At the shopping mall where the Mingde Courtyard’s second branch was located, a young couple was strolling around.

As lunchtime approached, the boyfriend looked at a banner hanging in the mall, advertising the Mingde Courtyard’s anniversary celebration and special discounts. Feeling a bit tempted, he suggested, “How about having lunch at Mingde Courtyard?”

“What’s so special about Mingde Courtyard?” The girlfriend pouted playfully. “Let’s go to Yunding, okay?”

The boyfriend hesitated. “The line at Yunding is always super long, and honestly, I don’t think Yunding’s food is that great. Besides the fancy decor, the taste isn’t any different from Mingde Courtyard’s.”

The girlfriend protested, “But Yunding’s dishes look better in photos. I want to post on my social media!”

The boyfriend was speechless but couldn’t argue with her. He reluctantly agreed. However, when they got to the sixth floor, the elevator doors opened, and they were greeted by a massive crowd of people.

“Oh my gosh!” There had to be at least a few hundred people, right? The girlfriend, who had insisted on eating at Yunding, was startled. “Why are so many people lining up at Yunding today? This is even crazier than usual!”

But upon closer inspection, the crowd wasn’t gathered at Yunding, which was to the left of the elevator. Instead, curiosity piqued, she dragged her boyfriend toward the commotion.

“Mingde Courtyard?!”

Since when did Mingde Courtyard become so popular that hundreds of people were lining up? Was the food free because of the anniversary celebration?!

The behavior of the crowd was unusual too.

At restaurants like Yunding, after taking a number, people would generally wander off to shop and kill time while waiting.

But today, all these customers were gathered at the entrance of Mingde Courtyard, craning their necks to look toward the restaurant’s doors as if something fascinating was happening inside.

From a distance, snippets of conversation between customers and the staff at the entrance floated over:

“There are no seats inside? Can I take my order to-go? Do you still include the stewed beef ribs if it’s takeaway?”

“Of course, but you’ll still need to wait a bit. There are currently twenty-five tables ahead of you for takeaway orders.”

“This must be a publicity stunt…” The girlfriend found it unbelievable. When had Mingde Courtyard ever been this popular?

Before she could process it further, someone nudged her from behind, causing her to stumble into the crowd.

“Who did that?!” She turned around angrily, ready to scold someone, but before she could speak, a rich aroma wafted over from inside Mingde Courtyard, leaving her momentarily stunned.

She’d smelled it earlier when she exited the elevator, but the distance had made it faint, and she assumed it was just her hunger playing tricks on her.

Now that she was closer, the fragrance hit her full force, and she was at a loss for words.

Suddenly, there was a wave of excitement behind her—

“It’s here! It’s finally ready!”

From within the restaurant came the sound of wheels rolling.

A chef in a white uniform, accompanied by two waitstaff, emerged pushing a small cart. On the cart was a massive stainless-steel pot, nearly as tall as a person, with steam rising in tendrils around its lid.

The moment the pot appeared, the already tantalizing aroma grew even stronger.

The chef parked the cart behind a glass-covered table to the right of the restaurant’s entrance. Wearing gloves, he lifted the lid and hooked a chunk of meat from the pot.

It was a massive beef rib, lifted steaming from the broth. The fragrance intensified, and the crowd became even more restless.

The beef was stewed to a rich, glistening perfection, its juices pooling generously on the cutting board.

The chef swiftly deboned the meat and expertly sliced it into evenly sized pieces.

The chunks of beef trembled slightly at the tip of his knife, looking so tender that their melt-in-your-mouth texture was almost visible to the eye.

The pieces, along with the savory juices, were carefully placed into a takeaway box waiting nearby.

“Number 036!” A waitstaff member efficiently sealed the box and handed it to a customer eagerly waiting at the entrance. “Here’s your takeaway order, along with our anniversary gift of stewed beef ribs. Thank you for your patience, and enjoy your meal.”

As this transaction concluded, the chef had already begun slicing another rib, his knife flashing under the lights.

The crowd’s gazes were glued to him, captivated.

The girl’s stomach growled audibly as she stared at the steaming, tender beef being hooked piece by piece from the pot.

Her legs wouldn’t budge, and she was practically drooling.

Finally, she realized why the customers were all clustered at the entrance, unwilling to leave even after taking their numbers.

“Wow…” her boyfriend muttered in disbelief. “Mingde Courtyard… is this some kind of cheat code? I don’t remember seeing this dish on their menu before.”

“This isn’t one of Mingde Courtyard’s usual dishes,” a smiling staff member nearby explained, overhearing his comment. “It’s actually a signature dish from our high-end restaurant, Xunxiang Banquet. For the company’s anniversary celebration, the owner decided to offer this dish as a gift to thank our loyal customers. He also mentioned that if conditions allow in the future, we might consider adding it to Mingde Courtyard’s menu. After all, Xunxiang Banquet is Mingde’s oldest and most prestigious restaurant. Although we can’t make all its dishes widely available due to pricing constraints, the owner hopes to let more people experience its charm through these special events.”

“Xunxiang Banquet?”

The name was unfamiliar to many younger people.

But at this moment, as they stared at the chef’s glistening, juicy beef and breathed in the mouthwatering fragrance that left their stomachs growling, everyone instinctively yearned to know more about this restaurant.

If this was just one of its signature dishes… what could the others possibly taste like?

The boyfriend snapped out of his daze and gently tugged at his girlfriend. “Let’s go. If we wait any longer, we won’t even get into Yunding today.”

To his surprise, his girlfriend continued to stare fixedly at the chef cutting the beef, her eyes wide and unblinking. “Yunding’s food only looks good in photos. What’s the point? Why are you just standing there? Go get a number! What if they run out of beef ribs?!”

Boyfriend: “???”

Didn’t I just suggest Mingde Courtyard earlier, and you insisted on going to Yunding for the photos?

This is too hard for me…

Similar scenes were unfolding at several Mingde Courtyard branches.

At the sixth branch, in the outdoor cooking area, Wang Sheng had never been so busy.

The early winter chill by the river was bone-piercing, but he didn’t feel even a sliver of cold.

In front of him, the flames roared inside the stoves, and thick steam billowed from the large stew pots arranged in rows.

Beyond the barriers guarded by the security team, layers upon layers of people crowded around the cooking area.

Among them were tourists visiting the riverside, as well as local residents passing by.

Drawn by the enticing aroma, they gathered outside the cooking area, some taking photos and videos, while others simply watched out of curiosity.

Many, however, took the opportunity to grab a queue ticket for dining.

After all, they needed to eat anyway.

Why not eat at the place that smelled the best?

Wang Sheng kept a close eye on the cooking process and coordinated the team as they handled the meat.

The ten or so chefs at the sixth branch worked tirelessly, their knives moving constantly.

The sizzling aroma of beef filled the air, turning the chilly wind into something almost blazing.

By this point, everyone at the sixth branch, including the manager, had no time to care about what was happening at Muhe Mansion’s event.

They were so busy that even their walking seemed like flying.

Meanwhile, a media van rounded a corner. Inside, a reporter was checking his equipment while chatting idly with the cameraman.

“Our boss, seriously… What’s there to report about Mingde’s anniversary celebration? Sending us out here on such a cold day for this task.”

The cameraman chuckled. “If the boss insists, it’s probably because Mingde pulled some strings. Work is work, doesn’t matter what we shoot.”

“The problem is this story has zero highlights. Who’s even going to watch it? If the engagement rate is too low, we’ll end up taking the blame,” the reporter sighed. “Mingde is really terrible at PR. Just look at Muhe Mansion—blocking roads, inviting celebrity food critics, pulling off one grand spectacle after another. That’s how you grab attention.”

Just as he finished speaking, several police cars sped by with their sirens on.

The reporter leaned out to take a look. “Whoa, what’s going on?”

Before he could figure it out, the van turned a corner, and the sight ahead left him utterly speechless.

Those police cars stopped, and about a dozen officers quickly got out.

The head of Mingde Courtyard’s security team, who had been struggling to manage the crowd at the entrance, immediately went to greet them. “Thank you for coming, officers. The crowd is just too large; we need your help to keep things under control.”

“No problem.” The officers were initially startled by the size of the crowd, which far exceeded their expectations.

Hearing the security chief’s request, they waved it off. “With so many people here, there’s a risk of a stampede. Ensuring everyone’s safety is our responsibility.”

Mingde had filed a report with the authorities in advance about the event, so the officers didn’t disperse the crowd.

Instead, they dove into crowd control to prevent any accidents.

Stepping out of the media van, the reporter held his microphone, staring dumbfounded at the massive crowd in front of him.

After a moment, he snapped out of it and smacked the dazed cameraman. “Stop gawking! Turn on the camera! My god, if we capture this scene properly, we might just snatch the top headline from the team covering Muhe Mansion.”

---

At Linjiang City Airport, a plane touched down with a roar. As the cabin door opened, Cheng Chen’s assistant hurried to the tarmac.

He had left the city at dawn and waited outside the airport for five hours. Now, he anxiously fixed his gaze on the cabin door, not daring to look away.

Finally, his face lit up with joy as he called out, “Mr. Meng!”

An older man, a bit plump, appeared at the cabin door. Supported by a young man and woman, he descended the stairs at a leisurely pace.

The assistant eagerly tried to lend a hand, but the two younger people didn’t let him get close.

Left with no choice, he trailed behind them, guiding Mr. Meng toward the waiting car. “Mr. Meng, it’s an honor to have you here. Our boss, Mr. Cheng, has admired you for a long time and personally instructed me to ensure your comfort. The journey must have been exhausting for you?”

True to his reputation for being aloof, Mr. Meng only cleared his throat in response.

The young man helping him smiled politely and replied, “The trip from Vancouver was a bit long. Grandpa slept through most of the flight and is now looking forward to the molecular gastronomy feast Mr. Cheng has prepared.”

The assistant nodded eagerly. “You must be Mr. Meng’s family. Please, get in the car. At Muhe Mansion, we’ve put great effort into this banquet, and I’m sure it’ll be a delightful experience.”

In the car, the assistant handed over a beautifully designed magazine-style menu.

Mr. Meng finally showed some interest, taking it and flipping through while chatting casually. “I’ve been in the culinary world for so many years and eaten plenty of high-end cuisine. Living abroad now, I often miss the Chinese dishes made by a few of the top chefs back home. Claiming to be the best in domestic fine dining—your boss certainly has ambition.”

He had come all this way, intrigued by the bold “number one” claim.

But as he scrutinized the menu, his eyebrows subtly furrowed. “Truffle and gold-leaf braised sea cucumber, caviar and shark fin, foie gras with Kobe beef and gold leaf… these ingredients…”

It seemed as though the menu had been designed by simply piling on the most expensive ingredients.

To him, some of these choices were completely unnecessary.

Take gold leaf, for example—it’s merely a decorative element that adds to a dish’s price but does nothing for its flavor.

The assistant, oblivious to Mr. Meng’s hesitation, continued boasting proudly. “That’s right! Every dish today has been meticulously crafted. For instance, this truffle and gold-leaf braised sea cucumber—each serving comes with an entire sheet of gold leaf on top. I can confidently say no other restaurant in the country can match this level of extravagance…”

Mr. Meng sighed, closed the menu, and looked out the window.

He understood now.

The owner of Muhe Mansion had clearly mistaken unnecessary embellishments as the main selling point.

With so many rare ingredients combined, it would be difficult to make a bad dish.

But such a display of wealth-driven “flavor” was far too predictable, dampening the expectations that had brought him on this long journey.

Shaking his head, Mr. Meng lowered the car window, letting the wind blow in.

He lamented the increasingly shallow trends in the culinary world. Just then, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a massive crowd in the distance, as lively as a New Year’s Eve celebration.

What was that…?

Before he could dwell on the thought, the wind carried a tantalizing aroma to him.

The car turned onto a closed-off road lined with countless ornate flower baskets, and the bustling crowd disappeared from view.

Outside Muhe Mansion, reporters eagerly awaited Mr. Meng’s arrival.

The assistant, recalling his boss’s instructions, didn’t dare let Mr. Meng know about the earlier crowd, so he had the driver stop the car some distance away while he went to fetch security.

When he returned with bodyguards in tow, he froze.

Where was Mr. Meng?

---

At Muhe Mansion, Cheng Chen greeted the arriving guests in his tailored suit.

He noticed a few prominent figures glancing back in the direction they had come from, whispering among themselves.

With a smile, he approached them. “What are you discussing?”

The local culinary elites exchanged knowing glances, their eyes full of meaning. Then, smiling, they replied, “Oh, it’s nothing. Congratulations, Mr. Cheng, on organizing such a grand event and even convincing Mr. Meng to attend.”

Indeed, Cheng Chen’s bold move of inviting Mr. Meng to counter Mingde’s banquet was as ruthless as it was clever.