C10 Not Authentic Enough!!

"You?"

Xiao Mann couldn't help but laugh when she heard him. "Snap out of it! Did you know that all of Lake City only invites one couple? Dreaming this big is just hilarious!"

The surrounding crowd joined in with laughter.

"Bro, that outfit of yours isn't even worth a hundred bucks, is it? Who gave you the guts to spout such nonsense? Hahaha!"

Seizing the moment, Xiao Mann interjected, "Don't be so quick to judge. He's the Hsu family's son-in-law."

"That guy?!"

Curious glances shifted toward Qin Feng.

"This dude doesn't look like much! Those shoes scream street market—how on earth did he snag Lake City's top beauty?"

"Exactly! He's like a country bumpkin."

"And he thinks he can book the 'Seventh Night of Love' suite on the top floor? No offense, but even if you brought the whole Hsu family, it wouldn't be enough."

"..."

Hsu Yunxiao's face went from pale to flushed with anger as she scolded Qin Feng, "I told you to keep quiet!"

With that, she stormed off to the second-floor private room.

Lee Jie shot Qin Feng a glare. "If you've got nothing good to say, better to play dumb and save Yunxiao the embarrassment!"

"..."

Qin Feng was visibly ashamed.

Once Xiao Mann and the others had their laugh, they headed to the private room. At the doorway, Qin Feng pulled out his phone and said, "Go on in, I've got something to handle."

Something to do?

What could he possibly need to do?

Hsu Yunxiao watched him leave with a scowl.

Xiao Mann chuckled, "He's never been to a place this fancy. Probably wants to take a stroll, snap a photo, and show off on his Moments. Hahaha..."

"..."

Hsu Yunxiao's face turned to steel, her resentment toward Qin Feng growing.

Qin Feng, meanwhile, intended to call Wai Yunxiang.

To get her to comp the meal.

He had just taken over Wanfu Restaurant, and she was the only one he knew there.

After making the call,

Qin Feng headed back to the private room.

Inside, more than a dozen people were seated—not the mere seven or eight Xiao Mann had mentioned initially.

Men and women, all invited by Xiao Mann, turned the gathering into her own dinner party.

"Hey, why so late? We've nearly ordered everything," Xiao Mann said with a lively tone. "Come on, let's add a couple more dishes."

Lee Jie interjected, "Isn't that too much? We can't possibly eat all that!"

But what could be done?

The dishes were pricey, and Xiao Mann had invited a crowd. This was going to cost Yunxiao a fortune!

"We can't have that," Xiao Mann insisted earnestly. "Yunxiao's the host today, and he's her husband. We can't deny him the chance to order. Plus, he's a country boy—this might be his one and only time in a place like this. Shouldn't we make it memorable?"

"Exactly, not letting him order would be downright disrespectful!"

"..."

The others chimed in.

"Fine."

Qin Feng smiled, browsing the menu.

Now in his own hotel, it was time to sample the fare.

Xiao Mann egged him on, "Qin Feng, start with the Buddha's Jump Wall! We each got one; you should too. Might be your last chance in this lifetime."

The Buddha's Jump Wall was a premium dish, priced at a steep eighteen hundred yuan, way pricier than other places.

Upon hearing this, Qin Feng flipped to the dish's description, eyeing the ingredients, utensils, and a brief on the preparation. He smirked and said, "No, this Buddha's Jump Wall isn't made right. Let's skip it."

"Not authentic?"

Xiao Mann burst into laughter at his claim.

A country bumpkin like him saying the Buddha's Jump Wall here wasn't authentic? He probably hadn't even had a whiff of it before!

"I can't stop laughing. Where did this guy pop up from?"

"This Buddha's Jump Wall costs hundreds more than anywhere else. How's it not authentic?"

"Seriously, this guy's putting on quite the act, haha..."

"..."

Laughter erupted once again.

Hsu Yunxiao was beyond frustrated.

He could've just passed on ordering to save some cash, but no, he had to make grand claims, giving everyone a reason to mock him.

Qin Feng looked around at the crowd, doubled over in laughter, and said, "You... don't understand this?"

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" one of them retorted, clearly annoyed.

He couldn't help it.

His gaze was like that of someone observing a group of clueless country folk.

Yet he was the true country folk.

It was like being called a fool by an actual fool.

"Are you implying you know better? You talk as if you've tasted it. Well then, enlighten us! Share your wisdom!"

Xiao Mann sneered with contempt.

"Right, explain to us how it's not the real deal!"

Another person chimed in, clearly annoyed.

Seeing this, Hsu Yunxiao shot Qin Feng a look that said, 'You brought this on yourself by pretending—now you've been caught!'

Qin Feng, adopting the demeanor of a seasoned teacher, began to enlighten them.

"First off, the utensils here are just ordinary ceramics, and the wine jars are a mere five years old at best. But to capture that truly authentic flavor, you need to use aged wine jars. Otherwise, the taste lacks depth and richness. It's like with tea—filtered water is superior to tap, and mountain spring water trumps them both. The difference in taste might be subtle, but the texture and aroma? They're worlds apart."

The group was visibly confused.

Wasn't this guy from some small village? How did he know all this?

Hsu Yunxiao was equally astonished.

When had he ever tasted Buddha's Temptation?

And even if he had, it didn't necessarily mean he'd understand the intricacies behind it!

"Please, that's basic knowledge. Which restaurant would bother keeping aged wine jars on hand for regular use?" Xiao Mann retorted, her lips twisted in skepticism.

"Exactly, we all get what you're saying. But if the restaurant only has standard jars, what are we supposed to do?" others added, echoing the sentiment.

"Let me get to my second point," Qin Feng pressed on. "The Buddha's Temptation dish includes a lavish mix of eighteen ingredients—abalone, sea cucumber, fish maw, yak tendon, hoof tendons, shiitake mushrooms, and so on. You're aware of these, right?"

"That's obvious, it's common knowledge! Of course, we know!" the crowd scoffed in feigned disdain.

Truth be told, they were clueless. They knew the dish was pricey and delectable, a mark of sophistication, but who would bother to tally up the exact contents?

"Now, if you look at the menu description, you'll notice it lists 'red mushrooms' instead of 'shiitake mushrooms.' That's where the flavor goes astray," Qin Feng pointed out.

The crowd exchanged glances and quickly turned to their smartphones to look up the ingredients for Buddha's Temptation.

Sure enough!

The online search confirmed 'shiitake mushrooms' as an ingredient, with no mention of 'red mushrooms.'

Qin Feng went on, "Red mushrooms are indeed flavorful, even hailed as the 'King of Mushrooms,' and they come with a hefty price tag. Perhaps that's why the ingredients here are pricier than elsewhere."

"However, when it comes to Buddha's Temptation, the plump, tender, and intensely aromatic shiitake mushrooms are the preferred choice. This is wisdom that has been honed by culinary masters over centuries, a legacy of countless trials and passed down through generations."

"The dish is already centered around seafood. Adding red mushrooms, which have an even stronger umami, would be overkill."

Stunned by his explanation, the group was at a loss for words, exchanging bewildered looks, unsure of what to say next.

They had set out to ridicule the country bumpkin, but instead, he had schooled them.

The embarrassment stung deep.

At that moment, Hsu Yunxiao's gaze towards him was filled with a newfound intrigue...