Divorced and Determined: The CEO’s Ex-Wife Fights for Love

Chapter 43 - You Praised It Without Even Tasting? This Is the Real Ice Crystal Cake!

Chapter 43 “You Praised It Without Even Tasting? This Is the Real Ice Crystal Cake!”

Faced with the elderly woman’s serious expression, the surrounding customers couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

“What are you all laughing at?”

“Sister, you’ve got to keep up with the times. These Penguin nicknames are just random. They don’t mean anything.”

“Oh, so they’re fake! I was wondering how Lu Boss could have so many wives!”

Lu Qin could only shake his head with a smile. The customers in his Penguin group were too mischievous.

As one wave of customers left, another arrived. Lu Qin’s stall was now so popular that he didn’t have to worry about business at all. Customers often started lining up even before his tricycle cart arrived.

In just an hour and a half each morning, Lu Qin could sell out everything.

At that moment, neighbors from the area near where Lu Qin rented his home arrived. Old Man Ge brought along an elderly man with graying hair.

“Old Ge, it’s rare for you to treat me to a meal, and it’s breakfast, no less!”

“How good can breakfast possibly be?”

Old Man Ge responded mysteriously, “You’ll know after you try it. I’m telling you, Old Mai, even your emperor’s tongue will be satisfied!”

The elderly man, surnamed Mai, was no ordinary person—he had been involved in national-level banquets in the past. Now, he lived a carefree, retired life.

“Oh? I’ll have to see for myself.”

Although Old Mai said this, he didn’t really take it seriously. While street food could be tasty, he had never encountered anything truly impressive from such places. Often, what the masses considered delicious was simply a mix of seasonings, lacking depth upon closer inspection. Street food, in particular, was usually all about the sauce, and the novelty wore off quickly.

Old Man Ge and Old Mai arrived at Lu Qin’s stall.

“Old Ge, you’re here. How many portions of noodles today?”

“Two portions of stir-fried noodles and two mung bean soups. I’ve brought a friend, this is Old Mai.”

“Nice to meet you,” Lu Qin greeted with a smile before starting to cook the noodles.

Old Mai glanced around Lu Qin’s stall and noticed how clean and well-kept it was, even down to the spotless bottom of the wok. People often say that the best food was found in the dirtiest corners. That was nonsense.

For a chef, cleanliness and hygiene were just as important as the cooking itself. If the ingredients weren’t clean, customers wouln’t feel comfortable eating them. Lu Qin seemed to understand this perfectly, earning full marks in this area.

Old Mai was surprised, as he had expected a food stall to be much dirtier. As someone with deep culinary knowledge, Old Mai could tell when someone was skilled. The moment Lu Qin lifted the wok, Old Mai’s casual demeanor disappeared, and his smile faded.

The technique of flipping the noodles wasn’t about brute force but rather a combination of skill and experience. It required finesse.

Lu Qin’s wrist movement was masterful—the noodles flipped gracefully without breaking apart. The precise control of heat and the strength of the flips determined the taste and texture of the stir-fried noodles.

This level of expertise only came with seven or eight years of experience, something Old Mai could instantly recognize.

If another chef were using the same wok, spatula, and ingredients, the result would still taste completely different.

“Young man, your skills are quite impressive,” Old Mai praised sincerely.

Old Man Ge was puzzled.

“Old Mai, you’re already praising him without even tasting the food?”

Given Old Mai’s high standing in the southern culinary world, earning his approval wasn’t easy. Old Man Ge had brought him here because he had complete confidence in Lu Qin’s skills, but even he was surprised that Old Mai was complimenting the food before even tasting it. The stir-fried noodles were ready.

Old Mai first smelled the dish, then inspected its appearance. After saying ‘good’ twice, he finally tasted a bite. The smooth and delicate texture made Old Mai’s eyes light up.

“It’s even better than I imagined.”

He closed his eyes, savoring the taste, and then quickly took a second and third bite…

By the time he finished the entire portion, Old Mai let out a long breath.

“Delicious!”

Mai Dejun looked closely at Lu Qin, this young and rather handsome man, amazed that he possessed such impressive culinary skills.

The world really is full of talented people, he thought.

Seeing Mai Dejun showering Lu Qin with praise, Old Man Ge couldn’t help but feel a bit proud, as if Lu Qin were his own son, receiving admiration for his accomplishments.

“Here, Old Mai, try the mung bean soup made by Little Lu,” Old Man Ge offered.

“Mung bean soup?”

Mai Dejun took a sip, finding it smooth and sandy, sweet without being overly rich.

“This has a very nice texture. You’ve added aged tangerine peel and yellow rock sugar, haven’t you?”

“Yes, you’re absolutely right,” Lu Qin nodded, glancing at Mai Dejun. He could tell that this man was likely a chef as well.

“Old Mai, there’s also the Ice Crystal Cake—now that’s a real treat,” Old Man Ge said, his pride swelling once more.

“Little Lu, even though Old Mai and I came together, each of us can still buy two boxes of Ice Crystal Cake, right?”

“Yes, that’s correct,” Lu Qin nodded.

Old Man Ge paid by scanning the QR code and then grabbed four boxes of Ice Crystal Cake, handing two of them to Mai Dejun.

Upon hearing the words ‘Ice Crystal Cake’, Mai Dejun paused for a moment, feeling a sense of familiarity. He thought for a bit and suddenly realized—his apprentice had called him just yesterday asking about Ice Crystal Cake. He had assumed that it was a rare, local dessert, and not many people knew how to make it. Little did he know, the young man in front of him was the very person making it. What a coincidence!

With high expectations, Mai Dejun opened one of the boxes. He had tried Ice Crystal Cake before, but the memory of it was vague. When he was young, during a trip to a small northern town, he had seen someone selling this treat from a street vendor.

Essentially, Ice Crystal Cake was a type of rice cake made from glutinous rice, with an extra layer of icy skin that gave a cool, refreshing sensation when eaten, similar to a chilled dessert.

However, the Ice Crystal Cake Mai Dejun had tasted back then was only average—overly sweet and sticky. He had bought it once and never again, so it left only a faint impression.

Now, looking at the Ice Crystal Cake made by Lu Qin, Mai Dejun’s eyes lit up. This version was exquisitely crafted—each piece a perfect 4 cm square, translucent like a fine jade. The surface was delicately adorned with osmanthus honey and marigold leaves. Through the icy skin, the inner layers’ intricate textures were clearly visible.

Mai Dejun couldn’t resist picking up a piece. The smooth texture was like polished glass in his hands. He took a bite, and a refreshing chill immediately enveloped his senses. It was nothing like the Ice Crystal Cake he had tasted in his youth.

“This—this is the real Ice Crystal Cake!”

Mai Dejun closed his eyes, savoring the unique sensation. The initial sweetness was cool and light, but after a few chews, a rich, deep flavor unfolded, leaving a lingering fragrance in his mouth. It was unforgettable.

As a national banquet-level chef, although retired, Mai Dejun had spent his life tasting countless delicacies. He had even worked with some of the top pastry chefs in the country, yet none of them had ever produced a dessert that could compare to Lu Qin’s Ice Crystal Cake.

Of the hundreds of types of Chinese pastries Mai Dejun had tried, this Ice Crystal Cake was the only one that left him truly astonished!

After swallowing the first piece, Mai Dejun couldn’t help but ask, “Little Boss Lu, how exactly do you make this Ice Crystal Cake?”