The Reviled God of Cooking Tries to Slack Off - Chapter 62

After hearing this, Lu Baiyu stayed silent for a long time.

Jiang Tingzhou, however, was patient. He didn’t press for an answer and continued calmly, “You weren’t like this before—like I’m the most important thing in the world. These feelings… to the you right now, they must seem like pure fantasy.”

In their past life, when they broke up for the first time, Lu Baiyu also humbled himself, but it was mostly performative. Now it felt different—like he was genuinely trying to understand things from Jiang Tingzhou’s perspective, not just putting on a show.

Lu Baiyu’s arrangements that day were just right. He paid attention to every detail, even placing the person assigned to pick him up at a spot that was neither too close nor too far—close enough to respond quickly, yet far enough not to interfere.

He wasn’t someone who had much free time either—he must have been keeping a close eye on that place in order to time things perfectly—standing by Jiang Tingzhou during conversation, stepping in at just the right moment.

All of this required careful thought.

People didn’t change so drastically without a reason. The contrast only made it more obvious.

The reborn Jiang Tingzhou was quick to accept things. He was always sharp and soon thought of something—then asked outright.

Lu Baiyu gripped the edge of his seat where it couldn’t be seen. His knuckles ached, and his voice trembled. “Tingzhou… this is how it should’ve been. I just didn’t realize it before. I want to change…”

Realizing your partner was someone you wanted to walk through life with—that should have been the most natural thing in a relationship. But between them, too many things got in the way.

Jiang Tingzhou heard this and became even more certain: Lu Baiyu really remembered.

He shook his head. “You know it too, President Lu. There’s no need to pretend anymore. Between us, let’s speak plainly.”

Lu Baiyu was silent for a moment. “Tingzhou… how much do you know?”

He also sensed that Jiang Tingzhou had changed. But he didn’t dare explore it—because if they lived a past life, and Jiang Tingzhou now chose to stay away, their ending must have been bad. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have broken things off so decisively.

Jiang Tingzhou replied, “Everything.”

That one word weighed heavily on Lu Baiyu’s heart.

“The reason I asked is because it feels like you don’t remember all of it,” Jiang Tingzhou said. “After we broke up for good in our last life, I told you that I was done—with you and the Lu family. I said I hoped we’d never meet again—and you agreed.”

Jiang Tingzhou knew every version of Baiyu far too well. If he remembered everything, they wouldn’t be standing there like that.

But why did things turn out this way?

Lu Baiyu’s breath caught. Things were so good at the beginning. They truly liked each other and walked together. Even with the ups and downs, they eventually reconciled—so how did it end up like this?

“I remember us getting back together,” Lu Baiyu said quietly. “Tingzhou, was it because I didn’t do well enough later?”

There was no point pretending anymore.

Lu Baiyu remembered the key moments. After vomiting blood and fainting at home the last time, some fragmented memories began surfacing. Over the past few days, they flashed more frequently. He remembered the fight a few months after the airing of A Bite of China, because he neglected Jiang Tingzhou.

But he found ways to coax him back. That part wasn’t hard. The separation lasted only two months.

He made many promises, and they even changed how they got along. As the heir of The Lu Group, it wasn’t realistic for him to completely abandon work—but their careers were intertwined, which naturally gave them more time together. He never neglected Jiang Tingzhou again because of work.

And Jiang Tingzhou never said that approach was wrong. Instead, he always said things like “not understanding enough” or “not suitable”—never “I hate you” or “you let me down.”

“That you remember this much is enough,” Jiang Tingzhou said. “It helps me be clearer too. President Lu, this is a good thing—for both of us. We’re not compatible.”

He saw Lu Baiyu a few times before and tried to explain things. But when the other person had no memory of it, no matter how detailed the explanation, it was useless. Now, even if Lu Baiyu only remembered part of it, that was enough.

In their previous life, after getting back together, Lu Baiyu kept his promise: Jiang Tingzhou gained access to The Lu Group’s resource channels.
After surviving the storm of A Bite of China, he bounced back. He joined food shows and culinary competitions, both domestic and international, and started winning. Within two to three years, he became a culinary star—a chef god.

Lu Baiyu’s promises weren’t empty.

He was also more tactful than Cheng Shifei in business. After reaching the peak of his culinary career, he didn’t stop. He became a key figure within Lu Yun Group—not just a symbolic face, but someone who negotiated business deals with the same glow as Lu Baiyu, using his fame strategically, doubling the results with half the effort.

Jiang Tingzhou even played a major role in the success of The Lu Group’s fresh food delivery app.

Even now, when Lu Baiyu heard from Cheng Shifei that Tingzhou helped shape Lu Group’s ideas for A Bite of China, it dawned on him.
Jiang Tingzhou wasn’t ordinary. Step by step, as long as he desired it, he kept rising.

Everything went well—until Jiang You’s downfall.

In their past life, once Jiang Tingzhou began rising, Jiang You faded into irrelevance. His last trick was trying to weaponize public opinion against him during A Bite of China. But when it came to real influence, Jiang You lost ground at every turn. His only advantage was his connection to Lu Jiahe.

Back then, no real evidence of wrongdoing surfaced against Jiang You. He was even about to marry Lu Jiahe—but eventually, the truth came out.

No matter how well someone pretended, they couldn’t keep it up forever. The higher they climbed, the harder they fell.

Jiang Tingzhou thought Lu Jiahe would show mercy—but instead, he was the most determined to cut ties.

Jiang Tingzhou once ran into Jiang You in that miserable state.

He went to the Lu Group building for a meeting. The driver opened the door for him respectfully. The front desk, already familiar with him, greeted him and stopped Jiang You at the entrance. “Sorry, no appointment, I can’t let you in.”

Disheveled and desperate, Jiang You blocked Jiang Tingzhou right there.

Seeing his old opponent in such a state, Jiang Tingzhou felt a small sense of satisfaction. The meeting wasn’t urgent, so he gestured for Jiang You to be taken aside and took a few minutes to say what he wanted to say.

“Even if you go, the Lu family won’t welcome you,” Jiang Tingzhou said. “Evil never prospers. Jiang You, I told you—I’ll take back everything that belongs to me.”

Jiang You glared at him, eyes bloodshot, voice shrill. “Jiang Tingzhou, do you think you’re any different from me? You’re standing there acting all superior, but you rely on Lu Baiyu too!”

But Jiang Tingzhou didn’t take the bait. “I am different from you—and from bloodsuckers like Jiang Yisheng. I don’t rely on others to survive. I don’t use dirty tricks to succeed. Even without The Lu Group, I’d still be just fine elsewhere.”

His talent and capability didn’t vanish with the loss of one person.

Lu Baiyu and The Lu Group gave him opportunities—but to attribute his entire success to them? That was absurd.

He would’ve made it anyway.

Sooner or later.

He poured blood, sweat, and tears into his work—not just empty words. Moreover, the value he created for The Lu Group already more than compensated for their investment in him.

Privately, many in the industry envied him. They said he was the Lu family’s most successful investment, with the highest return.

At that point, Jiang You could no longer compete with him on any level.

Feeling bored, Jiang Tingzhou turned to leave. He heard Jiang You’s parting shot: “Jiang Tingzhou, at least Lu Jiahe and I were public. But what about you? ‘The Lu Group’s best investment’—ha. I admit, I can’t compare to you. But do you really think people like you because you’re that good?” Jiang You sneered. “You don’t get it. You don’t understand anything.”

Jiang Tingzhou frowned at him, then walked off, ignoring his assistant’s subtle urging to keep moving.

Before the meeting, Lu Baiyu was delayed ten minutes. Jiang You was someone Jiang Tingzhou wouldn’t normally give a second thought to, but in that moment, he did consider going to see him—only to be stopped by the secretary.

Secretary Song was long replaced. The new secretary treated Jiang Tingzhou with warmth—truthfully, ever since his success, the entire Lu Group company treated him well.

The secretary blocked his way, gently reminding him: “Mr. Lu is waiting on an important call.”

That was all she needed to say. Jiang Tingzhou didn’t insist.

He turned and waited in the conference room with the others.

The meeting went smoothly. Jiang Tingzhou was already working with this client for some time. The other party was very satisfied, praising him several times during the meeting and even personally inviting him to visit their company.

After all, Jiang Tingzhou didn’t work for The Lu Group. In the eyes of others, he was merely a reliable partner—and reliable partners could be replaced if more benefit came from it.

Before Jiang Tingzhou even responded, Lu Baiyu declined for him.

“The Lu Group will give him the best,” he said with a smile, though Jiang Tingzhou could tell he wasn’t pleased. “Tingzhou won’t choose anyone else.”

After the meeting, Jiang Tingzhou followed Lu Baiyu into the office.

Lu Baiyu asked, “The secretary said you came looking for me. Was something wrong? I heard you ran into Jiang You downstairs—he didn’t do anything, did he?”

Jiang Tingzhou shook his head.

Now that he thought about it, it was strange he even let someone like Jiang You affect his mood.

He and Lu Baiyu were doing fine—aside from not going public, there was nothing wrong.

And this hidden relationship, after all his efforts, was finally seeing the light of day. Even Lu Zhenting treated him well. Last time the Lu family held a private dinner at home, Jiang Tingzhou was specially invited—an event even some of The Lu Group’s board members weren’t asked to attend.

Because of the public fallout between Lu Jiahe and Jiang You, announcing anything now would cause trouble. As the family said, The Lu Group was a listed company. An heir like Lu Baiyu couldn’t decide everything alone—public opinion mattered.

Qin Rushuang even pulled him aside, embarrassed on his behalf, to explain that the timing wasn’t right. She said The Lu Group would compensate him later.

But Jiang Tingzhou didn’t need anyone to explain. He already understood. A good partner shouldn’t create trouble or damage the other’s reputation.

He accepted it.

He accepted it calmly.

There was a time when the disparity between him and Lu Baiyu—how difficult it was to be with him—broke him. He cried in secret, heart aching, and told himself it was normal to suffer when loving someone like Lu Baiyu.

At some point, those emotions faded.

Maybe he simply grew up. Maybe he just got used to it.

Now he was very close to his goal. No more fluctuations, no more overreactions.

Lu Baiyu noticed his distraction and assumed he was still thinking about the client trying to poach him. With a hint of annoyance, he pressed Jiang Tingzhou down onto the sofa and kissed him. The atmosphere shifted quickly. When Lu Baiyu reached downward, Jiang Tingzhou tried to stop him but failed.

This wasn’t the first time the two did this in the office.

Midway through, Jiang Tingzhou’s mind drifted. Near the end, he was still thinking of other things.

When Lu Baiyu called his name, Jiang Tingzhou didn’t even catch it. Hair damp and tousled, he mumbled, “…The contract we discussed today should be signed quickly. I heard their board is changing next week. If someone new takes over, it might affect things.”

Lu Baiyu: “What are you talking about?”

Jiang Tingzhou blinked, looking dumbfounded. “Didn’t you ask about that just now?”

He knew too much about The Lu Group’s internal workings. They often discussed work like this at home. He was used to it. It wasn’t like a normal couple at all.

Jiang Tingzhou was never in love before. No one taught him what love was supposed to be. Compared to the clear KPIs and ROI of work, love was still confusing. Maybe being in love with someone like Lu Baiyu was just different.

“Don’t talk about other people right now,” Lu Baiyu sighed, hugging him tightly and biting his shoulder. “You’re not allowed to go anywhere else with anyone else.”

His possessiveness was growing stronger lately, with no clear reason.

“I won’t,” Jiang Tingzhou replied.

He pursued the goal of “openly and honestly being with Lu Baiyu” for so long that it became second nature. Even if doubts arose, he didn’t back out—after all, he came this far.

But at that moment, having finally defeated his old rival and moved past his thirst for revenge, Jiang Tingzhou started to quietly reflect on his feelings.

Something felt off.

But that thought was quickly drowned by emotion.

There was no doubt that the two needed each other. Their recent collaborations were wildly successful. Lu Baiyu even said he never imagined someone could match him so well.

He looked at Jiang Tingzhou like he was the perfect partner.

And Jiang Tingzhou knew exactly what Lu Baiyu was thinking. He understood his position completely. In many ways, he even began planning ahead.

Letting Jiang Tingzhou integrate into The Lu Group and take part in its operations was perhaps the most successful decision Lu Baiyu ever made.

Everything was smooth. No more arguments, no more breakups, no more unexpected drama.