Chapter 1754 - 1759: Fenglin Haotian
Lin Fei’s simplest desire was to teach this boy culinary skills. Then even if the City Lord wanted to keep him, Lin Fei could have this boy take his place, allowing him to quietly leave without trouble. This, one might say, was Lin Fei’s selfish wish.
Thinking this way, Lin Fei didn’t hide anything, but he knew that even if he didn’t, the boy couldn’t learn too much. After all, culinary skills take time, and while self-study helps, having a teacher speeds things up.
Finally, several dishes were ready, and Lin Yun’er quickly delivered the food to Fenglin Xun, the old City Lord. The old City Lord was astounded, finding it unbelievable that so many delicious dishes could be made.
"This chef is truly impressive. By the way, where is the chef? I’d like to meet him," said the old City Lord.
Lin Yun’er chuckled and said, "Grandpa, give it a few days. I’ll introduce him to you soon."
"Hmm, alright, let’s wait a few more days," the old City Lord replied, then the two began to eat. There was plenty this time, enough for a full meal, and they only stopped when Lin Yun’er was full.
Meanwhile, Lin Fei, needing to teach Chen Xiaowu how to cook, prepared a dish for Chen Xiaowu to taste, leaving him astonished. He hadn’t expected it to taste so good; it was no wonder Lin Yun’er made him her apprentice, realizing how skilled Lin Fei really was.
"Remember this taste. I’ll show you how to prepare the ingredients and cook the dish. You need to practice frequently, alright?" Lin Fei asked.
"Yes! Understood, Master. I will work hard!" Chen Xiaowu responded, diving headfirst into his studies, almost as if he’d forgotten to eat or sleep.
Lin Fei instructed the soldiers to set up a stove, teaching Chen Xiaowu how to handle a wok and cook. Given the local people’s strength, these tasks weren’t difficult, and Chen Xiaowu quickly mastered them.
Three days later, Lin Fei deemed Chen Xiaowu competent in basic tasks like chopping vegetables and handling the wok. However, the core skill was cooking itself, so Lin Fei had Chen Xiaowu try the seasonings, experiencing various flavors, and encouraged him to cook and taste his own dishes.
After two more days, Chen Xiaowu’s dishes began to take shape. Thanks to his great teacher, Lin Fei, who was an advanced chef, teaching someone who couldn’t cook was still relatively easy. Before long, Chen Xiaowu could make dishes tastier than the city chefs.
Chen Xiaowu also learned character from Lin Fei, who taught him how to behave, and Chen Xiaowu was deeply grateful.
Without holding back, Lin Fei taught Chen Xiaowu, then approached Lin Yun’er to request a meeting with the City Lord.
Seeing Lin Fei’s determination, Lin Yun’er decided to take him to see her grandfather, fully aware of Lin Fei’s character from his actions over the past few days, so she agreed to his request.
"Tomorrow, then. It’s late today, so I’ll take you to meet Grandpa tomorrow," Lin Yun’er said.
Hearing this, Lin Fei nodded; after waiting so long, he didn’t mind waiting another day. Agreeing with Lin Yun’er, he continued to wait.
Thus, the next day arrived. Lin Yun’er carried the dishes Lin Fei prepared, with Lin Fei following her toward the old City Lord’s residence.
Midway, they encountered a young man in his twenties, dressed elegantly and exuding an air of refinement—obviously no ordinary person. Upon seeing Lin Fei and Lin Yun’er, he approached with a smug smile, calling out, "Sister, where are you going?"
"Where I’m going is none of your business. Step aside," Lin Yun’er seemed uninterested in her brother, and Lin Fei didn’t know why, nor did he care.
"Oh, Yun’er, no matter what, I’m still your brother. Is that how you talk to your brother?"
The young man was Lin Yun’er’s brother, Lin Haotian, a full-fledged rich second-generation and official’s heir. No one in Fenglin City dared to cross him, given his father’s status as the region’s chief; who would dare challenge this guy?
Over time, Lin Haotian became arrogant and unscrupulous. The Fenglin City Lord, although his father, was focused on the city’s affairs and had no time to discipline his son, resulting in his son’s demeanor.
The people could only silently endure, not daring to complain to the City Lord, as they were unsure of his stance, and nobody had ever dared to complain.
Blocking Lin Yun’er’s path, she sternly said, "I don’t have a brother like you. Move aside."
Apparently prepared, Lin Haotian looked at the dish in Lin Yun’er’s hands and said, "I heard a chef who knows how to cook arrived at Grandpa’s. I wonder if this dish is made by that chef."
In response to Lin Haotian, Lin Yun’er snorted, "That’s none of your concern. Leave immediately, or I’ll tell Father what you’ve been up to."
Lin Haotian chuckled, "Oh, really? But will Father care? He’s so busy now, how could he have time for me? Besides, would you burden him further?"
He knew Lin Yun’er’s weakness was her filial piety, and being overly filial had become her shortcoming. As her brother, Lin Haotian exploited this, keeping Lin Yun’er firmly under his control.
Indignantly, Lin Yun’er stated, "You’re despicable. Clear the way, or I won’t be polite."
Seeing Lin Yun’er’s anger, Lin Haotian smirked, "Why so mad? Chill out, I’m just asking. Oh, and... having a taste～"
With those words, Lin Haotian quickly reached out, pinched a piece of meat from the plate, and ate it, instantly expressing surprise.
"Wow! This is so good! Absolutely delicious! Truly worthy of a master," Lin Haotian exclaimed, oblivious to the chef’s identity.
At this, Lin Yun’er was fuming, "This was meant for Grandpa, and you dared to eat first! Dare I have you thrown out!?"
"Hehe, who’d dare throw me out? Show yourself," Lin Haotian boasted, completely ignoring Lin Yun’er’s fury.