As soon as he hung up the phone, Feng Yifan turned around and saw his wife standing behind him.
When he saw his wife, Feng Yifan quickly walked forward with a smile and reached out to hold his wife's hand, wanting to say something to her.
But before he could hold his wife's hand, she slapped his hand away.
Su Ruoxi asked seriously, "Didn't you say that you had nothing to hide from me? Then what about this Ma Xiaolong? How did you come up with such a deputy?"
Seeing his wife's serious expression, Feng Yifan slowly approached with a smile and reached out again to hold his wife's hand.
As a result, his wife moved away, but Feng Yifan did not hesitate at all. The moment his wife moved away, he took a step forward and held his wife's hand tightly.
Pulling his wife into his arms, Feng Yifan said softly, "I'm not hiding anything from you, but this Ma Xiaolong really can't be considered an assistant. It's just that when I was in that restaurant abroad, I asked him to help me with the work, and he was considered more useful."
Su Ruoxi was instantly amused by her husband's words: "It's more convenient to use? After all this fuss, people treat you as an idol and want to be your apprentice wholeheartedly, but you just treat them as tools?"
Feng Yifan coughed awkwardly, then said, "Not really. At that time, Ma Xiaolong was a bad boy similar to Ning Cheng. He learned to cook just to look cool. He didn't really want to learn at first. Later, I was a little strict with him, and I just showed him a few tricks to shock him."
Feng Yifan first met Ma Xiaolong when he was abroad, and later took Ma Xiaolong to work in the kitchen.
Later, the restaurant owner begged Feng Yifan to help his restaurant get three stars.
After Feng Yifan agreed, he took Ma Xiaolong with him to make various arrangements, create new dishes, customize various sets of meals, etc. It can be said that every step was completed by him and Ma Xiaolong.
"Maybe it's because I've been with him for a long time and he's learned a lot from me, so he feels that he's already my deputy and I can't do without his help."
Su Ruoxi asked curiously: "So you dumped him later and returned to China by yourself?"
Feng Yifan nodded and said, "Yes, I think that since I helped a restaurant like that get three stars and I have accumulated five stars myself, I have fulfilled the promise I made to my father before I went abroad. So I should return home with the money and come back to take care of you and Ruoruo."
Su Ruoxi curled her lips: "In the final analysis, you just thought of us because you have made enough money."
Feng Yifan quickly said, "No way, I've always been thinking about you and Ruoruo."
Su Ruoxi asked again: "Then why don't you call us very often? You just write letters and send greeting cards?"
Feng Yifan could only talk about some more situations abroad and told his wife that after leaving the last restaurant, he went to some other places to meet some old friends who had helped him and to fulfill some promises he had made, so he came back late.
"I'm sorry, I should have come back immediately after getting the money, so that I could have walked into the new year with you and Ruoruo, and I wouldn't have let you face so much hardship alone."
After listening to her husband's story, Su Ruoxi leaned her head in his arms.
"Okay, that's all I'm saying. Don't be so nervous. Dad, I, and Ruoruo have already forgiven you."
Then, Su Ruoxi asked again: "That Ma Xiaolong came back and set up a stall to compete with Xiaolin. Are you really not going to intervene? From what you said, that Ma Xiaolong is much better than Xiaolin. Moreover, he has been with you for so many years and can already replicate your dishes. Xiaolin is no match for him, right?"
Feng Yifan smiled and said, "It's okay. We should believe in Xiaolin's ability."
Su Ruoxi was still a little worried: "But how long has Xiaolin learned it? He is nothing compared to Ma Xiaolong."
Feng Yifan shook his head and said, "No, although Xiaolin has only been learning for a short time, he is a man of insight, so as long as he finds a way, it shouldn't be difficult for him to beat Ma Xiaolong."
Su Ruoxi asked curiously: "You also said that Ma Xiaolong is very talented?"
Feng Yifan smiled and said: "Ma Xiaolong is indeed very talented. He can learn everything I teach him very quickly. He can even completely replicate my dishes and imitate all my movements. He can replicate the production process without changing anything at all."
Su Ruoxi was very surprised when she heard this: "Wow, is he so powerful?"
Feng Yifan nodded: "It's really amazing. His talent is better than Xiaolin and the others, but I don't like his way of completely imitating others. I think he is using his talent in the wrong place."
Su Ruoxi was even more curious: "Was it used in the wrong place?"
Feng Yifan continued, "Think about it, what is the real strength of a truly top chef?"
Su Ruoxi thought for a moment and said, "Can I make delicious dishes?"
Feng Yifan shook his head: "Not entirely. A chef should be able to make delicious dishes, and a top chef should be able to create his own dishes. Why are chefs often equated with artists? It's because chefs are creating art on the tip of the tongue."
This time Su Ruoxi understood what her husband meant.
What my husband meant was that a top chef should be able to create dishes in his own unique style, just like creating works of art.
Ma Xiaolong is not innovative, he just copies other people's dishes.
Feng Yifan continued to say to his wife: "It's not that replicating dishes is wrong. Being able to make dishes created by others reach the level of the creators also shows the ability of a chef. But if you want to go further, you need to have your own unique understanding and ideas, and you can't just imitate others."
Su Ruoxi thought for a moment and asked, "So you didn't let Ma Xiaolong stay by your side because you felt he lacked the ability to innovate?"
Feng Yifan shook his head: "No, it's not that he lacks the ability to innovate, but when he is with me, he relies too much on me. He doesn't think about other things and just imitates me blindly. So I don't like this. I hope he can have his own personality."
Su Ruoxi finally understood what her husband meant and why he didn't accept Ma Xiaolong as his apprentice.
Although Ma Xiaolong is indeed extremely talented, Feng Yifan does feel bad about his blind imitation behavior. He still hopes that Ma Xiaolong can move beyond imitation.
Su Ruoxi asked again: "Then do you think that when Ma Xiaolong set up a stall this time, he was also imitating you?"
Feng Yifan smiled and said, "Who knows? But this may be an opportunity for him and Ruifeng to grow. Let's see who can seize the opportunity."
Su Ruoxi saw that her husband looked relaxed and asked with a smile, "Why do you look like you're getting ready to watch a show?"
Feng Yifan did not deny it: "Yes, isn't this a big show?"
Su Ruoxi punched her husband lightly in the chest and said, "What a fool you are! The two people over there are at loggerheads. They are both your disciples. Now they are going to compete to win. But you are hiding in the countryside to watch the show. Don't you even help Xiao Lin?"
Feng Yifan hugged his wife and said with a smile: "Ruifeng doesn't need my help, he can handle it."
Seeing her husband's confidence in his apprentice, Su Ruoxi asked again, "So are you going to take Ma Xiaolong as your apprentice's mother?"
Feng Yifan thought for a moment and said, "I'm not sure about that yet. If he can let go of his past glory and stop blindly imitating me and not pursue a three-star restaurant here, I will consider taking him in as my apprentice."
Su Ruoxi asked curiously: "Why don't you want to open another three-star restaurant? Does that mean Su Ji can't be rated three stars?"
Feng Yifan laughed and said, "Of course not. Su Ji is truly beyond three stars. What kind of chef was Su Ji's ancestor? He was once the best chef in the royal family. How could he be compared to a mere three stars? And why should we let foreigners comment on our own restaurant?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Su Jinrong's voice sounded behind him.
"Yes, that's right. China has a long history. Our dishes are a culmination of historical and cultural heritage and our unique aesthetics. We don't need outsiders to judge us."
Hearing his father-in-law's voice, Feng Yifan and his wife turned their heads to look.
I saw Feng Jiandong pushing Su Jinrong out.
Su Ruoxi thought for a moment and said, "But I heard that three stars is the highest rating for a restaurant. If we don't fight for three stars, will we be unable to compete with them?"
Feng Yifan said to his wife, "Three stars is indeed the highest rating for a restaurant in the world, but it doesn't mean that restaurants that don't get star ratings are bad. There are so many different kinds of food in the world, and every nation has its own characteristics. How can we judge them with just one star?"
Facing his family's gaze, Feng Yifan smiled and showed his confidence, saying: "We want to run Su Ji into a unique restaurant, different from them, with our own characteristics, so that they can only follow us and learn from us, but cannot surpass us."
The description of such a beautiful blueprint really makes Feng Jiandong, Su Jinrong and Su Ruoxi full of expectations.
But at this moment, a basin of cold water was suddenly poured down.
"Can you stop making empty promises here? You only know how to brag. Just do something good. What's the point of being unsurpassed by others? Just run your father-in-law's restaurant well. That will be worthy of your father-in-law's cultivation of you, and also worthy of Ruoxi's waiting for you."
After the mother's voice, the daughter's soft voice came: "Grandma, there is also Ruoruo. Ruoruo will also support Dad. Ruoruo will work with Dad to open Grandpa's restaurant well."
Lu Cuiling looked down and saw her little granddaughter following her out with her phone in her hand. She bent down and picked up her granddaughter, stretched out her hand and gently pinched her little granddaughter's face and said, "Yes, and Ruoruo, Ruoruo is so well-behaved, daddy must also be obedient and run grandpa's restaurant well."
Feng Ruoruo smiled and nodded to her grandmother, then handed the phone to her mother.
"Mom, Sister Shen said that Uncle Xiaolin will play well in the competition, and Sister Shen asked when we will go back."
Su Ruoxi took the phone from her daughter and asked with a smile, "Do you want to go back?"
Feng Ruoruo thought for a moment and said, "No, Ruoruo doesn't want to go back yet. It's fun at grandpa and grandma's house. I have Tiantian and Little Duck, and sister Wenwen and brother Haohao to play with me. I can also pick vegetables and go fishing by the river with mom and dad."
After saying so much, the little girl thought for a while and said, "But Ruoruo also misses Xixi, Feifei, Sister Jingyi, Uncle Xiaolin and Sister Shen, and Granny Liu. Ruoruo misses them too."
After hearing this, Lu Cuiling teased her granddaughter and said, "If Ruoruo goes back, won't she be unable to see her grandparents?"
Hearing her grandmother say this, the little girl hugged her grandmother's neck and said, "No, then, let's go back together with Ruoruo, Dad, Mom, and Grandpa."
Without waiting for grandma to speak, Feng Ruoruo continued, "Grandma, we have moved to a bigger house, and we live upstairs. But grandma, don't worry about being tired from climbing the stairs, because we have an elevator. Grandma and grandpa can take the elevator upstairs, and it won't be tiring at all."
Feng Ruoruo opened up and began to chatter to her grandmother, introducing the situation of her new home.
Lu Cuiling also listened happily to her little granddaughter's chattering.
While his daughter was chattering to her grandmother, Feng Yifan was counting the days.
Before I knew it, I have been back in the countryside for more than a month. As July has passed and August has arrived, it is indeed time to consider going back.
However, Feng Yifan didn't want to go back so early, because the renovation of Su Ji had not been completed yet, and the renovation of the ancient street would also take some time. So he planned to stay in the countryside for a while, and the most important thing was to develop Su Zao Tang.
Now, Su Zao Tang has undergone several adjustments and its taste has become more and more perfect.
However, Feng Yifan still hasn't grasped the seasonal changes well.
However, Feng Yifan has developed quite a few new dishes these days. After returning, he can go to Fujinglou to try out the new dishes.
Thinking of this, he smiled and said to his daughter, "Ruoruo, let's stay at grandparents' house for another half a month. When your kindergarten is about to start, we will go back, okay?"
When Feng Ruoruo heard what her father said, she turned her head to look at him, then said with a smile, "Okay, we can continue playing at grandpa and grandma's house."
Lu Cuiling smiled and said, "Yes, it's fun to be at grandma and grandpa's house."
After her daughter was carried into the house by her grandmother, Su Ruoxi asked her husband, "Aren't you going to go back and watch the competition between Xiao Lin and Ma Xiaolong?"
Feng Yifan smiled and replied: "No need to look, we should believe in Xiaolin's ability."
Su Jinrong also said, "Well, you have to trust Xiaolin. He may be the eldest senior brother in the future. The eldest senior brother must have the responsibility and ability of the eldest senior brother. If you always rely on the master for help, you will not grow."
Su Ruoxi heard her father say the same thing, so she could only say helplessly: "Then I hope Xiao Lin can win."