Chapter 71: The Culinary Column

"What are you writing?" Han Jiayi followed Bai Renzong back into the room, curiosity sparkling in her eyes as she leaned in to peek at his screen.

Her fair face was so close to his that he could have turned his head and kissed her delicate profile, but instead, he simply reached out and flicked her forehead lightly. "Don’t distract me. Go mind your own business. You’ll know what I’m writing soon enough."

Han Jiayi covered her forehead, grumbling in protest, then backed out of his room with a suspicious look. She knew Bai Renzong was definitely writing an article for Grape Violet, the gourmet public account, but from the way he was acting, it seemed to be about her.

"I wonder if he’s praising me or roasting me," Han Jiayi thought anxiously, nibbling her thumb.

Meanwhile, Bai Renzong began to type out an introduction at his computer: "Everyone, as a child, has gazed at the clouds in the sky and wondered: what would clouds taste like if you could eat them? When someone once stood before me and said she wanted to create a ‘cloud-like dish,’ I was dismissive: No one’s ever eaten a cloud—how could anyone know what it tastes like?"

His fingers danced rapidly across the keyboard, as swift as when he was trading barbs in a heated round of League of Legends. "Yet when the dessert named ‘Cloud Veil’ was placed before me, I realized she wasn’t just daydreaming. Though I’ve never tasted a real cloud, I still believe this dessert is the closest thing to how I imagine a cloud’s flavor and texture would be..."

"Perhaps it is precisely her innocence and boundless imagination that allowed her to create such a unique dessert. This is a must-try for any romantic at heart. As it melts in your mouth, perhaps you’ll recall your own childhood, staring at the clouds and imagining what they might taste like."

With a simple conclusion, Bai Renzong sent the review to Xiao Zi, the editor-in-chief at Grape Violet, along with photos from the day he filmed the restaurant feature. He let out a long breath—another task completed.

At Yi Jia Xuan, the lunch rush had passed since it was a weekday, and the kitchen had quieted down considerably. Han Jiayi soon heard from Wang Bei that Bai Renzong had finished his review of “Cloud Veil.” Grape Violet was very pleased and published it on their account.

"Hee hee hee..." Han Jiayi covered her mouth and giggled as she read Bai Renzong’s glowing review of “Cloud Veil.” Her little nose crinkled with delight, and her colleagues glanced at her in bewilderment—it was the first time they’d seen her so happy.

"What’s this, the notorious critic is actually so good at giving compliments? If only he could be like this all the time, he’d be much cuter..." Han Jiayi’s heart fluttered at the praise woven through the review. "Hmph, tonight I’ll make him something delicious as a reward... Ah, but wait, we have to do another restaurant feature this evening! That means no time for games..."

She was muttering to herself when a front-of-house waitress poked her head into the kitchen and whispered, "Boss, is your boyfriend here?"

"He—he’s not my boyfriend!" Han Jiayi shot back, cheeks flushing with embarrassment—no one had even said who it was! She should have said, "I don’t have a boyfriend" instead...

Chiding herself, she tapped her forehead in frustration. Stupid brain!

"As long as you know who it is, boss," the waitress replied with a giggle. "Should I bring him in?"

"I’ll go, you get back to work." Han Jiayi hurriedly declined, worried her staff would gossip about her and Bai Renzong. She made her way to the door and, sure enough, found Bai Renzong looking around the restaurant.

"Why are you here again?!" Han Jiayi blurted out in a mixture of embarrassment and irritation, immediately regretting how that sounded.

Bai Renzong stared at her in confusion. "Is this how you greet every customer who walks in?"

"N-no! What I mean is..." Han Jiayi stammered, "Are you just now having lunch again?"

"I had breakfast at almost ten, so what’s wrong with lunch at two?" Bai Renzong replied, glancing around. "How’s business today?"

"Better than usual!" Han Jiayi grinned, grabbing his arm and tugging him toward the staff lounge. "Come with me!"

"There are seats out front—why are you dragging me to the back?" Bai Renzong frowned.

"It’s easier to talk back here!" Han Jiayi puffed her cheeks in mock annoyance, pulling him into the kitchen.

"What do you want to eat?" she asked with a playful smile, arms crossed. "Lunch is on me today."

"Fresh off paying seven million in breach-of-contract fees and still so generous..." Bai Renzong shot her a sidelong glance, picking up the menu. "Save it. Treat me to something nice once you’ve recovered from your financial crisis."

Then he fixed her with a stare. "Did you change that German-style rib set I mentioned last time?"

"N-no..." Han Jiayi admitted sheepishly, "I haven’t figured out a replacement dish yet..."

Bai Renzong kept staring, making her squirm with guilt until she finally looked down at the menu. "Then I’ll have the filet steak set today. Spaghetti for the side, and the egg fried sunny-side-up."

"Got it..." Han Jiayi huffed, stomping off to the kitchen. "Honestly, he can shower me with praise in the article for Grape Violet, but in person he’s still the same! I was too naïve to think he’d suddenly become sweet..."

Bai Renzong sipped his tea, surveying the kitchen. He didn’t know as much as Han Jiayi about restaurant operations, but he could always suggest improvements in the cooking itself.

With both the restaurant feature video and this new review, word-of-mouth would soon bring in many more customers, and Michelin was sure to pay attention and send their food scouts.

"Seize the opportunity... Good luck..." Bai Renzong propped his chin in his hand and sighed uneasily.

Lost in thought, he was startled when Han Jiayi set a tray before him. "Here you go, eat it while it’s hot."

On the tray was a filet steak, accompanied by baked corn, sautéed potatoes, salt-roasted asparagus, a sunny-side-up egg, and spaghetti. The thick steak was topped with a generous layer of caramelized onions, and there was also a side salad and some slices of French bread.

At Yi Jia Xuan, not every set meal followed the strict sequence of appetizer, soup, sides, and main course; there were also these more casual sets, allowing diners to enjoy everything together.

The French bread had been toasted in the oven, exuding a strong aroma of garlic, and the ham salad was solid if unspectacular.

But the simpler the dish, the more it tested the chef’s attention to detail.

Bai Renzong cut into the steak, dipped it in the yolk of the sunny-side-up egg, and took a bite.

Perfectly medium-rare. The seasoning brought out just the right balance of salt and garlic.

He sampled the sides—though technically just accompaniments, none were an afterthought: the butter-baked corn, cumin-sautéed potatoes, and salt-roasted asparagus each offered distinct flavors. The spaghetti was also cooked perfectly.

Clearly, this girl’s fundamentals were beyond reproach.

Still, what pleased Bai Renzong most was the layer of caramelized onions atop the steak. Combined with the beef, the meltingly soft onions blended into the meat fibers—perfection.

After finishing the meal, he nodded approvingly.

Han Jiayi knew what was coming.

But Bai Renzong looked up at her and smiled slightly. "Personally, I think this is an excellent set."

Heavens above?! Han Jiayi cupped her cheeks in utter astonishment at Bai Renzong.

(Thanks to Huaxia Leishao for the reward)