Volume 1 Chapter 15 The New Chef
“Lin Shen, the asparagus you made is delicious.”
Ruan Yu leaned against the kitchen counter, her tone sweet.
Lin Shen beside her fed her the asparagus fried with sesame oil.
“Eat more, you’re too thin.” Lin Shen turned up the heat to stir-fry, feeling a bit heartbroken at Ruan Yu’s slender frame.
“Okay, I really love the food you make, Lin Shen.”
Ruan Yu wasn’t shy either, comfortably acting spoiled toward Lin Shen. She had a natural fondness for people who cooked well.
“As long as you like it. The kitchen staff is just enough now, so I’ll have more time to develop new dishes.” Lin Shen had come to work at the Li Residence because she loved cooking. The Li family had never cared much about food, so she hadn’t had the chance to fully showcase her skills before.
It wasn’t until Ruan Yu arrived that she finally had the opportunity to display her culinary talents. She and Ruan Yu complemented each other perfectly.
“By the way, there’s a new chef coming today. Since you’re the only one home at noon, it’s a good chance to try his cooking.”
Ruan Yu blinked and asked, “A new chef?”
Lin Shen washed her hands and dried them with her apron. “His name is Jin something. He used to be a three-Michelin-star chef. I checked his account—he has six million followers. Young people these days are really something.”
“The previous mullet and fruit tart was based on his video, and the cod with spinach was also his recipe published in a magazine. I remember you loved that dish the most.”
Only then did Ruan Yu feel a bit of anticipation. She didn’t like changes much, finding them unsettling. But in the Li Residence, her sense of security was gradually returning.
Lin Shen checked the time and had someone bring the dishes to the dining table. “The new chef will be here soon. Have some of this to fill your stomach first.”
The servant arranging the plates broke out in a cold sweat. Such a large portion was just to “fill her stomach”? Lin Shen was really too good to Miss Ruan.
“Okay.” Ruan Yu took a bite of rice. Delicious.
Checking the time, Li Xuzhou should have boarded the plane by now.
The first day without Li Xuzhou, and she already missed him.
She took another bite of rice, unable to resist recalling Li Xuzhou’s physique—it was truly perfect.
It’s just that she had never seen his body beneath his shirt. Even on that night three years ago, he had only undone the top button of his shirt.
Oh, and there were those cold cufflinks.
Turning it over in her mind, she only remembered Li Xuzhou’s fingers vividly. Everything else was hidden in the darkness, yet every detail replayed in her heart again and again.
Li Xuzhou’s palms were large, his fingers long and slender. The rough calluses were on his knuckles, and when they brushed against her skin, it stung a little. But as soon as he felt Ruan Yu trembling, his movements would become gentle.
Thinking of the scorching heat of that night, Ruan Yu rubbed her arms slightly, her body temperature suddenly rising.
When Jin Mu entered, the brightness of the dining room dazzled his eyes. A stunning girl in a beige dress sat with her legs crossed naturally. She bit a silver spoon, the corners of her eyes and the tip of her nose tinged with a spring-like flush, pink and delicate.
Breathtaking.
That was Jin Mu’s first thought.
He stared somewhat mesmerized, unable to rein in his gaze in time.
Ruan Yu was very sensitive to others’ stares. She frowned and looked directly at him.
A young man stood at the entrance, holding filming equipment, staring straight at her with a fiery gaze that showed no attempt to conceal itself.
Seeing Ruan Yu’s displeased expression, Jin Mu quickly said, “Hello, I’m the chef arranged by Mr. Li. My name is Jin Mu.”
It turned out to be the chef arranged by Li Xuzhou. Ruan Yu’s expression softened slightly. “Hello.”
Jin Mu wanted to introduce himself further, but Ruan Yu interrupted him.
Ruan Yu pointed toward the kitchen. “The kitchen is over there. Start cooking now, and make three portions of each dish.” She turned to Xiao Luo and said, “Xiao Luo, take him to the kitchen.”
Before Jin Mu could adjust, he was led to the kitchen. Lin Shen introduced him, “All the ingredients are in the refrigerator. If you need anything else, make a list, and it will be purchased next time. You must use the utensils and ingredients here. Apart from filming equipment, nothing else can be brought in.”
Jin Mu was already aware of the strict rules here and replied good-naturedly, “Alright. The security checkpoint already inspected me before I entered. These details are all in the contract.”
Lin Shen nodded. “Good that you understand. Now get started.” She signaled Xiao Luo to keep an eye on things the whole time. “Help Chef Jin set up the equipment.”
Because of the video recording, Jin Mu took a bit longer to cook. When he finished, he noticed Ruan Yu was still waiting in the dining room.
She looked quite well-behaved, despite her strikingly alluring appearance.
He smiled, confident in his culinary skills and somewhat looking forward to Ruan Yu’s reaction after tasting the food.
Ruan Yu didn’t like being stared at while eating, especially by someone she didn’t know.
She didn’t say anything, enduring the discomfort as she took a bite.
The Provençal lamb chops were seasoned with crushed hard bread, tomatoes, and parsley, with 10 grams of cream as the finishing touch. The small pieces of lamb were tender and fresh, melting in the mouth with a rich, flavorful juice.
There was also stir-fried potatoes with artichokes and almonds, charcoal-grilled Wagyu beef, duck breast and orange salad, mint and red wine fruit soup, and lime soufflé crêpes.
It was truly delicious. Ruan Yu’s discomfort from being watched lessened considerably because of the food.
“How is it?” Jin Mu couldn’t help but ask, finding her quite adorable.
Ruan Yu waved at him, signaling him not to disturb her, and continued eating without pause.
Lin Shen came out at that moment, mixing the salad for Ruan Yu. “Jin Mu, right? There’s a resting pavilion on the east side of the security area with fast internet. You can go there to rest. We don’t need you here for now. Come back at four in the afternoon to prepare dinner.”
Lin Shen didn’t like Jin Mu constantly trying to talk to Ruan Yu. The child was finally enjoying a meal she liked, and he kept bothering her. This Jin Mu was really an eyesore.
Her intention to shoo him away was obvious. Jin Mu smiled helplessly, went to the kitchen to pack up, and before leaving, couldn’t resist asking, “What would you like to eat tonight?”
Lin Shen responded, “Chef Jin, deciding the menu is your responsibility. There’s a car at the entrance to take you to the resting pavilion.” Her tone left no room for refusal.
For the next month, Jin Mu cooked at the Li Residence. Besides the three days per week stipulated in the contract, he voluntarily came to the Li Residence to cook many more times.
His purpose was clear: he wanted to see Ruan Yu.
Today, under the pretext of filming cooking material, he came to the Li Residence to cook again.
A professional camera was set up on a tripod, capturing his back. The kitchen was spacious with ample natural light, making the footage look very appealing.
The dessert Jin Mu was preparing today was honey pear clafoutis, a modified version of a pudding pie. Since Ruan Yu didn’t like overly sweet desserts, he had adjusted the recipe.
Thinking of Ruan Yu’s eating habits, Jin Mu couldn’t help but chuckle.
Ruan Yu woke up late today and missed breakfast, leaving her stomach empty.
Her steps were a bit unsteady as she first made her way to the kitchen, unaware that the camera was still running.
A section of floral skirt and slender, delicate ankles came into view.
A few days later, in the dead of night in Germany, Li Xuzhou had just finalized a contract and felt some stiffness in his neck.
He stretched his body a bit and sat in the car reviewing this quarter’s financial report.
Suddenly, his assistant called.
“Mr. Li, news about Miss Ruan and Jin Mu being in a relationship has exploded online!”