The agreement between Wang Chuan, Shi Zonglu, and the others with the restaurant owner was, for now, just a verbal one.
The partnership would only be official after all parties had negotiated the specific terms, put them in writing, and the pledged investments had been transferred.
Around ten that night, Yan Feifan and Yu Suye returned to their home at Zuimo Court. When they mentioned investing in the restaurant, Yan Ziruo was full of praise for the project.
"The food at that restaurant is amazing. There’s no doubt it will succeed as a high-end establishment."
Yan Ziruo analyzed, "Putting everything else aside, the spending power from our Affiliated Hospital alone is enough to keep this private kitchen afloat."
"After two or three years of steady growth, once its reputation is more established and they’ve trained a few apprentices, they can start opening new branches."
"Feifan, this is a fantastic investment opportunity."
Pleased to have her approval, Yan Feifan smiled. "In that case, Sis, you’d better pray tomorrow’s tumor biopsy yields the result we’re hoping for."
"Otherwise, no matter how great the opportunity is, we won’t have the money to invest."
Yan Ziruo declared, "We can mortgage our apartment at Happiness Garden, or even just sell it."
"Given your circumstances, Feifan, there’s no way we’ll ever move back there."
Hearing his sister suddenly mention selling the Happiness Garden apartment, Yan Feifan felt a pang of unwillingness.
He and his sister had lived in that apartment for nearly ten years; it was the first place the two of them could truly call home.
A home that was all their own.
But it was, admittedly, quite a distance from the Affiliated Hospital.
The chances of them ever moving back were practically zero.
Just as Yan Feifan was getting sentimental, his sister’s excited voice broke through his thoughts.
"Feifan, Feifan! All of my colleagues said I look so much prettier than before."
"They all said that once I get the surgical tape off my nose and eyelids, I’ll look even better, and they want you to do their surgeries too!"
Watching his sister’s smug, self-satisfied expression, Yan Feifan reminded her, "Sis, you should warn them first that my surgical fees aren’t cheap."
"Also, their results definitely won’t be as dramatic as yours."
"Unless they’re willing to undergo major plastic surgery."
Yan Ziruo’s reaction was dramatic.
She threw an arm around her younger brother’s shoulders, shaking him gently. With a blissful look on her face, she said, "I knew it! I knew you put special care into my surgery, that it was custom-designed just for me."
Yan Ziruo then turned to Yu Suye, boasting, "Su Ye, let me tell you, my Feifan might be a little awkward, but when it comes to the important things, he never falters. He’s completely reliable and someone you can depend on."
"It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call him a total sweetheart."
Yu Suye chuckled softly. "Oh, I’m well aware of that, Ziruo."
"You can tell from the way Feifan treats his patients and approaches his surgeries. He’s a perfectionist, always striving to do the absolute best he can."
Getting a little embarrassed from all the praise, Yan Feifan patted his sister’s hand and exclaimed, "Sis, you’re crushing me!"
As she straightened up, he quickly scrambled off the sofa.
"I might have a major surgery tomorrow, so I’m going to bed."
Then, another thought occurred to Yan Feifan, and he added casually, "Jio Xin is resigning from the plastic surgery center. She’s going to work for Zhiyin Medical Beauty."
"Sis, our earlier suspicions were all wrong..."
When Yan Feifan came out of the bathroom after washing up, he saw his sister holding out her phone to him, a suppressed smile on her face.
"It’s Xiaoyu on video."
Yan Feifan took the phone. Before he could even say anything, he saw Tian Yu on the screen wipe her eyes with both hands. Her lower lip quivered, and a tearful voice came through the speaker.
"Mr. Yan, my life is so hard right now."
"Mom is getting harder and harder to please. I come home every day and it’s just chores and studying. I don’t get a single moment to myself."
"She’s never satisfied and is always finding fault with me, criticizing me over every little thing."
"And Dad doesn’t even stick up for me anymore."
"The new baby isn’t even here yet, and I’ve already lost my place in this family."
Yan Feifan let out a soft "oh." He said, "The high school entrance exams are in a little over a month. Channel that frustration into your studies."
"Once you get into high school, you can choose to live in the dorms."
On the screen, Tian Yu wiped her eyes again, this time more forcefully.
"Mr. Yan, that’s the only hope keeping me going."
"Otherwise, I would’ve run away from home long ago instead of waiting on them hand and foot. Hmph..."
Then, her tone turned pitiful. "Mr. Yan, I want to eat something delicious. I want a feast."
"All the food at home is made for Mom now!"
"And Mom’s cravings have gotten really weird."
"Everything is either super sour or completely bland. She says she can’t stand the weird taste of seasonings."