NOVEL NEXT Chapter 73
Chapter 73 The Secrets Behind the Imperial Wings
“Both of you try it and give your thoughts,” Ma Dejun instructed.
Xiong Tianmin and Sui Xiaofu each picked up a piece of the imperial chicken wing.
Xiong inspected it first, then commented, “The color and aroma are certainly enticing, I’d rate it a 9.7, but this middle wing section seems like it wasn’t carefully selected. It would have been better to use fresh, plump hens.”
Sui Xiaofu nodded in agreement.
“For a dish like imperial chicken wings, the quality of the ingredients is critical. Ideally, you’d use a special breed like the three-crowned, five-clawed imperial chicken with black and white feathers. Next best would be a well-fed hen. You should select the most tender middle wing for the best texture and flavor.”
Sui Xiaofu was puzzled.
With the wrong choice of ingredients, how could the young man’s imperial chicken wings surpass his master’s?
Ma Dejun chuckled.
“Go ahead, taste it.”
The two chefs exchanged a glance before each taking a bite. As soon as the flavors hit their palates, Sui Xiaofu’s eyes widened in shock. The chicken wing was unbelievably tender, with a rich, smooth flavor. The meat was soft but not mushy, with a hint of lychee sweetness followed by the subtle aftertaste of wine. Every layer of flavor was perfectly balanced, a true culinary masterpiece.
Sui Xiaofu had never tasted anything like it. It was undeniably better than anything his master had ever made. Xiong Tianmin, though equally astonished, had somewhat expected this after tasting Lu Qin’s food before.
Seeing their reactions, Ma Dejun smiled. “There’s no need for further evaluation. Your expressions say it all.”
“You mentioned that the ingredients should be top-tier, yet he used ordinary ones to create a perfect dish. What does that tell you?”
Sui Xiaofu furrowed his brow.
“It means he has fully regained his mastery in cooking technique!”
But how?
That young man was barely in his twenties and had only been working for a few years. To perfect a dish like this, which combines elements of Sichuan and Shandong cuisines, would typically take over ten years of practice. And yet, this was flawless.
Ma Dejun’s expression turned serious.
“No matter how old you get, there’s always more to learn. That’s why I brought you two here today, to remind you that in cooking, there’s no upper limit. You’ve still got a long way to go.”
Xiong Tianmin and Sui Xiaofu exchanged nervous glances, feeling a sudden sense of unease. Were they really expected to keep learning, even after establishing themselves as reputable chefs? One was a pastry master in a five-star hotel, and the other owned a prestigious restaurant. Surely they didn’t need to keep struggling at this point?
Ma Dejun cut through their thoughts.
“Each of you has an assignment—Tianmin, you’ll make crystal cakes. Xiaofu, you’ll recreate the imperial chicken wings. I’m giving you one month.”
“One month later, I’ll taste your results. If they’re subpar… well, you know what’s coming.”
Both chefs’ faces fell, realizing that their rest time had just evaporated.
…
At Starlight Kindergarten, there were still twenty minutes until school let out, but many parents were already waiting at the gate. On the small rainbow-colored playground, the teacher led the children in a dance to the song ‘Rock, Paper, Scissors’.
The young teacher’s smile was radiant, and her movements were sharp and lively. The children danced happily in sync, but a few fathers were more focused on the young teacher than on their kids. No wonder they were so eager to pick up their children now—there were not only young female teachers but also plenty of young single mothers to catch their eye.
Lu Qin parked his three-wheeler and walked over to the fence to watch the children. His daughter, Lu Xiyao, was always quick to learn and had the sharpest dance moves, so the teacher had placed her in the center position. Even if she wasn’t in the center, she’d still be the most eye-catching one.
It wasn’t just her natural beauty, inherited from both Lu Qin and Shen Muyan, but also her lively movements that made her stand out like a little fairy.
Several young single mothers, noticing Lu Qin, brightened up and walked over.
“Boss Lu, here to pick up your daughter?”
“Yao Yao’s dad, your little girl dances so well, like a little pixie!”
Lu Qin smiled.
“Thank you, your kids are great dancers too.”
One of the mothers chimed in, “Your daughter is adorable. I’m so envious! I always wanted a daughter, but I ended up with a son, and he’s such a handful. If I don’t keep him in check for one day, he’ll tear the house apart.”
“Same here! Sons are exhausting, but daughters like Yao Yao are so well-behaved and sweet. She’s like a little angel, always so considerate. Meanwhile, my little rascal is like a mini-destroyer at home—worse than a husky!”
Another mother laughed.
“At least your sons are lively. Look at my girl, Dodo. Her dancing is so stiff, like a little zombie! Sometimes I feel like sprinkling some sticky rice on her to exorcise her bad moves. And then she insists on practicing again at home—pure torture!”
“Hahaha…”
Everyone burst into laughter.
Lu Qin was surrounded by a group of young moms, and bursts of cheerful laughter could be heard from time to time. This scene made the children’s dads green with envy. The music stopped, and the evening exercise dance was over.
“Yaoyao, you danced really well. How about leading tomorrow’s morning exercise dance?”
“Sure!”
Lu Xiyao nodded. She wasn’t shy about leading the dance. School was over.
Parents gathered at the kindergarten entrance, pulling out their pick-up cards.
Lu Xiyao saw Lu Qin, her eyes lit up, and she happily ran over.
“Daddy!”
Lu Qin picked up the little one and kissed her on the cheek. The little girl pouted and kissed Lu Qin’s cheek in return. The warmth and sweetness between the father and daughter made many parents envious and jealous.
“Your dance was great,” Lu Qin praised.
“Hehe! So, can I have an ice cream?”
“Sure,” Lu Qin, in a good mood, agreed.
“Yay! I want a mango yogurt Cornetto!”
Lu Qin bought an ice cream at the kindergarten gate, unwrapped it, and handed it to the little one.
“The first bite is for Daddy!”
The little girl raised the cone and let Lu Qin take a bite. They got on the small three-wheeled food cart and happily headed home.
…
Li Xue had just finished shooting a magazine cover and was scrolling through videos in the dressing room. She hadn’t watched many before coming across a video of Lu Qin on Douyin.
After Lu Qin went viral, many food bloggers in Jiangcheng started emerging. They didn’t bother filming other local foods but focused solely on Lu Qin’s fried noodle stall.
Some influencers even created entire series, filming each dish, from fried noodles to ice crystal cakes to twice-cooked pork, making a video for each one. These influencers understood how to generate traffic.
The food Lu Qin made always looked fantastic on camera, with a built-in filter effect, and had a five-star craving level. As a result, the buzz around Lu Qin’s fried noodle stall kept growing without fading.
Li Xue watched the video of the imperial chicken wings and swallowed her saliva. Only then did she remember that she still had Lu Qin’s WeChat. She directly called him.