Everything I bought on online shopping platforms was genuine.

Chapter 264: Treason, treason!

Inside the private room of the farmhouse restaurant, the four were first amazed by the exquisite presentation of the dishes, and then, at the instruction of the waiter, they began to eat.

Although Lin Mo was treating everyone today, as the chef, he naturally had to focus on the dishes first, telling the guests to start eating first, and that he would be there shortly after.

The group, who were already somewhat interested, stopped being coy after hearing Lin Mo's words and started eating.

In particular, Miss Yuan and Liu Ruyan were acquaintances of Lin Mo, so they naturally didn't stand on ceremony with him and invited Ms. Jiang and her husband to start eating together.

“Ugh~~!!!”

"This taste!!"

Ms. Jiang and Mr. Yuan each tried the Dongpo Pork and the Eight Treasure Gourd Duck, and both were struck by their unparalleled flavors.

It's only because they're both young enough not to have seen "MasterChef," otherwise the background music for "The Great Wall" would definitely be playing in their heads.
Leaving aside Dongpo pork, this Eight Treasure Gourd Duck is truly something special.

Comrade Lao Yuan has traveled all over the country and built such a big business, so naturally he must have tasted this famous Huaiyang dish.

The whole duck is deboned to serve as a container. The duck's belly cannot be cut open, leaving the skin intact. Eight kinds of fillings are stuffed inside, and the duck undergoes many complicated processes such as steaming, boiling, and frying.

Although not many people know how to make it, it's not difficult to learn. What's rare is being able to make it taste so amazing.

Even though Lao Yuan isn't a professional, he can still tell the difference between this "Eight Treasure Gourd Duck" and the ones he's had before.

Lift the crispy duck skin to reveal eight kinds of fillings inside: abalone, sea cucumber, skinless pork belly, shiitake mushrooms, beef tendon, bamboo shoots, green peas, and shrimp.

There is no fixed formula for this dish, and the eight ingredients added vary from region to region. In Sichuan, diced ham is added, while in Shandong, dried scallops are added.

This requires the chef to be creative and can even adjust the recipe based on the region the diners are from.

Liu Ruyan took a bite of the lobster crystal dumpling. The dumpling was crystal clear, and you could even see the red lobster filling inside.

Even the lobster that was comparable to the Third Prince of the East Sea was deboned by Lin Mo, and the shell was used as a platter.

One bite, and the rich texture and intense caramelized lobster flavor fill your mouth.

Even with Liu Ruyan's composure, she couldn't help but narrow her eyes, her face full of enjoyment. What shocked her most was that she found the taste this time to be even more amazing than the dishes Lin Mo had made before, and could even be said to be on a completely different level.

Even though her heart was in turmoil, Liu Ruyan remained calm on the surface, maintaining her persona as a wealthy heiress.

As for Miss Yuan, she was currently holding a crab roe bun in one hand and shoveling lotus-shaped shrimp into her mouth with the other.

"Fuck!"

"Fuck!!"

"Fuck!!!"

"It's delicious! It's fucking awesome! Mom and Dad, you guys eat up! Mo-zai is amazing! I really want to pack him up and take him home so he can cook for me from now on."

As she spoke, Miss Yuan didn't forget to pick up a couple of other dishes with her chopsticks, put them in her mouth, and continue with another round of "Holy crap!"

Ms. Jiang:
Comrade Lao Yuan:
For some reason, despite being in a particularly good mood, the two elderly people felt a sudden wave of dizziness upon seeing their daughter's eating habits.

Especially when compared to the dignified and elegant Liu Ruyan beside her, Ms. Jiang felt even more exhausted, and even had a faint liver pain.

Despite this, the two elders did not make a scene in front of outsiders and continued to eat the other dishes.

Sure enough, each dish had a unique and amazing flavor. The four people present were all from wealthy families and had seen a lot of food, but they were still conquered by the delicious food in front of them.

Apart from Miss Yuan, the other three were also amazed by Lin Mo's culinary skills while enjoying the food.

Putting everything else aside, his culinary skills alone are enough to ensure him a life of wealth and luxury, and Lin Mo is still a student who hasn't even graduated yet.

Most importantly, they couldn't understand this young man anymore. Besides his culinary skills, he was also an expert in massage and a disciple of Professor Li from Jiangning Medical University and the vice president of Jiangning Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital. Did a person really have that much energy?
And that doesn't even mention that Lin Mo himself can brew tea, ride horses, and occasionally produce some amazing secret medicines or rare items.

Although Lin Mo earned several million in a short period of time, making money was actually his least remarkable advantage in the eyes of the four people at the table.

Of the four people at the table, only Miss Yuan had a strong desire for the food; the other three had other thoughts in their minds.

Just then, another waiter came in carrying a covered plate, and at that moment, all four people at the table turned to look at it.

The waitresses were just ordinary staff at a farmhouse restaurant and had not received any training from high-end hotels, so naturally they wouldn't explain the dishes to everyone; their job was simply to serve the food.

Without a word, he lifted the lid, and in an instant, all four of them widened their eyes. Miss Yuan even spoke up:
Wow!! The Golden Legend!!

A look of astonishment flashed across Liu Ruyan's beautiful eyes: "This...this is a peony?"

Ms. Jiang nodded: "So beautiful!"

Finally, Comrade Yuan spoke up: "Is this the Peony Fish Slices, which are hailed as one of the eight great Sichuan imperial dishes of the Qing Dynasty?"

"That's what Mr. Lin in the kitchen said," the waitress smiled. She didn't know either; she was just an ordinary waitress at a farmhouse restaurant.

Although their shop had a good business a while ago, and the boss brought in a few food bloggers, making it a short-term internet sensation, business has been sluggish lately. She doesn't even know how long she can keep this job. She had no idea about the Eight Great Sichuan Imperial Dishes, but she did know about pre-made dishes, since many of the dishes in their shop were pre-made before.

"I knew I wasn't wrong. As the saying goes, only the peony is truly a national beauty, and when it blooms, it stirs the capital. These two peony flowers are made of fish slices, hahaha!" Comrade Yuan laughed very proudly.

This is where the advantage of traveling all over the country comes in. He has seen a lot and is knowledgeable. Moreover, showing off in front of his wife and daughter gives him a real sense of satisfaction.

Upon hearing this, Ms. Jiang rolled her eyes at her husband: "What are you showing off for? You can recite a few lines of poetry and you don't know who you are anymore."

But this is simply a work of art; I almost can't bear to eat it!

As they were talking, Miss Yuan had already reached out her chopsticks. She didn't care about art or anything like that. So what if it was a peony? Hadn't she heard of a cow chewing a peony?

Seeing that the art had been ruined, the three of them felt no more guilty and picked up their chopsticks.

The crispy fish meat and the sweet sauce blended perfectly, instantly bringing a look of enjoyment to the four of them.

There were no hallucinations, since Lin Mo hadn't added any undercooked Yunnan mushrooms, but it certainly gave the four of them a kind of spiritual shock. By the time Ms. Jiang and her husband, along with Liu Ruyan, came to their senses, Miss Yuan had already finished showing off one of the two peony flowers.

"Yuanyuan, be more reserved! You have no manners when you stand or eat. Look at yourself!" Ms. Jiang couldn't help but say a few words to her daughter.

Fortunately, there were no outsiders present, otherwise she would have lost all face. Watching her daughter eat with both hands, enjoying herself immensely, anyone who didn't know better would think she was a female version of Li Kui (a legendary outlaw).

Upon hearing this, Miss Yuan nonchalantly wiped the sauce from her lips with her finger, then put her finger in her mouth and smacked it, saying with a helpless expression, "Mom, do you know what the meaning of the peony flower is?"

Upon hearing this, Ms. Jiang's lips curled into a slight smile. Wasn't this just walking right into her trap? Her usual hobby was growing flowers and plants, so she immediately said, "You really can't stump your mother like this. The symbolism of the peony is 'national beauty and heavenly fragrance,' 'wealth and good fortune!'"

"Wrong!" Miss Yuan said, crossing her arms in front of her chest as soon as she finished speaking.

Ms. Jiang: ? ? ?

"Wrong? Impossible! Your mother keeps peonies at home. How could I be wrong? Come on, tell me, what is the language of peonies?"

Upon hearing this, Miss Yuan smiled slightly: "The peony symbolizes 'first come, first served,' wow~~"

As she spoke, she grabbed two more chopsticks and stuffed her little mouth full like a hamster.

Ms. Jiang:
It's shameful that these young people lack martial ethics and dare to ambush a woman in her fifties.

She quickly added two more slices to Liu Ruyan's plate, not wanting her daughter to finish them all, especially since there were other people around.

Soon, the two fish slices that made the peony dish were completely devoured. Miss Yuan even licked the sauce off the plate, making Mr. and Mrs. Jiang's eyes twitch.

Just then, Lin Mo finally changed out of his chef's uniform, washed up briefly, and came in, followed by two waiters, each carrying a covered plate.

"Auntie, Uncle, Sister Yuan, Sister Ruyan, is the food alright?" Lin Mo walked in and greeted them first.

"Oh, Xiao Lin, you've worked hard. The food is so good. I never expected you to be such a good cook. Come and sit down," Ms. Jiang said hurriedly.

Old Yuan, standing to the side, also laughed heartily and said, "It's more than just good, Xiao Lin. You're being a bit modest with your skills. I've traveled all over the country and eaten countless good things, but I've never seen a chef whose skills are as good as yours. Which famous chef did you learn from?"

Upon hearing this, Lin Mo waved his hand and said, "I just like to think things through on my own. There's no teacher involved. As long as you like it, that's fine."

He didn't want to explain too much about his culinary lineage. He could use Professor Li as a shield for traditional Chinese medicine practitioners, but chefs were different. What chefs did he not know? The more he said, the more mistakes he would make.

Liu Ruyan also raised her beautiful eyes and glared at him, saying reproachfully, "Great job, Xiao Mo! What a wonderful surprise!"

The implication in her words was clear to Lin Mo: she was upset that he hadn't cooked for her properly before.

However, Lin Mo had no choice. After all, he had only just mastered this skill and hadn't known it before. Besides, his previous chicken dishes were at a state banquet level, weren't they?

All I can say is that the "Wednesday Chef" skill is just too awesome. It truly lives up to its reputation as a weekly limited edition. The more restrictions and the more difficult the prerequisites, the stronger the skill effect.

Fortunately, Liu Ruyan didn't say much. In fact, because of the presence of two elders, Ms. Jiang and Comrade Yuan, she was quite careful with her tone of voice. Otherwise, all sorts of inappropriate words would have come out long ago.

The three of them were happy to see him, but Miss Yuan didn't say a word and focused on eating.

Seeing this, Lin Mo nodded to the two waiters behind him, signaling them to put down the trays.

"These are the last two dishes for today. They took a bit of work. Please try them." With that, Lin Mo grabbed a lid with each hand and lifted them open at the same time.

A flower petal, exquisitely carved from the heart of a cabbage, blooms in clear water.

The other dish was a plate of flowers blooming in water. The flowers were in two colors, white and pink, with four flowers of each color. Each flower had a different shape. The surrounding area was decorated with green vegetables as grass, and there was a moon in the soup. It was truly a beautiful sight.

The first dish, of course, needs no introduction; it's a famous dish served at state banquets: boiled cabbage in clear broth.

【Moonlight Over the West Tower】was something he found online, and its main selling point was its beautiful appearance. However, after being prepared by him, the taste was naturally beyond question.

Both dishes are soup-based. The boiled cabbage in clear broth is self-explanatory, and the chicken broth, simmered for over four hours, is crystal clear by the end.

While the main focus of "Moonlight Over the West Tower" is soup, the emphasis is on the flowers. The petals are made by crushing scallop meat into a paste, flattening it, refrigerating it, and then carving it. The broth is also simmered for more than four hours with old chicken, pig's trotters, oil-free pig skin, dried scallops, ginger, and Jinhua ham.

"Wow, the number one dish at the state banquet, boiled cabbage in clear broth!" Comrade Yuan exclaimed.

The other three women, however, mostly looked at Yue Manxilou, mainly because she was beautiful.

Lin Mo placed the boiled cabbage in the broth towards Comrade Yuan: "Uncle, please try some."

Then he scooped a flower petal into each of the three women's bowls and said with a light laugh, "It tastes even better when eaten with the soup and the flower together!"

The four of them were all amazed when they saw this, and then they enjoyed the food with peace of mind. After all, with the previous dishes as a foundation, they were increasingly looking forward to these two new dishes.

Both dishes had their soups simmered for over four hours, and their rich flavors instantly captivated everyone's taste buds.

Comrade Yuan sipped the soup with a look of pure enjoyment on his face.

Liu Ruyan and Ms. Jiang ate the clam meat shaped into flower petals in small bites, their faces full of satisfaction.

Only Miss Yuan, with just one flower, devoured it in one bite, like Pigsy eating a ginseng fruit.

Even though he hadn't swallowed what was in his mouth, his hand had already reached for another white flower.

Miss Yuan's idea was that it didn't matter what kind of flower it was; the meaning of flowers was that if you were slow, you'd miss out, and what you ate was what you truly owned.

This time, however, Ms. Jiang and Liu Ruyan learned their lesson and served themselves another flower even before they finished eating, afraid that the little princess would show off all of them. There were a total of eight flowers, four white and four pink, which was clearly two flowers for each person.

In the end, only Comrade Lao Yuan suffered a loss, only managing to get a white flower, and then looked at his precious daughter with a resentful expression.

"Dad, go drink your boiled water and cabbage soup. Do you even know what you're eating? Give it to me!" With that, Miss Yuan snatched the last white flower from Old Yuan.

Comrade Old Yuan glanced at the bowl of boiled cabbage in water, which was now almost empty, and spat out a remark:
"You treasonous son, you treasonous son!"

(End of this chapter)