Actually, the two rooms weren't far apart at all. Both were in newly built houses, and they were in the same row, just separated by many other rooms.

As Zhenfei passed the kitchen on his way back, he knew Bai Lin and Xue Fei were waiting for him inside, so he walked in.

Sure enough, the two of them were in there waiting for him, looking dejected. They seemed unsure of Zhenfei's attitude, particularly uncertain about the last four dishes.

Seeing Zhenfei come in, they quickly stood up, "Master, you're here."

Zhenfei nodded, "What do you think of the last four dishes you made? Speak up."

Bai Lin said, "I was too conservative with the vegetable salad. If I'd added a bit more balsamic vinegar and a hint of mint, the taste might have been better."

Zhenfei nodded, "Anything else?"

Xue Fei said, "The steak was my first attempt at grilling. It was probably overcooked."

Bai Lin continued, "I was also too cautious with the egg fried rice. The ratio should have been three grains of rice to one egg flower for better texture."

After they finished speaking, they looked at Zhenfei. Zhenfei looked back at them, "Is that all? What about the shredded potatoes? Were they perfect?"

Bai Lin and Xue Fei exchanged glances, clearly puzzled. The shredded potatoes dish wasn't difficult, so they were unsure what could be wrong.

Zhenfei said, "Your mistake was not asking about my taste preferences. If a customer orders shredded potatoes, you should clarify what kind they want."

"Is it vinegared shredded potatoes, hot and sour shredded potatoes, or spicy shredded potatoes? There are so many varieties. How would you know the one you made suits the customer's taste?"

Bai Lin and Xue Fei were stunned. Indeed, Zhenfei had only mentioned shredded potatoes without specifying, and they hadn't asked. It was a pitfall set by Zhenfei.

This kind of simple mistake can be fatal for a chef. It really shouldn't happen.

"Master, we know we were wrong," Bai Lin and Xue Fei said in unison.

Zhenfei nodded, "It's good you realize. Pack your things and wait for me at the village entrance tomorrow morning. I'll take you to Binyang."

Bai Lin and Xue Fei immediately exclaimed, "Master, are you taking us to Xi Shan Restaurant? Have we passed the assessment?"

Zhenfei said calmly, "Of course not. I found you a Western cuisine training school to brush up your knowledge. Chinese cuisine is the most complex. You just need to understand Western cuisine."

"The restaurant will hire professional Western chefs. You only need to have the knowledge. Your main focus remains Chinese cuisine, which is our specialty."

"Oh, I see. We'll study hard," Bai Lin and Xue Fei said in unison again.

After clarifying things with them, Zhenfei returned to the dining table. By then, most of the drinks were finished, and few people remained.

Only Zhang Duo and Sun Liqing were still drinking heavily. Zhou Yun was propping her head up with her hands, clearly also quite drunk.

Chunyu had left after eating a bit. That girl was a cultivation fanatic and probably went back to cultivate.

After saying goodbye to a few people, Zhenfei supported Zhou Yun as they headed back.

Zhou Yun was quite drunk, stumbling as she walked. Fortunately, Zhenfei was strong, so taking care of her wasn't too exhausting.

"Zhenfei, tell me, is your relationship with Zi Xuan something special?" Zhou Yun suddenly asked, slurring slightly.

"Sister-in-law, what are you talking about? Zi Xuan and I are just friends," Zhenfei quickly explained.

Zhou Yun laughed softly, "Don't lie to me. I can see the way Zi Xuan looks at you. I'm not oblivious, don't try to fool me."

Zhenfei felt a bit uneasy. Earlier, Zi Xuan had said that Zhou Yun had special feelings for him, and now Zhou Yun was talking about Zi Xuan. The situation was complicated.

There were many women who had been involved with Zhenfei, but nothing had happened between him and these two women.

"There's really nothing. We're just good friends."

Zhou Yun smiled without saying another word, but she wobbled even more, forcing Zhenfei to slide his hand under her arm and hold her, making their posture more intimate.

The rural night was pitch black. The path from the manor to the village had no streetlights, making it difficult to see the uneven road.

Zhenfei vaguely remembered that another time on this road, Zhou Yun had nearly fallen, and he had protected her by falling first. They had accidentally kissed.

If Chunyu hadn't appeared that time, who knows what would have happened.

Tonight, it was again this road, only now Zhou Yun was drunk, and Zhenfei was experienced.

Zhou Yun was wearing short high heels, making her already unstable walking even worse.

Zhou Yun's foot slipped, and she almost fell. But Zhenfei was ready and pulled her into his arms.

The two clung tightly together, Zhenfei holding Zhou Yun's back. They were slightly stunned but then Zhou Yun also wrapped her arms around Zhenfei's back.

They stayed like that, silently embracing, feeling each other's warmth and deepening breaths.

Everything was so beautiful. The majestic Milky Way was visible in the sky. Tomorrow promised to be good weather again.

"You know, I've imagined countless times us holding each other like this, but I only ever dared to imagine," Zhou Yun murmured in Zhenfei's ear.

Zhenfei held Zhou Yun tightly, letting her feel his presence. He didn't know what to say. Their hearts had always been close, but their relationship made it hard to express it openly.

Regardless of Zhou Yun's feelings for Zhenfei's brother or the short time they spent together, their relationship was valid. Even though Zhenfei's brother was dead, the barrier remained.

Zhou Yun had done so much for Zhenfei. Likewise, Zhenfei had been striving for Zhou Yun; the entire Xishan Manor was built for her, aiming to let her enter the Zhou Family openly one day.

No matter how many obstacles, their hearts had already come together. All that was needed was an opportunity.

"I want to hold you like this too, without worrying if you're my sister-in-law or my wife. But I can't seem to let go."

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