Chapter 155: Owner Bu Has a Venomous Tongue
Translator: OnGoingWhy Editor: Vermillion
Bu Fang was speaking in a calm voice. He was not using a condescending tone of someone who had just obtained victory but an indifferent and matter-of-fact tone.
Ah Wei was stunned. He did not anticipate Bu Fang to actually give such a reply. However, he really was tempted by Bu Fang’s offer. He understood well enough that since Bu Fang’s Rainbow-colored Crescent Moon Dumplings could acquire the fondness of so many of the guests, there was naturally something special about his dish.
“Alright, let me have a serving and I’ll let you have a taste of my barbecued spirit beast as well!” Ah Wei solemnly said with a nod. This was the nature of his personality. He did not like to take advantage of anyone. Furthermore, he also wanted to see Bu Fang’s reaction after tasting his dish.
Bu Fang nodded. With a wave of his hand, a stream of true energy breezed past and a few crescent moon dumplings splashed into the wok of boiling water.
Ah Wei walked back to his cooking stove and earnestly started barbecuing a spirit beast.
The other chefs there all looked at each other and then subsconciously looked toward Bu Fang and Ah Wei. Were the two of them really going to have a go at each other?
Ah Lu was chomping on a chicken drumstick with a face filled with curiosity as he watched Bu Fang and Ah Wei cook. He understood Ah Wei’s barbecue meat very well. In his opinion, the taste of the barbecue meat was simply too delicious. Therefore, he found it rather incredible that Owner Bu’s dumplings could defeat his elder brother’s barbecue meat.
An amused smile appeared on Ji Chengxue’s lips as he observed the crowd’s mood. He stopped the eunuch who was going to interrupt them and said, “Let them finish their match.”
The eunuch immediately bowed and stepped back behind Ji Chengxue.
The Wildlands was a mysterious place and even the imperial court had no influence there. By the fact that Qingyangzhen was located right outside the Wildlands and even relied upon it, there was naturally something unusual about this town. These two brothers who came from such a place possessed astonishing culinary skills. Without Owner Bu, they would indeed be number one in this year’s Hundred Family Banquet. Unfortunately for them…
Owner Bu’s culinary skills was simply too formidable.
A strong aroma was soon filling the air. The smell was coming from the lifelike barbecue meat in Ah Wei’s hand. The barbecue meat of the small spirit beast was both tender and succulent.
This was the result of barbecuing meat with spirit herbs as fuel. Not only was the visual effect superb, but the taste was excellent as well.
In contrast, even though an aroma was also wafting from the Rainbow-colored Crescent Moon Dumplings being boiled in the water, this aroma was neither strong nor weak and could only be called ordinary. Compared to Ah Wei’s barbecue meat, the aroma was completely not on the same level.
Even though many of the chefs were extremely puzzled and some of their gazes were even filled with suspicion… none of them dared to jump to conclusions because the copper coins inside of the porcelain plate before Bu Fang’s cooking stove was proof that there was definitely something special about this dish.
Bu Fang scooped up the dumplings from the boiling water and poured them into a blue and white porcelain bowl. With chopped up green onion sprinkled on top of the three dumplings, the dish was completed.
Ah Wei’s dish was completed as well. Oil was continuously dripping from the intensely aromatic meat of the barbecue spirit beast.
“Owner Bu, please have a taste of this.” Ah Wei walked toward Bu Fang and handed the barbecue meat over.
As Bu Fang accepted the barbecue meat, a wave of fragrance immediately rushed toward his face. His body and mind were instantly engulfed and he felt as if he was wandering within an inescapable sea of fragrance. The smell… was really aromatic.
A green wisp of smoke encircled Bu Fang’s hand and then the Dragon Bone Kitchen Knife appeared. As he lightly sliced open the spirit beast’s stomach, the piping hot sauce immediately enveloped the barbecue meat and the fragrance became even more aromatic.
If Bu Fang’s Rainbow-colored Crescent Moon Dumplings were simple and elegant white orchids, this barbecue meat would be a fiery rose. The two were completely different types of dishes.
Bu Fang cut off a slice of meat and picked it up with his chopsticks. He dipped the slice of meat in the sauce before popping it into his mouth. The texture of the crispy skin and succulent meat instantly overwhelmed his tastebuds and he could not help but nod as his eyes lit up.
Meanwhile, Ah Wei had picked up the bowl of dumplings. The dumplings that were like simple and elegant white orchids were not impressive at first glance. However, its whitish, adorable appearance made the dish slightly more appetizing.
“Big bro, let me have a taste as well,” Ah Lu said in an indistinct voice as he greedily stared at the bowl of dumplings while chewing on a chicken drumstick.
Ah Wei immediately gave him a disdainful glance. “Didn’t I tell you not to talk to me when you’re eating something? Did you forget again? If you want to eat this, get your own spoon and scoop it up yourself!”
Ah Lu immediately gave a foolish laugh and quickly found a spoon. Like Ah Wei, he scooped up a dumpling and was going to shove it into his mouth.
Steam, accompanied with the faint aroma of flour and vegetables, was rising from the dumplings.
Ah Wei took a bite out of a dumpling and discovered a multi-colored fragrance drifting out that seemed to have turned into a rainbow. So… this was the true meaning behind Rainbow-colored Crescent Moon Dumplings?
A comfortable, satisfied, and blissful feeling suddenly rose up in his chest. It was a sort of feeling that transcended the definition of delicious.
Ah Wei went silent and quietly finished the entire dumpling with an uncertain expression on his face. Just from eating the dumpling, he could tell that he was truly defeated. It was a one-sided loss for him.
The difference between him and Owner Bu was like an impassable chasm.
Next to him, the flesh on Ah Lu’s face were almost scrunched together. His eyes were filled with tears and his lips were trembling as he sobbed uncontrollably.
“What happened to you?!” Ah Wei was startled by Ah Lu’s reaction. He was only eating a dish, was there a need for him to be so dramatic?
“Big bro… I miss our mom and dad!” Ah Lu said in an indistinct voice with tears flowing down his cheeks as he shoved the remaining half of the dumpling into his mouth while sobbing uncontrollably.
Ah Wei became silent for a moment and then let out a soft sigh. There was truly something… magical about Owner Bu’s dish.
Bu Fang finished tasting the barbecue meat. This time, he actually ate three more pieces. Even he was slightly surprised by himself. Evidently, this dish… was pretty good.
However… once Bu Fang ate a dish, he would give an honest appraisal with his venomous tongue out of habit. This time was not an exception either.
“The taste of your barbecue meat… is pretty good, but the way you handled the spirit beast meat is still not good enough. The spirit energy contained in the meat was equivalent to third grade but all of the spirit energy dissipated after getting handled by you. Furthermore, you smoked the meat with spirit herbs but did not manage to adhere the essence of the spirit herbs onto the meat. You also included a lot of unnecessary things that affected the taste. This is the cause of the slight oddness in the meat’s flavor. In addition, the sauce…”
Everyone was staring at Bu Fang, who suddenly seemed to have turned into a chatterbox, with their mouths wide open. This was completely different from the usual Owner Bu who was concise with his words.
Ah Wei listened to the appraisal with an ashen expression. However, he was extremely shocked deep inside because Bu Fang was listing out the actual flaws of his dish. He could have averted some of the flaws that Bu Fang listed but even he could not avert some of the other flaws.
However, Bu Fang was capable of giving such a precise evaluation after merely having a few bites. It was simply terrifying!
“As expected of the man who could defeat me!” Ah Wei thought as he lifted his chin.
After Bu Fang finished his appraisal, he regained his refined demeanor and started cleaning up the cooking stove. This year’s Hundred Family Banquet was finally over and there was no doubt who the winner was.
Bu Fang was the winner since his porcelain plate had the highest amount of copper coins.
Here… There were no applauses and Bu Fang was not experiencing the so-called joy of winning. He appeared calm as he gave the crowd the glance as if getting first place was a matter of course for him.
“Congratulations to the host for completing abrupt mission 2: obtain first place in the Hundred Family Banquet, crush everyone else, and spread the glory of the God of Cooking. The mission reward will now be issued.”
Bu Fang went into a daze as the system’s solemn voice resounded in his mind.
At the same time, a eunuch was announcing the final winner of the Hundred Family Banquet as well as the reward for getting first place.
