Monster Inn Rectification Report: Chapter 7

 

Although Yu Li didn’t seem to be someone who’s gentle or patient, his way of applying the medicine deserved high praise; Xie Fei would even rate it five stars. If it wasn’t for the time being too short, Xie Fei would have long fallen asleep due to being too comfortable…...　　

　

After finishing, Xie Fei felt his body cool--even his bones felt lighter. After putting away the medicine, he thanked Yu Li and decided to go to the kitchen to prepare dinner. However, he had just changed his shoes when he was stopped yet again.

 

“You--add me on wechat, tiktok, weibo, twitter, and fanstation.”

 

“......”

　　

Okay ba. Orders are orders. Who allowed Yu Li to have such a beautiful and kind heart?

 

Initially, Xie Fei planned to go straight to the kitchen but when he passed by the garden, he saw Yin Su secretly peeking at 101, like a piece of cake glued to the door. Soon enough, Yin Su also caught sight of him and discreetly retreated from his position, taking a step back and sticking his body against the wall.

 

 

Xie Fei’s eyes twitched. He was about to drag Yin Su away when he suddenly heard Yang Duoduo’s raised voice from inside the room. 

 

“I was kind enough to keep you company and help you relax and enjoy yourself but it’s like you lost your soul the whole day. Is it worth it for that scum? Don’t you know that aunt and uncle are anxious to death? The whole family is worried about you!”

 

“Don’t say that, he’s not that kind of person---”

 

“He’s not a scum? Because he has a good family background, it would have been easy to find a good match for him. And yet, he decided to find you and play around. Otherwise, how could he suddenly break up right before the wedding? Disappearing off the face of the earth, he even made your whole family a laughingstock. He’s messing with you!”

“You! Shut up!"

“Why? Am I wrong?!"

Seeing that the two sisters were becoming more and more intense, their shouts getting louder and fiercer, he went to the garden and picked a few flowers before tying them into a bouquet with a couple of grass stems in them. He then went back to the sisters’ front door. 

When they heard a knock on the door, the two abruptly stopped fighting. A moment later, the door opened.

It was Yang Duoduo who opened the door. She saw Xie Fei standing outside and couldn’t hide the surprised look on her face. “Little Boss?”

Xie Fei hid the flowers behind his back and smiled at her, asking, “It’s almost dinner time. Will the two sisters eat in the inn?”

Although Yang Duoduo was in a bad mood, she couldn’t bear to confront Xie Fei with a dark expression. Reluctantly, she smiled. “Yes, do you have a menu? The room doesn’t seem to have one.”

“We don’t have many guests so we don’t dare buy too many ingredients. We usually prepare the meal and eat together,” Xie Fei explained, voice apologetic. “But if there are any special diets or allergies, you can tell me.”

Nowadays, most of the residential inns or guest houses have similar business models so Yang Duoduo wasn’t surprised. Looking at Xie Fei, she looked forward to eating with him. Quickly, she replied: “We’re all right. Just do things as you like.”

“Then I’ll see you at the restaurant at 6:30.” Before leaving, Xie Fei revealed the bouquet of flowers and unexpectedly gave it to them. “To our two honored guests, I hope you have a pleasant stay.”

No matter how Yang Duoduo reacted, Xie Fei picked up Yin Su and left. From afar, he heard Yang Duoduo’s voice, shouting “thank you.” Xie Fei smiled a little and felt that the red scarf on his chest was a little bit brighter than before.

The inn’s kitchen was built on one side of the courtyard, the distance not far from the restaurant. As he entered the kitchen, he went forward and opened the refrigerator, assessing the ingredients in it. Then, he mulled over today’s dishes. 

In his original world, he studied many private dishes with his grandmother. With the limited ingredients the inn had, Xie Fei put in more thought and finally decided on several kinds of home-made dishes--sour soup balls, stir fried meat, green vegetables with garlic, white gourd with orange juice, and bitter gourd soup. Two meat dishes, two vegetable dishes, and one soup. These were enough for the guests as well as Ah Fu, Xiang Fei, and himself. 

 

The kitchen area wasn’t small and it had two stoves in total which were both used by Xie Fei. Just by looking at his agile and skilled hands, one could already tell that he already mastered the basic techniques needed in cooking therefore, one could conclude that his cooking skills must be good. Whether the cooks paid attention to the adept knife skills or the quick coordination a person needed while mixing ingredients, Xie Fie all made it look easy. Even if it looked random or casual, he had the ability to make it look “just right.”

 

Soon, the kitchen was filled with the smell of food. The boiling pot emitted a tempting aroma, brimmed with a tantalizing sour taste that evoked one’s appetite. Yin Su crouched on one side of the kitchen, unaffected by the various smells and temptation around. Instead, he took advantage of Xie Fei’s inattentiveness and secretly stole a few pieces of uncooked meat. Before swallowing it, he noticed another figure by the door. 

“B-boss, why bother doing such a trifle matter by yourself?” Ah Fu who had just finished fixing himself rubbed his hands and smiled. “Boss should rest instead and leave it to me.”

 

Xie Fei continued cutting the vegetables, ignoring Ah Fu’s words. He turned around and said, “Brother Ah Fu, how about going to the restaurant and have a seat first? If the guests arrive earlier than expected, you can entertain them.”

 

Ah Fu hesitated and stood still for a while, trying to determine that Xie Fei wasn’t saying this just to be polite. Then, he walked out of the door. After walking three steps, he turned around twice, looking back.

At a quarter past six, Xie Fei completed all five dishes. He placed the bitter gourd soup into a bowl and sprinkled it with scallions. Then, he ordered Yin Su to call everyone that the food was ready.　

 

When he reached the restaurant with the bowl in his hands, he found that Yang Duoduo was already there. She and Ah Fu sat face to face, with one hand hooked on the cord lying between Ah Fu’s fingers. 

 

Xie Fei saw that the two were playing with the flower rope, like two young kids. In his heart, Xie Fei thought it was a little childish of them to this. Then, he heard Yang Duoduo ask, “Tomorrow, should I go see my oppa¹?”

 

“Your dad is here too?” Xie Fei walked straight in, putting down the bowl and asking her casually. 

 

Yang Duoduo paused for a while then, she immediately laughed, causing the flower rope to shake. “It’s oppa! Brother, it means I’m talking about my male god!”

“Ah, sorry, sorry.”

Xie Fei wasn’t that old-fashioned and out of the loop that he wouldn’t understand what “Oppa” meant. It’s just that Yang Duoduo said it in such an absentminded and ambiguous way that it made him ask like a fool.

 

“It’s fine.” After laughing for a long time, Yang Duoduo’s laughter finally died down. “My male god is Yu Li. His new drama will start tomorrow and it just so happened that my cousin and I are going to the film and television base. I wanted to ask around if we had a chance to see him.”

Ah Fu: “......”

Xie Fei: “......”

Yang Duoduo didn’t notice that the two men suddenly became silent. She continued, asking with interest: “Little boss, what did you make?”

“Bitter gourd soup. It’s good for improving eyesight, easing the heart, and relieving fatigue.” He put away the dish and saw that Xu Lingyi wasn’t with her. “What about your cousin?”

Yang Duoduo shrugged. “She said she has no appetite. I’ll pack her some food and bring it over later.”

“Then I’ll pack her share first.” Looking back at the quarrel he heard, Xie Fei wasn’t surprised by this.

He glanced at the rope tied around Ah Fu’s fingertips again and found himself thinking that he must have seen wrong² --if he just turned the flower rope, why else would Yang Duoduo suddenly ask about Yu Li?

“What are you two doing?”

Yang Duoduo’s eyes flashed with excitement. “ Brother Ah Fu is using the flower rope divination on me. He’s so awesome. He knows everything about the stars and also astrology.”

　

After being praised by one of their guests, and right in front of the boss, Ah Fu’s head was in the clouds. “Of course, no matter where I am, I have a lot of time. I spent a hundred years studying--”

 

Xie Fei coughed loudly, eyeing the man. 

 

Ah Fu, swept up by his own excitement, hurriedly covered up his statement with a “haha” lest he expose himself some more. In a pleasant and flattering voice, he asked, “Boss, how about I calculate yours?”

 

“The stove is still on in the kitchen.” Xie Fei wasn’t interested in discussing his fate with others.

 

Ah Fu’s face was at a loss. “I’m very accurate with it though.”

 

“Even more why I shouldn’t….” Xie Fei murmured in a low voice. It’s because he had a big secret.

As he left the room, he heard Ah Fu’s soft voice, telling Yang Duoduo that she had to be careful about her cell phone and wallet, otherwise she’d suffer financial losses. However, Xie Fei turned around and forgot all about it. 

 

It wasn’t until all five dishes were served when Xiang Fei arrived, late. She didn’t expect that Xie Fei would personally cook for them and for a moment, she was struck with a guilty conscience, feeling a little scared as well. But what surprised her even more was the new master’s culinary skills. As soon as the food entered her palate, a sour and fresh taste invaded her senses. The more she ate, the more she noticed the smooth and chewy texture of the soup balls. The stir fried meat with green peppers was a bit spicy. The meat in her mouth was dense and chewy while the fat was crispy and not at all greasy. The juice was the perfect mix of sweet and sour while green vegetables cooked with garlic were crisp and refreshing. Even the bitter gourd soup she drank was sweet with a hint of bitterness, carrying a long aftertaste. 

 

Xiang Fei and Ah Fu were as quiet as a pair of chickens, diligently stuffing their mouths full of food. Even Yang Duoduo wasn’t willing to show weakness, insisting on eating her fill, and stopping only when they couldn’t eat anymore.

 

Satisfied, she let out a burp and picked up the packaged dinner besider her. “I’ll go send this to my cousin first. Brother Ah Fu, can you calculate my star chart later?”

 

With the boss in their midst, Ah Fu naturally wouldn’t refuse. “Then I shall wait for you in the lobby.”

 

After eating, the next step obviously wouldn’t fall in Xie Fei’s hands. Xiang Fei and Ah Fu already had a free meal, how dare they let their boss clean up the table and wash the dishes too? Standing up, they rushed over and started to work. 

 

Xie Fei now had nothing to do. Suddenly, the phone in his pocket vibrated. He took it out and saw a WeChat notification on the screen. 

 

The sender: Yu Li. The content: a link.

 

Xie Fei offhandedly clicked on it and saw a series of news--

“Hot news! Yu Li spotted in Shaoyang Town, clothes disarrayed and face haggard. Netizens are in tears!”

 

“Shocking! Popular actor is suspected of a debt crisis, riding a woman’s bicycle just to travel!”

 

“Breaking news! Yu Li goes to an ancient town for a lovers’ rendezvous and meets a mysterious man. From across the street, an exchange of tender looks and intimate acts. Secretly photographed on a bike and staged a fierce battle?”

 

…...

 

Xie Fei was deeply impressed with these people’s ability to make up such a story and spread it around. He could only humbly respond with a string of dots.

【Yu】Because of you, I was judged and murdered. 

【Boss Xiao Fei】Sorry…...

【Yu】Come up and get me something to eat

【Boss Xiao Fei】Didn’t you say earlier that you won’t eat dinner?

At the top of the WeChat box, the display repeatedly showed that “the other party is typing” but Xie Fei didn’t get a reply until one minute later.

 

【Yu】It’s not that I want to eat but it’s a chance for you to atone. 

Xie Fei was amused at the man’s inability to be honest with his words. He placed his phone back in his pocket and followed the bat holding a pile of bowls in his arms back to the kitchen.

 

Xiang Fei was in the middle of washing the dishes by the sink when Xie Fei arrived. Seeing this, she became more focused and doubled her efforts. “Boss came to inspect ah. I can scrub the dishes really clean.”

 

Then a “clack” was heard and the bowl was crushed.

Xiang Fei: “......”

The corners of Xie Fei’s mouth twitched at the sight. Sighing, he forced himself to bear the heartache and said, “Don’t worry about me Sister Xiang. Your old boss asked me to make some food for him, that's why I’m here.”

Xiang Fei was startled. “Isn’t he trying to maintain his figure? Isn’t that why he never eats dinner?”

Xie Fei then confirmed that Yu Li’s claim that “gets fast easily at night” was true and it wasn’t just an excuse to find fault with him. Thinking about it, he finally decided to use eggs, green vegetables, and some tomatoes to aid with his diet.

He went back upstairs and saw Yu Li sweating on the treadmill, breathing steady. Yu Li didn’t concern himself with what Xie Fei made. He only asked him to put down the dishes then, in a casual manner, said, “I heard that you’re good at cooking.” 

Xie Fei glanced at Yin Su standing on the windowsill and admitted without any modesty. “It’s good.”

 

“Aren’t you an orphan? Does the orphanage teach these kinds of things?”  Yu Li turned back, a chilly gaze reaching Xie Fei’s eyes. His heart stopped, fear enveloping him. He forced a smile on his face and naturally said, “The orphanage really teaches us these things, training us in various skills and techniques ah. They taught us a lot of things and I was even able to work in a restaurant during the holidays.”

 

The original owner had done a lot of odd jobs before he was taken back by the rich family. Xie Fei wasn’t afraid of slipping up but he was worried of saying more than he should and ending up being wrong. So, he immediately found an excuse to escape the situation. “Then I won’t disturb you anymore. There’s still some things……”

 

Yu Li threw the towel down. “Pointless.”

 

Xie fei didn’t refute him. “This kind of thing, if you believe it or not, it’s fine. If you don’t believe it, thinking that it’s pointless is normal.”

 

“I don’t believe it.” Yu Li took a bottle of mineral water from the small freezer and spoke slowly. “But that bat can also calculate dangerous and divine matters, which is something so trivial. Isn’t it pointless?

 

Calculating divine matters exactly something considered random and just for fun……

 

Xie Fei disagreed. Seeing that Yu Li no longer pursued the matter of his cooking skills, he relaxed his tense body and half-jokingly asked, “How is it not pointless? Is it a life or death parting between two lovers?”

 

Yu Li pointed up and said, “It’s fortune telling.”

　　　

Xie Fei thought he was only joking, but he followed his lead. He raised the stage and joined him. “But don’t they say that fate is unpredictable?”

 

“Haven’t you learned the duality of things?” He drank a few mouthfuls of water and explained. “Unpredictability corresponds to order. If there is order, then there will be rules. If there are rules then of course they can be calculated.”

 

“That, can you calculate as well?” After hearing about it, it piqued Xie Fei’s interest. 

 

Yu Li continued drinking his water as if nothing happened. Finishing the bottle, he grabbed the collar of his shirt and wiped his mouth. “I don’t have that ability. Even if I did, I can’t afford to meddle with fate.”

　　

“Is there a price?”

 

Yu Li suddenly gripped the bottle hard, squeezing it. “The soul flies away, never to reincarnate,” he sneered. 

 

Xie Fei frowned. In fact, ever since a while ago, he always felt that Yu Li was simply telling a mysterious and fantastical story. Even though the world in the novel was indeed mysterious and somewhat mythical in nature, it still sounded unrealistic to Xie Fei’s ears. However, hearing Yu Li’s last sentence unexplainably made his heart beat with uneasiness. “If the end is so miserable, will anyone still dare try it?”

 

Xie Fei hesitated but stepped forward, standing right in front of him. The other side bowed his head slightly, lips pressing close to his ear, and with a voice full of malice said, “Guess.”

 

Xie Fei: “......”

Yu Li stared at him expressionlessly then waved him over.

The author has something to say:

Xie: He is teasing me.

Yu: Ah, to indulge in one's fantasy.

T/N:

1. 欧巴 - borrowed word, aka oppa from korean so I just placed it as is

2. Not sure about the translation so here's the raws: 他又看了眼阿福指尖的套绳，也发现自己想当然了——如果只是翻花绳，

Sorry about the late update! I was swamped with exams :( I'll do my best to upload another chapter this month. Thanks again for reading! :)