After the divorce, he took care of his child and sold fried rice; his ex-wife was filled with regret

Hearing Old Master Ye's slightly urgent tone, the other bigwigs at the table were all somewhat surprised.

A middle-aged man in a dark bespoke suit stood up and personally poured Ye Weiguo some hot tea, jokingly saying with a smile:

"It's been a long time since I've seen Mr. Ye so attentive to a person or a dish. The last time I saw you so excited was more than ten years ago when we went to Beijing for a state banquet, wasn't it?"

"Haha, Old Chen, your news is way behind the times!"

Another portly real estate tycoon immediately chimed in, his eyes gleaming with gossip, "Didn't Old Master Ye just rave about a dish a few days ago?"

Upon hearing this, the atmosphere at the table instantly became even more lively.

The video of Mr. Ye going out to eat a few days ago has already spread among the wealthy circles in Jiangcheng. Everyone knows that Mr. Ye's terrible anorexia was actually cured by a mysterious "boiled cabbage in clear broth".

The middle-aged man surnamed Chen slapped his forehead, suddenly realizing, "Right, right! It's that place... what's the name of that shop! I heard their boiled cabbage in clear broth is simply divine! Unfortunately, the owner is a rule-abiding eccentric; they limit the supply. I sent my secretary to queue for two days, but I still couldn't get any."

At this point, President Chen suddenly looked at Ye Weiguo with curiosity and boldly asked:

"Mr. Ye, you are the most knowledgeable about food in Jiangcheng and have tasted the most delicacies."

"Since you also gave this pastry the highest praise tonight, calling it 'the best in the world'..."

"Tell us a secret: between the chef who made the boiled cabbage in clear broth a few days ago and the mysterious master who made this peony pastry today, if we had to choose, who would be better?"

Upon hearing this, everyone at the table held their breath and pricked up their ears.

Not only the main table, but also the guests at the nearby tables quietly stopped talking and craned their necks to wait for Mr. Ye's evaluation.

Who is more impressive among these two "ceiling" figures who suddenly emerged in Wuhan's catering industry?

As Ye Weiguo listened to the questions from the crowd, he stroked the dragon head of his cane with both hands, closed his eyes slightly, and seemed to be savoring the taste of the two dishes with great seriousness.

The hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop; everyone awaited the final judgment from this business magnate.

After a good ten seconds, Ye Weiguo slowly opened his eyes and let out a long sigh.

"There's no comparison, and it's impossible to compare."

Old Ye shook his head, his tone filled with deep emotion:

"That boiled cabbage in clear broth is the epitome of simplicity, taking complexity to its extreme. It looks like plain water, but in fact, a single sip of fresh broth determines the whole dish. It's all about the word 'concealment'."

"And today's Peony Pastry, a masterpiece of craftsmanship, showcases the ultimate in mastery of heat control, knife skills, and puff pastry techniques, unleashing all the aromas in an instant. It's all about the word 'release'."

"Whether it's hidden or released, soup or noodles, both are masterpieces."

At this point, Ye Weiguo paused, glanced at everyone at the table, and said with a wry smile:

"If we really have to say what they have in common... it's that their understanding of the original flavor of ingredients has reached a transcendent level."

"It's already a miracle that Jiangcheng can produce even one such master, let alone two at the same time? I've lived most of my life, and today I've truly seen something amazing!"

Hearing Elder Ye's high praise, even ranking the two as "transcendent and saintly," the bigwigs present gasped in astonishment.

"My God, two masters of this caliber are actually in our Jiangcheng?"

"If we could get both of these masters to come out of retirement at the same time, the scene... I can't even imagine it!"

"Chairman Zhao! Stop keeping us in suspense!" President Chen urged impatiently. "Since Elder Ye has said these two masters are evenly matched, why don't you quickly invite our guest out today so we can also witness the charisma of such a person!"

"Yes, Lao Zhao, please come in! No matter the cost, I have to be friends with him!"

Zhao Hongming felt incredibly pleased to see these usually composed business tycoons acting like children begging for candy over a chef.

"Alright, alright! Everyone, please calm down!"

Zhao Hongming put down his wine glass and pressed his hands down to signal everyone to be quiet.

Although he was beaming and seemed confident of victory, he was actually quite nervous inside.

In fact, as of now, he himself does not know how this person became acquainted with Tianyi.

These past few days he's been busy coordinating the overall arrangements for the banquet, leaving the kitchen entirely to his son. He has absolutely no idea about the background of this "miracle chef who saved the day."

When Zhao Hongming saw the exquisitely crafted peony pastry being served, his heart was filled with astonishment.

To be able to cook to this level, even to the point that Master Ye praised it as "the best in the world," one must have been a renowned figure in the culinary world before.

If he truly is a master who retired from state banquets, or a reclusive luminary who has lived in seclusion for many years, then my own Grand Hyatt...

In the eyes of such a person, this is probably just a small temple that cannot accommodate a true Buddha!

"Old Zhao, why are you sweating on your forehead?"

A sharp-eyed bank manager sitting opposite Zhao Hongming seemed to notice his slight unease and jokingly remarked with a smile:

"What? Could it be that this master really has some unspeakable secret? Or is it that even you, Old Zhao, can't persuade him to come out of seclusion and meet guests?"

These words were like a soft knife, accurately piercing Zhao Hongming's weak spot.

He really couldn't guarantee that his son, Tianyi, would be able to get the person out.

There are plenty of masters of this caliber who have eccentric temperaments.

If Tianyi hadn't served them well in the kitchen earlier, and they had simply stormed off after finishing the dishes, then his boast would have become a complete joke.

"President Wang is joking."

Zhao Hongming calmly picked up a napkin and wiped his forehead, his mind racing as he tried to find a way to save face:

"Masters, after all, have the temperament of masters. This esteemed individual is devoted to honing their culinary skills, indifferent to fame and fortune. I was afraid of disturbing them rashly and offending their tranquil state of mind, wasn't I?"

"Oh?"

Now, even Ye Weiguo became interested. He sat up slightly, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes:

"Having both skill and integrity—that's the true mark of a master chef. Unlike some chefs these days who, once they gain a little fame, rush out to show off, becoming obsessed with money, and naturally their skills suffer."

"Yes, yes, Elder Ye is right." Everyone echoed.

"However, Boss Zhao," Ye Weiguo changed the subject.

"This dish, a true national treasure, is absolutely stunning. Today, I must swallow my pride and offer this master a toast in person, no matter what."

"Go and urge Tianyi to say that I, Ye, am doing this for him and asking the master to do me the honor of coming."