"Oh, sir, you really know how to joke."
Zhang Feng smiled politely. Since the establishment of Seven Stars Tower, this was definitely the first time a customer had ever challenged a chef to a culinary duel.
Yet Zhang Feng remained quite confident. After all, Seven Stars Tower possessed not only prestige, but real substance.
Its chefs were top-tier grandmasters invited from all corners of the globe, and some had even catered to high-ranking officials. Their skill level went without saying.
"You think I'm bragging?"
Xiang Feng was displeased.
In this world, only his goddess of a wife had the right to doubt him. What right did a mere hotel manager have?
"No, no."
Zhang Feng hurriedly apologized.
A customer holding a Green Bamboo Card was not someone he could afford to offend. Once the boss found out, he would surely be skinned alive.
"How could I ever dare doubt you, sir? It's just that if you feel anything is amiss, you need only tell me, and I'll have the kitchen rectify it immediately. How does that sound?"
"Nothing is amiss, Manager Zhang. I think everything is just fine."
Liu Ruyun hurriedly smiled to smooth things over. "Xiaofeng, stop messing around."
"Wife, you don't believe in my culinary skills either?"
Hearing this, Xiang Feng grew even more unhappy.
"Where is the kitchen? I'm going to cook for my wife myself."
"Xiaofeng..." Liu Ruyun grabbed Xiang Feng, frowning slightly, her heart fluttering with anxiety. After all, this was Seven Stars Tower!
Even with a Green Bamboo Card, one shouldn't pick faults with Seven Stars Tower. If word got out, where would Seven Stars Tower's reputation go?
Offending Seven Stars Tower would have unimaginable consequences!
"Ruyun, let him go. I'd like to see if the food he makes is even edible, humph!"
Liu Huijun, who had just begun to feel a shred of goodwill toward Xiang Feng, shook her head helplessly at this moment. He was just a young man after all, completely lacking in poise.
"There is no one in this world who can simmer soup better than me! Lead the way, to the kitchen."
Xiang Feng said directly.
***
With no other choice, Zhang Feng could only lead the proud-looking Xiang Feng into the back kitchen.
Unlike ordinary hotels, every building—and even every private dining room—at Seven Stars Tower was equipped with a dedicated kitchen, served by chefs of the corresponding rank.
Moon Gazing Tower was the crown jewel of Seven Stars Tower, and its head chef naturally held the highest rank and possessed the finest culinary skills.
Therefore, He Yousheng, the head chef of Moon Gazing Tower, ranked second only to the lobby manager in status throughout the entire Seven Stars Tower. He had ample reason to be arrogant.
Just like this evening, after finishing cooking, he had been lounging in a sofa "Gyou-style," squinting while holding a cigarette in his lips, admiring the cheongsam-clad beauty brewing tea for him, in an exceptionally blissful mood.
As a chef, He Yousheng was absolute perfection—the most successful and most relaxed of them all.
In the ten full years since the establishment of Seven Stars Tower, tonight was only the third time He Yousheng had personally stepped into the kitchen to cook. His salary and bonuses remained untouched, and there was a beauty to enjoy. He could truly be called a winner in life.
"Screech."
The door opened, and He Yousheng looked up, a smile instantly appearing on his face.
"Manager Zhang, why aren't you staying with the guests instead of coming to my back kitchen? Hmm?"
Soon, He Yousheng spotted the young man following behind Zhang Feng—a very ordinary young man, dressed in rustic clothes, though blessed with fine, delicate features. However, He Yousheng's expression instantly fell.
"I've said before, I don't take on apprentices. What's the meaning of bringing someone to the back kitchen? Don't even talk about you; even if the boss came to intercede, I wouldn't take an apprentice."
"Master He, actually..."
"You're not even worthy of teaching me how to cook."
As soon as Xiang Feng spoke, he cut off the second half of Zhang Feng's sentence. This young man really had some nerve—couldn't he speak with a little more tact?
"Huh? What do you mean?"
He Yousheng's face darkened further. In all the world, who dared to question his culinary skills?
"I said your cooking is utter trash, and you're not qualified to be my master. I came here specifically to cook for my wife. Stand aside and don't get in my way."
Without even glancing at He Yousheng, Xiang Feng rolled up his sleeves and walked right into the kitchen.
"Stop right there! You're saying I'm inferior to you?"
He Yousheng flew into a rage. "You even want to cook on my turf? Are you intentionally trying to smash my reputation? Kid, do you know who I am?"
"Old He, don't get excited, don't get excited."
Zhang Feng felt his head throbbing. If these two clashed, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Xiang Feng might look like a bumpkin, but he was a genuine Green Bamboo Card holder. How could anyone afford to offend such a VIP?
He Yousheng didn't see it that way, however. Someone had literally come to smash his shop—how could he possibly care about anything else?
"Step aside."
Stubborn as an ox, He Yousheng pushed Zhang Feng aside and hurried after Xiang Feng.
"Kid, you said I'm not as good as you—do you dare to compete with me?"
"Compete? Not interested."
Xiang Feng shook his head slightly. Reaching into the fish tank, he scooped out a small yellow croaker weighing at least a pound and placed it on the cutting board. With a knife in one hand and the fish's head pressed down by the other, his wrists flicked. Paper-thin fish slices fluttered in the air, landing with pinpoint precision onto a plate nearby.
"You little punk, I'm going to..."
Just as He Yousheng was about to erupt, his eyes bulged, and the second half of his curse was abruptly choked back.
An expert makes a move, and you know instantly if they have the goods.
In less than two minutes, Xiang Feng tossed the fish back into a porcelain basin filled with clear water. The small yellow croaker, stripped of all its flesh, was actually still alive! With a gentle flick of its tail, the fish head, attached to an intact skeleton, swam about in the water.
The sight was utterly horrifying!
What kind of knife technique was this?
All the meat and skin had been sliced away, yet it was still left breathing?
"Ruyun, d-did you just say this is the husband you picked up? Where on earth did you pick him up, and can you go pick up another one?"
Liu Ruyun and Liu Huijun, who had just stepped into the back kitchen to watch the commotion, were completely dumbfounded.
"..."
Liu Ruyun didn't speak; she merely stood there with her mouth agape in astonishment, her mind buzzing with overwhelming shock!
As for Xiang Feng, acting as if nothing unusual had happened, he lit the stove and began preparing the seasonings.
His expression was leisurely and seemingly casual, yet his movements were lightning-fast and his seasoning measurements were dead-on.
As the water temperature rose steadily, the fish—stripped of its skin and flesh—finally stopped breathing, yielding a small basin of milky-white, viscous soup. Without a single drop of oil or a single grain of salt, the air nevertheless exuded a continuous wave of delicate fragrance.
Seeing that the time was right, Xiang Feng dropped the shredded scallions into the boiling soup, followed closely by all the sliced fish. He covered the pot, turned off the heat, and counted down ten seconds!
"Whoosh!"
The moment the pot lid was lifted again, a thick plume of white steam billowed straight into the air.
The aroma, like a spring breeze overnight, instantly permeated every corner of the kitchen.
That savory fragrance was simply beyond description.
Xiang Feng gently stirred the pot with chopsticks, revealing a layer of tender white fish meat floating on the surface of the soup.
"Wife, you came just in time. Hurry up and taste it while it's hot."
Turning his head and seeing that Liu Ruyun had arrived, Xiang Feng's face blossomed into a brilliant smile. He picked up a thin slice of fish and fed it to her.
At first, Liu Ruyun felt a bit shy with so many people watching, but that pure fragrance made her mouth water. Parting her lips slightly, the fish slice melted in her mouth, its flavor spreading and sublimating across her palate.
Liu Ruyun was certain this was the most delicious slice of fish she had ever eaten in her life!
"Is it good?" Xiang Feng asked with a smile.
"Mm, delicious, truly delicious." Liu Ruyun nodded repeatedly.
"I told you, no one in this world cooks better than me."
Xiang Feng started showing off again, but this time, not a single person dared to talk back. Based solely on that stunt with the fish-slicing knife, his skill could be called peerless under heaven, unmatched by anyone!
"Little brother, m-may I have a taste?"
He Yousheng swallowed hard. He knew he had lost, but as a chef, he desperately wanted to advance further. Even if he couldn't learn Xiang Feng's knife techniques, he could at least discern the gap between them through his taste buds.
"You? No way!"
Xiang Feng shook his head, frowning. "Didn't you see my wife is eating? Once my wife is finished, you can have whatever's left. I have to satisfy my wife first."
"..."
He Yousheng's aged face turned pale. He was furious, but he dared not vent it.
"Xiaofeng, don't be like that."
Liu Ruyun was kind-hearted. With so many people watching her eat with eager eyes, she felt rather embarrassed. She quickly said, "Hurry, bring some bowls and dish out a portion for everyone to taste. My husband's culinary skills really are exceptional."
"Alright! My wife is the most beautiful woman in the entire world, and whatever she says is right!"
Xiang Feng said with a laugh.
"..."
Everyone was left speechless. They had never seen a man dote on his wife quite like this, yet no one dared to utter a word of complaint because they were thoroughly convinced!
Even Liu Huijun managed to hold back her temper. Over the years, the relationship between Liu Huijun and her husband had actually been quite good, but compared to Xiang Feng, her husband's treatment of her could only be described as mediocre.
Regardless, thanks to Liu Ruyun's gracious permission, everyone in the kitchen—including the waitstaff—received a small bowl of the small yellow croaker soup. Everyone felt deeply grateful to Liu Ruyun.
And they respected Xiang Feng even more!
"Thud!"
Just as everyone was immersed in the magic of Xiang Feng's culinary arts, He Yousheng, the head chef of Moon Gazing Tower, suddenly walked up to Xiang Feng and dropped straight to his knees before him.
"Little brother, if you don't mind, please take me as your apprentice!"
"Huh?"
Everyone was deeply shocked, especially lobby manager Zhang Feng.
He knew He Yousheng's temperament well; the man never bowed to anyone in Seven Stars Tower on ordinary days, yet today he was actually kneeling before someone.
Though the fish soup Xiang Feng cooked was indeed exceptional, surely it didn't warrant such a grand gesture?
And begging to become an apprentice?
"No, I mind."
To everyone's utter astonishment, Xiang Feng shook his head and refused flatly. "Your talent is too poor, and you're too old. You're not qualified to be my apprentice. Most importantly, I don't have time to teach apprentices—I have to accompany my wife..."
***
"Wife, are you done eating? If you're done, let's go home and go night-night."
"You—you're so annoying!"
Liu Ruyun's face turned beet red as she cast a glare mixed with annoyance and shyness at Xiang Feng.
"Huh? I'm full, and it's dark outside. Isn't it time to go home and sleep?" Xiang Feng asked with an innocent expression.
"Pfft, hahaha!"
The people nearby burst into laughter resembling the honking of geese.
Yet their laughter held more ease and envy. Where on earth could you find a man who doted on his wife like this? Even Liu Huijun, who had consistently looked down on Xiang Feng, felt a twinge of envy for her niece at that moment.
She wondered if there were any more such exceptional young husbands left to be picked up at the foot of Qingyun Mountain.
"Little brother, stay your step! I beg you to take me as your apprentice; I want to learn cooking from you."
Unreconciled, He Yousheng hurried after Xiang Feng, dropping to his knees with a heavy *thud* right in front of him to block his path.
"I'm telling you, you really don't know how to take a hint. Didn't I already tell you? Your talent is too poor, you're too old, and most importantly, I don't have time, understand? I have to accompany my wife!"
Xiang Feng furrowed his brow, looking utterly disgusted.
"Get out of the way."
With that, Xiang Feng brushed him aside and swept his arm protectively around Liu Ruyun's slender waist as they left the kitchen.
However, when it came time to settle the bill, Xiang Feng found himself in an awkward spot. Even though he was a Green Bamboo Card holder, and even though he was an immensely distinguished member of Seven Stars Tower, one fact remained unchanged: he had no money—not a single penny to his name.
"Sir, you must be joking. How could I ever dare charge you money? Please take your time, and you are welcome back anytime." Zhang Feng, possessing a quick and nimble mind, no longer dared to look down upon Xiang Feng. To such towering figures, money was as worthless as dirt.
"You don't even bring money when you go out to eat—are you even a man?"
Liu Huijun finally seized the opportunity to sneer.
"Manager, how much is it? I'll pay."
Liu Ruyun pulled out her wallet, preparing to settle the bill.
"Ruyun, whether a man truly loves you is seen in his actions, not in empty talk."
Liu Huijun pressed down on Liu Ruyun's hand, glanced at Xiang Feng, and let out a cold huff. "Sweet words can touch the heart, but they can't fill your stomach. Money isn't everything, but as a man, you must understand that money can also bring a woman a sense of security."
"Instead of going out to eat and not even being able to pull out the money for the meal."
"Auntie, we're husband and wife; whoever pays is the same. Why must you—"
Liu Ruyun frowned with slight concern. Xiang Feng had just come down from the mountain—where would he get money? Even the toiletries at home were things she had bought for him.
"No, wife, Auntie makes a lot of sense."
Xiang Feng nodded earnestly, then asked Zhang Feng for a piece of paper. With a flurry of brush strokes, he wrote out an IOU and handed it to Zhang Feng.
"Keep this IOU. I'll come pay tomorrow."
"This..."
While Zhang Feng stood there dumbfounded, Xiang Feng had already pulled Liu Ruyun out of Seven Stars Tower.
At that moment, the evening lights of Xianhai City had just come on, and the neon signs flickered brilliantly.
"Auntie, are you heading back to the Liu family estate or going to a hotel to rest? I'll drive you there."
Inside the car, Liu Ruyun asked, seeing that the hour was already quite late.
"I'll be staying with you tonight..."
"I object!"
Before Liu Huijun could finish, Xiang Feng hurriedly voiced his opposition. "If you stay with my wife, where am I supposed to sleep tonight? We're the married couple here!"
"Xiaofeng, you..."
Liu Ruyun was caught between embarrassment and exasperation. Her little husband was good in every possible way, except that he was far too clingy.
Besides, although the two of them had already registered their marriage, they hadn't actually crossed that final threshold yet. There was no need to speak with such ambiguity, and Auntie wasn't an outsider, after all.
"You can sleep on the floor, or go to a hotel if you prefer."
Seeing that Xiang Feng was unhappy, Liu Huijun felt much better inside. Wasn't this little punk acting all high and mighty back at Seven Stars Tower?
"My main reason for coming to Xianhai this time is to visit Ruyun. What? Do you lack even the most basic hospitality for guests? Is there any reason to send a guest off to stay in a hotel?"
"But we only have one bed at home." Xiang Feng muttered, his face full of grievance.
"Xiaofeng, Auntie makes sense. Why don't you sleep on the sofa tonight? Auntie is a guest, after all."
Caught in a dilemma, Liu Ruyun could only try to negotiate with Xiang Feng.
"Auntie doesn't visit often. She'll only stay a couple of days and then leave. Can you just bear with it for a bit?"
"What if I choose to stay here indefinitely?"
Liu Huijun sighed inwardly. Daughters really couldn't be kept at home; they hadn't even been married two days, and already she wasn't treating her own aunt as anything important.
"..."
Xiang Feng originally wanted to retort, but seeing Liu Ruyun's restraining gaze, he held it back in the end. Xiang Feng wasn't afraid of his wife—he loved her and doted on her.
And so, the two women and one man returned to the bachelor apartment.
Acting as the man of the house, Xiang Feng brewed tea, fetched water, and sliced fruit, buzzing about like a whirlwind. Finally, he lovingly brewed a thick cup of brown sugar water for Liu Ruyun.
"Wife, drink some brown sugar water first. I'm going to heat up some water and give you a massage later, otherwise your stomach is going to act up again." With that, Xiang Feng bustled off to work once more.
A trace of shyness, alongside an expression of supreme satisfaction, bloomed across Liu Ruyun's celestial face. With a husband like this, what more could she ask for in this life?
Although Liu Huijun had consistently looked down upon Xiang Feng, she now openly declared her envy.
For a man to be this thoughtful toward a woman—even if he were a farmer with zero background, what did it matter?
"Does he really know medicine?"
After a brief silence between the two women, Liu Huijun broke the quiet first.
She wasn't someone lacking in perception, nor did she wish to witness the newlyweds acting all lovey-dovey while she stood by eating dog food. The only reason she had swallowed her pride and followed them home was because of Xiang Feng's medical skills.
She wanted a child—a child of her own.
"Auntie, not only does he know medicine, but his medical skills are exceptionally brilliant."
A happy and triumphant smile blossomed across Liu Ruyun's face as she animatededly recounted, "Grandma's illness was something he predicted yesterday, and today Grandma had her medical emergency. Department Director Wang of the People's Hospital was at his wits' end, and it was he who turned the tide, stepping in just in time to pull Grandma back from the gates of death. Afterwards, what they didn't even know was that President Wang Chuanshu even wanted to take him as an apprentice and invite him into the medical system, offering him a director-level position right off the bat."
"Do you still need to ask if he knows medicine?"
Liu Ruyun countered.
"Is he really that miraculous?" Liu Huijun still found it hard to believe. This wasn't medicine; it was clearly foreknowledge!
"Auntie..."
"If you didn't believe it, why would you even ask?"
Xiang Feng walked out carrying hot water, a white towel draped over his shoulder like a bathhouse attendant. He squatted straight down in front of Liu Ruyun and grasped her foot in one hand.
"Come, wife, lift your foot so I can give it a nice massage. It relieves fatigue, and the ginger slices boiled through will expel internal dampness and cold. Once the dampness is gone, your next period won't hurt nearly as much."
"No, I can do it myself..."
Liu Ruyun's face turned red again. This husband of hers was almost excessively attentive; even the princes in fairy tales didn't know how to fawn over someone like this!
"Don't move around, let me do it."
Xiang Feng put on a stern face. "If I weren't afraid of embarrassing you, I'd want to go to the bathroom in your place from now on. Does my wife need to go to the bathroom herself?"
"..."
"..."
Liu Huijun felt sour—so sour that goosebumps broke out all over her skin. What kind of man was this? The legendary wife-slave?
***
Showing not the slightest bit of care for the two women's astonished gazes, Xiang Feng lifted Liu Ruyun's foot as if no one else was in the room and began gently kneading it.
Liu Ruyun's foot was small and fair, with tiny glistening droplets clinging to its skin like pearls.
Xiang Feng's technique was peerless, and being familiar with meridians and acupoints, he massaged Liu Ruyun until she swung between agony and ecstasy.
Alternating between soothing comfort and sharp pain, she soon found her forehead beading with sweat the size of soybeans.
"Is it really that comfortable? Why don't you massage mine too?"
Liu Huijun watched her eldest niece, who was covered in sweat, a look of doubt on her face.
"No way!"
Xiang Feng refused with absolute crispness. "When I married my wife, we agreed that even though I'm a matrilocal son-in-law, I firmly refuse to take any humiliation, and I will definitely not wash my mother-in-law's feet. I only love my wife."
Liu Huijun laughed in exasperation and couldn't help teasing, "So by that logic, you consider yourself a son-in-law with a bit of backbone?"
"Of course."
"The kind who doesn't have a single penny to his name?"
"..."
Xiang Feng's face turned red, and he fell silent, feeling somewhat humiliated after all.
When he came down the mountain, the old codger hadn't mentioned that money was important.
It seemed he would have to find a way to make some money soon.
Hmm, let's start with a small goal: make a hundred million first.
"Ruyun mentioned that the People's Hospital invited you to work shifts, offering you at least the treatment of a chief physician. Why didn't you go?"
Seeing Xiang Feng reduced to silence, Liu Huijun changed the subject.
"Because going to work is boring. I want to accompany my wife."
Xiang Feng clung to Liu Ruyun as usual. "I want to raise my wife until she's plump and fair, and make her the happiest woman in the world, because she's the prettiest woman in the world, and she should—"
"Stop right there! Cut it out!"