190: The chef I know is definitely better than the small boss you mentioned!

A Zhen and the others looked at the table full of dishes, then shifted their gaze to the bowl of tofu soup in front of each of them.

In the mottled restaurant, on the yellowed wooden table, the blue and white porcelain bowls with their unadorned outlines exuded a touch of elegance.

But compared to the beautiful scene in the bowl, they seemed a bit unexpectedly commonplace.

In the clear, mirror-like broth, tofu threads as fine as hair floated, like silver strands disheveled by the wind.

Scattered red ham strips and a few emerald green vegetable leaves adorned the surface of the soup, exuding a touch of Jiangnan elegance under the dim yellow light.

A Zhen was a little reluctant to disturb this ambiance, wanting to appreciate it a bit longer.

He felt the warmth of the soup hitting his face, bringing a sense of dampness, and couldn't help but vigorously flare his nostrils, greedily sniffing the rich, fresh aroma that wafted to him.

This clear aroma was like the gurgling stream in a mountain valley, gently wiping away the dust from his heart.

The scent of tofu mixed with the rich chicken broth, subtly hiding the moist aroma of mushrooms, stubbornly lingered at the tip of his nose, making his throat move repeatedly.

Finally, unable to resist, he picked up a spoon and took a small sip. The temperature of the soup was just right, comforting his tongue.

The tofu threads melted in his mouth like soft clouds, almost dissolving on his tongue without needing to chew.

Then, the umami spread from deep within his throat, a subtle layering within its lightness:

First the warmth of the chicken broth, then the softness of the tofu, and finally, the fresh taste of mushrooms slowly emerged in the aftertaste.

As he swallowed, the lingering taste stretched like a fine thread, even reducing the oppressive heat of the simple room by three parts.

It made one suddenly realize that deliciousness never discriminates by location; where there is craftsmanship, even a humble room becomes an elegant feast.

A Zhen ate happily, shaking his head and sighing continuously.

Then he glanced at the young people and, seeing their expressions of admiration, felt even more satisfied.

After a few light coughs, as an elder in the rap world, he couldn't help but start lecturing.

“No matter what line of work you’re in, never judge a book by its cover, or you’ll get a harsh slap in the face. Remember that, okay?”

The young people nodded repeatedly, admitting that they had indeed been blind, seeing Mount Tai but not knowing its height, seeing a true master but not knowing his identity.

A Zhen was even happier when he saw that they had taken his words to heart.

Just then, he suddenly remembered something, and while picking up his phone to open WeChat, he smiled and said to them:

“Do you remember the legend who was famous in the apper world a few years ago but then quickly disappeared—Rap Tiger?”

The young people nodded repeatedly, but then quickly reacted, looking at A Zhen in surprise and asking:

“Brother Zhen, we got into this line because of Rap Tiger. Could it be that you know this senior?”

A Zhen smiled without speaking, simply clicked on a profile picture and made a voice call.

Soon the call connected, and a voice came through.

“Moshi moshi?”

Judging by the background noise, he seemed to be on a busy street with heavy traffic.

A Zhen was startled, momentarily forgetting what he had originally intended to say, and instead blurted out:

“You, at this hour, you’re not still wandering around with your boss, are you?”

Xiao Hu’s voice was full of fatigue and bitterness.

“No choice. My big brother, I don’t know what he ate for lunch today, he’s like he’s on a caffeine high, hasn’t stopped until now.”

A Zhen’s mouth twitched, and he couldn't help but feel a bit of sympathy for Xiao Hu, saying:

“Why do you go through such hardship, you should just come back and continue your rapper career.”

But as soon as he said it, he regretted it.

Sure enough, upon hearing this, Xiao Hu didn’t speak for a long time.

Just as the young people thought it was a signal problem, Xiao Hu’s voice finally came through.

“Haha, let’s not talk about that. Anyway, my big brother is really anxious right now, looks like I won’t get any rest these next few days~ Oh, by the way, it’s so late, why are you looking for me instead of going out for drinks with girls? Let me be clear, I’m not into guys!”

A Zhen saw Xiao Hu stiffly change the subject and cooperated, saying:

“Actually, it’s nothing much. Do you remember that chef I told you about who makes perfect teppanyaki? We’re already at his restaurant now! You won’t believe it, besides teppanyaki, he’s also a master at making other dishes!”

Xiao Hu said with a lack of interest:

“No matter how amazing, can it be more amazing than the dishes the Young Boss makes? In a few days, when we find the Young Boss, don’t you dare say you’re busy again. Even if you’re swamped, you must come to Yinhua City. I guarantee you’ll never forget the Young Boss’s cooking once you’ve tasted it.”

A Zhen was so annoyed by Xiao Hu’s attitude that he laughed.

“Fine, don’t you dare regret it! In my opinion, this chef is not only younger than your so-called Young Boss, but his cooking skills are even better. It would definitely be your biggest loss if you don’t come and try it!”

Xiao Hu chuckled a few times, sounding quite unconvinced.

“Hahaha, same goes for you! Alright, I need to go with my big brother to look elsewhere. Talk to you later, bye bye~”

With that, he hung up the voice call.

“You…”

A Zhen called out into the air, only then realizing what had happened.

He was instantly annoyed.

But when his gaze shifted to the table full of dishes, he couldn't help but smirk.

“Heh heh, aren’t you out running around? You must be hungry and tired right now, right? A good brother doesn’t want you to suffer, so since you can’t eat it, I’ll let you feast your eyes!”

Hearing A Zhen’s words, the young people couldn't help but gasp, sucking in some soup.

They looked at each other, only to realize that Brother Zhen had such a mischievous side, which made him seem unfamiliar to them.

He clicked to send a series of photos, each dish vibrant in color and clearly mouth-watering.

A Zhen thought for a moment, then secretly took a picture of Lu Chuan’s back.

At the same time, he left a message:

“This is the chef I told you about, isn’t he very young? (Smirk)”

After clicking send on the above message, he quickly set his phone to silent to prevent a subsequent bombardment of messages from Xiao Hu, then shoved it into his pocket and said with a smile to the young people:

“Come on, come on, eat quickly, the dishes won’t be good when they’re cold!”

The delicacies on the table, though varied in taste, were the most delicious they had ever encountered in their lives.

This feast left them all exclaiming with satisfaction.

By the end of the meal, without A Zhen needing to say anything, the young people consciously raised their teacups, found Lu Chuan, and offered apologies with tea instead of wine, stating that Lu Chuan's culinary skills had deeply impressed them and that they would definitely introduce friends to come and experience it themselves.

Lu Chuan smiled and waved his hand, indicating it was unnecessary to worry, then watched them leave.

After cleaning up, he carried the now-cold tea and sat down behind the cash register.

In a flash, the restaurant once again returned to its quiet state.

In the silent alley late at night, the restaurant, tidied up and looking less dilapidated, lay quietly dormant.