I am a Chef in the Modern Era

Chapter 63: Bowl of Chinese Yam and Old Duck Soup

Translated by Yan of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Actually, it wasn’t that Old Man Yang couldn’t accept homosexuality. It was just that Lin ShuYi and Shen Fu were people that he was with day and night. He knew they were both good children, and he was already seventy eight, so he could at least tell what kind of person somebody was. Even though Shen Fu seemed a little bit aloof, and was even a pampered young master from a wealthy family, he didn’t engage in any of the bad habits that rich young masters often did. He was like this just to Old Man Yang alone, so he definitely wouldn’t treat Lin ShuYi any worse.

There was even less need to talk about Lin ShuYi. His eyebrows were perfectly straight, not messy at all. People who grew up in one place tended to be stubborn and obstinate, unwilling to change the things they believed in even if they died. Even though Lin ShuYi seemed to have a good temper, he was also the kind of person who was the most stubborn.

(t/n: I’m not... sure why the author brings in lin shuyi’s eyebrows tbh... it’s not a reference to internet slang as far as I can tell? Maybe just that people with perfectly straight eyebrows are stubborn? Lol)

So, it didn’t matter whether he could accept it or not. In the end, these two people would still end up together.

He didn’t want to lose two children who acted as if he was their actual grandfather just because of his prejudice. What’s more, Shen Fu was always very intimate with Lin ShuYi in front of Old Man Yang. At that time, he thought that they were brothers, but thinking about it now, Shen Fu had probably long since had feelings for Lin ShuYi. Thinking about it that way, there wasn’t actually anything unacceptable about them. Others, maybe not, but them two – Old Man Yang felt like he could.

Xiao Wan’s grandmother was still shocked, unable to collect her wits. Xiao Wan was explaining it to her very patiently, and by the time her grandmother understood, she didn’t look like she found it hard to accept. Instead, she grew curious about Shen Fu’s identity. “Shen Corporation?”

Shen Fu nodded. He didn’t know why Xiao Wan’s grandma was so interested in that.

Xiao Wan’s grandma concentrated on recalling something before she slapped her thigh. “Is – is that Shen Yan related to you?!”

Shen Fu’s eyes widened. “Shen Yan is my... my older brother.” The main point was that he had never told anyone that before, so how did Xiao Wan’s grandma know?

Xiao Wan’s grandmother wore an ‘I knew it’ expression. She told Shen Fu, “That time when Old Man Yang got sick, I read somebody’s finance and economics newspaper! The big entrepreneur in it was Shen Yan! So it turns out that he was your big brother, no wonder he looked so familiar back then! He looks quite similar to you!”

When she mentioned that, Shen Fu remembered as well. He was the one who had thrown that finance and economics newspaper into the trash can.

Xiao Wan’s parents didn’t express too many views on this matter either. After all, it was somebody else’s child, who also happened to be quite close to their elderly folk. So even though they couldn’t really accept it, they didn’t particularly reject it either. When all was said and done, the two of them had always been together, so wouldn’t it be fine to just consider them as brothers?

As a result, the topics after that naturally changed course. Everyone chatted until it was very late, and they only started to head home when Old Man Yang got sleepy.

Once they sent everyone out the door, Shen Fu started to head home with Lin ShuYi.

When they came, Shen Fu drove his own car, but he had drank wine, so they left the car in the parking lot. He wasn’t in a hurry to get it, since both of them wanted to slowly walk back just like this.

Lin ShuYi’s mouth was tilted upwards the entire time, and he looked to be in a really good mood. Shen Fu was the one who was actually in an extremely good mood.

He reached out and slung an arm around Lin ShuYi’s shoulders. Even though he wanted to hug his waist, since there were still lots of people going about, he still had to watch his image a little. As a result, he changed it to the shoulders instead, so at least it wouldn’t look so strange. “Are you cold?”

Lin ShuYi shook his head. “No.”

Shen Fu let out a breath of air, and it changed into thick white mist in the air. He laughed. “It’s this cold, yet you’re still saying you’re not? Give me your hand.”

Lin ShuYi took out his hand from his pocket, and Shen Fu covered it with his own. Sure enough, it was warm, not cold, and Shen Fu’s eyes curved with his smile. He smirked, looking extremely cool. “But I’m a little cold. How about you warm me up a little.”

As a result, their fingers interlaced as he held Lin ShuYi’s hand, placing their enjoined hands into Lin ShuYi’s coat pocket.

This way, he naturally couldn’t keep his arm around Lin ShuYi’s shoulders, but the feeling of their hands lacing together still made Shen Fu’s heart warm. “I told Grandpa Yang that we’re going to H City early tomorrow morning.”

The press conference was going to be held two days later in the afternoon. They were going to H City tomorrow morning so that Lin ShuYi could first meet Shen Fu’s parents before the press conference.

They were already at the point where they were going to get married, yet Lin ShuYi hadn’t even met Shen Fu’s parents yet – that was probably a case specific only to them. However, Grandfather Shen was the most reputable in the Shen family; as long as he gave his consent, there wasn’t really any room to refute it. That was why Shen Fu’s life changing event seemed a little bit careless.

Actually, it wasn’t really a life changing event either. Calling together a press conference now was merely to make Shen Fu’s sexual orientation clear and announce that they were in love, that’s all.

But if this wasn’t Grandfather Shen and was Mama Shen instead, with her degree of dear love for Shen Fu, she most likely would’ve made Shen Fu come out of the closet long ago. The only reason it dragged to this point was because Grandfather Shen hadn’t agreed, so the entire Shen family was extremely curious about how Lin ShuYi managed to wrangle Grandfather Shen into acquiescence.

Lin ShuYi’s body stiffened. Of course he knew why they were going to H City so early, but he couldn’t help but be a little nervous.

It must be known that ever since he was born until now – two entire lifetimes – he most likely had never been as nervous as he was now.

The last time he was so nervous, it was the day that he won top marks in the imperial examinations in Da Yan. He hadn’t slept the entire night, all the way until the sound of the horse’s hooves came to a stop in front of his door bearing good news.

Back then, he most likely would’ve never guessed that the same person, who didn’t even get nervous seeing the emperor, would get extremely nervous when meeting the parents.

Shen Fu could feel his fingers’ momentary tension, and he chuckled. “Don’t be nervous, they’re very easy to get along with.”

If this kind of comfort actually worked, then things would be simple.

So Lin ShuYi continued to be nervous, even entering a state where he started to work himself up the more he thought.

Shen Fu’s eyebrows jumped, and he thought of a strategy. The two of them just happened to leave the main road, entering a quieter alley. Shen Fu suddenly stopped before turning around, letting Lin ShuYi, who was caught off guard, bump into his embrace all of a sudden.

Lin ShuYi was currently deep in his thoughts, and he was a little baffled to be suddenly embraced by Shen Fu. “What are you doing?”

The moonlight of deep winter was particularly clean and bright. ChaoYang Street was also located in the suburbs, so the night filled with the shining moon and sparse stars illuminated them, making the person before them appear especially alluring and captivating. That strained rope pulled taut in Shen Fu’s mind suddenly snapped, his eyes glittering to the point that it was a little scary. “Something that will make you not so nervous.”

Lin ShuYi knew instantly what he was going to do. He actually wanted to turn and walk away, but... watching as Shen Fu’s head lowered, he still closed his eyes and kissed him.

Pets had to be rewarded. Besides, he remembered that Shen Fu’s lips seemed to be unexpectedly soft.

After a long time, Shen Fu finally realized that this kind of situation was no different than drinking poison in the hope of quenching his thirst.

Lin ShuYi’s eyes were very bright, and his lips were a bright red as if filled with blood. His mouth was slightly open, and he was currently breathing a bit urgently.

Shen Fu’s entire face read: I want to sleep with you I want to sleep with you I really want to sleep with you.

No, if things continued like this, he definitely wouldn’t be able to bear it.

Shen Fu’s hands trembled as he tugged Lin ShuYi’s scarf upwards a little more before he said hoarsely, “Let’s go home.” Take a shower.

Lin ShuYi wanted to laugh a little. How could he admit that he was also very stirred up? But right now, they were on the main road.

However, Shen Fu didn’t know that. By the time they got back, Lin ShuYi’s passion had already vanished. If he had known, back when Lin ShuYi was stirred up that it was tantamount to acceptance, right there on the road he might’ve just... forget it, there were too many people watching on the street, it was better not to.

How could the first time be a battle in the wild! With the possibility of people watching too!

Shen Fu suppressed it to the point of internal injury, but he had no choice but to continue suppressing it.

The next day, the two of them ate breakfast as always before departing for H City. They weren’t as relaxed and content as last time; this time, “quite stressed, going to meet the parents” was written all over Lin ShuYi’s face.

Shen Fu couldn’t restrain his laughter. “I have a way to help you, do you still want to give it a try?”

Lin ShuYi shot him a cool look, disdaining his “way to help.” Even though it was fairly successful, did Shen Fu want Lin ShuYi to meet his parents for the first time with two swollen lips, knowing what they had done with just one glance?

Shen Fu chuckled evilly, even louder.

It was because the Lin ShuYi who was nervous since he was afraid Shen Fu’s parents wouldn’t like him was so cute, cute to the point that Shen Fu wanted to swallow him whole. What to do?

The trunk was stuffed full of things that Lin ShuYi had bought himself. There were also some things that Old Man Yang had prepared, local specialties just like last time. They were all things to bring to the Shen family.

Even though it was like this, Lin ShuYi still felt as if he was underprepared in some area.

By the time the car arrived at the grand entrance to the Shen family’s home, which Lin ShuYi had never gone to before, that kind of nervous feeling inside him still hadn’t abated even a little.

Shen Fu had thought of all sorts of methods, but to no avail. The most effective one Lin ShuYi wasn’t willing to use; it truly gave him grief.

But when Lin ShuYi saw that there was a huge table full of Chinese style dishes that looked and smelled fantastic waiting for them, rather than an inquisition, a huge part of Lin ShuYi’s nervousness disappeared at once. Shen Fu was dying of anger. Really? His comfort the entire way there was useless, but his grandpa settled it with just one meal? The two of them really were just like two peas in a pod.

Grandfather Shen, who had similarly been settled with just one meal, felt extremely good looking at all the various presents in Lin ShuYi’s arms. He told the housekeeper to hurry and relieve Lin ShuYi of them, before telling Lin ShuYi to sit next to him. “What a long journey, you must be tired, right? We’re about to start eating, come and sit.”

Lin ShuYi bid a greeting to the grandfather and sat obediently next to Grandfather Shen’s side. He absently shot a look around; Shen Fu’s parents and big brother actually weren’t there.

Shen Fu asked at the exact same time, “Where’s my mom? Why aren’t they here?”

Lin ShuYi grew a little nervous again.

He had just finished speaking when a slightly excited woman’s voice drifted out from the kitchen. “In here, in here.”

Mama Shen walked out, her appearance something that Lin ShuYi and Shen Fu had never expected to see.

A woman who took good care of herself and looked as delicate and young as if she could be Shen Fu’s older sister came out, holding a dish and smiling, an apron wrapped around her and carrying a wok spatula in the other hand.

Shen Fu shouted, as if he had seen a ghost, “Mom?!!”

Lin ShuYi felt bewildered for a while before he hastily stood up and bowed, saying, “Auntie.”

Mama Shen had been assessing Lin ShuYi since she walked out while smiling the entire time. When she heard Shen Fu’s shout, she shot him a look. “Why are you shouting? So frightening.” Then she called out to Lin ShuYi, still beaming, “You must be Xiao Yi. Hurry and sit, the food is about to be done.”

To be able to change attitudes so quickly; Shen Fu kneeled in admiration.

She told the housekeeper, “Quickly go tell Yan Yan and YanQing to come down.”

So it turned out that Papa Shen and Shen Fu’s older brother were in the study. Originally they were all waiting downstairs, but the company called, so they had gone to the study. After a while, the two of them came down from the study. Papa Shen looked just as Lin ShuYi had imagined, gentle and strict. He smiled warmly when he saw Lin ShuYi.

The one who made Lin ShuYi surprised was Shen Fu’s older brother, Shen Yan.

Sure enough, he was very similar to Shen Fu. When he saw Lin ShuYi, he nodded slightly in acknowledgment before he immediately rolled his eyes gracefully at Shen Fu. “You remembered to come back?”

It looked like the Shen family’s ultimate skill, the ability to change faces, was inherited. Lin ShuYi was in admiration.

Before they could start talking, Grandfather Shen waved his hands widely. “Stop standing around, let’s eat first. If there’s something to say, we can talk about it slowly after eating. It’s been many years since Li Yun has gone into the kitchen, let’s taste her cooking.”

No wonder Shen Fu was so shocked.

The table was full of dishes, all as beautiful as works of art. Never mind the taste, just from smell alone the aroma was extremely fragrant.

After Mama Shen brought over the last bowl of soup, she took off the apron and washed her hands. “Let’s eat, let’s eat. Give it a try, it’s been many years since I’ve last cooked, so I don’t know how the taste is?”

Was it a tradition for the Shen family’s wives to be able to cook? Mama Shen’s cooking skill was even greater than a head chef’s.

Finally, Lin ShuYi let go of his bellyful of nervousness and started to eat. Speaking of which, this was not quite the same as what he had imagined. Lin ShuYi curled his lips, before Shen Fu sneakily grabbed his hand.