The family dinner was still at Rongxia Restaurant, which could be considered keeping the wealth within the Liu Family.
“Your dad said he wanted to find a fancy restaurant in Pearl City or something, and I told him, with our Liu Family's Rongxia Restaurant, a fifteen-hundred-year-old establishment, why would we need to go out to eat? Who are you insulting?” My uncle didn't forget to retort a couple of times while placing one of tonight's main dishes, a large plate of braised sea cucumber, on the table.
“Tsk, I’ve been eating your food for decades, can’t I have some variety? Besides, the children have finally graduated, so we should spend some money. The River Valley Park in Pearl City is run by a retired Imperial Lord's imperial chef, serving authentic Imperial Court cuisine. It’s incredibly difficult to get a reservation there. I only managed to get a connection through a student.” Feifei’s father, whom Yu Lian called “Uncle Wei,” Willis C. Lee, said irritably, but before everyone sat down, he had already put a large piece of Dongpo pork into his plate, giving off a vibe of hearty eating.
Now, let me properly introduce the current head of Atomic Fist, Mr. Willis C. Lee.
He is 45 years old this year, a spirited and tough man. His build is not particularly tall, and upon closer inspection, he isn't even exceptionally strong, but perhaps because his spirit and vitality are so exuberant, he gives off a feeling of a brawny and fierce martial artist.
He is indeed a very handsome man, though graceful and refined are out of the question, as he is a martial artist who eats and drinks heartily. But just looking at his features, he certainly deserves the evaluate of “handsome.”
After all, to have a daughter like Feifei, his own appearance couldn’t be too bad.
Of course, perhaps because his demeanor is too fierce, and coupled with the fact that he has truly gone bald in middle age, everyone only remembers him as a tough man, and the image of a “handsome man” is not particularly strong.
Chewing on the tender, stewed meat, he said, “So, Yu Lian’s fighting on the ship wasn’t very smart, was it? He at least got his start at my dojo, wouldn’t it be a loss of face for me if that got out?”
Uncle Wei, so earnestly defending himself, must be quite tired, Yu Lian thought. He quickly smiled and refilled Uncle Wei’s glass: “Uncle Wei’s lesson is well taken!”
“Feifei, you must be thinking that I, this old man, am acting my age again, huh?” The bald man reached out to cover his wine glass and said to his daughter, “Let me tell you, the so-called Atomic Punch, even if it’s just the basic technique, it has its…”
Feifei picked up another chopstick full of vegetables and put it into her father’s bowl, smiling as she interrupted, “Dad, is the wine Yu’er bought for you not good, or is the food Uncle Liu made not delicious?”
Uncle Wei rubbed his bald head, sighed wistfully, and picked up the wine glass Yu Lian had given him.
“That’s right, just eat your food, why are you talking about all this fighting again!” My aunt said irritably, “You wouldn’t believe how worried I was when I watched the broadcast earlier! Yu’er, you said it was a battleship exercise? How did it turn into fighting monsters! It scared your aunt so much she almost fainted, and your uncle actually fainted directly!”
“Nonsense, nonsense, how could such a thing happen!” The eighty-eighth generation head of Rongxia Restaurant sternly denied, stating that this was a slander against the Liu Family’s Past culinary gods.
“Wow! But big brother is so handsome! All our classmates admire him so much!”
“Yeah, the senior girls all say they won’t marry anyone but him, boo hoo…”
Under the simultaneous glares from my aunt and Feifei, An’an and Lele quickly lowered their heads and refocused their attention on the food.
“In short, you are not allowed to be so reckless in the future! Did you hear that? Your dad, you say something too!”
My uncle stiffly raised his wine glass, stiffly took a sip, then stiffly showed an amazed expression, and finally stiffly changed the subject: “Oh my, this is top-grade Volcanic Rock Wine! This stuff is hard to buy! Feifei, you really went to a lot of trouble!”
“I didn’t have to go to any trouble, Yu’er did all the running and waiting in line. Dad, he waited in line for most of the day just to buy these few bottles of wine for you,” Feifei said with a smile.
Volcanic Rock Wine is one of the most famous strong liquors in the Universe, brewed from volcanic rock beans produced in the Hese Sector of the Alliance. The taste of this wine is very similar to a certain brand of Jian from Yu Lian’s hometown in his previous life, but the mouthfeel is stronger, and it carries a lingering, rich aroma that cannot be tasted on Earth.
Of course, it is indeed a luxury item among strong liquors, with limited production and very difficult to purchase.
If paired with Sichuan cuisine, the taste is truly even more wonderful! Yu Lian liked this taste in his previous life, and even more so in this one.
What pleased him was that Uncle Wei also liked it very much. Men who enjoy this strong liquor and love to eat meat heartily are true men.
“Hmph, isn’t it just a bottle of wine? Isn’t this what this kid should do?” Uncle Wei said.
Yu Lian smiled and said, “Yes, it’s just a little bit of wine. We juniors still have a lot more to do.”
He had also done a lot for Uncle Wei. For example, besides buying good wine for the elder, he also helped Willis purchase a very reliable insurance policy through the Astronomical International Bank’s branch in Guanghan City. It covered accidents, minor and major illnesses, and retirement, among other things, and was a star product of the Alliance’s insurance industry giant.
No wonder, after all, when he bought it, Yu Lian didn't know that Uncle Wei was hiding so much. Of course... even if he knew, it wouldn't matter.
Who can guarantee that a spiritual energy user doesn't need insurance?
It is said that giving insurance to family members, especially elders, has been very popular recently. Yu Lian felt that this was definitely much more practical than giving flowers, fruits, or antique Decorations that are beneficial but not expensive.
“Wait, retirement insurance is fine, but what do you mean by disability and accident?” Uncle Wei was furious: “Feifei, this kid bought disability insurance for your father! Disability insurance! This is simply an insult to the ancestors of our Atomic Fist!”
Feifei had already turned her head away, covering her face, and her shoulders began to twitch uncontrollably.
“Not just you, we all have… hmm, little Yu’er is really thoughtful.” My aunt helplessly smoothed her hair: “But your aunt still feels very young, and she’s still waiting to help you and Feifei take care of your children.”
Feifei’s ears seemed a little red, but she still wore an impeccable smile and got up to pour tea for her aunt.
If it were any other father, they would probably have been furious on the spot, but Willis just gave a dry laugh twice, with a look of bitterness and desolation, and downed a glass of wine.
Not only that, Yu Lian also bought a fund in his uncle and aunt’s names. When the two elders reach sixty, they will be able to receive at least 500,000 letter stars in pension annually.
“Additionally, I also bought a house in the Alliance capital. All the certificates and keys should be sent over next month, right? It’s in Nefi’s Green Island City, which is a picturesque tourist town, not too noisy, but not too lonely either. It’s a three-story building with a large yard. I think, Uncle, it’s time for our Liu Family’s eighteen-hundred-year-old craft to show all the bumpkins in the Universe what true food culture is! We should open a branch in the Alliance. Also, I’ve acquired the land opposite this house, so if Uncle wants to spread the pride of our Earth’s martial arts to the Alliance, he can also open a branch!”
Yu Lian thought for a moment and then added, “I think it’s quite interesting to work up a sweat at the martial arts hall and then run to the Sichuan restaurant opposite to feast. I really like it.”
The elders looked at each other, speechless for a moment, and the atmosphere suddenly became a bit heavy.
The younger siblings were puzzled, but since they were still growing, they secretly observed while continuing to eat heartily.
My uncle pondered for a moment, wanting to say something, but then saw Yu Lian take out two more boxes from under the table and give them to An’an and Lele.
“Wow! Qingniao Company’s latest Dream Box!”
“It also includes the 40 best-selling and highest-ranked games of the Past 3 years! All are deluxe legitimate copies, and all future DLCs will be free updates.”
“Big brother, you are the incarnation of the universe spirit that I will admire my entire life! No discounts!”
“Lele’s is a Marlonsa spending card. I don’t know what kind of clothes or bags a girl your age likes, so just take the card and buy them yourself. Also, there’s a 3-year free pass to the Lunar Cosmic Paradise. One card can bring four people. That place will open next year, so take your friends and go have fun.”
“…Brother, do you know? With just these two cards, the most beautiful senior girls in our school would be lining up to be chosen by you!”
I only know that you, a girl under thirteen, are far too precocious!
“In a few days, yes, early August, you two will report to the Youth Center in Pearl City! I’ve enrolled you in a summer camp training class! Middle school life will end very soon, so don’t slack off!”
“Wh-why like this? Has the universe spirit just turned into an Abyssal Space demon?”
“Brother, why did you instantly destroy my good impression of you!”
“Oh, right, that summer camp training class is jointly organized by Bailu Mountain University, Mist Capital Royal Academy of Arts, and Central Defense University, providing comprehensive moral, intellectual, and physical training. You’ll have to go every year from now on. I’ve arranged everything!”
“Brother!”
Yu Lian ignored the wails of his younger siblings and instead said to his uncle and aunt, “I now have the ability to do some small things for my family! You can rest assured, right?”
Then, he saw his aunt’s tearful, on-the-verge-of-tears face.
“…Li-little Yu’er, you haven’t committed some crime, have you?”
“Ha, what are you talking about?”
“But you look like you’re settling your affairs, Auntie thought you were going to run away.”
“That’s why I told you to watch fewer gangster revenge dramas lately.”
“…Is there going to be a war soon? Are you going to the front lines?” My uncle put down his wine glass, his voice low but trembling slightly.
“There won’t be any major wars in the next ten years. Besides, someone like me will start directly from the Command HQ, so it will be very safe. However, it’s very likely that I won’t be stationed on Earth or in the Solar System, and I’ll probably be away from home for a while, which is why I need to make some arrangements. My allowance is very high, and I don’t have many places to spend money alone, so it’s better to convert it into financial products.”
My uncle and aunt were still a bit skeptical, but they also knew that at this point, no matter what Yu Lian wanted to do, they couldn’t say much more.
Willis, however, used his wine glass to cover his face, discreetly looking at Feifei, giving her a questioning look.
Feifei turned her head away again, still looking as if she knew nothing.
“Little Yu’er, you… ha, actually, you’re more like your mother. You’re destined not to be confined to this small place. But, I just hope you know that this is your home, and your family is here. Uh, why does that sound so familiar?”
“Because that’s a line in many TV dramas!” Yu Lian said with a laugh.
However, it’s precisely because the emotion is real that it gets overused in TV dramas.
“Uncle, when you have time, take Auntie on a trip to the Alliance and see the new house. Even if we don’t open a branch, it’s still our family’s property, and we can leave it to An’an and Lele. If they have a chance to study abroad in Nefi later, they won’t have to rent a house.”
“I will go! Times have changed, and with you working so hard, I can also have a good time in my old age!” My uncle patted his big belly and also showed a proud smile: “Actually, Yu’er, another company has really come knocking recently, saying they hope to invest and help me open a branch of Rongxia Restaurant. And they also said they want to put in great effort to promote the cultural tourism of Fu Street and so on… Hehe, this company has a very proper attitude, and the contract they offered, which I had a lawyer review, is also very sincere! I’ve already decided to agree to them.”
Uncle Wei nodded.
“So our old street isn’t going to be redeveloped?”
“That mayor seems to have had some trouble and stepped down again. The city government is empty right now. The previous real estate company has also withdrawn.”
“So, what’s the background of the new company?” Yu Lian felt that he really needed to investigate.
“It seems to have a background with the Alliance’s Zixin Hui Group, but the one who came to negotiate was actually a young girl, about the same age as An’an and Lele, but she’s already in university and can even participate in business negotiations. An’an, Lele! Look at her!” My aunt said loudly.
The younger siblings rolled their eyes as if they hadn’t seen anything and continued to happily play with the gifts in their hands.
“That little girl was called… what was her name, honey?”
“Miss Penny, last name Pierce! Yes, that’s the name. I even took a photo with her. That little girl is so smart and pretty, so likable! Of course, she still can’t compare to Feifei.”
Yu Lian felt that he probably didn’t need to worry too much about the future of his hometown. He certainly wouldn’t trust the character of those two talented girls one hundred percent, but he would definitely trust their taste one hundred percent.
A good man truly needs to arrange his family affairs well before he can confidently venture out into the world!