Mingde has truly become a household name now.

Not only in Linjiang and Shenzhen, but the wider the audience for China’s Fine Cuisine, the further Mingde’s name has spread.

Usually, the influence of investors in film and television works is confined to behind the scenes. Regardless of the success of a project, the maximum return for the investor is generally monetary, tied to the performance of the work.

After all, the audience’s affection is usually directed toward the creators of the work—the filmmakers and the documentary presenters, who, in terms of positioning, are fundamentally different from actors in ordinary TV shows.

However, Jia Bingyang’s public interview shifted the focus of fans from the documentary creators to the investors themselves.

He even readily credited the success of the documentary to them, a move that transcended the usual dynamics between investors and creators.

It deeply moved fans who were already sympathetic toward Jia Bingyang, and after resolving the Lin Miao issue, they turned their efforts toward championing Mingde.

Although Mingde had been established for many years, it had been quite low-key in its early days.

Even many people from Linjiang didn’t realize that Mingde had been involved in charitable activities every year until they saw Jia Bingyang’s report.

This habit of keeping a low profile continued, with charitable acts ranging from sending warmth to mountain areas to caring for elderly people living alone.

In the past, many of these acts went unnoticed, and only Jia Bingyang’s larger-scale involvement drew any attention—though even then, it was not heavily publicized, just mentioned locally in Linjiang.

Yet, in the sparse pictures circulating online, every one of them was filled with heartwarming smiles.

It was almost as if Jia Bingyang, at a low point in his life, had fatefully crossed paths with them.

What an extraordinary company!

Mingde’s official channels were flooded with messages from fans, with even overseas compatriots sending their thanks, grateful for Mingde and Jin Yaotiao’s generosity that brought a sense of comfort to them abroad.

Linjiang itself became famous as well.

People from Linjiang were extremely proud!

The municipal government of Linjiang was equally proud!

People from Shenzhen… well, no matter what, Mingde had announced plans to expand in Shenzhen! If Mingde had arrived in Shenzhen, then they were part of Shenzhen too!

Those who had earlier made subtle accusations about Mingde’s unfair competition seemed to have disappeared, and those who dared to continue resisting were quickly silenced.

---

In Shenzhen, Xia Ren was stunned by the turn of events.

Had Mingde made a pact with some supernatural force? Why was their luck always so good?

Even when investing in a new director, they seemed to have turned him into a star.

Before he could act, Mingde had already beaten him to it, spreading news about their expansion in Shenzhen.

The money he spent on articles was wasted, and to make matters worse, the vice-president of the catering association was no longer answering his calls. Despite dialing several times, the calls all went to voicemail.

He was getting desperate, so he had someone ask around. If the matter couldn’t be resolved, it wouldn’t be the end of the world; they could always meet for drinks later.

The person who responded laughed when asked about the vice-president: “Oh, the vice-president is busy these days. No time for drinks.”

Xia Ren asked, “Busy? Is there some big event happening?”

The other person replied, “Not really, he’s busy with the formalities for Mingde joining our association.”

Xia Ren: “… Mingde is joining our association? Who recommended them?”

The other person replied, “The vice-president!”

Xia Ren: “…”

“My friend, if you’re not going to help me, at least don’t make it worse.”

---

In another part of Shenzhen, at the Ma family home, Ma Le used a trick to distract his father and sneaked into his father’s study. He opened the safe behind the desk and took out a familiar recipe book wrapped in a silk cloth.

Ma Le stared at the handwritten title on the cover of the recipe book for a long time, his eyes flickering as if he were trying to make up his mind.

Finally, his gaze became firm. He closed the book, locked the safe, stood up, and left the study.

Behind him, his father and a group of his younger disciples stood in the shadows, watching him leave with complex expressions.

After a long pause, the sixth disciple spoke up, “Second brother, do you think Ma Le is going to find Jin Yaotiao now?”

After Ma Le returned from his visit to Mingde’s restaurant, he had been acting strange.

The wine-immortal chicken he brought back couldn’t be hidden—such a strong fragrance couldn’t escape the noses of a group of chefs.

The dish was almost immediately intercepted by an elder who happened to be at home.

Upon learning it had come from Mingde and was the work of Jin Yaotiao, the elder scolded him, but then secretly tasted the dish.

The rich flavor was still remembered by the brothers.

Since then, Ma Le had been distracted, though he managed to keep up appearances. But after his recent fallout with the Shang family, his restlessness had become more apparent.

The elders were seasoned, and it wasn’t hard to see what was on his mind.

The second senior brother sighed softly, “What’s the point of stopping him? He won’t listen. You’ve all tasted the wine-immortal chicken, who can say they weren’t tempted?”

The sixth disciple fell silent for a moment before smiling, “That daughter from the eldest brother’s family…”

He paused and then said, “But that recipe… shouldn’t we stop him?”

The second senior brother thought for a long while, then shook his head, “Let it go.”

The sixth disciple asked, “Second brother?”

The second brother closed his eyes, then said, “Master only wanted me to find a successor, to let Jin Yaotiao join the sect and cooperate with the Shang family. It was always my personal wish. I’ve always felt that the Shang family was master’s legacy, and after he passed, it’s our responsibility to take care of what he left behind.”

The younger disciples shared this sentiment.

The sixth disciple thought of the cold words spoken by the master’s wife during their recent disputes and felt a heavy weight in his chest. “You didn’t do anything wrong. The Shang family and master…”

The second brother closed his eyes and interrupted, “Wrong. Sixth, can’t you see? The Shang family is no longer master’s legacy.”

“So…” The second senior brother glanced at the direction in which his son had disappeared, and a barely noticeable smile appeared on his face. “Let him be.”

….

After receiving a call from the Shenzhen Catering Association, Mr. Jin hung up the phone and was deep in thought.

His daughter, Jin Yaotiao, asked, “What’s with that expression? Who called?”

Mr. Jin thought for a moment before continuing to roll up his sleeves and tidy up, “The vice president of the Shenzhen Catering Association called. He said he recommended us for membership in their association. We don’t know him, do we? Did you contact him?”

Jin Yaotiao shook her head.

She didn’t know anyone in the Shenzhen Catering Association.

In fact, Mingde had been a peripheral figure in Shenzhen’s catering industry; not even a single fellow restaurateur came to support their opening day.

The fact that they had been accepted into the association now, especially due to the success of Huaxia Delicacies, was unexpected.

Even though the company’s reputation and image had skyrocketed, it still felt sudden, especially considering it was the vice president who was leading the way.

But whatever, Mingde was about to expand its business in Shenzhen, and these days, it was tough to thrive as a lone wolf in the market.

Being welcomed by fellow professionals couldn’t be a bad thing.

Mr. Jin pondered for a moment and then came to the conclusion.

He stopped dwelling on it.

Since Huaxia Delicacies had aired, Mingde’s good fortune had been nonstop, so one more piece of good news wouldn’t make much difference.

Good things were happening one after another.

His health had improved as well.

Recently, in Linjiang, he had been attending various municipal meetings.

Thanks to the success of Huaxia Delicacies, the city’s reputation had been boosted nationwide, and he had become a favorite of many high-ranking officials.

He had been showered with numerous awards and recognitions.

At a recent conference, one spokesperson even labeled Mingde as a company that actively promoted national culture, was dedicated to internationalizing it, and didn’t forget to give back to society—a true “conscience enterprise.”

There were countless powerful companies in the country, but the title of “conscience enterprise” wasn’t something you could earn just with money. With this positive evaluation, plus all the honors and awards, Mingde’s status in Linjiang was destined to be unshakable.

It was truly inspiring to see good deeds rewarded. This year’s regular charity event was being carried out even more carefully by Mingde.

The documentary crew of Huaxia Delicacies, after their recent busy schedule, finally had some time off and decided to join the family’s celebration dinner.

---

In the Jin family home, Lei Qiu was laughing so hard she nearly fell over, holding her phone out to Jin Yaotiao, “Yaotiao, you’re so famous now. You’ve even got a fan club!”

Jin Yaotiao looked at the screen, which displayed a social media account titled “Mingde Catering Co. Vice Chairman Jin Yaotiao Fan Club”: “… Go away.”

Yes, it was a bit ridiculous.

She, the vice chairman of a company, not a celebrity or internet influencer, somehow had a fan club after Jia Bingyang made a statement during that public argument.

And there were quite a few fans.

This fan club wasn’t a joke. Since its creation, it had posted several updates related to her, seemingly following the release schedule of Huaxia Delicacies. Each time a new episode aired, they quickly captured screenshots of her appearances and posted them.

Mingde was the main subject of the documentary, and she represented the company. She appeared in every episode.

But still, she couldn’t help but wonder—why did she have fans? What did they see in her?

On the internet, some people who accidentally clicked on this fan club account shared the same confusion:

【Hello? I saw your verified account and got confused. I know what Mingde is, but why does the vice chairman of their company have a fan club? And why does she have tens of thousands of fans?】

The fan club’s followers eagerly responded:

【Hey, don’t you think she’s gorgeous?】

【Awww, check out our beautiful, kind-hearted CEO! Follow her and check out her works!】

【She’s a tall, beautiful, rich entrepreneur who can cook! Why not support her? Following her is way more satisfying than following some celebrity. Ever since I became a fan of CEO Jin, every meal tastes better!】

Confused bystanders were then led to the pinned post, where they clicked on a picture from the latest episode of Huaxia Delicacies showing Jin Yaotiao.

The documentary mainly focused on dishes and cooking techniques, so her face only appeared occasionally, but when it did, the viewers couldn’t help but be captivated by her brief moments on screen. Those brief glances of her were now being scrutinized in detail, and the more they looked, the more beautiful she seemed.

In the photo, Jin Yaotiao was preparing a dish of Huadiao chicken, with her head slightly tilted, focusing on the chicken in front of her. Her long neck and delicate side profile were clearly visible, her slender fingers gently spreading sauce over the golden, glistening chicken skin.

The bystander stared at the photo for a few seconds: “…”

Okay, count me in. But let me grab a bowl of rice first.

---

Winter had arrived again in Linjiang. Everyone was preparing to leave the house, putting on thick coats, chatting and laughing, when they suddenly noticed someone standing outside.

Jin Yaotiao, who was zipping up her coat, froze when she saw the person outside. She immediately recognized him, “Ma Le?”

Ah!

Yes!

She suddenly remembered.

The day at the Shenzhen restaurant, after Debbie’s doctor left, she had been wondering what was missing.

That person, Ma Le, had disappeared back then, and now, he reappeared, standing outside the Jin family home holding a box. For some reason, he didn’t ring the doorbell but just stood in the cold wind, staring at the house.

When Jin Yaotiao called out to him, he snapped out of his trance, his eyes quickly scanning her before taking a step back.

When Mr. Jin saw him, he hurriedly went out to open the door, “What are you doing here in Linjiang? It’s freezing out here, why didn’t you ring the bell?”

Ma Le was pulled inside.

After hesitating for a few seconds, he finally noticed the group of people behind Jin Yaotiao and asked, “Are you all leaving?”

Jin Yaotiao blinked, looking at him. “You came to find us?”

“I came to find you,” Ma Le muttered, handing her the box he was holding. “Here.”

Jin Yaotiao took the box with suspicion. When she opened it, her brows immediately furrowed.

She closed the lid and handed it back to him. “Take it back.”

Ma Le hid his arms behind his back, pretending he had no hands, and grumbled, “Hey, what’s this about? I came all the way from Shenzhen to Linjiang, and it’s freezing! Don’t be like this!”

Jin Yaotiao remained unmoved. “This is from the Shang family. I can’t accept it.”

Ma Le hesitated for a while. “You made that wine chicken, right? I haven’t let you off the hook for that…”

Jin Yaotiao froze for a moment. Wine chicken? How did Ma Le know about that?

She suddenly recalled the chicken that had mysteriously disappeared, the one that had made Ye Baiqing angry enough to call her even after giving birth to ask about it.

She glared at Ma Le. “You were the one who stole the chicken…”

Ma Le panicked for a moment and blurted out, “I wasn’t! It wasn’t me! Don’t say nonsense!”

Jin Yaotiao realized. “It was you.”

Ma Le: “…”