Chapter 73 – The Grand Finale (End)

Seventeen Years Later

It was a bright and sunny day. After signing the documents on his desk, Wang Xiangyang picked up the phone and called his secretary to come and collect them. The secretary walked in, heels clicking, took the documents, and asked, “Mr. Wang, there’s an industry association meeting at 1 p.m. this afternoon…”

Before she could finish, Wang Xiangyang waved his hand. “I have plans this afternoon. Cancel all appointments.”

Today was his monthly food day. As planned, he would spend the entire afternoon at Qian Xiaomi’s Private Kitchen, enjoying a leisurely, carefree half-day. Driving along the old streets of the Imperial Capital, Wang Xiangyang soon arrived at the restaurant. Since he came early, there weren’t many cars parked along the road.

Stepping into the courtyard that had remained unchanged for over a decade, he saw the trees had grown even lusher. Two adorable cats lay comfortably on a stone bench, basking in the cool shade.

Li Xiaoyu, hearing the sound of wind chimes, opened the main hall door. “Good afternoon, Mr. Wang.”

“Good afternoon.” Smiling, Wang Xiangyang took his usual seat by the window without even looking at the menu. “I’ll have the 1,580-yuan health set meal.”

“Very well.” Li Xiaoyu placed a pot of tea on the table, took the money from Wang Xiangyang, and walked toward the kitchen.

Wang Xiangyang poured himself a cup and took a sip. The tea was complimentary, reportedly grown by Boss Qian in her own backyard. No one knew what variety it was, but the flavor was on par with—if not better than—famous teas.

Visiting Qian Xiaomi’s Private Kitchen once a month was Wang Xiangyang’s way of de-stressing. Just sitting in that courtyard, sipping tea and admiring the flowers, would melt all his worries away. The décor hadn’t changed in over ten years, yet it didn’t feel old—on the contrary, it had a unique charm that instantly relaxed anyone who walked in.

The people here hadn’t changed either. The two servers had gone from teenage girls to mothers, but their ever-present smiles and impeccable service remained the same. Most remarkable of all was the restaurant’s owner, Qian Jianing. Her skills in both medicine and cooking were legendary in Huaguo, revered alongside Li Mingzhen as a role model for women and a beacon for many young girls.

It was said that thanks to her savvy investments, Qian Jianing’s net worth had long surpassed 10 billion. Yet she remained rooted in her little private kitchen, personally cooking gourmet meals for guests who came from far and wide.

The health set meal was served: flower basket perch, divine chicken stew, shrimp tofu balls, cold shredded lettuce, and stir-fried wild rice shoots. Each dish let the original flavors of the ingredients shine through.

One couldn’t mention Qian Xiaomi’s Private Kitchen without praising the exceptional quality of the ingredients. In an age where even vegetables and meat were mass-produced for speed and quantity, truly tasty ingredients were hard to find. No matter how much you paid, store-bought produce never matched the sweet flavor of homegrown vegetables from childhood. But this restaurant was different—its ingredient quality had remained consistently top-notch for over a decade.

A diner once suspected the delicious fruits and vegetables contained additives and brought a reporter to send the leftovers for testing. The results were astounding—not only were there no harmful substances, but pesticide residues were zero, and micronutrients and minerals were off the charts. No one knew how such amazing produce was grown.

Many restaurants and private kitchens tried to find the source of Qian Jianing’s ingredients. In today’s hyper-connected world, it was shocking that no one could locate this secret supply. All they knew was that every day, a skinny old man delivered the goods on an electric tricycle.

Countless people waited for him at the restaurant with wads of cash, but no matter the price, the old man always shook his head. “Cash doesn’t work. If you want to buy, find the ordering channel yourself—I only do deliveries.”

Some tried connections, others tracked him, and a few even checked security cameras, but every time, his tricycle was conveniently blocked from view. By the time anyone tried to follow him, he had vanished. No one knew where he came from—let alone how to source those high-end ingredients.

As he enjoyed his meal, Wang Xiangyang couldn’t help glancing at Qian Jianing, busy in the kitchen. Now in her forties, she was still as beautiful as she had been at twenty. Time had left few marks on her face, only adding an alluring grace.

If anything had changed about Qian Xiaomi’s Private Kitchen, it was the operating hours. Now, Qian Jianing only opened for lunch. After afternoon tea, the restaurant closed for the day.

To make it easier for her children to attend school, Qian Jianing and her family now lived in a high-end apartment complex. The 188-square-meter space was neither too cramped nor too empty for a family of four.

After returning home, Qian Jianing arranged the fruit Old Tu had delivered onto a plate and placed it on the coffee table, then headed into the kitchen to prepare dinner.

“Honey, I’m home!” Li Yujun walked in wearing his military uniform, changed shoes, dropped his bag, and went straight to the kitchen. He slipped an arm around Qian Jianing’s waist and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “Tired today?”

Qian Jianing turned and kissed him on the lips. “I’m in better shape than you are.”

Defeated, Li Yujun rested his head on her shoulder, the stubble on his chin brushing her delicate neck. “Let’s see who wins tonight—you’re not allowed to cry for mercy.”

Blushing, Qian Jianing pinched his stomach. “Go wash your hands. I’ll deal with you later.”

Li Yujun chuckled, kissed her again, then went to the bedroom to shower and change. As he walked out with damp hair, the Li family’s fifteen-year-old twins, Li Zeyu and Li Zexue, returned from school, backpacks in tow. “Mom, Dad, we’re home!”

Qian Jianing peeked out of the kitchen and smiled brightly at her children. “Exams are over? Take a good rest these next few days. Next month, I’ll take you both to Zibo to visit Grandma, Grandpa, and your uncle.”

“Awesome! I miss Grandma already!” the twins cheered, spinning in circles around the living room in excitement.

The fraternal twins resembled their parents—Zeyu looked like their father, Zexue like their mother. At just fifteen, both already showed striking features. To Li Yujun’s frustration, neither had the slightest interest in joining the military academy.

Zeyu was obsessed with financial news, and had even secretly asked Qian Jiafeng to help him open a stock account over the New Year. He invested all his red envelope money—and supposedly had already made quite a profit.

Zexue, on the other hand, loved traditional Chinese medicine. From the moment she learned to read, she had devoured herbology books that even Li Yujun found difficult to understand. Seeing her gift, Qian Jianing nurtured it carefully. Now, Zexue could diagnose through observation and inquiry and prescribe effective remedies for common ailments.

Qian Jianing brought the dishes to the table: marinated wild duck for Li Yujun, braised lion’s head meatballs for Zeyu, and sashimi three delicacies for Zexue—plus some exquisite pufferfish, its aroma alone enough to make mouths water.

Zexue picked up a piece of pufferfish with her chopsticks. The tender meat was as smooth as fine cream, melting in her mouth and leaving behind a rich, savory flavor.

“Mom, next week it’s Jiayao’s birthday party. Can I go?” Zexue asked as she sipped her fish soup, eyes shining.

Qian Jianing gave her a piece of marinated duck. “Of course. You’re good friends. Pick out a nice gift for her. It’s been a while since I’ve seen your Aunt Mingzhen too—I’ll give her a call and invite her out for tea.”

Zeyu took a bite of lion’s head meatball and teased his sister, “Sis, why are you only talking about Jiayao and not Xi Zhenyu? Don’t you like him? You blush every time you see him. What did you get him for his birthday?”

Zexue glanced at her father’s expression, then swiftly kicked Zeyu under the table and shot him a warning glare. “Watch what you say.”

Li Yujun placed a duck head in his plate, gave Zeyu a sharp look, and said, “Don’t talk nonsense. That Xi Zhenyu is already twenty-one, six years older than your sister. What would she like about him? She’s still young—what does she know about liking someone?”

Zeyu snickered, “Dad, you’re five years older than Mom.”

Li Yujun was stunned. Thinking about it this way, six years wasn’t that big a difference after all. Suddenly, Li Yujun felt a sense of looming crisis and fell into deep thought: Could that boy from the Xi family be trying to make his precious daughter fall in love early?

All through dinner, Li Yujun couldn’t stop pondering this issue. Meanwhile, Li Zexue dragged Li Zeyu by the arm to the community playground. “Hey, brat, feeling cocky, huh?”

Li Zeyu grinned obsequiously at his sister, who was a full head shorter. “Sis, I was just joking with you!”

“Joking?” Li Zexue ground her teeth. “Beat me first, then you can call it a joke.”

Though the siblings had both learned martial arts from Qian Jianing since they were little, Li Zexue clearly had a better grasp of the skills than Li Zeyu. After sparring for over half an hour, Li Zeyu was barely holding up, his handsome face a picture of disheveled defeat.

“Sis! Sis! My dear sister! I was wrong! I swear I won’t talk nonsense again!” Li Zeyu flipped away and dodged behind the parallel bars, bent over and panting heavily.

Li Zexue gave a light snort and looked smug. “I’ll let you off this time, but if this happens again, I’ll beat your butt till it blooms.”

The siblings returned home one after the other. As soon as they walked in, Li Yujun approached them with a serious expression. “I’ve decided—I’ll go with you to that birthday party.”

Li Zeyu and Li Zexue stared at him in terror, their knees trembling. “Dad, what did you just say?”

Li Yujun silently applauded his own cunning. “Xiaoxue, don’t worry. If any boy tries to talk to you, I’ll block him for you!”

Li Zexue’s face turned green. She ground her teeth and glared at Li Zeyu, then yanked him over and dragged him to the door. Li Zeyu was dragged out, panicked, clutching the corridor railing and crying out, “Mom! Help! Sis says she’s going to beat my butt to pieces!”

Qian Jianing emerged with a peach in hand and glanced at them. “Did you bring your key? Let yourself back in.”

The front door slammed shut in Li Zeyu’s face. He was about to cry—this really was his biological mother.
—

“Doctor Qian, my father wouldn’t have pulled through if not for you. We’re truly grateful.” A middle-aged man picked up a check and handed it to Qian Jianing. “We’ll be relying on you in the future too.”

Qian Jianing glanced at the string of zeroes on the check and casually tucked it into her purse. “Then Mr. Zheng, please take good care of your father. Remember to decoct the medicine as I instructed. I’ll come check his pulse in five days.”

“Of course. Take care!”

After exiting the building, Qian Jianing got into her car. Just as she buckled her seatbelt, the Treasure Bowl suddenly appeared in the passenger seat, startling her. She looked around nervously. “Watch out for cameras.”

“I’ve already blocked them,” Treasure Bowl waved nonchalantly. He looked at Qian Jianing, his face conflicted. “Jianing, your Wealth Energy is sufficient now.”

“Wealth Energy is sufficient?” Qian Jianing froze for a moment, realizing what that meant. Her eyes immediately turned red. “You’re leaving?”

“Yeah.” Treasure Bowl nodded, his chubby little face tinged with reluctance. “Even though I’m leaving, you still have to work hard to make money, okay? Burn incense for me regularly. As long as I have enough incense, I’ll keep sourcing good stuff and posting it to Xiantao.com.”

Qian Jianing nodded, but tears still streamed down her face. “Don’t worry. I’ll have someone burn the thickest incense for you every day.”

“That makes me very happy.” Treasure Bowl sat cross-legged in the passenger seat, all serious. “Take me to the God of Wealth Temple.”

The God of Wealth Temple had been funded by Qian Jianing and built within a Taoist temple in the Imperial Capital. In addition to enshrining the God of Wealth, she had specially constructed a glittering Treasure Bowl. Since she couldn’t visit daily, she had instructed the young Taoist priests to offer incense to the God of Wealth and the Treasure Bowl three times a day and donated a large sum of incense money.

By the time she arrived, it was already dark. Treasure Bowl slipped back into Qian Jianing’s consciousness, only to reappear once they entered the temple.

Afraid Treasure Bowl would vanish just like that, Qian Jianing scooped him up, rubbing her face against his chubby cheeks. “Even if you live for tens of thousands or even millions of years, you must never forget me.”

Treasure Bowl pushed her away in mock disgust. “You’re taking advantage of me again. You have a husband—act like a proper woman.”

Qian Jianing couldn’t help but laugh, tightened her hug, and quickly kissed his soft cheek before placing him gently on the ground.

Treasure Bowl rummaged through the pocket of his bellyband and finally took out a neat little box. “This is a farewell gift for you.” He glanced at Qian Jianing and waved his tiny hand. “Goodbye, Qian Jianing!”

Before she could react, Treasure Bowl had vanished inside the temple. Qian Jianing rushed outside and caught a glimpse of a red glow shooting skyward, disappearing quickly from sight.

Her heart felt empty and sour. “Treasure Bowl, thank you for giving me a second chance at life. Goodbye, Treasure Bowl!”

Riding the Wealth Energy Qian Jianing had built up, Treasure Bowl zoomed back to the Immortal Realm without obstruction. Just as he landed and had yet to catch his breath, a gentle voice sounded from behind.

“Oh my, isn’t this the Treasure Bowl?” A stunningly beautiful immortal maiden approached with a kind smile.

Treasure Bowl turned and immediately bowed respectfully. “Princess Qingqing.”

Princess Qingqing was the Jade Emperor’s youngest daughter and a unique presence in the Celestial Court. She pinched Treasure Bowl’s chubby cheeks with a smile. “I stopped by to see Fortune and Prosperity the other day, but didn’t see you. Where were you?”

Treasure Bowl drooped his face gloomily. “Don’t mention it. I offended our Lord God of Wealth a while back and got kicked down to the mortal world. I just barely managed to collect enough Wealth Energy to return.”

“The mortal world, huh!” Qingqing’s eyes sparkled. “I haven’t been down there in hundreds of years. I wonder what it’s like now.”

Seeing her excited expression, Treasure Bowl trembled with anxiety. “P-Princess, there’s really nothing that fun down there. We’ve got all the same video games and shows in the Immortal Realm. No need to squeeze into the human world—the air’s bad, there’s dust storms, it’s filthy.”

Qingqing just smiled, picked him up, and said, “It’s fine. I’ll just take a look and come right back.”

“Ahhh! Princess, I just got back to the Immortal Realm! Help!”
—

Qian Jianing returned from the temple in low spirits. Seeing Li Yujun and the two kids, she couldn’t even manage a smile. She quietly went inside. Li Yujun had never seen her this down since they started dating. Alarmed, he followed her into the bedroom. “Jianing, what’s wrong? Are you feeling sick?”

“I’m fine,” Qian Jianing said wearily, closing her eyes. “I just want to lie down for a bit.”

Li Yujun touched her forehead. Seeing she wasn’t running a fever, he sighed in relief, went to pour her a glass of warm water, and left it on the nightstand before gently closing the door.

As she drifted toward sleep, a familiar white mist suddenly appeared before Qian Jianing’s eyes. She woke at once and ran toward the depths of the fog.

The little red door still stood inside the mist, just like it had years ago. Through this door, she had learned cooking, medicine, face reading, and martial arts. But this time, she didn’t know what she’d find when she opened it. The immortal who had once taught her? Or…

With a flutter of anticipation, she took a deep breath and pushed open the door.

A beautiful immortal maiden turned around at the sound, holding a droopy, teary-eyed Treasure Bowl in her arms. “Are you Qian Jianing? Is the mortal world fun?”

Qian Jianing nodded tearfully. “It’s so much fun! However you want to play, I’ll take you on a grand tour of the human world!”

Author’s note:
It’s come to an end. Thank you for walking this path with me.

(End)