Chapter 48 - Expensive Wild Mushrooms

As the two stepped out of the elevator, a large group of hostesses and attendants promptly bowed to them.

“General Manager!”

And they greeted them enthusiastically.

Li Han nodded slightly, then with an expressionless face turned to one of the managers and said, “Find me a better private room, and then serve up all of yesterday’s special dishes again.”

“Yes, General Manager,” the manager nodded, then extended an arm and said, “This way, please, General Manager.”

Following the manager, they entered a private room that was somewhat secluded but very quiet.

Once they had sat down, the manager carefully exited the room, instructing the kitchen to prepare the dishes.

“General Li, this isn’t so much you inviting me to a meal, as it is you using me as a guinea pig to test out Lintianxia Hotel’s new dishes,” said Chen Yang, making a joke as soon as the manager left.

“Hehe,” Li Han chuckled lightly, without lingering too much on the subject.

Because she knew Chen Yang was joking and didn’t really feel that way.

“Chen Yang, the signature dishes Lintianxia Hotel has recently settled on are mostly wild game.

I believe you have quite the expertise in wild flavors, which is why I invited you for a taste and, incidentally, to thank you,” Li Han revealed her real reason.

“So that’s it.

Well, you’ve found the right person then.

I grew up in Willow River Village, against the backdrop of hills and forests.

I’ve tasted pretty much every wild game you see on the market these days,” boasted Chen Yang with some pride.

But he wasn’t just boasting; he truly had a wealth of knowledge about wild flavors.

From time to time, someone in the village would bring something down from the hills.

“Hehe, well then, I’ll need you to give a proper evaluation later on, regarding what these dishes lack,” Li Han responded with a smile, nodding her head.

She herself hadn’t noticed that when she was around Chen Yang, she always had a smile on her face.

In reality, she wasn’t that kind of person at all.

After the two chatted for a while in the private room, the door was opened.

Several waiters then entered, carrying steaming hot dishes in an orderly fashion, and placed them on the table.

“General Manager, all the dishes are served.

We’ll be waiting outside the door, please call us if you need anything,” said the manager with a smile, before leading the waiters out of the room.

Once the door was closed,

Li Han immediately reached out and placed a stack of meat dishes, which looked like pork, in front of Chen Yang.

“Chen Yang, try this first and see how it tastes,” she said.

“Sure,” Chen Yang nodded, picked up his chopsticks to grab a piece of meat, threw it into his mouth, and chewed thoughtfully, savoring it.

“Hmm…

This wild boar meat is rather well-prepared; the kitchen staff has skilled craftsmanship!” Chen Yang praised with a nod after swallowing.

Hearing such praise from Chen Yang, Li Han’s smile deepened.

But just as she was about to suggest Chen Yang try the other dishes, he suddenly spoke again.

“However, there is a slight flaw in this dish,” he said.

“A flaw?

Where?” Li Han asked, looking puzzled.

“The flaw lies in the fact that this wild boar meat isn’t the most authentic, but rather raised through domestic breeding methods,” Chen Yang said earnestly.

Li Han’s expression froze slightly upon hearing this, not expecting Chen Yang to be so discerning.

To be able to taste with one bite whether it was wild or domestically reared.

Li Han gave a bitter smile, and then quickly pushed the other dishes towards Chen Yang, “Try this one now!”

“Okay.”

Chen Yang took a bite and then immediately identified the ingredients of the dish.

“This is wild chicken.

The flavors crafted by the kitchen are very good, but the old problem remains; it isn’t the most authentic wild flavor.”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

Li Han nodded without denial, and then pushed the other dishes one by one in front of Chen Yang for him to taste.

“This is wild duck…

this is sturgeon…”

But without any exceptions, Chen Yang identified each one by taste.

After Chen Yang had tasted all the dishes, Li Han was completely astounded.

She couldn’t help but marvel at how incredible Chen Yang was; whatever passed his lips, he could immediately identify.

It seemed she had discovered yet another extraordinary aspect of Chen Yang…

Yet, while she was shocked, there was also a small sense of dissatisfaction in her heart.

She had carefully prepared and selected these dishes to serve as the signature dishes of the Lintianxia Hotel.

This was the first time she had presented them to entertain guests, and they were all seen through—flaws and all were pointed out, which naturally left her feeling a bit defiant.

“Hmph, you’re right about everything,” Li Han huffed, then picked up a clay pot from the side and handed it to Chen Yang.

“Try this one.”

“Hehe, sure.”

Chen Yang smiled slightly as he saw Li Han’s indignant expression.

He hadn’t expected this president Li to have such a girlish side to her.

Chen Yang opened the clay pot, inside was a soup that looked extremely delicious.

And floating on top of this delicious soup were some very plump, tender mushrooms.

Chen Yang took a soup spoon, carefully ladled himself a bowl, then gently took a sip.

As soon as the soup entered his mouth, it was filled with a burst of freshness followed by a fragrant aroma, stimulating the taste buds.

“Mm!

This soup is good!”

Chen Yang couldn’t help but praise.

Seeing Chen Yang’s satisfied face and his praises, Li Han laughed.

“How about that?

Can’t find any fault with this dish, can you?”

“Yes!

This dish is indeed very perfect!

Not only is the chef’s skill good, but the taste of the mushrooms is also great.

They must be real wild mushrooms,” Chen Yang nodded and said.

“Hehe, that’s right, the mushrooms used are pure wild mushrooms from the mountains!

They are ridiculously expensive.

If you still find fault with this dish, I might not be able to resist hitting you,” Li Han said, smiling.

“Ridiculously expensive?

These delicious mushrooms, being a bit expensive is normal.

Anyway, you can just add a little to the cost and sell it, right?” Chen Yang said nonchalantly, then served himself another bowl of the delicious mushroom soup.

“That’s true, so let’s just set a price for this bowl of soup.

How does nine hundred and ninety-eight per pot sound to you?” Li Han asked Chen Yang, smiling.

Chen Yang had been enjoying his soup just fine, but when he heard Li Han was going to charge nine hundred and ninety-eight for a pot, he nearly spat out the soup he had just sipped.

“Are you robbing me?

A thousand yuan for a bowl of soup?” Chen Yang said with a look of astonishment.

“Hmm?

What’s the problem?

A thousand yuan for a pot, and our hotel only makes a little over a hundred.

Is that expensive?” Li Han’s large reaction caused Li Han to be taken aback as well.

The cost of making this mushroom soup was steep.

She even thought it was too cheap to sell it for a thousand yuan a pot.

According to the standards of their hotel, the signature dishes should make several hundred in profit, at least.

So she didn’t understand Chen Yang’s surprised expression.

But the reason for Chen Yang’s astonishment was simply that he was unaware of the high cost to make mushroom soup.

“A bowl of soup costs a thousand yuan, and you only make just over a hundred?

Where does the rest of the money go?” Chen Yang asked, looking puzzled.

“Um…

let me do the math.

The mushrooms cost more than seven hundred yuan a pound, and a pot of soup uses about a pound, so that’s seven hundred yuan, plus labor and private room costs…

it adds up to over eight hundred yuan to make, so isn’t that just making a little over one hundred yuan?” Li Han said, counting on her fingers, explaining earnestly.

Chen Yang was completely baffled.

His gaze unconsciously drifted to the mushrooms floating in his bowl…

Mushrooms…

seven hundred yuan a pound.

Chen Yang was stunned for a while before he finally spoke, “These mushrooms cost seven hundred yuan a pound, are you serious?”

“Of course I’m serious.

These mushrooms are extremely rare and are not the common kind you find on the market.

They’re pure wild mushrooms from deep in the mountains, not only delicious but also highly nutritious.

Seven hundred yuan is a price they often can’t even meet demand!” Li Han explained.

“Oh, I see.”

Upon hearing Li Han’s explanation, Chen Yang felt a bit better.

So it was because the mushrooms were special that they fetched such a high price.

As he accepted the reasoning behind the price, an idea began to form in Chen Yang’s mind.

If these mushrooms were really so valuable, why shouldn’t he try to find a way to sell some?

His village wasn’t without mountains!

“Li Han, can you take me to your kitchen to see these mushrooms?” With an idea in mind, Chen Yang immediately spoke to Li Han.

“Of course, I can.

If you’re curious, I can take you to see them right now,” Li Han replied with a smile.

“Great, let’s go now then.” Seeing Li Han agreed, Chen Yang, without saying another word, grabbed Li Han’s hand and walked out of the private room.

With his mind focused on seeing what the wild mushrooms looked like, Chen Yang didn’t notice at all that he was holding Li Han’s hand…

When Chen Yang took her hand, Li Han’s cheeks instantly turned red.

Although she felt somewhat shy inside, for some reason, she didn’t resist Chen Yang and let him lead her by the hand.