Seeing Cao Kang being silenced by Ye Chui's words, looking foolish, and even Lin Wei standing by Ye Chui's side to speak for him, Cao Xiong's face turned somewhat cold. He felt that his son was truly disappointing.
It wasn't just because Cao Kang failed to take advantage of Ye Chui verbally, but more so because in the past few days, he had been encouraging his son to pursue Lin Wei. Yet now, a street vendor selling lamb skewers seemed to have more significance in Lin Wei's eyes than his son. What had his son been doing all these days?
On this side, Lin Zhengdao wore an expression of someone enjoying the show. He had a favorable impression of Ye Chui from the moment they met, not just because of his daughter, but due to Ye Chui's calm demeanor in such situations.
Facing the challenges from Cao Xiong and Cao Kang, Ye Chui remained composed, and with wit, he effortlessly defused Cao Kang's mockery and even retorted.
At this moment, the door to the private room was suddenly pushed open. Walking in was Yang Yong, the manager of Wan Lai Fu, with several elegantly dressed waitresses carrying the prepared dishes following him. These were the dishes ordered earlier, and he personally brought them.
For ordinary customers, Yang Yong wouldn't come in person. However, Lin Zhengdao and Cao Xiong were important patrons, and Yang Yong was bending over backward to accommodate them. His face was filled with flattering smiles. Then, he saw Ye Chui, sitting casually at the table.
Yang Yong's brain momentarily short-circuited. He hadn't noticed Ye Chui leaving the kitchen just now, nor did he know that Ye Chui had entered this private room. His fingers involuntarily pointed at Ye Chui as he stammered, "You...How..."
"Manager Yang, what's wrong? Do you know this young man?" Cao Xiong's eyes were sharp, and he immediately asked with a smile that carried a hint of malicious intent.
Lin Zhengdao had a smile on his face. Another round of confrontation was beginning, and he wondered how Ye Chui would handle it.
"I know him. This..." Yang Yong's brain still hadn't caught up. Yang Yong had no idea about Cao Xiong's true intention. Instead, he thought Cao Xiong was questioning him with suspicion –after all, Ye Chui had demonstrated excellent culinary skills in the kitchen just now, and his confidence in representing Han Lao was evident.
(T/N: In some cases, 'Lao' can be used as an honorific title for someone who is highly respected or has achieved a certain level of status. And in some other cases, it is used as a respectful term to address or refer to someone who is older than the speaker.)
Of course, Cao Xiong's obviously unfriendly expression at the moment made him feel a bit strange. However, seeing Ye Chui sitting with these two big shots was indeed a fact. So, Yang Yong thought his speculation should be reliable.
He was also a clever person, and he quickly put on a smile: "Mr. Ye Chui just showed some incredible skills in the kitchen. I, with my discerning eyes, wouldn't make any abrupt judgments. Mr Ye Chui, please don't take offence."
"No problem, I'm not one to hold grudges." Ye Chui laughed. It was evident that Cao Xiong intended to mock him using Yang Yong, but Yang Yong's cooperation was seriously lacking, completely misunderstanding Cao Xiong's intentions.
Yang Yong laughed and quickly had the waitresses bring in the prepared dishes. Most of them were Wan Lai Fu's signature dishes, but more than half were vegetarian. After all, the ban on meat had been lifted not long ago, and even high-end restaurants had limited options for meat dishes.
Most of them were simple dishes like 'Braised Pork' or 'Stewed Pork,' which, although delicious, couldn't compare to the signature dish, Spicy Chicken, in Lin Wei's eyes. Lin Wei's attention hadn't been drawn to the dishes on the table; her focus was entirely on the plate of Spicy Chicken.
After arranging the dishes on the table, Yang Yong intended to leave. However, Cao Xiong stopped him with a sneer and asked, "Just now, I heard Ye Chui say that you wanted him to stay and work at Wan Lai Fu, but he refused. Is that true?"
This was what Ye Chui had said earlier, and Cao Xiong and Cao Kang instinctively treated it as boasting. Now, Cao Xiong deliberately brought it up to expose Ye Chui in front of everyone.
Little did Yang Yong know that he completely failed to understand Cao Xiong's intentions. He thought Cao Xiong was investigating –Ye Chui's culinary skills were extraordinary, a true master. Could your Wan Lai Fu afford such a culinary deity?
Seeing this, Yang Yong hastily, with a flattering smile, said, "Oh, it was my fault. Mr. Ye Chui's culinary skills are outstanding. We at Wan Lai Fu are not qualified to have him stay. I did suggest that Mr. Ye Chui stay and work at Wan Lai Fu just now, but he will surely refuse. That's only natural, only natural."
The words were filled with compliments for Ye Chui, making Ye Chui a bit embarrassed.
Cao Xiong's temples bulged. As a frequent customer of Wan Lai Fu, Yang Yong was usually quite sharp. However, today, he seemed to have a brain malfunction. Not only did he misunderstand Cao Xiong's intention, but he also tried to flatter Ye Chui –an act that completely missed the mark.
Cao Kang, still resentful from the humiliation earlier, coldly snorted and began to press Yang Yong. With a surprised expression, he inquired, "Just now, Ye Chui said that he sold you this plate of dishes for a hundred thousand yuan. Could that be true?"
The recipe for the spicy chicken did indeed sell for a hundred thousand yuan. Yang Yong instinctively replied, "Yes, I spent a hundred thousand yuan to buy the recipe for the spicy chicken. In the future, it will become the signature dish of our Wan Lai Fu."
"Really!?" Cao Kang was astonished. Just a moment ago, he thought Lin Wei deliberately conspired with Ye Chui to provoke him. He gritted his teeth and said, "You actually sold the recipe for a hundred thousand yuan. Are you out of your mind?"
"Ah!?"
Yang Yong was a bit confused, not understanding why Cao Kang was angry. He found it strange and wondered if Cao Kang thought the recipe was sold too cheaply. Yes, that must be it! He must be standing up for Ye Chui...
Thinking of this, Yang Yong hesitated and said, "Then...can I offer one hundred and twenty thousand to buy this recipe?"
Cao Kang: "..."
He once again looked foolish.
In fact, it's not entirely Yang Yong's fault for not being cooperative. It was mainly because of Ye Chui's exceptional performance in the kitchen earlier, which didn't seem like an ordinary person's work.
In addition, seeing Ye Chui suddenly sitting with these important figures, Yang Yong thought that Ye Chui's background was extraordinary. With this preconceived notion, he completely misunderstood Cao Kang's intentions.
Ye Chui couldn't help but hold back a laugh. He smiled and said, "Since we agreed on a hundred thousand, let's stick to that."
"That won't do. This spicy chicken dish is excellent in colour, fragrance, and taste. It is definitely worth it. I just felt that a hundred thousand was a bit humiliating for this dish. Mr. Ye Chui, please don't refuse again." Yang Yong quickly added, looking like he sincerely wanted Ye Chui to make a few more thousand.
Ye Chui then nodded with a suppressed smile. "Well, in that case, sure."
Cao Kang didn't expect Yang Yong to be so 'cooperative' with Ye Chui. He retorted with some frustration, "Even if there's this recipe, so what? Can Ye Chui really bring out the essence of this dish?"
This speech was intended to mock Ye Chui, suggesting that obtaining this ancient recipe and selling it for a hundred thousand was nothing extraordinary. However, to Yang Yong's ears, it carried a different meaning.
Previously, when Ye Chui was preparing dishes in the kitchen, Yang Yong had said similar things. Now, Cao Kang's words seemed to criticize his attitude at that time.
Therefore, he quickly put on a smile and said, "Mr. Ye Chui not only has the recipe, but his culinary skills are also extraordinary. Otherwise, I wouldn't have asked him to assist in entertaining Mr. Han in a few days, right?"
When this statement was made, it not only surprised Cao Kang but also caught the attention of Lin Zhengdao and the usually composed Cao Xiong, who were watching the show. They knew Mr. Han, a person known for his sharp tongue.
If, in a few days, Mr. Han was to be entertained by this young man who looked only seventeen or eighteen, he might subject the chef to a severe scolding. However, Yang Yong was telling them that this young man, Ye Chui, would be the one to host Mr. Han.
"Ye Chui, is what Manager Yang said true?" Lin Zhengdao couldn't help asking Ye Chui.
Ye Chui nodded calmly, "That's right."
"This..." Lin Zhengdao, who had been watching the show with a playful attitude, was genuinely surprised by Ye Chui's revelation. Unable to contain his curiosity, he examined Ye Chui once again. Despite appearing ordinary, Ye Chui's demeanour suggested a touch of uniqueness.
Hosting Mr Han personally was a matter of pride and honour for any chef, but Ye Chui seemed indifferent to it.
Cao Kang's face had turned a shade of dark grey. If Ye Chui's earlier retorts were considered ordinary attacks, then this revelation was undoubtedly a fatal blow.