Chapter 33: Capturing a Man Through His Stomach

Cai Yameng hurriedly chased after him and called out to Zhou Chen.

Zhou Chen shook his head. "Cancer is an incurable disease; I cannot cure it. All I can do is stimulate your father's vitality to help him persist for a little longer. Therefore, you should still follow the advice of those specialists."

Zhou Chen had no desire to waste his time on Cai Tianze. What benefit could he possibly gain from treating him? Watching Zhou Chen’s departing back, Cai Yameng felt a profound sense of complexity in her heart.

...

At the Gu residence.

"Sister Zhaoyue, long time no see!"

They had originally planned to eat out, but after Gu Zhaoyue's parents learned she was meeting Zhou Chen, they insisted she bring him home for a meal. Zhou Chen did not refuse; after all, the cooking of Zhaoyue’s mother was truly impeccable—cleaner and more hygienic than any restaurant, and far more delicious.

It was now August, and the weather was sweltering. Gu Zhaoyue wore a cool, refreshing floral dress, paired with high-heeled sandals that revealed her petite, alluring toes. She offered a sweet smile; having not seen Zhou Chen for two months, she was genuinely happy to be reunited with him.

"Xiao Chen, come in quickly! The food is about to get cold!"

Before Zhou Chen even entered the house, he smelled a mouth-watering aroma—not overpowering, but the comforting scent of home-cooked stir-fry.

"Uncle, Auntie, I’ve come to impose on your hospitality."

Gu Zhaoyue’s parents, Gu Pingrun and Lü Xiuying, welcomed him with warm smiles and ushered him to the dining table.

"Xiao Zhou, you’ve gotten quite tan over the summer, but you look very healthy," Gu Pingrun praised.

Lü Xiuying introduced the meal: "Xiao Zhou, this entire table was prepared by Zhaoyue and me. Do try it!"

Zhou Chen was surprised. "Sister Zhaoyue knows how to cook? It smells so good."

Gu Zhaoyue huffed, "Of course! There’s a lot you don't know about me!"

In truth, just two months ago, Gu Zhaoyue rarely set foot in the kitchen. But ever since Zhou Chen had visited, Lü Xiuying had been teaching her to cook every day, from breakfast desserts to main courses and cold dishes. In Lü Xiuying’s philosophy, to conquer a man, one must first conquer his stomach. She had noticed during Zhou Chen’s previous visit that he truly enjoyed her cooking, which she found refreshing compared to men who constantly tried to act sophisticated by eating Western or French cuisine.

Knowing that Gu Zhaoyue could cook so well made Zhou Chen like her even more. A woman who could prepare a good meal was a significant bonus.

The meal had barely begun when Gu Pingrun slapped his forehead. "Oh, dear! I left some important documents at school. I’ll go get them right now!"

Lü Xiuying scolded him, "Look at your forgetful habits; when will you ever change? I’ll go with you."

With that, the elderly couple drove away under the gaze of Zhou Chen and Gu Zhaoyue. Zhou Chen could easily see that they were creating an opportunity for him and Zhaoyue.

He couldn't help but chuckle. "It seems I’ve really won over your parents!"

Gu Zhaoyue rolled her eyes. "You’re the top scorer in the national exams; who wouldn't like you?" She put a chicken drumstick in his bowl and added with a hint of sarcasm, "I smelled a girl’s perfume on you earlier. Are you dating someone again?"

"Uh..." Zhou Chen thought for a moment. "I just got back to the city yesterday. At my grandfather’s request, I visited the Cai family to see Elder Cai, and I spent some time with Cai Yameng."

"Oh," Gu Zhaoyue replied, her interest seemingly waning.

Zhou Chen placed a chicken drumstick in her bowl as well. "No way, no way—don't tell me Sister Zhaoyue is jealous?"

Gu Zhaoyue extended her long leg and kicked his shin under the table. "What’s there to be jealous of? We aren't even in a relationship."

Zhou Chen laughed. "Are you sure?"

"We have a teacher-student relationship."

"And?"

"We are friends."

"And?"

"We are like siblings."

"And?"

"That’s all."

"Alright, it seems I still have some work to do."

Zhou Chen’s remark was cryptic. "Today is the 30th. Tomorrow is the last day, and after my speech at school on September 1st, I’ll be taking the high-speed train to the capital."

Gu Zhaoyue nodded. "Mm, you must work hard."

"Sister Zhaoyue, your cooking is truly delicious. I suppose it will be hard for me to eat this again."

Gu Zhaoyue smiled gently. "If you want to eat it, just come back during the holidays."

...

At the Cai residence.

Cai Tianze sat on his bed, feeling a clear improvement in his mental and physical state compared to before. During the acupuncture session, Zhou Chen had put him into a deep sleep, so he hadn't known when Zhou Chen left.

"Yameng, where is he?" Cai Tianze had everyone else leave the room, keeping only Cai Yameng.

Cai Yameng told him the truth: "He had other matters to attend to and left. He said he cannot cure the cancer and that you should follow the specialists' advice."

Cai Tianze gave a bitter smile. If others didn't know, he certainly did. To have his body show such significant improvement in such a short time—even if total eradication was impossible, he could certainly recover to seventy or eighty percent of his former health. But Zhou Chen had told him to listen to the specialists, clearly indicating he didn't want to waste time on him. Or perhaps... he simply didn't want to treat him at all.

But so what? The only reason Zhou Chen had acted at all was likely out of consideration for Cai Yameng.

Cai Yameng then recounted how Guo Yuan had acted up and tried to stop the acupuncture.

Cai Tianze sneered. "Your mother really is impatient, isn't she? So eager for me to die!"

Cai Yameng looked dejected; she knew her mother’s character all too well.

"Don't worry. As long as I am alive, they won't get a single thing!" Cai Tianze said. "Yameng, you’ve suffered these past few years, but there was nothing to be done—who told your father to end up with a woman like her? If not for what happened back then... Sigh... but it is what it is. We can only look forward."

"Thank him for me."

"By the way, Yameng, if one day your grandfather and I are gone, you should find a partner who can make you happy. What do you think of him?"

Cai Yameng lowered her head. "Grandfather already asked him. He doesn't like me."

Cai Tianze sighed helplessly. "Among all the talented young men I have met, none have left an impression on me that surpasses him. This boy is no ordinary person; he will surely transform into a dragon one day! If possible, he is your best choice."

Cai Yameng, looking lonely, nodded and left the room, returning to the old house where Elder Cai resided.

Earlier, Cai Zhongying had told her to come by later. When Cai Zhongying heard what had happened from Cai Yameng, he slammed his hand down on the coffee table.

"Preposterous! This is an outrage!" Cai Zhongying was so angry his beard bristled, and he began to cough violently. "A disgrace to our family!"

After calming down, he sighed. "It seems this boy has also embarked on the path of cultivation. I just don't know how far he has progressed. Little Liu, do you know?"

A man dressed in martial attire emerged from the shadows. He shook his head. "He feels dangerous to me, but I cannot discern his cultivation level. Furthermore, when he was talking to you earlier, he seemed to have sensed my presence all along."

Hearing this, Cai Zhongying looked stunned. "To have such achievements at such a young age—not only is his medical skill peerless, but his mastery of cultivation is also unfathomable."

Cai Yameng added, "He is also the top scorer in this year's national college entrance exams."

Cai Zhongying took a deep breath. "Yameng, are you attending the same university as him?"

Cai Yameng nodded.

"Good. For your university years ahead, put aside your pride and pursue him. Remember, you have a pre-arranged marriage; that is your advantage. If you cannot bring yourself to do it, your grandfather tells you as someone who has lived through it: you will definitely regret it!"