The Reviled God of Cooking Tries to Slack Off - Chapter 132

The trending topic surrounding Bingcheng was still heating up, and new plans were being rolled out one after another.

This was the perfect moment to officially step into the spotlight—and everything needed to be presented openly and confidently to the public.

During the previous chef competition, Bingcheng Chao hadn’t even launched an official social media account. Their business strategy hadn’t kept pace with modern times, but that had recently changed with the establishment of a dedicated online publicity department.

Opening an official account now was still timely. For their first livestream, even Zhou Bing’s father—the company’s owner—made an appearance. 

Mr. Zhou, in his fifties and a seasoned cook, seemed visibly nervous interacting with viewers on the livestream. His movements were a bit stiff, and his voice trembled slightly.

“Thank you all for your support. Bingcheng Chao will continue to strive forward. We welcome your feedback and supervision.”

After speaking, he bowed politely to the camera, which triggered a wave of playful teasing in the comments:

【“Alright, Little Zhou, we get it, you can step down now.”】

Taking advantage of the ongoing buzz, Bingcheng began livestreaming its kitchen operations, showcasing every protocol in detail. Stores for inspection were selected at random, and the livestream team would head there directly with cameras in hand.

The entire broadcast was refreshingly drama-free—because Bingcheng had nothing to hide. They agreed to this “surprise inspection” model out of genuine confidence.

Sure enough, even during the lunch rush, the selected location ran smoothly. The kitchen staff stayed organized and composed.

Particularly at the takeaway packaging station, the employees were clearly the most efficient in the entire shop. They wore disposable gloves throughout, replaced them frequently, and to prevent leakage, they not only sealed containers with lids but also wrapped them tightly with plastic wrap. Finally, they fastened the tamper-proof locks securely.

After packaging, the food wasn’t simply piled up—it was neatly arranged on a numbered rack near the door. Delivery drivers would come in, grab the labeled orders, and leave. 

The entire process was streamlined and seamless. 

Viewers in the livestream chat immediately noticed how this corner of the shop felt vastly different from other restaurants.

【“This is why the set meals cost more—it shows in the details.”】

【“Not many places operate like this anymore.”】

【“Told you! Any store backed by the sugar factory isn’t average. Strictly selected and trustworthy!”】

【“You mean Jiang Tingzhou’s quality control, right?”】

Jiang Tingzhou took some time out of his day to watch the livestream and was genuinely pleased.

The surprise inspection model had turned out to be a huge success—and to top it off, their newly appointed livestream host turned out to be a natural.

She had been recommended for her appearance and bubbly personality. Though inexperienced, her approachable vibe and charisma quickly warmed up the atmosphere of the entire stream. Even after the inspection was over, she didn’t stop broadcasting. Instead, she took the camera to the cafeteria and continued riding the popularity wave.

“Okay! I’m finally off work. Let’s check out today’s staff lunch. I specifically asked for chicken legs today—and look! They delivered!”

She lifted her plate to show two juicy chicken legs.

“Now let me show you how I eat chicken legs—this combo is seriously delicious.”

She grabbed a bowl of soup (the same meat sauce soup sold in Bingcheng stores), tore off a large piece of marinated chicken thigh, placed it on steaming noodles, tossed the bone aside, added a spoonful of house chili oil, followed by vinegar, chopped garlic, coriander, and scallions. Then she mixed everything together.

The result was savory and fragrant. On the side, she had crispy cucumbers and spicy lotus root slices. She peeled a clove of garlic, took bites of meat and noodles, and sipped her iced soda between mouthfuls. It was casual and indulgent.

The girl looked petite, but her appetite was huge. She polished off the chicken legs and noodles without wasting a bite. Even while interacting with the chat, she made sure to chew and swallow properly before speaking again.

Watching her eat was even more satisfying than those popular mukbangs. She made you crave the food, as if you could taste it just by watching.

“These mixed vegetables and chicken legs are available both in-store and for delivery,” she reminded viewers. “It’s best eaten fresh, so I can’t ship it—but I’ve prepared gifts!”

She pulled out a jar from behind her. “This is Bingcheng’s special chili oil. Every customer who’s tried it says it’s different from anything else on the market. Stay tuned—there’ll be a giveaway soon!”

Behind her, Bingcheng’s slogan was visible on the cafeteria wall:

“Eat safe food, live a healthy life.”

Even though this was their first official livestream, its popularity had already exceeded the expectations of both Jiang Tingzhou and Zhou Bing.

The impact on online traffic and sales was immediate. Orders at Bingcheng began to spike.

Even though the delivery platform wasn’t promoting them, customers still sought them out by name. The earlier attempts at suppression by the platform had no effect—demand was strong enough to bring Bingcheng back to the top of the rankings.

Review scores also began to recover. Though it hadn’t returned to its peak 4.5 stars yet, the new positive reviews were steadily drowning out older negative ones.

【“I used to order from other stores just to save money. Didn’t realize the difference until I tried this. You can literally feel the difference in the meat quality.”】

【“Yeah, it’s more expensive—but I trust it. I work so hard every day; I can’t afford to mistreat my taste buds.”】

【“I can only order it at work. There’s no store near my home—when are they opening more branches?”】

When Zhou Bing came to visit Jiang Tingzhou again, he practically radiated joy. Before even stepping through the door, he shouted: “Boss Jiang! Tingzhou! You won’t believe the good news I’ve got—!”

“What’s the news?” Jiang Tingzhou asked lazily, reclining in a chair with a palm fan shielding him from the sun. “Made another fortune?”

It was the weekend. Though business was still busy, the weather was lovely—a rare chance to relax. The yard had been turned into a casual tea room.

An Xiaoping, Li Shuyan, and even the Deng family from next door were all present. The table was piled with snacks and good tea. It felt just like the old days—only livelier now.

Zhou Bing, clearly in a celebratory mood, was holding two oversized takeout boxes.

“Our new single-person meal sets are selling like hotcakes!” he beamed. “So I brought some over for everyone to taste.”

He had brought over the premium set meals from Bingcheng as a treat.

The appetizers included giant black tiger shrimp dumplings and a cold platter of best-selling sides. The main courses featured highly rated dishes like black pepper tenderloin, cumin lamb, spicy duck, or crispy goose, with a choice of half a braised chicken. Customers could pick five items total.

Vegetarian options included popular organic vegetables. The rice was premium Wuchang rice, available plain, fried, or braised. Soup was individually stewed, and desserts came from the sugar factory’s higher-end line. There were snacks to complement everything. It was an extravagant meal by fast food standards.

And yet, this truly “expensive”88 yuan meal was selling out within two days of launch.

Just as Jiang Tingzhou had predicted—it was a major profit generator.

The reasons were simple: not only was it delicious, but the portions were generous. Even the large takeout boxes couldn’t hold everything.

Packaging was elegant and business-friendly. Many customers ordered it solo, while others bought in bulk for company events or to impress higher-ups during meetings.

As Jiang Tingzhou snacked on shrimp dumplings, Zhou Bing rambled on about their latest victories: President Zhong and the delivery platform had dropped prices again, but Bingcheng was unaffected. Sales had reached record highs.

Every word validated Jiang Tingzhou’s earlier predictions.

As long as Bingcheng carved out its unique reputation, no price war or dirty tricks on delivery platforms could stop customers’ enthusiasm. If anything, seeing competitors slash prices only reinforced the idea that “cheap food can’t be good food.”

“Congrats,” Jiang Tingzhou replied with a smile, though he didn’t claim credit. “Make sure to give your team good bonuses. Especially that anchor—I watched the whole stream. She’s impressive. Rare talent.”

“Haha, absolutely! We’re promoting her to deputy head of the media team. Doubling her salary, giving her a bonus—she earned it,” Zhou Bing said excitedly. “Not just her—since business is booming, we’re giving everyone raises!”

Zhou understood that Bingcheng’s current success was a collective effort—and he was determined to reward everyone fairly.

Once overlooked, the anchor had now become a well-known face.

Aunt Deng took a bite of crispy duck and sighed, “That’s exactly how I felt back then.”

Her pastry shop, after years of modest business, had skyrocketed after working with Jiang Tingzhou. She still couldn’t believe how much money they’d made in such a short time.

Zhou Bing was about to continue when his phone rang. He glanced at the screen but didn’t answer. Then it rang again. Dozens of unread messages.

“So many people are reaching out lately,” Zhou Bing said. “I’ve never had this many offers before.”

Everyone wanted in on the success. Investors were calling nonstop, hoping to rapidly expand the brand. Some even offered to buy Bingcheng outright—at a price that stunned even someone like Zhou Bing.

“They want us to franchise and flood the market,” he explained, “but we’ve decided to stick with direct ownership. Expansion is happening, but quality control is non-negotiable.”

That meant more hiring. Bingcheng had increased recruitment dramatically. The fast-food model didn’t require complex skills—trained staff just had to follow procedures.

But Zhou Bing paused, then added, “What we really need now is funding.”

Jiang Tingzhou looked surprised. “You’re short on money?”

He found that hard to believe. They’d even invested extra funds into Tao Jintian earlier. With their current momentum, banks should be lining up to lend them cash.

“Not short on money—short on good partners,” Zhou corrected. “So… my dad wants to ask: would the sugar factory be willing to invest and become a shareholder?”

Those takeout boxes? Just a peace offering. The real “main course” was this proposal.

Li Shuyan sat up straighter.

This was clearly a lucrative business. Normally, no rational investor would offer a piece of it to someone else.

But this was Jiang Tingzhou. The usual rules didn’t apply.

In contrast, Zhou Bing was now nervous, afraid Jiang might refuse.

Jiang Tingzhou didn’t say no. He glanced at Li Shuyan. It was a big decision—one that needed internal discussion—but he doubted anyone would oppose it.

Li Shuyan nodded. “Let’s discuss it in detail later.”

That was basically a yes.

Zhou Bing was more thrilled than if he’d just read a spike in the revenue report—but before he could respond, someone knocked on the courtyard gate.

Jiang Tingzhou immediately recognized the rhythm of the knock. It was Lu Baiyu’s assistant—again.

These visits had become routine. Even An Xiaoping no longer batted an eye and went to receive the delivery herself.

Though Lu Baiyu didn’t come for tea in person today, his gifts arrived first—as always. He’d sent snacks, fruits, and a jar of honey. The fruits weren’t the most appealing—clearly meant for health rather than taste—and the honey seemed specialty-grade, clearly just for Jiang Tingzhou.

But more importantly, he had sent a stack of résumés.

“Since Bingcheng is expanding rapidly and urgently needs talent, Mr. Lu said he may not be an expert in chefs, but he can help with business operations,” the assistant said. “He’s recommending several top-tier managers from the industry—for Mr. Jiang, of course.” The assistant emphasized those last words and added, “Mr. Lu said, if he doesn’t cooperate with Mr. Jiang at this point, he must be blind.”

An Xiaoping blinked. “How did he know? Did he install surveillance here?!”