The Reviled God of Cooking Tries to Slack Off - Chapter 75

Lu Baiyu watched the scene unfold from the private room upstairs. He hadn’t expected Wen Qi to pull a stunt like this. He had always known this person wasn’t one to play by the rules—always scheming, always with tricks up his sleeve!

But it wasn’t just this moment that bothered him. From the moment he heard Wen Qi had personally invited Jiang Tingzhou, he’d felt uneasy. Sitting here now, his heart ached with jealousy. The more he watched, the more bitter he felt.

Lu Baiyu couldn’t stand seeing anyone around Jiang Tingzhou. He still remembered the time Cheng Shifei casually threw an arm around Jiang Tingzhou’s shoulder—he hadn’t liked it then, and he liked this even less now.

He wanted to slam the table in frustration, but he held himself back, afraid of making a sound. Instead, he kept his eyes fixed on the scene downstairs.

Jiang Tingzhou was slightly surprised to see a box of snacks brought out at this point.

Imperial Almond Mille-Feuille was a delicate treat: thin, crisp layers sprinkled with chopped nuts, with a rich nutty and milky aroma—crunchy and flavorful. It was one of the best-selling treats at Gongyan.

With his refined palate and long history at Jiang Foods, Jiang Tingzhou immediately recognized it. He said confidently, “It should be from Chef Jiang Yifeng at the third branch. Is he really willing to come work at the sugar factory?”

Wen Qi responded, a bit proud, “It’s him. He didn’t agree at first, but after many days of talking, sincerity won him over. We’ve been in contact for quite a while. Eventually, he gave in.”

Jiang Tingzhou had met Jiang Yifeng before when they were both at Jiang Foods. To be fair, the man had real skill. He was the chef at the third branch of Gongyan and had worked at Jiang Foods for many years. Being younger, he wasn’t a fellow apprentice of Jiang Yisheng, but instead one of the master chef’s disciples.

However, rumors had it that he’d long been unhappy with that master. That might have been one reason he left Jiang Foods for the sugar factory.

Jiang Tingzhou finished the pastry slowly and asked, “Is he coming to the sugar factory this afternoon?”

“Yes, he’ll be here.”

Jiang Tingzhou nodded. “Mr. Wen, thank you for your efforts. I’ll meet with him later.” He thought for a moment and added, “I was planning to check out the sugar factory’s commercial street this afternoon. The large store there is almost finished. Could you ask him to meet me there?”

“Of course,” Wen Qi replied.

The lunch had a few unexpected moments, but overall it aligned with Wen Qi’s expectations—and the surprise was delivered. 

But after the meal, when Jiang Tingzhou left, Wen Qi noticed he had paid extra.

“It’s for the wine,” Jiang Tingzhou said. “I’m covering that bottle.”

Wen Qi was surprised. “Wasn’t that a gift from the chef?”

Jiang Tingzhou shook his head. He had initially thought the wine was a complimentary gift, but after tasting it, he realized otherwise. The quality was too high—far beyond what the chef would normally provide, and they weren’t that close.

The restaurant was near the Yongqing CBD, not far from Lu Baiyu’s office. Jiang Tingzhou knew Lu Baiyu often visited this place.

He hadn’t seen him today, but judging by recent behavior, he guessed Lu Baiyu was probably nearby. 

Not wanting to confront him, Jiang Tingzhou didn’t touch the wine. After eating, he paid for it himself and left without a backward glance.

Wen Qi wanted to see him off, but Jiang Tingzhou refused. With a smile, he said, “No need. I’ll see you this afternoon at the sugar factory.”

Wen Qi wanted to say more, but when he stepped outside with the bouquet of flowers, he saw Jiang Tingzhou already wearing a helmet. He now had his own means of transport—a recently purchased basic motorbike. He had ridden it here today.

It wasn’t some flashy street bike, but a practical one. Since buying it, he no longer stayed home tending vegetables all day. He frequently went to the sugar factory. Though it wasn’t far on foot, walking could be too slow when he was in a rush.

Many alleys in the old city were too narrow for a car, and electric scooters didn’t last long. But a motorbike? That worked—and it didn’t get stuck in traffic around downtown Yongqing.

Wen Qi noticed the sunflower bouquet he’d given Jiang Tingzhou had been placed neatly in the storage box. The wrapping was beautiful.

Standing there with a helmet on, Jiang Tingzhou drew glances from passersby—not just because of the bright sunflowers, but also because there was something else beneath them.

“It’s chocolate,” Jiang Tingzhou said, taking out a box and stuffing it into Wen Qi’s pocket. “I picked it up on the way. The shop only has one location, in the city center. Your flowers are lovely—I didn’t have anything on me, so here’s a little gift in return. It’s good stuff.”

Wen Qi: “…”

If the atmosphere were different, he’d be thrilled to receive chocolate from Jiang Tingzhou. But Jiang Tingzhou’s tone made it clear—it was just a polite return gift, nothing more.

Without saying anything else, Jiang Tingzhou fastened his helmet and started the bike. As he reached the corner, he raised his chin at Wen Qi—a casual gesture of goodbye. 

Wen Qi waved in return.

Upstairs, Lu Baiyu had been watching everything.

He now knew Jiang Tingzhou had paid for the wine—the waiter had already informed him.

But at this point, Lu Baiyu couldn’t care less about that. His eyes were locked on Jiang Tingzhou, who stood in the sunlight with sunflowers in his bike box, merging into the traffic. He was dazzlingly noticeable.

He had seen Jiang Tingzhou give Wen Qi chocolate. He had seen the expression on his face when he said it.

There was no romantic intent—only work-related courtesy. But even knowing that, Lu Baiyu felt upset.

He knew Jiang Tingzhou was like a calm lake now—unmoved by anything.

Secretary Xu stood nearby, quietly observing Lu Baiyu. 

After a while, Lu Baiyu asked, “There’s only one store nearby that sells Simu’s chocolates, right?”

He had recognized the brand from the packaging.

After a short pause, Secretary Xu replied, “It’s a foreign boutique brand. Handmade chocolate. Very niche. Yes, there’s only one store in Yongqing.”

Lu Baiyu nodded. “Find out how much it would cost to buy it.”

Secretary Xu asked, “The store?”

“No,” Lu Baiyu said, “the entire brand.”

“…Understood.” Secretary Xu blinked, then nodded. “I’ll look into it.”

It was a niche handmade chocolate brand, but Lu Baiyu had the financial power to acquire it. It might take time, but it wasn’t out of reach.

Jiang Tingzhou really liked that brand. It was pricey, but the quality was excellent. He had bought a bunch and was nibbling on them while waiting in the store that afternoon.

He was currently at the sugar factory’s new flagship store. It wasn’t a high-rise—just a renovation on the original foundation. The construction was fast, but the transformation was remarkable.

Though not yet officially open, part of it was already operational. Some stoves had been installed, and the head chefs were already testing the ovens. If all went well, the grand opening would be next month.

Jiang Yifeng paused to admire the place. He hadn’t expected Jiang Tingzhou to build something like this—it was striking, totally different from a typical bakery.

They’d constructed a glass greenhouse in a garden surrounded by greenery.

From afar, it looked like a fairytale cottage—sunny, transparent, with wooden interior design that reflected the surrounding trees. The heat insulation and air conditioning were well done. The moment you stepped in, a sweet fragrance welcomed you.

From the design alone, it would become a popular destination for social media check-ins once it opened.

Jiang Tingzhou was already inside. When he saw Jiang Yifeng arrive, he waved him over. 

Soon, someone brought them coffee.

What surprised Jiang Yifeng was that the server looked like a floor manager, not a traditional waiter, and he interacted casually with Jiang Tingzhou—calling him “Boss Jiang” without much formality and joking that his coffee-making skills had improved.

Jiang Tingzhou smiled, agreed, and even handed him a piece of chocolate to try.

“Chef Jiang,” he said politely, “Try this coffee. It goes well with the desserts here.”

The new store had plenty of seats. You could enjoy fresh bread and coffee while admiring the lush sugar factory garden—a great place to unwind.

Jiang Yifeng took a sip. It was good.

But his mind was elsewhere. He got straight to the point: “Boss Jiang, not to brag, but Wen Qi said I could be a manager here, right?”

Given his résumé, it wasn’t surprising Wen Qi had made such an offer. 

Jiang Tingzhou nodded. “Yes. We need skilled people. Good chefs rise quickly. But Chef Jiang, let me ask: Are you truly done with Jiang Foods? did you really leave the Jiang family just for this opportunity?”

Jiang Yifeng smiled. “Of course. You know we’ve had friction with the head chef. We may be master and apprentice, but my family needs money, so…”

“I know,” Jiang Tingzhou cut in gently. “But aside from that—nothing else?”

Jiang Yifeng hesitated, then asked, “Why bring me in if you’re going to suspect me?”

“We’ve known each other for a while. No need to lie,” Jiang Tingzhou said. “This is exactly why Jiang Yisheng wants you here. To disrupt things, distract me, and stop me from threatening the Jiang family, right?”

Jiang Yifeng froze.

“Mr. Wen doesn’t understand the Jiang family,” Jiang Tingzhou continued calmly, “but I do. You came too quickly. Even if you had a fight with the head chef, you wouldn’t abandon him over that. That’s not who you are.” Jiang Tingzhou looked toward Yifeng, still smiling as he spoke. “Jiang Yisheng bad-mouthed me to the head chef, didn’t he? The chef still calls him ‘brother.’ So naturally, you all want to help him.”

“You’re sharp. I can’t fool you,” Jiang Yifeng said, dropping the act. “Tingzhou, I’ve never had a problem with you. I was on your side when you went up against Jiang You. But you’ve gone too far. Sure, Jiang You did wrong, but your parents are nearly fifty—why force them like this? Do you really want to scheme against your own biological parents?”

Jiang Tingzhou realized Jiang Yisheng had once again played the victim—he had always used Jiang You as a pawn. And chefs like Jiang Yifeng were easily manipulated.

Recently, Jiang Moli’s old illness has returned. She’d been hospitalized for depression, which gave Jiang Yisheng even more leverage. Jiang Yifeng probably volunteered to help.

“My mother had surgery years ago. Her condition isn’t as serious as you think. Jiang Yisheng exaggerated it on purpose to maintain control of the company,” Jiang Tingzhou said. “Yes, I’m calculating—but only with people who deserve it. And Jiang Yisheng? He needs to be handled this way.”

Jiang Yifeng scoffed, unconvinced—he didn’t know how Jiang Tingzhou had seen through him.  Jiang Tingzhou just assumed he wouldn’t really leave his teacher—was he really that sure?

Jiang Tingzhou sipped his coffee, unfazed. His next words pierced Jiang Yifeng’s false confidence.

“You’re confused, the Jiang family is a mess, and it shows in your food—it’s not good.”

“…What did you say?” Jiang Yifeng’s expression shifted.

“The Imperial Almond Mille-Feuille you made—it’s very different from before. I could tell with the first bite. The layers are too thick, the aroma is off, even the nuts taste wrong. You probably switched to cheaper suppliers to save costs? You didn’t notice it?” Jiang Tingzhou looked directly at him and said again, with clear emphasis: “It’s really unpalatable.”