The Game of Life

Chapter 619: Chapter 617: Setting Out (Part One)

On the plane, Jiang Feng still sat between Jiang Weiguo and Wu Minqi.

On his left was his girlfriend, who had already fallen asleep, and on his right was his grandfather, with his eyes closed in meditation. Sitting in the middle, Jiang Feng couldn’t contain his excitement.

Although the timing and circumstances might not have been quite right, he was eager to open the property panel to check out the fresh, still-warm memory that had just dropped from the old man.

How come they say decades-long married couples share an understanding, when the way memories are lost seems exactly the same? Mrs. Jiang’s memories clung to candy wrappers, and the old man’s memories were on candy as well. Jiang Feng decided to keep this bag of candies well preserved. He planned to distribute them when he got back, one to each person, to see if anyone else could tease out a memory from these sweets.

Jiang Feng covertly glanced at Wu Minqi and then at his grandfather. Seeing both with their eyes closed, he stealthily lowered his head and, with a small, somewhat sleazy-looking motion, opened the property panel and slowly flipped to the tool bar.

[A Memory of Jiang Weiguo]

After Jiang Feng clicked “yes,” he was instantly enveloped in fog.

Jiang Feng found himself in an unfamiliar room.

The room was small and simple, with a single bed, fairly clean walls, a low square table, and a small wooden cabinet. Besides these, there was no other furniture in the room, not even a chair.

The cabinet was open, and Jiang Weiguo was packing.

At this moment, Jiang Weiguo was a younger version of himself, looking somewhat older than in previous memories; Jiang Feng suspected his dad might have already been born by then.

Jiang Feng noticed that apart from clothes, there was nothing else in the wardrobe, and even the clothes were few, only three or four pieces. The bag on the floor was something between a sack and a canvas bag, its best description being a large-size canvas bag that looked very much like a sack.

Jiang Feng couldn’t rummage through the bag, so he could only stand to the side and peer in earnestly. In addition to clothes, there were a washbasin, a stainless steel cup, a toothbrush, a towel and other basic living supplies, as well as some items carefully wrapped in oiled cloth.

These small oiled cloth packages filled the corners of the oversized sack-like canvas bag, leading Jiang Feng to suspect that it might be filled with local specialties.

Just as Jiang Weiguo was struggling to pack clothes into his bag, trying to flatten it out a bit to make more room, the door was suddenly slammed open, and a young man in his twenties rushed in.

“Jiang Weiguo, I heard you’re going back home!”

Jiang Weiguo looked up at the young man and continued to forcefully pack his clothes: “Of course, I’m going back after I’m done learning.”

“You…” The young man stammered for a while but couldn’t make sense of his thoughts.

It wasn’t until Weiguo finished packing that he stood up to face the young man, taking the opportunity to see the expression on his face.

Although complicated, it was definitely not a good expression.

“What do you want?” Jiang Weiguo asked.

“My dad wants to see you,” the young man said with a grimace, “When is your train?”

“In the afternoon.”

“What’s in that big bag of yours?”

“My wife asked me to bring some seafood back. My eldest and second son like to eat it; I can make them soup when I return home,” Jiang Weiguo explained.

“Didn’t you say your third son was born this year? Doesn’t he like it?”

Jiang Weiguo looked at the young man as if he were an idiot: “He’s not even half a year old, he can only drink rice soup. What use is his liking?”

With that, he left.

Jiang Feng followed behind a bit slower and overheard the young man muttering to himself: “I don’t have a wife anyway.”

Jiang Feng: Pfft.

Jiang Feng followed Jiang Weiguo out of the room, only to find that the room was on the first floor of a three-story residential building, right next to the stairwell; it might have been a storage room that was freed up temporarily. Jiang Feng also saw an aunt steaming buns on a coal stove in the hallway.@@novelbin@@

This residential building was not far behind the Jubao Building. Jiang Feng walked for less than three minutes before he saw the Jewel Building and for the first time realized that it actually had a back door.

The back door led directly to the storage room, and beyond the storage room was the kitchen.

[A Memory of Jiang Weiguo]

Perhaps it was because it was not yet mealtime, Sun Zheran was alone in the kitchen, standing beside the large jar containing Buddha’s Jumping Over the Wall, obviously intending to personally guard the jar as it was about to be served.

“Master.” Jiang Weiguo approached Sun Zheran, and only then did Jiang Feng belatedly realize that the young man he had seen earlier was most likely Sun Guanyun.

“Are you leaving?” Sun Zheran looked at Jiang Weiguo.

Jiang Weiguo nodded, “My leave time is up, it’s time to go back.”

“You know that’s not what I’m talking about,” Sun Zheran said, “Have you really thought it through?”

“Master, my wife and children are in Z City, I can’t just leave them there and not care,” said Jiang Weiguo.

“That’s true,” Sun Zheran sighed, “It is indeed different once you have a family and children. When you first became my disciple, you didn’t even have a partner, right? How many years has it been? It seems like only 8 years, and you already have three children.”

“Are you sure you won’t reconsider? Guanyun is very reluctant to let you go. Although he always argues and fusses with you, I can see that he gets along better with you than with the other disciples,” Sun Zheran said, “Come take a look at this jar of Buddha’s Jumping Over the Wall. This is the one you made yesterday.”

Jiang Weiguo was taken aback and subconsciously began to look for the other workstations in the kitchen, only to realize that this was the only one, and he started to feel nervous.

“Master, this…”

“You’ve completed your training. After studying with me for 8 years, you ought to know the rules very clearly by now. Since you’ve finished your training, naturally you have to serve the dish and let the customers evaluate whether you’ve truly become a master.”

“But there is only one jar,” said Jiang Weiguo.

“The restaurant sells only one jar every day,” Sun Zheran moved closer to the jar and sniffed without lifting the lid, “Today at lunch, you’ll be the one to unveil it since you’re the one who made it.”

“But what if…” Jiang Weiguo became unusually hesitant.

“If the customer’s evaluation is not good and you fail your assessment, then just stay and continue learning. After studying for a couple more years, you will naturally become a master,” said Sun Zheran.

“But Buddha’s Jumping Over the Wall is the signature dish of the restaurant. What if it ruins the reputation today at lunch?” Jiang Weiguo was essentially lacking confidence in himself.

“Jubao Building has built up its reputation over so many years; it can’t be ruined by just one dish,” Sun Zheran said with a smile, “Go pack your belongings. I’ll keep an eye on this for you. Didn’t you say last time that your eldest son really likes to drink cuttlefish and spare rib soup? Do you want to take some more home with you?”

Jiang Weiguo shook his head, “The bag is already packed full, and we don’t have that many spare ribs at home to make soup for him. There’s no need to take so much.”

Sun Zheran couldn’t help but let his smile widen a few more degrees, waving at Jiang Weiguo, “Go on, get busy with your things.”

But Jiang Weiguo didn’t move, “Master, I heard that you want to adopt Sun Maochai as your godson and even list him in the family register.”

Disapproval was written all over Jiang Weiguo’s face.

“Yes,” Sun Zheran didn’t hide it, “Maochai is exceptionally talented. At such a young age, he’s already lost both parents, and his life has been full of hardship. Besides, he shares the Sun surname, so our families can be considered connected by blood. Taking him as a godson and adding him to the family register can bring our relationship even closer.”

“That way, in the future, he can also help out Guanyun more.”

Jiang Weiguo looked at Sun Zheran.

“I’m not like your father who had seven talented sons. Among all my sons, only Guanyun has a bit of talent in cooking. I’ve taken on so many disciples, and before Maochai, you were the disciple registered in the name who was the most gifted,” Sun Zheran said with a wry smile, “You know what kind of person Guanyun is. Originally, I wanted you to stay at Jubao Building to help him out in the future.”

“But I didn’t expect that you would get married and have children so quickly. In the blink of an eye, you already have three kids, so I can’t count on you anymore and naturally have to rely on others.”

Jiang Weiguo frowned and hesitated for no more than two or three seconds before speaking, “Sun Guanyun isn’t that bad.”

“But I’m getting old.”

“I didn’t feel it in the past few years, but these last two years have made me increasingly aware that I’m aging, my eyesight isn’t as clear, and I don’t have the strength I used to have; even my sense of taste has started to fade.”

“What a shame, Guanyun hasn’t grown up yet.”

Sun Zheran sighed.

Jiang Weiguo didn’t say anything more and left the kitchen.