Chapter 46: Dry-Fried Beef Hor Fun

Chapter 46: Dry-Fried Beef Ho Fun

Applause and praise erupted, enveloping Yun Fan as he stood amidst the crowd, receiving attention from every direction.

He felt a slight unease, as the last time he had experienced such a scene was years ago, during his university days.

Lost in the passion of his playing, Yun Fan had worked up a sweat, which now beaded on his smooth forehead. Wen Haochen produced a handkerchief and offered it to Yun Fan. Yun Fan vigorously wiped his brow, a radiant smile spreading across his face.

The orchestra conductor and musicians were immensely grateful to Yun Fan for his impromptu performance. Initially, they had only hoped for a passable show, but no one had anticipated such an extraordinary display.

For a fleeting moment, the conductor even considered asking Yun Fan to join them permanently! Such a talented individual could undoubtedly help them secure awards in competitions.

The original pianist, Zhuo Ning, along with his brother Zhuo Yan and Zhu Zhiqian, also watched the performance. The more fervent the audience became, the more despondent Zhuo Ning felt. By the end of the show, his eyes were even tinged with red.

Zhuo Yan cast a look of exasperation at his brother, offering no comfort. Meanwhile, Zhu Zhiqian observed the radiant Yun Fan, his brow furrowed in thought.

Yun Fan's brilliance today, of course, cast a long shadow over him. Previously, he had merely considered Yun Fan good-looking, but he never imagined him to be so captivating on stage.

And the perfectly tailored tailcoat accentuated his tall, slender frame—every stride showcasing his long legs and impressive physique. Zhu Zhiqian mused that it was fortunate Yun Fan had defied his father by refusing to wear tailcoats. Good heavens, if he were to wear such an outfit every day at home, it would be far too alluring.

As he pondered, his thoughts began to stray into dangerous and inappropriate territory.

"Zhiqian-ge, what are you looking at?" Zhuo Yan's voice broke his reverie, and he abruptly averted his gaze, offering a sheepish grin.

Zhuo Yan blinked, his expressive eyes fixed on Zhu Zhiqian, making the latter feel a pang of guilt.

The more flustered Zhu Zhiqian appeared, the more anxious Zhuo Yan became. His expression shifted, and alarm bells began to ring in his mind. Yun Fan was meant to be merely a stepping stone for their advancement, but now, Zhu Zhiqian seemed to be harboring other intentions.

Adding to his unease, the glory that should have belonged to Zhuo Ning today had been completely usurped. Yun Fan on stage was now the undisputed center of attention, and a bitter, envious feeling welled up in Zhuo Yan's chest.

This was a grave miscalculation!

*

Finally, the event concluded, and Yun Fan was so famished he felt like his stomach was pressed against his back. He removed his jacket and draped it over his arm, the sweat on his back causing his white shirt to cling to his shoulder blades.

Soon, beyond the dispersing crowd, he spotted Wen Zhaofu in his wheelchair, flanked by his trusted companions, Cheng Yu and Liu Erxing.

Wen Haochen hastily bid farewell to his classmates and rushed to catch up from behind, taking Yun Fan's jacket, hooking it by the collar, and tossing it over his shoulder with a practiced flourish.

The simultaneous "tsk" from both sides made Wen Zhaofu chuckle despite himself. He wanted to say, "This is just the beginning—stay calm."

"Sir!" Yun Fan called out cheerfully, his voice clear and bright. "Young Master Cheng, Young Master Liu."

Liu Erxing flashed a smile and whistled in admiration, saying, "Impressive, Yun Fan! I had no idea you had so many talents!"

"Truly remarkable. Your performance created a three-dimensional emotional space, allowing the audience to feel the very breath of animals and nature," Cheng Yu nodded in agreement.

Yun Fan was taken aback by the flowery language—he hadn’t understood half of it! Oh no, he thought, he had asked Cheng Yu to act like a normal person, but it seemed Cheng Yu hadn’t listened and was still racing down the path of pretentiousness.

Rubbing the goosebumps on his arm, Liu Erxing shoved Cheng Yu and shivered in disgust. Wen Zhaofu tilted his head, looked into Yun Fan's eyes, and asked, "Hungry?"

Yun Fan pouted and nodded with a pitiful expression. Wen Zhaofu smiled, suppressing his concern, and was about to speak when Wen Haochen interrupted.

"Butler Yun! There's a celebration dinner tonight. Let's go together! After that, there's a big party! Our classmates really want to hang out with you."

Yun Fan quickly shook his head, saying he was too tired and needed rest.

Seeing Wen Haochen's opportunity vanish, Cheng Yu quickly chimed in, "Cloud Consultant, I happen to have some questions about the reform methods from last time. Let me treat you to a meal."

Yun Fan widened his eyes. Come on, it's nine o'clock at night—who wants to work overtime? He turned his head away, refusing to engage with Cheng Yu.

Realizing he had made things worse, Cheng Yu grew uncharacteristically flustered. Grasping at straws, he looked to Liu Erxing for help.

"Yun Fan looks exhausted. How about we find a place for a massage?" Liu Erxing suggested, lifting his chin. "I feel like the spas in Hong Kong aren't great. I can drive you back to the mainland right now."

"Hey, you guys!" Before Yun Fan could respond, Wen Zhaofu sighed helplessly.

Wen Zhaofu moved his wheelchair forward slightly, reached out, and gently grasped Yun Fan's wrist. Amid the sharp intakes of breath from the other three, he gazed deeply at Yun Fan and asked, "Xiao Yun, come with me?"

"Okay, sure, Sir," Yun Fan agreed without a moment's hesitation.

Those two short sentences left the other three even more stunned! Wen Zhaofu hadn't even said where he was taking Yun Fan, yet Yun Fan immediately turned to push the wheelchair and left with him.

Moreover, Wen Zhaofu had grabbed Yun Fan's wrist!

If Liu Erxing's eyes didn't deceive him, just as Wen Zhaofu let go, he had deliberately squeezed Yun Fan's palm.

That old fox!

Yun Fan showed no discomfort throughout, smiling at Wen Zhaofu the entire time. Though they didn't exchange many words, their eyes remained fixed on each other.

As they walked farther away, Wen Zhaofu gestured behind him, and Yun Fan moved to his side again. One tall, one seated, chatting and laughing—they seemed truly happy.

"Did Zhaofu give Yun Fan another raise recently?" Liu Erxing asked curiously.

Wen Haochen shook his head. "There are many rules at home. For the butler to get a raise, the patriarch must approve. I haven't heard anything."

"I personally wanted to reward Yun Fan with a bonus. I planned to tell him tonight to make him even happier, but... I didn't get the chance," Cheng Yu said dejectedly. Having just decided to embrace being love-struck, he was already facing setbacks.

At that moment, they realized a crucial problem: on the path to winning Yun Fan's affection, they faced a common obstacle—Wen Zhaofu.

"I won't give up," Cheng Yu said softly but firmly.

"My older brother, toward Butler Yun... Huh? My older brother?" Wen Haochen's voice grew increasingly higher in pitch.

Liu Erxing shrugged, seemingly unconcerned. "Yun Fan will be coming to my place in a few days."

"Oh."

"Um... My older brother???"

"Don't any of you come. I'll lose it if anyone shows up," Liu Erxing threatened.

"Heh."

*

The night breeze was warm, carrying the fragrant aroma of food, gently brushing against their faces, making them feel at ease.

Even though he had brought Yun Fan to a seafood stall, Wen Zhaofu still felt somewhat apologetic. After all, when dining with him, clearing the area and having security were standard precautions.

Yun Fan peeled mantis shrimp, occasionally asking Wen Zhaofu if he wanted any, seemingly unbothered by the surroundings.

"Was the food at the academy good?" Yun Fan asked curiously, sucking on his finger.

Wen Zhaofu clasped his hands over his abdomen and smiled, shaking his head. "It was all small talk. I barely tasted what I was eating."

"Kinda rough," Yun Fan clicked his tongue, feeling sorry for Wen Zhaofu. "Business banquets really aren't meant for enjoying a good meal."

This time, Wen Zhaofu had given strict orders: anyone who disturbed them would be chased away. Those three guys wouldn't barge in unexpectedly like last time.

Worried that Yun Fan might overeat and feel uncomfortable, Wen Zhaofu had ordered all dishes to be served in small portions, allowing them to sample a variety of flavors.

Yun Fan thoroughly enjoyed each dish: Typhoon Shelter crab, salt and pepper squid, and sizzling grouper. He was absolutely starving, and to Wen Zhaofu's surprise, he even ordered a small portion of dry-fried beef rice noodles at the end.

Just watching Yun Fan eat brought Wen Zhaofu immense satisfaction. Even though he couldn't taste anything himself, from Yun Fan's expressions, he could almost sense how incredibly delicious the food at this place was.

"Sir, have you never eaten at a dai pai dong before?" Yun Fan licked his greasy lips.

Wen Zhaofu averted his gaze and replied softly, "I have, actually. When I was very young, my grandmother would leave me with the proprietress of a seafood restaurant."

"Oh, so you've eaten there a lot then." Yun Fan smiled brightly and didn't ask further about what happened afterward.

In the Wen family, everyone was tight-lipped about the details of Wen Zhaofu's past injury. Yun Fan understood—it was better not to bring up such old family matters proactively.

"I've taken up so much of your time, having you stay here with me for so long." Yun Fan nodded toward Wen Zhaofu.

Hearing this, Wen Zhaofu was somewhat surprised. He thought Yun Fan should have at least sensed his feelings a little and might be gradually accepting them.

But if Yun Fan did sense it and still said something like this, wasn't it a form of rejection?

No, absolutely not. Wen Zhaofu watched Yun Fan calmly, thinking quickly in his mind.

If Yun Fan retreated, then he would advance.

Wen Zhaofu reached out his hand again, this time in a rather teasing manner. Using his index and middle fingers, which often held cigars, he gently pinched Yun Fan's cheek.

For just a moment, Yun Fan felt the slight roughness of the calluses on Wen Zhaofu's fingers—a scratchy, painless sensation that made him tingle. The instant Wen Zhaofu withdrew his hand, Yun Fan quickly covered the spot that had been touched, even closing the eye on that side.

"Xiao Yun," Wen Zhaofu feigned seriousness, "if you keep being this formal, Sir will get angry too."

Yun Fan bit his lip, gazing in surprise at Wen Zhaofu. He sensed something unusual but didn't dare dwell on it too much.

"Just joking." Wen Zhaofu lowered his head and chuckled softly. "Hurry up and eat, Xiao Yun."

As Wen Zhaofu moved, Yun Fan noticed a small accessory pinned to the left side of his suit jacket under the white light bulb.

It was a brooch—a golden rose with a fluffy little white cloud dangling above it.

Yun Fan frowned, thinking it over. It seemed familiar, but he couldn't quite place it. Noticing Yun Fan's gaze, Wen Zhaofu also looked down and reached up to adjust the brooch.

"Nice, right? The school directors saw it and said it looked great," Wen Zhaofu explained. "I bought it when we went to get jewelry for Li Wen previously."

Yun Fan was startled and quickly looked away. Wen Zhaofu, with his perfect face and that deep gaze directed at him—even though Yun Fan was used to it, he still couldn't handle it.

"Oh, Sir has good taste," Yun Fan murmured, his voice barely audible.

Wen Zhaofu looked at Yun Fan, opened his mouth slightly, his eyes filled with affection and a touch of helplessness, finally letting out an almost imperceptible soft sigh.

*

Finally able to rest for a few days, Yun Fan slept soundly, so deeply that no one could wake him.

Hearing that Yun Fan had done very well at Shengken Academy without disgracing the Wen family, the old butler agreed to give Yun Fan a break. After all, Yun Fan had been working nonstop since the Spring Celebration.

Now, the old butler also realized that Yun Fan wasn't just slacking off—he had some hidden talents.

But according to the resume previously submitted by Tai Ping Qing Shui Ju, Yun Fan's past seemed like a blank slate. How could this young man now seem like a completely different person?

How the old butler perceived him, Yun Fan didn't know. He just wanted to sleep well. Sleeping soundly, he even smacked his lips and mumbled, "Mmm, Sir, I still want to eat mantis shrimp."

Wen Haochen's studies at Shengken Academy were nearing their end. He didn't need to go to school often, just completing his final assignments at home.

Wen Qichang originally thought that even if he stayed home, he wouldn't be settled—surely he'd be running around Hong Kong with friends having fun. But unexpectedly, Wen Haochen now became the earliest riser at Baofeng Qi and even commandeered his father's study, toiling away every day.

"Has the silly boy gone completely silly?" Wen Qichang and his current wife, An Qishan, huddled together outside the study door, peeking through a crack.

An Qishan shot Wen Qichang a look. "Haochen may not be as clever as Zhaofu, but he's willing to work hard—that's a good thing. Hubby, don't talk about him like that."

"Alright, alright." Wen Qichang couldn't resist his young wife's coquettish tone. "If he studies properly, I can transfer one of the companies to him later."

An Qishan beamed at this. "Then thank you, hubby. I'll tell the kitchen to prepare more tonics for Haochen. Ah, studying really taxes the brain."

In Wen Qichang's view, with the Wen family as a safety net, it was never too late for Wen Haochen to start working hard. He simply thought his younger son was a late bloomer, never imagining that Wen Haochen was toiling away at his desk for love.

To make Yun Fan notice him, to stand tall with confidence.

After working for a while, Wen Haochen took a phone call, cheerfully changed clothes, and took the shuttle bus to Langyun Terrace.

Wen Zhaofu was in a rather foul mood after waking up since he had to attend a shareholders' meeting at Wenming Entertainment today. Yun Fan was discussing with the little gardener how to pick some small flowers to decorate the house when he saw Wen Haochen walking over with a large bouquet of white roses.

Yun Fan took a closer look and felt that Wen Haochen was coming straight for him. He took a deep breath, grabbed the little gardener's arm, and used him as a shield.

"Butler Yun, hey hey, Xiao Shan, move aside, Butler Yun." Wen Haochen peered over the little gardener's shoulder, trying to pull Yun Fan out.

"Butler Xiao Yun, Butler Xiao Yun?" the little gardener echoed like a parrot.

Seeing there was no escape, Yun Fan peeked out from behind the little gardener. But he couldn't help it—facing those delicate, velvety roses, he let out a solid sneeze.

"Achoo!"