I Run a Restaurant in a World of Natural Disasters

Chapter 141: Chapter 113: Father and Son

「A few hours earlier.」

In the factory district of southwest Beiluo City, Wade walked out of a factory that produced indoor irrigation systems. He bit the cap off his pen and quickly jotted down a few key prices.

It was shift change time at the factories, and the road was dotted with twos and threes of workers, their ages ranging from sixteen or seventeen to their fifties or sixties.

He was tall with blond hair and wasn’t wearing a work uniform, so he naturally drew a few appraising glances while standing in the crowd.

He paid them no mind, put away his pen and paper, and prepared to head to his next destination.

"Well, well, if it isn’t the future captain of the North Third District security patrol? What brings you here?"

A few meters away, three boys who looked about Wade’s age shouted at him, playful smirks on their faces.

Wade tilted his head slightly. When he saw them, the corners of his mouth tightened.

He didn’t say a word and turned to leave.

"Hey, not even a hello for your old classmates? That’s pretty rude, isn’t it? Didn’t your parents teach you any manners?"

"Oh, I almost forgot. You never had a mom, and in a few days, you might not even have a dad. Am I right, guys?"

The three of them burst into laughter.

"Captain of the security patrol? What a load of crap! He can’t even afford to eat. He still has to work just like the rest of us!"

"Exactly. I bet he’s here looking for a job. After all, once his sickly old man dies, he won’t have anyone to fall back on. What’s he acting so tough for—"

The boy hadn’t even finished speaking when a gust of wind seemed to rush at him. The next second, he was pinned firmly to the ground, completely unable to struggle. In his panic, he met a pair of green eyes filled with fury and couldn’t help but flinch.

"What... what do you think you’re doing? There’s... there’s no one here to protect you!"

His face flushed red as he roared, but a trace of guilt flashed in his eyes.

"Say one more bad thing about my dad, and I’ll kill you!"

Wade’s hand shot out and grabbed the boy’s neck, a hint of madness rising in his eyes.

"You’re... you’re crazy! There are three of us! You think we’re afraid of you?!"

Another one of his companions watched the scene with fear in his eyes, but then, as if remembering something, he mustered his courage.

"Quick, let’s get him together! Beat him up!"

The two exchanged a look, made up their minds, rolled up their sleeves, and lunged.

The scene instantly descended into chaos.

Many teenagers worked in the factory district, so fights and conflicts were common. The passing workers were used to it, simply walking around the commotion without giving it a second glance.

Three against one should have been a foregone conclusion, but Wade attacked as if he had a death wish. Although he was getting scraped up, the other three weren’t getting the upper hand either. They took a few punches and kicks, and were in so much pain they could barely stand.

"Dammit, he’s a mad dog. Let’s not waste any more time on him. Let’s go. We’ll beat him to a pulp next time," the boy who Wade had pinned down earlier spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva. He shot a vicious glare at Wade, who was kneeling on the ground, gasping for breath.

"Fine, let’s go!"

The moment the three turned to leave, Wade suddenly sprang up from the ground, grabbed the same boy by the neck again, and slammed him back down.

His lip was split, the corner of his eye was stained scarlet, and his face was twisted into a ferocious expression, radiating killing intent.

The boy on the ground began to struggle violently, slapping and pounding on Wade. But Wade’s hands remained locked firmly around his throat. Eventually, his struggles grew weaker as the feeling of suffocation overwhelmed his mind.

The other two were utterly panicked.

’He really looks like he’s going to kill him.’

BZZT— BZZT—

It was the sound of a phone vibrating.

Wade’s phone had fallen out of his pocket at some point.

On the small, cracked screen, two words were flashing:

Ning He.

It could have been seconds or centuries, but the boy on the ground finally felt the pressure on his neck ease. He gasped for air, and the instant the hands let go, he scrambled away as if fleeing for his life. The other two quickly helped him up and backed away, staring in terror at the demonic teenager.

Wade picked up his phone, tilted his head slightly, and let out a few words in a low voice:

"Don’t let me see you again. Get lost!"

The three of them practically scrambled away. Wade retracted his gaze, stared at the screen for a few seconds, and finally answered the call.

From the phone, a clear, leisurely female voice came through.

"Wade, are you done with the factories? Once you’re finished, come back to the restaurant. I made a new dish today, so you can come help me test it. Also, we’re a bit busy with customers today, so come help out. Just take a taxi, I’ll reimburse you. Don’t make things hard on those long legs of yours!"

Wade pursed his lips and finally responded with a soft "Mm."

After hanging up, Wade went to a nearby public restroom to wash his face and tidy himself up. He used his hair to cover the bruise by his eye, but he couldn’t hide the cut on his lip.

He called a car and went to the restaurant.

The restaurant was as busy as ever. Even when they weren’t serving the buffet, many people came for malatang, and there were also couriers picking up takeout orders for others.

Ning He clearly froze for a second when she saw him, but she immediately acted as if she hadn’t noticed anything and started ordering him around as usual.

First, he had to taste the new dish.

Ning He called it Stir-fried Pumpkin Threads with Pumpkin Vines.

It didn’t look like anything special—vibrant green young pumpkin shaved into threads, with some pumpkin vines that he never knew were edible. But for some reason, Connie and the others had strange expressions on their faces and were standing far away.

As Wade got closer, he smelled a peculiar aroma.

He couldn’t quite place it. It was a little pungent, a little fragrant, but also a little stinky.

He took a bite.

The stir-fried young pumpkin threads were soft and sweet, while the pumpkin vines were crisp and crunchy.

But besides that, there was another flavor.

It was a bit savory, and also a bit strange.

After another careful taste, he thought it was just plain stinky.

Wade’s chewing became forced.

Ning He looked at him expectantly. "So? Is it good?"

Wade swallowed the food in his mouth and finally shook his head honestly. But Ning He looked thrilled.

"Alright, it’s a success! Get to work!"

In the end, the dish never made it to the buffet table, and Wade didn’t ask why. Ning He gave him a face mask to cover his injuries and had him stay on the second floor to run errands.

Business was indeed exceptionally busy today. The restaurant was constantly full, and everyone was talking about last night’s commercial.

Wade had gone with her to the TV station that day, so he knew about it and wasn’t surprised. However, the sheer number of interested people was beyond his expectations.

When the dinner rush ended and it was time to leave, Ning He gave him two bags of packed leftovers. Wade only hesitated for a moment before taking them.

Carrying the two large bags of food, he returned to Anle House. The residents, who should have been asleep, were all waiting eagerly in the main hall. The moment they saw him return, adults and children alike grew excited.

Wade silently placed the boxes of food on the table one by one. Everyone took out the powdered rations they hadn’t brought themselves to eat earlier and enjoyed their delayed dinner with the dishes on the table.

Wade put some of the food into a lunchbox and went to Guer’s room.

"You’re back," Guer said. He wasn’t resting yet, but sitting on the edge of the bed looking at him with a gentle gaze. "You’ve worked hard."

Wade kept his head down and handed over the lunchbox and chopsticks.

"Hurry and eat. It’s still warm," he said, his voice muffled.

Guer took the food, glanced at it, and couldn’t help but smile. "It’s different every day. To be able to make so many kinds of vegetable dishes... this girl is truly amazing. Have you eaten?"

Wade nodded.

"Then I’ll dig in."

Guer began to eat heartily.

His appetite hadn’t completely failed him yet. The portion Wade had brought had soft, fragrant rice hidden underneath, and the savory stir-fried vegetables were full of rich sauces and complex flavors. It was incredibly palatable, and he quickly finished it all.

Wade cleaned up the lunchbox and brought hot water to wash Guer’s back.

"What do you do when you help out at the restaurant?" Guer was feeling unusually energetic and wanted to chat.

Wade pursed his lips. "I don’t just help at the restaurant. I do other things, too."

He briefly explained how Ning He had been taking him all over the place, and Guer couldn’t help but look astonished.

"She has that much business? That’s amazing! Since you have the chance, you should follow her, watch, and learn. It’s good to broaden your horizons. As for the money you owe her, take your time. You’ll be able to pay it back eventually."

Wade grunted in acknowledgment.

Guer couldn’t stop himself from coughing again. Wade quickly dropped the towel and went to get him some water.

After the coughing fit finally passed, Guer caught his breath and reached for the water. As they got closer, he noticed the injuries on Wade’s face.

"What’s wrong? What happened?" he asked, putting down the cup with a concerned look.

Wade turned his head away and said nothing.

Guer quickly realized what might have happened, his brow furrowing. "Was it Dong Bing and his friends causing trouble for you again? Are you badly hurt?"

Guer tried to get up to get a better look at his injuries, but Wade took a step back.

His expression was cold.

"It’s nothing. I beat them up badly. They won’t dare to bother me again."

Guer froze, then sighed softly.

"It’s my fault. You’ve been wronged because of me."

Wade suddenly turned to look at him, his still-youthful face now filled with disappointment and rage.

"That’s all you ever say!"

"What’s the use?!"

"You’re still going to die!"

"Why can’t you try to live?"

"Who cares if we’re in debt? As long as you’re alive, there’s hope, isn’t there?"

"Why can’t you live for me?!"

Tears rolled down Wade’s cheeks. Before Guer could say a word, the boy’s figure had already disappeared through the doorway.

Guer stared at the open door in a daze for a long time.

He thought back to the two years after his wife’s death, when he had numbed himself with work, often not returning home until late at night. Back then, a four or five-year-old Wade would wait up for him no matter how tired he was, only able to fall asleep while holding him tight.

When Wade was a little older, Guer’s health began to fail, and the young boy learned how to take care of him.

And he, as a father, had done so little for his child.

Now, he was about to cruelly abandon him, leaving him to face the world alone.

Guer closed his eyes and let out a long sigh.

Then, he picked up the phone on the table and made a call.

"Sister, sorry to bother you so late. About the donation... I agree."