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Chapter 694 Master Invites Me for Tea

"There are so few people on this floor."

Tao Jinxi wasn't surprised. "There are only two shops on this floor. One is my dad's private restaurant, and the other is an art and jewelry exhibition hall. The former isn't crowded outside of mealtimes, while the latter only accepts custom-made jewelry or art pieces. It only gets busier when it's rented out for auctions. By the way, the latter is a business that my aunt and my mom run together!"

Jiang Hanying nodded to indicate that she understood: So this whole floor is her family's property.

As you walk through an elegantly decorated art corridor, you are greeted by the warmth and vibrancy of everyday life.

Compared to the daunting exhibition hall next door, Tao Family Private Kitchen is undoubtedly much more low-key.

A gilded plaque hangs above the shop entrance, and there are no other decorations, emphasizing simplicity and antiquity.

Push open the slightly ajar wooden shop door.

The walls were clean, white, with only a few paintings and calligraphy hanging on them for decoration.

The tables, chairs, and benches are all made of authentic wood.

The ubiquitous greenery adds a touch of greenery to the entire space.

At this time, even the shop's waiters had gone off duty, so naturally no one came forward to serve them.

As soon as Tao Jinxi entered the room, she led Jiang Hanying straight to the kitchen.

As soon as the door separating the kitchen from the outdoor dining area was opened, a cacophony of voices, chopping vegetables, the hissing of steam hitting the pot lid, and the sizzling of frying food burst out.

Jiang Hanying also saw the scene in the kitchen.

Compared to the simple and rustic exterior, the kitchen is full of high-tech features, with all kinds of kitchen utensils and stoves, making it dazzling at a glance.

Three figures dressed in white chef's uniforms, wearing dust caps and masks, with only their eyes showing, and another figure wearing only a dust-proof suit, were standing in the kitchen. Hearing the noise at the door, they all turned their heads to look.

Tao Jinxi shrank her neck: "Dad, brother, sister-in-law, good afternoon!"

Jiang Hanying followed closely behind: "Hello, Uncle Tao!"

This person will be her provider from now on, so she must behave herself!

Tao Junchen glanced at them and knew without asking what these two people were there for.

However, letting people into the kitchen is out of the question. He doesn't even allow the restaurant's waiters to come in; only the kitchen staff are permitted to enter.

Song Yining was someone he made an exception to let in. Song Yiqing rarely met strangers, and he was afraid that the child would not be able to perform at his original level due to nervousness, so he let Song Yining in specifically to soothe Song Yiqing's emotions.

He simply waved his hand and said, "Wait outside."

Jiang Hanying and Tao Jinxi nodded in unison and said, "Okay!"

Whatever our bread and butter say goes!
He obediently closed the door and left.

The assessment in the kitchen continues.

Before the two had to wait long, Song Yining temporarily took on the role of a waitress, carrying out a tray with both hands.

Jiang Hanying and Tao Jinxi stood up faster than the other.

Song Yining: "...My brother and Uncle Tao each made a serving of Longjing shrimp and fish soup. You can try them and guess who made them."

Tao Jinxi immediately looked at the tray in her hand.

The fish soup served in two small bowls looked at first glance as if it had been scooped from a single pot.

There were also two plates of Longjing shrimp, neither of which were specially plated and both looked pretty much the same.

You can't tell the difference just by looking at them; it seems the only way is to taste them and see what the difference is.

Jiang Hanying had already picked up her chopsticks.

I first picked up a pink and tender shrimp and put it in my mouth. "Delicious."

She picked up another one from another plate, saying, "This one is delicious too."

The two people waiting to hear her evaluation: "...What's the difference?"

"Let me try it again."

"..."

"I'll do it again..."

"I……"

"I can taste it!" The two, whose expressions had gone numb, looked over slowly.

That's what you said!

"The tea flavor is stronger here, but the shrimp tastes more bouncy and tender!"

"You can tell from this?" Tao Jinxi ate one of each with some skepticism, and even picked up a tea bud from each of the two plates and chewed it.

"The texture of the shrimp..." Although it felt a bit unbelievable, Tao Jinxi still said truthfully, "I couldn't taste much difference, but the tea aroma in this dish is indeed stronger, so it must have been made by my dad."

The other dish was made by my sister-in-law's brother.

That was a really good move!

Seeing her future sister-in-law's somewhat surprised expression, Song Yining couldn't help but smile slightly. She touched the inside of the fish soup bowl and said, "The fish soup isn't too hot anymore. Want to try some more?"

Jiang Hanying was already waiting on the side with a spoon in her hand.

Upon hearing this, he scooped up a spoonful and put it in his mouth.

"Fresh, the fish is so smooth!"

He swallowed it in one gulp, and then tasted the one in the other bowl.

"Hiss, the flavor is even better now!"

Tao Jinxi, not to be outdone, also took a bite.

She had eaten her father's fish soup many times; it was absolutely delicious, loved by everyone in the family, and it was a must-have dish on the state banquet menu.

But this time, I had to taste it several times before I could tell that one bowl of soup was lighter and the other was richer.

However, the main feature of fish soup is its freshness, smoothness, and tenderness, so the former is still superior.

But don't forget, the other bowl of fish soup, which was almost equally delicious, was made by my sister-in-law's intellectually disabled brother.

Is this what people often mean when they say, "When God closes a door, He opens a window"?

"This fish soup is my dad's specialty. I never expected my sister-in-law and brother to be able to make it so well."

"Actually, my brother only knew how to cook some common home-style dishes before. It was Uncle Tao who heard that my brother was learning to cook. He learned by imitating the videos on the tablet that taught how to cook home-style dishes. These two dishes were made by Uncle Tao, and my brother imitated them."

Tao Jinxi was shocked again, "Then this imitation ability is really strong!"

She still remembers that her brother learned to cook, and it was her father who taught him step by step.

Since this was my first time making it, I can only say it's cooked through and barely edible.

Jiang Hanying was thinking: It's all settled!

With such talent, she didn't believe Uncle Tao would be willing to give it up.

Her private chef is coming soon!
In the following days, it's unclear whether the two people in the kitchen got carried away with teaching or the other got addicted to learning, but they tried everything from frying and deep-frying to stewing and steaming.

Tao Jinxi couldn't eat anymore after eating about half of it, even though she only tried a few bites of each dish, but there were just too many different kinds.

The rest all went to Jiang Hanying.

Last time she visited relatives for the New Year, her father cooked several elaborate dishes. With so many people at the table, she only ate a few bites of each dish, tasted it, and then finished the plate.

This time I really enjoyed the food!
Tao Jinxi rubbed her stomach and drank the digestive tea she had brewed herself, glancing at Jiang Hanying's stomach from time to time with a puzzled expression.

Where did all this food go?

After eating on and off for about an hour, the kitchen door was opened again. This time, it wasn't just Song Yining or Tao Jinchuan who came out with trays for the two waiting outside to taste; all four people who remained in the kitchen filed out.

Tao Junchen took off his mask, revealing a slightly chubby face that showed signs of fatigue, but his face was flushed and radiant. After sitting down, he beckoned to his daughter, who was drinking digestive tea, "Xiaoxi, pour Daddy a cup of tea."

Tao Jinxi quickly took an empty cup, poured a cup, and handed it over.

Tao Junchen took it and handed it to Song Yining.

Song Yining was stunned for a moment, then quickly took it with both hands. She looked at her brother, who was obediently following beside her, and suppressed her joy as she whispered, "Brother, do you remember what I taught you yesterday afternoon?"

Song Yiqing thought for a moment and nodded seriously: "I remember."

"Now that Uncle Tao is willing to take you as his apprentice, what are you going to do?"

"boom!"

Song Yiqing immediately took a few steps forward and walked to Tao Junchen. Without hesitation, she bent her knees and knelt down firmly on the ground. She then took the tea from her sister's hand and presented it to Tao Junchen with both hands in a standard posture, saying, "Master, please have some tea."