Chapter 1021: First Come, First Served

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Shen Li was dumbfounded.

Gu Siyang was shocked.

[ Is Third Uncle in Tianye City?! You’re with Ah Li and Fourth Uncle?! ]

This time, Gu Tingyun did not answer immediately.

However, Shen Li heard footsteps in the kitchen. She turned around and saw Gu Tingyun standing at the kitchen door with a warm smile.

!!

“Ah Li, is there anything I can help you with?”

Shen Li was silent for a moment

“… No. But, Third Uncle, didn’t we already agree to make corn rib soup?”

Then what was the reason for asking?

Gu Tingyun saw the phone that she had put aside. Clearly, she had already seen the message that he had sent to the family group chat.

His smile did not change.

“Yes, I just wanted to ask if there was a more convenient way to make it. Zhijin mentioned that you’ve been spending a lot of time in the laboratory recently and that you’re very busy. I was afraid that you’d be tired.”

Shen Li was speechless.

Shen Zhijin’s cold voice came from behind.

“If you really don’t want to tire Ah Li, it’s still not too late to go out and eat now.”

Gu Tingyun was very calm. He raised his hand and pointed at the pot of ribs and said gently, “Then Ah Li’s work would be in vain.”

Shen Zhijin was unwilling to say a word in reply.

Gu Tingyun did not mind. After making sure that there was indeed nothing that Shen Li needed his help with, he turned around and returned to the living room.

Unhurriedly, he picked his phone. His family was indeed in an uproar.

However, it was mainly Gu Siyang, Gu Siqi, and Gu Sicheng who were frantically speaking.

[ Ah! Cousin made ribs! I want to eat them! ]

[ Speaking of which, we did not even go to Fourth Uncle’s house when we went to the Capital previously! I really want to eat them with Cousin and Fourth Uncle! ]

[ Both of you, shut up… I have not been to the Capital in such a long time. What did I say? ]

[ Third Uncle, you have to post a picture later! ]

[ Where is Third Uncle? Could it be that he has already eaten? ]

Gu Tingyun then typed out a sentence.

[ Not yet, I just asked Ah Li if she wanted help, but she refused. Also, I didn’t take a good picture, I’ll ask Ah Li take it later. ]

Shen Li, who had just fished out the ribs, saw this message and felt speechless.

She lowered her head to look at the ribs in the pot and for a moment, she doubted her life.

To be honest, flying from Hong Kong to the Capital should cost a lot of money, right?

Although these ribs were top-notch ingredients, compared to that, wasn’t it just a fraction of the cost?

Gu Siyang was burning with anxiety.

[ I’m at LY. Is it too late to go over now? ]

Gu Tingyun looked at the time.

“Don’t arrive after dinner.”

Gu Siyang was speechless.

Wouldn’t he be eating on time? He would surely not miss it so perfectly!

Gu Siqi and Gu Sicheng were far away in Hong Kong City, so they could only stew in their feelings of envy.

However, from the beginning to the end, other than the three of them, everyone else in the family group had tacitly remained silent, as if they had not seen the news at all.

Feeling satisfied, Gu Tingyun put away his phone.

An hour later, the dishes were served.

Apart from the corn stewed ribs, Shen Li had also made a few other dishes such as fish-flavored shredded pork, stir-fried lettuce, and so on.

She remembered that Gu Tingyun had previously mentioned that he did not have a very strong stomach, so the overall taste of the dishes she had prepared was relatively bland.

However, due to her skill, everything was delicious, looked great, and the smell and taste of it was perfect.

Gu Tingyun swept his gaze across the table and handed his phone to Shen Li. He smiled and said, “Ah Li, Siqi and the others want to see your cooking.”

The word “see” had very cleverly been slipped in.

“Okay.”

Shen Li took the phone, took a few pictures, and handed it back to him.

Half a minute later, Shen Li’s phone vibrated a few times.

She looked at Gu Tingyun who was holding the phone and guessed something.

She unlocked it and clicked on it.

As expected, there were a few more photos in the family group. They were the ones she had just taken.

While she was thinking about this, Gu Tingyun sent another message.

[ Ah Li took such good photos. ]

Shen Li was nonplussed.

Gu Siqi and Gu Sicheng cheered for her although they were extremely envious.

Looking at the screen full of Cha Lemon emojis, Shen Li went silent for a moment. Finally, she chose to mute the chat group notifications and held her breath.

Gu Tingyun also put away his phone and picked up some food to serve to Shen Li.

“Ah Li, are you tired today? You should eat more.”

Shen Zhijin raised his eyes slightly.

Had he just asked if she was tired?

Sensing the subtle atmosphere at the dining table, Shen Li was silent for a moment. Finally, he probed.

“Third Uncle, how long will you be staying in the Capital this time?”

Even after such a long time, she still did not know which strange direction the family would develop in…

Gu Tingyun ate a piece of pork ribs and took a mouthful of soup. Feeling refreshed, he said, “I’m going to take care of some things tomorrow and meet a few friends. I’ll be leaving the day after tomorrow.”

Shen Li nodded.

At that moment, her phone lit up. It was a call from Gu Tingchuan.

Why was he calling at this time?

Shen Li had a strange feeling, but she still picked it up.

“Second Uncle?”

The hand that Gu Tingyun was using to hold the chopsticks paused slightly, but it only lasted for a moment before he quickly returned to normal.

“Ah Li, I’ll be in the Capital tomorrow morning. Are you free?”

“Tomorrow morning?” Shen Li was slightly stunned. “What’s the matter?”

When Gu Tingyun heard this, the corners of his lips curled up slightly.

It seemed that Gu Tingchuan was saying something on the other side.

Shen Li repeated her question with a troubled expression on her face.

“The auction at the central building in the Capital? I’m afraid that I can’t. I already have an appointment.”

Gu Tingchuan’s voice deepened. “You have an appointment?”

The smile on Gu Tingyun’s lips faded greatly as he looked at Shen Li.

Shen Li explained,”Yes, Aunt Fang will be there tomorrow. I’ve already agreed to go with her.”

Auntie Fang, of course, was Lu Zheng’s wife and Lu Huaiyu’s mother– Fang Yunyi.

This time, even Shen Zhijin looked over.

Shen Li was going to the auction with Fang Yunyi, but she had not had the time to tell him yet.

Gu Tingchuan frowned.

The dock had been quite busy recently, so he had not been able to free up any time. In the end, his third brother had beat him to it.

They had already eaten that meal, so it was too late now anyway, so he had focused his attention on the auction at Bo Xing Auction House tomorrow morning.

Who would have known that it would not work out? Shen Li had already been booked.

And the person was Fang Yunyi.

It was obviously not suitable for Shen Li to break her promise at the last minute.

Gu Tingchuan had no choice but to give up.

Forget it. Even if they were not going together, he still had to attend the auction.

After hanging up, Shen Li realized that Shen Zhijin and Gu Tingyun were both looking at her.

She was stunned.

“Dad, Third Uncle, what’s the matter?”

Shen Zhijin asked,”I didn’t hear you mention this before, did I?”

“Aunt Fang called me this afternoon. I was going to tell you when I came back, but I forgot about it,” Shen Li said.

Shen Zhijin nodded and did not ask any more questions.

Gu Tingyun paused and smiled.

“It seems that Ah Li and Mrs. Lu have a good relationship.”

At first, he had thought that he was closer to her than others, but he had forgotten that someone was ‘closer’ to her than he was.

After a while, Gu Tingyun asked again, “Ah Li, do you know what kind of item Mrs. Lu is interested in at the auction?”

Shen Li thought for a moment.

“I didn’t ask about that, but Aunt Fang loves jewelry so I think she would probably be going for this kind of item, right?”

Gu Tingyun nodded.

That was good.