DSMC Chapter 20.1

The footsteps Yan Jiyun heard didn’t belong to any NPC or player he had seen earlier in the restaurant.

They were deliberately keeping their voices down. With only a mirrored door between them, Yan Jiyun couldn’t quite catch what they were saying.

He suddenly guessed that they might be the ones who came out of those tightly sealed private rooms on the second floor.

Wasn’t Lin Xie the owner of this restaurant? Why was he avoiding those people? That was a bit strange.

Lin Xie led Yan Jiyun toward the staircase where Wen Nanxing had been taken. His pace was quick, pulling further and further away from the murmuring figures behind them.

If Yan Jiyun could speak human words, he would have asked what kind of people those were.

His head was full of missionions. If the popularity of this viral restaurant was simply due to the ingredients, wouldn’t that be too simple?

And where exactly had Wen Nanxing been taken by He Xiaobi just now?

While memorizing the route ahead, Yan Jiyun silently mulled over the doubts popping up one by one.

The staircase grew narrower. After about fifty steps, his field of vision opened up again. At the bottom, two paths diverged.

Lin Xie decisively turned left. Carried on his shoulder, Yan Jiyun didn’t have to walk on his own, saving plenty of energy.

He remained extremely wary in this unfamiliar environment, ears perked high. He heard the people behind them heading in the other direction, their voices fading until they disappeared completely.

Just then, the sound of clinking metals, probably from knife chopping vegetables, took over his ears. 

This was… the restaurant’s kitchen?

But why come down from the second floor to reach it? Could it be that the restaurant actually had two kitchens — one for regular business hours, and another reserved for special Midnight Meals?

Every dish on the Midnight Meal menu carried a bizarre name.

In fact, the place looked both like a kitchen and not like a kitchen. Separated by transparent glass, it resembled a laboratory more than anything else — likely a space for developing new dishes.

Everyone inside wore white coats and masks. But instead of beakers and test tubes, their workstations were lined with dishes of oddly colored food. Drinks in juice pitchers looked like oil mixed with blood, soups resembled crushed tomatoes, and there were strange-looking pastes that seemed barely edible to most people.

What strange ingredients were they made of?

Yan Jiyun tried to crane his head, hoping to spot something unusual while silently memorizing the route Lin Xie was taking.

Lin Xie didn’t seem to be here for an inspection, but his status was clearly high. Every lab-coated worker greeted him respectfully as he passed.

So the customers weren’t coming for fresh ingredients or superb cooking techniques. They were after the dishes’ names. What meaning did those names actually carry?

They continued forward, until a figure in a white coat approached them head-on.

Most of the researchers wore masks, but this one didn’t. His red lips and white teeth[mfn]btw this is a classic Chinese signifier that this man is good-looking.[/mfn] were on full display, and he wore his white coat in an entirely different manner — he unbuttoned it, hands in pockets, a toothpick between his lips, exuding a lazy, roguish attitude. He deliberately stopped in front of Lin Xie, blocking his path.

“Lin Xie, instead of greeting guests in your front hall, you bring a cat down here? Don’t you know the rules?” He glanced at the black cat, frowning with disinterest.

“And what are you doing here at this hour? It’s not like experimental dishes fall under your jurisdiction.”

Clearly not expecting Lin Xie to turn the missionion back on him, the man removed the toothpick from his mouth and smirked. “Fine, let’s not call each other out. But this cat is really ugly, dark as tar.” 

Yan Jiyun, who was shot while lying down: “….” 

Being black wasn’t his fault! And why drag an innocent cat into this just because you couldn’t win the exchange?

It was obvious that this man’s standing was on par with Lin Xie’s. Among the white coats, only he carried the air of a boss checking on employees after a midnight snack. He looked arrogant, with a trace of street-thug bravado.

What role was he playing here?

Noticing the black cat staring intently at him, irritation crept into his expression. He reached out and yanked at the long tail draped over Lin Xie’s arm.

Caught off guard, Yan Jiyun immediately slashed his paw across the man’s hand. Three bloody scratches appeared before he could dodge.

Yan Jiyun hated anyone pulling his tail. If someone tried, he scratched without hesitation!

Back in his neighborhood, a bratty kid had always tried to grab it. Luckily, he was fast enough to dodge every time. Later, he even teased the child deliberately, flicking his tail in front of him until the three-year-old burst into tears chasing after him. Watching him cry always made Yan Jiyun feel refreshed.

Now was no different. The roguish man froze at the sight of the scratches, about to curse, when Lin Xie cut him off with a mocking laugh, “Jiang Yan, you deserved that for grabbing its tail. Good job, Blake.”

Yan Jiyun heard two names: “Jiang Yan” and “Blake.” Jiang Yan must be the roguish man who had pulled his tail. But then… who was Blake?

It couldn’t possibly be him!

As he puzzled over this, the familiar system chime sounded.

[Player Yan Jiyun has triggered a side mission: Jiang Yan has taken an interest in you. Before the instance ends, uncover Jiang Yan’s secret. Reward: 500 points.]

Yan Jiyun: ???

Was this mission telling him to approach Jiang Yan?

What secret could Jiang Yan possibly have?

He had just clawed the man’s hand. How was he supposed to win his favor now? This was plain impossible!

Yet Jiang Yan seemed utterly unfazed by the scratches. Lin Xie, unwilling to argue further, moved to walk past him. But Jiang Yan blocked his way again.

Leaning close, he lowered his voice. “Lin Xie, you’d better hope I don’t catch you slipping. And don’t interfere with Father’s plans. He won’t let you off.”

Lin Xie only stared back at him, unblinking.

Jiang Yan continued, “That Deputy Manager Liang under you is interesting. I hear he’s already talked to Father about a promotion. Looks like you’ll be replaced soon.”

Lin Xie clearly didn’t want to hear more. He pushed Jiang Yan aside. “You’re in my way.”

Ears pricked, Yan Jiyun caught every word more clearly than anyone else could.

So… were these two standing on opposite sides?

Were they just colleagues, or was there something much deeper entangling them?

Lin Xie ignored Jiang Yan’s hint and kept walking forward with Yan Jiyun. Yan Jiyun turned his head to look behind him — Jiang Yan was still standing in place, suddenly turning back, expression thoughtful. Lin Xie happened to turn the corner and didn’t notice Jiang Yan’s movement.

The corner was no longer transparent glass with high visibility, but solid walls. On both sides of the corridor were doors. They’re not numbered, but labeled with functional names.

For example, the one Lin Xie now pushed open was marked “Canteen.”

Yan Jiyun thought it would be some kind of special secret base, but upon entering, he realized that it was truly a canteen. A few people in uniforms were eating inside, each at their own table, the whole time without a single word exchanged.

Lin Xie had really brought him for a midnight snack.

Lin Xie also chose a seat without anyone else nearby, then used the tablet beside him to order a set meal.

Yan Jiyun squatted quietly on the chair. While Lin Xie scrolled through the screen, he stared fixedly. The names of these set meals were identical to the “Midnight Meal event” just now. The five dishes showcased in the front hall were all listed here, and the number of items was far greater than he’d imagined, like wholesale stock.

Yan Jiyun pretended to be drawn by the red dot on the screen and pressed his plum-blossom paw print onto the plus sign behind “Overnight Riches”. The menu registered the selection.

Whether he ate or not was another matter, but he had to choose it. The meaning was too good to pass up.

Lin Xie glanced at him, thinking it was just coincidence. He’d heard cats were especially sensitive to moving red dots, like how they loved laser pointers.

“Since you accidentally pressed Overnight Riches,’ I’ll choose that one for you.”

The meal would take a bit of time to arrive. Lin Xie pulled out a plastic shark toy, the same as the one Wen Nanxing had just played with customers.

He looked at the little black cat with anticipation. “Come on, let’s play this. I press one, then you press one.”

Yan Jiyun: Do I look like the kind of cat who’d play this brainless game?

Lin Xie pressed down one shark tooth. Click.

Yan Jiyun: …

Seeing it only watching and not raising a paw, Lin Xie pressed another tooth.

Yan Jiyun couldn’t help but lift a paw and press one down.

After doing it, he felt a bit dazed. His paw was a little out of his control. It seemed… kind of fun.

Lin Xie had thought it would take ages to teach, but the black cat was smart. Back and forth, pressing one after the other.

The first match ended with Lin Xie losing.

Lin Xie praised, “Blake, you’re amazing.”

[Congratulations. Player Yan Jiyun gained +5 Favorability with Lin Xie.]

In this instance, after “Coal Ball,” Yan Jiyun had gained yet another name. Luckily, cats could pretend they didn’t understand words, so there was no need to respond.

The “Midnight Meal” set meal hadn’t yet arrived, and Lin Xie, unwilling to accept defeat, started a second round with Yan Jiyun.

Yan Jiyun patiently kept playing. After all, this was his mission target. He’d figured it out: better to play along well.

Lin Xie lost again, looking slightly troubled, but the system’s notification betrayed his true feelings.

[Congratulations. Player Yan Jiyun gained +5 Favorability with Lin Xie.]

Yan Jiyun: …

Was this man secretly a masochist?

Before they could start a third round, a canteen worker brought over the “Overnight Riches” set meal.

Yan Jiyun thought the set wasn’t anything special. It was just abalone arranged among slices of lettuce.

Yan Jiyun felt cheated.

Lin Xie switched the “Overnight Riches” in front of himself, then pulled a packet of small dried fish from his pocket, placing it before Yan Jiyun. “This is your midnight snack.”

Remembering the mission of tasting a dish, Yan Jiyun took the chance. While Lin Xie was tearing open the dried fish packet, he hooked a piece of abalone toward himself with his paw, and with one bite, gulped it down. Then he turned, ready to jump off the chair and flee.

But Lin Xie’s reaction was lightning quick. He pressed down on his back, pinching his jaw: “Blake, spit out the abalone. Cats can’t eat abalone. It’ll give you skin disease, make you shed like crazy. A bald cat is very ugly.”

Yan Jiyun couldn’t accept the thought of getting a skin disease. His mouth didn’t move, and obediently he spat out the abalone, barely missing the food-tasting mission by a hair’s breadth.

[Congratulations. Player Yan Jiyun gained +5 Favorability with Lin Xie.]

Yan Jiyun mentally gifted Lin Xie with a full set of traditional Chinese medicine. The man’s grip on his jaw hurt like hell, and yet he felt pleased? Gaining this favorability wasn’t at all satisfying, and the mission remained incomplete.

The other players, receiving three consecutive notifications of Yan Jiyun gaining NPC favorability, felt utterly out of place.

Even as newbies, they knew favorability wasn’t some cabbage you picked up for free. What unspeakable things had Yan Jiyun done with the restaurant owner?

If it required sacrificing one’s looks, that was far too much. They definitely didn’t want that kind of favorability!

Yan Jiyun, frustrated at not getting to eat “Overnight Riches,” wondered how he could manage to eat one of the other sets.