"Time to get up and eat."

Xing Lixuan drew back the thick curtains, letting the ample midday sun flood in.

Yu Antong grunted a few times, rolling over like a lazy cat trying to escape the sunlight.

With one leg straight and the other bent at the knee, Xing Lixuan kneeled on the bed. He propped one hand next to Yu Antong and pinched his soft cheek with the other, patiently saying, "It's already ten o'clock. Time for breakfast."

If he doesn't wake up now, lunch will be postponed, and his meals will become irregular.

Yu Antong rubbed his eyes, "Is it really ten already?"

Yu Antong's dazed and messy-haired appearance was so endearing that Xing Lixuan couldn't help but give him a peck, "Yes, let's get up."

cxzww.com.

Slowly, Yu Antong got out of bed, grumbling, "This is all your fault! My back hurts so much it’s hard to get up."

Xing Lixuan: "..."

He wondered who was the one insisting last night.

He had allowed Yu Antong to sleep in, fearing he hadn't rested enough. After waking up, Xing Lixuan went for a morning run, had breakfast, and read for over an hour before coming to wake him.

"Oh! A rose?"

After getting dressed, Yu Antong noticed a slim-necked crystal vase on the bedside table, holding a semi-bloomed red rose.

The outer petals of the rose were starting to unfold, revealing a budding center. Dewdrops still clung to the delicate petals, which against the green leaves, looked even more tantalizingly vibrant.

"What made you think of buying flowers?" Yu Antong asked, clearly elated.

When Xing Lixuan first declared his intention to court him, he sent flowers for several consecutive days. Eventually, there were so many flowers in the house that he didn't know where to put them all, prompting him to call for a halt.

Later on, Xing Lixuan would occasionally surprise him with small gifts or bring home sweet treats after work. However, it had been a while since he last gave him flowers. It was curious what made him think of it today.

While receiving flowers daily might be over the top, getting a bouquet once in a while feels like a delightful little surprise and a touch of sweetness.

After asking, Yu Antong felt something was amiss, "Wait, you wouldn't typically buy just one flower. This isn’t from you, is it?"

"Hmm." Xing Lixuan walked to the window, pointing downwards, "The roses in the garden have bloomed."

Yu Antong went over and opened the window, "I hadn’t noticed. There are so many!"

From the second floor, the vibrant reds and greens of the garden below were clearly visible.

A gentle, warm breeze carried the subtle scent of roses. Being home every day, he had somehow overlooked it.

Unnoticed, many roses had quietly blossomed in the garden.

"Let’s go eat," said Xing Lixuan.

Turning around, Yu Antong playfully slapped Xing Lixuan, "Silly husband, I knew there was a reason you thought to buy me flowers."

Though Yu Antong voiced his complaints, he was genuinely in good spirits.

He knew Xing Lixuan wasn’t fond of flowers. Placing them beside the bed meant they were certainly a gift, meant to greet him first thing in the morning.

Xing Lixuan: "Would you like me to order some for you tomorrow?"

"No, I particularly love this one from today," replied Yu Antong. "Did you think of giving them to me as soon as you saw them bloom?"

"Hmm."

"Muah!" Yu Antong gave Xing Lixuan a quick peck on the cheek, "That’s your reward."

The two of them giggled and headed downstairs.

Just as Yu Antong finished his meal, Mr. and Mrs. Xing returned, their faces glistening with a hint of sweat.

Yu Antong inquired, "Mom, Dad, where have you been?"

"We went to an old friend's orchard to get some fruit tree saplings," Mr. Xing explained. "May is the perfect time to plant apple and peach trees. Lixuan, you'll help with the planting."

It turned out the elderly couple had ridden their mountain bikes to the orchard in the suburbs early in the morning and returned with a delivery truck.

Xing Lixuan and Mr. Xing began planting the saplings in the yard, with Mrs. Xing and Yu Antong watching.

Mrs. Xing commented, "The fruits from your Uncle Zhao’s orchard are delectable. The apples have thin skin, are large, crisp, and sweet. There are two different types of peaches. One is a crunchy sweet variety that you youngsters might prefer. The other, with redder leaves, produces the juiciest and sweetest peaches when fully ripe. It’s my favorite."

"You've made me crave them," Yu Antong said with a smile, "These trees are so young. How many years until they bear fruit?"

"This sapling is only a year old. It will be another two to three years before it bears fruit," Mr. Xing explained. "But don’t fret. Every year, when the fruits in Uncle Zhao's orchard ripen, he sends some to our home. You'll get to taste them this year."

Yu An Tong thought back; apples and peaches are usually ripe around July. By that time last year, he hadn’t even married Xing Li Xuan.

After finishing his sentence, Mr. Xing went to turn on the water valve to irrigate the freshly planted trees.

Yu An Tong assisted by holding an apple sapling upright, while Xing Li Xuan filled in the soil around it.

The sleeves of Xing Li Xuan’s shirt were rolled up a few notches, revealing his muscular forearms. The blue veins stood out prominently, and when he exerted force, the tightness of his muscles showcased his strength.

Yu An Tong was captivated. How can someone look so charming, even while using a shovel? His natural elegance remained unaffected.

"How time flies," Yu An Tong mused. "This time last year, we were strangers. And now, I’m pregnant with your child. We practically had a whirlwind romance and pregnancy."

Xing Li Xuan looked up and smiled, "When our son is born, you can tell him that this tree is as old as he is, planted by both his fathers."

Yu An Tong suddenly remembered, "We still haven’t decided on a name for our little one."

Xing Li Xuan: "…We need to give it careful thought."

"Tong Tong, your phone’s ringing."

While they were deep in conversation, Mrs. Xing brought Yu An Tong’s phone out from the house.

Yu An Tong checked the caller ID, it was Fu Xin: "Hello? Fu Xin, tell me you’re not working on this beautiful weekend. It makes me feel like a slave driver."

As it turned out, Yu An Tong’s guess was spot on; the workaholic Fu Xin was indeed at the office. After some small talk, they got down to business.

"I'm planning on hiring fifty more chefs for Xian Ren Banquet."

Yu An Tong asked in confusion, "Why the sudden need for so many chefs?"

We had recently hired several when opening the new branch. They shouldn’t be short-staffed.

"We're launching a delivery service," Fu Xin said. "Every day, there are countless requests on the official Xian Ren Banquet account asking for delivery. There's a huge market out there."

"Plus, even though we've opened numerous branches, the seating capacity of each Xian Ren Banquet outlet is limited. Especially during the lunchtime rush. With its growing reputation, it's high time we started offering delivery."

"You handle it. During the hiring process, focus heavily on culinary skills. It’s better to be short-staffed than to compromise on quality. Even if the delivery service doesn't take off, we cannot lower our standards."

"You can trust me on that. Quality will always be our top priority."

"Good." Yu An Tong agreed with Fu Xin's suggestion and inquired about the progress of the food processing factory.

Fu Xin replied, "The production lines are currently being installed, and we are procuring equipment. If all goes well, it should be operational by July."

As June rolled in amidst the hustle and bustle, the much-anticipated delivery service for Xian Ren Banquet finally launched.

An official post was made on Xian Ren Banquet's Weibo late at night.

Xian Ren Banquet V: Breaking news! Xian Ren Banquet’s delivery service is now live! Available on major platforms like Chou Tuan, Bao Le Ma, and Qian Du. The deities of Jiang City can now enjoy our delicacies without leaving their homes. Also introducing our new dishes, Jade Eight Treasures and Sauce Explosion Pork Ribs 【pictures】【pictures】.

Many night owls got stirred up.

JoyfulDumpling: Oh my gosh! What am I seeing? Delivery is finally available!

ChronicLaziness: Hahaha! I've grown tired of the nearby takeouts, was planning to dine out soon, but now I can order in tomorrow without leaving my bed!

PopcornChick: With delivery from Celestial Feast, I'll probably gain at least 40 pounds this year!

RichSauceLover: I'm ready to put on 60 pounds. sad piggy emoji

TummyPinch: The new dishes look so tasty! Slurp!

AirFryerFan: Oh my! That sauce looks so tempting. I could eat three bowls of rice just looking at the picture!

DoubleWings: You're so cruel! Posting this in the middle of the night, and I can't even place an order now! If I'm human, then you're truly wicked!

NightOwlPro: Posting this toxic temptation at midnight, I'm done for!

RiseAndParty: Time to check what snacks I have. floats to the kitchen like a ghost at midnight

——

On the first day of Celestial Feast's delivery service, orders poured in as early as 8 a.m., with a surge around 11 a.m.

"We can't take any more orders; we're overwhelmed!"

Despite preparations, every branch was swamped, forcing them to temporarily stop accepting orders around noon.

Those who managed to place an order initially hesitated, thinking about how a single meal cost them $460—enough to order regular takeout for a week!

But who could resist? Seeing Celestial Feast on the delivery app, they couldn't help but splurge.

After placing their orders, they would check every few minutes to see where the delivery rider was, only to find out the restaurant had temporarily closed.

"Due to high demand, we're pausing orders. Be sure to order earlier next time!"

Those who had successfully ordered sighed in relief.

However, some nocturnal folks, waking up just before noon, were left frustrated.

They were excited to enjoy Celestial Feast without queuing, but they were too late!

The joy they felt the previous night was now replaced by profound disappointment.

Some took to the official Celestial Feast social media page to comment.

TummyPinch: Ahh! I missed it! It's already closed! I demand that you take my order! throwing tantrum emoji

CelestialFeastOfficial: Thank you for your love towards Celestial Feast. We paused to ensure the quality of our dishes. We hope you understand.

TummyPinch: You actually replied! I understand, just a bit sad I missed out. Of course, quality is paramount!

Overturned Fish: Those of you who are locals in Jiangcheng are so lucky to have it. Us outsiders can only envy you.

——

It's only the first day since the announcement, and the Immortal Feast made their post in the middle of the night. Many customers are still unaware of this service, yet they've already received so many orders. Once word gets out, the order volume is sure to surge.

Fu Xin wanted to hire fifty chefs, but Yu An Tong thought it was too many. Given the quality and pricing of the dishes at Immortal Feast, while you might find dining in for three to five hundred reasonable, ordering takeout for the same price might seem excessive.

So, Yu An Tong initially believed not many would order such expensive delivery. The market's response, however, has far exceeded his expectations. The number of staff Fu Xin wants to hire might actually be too few.

The success of the takeout service speaks to the undeniable quality and taste of the Immortal Feast's dishes, convincing many that it's worth the price.

A Note from the Author:

Thank you to all the lovely angels who voted or donated nutrients for me from 2020-02-19 23:52:10 to 2020-02-20 23:57:02~

Special thanks to those who donated: Loving Cat Anan, 42191628, 42092324, Little Zai, and Typhoon Orange Wolf – 1 each.

And for those who poured nutrients: echo with 17 bottles; Ling Yue, 42191628 with 10 bottles each; Yun Chen with 7 bottles; Typhoon Orange Wolf with 6; Orange Glaze Kitten with 3; and 1 each from Old City Youth, Lemon, Ying Sister, Ken Yu, Noble Gentleman, and My Crystal Heart.

A huge thanks for all your support. I promise to keep up the hard work!

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