Chapter 58: Slapping the Face

The middle-aged man nodded and said, “If I win, you’ll buy me double the amount of that wine from my house.”

His arch-rival was full of confidence, convinced he was going to win.

Xu Ying was not idle on her side—she had previously agreed with the Gu family on the menu she would prepare, totaling eight dishes.

A few meat dishes and a few vegetarian dishes; given the special circumstances, extravagance was to be avoided, and Xu Ying’s menu was particularly well-matched.

Gu’s mother was exceedingly pleased with the menu when she saw it.

Fried peanuts and cold dishes were served first, and Xu Ying was busy preparing the other dishes—chicken soup with mushrooms and eight-treasure rice.

Cold dishes were served at around eleven o’clock, and everyone began to eat.

At the table sat twelve people, with many more at ten tables. As they consumed the peanuts,

Xu Ying heard the system continuously beeping, “Congratulations, host, goodwill value +1, +1…”

“Congratulations, host, with goodwill value reaching two hundred, you have unlocked Level 1 Vegetarian Mushroom Abalone and second-level Fried Vegetarian Balls, along with a bag each of rice and flour and a random pack of poison.”

Upon hearing these two recipes, Xu Ying’s face lit up with joy. Vegetarian mushroom abalone was more suitable for a banquet, as it was a vegetarian dish that looked like meat, and thus did not lose face.

As Xu Ying prepared one dish after another, the middle-aged man was full of surprise and excitement: “You’ve lost.”

His arch-rival was not convinced, and he said, “No matter how fragrant it is, it only matters if it tastes good when you eat it.”

The middle-aged man chuckled, walked towards Xu Ying, and this time there wasn’t a hint of disdain in his eyes, nor dared he underestimate this young girl: “Miss, can we try the food you made?”

Xu Ying raised her eyebrow and nodded, open to the goodwill: “Go ahead, but get your own bowls.”

Xu Ying was particular; she didn’t want their saliva contaminating the dishes—it was disrespectful to those who ate.

Seeing that he was allowed, the man’s face bloomed with gratitude and said, “Thank you, Miss. Uncle Chen was rude just now, it was wrong to look down upon people. I thought you were lying because your hands lacked calluses; usually, long-term handling of a kitchen knife and spatula leaves calluses.

I am sorry, Miss.”

So that was it; Xu Ying, not being cold-hearted, observed his sincere apology and smiled, “It’s alright, Uncle Chen, I just have a knack for it.

You may not believe it, but I hardly ever enter the kitchen. Yet, cooking comes naturally to me—just by watching someone cook a few times, I can pick it up.”

Uncle Chen was taken aback—comparisons really kill. He filled his bowl with some dishes and was astounded beyond measure after just one bite.

“Old Sun, you’ve lost. Try this; it’s simply a delicacy of the world, on par with Chef Ge or even better.”

Backstabbing Old Sun’s arch-rival scoffed, “Old Chen, to win you’ve really gone to great lengths. How can you say such things against your heart without feeling ashamed~”@@novelbin@@

Before he could close his mouth, Old Chen stuffed a piece of chicken into it.

Old Sun chewed involuntarily, his face a mix of surprise and shock. With a gulp, he swallowed the chicken down; he had not expected underestimating her.

Enjoying the meat, he mused, “Ah, I didn’t expect Bai Bai would cost me two bottles of wine.”

Old Sun racked his brains but couldn’t figure out; why could this young girl cook even better than him?

Chef Ge’s ancestors were all Imperial Chefs, sure, but this little girl’s background?

Old Sun, disgruntled, went to inquire and got so mad he nearly passed out.

“The little girl simply said, ‘Maybe it’s a gift. I don’t cook often, but as long as I glance at it, I can basically get the hang of it…’”

Old Sun was filled with annoyance and ended up eating several more bites of Xu Ying’s dishes out of frustration.

At the banquet, the guests, like ordinary people, ate the cold dishes already laid out. Those who could attend the Gu family banquet were from well-off households and often ate meat, so they treated these dishes quite indifferently.

However, once Xu Ying’s dishes were served, the crowd became like warriors battling for food, “Why is this meat so tasty!”

“Yes, this chicken soup smells so good! How much have you had? Leave some for us.”

“I’ve only had a little, don’t make stuff up.” The one who drank more awkwardly denied it.

Even though Gu’s mother had eaten Xu Ying’s cooking before, she was captivated once again. People at the banquet lost their composure and began eating greedily, not even a drop of soup was spared as they wiped it clean with buns.

After finishing his tasks at the banquet, Mr. Gu raised his glass to find the Director of the State-owned Restaurant, “Director Hong, are you enjoying the food?”

Director Hong, with a face full of satisfaction, wanted to ask who the cook was!

Unexpectedly, Doctor Gu arrived and said with a smile, “Doctor Gu, your chef has made some fantastic dishes; if Old Ge weren’t at work, I’d have thought you invited him.”

Mr. Gu shook his head and smiled, “Not at all, I hired several chefs for the meal, and a few of the main dishes were made by a young lady.”

“Oh! A young lady with such culinary talent is indeed a force to be reckoned with.” Director Hong remarked before downing his glass in one go.

“I heard your kitchen is hiring?” Mr. Gu’s words immediately made Director Hong realize what was going on.

Mr. Gu, stared at him awkwardly, felt embarrassed as this was his first time asking for a favor, not knowing he had been subtly outmaneuvered by the shrewd Director.

Director Hong agreed cheerfully, “This young lady has exceptional culinary skills, perfect for our State-owned Restaurant. Have her prepare and come in the day after tomorrow to start.”

Hearing this, Mr. Gu gratefully smiled, “Thank you, Director Hong. If you ever need anything, feel free to come to the hospital.”

Who goes to the hospital if not necessary? But with Mr. Gu’s words, Director Hong knew this meant Doctor Gu now owed him a favor.

Their restaurant was already hiring, and this girl’s skills matched those of Chef Ge, so he had thought about hiring. Unexpectedly, Doctor Gu himself had broached the subject.

Oh, this girl is truly a lucky charm, able to make Doctor Gu owe him a favor – an exceptionally valuable favor at that.

Xu Ying continued busily in the kitchen, and Mr. Gu hurriedly went there, “Yingying, when you’re done, come with me to the front. I’ve spoken to Director Hong of the State-owned Restaurant, and he wants you to start working the day after tomorrow.”

Xu Ying’s face brightened at the news, and she expressed her gratitude, “Thank you, Uncle Gu.”

She knew well how difficult jobs were to come by these days, let alone a prestigious and well-paying job at a State-owned Restaurant.

“I’ll be off then!” said Mr. Gu.

After finishing the last dish, Xu Ying grabbed her hat and hurried to the banquet.

“Yingying, over here!” Mr. Gu called.

Hearing his voice, Xu Ying quickly ran over to him and smilingly greeted the middle-aged man beside him, “Uncle Gu, this must be Director Hong from the State-owned Restaurant.

Meeting him today, he truly seems like a benevolent leader dedicated to serving the people.”

Upon hearing this, Director Hong, regardless of the sincerity, enjoyed being flattered and said beamingly, “So you’re the chef who cooked this dish.

At such a young age, truly impressive. Indeed, the youth is to be feared. Well, come report the day after tomorrow and start working officially.”