Su Ping Nan turned his head and glared at Guo Guang Yao, who was grumbling, the latter immediately straightened up, but kept signaling Li San to order food with his eyes.
Li San could only smile wryly and walked into the canteen with a hesitant look.
Lin Zun Li had been in a bad mood for the past few days. The factory where he had worked for nearly 20 years was rumored to be shutting down, and his eldest son was already engaged to be married. If he lost his job, he didn't know how his whole family would survive.
"Master Lin, I'm sorry to trouble you," Li San said cautiously, approaching the disgruntled Master Lin.
"Hm?"
Lin Zun Li initially didn't take it seriously, but when he got the menu, his eyes widened and his temper erupted. "How many of you are there?" he demanded.
Li San smiled sheepishly and said, "Three."
Lin Zun Li's face trembled with anger, "You little brat, you're ordering this much for three people? Are you trying to sabotage my business? Or are you here to test my skills?"
Li San was at a loss for words. He hadn't expected Old Lin's reaction to be so intense and could only say with a smile, "Master Lin, someone's paying, so just cook, okay?"
Lin Zun Li gave him a cold stare, ignoring him. He tapped the large kitchen pot with the ladle in his hand. Immediately, a few apprentices gathered around.
"I've taught you all for so many years. We're going to be separated soon. Today, someone actually came to test my skills. Let's take this opportunity to show you all. Watch carefully and learn well!" Lin Zun Li said, then turned to Li San with an unpleasant tone, "My Lin family's cuisine is more than just these dishes. You little brat, ask that guy outside, my Lin family can cook 360 dishes, all mastered. Ask him if he dares to order them all?"
Li San looked helpless. Old Lin's prestige was not something he, a mere newcomer who had only been in the factory for two years, could challenge. He could only walk out again.
After hearing Li San's account, Su Ping Nan didn't get angry, but instead showed interest. He pressed down on his hand, stopping Guo Guang Yao from exploding, and said with a smile, "People with real talent are often arrogant. Take me to talk to this Master Lin."
Inside the kitchen, Old Lin was talking excitedly, "The factory is saying it's going to close, what are you panicking about! If someone outside dares to order today, I'll show you my best skills. Learn them and you won't starve! You don't have to suffer every day!" He was still talking when he saw Li San lead a young man with short black hair, wearing a black windbreaker and looking shrewd, walking in.
"I've heard that Master Lin's skills are excellent. Ping Nan is presumptuous, but I came to see your skills. I hope you'll forgive me for intruding."
Su Ping Nan grinned and bowed to Lin Zun Li, speaking calmly.
Some of Lin Zun Li's apprentices had also been around the world and recognized Su Ping Nan, who had been making headlines recently. Their faces turned white with worry, desperately trying to catch their master's eye.
Lin Zun Li ignored them. His skills were his lifeblood. Someone dared to question him, and his tone was sharp.
"My Lin family cuisine has over 300 dishes, each one a masterpiece. Since you've come to test my skills today, dare you to eat a full set?"
Su Ping Nan didn't get angry. He continued smiling and said, "There's not much in this world that I dare not do. I just wonder if Master Lin has all the necessary ingredients?"
Upon hearing this, Lin Zun Li's old face turned slightly red. In his anger, he had forgotten that many of the ingredients for his dishes weren't available to him.
Su Ping Nan looked at the old man in front of him, raised his hand and adjusted the collar of his shirt, speaking calmly, "Since Master Lin is so generous, why not write down a list and see if I can find them for you?"
For the first time, Lin Zun Li took a serious look at the young man in front of him, "What are you trying to do?"
Su Ping Nan smiled, "Nothing, just wanted to see Master Lin's skills."
"Good!" A surge of anger rose in Lin Zun Li's heart. He shouted at his eldest apprentice, "Get me paper and pen!"
Li San didn't understand why a meal had turned into this, but he only saw Master Lin hand a thick stack of paper to the young man in the red robe.
After flipping through it, Su Ping Nan nodded and said, "No problem." He walked out and threw it to Guo Guang Yao, who was standing there in a daze.
"Get it all, as quickly as possible."
Guo Guang Yao immediately got up, nodded, and ran out.
Lin Zun Li held back his temper and walked over to Su Ping Nan, who was calmly sitting at the table, "My dishes can be made, but I don't like waste."
Su Ping Nan smiled and nodded, saying leisurely, "It'll be a lot of trouble for Master Lin. I'll take the liberty of treating the brothers downstairs to a good meal, and also try Master Lin's cooking."
Lin Zun Li stared straight at Su Ping Nan, who was still smiling, for a few minutes before stamping his foot, "Alright!"
Su Ping Nan smiled at Li San and said, "Could you three go out and get my phone from my driver?" Lin Zun Li said coldly, "Don't bother, we have a phone here."
Su Ping Nan smiled and got up, "Then thank you."
The phone was answered quickly. Su Ping Nan only said one sentence, "It's me, call people, come to the knitting factory for a meal."
......
What happened next was something Li San would never forget. He recounted it many times in the years that followed, never tiring of it.