Chapter 118: What is Mr. Chu's background?

Cheng Jian was stunned by the report coming through his phone.

Chef Bao’s cooking was actually inferior to the opposing chef’s? How could this be? Chef Bao was the finest chef in Min City.

"What’s wrong?" Ma Zhen asked, sensing that something was amiss.

Cheng Jian’s face darkened. "The other side found a chef even better than Chef Bao. But that shouldn't be possible. There are no chefs that skilled in Min City. Could he have come from another city?"

The more Cheng Jian thought about it, the more frustrated he became. He had overlooked this possibility, assuming that in such a short time, it was impossible for them to find a chef of that caliber.

Ma Zhen was equally dismayed. Yunhe Restaurant was the premier establishment in Min City, and Chef Bao was its top chef. How could this configuration possibly lose to the competition? What kind of situation was this? More importantly, instead of suppressing them and venting his anger, he had only served to increase their fame. The thought made Ma Zhen furious.

"No, I have to go taste their food myself," Cheng Jian said, his face grim as he headed out.

Wanting to understand the cause of this failure, Ma Zhen left the café with him and headed toward the gourmet event.

Over at the Yunhe side, things had already fallen apart since Chef Bao had left, and the crowd was beginning to disperse. Meanwhile, Pan Yue was cooking with increasing enthusiasm, churning out several more dishes in the blink of an eye.

Cheng Jian and Ma Zhen mingled with the queue of tasters. They heard people nearby discussing the situation:

"I heard Yunhe’s food was amazing, but it doesn't seem like much now."

"True. They compared three dishes, and not one could measure up."

"Haha, it’s laughable. That ‘Number One’ title of theirs must have been purely marketing. I’m going to post this on my social media to promote Linyao Restaurant; we can’t let Yunhe continue to trade on an undeserved reputation."

Every word felt like a dagger to Cheng Jian. If such posts spread, it would have a devastating impact on Yunhe.

Finally reaching the front, the two received the food prepared by Pan Yue. They kept their heads down, terrified of being recognized, though in reality, no one was paying them any mind.

Ma Zhen took one bite and immediately understood why Yunhe had lost. He had just eaten at Yunhe, and compared to this, the food was in a completely different league. He had never tasted such exquisite flavor before.

After tasting it, Cheng Jian hung his mouth open, completely dazed. As the young master of Yunhe, he knew better than anyone that this level of culinary mastery was beyond Chef Bao. A sinking feeling gripped his heart. What had he done?

Since the other restaurant could produce such delicacies, the smartest move would have been to avoid their culinary style and stay away from direct comparisons. But he had foolishly handed them the opportunity on a silver platter. How was this any different from gifting the title of "Min City’s Number One" to them?

The only thing Cheng Jian could be thankful for was that the event was held right in front of the competition’s restaurant, and that Chef Bao had left after only three dishes, giving them some room for excuses. If this had happened right in front of his own Yunhe Restaurant, it would have been an absolute disaster.

Almost as if on cue, his phone rang. It was the manager of Yunhe Restaurant. He answered immediately, "Manager Gu, what is it?"

Manager Gu’s anxious voice came through: "President Cheng, we have trouble at Yunhe. A place called Linyao Restaurant has set up a stage right in front of our door, holding some kind of gourmet event. The problem is, their two chefs are incredibly skilled; our restaurant’s two chefs can’t cook anything as good as theirs."

"Now, the customers in our restaurant are all going over to sample Linyao’s food. Furthermore, many guests are canceling their private room reservations!"

"What?" Cheng Jian’s face turned deathly pale upon hearing the news.

A taste of their own medicine? And they had two chefs who defeated Yunhe’s other two master chefs? Where did they find so many of them? Cheng Jian finally understood what it meant to "lift a rock only to drop it on one's own feet." The worst part was that he had been the one to initiate the conflict; he had no grounds to complain. They couldn't be like a thief who breaks into a house, falls down, and then blames the homeowner for not cleaning the floor.

He knew how dire the situation was. As the acting manager of Yunhe, causing such a disaster meant he would have no way to answer to his family, unless he could secure the investment as planned.

Thinking of this, he immediately turned to Ma Zhen. "Young Master Ma, you have to help me this time. Regarding the investment we discussed..."

To his surprise, Ma Zhen held up his phone and said, "Cheng Jian, I just received news. I have to go home immediately. I’m leaving."

"???" Cheng Jian was stunned by the abrupt shift in attitude. What was this?

Ma Zhen didn't offer another word and walked away, showing no intention of lingering. The investment was a thing of the past. Now that the situation had turned, Yunhe would likely lose its title as the top high-end restaurant and be overshadowed by Cai Yao and that Chu Lin’s establishment. Where was the investment value in that?

Yet, he felt incredibly frustrated. He was clearly wealthier than the opposition, yet he couldn't vent his rage. Why?

Cheng Jian watched Ma Zhen leave, completely dumbfounded. He hadn't expected him to turn his back so callously. What was he supposed to do now?

Pan Yue prepared another dish and announced loudly, "Everyone, if you enjoyed the food at Linyao Restaurant, please help us promote it on your social media, and do come by to support us when you have the time!"

At this moment, Wu Cuo spoke to those around him: "Alright everyone, we all have reservations at the restaurant. Let’s head inside!"

A few people immediately began to flatter him:

"That’s right, President Wu is correct. Since the food is this good, let’s go inside and have our fill."

"I booked a private room too. When my guests arrive, I’ll show them what real gourmet food is."

"President Wu, I heard you own shares in Linyao Restaurant?"

In truth, they had come to support the restaurant only because of President Wu’s social media posts. But now, having tasted the food, "support" was no longer the right word; they hoped that when they needed a private room in the future, Linyao would do them the favor of keeping one available.

Wu Cuo did not hide it, smiling as he said, "I have a 10% stake. I had faith in Mr. Chu, but the results have far exceeded my expectations. Once we’re inside, I’ll introduce you to him."

This piqued everyone's curiosity about who this "Mr. Chu" was. But after speaking, Wu Cuo headed inside the restaurant.

Nearby, Cai Da heard these words, his expression turning gloomy. He recognized Wu Cuo, the owner of Erbai Construction. He never imagined that Linyao Restaurant had someone like him as a shareholder. Combined with that level of culinary skill, Linyao was destined to explode in popularity.

"Your sister won't be coming back," Cai Da said, feeling completely drained. In this situation, he had no face left to beg his daughter to return.

He could only take out his phone and send a message to his secretary: "I’ll accompany you to buy a house tomorrow. Focus on the pregnancy. If you give birth to a son, the house will be your reward."

He had no choice but to "start a new account." He only hoped he would have the chance to train this new one successfully.

Seeing his father give up on bringing Cai Yao back, Cai Sen’s face was filled with joy. This was good. He was the true heir, and he didn't want to be overshadowed by anyone.

Chu Lin and Cai Yao returned to the lobby. They had already received reports that the plan was proceeding as expected, especially the gourmet event Cai Yao organized at the entrance of Yunhe. Yunhe’s other two chefs had been thoroughly defeated and had slunk back to their restaurant.

They were certain that after tomorrow, Linyao’s reputation would surpass that of Yunhe. Both were in high spirits.

"Thank you, President Chu," Cai Yao said with a radiant smile.

"What are you thanking me for?" Chu Lin asked, taken aback.

"For the opportunity, of course, to open this restaurant with you and prove myself." Cai Yao gave a sly smile. She knew very well that with President Chu’s methods, he would succeed in any partnership he chose.

"Damn, Brother Lin, Cai Yao, you guys are too awesome!" Liao Hai ran in, his voice filled with excitement. "That Yunhe chef just slunk away in disgrace."

Chen Feng walked in and tapped Liao Hai on the head. "What are you shouting about? Is that any way to address Cai Yao? Shouldn’t you call her Sister-in-law Lin?"

Liao Hai realized his mistake and immediately corrected himself: "Yes, yes, Sister-in-law Lin." Having just witnessed such a major event, why was he so oblivious?

Cai Yao looked at them speechlessly but didn't offer a correction. Instead, she said to Chen Feng, "Don't you have channels for spreading rumors? Spread a message for me."

"What message?" Chen Feng asked.

Cai Yao said directly, "Just say that Ma Zhen of the Ma family is an investment black hole. Whenever he invests in Zhizhen, Zhizhen runs into trouble; now that he’s investing in Yunhe, Yunhe has lost its reputation as the top restaurant."

Chu Lin glanced at the young lady. She was truly petty. If Ma Zhen heard that, wouldn't he be furious? After all, for a second-generation heir to be labeled as a jinx who brings ruin to every business he touches was truly a strike to the heart.

Just then, Wu Cuo’s voice sounded at the door: "Mr. Chu, I’m here."

"President Wu, welcome, welcome!" Chu Lin went to greet him immediately.

Wu Cuo said to the people around him, "Everyone, this is Mr. Chu. In the future, please take good care of Mr. Chu’s business."

The group looked at Chu Lin in surprise. They had assumed that since President Wu held him in such high regard, this Mr. Chu would be a peer of theirs, but he was so young—about the same age as their sons who hadn't even graduated from university. However, they knew that anyone Wu Cuo treated with such enthusiasm must have his own capabilities.

One by one, they shook hands with Chu Lin. "Mr. Chu, I wish you prosperous business."

Chu Lin smiled and shook hands with them all.

"President Chu, I hope I’m not late?" Qin He’s smiling voice rang out as he appeared at the door, immediately shaking hands with Chu Lin. His attitude couldn't have been more cordial.

He had already experienced the wonders of that medicinal liquor. Because of his condition, he used to wake up several times a night to run to the bathroom, which was truly miserable. After drinking the liquor, he felt incredibly comfortable; the agonizing frequency had completely vanished. He believed that if he could just stock up on more, his condition would soon be cured. And all of that depended on this Mr. Chu.

This left the people surrounding Wu Cuo even more shocked. This was President Qin of the Zijin Group, whose business was even larger than President Wu’s, yet he was being so polite. What exactly was this Mr. Chu’s background?

Chen Feng, Liao Hai, and Zhu Xin had already quietly retreated to the side, looking at Chu Lin with undisguised envy. They were just "second-generation rich kids" who weren't in the same league as people like Wu Cuo, so they didn't dare to intrude.

Even people like President Wu and President Qin, who were important members of the Minjiang Chamber of Commerce—the kind of people their own elders had to treat with great respect—were being so courteous to Brother Lin. It seemed they had come specifically to support the restaurant today.

Look at Brother Lin’s level.

This made Hong Hao and Zhang Ju look at Chen Feng with envy, as Chen Feng was the only one among them who had truly latched onto Brother Lin’s coattails. That guy really had incredible luck.