Chapter 23: Actually, He’s My Husband

"Spare no expense to bring him to me! I must meet him in person! Tell him that as long as he is willing to join our Lin family, he can name his own salary, position, and terms!"

The value of a god-like figure capable of defying fate with his culinary skills far exceeded that of a multi-billion dollar project! Such a talent had to be firmly grasped in his own hands.

Uncle Zhong wore a bitter smile upon hearing this, about to say something, when the Chairman's assistant knocked and entered. The assistant reported respectfully, "Chairman, President Jiang of the Jiang Group is here. She says she is here to pick up her family and would also like to ask about the project."

"Jiang Zhiyun?" Lin Jianguo paused, a flash of brilliance crossing his eyes. "She comes at the perfect time! Let her in!" He had been fretting over how to find that master chef; he never expected the source to deliver herself to his doorstep.

Soon, Jiang Zhiyun, dressed in a sharp professional suit with an icy, refined demeanor, walked into the room under the assistant's guidance. As soon as she entered, she caught the faint, lingering scent of something extraordinary, and her heart skipped a beat. It seemed that guy, Chen Yu, had really made a name for himself. She just didn't know the outcome.

"Chairman Lin." She composed herself and gave a polite nod.

"President Jiang, please, sit." Lin Jianguo's attitude was warmer than it had ever been, even rising to pull the chair out for her himself. This unusual behavior only deepened Jiang Zhiyun's confusion.

"You are too kind, Chairman Lin. I came today primarily to pick up my daughter and... her father. Also, I wanted to venture to ask if you have considered the matter regarding the Binjiang New District project..."

Before she could finish, Lin Jianguo interrupted her with a laugh. "There is no need to worry about the project, President Jiang." He waved his hand, his face beaming. "I have decided: this project shall be jointly developed by the Lin Group and the Jiang Group!"

The long speech Jiang Zhiyun had prepared was stifled instantly. She was stunned. It was... just like that? She hadn't even started negotiating, and he had already agreed? Was Chen Yu's cooking really that incredible? In truth, she had only been treating it as a "last-ditch effort," never imagining his cooking could be this good. Was it really that delicious?

Watching Jiang Zhiyun's shocked expression, Lin Jianguo laughed heartily. He didn't explain the project further, instead shifting the focus to the topic he cared about most. "President Jiang, the reason I invited you here today is actually to inquire about someone."

"Please go ahead, Chairman Lin."

"Does your company have an employee named Chen Yu?" Lin Jianguo's eyes grew incredibly eager. "He is the chef who came today to cook for my father!"

Jiang Zhiyun's heart gave a violent thud. It was here. The thing she feared most had arrived. Chen Yu's culinary skills had clearly conquered the Lin family. Now, Lin Jianguo was trying to poach him.

But Chen Yu wasn't an employee of the Jiang Group at all! He was her husband by a contract marriage! He was that "salty fish" stay-at-home dad who livestreamed while raising their child! How was she supposed to explain this? Should she say he was a temp she hired? If she did, Lin Jianguo would likely bypass her and contact Chen Yu directly. Should she say he was...

Countless thoughts flashed through Jiang Zhiyun's mind, only to be dismissed one by one. Looking into Lin Jianguo's expectant, unyielding gaze, she knew she had to provide a reasonable explanation. Her cheeks felt uncontrollably warm. It was a sense of embarrassment—and a strange, indescribable shyness—that she had never felt since taking charge of the Jiang Group.

She took a deep breath, lowered her eyes, and spoke in a voice lower than usual, tinged with an oddity even she hadn't noticed. "Chairman Lin... Chen Yu... he is not an employee of our company."

Lin Jianguo raised an eyebrow, surprised. "Oh? Then who is he..."

Jiang Zhiyun's fingertips curled slightly, a thin layer of sweat forming on her palms. She looked up, met Lin Jianguo's gaze, and for the first time in public, admitted to the relationship she had always tried to distance herself from.

"He... he is my husband."

The moment the word "husband" left her lips, Jiang Zhiyun felt as if her cheeks had been scorched by fire. The air seemed to freeze. The smile on Lin Jianguo's face stiffened. He stared at Jiang Zhiyun, his eyes filled with shock and disbelief.

Husband? The reclusive master capable of producing miraculous dishes was the husband of the "ice queen" CEO Jiang Zhiyun? How... how could this be?!

External rumors always claimed that Jiang Zhiyun was devoted entirely to her career and famously indifferent to men. How could she have gotten married so quietly? And to a "God of Cooking," no less? The amount of information was so overwhelming that even someone as experienced as Lin Jianguo couldn't process it for a moment.

After a full ten seconds, Lin Jianguo snapped back to reality. His shock turned into sudden realization, and finally, into a hearty, sincere laugh filled with envy and admiration.

"Hahaha! So that's it! So that's how it is!" He slapped his thigh, looking at Jiang Zhiyun with undisguised appreciation. "President Jiang! What a keen eye! What great fortune!"

"Everyone says you are hard to please, but now I know it's not that your standards are high—it's just that there are very few men in this world worthy of you! To hide him so well, it truly makes us mere mortals envious!"

He meant every word. In his eyes, a man who could extend his father's life through cooking alone had a value far greater than a hundred Jiang Groups. For Jiang Zhiyun to be married to such a figure was like finding the greatest treasure on earth.

Flustered by the barrage of praise, Jiang Zhiyun's blush deepened. She turned her head slightly, forcing herself to remain calm. "Chairman Lin, you are too kind. He... he just likes to study cooking in his spare time."

"Just studying?" Lin Jianguo laughed even more heartily. "President Jiang, you are far too modest! Your husband isn't just 'studying'—he has reached the divine realm of culinary arts! Truly divine!"

He finally understood why Jiang Zhiyun had been so calm, sending only one person over. With this master on her side, who else could she possibly need?

Feeling entirely uncomfortable, Jiang Zhiyun forced a stiff smile and quickly changed the subject. "Well... Chairman Lin, since the matter is settled, I should go pick them up and head home."

"Of course, of course." Lin Jianguo nodded repeatedly, personally escorting her to the door. "President Jiang, please be sure to convey my sincerest gratitude to Mr. Chen! Another day, I will certainly prepare a generous gift and pay a visit to thank him in person!"

"You are too kind, Chairman Lin."

Jiang Zhiyun practically fled the room that had made her so restless.