All the heavens begin with the love in the courtyard.

Upon hearing Guo Lao Er's words, Guo Lao Da frowned even more deeply. He silently calculated the gains and losses in his mind, finally raised his head, glanced at Guo Lao Er, and then nodded.

The Guo Group has assets worth tens of billions. Guo Lao Er now wants 10 billion in cash plus overseas real estate projects worth 5 billion. It's not a lot, but it's not a small amount either. However, if we can really get rid of Guo Lao Er, it will be worth it.

The two brothers have been fighting for so many years, and they know each other very well what the other is thinking. It is clear that Guo Lao Er wants to retreat after he has succeeded.

The person they were dealing with was completely unaware that his two half-brothers were plotting to kill him.

Guo Zhenyuan, beaming with excitement, took a sip of the soup in his bowl and exclaimed to Liu Feng in surprise.

"Old Liu, this is the taste! You should try it. I've been missing it for decades. It tastes exactly the same as when I was a child."

Liu Feng frowned, looking at the broken bowl with one side missing in front of him. The grime on the table was so dark that it made him lose most of his appetite. He looked around at the room and could only sigh. He mustered his courage, picked up the bowl in front of him, and looked at the golden soup inside. He felt a strange feeling in his heart.

Liu Feng finally couldn't resist taking a sniff. Upon smelling it, he was stunned for a moment, then sniffed and smelled it again. It was indeed the right smell.

This smell is very unique; it has an indescribable fragrance, yes, a sour fragrance. Liu Feng swears that he has never smelled anything like it in all the worlds he has lived through.

The sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, salty, and savory flavors in food can combine to create countless amazing tastes, but Liu Feng had never tasted this particular combination of sour and savory flavors before. It was not an ordinary sour and savory flavor; the taste was indescribably strange.

Liu Feng finally couldn't resist his curiosity and took a small sip. After that sip, Liu Feng was completely stunned. His hand holding the bowl trembled slightly, and he eventually fell into a strange state.

A bowl of soup, a taste of life's many flavors. The sour and fragrant soup whets the appetite, with a subtle sweet and spicy aroma that lingers on the tongue. Upon closer tasting, there's even a hint of bittersweet aftertaste, which is truly incredible.

After combining the five flavors of sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, and salty, several other flavors are added, which is amazing.

His eyes inexplicably became moist, as if he could see all the joys and sorrows of his past lives contained in this bowl of soup.

Guo Zhenyuan, who was opposite Liu Feng, was also stunned for a moment when he saw Liu Feng's expression, then he grinned and laughed like a child.

The true essence of Grandma Wang's braised pork offal lies in the broth; the more stories a person has, the more they can appreciate a flavor that is different from others.

When he was a child, he cried his heart out the first time he drank this soup because he felt like he was tasting his mother's cooking in it. Later, as he grew up, he gradually tasted a bittersweet aftertaste in the soup. That taste reminded him of his life experiences, just like this bowl of soup.

Liu Feng was indeed shocked. He had experienced so many worlds and tasted all kinds of delicacies, but in the end, he tasted the true essence of the world in such a dilapidated place.

This soup is impossible to make at home; the flavors are so complex. If you drink it down in one gulp, you'll only taste a unique sour and fragrant flavor, which is very appetizing. But if you savor it carefully, you can taste a very rich variety of flavors.

"I'm definitely taking this secret recipe!"

Indeed, this place definitely holds a secret culinary recipe for an absolutely delicious dish. A chef who can create such a flavor can already be called a culinary master.

Just then, a hunched figure slowly came out of the kitchen carrying an iron pot. Guo Zhenyuan quickly got up, took the pot from him, placed it on the table, and eagerly opened it.

A wave of steam wafted over, carrying a faint, slightly sour aroma. It was precisely this subtle sourness that created a unique chemical reaction with the soup they had just drunk, causing Liu Feng and Guo Zhenyuan's stomachs to rumble simultaneously. They exchanged a glance and burst into laughter.

"Grandma Wang, I'm starting to eat now!"

As he spoke, Guo Zhenyuan couldn't wait to pick up his chopsticks and put some food into the pot. The ingredients in the pot were not plentiful, just radish, tofu, and fish balls—three simple ingredients.

Seeing Guo Zhenyuan's actions, Liu Feng didn't stand on ceremony either, picked up his chopsticks and started stuffing a piece of tofu into his mouth.

Wow, that's awesome!

The radish was too old, the tofu too soft, and the fish balls not bouncy—all the ingredients had some flaws. However, after being specially simmered in this iron pot, these shortcomings seemed to be masked by the unique aroma of the broth, and even neutralized, creating a special and delicious dish.

The iron pot wasn't big, and it looked quite old, probably left over from when Granny Wang ran her braised offal shop. The two of them ate heartily, while the white-haired old woman stood quietly with her hands behind her back, watching them eat. In the dim light, the smile on the old woman's face made all the wrinkles on her face fold up, leaving only her bright eyes glistening with tears.

A dozen minutes later, the two of them finished the soup and broth, patted their round bellies, and let out a satisfied groan.

Yes, Liu Feng hadn't truly satisfied his stomach with food in a long time, and today he finally did.

Perhaps because he had eaten too many delicacies, no food now surprises him. Now he is finally experiencing that sense of surprise again.

He had a premonition that the old man in front of him must have a secret. As long as he could grasp this secret, his culinary skills would definitely improve and he would truly reach the level of a god. He hadn't felt this excited and apprehensive in a long time.

Liu Feng stood up, slowly walked to the old man, half-bowed, looked at him, and said with a faint smile.

"Grandma Wang, your soup is delicious. I tasted nine different flavors in it, but I feel like something is missing. Could you please answer my question?"

Upon hearing Liu Feng's words, the old woman's smile vanished. She slowly raised her head and looked into Liu Feng's eyes. A centenarian and a middle-aged man who had lived several lifetimes, the two gazed at each other silently.

Liu Feng's eyes were filled with the vicissitudes of life, the changes of the world, and the experiences of several lifetimes, which resonated uniquely with the old man's view of a hundred years of life.

A look of shock appeared in Granny Wang's eyes, but she quickly came to terms with it. In her hundred years of life, she had experienced everything, but this young man in front of her seemed to remind her of someone else—her father.

Guo Zhenyuan stared blankly at the old man and the young man, somewhat bewildered.

The old woman was swaying slightly, so Liu Feng quickly stepped forward to support her. The old woman slowly placed her hand in Liu Feng's palm and let him lead her. She didn't say anything and led Liu Feng to a corner.

In the corner, there were two boxes that looked to be over a hundred years old. The red paint on them had peeled off, revealing the golden wood underneath. The old man slowly squatted down, let go of Liu Feng's hand, and opened one of the boxes.

Inside the box were only some simple changes of clothes, nothing of value. The old man opened the clothes and found a smaller wooden box at the very back. He took out the box, slowly straightened up, and handed it to Liu Feng.

Liu Feng took the wooden box and, at the old man's prompting, slowly opened it.

A brown, ancient manuscript lay conspicuously inside.

Liu Feng's eyes lit up when he saw the handwriting on this ancient manuscript.

The ancient manuscript reads, "Thirteen Flavors"!

These three simple characters made Liu Feng feel as if he could see something different from the handwriting. This was the sensitivity of a chef. In Grandma Wang's soup, he tasted nine flavors, but the book in front of him said thirteen flavors. Could there really be thirteen flavors in the food of the world?

Liu Feng's heart was pounding. He could vaguely sense that this gain would bring him a surprise that would exceed his expectations.

He didn't open it, but slowly closed the wooden box, quietly looking at the old man in front of him. The old man seemed to understand what he was thinking, smiled and bent down to close the wooden box, then turned around and returned to the table, starting to tidy up the two people's tableware, while muttering to himself.

“My father dedicated his life to studying this book, and in the end, he only managed to discover nine flavors. He once said that this book would only be given to those who were destined to find it. If someone could taste nine of the thirteen flavors in the soup, then I should give the book to that person. If no one could taste them, then I should take the book with me to my grave. I never expected that I would actually meet that person. You can take this book with you, young man. You are an extraordinary person. I think you understand what I mean!”

Liu Feng held the small wooden box, feeling as if it weighed a ton. He nodded, now understanding what the old man meant.

The old man's father spent his life studying this ancient manuscript, but in the end he only managed to discover nine flavors. He felt countless regrets, so he passed on his skills to his daughter, who is now a centenarian with white hair. The old man, however, has never progressed beyond the nine flavors. The "destined person" his father spoke of was someone he hoped would meet a true master chef and truly discover the thirteen flavors.

Liu Feng accepted this dying wish!

Looking at the dilapidated tin shack, Liu Feng wanted to take the old man away to enjoy his later years, but the old man smiled and refused.

The old man's gaze lingered on the wooden box in Liu Feng's hand for three seconds before he finally sighed, waved his hand, and shooed the two away.

Liu Feng stood at the door, turned around and gave the old man a standard disciple's salute. The old man was slightly moved, but he didn't say a word. He smiled and closed the iron gate, leaving Guo Zhenyuan completely bewildered.

Only after the lights in the room were turned off did Guo Zhenyuan scratch the back of his head and ask, somewhat puzzled.

"Old Liu, what are you and Granny Wang up to? I don't understand at all."

Liu Feng composed himself and gave a smug hum.

"You don't understand, that's for sure. It's so late, are you still going to drink or not?"

Upon hearing about drinking, Guo Zhenyuan immediately beamed with joy.

"Drink up! Why not? I really want to get completely drunk today. Sigh, I'll tell you what's on my mind later!"

As he spoke, Guo Zhenyuan smiled and stepped forward to put his arm around Liu Feng's, pulling him forward. Along the way, Guo Zhenyuan finally realized what was going on and quickly asked.

"Old Liu, what's that wooden box that Granny Wang just gave you? You're all being so mysterious, I don't understand!"

Liu Feng chuckled, then opened the small wooden box, carefully took out the ancient manuscript, and handed it to Guo Zhenyuan.

Seeing Liu Feng's reaction, Guo Zhenyuan carefully took the item. He noticed that it was labeled "Thirteen Flavors" in oddly written characters, which puzzled him. He casually flipped it open and found some crookedly written characters inside, but he couldn't recognize a single one. He immediately lost interest and was about to toss it to Liu Feng.

Liu Feng quickly and carefully put it away, and scolded him with some dissatisfaction.

"It's terrible to be uncultured. This is Small Seal script, an ancient script. This ancient manuscript is at least a thousand years old. The paper is very special. It should be made from the skin of some kind of animal and it has been soaked in oil. This preservation method is amazing!"

Guo Zhenyuan wasn't interested in this thing at all. He pulled Liu Feng around and around until they finally reached a main street and found a small roadside shop.

The small shop sells alcohol, with dozens of kinds of homemade wine. Guo Zhenyuan ordered five catties of sorghum liquor. The shop also sells roasted peanuts, so he ordered a big bag of those as well.

Liu Feng carried a large bag of roasted dried goods, while Guo Zhenyuan carried a five-pound wine jar. Guo Zhenyuan led the way and finally stopped at a stone table in front of a small park nearby.

Liu Feng laid out the stir-fried dried goods, and Guo Zhenyuan opened the wine jar. A rich aroma of wine wafted out. He took out two plastic bowls, filled them generously, and then, with a greasy face, picked up the bowls and shouted to Liu Feng.

"Old Liu, let's have a drink! A thousand cups of wine meet a kindred spirit, and life is short, so how many times can we get drunk like this? After today, I doubt I'll ever see a drinking scene like this again. Let's get really drunk together tonight!"

Liu Feng was quite helpless. He picked up his bowl, clinked it against the other person's, and then downed it in one gulp. He felt a burning sensation go down his throat, and it felt great!

Guo Zhenyuan drank too much and started coughing violently. Liu Feng wanted to get up and pat him on the back, but he quickly waved his hand and refused. He then grabbed a peanut, put it in his mouth, chewed it a few times, and finally calmed down. After the alcohol hit him, his face turned red instantly.

Guo Zhenyuan sighed, looked at the wine jar, and said slowly.

“My grandfather used to be an alcoholic. He had to drink a pound of liquor every day, the cheapest kind of sorghum liquor. But back then, his family was poor and he couldn’t afford to buy liquor. He would secretly go outside to collect scraps to sell for money to buy liquor. Every time he bought liquor, he would also buy me some snacks. That’s when I secretly drank my grandfather’s liquor. I will remember the taste of that sorghum liquor for the rest of my life. Thinking about it now, I really miss it!”

Liu Feng sighed helplessly. It seemed that this child's childhood had a great influence on him. But that made sense. Everyone's childhood affects their entire life, and even the personality formed in childhood can profoundly influence adulthood.

Alright then, since he took me to Granny Wang's place today, I'll have a drink with him.

Indeed, as Guo Zhenyuan said, this drinking session may be the last time he indulges himself in his life.

Starting tomorrow, he will be the chairman of the Guo Group and one of the top ten richest people in the city. From now on, his life will be a completely different experience. This kind of drinking on the street may only happen once in his life.

It's good to say goodbye to the past!

"Come on, Lao Guo, don't be so sentimental. This bowl of wine is a toast to our friendship!"

"Hahaha, great! May our friendship last forever! True friends are hard to find, come on, Lao Liu, let's have a toast!"

Guo Zhenyuan laughed heartily, picked up his wine bowl, and clinked it with Liu Feng's. Wine spilled everywhere, and the two of them, without any regard for their image, downed it in one gulp.

After a few rounds of drinks, Guo Zhenyuan became somewhat dazed. He stood up, exhaled a breath of alcohol, looked at the starry sky, and stared blankly for a long time before finally speaking as if to himself.

"Old Liu, I want to divide the Guo Group. I'll keep the core real estate business, and give all the other businesses to the eldest and second eldest sons. The old man in heaven would definitely want us brothers to get along. It's too unfair to them now!"

Liu Feng didn't speak, but shook his head with a half-smile on his face. He looked at a furtive dark figure on a street corner in the distance and muttered to himself.

"Old Guo, the business world is like a battlefield. Since it's a battlefield, it's a matter of life and death. Your two brothers might not appreciate your good intentions!"

Guo Zhenyuan gave a bitter laugh, slumped onto the stone chair, picked up the wine bowl, gulped down another bowl, finally let out a long sigh, shook his head, and said to Liu Feng.

"How will we know if we don't try? We three brothers are all half-brothers, but we are all of the old man's bloodline. Besides, even if we divide those assets among them, with our abilities, making tens of billions would be a piece of cake. Alright, let's stop drinking here for today. We still have to drive back!"

Guo Zhenyuan swayed as he stood up. Liu Feng smiled and didn't say anything more. People will never wake up until they've experienced it.

The two walked arm in arm to the parking lot. Guo Zhenyuan wanted to drive, but Liu Feng told him to get into the passenger seat, then climbed into the driver's seat, started the car, and slowly drove away.

Looking in his rearview mirror, Liu Feng saw a truck start its car and follow behind him.

A playful smile appeared on Liu Feng's lips. He quickly stopped speeding and officially became a seasoned driver!

The vehicle quickly drove off the street and slowly entered the city's outskirts highway. In the port city, wealthy people build villas on the hillside, and the Guo family is no exception.

The Toyota was driving smoothly, and Liu Feng wasn't going fast. Soon, the truck behind them started to accelerate and slowly approached their vehicle.

Liu Feng's lips curled up, and he suddenly slammed on the gas pedal, the car speeding away, leaving the trucks behind once again in the dust.

Guo Zhenyuan, in the passenger seat, was still unaware of what was happening. Seeing Liu Feng suddenly accelerate, he shouted in fear.

"Slow down!"