From selling box lunches to becoming a famous Chinese chef

The next day, Feng Zhengming continued to take everyone on a tour of Beijing.

Today, after checking into the hotel, they asked the hotel to help them find a car so they could all go to the Great Wall together.

This is also a place that Feng Zhengming himself has not had a chance to visit during his several trips to Beijing.

When we climbed the Great Wall together, we truly felt what it means to be a "no man who has not climbed the Great Wall".

Perhaps the Great Wall is not as many people imagine it to be.

But once you actually stand on the Great Wall, you can still feel its majestic grandeur.

Feng Zhengming held his daughter, let her stand on the Great Wall, and then shouted together with her.

"Waaaaah...hohohoho..."

After shouting, Feng Zhengming looked at his daughter and said, "Youyou, shout with Daddy."

Without the slightest hesitation, Feng Nuanyou joined her father in shouting.

This made Luo Qing, who was standing to the side, burst into laughter.

In her eyes, her husband was really funny, like a child, but at the same time he was a very good father.

Everyone took photos of each other on the Great Wall using their cameras.

They even found a passerby to take a group photo of them all.

In the group photo, Feng Zhengming stands in the middle holding his daughter, with his wife standing beside him, followed by his two senior brothers, and his apprentices and students standing around him.

This photo may become a treasured keepsake for many years to come.

I took photos at the Great Wall and spent a long time there.

Afterwards, everyone was a little tired.

Fortunately, the hotel arranged a car to follow them, so they didn't have to walk anymore.

Instead of having the hotel's car take them directly back to the hotel, Feng Zhengming had the car take them to an old restaurant.

This old restaurant is a well-known establishment in Beijing, specializing in barbecue.

Feng Zhengming also led everyone to experience Beijing's martial arts-style barbecue.

After having barbecue, Feng Zhengming led everyone on another day of sightseeing in the afternoon.

In just two days, I managed to visit most of the famous tourist attractions in Beijing.

Back at the hotel that evening, Feng Zhengming and his group met with the police again.

However, this time it brought them good news.

"After our investigation and research, Feng Zhengming finally confirmed that you were indeed forced into this situation in Shanghai. Afterwards, you also took the initiative to report the case and surrender yourself, preventing the situation from continuing to develop in an uncontrollable direction."

Therefore, we have decided to understand your situation and will erase your previous criminal record.

However, if you encounter a similar situation again in the future, please trust the police and report it to them.

Feng Zhengming smiled and said, "Thank you. I will definitely call the police in the future and will not try to solve things on my own again."

The police officers smiled and said goodbye to Feng Zhengming and his group.

After they left, everyone cheered for Feng Zhengming.

Luo Qing hugged her husband and kissed him.

Everyone was really excited at this moment.

Feng Zhengming is innocent and his criminal record has been wiped clean, which is good news for everyone.

Afterwards, several chefs from Kyoto also stepped forward again.

Master Hou spoke first: "Zhengming, we've been waiting for you for days. We need you to work with us to prepare for the banquet. We need you for both the National Day banquet and the athletes' welcome banquet."

Feng Zhengming: "I will definitely do my best to ensure that our athletes eat well."

Chef Zheng: "Haha, Zhengming, your status is different now. You'll be our head chef from now on."

Feng Zhengming: "Masters, I am still an apprentice in front of you."

Chef Hu: "Xiao Feng is too modest. The menu you gave us has already been approved. The dishes from now on will all be prepared by you, the head chef."

Upon hearing this, Feng Zhengming naturally stopped making excuses.

"Okay, I will definitely prepare well."

The three of them finally made an appointment with Feng Zhengming, and the hotel would arrange a car to take Feng Zhengming and his group to the site the next day.

After seeing the three off, Feng Zhengming and his team could finally cheer and celebrate.

This trip to Beijing finally allows everyone to officially get into real work mode.

Feng Zhengming encouraged everyone to cheer: "Alright, alright, go back and get some rest. Tomorrow we'll officially start preparations, and we can't let those chefs from Beijing outdo us."

Led by Yang Bin and Cao Zhiguo, everyone nodded earnestly.

Everyone was full of fighting spirit and ready to do their best at this state banquet.

Feng Zhengming and Luo Qing also took their daughter back to their room.

Upon entering the room, Feng Zhengming embraced his wife and daughter.

"Are you alright? I told you nothing would happen."

Luo Qing: "Unexpectedly, it turned out to be a good thing."

Feng Zhengming: "We didn't intentionally cause trouble. This kind of thing is definitely someone else's fault."

Luo Qing: "We'll call the police next time. Don't act impulsively again."

Feng Zhengming laughed: "The future? After this, where will there be a future?"

Luo Qing thought about it and realized it made sense.

Originally, Feng Zhengming's "mutual destruction" made people in Shanghai afraid to provoke him.

Furthermore, the subsequent nationwide crackdown on organized crime dealt a significant blow to those unscrupulous organizations.

This is how Feng Zhengming's case was handled.

No one dared to have any bad thoughts about him anymore.

At least no one dares to lay a dirty trick on him anymore.

The price to pay behind the scenes is enormous.

Feng Zhengming: "Don't think about that. We need to prepare the food tomorrow, and you'll probably be the only one with our daughter. Can you manage on your own?"

Luo Qing: Sure, we can stay in the hotel, but if we want to go out, we can just wander around the area.

Feng Zhengming thought for a moment: "You wouldn't be thinking of bringing your daughter to help me watch the shop again, would you?"

Her husband saw through her thoughts.

Luo Qing: "Anyway, I have nothing to do with my daughter. I'll go and look at some shops for you. Maybe there are suitable places to open a branch in the capital? Or maybe a place to open Yanxilou."

Feng Zhengming: "You were alone before, but this time you brought your daughter with you."

Luo Qing: "Don't worry, nothing will happen."

Feng Zhengming: "How about having someone accompany you?"

Luo Qing: "No need, what could possibly happen in the capital? I'll just wander around by myself."

Seeing his wife's insistence, Feng Zhengming knew in his heart that she was still strong-willed.

Moreover, given her previous experience in Jiangxi Province, his wife will definitely want to do something similar again this time.

Seeing his wife's determined expression, Feng Zhengming was still not entirely at ease.

He thought for a moment, then simply made a phone call. The person on the other end of the line was also somewhat surprised to receive Feng Zhengming's call.

After hearing what Feng Zhengming said, the person on the other end of the phone quickly agreed.

As soon as her husband hung up the phone, Luo Qing immediately questioned, "Who did you call? I heard it, it was a woman."

Feng Zhengming smiled: "It's Miss Tao."

"Tao Mengran?" Luo Qing was somewhat surprised. "Is she... in the capital?"

Feng Zhengming: "She's been in Beijing for a few years now. I heard she's quite successful in business here. I think if you ask her for help, there shouldn't be any problems."

Luo Qing asked in surprise, "How did you come to be in contact with her?"

Feng Zhengming: "Isn't this to ask her for help in finding a place in Beijing to reopen Yanxilou?"

Luo Qing finally understood after her husband explained it to her carefully and thoroughly.

"I see. Tao Mengran is really amazing. She's already a senior executive at a development company in Beijing."

Feng Zhengming: "Haha, actually the company's boss is her husband."

Luo Qing was taken aback: "Okay, so it's your own company."

Feng Zhengming: "However, their company has indeed taken on quite a few projects, and her husband's family seems to have some connections. If you let her take you and your daughter with you, I believe they can help you find a suitable place."

Luo Qing nodded: "If that's the case, then we'll definitely be able to find a place."

However, Luo Qing soon issued a serious warning to her husband: "You are not allowed to contact her alone in the future."

Feng Zhengming knew his wife was jealous.

Tao Mengran was probably a very competitive rival in his wife's eyes back then.

"Don't worry, I will never contact her privately. You can contact her later. Besides, she's married, so there's no way she could have anything to do with me."

Even after hearing her husband's words, Luo Qing was still worried and called Tao Mengran again.

Feng Zhengming held his daughter and watched his wife chat with Tao Mengran on the phone.

He was somewhat helpless and could only try to amuse his daughter.

“Look, your mother won’t let your father contact anyone, but she’s chatting with him nonstop.”

Feng Nuanyou patted her father's face with a smile. She didn't care how happy her mother was chatting with others; she still preferred to play with her father.

Seeing his daughter like this, Feng Zhengming knew that talking to her would be pointless.

Finally, Luo Qing hung up the phone.

She smiled happily and said, "Alright, I've already talked to Tao Mengran. She'll come pick me and my daughter up tomorrow so we can go look at some shops in good locations."

Feng Zhengming: "Okay, you guys go take a look. You can start by finding a suitable place to open a dry food stall."

Luo Qing: "I know, Yanxilou isn't in a hurry. Your restaurant in Shanghai is more important right now, so you can't be in two places at once."

Feng Zhengming: "Yanxilou needs to make a big splash before it can reopen, so we can't rush it. We need to arrange everything properly before we can truly reopen Yanxilou in the capital."

Luo Qing suddenly asked, "If you want to move Yanxi Tower directly to the capital, will your master agree?"

Feng Zhengming was quite confident: "Master will agree. What does Yanxilou's arrival in Beijing represent? It represents that Shandong cuisine has entered Beijing again, and it's a formal entry into Beijing."

Luo Qing: "But it seems there are eight famous restaurants in Beijing, all of which serve Shandong cuisine."

Feng Zhengming: "Yes, but the Shandong cuisine of the Eight Great Restaurants has incorporated some other cuisines, and the Eight Great Restaurants have also been influenced by many things in Beijing."

I want to open Yanxilou in Beijing, so that Shandong cuisine can truly return to its roots.

Luo Qing: "If you do this, won't you be going to have another conflict with the chefs in Beijing?"

Feng Zhengming: "Don't worry, there won't be any conflicts. I opened Yanxilou in Beijing so that I can better communicate with chefs in Beijing and make progress together."

After hearing what Feng Zhengming said, Luo Qing realized that it made perfect sense.

Just like her husband in Shanghai, he now has a very good relationship with chefs from different cuisines in Shanghai.

In the future, as the national culinary champion, Feng Zhengming will naturally receive more respect in Beijing.

He also participates in many state banquets, so naturally many chefs are willing to exchange ideas with him.

Luo Qing still hopes to see her husband compete with the country's top chefs, engaging in friendly exchanges, just like Feng Zhengming did at the National Culinary Competition.

The next day, Feng Zhengming and his group were picked up by a car that had been arranged.

Luo Qing carefully dressed herself in the room.

She kept talking to her daughter in bed.

"Youyou, do you think Mommy is pretty? Do you think Mommy can outshine that auntie today? Let me tell you, that auntie almost became Mommy's rival."

If Mom hadn't been watching closely, that aunt might have become Youyou's mother.

Feng Nuanyou sat on the bed, watching her mother dress herself up.

I've already changed my clothes several times.

Then, listening to her mother nagging her made the little girl feel a bit embarrassed.

I never imagined my mother would be so long-winded. She's just like my grandma!

Luo Qing still couldn't decide which outfit to wear.
Just as she was struggling with this decision, Tao Mengran called.

Luo Qing had no choice but to choose an outfit that was similar in color to her daughter's clothes.

If Feng Zhengming were here, he would definitely be unable to resist laughing and making sarcastic remarks.

"Luckily, we brought you a few extra outfits when we came, otherwise you would have had to go out and buy a few more to choose from!"

Luo Qing changed her shoes, grabbed her bag, and carried her daughter downstairs.

Upon seeing Tao Mengran, Luo Qing couldn't help but feel that her attire was actually quite good.

When the two women met again after many years, even though they didn't have a deep relationship, they were genuinely very affectionate towards each other, perhaps because they were seeing someone from their hometown in the capital.

When Tao Mengran saw Feng Nuanyou, she was also extremely fond of this cute little girl.

"Sister Qing, I didn't expect your daughter with Brother Feng to be so beautiful."

Hearing Tao Mengran praise her daughter like that, Luo Qing was naturally very happy.

"This girl probably has a good eye for choosing; she picked out the best qualities of both of us."

Tao Mengran nodded: "Yes, it's true that in terms of facial features, it seems like they chose the best features from you. Luckily, she doesn't look too much like her father, otherwise she might not be pretty."

Luo Qing laughed: "Hahaha, girls really shouldn't be like him."

The two walked out together and got into Tao Mengran's car.

Tao Mengran didn't call a driver today; she drove herself here.

“My sister and I haven’t seen each other in a long time, so I didn’t have the driver come. I drove myself so we could chat more happily and naturally.”

Luo Qing: "It seems your business is really big; you even have your own full-time driver."

Tao Mengran laughed: "No business can compare to yours. Our Feng Zhuangyuan is now a prominent figure in the domestic catering industry and among chefs. Who doesn't know that your restaurant in Shanghai is booming? It's impossible to get a seat."

Luo Qing: "We have many stores, but the profit margin in the catering industry is actually quite thin."

Tao Mengran: "That's because you do such exquisite work, and you also give your chefs a high percentage of the profits. If it were any other restaurant, Sister Qing, you would probably be very wealthy by now."

Luo Qing was somewhat surprised, not expecting that Tao Mengran actually knew so much about their business practices.

As Tao Mengran drove, she explained, "I heard all this from my brother and the others."

Then Tao Mengran drove Luo Qing and her daughter to have dim sum first. (End of Chapter)