The Game of Life TGOL

Chapter 543: Chapter 541 Crisis and Opportunity Coexist

Jiang Weiming sat in the passenger seat, while Jiang Feng, Wang Hao, and Jiang Xiaoran squeezed into the back row. This time, the DiDi driver was not someone who loved to chat. After the four passengers got in, he kept silent and focused on driving. Once they were in the car, Jiang Feng found it inappropriate to continue discussing Jiang Weiming with Jiang Xiaoran, and temporarily didn’t know what else to talk about, which made the atmosphere silent and a bit awkward.

This was one of those moments when I clearly knew that someone should say something, yet no one stepped up to say anything. I wanted to jump in and say something, but I had no idea what to say.

Just as Jiang Feng was frantically signaling Wang Hao with his eyes, attempting to prompt Wang Hao to forcibly start an awkward conversation, Jiang Feng’s phone rang.

It was a call from Zhang Guanghang.

Speaking of which, it was quite interesting. Since the end of the annual meeting, Jiang Feng had barely been in touch with Zhang Guanghang. On the first day of the lunar new year, Jiang Feng received many calls with New Year’s greetings, but oddly he didn’t hear from Zhang Guanghang.

Jiang Feng considered that, rounding off, he and Zhang could be considered mentor brothers. Besides, despite still willing to work as an ordinary employee at Taifeng Building, even when owning Fen Garden as well as hundreds of millions in assets, Jiang Feng decided to call Zhang Guanghang to send New Year’s greetings on the evening of the first day of the lunar new year, after calculating the time difference.

But the call didn’t go through; the number was out of service.

Neither did the WeChat call get through. Jiang Feng didn’t know what could possibly be keeping Zhang Guanghang so busy in France that he couldn’t even attend to his phone.

Jiang Feng just couldn’t comprehend why Zhang Guanghang, a rich and handsome man with both the looks and the cash, wouldn’t just spend a little extra to have international roaming activated?

After all, activating the service didn’t cost anything; it was receiving and making calls that incurred charges. If Jiang Feng, the one making the call, didn’t mind the expense, why would Zhang Guanghang, the one receiving the call, care?

Jiang Feng pressed the answer button and before Zhang Guanghang could even speak, he took the initiative, “Hello, Zhang, are you back in the country?”

Zhang Guanghang on the other end paused for a moment before replying, “Yeah, I just got off the plane. Where are you right now? Are you free? I have something I need to discuss with you.”

“I just picked up Granduncle Weiming from the train station, and now I’m on my way home. Later, we’re headed to Li Mansion. Why don’t you join us at Li Mansion? Ji Gezi isn’t coming back for the Lantern Festival tonight, so you might as well celebrate it with us since everyone knows each other,” Jiang Feng suggested.

“Alright, I’ll drop by Li Mansion after I put away my luggage,” Zhang Guanghang had no objections. “I… ”

“By the way, Zhang, why didn’t you activate international roaming when you went back to the country? I tried calling you on the first day of the New Year to send greetings but couldn’t get through, and you didn’t pick up the WeChat call either. Actually, I think New Year’s greetings should be given over a phone call to seem more formal and sincere. WeChat calls don’t really cut it,” Jiang Feng, still hung up over the New Year’s call, abruptly diverted the conversation off-topic.

Zhang Guanghang: ???

“I forgot about it before I left, and then I just let it go, thinking it wouldn’t be long and we could contact via WeChat. Didn’t think too much about it,” Zhang Guanghang explained. “I have a very important piece of news to tell you, do you know about the restaurant on the top floor of the new mall next to Taifeng Building… ”

“I’m aware of it, today you’re the third person to tell me about this. Lu Sheng already mentioned it to me during lunch at Yonghe House. It’s about the Michelin selection coming to give us a wake-up call, right? It must be a French restaurant,” Jiang Feng replied.

“So you already know. Actually, I got wind of some information before the New Year, but I wasn’t sure if it was true or false. Fearing it would cause unnecessary worry and spread rumors, I didn’t tell you. I came back to China this time to clarify this matter,” Zhang Guanghang’s tone suddenly turned very serious, “Jiang Feng, do you know who the chef of that restaurant is?”

Feeling the gravity in Zhang Guanghang’s voice, Jiang Feng’s heart tightened as he thought of a particularly terrifying answer, “It can’t be… your dad, can it?”

Zhang Guanghang: …

“If it were my dad, it would actually be easier to handle. My dad is someone who’s stuck in his ways, always thinking French cuisine is the best in the world. His cooking style, if transplanted to Beiping, probably wouldn’t be well-received, so there’s no real cause for concern,” Zhang Guanghang dissed his own father without mercy, “It’s Roland Reiner.”

Jiang Feng: “…Who is he?”

As Jiang Feng spoke frankly, he knew of only two French chefs—Zhang Guanghang and Zhang Guanghang’s father, not even knowing the latter’s name.

Zhang Guanghang: “…”

A brief silence hung in the phone call for a few seconds.

“Officially, he’s my father’s apprentice,” said Zhang Guanghang.

“Then, between him and your father, whose cooking is better?” asked Jiang Feng curiously.

“My dad is more skilled by a notch, but he’s the truly formidable opponent.”

“Why?” Jiang Feng didn’t quite understand.

Zhang Guanghang patiently explained, “He and my dad are two completely different types of chefs. My dad is a superb chef but is old-fashioned and stubborn, not understanding or willing to adapt. Roland Reiner is completely different; he’s currently the head chef at a Michelin two-star French restaurant in the United States. He’s studied various cuisines and likes to integrate different types into French food. He’s innovative and adept at catering to diners’ tastes. If there’s anyone among these Michelin chefs who, after coming to Beiping, could create French dishes that suit the local palate, it would be him.”

“Perhaps with his level of cooking, he cannot completely knock down all of Beiping’s established restaurants, but under the prestige of being a Michelin two-star restaurant chef, it isn’t hard for him to issue a warning shot. The key point is, if he wants to kill the chicken to scare the monkeys, he would definitely pick Taifeng Building.”

“If we take a hit like this right before the evaluation, it will inevitably affect the outcome. I know everyone might not take the Michelin rating very seriously—though it is just a gimmick, right now Taifeng Building really needs this kind of gimmick. If we can get great results in this year’s evaluation, Taifeng Building would truly stand firm in Beiping and make a name for itself worldwide. ‘Taste,’ despite its professional influence, simply doesn’t have the same clout as the Michelin rating.”

“This rating is crucial for Taifeng Building, an opportunity that comes once in a blue moon.”

Jiang Feng fell silent. He knew Zhang Guanghang was sincerely looking out for Taifeng Building, but.

He really didn’t know what to do.

The enemy’s sword was nearly at his doorstep, yet he hadn’t found the proper shield, nor did he know which sword to use in retaliation.

From what Zhang Guanghang said, this French chef, whose name he hadn’t heard of before and couldn’t quite remember now, was indeed a formidable opponent. Not the strongest, but certainly the most suitable.

It was truly a headache.

Jiang Feng scratched his head: “Sounds like it’s a bit of a problem, but us worrying here isn’t going to solve anything. Let’s wait until we get to Li Mansion to discuss it; maybe my mom and the others will have a solution.”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

“Okay, we’ll talk about the specifics in person,” nodded Zhang Guanghang before hanging up.

Jiang Feng put down his phone, feeling he should immediately share such shocking news with everyone else; he shouldn’t be the only one panicking.

Turning his head, he saw Wang Hao and Jiang Xiaoran already deep in a conversation about a new anime series he couldn’t understand at all, and these two had no real connection to Taifeng Building, so they weren’t good candidates for sharing. Looking further ahead, he saw Granduncle Weiming, who had been in high spirits earlier, now dozing off in his chair.

Jiang Feng could only silently swallow this shocking piece of bad news, waiting to share it with everyone after they reached Li Mansion.