Dining with Her Grandfather

Around 4 PM, Yang Zhen'er and Tang Baona drove to pick up Xiang Kun.

Seeing Xiang Kun carrying a thermos in his left hand and a small wooden box in his right as he got into the car, Tang Baona in the passenger seat turned around and reached out, saying, "This is the wooden carving you're going to give to my grandfather? You really finished it so quickly?"

Yang Zhen'er also turned around. "I want to see too, what are you carving?"

Xiang Kun then handed the wooden box to Tang Baona.

The wooden box was similar to the boxes Xiang Kun had used to store the various wood carvings he had given them before. It was a simple container with splinters simply sanded off and no paint. Inside, there was a boxwood carving less than a foot tall.

"Nana, is this your grandfather?" Looking at the wooden carving in Tang Baona's hand, Yang Zhen'er couldn't help but laugh, "Is that on his back... you? So cute!"

The wood carving depicts a refined old man in a long robe, carrying a somewhat cartoonish little girl on his back.

Yang Zhen'er had met Tang Baona's maternal grandfather, Mr. Feng, several times before, and immediately recognized the old man with the eagle as Mr. Feng. The chubby, smiling little girl who was clinging to Mr. Feng's back like a little monkey, with a somewhat cartoonish appearance, was obviously Tang Baona when she was a child.

Yang Zhen'er turned back and asked, "Chef Xiang, have you met Nana's grandfather before?"

Xiang Kun laughed and said, "No, but I asked Nana for a few photos and roughly sculpted it. Nana, is the sculpt fairly lifelike?"

"It looks just like it!" Tang Baona nodded, her face full of admiration. "You just asked me for the photos the night before last, and it's only been a little over a day, and you've already sculpted it? That's too fast! Did you stay up all night?"

Xiang Kun laughed and said, "Actually, the carving is quite rough, and many details have been omitted. I'm afraid it won't be considered presentable by someone knowledgeable like your grandfather."

The photos Tang Baona gave him didn't actually match the exact pose and posture of the wooden carving.

He created the design by combining one of Mr. Feng's "artistic photos" of him wearing a long robe and holding a book with another photo of Mr. Feng holding his one-year-old daughter, Tang Baona.

He changed Mr. Feng's carrying of Tang Baona to carrying her on his back, changed her clothes to the scholar's robe, and cartoonized little Tang Baona's face and body a bit, making her look round and adorable, while still retaining enough distinctiveness so that anyone who has seen Tang Baona as a child can recognize her at a glance.

In this way, when others see this wood carving, their first attention will definitely be drawn to Mr. Feng's clothing, overall demeanor, and the adorable Q-version Tang Baona on his back. These are precisely the aspects that Xiang Kun. Other details that he hasn't paid as much attention to or put as much effort into will be less noticeable and won't affect the overall impression.

After all, this wood carving material did not establish a "Super-Sensory Link," and no "Emotional Injection" was carried out during the production process. It fully demonstrates Xiang Kun's real wood carving skills. However, in this respect, he is not actually a true wood carving master and still needs to play to his strengths and avoid his weaknesses. This work is his optimal strategy for applying his technology, maximizing the display of his advantages and avoiding his disadvantages.

It took Xiang Kun more than eight hours over the past two days to make this wood carving. Unlike his previous wood carvings, which he could finish in one go, he worked for several hours, stopped, and then worked for several more hours at a time. After all, he had other things to do these past two days. He not only had to discuss the investigation of the "vampire patient" with Lao Xia and the design ideas for the Research Base and laboratory in Chongyun Village, but also had to discuss the establishment of the game company, future operation and marketing plans, and subsequent technical support with Zhang Qian, Zi Cheng, and others.

On the other hand, he deliberately separated the production process to avoid unknowingly turning the wood carving into an "Emotion-Infused Object".

In the end, he managed to finish the wood carving half an hour before Yang Zhen'er and Tang Baona arrived to pick him up. Then he spent another half hour making a wooden box, which made the gift look presentable.

Actually, he originally wanted to give Mr. Feng a wood carving he had made before, but after looking through his "stock"—the twelve Minions had already been taken to be displayed in the "Youlong Restaurant" to prepare for the hotel's opening—the only wood carvings left at home, besides the "Eight-Armed Eight-Eyed Wooden Carving," were the Arthas.

The "Eight-Armed Eight-Eyed Wooden Carving" was originally obtained from Mr. Feng, and Emotional Injection fear within it, it's quite unique and naturally can't be given away. Surely, I couldn't give away a wooden carving of the Lich King either... that wouldn't be appropriate either...

So after thinking it over, Xiang Kun decided to make a wood carving on the spot and ask Mr. Feng for his "critique".

Looking at the wood carving in her hands, Tang Baona was quite fond of it and smiled, "It's not rough at all, it's very exquisite! Besides, my grandfather isn't exactly an expert; he's just a keyboard warrior and a talker, and he can't carve himself. You can rest assured, he'll definitely like this wood carving!"

In fact, she had already started considering whether to find an excuse to ask her grandfather for the wood carving and keep it as a keepsake. The little girl in Xiang Kun carving looked so cute—although she felt a little embarrassed thinking that.

Yang Zhen'er opened her eyes wide and looked at Xiang Kun, saying, "Chef Xiang, I want one of these wood carvings too! I'll send you a picture of myself when I'm little! My parents also want to invite you to dinner. Could you carve me as a gift for them then? And carve me in a cute, chibi style, just like Nana, hehehehehe."

"Hey, what are you talking about..." Xiang Kun said helplessly, "Why are your parents seeing me? This is so weird! What kind of wood carving do you want? I'll carve it for you when I have time."

Yang Zhen'er said, "Yes, it's true. I didn't just make up an excuse. My dad really wants to see you. He said he wants to discuss your game with you. He might even want to invest in it."

Xiang Kun said, "Then it's better not to. If your dad gets involved, it wouldn't be appropriate if he takes too little, and if he takes too much, Zhang Qian and the others will probably be furious. Most of the things to do in the future will still require Zhang Qian's help in organizing resources, so it wouldn't be fair if she takes too little. Besides, Zi Cheng and the others can't reduce their share too much either. So, we can only thank Uncle Yang for his kindness."

Yang Zhen'er blinked. "Whether you come to dinner or not doesn't matter, but you just promised to make me a wood carving! You can't go back on your word! And you can't drag it out too long! Three months... no, within a month!"

"We'll talk about that later. Let's drive, let's drive! If we delay any longer, there will be traffic jams on the road! Let's go, let's go!" Xiang Kun waved his hand and urged.

"You have to agree to this within a month!" Yang Zhen'er, still clinging to the armrest, turned back to stare at Xiang Kun: "I'm not leaving until you agree!"

Tang Baona couldn't help but laugh, "Zhen'er, why are you acting like a child?"

Yang Zhen'er rolled her eyes at her. "How would a favored child like you understand? For slow learners like us, we have to make a fuss to get treats! As the saying goes, the early bird catches the worm!"

"Okay, okay, I promise. One month, one month is fine, right? Hurry up and drive." Xiang Kun said, both amused and exasperated.

The "casual meal" at Tang Baona's maternal grandfather's house was attended by only a few people besides Mr. Feng: Tang Baona, her sister Tang Baoting, Bao Ting's fiancé Gao Yao, Yang Zhen'er, and Xiang Kun. Neither Tang Baona's parents, her two uncles, nor other cousins were present.

Officially, it was just that Mr. Feng wanted to have a meal and chat with his grandchildren.

Upon meeting Mr. Feng, Xiang Kun bowed politely and said, "Hello, Mr. Feng, I am Xiang Kun." He knew from Tang Baona that Mr. Feng had been a Chinese language teacher for two years when he was young. Judging from his hobbies, his usual attire, the style of his home decoration, and his mannerisms, calling him "Mr. Feng" would be more approachable than "Grandpa Feng" or "Mr. Feng," and it was also appropriate for his posture of "asking for advice" while holding a wood carving.

Sure enough, based on his sensory perception, Xiang Kun believed that Mr. Feng had a pretty good first impression of him. After seeing the wooden carving of "Little Nana on his back" that Mr. Feng had given him, he couldn't stop smiling and his mood was very pleasant.

Although Xiang Kun is here as a guest today, when he was chatting with Tang Baona the day before yesterday, she mentioned to her grandfather several times that "Chef Xiang's rabbit meat" had been mentioned. Mr. Feng also expressed interest, so he brought some pre-marinated rabbit meat with him today.

After greeting Mr. Feng, Bao Ting, and Gao Yao Xiang Kun to the kitchen and, under the suspicious and distrustful gaze of Mr. Feng's housekeeper, began to prepare one of his signature dishes: braised rabbit.

The nanny thought she knew Mr. Feng, Bao Na, and Bao Ting's tastes quite well, and couldn't help but offer her opinions several times while Xiang Kun was cooking.

However, Xiang Kun was very clear about the final taste of his dish. It was the result of his many experiments, calculations, and experience as a head chef. It was also a flavor that he had specially adjusted to suit Tang Baona. The rabbit meat had been processed and marinated according to his recipe. Under his personal cooking, the taste of the dish was very consistent and did not require any adjustments.

Therefore, he would politely decline the nanny's suggestions with a smile, but in practice, he would follow his own plan completely.

The nanny was initially somewhat dismissive of Xiang Kun's cooking process, but since he was a guest, she didn't say much. However, when the rabbit meat was ready and Xiang Kun offered her a piece, her attitude immediately changed.

Xiang Kun's rabbit dishes underwent various changes and minor adjustments in taste and cooking methods in the early stages to cater to the tastes of Tang Baona, Yang Zhen'er, Lao Xia, and others. Later, in order to create a menu for "Youlong Restaurant," he made even more in-depth and complex adjustments. He has a thorough understanding and mastery of every step of the process, every seasoning, and the precise control of the heat.

Therefore, since this braised rabbit was cooked by Xiang Kun himself, its basic standard is set. Regardless of the nanny's taste preferences, it will definitely be above the baseline of deliciousness. Of course, if Tang Baona or someone with similar tastes were to taste this dish, the enjoyment would be even higher.

After the nanny ate a piece of braised rabbit meat, she knew that Xiang Kun was indeed skilled, and that his skill was definitely superior to hers.

Xiang Kun placed the braised rabbit meat he had just finished cooking on the table, he noticed Tang Baona swallowing her saliva and Yang Zhen'er licking her lips. Even Bao Ting and Gao Yao's eyes were immediately fixed on the rabbit meat in his hand. People who have eaten his cooking before, especially those who have eaten it several times and whose dishes have been customized by him based on their feedback, will have this natural reaction.

Mr. Feng also subtly noticed the reactions of the four young people. He had often heard his two granddaughters tell him that Chef Xiang's rabbit meat was exceptional, a delicacy beyond compare, and incredibly delicious. However, as a relatively wealthy old man who was also quite discerning about food and had tasted all sorts of delicacies, he had always felt that his granddaughters' words were somewhat exaggerated. How delicious could the food made by a non-professional chef, especially one who had only recently learned to cook, be?

But seeing the reactions of these four young people today, Mr. Feng's previous opinion wavered somewhat, and his expectations for the plate of rabbit meat in Xiang Kun's hand increased considerably.

"Teacher Feng, please try this. It's one of my specialties. Nana, Zhen'er, Sister Bao Ting, and Brother Yao have all tried it and thought it tasted pretty good." Xiang Kun knew that at this time, he shouldn't be overly modest. He should raise expectations when necessary. Tang Baona had said that her grandfather's taste was probably similar to hers, so this dish should be able to achieve a good result.

So Mr. Feng didn't wait for the nanny to serve the other dishes; he picked up his chopsticks and took a bite of braised rabbit.

The rabbit meat is delicate and delicious. The seasoning by Xiang Kun is very fragrant and has a great sense of layering. It is slightly spicy when you first put it in your mouth, and then the juice comes out after you bite into it. It is a little salty, and then it turns slightly sweet. The more you chew, the better it is. The more you chew, the richer the taste becomes. After swallowing one piece, you will subconsciously pick up your chopsticks to pick up a second piece.

After picking up the second piece, Mr. Feng paused slightly, realizing he might have eaten a bit too quickly. He chuckled, put the rabbit meat back in his bowl, and said to Xiang Kun, "It's truly delicious, truly wonderful! Your rabbit meat is absolutely superb! I heard from Nana that you haven't been learning to cook for very long?"

"Thank you for the compliment, Teacher Feng. I do have a little bit of talent for cooking, and I'm only really good at making rabbit meat. If I used a different ingredient, I might not be able to do it to this extent," Xiang Kun said with a smile.

Gao Yao couldn't help but say, "Not only rabbit meat, Xiang Kun's beef soup is also delicious."

Yang Zhen'er said, "The best dish should be the dry pot rabbit. But Chef Xiang always makes it a little bland to please Nana, so it's not quite perfect!"

Bao Ting nodded in agreement. "Nana's taste is too bland!"

The discussion started with the dishes, and everyone's conversation flowed naturally. Even Gao Yao, who wasn't usually very talkative, started speaking frequently, which surprised Mr. Feng, who had met this prospective grandson-in-law a few times before. He hadn't expected "Little Gao" to be so talkative!

After the meal, everyone changed the tea trays and started chatting while drinking tea again.

Mr. Feng held the wood carving that Xiang Kun today, as well as the "Gold Glitter carving" that Tang Baona had handed over last time. He compared them and commented that Xiang Kun's "craftsmanship" was indeed very good and had improved.

When it comes to knowledge related to wood carving, Xiang Kun basically answers whatever comes to mind, without deliberately showing off. He says he knows what he knows and doesn't know what he doesn't.

However, when he was learning wood carving on his own, he searched for information and tutorials online and read a lot of things. At that time, his memory was already very strong, and he could basically remember everything he saw. So when he talked to Mr. Feng about some cultural things, he was able to handle it quite well.

After discussing wood carving, we moved on to Xiang Kun really wasn't very good at this, to be honest. He had only learned the Eight Principles of Yong from the old man next door when he was a child, and he hadn't learned any other techniques. He just practiced occasionally on his own, and his skill level was nothing special.

Before we knew it, the conversation had turned to Xiang Kun's recent "industrial project".

Mr. Feng himself is experienced and knowledgeable. Both of his sons are in the business world and have always paid attention to the Internet and related emerging industries. He mentioned the entrepreneurial stories of some of his younger friends from his early years, including some of the Internet and technology giants who are still very famous today.

As they chatted, Gao Yao couldn't help but ask, "Do you know Lu Cheng'an, the chairman of 'Shenxing Technology'? I think he's also from this city?" He was a bit of a fan of "Shenxing Technology" and paid close attention to all sorts of related cutting-edge technologies.

Xiang Kun secretly gave him a thumbs up; this was also a question he was interested in.