The Gourmet Customizer

He wasn’t sure either. He only knew this boss’s food was incredibly delicious, but since the man dared to operate under the banner of "Delicious Customizations," he had to have a trick or two up his sleeve.

Besides, Brother Fang Chang hadn’t even considered it at first. But then he saw a National Banquet Master give the boss a thumbs-up during a livestream, and that’s when he decided to give it a try.

In three days, his future mother-in-law and her family were coming to Jingzhou to see how he was doing financially.

Brother Fang Chang had a few choice words for his future father-in-law.

"Your dad is so weird. I’ve met fathers who are afraid their daughters will be bullied or wronged, but I’ve never met one who’s afraid his daughter won’t eat or drink well!"

The girl pinched the flesh on Brother Fang Chang’s waist and twisted it a full 360 degrees. "My dad thinks Jingzhou is a culinary wasteland, and I grew up eating the food from our family’s restaurant. Isn’t it normal for him to worry? If you dare say another bad word about my dad, I’m going to get angry!"

Wincing in pain, Brother Fang Chang forced a smile. "I’ll stop, I’ll stop. It’s just that I’m taking this first official meeting very seriously. I’ve turned Jingzhou upside down and still couldn’t find a suitable place to host your parents. I think this place might work, so let’s try it out first."

Only then did the girl let go. "Don’t be nervous about the meeting; my parents are really nice. But about the betrothal gift..."

"Don’t argue with my dad. Whatever he asks for, just agree to it first. I have some savings you can use."

Brother Fang Chang’s nose tingled, and he tightened his grip on his girlfriend’s arm. "It’s fine. I’ll agree to whatever your dad asks for the betrothal gift. As long as I can marry you, nothing else matters!"

The atmosphere in the elevator suddenly turned intimate.

If memory served, Brother Fang Chang and his girlfriend had met online back in high school.

For countless nights, the two poured their hearts out to each other over the internet. Love gradually blossomed, and after they started college, they began a four-year long-distance relationship.

After graduation, the girl could no longer bear the pain of longing. Without a second thought, she left her hometown and rushed to Brother Fang Chang’s city—a journey of 1,500 kilometers. In an era before high-speed rail was common, the old green train took a full 29 hours to make the trip.

Lai Ri Fang Chang remembered it clearly. The moment he saw his girlfriend at the station, her face flushed red from the cold, his heart wept. He held back his emotions and made a silent vow.

’This lifetime, I’ll marry no one but you, and I will never let you down!’

As they chatted and laughed, the elevator stopped on the 19th floor.

Jiang Yuan peeked her head out. "You didn’t come to the wrong place, did you? This is an office building."

Brother Fang Chang chuckled. "Your reaction is the same as mine the first time I came. Nope, this is the right place. You’ll see in a bit."

He strode inside with his girlfriend. Jiang Yuan looked left and right, her curiosity piqued, feeling more and more like they were in the wrong place.

"Inside or out?" Su Chen leaned against the cafeteria doorway, greeting Brother Fang Chang with a smile.

’I remember this guy. He was with the customer who bought steamed buns this morning.’

"Where would we sit outside?" Jiang Yuan asked curiously, pointing at the office cubicles.

"Just sit wherever. Anywhere you want is fine," Su Chen said with a shrug.

’Once I pay the rent, I’ve definitely got to buy some dining tables!’

Brother Fang Chang turned his head and said, "Let’s sit inside. There’s a small square table in there."

"Okay!"

The two entered the cafeteria. Jiang Yuan’s sharp eyes noticed the various A4 papers taped to the door. She lowered her voice and said, "You totally got scammed. His tea eggs are five yuan each!"

"What?" Brother Fang Chang took a step back. "Boss, do you have any tea eggs left?"

Su Chen was heading to the kitchen. "I do. I cooked some tonight. Do you want a few?"

"Yes, yes, yes! Give me two!"

’Now I’m satisfied!’

Brother Fang Chang laughed to himself. That son of a bitch Zhan Yang had been showing off those tea eggs in the group chat all day!

He even took pictures from all sorts of angles to flaunt them!

One moment he was talking about the rich tea aroma, the next about how sweet and delicious they were. Then he actually said he was about to take flight!

’I have to try them!’

"Are you an idiot!" Jiang Yuan said, a little annoyed.

Brother Fang Chang pulled her down to sit. "It’s fine. We’re already eating a five-hundred-yuan meal. What’s another ten yuan?"

"You’re getting way too full of yourself!" Jiang Yuan said scornfully. "Even if your business has been good lately, you shouldn’t be so wasteful, right? There’s no way the two of us can finish five hundred yuan worth of food."

"It doesn’t matter! Worst case, we’ll get it to go and eat it at home."

After graduating, Brother Fang Chang didn’t get a regular job. He went into the family’s livestock farming business, and later opened several boutique butcher shops, essentially producing and selling his own goods.

Because his meat was high-quality and reliable, his business was quite good. He was even a little famous in Jingzhou City, and many people would make a special trip to his shop for meat rolls when they had hot pot.

The two sat down.

Su Chen returned to the kitchen, where the clay pot on the small flame was still BUBBLING away.

He opened the lid and carefully picked out the green vegetable leaves from the top.

"Are those leaves not for eating?" Liu Shengnan asked curiously.

"You can eat them, but they’re used to absorb the grease, so we don’t serve them to the customers."

Looking again, just as Su Chen had said, there was hardly a speck of oil on the surface of the broth. It was hard to believe this was the same broth that had been simmering with Wanzi for so long!

He put the lid back on and turned the heat to high.

Since they had been braising for an hour, the Wanzi inside had already set and there was no risk of them falling apart in the boiling water.

But he only left it on for a moment before turning the heat off completely.

"Liu Shengnan, help me get a plate to put under this. Aunt Fang, could you please bring out the dish?"

"You got it!"

Aunt Fang put on a pair of oven mitts and carried the clay pot, while Liu Shengnan followed with the plate.

"I’ll take this one." Liu Ahbao also headed out to serve a dish, carrying the Wen Si Tofu.

Unlike the employees from Delicious, Liu Ahbao had actually worked in a proper hotel.

Placing the Wen Si Tofu on the table, Ah Bao recited professionally, "All your dishes have been served. Would you like any rice?"

Jiang Yuan, who was just about to lift the lid of the pot, froze with her hand in mid-air. She stared at Liu Ahbao with a very strange look.

Her expression seemed to say: ’Are you fucking kidding me?’