From selling box lunches to becoming a famous Chinese chef

Judging from its decoration style and interior layout, Jiawei is indeed full of fashionable elements.

It's simply a fashionable style of modern furniture.

This was something no one had expected.

Everyone had previously speculated that Feng Zhengming's new restaurant might choose to cook Chinese food in a Western style.

Some speculate that he might simply switch to serving Western food.

Some people even think that Feng Zhengming might use some strange ingredients and dishes.

But no one expected that he would decorate and furnish the store like a home.

Then, after the menu was circulated, everyone realized that Feng Zhengming was serious.

Not only does the decor and furnishings resemble a home, but the menu also features a variety of home-style dishes.

If you take out each dish on the menu one by one, it's completely difficult to determine what cuisine each dish belongs to.
Because all the dishes on the menu are very common, almost all of which are dishes that many families would make.

So when many people see it, they might even make a sarcastic remark.

"I can make this myself at home, why should I spend money to eat at your restaurant, Feng Zhuangyuan?"

Feng Zhengming did not respond to this mockery.

When he was interviewed, he simply gave a very calm answer.

"Since my new restaurant is called 'Home Flavor,' the dishes we offer will naturally be home-style dishes. Don't you all miss the taste of home-style dishes from your memories?"
That has nothing to do with any particular cuisine; it's just the kind of food your elders in the family would cook for you.

This answer from the interview naturally sparked further discussion.

"I really don't understand, how could Scholar Feng run such a small, home-style restaurant?"

"You're right! I'm really curious to see what the home-cooked dishes that Scholar Feng makes will taste like."

"I must say, when it comes to cooking elaborate dishes, I definitely admire Scholar Feng, but when it comes to cooking everyday dishes, I think Scholar Feng might not be as good as my wife."

"What you're saying is ridiculous. After all, Scholar Feng is a master, so he can easily cook home-style dishes."

"That's right, even if Scholar Feng cooks home-style dishes, they'll definitely taste better than what we cook at home."

"It's really hard to say. I think you shouldn't overestimate Scholar Feng."

"I don't believe that Scholar Feng can make anything fancy out of ordinary home-cooked dishes."

Discussions about Feng Zhengming's new store can be heard everywhere, from the streets to the alleys.

This moment perfectly embodies the Chinese people's innate talent for food.

When it comes to various home-style dishes, everyone can actually name a few of their family's signature dishes.

"When it comes to home-cooked meals, my wife's skills are definitely top-notch. Her braised pork is absolutely delicious."

"Pshaw, who can't make braised pork? My skills are definitely just as good."

"I love my mom's braised tofu with greens, it's really delicious."

"I like the braised duck at home, with some soybeans added to the soup. I cook it and then mix it with rice."

"My favorite dish is my mom's braised fish. It's not the traditional braised kind, but it tastes especially delicious."

"My family makes braised fish, which I especially love. My grandma's braised fish is so delicious and flavorful."

Because Feng Zhengming announced that his new restaurant is called "Home Flavor" and will mainly serve home-style dishes.

This has sparked a lot of discussion about the taste of home cooking.

Everyone was talking about some of the home-cooked dishes they had at home.

And some special home-cooked dishes that my family members usually make.

By 2002, the internet had already emerged, and people were even creating dedicated threads to discuss it on internet forums.

Many people commented on the post, sharing their favorite home-cooked dishes and reminiscing about the taste of some of their family's everyday meals.

This sparked a series of discussions that many people did not expect.

Television stations, newspapers, and some food review magazines.

Even Feng Zhengming received numerous letters from all over the country.

Although we have mobile phones and the internet is gradually emerging in this era, many people still write letters.

A deluge of letters arrived in Shanghai from all over the country.

For a moment, even the post office was somewhat surprised.

Feng Zhengming receives a large number of letters every day. Every day when he returns home, he sees his wife and second aunt reading the letters.

"You've really worked hard, Auntie, and you've worked hard too, my wife."

Second Aunt looked up at Feng Zhengming, who had just returned: "Hahaha, it's not hard work. Some of your letters are quite interesting."

Luo Qing shook a letter in her hand, a letter filled with flashy and frivolous writing.

"Look, they've even sent you love letters."

Feng Zhengming laughed: "You knew it was a love letter and you still kept it? Why didn't you just burn it?"

Luo Qing: "No way, I want you to come back and open it. No matter what, this is your private letter. Even if I'm your wife, it's not appropriate for me to open it."

Feng Zhengming smiled and leaned closer to his wife: "We're husband and wife, and I have no secrets from you."

Luo Qing deliberately created some distance between them and handed the letters in her hand to her husband.

"Here you go, I have it now."

Seeing the young couple's appearance, the second aunt couldn't help but smile.

"Alright, alright, look at you two, the kids are all grown up, and you're still having these little squabbles at home. It's just a few letters, Zhengming, why don't you just open them and show them to us?"

Luo Qing smiled and said, "It's not just a few letters. Aunt, you don't know, he has received quite a few letters like this over the years."

The second aunt looked at Feng Zhengming: "Really? You've received a lot of letters like this?"

Feng Zhengming said helplessly, "There are indeed quite a few. Every now and then, there will be a batch of them, and some people will send a letter every month."

Second Aunt: "So there's such a thing? I'm telling you, you really can't do this."

Feng Zhengming: "Auntie, you don't know, Luo Qing actually asked me to reply to those letters."

The second aunt looked at Luo Qing: "You still want him to reply to that letter?"

Luo Qing smiled: "Aunt, you don't know, some people write letters to him with the kind of admiration they have for him, and they regard him as a kind of spiritual pillar in their hearts, so I definitely have to help him."

The second aunt was amused by the couple.

"Haha, you two are really something."

Luo Qing: "Aunt, I felt that since people regarded him as their pillar of support, we shouldn't let them down too much, so we asked him to take some time to reply to their letters."

Second Aunt: "Then why do you care that he receives these fancy letters?"

Luo Qing: "I am concerned. What if he reads too many of these kinds of letters? Won't he start having second thoughts?"

Feng Zhengming: "Auntie, don't you think she's being a bit unreasonable?"

Second Aunt couldn't help but laugh out loud: "Alright, alright, I'm going upstairs to check on the two little ones. I won't interfere in your affairs."

Then my second aunt went upstairs.

Feng Zhengming and Luo Qing were left sitting in the downstairs living room.

Luo Qing smiled and urged her husband to read the letter quickly.

Feng Zhengming naturally changed the subject. "Where's Youyou? I didn't come back late tonight, so why didn't I see her?"

Luo Qing: "She's already asleep. She's been playing a bit too much at kindergarten these days. After she gets home and has dinner, my aunt and I play with her for a while, let her read some short stories, and teach her some basic words before putting her to bed."

Feng Zhengming: "My daughter has been so well-behaved lately?"

Luo Qing smiled and said, "That's right. My aunt and I promised her that if she behaves well, we would take her on leave to attend the opening of your new store."

Feng Zhengming: "Your skill at making empty promises is quite impressive. I admire you, my wife."

Luo Qing immediately changed the subject: "Hurry up and read the letter."

Feng Zhengming: "Oh dear, I'm so tired today, I'm not watching anymore."

Seeing that her husband was trying to get away with it, Luo Qing was naturally unhappy.

"Hurry up and look, or I'll make you sleep downstairs tonight."

Feng Zhengming was amused by his wife and pulled her into his arms.

"How dare you treat your husband like this? I haven't seen you disciplined lately, do you think your husband is incapable of dealing with you?"

Luo Qing was pulled into her husband's arms, and she naturally lay down in his embrace.

In fact, she didn't care at all whether Feng Zhengming read the letter or not.

For Luo Qing, urging her husband to read the letter was merely a way for the couple to manage their emotions.

She knew very well that Feng Zhengming had only ever had her in his heart all these years.

She also understood that Feng Zhengming could never have any entanglements with other women.

This is actually a tacit understanding that stems from the deep affection between the couple over the years.

Feng Zhengming and Luo Qing's relationship is one that no one is allowed to interfere with.

So when Feng Zhengming hugged her, Luo Qing naturally nestled into her husband's arms.

"Why did you insist on cooking home-style dishes this time? It seems like a lot of people are discussing it. I saw it online with my aunt today, and there are many people discussing it online as well."

Feng Zhengming: "Home-style dishes are the ones that everyone can eat most often."

Think about it, isn't the most memorable taste from your childhood the taste of home-cooked meals?

Luo Qing thought for a moment and said, "The best taste in my memory is the pork ribs that my aunt made for me at my uncle's house."

Feng Zhengming asked, "Sweet and sour pork ribs?"

Luo Qing nodded: "Yes, Auntie's cooking is also very delicious, no worse than yours."

Feng Zhengming: "Therefore, the taste of home is the taste that leaves a lasting impression. This time, I hope that more people can find the taste of home in my store."

Luo Qing naturally supported her husband's idea.

However, Luo Qing still had some concerns.

"But home-style cooking tastes vary from family to family. How can you make a flavor that everyone likes?"

Feng Zhengming smiled slightly: "Of course, it's impossible to make the home-style taste that others remember. I just want to make some home-style tastes that most people will find delicious."

Luo Qing: "Isn't this still very difficult?"

Feng Zhengming: "It's not difficult."

"Not difficult?" Luo Qing asked, somewhat puzzled.

Feng Zhengming: "Actually, home-style flavor is not just about the taste, but also about the atmosphere, the home atmosphere, and the taste, as well as the reasonable price, to create home-style flavor."

After hearing what her husband said, Luo Qing seemed to understand what he wanted to do.

"Do you want to create a restaurant with a more family-like atmosphere and a human touch in that bustling international food district? So that people can occasionally stop and take a break during their busy lives?"

Feng Zhengming couldn't help but kiss his wife.

“You really understand me; you understood my feelings immediately, so how could I possibly read those letters?”

As he spoke, Feng Zhengming threw away all the letters, then picked up his wife and went upstairs.

Luo Qing hugged her husband's neck, her eyes filled with adoration as she looked at him.

Feng Zhengming and Luo Qing truly understand each other.

To outsiders, it often appears as a quarrel between the couple.

In reality, the couple didn't argue at all; they were just pretending to argue.

Moreover, even if it appears to outsiders that the couple is arguing, they are rarely actually blushing or arguing.

The couple knew each other so well that many things didn't need to be explained.

Just like the design of this new store.

Feng Zhengming may need to explain to everyone.

Even his second aunt might not understand, but he didn't need to explain it to his wife.

Luo Qing could easily guess Feng Zhengming's idea for opening this store.

After going upstairs and entering the room, the couple then engaged in passionate lovemaking.

Afterwards, Luo Qing lay in her husband's arms.

Do you think those people would like your design?

Feng Zhengming: "Probably. Haven't you noticed how busy many people in Shanghai are? They work incredibly hard every day, so I believe they would like a restaurant with a family atmosphere like this."

Luo Qing: "Then you should launch some children's meal sets so that people can bring their children to eat."

Feng Zhengming: "Wife, that's a great idea. I am indeed planning to launch a children's meal."

Luo Qing reminded, "You need to pay attention. Food for children must be prepared more carefully, especially in terms of ingredient selection."

Feng Zhengming: "Of course I know that. I definitely made it for the other children based on the same design I made for my Youyou."

Luo Qing: "Didn't you want Zhu Xu and Zhang Lei to take responsibility?"

Feng Zhengming: "Yes, I will teach them. However, I think I will later transfer a more skilled chef to this restaurant to be in charge of the children's meal dishes."

Luo Qing agreed: "This arrangement is great. There's a dedicated chef for children's meals, which is fantastic."

Feng Zhengming suddenly thought of something amusing and couldn't help but laugh.

Seeing her husband laugh, Luo Qing asked curiously, "What are you laughing at all of a sudden?"

Feng Zhengming: "I'm thinking that when the time comes, we'll have our daughter Youyou take the exam to become a new chef, and then we'll name the children's meal set that the restaurant launches after our daughter Youyou, 'Warm Youyou Children's Meal Set.'"

Luo Qing laughed along: "You still say you're not biased? Look at you, you're obviously biased towards Youyou."

Feng Zhengming: "It's probably impossible not to be biased. We've spent too much time with Youyou. I'll try to spend more time with the two little ones in the future."

Luo Qing: "Yes, you need to spend more time with your two little ones, otherwise they won't be close to you anymore."

Feng Zhengming: "Okay, I'll take some time to guide them and get closer to them."

The couple talked and then fell asleep in each other's arms.

In the morning, before Feng Zhengming and his wife were awake, a heavy object suddenly pressed down on them, waking Feng Zhengming.

Without even opening his eyes, Feng Zhengming knew that the person pressing down on him was his eldest daughter, Feng Nuanyou.

When I opened my eyes, I saw my daughter staring at me with a grin.

It turns out that Feng Nuanyou went to bed early yesterday so she could sneak into her parents' room in the morning and keep her father from going to the dining room yet. (End of Chapter)