The Reviled God of Cooking Tries to Slack Off - Chapter 50

Lu Baiyu thought even more.

Jiang Tingzhou left him once—not now, but earlier—when he “lost” the race for the vice president position at Jiang Group. Of course, he didn’t admit defeat. He only strove harder to win.

Jiang You couldn’t compete with him in cooking. Then came A Bite of China, and Jiang Tingzhou entered the spotlight—but things were never easy for him. After the production and airing of the show, a wave of controversy followed.

The innovative dish Jiang Tingzhou created on A Bite of China was an improved version of Yongqing cuisine. It cleverly fused “Stuffed Rivers and Mountains” and another concept. Though it was a hit with the Gongyan guests and genuinely well-received by those who tasted it, its reputation online was mixed.

A Bite of China held a special status. Whether this dish could truly represent Yongqing became hotly debated.

Some argued that seafood should never have been used—Yongqing, though near the estuary, wasn’t a coastal city and didn’t traditionally feature seafood. Others criticized the dish for being too innovative, saying it lost its regional identity. Still others believed Yongqing lacked any real culinary heritage and praised the reinvention for making the city appear forward-thinking and dynamic.

Jiang Tingzhou tried to balance all perspectives, but in the end, neither side was satisfied.

After all, only a few could actually taste his cooking. The VIPs who liked it offered some praise, but none wasted time arguing online.

All the criticism fell squarely on Jiang Tingzhou. Once stirred by people with ulterior motives, it turned into full-scale questioning and online attacks.

Even after A Bite of China aired for a while, the fighting didn’t stop. Whether right or wrong, speaking up didn’t help. Lu Baiyu noticed it—but once again, he was too late. Public opinion didn’t change with money.

Just like the situation with the Lu family—force only fueled public backlash.

Jiang Tingzhou held on in the beginning, but things worsened.

An Xiaoping also tried to speak out for him in his past life, only to face cyberbullying. Rumors spiraled. A photo of the two attending a party was posted online, stripped of all context. Jiang Tingzhou was painted as a delinquent who coasted into a national documentary on the fake laurels of a “Champion Chef.”

The internet could be both sharp and blind. The debate dragged on endlessly. The Gongyan even had to close for a while.

Jiang worked tirelessly to repair a decade of damage. He was scarred emotionally, struggling to maintain both dignity and efficiency—until even his only friend left.

And he broke. He couldn’t endure it anymore.

That was when Lu Baiyu finally returned to Brilliant Star. Jiang Tingzhou was already planning to leave. He said many things to him then:

“Mr. Lu, you don’t like me at all.”

“Go back to your work. There’s no reason for us to be together. I’ll deal with my own problems. You’re never around anyway.”

Jiang Tingzhou’s health was already deteriorating. Because he collapsed at Gongyan and didn’t seek treatment in time, he developed a lung infection. That whole year, he coughed intermittently. In the kitchen, even with a mask, he couldn’t hold it back. He often had to turn around and hunch over, arms wrapped around himself.

Lu Baiyu sensed something was wrong but couldn’t stop him.

When Jiang Tingzhou finally left, he realized how serious it was. He understood so many things all at once—and told Secretary Song to leave.

After that, he did everything he could to coax him back. He confessed his feelings and promised never to make the same mistakes again.

“I’ll change, Tingzhou,” Lu Baiyu said. “I really love you. We can’t be apart.”

How could he let go?

Back then, Jiang Tingzhou still listened. After all, he had nothing left except Lu Baiyu.

And Lu Baiyu gave him everything—not just as a lover, but as a teacher, a brother, a best friend, and family.

Even though Jiang Tingzhou lost all that, he vowed to regain it.

Lu Baiyu knew he was wrong to neglect his lover in the past, and things would never be the same again. So he truly turned around, completely.

“Leave it to me. Just believe me,” he said. “I’ll pave the way for you.”

But Jiang Tingzhou still hesitated. He had to consider more than just feelings.

“Even if we make it to the end,” he said, “your family won’t accept me.”

The gap between them was undeniable—like a chasm—and it was the biggest obstacle in their relationship. Lu Zhenting was always strict. He looked down on the entire Jiang family, let alone Jiang Tingzhou.

At the time… what did I say?

These memories flooded Lu Baiyu’s mind. As he got into the car, his steps faltered. He nearly collapsed.

The butler saw that something was wrong, reached out to feel his forehead, and exclaimed, “I’ll call the doctor right away!”

Qin Rushuang panicked at the sight and said, “How could this happen? He looked fine when he got in the car.”

Though barely standing, Lu Baiyu steadied himself. The private doctor came quickly. Still, even in that state, he refused to rest.

He took his medicine. Despite the migraine from the swirling images in his mind, his face remained expressionless.

Lu Zhenting returned home.

Anyone could see from his face that he was displeased. The Lu family valued reputation, and public image was central to the logistics empire. Online controversies were unprecedented—and dangerous.

Lu Baiyu stood aside. Lu Jiahe knelt in the study with his head lowered, but even that wasn’t enough to quell Lu Zhenting’s anger.

The screen behind the study wasn’t decorated with the usual symbols—no plum blossoms, orchids, bamboo, chrysanthemums, or dragons and tigers. It depicted a lake embroidered in sparkling Suzhou silk. In the lower left, a black swan glided across the water.

It wasn’t for aesthetic—it was a constant reminder of the black swan effect Lu Zhenting lived by.

He simply looked at Lu Jiahe and said, “I’ve suspended all your cards. Not just the main card your brother froze earlier—all your bank cards.”

It was more devastating than any online insult. Lu Jiahe’s head shot up.

“You can’t stay in your current residence. We’ll remove anything valuable from the house. You no longer have a place here, and no one will rent for you. The company will assign you a staff dormitory—you’ll move there,” Lu Zhenting said calmly. “Your position will be demoted from Deputy Director of External Affairs to a junior publicity specialist in Group Five. Your salary will be 6,000 yuan per month plus performance bonuses. Finance will pay you in cash.”

Group Five had the worst track record. Their KPIs were never met. Two people quit last month. It was a dumping ground.

Six thousand yuan might be livable for the average person, but for someone like Lu Jiahe, who wouldn’t even stoop to pick up a coin off the floor, it was humiliation.

“You’ll still have bodyguards. I’ll have people watching you. If I find out you’re borrowing money from your shady friends or sneaking anything from them, if you dare ignore my warning—then you’ll soon learn just how ‘easy’ it is to be a publicity specialist.”

He only ever warned once.

The Lu Group was in logistics. There were many worse jobs—loading, unloading, grassroots transportation. For spoiled heirs like Lu Jiahe, those jobs would be no different from hard labor. And this time, Lu Zhenting was already lenient. Qin Rushuang begged on his behalf. Any more mistakes, and the consequences would’ve been far worse.

Lu Jiahe’s mind buzzed. The last sentence hit even harder.

He never dared contradict his father—but he never imagined punishment like this. How was this different from being cast out and left to beg?

Lu Jiahe’s mind reeled. He wasn’t used to confronting his father—but he dared ask: “Why?”

That caught attention. For the first time, Lu Zhenting paused.

“You asked a good question. Your base salary is now half—3,000 yuan,” Lu Zhenting said. “Go kneel in the study next door until six o’clock tomorrow morning. Then I’ll have the housekeeper take you to the dormitory.”

The housekeeper was already standing beside him, making a “please” gesture.

Lu Jiahe always thought the housekeeper was kind, but now, for the first time, he seemed gloomy.

Qin Rushuang couldn’t bear it and pleaded a few words on Lu Jiahe’s behalf.

Lu Zhenting turned to her and asked, “What, you think I’m being too harsh?”

Qin Rushuang fell silent.

“A thousand-mile dyke can be destroyed by an ant hole,” Lu Zhenting said. “If he was more cautious with his words and actions, this wouldn’t have happened. Jiahe is already well-qualified, and my expectations for him are low enough. If he wants to sit in this position, he must not make mistakes. Baiyu, you should also take this as a warning.”

Qin Rushuang always knew that Lu Zhenting’s standards for Lu Baiyu were even stricter than for Lu Jiahe.

While Lu Jiahe was only demoted due to a mistake, Lu Baiyu was sent to Lu Group’s grassroots department at the age of sixteen to gain experience. The heir-apparent always faced the strictest standards.

“Sooner or later, you’ll be in charge of the entire group, Baiyu. You have to do better than me. Don’t be soft. You must stay in control—for the family’s sake. This incident is also your responsibility.”

Lu Baiyu nodded as always.

Lu Zhenting was dissatisfied with him too, but seeing how pale he looked, he relented. “Forget it. Go get some rest.”

The four members of the Lu family rarely gathered together, and even when they did, they were each preoccupied with their own affairs.

Lu Baiyu almost never stayed at the house, and when he returned to his room, he couldn’t rest well.

He walked back, lay on his bed, and disjointed images flashed through his mind like a revolving lantern. He couldn’t even tell what day it was anymore.

Especially after coming home, he thought about it even more.

He once told Jiang Tingzhou about his family—that his parents’ marriage wasn’t arranged for business, but it still didn’t last.

In a locked drawer at the bottom of the bed, he found a photo of three people that he hid away.

Those were his biological parents. He was very young when they divorced, but he could remember things from an early age.

They were once a perfect love story—like a prince and Cinderella. His mother came from an ordinary background. Even though she was exceptional, there was a wide gap between her and the Lu family, who were already extremely wealthy.

His mother pursued love bravely, passionate and straightforward. They overcame many obstacles to be together, and for a time, they were happy and loving. But when they divorced, the fights were loud and bitter.

Even with the study door closed, young Lu Baiyu still heard their arguments.

“I can’t live like this anymore! I’ll never get used to this place. Why do you have to calculate everything down to the last detail? Does life have to be so hard? I’m telling you, Lu Zhenting, I don’t care about your Lu family. If you can’t accept it, let’s just get a divorce!”

His mother wasn’t a bad person—she was a brilliant algorithm engineer. But technical people tended to see the world in black and white. Yes is yes, and no is no. She could never adapt to the subtle games and gray areas of the business world.

Their arguments grew more frequent, exhausting their feelings, until Lu Zhenting finally let go. As the group’s chairman, even his marriage couldn’t be considered just a personal matter.

No one brought up the past again. Soon after, Lu Zhenting remarried. His marriage to Qin Rushuang was a strategic alliance. It was harmonious, with no shouting matches.

Qin Rushuang grew up in a prestigious family and was raised to understand the rules of business from an early age.

Though there was little emotional intimacy between them, the marriage was very stable.

Now, lying there, Lu Baiyu felt silence fill the room.

After the divorce, his mother wanted to take him with her. She tried, but failed. She could leave—but Lu Baiyu couldn’t.

He carried the future of a massive enterprise. One slip, like this time, could bring him down. The only place where he could breathe was at Jiang Tingzhou’s side.

He remembered apologizing to Jiang Tingzhou when he was injured—he still smelled of blood then, pale and pitiful. He apologized sincerely, promising he was different. That he would spend more time with Jiang Tingzhou. That he wasn’t like his father—Lu Zhenting could abandon everything and remarry, but he couldn’t.

He met the one-of-a-kind Jiang Tingzhou. And only after Jiang left for a while did he realize how deeply that mattered. He couldn’t imagine being with anyone else.

“Tingzhou, I won’t be like my father. I’ll spend more time with you. You’re the most important thing to me. I only like you,” he had begged. “I just want you. Don’t leave me. Stay with me forever, okay?”

Jiang Tingzhou was hesitant. Even with all those heartfelt confessions and promises, he was hurt too deeply. And Lu Baiyu’s busyness couldn’t be helped. Even if he realized it, what could really change?

But Lu Baiyu thought of a solution.

He suggested that Jiang Tingzhou get more involved in the business.

He learned from his mistakes. He understood now that he neglected his lover because of his responsibilities. He watched his parents fall apart because they couldn’t adapt to each other, so he came up with another way.

“We have to stand together, Tingzhou. You can have more—so much more,” Lu Baiyu had said. “Being vice president of Jiang Food’s means nothing. The Lu Group can give you everything you want. Come to me. I’ll give you everything. Even if everyone else leaves, it doesn’t matter—as long as you believe in me.”

He wanted to walk with Jiang Tingzhou in all aspects—from life to business—so their love could last and grow together. Jiang Tingzhou wasn’t ordinary. He was more than just a chef. He had potential.

Others couldn’t adapt. But Jiang Tingzhou could.

And Jiang Tingzhou wasn’t content to stay still either. He wanted to climb. He believed he could have a passionate first love and still find stability, thrive in the world of fame and fortune, and openly embrace his lover in the end.

He always believed: if you work hard enough, you can get more—you can have everything.

After thinking it over, and after Lu Baiyu coaxed him for a long time, Jiang Tingzhou finally relented. He was willing to try—for a better self, and for the love he always dreamed of.

And Lu Baiyu really started teaching him step by step. He arranged new programs, encouraged him to join more competitions, and brought him to more business functions—not just in the kitchens.

The income of a high-end restaurant had its limits, but a scalable food factory, a bestselling snack—it could generate more in a year than any restaurant. Compared to that, “Jiang You” was insignificant.

In this, Lu Baiyu was more than willing to give.

Those moments stayed vivid in his mind. Jiang Tingzhou cried and hugged him, saying, “I won’t give up. I’ll work just as hard as you. Right now, I only have you.”

Lu Baiyu thought everything was falling into place.

…But wait.

When did I say that?

When had Tingzhou agreed to all this?

Lu Baiyu froze in confusion.

He remembered clearly: he intended to use his injury to gain sympathy, to give Jiang Tingzhou more than just material things. But he never got the chance—everything he wanted to say was thrown back at him.

Tingzhou wasn’t like this now. Something changed. That shift started with the sudden breakup during the hospital stay.

Now, Lu Baiyu was certain—something went wrong between him and Jiang Tingzhou.

It didn’t feel like a dream. It felt real, vivid—as if it already happened.

Almost like… a previous life.

He still didn’t fully understand it and was still trying to piece everything together. But one thing was clear.

He couldn’t take the same path again.

In the mess of Lu Baiyu’s thoughts, one sentence remained crystal clear. Whether it came from within or from some unseen voice echoing through time—

He absolutely could not be separated from Jiang Tingzhou.

If one method didn’t work, then he would try another.

This was the lesson he was taught since childhood. As Lu Group grew more successful, the more it proved this truth.

Even when he taught Jiang Tingzhou how to navigate the business world—it was always the same.

Now, the two methods he tried both seemed to fail. But that only meant he needed to find another.