Chapter 112: The Great Insect Feast

“Mr. Chen!” Dong Xin softly called out when Chen Hao suddenly froze in place. “What’s wrong? Why did you stop moving?”

Dong Xin’s question was casual, but Chen Hao felt a sudden tension in his heart. Why had she brought them here? Could it be that Illusion Corporation had discovered their secret? Was she testing him by bringing him here? And why was there such a strange restaurant in this place called Crystal? After entering, would he fall back into the game?

Filled with suspicion and caution, Chen Hao replied carefully, “Oh, it’s nothing. I just didn’t react immediately. The name of this place is quite interesting! It’s related to Journey to the West, and the food is made from insects? Could it be that the customers here are all some kind of demons? Haha...”

Chen Hao laughed awkwardly, trying to dispel Dong Xin’s doubts. Dong Xin seemed to accept his explanation and warmly invited, “Come on in and have a seat! Don’t be fooled by the strange name—the food inside is actually quite delicious.”

With that, she got out of the car and led the way.

To be honest, the moment Fan Yirou saw the restaurant’s name, her appetite vanished almost entirely. Her previously empty stomach felt full in an instant, with no hint of hunger. Worse yet, she felt waves of nausea.

Roasted insects... Did this place really specialize in that? How could anyone stomach it? She had seen others eat fried locusts, cicadas, and silkworm pupae before, and Dong Xin would immediately vomit uncontrollably. Now she was supposed to try it herself...

Ugh, just the thought was terrifying.

But since they were already here, wouldn’t it be pathetic not to go inside?

For the sake of her pride—and mainly to help Chen Hao understand Dong Xin’s intentions—Fan Yirou resolutely followed the three inside.

Upon entering, Fan Yirou relaxed slightly. Fortunately, the interior wasn’t as horrifying as she had imagined; there were no spider webs hanging everywhere. Although there weren’t many patrons, the food on their tables wasn’t all revolting insects—there were plenty of normal dishes as well.

Still, every table had a few plates featuring insect-based dishes. Judging from the diners’ expressions, they were enjoying the food immensely—it seemed genuinely delicious.

Yet, despite that, Fan Yirou’s stance remained firm: she would not touch any insect dishes today.

Chen Hao and Gu Mengyan, on the other hand, were unfazed. Both had tried similar foods before. It all started when they made a bet and Chen Hao lost to Gu Mengyan. Her punishment? To eat insects. Of course, they weren’t raw; the insects were prepared properly.

The chef responsible was a renowned domestic master chef. Thanks to the Chen family’s connections, Gu Mengyan had invited him to their home to prepare an extravagant insect feast for Chen Hao.

At first, Chen Hao’s expression was as grim as Fan Yirou’s now—nearly on the verge of death. But a bet was a bet, and since he lost, he had to face the punishment. Besides, for many people, eating a gourmet insect meal crafted by a top chef wasn’t exactly a penalty.

Seeing the hopeful look on the chef’s face, who had traveled all the way to their home, Chen Hao felt compelled to savor the dishes properly.

Chen Hao knew that the chef wasn’t there just for the money Gu Mengyan paid. What kind of person would come to the Chen household simply for a bit of cash?

What the chef really sought was the prestige of the Chen family’s name. If he could impress the young master Chen, maybe Chen Hao would gladly promote him, bringing immeasurable benefits.

Gathering his courage, Chen Hao picked up a plate of drunken scorpions that looked less repulsive. After scrutinizing it for a long moment, he resolved to try one, picking it up with chopsticks and placing it in his mouth.

Honestly, he had prepared himself to be hospitalized for three days. He imagined the insects’ insides must be filled with all sorts of slimy fluids, which would taste horrible.

But when he bit into the scorpion, his eyes lit up.

“Huh? This actually tastes pretty good...” Though there was still a slight fishy smell, the infusion of liquor blended with it to create a unique flavor.

The texture was also much easier to swallow, and combined with the insect’s distinctive freshness, it truly was a delicacy.

Chen Hao tried not to think about what these insects ate or what was inside their bellies. He simply closed his eyes and enjoyed the taste. After finishing one scorpion, his fear of insects lessened significantly.

Gu Mengyan watched Chen Hao intently as he tasted the dishes, curious whether the insects really were as tasty as people said.

She had chosen insect-eating as a punishment because she herself had a strong fear of insects.

Yet seeing Chen Hao’s reaction, it didn’t seem so terrifying after all! Perhaps the chef she hired was truly exceptional, transforming the disgusting into something delicious.

After overcoming his fear, Chen Hao decided to try another dish: steamed eggs with ants. This dish was visually appealing—golden steamed eggs dotted with tiny black ants, stimulating the appetite—unless, of course, you suffered from trypophobia.

Chen Hao scooped some with a spoon and tasted it.

“Ah, this is really delicious,” he exclaimed.

“Is it really that good?” Gu Mengyan swallowed nervously and asked.

“What’s that look for?” Chen Hao eyed her warily. “You want some? No way—that’s for me. We agreed on this! I lost the bet, so I have to eat insects.”

Without hesitation, he picked up a fried silkworm pupa and popped it into his mouth. After that first dreadful bite, Chen Hao couldn’t stop. He devoured the feast on the table with unstoppable enthusiasm.

What was meant to be a punishment had turned into a reward. But Chen Hao wasn’t about to enjoy this alone. Gu Mengyan shrugged off her fear and eagerly joined him in devouring the food.

“Hey, hey! What are you doing? It’s mine! Why are you eating it?”

“Who said it was only for you? We agreed: losers eat insects, but winners aren’t forbidden. So I get a share too.”

She said this as she ate heartily, gaining momentum with each bite.

In the end, the insect feast was devoured completely under the chef’s gratified gaze.

Unfortunately, Fan Yirou wasn’t present during that meal. To this day, like many others, she remained reluctant to try insect-based cuisine.

The four found a table to sit down. Fan Yirou looked uneasy, staring at the menu filled with pictures of insects, feeling queasy.

Chen Hao noticed her expression and gently said, “Not used to it? It’s okay. I wasn’t brave at first either. But after trying it once, I realized it’s really delicious. You can pick some that don’t look too gross to start with—I promise you’ll like it after one bite.”

Fan Yirou still seemed nervous but reached out to hold Chen Hao’s hand, looking like a shy young woman. “Really?”

Her bold move made Chen Hao’s eyes sparkle. It was rare for her to be so forward. He took her hand in return. “Speaking of insects, I just remembered something interesting.”

“Hm? What’s that?”

Chen Hao thought for a moment. “Do you know how many foreigners view our country’s culinary culture? We often cook animal offal—hearts, livers, intestines, pig lungs—as delicacies.

But many foreigners look at those innards the same way you look at insects now.

You can’t deny, though, that both offal and insects are delicious foods.

Right now, you’re like those foreigners afraid of offal!”

Hearing this, Fan Yirou’s anxiety seemed to fade. She carefully said, “Then you’ll help me order? Try to pick things that aren’t too scary.”

After speaking, she even leaned her head on Chen Hao’s shoulder.

The two other women raised their eyebrows at this. Gu Mengyan thought viciously, “That stinky Yirou is really starting to change her attitude toward Chen Hao, getting so bold and intimate—it’s infuriating. Is she pretending on purpose?”

Dong Xin, for some reason, suddenly clenched his teeth and muttered under his breath, “That damn lecher, he’s been like this for years... He’ll pay for this sooner or later!”