northernbook Chapter 133 You can handle it yourself.
Chapter 133 You can handle it yourself.
Song Ming sighed slightly, his tone carrying a hint of worldliness and shrewdness:
"On the plane here, I was thinking that if it was just some reckless nouveau riche from the south of the city, or an ordinary worldly capitalist, who dared to mess with your ingredients, I would have my grandfather use his connections in Beijing to cut off their financial chains overnight after I landed."
But now…
Song Ming turned his head and glanced at the tightly closed door, his brows furrowing into a knot:
"Now, the other party's youngest son, Su Chen, is obviously very close to you. It seems like he's almost treating you like his own brother."
The infighting between the two Su brothers has dragged the "human affairs" into it... If I really go all out and completely destroy the Su Group, then if Su Chen really wants to go back to the Su family, he probably won't even have a place to stand.
"I can't be too harsh on you."
Standing in the glaring sunlight, Chen Feng listened to his junior brother's worried analysis and then spoke:
"There was no need for such a big fuss in the first place." Chen Feng's voice was somewhat calm, and extremely calm, as if he were talking about a trivial matter that had nothing to do with him.
"Su Ang is using me as a scapegoat to show Su Chen how to force him to go back."
"The fact that you managed to bring the ingredients from the South District cold storage today, Mingzi, should have made them realize they've run out of options when it comes to ingredients. If they're still not giving up and try to resort to underhanded tactics..."
Chen Feng narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Just give them a little warning, that'll do. Business matters don't need to bother those old hands. The Su family is a big shot in the south of the city, but in front of the old man's mahogany table, they're not even a worm. You can handle it as you see fit."
"Okay! With you saying that, I feel much more confident!!"
Hearing Chen Feng's calm and composed words, Song Ming felt his confidence return with a bang.
He excitedly pulled out his custom-made cell phone, quickly dialed the number, and then handed the phone to Chen Feng.
"Senior brother, here. The old man has been waiting for your news for a whole month."
Chen Feng stared at the phone flashing the call icon, his fingers trembling slightly.
He remained silent for a full five or six seconds, so long that a somewhat aged breathing sound came from the other end of the phone. Only then did Chen Feng slowly exhale a breath of stale air and, with a slight tremor, press the phone to his ear.
"Master. It's me, Chen Feng."
Chen Feng lowered his head, his tall figure casting a somewhat desolate shadow on the bluestone slab.
He, who was usually unfazed by anything, had an unusual hoarseness and a sense of guilt in his voice.
"A month ago, I handed in my resignation without a word from the courtyard, and ran back to the old street without even bowing to you... It was I, as your apprentice, who failed to live up to your teachings of more than ten years. I... I failed to carry the banner of the chief chef of the State Banquet Hall in Beijing."
On the other end of the phone, in a courtyard house in Beijing, thousands of miles away.
The old master chef, sitting upright in his armchair, listened to his eldest apprentice's trembling voice admitting his mistake on the phone. In an instant, the temper he had been preparing to unleash on the young man transformed into a tender and loving look in his cloudy eyes.
"Alright, stop with the nonsense."
The old man's voice came through the slightly choppy signal; it was low and deep, yet like a mountain, it steadily supported all of Chen Feng's self-blame.
"Mingzi told me that you brought Mengmeng back with you."
You've always been a quiet person, and I know there's something troubling you haven't gotten over, something you've always wanted to do to go back to the old street and bring back the vibrancy of everyday life.
"If he doesn't want to carry the chief's badge, then he doesn't. It's the same whether my apprentice carries the badge for the state banquet hall or not."
The old man gently patted the mahogany table twice, his voice carrying both domineering and magnanimous qualities.
"Take good care of Mengmeng. If this little granddaughter suffers any injustice, I'll take the old guys from the eight major cuisines to the south of the city tomorrow and flatten that old street."
Stand tall in the old street. Whenever you want to come back, just take a step. Knowing you're alright is enough. Go on with your work; things are probably still being cleaned up.
"...Yes, Master. Please take good care of yourself. I'll come back when I have time."
Chen Feng's eyes were a little red, and his nose felt a little sore.
He gripped his phone tightly until he heard the busy signal on the other end, then slowly lowered his hand.
He stared at the now-black screen, took a long breath, and shoved the phone back into Song Ming's arms.
Then, he turned around abruptly and pushed open the wooden door of "Human Fireworks".
The wooden door creaked loudly, completely shutting out the glaring sunlight and noise from outside.
Inside, Su Chen was wiping the table with a rag, Xing Ruo was cleaning up the dishes in the kitchen, and Mengmeng was leaning on the cash register.
Seeing Chen Feng come in, Mengmeng looked up, her eyes sparkling: "Daddy, you're back!"
Chen Feng walked over, patted Mengmeng's head, and his gloomy expression vanished. He smiled and said, "Yes, Mengmeng, your Uncle Song said he'd bring you a big jelly!"
Seeing this, Song Ming didn't say anything more and followed him inside. He rolled up his shirt sleeves and shouted at Su Chen, "Little Su, come on, let's go to the back alley to unload some goods. I brought some good stuff over; let your Brother Chen treat us to a special meal tonight!"
Su Chen was taken aback for a moment, then replied loudly, "Okay, Brother Song!"
Chen Feng smiled as he watched the two busy at work, then strode back to his kitchen.