Era: You're asked to cook a home-style dish, but you cook Wellington.

On the second day of the trial operation, the entire Su Family Island was sealed off because of that incident.

Those guests were all important figures, so naturally no one dared to stop them. Only Gao Yang and the staff he had recruited remained on the island.

"I said, are you all mute?"

The first to break the silence was a tall, thin apprentice who shoveled a couple of mouthfuls of rice into his mouth, his brow furrowed so deeply it could trap a mosquito.

"Do you think Chef Gao poisoned the food or not?"

A group of apprentices sat together, holding bowls of their work meals, watching television, and fell into silence.

"They said if I came here to work, I could learn a skill and they'd give me 200 yuan a month. Now that I've quit, what am I getting paid?"

"Yeah, they make us sit here all day long, we can't do anything, and they won't let us leave. It's so boring."

"I think it's a case of someone poisoning us and then making us take the blame."

An apprentice with a buzz cut lowered his voice, glanced at the closed kitchen, and curled his lip in disgust.

The crowd started talking, their emotions growing more and more agitated. They went from complaining about their treatment to speculating that Gao Yang had poisoned them, and then to worrying about taking the blame. Their pent-up discontent was almost overflowing.

"I don't care! If I stay locked up like this, my old mother is waiting for me to send money home!"

The round-faced apprentice slammed his hand on the table, his voice rising sharply.

"If Chef Gao doesn't give me an explanation, I'm going to the dock to stop a boat; I want to go home!"

"Yes! Let's go home!"

"Why can't we leave?!"

A group of people immediately started making a fuss, standing up and shouting that they wanted to confront Gao Yang. The once quiet lounge instantly turned into chaos.

Unbeknownst to them, a soft clattering sound of bowls and chopsticks came from a corner where no one was paying attention.

His name was Amin, a distant relative whom Gao Yang had specially recruited from his hometown. He was usually quiet and hardworking, and was inconspicuous among the group of apprentices.

At that moment, Amin was looking down, shoveling rice into his bowl, seemingly oblivious to the noise around him.

These chaotic, cacophonous sounds passed through his body like air.

He didn't even lift his eyelids, but gripped the chopsticks tightly with his fingertips, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force.

Yes, among these apprentices, was there anyone who poisoned them?

How could he not know?

The thousand yuan that had been slipped to him was still hidden in a folded compartment under the bed, wrapped tightly in a tattered cloth.

The stranger dressed as a waiter approached him, gave him money, and asked him to bring the stir-fried mushrooms and seafood to the table ahead of time.

He felt like he'd been given a windfall; a monthly salary of 200 yuan, or 1,000 yuan for more than half a year's income, was simply too good to pass up.

However, before he could make a move, Cai Lao was involved in an accident, and the scene was in chaos, leaving him with no chance to act.

Now, he felt that the thousand yuan was like a blazing fireball, burning him with immense turmoil.

I should turn myself in, but I'm afraid of being locked up. What will happen to my mother's illness? What will happen to my sister's schooling?

He couldn't bring himself to turn himself in, but looking at everything around him, his conscience wouldn't allow it.

The scene was in chaos.

Unbeknownst to them, Gao Yang was observing the entire situation from behind the one-way mirror.

He already had a plan in mind.

…………

The Su family's old residence.

Inside the meeting room.

"Su Wanqing, your new project has caused quite a stir."

"Do you know what people outside are saying about the Su family?"

It was Su Zhenhai, who was sitting at the head of the table, who spoke.

He was the head of a collateral branch of the Su family. Although young, his status in the clan was second only to the old man, far superior to the good-for-nothings of the first and second branches of the Su family.

Moreover, it is said that he has also made connections in the capital. He rarely interferes in the trivial matters of the clan, but he came here today, and his words were full of pressure.

The room was filled with distant relatives from various branches of the Su family, and no one dared to interrupt. The atmosphere was extremely oppressive.

Su Wanqing sat upright in the chair, her back straight and her expression calm.

"Uncle Zhenhai, please speak frankly."

"Speak plainly?"

Su Zhenhai tapped his fingertips lightly on the table, making a dull sound, his eyes sharp as knives as he stared straight at Su Wanqing.

"On the first day of trial operation, a food poisoning incident occurred, the island was sealed off, the Cai family is pressing harder and harder, and the entire Yuncheng business community is laughing at the Su family. How is the clan supposed to clean up this mess?"

"You need to understand how much effort and connections our Su family invested in this project to achieve what we have today. Are you just going to ruin it like this?"

"This is not due to our mismanagement. Someone deliberately bribed people to change the order of serving dishes and frame us. The police are investigating and will soon find out the truth."

Su Wanqing also had a headache.

Su Zhenhai harbors wolfish ambitions and has long been dissatisfied with his status. Now, he wants to use this incident to step on him and climb into the inner circle.

Su Wanqing responded in a deep voice, attempting to explain the situation.

"A deliberate frame-up?"

Su Zhenhai sneered, his tone full of disdain.

"Regardless of the reason, since the problem stemmed from a project you led, you are undeniably responsible! Now, the Cai family, along with several business veterans, are putting pressure on you, and even the old man is being hampered by various parties and can barely protect himself, let alone step in to protect you!"

These words struck Su Wanqing's heart like a heavy hammer.

She had already sensed it, but her heart still sank.

The old man had always protected her, but this time he remained silent throughout. It turned out that it wasn't that he didn't care, but that the external pressure had become so great that even the old man couldn't resist it.

In order to protect the entire Su family, they had no choice but to temporarily put the matter aside and could no longer support her.

Seeing this, the distant relatives present echoed each other, their faces showing dissatisfaction and their words harsh.

"Exactly! To ruin such a good project like this is a disgrace to the Su family!"

"I think it's because she's incompetent and can't control the situation that she got taken advantage of!"

"Before things completely deteriorate, let's hand over the project quickly and have the clan send someone to take over, so as to minimize the losses!"

Everyone was talking at once, all about questioning and demanding power. No one cared about the truth; they just wanted to seize control of the island project.

Su Wanqing clenched her fists tightly, her palms turning white, but she still did not back down in the slightest.

"I prepared this project myself, and I know all the procedures best. I will never hand over power. I will personally appease Mr. Cai, I will handle the chaos on the island, and I will take full responsibility."

"Take responsibility? What will you use to take responsibility?"

Su Zhenhai suddenly looked up, his tone becoming increasingly stern, "The employees on the island are causing trouble, public opinion is raging, and the police investigation is dragging on without a conclusion. What makes you think you can clean up this mess? With your head chef Gao Yang? Or with a bunch of inexperienced apprentices?"

He paused, then spoke slowly and deliberately, as if issuing an ultimatum.

"I'm giving you three days. If you can't quell this storm and restore the Su family's reputation, even if the old man doesn't give the word, I will convene a family meeting and dismiss you from all your positions!"

After saying that, Su Zhenhai stopped looking at Su Wanqing, got up and left the conference room.

The other distant relatives also stood up, some watching coldly, others with mocking expressions, and left one after another.

In the end, only Su Wanqing remained in the huge conference room, her heart filled with utter loneliness.

Without the old man's protection, she faced pressure from distant relatives and had to deal with public opinion.

Now she is surrounded by enemies and can only fight alone.

…………

On the island, Gao Yang's situation should not be underestimated.

Somehow, word got out, and a group of people drove straight to the island, put up signs, and shouted for Gao Yang to come out.