Converted to United States currency, it matches the entire foreign exchange amount for Ji City for a year! When signing the contract, Director Chen’s hands were trembling, and it wasn’t until the name was written in black and white, and he had pressed his thumb print, that Director Chen felt a sense of reality settling in. Lin Xiang is truly the lucky star of the Cotton Textile Factory, she must be rewarded! "Lin, please tell Mr. John, I hereby represent the Cotton Textile Factory in inviting Mr. John to dine at the state-run restaurant." Lin Xiang nodded and conveyed Director Chen’s words to John. "From what I know, Hua Country doesn’t have cuisine to brag about, how can they prepare delicious Western food? There’s no need for special arrangements, anything casual is fine." Looking down on Hua Country’s food? Lin Xiang rolled up her sleeves, John watched her cautiously, "Lin, what are you doing?" Lin Xiang smiled, "What a coincidence, I am a chef, and I know a bit about Hua Country cuisine and Western food. I’ve had a pleasant time today with Mr. John, so how about I handle Mr. John’s lunch arrangements?" Perhaps Lin Xiang’s sleeve-rolling motion seemed too assertive, John instinctively agreed. "Then let’s not bother with the state-run restaurant, traveling back and forth is too troublesome. Director Chen, please tell the chefs to hand over the kitchen to me." "Secretary Hu, quickly make the arrangements!" Lin Xiang is now like a mascot for the Cotton Textile Factory. Never mind merely taking over the kitchen, even if she wanted the director’s position... he certainly couldn’t give her that, but he could consider letting Lin Xiang be his secretary! Lin Xiang was unaware of Director Chen’s thoughts and started inspecting ingredients once she reached the kitchen. "Mr. John, do you prefer light or strong flavors? Can you eat chili? Mild spicy, medium spicy, or super spicy? Do you like sweets? Should I prepare some pastries? No croissants for the main dish, let’s try Hua Country’s big steamed buns..." Lin Xiang recorded the food preferences of John’s party on paper after asking, borrowed an apron and chef’s hat from the head chef, and tied her braid into a bun hidden under the hat, then began cooking boldly. She prepared eight dishes in total, divided equally between Hua Country dishes and Western cuisine, each with a comparison. Her cooking was swift and orderly; in just about an hour, all eight dishes were served on the table. "The kitchen at the Cotton Textile Factory didn’t have beef, so I made pork chops which correspond to Hua Country’s most popular braised pork. There’s also..." Lin Xiang introduced the dishes she prepared one by one. Looking at the colorful and aromatic dishes, John was somewhat incredulous. Could there really be someone in Hua Country who could make Western food this well? But what use is it to look good? If it doesn’t taste good, it’s pointless! John picked up his knife and fork, tasted a bite, and his blue eyes showed a hint of surprise. So Wilson wasn’t exaggerating; there are truly people in Hua Country who can make authentic Western cuisine. Better than what he had tasted at Michelin restaurants. Especially the pork chops, how could pork be this delicious? Seeing John focused on eating the pork chops, Lin Xiang kindly pushed the braised pork towards him, "Mr. John, why don’t you try the braised pork next?" The braised pork appeared somewhat fatty, not quite John’s preference, but due to Lin Xiang’s warm gesture, he reluctantly forked a piece, expecting it to be greasy. To his surprise, it wasn’t, filled instead with delightful meat aroma. Without saying a word, John’s eyes alone showed he was very satisfied with the braised pork. Lin Xiang then served a bowl of rice topped with some tomato scrambled eggs, the red, yellow, and white colors merging together, offering John a visual feast. "Mr. John, this tomato scrambled egg dish is one of the most beloved home-cooked meals in Hua Country, why don’t you give it a try?" John, in the United States, typically didn’t eat rice, so the tomato scrambled egg rice bowl didn’t entice him. But under Lin Xiang’s warm encouragement, he reluctantly accepted the bowl; Lin Xiang thoughtfully swapped the cutlery for a spoon. He tasted a small bite, feeling the salty flavor with a hint of sweetness, this intriguing taste drove his curiosity, prompting him to take a big bite. Updates are released by 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭·𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮·𝙣𝙚𝙩 The tomato-egg sauce perfectly fused with the rice, leading John to eat bite after bite, and within no time, half the bowl was finished. The accompanying foreign guests watched eagerly, but none dared to speak up. Seeing this, Lin Xiang provided each person with a bowl, ensuring everyone got a taste while she explained the background of the tomato scrambled egg dish. By the end of the meal, even though the Western dishes were slightly touched, nearly all the Hua Country dishes were emptied. This was merely the doing of John’s party of six. Looking at the empty bowls, a blush crept onto John’s fair cheeks. "Sorry, I shouldn’t have said earlier that Hua Country doesn’t have delicious food." He knows when to bow and apologize, John seems to be someone worth befriending. "No need for apologies, Mr. John, because we have been isolated in Hua Country over these years, it’s rare for foreigners to know much about us. It’s understandable you didn’t know the deliciousness of Hua Country cuisine." "Hua Country cuisine mainly comprises eight major cuisines, if broken down, it can amount to ten or twenty varieties, each having unique traits that others cannot mimic. If Mr. John is interested, I can cook for you in rotation these days." His bright blue eyes sparkled, "I should stay in Hua Country for a few more days to see if there are other goods worth taking back to the United States. So I won’t be polite with you, I’ll trouble you to be my chef during my stay." It was just a courteous offer. John is truly not holding back! Nonetheless, Lin Xiang gathered valuable information from John. He plans to select other trade goods, what would be appropriate? Lin Xiang pondered this question even while escorting John and his group back to the guesthouse. "Comrade Lin?" Secretary Hu blocked Lin Xiang’s way, leading her to bump into his chest unexpectedly. Secretary Hu sighed, "Ahead is a wall, what are you thinking that’s making you want to hit a wall?" Lin Xiang gave an awkward smile, "I got too absorbed in my thoughts, sorry. By the way, why did you call me earlier?" "Director Chen asked me to take you to the hospital to check your leg injury before sending you home." "Director Chen mentioned that since you helped facilitate such a big order for our Cotton Textile Factory, you’ll definitely get your deserved benefits, but it will be decided after a factory meeting." Lin Xiang: "I just did my duty, Secretary Hu, please convey to Director Chen that there’s no need to be so courteous. I won’t be going to the hospital just yet, could you take me to the township government first? I have important matters to discuss with the leadership." Knowing it must be about foreign affairs, Secretary Hu quickly arranged for a driver to take Lin Xiang to the township government.