From selling box lunches to becoming a famous Chinese chef

On the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month, Feng Zhengming spent the Lunar New Year at his grandfather's house.

On the 24th day of the twelfth lunar month, he and Luo Qing took their child and went to his parents-in-law's house to celebrate the Lunar New Year.

Luo Qing's parents-in-law also brought her maternal grandmother to their home.

Luo Qing's uncle and aunt also came to the house.

Naturally, Feng Zhengming personally cooked a meal for Luo Qing's family.

During the meal, Luo Qing's grandmother took the initiative to praise Feng Zhengming.

“Zhengming, you’re really famous now. Grandma often hears the neighbors talking about you. They all say you’re the best chef in the country now.”

Mother Luo immediately smiled and said, "Mom, Zhengming is not only the best chef in the country now, his restaurant is among the top ten in the world, he is already the best chef in the world."

Grandma exclaimed in surprise, "Really? Zhengming, you're already the best chef in the world?"

Feng Zhengming humbly stated, "That's my restaurant. My restaurant was rated as one of the top ten restaurants in the world. I can't say that I'm the best, but the team in my restaurant's kitchen is the best."

Luo Wenhan: "Brother-in-law, you don't need to be modest at home. We all know that you are the best chef."

Feng Zhengming: "Brother, this is not modesty, it's the truth. My skills are definitely very good at making Shandong cuisine, but I dare not say that I can definitely do better than my master and the others."

If it were other cuisines, I probably wouldn't be as good as the chefs of those cuisines.

Luo's father immediately said to his son, "Look at your brother-in-law, what is his status now? He's still so humble."

Luo Wenhan: "Dad, I'm very humble now. Look, I've already opened three internet cafes, but I'm not arrogant, am I?"

Feng Zhengming asked with a smile, "Brother, how's business at your three internet cafes?"

Luo Wenhan: "Zhengming really wants to thank you for your support. The information you helped me with was a great help. Now, my business is the best among the three internet cafes in Jinan."

Luo Qing immediately warned, "You should also be careful. There are a lot of weird people in internet cafes. Don't cause any trouble."

Luo Wenhan: "Don't worry, little sister. Your brother isn't someone to be trifled with either. If we get into trouble, we'll know to go to the police."

At this point, Luo Wenhan looked at Feng Zhengming: "Brother-in-law, do you remember Liu Yongfeng?"

Feng Zhengming: "I remember, he's Liu Fangyou's brother."

Luo Wenhan: "Yes, yes, he's Liu Fangyou's brother. We're very close now. I run my internet cafe strictly according to his advice."

Feng Zhengming: "You two are really close? He's still at the police station near the train station?"

Luo Wenhan: He's not there anymore; he's been transferred to the Municipal Bureau.

Feng Zhengming: "No wonder. With him helping you, your internet cafe really doesn't have to worry about anything happening."

"Hehe, this is all thanks to your influence, brother-in-law."

After listening to her brother's words, Luo Qing still issued a warning.

"Don't cause trouble, or you'll drag Fangyou's brother into it, or I won't let you off the hook."

Feng Zhengming said on behalf of his wife, "Actually, you should thank your sister. Liu Fangyou and I are not as close as we are to your sister. They are best friends now."

At this moment, Feng Nuanyou spoke up: "Mom and Aunt Youyou are very nice. They took me shopping for clothes together."

Listening to Feng Nuanyou's words made the whole family happy.

Luo Wenhan was somewhat surprised: "So that's how it is? It seems my sister has more influence."

Luo Qing: "Don't cause trouble."

Luo Wenhan: "Don't worry, my internet cafe is a legitimate one. I don't even let kids in, and I don't let anyone without an ID card in."

Feng Zhengming: "Brother, won't you lose a lot of customers if you do this? Do you really have that many people in your three internet cafes?"

Luo Wenhan: "Brother-in-law, let me tell you, many young people nowadays like to go online, especially many people from other places who come to Jinan to look for work. They like to go online in internet cafes during their breaks."

At this point, Luo Wenhan also mentioned to Feng Zhengming that some of his apprentices in several shops in Jinan also liked to go online.

Feng Zhengming thought about it and wasn't too surprised.

After all, many of those apprentices had just graduated from vocational school.

Moreover, because they attend vocational schools, many of them may not even be twenty years old after graduation.

At their age, they are definitely at an age where they like new things, so they are bound to be more addicted to internet cafes.

After all, their family doesn't live in Jinan; most of them work here.

After finishing work, surfing the internet is probably their biggest pastime.

Luo Qing asked, "Won't those people's love of the internet affect their work?"

Luo Wenhan: "How could that be? They only go online when they're resting."

Feng Zhengming: "That shouldn't be the case. The internet is just a form of entertainment. There's no need to over-glorify it. We can get an internet connection at home, and I'll get you a computer so you can go online at home too."

Luo Wenhan perked up immediately: "Yes, yes, little sister, I'll get you a good one."

Luo Qing: "Then I should thank you."

Luo Wenhan: "Haha, don't be shy."

Then Feng Zhengming suddenly asked, "Brother, I heard you met a girl at an internet cafe?"

These words immediately drew everyone's attention to Luo Wenhan.

Apart from Feng Nuanyou and her uncle, who continued eating.

Luo Wenhan faced the gazes of his entire family, especially the look in his maternal grandmother's eyes.

He could only confess and be treated leniently.

“She’s a girl from my internet cafe. We met online. She was looking for a job, so I asked her to come and try out at my internet cafe. She worked very hard, so I kept her on to help me manage the internet cafe.”

Feng Zhengming: "Didn't you invite them to your home for the New Year?"

Luo Wenhan: "Brother-in-law, isn't it just not the right time yet?"

Grandma couldn't help but ask, "Where is the girl from?"

Luo Wenhan: "They came from Anhui Province."

Grandma: "You came from Anhui Province? That's quite far."

Luo Wenhan: "Grandma, she's a really good person, a very down-to-earth and capable girl."

Grandma: "Then you can introduce us to him/her later."

Luo Wenhan: "Isn't it almost Chinese New Year? I was thinking of waiting until after the New Year to let you meet her. I also want to take some time to go to her house with her and meet her parents."

Luo Qing was somewhat surprised: "Are you going to meet their parents already?"

The uncle smiled: "Not bad, Wenhan seems quite efficient."

Luo Wenhan: "I really think she's a good person, especially to me."

Feng Zhengming: "Brother, if you think it's good, then that's fine. Take us to meet them later. Let me and Luo Qing meet them first, but don't let us meet their parents. That would be too formal."

Auntie agreed: "Yes, you younger generation should meet first."

Luo Wenhan thought about it and agreed.

So after lunch, Feng Zhengming and Luo Qing took advantage of the two little ones falling asleep.

They brought their eldest daughter, Feng Nuanyou, and their uncle's son along to Luo Wenhan's internet cafe to meet the girl.

On the way, Luo Wenhan wasn't very nervous at first, and he was chatting and laughing with Feng Zhengming and Luo Qing.

But as the internet cafe came into view, he became somewhat nervous.

"Sister, brother-in-law, maybe we shouldn't meet? I feel a little embarrassed."

Feng Zhengming smiled and looked at his wife beside him.

Luo Qing's attitude was firm: "We must meet him." Her sister's words effectively blocked any possibility of Luo Wenhan backing down.

"Alright, let's meet then, but let's make this clear first, don't ask any questions when you meet."

Luo Qing: "What? We're family members, can't we even ask?"

Luo Wenhan sighed helplessly and could only nod: "Okay, okay, you can ask me anything."

Feng Zhengming was holding the hands of two children; he did not take them into the internet cafe.

Feng Zhengming felt that it was best not to take his daughter, who was their age, into internet cafes.

It's okay to teach my daughters how to use the internet, but I can't let them go into internet cafes.

Feng Zhengming's idea is to buy a few computers after the New Year so that his daughter, wife, and younger cousin can use the internet at home under parental supervision.

Because her father was with her, Feng Nuanyou, although curious about the internet cafe, didn't clamor to go in.

As for the little boy who came with them, he listened to his daughter very much.

Seeing that Feng Nuanyou was obedient and didn't go in, her uncle also didn't seem inclined to go into the internet cafe.

Feng Zhengming led his two children to wait on the other side of the road.

"Internet cafes are for adults only. You are too young to go in. If you want to learn about computers, I will buy a few computers and put them at home so you can learn at home."

Feng Nuanyou: "Dad, I'm learning with my uncle."

The little boy nodded: "Yes, let's learn together."

Feng Zhengming: "Okay, you can all learn together."

Not long after, Luo Wenhan came out of the internet cafe first, followed by Luo Qing and a woman.

The woman wasn't particularly pretty, especially standing next to Luo Qing; her appearance seemed rather ordinary.

In addition, Luo Qing was wearing a fashionable down jacket that she had bought in Shanghai.

In comparison, these make women appear older.

However, you can tell from the woman's eyes and brows that she is a rather down-to-earth person.

In particular, it was obvious that she wasn't wearing much makeup.

In this respect, women are probably more reliable than Fang Hongyan.

The three of them crossed the road together and came to this side.

The woman was still very excited to see Feng Zhengming.

Because women work in Luo Wenhan's internet cafe, they naturally spend a lot of time online.

I've seen quite a lot of information about Feng Zhengming online.

In addition, there are various television news reports and newspapers.

The woman truly admired Chef Feng Zhengming.

Feng Zhengming smiled at his brother-in-law: "Let me introduce you."

Luo Wenhan: "Oh, this is Jiang Fanglin."

After listening to Luo Wenhan's introduction, Feng Zhengming took the initiative to extend his hand to him.

"Hello, I am Feng Zhengming."

Jiang Fanglin excitedly reached out and shook hands with Feng Zhengming.

"Hello, hello, I know you, Feng Zhuangyuan. You are the national culinary champion and are still the head chef of one of the world's top ten restaurants."

Feng Zhengming: "Those are all empty titles. I'm just a chef and Luo Wenhan's brother-in-law."

Jiang Fanglin: "It's not just a reputation. My dad is also a chef, but he's not as good as you."

Upon hearing that Jiang Fanglin's father was also a chef, Feng Zhengming couldn't help but feel curious.

"Your father is a chef too?"

Jiang Fanglin was a little embarrassed: "My dad is indeed a chef, but his skills aren't as good as yours. He's doing well in our hometown; he's the chef at the biggest restaurant in our town."

Feng Zhengming: "So, in that case, we're practically colleagues. If you have time, please come visit us."

Actually, up close, Jiang Fanglin is a bit chubby.

However, he wasn't very fat; he had a prosperous appearance.

Considering that she said her father was a chef, Feng Zhengming could understand.

Jiang Fanglin must have been very pampered at home.

Moreover, because of her plump appearance, Jiang Fanglin's smile appears particularly festive.

It has a feel similar to the female officials depicted in Tang Dynasty figurines.

Feng Nuanyou suddenly pulled her uncle to stand up.

"Uncle, you didn't introduce me and my younger uncle."

Luo Wenhan looked down and saw the two children, then quickly smiled and squatted down to introduce them.

“This is our little Youyou, now she is the apple of our family’s eye. The boy is my cousin, my uncle’s son.”

Jiang Fanglin smiled and squatted down to greet the two children.

"Hello, it's nice to meet you."

Feng Nuanyou asked with a grin, "Aren't you my aunt?"

These words made Jiang Fanglin blush instantly.

Before Jiang Fanglin could answer, her uncle tugged at Feng Nuanyou and said, "No, she's your cousin's girlfriend. You can't call her 'Auntie' yet. You have to wait until she and your cousin get married."

Feng Nuanyou looked at her uncle and said, "I know, but she and my eldest uncle are boyfriend and girlfriend, so I can call her aunt."

The two children's conversation made everyone laugh and instantly brought them closer together.

Jiang Fanglin smiled and said, "Oh my, I've often heard your uncle tell me that you're a very smart little girl. Now that I've met you, I know that your uncle was absolutely right. You really are so smart and so cute."

Feng Nuanyou smiled shyly and hid behind her father.

Luo Qing said, "Let's find a place to sit down. We can't just stand here on the roadside and talk. It's quite cold here."

Feng Zhengming: "Yes, let's go, find a warm place, sit down and talk slowly."

Luo Wenhan blurted out, "How about we go back to my internet cafe?"

Jiang Fanglin immediately objected: "No, there are two children here. There are many people smoking in the internet cafe, and it's filled with smoke. It's not good for the children."

Hearing Jiang Fanglin say this, Feng Zhengming and Luo Qing exchanged a glance, both feeling that Jiang Fanglin was a very good woman.

They were all happy that Luo Wenhan had found such a good woman.

After thinking for a moment, Feng Zhengming decided to lead everyone to a coffee shop to sit down.

The group found a coffee shop that wasn't very big.

As soon as Feng Zhengming entered, the coffee shop owner recognized him.

The female boss was very excited to see Feng Zhengming and insisted on taking a photo with him.

Feng Zhengming had no choice but to comply with the female boss's request and take a photo with her.

After the group photo, the female boss wanted to give Feng Zhengming and his group a free meal, but Feng Zhengming refused.

Feng Zhengming and his group found a small private room to sit down, and only then did they officially begin discussing the matter between Luo Wenhan and Jiang Fanglin. (End of Chapter)