Chapter 525: Do You Have Someone You Like?
Prime Minister Zhou Yuan stood in the queue, absentmindedly staring at the entrance of Han Shi.
As time passed, the empire had gradually lowered its guard against Han Shi.
All signs indicated that Han Shi had truly come to Mingdu City simply to do business.
It sounded utterly unreasonable, but Zhou Yuan genuinely could not think of any other explanation.
What truly convinced him was Han Shi's culinary showdown.
Afterward, he specifically sent people to question Steward Zhang, the one who had dealt directly with Qi Han, and learned everything that had happened after Qi Han arrived at the Culinary Association. This confirmed that Qi Han was sincerely running Han Shi, even proactively challenging Heavenly Star Palace in order to attract popularity.
If Han Shi were merely a front for some hidden agenda, there was no way he would go this far.
But then another question arose.
If Han Shi had traveled thousands of miles to the Sun Moon Continent, what exactly was its purpose?
To make money?
According to the Third Prince's intelligence, this Han Shi already enjoyed tremendous popularity back on Douluo Continent. There was no need for them to come all the way here just for profit.
Poisoning people?
That made even less sense. At first, Zhou Yuan had indeed worried about that possibility, but as time went on, the customers dining at Han Shi not only showed no signs of discomfort, some were practically suffering from overnutrition instead...
If he couldn't figure it out, then there was no point dwelling on it.
For Zhou Yuan, as long as Han Shi posed no threat to the Sun Moon Empire's plans, nothing else mattered.
The dishes at Han Shi were simply too delicious. Eating there had gradually become the most relaxing part of his day.
If only Han Shi could stay in Mingdu City forever.
Zhou Yuan found himself thinking that.
That way, he could enjoy Han Shi's cuisine every day without worrying about Qi Han returning to the Douluo Continent and leaking information.
Hm?
Very soon, Han Shi's door opened slightly. Meng Yun stepped out carrying a wooden sign mounted on a stand, immediately attracting the attention of everyone waiting outside.
Once the sign was set up, the clear words written upon it were seen by all, and the line in front of Han Shi suddenly fell silent.
A few seconds later, the silence erupted into an uproar.
Zhou Yuan's expression instantly changed.
Han Shi would only operate for one more day?
After that, it would close down?
What did that mean?
The vigilance he had long since relaxed instantly returned.
There were still three months before the Douluo Continent would discover the Sun Moon Continent.
Yet Han Shi intended to shut down and leave now?
Not good! They absolutely could not allow him to return to the Douluo Continent!
Tomorrow morning, this matter had to be reported to His Majesty so they could discuss countermeasures.
And if there was truly no other solution...
A cold glint appeared in Zhou Yuan's eyes.
Then Qi Han could only remain in the Sun Moon Empire forever.
…
Ye Ansheng silently glanced at the dazed Wu Henian beside him, his expression rather strange.
"Han Shi… is closing down?"
"Yeah..." Wu Henian laughed bitterly. "I don't even know whether I should be happy or upset."
Ever since the culinary showdown ended, the Bright Court Pavilion had suffered a massive drop in popularity. Naturally, Heavenly Star Palace, which had long been considered its equal, was affected as well.
Han Shi's capacity was limited. Customers unable to get a seat still had to dine elsewhere.
Originally, they would have chosen Heavenly Star Palace or Bright Court Pavilion.
But now, those diners were far more inclined toward Heavenly Star Palace.
And if Han Shi truly closed now, it was easy to imagine Heavenly Star Palace quickly becoming the best restaurant in Mingdu City, completely surpassing the already declining Bright Court Pavilion.
From that perspective, Wu Henian ought to have been happy.
But the moment he thought about never being able to taste Han Shi's dishes again, he simply could not feel happy.
During this period of dining at Han Shi, he had benefited tremendously. Many of the dishes had given him inspiration, broadening his culinary thinking and allowing him to develop several new dishes recently.
"Brother Heniang, why do you think Han Shi is closing?" Ye Ansheng rubbed his chin, looking puzzled. "Business at Han Shi keeps getting better and better. Logically speaking, shouldn't they seize the opportunity to expand?"
"I don't know." Wu Henian shook his head thoughtfully. "Perhaps… Boss Qi's original goal was never about making money in the first place."
He could not help recalling the fragmented memories he had of his great-grandfather.
His great-grandfather had been the same kind of person, wholly devoted to researching new dishes and completely unconcerned with whether Heavenly Star Palace made money or not.
Perhaps this was the realm of a true culinary genius utterly obsessed with cooking.
…
Tonight's service was far more exhausting than usual for Meng Yun.
Nearly every customer who entered the restaurant clamored for Qi Han to keep the restaurant open.
But knowing that the boss might face danger if he continued staying in Mingdu City, Meng Yun naturally could not join the customers in persuading him to stay. She could only politely explain the situation over and over again.
By the time business hours were finally nearing their end, Meng Yun had just barely begun to relax when an elderly man with snow-white hair entered the restaurant, causing her eyes to brighten slightly.
"Grandpa De, you're here."
This elderly man surnamed De had left a deep impression on Meng Yun. Every single time, he arrived precisely with the final batch of customers, leisurely finished eating exactly as business hours ended, and then chatted casually with both her and the boss for a while.
He was knowledgeable, humorous, and exceptionally approachable.
"Yes." De Hongchen nodded, then frowned slightly. "Little Meng Yun, tomorrow is Han Shi's final day of business? It won't reopen afterward?"
"That's right." Meng Yun looked somewhat apologetic. Grandpa De came to Han Shi twice a day, clearly loving its dishes very much. Soon he would no longer be able to eat there. "The boss has other matters to handle, so he'll probably be leaving Mingdu City."
There was not much surprise on De Hongchen's face, only a hint of regret as he sighed softly.
"If only it were a few days later."
"Hm?" Meng Yun blinked. "What do you mean by a few days later?"
"Nothing." De Hongchen shook his head slightly before revealing a warm smile. "Tonight I'd like a serving of Dragon Beard Noodles and another serving of Crab Stuffed with Orange."
"Alright, please wait a moment."
…
Dinner service soon came to an end.
When Qi Han walked out of the kitchen and saw De Hongchen slowly finishing the last sip of noodle soup, a faint smile appeared on his face.
This amiable old man had left quite a deep impression on him. That gentle elder-like demeanor reminded him somewhat of Qi Poxiao and Tang Qianqiu.
But unlike those two invincible Limit Douluo, Grandpa De was merely a wealthy retiree living in the nearby district.
Seeing Qi Han come out, De Hongchen set down his bowl and waved him over.
"Little Qi, come sit. Let's chat for a while."
"Alright." Qi Han smiled and sat down across from him.
He held quite a favorable impression of this old man, and now that he was about to leave Mingdu City, he felt somewhat reluctant.
"So you really are leaving Mingdu City?" Looking at Qi Han, De Hongchen spoke meaningfully. "Right now, the struggle between the imperial princes has reached a fever pitch. The situation in Mingdu City is rather tense. Leaving at a time like this may not necessarily be safe."
Qi Han had heard a little about the matter De Hongchen mentioned.
Currently, the two princes most qualified to compete for the throne of the Sun Moon Empire Royal Family were the First Prince and the Third Prince, and their overt and covert conflicts had already reached an extremely intense stage, making the entire situation in Mingdu City tense as a result.
But none of that had anything to do with him.
Qi Han was even somewhat thankful for it. Perhaps it was precisely because the two princes were busy fighting each other that Han Shi had managed to safely endure an entire month without the Sun Moon Empire's royal family discovering anything suspicious.
So upon hearing that, Qi Han merely smiled.
"It can't be helped. My home is very far from Mingdu City. Coming here to open a restaurant was a way to prove myself. Now that I've achieved my goal, it's time to head back."
"Oh?" De Hongchen's eyes flickered slightly. "To prove yourself… that's quite good."
Then he smiled faintly.
"I remember when I was young, I also loved traveling across the continent like you. Back then, I was a Spirit Engineer myself. Unfortunately, I later suffered hidden injuries, and my strength declined greatly, so I could only settle down and retire into business."
"Hm?" This was the first time Qi Han had heard De Hongchen talk about his own past, and he could not help feeling surprised.
Hidden injuries...
His thoughts stirred slightly.
Could Qing Dynasty Blessed Pork Meat heal them?
It probably could. Even Senior Qi Poxiao's hidden injuries had been cured, so how could an ordinary old man's injuries not be?
Just as that thought crossed his mind, De Hongchen suddenly changed the subject.
"By the way, Little Qi, do you have a girlfriend?"
"Huh?" Qi Han was completely caught off guard by the abrupt topic shift. Looking at the elder's gaze—so similar to an older relative caring about a younger generation—he felt utterly bewildered.
The feeling was exactly like visiting relatives during the New Year and being asked whether you had a partner yet...
Nearby, Meng Yun, who had been pretending to tidy the chairs, also paused her movements and looked over curiously with obvious gossiping interest.
"Ahem." Qi Han coughed twice to hide his embarrassment, feeling his face grow warm. "Grandpa De, I don't have one yet."
"Oh?" De Hongchen smiled, though his eyes carried a probing look. "Then what about someone you like?"
"Someone I like..." Qi Han paused slightly, and a graceful figure suddenly appeared in his mind.
It had already been over a month since he last saw her after coming to Sun Moon Continent.
"Looks like there is someone." Noticing the change in Qi Han's expression, De Hongchen chuckled. "No wonder you're in such a hurry to leave Mingdu City. You're probably eager to see her again, right?"
"Mm... I suppose so." Qi Han nodded.
The reason he had been so desperate to complete his missions and return to the Douluo Continent was partly because the Sun Moon Continent felt unfamiliar and difficult to fit into.
But wasn't she also part of the reason?
"Boss, boss! What kind of person is the girl you like?" Meng Yun's eyes sparkled with curiosity. She simply sat down beside Qi Han and eagerly asked.
"She..." A nostalgic expression appeared on Qi Han's face before he smiled softly. "She's one of my customers. She's a year younger than me, always polite to everyone. On the surface, she's mature, gentle, understanding, and considerate, but deep down she's actually a huge foodie."
"She's far more outstanding than I am, and because of various other reasons... I've never directly confessed my feelings to her. Every time she came to the restaurant, though, I'd personally bring her dishes over using all kinds of excuses..." Qi Han rubbed the already-curled-up Pururu in his arms and laughed helplessly. "She also really likes Pururu, so every time I delivered food, I'd bring Pururu along too. That way I could chat with her a little longer."
"More outstanding than the boss?" Meng Yun's eyes widened.
She knew very well that aside from his unmatched culinary skill, Qi Han also possessed the cultivation of a five-ring spirit master, even stronger than an ordinary Fifth-Level Spirit Engineer.
Wasn't a twenty-something-year-old five-ring spirit master already exceptional enough?
"At least for now, she's much more outstanding than me." Qi Han smiled faintly, though there was not much discouragement in his eyes.
It had been exactly one year since he transmigrated into this world.
Yet during that year, he had gone from Level 0 to nearly becoming a six-ring Spirit Emperor.
Forget genius, no one would dare cheat that hard even with hacks.
Although Yue Lengxin's cultivation speed was also astonishing—after regularly eating various dishes from Han Shi, she had advanced from just entering the eight-ring level to Level 86 within a year, likely becoming a Titled Douluo in another year or two—it was still far slower than Qi Han's own pace.
So Qi Han was confident that one day, in terms of cultivation, he would surpass her.
After knowing Yue Lengxin for so long, Qi Han had done far more than simply delivering dishes to her personally whenever she visited. Long ago, he had secretly asked Fu Ya to help investigate Yue Lengxin's ideal partner criteria.
Back during the Sea God's Fate matchmaking event, when numerous male inner-court students pursued her, Yue Lengxin had publicly stated her standards. It was not difficult to find out.
She only had two requirements.
First, the person's strength had to surpass hers.
Second, they had to possess excellent culinary skills.
Just those two conditions alone had stumped countless admirers of Yue Lengxin.
Even among the countless geniuses gathered at Shrek Academy, Yue Lengxin stood at the absolute pinnacle.
Twin Martial Spirits. Innate full Spirit Power. Reaching the eight-ring level before the age of twenty-five.
At this rate, Yue Lengxin would undoubtedly become a Titled Douluo before turning thirty. Such talent was enough to leave others hopelessly behind. For someone of the same generation to surpass her in strength was practically impossible.
And as for excellent culinary skill...
That too required tremendous time, practice, and research. It was not something that could be achieved overnight.
So the problem was obvious.
If someone wanted to keep up with her cultivation level, where would they find the time to also master cooking?
Fortunately, Qi Han already fulfilled one of those requirements.
And judging by the speed at which his spirit power increased through completing system missions, the second requirement was only a matter of time.
He had long since decided it.
Once his cultivation surpassed hers as well, he would openly and honestly pursue Yue Lengxin!
"Boss can definitely do it!" Meng Yun nodded vigorously, completely confident in Qi Han.
De Hongchen smiled and nodded before slowly standing up.
"In that case, I can rest assured."
"Huh?" Qi Han blinked. "Grandpa De, what exactly are you relieved about?"
"Nothing. You'll understand in the future." De Hongchen walked to the entrance of Han Shi and turned back with a mysterious smile.
Qi Han scratched his head.
"Grandpa De, wait a moment!"
"What is it?"
"Will you come again tomorrow evening around dinner time?"
"Of course." De Hongchen stopped and chuckled. "It'll be your final day of business. If I miss this meal, who knows when I'll ever get to taste your cooking again? Naturally, I can't miss it."
"Then..." Hesitation briefly appeared on Qi Han's face before turning into determination.
It was the last day anyway.
Might as well go all out and run afterward.
What was there to fear?
"Grandpa De, could you come near the end of dinner service tomorrow? I have a special dish I'd like you to try."
"Oh?" Surprise appeared on De Hongchen's face. "Not something from the menu?"
"No."
"Alright." De Hongchen smiled. "Then in return, I'll bring you some local specialties from Mingdu City so you can take them home."
With that, he waved his hand and directly left Han Shi.
Watching De Hongchen depart, Qi Han smiled faintly.
"Meng Yun."
"Hm?"
"After tomorrow night's business ends, I also have a special dish prepared for you to try."
After all, she had worked for him for twenty days without pay, and Qi Han felt he ought to properly show his appreciation.