The Beloved Little Chef of the Bigwigs in the Era Novel

Shen Fangqin had barely transmigrated into a novel set in a bygone era when she found herself in a dire situation from the start.

Her father was beaten to death by a foreman while demanding his wages, and his wrongful death went unavenged.

Her mother was so devastated that she fell ill and took to her bed.

Her younger siblings were so hungry they fought stray dogs for scraps. The whole family was starving.

Shen Fangqin slapped the table. "At least I still have my cooking skills. Otherwise, we'd never make it through this!"

*

Shen Fangqin set up a little stir-fry stall on a street corner. She started serving at three in the morning and didn't get home until ten at night. She treated her customers warmly and generously used quality ingredients and plenty of oil.

Pork stir-fried with chili peppers: thin-skinned, meaty peppers with a small size and fragrant flavor, paired with streaky pork. The tender slices of meat leave you sweating and satisfied, energized for the whole day!

Lotus Flower Blood Duck: the duck is stir-fried until fragrant, with millet peppers, dried chilies, and local long peppers for seasoning. Just before serving, bright red fresh duck blood is poured in, seeping into every piece of duck. Spicy but not harsh, delicious and savory!

If you're short on money, just order a simple plate of stir-fried lettuce. It's crisp and tender, perfectly seasoned, and one plate goes down with eight bowls of rice!

Mingxiang's stall became a huge hit. Her family could finally eat coarse-flour steamed buns at every meal, her younger siblings could afford their school fees, and she could buy herself some nice clothes. She also made lots of friends.

But without a proper storefront, it was inconvenient, and her earnings were limited. She couldn't do everything she wanted, yet storefronts were expensive. Mingxiang was quite troubled.

Then one day, a tall, refined-looking man came to her little stall.

"Fangqin, do you remember me? I'm Feng Yifei, your Brother Xiao Wan."

"Thank you for saving me back then. I had no choice but to give you a false name. I'm sorry."

"I came to ask if you'd be willing to open a restaurant. I'll put up the money, and all the profits will be yours. All I ask is that you let me come eat your cooking."

Shen Fangqin: "..."

Feng Yifei?

The most famous Feng Yifei in this book was none other than the elegant but cold-hearted richest man in the capital!

*

Feng Yifei became an orphan at four. At sixteen, he went from street to street peddling rat poison. By twenty-five, he was worth a million and had become one of the country's foremost business magnates.

There was one little episode in his tumultuous life.

At the time, a rival had set him up. Penniless, he wandered the streets, so hungry his legs trembled as he walked, while dodging the rival's attempts to kill him.

One day, he thought he was really going to starve to death when he suddenly spotted a faint, yellow light in the darkness.

A woman in a white apron and headscarf stood beneath the light. Her expression was gentle and beautiful, and her eyes brimmed with warmth.

She walked up to him, unbothered by his stench and grime. She wiped his palm with a towel, then set a bowl of food in his hands.

"Big brother, you must be hungry. Have something to eat. It's free."

From then on, the taste of that meal became the most perfect flavor in his memories.

*

Shen Fangqin had made plenty of friends through food, and she had four more powerful friends from the novel's era.

The domineering military officer from the book helped her father get his wages back, then made sure the people responsible worked the sewing machines until their legs gave out.

The glamorous chairwoman of the Hong Kong Film and Television Association owned several production companies. She made movies just to help her food digest.

The gentle and refined first man in Huaguo's rocket program loved helping her keep an eye on her younger siblings' studies.

The top surgeon from a leading hospital personally came over to check her mother's blood pressure.

Every time, as soon as they finished eating, they would start arguing.

Arguing over who Shen Fangqin liked best, who she was closest to, and who was most qualified to make her happy.

Shen Fangqin: "..."

*

Everyone knew that Shen Fangqin, the proprietress of the Weifang Grand Hotel in Jing City, was young but came from a powerful background.

She had immense wealth, yet remained modest, humble, and polite, getting along with everyone.

But if you think her good temper means you can bully her, you're in for a rude awakening.

Theme: Hard work brings prosperity.