The Game of Life

Because the pig stomach tips and chicken gizzards were both scored with a cross pattern, the resulting deep-fried crispy duo was quite beautiful. Zhang Guanghang was particularly skilled at plating, and from afar, it looked like a phoenix spreading its wings.

Right after being removed from the wok, the deep-fried crispy duo was steadily placed in front of the judges by the staff member.

“Just missed the perfect fire control,” Xu Cheng wasn’t completely satisfied with Zhang Guanghang’s deep-fried crispy duo, “It falls far short compared to what his master could do.”

In Xu Cheng’s eyes, there were only two possibilities for this dish: perfection or failure. Whether it was cooked a second too long or too short, it was a case of a miss being as good as a mile.

Xia Mushi had a bad temper and an unpleasant character, with few friends, and he was as frugal as his life depended on it. He was often criticized behind his back, but there was no question that he was an outstanding master of Lu cuisine, absolutely devoted to culinary arts.

He had mastered all of Chen Qiusheng’s lifetime skills and had spent his own life further perfecting and promoting them. He was not a pure person, but he was indeed a pure chef.

Back when Xia Mushi wasn’t besieged by serious illness and could still handle a wok and run his business, Xu Cheng was a regular customer of his.

Having tasted the deep-fried crispy duo prepared by Xia Mushi, it was hard for Xu Cheng to offer any praise for the dish currently in front of him. After tasting just one bite, he set down his chopsticks, thought it over briefly, and gave a score of 8 points.

Neither high nor low.

Han Guishan, as the boss of the Good Taste group and the chief sponsor of this competition, always gave the impression that he was just there to eat, but indeed, he was also a seasoned businessman with a fortune of over a hundred million.

The deep-fried crispy duo, a famous dish, had already spread to Beiping, the Northeast, and Su Province by the late Qjng Dynasty. As a tycoon with hundreds of millions, Han Guishan had tasted plenty of good stuff through his business and social interactions.

He too had tasted the deep-fried crispy duo made by Xia Mushi.

Although Xia Mushi’s reputation among chefs wasn’t good, in circles of the wealthy like theirs, his reputation was first-rate. Operating the most famous private restaurant in Beiping, he had no particular requirements, no masterful airs, and didn’t indulge in tricks like having to book several days in advance, limit the number of tables per day, or not cooking if the ingredients weren’t fresh. As long as the payment was right, everything else was negotiable.

“Well, it’s alright,” Han Guishan offered his opinion after tasting a piece of the pig stomach tip.

Then he tasted a piece of chicken gizzard.

Then another piece of pig stomach tip.

“Alright, quite crispy,” Han Guishan’s mouth was busy, but he felt something was missing.

“It’s alright,” Pei Shenghua said.

“Indeed, alright,” Zhu Chang echoed.

“That’s about all you can say for it,” Tong Deyan added.

Han Guishan was surprised. What was happening today? Why did every professional judge’s assessment seem so similar to his own?

Could it be that after these few rounds of critiques, he had developed the professional qualities expected of a professional judge?

When the final scores were announced, 8.4 points.

It was simply alright.

Gu Li was still unhurriedly making Ruyi Rolls, seemingly untouched by the host’s announcement of Zhang Guanghang’s score; his expression remained unaltered, and his hands didn’t skip a beat.

He was immersed in his own world, in the sensation of connecting and communicating with the Ruyi Rolls at his fingertips.

Everyone watched Gu Li, all eyes in the auditorium were on him, as they observed him calmly shaping the Ruyi Rolls in his hands, as he cut them into slices with steady cuts, as he used chopsticks to flip the rolls in the pot, watching them slowly turn golden and crisp.

Seeing food come to life from someone else’s hands was a wonderful thing.

Finally, the Ruyi Rolls were ready.

Everyone present felt a strong sense, perhaps unbelievable or beyond their own expectations, but they felt that Gu Li was going to win.

The Ruyi Rolls were brought to the judges’ table.

They appeared to be exactly alike to those made by Master Tan years ago, as if carved from the same mold.

When Master Tan was alive, Ruyi Rolls were the signature dessert of their shop, not particularly expensive, and attracted many to come and try a piece or two, never disappointing in taste.

Master Tan was a modest, gentle, and steady man, held in high esteem. Apart from being a bit reticent, Gu Li’s character was quite similar to his master’s. The Ruyi Rolls were not just Master Tan’s signature dessert; they were precious memories for many people.

Including the five judges sitting at the table.

Zang Mu had a very good personal relationship with Master Tan, and he had been instrumental in getting Gu Li a position at Taste House behind the scenes.

Seeing the Ruyi Rolls in front of him, he couldn’t help but sigh, “The fact that he can make it look like this shows his dedication.”

Xu Cheng picked up a piece.

After a long while, he started, “This is the taste.”

“Master Tan didn’t accept him as a disciple in vain. It’s the exact same flavor, not a bit off,” Pei Shenghua kept expressing his admiration, “Sir Tan had such good judgment.”

Han Guishan didn’t join in their chat because he couldn’t really chime in. He was just a wealthy patron with neither the wealth nor the palate of Xu Cheng.

He didn’t care about the ins and outs of the chef circles; all he knew was that he found Gu Li’s Ruyi Rolls delicious.

Apart from Jiang Feng’s Eight Treasures Porridge, it was Gu Li’s Ruyi Rolls that tasted the best.

Thinking of Jiang Feng’s Eight Treasures Porridge again, Han Guishan was taken aback.

Jiang Feng’s WeChat contact still lay among his listed contacts; it had been a long time since they had communicated. He ought to find time to invite him over for a pot of porridge. What reason should he use?

Han Guishan became lost in thought.

Soon, Gu Li’s score was announced.

8.9 points.

A stunning upset, the biggest dark horse in the history of the competition, unexpectedly yet somehow predictably, everyone felt like they should be surprised but found themselves unable to be.

“This is what a protagonist’s script looks like!” Jiang Feng exclaimed in the resting area.

“What script?” Wu Minqi didn’t hear clearly.

“Nothing much, just didn’t expect the biggest dark horse of the competition to actually be him,” Jiang Feng said.

“Zhang Guanghang shouldn’t have made the Sweet and Sour Crispy Duo; all the judges here are masters, and this dish is too difficult, prone to errors, and even the slightest mistake can be magnified indefinitely,” Wu Minqi hit the nail on the head.

“Gu Li got an 8.9. No matter what, Zhang Guanghang’s chances of winning aren’t great,” Jiang Feng said. Throughout so many competitions, dishes scoring over 9 had only happened twice: once with Ji Xue’s Jar-Preserved Hua Diao Chicken, and another time with his own Eight-Treasure Porridge.

Gu Li pulled off such a big move even after his noodles were banned; Jiang Feng began to suspect that he had always been playing possum.

Born a genius, yet oppressed, talent unrecognized, silently enduring, playing possum, he shocked everyone, achieving instant fame.

A perfect protagonist’s script, indeed!

“Hey, does this count as a surprise upset?” Jiang Jiankang belatedly realized in the audience.

“It does,” Jiang Jianguo replied.

“Wife, do you think our son might also pull off an upset and advance?” Jiang Jiankang started to daydream.

Mrs. Wang Xiulian didn’t want to deal with him and gave him an eye roll.

Amidst the audience’s whispered discussions, Zhu Chang, as usual, was the first to pick up the microphone and said, “This result is actually surprising to all of us, including myself. After all, at the beginning, I also thought that Zhang Guanghang would be the strongest contender for the championship, but if we talk only about today’s dishes, I’m not surprised at all that Gu Li advanced. Without a doubt, Zhang Guanghang is a very excellent and outstanding young chef, and the fact that he dared to make Sweet and Sour Crispy Duo has already proven his level. We are all familiar with this dish; it is famous and difficult, and his execution was not bad, but that’s just it—not bad. Gu Li, on the other hand, made a perfect Ruyi Roll without any flaws or imperfections, and he deserved towin.”

Pei Shenghua, who usually had a lot to say and could speak off the cuff, organized his wording this time before taking the microphone from Zhu Chang and said, “Let me tell you all about the Ruyi Roll. This dish was a signature dish of the late Master White Chef Tan Wenyan, originally a delicacy in the Mongol feudal lords’ banquet of the Manchu Han Imperial Feast, but later it was lost to time. Master Tan Wenyan painstakingly researched it for years before managing to recreate it 30 years ago. And Master Tan Wenyan was Gu Li’s mentor.”

“The fact that he dared to make this dish today surprised us all; no one has been able to make a perfect Ruyi Roll since Master Tan Wenyan passed away nine years ago. But today’s Ruyi Roll, whether it’s the appearance, the cloud patterns from the cross-section, the flavor, or the fire control during frying, is incredibly perfect in every aspect. The preparation process was meticulous and smooth, without a single error. I can only say that Master Tan did not make a mistake in selecting his disciple. You have proven with your skills that Master Tan’s judgment has always been good, and that you will become an outstanding White Chef. You are going to go further than many others.” Gu Li still had no expression, showing no sign of emotional disturbance, quietly standing behind the cooking station, his thoughts unknown.

“The previous two judges have talked about the Ruyi Roll, and I don’t have much else to add. Let’s talk about Zhang Guanghang’s Sweet and Sour Crispy Duo,” Tong Deyan also uncharacteristically spoke politely and at length, “Brave, inventive, daring to make it, and his fire control and technique are also okay. If you were drawn against the other two contestants, I believe advancing to the finals wouldn’t have been a problem. Considering your age, to achieve this level is already quite excellent, but just looking at this dish, it wasn’t good enough. Your fire control wasn’t precise enough; this is a dish that must strive for perfection. Since you didn’t achieve it, it’s imperfect, and that’s not satisfactory.”

Jiang Feng:…

Wu Minqi: …

They seemed to understand why Tong Deyan wasn’t too good at maintaining relationships.

Only Zang Mu, true to himself, remained concise, never verbose, using the fewest words while earning just as much of an appearance fee.

“You did well, I believe you will give us a pleasant surprise in the finals.”

Lastly, Xu Cheng picked up the microphone.

Xu Cheng, as a tycoon in the business world and a renowned gourmet critic, who became more exacting with age, had everyone wondering what he would say.

“I only have one question for you,” Xu Cheng looked at Gu Li. “How did you do it?”

The director timely switched the camera to the audience while staff members hurried up to the cooking station to hand Gu Li a microphone.

“Practice,” Gu Li said.

“Master taught me this dish twelve years ago. At that time, I wasn’t skilled enough and didn’t learn it. In the nine years since Master left us, I’ve been coming to work one hour early and leaving one hour late, making a batch of Golden Silk Shaomai and Ruyi Rolls each morning and evening, twice a day, 730 times a year. Over these nine years, I’ve made them nearly seven thousand times.”

“This is a pastry that Master went to great lengths to restore. I didn’t want to let it be lost to time.”

There are no geniuses in this world, only sweat.

The entire audience responded with the warmest round of applause.

Tong Deyan, noting Pei Shenghua’s face, which was full of satisfaction and envy, said, “What, are you jealous?”

“Aren’t you jealous?” Pei Shenghua retorted.

Tong Deyan didn’t answer him, but murmured, “Sir Tan took on a good apprentice.”

Although the hostess felt some regret that Zhang Guanghang had been eliminated and they wouldn’t see him in the next round, she still wore a sweet smile as she stepped on stage and said, “Up next are the second group of contestants, Jiang Feng and Wu Minqi. Jiang Feng’s contest dish is Sweet and Sour Yam, and WuMinqi’s is Sprout and Pork Belly. The cooking station is ready, please come up to the stage now. The contest will start in three minutes.”

Zhang Guanghang and Gu Li headed toward the resting area.

Zhang Guanghang, following behind Gu Li, whispered, “You’re very strong.” “Thank you.”

Jiang Feng stood up, took a deep breath, feeling as if he were going to the gallows.

He had just sat pondering for a long time and finally decided it would be safer to use Jiang Huiqin’s method to make the Sweet and Sour Yam. After all, the instability of sugar at the bottom of a pan was too high; a mishap could lead to unthinkable consequences.

For a player like him who always insisted on lurking until the end in a game of ‘chicken’, eager to avoid confrontation, it was always safety first, then everything else.

The pair made their way to the cooking station together.

About to part ways.

“Jiang Feng,” Wu Minqi suddenly said.

“Hmm?”

“Hike you.”