Ch. 401..410

Chapter 401 Why Didn’t You Like It?

Anyway, Adrian Zhekova was not the type to use filters.

So, he straightforwardly sent it to the “Eighty-Eight Sixty-Four” group chat.

Since he wasn’t the group admin, he couldn’t @ everyone.

Adrian didn’t mind the trouble and @’d everyone individually.

Adrian Zhekova: “Look at the cookies my Cindy baked for me, aren’t they pretty?” Charlotte York: “Wow, they look great! I remember eating Cindy’s Snowflake Crisps before, they were delicious. I really want to try these cookies too.” Adrian Zhekova: “Keep dreaming, you won’t get any. These were made by Cindy just for me.” Charlotte York:

When did Adrian become so childish!

Jeff Sanders: “Brother Adrian is different now that he’s in a relationship! Living the happy life.” Nathan Spencer: “@Clifford Wells, are you jealous?” Clifford Wells: “…I’m not here, don’t call me!” Adrian Zhekova: “I’m going to post it on my IG stories too.” Christopher Smith: “…Why not post it on Facebook? There are more people there.” Adrian Zhekova: “I want to, but posting it now might lead netizens to associate this with Cindy. As you all know, she’s participating in the Pingla Competition. If people associate her with this and realize her cooking skills are amazing, she’s sure to win.” Adrian Zhekova: “But her victory might be questioned because of our connection and people might think there’s something fishy. Ah! How can I let others misunderstand my amazing Cindy like this? So, I have to restrain myself.” Although Ian Morris asked him that day if being high-profile wouldn’t make others question Cindy’s achievements?

Back then, he said he didn’t care and never thought about hiding their relationship, but that was just to bluff Ian Morris.

Let them know, even if they spread rumors, it wouldn’t matter.

Adrian wouldn’t be threatened.

But in reality, keeping a low profile would be better for Cindy.

Since Ian Morris and his group didn’t leak any information, there were no online news about them either.

So, Adrian was willing to keep a low profile to avoid causing any trouble for Cindy.

But now, Clifford Wells wanted to leave the group chat!

It was just a few sentences, how many times did he praise Cindy!

Clifford Wells: “Alright! We know you’re no longer single, that’s enough!” The others who were no longer single didn’t act like Adrian!

When Adrian @’d everyone, he simply went down the list of group members as they popped up.

As a result, he inadvertently @’d Cindy too.

Upon hearing the Whatsapp notification, Cindy checked the messages.

Seeing that someone @’d her in the “Eighty-Eight Sixty-Four” group chat, she curiously entered the chat.

The moment she entered, she saw Adrian showing off.

Cindy:

Why did Adrian have to @ her to show off!

Adrian didn’t care about Clifford Wells’ grievances; after all, he was just jealous and envious.

Adrian Zhekova: “I’m going to see how many people liked my post.” Adrian went to check his IG stories and saw who liked his post.

He decided that if there were still people who hadn’t liked or congratulated him, or praised Cindy after an hour, he would ask them privately.

Adrian Zhekova returned to the group chat: “Did you all see my IG stories?” Benjamin Smith: “I saw it.” Adrian Zhekova: “So why didn’t you like it?” Christopher Smith: “…Didn’t you already post it in the group chat? Do we have to go to your IG stories and react again?” Adrian Zhekova: “Absolutely! You can’t treat group chat and IG stories the same! Go like my post now!” Chapter 402 Aiding the Tyrant in his Cruelty Clifford Wells: “@Cindy Clarke, can’t you control him?” Cindy Clarke: “I liked it.” Adrian Zhekova: “My girlfriend is just great!” Clifford Wells: “@Cindy Clarke, you’re helping the tyrant, you know?” Adrian Zhekova didn’t have the heart to do anything else while waiting for that one hour of likes.

Thinking about it, he suddenly remembered something.

He immediately opened Facebook.

Although he couldn’t show off his love on Facebook for the time being, anything related to cuisine would easily make people think of Cindy Clarke.

However, if he didn’t mention these, making people think he was dating someone else, Adrian Zhekova wouldn’t be happy about it either.

So, he could only hold back.

He couldn’t do all these, but he could change his Facebook profile.

So, he added a phrase to his profile: In a relationship, engaged.

Netizens might not see it right away.

But the marketing accounts that were fighting on the front line of entertainment gossip had to keep an eye on the changes of everyone’s dynamics and know earlier than the netizens to highlight their professionalism.

So, a marketing account was the first to notice the change in Adrian Zhekova’s profile.

Afraid that he might change it again, they quickly took a screenshot and posted it: “CEO of Pingla Group Adrian Zhekova just updated his Facebook profile. It states that he is in a relationship and engaged. If there are no accidents, it should be Adrian Zhekova himself who updated his Facebook. The chances of the account being hacked are slim.” vicoju啾: “Is it true or fake? Has another male god become single?” Milkshake0219: “There’s no sign at all! I haven’t seen him post anything related to dating or girlfriends, so how did he suddenly get a fiancée?” Princess, don’t run: “Is it a blind date arranged by his family? Otherwise, how could there be no warning signs before?” Ruibaby: “Adrian Zhekova doesn’t usually post anything on Facebook, let alone anything related to dating. How did he suddenly become single?!” Yu, who is great at memorizing words: “The last time I saw Adrian Zhekova’s interaction, it was with Cain Velman, could his girlfriend be Cain Velman?” Autumn Lover: “I hope it’s with Cindy too, it’s so sweet for no reason, like a sweet little novel, isn’t it?” Linmimi: “Wuwuwu, if it’s not Cindy, but another woman, I’ll be sad.” Angeline: “Adrian Zhekova is single. What about our Cindy?” Zeff 123: “Following the routine of the other members of the Big Eight families, everyone goes public with their love life, so why hasn’t Adrian Zhekova? Could he finally break free from the routine of the Big Eight families’ men?” Adrian Zhekova saw these comments and thought that he wanted to show off too, but the situation didn’t allow it!

However, where there are Cindy Clarke’s fans, there will naturally be Zoe Silverstone’s fans.

Although Zoe Silverstone has been banned from all platforms.

Now she doesn’t even have an account anymore.

She secretly applied for a new small account, gathered her old fans, but didn’t dare to post anything related to Cindy Clarke and Adrian Zhekova again.

And, she didn’t dare to upload new cooking videos rashly.

For fear of accidentally exposing herself and getting her account banned again.

It doesn’t matter if the small account is banned, but it’s heartbreaking to lose the fans that were finally gathered again.

Now the internet celebrities are being replaced quite quickly.

If you’re not careful, you’ll be out of the loop.

Even if Zoe Silverstone had her old account, she would have to constantly think of new themes and tactics to consolidate her fan base.

Chapter 403 Such a Reversal In today’s fast-food era, fans change their hearts very quickly.

Now that she’s using her alternate account, she dares not post any cuisine videos. She can only try to maintain her presence by posting about her daily life and garnering sympathy through Facebook to remind her fans that she still exists.

Her fanbase has already suffered severe losses due to the previous competition incident.

Zoe Silverstone must find a way to retain the fans who are still willing to stay with her.

But if her alternate account is discovered and deleted again, she will lose even more fans.

This can only be tolerated so many times before the patience of her fans runs out.

Therefore, in order to keep her remaining fans, Zoe Silverstone has been laying low constantly.

Up until now, she hasn’t been posting videos and hasn’t promoted any products, completely losing her sources of income.

As for the fans Zoe Silverstone still has left, they see the comments about Adrian Zhekova letting go of his single status.

As soon as they see Cain Velman mentioned in them, they can’t help but rush to respond as if they’ve been injected with adrenaline.

“Can you stop mentioning Cain Velman? Why does he want to ride on Adrian Zhekova’s coattails?” “Adrian Zhekova said he isn’t single anymore, but did he say it was Cain Velman? Cain Velman’s fans should stop being so full of themselves and imagining things.” “Haha, when Adrian Zhekova was single before, Cain Velman tried to pull him into a CP. Just look at his level, even daring to touch Adrian Zhekova!” “It’s probably because Adrian Zhekova is tired of being bothered by Cain Velman, so he quickly said he already has a fiancée. Who knew Cain Velman would continue to ride his coattails, claiming to be Adrian Zhekova’s fiancée.” “I think Adrian Zhekova didn’t reveal his fiancée’s identity to protect her. But who knew that would give some shameless people an opportunity to take advantage and continue to ride his coattails. It’s disgusting. Cain Velman and his fans should have some dignity.” “Yeah, a girl acting this desperate doesn’t worry about losing face. And don’t you think Adrian Zhekova could have any girl he wants, but instead opts for a single mom like Cain Velman?” Isabelle: “Cain Velman is the only one Adrian Zhekova follows, aside from his friends from the Big Eight families. Don’t forget, Adrian Zhekova followed Cain Velman first, not the other way around.” Nine-YO: “Zoe Silverstone’s fans are really funny. In the beginning, they insisted Cain Velman had something to do with Adrian Zhekova, but isn’t it your mistress Zoe Silverstone herself? Cain Velman never intended to ride on Adrian’s coattails. It’s Zoe Silverstone who’s been suppressing Cain Velman. Now that we’re just guessing that Cain Velman and Adrian Zhekova are together, look at how you’ve become so anxious.” Ella-of-Green: “Like master, like fans. Zoe Silverstone is biased and so are her fans. When Zoe Silverstone tried to put Cain Velman down, she let him be mocked. Once she got slapped in the face and laughed at by netizens, she blamed Cain Velman for being narrow-minded and wanted to be forgiven. And now her fans are doing the same. They initially insisted that Cain Velman and Adrian Zhekova were involved, and now that we’re speculating whether they’re genuinely dating, Zoe Silverstone’s fans blame Cain Velman for riding Adrian Zhekova’s coattails. It’s so hard.” Wood Wesley: “Yeah, it’s so hard. Why don’t you, Zoe Silverstone’s fans, just take over the entire internet? You get the final say on everything.” Glutton: “Zoe Silverstone has been blocked from the entire network, and she still has fans jumping around? I never thought such a person would still have die-hard fans.” Chapter 404 Collapse Desire_to_be_a_foodie: “Zoe Silverstone must have secretly created a new account. I have to go find it.” Adrian Zhekova was pissed off by these comments from Zoe Silverstone’s fans.

Cindy Clarke was already his girlfriend, what’s the need for her to seek attention in such a way?

Cindy’s fans were right- just as there are masters, there are fans.

Zoe Silverstone is annoying, even her fans are annoying.

They’re annoying and have double standards!

Adrian Zhekova dialed an internal line, which connected directly to Sheldon Rowland.

“CEO.” Sheldon Rowland answered immediately.

“Check if Zoe Silverstone has created a new account. I see her fans are acting up again!” said Adrian Zhekova angrily, “From now on, keep an eye on Zoe Silverstone’s accounts. Don’t give her any more opportunities to gain fans!” Those fans of hers wouldn’t be able to create chaos without their leader in the future!

And furthermore, other popular people would take away Zoe Silverstone’s fans.

With this happening a few times, let’s see how many fans Zoe Silverstone would have left!

“Yes.” Sheldon Rowland quickly agreed.

Poor Zoe Silverstone, originally planning to be more cautious, suddenly had to face a setback brought on by her fans.

Her account with hundreds of thousands of followers was lost again.

When Zoe Silverstone went on Facebook to post her daily thoughts, she found her account was lost again, and no one could understand her frustration.

“Is this ever going to end?!” Zoe Silverstone cried out in despair.

Dealing with Zoe Silverstone was as simple as lifting a finger for both Adrian Zhekova and Sheldon Rowland, who didn’t take her seriously.

However, another matter demanded Adrian Zhekova’s attention.

He hadn’t forgotten what Eleanor Ward had been so arrogantly relying on when confronting Cindy Clarke.

Therefore, Adrian Zhekova thought it was time for a change in leadership at Eleanor Ward’s father’s hospital.

Her father could continue being a doctor.

After all, he was still a famous doctor with good skills, who should be kept around to benefit patients.

As for the position of dean, he could forget about it.

Having failed to teach his own daughter right from wrong, how could he manage such a large hospital?

Adrian Zhekova was very suspicious of Dean Ward’s management abilities.

Adrian Zhekova asked Sheldon Rowland, “Do our company have a partnership with Caring Hospital?” “Yes, and we also hold shares in Caring Hospital.” Sheldon Rowland reminded him.

Pingla Group’s main business was in the catering industry.

However, they couldn’t help it; they had so much money!

Therefore, they invested in many industries.

It was quite a coincidence that Pingla invested in Caring Hospital.

Moreover, they held a significant share.

Adrian Zhekova held considerable influence there.

Adrian Zhekova nodded, asked Sheldon Rowland to find the contact information of the Chairman of Caring Hospital, and personally contacted the Chairman.

Eleanor Ward’s time as the spoiled daughter of the hospital dean was up.

Time flew, and soon it was Friday.

Morgan Zhekova’s nursery finished early, and she was already at home.

When she heard the door open, she waited at the entrance.

“Dad!” As soon as Adrian Zhekova entered, he heard the young child’s crispy voice calling him.

Adrian Zhekova felt a sense of fulfilment he had never experienced before.

He lifted Morgan Zhekova high up, which had become a daily routine for him.

Adrian Zhekova even suspected that the little one was so enthusiastic about greeting him every day at the door just for this moment.

As he lifted Morgan Zhekova up high, he heard her burst into joyous laughter.

With short arms and legs, she resembled a little turtle swinging her short limbs in mid-air.

Chapter 405 Irreparable Damage “You’ve gained weight again.” Adrian Zhekova said.

He could feel it even though he picked the child up every day.

“Cindy said, it’s when I should grow most.” The little one explained ahead.

“Yes.” Adrian nodded in agreement.

Children grow rapidly, changing from day to day since birth.

Having lived with Morgan for a week, Adrian gained a clear understanding of this.

He couldn’t help feeling regretful.

At this moment, he could sense Morgan’s obvious changes every day.

The changes in the past four years since Morgan was born must have been even more dramatic.

Unfortunately, he missed witnessing that.

Missing the past four years means they are gone forever.

Time lost can never be made up for.

Regretfully, Adrian held Morgan in his arms and planted a kiss on his soft little face.

Time lost can never be regained, so from now on, he doesn’t want to miss any more time.

He will definitely cherish the time with Cindy and Morgan.

After he put the little one down, Adrian started to smell the aroma coming from the kitchen.

The fragrance was rich and savory, indescribably delicious.

Adrian walked into the kitchen: “What are you making? It smells so good.” Cindy was in the kitchen, not hearing Adrian’s return.

It was only when he came in that Cindy knew he was back.

As Adrian said so, he had already reached Cindy’s side.

He wrapped his arms around Cindy’s waist.

Her waist was so thin that he could easily encircle it with one arm.

“It’s nice to see you as soon as I come home.” Adrian said contentedly.

Every evening this week when he came home from work, he was greeted at the door by Cindy and Morgan.

Only today was the exception, with Cindy in the kitchen.

It seemed like she had been in there for quite a while.

Adrian lowered his head, found Cindy’s lips and gave her a peck.

“Are you making soup?” Adrian asked again.

“I want to try making Yellow Croaker in Soup.” Cindy replied, “I’m thinking about using it as the dish for the next competition.” “Yellow Croaker in Soup, this dish has high requirements. Not only for the ingredients but also for the knife skills.” Adrian was aware of this.

Because ‘Quire’ also has this dish.

Cindy nodded, pointing at the yellow croaker on the cutting board: “I have deboned the fish.” One of the difficulties in making Yellow Croaker in Soup is removing the fishbone without damaging the fish belly.

Upon hearing this, Adrian let go of Cindy and took a look at her prepared yellow croaker.

The fish scales and gills had been cleaned, and the skin on the fish head had been removed.

The fishbone had been pulled out, and the internal organs were cleaned.

“Removing the skin of the fish head helps prevent the spread of the fishy smell.” Cindy said, “As for the fishbone, I made a small incision near the fish belly from the tail, and pulled out the fishbone, thus leaving the belly undamaged.” Adrian nodded: “Choosing this dish may set a higher bar. Because Yellow Croaker in Soup is one of Michael Greene’s signature dishes. Currently, not many people in the country can make it, and among those who can, only Michael Greene can reach the standard.” “Other restaurants also have Yellow Croaker in Soup, but they are all modified versions, mostly by directly adding crab roe into the fish belly.” Adrian said, “This not only keeps the selling point of Yellow Croaker in Soup but also saves costs.” “Although the cost of crab roe is not low, it is significantly lower compared to the original broth ingredients, and the requirements for the chef’s skills are also not as high.” Adrian said.

Chapter 406 Signboard Cindy Clarke listened and nodded continuously.

Discussing these matters with Adrian Zhekova was indeed a good choice.

Adrian Zhekova might not be good at cooking.

But no one should know the ins and outs of the industry better than him.

Moreover, he could analyze things for her from a very professional perspective.

There were many aspects that she, as a chef, sometimes couldn’t consider.

“However, choosing Michael Greene’s signboard cuisine undoubtedly increases the difficulty.” Adrian Zhekova said, “His demands will be higher. If it is even slightly inferior, it will be difficult to achieve high marks.” Cindy Clarke nodded: “The more difficult it is, the more I want to take up the challenge.” “I really want to try if I can come up with something different for this dish.” Cindy Clarke said, “If it really doesn’t work, I can always change the cuisine.” “What are you using for this soup?” Adrian Zhekova took a sniff, and the more he sniffed, the fresher it smelled.

“This dish was actually recorded in my recipe book. However, the stock used in the recipe was made with fish lips, shark fin, snow clam oil, and aged ham. These ingredients are all rich in gelatin, and when combined with the gelatin from the chicken soup itself, it easily transforms the stock into a jelly-like consistency that is added to the fish belly. A separate rich soup is made with bird’s nest, abalone, dried scallops, sea cucumber, and beef skirt added to the chicken soup.” “But I didn’t add bird’s nest and shark fin,” Cindy Clarke said, “It is because of environmental and ecological protection. Bird’s nest itself has no taste, and it doesn’t have much of an effect on flavor enhancement. It is only added because it was valued by ancient people, but it is not necessary. I don’t want to add it just for sensationalism.” “As for shark fins, people have been advocating not to consume shark fins for a long time now. In addition to being rare and expensive, the nutritional value of shark fin itself is mostly protein and nothing special. On the contrary, it is a cruelty to sharks.” “Buying and consuming shark fins is harmful and useless. Although my not using them might not make a big difference, at least I am doing my part. By setting an example on the competition stage, I might inspire others as well.” Cindy Clarke smiled.

“I added the rest of the ingredients. I’ve been simmering the soup since this afternoon. Normally half an hour of stewing would be enough, and also during the competition, they won’t give me too much time to make the soup.” Cindy Clarke said, “It’s just that this afternoon, I’ve been testing the proportion of these ingredients.” “In order to avoid making a large amount of waste soup by stewing them repeatedly, I had to add them bit by bit, constantly tasting it to see what was lacking, and adjust it accordingly. I kept recording the new ingredient ratios, which is why it took so long, until now.” Cindy Clarke fanned the hot steam of the soup towards her nose.

She took another taste.

“I’ve tasted it all afternoon and my taste buds are getting numb.” Cindy Clarke scooped another spoonful for Adrian Zhekova, “You give it a try.” Adrian Zhekova took a sip and carefully tasted it: “It’s very fresh, but I feel like there’s something missing.” “I think so too.” Cindy Clarke glanced at the time, “That’s it for today. I originally planned to make the yellow croaker in soup as one of tonight’s dishes, regardless of how the final product tastes or what it lacks. I’ll stop here and continue researching tomorrow.” She couldn’t ignore dinner just because she wanted to keep researching.

Adrian Zhekova nodded and Cindy Clarke urged him: “You go change your clothes now. I guess it will be time for dinner in more than half an hour.” Chapter 407: Mutual Achievement The soup cube inside the fish belly had already solidified in the refrigerator.

What Adrian Zhekova had just tasted was the superior soup that would be poured over the fish.

Adrian Zhekova went to change clothes first.

Cindy Clarke put the soup cube inside the fish belly, tied a string around the cut near the belly, and then fried it in a pot until golden brown.

She served it on a plate and finally drizzled it with thick chicken soup.

Once it was brought to the table, Adrian Zhekova came over and sat down with Morgan Zhekova.

“It smells so good!” Morgan’s mouth was watering, “Dad, Cindy, can I have a taste of the soup?” “Go ahead,” Cindy laughed.

Morgan took a spoon and scooped up a small spoonful of soup.

The soup was drizzled over the fish and flowed onto the plate, accumulating shallowly at the bottom.

The soup was a light tea color, with a translucent layer at the bottom.

The surface of the soup was even devoid of any traces of oil, looking as if it were actually tea water.

However, the aroma it exuded was incredibly delicious.

“It’s so delicious!” Morgan’s face turned red, “My tongue is about to fall off!” Adrian Zhekova also tasted it and found it to be delicious, although it seemed to be missing something.

Cindy tasted it as well and was somewhat dissatisfied.

“Should we break open the fish belly?” Adrian Zhekova asked Cindy.

“You do it.” It was Cindy’s first time making this dish, and she was nervous and didn’t dare to break open the fish belly herself.

“What’s in the fish belly?” Morgan was puzzled.

He had thought it was just an ordinary steamed fish.

“Watch closely.” Adrian Zhekova reminded Morgan as he poked the fish belly with chopsticks.

The fish belly appeared to be extremely elastic.

“There’s no fishbone?” Morgan was astonished, “It feels like a water balloon!” “I removed the fish bones, so there is indeed soup inside.” Cindy explained with a smile.

“This dish is called Yellow Croaker in Soup, which means the soup is injected into the fish.” Cindy explained.

Adrian Zhekova then used the tip of his chopsticks to pierce through the fish belly, creating a small slit, and pushed the fish belly to both sides.

The soup inside immediately flowed out.

“Wow!” Morgan’s eyes almost popped out.

This scene was just too beautiful and astonishing!

“I should have taken a photo of it!” Morgan lamented.

The soup that was originally inside the fish belly mixed with the chicken soup on the plate.

The soup in the fish belly exuded a salty and delicious fragrance with a hint of rice wine.

“After cleaning the fish, I rinsed the fish belly with some rice wine, so both the fish belly and the soup will have a hint of rice wine flavor,” Cindy said, “However, the rice wine has a low alcohol content, and I didn’t add much of it, so there’s just a hint of fragrance. The alcohol has evaporated during the cooking process, so it’s fine for Morgan to eat.” “Just now, when I tasted only the superior soup, it seemed to lack something. Now, with the two kinds of soup mixed together and the fragrance of rice wine…” Adrian Zhekova scooped up another spoonful, “Let me taste it.” He tasted it, and his eyes brightened, smiling and saying, “This is already quite close to Michael Greene’s Yellow Croaker in Soup.” “However, there are some subtle differences in flavor. I can’t pinpoint exactly what they are, as Michael Greene certainly has his own unique, secret recipes,” Adrian Zhekova said.

Although he was Michael Greene’s boss, he couldn’t demand that he reveal even his recipes for cooking.

Michael Greene was a Michelin Three Star chef, after all.

He and the Quire restaurant could be said to have achieved each other.

Michael Greene had the opportunity to become a Michelin Three Star chef because he was the head chef at Quire.

And Quire, because of Michael Greene’s presence, also rose to become a Michelin Three Star Restaurant.

Chapter 408: Absolute Taste Wendy nodded: “I haven’t had Quire’s Yellow Croaker in soup yet, and the day after tomorrow is Valentine’s Day. We’ve agreed to go to the family mansion then, so we can’t eat it that day. How about tomorrow? Shall we go to Quire and give it a try?” “Sure.” Adrian Zhekova gladly agreed.

“However, can you really taste the difference just by trying it?” Adrian Zhekova could only taste the subtle differences.

But he couldn’t figure out exactly what was missing or what Michael Greene had added.

“Actually…” Cindy Clarke said with an embarrassed smile, “I didn’t tell you about this, not because I wanted to hide it from you, but because I really didn’t think of it.” “What?” Adrian Zhekova was curious.

“I have absolute taste,” said Cindy Clarke. “It’s just that this is so natural for me, something I was born with. So, unless you ask me specifically, I don’t think of it.” “Absolute taste?” Adrian Zhekova was surprised. “So there really is such a skill. But how do you know you have absolute taste?” “When I was in Nork City, as a child, I started helping out in the kitchen as soon as I could. I was always busy with my dad in the back. When I grew older, I began to learn about cuisine. I inadvertently discovered that I could taste the intricate flavors of dishes and discern the seasonings.” “Although I couldn’t accurately taste the proportions of the seasonings, I could tell which flavor was more and which was less. Based on what I tasted, I slowly tried and eventually replicated the seasoning proportions of that dish.” “At first, I didn’t think much of it and thought it was quite normal. Later, when my dad started teaching me how to cook, he asked me to taste a dish and tell him what ingredients were in it. I was able to name all of them.” “My dad was surprised but didn’t think much of it, believing that my taste buds were simply more sensitive. However, after I consistently identified the ingredients accurately, he realized that I had a natural ability for absolute taste.” “So, he thought of passing on the recipe to me, hoping I would take over the family restaurant someday. With my skills and talent, I could certainly make our small restaurant even better. Even if we couldn’t turn it into a big restaurant, we could still have a certain reputation.” “So, my dad has been teaching me ever since. However, he never told anyone about my absolute taste, and he didn’t allow me to tell anyone either. Even my mother and sister don’t know about it,” Cindy Clarke said.

“My dad knows their personalities and fears that if they find out, they might cause trouble and try to use me for their own purposes,” Cindy Clarke continued. “So, the first people he kept it from were them.” “My dad is a very cautious and conservative man. He believes that if a person possesses an extraordinary talent, especially one that others lack, they must take great care to keep it a secret and not let others know easily,” Cindy Clarke explained. “Otherwise, it could attract unwanted attention.” “We are just ordinary people with no connections or background. If we are bullied, we can only endure it,” Cindy Clarke said. “Furthermore, it’s impossible to just hide it from my mother and Wendy. If others find out, they would know as well. So, in the end, we decided not to tell anyone and only my dad and I know about it.” Chapter 409 Then, you guys should get married first.

“Later on, Morgan found out too.” Cindy grinned at Morgan.

He’s the only one besides her unseen grandfather who knows this secret!

Morgan puffed up his slender chest with a prideful look.

“Now, my dad is in on it too!” Morgan pointed out.

This is a big secret, only known by a few people!

“Actually, it’s not such a big deal, it’s not a secret that people would use me as a lab rat if they knew.” Cindy laughed, “I’m mostly on guard against my mom and Wendy.” “Because of this talent of mine, my dad valued me a lot. As for Wendy, she always wanted to inherit the family’s restaurant. The restaurant isn’t large, but it’s still a business,” Cindy said, “Although, I think, Wendy may not be entirely concerned about the restaurant as a source of income, but rather her status in the family.” “She feels that she’s the eldest sister and she’s always been pampered by the family. Before I existed, she was the only daughter and all the parental affection was bestowed on her. But then I came along…” Cindy smirked in mockery, “My dad might have started giving me some paternal love. But my mom didn’t. All of her love still belongs to Wendy.” “In my mom’s eyes, I’m a burden. I know she wanted a son to inherit the restaurant and my dad’s skills. In most people’s eyes, being a chef and running a restaurant are men’s jobs. But instead of a son, she gave birth to me. With the family’s financial state, they couldn’t afford another child. Moreover, there was no guarantee the next child would be a boy. That’s why she didn’t have another.” “Wendy always likes to have everything to herself. She monopolized motherly love, but was not pleased to see that my dad treated us both equally. Later, because of my talent, my dad wanted to pass on all his skills to me. As he spent more time with me, it seemed that he favored me more, that’s why she became dissatisfied.” “What a bully!” Morgan swelled his cheeks in anger, “If she gets all the love, what about you? It should be shared equally!” “That’s why I’m in Belfard now,” Cindy laughed as she remarked.

“She keeps everything for herself. So selfish,” Morgan stated discontentedly.

Adrian laughed, “So, if Cindy and I were to have younger brothers and sisters in the future, you wouldn’t get jealous, would you?” “I won’t be jealous,” Morgan asserted, looking the part of an older brother already, “As long as you two treat us all the same, not favoring the younger siblings. That way, I won’t be jealous.” Cindy quickly added, “Of course, how could we play favorites? And I’ve been through this, how could I possibly let my own children experience the same?” Adrian, grinning, asked, “So, you agree to have siblings for Morgan with me?” Cindy paused, registering the look Adrian gave her.

His implication seemed not about the result… having siblings for Morgan, but rather… the process.

Cindy’s face turned beet-red, but she didn’t dare verbalize it.

Otherwise, this man would deny it again, take the opportunity to tease her, and even flip the situation by saying she was overthinking with impure thoughts.

Morgan, still too young to understand the subtle flirtation in his parents’ conversation, stood by obtusely.

He juggled his small head from side to side, “First, you guys need to get married before you can have little brothers and sisters.” Morgan cupped his mouth and giggled looking at Adrian.

Chapter 410 Hit the Nail on the Head Now they’re not even married yet, so don’t even think about having younger brothers and sisters.

Adrian Zhekova:

Cindy Clarke couldn’t help laughing either.

What a sharp-witted little guy!

Cindy served a large piece of fish to Morgan Zhekova, specifically choosing the spot between the fish head and fish belly.

There wasn’t a lot of meat in that area, but the little bit there was the tenderest part of the whole fish.

“Try it.” Cindy put the fish into Morgan’s plate.

Adrian Zhekova had seen it all, and he knew very well that the piece of fish Cindy had just served was the tastiest part of the whole fish.

Even though it was just a small bit, Cindy had given it all to Morgan.

A wave of sourness filled Adrian’s heart as he stared straight at Morgan.

Morgan was about to eat when he felt creeped out by Adrian’s stare: “Dad, what are you looking at?” “Just watching you eat the fish. Come on, eat it. Eat it quickly.” Adrian urged Morgan while still staring at him.

Morgan:

Cindy:

What’s wrong with this guy?

So, in front of Adrian’s face, Morgan gobbled up the fish with a big bite.

“It’s so delicious!” The tiny Morgan was even shaking with excitement from the taste. “The fish is so tender and smooth and carries the freshness of the soup!” “You should eat some too,” Cindy said to Adrian.

Adrian Zhekova decided not to be at odds with a four-year-old child and, under Cindy’s expectant gaze, picked up a piece of fish.

The soup had been wrapped around the fish belly earlier.

By now, the fish had been thoroughly infused with the delicious soup.

There was a faint aroma of rice wine, and the fish itself had no fishy smell at all.

All that remained was tenderness.

The fish was delicate and tender, almost melting as it entered your mouth.

There was not a trace of fibrous texture in the meat, it was indescribably fine.

If you closed your eyes and tasted it, you might not even be sure it was fish.

The fish’s flavor had already taken in the delicious soup stock, with a hint of salt from the ham and a faint smokey taste.

The fish’s freshness was present in the chicken soup. Once combined with the external chicken soup, it brought out the extremely fresh and sweet flavors of dried scallop, abalone and so on.

It was truly an indescribable deliciousness.

“Even if you don’t make any improvements and just stick to tonight’s method, you’ll definitely be able to advance in the next competition,” Adrian said.

Cindy laughed: “I’ll still try my best to improve it a bit, to make the taste as balanced as possible.” Adrian Zhekova suddenly got up, grabbed his mobile phone and returned: “I’ll inform Quire now to reserve a spot for us, so we can taste Michael Greene’s cooking tomorrow.” Cindy nodded expectantly.

As luck would have it, Adrian hadn’t even had a chance to make his call when he received a call from Zane Hamilton first.

“Dylan?” Adrian picked up the phone and called out familiarly.

“Old Adrian, are you and Cindy free tomorrow?” Zane Hamilton asked.

“What’s up?” Adrian didn’t think about it further, assuming there was something Zane Hamilton needed help with.

“Didn’t you say before that we should get together sometime? Now that you’re bringing Cindy and Morgan out, it would be nice for them to meet us and the kids. We all adjusted our schedules a bit and thought tomorrow would be good. It’s Valentine’s Day the day after tomorrow, so our gathering tomorrow is like a mini-reunion.” “I just wanted to ask if you and Cindy are free,” Zane Hamilton inquired.

“Of course, we are,” Adrian laughed.

Now it’s hard for them all to get together at the same time.

Usually, they just gather in small groups whenever someone is free.