AGN -Chapter 196 Xu Cheng’s Shock

Qin Huai was coloring the guo’er.

It was now 1:27 PM.

Overtime, as usual.

Normally at this hour, the back kitchen of Huang Ji would already be winding down. The chef in charge of staff meals would have finished the second dish. Dong Shi would probably be shouting that he wanted Yangzhou fried rice and asking his brother to cook it. Dong Li would ignore him. The nameless kitchen assistants would complain about eating the same dishes again while efficiently setting out bowls and chopsticks.

The waitstaff outside would also be entering rest mode. By this time, most customers in the main hall had already finished eating. Guests in private rooms would linger longer, chatting.

Near closing time, the floor manager wouldn’t be too strict about minor slacking. As long as it wasn’t excessive, leaning in a corner to gossip a little was acceptable—she enjoyed listening too.

But today, everyone was different.

Dong Shi wasn’t slacking—he was diligently chopping vegetables.

Dong Li wasn’t spacing out—he was inexplicably cutting fruit platters.

Huang Jia wasn’t cooking a special staff meal for Qin Huai—he was carefully scrubbing pots.

Huang Anyao, as if afraid of blocking someone, dragged himself and a small stool into a corner, sitting there without any presence.

Huang Shengli was the strangest of all. He was “inspecting” the kitchen like usual—but this wasn’t an inspection time, because there was no work left.

So he focused on Qin Huai.

His gaze made Qin Huai feel uneasy while coloring the pastries, almost making him want to ask if his coloring looked ugly today.

The waiters outside were similar—everyone was pretending to work.

The greeter stood firm with no guests to greet.

Waiters walked around without dishes to serve, acting like invisible customers existed. Smiles fixed, posture upright—it looked eerie from afar, like a horror movie set.

Outside private room 888, the floor manager stood ready.

After finishing another third of a san ding bao and a fifth of a wine-fermented bun, Xu Cheng felt he had perfectly followed his “eat small, frequent meals” health philosophy.

Six-tenths full. Just right.

He was getting older—no need to eat too much. If hungry later, he could snack.

It was time to meet this young Chef Qin.

Xu Cheng stood up. “Xiao Wang, let’s go. The kitchen should be done by now. Let’s meet this Chef Qin.”

His assistant, who had just been force-fed most of the remaining buns, wanted to collapse—but quickly switched to work mode.

“Got it!”

He opened the door—and saw the smiling floor manager waiting.

“Mr. Xu, was your meal satisfactory? Are you heading to meet Chef Qin?” she asked.

Xu Cheng smiled wryly. “Being famous has its downsides—I get recognized everywhere. Your Chef Qin doesn’t already know I’m here, right?”

“Not yet,” she replied. “He’s young—everyone wants to surprise him.”

Xu Cheng nodded.

Meanwhile, the kitchen had entered full “battle mode.”

Knives blurred in Dong Shi’s hands.

Qin Huai had just finished the third guo’er when Huang Shengli stopped him.

“No rush. Take a break.”

Qin Huai looked around. “So… are we still having staff lunch today?”

“Not important,” Huang Shengli said.

Qin Huai: ?

Just then—

Xu Cheng arrived at the kitchen entrance.

“Is Chef Qin Huai here?” Xu Cheng asked clearly.

Everyone heard him.

Qin Huai instinctively looked at Huang Shengli, who nodded encouragingly.

He stepped forward.

“That’s me. And you are…?”

“I’m Xu Cheng,” he said, voice rising slightly with theatrical flair. “I came by reputation. After tasting your pastries, they live up to it. Do you have time for an interview? I’d like to write a review.”

At that moment, everything clicked.

Qin Huai smiled—the exact expression everyone wanted to see.

“Of course! I’m honored—truly. I never imagined you’d come personally. I definitely have time!”

Xu Cheng felt something was off.

Why does this guy feel like he’s acting too?

He changed his line slightly: “You’ve heard of me?”

Qin Huai paused.

Yes—he had.

But only through Huang Anyao’s enthusiastic storytelling.

“Of course. A friend of mine admires you greatly,” Qin Huai said, pointing to Huang Anyao.

Huang Anyao nearly exploded with excitement.

Xu Cheng now understood.

This young chef didn’t truly know him—but was playing along for others.

Interesting.

“Were you making pastries just now?” Xu Cheng asked.

“Yes. My specialty. Would you like to try?”

Xu Cheng nodded.

He followed Qin Huai—and was handed a warm guo’er.

He looked at it.

…?

An apple-shaped pastry.

But—

Why is it so ugly?

The shape was decent, but the coloring…

His expression turned complicated.

“This is guo’er,” Qin Huai explained. “It looks like mian guo’er, but it’s different. It has a meat filling.”

Xu Cheng blinked.

Meat… filling?

In this?

He took a bite.

And froze.

Everything he had thought—Wrong.

The crust—firm outside, soft inside—soaked with juices.

The texture—complex, layered, harmonious.

The filling—simple pork, slightly sweet, enhanced with carrot.

Nothing extraordinary—

Yet perfect.

He kept eating.

Completely forgetting he was already full.

He even thought: I should bring my wife and kids here.

By the time he stopped—

He was full.

Completely full.

Qin Huai watched carefully.

Xu Cheng had eaten most of it.

That meant— Success.

Today’s guo’er was their best ever.

An A+ level creation.

Xu Cheng said nothing.

But inside—He was deeply shaken.