Cooking Gourmet Meals in the Apocalypse

Chapter 125: Chapter 122: Stunning the Audience

Actually, Song Yiguo was quite curious himself. He took out his phone and made a call.

The phone rang for a long time before it was answered. Judging by the voice on the other end, he had clearly just been woken up.

”What were the results of the paternity test?” Song Yiguo asked, a little curious himself.

He felt the chances of them being father and daughter were slim.

Chen Xing’s identity was mysterious enough that, logically, an incompetent man like Cao Guangrong couldn’t possibly be her father.

After hanging up, before Song Yiguo could even speak, he could tell that Chen Xing already knew the result. So, he said it directly, ”Cao Guangrong is an impostor...”

Even though he’d expected it, now that he had the results, he still couldn’t figure it out. Why would Cao Guangrong falsely claim to be her father?

What was it about Chen Xing that was worth him spending a fortune just to get close to her?

Chen Xing wasn’t surprised in the slightest.

When they had ”coincidentally” met in the subway station and Cao Guangrong mentioned the fingernail-sized mole on her waist, she had been genuinely shocked. For a moment, she had truly believed he was her father.

However, by that very same night, she had already dismissed the idea.

He said the mole on her body was the size of a fingernail.

That right there was a major flaw in his story.

If Cao Guangrong were her real father, the last time he would have seen the mole was when she got lost as a child. It was the size of a fingernail *now*; she refused to believe it hadn’t changed at all as she grew up.

Since Cao Guangrong knew the precise location and even the current size of her mole, he must have gotten the information from the Research Institute.

’Since this is related to the Research Institute, I have to play dumb.’

’If he says I’m his daughter, then I’ll just go along with it.’

Because she had been suspicious from the very beginning, the whole Cao Family looked like they were putting on an act.

Now that her suspicions were confirmed, she was even more certain the Cao Family’s motives were anything but simple.

Her ”sister-in-law,” Li Hongfei, in particular, had a direct connection to the Research Institute.

”When we get back, we need to do a thorough background check on Cao Guangrong’s entire family!” Seeing Chen Xing remain silent, Song Yiguo walked over and patted her shoulder. ”Isn’t it for the best? You don’t have a useless piece of trash for a father.”

”Mhm.” Chen Xing seemed unconcerned. Her worry was that by the time she returned, the Cao Family might have already fled the Capital City.

If the Research Institute was as resourceful as she suspected, they would already know that Song Yiguo had helped her get another paternity test done.

Just then, there was a knock on the door.

After a call to enter, Vice General Du walked in.

He handed Chen Xing an earpiece. It was smaller than a standard earbud; once inside her ear, it was practically invisible.

”It can translate eight languages simultaneously,” Song Yiguo explained to Chen Xing. ”As long as no one stares directly into your ear canal, no one will notice you’re wearing it.”

People from dozens of countries gathered in Baling Country. While most used the global common tongue, a few major powers insisted on their native languages. Therefore, an eight-language translator would be more than enough for Chen Xing to handle any situation.

”Mhm.” Chen Xing fiddled with it curiously. ”But what if I speak and they can’t understand me?”

”Don’t worry. Almost everyone who comes here wears something like this. They’re terrified of being screwed over by a language barrier.” Not being able to speak wasn’t a huge issue, but being unable to understand would put you at a massive disadvantage.

Chen Xing leaned to the side, trying to see if Song Yiguo was also wearing a translator.

From the moment they got off the plane until they reached the hotel, Song Yiguo had spoken with people from at least five different countries, switching languages effortlessly each time.

Contrary to her expectations, his ears were bare.

”I don’t need one,” Song Yiguo said, without a trace of arrogance.

But to Chen Xing, it sounded exactly like arrogance.

’So, Song Yiguo knows at least six languages,’ she thought, ’and that’s a conservative estimate.’

”When I came up just now, Vice Li asked me to tell you, Young Master Song, that a banquet has been prepared in the restaurant for everyone to have a simple meal,” Vice General Du said, stroking Meng Hu as he spoke.

This Meng Hu had been quite intimidating at first, but after spending some time with it, he found it was actually quite cat-like.

Meng Hu didn’t seem to mind being petted by humans, acting as if it were bestowing a great honor upon them. The only exception, of course, was its terrifying owner, Chen Xing.

Song Yiguo knew this meal was unavoidable.

Firstly, it was to show the outside world that the Huaxia people were united.

Secondly, the friendship between the Song Family and the Situ family had run its course. The time had come for them to start fighting over allies.

Although the Li Family lacked raw power, they were part of the Royal Family and had numerous loyal followers. It would be best to win them over. But even if he couldn’t bring them under his own banner, he absolutely could not allow the Situ family to poach them.

”Change your clothes. It’s time to put on a show.”

When Vice General Du handed her a large gift box, Chen Xing didn’t ask any questions and simply went inside to change.

She had agreed to cooperate with Song Yiguo, so she was mentally prepared for something like this.

When the two of them appeared in the restaurant, they drew a torrent of scorching gazes.

Some were admiring, thinking they were a perfect match, while others were burning with jealousy.

The two girls sitting at Vice Li Ruixiao’s table, in particular, both had tense, stony expressions.

If Song Yiguo and Chen Xing had looked well-matched yesterday, then tonight they looked like a pair destined for each other, stunning everyone present.

Li Ruixiao glanced at his daughter before rising to greet them.

”Sorry to have kept you waiting, Uncle Li.” Song Yiguo politely shook Li Ruixiao’s hand, then pulled out a chair for Chen Xing.

Only after she was seated did he take the seat beside her.

”Brother Yiguo...” Situ Yuanyuan and Li Sirong called out in unison.

But their eyes were fixed on Chen Xing, practically shooting sparks of jealousy.

It was the first time they had ever seen Song Yiguo be so attentive to a girl.

Li Ruixiao placed menus in front of Song Yiguo and Chen Xing. ”Young Master Song, Miss Cao, please have a look at what you’d like to eat. President Situ and Mr. Lu will be here shortly.”

’Miss Cao?’

Chen Xing bristled at the name, feeling that Li Ruixiao had used it deliberately.

Just then, three men of East Asian descent approached their table.

Chen Xing recognized two of them: Situ Lei Hao and Lu Bingtian. The third man, who looked to be around thirty, was tall and well-built with a handsome, dashing face that drew the eyes of every woman in the restaurant.

Song Yiguo leaned close and whispered in her ear, ”The younger one is Lu Bingtian’s adopted son, Lu Haoran.”

Although Chen Xing disliked having Song Yiguo so close, she endured it and turned her gaze to Lu Haoran.

In terms of looks and physique, Lu Haoran was on par with Song Yiguo.

The only difference was that Song Yiguo possessed an innate, noble air, while Lu Haoran appeared a bit more rugged.

Song Yiguo rose and politely shook hands with the three men before they all took their respective seats.

When Situ Lei Hao saw that Song Yiguo had brought Chen Xing, his expression immediately soured, and he refused to look at Song Yiguo again.

Lu Haoran naturally sat down on Chen Xing’s other side and nodded at her politely. ”Hello, Miss Chen.”

Chen Xing didn’t speak, simply offering a polite nod in return as a greeting.

She had neither a good nor a bad impression of this Lu Haoran.

However, because he was from the Lu Family, she automatically classified him as an enemy.

Chen Xing found this meal rather hard to swallow.

Everyone at the table was harboring ulterior motives, and a few of them looked as if they wanted her dead.

Seeing that Chen Xing wasn’t eating, Song Yiguo made the excuse that she was tired and escorted her back to her room. He still had several social obligations to attend to. ”I’ll have a custom meal sent up to you in a bit.”

Chen Xing pointed to the backpack Vice General Du had brought for her. ”No need. I’ll make my own food.” She had packed some food before leaving home, precisely for situations like this.

Song Yiguo didn’t press the issue.

Chen Xing had just finished preparing a few semi-finished dishes and was about to sit down when her doorbell rang.

She opened the door to find Lu Haoran standing there, holding a tray in one hand. A corner of his mouth quirked up. ”May I come in?”