Chapter Forty-Eight: Two Keys

Lunch was taken at the restaurant, and during this period, the first private room had scarcely been open to outsiders.

In the kitchen, Tao Bo wore a white chef’s coat, carefully slicing garlic with a knife. Why not cut vegetables? His speed was too slow, and he couldn’t manage proper shapes, so Wang Jun assigned him to start with ingredients, chopping up garlic and ginger.

When Tao Bo saw his two cousins come in, he immediately put on a miserable face and said to Tang Zhichu, “Brother, could you talk to my mom again? I really can’t be a chef!”

Tang Chao was somewhat surprised; this cousin was actually working as a prep cook?

Yet Tang Chao bypassed Tao Bo and went straight to find Wang Jun.

Tang Zhichu, however, said, “I’ll give you three months. If you make it to the stove, I’ll talk to your mom; if not, just pretend I never said anything.”

“But I don’t like being a chef!”

“What do you like then?”

Tao Bo fell silent.

“If you don’t like it, spend a few months proving just how much you dislike it. If you make it to the stove, I’ll believe you don’t want to be a chef; if you can’t, that proves you actually do like it.”

Tao Bo stared, sensing something wasn’t quite right, but also thinking it made some sense. “Fine, three months—you said it. If you lie… if you lie, give me that fairy’s contact from last time.”

“Fairy?”

Tao Bo thought for a moment and replied, “Forget it, just don’t lie.”

“Alright, I won’t lie to you. I’m your brother—don’t you trust me?”

At the back door of the kitchen, Tang Chao handed Wang Jun a cigarette.

Wang Jun took it, and the two stepped outside.

Tang Chao and Wang Jun were old friends, often playing together as children—or rather, Wang Jun led Tang Chao around. Back then, Wang Jun was more streetwise, a sort of big brother in their circle.

“Jun, I didn’t expect you to really settle down and become a chef,” Tang Chao remarked, a touch nostalgic.

Wang Jun exhaled smoke and asked, “How about you?”

Tang Chao shook his head. “I don’t know. Sales are tough now. One ten-million deal should net me five percent—fifty thousand—but after all the expenses and client maintenance, can you believe I end up with nothing?”

Wang Jun smiled, saying nothing. Tang Chao was a reminder of Wang Jun’s former life.

Wang Jun had no advice to offer, so he simply listened.

After venting, Tang Chao lit another cigarette. “Honestly, I’m fine. But my good brother is having a hard time.”

“Your good brother?”

“Zhichu, of course. You and I both know Second Uncle’s situation, and Zhichu isn’t the flexible type. If you weren’t here at the restaurant, I don’t know what he’d do.” At this, Tang Chao looked at Wang Jun and added a word of thanks.

Wang Jun opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but held back. In his eyes, Tang Zhichu had already changed a lot.

Tang Chao continued, “Second Uncle wants him to find a girlfriend, you know? I plan to introduce him to someone and lend him my two-hundred-thousand car for a while.”

After saying this, Tang Chao leaned in, puffed out smoke, and with the air of someone who’d been through it all, said, “To change a person, only money and women can do it. I don’t have money, but as his brother, I can help with women and a car.”

Wang Jun laughed. “You really are a good big brother.”

Tang Chao patted his chest. “Absolutely. A true brother never leaves you in the lurch!”

...

In the kitchen, after calming Tao Bo, Tang Zhichu saw he was indeed a bit more motivated and then headed to the front.

There was a narrow hallway to the front, and leaning against it was a woman who looked to be in her thirties.

Though it was still spring, she already wore stockings; her lower legs were covered by boots.

“Aunt,” Tang Zhichu called.

The woman looked over, walked forward a few steps, and, standing before Tang Zhichu, reached out to touch his head—standing on tiptoe due to the height difference.

A bit frustrated, she simply hugged him and patted his back.

“I won’t say anything sentimental. I just wanted to hug you.”

The woman sensed Tang Zhichu’s stiffness, released him, and smiled. “You really should find a girlfriend.”

“Ahem… I’m working on it.”

“If you fancy anyone, tell me. I’ll help you plan. Oh, I’ll give you a key to my apartment. Drop by anytime—it’s not far, as you know. I travel for work most of the year, and you can bring a girl over too!”

With that, she shoved the key into Tang Zhichu’s pocket. “Your eldest aunt is here to help take care of your dad, your uncle gave you one hundred thousand. If you refuse even this, I’ll be hurt.”

Tang Zhichu finally accepted the key.

He knew she meant well. If he were to pursue a girl, the old house was really not presentable.

Her full name was Tang Huiwen, the most educated in the Tang family—a graduate student.

After she finished her studies, her brothers and sisters already had children. At the time, their father—Tang Zhichu’s grandfather—was still alive and bought Tang Huiwen a nice apartment.

Everyone outwardly agreed, but secretly had complaints. Only Tang Zhichu’s father didn’t care, which made Tang Huiwen closer to him.

When his father fell ill, Tang Huiwen was the first to visit.

“Thank you.”

Tang Huiwen smiled and went to the front hall.

After lunch, Tang Chao dragged Tang Zhichu over to the parking lot beside the restaurant.

There sat a Hongtu—a car brand that hadn’t existed in Tang Zhichu’s previous life. Here, it was a top domestic brand, known for reliability and good sales.

Tang Zhichu knew this car belonged to his cousin.

He thought Tang Chao was taking him somewhere, but Tang Chao simply handed him the keys.

“Call me big brother, and this car is yours.”

Tang Zhichu turned and walked away.

Tang Chao was momentarily stunned, then quickly grabbed him.

“Look, as your big brother, you really need to change your attitude. Look at your dad’s situation. Are you going on that dating show? All the girls there are rich, right? How can you show up without a car? You expect those wealthy girls to just fall for you? If it were me, I’d be too embarrassed to go.”

Tang Chao laid into Tang Zhichu.

“Your dad too—why not just arrange a normal date? Instead, he wants you on a dating show, throwing you straight into hard mode. Having a car gives you some confidence, so those wealthy girls don’t look down on you too much.”

“But don’t lose heart. It’s normal if the rich girls don’t choose you. After you finish the show, I’ll introduce you to a girlfriend—guaranteed beautiful.”

Tang Zhichu looked at Tang Chao, who seemed sincere in his words.

Tang Zhichu wasn’t pretending to be aloof—but in his memory, Tang Chao didn’t seem like such a generous person. He might have been loyal, but wouldn’t do anything that didn’t benefit himself.

Could it really be because he was close to his father?