The Reviled God of Cooking Tries to Slack Off - Chapter 79

Even though Lu Baiyu was still blocked, he could still send messages to Jiang Tingzhou if he wanted to.

Since that day in the shop, Jiang Tingzhou didn’t see him again. Lu Baiyu didn’t come by in person during that time, but he never truly disappeared.

Aside from the occasional messages, the weather turned colder over the past few days. Jiang Tingzhou caught a mild cold from being exposed to the wind.

Just like the previous time with the hangover soup, the Lu family’s driver delivered ginger tea and cold medicine. He didn’t say much—just politely hung the thermos on the doorknob and left.

The ginger tea was sweet. Even if Jiang Tingzhou didn’t drink it, the strong aroma wafted out even from a tightly sealed cup—and he could still smell it.

As for Lu Baiyu’s movements, even Li Shuyan—who stayed at the hospital to keep watch over him—didn’t hide anything from him. The Lu family took control of the Jiang family’s lawyer early on, and everyone focused on Jiang Yisheng, waiting for him to slip up.

Jiang Tingzhou said nothing—just nodded to show he understood.

With so many people involved, the surveillance in the private hospital ward was thorough. Jiang Tingzhou could even watch a live feed.

He watched Jiang Yisheng enter, smug and arrogant, speaking to the unconscious and medicated Jiang Moli like a clown putting on a performance, as though accepting an award.

“See? In the end, the entire Jiang family is still mine. I’ve endured so many years of humiliation. I even changed my surname for this. God is on my side. So what if Jiang Tingzhou resists? He’s still my son. And the Lu family? Once I get everything, I’ll sell it all and leave. They can’t stop me. You all just wait and see.”

Jiang Yisheng was so full of himself that he failed to notice the secretary and the supposedly “turncoat” lawyer exchanging strange looks behind him.

He didn’t realize he was under close watch. More than just the two of them were observing him.

Others were furious at his arrogance. The head chef was annoyed. Jiang Tingzhou, however, didn’t seem too bothered. He just watched the scene from time to time.

Though informed early that morning, his routine didn’t change—he watered the garden and then went to the sugar factory as usual.

Li Shuyan, who was with him, knew everything that was going on. After reading the updates, she was worried—not about the hospital, but about Jiang Tingzhou himself. With a family like that, who wouldn’t be crushed?

Jiang Tingzhou saw through her concerns and smiled to reassure her.

His voice was a bit nasal from the cold. “I expected all this. Jiang Yisheng will reap what he’s sown. Don’t worry about him.”

He wasn’t staying idle—he went to the sugar factory to meet a new pastry chef.

Possibly tipped off by Jiang Yifeng, the head chef recommended a baker who specialized in cookies. This man also ran his own shop and wasn’t looking for a job—he proposed a partnership.

His small studio could only produce limited quantities, but the sugar factory had the facilities to scale up. His cookie recipe produced treats far superior to most on the market—crispy, rich in caramel, milky, and buttery.

Jiang Tingzhou was satisfied with both the recipe and the proposed partnership. But simply replicating the same product wasn’t his style. Over the next two days, he worked with the baker to develop a variety of cookies—from soft to ultra-thin. The ultra-thin crisp variety was still being perfected.

Compared to this delicate, crispy cookie, Jiang Yisheng wasn’t worth his attention.

Jiang Tingzhou lost interest in watching the scene. It was obvious how it would unfold.

Jiang Yisheng was eventually exposed by the head chef’s team. All the evidence was presented to him, and even Jiang Moli—previously unconscious—sat up in disbelief.

Jiang Yisheng finally realized he had been played.

He was speechless at first, then began shouting angrily. Years of scheming crumbled before his eyes. He screamed, agitated and hysterical.

The head chef and Jiang Moli still had a lot to deal with—Jiang Corporation, Jiang You’s matters.

At first, Jiang Yisheng refused to cooperate, but under pressure, he couldn’t hold out. Even if he didn’t confess, his shameless relatives would eventually spill everything.

Although the head chef already guessed most of it, hearing the full extent enraged him.

“We raised you, you ungrateful bastard! You came from a dirt-poor background. If not for the Jiang family taking you in, you’d have starved to death. We gave you a wife and the family business, and you repay us with betrayal?”

Jiang Moli added in shock, “So you planned to use the child going missing all along. You knew everything Jiang You did to Tingzhou after returning—not just in high school—you even instigated it. You let him hurt Tingzhou. Jiang Yi, even a tiger doesn’t eat its cubs… how could you…”

She took deep breaths, inhaling oxygen, trying to stay calm. In her heart, she believed that despite her husband’s occasional temper, he was still a responsible man who spent decades with her. Even if the children didn’t get along, she thought one day they would.

She believed Jiang You was just a rebellious teen.

Now she saw the truth: every time she tried to repair the family, she was giving two parasites another chance to hurt her only child.

No wonder Tingzhou refused to see her. Why should he?

The truth was always in front of her, yet she remained blind. If Jiang Tingzhou hadn’t planned ahead, she might have been poisoned and died right then and there.

“You… you…” Jiang Moli covered her mouth in pain. Tears streamed down her face. She no longer even looked at Jiang Yisheng—and thought of her only son.

But Jiang Tingzhou didn’t show up then.

Others thought the truth revealed at that moment was everything. But to him, it was just noise. Everyone was emotional.

Jiang Yisheng still made excuses, even when the evidence was overwhelming. But his relatives knew enough. Once he was exposed, they scattered like monkeys. Even if he stayed silent, someone else would talk.

It was a drawn-out process. Jiang Tingzhou wasn’t interested.

By the time he wrapped up work and arrived, everything was settled.

Jiang Yisheng sat in a corner, huddled and defeated.

Everyone knew it was time for the final reckoning. Soon, all evidence would be handed over to the police. Just the attempted murder charge alone would send Jiang Yisheng to prison—possibly joining Jiang You, and making them a “family” again.

Jiang Yisheng saw that it was over. His face looked blank. His hair was messy from his own hands. But when he saw Jiang Tingzhou enter, he jumped up—only to be pushed back down.

“Was it you who did this?” he stared at Jiang Tingzhou. “I knew it… just one more step…”

Jiang Tingzhou didn’t approach. He looked down from a distance and said calmly: “Yes. I did it.”

He paused, then added: “It wasn’t difficult.”

Jiang Yi’s eyes were bloodshot. “I was just one step away… just one step!”

Jiang Yisheng’s emotional collapse was brutal. From pride to rock bottom in a single day—his emotions spiraled. He turned red-eyed as Jiang Tingzhou approached.

“You were never just one step away,” Jiang Tingzhou replied. “You lacked both the ability and the destiny. Honestly, your surname isn’t even Jiang. The Jiang family’s assets never belonged to you. What you stole, you’ll have to return.”

Even if the plan somehow succeeded, it wouldn’t have lasted. The chefs would never allow the Jiang family to be dismantled—and many knew the truth. His impoverished relatives would become leeches, sucking until everything was gone.

“Who said it doesn’t belong to me!” Jiang Yisheng shouted. “What do you know?! Jiang Tingzhou, I’m your biological father—!”

Jiang Yisheng was poor since childhood. Hunger left a mark on his soul. He ate his first full meal at someone else’s house, and from then on, he would do anything to avoid poverty.

Now, after using and discarding his wife and son, he was still left with nothing.

“You’re not a Jiang anymore, so it doesn’t count,” Jiang Tingzhou replied. “Not just the Jiang name—nothing will belong to you anymore.”

The head chef expelled him from the family. Jiang Moli would annul the marriage. According to the rules, he’d have to change his name.

“You—!” Jiang Yisheng coughed violently. His face turned red. Then he suddenly fainted, twitching.

Everyone was stunned. Only Jiang Tingzhou remained calm.

“Looks like an acute cerebral infarction. Call the doctor. Don’t let him die just yet.”

A nearby doctor checked him and confirmed the diagnosis.

Jiang Yisheng was older now, with high blood pressure and cholesterol. Jiang Tingzhou wasn’t surprised—it happened in his previous life too, except back then it was an accident. Jiang Yisheng ended up bedridden and useless.

He wouldn’t die easily—but he would suffer more than before.

Jiang Tingzhou calmly watched him being carried away. He turned to leave—until Jiang Moli called him.

“Tingzhou…” she choked. “All these years, this matter… I owe you an apology.”

Since Jiang You’s incident, she apologized many times—for many different things.

Jiang Tingzhou looked at her. His attitude toward Jiang Moli was different—he couldn’t be entirely heartless.

He never denied that his mother truly loved him.

If not for her, he would have walked away from this toxic family without hesitation. It was her presence that tied him down, made him stay.

But now, he didn’t even want that little bit of connection anymore.