Free Web NovelChapter 220: Chapter 139: Why Should the Strong Follow the Rules?
The caller was none other than Lin Daohang, the co-chairman of the New York Fujian Business Association.
"Mr. Li, I hope I’m not disturbing you?" Lin Daohang’s laughter, thick with an accent, came through the phone. "It’s nothing major. I just wanted to let you know that this season’s fresh goods have been delivered downstairs at your apartment. I’ve already spoken with your doorman."
"Thank you, Chairman Lin," Li Wei said. "What is it this time?" freёweɓnovel.com
"This time, it’s hilsa herring from the Yangtze River, air-freighted from back home. Wild ones are nearly extinct nowadays, so these were raised in a semi-wild environment. Their strength is their rich fat content. There are also some early-spring fresh matsutake mushrooms, just dug up from Baoshan and Dehong in Yunnan. They’re unopened button mushrooms, which have the most intense aroma."
Lin Daohang’s tone was casual, as if he were discussing a trivial matter, giving no hint of the difficulty involved in procuring such items.
Li Wei didn’t know much about these delicacies, but he knew for certain that Lin Daohang was sparing no expense on him. Ever since he had turned down Lin Daohang’s offer of two million USD in shares, the man had sent him the freshest seasonal ingredients almost every month to satisfy his "Celestial Dynasty" palate.
In April, he had sent the finest "pre-Qingming" knifefish and pre-Qingming Longjing Tea from West Lake’s Lion Peak Mountain. Li Wei had looked it up later and learned that only knifefish from the Yangtze River caught in early April, before the Qingming Festival, were called "pre-Qingming." Their bones were as soft as cotton, and the meat melted in your mouth.
As the saying goes: freshness is in the eating, and value is in the timing.
The pre-Qingming Longjing Tea from Lion Peak Mountain that Lin Daohang sent was also an incredible item. The tea produced from the old trees on Lion Peak Mountain had an extremely low yield, with prices reaching well over ten thousand yuan per pound.
Worried that Li Wei wouldn’t know how to prepare the ingredients, Lin Daohang had even arranged for the master chef from Longjingxuan Restaurant to visit his apartment three times a week. Li Wei could order whatever he wanted, prepared in any style, completely eliminating the need for him to cook.
Li Wei had initially wanted to refuse, but he couldn’t stand up to Lin Daohang’s sheer sincerity. Besides, the knifefish was truly delicious. freeweɓnovel.cøm
At first, Li Wei tried to decline, but after a bit of back-and-forth, he eventually acquiesced.
"I’ve received them," Li Wei said. "Thank you for the trouble."
"It’s just a taste of home," Lin Daohang said, his laughter unabated. "Oh, by the way, that disappointing apprentice of mine, the one you met last time named Chen Haisheng? He has a boxing match at the end of the month. If you’re interested, Mr. Li, you’re more than welcome to come by and offer some guidance. We could also take the opportunity to get together again."
"A boxing match?"
Li Wei thought for a moment. ’I’ve never actually been to a boxing match. Maybe a competitive sporting event like this could trigger a mission.’ His mind was currently consumed with finding ways to raise his stats.
After agreeing to Lin Daohang’s invitation, Li Wei jotted down the address and time. Suddenly, he saw another call coming in from Anya.
"Hello?"
"What are you doing?" Anya’s voice sounded drained, and the affected laughter of socialites could be heard faintly in the background.
"I’m at a fitting," Li Wei said, looking at his reflection in the mirror. His body was covered in chalk lines, and he was only wearing the mock-up of a suit jacket. "Is your tea party over?"
"Ha! It’s over," Anya said. "I was bored to death. Want to get ice cream after your fitting?"
If there was one thing Anya and Lily had in common, it was their shared love for ice cream. Lily was, in fact, showing a slight tendency to become a little chubby. This was only natural; when Catherine was around, she had strictly controlled Lily’s diet. Now, however, Don Quixote and Susan placed no restrictions on her at all, which made her endlessly happy.
There was still no news from Catherine. Her social media had basically gone silent, which, as far as Li Wei and Don Quixote were concerned, was the best possible outcome.
And while Lily was at risk of getting a little chubby, Li Wei wasn’t the least bit worried about Anya gaining weight, because she dynamically managed her own food intake.
Girls from Russia had an almost fanatical obsession with their weight. Li Wei would bet that after eating ice cream today, Anya would either force herself to skip dinner or spend a full hour on the stair machine, just to burn off everything she’d consumed.
When Li Wei had asked her about this, she had given him a strange look. "Of course," she’d said. "You have to maintain your figure. You can’t get fat, or you’ll get ugly."
"A girlfriend’s looks and figure are a reflection on her man," she had said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "If I got fat, wouldn’t that be embarrassing for you?"
"Besides, you’re in such good shape," Anya had said, glancing at Li Wei’s chiseled abs. "I don’t believe you can eat whatever you want and not gain weight."
Li Wei glanced at his stats panel and said nothing.
"Perhaps we could find another way to burn off those calories," he had suggested. "It might be a bit more efficient than the stair machine."
...
By the time Li Wei arrived at the ice cream shop, Serendipity 3, Anya had already ordered a large sundae.
"What’s wrong?" Li Wei asked as he sat down, noticing Anya’s gloomy expression. "Bad mood?"
Anya stared at Li Wei without a word, then suddenly grabbed his forearm and gave it a soft bite, pretending to be angry.
Though Li Wei was a bit baffled, he played along, putting on a pained expression.
Seeing Li Wei’s expression, Anya’s heart ached for a moment, and she instinctively let go. Then she took a napkin and wiped her saliva off his forearm.
