C3 I Have Been Waiting for a Long Time
At dinner time, the household staff at Chen Jun's home prepared a lavish spread of delectable dishes. Chu Chenglong found the meal particularly to his liking, devouring the food with such gusto that he was oblivious to the grease smearing his face, unconcerned with appearances.
Since his release from prison, he had come to a realization: nothing beat the flavors of Chigoris cuisine. The so-called delicacies he'd experienced abroad paled in comparison.
Uncle Chen Jun, witnessing his hearty appetite, chuckled heartily. "Haha, if you're enjoying the meal, help yourself to more. Our chef used to be the head chef at state banquets! Whatever you crave, just let us know. We'll satisfy any request you can voice!"
Chen Miaomiao, on the other hand, was put off by Chu Chenglong's less-than-elegant dining habits and felt a bit queasy. "Hey, Chu Chenglong," she called out, rudely tapping her bowl with her chopsticks, creating a clattering sound. Curiosity got the better of her as she inquired, "You've never had food this good before in your life, have you?"
Despite the variety at home, with meals never repeating, Chen Miaomiao confessed she had grown tired of the same old fare.
"It's been quite a while since I've had food this good—probably over a decade," Chu Chenglong admitted candidly. His quality of life in prison hadn't been poor, with a diverse array of delicacies from land and sea. Yet, what the prison lacked was a chef with true culinary finesse. A lobster as thick as a thigh was reduced to mere steamed fare, dipped in soy sauce—a far cry from the skillful preparation he now relished at Uncle Chen Jun's.
Chen Miaomiao scoffed at his response, her voice dripping with condescension. "You really are a country bumpkin, amazed by the simplest things. Go on, eat. It won't kill you!"
Chen Jun intervened to correct her behavior. "Miaomiao, that's no way to speak to a guest. Chenglong is our visitor, and you should show some manners!"
With a contemptuous "Hmph!" Chen Miaomiao stormed off to the sofa to sulk, munching on fruit and scrolling through her phone. She stole glances at Chu Chenglong, who continued to feast with relish, seemingly deaf to her earlier remarks. Her annoyance was palpable, her teeth practically itching with irritation.
She let out another snort and went back to scrolling on her phone.
Before long, Lee Moxue's phone buzzed with a new message. She picked it up and after a brief glance, she gasped in excitement, "Wow, the War God Temples are hosting a banquet for VIPs at the Elder Loch Resort. All the elite and famous of Istripgan will be there, and we've been invited too!"
Chen Jun's phone chimed as well, and after a quick look, he confirmed, "Yes! I've got the invite as well!"
"Hahaha, me too!" Chen Miaomiao couldn't contain her delight as she brandished her phone. Then, with a sly glance at Chu Chenglong, who was quietly focusing on his meal, she said with a sneer, "These are invites from the War God Temples, meant only for true aristocrats. Some riffraff wouldn't even dream of getting one. Let's see... who in our family hasn't received one?"
Chen Miaomiao's voice was brimming with mischief, but her intent was clear: she was taking a jab at Chu Chenglong.
She simply couldn't fathom what had gotten into her father's head, allowing such a hick into their home, ruining her appetite for dinner. She wished he'd be sent packing immediately; she couldn't stand the sight of Chu Chenglong for another second.
"An invite from the War God Temples?" Chu Chenglong casually wiped his mouth with a napkin, smacking his lips as if savoring the last bites of his meal. After a moment, he replied leisurely, "I don't need that sort of thing. I've already mentioned they'd want to invite me to dine. This banquet is probably arranged just for me!"
"You? That's absurd," Lee Moxue, who had been quiet throughout dinner, finally spoke up, admonishing him, "There's no shame in not having something. There's no need to pretend and puff yourself up."
She had seen enough to understand the caliber of the man Chen Jun had brought home.
He was spouting utter nonsense!
His manners were deplorable!
Coming from a prestigious family, she had never stooped to associate with such people. Engaging with them would only dull her intellect!
"But I'm telling the truth," Chu Chenglong stated with gravity.
"Dad, are you hearing this? Aren't you going to say something?" Miaomiao, feeling utterly dejected, realized she had no choice but to rely on her father to put an end to Chu Chenglong's ramblings.
Chen Jun was at a loss for words momentarily. He had been quietly observing Chu Chenglong and indeed noticed the boy's tendency to spout nonsense.
"Let's drop this subject here. Everyone should get some good rest after dinner," Chen Jun decided. He then called for the housekeeper, "Yang Hua, this is Chu Chenglong. You'll be responsible for his accommodations."
Yang Hua gave Chu Chenglong a quick look but caught Miaomiao signaling him from the corner of his eye. He instantly grasped her intent. Outwardly, he agreed to the request and went off to prepare Chu Chenglong's bedroom. Once there, he spitefully poured a few cups of cold water into the bed. After completing the task, he sent a confirmation message to Miaomiao.
Chen Miaomiao, upon receiving the message, didn't rush Chu Chenglong off to his dampened bed. Instead, she picked up the conversation from dinner, "Chu Chenglong, you claim that the Five Temples' banquet is being held in your honor. What if you're absent on the day of the event?"
Chu Chenglong looked at Chen Miaomiao with curiosity. "What do you mean?"
"Do you dare to wager with me?" A gleam of cunning shone in Chen Miaomiao's eyes. If Chu Chenglong agreed to the bet, she would immediately stake that he wouldn't show up at the banquet. The stakes? He would have to leave immediately and return from whence he came, staying as far away from the Chen family as possible.
Ultimately, Chu Chenglong shook his head. "There's no need to bet; you've already lost." He had no intention of taking advantage of Chen Miaomiao. After all, she was the daughter of Uncle Chen Jun, his lifesaver. Without Uncle Chen Jun, he wouldn't be where he was today. When Chen Miaomiao realized Chu Chenglong wouldn't take the bet, her eyes sparkled with unspoken triumph.
"You're too scared to take the bet?"
"So you're admitting that you're just spouting nonsense?"
Miaomiao couldn't help but flash a triumphant grin.
Chu Chenglong simply shook his head.
"No, you'll see in due time."
"Still being defiant? You're infuriating me beyond belief. I've never encountered someone as brazenly shameless as you!"
Her anger flared so intensely that she felt a sharp pain in her chest. With that, she stood up in a huff and stormed out of the living room.
It seemed she was off to take a rest.
Chu Chenglong, meanwhile, followed the butler to his own bedroom.
But shortly after settling in, he noticed something amiss—his bedding was damp.
How was one supposed to sleep with a wet blanket?
He was clueless as to how it had gotten wet in the first place.
Chu Chenglong was just about to seek out Yang Hua for an explanation when his phone buzzed with a new message. His eyes widened in astonishment.
Only a select few had his number, and it was virtually untraceable to most.
Today, the War God Temples had sent out invitations to all the dignitaries in Istripgan, yet he hadn't received one.
This could only mean that those fools had failed to find his number—it wasn't a case of being overlooked.
Pondering for a moment, he picked up his phone to check the message. His face grew serious as he read, "It's actually from the warden! Master!"