighed deeply. “Since your father passed, I’ve had no one with whom I could truly confide. Not even Aunt Yu Ling. But some things simply can’t be changed. Do you understand?”

Li Can said nothing.

“I raised Wei Lan from childhood so she could take over the family business after I’m gone. But now, all she thinks about is you—she doesn’t care about the family at all.”

“Inheriting the family business isn’t what Wei Lan wants. She wants her own life,” Li Can replied.

“You’re too young to understand the stakes.” Wei Zhong showed no anger, merely continued, “There are many rivals within the family. If I don’t help Wei Lan secure her position while I’m alive, once I’m gone, no one will be able to suppress them. The struggle for profit is far more brutal than you imagine.”

He shook his head. “I never spoke to you of this before because I thought I had more time, that it wouldn’t hurt to let her be willful for a while. But now, she’s about to graduate. Do you know what that means?”

Without waiting for Li Can to answer, Wei Zhong went on, “It means everyone will instinctively see her as a threat—and act accordingly.”

Li Can understood this perfectly. As the saying goes, ‘A man’s innocence becomes his crime when he possesses a coveted treasure.’ Once Wei Lan graduated, she would inevitably begin to get involved in the family business, and the rivals would not sit idly by—they would surely move against her in secret.

“So, can you help me persuade her?”

“I can relay your message, but whether Wei Lan listens is her own choice,” Li Can said, making it clear he would never use her feelings for him to influence her decisions.

“You’re willing to stand by as she’s beset on all sides?” Wei Zhong pressed, his tone hardening. “If she’s ever in danger and I’m no longer here—who will help her? You? A chef working in a hole-in-the-wall eatery?”

“A chef can achieve great things,” Li Can replied, his gaze unwavering.

“Yes, back when you were at the Royal Court, you were a prominent figure in the culinary world, someone with a bit of influence. But now, even if you revealed your identity, you’d only invite ridicule.” Wei Zhong’s face grew cold. “Do you really think people would rejoice at hearing your name? Let’s be honest—people care about the food, not the person who cooks it. Look at the Royal Court; since your departure, business has only improved. Some patrons don’t even know you’re gone, nor can they taste the difference in the dishes.”

Wei Zhong managed a helpless smile. “Do you know why? Because if your recipes can be copied once, they can be copied twice, thrice, and more. The world will never lack for good chefs; what’s lacking is truly unique cuisine. Yet unique cuisine is always imitated in the end. Just like this plate of scallion beef—you’re following the methods of your predecessors. No matter how much you surpass them, it’s still just scallion beef.”

Li Can’s heart twisted with pain; he had no words to reply.

(To be continued...)