NOVEL NEXT Chapter 170
A crowd of people at the entrance surged inside. Everyone wanted to see up close what kind of twice-cooked pork could taste even better than the one made by Chef Gu!
Ouyang Lin swallowed hard and was the first to pick up his chopsticks and take a bite.
"Mmm… so good! This is the flavor!"
"Hey, bring me a bowl of rice."
A nearby kitchen staff member was stunned for a few seconds before reacting—he had never seen someone ask for rice while taste-testing! Ouyang Lin just couldn't resist!
He had only eaten lunch a short while ago—and had three whole bowls of rice, no less. Yet here he was, ready to dig in again.
Gu Tielin's expression darkened. He had a bad feeling about this, but still, he picked up his chopsticks and tried a piece. After swallowing, there was no doubt—he had lost. The lean meat was chewy, the fatty part was tender and fragrant, and the crisp, spicy garlic sprouts tied it all together perfectly.
Gu Tielin's heart pounded. This twice-cooked pork wasn't just a little better than his—it was on a whole different level. Before Lu Qin appeared, he would never have believed that twice-cooked pork could reach such heights.
If his own skill level was that of a seasoned expert, then the young man in front of him was a true master. Fear crept into Gu Tielin's heart. He had watched Lu Qin cook the dish from start to finish. He had seen every detail clearly. Yet he knew—he could never replicate that taste.
The precise control of the heat, the knife work, the balance of seasonings… Knowing the techniques wasn't the same as executing them. This was where the gap lay.
Gu Tielin's usual pride disappeared. He fell silent. Everyone could tell from his expression—the head Sichuan chef of Wangjing No. 1 had lost.
And he had lost to an unknown young man. Luckily, this young man wasn't here to challenge them. Otherwise, Gu Tielin's defeat would have meant the end of his career at Wangjing No. 1. The crowd turned their gaze to Lu Qin, full of curiosity.
Who was this young man?
In all of Jiangcheng and Haishi's culinary circles, they had never heard of a famous chef named Lu. Meanwhile, Ouyang Lin was completely immersed in his meal, showing none of the demeanor of Shengyang Group's CEO. He was just a hungry man, devouring his food with zero restraint.
Around him, the sound of people swallowing their saliva echoed. After finishing a whole bowl of rice, stuffed to the brim, Ouyang Lin finally put down his chopsticks and let out a satisfied burp.
Wiping his mouth with a napkin, he said contentedly, "I've never had such a good appetite before."
People like him, accustomed to the finest delicacies, rarely got excited over food.
But Lu Qin's cooking elevated cuisine to a whole new level. Eating his food was a true pleasure!
Ouyang Lin patted Lu Qin on the shoulder.
"Mr. Lu, after the birthday banquet, you must stay in Haishi for a few days and let me be a proper host."
Stuffed to the point of discomfort, Ouyang Lin had to get up and walk around to digest. As soon as he left, someone couldn't resist sneaking a taste of the remaining twice-cooked pork. Once the first person tried it, the second quickly followed.
Then, the entire kitchen staff swarmed in with their chopsticks. Even the restaurant manager couldn't help but take a bite. After tasting it, they finally understood—Ouyang Lin and Lu Qin's earlier critique of Chef Gu's dish had been completely fair.
No fancy words could truly capture how delicious this twice-cooked pork was. It was simply incredible!
The restaurant manager was in awe and praised, "Mr. Lu, no wonder Mr. Ouyang specifically invited you from Jiangcheng to make Elder Ouyang's requested liver pâté soup. Your culinary skills are extraordinary!"
Hearing this, Gu Tielin, who had been silent, suddenly looked up in shock.
"So, you're the one Mr. Ouyang found to make the liver pâté soup?"
Elder Ouyang had insisted on adding a special dish—liver pâté soup—to the birthday banquet menu. Gu Tielin had tried making a version for Elder Ouyang to taste. But Elder Ouyang had been completely dissatisfied.
Gu Tielin had wanted to ask his long-retired master, Yang Huaian, for help, but Yang had fallen ill and needed two weeks to recover. So, Ouyang Lin had gone to Jiangcheng to find someone who could make the dish.
Gu Tielin had assumed the only person Ouyang Lin could have invited from Jiangcheng was the retired national banquet-level chef, Master Mai. He never expected it to be a young man. A terrifyingly skilled young man!
"Yes, it's me." Lu Qin smiled calmly.
He wasn't trying to show off, but if an outsider wanted to cook in a prestigious kitchen like Wangjing No. 1's—especially a complex dish like liver pâté soup—earning the respect and cooperation of the kitchen staff was necessary. Now, their attitudes had clearly changed.
The restaurant manager spoke up.
"Chef Gu, Mr. Lu will be preparing the liver pâté soup tomorrow. We'll need your full cooperation."
Gu Tielin had already lost face. Though he was reluctant, he had no choice but to comply. He just hoped this person would leave for Jiangcheng as soon as he finished making the soup.
"What do you need?" Gu Tielin asked.
"Reserve three stove stations for me tomorrow. I'll need one assistant chef and one prep cook."
"No problem."
"I also need to check the available ingredients."
"Of course."
Gu Tielin took Lu Qin to the ingredient storage room. It was huge—over 200 square meters. Most of the ingredients met Lu Qin's standards, except for two things.
The pork liver wasn't fatty liver, and the old chicken and duck for the broth weren't aged enough.
The restaurant manager said, "Mr. Lu, I'll have the purchasing department get the fatty liver right away. Is that correct?"
"Yes, fatty liver. I'll go myself."
Lu Qin didn't want to risk any mistakes with the ingredients, so he insisted on handling the purchase personally. The restaurant manager arranged for Master Sun from the purchasing department to accompany him to the market.
After Lu Qin left, the remaining kitchen staff stared at the last bit of twice-cooked pork with glowing eyes.
…
Suddenly, they all pounced at once, scrambling for it. Gu Tielin's eye twitched.
Had these people never eaten twice-cooked pork before?
"Does no one have work to do?"
With a single shout, the crowd scattered like birds. But the plate of twice-cooked pork was already spotless—not even a piece of garlic sprout remained!
…
Lu Qin followed Master Sun to Haishi's largest market, spending an hour selecting ingredients before returning to the hotel. By the time he arrived at his room, Shen Muyan and Lu Xiyao were already awake.
Shen Muyan had just closed her laptop, likely finishing some work. The little girl was sitting on the bed watching TV. As soon as she saw Lu Qin return, she lit up with excitement. She ran over with tiny steps and jumped into his arms.
"Daddy, hug! I missed you!"
She had only been apart from Lu Qin for half a day, but she already missed him. Lu Qin took a deep sniff.
"Hmm, vanilla-chocolate flavor."
The little girl covered her mouth in shock. "Daddy, your nose is amazing!"
"Were you allowed to have ice cream today?" Lu Qin narrowed his eyes, curling his fingers as if ready to flick her forehead.
"Mommy let me!"
She immediately pointed at Shen Muyan, betraying her without hesitation. Shen Muyan shot her a sharp look. She had agreed to let the little one have three ice creams, and there was no taking it back now.
"Oh? Was today not allowed? I must've remembered wrong."
Shen Muyan quickly changed the subject.
Sensing an opportunity, the little girl egged Lu Qin on.
"Daddy, flick her! Flick her, not me~!"
And then…
She got a forehead flick from the "rich beauty" herself. Holding her forehead, she finally behaved.