It was the day of the cooking battle for Tian Lingyu and Huang Shenghao. Each of them received formal challenges from the other senior students of the academy. Since Tian Lingyu had a lower rank compared to Huang Shenghao, he would face the challenge first while Huang Shenghao’s battle would take place later.
The audience area was packed with spectators compared to Lu Xinyi and Han Yixin’s cooking challenge a few days ago. Since it would be the first time for Lu Xinyi seeing how her brother cooks, she arrived earlier with Shen Yi. They were greeted by the other sponsored students from Lu Xinyi’s class before taking their seats at the audience.
“I didn’t know you were interested to watch cooking battles in Silver Leaf aside from mine,” Lu Xinyi teased her husband.
“It’s not that I’m interested in watching every cooking battle, but I do need to show support for your brother, no?” Eyeing a shopping bag she brought with her, Shen Yi already knew what it was about. “You brought snacks?”
“And drinks! I wouldn’t want to feel hungry watching them cook and serve their dishes. I’m not a masochist.”
“Nobody said you are.” Shen Yi chuckled.
They turned their attention back at the stage when Huo Meili stepped up with another set of judges behind her.
“Welcome to the second cooking battle for our Cream of the Crop. Today, two of our best chefs in the academy face their own challenge to defend their seats. For today’s first cooking battle, please welcome the current rank number two at our Cream of the Crop, the uncrowned king, Tian Lingyu from the senior division!”
The crowd boomed with cheering, everyone couldn’t wait to see if Tian Lingyu could finish this cooking battle without a single round lost. Throughout his stay in the academy, Tian Lingyu participated in cooking battles, but he was never the one to issue the challenge. He reached the second seat this way but never dared to challenge Huang Shenghao’s position as a top contender.
“Our challenger, also from the senior division, the current rank number eight, Feng Li.”
Both Tian Lingyu and Feng Li, who wore their black chef uniforms, arrived and stepped inside the arena and were welcomed by loud cheers from the audience. Tian Lingyu spotted his sister on the crowd with Shen Yi.
“The theme for this battle is seafood! As some of you know—these days, reports on the increased health risks of red meat have made a majority of the public a seafood eater. The common diet of our citizens used to be dominated by pork dishes. Excluding some coastal cities, most fish dishes would be made of freshwater fish, either simmered or fried.
“For starters, some locals say one of the best ways to enjoy seafood is by eating it raw. So for the first challenge, both participants should present a Yusheng dish to our respected judges. For the second round, both will present a platter of sashimi; and for the last round, Tian Lingyu and Feng Li were asked to prepare their signature dish using seafood as the main ingredient.
“Your timer for the first round starts… now!”
Tian Lingyu and Feng Li started at once, making their way to the stall of seafood containers set on the left side of the stage. Several types of fish and seafood were prepared ahead by the academy.
The two participants went back to their kitchen counters and started preparing their dishes. Tian Lingyu took out a customized knife from a box which he used on slicing the flesh of a salmon.
“Have you tried both dishes before?” Shen Yi leaned on his wife to whisper.
Lu Xinyi nodded while her eyes were focused on her brother’s knife work. Compared to her, Tian Lingyu’s knife skills were better. His knife moved with precision in each stoke, not wasting a single flesh from the deboned fish.
“I’ve tasted both dishes before, but I haven’t tried making it on my own,” she confessed. ρꪖꪕᦔꪖꪕꪫꪣꫀꪶ
Lu Xinyi was aware of her lack of experience while her brother had already made hundreds or thousands of dishes on his life. If she was to compete with Tian Lingyu and Feng Li now—obviously, she will be beaten by these two.
An hour had passed, and the two men presented their first dish to the judges. When Lu Xinyi saw the Yusheng her brother presented, she couldn’t help to salivate on it.
“Darling, do you know a good seafood restaurant where we can eat Yusheng? Please? Please?” She tugged on Shen Yi’s sleeve, with her puppy eyes begging for him to agree.
Shen Yi stared blankly on his wife. Did she only think about food? Was there something else she was interested in?
“Didn’t you bring snacks with you? Why do we still need to eat Yusheng later?”
“Boohoo… why are you bullying me? I thought you said by marrying you, I don’t have to worry about food?”
Shen Yi’s right eye twitched. Although he knew from the start that she only agreed to marry him for the unlimited supply of food, it still irked him and rubbed him the wrong way.
“Xinxin, didn’t you remember the last time you eat lobsters with me? You overate and had a stomach ache later. Yusheng is also raw. What if you have another discomfort again?”
Ahh, he could still remember it clearly. Lu Xinyi wolfed down a lot of lobsters as they celebrated her win against Han Yixin. However, when they were about to sleep and when he was about to seduce his wife again, the discomfort she felt that followed made him panicked and rushed her to the nearest hospital where Zhao Xi was working.
When their friend saw Lu Xinyi cradling her tummy and crying in pain, she initially thought that Lu Xinyi was having a miscarriage until Shen Yi explained to her what happened. Zhao Xi, who was such a good friend to the couple, burst into laughter until her eyes were filled with tears.
The scowling face of the demon king had made it worse, and she almost doubled over in laughter. After forcing herself to calm down, Zhao Xi gave Lu Xinyi some pills to help her relieve the pain.
Lu Xinyi pouted like a child.
“President Shen, you could’ve just told me you don’t like eating your food raw.”
This was something Lu Xinyi discovered after months of being married to Shen Yi. He wasn’t fond of extremely spicy foods and raw foods, but he liked eating desserts and pastries like her.
An evil smile appeared on her husband’s face, sending alarms on Lu Xinyi’s brain. His lips hovered on her ear, and his breath tickled her skin.
“Darling, I assure you. I like eating raw. Didn’t I eat you raw last night?” he whispered to her ear.
She cursed in her mind. ‘Goddamn it, he’s at it again. Ahhh…’
Lu Xinyi saw his lips quirked before his hands brought her head to him. He gave her a kiss on her lips and pulled away. Those who were able to see the two kissing made a low whistle.
It seemed that there was no need to announce their relationship in public. They just threw a special brand of dog food for everyone to enjoy.
