"Senior Brother's cooking tastes even better; the eggplant skin stays crispy. Master Ma's version is more satisfying with rice because that's exactly how the school cafeteria prepares it."

Heh... You don't offend either side; you really are a master of diplomacy. If you spoke like this to your future in-laws, you wouldn't always be on the verge of getting beaten up... Lin Xu silently ridiculed his girlfriend for a moment before turning to Xie Baomin and asking, "Senior Brother, you can try again when you get home tonight. If that doesn't work out, we can send Master Ma over. I refuse to believe he can't outperform a middle school cafeteria's head cook."

Xie Baomin had let go of his regret by then. At least, when he faced him using the Cooking Learning Card now, he wouldn't see any more angry Skill prompts.

He said with a smile, "It's not their fault; it's mine. I've always used the same methods at Fishing Platform for cooking at home. No wonder the kids don't like it. Compared to what Master Ma makes, my food lacks that homey touch."

Hotel cuisine generally lacks that homey feel. In contrast, some farmhouse restaurants are where you can find dishes with that kind of rustic charm.

Xie Baomin was also beginning to understand why his wife had been so happy when she took the kids camping on West Mountain the last time, especially after he'd said he wouldn't go. Perhaps it was because I lacked that homey touch?

He decided he'd have to change this flaw in the future and keep work and life separate: be a warm family pillar at home and a demanding executive chef at Fishing Platform.

Thinking of this, he said seriously to Lin Xu, "Junior Brother, thank you. You've made me understand the importance of separating work and life."

Lin Xu was bewildered. Why the sudden thanks? You're not planning to dance to 'Listen to Me Say Thank You,' are you?

Xie Baomin was so eager to head home and be open with his family about his shortcomings that he didn't even finish his meal. "I'm heading back first, Junior Brother. The employee meals in your restaurant could use some variety. Next time, I'll teach you how to make Zaozhuang Spicy Chicken; it's really good with rice..."

After Xie Baomin left, Lin Xu still couldn't figure out why his Senior Brother had thanked him.

But Zaozhuang Spicy Chicken... That dish sounds pretty good.

Since he hadn't learned to cook eggplant, mastering this chicken dish would be a good alternative. Once he learned to make Zaozhuang Spicy Chicken, the restaurant could offer at least one more way to prepare chicken, unlike now, where it was either steamed or dry-fried, which was quite limiting.

"Today, I told Uncle Tan about the upcoming renovations and restaurant closure. He immediately had Assistant Yuan start arranging a business trip. He said he couldn't bear to stay in Beijing a moment longer if he couldn't eat your food..." Shen Jiayue spoke about Tan Yajun's antics while eating.

Although Shen Guofu always proclaimed himself a 'little prince of gourmet food,' he wasn't nearly as picky as Tan Yajun. This explained why, the moment Tan Yajun mentioned in their group chat how good Lin Ji's food was, all his friends were immediately intrigued.

Lin Xu said, "When I start working at Fishing Platform, I can send him a lunch portion too."

"Alright, I'll tell Uncle Tan when I get back," Shen Jiayue replied. Then she added, "By the way, taking the subway to and from work isn't convenient for you, so Dad prepared a car. It was sent for a checkup and maintenance yesterday and was also thoroughly cleaned, inside and out. The company driver might deliver it this afternoon, so remember to accept it."

A commuter car? Hearing the term, Lin Xu's mind involuntarily conjured images of a mobility scooter for seniors. Aren't those banned on Beijing roads? Could it be something like a Hongguang Mini EV? That would be fine, actually. At least it'd be much better than taking the subway, since the station is quite far from Fishing Platform, and the walk from Fishing Platform's main gate to Building No. 2 also takes a long time.

「At two in the afternoon.」

After the lunch rush, Lin Xu was getting ready to go back to the residential complex behind the restaurant to take a nap.

A man, about twenty-five or twenty-six years old, pushed the door open and came in. "Boss Lin, Mr. Shen asked me to deliver a car to you..."

It's been delivered already?

An excited Lin Xu stepped outside and said with a smile, "Thank you for making the trip! Just give me the car keys... Huh? A Mercedes?"

Lin Xu was stunned the moment he saw the car key. It was actually a Mercedes key. Wasn't it supposed to be a commuter car? Could it be different from what I imagined?

He pushed the door open and stepped outside, only to see a white Mercedes G63—the legendary Mercedes G-Wagon—parked quietly in the parking spot by the entrance.

This is the 'commuter car' Shen Jiayue mentioned? Does she have some kind of misunderstanding about the word 'commuter'?

"The car has just been serviced, and the interior has been thoroughly cleaned. The gas tank is full, and the fuel card is in the compartment in front of the passenger seat..."

While Lin Xu was still dumbfounded, the driver continued to introduce the car.

When the driver finished, Lin Xu finally snapped back to reality. He took it for a test drive and felt it was excellent. It truly lived up to its reputation as a luxury car worth millions—it drove steadily and had impressive sound insulation.

After parking the car back in the spot, Lin Xu turned to the young man who delivered it and said, "Thank you for coming all this way in this heat. May I ask your name?"

The young man said, "My name is Zou Cheng. I'm Mr. Shen's driver, but he prefers to drive himself. So, I'm responsible for the company's vehicle maintenance, which includes taking them to the 4S shop for regular servicing."

Wow, what a great job! Just cruising around in luxury cars all day. Not many people get such a good gig, right?

Perhaps sensing Lin Xu's bewilderment, Zou Cheng said, "My sister is Mr. Shen's secretary, so I was lucky enough to get this job. If there's nothing else, Boss Lin, I'll head back. If you have any problems with the car, just give me a call. My mobile number is on the back of the fuel card."

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