Danielle turned around, expecting to see a chubby, bald man, but instead, she saw a handsome, tall man wearing a white chef's uniform. For a moment, Danielle felt like she had been transported back to the 21st century.
Jin Shan nodded slightly to Ning Lan, who seemed to recognize him immediately. "Chef Jin, long time no see. This is…"
"I've heard," Jin Shan replied. "Miss Duo, my father had the honor of serving you before."
"But my father once said that my cooking skills are now on par with his. I wonder why Miss Duo thinks my cooking isn't good?"
Jin Shan, in his early thirties, looked mature and calm. He spoke slowly, with no anger, only a sense of confusion. He was polite, and Danielle couldn't just throw a tantrum, could she?
She smiled slyly. "Well, it wasn't very good. The meat didn't seem cooked, and it had a bit of a smell. The steak was burnt, and the dish had a strange taste."
There was a gasp from the people around them. They were amazed by how bold Danielle was. Didn't she fear being banned from all the restaurants in town?
But once they heard her last name, Duo, the expressions of some around them began to change. They looked at the unmarked bracelet on Danielle's wrist, still unsure.
Danielle spoke sincerely, "You don't mind, right?"
Jin Shan took a deep breath, fearing he might lose his temper. He forced a twisted smile. "Miss Duo, do you know how to cook?"
"Oh, well…" Danielle began but was interrupted by a boy named Rain. "My mom's cooking is much better than all of this!"
Although it was a bit rude, Danielle felt the need to back him up after he had been wrongfully accused earlier.
Jin Shan took a deep breath and slightly turned to the side. "If that's the case, perhaps Miss Duo could teach me."
"I don't have time for that," Danielle immediately rejected.
"Why?" Jin Shan asked, confused.
"Because it's a waste of time," she replied without hesitation.
"Of course, there's an exception…" Danielle smiled at the confused Jin Shan.
"I'll cook for you, but it'll cost one million per dish. If you pay, I'll cook."
One million?
The people around them gasped again, amazed at her audacity.
"Alright, I agree," Jin Shan said without hesitation. For someone like him, a few million was nothing.
Danielle looked at the three dishes on the table. "Then I'll use the same ingredients to make it for you."
She turned to Rain and gently pinched his cheek. "Mom will go and make you proud. You stay outside and listen to your dad, okay?"
Rain raised his little fist, his face full of determination. "Go, Mom!"
Once Danielle entered the kitchen, she was amazed at the shelves filled with so many ingredients.
The kitchen staff had already heard what had happened earlier. Despite their dissatisfaction with Danielle's family background, they didn't say anything. Danielle ignored them and began searching for the ingredients she needed among the spices.
As the smell of spicy stir-fried meat filled the air, the chefs stepped back, startled.
Oh my god.
This woman from the Duo family actually used so many devil peppers! Is this even food for humans?
Danielle quickly plated the dish and set it aside. She carefully placed the beef, which had only been marinated for less than half an hour, into the frying pan.
The beef sizzled as it cooked, and the aroma of the meat mixed with the spices, creating a unique and tempting smell.
The people around her couldn't help but stare with envy, peeking and trying to catch a glimpse of her cooking.
Danielle didn't bother with fancy presentation. Considering Rain's age, she just made sure the beef was fully cooked.
The final dish, stir-fried vegetables, was even simpler—just a little oil, followed by the onions, ginger, and garlic, which made the entire kitchen smell fragrant.
She added a bit of soy sauce and a pinch of salt to finish it off perfectly.
Danielle had already been surrounded, and the astonished looks from the crowd only increased. The smell…
Somehow, it made them all feel an overwhelming urge to try it.
"Excuse me, coming through," Danielle calmly carried the tray through the crowd, as if she were simply doing something completely ordinary.
As soon as she emerged, everyone in the restaurant turned to look at her.
"Try it."
Danielle was confident in her cooking.
Jin Shan first looked at the appearance of the dish and furrowed his brow slightly. He then leaned in to smell it, and his eyes brightened.
He carefully cut a piece of steak. It was tender, and besides being tender, there was a unique flavor. It had familiar spices, but something about it was different from what he had expected.
Just as he was about to continue with the stir-fried spicy meat, Danielle reached out to stop him.
"Chef Jin, surely you know that you should rinse your mouth when switching dishes, right?"
This wasn't just a casual meal, so Danielle wanted it to be a bit more formal.
Jin Shan straightened his posture and bowed respectfully to Danielle.
"My apologies, I was thoughtless."
He seriously rinsed his mouth and then took a bite of the meat. The spicy, numbing taste combined with the tenderness of the meat was delicious.
He really wanted a bowl of rice right now.
Jin Shan had initially had no expectations for the final dish, the simple stir-fried cabbage. But once he tasted it, he realized that vegetables could be so light and fresh.
After tasting everything, Jin Shan stood there, stunned, as if savoring the incredible flavors.
It was so good.
Really… so good.
Tears involuntarily welled up in his eyes.
Ning Lan, standing nearby, frowned. "Chef Jin, is it because Miss Duo's cooking is so bad that you're crying?"
"I thought she was so confident earlier, so I expected her cooking to be good, but it seems it's nothing special."
"Hmph, she must have relied on her family's status before. Now that she's been kicked out of the Duo family, no one's going to flatter her anymore."
…
The whispers around them grew louder, becoming more critical.
Suddenly, Jin Shan bent over and bowed again. "Miss Duo, I accept my defeat with full respect."
He then showed her his bracelet. "I'll transfer the payment now."
Danielle gracefully accepted it.
The people around her were stunned, their mouths forming O shapes, eyes wide in disbelief.
"I didn't mean to intrude, but could I take half of the dishes? My son is a bit hungry."
After being out for a while, the little one was almost out of energy.
Jin Shan quickly nodded. "Of course, of course, please."
Though his eyes betrayed a sense of reluctance.
Danielle didn't mind. It was just a few dishes, what was there to be reluctant about?
But then, when she saw what Jin Shan did next, she almost spat out her drink.
This was just too much.