The ex-wife of a former CEO regrets resigning to raise her child and retire from public life.

Chapter 1 Little Rabbit Buns and Black Truffles

Inside the kitchen of the State Guesthouse in Beijing.

The banquet was drawing to a close, but the atmosphere in the kitchen was still suffocating.

Chen Feng stood at the head chef's position, holding a mulberry knife in his hand. The white radishes on the cutting board fell like cicada wings under his hand.

The knife moved up and down extremely quickly, making a slight "shh" sound.

"Chef Chen, the French representatives at the foreign guests' table must meet with you."

He said the Wensi Tofu reminded him of a certain art form from his hometown, and he hoped to discuss it in person.

Supervisor Sister Liu strode in, stopping three steps away from Chen Feng, hesitant to approach, her tone carrying a hint of flattery.

Chen Feng didn't look up, his hand continuing to cut with the knife.

"not see."

"Chef Chen, this time it's not just foreign guests."

Several senior leaders from the institute were also there. They specifically called out your name.

"They say you're a calling card for our area, that's a lot of face..."

The knife didn't stop.

"The key to success lies in the soup; those who can taste it don't need to see me."

"Those who can't tell the difference have nothing to say when they see it!"

Chen Feng sheathed his knife and gently flicked his finger, causing the tofu strips in the basin of water to unfurl like blooming white lotuses.

He turned his head, his eyes calm, and said, "Tell Manager Wang that I'm leaving get off work early today."

Chen Feng took off his chef's hat and strode towards the locker room.

Just then, my phone vibrated in my pocket.

When he saw that it was the nanny Aunt Liu's number, his heart sank and he quickly pressed the answer button.

"Hello, Aunt Liu, is that Mengmeng? What's wrong?"

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone, followed by a timid voice with a heavy nasal tone: "Dad... is that you?"

Chen Feng's taut back collapsed the moment he heard the sound.

He stopped, gripped his phone tightly, and his voice instantly softened into a gentle, soothing tone.

"Is this Mengmeng? What's wrong? Can't you sleep?"

Today, our Mengmeng is five years old. She's a big girl now. Did she finish all the longevity noodles that Grandma Liu cooked?

"Daddy, Mengmeng has finished eating obediently."

"But Mengmeng heard from other children that their parents would cook a big feast for them on their birthdays."

Mengmeng sobbed softly on the phone, "Daddy, when are you coming back?"

Can you come back and make bunny-shaped steamed buns for Mengmeng?

Mengmeng just had a dream that her father turned into smoke and flew away.

No matter how hard Mengmeng tried, she couldn't catch up with him.

Mengmeng is so scared that her dad will fly to a faraway place for work like her mom.

Mengmeng hasn't seen her mother in a long time, and her chest feels so uncomfortable.

Mengmeng really wants to be with her parents every day.

Chen Feng looked up at the night sky illuminated by neon lights, unable to speak as if something was stuck in his throat.

"I'm sorry, Mengmeng." After a pause, Chen Feng continued, "Okay, Mengmeng, you count one hundred sheep. Daddy will be back when you're done."

Chen Feng hung up the phone and stood there for a full minute, lost in thought.

He went back into the kitchen.

At this moment, sous chef Lao Li was checking the heat of the last dessert.

Chen Feng walked straight to his locker and took out his black knife case.

Inside was a set of knives that he had commissioned at great expense.

He began to unbutton his uniform.

One, two, three.

He folded the white uniform embroidered with the word "Head Chef" neatly and gently placed it on the clutter table.

I watched quietly for a moment.

"Old Li, you can cook this soup for me."

From now on, you'll be in charge of making the soup.

Chen Feng picked up his knife case, turned around, resisting the urge to look at the uniform again, and said firmly:

"I quit."

Before Lao Li could react, the restaurant manager, Sister Wang, pushed open the door and, upon hearing this, said nervously:

"Chen Feng! Do you know what you're saying?"

The department just completed its performance evaluation this month, and you are the most likely candidate to succeed as the deputy head of the department.

Are you resigning now?

Chen Feng picked up his bag and asked the manager a question.

"Manager Wang, which do you think is more valuable, a serving of rabbit-shaped steamed buns or a serving of top-grade black truffles?"

The manager was stunned. Although she didn't understand why it was a bunny-shaped steamed bun, she still said:

"Here, black truffles sell for five figures, and the staff meals wouldn't include those so-called rabbit-shaped buns."

"yes."

Chen Feng chuckled self-deprecatingly.

"But for my daughter, the bunny buns I made by hand are the gift she most wants to receive on her birthday, but I can't make them for her today."

I don't understand the value of black truffles, so I'll leave this task to others who do.

……

It was already late at night when Chen Feng opened the door to his home.

Only one dim wall lamp was on in the living room.

The nanny, Aunt Liu, stood up nervously: "Mr. Chen, is everything alright at work?"

"Mengmeng just fell asleep. She's been very well-behaved all day, so please don't blame her."

"It's because I saw she was still sullen after eating the longevity noodles, so I..."

Chen Feng waved his hand: "It's nothing, Aunt Liu, you've worked hard. You should go back to your room and rest."

He walked to the coffee table, where an unopened rabbit doll sat.

Next to it was a neatly folded "Supplementary Divorce Agreement".

Chen Feng ignored the toys, picked up the agreement, and frowned when his eyes fell on the "custody" section.

Just then, the phone screen lit up with a video call request, labeled "Su Ruo".

Chen Feng opened the video. On the screen, Su Ruo sat in a tidy office, her eyes looking somewhat tired.

"Chen Feng, Aunt Liu told me that tonight's banquet must be very important."

Are you willing to give it up? Haven't you always cared a lot about that position?

Su Ruo's voice was full of doubt.

"Mengmeng is turning five today." Chen Feng propped his phone up on a tea towel.

"I know. I sent her her favorite rabbit doll as a gift," Su Ruo said softly.

A moment of silence.

The voice on the other end of the phone asked again, "Have you read the agreement?"

"Mengmeng will stay with me from now on. I can give her the best life, the best education, and even anything she wants."

"Su Ruo, I've resigned," Chen Feng interrupted her.

Su Ruo on the other end of the video call froze. She frowned, as if she hadn't heard clearly: "Resign? Are you crazy?"

"I've signed it." Chen Feng signed his name at the end of the agreement and pushed it in front of the camera.

"I don't want the property, the car, or any of the compensation you left me."

But I have only one request: I must have custody of Mengmeng.

As you said, Mengmeng enjoys the best education and resources every day, but we can't be by her side.

You know what? She said today that she hasn't seen you in a long time, and that she feels really bad.

We have always owed her a lot for things we can't see.

I'm tired. All I want now is to watch Mengmeng grow up and give her happiness and companionship.

So I resigned.

"I want to take her back to my hometown, back to that small town in Jiangnan."

The air fell silent once more. After a moment, Su Ruo spoke with difficulty:

"But you're ruining your own future and ruining Mengmeng's too."

She deserves the best education; she doesn't need to live that miserable life with you.

"What she needs most right now is not her future. I just hope that if she suffers any injustice in the future, she can hug her father immediately."

Chen Feng stared at his wife on the screen. "Su Ruo, you've won the world, but you've lost your daughter."

Su Ruo gripped the pen tightly, her knuckles turning slightly white. She remained silent for a long time, then her voice suddenly lowered, trembling slightly:

"I've lost my daughter!?"

I don't want to go home!?

I don't want to hug her!?

Chen Feng, are you the only one who loves her? I love her too, but I can't be like you, thinking that the whole world is perfect just because I'm in a kitchen.

I traveled all over the world, just to build a foundation for her that no one could tear down.

She's my daughter, she has the potential, she shouldn't be an ordinary person!

"This is our disagreement."

"You need elites, I need a daughter." Chen Feng said resolutely.

Another long silence fell between them, and Su Ruo seemed to have compromised on something:

"Okay, Chen Feng. I can give you custody temporarily, but I have one condition."

One year.

A year. If you can't give her the so-called 'happiness' in that small town.

I'll take her away right now, and you'll never see her again.

"Deal." Chen Feng turned off the video.

After the video call ended, Chen Feng sat in the living room for a long time.

Mengmeng quietly left the room at some point.

She stood in the shadows of the corridor, clutching a worn-out, molting doll, looking at Chen Feng with a touch of sadness.

"Dad...were you arguing with Mom just now?"

"Did you two argue because Mengmeng misbehaved? Mengmeng won't do that again..."

Chen Feng felt a pang of pain in his heart, quickly walked over, picked her up, and let her sit on his lap.

"No, Mengmeng."

Chen Feng held her tightly.

"It's because Mom and Dad have both grown up, and sometimes grown-up people drift apart."

This isn't Mengmeng's fault; it's Daddy's fault for not taking good care of the house before.

Mengmeng didn't reply. She buried her face in Chen Feng's shoulder and gripped the back of his shirt tightly with both hands.

Chen Feng could feel that his shoulder was quickly soaked with sweat; she was crying silently and suppressing her emotions.

The living room was quiet. Chen Feng didn't rush to comfort her, but gently patted her back, as if helping her to soothe her grievances little by little.

After a long time, Mengmeng's sobs turned into intermittent hiccups.

She slightly raised her head, her eyes red and swollen, her voice terribly hoarse:

"So... is that house in my hometown very dark?"

"Grandma Liu said that there are big monsters in the old houses."

Chen Feng gently wiped away the tears on her face:

"Not black."

There is a large courtyard there, and in the courtyard there is a very old gardenia tree.

When summer comes, the whole alley will smell wonderful.

Moreover, with Dad there, Dad is the nemesis of the giant monster.

Mengmeng blinked, remained silent for a while, seemingly trying to visualize that unfamiliar place in her mind.

"Then... when Dad gets there, will he still have to cook for all those strangers every day?"

Mengmeng twisted her fingers, "If we don't make them for them, will we not have money to buy flour to make bunny-shaped buns?"

Chen Feng felt a pang of sadness. He pressed his head against his daughter's forehead, his voice gentle yet firm:

"This time, Dad is only opening a very small shop and only cooking a little bit of food every day."

The rest of the time, Dad spent with Mengmeng making dough figurines and steaming buns.

We don't need to earn a lot of money. Enough for Mengmeng to buy picture books and for Dad to buy flour is enough.

Mengmeng stared at Chen Feng for a while longer before finally nodding gently and hugging the old doll back to her chest.

"Then... Mengmeng wants to put two red beans in the eyes of the little rabbit bunny in the future."

My mom used to say that red beans would fall off easily, so she wouldn't let me put them in my bag.

"Okay, then we'll install the two biggest ones." Chen Feng kissed her forehead.