At this moment, the ten taste-testers couldn’t even be bothered to talk; they were stuffing their mouths with fish, completely abandoning any semblance of decorum. The contrast with how they had sampled Liu Ming’s dish was striking.

“Nannan, eat more! Hurry Up!”

Qiao Lu held Nannan in her arms, enjoying the fish so much that she seemed to have forgotten about everyone else watching.

“This is so delicious! Daddy’s fish is the best!”

Nannan’s mouth was smeared with oil, not even sparing a second to wipe it off.

The audience already knew the outcome of the competition; there was no need for any further commentary.

Seeing this, Zhao Yonghe’s face was dark as if it could drip water, his fists tightly clenched.

As for Liu Ming, he left without looking back. A head chef of a five-star restaurant losing to someone running a small diner? If word got out, his reputation in the culinary world would be ruined.

Journalist Yao Hao approached Zhao Yonghe and said, “Boss Zhao, the results are clear as day. You’ve lost. The creator of Kung Pao Chicken is Boss Qin, and as the witness, my job here is done.”

“That’s only natural.”

Zhao Yonghe forced out the words with a blank expression, then headed to the back kitchen. Although they’d lost the competition, they could still steal Yi Shao Jian’s recipes and keep their restaurant running strong.

At the table, Qin Feng saw Nannan licking her fingers repeatedly and quickly took out a tissue to wipe her hands. He reminded her, “No more licking your fingers, okay? It’s not hygienic. Understand?”

“Okay, but the fish was just too delicious!”

Nannan nodded obediently but still looked like she hadn’t had enough.

“If you want more, Daddy can make it for you anytime.”

Qin Feng picked her up and began to walk outside slowly.

Shen Yuanshan, with his hands behind his back, walked beside him, smiling warmly. “Xiao Qin, your cooking is truly extraordinary. Running a small diner is beneath your talent. If you’re interested, I can recommend you to work at a five-star restaurant as the head chef, no problem.”

“Thank you for the kind offer, Old Shen, but I think I’m more suited to this kind of diner. High-end hotels really aren’t my thing.”

Qin Feng politely declined with a smile. In his previous life, he’d spent enough time in world-famous restaurants and hotels. Now, he just wanted a different kind of life, one where he could spend time with his wife and child.

“Xiao Qin, you’re too modest. But everyone has their own aspirations. Since you’re not interested, I won’t press the matter. Tomorrow is Friday, and I’m already looking forward to your new dish. This old man has practically become your fan.”

Shen Yuanshan laughed heartily, his mood incredibly cheerful.

“No problem. I guarantee you’ll love it.”

Qin Feng nodded. Introducing a new dish every week would become a regular feature from now on.

Shen Yan watched her grandfather laughing so happily, almost like a young man again, and couldn’t help but cover her mouth with a smile. It had been a long time since she’d seen him this joyful.

Afterward, everyone went their separate ways to return home.

When they got home, Qin Feng coaxed Nannan to sleep and then went to his room to rest as well.

Meanwhile, Qiao Lu lay in bed tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep. Scenes of Qin Feng’s calm and confident demeanor while cooking replayed in her mind, refusing to fade away.

Finally, she got up and went to the next room, pushing the door open directly. She saw Xiao Wen quickly shutting her laptop, her face flushed red.

“What are you doing? Sneaking around like that?” Qiao Lu asked suspiciously.

“What else could I be doing? Watching a little movie, duh! And why didn’t you knock before coming in? You scared me!”

Xiao Wen glared at her in annoyance.

“Wenwen, I can’t sleep.”

Qiao Lu plopped onto the bed, pouting with her lips high.

Seeing this, Xiao Wen asked, “What’s wrong with you? Missing a guy?”

“No, not that. I’ve recently become really interested in cooking. I want to become a chef.”

Qiao Lu revealed her thoughts. Ever since tasting Qin Feng’s food, she’d been inspired.

“You’re at this age, and now you want to learn to cook? Isn’t it a bit late? Besides, your current job is pretty good—relaxing, with decent pay. This is just a passing whim.”

Xiao Wen patiently tried to dissuade her. Girls weren’t like guys who could just quit jobs and switch careers so easily.

“This isn’t a whim. I’ve finally found what I really want to do.”

Qiao Lu’s face was full of determination.

Seeing her resolve, Xiao Wen knew it was useless to keep persuading her.

The next morning, after Qin Feng dropped Nannan off at kindergarten, he went to the market to buy groceries.

There, he saw Qiao Lu and walked over to greet her. “What are you doing here? You don’t seem like someone who cooks.”

Qiao Lu chuckled and leaned closer. “Qin Dage, I want to learn how to cook from you. What do you think?”

Qin Feng smiled faintly and replied, “Cooking is tough work. It’s not something a girl like you can handle. Just go back to your job, and if you like my food, feel free to eat at my place often. You’re always welcome.”

“I like cooking now, and I’ve already quit my job.”

Qiao Lu looked at Qin Feng with unwavering determination.

“You really act on impulse, huh? But if you want to learn from me, it won’t be easy. Cooking is all about fate. Let’s see if you and I are fated for this.”

Knowing she was dead set on this, Qin Feng decided to test her, hoping she’d give up halfway.

“No problem! No matter how you test me, I won’t give up.”

Qiao Lu’s face was brimming with confidence as she followed Qin Feng back to Yi Shao Jian.

After placing the groceries in the kitchen, Qin Feng took out a bundle of greens and placed it in front of Qiao Lu. “Your test is to pick these vegetables. Start.”

“Pick vegetables?”

Qiao Lu was taken aback but still sat down and began carefully picking. She discarded any wilted or rotten leaves, being extra meticulous to avoid making mistakes. She occasionally glanced at Qin Feng, trying to gauge his intentions, her heart full of nervous anticipation.

After about ten minutes, she finished picking the bundle of vegetables and stared at Qin Feng, her heart pounding as if she were meeting her first crush.

Qin Feng picked up a leaf with a wormhole and asked, “If it were you, would you eat this?”

“Of course! It shows that the vegetables weren’t sprayed with pesticides. They’re healthy and natural!”

Qiao Lu defended herself with a straight face.

“As a chef, the most important thing is to provide guests with flawless food. No imperfections are allowed. I had you pick vegetables to test your sensitivity to ingredients.”

Qin Feng’s words were spoken earnestly.

Hearing this, Qiao Lu’s heart sank. She asked softly, “Does that mean I didn’t pass?”

Qin Feng shook his head. “Not quite. These greens, while they look decent, don’t have much usable parts. You did a good job distinguishing what could be used and what couldn’t. So, you passed.”

“Yay! Thank you, Master!”

Overjoyed, Qiao Lu leaped forward and hugged Qin Feng tightly.

“Ahem, this isn’t appropriate between a master and apprentice.”

Qin Feng coughed awkwardly.

Realizing what she’d done, Qiao Lu quickly let go, her face flushed with embarrassment.