The Reviled God of Cooking Tries to Slack Off - Chapter 128

Yesterday, Lu Baiyu had sent Jiang Tingzhou a long string of messages—more than a dozen at a glance—talking about business matters and his experiences since leaving home, both big and small.

But Jiang Tingzhou had been too busy to read them carefully. He’d only skimmed through them when he opened his phone. 

One message included a video, which appeared to be of a plantation.

Now, he realized it must have been this.

In addition to chili peppers, the southwestern provinces also grow a wide variety of flowers. The region is China’s largest flower cultivation base, with world-renowned roses of exceptional quality.

The Dianhong roses, in particular, are edible. They taste subtly sweet and have a delicate fragrance. 

Even with so many in front of him, Jiang Tingzhou could already smell the floral scent drifting in the air, as if he could imagine the entire mountainside blooming with them.

Just then, Lu Group’s couriers began moving the flowers in quickly. As they were brought out of the warehouse and laid out under the sunlight, their red hues became even more vibrant.

The commotion attracted attention from the kitchen.

Tao Jintian had been monitoring the service system on the screen, but when he heard the noise, he walked over. He glanced at the flowers, then at Jiang Tingzhou. His mouth opened, paused, and then he uttered just one word:

“Oh…”

He understood.

No wonder. He had been thinking that while Boss Jiang was certainly impressive, the sugar factory business wasn’t at the level that would normally require Young Master Lu’s constant personal attention. 

So it turned out that there was another reason behind it—romantic intentions.

Lu Baiyu looked quite good, and Jiang Tingzhou was both beautiful and formidable. But from Tao Jintian’s observations, Jiang Tingzhou didn’t seem easy to win over. 

While everyone else appeared stunned by the sea of roses, Jiang Tingzhou—clearly the recipient—only showed a fleeting change in expression.

“Mind your own business,” Jiang Tingzhou said, turning his head slightly. “Don’t concern yourself with trivial things. Your restaurant has a tasting event coming up—plenty of guests will be attending. Focus on that.”

Tao Jintian didn’t dare provoke him further. He nodded and agreed, though he kept sneaking glances at the flowers.

The Lu Group courier was especially enthusiastic today and finished unloading in no time.

At that moment, Jiang Tingzhou received a new message from Lu Baiyu:

“Tingzhou, I heard the sugar factory’s store is doing well. This is a small gift to celebrate. It’s a pity I couldn’t congratulate you in person.”

This wasn’t the business opening gift. That had already been delivered: a recipe and premium ingredients for sour plum soup, which customers loved. 

Even though Jiang Tingzhou couldn’t make the soup himself, he had tasted it before, and Lu Baiyu’s recipe and ingredients had become a customer favorite.

Jiang Tingzhou replied: “I’ve received it.”

 Then, after a brief thought, added: “Thank you.”

Upon seeing those two replies, Lu Baiyu seemed delighted. He responded quickly: “I saw the roses and thought of giving them to you right away. Do you like them?”

Originally, he hadn’t come to discuss Yunnan red roses, but when he passed by, he found them beautiful—especially after learning they were edible—his first thought was to send them to Jiang Tingzhou in Yongqing.

He knew Jiang Tingzhou wouldn’t need so many roses, so he had only chosen a small batch of the finest. He also included a small jar of rose sweet jam, which he had made himself using real ingredients. The scent—when opened—was a natural blend of sweet rose and honey, irresistibly fragrant.

Jiang Tingzhou replied: “Looks delicious.”

And as soon as he saw it, he knew what he would do with it.

Besides being used as a filling for flower pastries, he had milk at home—perfect for making milk jelly. Rose flavor pairs especially well with dairy: sweet but not cloying, ideal as a light dessert after meals.

His reply was brief, but his reply alone meant that he liked it.

Lu Baiyu was thrilled. He sent a few more excited messages, then turned to his assistant and said: “Let the plantation owner know the rose quality is excellent. Lu Group will work with them. Also, ask them to give me a good price on the best plot.”

The assistant wasn’t surprised at all—she seemed used to this kind of personal instruction and responded smoothly: “Understood. I’ll handle it.”

As for the roses sent to Yongqing—clearly, they couldn’t all be piled up in Jiang Tingzhou’s home. Lu Baiyu had naturally arranged alternative placements.

The next day, a small vase appeared on every table in both the Blazing Jianghu and Northern Hometown.

The roses, while different from the usual shop varieties, were still beautiful and delicate, making them perfect store decorations—customers could see them immediately upon entering.

Wen Qi noticed one when he brought Zhou Bing to visit Jiang Tingzhou.

There was a small reception room in the restaurant where Jiang Tingzhou often worked. He used to work from the sugar factory’s store, but now that he was busier here, he stayed more often. A large bouquet now sat in the center of this reception room.

“These roses are quite unique—different from the ones on the market,” Wen Qi commented as soon as he walked in. “Was this the store manager’s idea? They’re always so thoughtful about the little touches.”

“That’s not it. Lu Baiyu sent them. There was no room at home,” Jiang Tingzhou said casually. “Have a seat.”

Wen Qi immediately regretted his previous comment and almost wanted to slap himself.

Zhou Bing’s face darkened slightly, though he tried not to show it in front of Jiang Tingzhou. The awkward twist in his expression was hard to ignore.

Wasn’t Lu Baiyu supposed to be away? Why does it feel like he’s everywhere?!

Jiang Tingzhou paid no attention to their reactions. He continued what he was doing, sitting on the carpet beside the coffee table with some papers in hand. Next to him was freshly brewed tea and a small dessert—the milk jelly he had thought about making the previous day, topped with a layer of rose sweet sauce.

The combination was every bit as delightful as he had imagined.

In just a short while, he had nearly finished the entire bowl. Then he asked casually: “By the way, do either of you want some? There’s more in the fridge.”

The milk jelly was homemade, made with generous ingredients. It had a creamy, cheese-like texture—rich and indulgent.

Wen Qi and Zhou Bing both shook their heads.

It was the first time either of them had refused something Jiang Tingzhou had made.

Since they weren’t eating, Jiang Tingzhou finished the rest himself, holding the small bowl in one hand as he got back to business.

“Zhou Bing, the new store will be opening in two days. Everything going smoothly?”

That was exactly what they had come to discuss.

Everything was progressing in full swing. This would be the third affordable restaurant opened under the sugar factory’s banner—the flagship store of Bingcheng Chao.

Although the Zhou family also specialized in affordable stir-fries, Bingcheng Chao’s offerings were distinct from the bold, spicy Jianghu style. Their dishes catered to broader tastes.

Their signature dishes included mushroom chicken, braised ribs, and shredded pork with garlic sprouts. The spiciest item was green pepper beef fillet. Prices were generally lower than Blazing Jianghu, and the menu avoided direct overlap.

“No problems. My dad’s assigned our top chef to this store,” Zhou Bing said seriously. “This one follows our core model. We’ll definitely do it well.”

He wasn’t just reassuring Jiang Tingzhou—this was a statement of intent from the Zhou family.

He had watched the sugar factory street grow popular, with high foot traffic. Launching a flagship store here wouldn’t just bring in profit—it would help build a name and boost their other locations.

Jiang Tingzhou trusted them and nodded. “I’m not worried about your team or your food. Uncle Zhou’s been in this business for years. I’m more concerned about President Zhong stirring up trouble.”

He had already offended her once. Given her character, she wouldn’t let things go. Anyone on Jiang Tingzhou’s side was bound to become a target.

But Zhou Bing didn’t mind. He waved it off. “Even without you, we’d be in her crosshairs. It’s not a matter of ‘being dragged in.’”

Budget restaurant chains had always been the Zhong family’s biggest business. Bingcheng Stir-Fry was a direct competitor, and both operated in Yongqing. Many of their branches were even next door to each other in busy districts. They had been butting heads for years—this was nothing new.

Jiang Tingzhou frowned. “So what’s she up to this time?”

Zhou Bing replied: “Same old tricks—price wars. Recently her restaurants have started offering discount set menus, slashing prices. They began just a few days ago.”

Price cuts weren’t illegal or necessarily malicious—it was a normal business tactic. But deliberately lowering prices on dishes that matched Zhou family’s bestsellers, and doing it right near their locations, was another matter.

Normally, Zhou family had no choice but to follow suit.

Bingcheng’s stir-fries used better ingredients and tasted better, but thinner margins made discounts harder. Still, they’d weathered this before and had built a loyal following.

Now, with more financial backing, the Zhou family could afford to run promotions for the grand opening.

Jiang Tingzhou nodded thoughtfully, glanced down at the food in front of him, then looked up.

“Lower prices? Sure. But don’t overdo it.”

The papers he was holding were Bingcheng Chao’s menu.

He knew they wouldn’t sacrifice quality just to lower costs—but price still mattered. Affordable restaurants were fiercely competitive, long dominated by President Zhong’s chain.

“Try this—launch individual meal sets,” Jiang Tingzhou said.

“We already have sets,” Zhou Bing replied, puzzled.

“I know. But looking at your current setup—it isn’t quite right,” Jiang Tingzhou said. “Haven’t you noticed? They’re a bit neither-here-nor-there.”

Zhou Bing was taken aback. He knew those sets inside and out.

Bingcheng Chao’s meal sets were hearty—usually a main dish, one side, a staple, and soup or a drink. They were enough to leave a person full and satisfied.

But even so, such weekday combos weren’t exactly cheap. In Yongqing, most started at 37–38 yuan, with some over 40.

From Jiang Tingzhou’s perspective, that setup wasn’t working.

“We’ve done the math,” Zhou Bing explained. “Our profit margins are already lower than average.”

They used fresh, quality ingredients—no pre-packaged sauces or frozen meats. Their pricing was already aggressive, and they were cutting prices by about 20% for the grand opening.

“I’m not saying you’re overcharging,” Jiang Tingzhou said. “It’s not about being expensive—it’s about positioning.”