The Reviled God of Cooking Tries to Slack Off - Chapter 76

The box of Almond Mille-Feuille that Wen Qi had brought in the morning was still with him.

For the average customer, the difference was hard to detect. At most, they might feel it wasn’t quite as crispy or delicious as before, but it was still passable. However, for Jiang Tingzhou, there was no such thing as “roughly the same”—especially considering Gongyan’s current pricing, there was no room for deception.

At Gongyan, a plate of Imperial Almond Mille-Feuille sold for 288 yuan (roughly 40usd). For that price, to be served that kind of flavor—it’s fair to call it “unpalatable.”

He wasn’t saying this to provoke Jiang Yifeng, but as a statement of fact.

“If you don’t believe me, try it yourself,” Jiang Tingzhou said. “Your hands are unsteady, and you were distracted while making the dessert. A head chef with your experience shouldn’t be making such basic mistakes. Also, the ingredients are off—they’re not what Gongyan has always used.”

Not all chefs cook personally like Jiang Tingzhou. only stepping in to cook for distinguished guests.  Jiang Yifeng’s Almond Mille-Feuille still showed his skill, but the flavor had changed.

To give him a comparison, Jiang Tingzhou served another portion.

At first, when Jiang Yifeng heard the words “really unpalatable,” anger surged to his head. He was unconvinced and wanted to deny it. But before he could speak, he saw the clear contrast between the two pastries in front of him.

Even the appearance told a different story. 

He hesitated for a long time, then finally reached out to taste it.

Jiang Tingzhou’s portion had a more golden color. Its texture was similar—crisp, melt-in-the-mouth—but it was lighter, with the perfect balance of sweetness and milkiness, making it less greasy. Even the almond slices on top had a different flavor.

There had been no previous point of comparison. Given the restaurant’s many recent challenges, how could he have paid attention to the subtle changes in a small dessert?

Now, after finishing the sample, Jiang Yifeng sat in silence.

He had been standing when he first spoke to Jiang Tingzhou, looking down at him with an air of righteousness. Now, after eating, he sat down with his head lowered, his entire demeanor shrinking.

Top-tier chefs are known for their discerning palates. He could tell the difference. 

After a long silence, he said, “Your skills have always been better than mine. Ahem… better than even the master chefs’. It’s only natural that your version tastes better, so… so…”

“That one wasn’t made by me,” Jiang Tingzhou said. “I taught the chefs at the sugar factory a while back. They’ve been practicing and made this according to the recipe after I ate yours this morning. The technique for Almond Mille-Feuille isn’t complex. It just needs precision and the right ingredients. Even the almond flakes you used were different—not as aromatic or crispy, and smaller than the original.”

Jiang Yifeng had no reply to that.

He actually knew about many of the ingredient substitutions at the restaurant. But it had been unavoidable. After the Lu family withdrew their investment, Jiang Foods didn’t just lose precious cash flow and funding—they also lost access to the Lu family’s supply channels.

As a logistics company, Lu Group had exclusive channels to source premium ingredients—many imported. Once the Lu family cut ties, replacements became inevitable.

Jiang Yifeng tried to explain, Chairman Jiang said… he already tried his best to source the best replacements.”

Jiang Tingzhou clicked his tongue. “You really think so? More likely they’re the most profitable for Jiang Yisheng. The ones he thinks can fool the customers—and you—all at once.”

“The Lu family really—”

“I can still get more ingredients now, even without the Lu family’s help,” Jiang Tingzhou said. “What era do you think this is? Ten years ago? Even if it’s imported, you can get it if you’re willing to pay. Jiang Yisheng just didn’t want to spend more. He found a distributor and stopped there. If he weren’t in this industry, maybe that’d be excusable. But he’s a chef—but he’s a chef. He apprenticed under the same master as your master. He knows exactly how important ingredients are to a chef, yet he’s still cutting corners.” After calmly saying all that, Jiang Tingzhou took a sip of his coffee and said,  “Has he replaced the head of procurement with one of his own people? Think about it—does the price he’s paying match the quality he’s getting?”

Procurement was the most profitable segment of Jiang Foods company.

Jiang Tingzhou had hit the mark. 

Jiang Yifeng shrank back even more. Only now did he begin to realize that Jiang Tingzhou was probably right.

“Did Jiang Yisheng tell you the Jiang family is surrounded by enemies? That he’s barely holding on, while I have power and rich backing and am bullying him—and even made my mother so angry she ended up in the hospital?” Jiang Tingzhou shook his head. “Jiang Foods went from near bankruptcy to where it is now—he’s already made a fortune. For Jiang Yisheng, the smartest move now is to cash out while he still can, squeeze the company dry, and keep all the benefits for himself.”

Jiang Yisheng was far more ruthless than they had imagined. Even though he knew the Lu and Li families were backing Jiang Tingzhou, unlike Jiang You, he didn’t have hard evidence against him—so the two families couldn’t overtly make a move. Otherwise, Jiang Yisheng could go crying to the media, claiming the elite families drove him to ruin.

Now, he was doing everything he could to consolidate control over what remained of the Jiang family.

“And you believed him when he said he was loyal to Jiang Foods, and that I forced him into this?” Jiang Tingzhou shook his head. “Chef Jiang, think it through carefully. Let the master chef see this for what it is—otherwise, the legacy built by our grandfather will be destroyed by him.”

Before coming here, Jiang Yifeng had heard so much from Jiang Yisheng. It all seemed logically airtight. But upon arriving here, everything fell apart—over just one poorly made pastry.

For a chef, if it doesn’t taste good, it doesn’t taste good. That’s an irrefutable fact—no debate needed.

“…I understand.” Jiang Yifeng took a deep breath. He felt ashamed and confused. “I’ll go back and tell the Master Chef. He’ll at least listen to me a little.”

Only now did he look at Jiang Tingzhou with clear eyes, carefully observing the place around him.

It was a hot afternoon, sunlight streaming in through glass walls, making the entire room bright. The fully transparent glass facade was not only beautiful but also revealed all the store’s operations to the outside.

The sugar factory store had multiple workrooms, each handling different types of food, with glass windows allowing full visibility. Cleanliness and transparency were emphasized. Ingredient lists were posted openly, with no additives used—everything visible to customers.

The glass greenhouse wasn’t just pretty—it symbolized purity and transparency, a stark contrast to the murky state of the Jiang family.

And Jiang Tingzhou, sitting before him, was just as clear and composed.

“I’m telling you all this so you can pass it on to the Master Chef. He might not listen to me, but he’ll hear you out. The truth speaks for itself, and I’ve got nothing to hide,” Jiang Tingzhou said. “Let the Master Chefs deal with Jiang Foods’ problems themselves.”

“I understand. Mr. Jiang, let’s stay in touch. If anything comes up, I’ll reach out.”

Jiang Tingzhou nodded.

He didn’t say more. Jiang Yifeng left with the two portions of Almond Mille-Feuille. On his way out, he bumped into Wen Qi, who was just arriving.

Wen Qi even greeted him, but Jiang Yifeng looked grim and preoccupied, clearly in no mood to chat—leaving Wen Qi puzzled.

Wen Qi  walked over to Jiang Tingzhou and asked, “What happened? Did the conversation not go well? Why did he leave like that?”

Jiang Tingzhou smiled. “Don’t worry. It went smoothly.”

He handed Wen Qi a cup of coffee but didn’t mention that Jiang Yifeng had been acting as a spy. He didn’t want Wen Qi to feel guilty. Jiang Tingzhou already had a grasp on the Jiang family’s situation and didn’t plan to interfere too much—just add a little fuel to the fire.

Now he praised sincerely, “Boss Wen, you’re truly capable. The store was built quickly and beautifully under your supervision. The baristas are excellent, the desserts are great. I think the store will be very popular once it opens.”

Although the store had glass walls on all sides, many thoughtful details were added to block glare and heat. There were outdoor seats, giving it a garden-like feel.

Jiang Tingzhou was always sincere when complimenting others. Wen Qi couldn’t help smiling.

The sugar factory’s new store was massive, and right next to it was another store—the planned flagship store of Yongqing Pastry for the Deng family.

The two large shops, Sugar Factory and Yongqing Pastry, took up the first phase of the commercial street. They were just under 200 meters from the morning market street. After the Deng family and the original Sugar Factory store relocated, the old space wouldn’t go to waste—Zhou Lifen’s store needed room and would take over the connected space to accommodate more customers.

Just as Jiang Tingzhou had envisioned, each business would maintain its identity while linking together seamlessly. Though not yet open, many people were already visiting and inquiring about opening day. A lively atmosphere was already forming.

Wen Qi glanced around and could now more clearly visualize the future that he and Jiang Tingzhou had dreamed of.

Recently, Jiang Tingzhou had been busy preparing for the opening. Wen Qi naturally tagged along—coming over with documents, handling matters. Even if it was troublesome, seeing Jiang Tingzhou made everything feel worthwhile.

The weather has been good lately—even Jiang Tingzhou’s hair looked especially nice under the sunlight.

 Wen Qi was thinking about what to say. Knowing that Jiang Tingzhou liked sunflowers, he had found a few healthy ones and was thinking about transplanting them into his yard.

He felt a bouquet wouldn’t last long, so he opted for long-lasting sunflowers. These weren’t just ornamental either—they were the kind you could eat when mature.

Though a little discouraged, he believed that if he tried enough, he’d eventually find something Jiang Tingzhou liked.

He even bought more of that chocolate brand Jiang liked—some rare flavors not available in Yongqing’s stores—arranged for express delivery.

Everyone wanted to get closer to someone like Jiang Tingzhou.

Wen Qi had just placed the sunflowers nearby, planning to give them when Jiang Tingzhou returned, when—

“Don’t bother. Transplanting flowers in this season? It probably won’t survive,” Lu Baiyu said, glancing at the flowers. “Mr. Wen, you should focus more on your actual job.”

Wen Qi: “…”

He turned around and saw Lu Baiyu walking in.

The man appeared like a ghost. He’d been haunting him since the wine delivery. Now Wen Qi stood up to block him. “Young Master Lu, shouldn’t you be busy with your own work?”

“The deal with ‘A Bite of China’ went through. Everyone at Lu Group is satisfied. Our logistics park is nearby,” Lu Baiyu said. “I came here to see Tingzhou. Do you have a problem with that?”

Wen Qi stepped in front of him again. “Of course I do. The store isn’t open yet. We’re not accepting strange, uninvited guests.”

Lu Baiyu frowned. “You don’t get to interfere in my relationship with Tingzhou. You’re just a cooperative employee. Don’t overstep. Haven’t you gotten the message by now? Tingzhou isn’t interested in you.”

Wen Qi didn’t back down. Instead, he stepped closer. “Young Master Lu, I might not remain ‘just’ a collaborator. And as for you—a cleanly broken-up ex has even less right to say anything. Tingzhou definitely has no feelings for you.”