Chapter 118: Lantern-Shadow Beef [Fourth Installment]

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Xiao Xuefeng waited until everyone had received their gifts before clapping his hands and having his subordinates bring forward three wooden boxes.

“President Lu, as you know, my grandfather has had some acquaintance with your grandfather. Hearing that you were coming to our District 16 this time, my grandfather specially asked me to bring you three gifts. I hope you will kindly accept them.”

Upon hearing this, Lu Xiao raised his eyebrows slightly. In fact, when he arrived, he had already met with his grandfather, who mentioned that he had worked with the elder of the Xiao family before. For investments that weren’t particularly important, priority could be given to the Xiaos.

Lu Xiao understood his grandfather very well. The reason he hadn’t been overly definite was that the relationship between the Xiao family and their Lu family wasn’t very deep—not a bond of life and death—so the words had been left deliberately vague.

Of course, Lu Xiao would follow his grandfather’s wishes, but he was reluctant to hear such things from others. Hence, Xiao Xuefeng’s words irritated him somewhat. Still, he was genuinely curious about the three gifts.

Fang Nian, standing nearby, knew Xiao Xuefeng had done his homework thoroughly and grew interested, eager to see what was inside those three boxes.

Xiao Xuefeng smiled faintly and opened the first box. Inside was a plate of sliced beef.

Lu Xiao was a gourmand at heart; his eyes instantly lit up at the sight of food, especially since this beef was remarkably translucent, whetting one’s appetite. His soft spot had been struck, and his tone softened considerably.

“President Xiao, what exactly is this? I’ve tasted countless delicacies worldwide, and I’ve tried over a thousand beef-based dishes. But this kind of translucent beef—I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Xiao Xuefeng smiled proudly and stepped forward to pick up a slice of beef for Lu Xiao.

“President Lu, please try it first and see if it suits your taste.”

Seeing Xiao Xuefeng building suspense, Lu Xiao said nothing. The food was right in front of him, and a true foodie doesn’t overthink. He picked up the slightly translucent beef and began to eat.

As Lu Xiao slowly chewed, his expression gradually changed from neutral to delighted. Finally, he smiled and pointed at the beef on the table, inviting the others.

“Come on, everyone, try this beef. It’s really delicious.”

Hearing this, the others, who had been holding back their chopsticks, eagerly reached out. Each took a slice and chewed thoughtfully. After a moment, Qian Xiaoxiao, who had seemed a bit down earlier, exclaimed in admiration.

“Wow, it’s really delicious. This is beef? How can beef be sliced so thin?”

Wan Feng, who was accustomed to delicacies from all over, also gave the beef a thumbs-up.

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“Hmm, delicious. Truly extraordinary.”

Even Cui Yunhai, who was normally stern and unsmiling, couldn’t help but praise the beef after tasting it.

“This beef is so good it gives one an illusion as if we aren’t eating beef at all, but rather loneliness... haha.”

Cui Yunhai’s remark sparked a round of laughter among the group. Watching this, Lu Xiao grew curious about the beef’s origin and asked,

“Delicious, truly delicious. This beef boasts a bright red color, a spicy and fragrant aroma, thin transparency, fresh taste, and a sweet aftertaste that’s intoxicating. President Xiao, enough teasing—please tell me, what’s the story behind this beef?”

Xiao Xuefeng, seeing Lu Xiao’s eagerness, finally explained.

“President Lu, this is a new dish invented by our Xiao family’s head chef called ‘Shadow Lantern Beef.’”

Lu Xiao listened carefully and recalled the beef’s appearance—thin as paper, translucent enough to reflect a shadow, indeed possessing a certain charm.

“Great name. How is this beef prepared?”

Xiao Xuefeng smiled, then shook his head somewhat hesitantly.

“To be honest, President Lu, the recipe for Shadow Lantern Beef is a secret passed down through generations of our family’s chefs, and even I’m not allowed to reveal it. But if you like it, just give me a call anytime. No matter how far, I’ll send some to you.”

Lu Xiao furrowed his brows slightly and put down his chopsticks. Xiao Xuefeng’s words were crystal clear: if he wanted more of this beef, he needed to invest in the Xiao family.

Of course, Lu Xiao would never commit a large investment just for a plate of beef. But the Shadow Lantern Beef was undeniably delicious. If he could obtain the recipe, he would be thrilled. Yet...

Lu Xiao was conflicted. His passion for food was irresistible, and he felt a twinge of disappointment.

At that moment, a man in his forties nearby suddenly spoke up.

“It’s just Shadow Lantern Beef—what’s the big deal about showing off here?”

The speaker was Fang Nian, who had been standing aside masked and waiting to serve dishes. He had just suppressed his voice with his internal energy, which made his tone sound somewhat hoarse.

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Wei Jin had always enjoyed showing off. Seeing Fang Nian, dressed as a chef, casually interrupt, he immediately became displeased.

“Who are you? Since when did you get to speak here?”

Lu Xiao was also surprised. He looked back at Fang Nian, who seemed unfamiliar. But judging from Fang’s attire and voice, he explained to Wei Jin,

“Director Wei, don’t be angry. This man is my newly hired head chef, Li Long. The dishes we just ate were all prepared by his culinary team.”

Hearing Lu Xiao’s explanation, Wei Jin understood the purpose of today’s meeting and ceased to argue.

But Xiao Xuefeng showed no intention of letting the matter drop and spoke up,

“President Lu, your chef is a bit too arrogant. Shadow Lantern Beef is a treasured secret skill of our family’s chef. Even in top-tier restaurants, it would be a signature dish. Yet he casually calls it ‘just a dish’—that’s truly presumptuous. Actually, I want to ask this head chef: do you even know what Shadow Lantern Beef really is?”

Hearing Xiao’s question, Fang Nian frowned slightly and hesitated, then glanced at Lu Xiao as if seeking permission to speak.

Lu Xiao, who also disliked Xiao Xuefeng’s arrogance and pretentiousness, nodded at Fang Nian. Fang then spoke earnestly.

“President Xiao, I really don’t understand how you have so much nerve. You say Shadow Lantern Beef is your family chef’s ancestral specialty, but I’d like to ask—where is your chef’s ancestral home, and who was his master?”

Having said that, Fang Nian didn’t wait for Xiao’s reply. He took a slice of beef from the table and chewed it, then, in full view of everyone, spat it out calmly.

“Truly awful.”