Shen Wei is a chef who nearly lost everything. Grieving for his twin brother he finds a lifeline in Zhao Yulan, an up and coming cello and violin playing superstar.
Some people are talented artists, taking lines and charcoal to create beautiful, accurate portraits.
Shen Wei had a talent for taking not a concept, but a person, an action, even a quote and invoking a response through food. His first desserts had evolved around Ye Zun. His dramatics, his full-flavor but subtle work, had created a line of their first Afternoon Tea, that had put Dixing on the list of must see places. The current bestselling chocolate dessert, was based on Chu Shuzhi. Strength and warmth with a unique zing.
After Ye Zun...did what he did...Shen Wei was lost. Unable to make what he before and to doubtful to put forward work his twin had not tested. No inspiration and no excitement. Then there was Zhao Yunlan.
He had read every article online and watched every video featuring Zhao. His recorded sessions, his demonstrations, his music videos. Everything. For the first time in months, he had wanted to create. Trying hundreds of ingredients, techniques and plating styles, all with idea of Zhao Yunlan.
Never thinking to go further, until a throwaway comment the confounding man made, where he said "Oh, I've had hundreds of failures. The audience, they see the finished product, as close to perfect as I can possibly be. They don't see the times were arrangements didn't work, when I played the wrong notes or the weird accidents that have happened over the years. It was hard too, taking music I had written and actually putting it out there, with my name on it. You have to though. Put it out there."
So Shen Wei had and a range of dishes, all made with Zhao Yunlan as the muse hit the menu. To his shock, each one had been a success, even the Old Chu chocolate dessert. That gave him the confidence to try even more ideas, especially when Zhao admitted he liked duck. That was a challenge, to make the best duck in China. It had taken him most of the year and had won Dixing some prestigious awards.
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The actress arrived first and had brought with her, some famous pop stars and a horde of other celebrities, Shen Wei couldn't name.
The menu was complex and he must have been out of his mind to decide to do this. Trying to keep one eye on the time, knowing the reservation for Zhao Yunlan was at nine, he put his head down and concentrated on the music he could hear, playing through his mind. Zhao Yunlan's latest composition, which he played in a video last night, wearing black jeans, a white button down and those black glasses, Shen Wei had such a weakness for.
When Old Chu whipped in, telling him that the actress wanted to meet him and personally thank him, for this wonderful evening, Shen Wei's first thought was look at the clock. Ten past nine. The next orders would include Zhao Yunlan. A thrill combined with terror raced through him. This was it. He calmly agreed and gave last minute orders to his efficient staff. Walking out the kitchen door, gave him the perfect view of table twelve.
His heart soared and butterflies exploded in his center. Zhao Yunlan. His Savior. His muse and possibly the love of his life was sitting down at the table, laughing at something Da Qing was saying. He was wearing a new jacket, flawless and carefree, as he looked around the restaurant, his back against the lacquered wall.
