Huang Yuan stared at the plate of Twice-cooked Pork in front of him, its glistening colors and mouthwatering aroma making him lick his lips. He picked up a piece and popped it into his mouth, letting out a satisfied “Ahhh!” almost involuntarily.

The customers in the shop turned their heads at his almost theatrical exclamation.

“This meat is just too delicious,” Huang Yuan explained with a grin before burying his head back into his meal.

Before long, the shop was filled with people intensely focused on their food, while a growing line of customers queued outside, waiting eagerly for their turn.

In the kitchen, Qiao Lu was rushing around preparing ingredients for Qin Feng, barely catching her breath. Glancing at Qin Feng, who seemed calm and collected as he cooked, her heart filled with admiration.

An hour later, Qin Feng told Qiao Lu to inform the queue that they were closed for lunch service and would reopen in the evening.

Stepping outside, Qiao Lu announced to the waiting customers, “Everyone, lunch service is over. I’m so sorry, but please come back later tonight!”

Hearing this, the crowd began murmuring.

“Aww, we’ve been waiting so long! Just make one more dish, please!”

“Yeah, there aren’t that many of us left. Just a little extra effort!”

“Boss, show some mercy!”

Seeing their persistence, Qiao Lu repeated firmly, “It’s really not possible. Please come early tonight, everyone!”

Realizing it was futile, the crowd reluctantly dispersed.

“Phew…”

Qiao Lu slumped into a chair and let out a long breath. She was utterly exhausted from the morning’s work.

“You’re worn out already? If you worked in one of those restaurants open until three or four in the afternoon, wouldn’t you be crawling home?”

Qin Feng walked out of the kitchen, teasing her as he noticed how tired she looked.

“Master, I’m just a delicate girl! Doing so much all at once is too much for me,” Qiao Lu protested, rubbing her arms and legs.

“You’ll get used to it. I believe in you.”

Qin Feng patted her on the shoulder and then went over to chat with Shen Yuanshan.

Shen Yuanshan sipped his tea and remarked, “Xiao Qin, I noticed a few people eating here earlier who are chefs from other restaurants. I know because I’ve been to almost every restaurant in Jianghai City. They’re probably here to steal your recipes and add them to their menus.”

Qin Feng didn’t seem bothered at all and replied casually, “That’s fine. Good food should be shared. The more people know about it, the wider it spreads.”

“You’re pretty open-minded about it. Not many young people nowadays have your level of magnanimity,” Shen Yuanshan said, giving Qin Feng an approving look.

“You flatter me, Old Sir,” Qin Feng said with a modest smile, not thinking much of his attitude.

Meanwhile, at Yonghe Restaurant, Zhao Yonghe had gathered his chefs to hear the report from the person sent to taste the Twice-cooked Pork.

“That Twice-cooked Pork was something else! Don’t let the fatty pork fool you—it was rich but not greasy, flavorful and tender. Oh, that taste… words fail me!”

The man’s face was filled with longing, and he was practically drooling.

“Quit rambling about how good it is and tell me what’s in it!”

Zhao Yonghe smacked him on the head.

“Oh, right! It’s made with pork, garlic, ginger, and doubanjiang. Seems like a stir-fry.”

“Alright, then get to it. Replicate this dish as soon as possible!”

After giving his instructions, Zhao Yonghe waited outside, confident that reproducing a stir-fry would be a piece of cake.

But hours later, he received bad news—the Twice-cooked Pork wasn’t turning out right.

Hearing this, Zhao Yonghe rushed to the kitchen and asked, “What happened?”

“The dish doesn’t match what I tasted earlier. The color and flavor are way off,” one of the chefs admitted. They had tried dozens of times but failed each time.

“Then keep trying! I refuse to believe we can’t nail it,” Zhao Yonghe insisted, recalling how it had taken over a dozen tries to perfect kung pao chicken last time.

“We’ve tried everything. The flavor just doesn’t come out right when we stir-fry the meat, and the presentation is terrible. There’s got to be some kind of secret technique,” another chef said, bringing over a plate of their failed attempts. The meat looked dry and unappetizing.

“I’ll go see for myself tonight,” Zhao Yonghe decided after some thought.

At 5 PM, Qiao Lu picked up Nannan from kindergarten and carried her back to the shop.

“Big sis, why isn’t Daddy coming to pick me up?” Nannan asked, blinking curiously.

“Because Daddy’s busy! So from now on, Big sis will pick you up, okay?”

Qiao Lu pinched Nannan’s cheek, her face full of affection.

“Okay, I like it!”

Nannan nodded obediently.

Once they reached the shop, Qiao Lu asked Qin Feng, “Master, what should I do now?”

Qin Feng pointed at Nannan. “Just play with her. Once the crowd comes, things might get chaotic, so you can take her for a walk if needed.”

“Got it!” Qiao Lu grinned and crouched down to pinch Nannan’s cheeks again. “You’re my lucky star. With you here, I get to relax. Come on, let’s go play!”

By 6 PM, the shop was packed again, with a line stretching all the way out of the alley.

When Qin Feng brought out a plate of Twice-cooked Pork and rice, he was surprised to see Zhao Yonghe seated in front of him.

“Boss Qin, I hope you don’t mind me dropping by!”

Zhao Yonghe was the first to speak.

“Of course not. You’re always welcome,” Qin Feng replied, setting the dish in front of him.

“I heard you’ve launched a new dish, so I came to support your business,” Zhao Yonghe said with a smile that gave nothing away.

“Enjoy your meal,” Qin Feng said simply before heading back into the kitchen, not bothering to engage further.

Zhao Yonghe looked at the plate of Twice-cooked Pork. Its vibrant color and juicy appearance were unlike anything he’d ever seen from a stir-fried dish.

He took a bite, and the flavor was so exquisite it was almost addictive. Yet, he restrained himself, carefully analyzing the taste.

Even after finishing the plate, he couldn’t figure out how it was made. Like the kung pao chicken, this dish likely involved more than just simple stir-frying.

This realization sparked an idea in his mind.

After business hours, Qiao Lu handed Nannan back to Qin Feng and headed home, looking forward to a relaxing bath.

As she walked, Zhao Yonghe suddenly appeared, blocking her path with a polite smile. “Miss Qiao, good evening. I’m Zhao Yonghe, the owner of Yonghe Restaurant.”

“What do you want?”

Qiao Lu instinctively felt that nothing good would come from this encounter.

“You work at ’A Spoonful Moment’, so I’d like to ask you for some advice. Of course, I wouldn’t trouble you without proper compensation.”

Zhao Yonghe pulled out a bulging envelope from his pocket.