Chapter 62

Chapter 62 — Chapter 62: There’s a path to heaven you won’t take, but hell has no...

Chen Ran’s contact information was quite hard to find.

She didn’t have any social media accounts, nor any agent.

Generally, to find a chef, you just need to find their workplace. But who knows where Chen Ran was working?

In the end, it had to be through the Shu family banquet team.

However, Shu Jianmin had been tempered over these days. He kept a very tight lip, not revealing a single word, only saying he would help pass the message.

But when Chen Ran received this forwarded message, she was a bit stunned.

It was already ten o’clock at night. Xu Laoguai had long sent Chen Ran to rest and even brewed a basin of herbal water for her to soak her hands.

Xu Ruyi was beside her, following her grandfather’s instructions, occasionally checking the water temperature. If it cooled, she immediately added hot water.

Seeing Chen Ran’s phone keep ringing, she stopped Chen Ran’s hand: “Soak a bit longer! Grandpa said you need to soak your hands for twenty minutes, then I’ll massage them for you.”

She picked up Chen Ran’s phone and opened it for her, deliberately avoiding looking at the message content: “You check it later, after the massage. You killed seven or eight ducks and pigeons today; I see your thumb joints are a bit red.”

Chen Ran grit her teeth in the hot water with both hands and leaned forward to look at the phone in the other’s hand.

It was Shu Jianmin.

“Ranran, someone wants to hire you as a chef for a while— a restaurant called Tian Kailou in Yangzhou. I checked; it’s quite a large restaurant, very good at marketing, and apparently just got a Michelin three-star rating a few days ago.”

“They heard about the haunted house’s braised lion’s head being famous, and they’re quite urgent. They want you to cook the braised lion’s head to steer the local opinion.”

“They asked for your contact info but I didn’t give it. I also didn’t say the haunted house’s lion’s head was made by you. If you’re interested, tell me. I’ll stall the other side. That foolish guy is anxious and naive, maybe I can get you a higher salary! Either way, both sides are you, so we won’t lose out.”

“Oh, and it’s getting cold. My mom knitted gloves for you. She’ll have someone deliver them to the haunted house in a few days.”

Shu Jianmin’s mother was the aunt who once opened a small restaurant with Chen Ran at Yanglianshan. When the fan group was crazily queuing, the two developed a strong friendship belonging to the working people.

Chen Ran recalled that back then they cooked up to a hundred pork elbows a day! Compared to that, killing seven or eight ducks a day now and still having time to soak her hands felt extremely comfortable.

If it weren’t for the system’s task rules limiting how many times she could work, she really wanted to stay here forever.

Being able to cook as she wished, and having a very capable “senior brother” teaching her—what a great life!

However, she vaguely remembered that Tian Kailou seemed to specialize in Huaiyang cuisine. After leaving the haunted house, maybe she really could go work there?

“Ruyi jie, do you know Tian Kailou?”

Xu Ruyi was holding a hot herbal kettle in one hand, and helping hold the phone with the other.

When she heard the name Tian Kailou, she almost dropped the kettle and quickly stepped away, afraid of scalding Chen Ran.

“Tian Kailou… it’s opened by my great senior uncle.”

Chen Ran’s eyes flickered.

Xu Ruyi’s great senior uncle—that must be Grandpa Xu’s top disciple?

If it’s Grandpa Xu’s top disciple, why would he hire someone to compete against the haunted house’s lion’s head? Doesn’t he know the haunted house is run by Grandpa Xu’s biological granddaughter?

Judging by the looks of it, there might be some unpleasant past history behind this.“Jianmin ge told me that Tian Kailou wants to invite me over.”

“You can’t go!”

Xu Ruyi was afraid she couldn’t hold the boiling herbal kettle steadily, so she put it down on the floor.

She briefly recounted what happened back then and urged Chen Ran, “Ranran, you can’t go to a restaurant run by that kind of person! He even framed my second senior uncle for drug addiction. What wouldn’t he do?”

“You’re such a skilled chef now, and you’re famous. The world is vast; you can go anywhere. Don’t risk it over something like this!”

Seeing Chen Ran pressing her lips tightly, Xu Ruyi couldn’t help adding, “Don’t even think about revenge or anything like that. The people who poisoned my second senior uncle are already in jail. There’s no evidence to pursue anyone else. Grandpa Xu has also let it go.”

Has he really let it go?

Chen Ran recalled how Grandpa Xu taught her cooking, as if willing to give her everything.

She didn’t say much. After soaking her hands in the herbal water until it was all gone, she watched Xu Laoguai come over to instruct his granddaughter to massage each of Chen Ran’s fingers one by one. After Xu Ruyi fell asleep that night, Chen Ran opened her phone and secretly started searching for information about Tian Kailou.

This restaurant specialized in Huaiyang cuisine but focused on innovative Huaiyang dishes.

After learning Huaiyang cuisine from Xu Laoguai for a few days, Chen Ran now had some understanding of this cuisine.

Huaiyang cuisine is a refined literati cuisine.

It was born from the clash of wealth and culture.

Wealth came from the intersection of the Yangtze River and the Grand Canal, where the richest salt merchants gathered.

These salt merchants were incredibly wealthy, but on the other hand, they worked hard to wash away their roughness and leaned towards culture.

At that time, the emperor’s strategy to win over the literati was to compile books in Yangzhou, leading to the birth of many literati gatherings.

From this clash, Huaiyang cuisine emerged as a cuisine favored by the cultured elite.

Therefore, Huaiyang cuisine excels at using ordinary ingredients with multiple times the craftsmanship to create grandeur and opulence.

For example, Wen Si tofu: tofu is such a common ingredient, but with top chefs and superb knife skills, it is processed and then presented with top-quality clear broth.

“Though made by man, it seems to open from heaven.”

It requires ingenious craftsmanship but never vulgarity; grandeur and wealth, but never gaudy or tacky. It can be like Xiao Yan Gong’s “Alone climbing a tall tower, gazing at the endless horizon,” but never Wang Gui’s infamous “precious elixir.”

The name Tian Kailou comes from this famous saying about Huaiyang cuisine. Ironically, today’s Tian Kailou has completely abandoned this spirit.

Chen Ran browsed their menu online; carefully crafted dishes like Wen Si tofu, stewed dried shredded tofu, and three-set duck were all gone. Even the signature dish—clear-braised crab roe lion’s head—was changed into trendy internet dishes.

“Little lobster lion’s head?”

She nearly couldn’t hold back reading it aloud. If Grandpa Xu saw this dish, who knows how angry he would be!

Recalling Xu Ruyi’s words—one of Grandpa Xu’s two disciples turned out like this, the other recently kicked drug addiction but was locked away in the countryside.

Perhaps that was why Xu Laoguai poured all his effort into teaching Chen Ran.

He was not only delighted to see a talented gem but also wanted to find a true heir willing to wholeheartedly continue this culinary lineage.

However, Chen Ran always felt she could do even more.

The night was deep. Xu Ruyi, who had spent the day fighting wits and courage with others and had just finished massaging Chen Ran for a long time, had long since fallen into a deep sleep.Chen Ran glanced at her and secretly asked the system in her mind.

“Hey, system, is there any way to help Xu… Senior Brother Xu get revenge?”

Seeing that Yang Jingzhou was fine now, she really felt angry!

The system didn’t respond.

Chen Ran knew well that the system was good at teaching her cooking, not some justice-delivering system. She asked this just because she couldn’t sleep.

She sighed deeply and fiddled with the system interface.

Surprisingly, she really found something!

The flavor special effect task for caramelized sweet potatoes was unknowingly completed today!

Perhaps because Han Qiao’s haunted house review and the “Lin Wei” chef had been mentioned a lot, Chen Ran’s earlier review video had a slight resurgence today.

This made more people remember her dishes, and the craving value rose faster.

Chen Ran clicked on the task and the system panel popped up:

【Use the most suitable technique to handle the most suitable ingredients, rather than considering cost performance — this is what a true chef should do.】

【Such dishes always evoke the deepest emotions inside diners’ hearts.】

【Flavor Special Effect: Eating this caramelized sweet potato will unconsciously remind people of the one thing they care most about in their life within the next six hours.】

【Special Effect Restriction: Only caramelized sweet potatoes made with the oil-base sinking batter technique can trigger this effect, and it can only be triggered once per person.】

The one thing cared about most?

Compared to previous flavor special effects, this one was the vaguest.

Is the most cared-about thing a good thing or a bad thing? Or does it vary by person?

The next morning, Chen Ran got up and first tried making a plate of caramelized sweet potatoes with the special effect.

This was the first time Xu Laoguai saw Chen Ran’s oil-base sinking batter technique up close. He nodded and praised, “Your control of the heat is good. When I was your age, I didn’t have your calmness.”

However, Chen Ran didn’t dare let Xu Laoguai eat this caramelized sweet potato. If he ate it, he would definitely think of the incident when the second disciple relapsed. If the old man ate it…

Watching others come over to eat the sweet potatoes, Chen Ran suddenly thought of a possibility.

If Yang Jingzhou ate this caramelized sweet potato, would he also remember that incident?

That incident was also a turning point in his life.

Because of that, he was finally able to become independent, finally no one suppressed him from “cooking freely” or cutting costs…

Chen Ran’s eyes gleamed as she stared at the employees trying the dish.

She wanted to see if recalling the most cared-about thing would have other effects!

Socially anxious Song Yuhan first pulled out a long string and happily stuffed the golden-red sweet potato into her mouth.

Then… she went to squat in a corner.

Not only squatting, it seemed she remembered the thing that caused her social anxiety back then. When Chen Ran walked over, she saw Song Yuhan wiping away tears.Chen Ran silently apologized to the female ghost comrade in her heart, hurriedly grabbing a handkerchief to wipe her tears.

“Don’t cry, don’t cry…”

She still remembered Song Yuhan’s social anxiety. While wiping her tears, she first asked her, “Can I hug you?”

As soon as she asked this, she felt Song Yuhan immediately pounce on her, hugging her neck and crying out loud!

“Why are you mocking me! Don’t mock me!”

Chen Ran hugged Song Yuhan while gently patting her back, holding back from asking what exactly had happened.

It seemed… the phrase “evoke” in the flavor special effect of the caramelized sweet potato was too conservative.

It not only evoked that event but made it feel as if it were happening again!

Chen Ran comforted Song Yuhan for more than half an hour until the haunted house was about to open, then the latter finally awkwardly stood up.

“Sorry, I don’t know why, but I suddenly remembered that thing from back then…”

When she was a child, she gave her first speech on stage, got drenched in water, and in the rush couldn’t change clothes, so she had to give the speech in wet clothes. Later, rumors spread that she had wet her pants.

Since then, Song Yuhan became the severe social anxiety sufferer she was now.

Before that, that event seemed sealed in her memory; counselors encouraged her to bravely talk about it, but she couldn’t recall any details.

Why today… did she suddenly remember it?

“Sorry, Chef Chen, your clothes got wet from my tears…”

“It’s nothing! This is my kitchen clothes, it’ll soon be smoked and burnt anyway, I’m not afraid of getting dirty.”

Chen Ran carefully observed Song Yuhan’s reaction and felt her plan was very likely to succeed.

She replied to Shu Jianmin: “Jianmin ge, I’ve thought it through. Tell them, if they really sincerely invite me, let their boss come to the haunted house with me to try the clear-braised lion’s head.”

“As for the treatment and such, we’ll talk about that later.”

Shu Jianmin was a bit confused receiving this message, but it was normal for a genius chef’s ideas to be different from an ordinary person’s.

“Okay, I’ll pass it on. If there’s a reply, I’ll tell you.”

This message passed through several hands and finally reached Yang Jingzhou himself.

He looked at his slightly uneasy biological son: “Look at this Chen Ran. Although her marketing is so exaggerated, she’s very cautious herself. And she insists on trying the opponent’s lion’s head before making a move?”

He didn’t know who was pulling the strings behind the scenes. If that person could be found and promoted for his Tiankailou, maybe the branch would really open in Jing City.

“Dad, are you really going?”

Yang Jingzhou’s son hesitated a bit: “That haunted house is run by my senior sister, Xu Laoguai might even be there. And my second uncle…”

“Afraid of him?” Yang Jingzhou proudly picked up his teacup, blew on it, and took a small sip. “Back when those two were famous, they couldn’t beat me. Now one’s disabled in his hands, the other’s broken, what can they do to me?”

Not to mention, after receiving this little chef’s invitation, he really wanted to go back and see.

He wanted that old bastard to see Tiankailou’s current scale, the magnificent atmosphere of this five-story restaurant, and ask him face to face if he regretted it.

“Arrange it for me, I’ll go tomorrow. Just right, I’ll also try to see whether that old guy really taught disciples anew, or if he brought back my useless junior apprentice from the countryside.”Yang Jingzhou had fallen into the trap, but getting a spot in the haunted house was really not easy.

Han Qiao was a well-known big shot in this circle. With his review, plus his rare praise of the food, Xu Ruyi’s haunted house quickly became popular in a small circle.

After Wang Zhaoshan returned, he reluctantly admitted in the lion’s head group chat: “This lion’s head is indeed a level above Chen Ran’s braised lion’s head…”

“Indeed, I also thought it was very good,” Ms. Wang, who rarely dared to go to the haunted house, was very satisfied with the trip and even planned to invest a little in Xu Ruyi’s game studio. “I don’t know if there’s a bonus for grabbing food inside the haunted house, but I really didn’t get enough of this lion’s head.”

She had previously tried Tiankailou’s lion’s head: “Compared to Tiankailou’s creative crayfish lion’s head, I think this more original clear-braised crab meat lion’s head tastes better.”

Zhu Nan was quite busy and failed to book tickets for the first day’s haunted house immediately, only getting tickets for the third day.

He was a bit curious: “I saw in that review that the ‘Wensi Tofu’ was also awesome, and there was a special tasting technique mentioned… Did Ms. Wang try that? What’s the verdict?”

“You should ask Wang Zhaoshan, he’s the one who tried it!”

Wang Zhaoshan protested loudly: “I only got two bites! Almost all were eaten by those two professional players ahead of me!”

He specifically advised Zhu Nan: “We really can’t compare to professional players solving puzzles fast. If you want to shoot a video, you might as well forcibly team up with a professional player.”

The cameraman was also pulled into the group by Zhu Nan and quickly spoke up: “Hey hey hey, don’t split us up here! Don’t worry, I’ll go learn the strategies and be a pro in one day!”

He also mentioned something else: “By the way, this Chef Lin is pretty popular, too. Someone contacted me wanting to buy my ticket.”

The person contacting the cameraman was from Yang Jingzhou’s side. Although the cameraman refused to sell, eventually some students couldn’t resist the temptation to resell two spots at a markup.

Chen Ran had communicated with Xu Ruyi in advance, saying she also wanted to try the haunted house. Xu Ruyi didn’t know her plan but happily approved.

“Okay, these days practicing bone removal every day must have worn you out. Going to play is fine, I’ll add a spot for you?”

“No need! I booked a group purchase early. Just treat me like a regular visitor then!”

Chen Ran didn’t dare say she invited Yang Jingzhou over, afraid Xu Ruyi would explode on the spot.

Meanwhile, Song Yuhan came over, her face half made up like a ghost, making a big scary face: “Ranran, don’t worry, I’ll go easy on you!”

Since crying so hard after eating the caramelized sweet potatoes, Song Yuhan’s social anxiety symptoms seemed much lighter.

At meals, she no longer sat alone on the side. When playing the female ghost, she wasn’t scared by visitors anymore.

This also made Xu Ruyi breathe a sigh of relief.

She didn’t want to fire these old employees, but if Song Yuhan kept scaring visitors away like last time, it would be difficult.

“No going easy!”

Chen Ran guessed she would probably act together with Yang Jingzhou, so going easy wouldn’t have the right effect.

About to head out to meet visitors, Chen Ran specially reminded Xu Ruyi: “Ruyi jie, I put the caramelized sweet potatoes I made in the newly added Hell scene. It fits pretty well. It’s also a little treat for the visitors.”

The ninth level of the Eighteen Levels of Hell is the oil pot hell. She took advantage of Xu Ruyi’s distraction to secretly add an oil pot scene there.

And the plate of caramelized sweet potatoes with the flavor effect was placed beside it.

Xu Ruyi didn’t pay much attention, just nodded: “Got it, you go quickly!”

Chen Ran quickly put on makeup, adjusted her eyebrow shape, put on a mask, and clipped her hair into simple waves, then ran straight to the haunted house entrance.

At the entrance, she saw Yang Jingzhou waiting there, with Zhu Nan holding a camera standing nearby.Luckily she wore makeup!

Taking a deep breath as she walked over, Chen Ran forced back the goosebumps on her skin and barely shook hands with Yang Jingzhou. Seeing that he seemed about to call her name, she quickly raised her hand to stop him.

“Keep it low-key, just call me Xiao Chen.”

Yang Jingzhou chuckled and didn’t insist on any formal title.

Although this time he was borrowing Chen Ran’s fame, he fancied himself experienced in this field and didn’t really think much of Chen Ran.

He just thought she was a girl who knew how to do marketing.

Maybe in some time, we’ll see this so-called “sweeping monk” little chef start livestreaming sales!

“All right, then Xiao Chen, let’s try this clear-braised lion’s head together today.”

His teacher-like urge kicked in and he couldn’t help but give Chen Ran a few pointers: “But personally, I still prefer your braised lion’s head. Huaiyang cuisine is always about this salty fresh flavor. The ingredients have to be fresh and flawless. Nowadays restaurants need a high table turnover rate to be serious, and the braised flavor suits young people’s tastes better!”

“But if you’re interested in clear-braised lion’s head and we cooperate well, I can guide you.”

Chen Ran nodded perfunctorily, even more grateful she wore a mask. Otherwise, she’d have to fake a smile for Yang Jingzhou—what a pain!

Soon Xu Ruyi came out.

She recognized Yang Jingzhou at a glance!

“What are you doing here!”

This bastard, how dare he show up?

Yang Jingzhou smugly raised his phone, showing Xu Ruyi the QR code on it: “I bought a ticket, scan it and see? I spent money, why can’t I come?”

He glanced at the amusement park’s scene that matched the haunted house and clicked his tongue twice: “Looks like, niece, you’re not doing so well either. You’re over thirty but still clean yourself up and look like a young girl. Really, if the haunted house can’t keep running someday, go work for your senior uncle at Tiankailou serving dishes. He won’t mind you’re old.”

Xu Ruyi took deep breaths in anger.

She wanted to kick this bastard out, but since he bought a ticket, she was afraid if she did, he’d hire internet trolls to leave bad reviews on her.

Zhu Nan frowned, glanced this way, and rapidly fanned the air with both hands.

“What’s that smell? Oh, someone’s got hemorrhoids and can’t hold in their crap, leaking it out.”

The cameraman chimed in: “Don’t sweep the illness under the rug! If you need some Mayinglong ointment, take it!”

“Shut you two—”

Yang Jingzhou stopped mid-sentence when he saw the cameras and gear on them—it was obvious they were social media bloggers.

One who looked like the cameraman was even holding a small camera filming!

“Forget it!”

He dared not say more, especially after recognizing Zhu Nan as a food blogger, even more afraid of being identified.

Seeing Yang Jingzhou obediently put on a mask, Xu Ruyi’s eyes reddened slightly, took a few deep breaths, finished announcing the rules, and let the group enter the haunted house.

Chen Ran, fearing being recognized by Zhu Nan and the others, kept her head down, following behind Yang Jingzhou.

The newly added Hell scene was on the right!The group split into pairs, discussing the map each person got.

"Each puzzle spot has a lion’s head dish—there are exactly eight people, one each. Whoever finishes their puzzle first isn’t allowed to snatch from those who haven’t finished yet, agreed?"

“No problem, I’m here just for this lion’s head and the Wensi tofu!”

“Right! Don’t say it’s just you guys— even if a ghost shows up, don’t steal my lion’s head!”

With the agreement settled, they started dividing the puzzle spots. Chen Ran immediately picked a map first.

“I’ll go with this gentleman to this Hell scene!”

Her caramelized sweet potatoes couldn’t wait any longer!