The Reviled God of Cooking Tries to Slack Off - Chapter 48

Qin Rushuang scolded him sternly: “What important matter could you possibly have? If you behave from now on, I’ll be burning incense in gratitude!”

After saying that, she turned away, looking in the other direction. Her expression softened considerably as she said, “Baiyu, sorry to trouble you. You’re clearly still injured, yet you’re handling this matter too.”

Lu Baiyu remained in the car the entire time and didn’t get out like Qin Rushuang. His face was still a bit pale. “This concerns the Lu family’s reputation. It’s something I should do.”

His back injury still wasn’t healed. Although he was discharged, he saw a private doctor that same night. For some reason, the injury was worse than expected.

Lu Zhenting was attending an important meeting in another city and couldn’t return right away. With this incident erupting suddenly, even in his condition, Lu Baiyu stepped forward to handle it.

That night, although Lu Jiahe was rescued by the bodyguards, there was no evidence left behind. Everyone present insisted only Lu Jiahe was there and that there was no masked woman.

There were no surveillance cameras in the private room. In that kind of situation, Lu Baiyu still managed to uncover a few clues—enough that the police accepted their version of the story. A statement was released, saying the matter was still under investigation due to unresolved doubts.

Even if public opinion couldn’t be reversed completely, it at least eased somewhat.

“Father will be back this afternoon,” Lu Baiyu said. “Aunt Qin, no matter what, what’s done is done. Let’s go home first.”

Qin Rushuang glanced at him and felt a heavy weight in her heart.

She sat in the front passenger seat and, through the rearview mirror, saw Lu Baiyu with his head down, a document in his hands. Even with his injury, he was still working. She didn’t dare disturb him and remained silent.

When Lu Jiahe got into the car, he kept his head low, but he could feel Lu Baiyu’s eyes on him. That gaze seemed to pierce right through him. Feeling guilty, he didn’t dare take out his phone again.

Now, sitting in the same row, he felt cold sweat down his back. After a while, he snuck a glance and instantly realized what was happening.

Lu Baiyu hadn’t turned a single page of the document in his hand. There was a phone hidden inside, and he wore a Bluetooth headset. Though he said nothing, if you looked closely, you could tell who he was watching.

It was Jiang Tingzhou.

Others might not recognize him, but Lu Jiahe did.

Jiang Tingzhou recently started live streaming from a new account.

Gift functions were capped—only items under ten yuan could be sent, and each account had a limited number of gifts. Even if people wanted to send more, the limits made it impossible. After all, there were plenty of viewers who could afford ten yuan.

Jiang Tingzhou’s fans were enthusiastic, sending gifts non-stop. But Jiang Tingzhou himself remained calm. He truly seemed to just want to chat.

Smiling at the camera, he said, “No need for expensive gifts. I might have resigned, but I’m not broke.”

As the comments grew, he laughed again. “Yeah, I know I’m dressed a little simply, but I work in the yard every day. Clean and comfortable is good enough.”

He was in the middle of preparing lunch, harvesting freshly grown pea shoots from the garden to make a soup. He didn’t pause his cooking. An Xiaoping set up a fixed camera in the kitchen beforehand. Jiang Tingzhou placed the live streaming device there and chatted while he worked.

Since he was using his old account, the topic naturally shifted to the past.

While washing vegetables, he said casually, “Yeah, I won a CCTV food competition once. I used to be a Gongyan chef. But that’s all in the past. It wasn’t exactly a pleasant chapter in my life, so I don’t talk about it. As for any connection with the Lu family? Why would Lu Jiahe be following me? I have no ties to the Lu family, and I don’t want to get mixed up in anything strange. That’s why I blocked him.” Jiang Tingzhou snipped off a spoiled bit of a pea shoot. “My surname is Jiang. I live with my brother Xiaoping. I don’t know anyone else.”

Right at that moment, Lu Baiyu turned a page in his hand—forcefully. The rustle of paper broke the silence in the car.

The sudden sound made Qin Rushuang tense up. She didn’t dare turn around. She assumed he’d encountered something difficult in his work.

Back in the live stream, Jiang Tingzhou’s chat was still buzzing—especially with some of Jiang You’s fans stirring up trouble. Jiang Tingzhou responded politely to friendly comments, but when he saw trolls, he just smiled faintly.

“Jiang You?” he said. “Forget it. He’s not making it onto A Bite of China.”

The blunt statement surprised some fans, but others quickly caught on.

【“Wait—didn’t Director Cheng Shifei, who was a judge in that CCTV cooking competition, also direct A Bite of China? He voted for Jiang Tingzhou! Maybe they actually know each other?”】

【“Cheng Shifei’s the real deal. Deputy Director Sun wasn’t even involved in the first season of Bite of China.”】

【“I’ve never heard of Jiang You winning anything. If anyone’s gonna be on that show, it should be big brother. He’s the one who can actually cook.”】

Still, many viewers found the A Bite of China speculation far-fetched.

Jiang Tingzhou’s stream blew up so quickly that many casual viewers were now dropping in.

【“As soon as I joined, I heard ‘A Bite of China.’ If Jiang You can’t be on it, does that mean you can?, why are you bragging?”】

【“Don’t get cocky. Just because you met Director Cheng once doesn’t mean you’re close.  Director Cheng hasn’t even updated his profile in half a year. You think some viral blogger can just land a spot on the show? Come on.”】

【“Director Cheng is picky and has a temper. Most big-name directors do.”】

To this, Jiang Tingzhou replied, “Don’t say that. He’s actually very kind.”

That simple remark set off another wave of speculation in the comments. Even his fans weren’t sure anymore. They really liked him—but A Bite of China? That felt out of reach.

Jiang Tingzhou didn’t elaborate further.

The critical comments were soon drowned out by more fans, chatting away, praising him, and asking when the small buns would be restocked.

As he was finishing the soup, a knock sounded at the door—two knocks, one in front, one in back. The audience heard it too and started asking who it was.

Jiang Tingzhou opened the door and saw two people—one was a courier, the other was Manager Mo from the bakery.

“Boss Jiang, you’re here,” Manager Mo beamed. “Finally found you! Sorry to come during lunch, but there’s something important I want to talk to you about.”

The deliveryman chimed in too. He was holding a live goose in a cage and smiled at him. The playful fish logo on his vest glowed slightly—still the familiar Zhouyu Express. “Hello, Mr. Jiang. Here’s your delivery. Please leave us a five-star review.”

Besides the goose, he handed over a large insulated bag. Jiang Tingzhou saw a note stuck on it—no name, just a single line: I made it.

Looking down at the goose cage, he spotted another note: Your turn.

When he opened the insulated bag a little, a delicious stewed aroma wafted out. Inside was a whole braised goose.

His viewers watching the live stream were confused. But Jiang Tingzhou immediately recognized the signature calligraphy and smiled. “Alright. Got it.”

Manager Mo picked up again, “Boss Jiang, a lot of people have been asking about the small buns. We were answering calls all morning. The recipe and ingredients are yours. I’d like to discuss mass production with you. We’re open to any terms.”

Just then, Jiang Tingzhou’s phone buzzed again—The flood of comments was so intense it made Jiang Tingzhou’s phone vibrate nonstop.

He muttered, almost to himself, “You didn’t let me down, Yongqing Bread Factory!”

【“Talk. Negotiate right now!”】

【“Sell them! You have to start selling! I need those mini buns!”】

【“Come on, brother, you’re not allowed to turn off the livestream. —I want to watch you two negotiate live!”】

Jiang Tingzhou could see the barrage of comments in the livestream.

Manager Mo was about to speak, still holding the goose, when Jiang Tingzhou asked, “Have you eaten yet?”

Startled, she shook her head. “Not yet.”

She rushed over to find Jiang Tingzhou after finishing work that morning and didn’t have time to eat.

“Perfect timing. Eat here,” Jiang Tingzhou said. “I’ve got plenty of vegetables.”

The bean sprout soup was ready. The sprouts were just picked—fresh and tender. Plus, there was the braised goose that just arrived. All it needed was slicing.

It was a large, top-grade lion-head goose. The meat was firm, the skin rich. It was prepared in sections: the intestines crisp, the liver tender, and the meat flavorful when eaten with the skin. A simple garlic sauce accompanied it, highlighting the rich, stewed aroma.

It arrived just in time for lunch. The hearty meat, paired with fresh seasonal greens, was exactly Jiang Tingzhou’s idea of a perfect meal.

Manager Mo came to talk business, but somehow she found herself already seated at the table, chopsticks in hand.

She wasn’t hungry before. But after a sip of soup and a bite of meat, she was struck by how fragrant the goose bones were—and naturally, she kept eating.

Jiang Tingzhou didn’t turn off the livestream.

The comment barrage was relentless, and it was clear the netizens would riot if he actually ended the stream.

Manager Mo noticed, but didn’t mind. The camera wasn’t pointed at her anyway—viewers could only hear her voice at most.

She asked, “Boss Jiang, are you sure it’s okay to talk business like this?”

“Let them be. We’re all friends here,” Jiang Tingzhou said. “It’s nothing confidential.”

Barrage: 

【“Yes, yes, we’re all big brother’s friends.”】

【“If it’s about big brother, there’s nothing I can’t hear!”】

【“Why can’t I be involved in big brother’s business decisions?!”】

Jiang Tingzhou wasn’t in a rush. He chewed and swallowed before speaking. “Actually, Manager Mo, the old bakery knows how to make it already. You can produce it yourselves. I’ve got nothing else to add.”

Some ingredients were ones he bought himself, but the bakery had enough experience. A few test runs would easily recreate the recipe.

In the business world, profit came first. It wasn’t unscrupulous—just standard practice. It was just how competition worked.

“That’s not right. That would burn bridges,” Manager Mo said, shaking her head. “We don’t do business like that.”

The bakery was no longer a state-owned factory, but she still clung to those old principles. Just like Manager Peng from the sugar factory—somewhat inflexible, holding fast to values others found outdated.

“What’s yours is yours,” she added. “The bakery doesn’t get many chances like this. We’re lucky to even have this chance. No need to be greedy. Greedy people end up with nothing. But you’re a straightforward person, Boss Jiang. I believe that as long as we talk things through, you won’t say no.” She took another sip of soup and couldn’t help but sigh. “Boss Jiang, your cooking really is something else.”

Bean sprout soup was a dish anyone could make at home. Yet she couldn’t figure out what base this broth used—it was incredibly flavorful, and the sprouts were unbelievably fresh.

The livestream was still running. The comment section kept flooding.

【“I won’t believe it until I get a sip.”】

【“So who sent the goose? A friend of your big brother? I’m curious. It smells amazing.”】

【“Please restock the small buns already!”】

Jiang Tingzhou smiled.

In his past life, he met countless wealthy VIP clients and negotiated with many high-profile businesspeople. But someone like Manager Mo? He thought he’d never encounter one again.

Maybe that was why the sugar refinery and bakery were barely surviving.

In the cutthroat world of business at that time, this kind of stubborn integrity might have seemed foolish. But then again, the masters at the sugar factory and bakery were highly skilled and consistent. Everyone who received the bread only had good things to say.

“Alright then,” Jiang Tingzhou said simply. “I have two conditions. First, the product line’s online sales must be exclusive to Xiaoping’s store. You already know how we handle profit-sharing—he’s worked with the sugar factory before.”

Manager Mo immediately nodded. “That’s totally fine.”

The sugar factory and bakery were originally part of the same company. Both were too outdated to run e-commerce on their own. At that point, An Xiaoping’s store accounted for the largest shipment volume. Letting him monopolize the online channel would benefit both sides.

“Second,” Jiang Tingzhou continued, “you can’t change the ingredients or the method. Pricing is fixed. Let’s talk numbers now.”

Manager Mo blinked. “Right now?” She glanced at the livestream. The comment section was still buzzing.

Boss Jiang really was different—but far more different than she expected.

Comments flew in:

【“Wait—they’re actually negotiating?!”】

“Yep, this is really happening,” Jiang Tingzhou said. “There’s nothing to hide.”

Sure, others might have figured out the ingredients, but they wouldn’t have the ratios—or the skill of the bakery’s masters. And that moment was the best time to finalize pricing, with everyone watching.

Among the viewers were fans—and future customers.

The old bakery always used high-quality ingredients and stuck to handmade production. Their small buns used to sell for just one yuan each. It was even cheaper in bulk. But now that premium ingredients were being used, the price would naturally increase.

Jiang Tingzhou picked up a pen. In under ten seconds, he marked a price line on the list Manager Mo provided.

“Hold on,” he said. “The price for this brand of butter isn’t right. It should be at least 20% lower.”

Manager Mo froze. “I already asked. They said that was the lowest wholesale price—not a cent less.”

“Impossible,” Jiang Tingzhou said. “It’s just because it’s your first time buying from that brand. They’re deliberately quoting high. Go back and lower the price by 20%. If they refuse, tell them Yongqing has four distributors for that brand. You can switch suppliers anytime. Long-term bulk orders like yours are rare. If they don’t want it, someone else will. And if they still won’t budge,” he added, “I’ll handle the negotiation myself.”