The Heartbeat at the Tip of the Tongue

Lin Ke Song: Go die ba.

Song Yi Ran: We are bros, don’t expect to be born on the same year, same month and same day, but hope that we die on the same year, same month and same day.

Lin Ke Song: ……

At this moment, under the cold white light, a man in a dark suit is sitting in front of a sofa.

His features were handsome but not desirable, his eyes were like the scene of the sky falling.

The hustle and flashiness of New York seemed to settle down around him, like clouds fading away.

In front of the sofa, a cup of coffee was exuding the graceful mist if steam, the mellow fragrance overflowing to every corner of the room.

“Qian Fan, you’ve been too busy lately, too busy until you’ve forgotten about your appointment with me.”

The man sitting opposite him said, his voice carrying a calming temperament.

“Since I’ve spent money to talk to you, Dr Xie, I won’t forget my appointment with you.”

The cold and monotone voice sounded, giving the warmth of the hot coffee a thin layer of frost.

“Alright, alright. You seem like your old self. But the people around you are a little worried.”

“Are you referring to Mayer?”

“Of course he’s one of them.”

“What’s he worried about?”

Dr Xie propped his rimless glasses: “He said that after you’ve returned to New York from China, your actions have been a little out of the ordinary. For example, you brought the bicycle you bought in China back to New York. You have never kept useless things.”

“That is my bicycle. If I it were my wish, I can send it to the North Pole.”

His tone was not only freezing cold, there was a sense of insurmountable distance.

“Last month, you kept asking others to buy candied haw. It is actually very difficult to find candied haw in New York. Even of its china town, candied haw is also a rare sight.”

“That’s why I’m making it myself now.”

“But you’ve been making candied haws for almost a month already. There’s rarely a food that will make you fumble for a month and still not be able to produce the taste that meets your satisfaction.” Dr Xie reached for the coffee and gently sipped. Then through his thin lens observed Jiang Qian Fan’s expression, hoping to gain insight into his heart through the change of his micro expressions.

But he was expressionless like a sculpture, totally unable to see.

“Clothed by a thin layer of sugar, but when bitten down, the sour and astringent flavour can be tasted. Dr Xie, what do you this is?”

“……Candied haw. When I was a child, and hadn’t immigrated to America yet, had tasted it before.”

“Then so you still remember the taste?”

“At first I couldn’t remember it. But once you brought it up, I had an impression. Even the insides of my mouth are already feeling the sourness.”

“Then do you remember the flavour of the first time you had a crush on someone?”

Dr Xie was stunned, then bowed his head and laughed, “I faintly remember. Why?”

“The end of our appointed time is here.”

Jiang Qian Fan lightly stood up, flung his cane, turned around and walked out of the door.

Dr Xie lightly stayed seated and continued drinking his coffee, his brows lifting slightly, his eyes carrying a sly light.

The second day was a Sunday, Lin Ke Song stretched lazily, while her uncle had already prepared breakfast and left it on the table.

“You are up pretty early. Unlike Xiao Xue, even till now she’s still sleeping.”

“It’s because I’ve slept too much. If I were at home, I’d still be asleep.”

Until Lin Ke Song had finished breakfast, did Lin Xiao Xue stretch lazily while walking out of the room.

Uncle said: “Isn’t the weather pretty good today? Xiao Xue, you bring Ke Song around to play bey.”

“Don’t call me Xiao Xue, call me Claire okay. If you want me to bring her around to look at the statue of liberty or something, then forget it. There’s no meaning to it. I’ve made an appointment with my classmate to go to a Korean shop to do my nails!”

“Forget it uncle, it’s alright. I’ve also made an appointment with a friend, he said that he’d bring me to Wall Street. ”

“Oh…… is it the chap surnamed Song?”

Lin Ke Song nodded her head.

“Is he your boyfriend? He looks really handsome, there are many temptations in New York, uncle is afraid you won’t be able to keep an eye on him.” Uncle asked solemnly.

“Nope. We are classmates of 10 years. Uncle, when you meet him don’t say rubbish ah.”

“What, are you embarrassed?”

“Of course not. That Song Yi Ran, I’m afraid that he won’t have a filter over his mouth and make jokes, and end up uncle feeling awkward.”

“Hahaha! Not afraid not afraid!”

“Your classmate? What is he doing in New York? Can’t be that he is coming to the restaurant to work too ba?” Lin Xiao Xue acted like she didn’t care.

Uncle used his chopsticks and knocked on her bowls, then only did she not talk anymore.

After breakfast, Lin Ke Song put on her sports shoes and casual clothes and set off.

And happened to meet the Lin Xiao Xue who had put on her makeup, had her hair up and wore a back revealing short dress.

Lin Xiao Xue sized up Lin Ke Song from head to toe, and smirked, then with her high heels walked downstairs showing off her gracefulness.

Right at the entrance of the restaurant, a long laid back figure was leaning on the pole of the streetlight and playing with the phone.

When Lin Xiao Xue walked pass she did not notice, but when she had taken two more steps, she could not help turning back.

She has never seen such a good looking Asian man, his facial features were fuller than an average person’s. Eyebrows were detailedly fine, like they were specially crafted, but wouldn’t make others feel like they were feminine, on the contrary, there was an aura of neatness.

“Hey, Song Yi Ran, you leaning on the street lamp, trying to cosplay Robert De Niro?”

So his name is “Song Yi Ran”.

Lin Xiao Xue repeatedly mouthed the name.

Song Yi Ran sharpened his brows, looked up with convergence, showing a lazy expression.

“I think I’m way more handsome than Robert de Niro.”

“Again. Narcissism is a sickness, need to cure it! Didn’t you say we should go to Wall Street to see some charging bull?”

“Yeah. I heard that the more you rubbed the backside, the more luck you’ll have.”

“Then do you know how to get there?”

Song Yi Ran slowly took out a map.

“Hey, you trying to be funny?”

Seeing Lin Ke Song’s doubting expression, Song Yi Ran started laughing. Following the vibrations of his eyebrows, it seemed like the sunlight was bending.

“Of course I know how to get to Wall Street.”

Looking at his back from far, Lin Xiao Xue furrowed her eyebrows. She can see that, the guy called Song Yi Ran has a youthful and handsome aura, and her cousin is incompatible in every aspect. How on earth did cousin get to know him?

At this time, Jiang Qian Fan is in his car, facing the outside of the windows, his vision looked like he could see distance, like he was looking far away.

“Mr Jiang, have you heard about the gourmet competition Mr Winston is organising?”

“En.”

“Will you participate? He has sent you an invite.”

“No.”

“Right, this is probably going to be another fake show. All the chefs will have to perform according to the script, there is no mutual exchange of culinary skills. And no matter if it’s you sir, or another Michelin star chef, when put together to compete, whoever wins or loses, both parties would feel awkward.”

Jiang Qian Fan is not bothered by the problem, and only looks out of the window.

The car has just stopped at the entrance of Chinatown, in the midst of the bustling crowd, the laughing voice of a certain girl could be heard faintly.

“I heard that if you touched Wall Street’s charging bulls eggs (T/N: lit: egg egg, refers to the balls, testes, testicles…..), no matter which stocks you buy, it’ll all rise to the highest!”

“Eggs? What eggs…… I don’t even play in the stock market anyway! You go touch it to your satisfaction ba!”

The voice was getting further and further away, Jiang Qian Fan faced that direction, raised his chin slightly, like he was looking for something.

At that time, Mayer picked up a call, and then his facial expression started becoming weird.

“Sir, heard that the rules of the competition has changed.”

Jiang Qian Fan was noncommittedly silent, as if everything had nothing to do with him.

Amongst the crowd, that familiar voice had already disappeared.

Like it was an imagination.

“The competition committee will conduct an audition, and choose some unique participants from the amateurs who are interested in cooking.” Mayer looked sideways, studying Jiang Qian Fan’s profile, “Then have the chef who had received Michelin stars pick a student, then have them undergo three months of training. Then three months later, have these students represent their teachers as participants. In this way, awkwardness can be avoided between the gourmet Michelin chefs. Winning would be glorious, but losing would not be a representation of the standards of their teachers.”

“I feel like you are looking at me.”

“Yes, I am looking at you sir.” Mayer’s eyes carried the smile of a wise elderly.

“You want me to send someone to the competition.”

“Sir, what Jiang Co. has is the most strength of Chinese manpower operating in this country that has an abundant food empire, and the outstanding chefs at hand are numerous. But the only one who can represent its highest standards is you. If you are willing to take part in the competition, and mentor an ordinary person, I can guarantee you, no matter if it’s a win or lose, it will enhance the reputation of Jiang Co. and at the same time strengthen the affinity with the masses.”

“Sounds like I’m not a chef or a caterer, more like I’m going to run for president.”

“So you’re not too willing?”

“Cooking is the pursuit of balance, not a contest.”

Jiang Qian Fan’s words were to the point.

Mayer nodded and smiled, this kind of answer was as he had expected.

“Maybe when you participate, interesting things would happen?”