The Spirit of Gourmet

Chapter 464, Twentieth Painting

As the other person finished speaking, Qin Lang's expression froze slightly.

He glanced at the restaurant manager named Lan Xin, then shook his head. "Fine, since your head chef doesn't want to see anyone."

"Then we won't force you."

"Thank you for your understanding, sir." Lan Xin smiled slightly, then left with the waiter.

After the two left, Cao Dongdong immediately showed a strange expression.

"Qin Lang, this is not quite what you said."

"This is indeed somewhat unexpected." Qin Lang nodded as well, but then changed his tone, "But it is precisely because of this that it shows that the head chef of Hai Sheng Yan is indeed problematic."

"They'd rather send us two dishes than let the chef come out and give us an explanation. This chef is far too mysterious."

“Indeed.” Zhao Qian nodded in agreement. “But what should we do next? Should we just force our way into the kitchen?”

"That definitely won't work." Qin Lang shook his head without hesitation.

"Not to mention that this behavior is likely to be seen as provoking trouble and causing us to be taken away by the security management team, even if everything goes smoothly, the purpose of this approach is too obvious."

"Currently, we are still ordinary diners."

“If the true intentions are revealed, the investigation will be even more difficult.”

"Since the Hai Sheng Yan approach isn't working, let's try the other way." Qin Lang paused slightly as he said this.

"Let's go to Haibawang again tomorrow at noon."

"I refuse to believe that I can't even meet the head chef of Haibawang."

“That’s true.” Cao Dongdong nodded. “If even the Sea King won’t let us see the head chef, then don’t blame me for returning as the Dragon King!”

Upon hearing this, Qin Lang and Zhao Qian's expressions turned strange.

"You've been watching too many modified versions of The Legend of the Hero of Light in Lanqiu City, haven't you?" Qin Lang shook his head helplessly. "Alright, hurry up and eat."

"The food doesn't taste good when it gets cold."

Although the cooking style is strikingly similar to that of the chef at Hai Ba Wang Restaurant, putting that aside, dining at Hai Sheng Yan is definitely worth the price.

Top-quality ingredients combined with excellent culinary skills equal a top-quality experience.

The two dishes the restaurant offered as an apology were not just cheap items from the menu; they were two signature dishes that Qin Lang and his companions had never ordered before, showing great sincerity.

Even Cao Dongdong, who was almost full, ate quite a bit, not to mention Qin Lang and Zhao Qian.

Finally, even Danbao and Lala, who had just recovered their strength, ran out of Xingmai and came over to enjoy a big meal before finishing the dishes.

"Alright." Qin Lang wiped his mouth and looked at Cao Dongdong, who was lazily leaning back in his chair and rubbing his belly.

"Now it's your turn to perform."

Cao Dongdong froze, a helpless expression on his face.

"How about I treat you to this meal?"

In order to avoid performing on stage, treating someone to a meal doesn't seem like a big deal.

"No!" Zhao Qian said without hesitation, her face filled with urging and anticipation. "Go quickly, I'm really curious."

"You'd better not be curious." Cao Dongdong sighed, then gritted his teeth. "Let me make this clear first, you're the ones who sent me!"

After saying that, he strode toward the waiter, who soon led him to the performance stage inside the restaurant.

The previous performer had just finished his performance, and his melodious music drew cheers from the audience, earning him a free performance.

When Cao Dongdong sat down at the piano, everyone's eyes immediately turned to him. Looking at Cao Dongdong's handsome face and his seemingly skillful movements, everyone's faces showed anticipation.

Qin Lang and Zhao Qian also crowded to the front row below the stage, wanting to see their friend's hidden talent up close. Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Cao Dongdong took a deep breath and pressed the piano keys.

"Boom-"

As the first note sounded, a chaotic and disorderly melody echoed throughout the restaurant.

Qin Lang and Zhao Qian's expectant expressions froze instantly. As they listened to the melodious music, they vaguely imagined Cao Dongdong sweeping the house with a broom, only to make it messier and eventually collapse the house.

For a moment, the two were speechless, unsure of how to describe their feelings, but their actions were surprisingly synchronized as they silently retreated from the front row closest to the stage to the furthest corner.

Cao Dongdong was unaware of this. The moment he pressed the piano keys, he was completely absorbed in his music, closing his eyes and looking intoxicated and self-satisfied. If a deaf person happened to pass by and saw him like this, they would definitely think he was a great musician.

Finally, a voice filled with anger interrupted his performance.

"Stop it!"

Accompanied by a roar, an elderly man with white hair rushed onto the stage, picked up his cane, and started hitting Cao Dongdong.

"Is this a performance? This is an insult to music!"

"Get out of here! How dare you play such music in public? No, this isn't music at all!"

"This is noise! ​​Utter noise!"

Coming to his senses, Cao Dongdong screamed and got up, clutching his head. The old man and the young man chased each other on the stage.

Seeing this, Qin Lang and Zhao Qian did not dare to delay and quickly stepped forward to break up the fight.

In the end, before things got any worse, Zhao Qian quickly paid the bill, and the three of them left Haishengyan Restaurant looking dejected.

"I told you not to make me play." On the way back to the hotel, Cao Dongdong sighed, "No one in this world will understand my playing."

"How dare you say that!" Zhao Qian couldn't help but roll her eyes. "If we weren't friends, I really wouldn't have stopped that old man."

"He deserves to teach you a lesson with his cane!"

"I'm just curious now, what exactly was Uncle Cao's mindset that made you persist in learning the piano for several years?" Qin Lang shook his head speechlessly, "I guess I was blind to his greatness this time."

"Next time, I definitely won't let you play the piano."

Danbao and Lala, who were standing to the side, nodded in deep agreement.

Listening to Cao Dongdong play the piano is absolutely divine!
"Alright, it's getting late." Qin Lang glanced at the already risen moon and shook his head. "Let's go back to the hotel and get some rest."

"We still have to go to Haibawang Restaurant tomorrow."

Zhao Qian and the other person nodded repeatedly, remaining silent the rest of the way.

Back in his hotel room, Qin Lang had barely sat down on the bed when he couldn't wait to enter a state of internal vision.

The nineteenth painting was taken near the Hai Sheng Yan Restaurant.

It's that exciting moment again to receive the reward.

I wonder what the reward will be this time...

When Qin Lang turned to the back of the nineteenth painting, his expression fell.

Guaranteed reward: Clear Star Stone.

It seems that the process of checking in this time was too easy, so the reward became perfunctory.

It's alright, I just ran out of the Clear Star Stones I had on hand.

After offering himself a word of comfort, Qin Lang looked at the twentieth painting that had been unlocked, and then a look of surprise appeared on his face.

This is…

(End of this chapter)