Chapter 15: The Scent of Money

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“Then let’s do tomorrow night. There’s a new restaurant, and I’ve already reserved a table.” Bai Renzong tapped away on his phone.

What’s with this guy? Han Jiayi muttered to herself as she slipped into her slippers: He doesn’t seem to have any temper at all, not even a hint of argument. It’s almost unsettling…

Still, Bai Renzong’s “returning the favor” was something she found rather agreeable.

“Why not go during the day?” Han Jiayi shuffled to the entryway to arrange the shoes she’d kicked off.

“Don’t you work during the day?” Bai Renzong asked, puzzled.

“I… my hours are pretty flexible.” Han Jiayi smoothed her hair, which still carried a faint scent of cooking oil.

“Then let’s go during the day. It’ll be less crowded.” Bai Renzong immediately changed the reservation. “Is lunchtime okay?”

“No problem.” Han Jiayi replied, eager now for nothing more than a shower. “I’m going to bathe—don’t you dare come down.”

“Alright.” Bai Renzong acknowledged and returned to his room to continue editing videos.

The video he’d posted about the Deep Sea Odyssey DLC hadn’t performed particularly well; lacking that crucial half-million hit spike, the views had climbed only sluggishly. Besides, so many people had already reviewed this game that it was hard to stand out.

“Sigh, I miss those three unlucky fools whose rants went viral,” Bai Renzong thought to himself as he edited the new footage.

But for now, all he could do was keep posting videos as quickly as possible to study his audience’s tastes and adjust his next topics accordingly.

Of course, even now, the view count on his videos was enough to earn him a decent basic income.

The next day at noon, both of them changed and got ready to head out.

Han Jiayi dressed simply today: pale blue denim shorts paired with a loose white T-shirt. But on her, it looked especially good. The shirt had mid-length sleeves, with a cutout at the shoulder revealing a patch of snowy skin. The front hem was tucked into her shorts, while the back draped casually, giving her a playful, lively air.

How can a girl look this good? Bai Renzong frowned slightly, thinking to himself.

“Do you have a car?” Han Jiayi asked, clutching her sunhat.

Bai Renzong shook his head. Han Jiayi pouted in mild disappointment. “Guess we’ll have to go incognito.”

With that, she slipped on her sunglasses and sunhat, then turned to Bai Renzong. “Can you still recognize me?”

“…Not at all,” Bai Renzong replied perfunctorily. “Alright, let’s go.”

But Han Jiayi was hardly a household name. She’d appeared on a couple of lukewarm variety shows and played a supporting role in a film, after which she’d faded into obscurity in the entertainment world. So at most, passersby might think she was a strikingly pretty girl, but not recognize her from any movie.

Still, he had to admit: heading out with a girl like this was both impressive and a bit nerve-wracking…

They hailed a BB ride and got off in front of Ge An Sushi.

“This place…” Han Jiayi frowned at the sign. “Another restaurant owned by Illusion World Group.”

“Illusion World Group?” Bai Renzong raised an eyebrow—the name sounded familiar, but he couldn’t quite place it.

The restaurant was lively, with a long queue outside, though it didn’t seem full inside. Perhaps, like them, the others had reservations but hadn’t arrived yet.

“Hello, do you have a reservation?” The hostess greeted them as soon as they stepped in.

“Yes, under Bai Renzong, phone number 137*****.” Bai Renzong nodded.

After checking the information, the hostess smiled. “A party of two, correct? Please wait a moment.”

A new server soon appeared to guide them to a table tucked away in a quiet corner.

“Isn’t there anywhere else?” Bai Renzong grumbled at the secluded spot, but Han Jiayi seemed pleased. “This is perfect—it’s private, we won’t be noticed.”

Since Han Jiayi insisted, Bai Renzong sat with her and picked up the menu.

“This one, the beef sushi,” Bai Renzong pointed to a pair of sushi pieces. “That’s made with A5 Wagyu, right?”

“Yes,” the server replied with a polite smile. “Our Wagyu is imported directly from Japan, certified A5, each with its own serial number.”

“Let’s have an order, then. And…” He glanced at Han Jiayi. “Anything you want?”

Han Jiayi rested her cheek on her hand, looked over the menu, and pointed to a set. “The Double Set B, please. It’s got a good selection.”

Bai Renzong noticed her hands: for all her height, her fingers were tiny—her index finger wasn’t even as long as his pinky. Adorable…

“Honestly, I wouldn’t recommend the beef sushi. It’s expensive and the taste is mediocre,” Han Jiayi muttered.

She figured Bai Renzong ordered it to show off—guys often did that, picking pricey dishes to seem generous. But not everyone enjoys beef sushi, even if it’s top grade. She wouldn’t be impressed by such a gesture; if anything, it felt forced.

“It’s just for the experience,” Bai Renzong explained. “If I want to make food videos in the future, I need to have tried these things myself, or how could I recommend them to my audience?”

Han Jiayi thought it over and conceded he had a point, puffing her cheeks in silence. Another retort stifled…

Soon, the sushi arrived—the beef sushi plated separately, while the set was arranged on an elegant bamboo boat. Bai Renzong snapped a few photos.

Since he was just photographing, the staff didn’t mind; only filming required the owner’s permission.

In fact, the restaurant was full of food reviewers and streamers, each with someone recording their meal. That was likely why the place seemed so busy.

Bai Renzong eyed the beef sushi: two generous slices, enough to drape completely over the rice. Unlike regular beef, the meat was marbled with white fat, giving it a snowy appearance.

“Alright, let’s give it a try.” With a quiet sigh, Bai Renzong picked up a piece, dipped it in soy sauce, and tasted it.

Though raw, the meat was tender, and with each bite, he could feel the fat melting, but… it wasn’t as miraculous as the internet claimed—just softer than regular beef.

“Hmm…” He hummed, a little disappointed, and pulled out his phone to check his achievement progress. But then he noticed—under the “God Tongue” challenge in the Connoisseur app, the A5 Wagyu beef hadn’t been marked as “completed”!

“How can that be?” Bai Renzong muttered in shock.

The app never made mistakes. Every time he tasted a new ingredient, it got a checkmark. But for this A5 Wagyu, there was nothing. There was only one explanation…

This A5 Wagyu was fake.