Chapter 119: Proclaiming to the World

Han Jiayi did not take this opportunity to harshly criticize Bai Renzong; instead, she ate the meal with him in silence. It was not that she didn't want to critique him—she was well aware of the minor flaws in the dish—but perhaps due to her hunger or certain psychological factors, this was unexpectedly the best meal she had eaten since leaving home years ago.

"Leave it to me." Seeing Han Jiayi tidying up the dishes, Bai Renzong raised a hand to stop her. "You’ve worked hard today. Don't play games; get some rest early."

"It's alright, I do this at the restaurant every..." She yawned mid-sentence. "Every day."

After the yawn, seeing Bai Renzong staring at her, Han Jiayi said with righteous indignation, "I—I’m just sleepy because I'm full."

"Enough," Bai Renzong said with a frown. "Go get some rest. Be a good girl."

"O-okay then..." Han Jiayi muttered, turning to head to her room.

After lying down on her bed and hugging her teddy bear, Han Jiayi felt a wave of intense comfort wash over her. Her whole body went limp, and she let out a satisfied sigh, not wanting to move even a single finger.

"He actually pampers me quite a bit," Han Jiayi thought, resting her chin on the bear’s head, then broke into a smile. "Heh, this feeling isn't bad at all."

Having eaten well and showered, with the room at the perfect temperature, Han Jiayi was genuinely tired. Although her workload hadn't been significantly heavier than usual, she had been mentally tense the entire time, so she fell asleep in just two minutes.

The Michelin review process was highly efficient, and there was a good chance the results would be out by tomorrow. However, Han Jiayi didn't feel particularly anxious, as she knew in her heart that regardless of what the Michelin results were, she would still be with Bai Renzong.

Bai Renzong, however, was unaware of this, so he spent the time in agony.

The next day, after breakfast, Bai Renzong had no mood for anything else. He and Wang Bei arrived at Yijiaxuan early, waiting for the Michelin Guide to update its data.

It wasn't just them; the other chefs in the restaurant were also visibly anxious, either waiting for the news here or going through the motions of their work in a daze.

"I can't do it, I'm too nervous, I'm afraid to look..." Han Jiayi said, covering her eyes.

"Oh! Let me do it!" Bai Renzong said, grabbing his phone to log into the Michelin Guide app.

He took a deep breath to steady himself, but at the thought that this result would determine whether he could finally escape singlehood, his heart began to race, almost threatening to leap out of his chest.

"No, Xiao Bei, you look..." Bai Renzong said, putting the phone down.

"What is wrong with you two?" Wang Bei looked at them, confused. "Sister Jiayi is one thing, but what are you nervous about?"

"Oh, just check it already!" Bai Renzong said, his leg shaking with anxiety. "You can see it as soon as you log into the app!"

Wang Bei muttered under her breath, pulled out her phone, and tapped away for a moment to log in and check.

The staff in the kitchen who were free gathered around, waiting nervously for the result.

"Are you kidding me!? They didn't give it to us!?" Wang Bei slammed the table in anger. "That's why these tire-makers don't know a thing about fine dining! This is simply absurd!"

"We didn't get it!?" Han Jiayi asked, disappointed. Bai Renzong felt his heart sink as well.

Wang Bei’s look of fury vanished instantly, and she covered her mouth, laughing. "Just kidding! We got it! Two stars!"

A cheer erupted in the kitchen, startling the customers dining in the front.

"You girl! When will you stop pulling such pranks!" Bai Renzong said, annoyed, then pulled out his own phone to check.

Indeed, the entry for Yijiaxuan on the app had been refreshed.

"This restaurant was established in 2016. The head chef possesses solid foundational skills and unparalleled creativity, having already earned one Michelin star back in 2017. Following long-term observations over the past two years and multiple visits by our food inspectors, we have decided to upgrade its rating to 'two stars'..." Bai Renzong read the review aloud.

Beyond the brief introduction and evaluation, one could see some of Yijiaxuan's signature dishes and a map guide, including the city where the restaurant was located and detailed instructions on how to reach it.

This information was now visible to everyone in the world via the Michelin booklet or the Michelin Guide app.

In that moment, Bai Renzong felt light as a feather, as if he were floating in mid-air: It’s done! We passed! Finally passed! Now he could officially be with Han Mumu!

Bai Renzong turned to look at Han Jiayi. She was covering her mouth with both hands in excitement, and upon noticing his gaze, she locked eyes with him, then lowered her hands and smiled softly.

Bai Renzong knew she was ready. He swallowed nervously as he watched her.

"Old Bai, I can give you an answer to that question from before now," Han Jiayi said with a shy smile.

The people around them fell silent, watching the two of them, waiting for her response.

"I do..." Han Jiayi said, smiling bashfully.

Bai Renzong knew he should act overjoyed, but his mind went blank. It all felt so surreal: Is this real? Is this the real world? Am I dreaming?

Applause broke out in the room. Everyone looked at their boss and her new boyfriend with warmth, offering their blessings.

"Congratulations, Jiayi!" Su Hui immediately stepped forward and hugged her, looking delighted. "When is the wedding?"

"W-wedding?" Han Jiayi’s face turned bright red, and she covered her mouth. "I-it’s not decided yet!"

To everyone else, since Bai Renzong and Han Jiayi had clearly been seeing each other for a long time, her "I do" was naturally interpreted as a response to a proposal.

"It’s okay, no rush," Su Hui said with a knowing smile. "Be sure to let me know when it happens, okay?"

"Mm... okay." Han Jiayi nodded, pursing her lips into a smile. "Alright, everyone, let's get back to work. There are still customers waiting to be served out front. When we're done tonight, we'll make something delicious to celebrate!"

"You got it!" "Understood!" The crowd responded and began to disperse.

"Don't forget to share the good news with the customers as well," Han Jiayi reminded them. "Give a free strawberry cake to every table today; let's celebrate with everyone."

As the crowd thinned out, only Han Jiayi, Wang Bei, and Bai Renzong remained.

Wang Bei looked like she wanted to tease them, but held back. She just gave the dazed Bai Renzong a nudge with her elbow and laughed, "Aren't you going to make a move, boyfriend?"

Bai Renzong finally snapped out of it, looking at Han Jiayi before him.

She was looking at him with a gentle smile, seemingly waiting for him to do something.

"Uh, that..." Bai Renzong still felt it was a bit surreal, and he just scratched his head woodenly. "From today on, we're a couple. Um... if I do anything wrong, please..."

But Han Jiayi had no intention of listening to his formal pleasantries. She dove straight into his arms, wrapped her arms around his waist, and laughed happily. "Heh! Just say you’ve been waiting forever, you total tsundere!"

Feeling the softness of her body and the warmth radiating from her, Bai Renzong finally began to realize this was all real.

"Ha..." Bai Renzong laughed, wrapping his arms around her shoulders, resting his face on the top of her head, and pulling her entirely into his embrace. He said softly, "Yeah, I’ve been waiting for a long time..."

*Annoying, but it feels so safe...* Han Jiayi thought, closing her eyes.

"Why are you so thin..." Bai Renzong complained, one hand on her shoulder and the other gently stroking her head. "Are you really eating properly every day?"

"I am! Eating less but more often is actually healthier, you know? And it keeps me from gaining weight," Han Jiayi laughed in his arms.

Bai Renzong let go and looked down at her. She tilted her head back to look at him, her beautiful eyes sparkling.

The two locked eyes for a moment before Han Jiayi shyly turned her face away. "Um... why don't you sit here for a while? The lunch rush is coming soon, and I need to get to the kitchen..."

"Mm. Good luck," Bai Renzong said with a smile.

"If... if you want anything to eat later, just come tell me," Han Jiayi said, looking down and smoothing her hair.

"Mm." Bai Renzong nodded, then reached out and lightly flicked the tip of her nose. "You're the head chef of a two-star Michelin restaurant now, you know?"

Han Jiayi blinked at the flick, then gave him a playful wink. "Alright, let's talk more when we go back tonight."

With that, she waved her hand and reluctantly turned to head into the kitchen.

After all, as the head chef, she had to celebrate with her staff first.

Bai Renzong was in no rush now: She was his girlfriend; what else was there to worry about?

"You're something else, Old Bai..." Wang Bei finally spoke up from the side. "No wonder you two were acting so mysterious. So you had an agreement to start dating once you got those two stars? You actually did all this behind my back..."

"I wouldn't call it an agreement, there was no verbal promise, it was just..." Bai Renzong laughed, feeling a bit embarrassed, "...it was just a mutual understanding."

"Alright, look at you, your mouth is about to stretch to your ears," Wang Bei teased. "Go on, announce it to the world!"

Bai Renzong nodded. He took a deep breath and made his first call to his mother.

"Hey, Mom," Bai Renzong said, suppressing his pride before clearing his throat. "That girl you saw last time? I won her over! She’s my girlfriend now! ...It’s true! I didn't use any underhanded tricks... She's not pregnant!! I just pursued her properly! Your son has been honing his skills for ten years for this!"

After announcing it to his parents, Bai Renzong exhaled a long breath. He wanted to keep showing off, only to realize he didn't really have anyone else in his circle to tell.

But that didn't dampen his mood.

"Heh, starting today, I'm a man with a girlfriend. Mm..." Bai Renzong muttered to himself. Though he tried to stay calm, he couldn't stop the corners of his mouth from curling upward.

At this moment, who cared about being unmoved by worldly gains or losses? That was all nonsense!