The Feast – Extra 4.2 – Let’s Meet Again, 10 Years Later

Extra Part 4: Let’s Gather Again, 10 Years Later

 

Translated by Gumihou

Edited by Onionpi

Please read this at kitchennovel dot com

 

Everyone, it’s been a wild and joyful ride with you. This is my very first fully translated novel and will remain my best-loved novel.

I got into translation because I love this novel. I loved it so much that I persuaded the original translator to let me help them. They were very nice and had been translating The Feast together when we suddenly lost contact.

Their last posted message on prosperousfood.com was ‘I’ll be back after a couple of weeks at the hospital’

I could only assume the worse when two years later, Prosperousfood.com became deactivated two years after that.

Since then, I have been updating The Feast periodically, only translating in between tours. I’ve only started translating seriously in March 2020 when Rona ate my job as a tour guide. Since then, I have devoted my time to translation.

I want to thank everyone who has been with me all this while, whether as a lurker or as a Patreon member.

I love every single one of you and hope that you leave this final chapter with a smile on your face.

Gumihou had a great time, and hope you did too ~

 

 

 

“E-execution meal?”

Su Nuan Nuan actually leapt up in fright, “Wait, wait, wait, wait a minute. Excuse me, but… Teacher Lu, surely there’s some… misunderstanding? Why would it be an execution meal? Su Dong Lou is really concerned about your depression, you know? To open your heart and make you happy, he even begged to learn cooking from me. You… just what did he do? What happened to make you come up with such a frightening thought?”

“To open my heart? He wants to learn cooking from you to open my heart?” Lu Feng Yu paused, then he began to laugh bitterly. Shaking his head, he said, “To think that he would go so far just to learn my weaknesses. He sure knows how to target my vitals.”

Su Nuan Nuan rolled her eyes: What nonsense are you talking about? Everyone already knew about your very obvious weakness, wasn’t it perfectly clear ten years ago?

“Whatever, since he refuses to let the matter go, I shall fulfil his wish. After all, there’s no meaning to this kind of life. I already tire of it. I’m just so… so tired.”

Lu Feng Yu lowered his head as he sank into melancholic contemplation. Then, quite suddenly, as though coming to some conclusion, he shrugged off his melancholia like a dark cloak and smiled. The smile was brilliant, edged though it was with the desperation of some unknown shadows in his eyes.

It made Su Nuan Nuan softened enough to say gently, “What’s all this about fulfilling his wish? Sure you’re not thinking about… dying? Why? Didn’t Dong Lou treat you well? From what I can tell, he hates that he could not just cut his heart out and handed it to you, ah.”

“It’s all a lie. How unexpected to see that you’ve been taken in as well.” Lu Feng Yu’s laughter was like the chime of light bells. One would think he has no cares as he stood up, and stretched indolently. “Well, well, enough about these troublesome thoughts. Weren’t you going to make the Buddha Jumps over the Wall now? I really can’t wait. Oh, might you consider the last request of a dying man and let me watch you make it?”

Su Nuan Nuan had been rendered speechless by Lu Feng Yu’s line of thought. Her impression of his great intelligence has fallen. Was this really that cunning and insidious genius that required all three of them to crack their heads together to takedown? They very nearly failed too. So, why is he so blind to facts now? Wasn’t he the type who could see right through people’s hearts at a glance? Were his eyes so covered in bullshit [2] that he could not see how tenderly Su Dong Lou treated him? He was completely convinced that he will die after this meal. Just where is the logic of this theory, ah?

“No, unless and until I know exactly what’s going on in that stupid head of yours, I will not be making this dish.” snapped Su Nuan Nuan. “You can start talking now.” [3]

Lu Feng Yu sighed. He shook his head and said, “It has nothing to do with you, why do you want to know?”

“Just consider it as me being meddlesome. I wish to understand just how your brain works. I want to know whether you’re jumping into delusions or drawing conclusions from the truth.” Lu Feng Yu had no way of defending himself against Su Nuan Nuan’s arrogant and righteous demands.

He sighed, feeling a little dazed. Finally, he slowly sat down and lowered his head. He tucked his hands into his sleeves for warmth. It was Mid-Autumn now, and though it was not very cold yet, he felt it keenly into his bones. After tramping along with Su Dong Lou to the North during the war for four years, the time spent sleeping in tents and huddling under inadequate blankets had grounded his health and spirit away. Depression further making him listless, so much so that his body now felt the cold keenly.

“Does Madam remember? What Su Dong Lou had said back at the bamboo house?”

Su Nuan Nuan did her best to recall, but could not think of anything. It had been ten years, after all. If she still remembers every single word uttered by Su Dong Lou, the sour smell emitted by Duan Tingxuan would have choked her to death.

“He said, that he will trifle with me for a few years. After all, I am nothing but a villain with a belly full of black water. There’s no need to burden himself about how he should treat me. Once he had his fun, I’d be half-dead anyway. When the time comes, he can just throw me away to die from sickness or starvation and count it as my retribution.”

“Ah!” Su Nuan Nuan cried out. Now that Lu Feng Yu mentioned this, she suddenly recalled that very scene. When Su Dong Lou said this, she vaguely remembered telling him that he would regret every word. Unexpectedly, her prediction actually came true.

Eyes wide, she stammered, “Um, um, s-surely that’s all just some hot-headed words spoken in anger? How could you treat it as the truth?”

“Of course it’s true. I’ve kept these words next to my heart all these years. From the very beginning, I was determined to defend my heart to the death. Then, one day he got angry at me and told me that he would not let me die easily. Even if I were to die, he must have my heart before I am allowed to go to the underworld.”

Lu Feng Yu’s smile was very faint, his voice equally soft as he said, “Madam, what is there to not understand? Su Dong Lou is the best kind of person. He promised that he would one day bring me here to eat Buddha Jumps over the Wall personally made by yourself. And here we are. Therefore, if he said that he will have me die once he has my heart, I’m sure it will happen as well.”

Suddenly, he tipped his head back and laughed drunkenly. The loftiness of a man having accepted his own fate laced his voice as he said, “However, once I’m dead, you must tell him this. If I had not tire of this silly game these past two years I would never have let him see my true self. I’m sure, I could continue to feign disinterest and live up to 70 or 80 years old. Only… aih! I’m getting old, I’m getting along 40, you know? I must have gotten soft in my dotage.

I’ve been thinking a lot. He’s still a man in his prime, am I to drag him down for the rest of his life? It’s better to just give in to his wishes. He could still marry and have children. I haven’t done much good in my life. I would have died earlier if not for him. It’s because of him that I get to live another ten years. Moreover, I can say that he treated me quite well…”

Su Nuan Nuan stared at Lu Feng Yu.

She was speechless.

A person who falls in love, their IQ will plunge into the negatives. Could it be that not even the great and cunning Lu Boss was able to escape this iron-clad rule?

If this rule is absolute. Then the fact that he’s acting like an idiot now meant that he had really fallen in love with Su Dong Lou and began to delude himself with all kinds of stupid thoughts after his IQ plunged down the ravine…

However, Lu Feng Yu was not completely at fault here.

While Su Nuan Nuan was processing this big reveal, Lu Feng Yu continued to talk. His voice sinking lower and lower, until it was nothing but unintelligible mutterings. Suddenly, the door banged open with a loud boom. Su Nuan Nuan twisted over to see a trembling Su Dong Lou framed by the door. Behind him was a confused looking little marquis.

Now that First Madam has a proper target to let her temper out, she jumped up from her chair and began to stab Su Dong Lou in the forehead with her finger, screaming, “Right! Serves you right! What did I say to you last time, huh? Faking indifference, faking arrogance, and now look? The heavens have struck you, right?”

Su Dong Lou scowled miserably, his voice was weak as he pleaded, “Cousin-in-law, please don’t poke me anymore. It’s very painful, ah. I… I never thought that he’d remember everything so well, ah? It was all just… just rubbish words that people spat out in anger…”

“So what if you’ve said it in anger? I’ve told all of you, time and again. Words could cut, and cut very deeply at that. You don’t believe me then. Well? Are your guts all green [4] now?” Su Nuan Nuan retrieved her hand but thrust out her face as she continued to scold Su Dong Lou.

“Yes, yes, yes, it’s beyond green, ah. It’s all black now.” Su Dong Lou sighed and walked towards a fearfully quivering Lu Feng Yu. Looking into those fever bright eyes, he said bitterly, “Teacher, how could you treat those words spoken in haste as the truth? After all these years, how can you still not know what I feel for you? You… just what are you thinking…”

“Madam wife, shouldn’t we retreat now and leave them to it?” the little marquis shivered from the goosebumps that had risen from that overly tender confession. His wife, however, merely waved an excited hand at him. “Aiya, let’s just stick around a bit more. It’s not even the corniest moment yet, let’s listen for a bit more.”

Duan Tingxuan, “… …”

As for Su Dong Lou, he only has eyes and ears for Lu Feng Yu. The other two might as well have been a pair of common houseflies [5] for all the attention he had for them. He held Lu Feng Yu’s hands tenderly in his and continued, “I love you and care for you dearly. When I saw you spiralling down into depression, though the words never cross my lips, my heart burned with the need to heal you. Why do you think I brought you to the Capital especially to eat Buddha Jumps over the Wall?

It’s not just to fulfil a promise made long ago, but because I know just how much you love delicious food. I had hoped that once you’ve settled down at the Capital, we can drop by at the Marquis Estate every few days and bum off some food from them to cheer you up a little. I was doing everything I could to make you even a fraction happier, but you… aih! If only I could cut my chest open and show you my heart. If you could see my heart, then you will know that I meant every word truly and sincerely…”

“What is he talking about? That Dong Lou brat, he’s really treating me as a cook, isn’t he?” Su Nuan Nuan was so angry that smoke nearly exploded from her nostrils.

Duan Tingxuan was about to soothe her when a maid happened to call from the door to say, “Lord Marquis, Madam. Someone came from the Marquis Estate in search of you. They say that the Third Master is back to take up his official duties within the Capital. He’s already home. Also, a certain Excellency Long and Madam Chu just came back from Lu Song and are now guests at the estate. The Third Master and the womenfolk are entertaining them right now and requested for your quick return.”

“What? Tingfang is back? That little brat, how dare he not let us know that he’s coming back for an official post? How is his job as a Prefectural Magistrate these past three years I wonder?”

“Exactly! That rascal must have deliberately kept it a secret to surprise us. As for Pingzhang and Chu Xiu, neither of them sent any letter to us either. Every single one of them has been corrupted, to think they would actually launch simultaneous attacks like this. Humph! Let’s drag our girls out and show them off, let them get a feel of the society while we celebrate this double happiness.”

“Madam wife, are you sure a show of power is the best way to celebrate a double happiness?”

“It can be done if I say that it can be done.”

As their voices receded with their footsteps, Su Dong Lou and Lu Feng Yu were left gaping at the door as the happy but quarrelsome couple bickered their way out. After a long moment, Su Dong Lou scratched his head and muttered, “They just… left? What do I invite them over here for?”

“So what if they leave? Are you going to insist that Marchioness Su stay and make Buddha Jumps over the Wall for me?” Lu Feng Yu was brimming with happiness as he smiled helplessly at Su Dong Lou.

Suddenly, he felt his feet left the floor when Su Dong Lou held him aloft by the waist with powerful arms. As he struggled and kicked fruitlessly, Su Dong Lou drew him closer. Lu Feng Yu stopped struggling and found himself looking down at the man who professed to love him.

“You’re right,” said Su Dong Lou warmly. Lu Feng Yu gripped Su Dong Lou’s arms as he was held closer, they were so close now their foreheads touched. “They left at the right time. The most important thing to do now is for the two of us to have a proper conversation together. How do I make you believe that my love is true? If loyalty and fidelity are not enough, I don’t mind letting you press me down every day for the rest of our lives, now and forever.”

“I… you’re shameless! Rascal! Let me go. Who wants to press you down? Let me go… you… ahn!”

Their little quarrel suddenly stopped. Duan Tingxuan and Su Nuan Nuan, who had been keeping an ear out, paused in their steps.

“Ahem… I seem to have heard Lu Feng Yu… make a weird sound?”

“Let’s just leave them alone, they can solve their own problems. Now that Dong Lou knows what’s troubling Lu Feng Yu, he should know what to do next. There’s no need for us to interfere.”

Duan Tingxuan obviously has great faith in his cousin’s courting ability. He took Su Nuan Nuan’s hand and began to step briskly away from the room where the two lovers were currently reconciling…

 

Author White Pear Flower: Ou Ou Ou! Let’s celebrate! It’s over now! As a prolific author, I have no time for those touchy-feely scenes featuring stupid lovers. See you in the next book!

 

[Gumihou: Kyaaa, but author-san I want to see those lovey-dovey scenes~ Lol, should I write it?]

 

Since it’s been a long time, let’s feast our eyes upon Zhao Cai

 

[1] The exact phrase is 断头饭, which translates to Head Detaching Meal or Execution Meal. In contrast ‘Last Meal’ is kind of lame and does not provoke the same sort of imagery. Which is why I decided to go with ‘Execution Meal’

[2] Bullshit covered eyes- literally the eyes were covered in bull’s shit

[3] This was the final sentence of the previous paragraph. I changed it to dialogue for more impact.

[4] Green guts – regret

[5] Okay, I added that part about the houseflies. I wanted to put house lizards, but then remembered they’re uncommon in temperate countries

 

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