The Cheat Emperor of the Culinary World

Chapter 46: Chapter 45: Special Family Banquet Menu

In the restaurant, both guests and hosts were enjoying themselves, indulging in the delicious food.

The chefs, having completed their mission, retreated to the kitchen.

This is how home cooking services work; even when the chef has prepared the whole meal, they can’t leave immediately.

They must wait until the host has finished entertaining, ensuring there’s no need for an impromptu additional dish, to fully complete the task.

Zhao Meng finally felt relieved, sitting back in his chair to rest with a sense of release.

Fu Yu, on the other hand, eagerly began flipping through the new reward he had received.

Cooking a meal earned him 300 yuan.

And this didn’t include the gratuity he’d soon receive.

Aside from that, what he most eagerly anticipated was the special family meal cookbook.

To Fu Yu’s surprise, the special family meal cookbook wasn’t in the book format he imagined.

Instead, it was presented as a series of dialogue boxes.

[Special Family Meal Cookbook: Includes all family gathering menus, menus for friend reunions, intimate couple’s meals, festive dishes, 2-person meal menus, 3~4 person meal menus... 9~10 person meal menus, birthday and longevity dishes, wedding anniversary menus...]

Fu Yu was delighted!

This special family meal cookbook amazingly included a hundred sets of menus for various gathering and celebration events.

Each contained nearly a hundred different dish combinations.

And behind each dish was marked with [...].

You only need to select and view to get the detailed cooking method for a dish.

If cooking was like practicing martial arts, then for Fu Yu, this special family meal cookbook was like obtaining the introductory Heart Method.

Fu Yu couldn’t help but be overjoyed.

To keep an ear on the commotion in the dining room, the kitchen door was intentionally left open.

Sitting by the door, he could hear occasional laughter from the dining room.

Unlike the relaxed states of Fu Yu and Zhao Meng.

The Qin Family’s chef, Old Zheng, was tense, straining his ears to catch sounds from the dining room, and couldn’t help but glance at Fu Yu, who was sitting beside him.

Is this even possible?

Wasn’t the Guan Family supposed to be a family of scholars?

Remembering the surprised expressions of the Guan couple earlier, Old Zheng still found it hard to believe.

Facing a table full of home-style farm dishes, they seemed quite satisfied???

How could that be possible?

That absolutely couldn’t be!

Surely the Guan Family refrained from ruffling feathers due to their in-law relationship with the Qin Family, thus putting on a show of joyful hosts and guests.

That must be it!

Otherwise, they couldn’t truly find these rustic dishes flavorful and mouth-watering, could they?

How naive and lacking in worldly experience would someone need to be?

It was such a simple matter that even he could figure it out, and someone as clever as Qin Yue must have been aware long ago.

Not acting out immediately meant she was enduring it, trying to maintain a lively atmosphere.

Surely, if there were to be any settling of accounts, it would happen only after sending off the guests.

Old Zheng cast a sidelong glance at Fu Yu.

Fu Yu assumed a resting, meditative pose, delightfully browsing the family meal cookbook.

He was reading happily, a subtle smile occasionally gracing his face.

Old Zheng pursed his lips.

Go on and enjoy!

Hmph!

Let’s see how long you can keep that smile!!

...

After all, it was the first visit to the house.

After the meal, seeing that it was getting late, the Guan Family took the initiative to say their goodbyes.

Qin Yue was overjoyed to send them off.

Happily, she invited Fu Yu to the living room.

Qin Yue took out her phone and said to Fu Yu, ”Chef Fu, can I add you on WeChat?”

Fu Yu quickly took out his phone, ”Sure.”

The two added each other on WeChat.

Qin Yue tapped on her phone.

Fu Yu’s phone suddenly vibrated.

He opened it to check.

Qin Yue had transferred 6,666 yuan to him.

Qin Yue smiled and said, ”Thanks for your hard work tonight. Even though we originally agreed on a 5,000-yuan service fee, I was especially satisfied with tonight’s meal, so consider the extra money as a tip.”

Fu Yu didn’t stand on ceremony, accepted the money, and politely thanked her, ”Thank you.”

Qin Yue was in an excellent mood.

She hadn’t expected the meetup with the in-laws to go so smoothly.

The Guan Family was very satisfied with the meal.

During their chat, Mrs. Guan even reminisced about some old times.

Their family belongs to the traditional Gua Clan, and they have retained the ancestors’ dietary habits.

It wasn’t until after marriage that they slowly began to change.

Still, for many years, they didn’t have a chance to eat the food from their homeland, and always missed it a bit.

Unexpectedly, they tasted it today, and it was very authentic.

Successfully pleasing the in-laws, Qin Yue was overjoyed.

Since Mrs. Guan enjoyed the eight dishes and eight bowls banquet, wouldn’t it be apt to order such a meal as a family feast in the future?

So Qin Yue deliberately saved Fu Yu’s contact info, generously giving a service fee - hoping to hire Fu Yu for home services again in the future.

Seeing the two having a warm and friendly conversation, the expressions of those nearby were varied.

Zhao Meng was elated.

Wow!

He only earned 3,000 yuan for a visit.

Fu Yu earned more than twice that on this trip!!

Old Zheng’s face fell immediately.

He was all set to enjoy watching a show, but that’s it?

Could it be that the Guan Family actually considered this table of food to their liking?

Could they?

It just didn’t make sense!

But he didn’t dare speak out and ask, not being a member of the Qin Family, just a hired chef with no right to interfere in matters of the host’s household.

Even with great doubt and confusion, he had to hold it in.

Qin Yue promised, ”Chef Fu, if there’s another opportunity for home service, I’ll be sure to contact you first.”

Fu Yu smiled in thanks.

Feeling quite pleased within.

This way, he practically had a repeat customer to himself.

Not to mention this customer was generous and had no lack of money.

After the payment, Qin Yue specifically called the family driver to send Fu Yu off.

Observing Qin Yue’s attitude of treating Fu Yu like an honored guest, Old Zheng felt increasingly unsettled.

Previously, family banquet preparations fell under his responsibility, but now it seems they plan to have Fu Yu return for similar occasions.

Seeing Qin Yue sending Fu Yu back, Old Zheng approached.

”Madam, was the family feast today successful?” Old Zheng tentatively asked.

Qin Yue cheerfully replied, ”This Chef Fu truly has fantastic skills! Qianlima Restaurant is a long-established brand, and for him to be the head chef there shows he’s accomplished. Moreover, he can cook traditional Manchu dishes, which is truly impressive!”

Old Zheng found it hard to believe upon hearing this!

Yet Qin Yue comes from a well-off background, having seen all sorts of foods and events.

To earn her endless praise, it indicated that the eight dishes and eight bowls feast was indeed meticulously prepared.

Thinking of this, Old Zheng was full of disbelief, his eyes brimming with doubt and reluctance.

Qin Yue, having successfully entertained the Guan Family, was now in high spirits, ready to call her best friend to excitedly chat about the event, paying no attention to Old Zheng’s thoughts.

Old Zheng was full of doubt, yet powerless, even feeling that his originally secure job seemed somewhat shaky.

Qin Yue smiled and said, ”You’ve worked hard too, do get some rest early.”

Old Zheng quickly agreed, and after Qin Yue left, he turned back to the kitchen.