Chapter 8

"Boss, are you okay?" Li Gengxin instinctively asked Zhao Dahai. After all, yesterday Zhao Dahai still thought he was secretly trying to snatch his deputy chef position. The look in his eyes was full of resentment.

How long has it been? Zhao Dahai seemed like a completely different person. Such a transformation would be hard for anyone to bear, not just Li Gengxin.

Zhao Dahai looked at the somewhat at a loss Li Gengxin. Without hesitation, he straightforwardly revealed the answer.

"Li Gengxin, yesterday the young lady announced at the meeting that she appointed me as the deputy chef." Zhao Dahai's words made Li Gengxin suddenly understand!

Li Gengxin inwardly roared: Damn, I'm finally vindicated!

"Boss, congratulations!" Li Gengxin said with a smile.

"Sorry, I was too impulsive yesterday. We've been together for two years, and I should know what kind of person you are. I just lost my head for a moment..." Before Zhao Dahai could finish, Li Gengxin hurriedly asked, "What did the young lady say at the meeting?"

Li Gengxin didn't want to listen to his boss ramble on.

Then he heard Zhao Dahai say, "The young lady just announced that she appointed me as the deputy chef, and didn't say much else. You should have seen Guo Kujun's face; it was like he had eaten a fly. You can't imagine how his lackeys looked at him! It was really satisfying..."

Li Gengxin nodded and said, "It's a good thing the young lady appointed you directly at the meeting. Otherwise, if I let Guo Kujun spread rumors, I wouldn't be able to work in the kitchen anymore."

Zhao Dahai still had a hint of regret on his face. Li Gengxin looked at his boss and quickly changed the subject, asking with a mysterious look, "Boss, why did the young lady suddenly call all the department heads to a meeting? This has never happened before, right?"

Hearing Li Gengxin's words, Zhao Dahai's face darkened. He looked as if he had eaten a bitter herb and sighed, "The boss of the Nan Da Hong Men branch of Dejuquan is challenging our Dejuquan." Zhao Dahai sighed and muttered.

Li Gengxin looked at Zhao Dahai in surprise and asked instinctively, "Challenging? The Nan Da Hong Men branch of Dejuquan? Aren't we part of the same system? Has he eaten too many roast ducks? Running over to challenge his own people..."

Li Gengxin's face was full of suspicion, not understanding why someone from the same family would challenge their own.

"It's all because of the Chef King Competition!" Zhao Dahai revealed the truth. He continued, "This time, our Dejuquan has been internally designated as one of the representatives for the competition. The boss of the Nan Da Hong Men branch is also a descendant of the Dejuquan founder. He saw that we have the qualifications to participate, but he doesn't. He must have gone to the family and caused a fuss!"

Li Gengxin nodded in understanding after hearing Zhao Dahai's words, "I see. But this is a matter for the big shots; we don't need to worry about it, right?"

"Can I not worry? I thought being the deputy chef would mean a raise and a promotion. Who knew it would turn into a mission at a critical moment! If I had known, I wouldn't have taken the deputy chef position!" Zhao Dahai's expression was genuine, showing that he truly regretted taking the position.

Li Gengxin chuckled a few times and said instinctively, "If the sky falls, the tall ones will hold it up. What are you worried about?"

"Damn! You're not worried, but I'm the tall one!" Zhao Dahai responded helplessly.

"How do you plan to compete? What do we need to prepare?" Li Gengxin felt deep down that this was his chance to make a name for himself.

"This time, the competition will be in a home and away format! Each match will involve two dishes. All the Dejuquan store managers and owners will be the judges."

Hearing Zhao Dahai's words, Li Gengxin frowned slightly. He muttered, "Home and away?" His face showed a hint of disappointment.

Yesterday, the Food God said that he could only make two dishes at most.

With the current ability to make only two dishes, Li Gengxin didn't dare to confidently tell the young lady that he could help her solve her problems.

Li Gengxin understood that even if he made two world-class dishes, the home and away format and the four-dish competition would suppress his desire to stand out.

When it came to cooking skills, Li Gengxin was far inferior to Guo Kujun!

Thinking about this, Li Gengxin shook his head helplessly. Even if he lost, he would just lose the chance to participate in the Chef King Competition. Besides, he didn't even know what the Chef King Competition was all about.

He decided not to participate. What would winning do? At most, the young lady would get another trophy, which wouldn't provide food or drink. Spiritual civilization must be built on material civilization, right?

In Li Gengxin's view, it was best to quietly help the Food God absorb people's happiness from food.

To stand out, one must accumulate and then burst forth to make a name for oneself...

As time passed, the kitchen gradually became lively.

Those who didn't attend the meeting last night found Li Gengxin and Zhao Dahai preparing the ingredients for the meal together. They were even chatting and laughing while working.

As usual, there was no sign of any tension. This made the others look at Zhao Dahai differently.

Of course, some well-informed chefs knew that Zhao Dahai had become the new deputy chef...

At the morning meeting, Guo Kujun deliberately let Zhao Dahai chair the meeting, while he stayed in his office, pinching his nose and not coming out.

At this time, it should have been Guo Kujun's moment to show off. But after he stirred up trouble the night before, the young lady took action, and although no one said anything to Guo Kujun, his face was thoroughly disgraced.

After the morning meeting, the chefs entered the final preparations before the meal. Guo Kujun also slowly walked out of his small office.

"Cough, cough... Zhao Master, come to my office after you're done. I've selected a few dishes for the competition. We'll discuss them together."

Guo Kujun's expression when speaking to Zhao Dahai was as disgusting as holding a urine bottle.

However, Zhao Dahai was both the deputy chef and the head of the cutting board. There was no way Guo Kujun could bypass him, leading to this scene.

Zhao Dahai nodded at Guo Kujun, with a gentle and ready-to-serve look on his face.

Li Gengxin watched Guo Kujun's departing back and then looked at Zhao Dahai's calm face. He understood the bitterness of a small person having to bow to life.

After finishing the lunch rush, Li Gengxin tidied up his things, wiped the counter clean, and heard Guo Kujun shout from the door of his office, "All department heads, meeting!"

Li Gengxin turned to look at Zhao Dahai. He saw him smile helplessly and then walk toward Guo Kujun.

Li Gengxin didn't say anything. He just went to the changing room, changed into casual clothes during his lunch break, and stepped out of the Dejuquan gate.

Enjoying the afternoon sun and breathing the relatively fresh air of the urban park had become a habit for Li Gengxin since he came to Beijing two years ago.

After walking a considerable distance, Li Gengxin stopped in front of a small convenience store.

He called out to the middle-aged man with gray hair, "Uncle, a bottle of water!"

The uncle, recognizing Li Gengxin, handed him a bottle of water and said, "Why haven't I seen you these past few days?"

"Oh, I've been busy! Here's the money." Li Gengxin responded casually, reaching to hand the money to the uncle.

The uncle waved his hand and said, "Heh, I remember how down and out you were when you first came to Beijing. Seeing you now, I'm genuinely happy! The water is on me."

Li Gengxin didn't say anything, just smiled and put the money on the counter.

The uncle frowned and muttered, "Why are you still so stubborn?"

Li Gengxin didn't respond, but his mind flashed back to when he first arrived in Beijing. He was carrying a woven bag, with messy hair and tattered clothes, looking like a homeless person. He looked at the uncle in the convenience store and chuckled.

Back then, he was completely lost. After getting off the train, he wandered aimlessly until he reached the convenience store. All he wanted was some water.

Li Gengxin looked at the various drinks in the store, licked his dry lips, and asked the uncle, "Do you have a map?"

The uncle seemed surprised, staring at Li Gengxin for a few seconds, his eyes showing sympathy. He turned and took out a map of Beijing and a bottle of mineral water, asking in a distinctly Beijing accent, "New to Beijing, kid?"

Li Gengxin smiled, but his face was full of沧桑 (沧桑 means "weathered" or "worn out," but in this context, it implies a sense of hardship and experience).

The uncle smiled and said a phrase that Li Gengxin still remembered clearly: "No matter what you are now, and no matter how others see you, as long as you work hard, there will be a place for you in the city. As they say, heaven rewards those who work hard. Here's the map and the water."

Life always gives us simple yet profound moments of inspiration, making us believe in it.

Li Gengxin took the map and, after muttering, squatted down and rummaged through his bag for a few seconds, taking out a crumpled ten-yuan note, placing it on the counter, and picking up the map, saying, "Thank you!"

After saying this, Li Gengxin picked up his bag and turned to leave. Ten yuan was a significant amount for Li Gengxin when he first came to Beijing, but he didn't want to easily accept charity. Besides, he could afford to buy a map and a bottle of water.

The uncle was surprised, looking at Li Gengxin's back, shaking his head and nodding, and shouting, "Kid, if you're looking for work, there are always people hiring at the nearby Yuetan Park!"

This advice stayed with Li Gengxin. He needed to find a job and a place to stay. Although the name Yuetan Park sounded intimidating, he still bravely opened the map in his hand.

At that time, he was a complete country bumpkin in the eyes of city people. But every man who had just come from the countryside had to start from this moment and slowly rise up.

When he finally made a name for himself and achieved success, who would care about his past struggles?

As Li Gengxin was reminiscing, a red Audi A4 sped past him.

Yang Hongli instinctively glanced at Li Gengxin. Although they only crossed paths for a moment, she frowned and instinctively took out her phone from her bag.

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