Chapter 72: Kindred Spirits

"Are you feeling unwell?" Han Jiayi reached out and touched Bai Renzong's forehead, but his temperature was normal.

Her little hand was soft and smooth, reminiscent of a cat's paw pads—hard to imagine such hands belonged to a chef.

Though reluctant, Bai Renzong frowned and brushed her hand away. "If I criticize you, you get upset; if I praise you, you don't believe me."

He wiped his mouth with a napkin. "You really managed everything well. The details are exceptional. I've noticed that's your strength."

Whenever Han Jiayi made a dish just for herself, it always turned out excellent, with every little detail handled with care. Her only minor shortcoming was the subtle harmony of flavors across the whole set meal.

In other words, she lacked the "divine palate."

"What a pity—if this girl possessed the divine palate, she might truly be the ideal form of a chef," Bai Renzong mused, resting his chin on his hand as he watched Han Jiayi.

"Then you should praise me more!" Han Jiayi pouted playfully. "You lecture for ages when you criticize me, but when it comes to praise, it's barely a sentence!"

Bai Renzong looked at the empty plate before him. "Let's start with the overall composition. The garlic bread echoes the garlic in the steak, and after baking, the baguette's crisp texture creates three layers with the tender steak and the salad."

Han Jiayi nodded with a bright, delighted smile. Bai Renzong's eyes sparkled, urging him to continue.

He turned to the salad bowl. "You adjusted the vegetable proportions—the bitterness of chicory and the acidity of tomatoes are enhanced, while the lettuce is reduced. The ham slices are cut slightly thicker. These choices make the salad substantial, unlike those cheap Western restaurants where salads are bulked up with lettuce for cost savings, resulting in bland, pointless salads that serve only as filler."

"Mmm, mmm, mmm!" Han Jiayi clenched her tiny fists with an infatuated expression. "What else, what else?"

"Lastly, the steak." Bai Renzong dipped his pinky in the last onion slice on the plate. "Potatoes, corn, asparagus, fried egg, and pasta—all the side dishes are handled perfectly, flawless. But most satisfying of all is the caramelized onion on the steak—softly sautéed so it melts on the tongue, blending with the beef."

He pointed to the empty plate. "I'll save this steak for a dedicated gourmet review article, if that's all right?"

"No problem!" Han Jiayi replied cheerfully, and if she had a tail, it would be wagging furiously.

"But not right now," Bai Renzong added. "I just published a review of 'Cloud Veil,' and if I keep reviewing your restaurant, it'll look like you're paying me. I'll wait until your buzz fades a bit, then post it to boost your restaurant's popularity again..."

He glanced at Han Jiayi, who seemed utterly lost in self-satisfaction.

"Did you hear what I said?" Bai Renzong waved his hand in front of her.

"I heard!" Han Jiayi grinned from ear to ear. What a lucky day—White the Critic actually praised her twice!

"All right, the meal's finished, and it's getting late." Bai Renzong checked the time and stood to pay.

"I'll treat you this time!" Han Jiayi snatched the payment code stubbornly.

Bai Renzong frowned and glared at her, but didn't insist. "Remember, we're visiting another restaurant tonight."

"Got it!" Han Jiayi smiled, "Thank you for dining with us! Take care on your way home!"

Bai Renzong eyed her suspiciously, as if wondering if something in her head was malfunctioning, then turned and left.

Han Jiayi, meanwhile, hummed a tune and skipped around the kitchen, busy with her work.

At that moment, Su Hui, the current head chef of Yijia Pavilion, who had witnessed everything from the shadows, whispered to Wang Bei.

"Old Bai is really something... I've never seen Jiayi so happy," Wang Bei marveled.

She had come to let Han Jiayi know that Bai Renzong had published an article about her on "Grape Violet," and to "conveniently" sample Cloud Veil's cuisine.

And she had the luck to witness this scene.

"I understand Jiayi's feelings," Su Hui said, adjusting her chef's hat with envy. "To have someone who perceives every ounce of care you put into a dish, who understands your every thoughtful effort to delight your guests—what bliss for a chef!"

"Oh, it's like the story of Bo Ya and Ziqi—the mountain and flowing water?" Wang Bei realized.

"Exactly!" Su Hui nodded eagerly. "I want to work hard too, to become someone he can understand."

Now Wang Bei understood why Yang Hua was so desperate to bring Bai Renzong to his place.

It wasn't about Michelin stars or menu upgrades—shallow concepts—but the desire of any true culinary artist to be truly understood. That's the greatest allure of Bai Renzong's "divine palate" for chefs.

"No way I'd let you have him—he belongs to Jiayi," Wang Bei laughed, then checked the time and groaned inwardly, "Oh no, we've got a restaurant visit tonight! The camera's still at home!"

Bai Renzong returned home, quickly cleaned up his comment section, and saw that the official account of "Lan Tile House" had left five messages: "Check your private messages!" "Urgent!" "Business collaboration!" "Please check your private messages!" "Your assistant won't give me your contact info!"

What could be so urgent? Did he forget to bring toilet paper? Bai Renzong frowned and checked his inbox.

The official account of Lan Tile House had sent him a message, clearly written by Yang Hua.

"Dearest friend..." Bai Renzong rolled his eyes at the opening—who's your dearest friend?

But since it was about business, he read on: "We've recently developed a new dessert. Judging by your comments on Yijia Pavilion’s chef’s 'unremarkable' dessert, you also appreciate sweets. I cordially invite you to come taste it; I believe you’ll enjoy it. —Your confidant, Lan Tile House's head chef, Yang Hua."

"Hmm..." Bai Renzong mused, setting aside the florid language. The timing for this collaboration was actually quite good.

After tonight's restaurant visit, he could do a collaboration with Yang Hua in the next episode, and give his followers a prize or two.

Plus, he could write a gourmet review of Yang Hua's new dessert for "Grape Violet’s" public account—this would take care of all his food content for the month.

"Perfect." Bai Renzong clapped his hands in satisfaction. The feeling of making the most of every resource soothed his obsessive need for order. Now he just needed ideas for game and movie content.

As for Yang Hua's invitation...

"An 'unremarkable' dessert, huh?" Bai Renzong smiled and sighed. "He's just jealous of Jiayi."

But Bai Renzong hadn’t decided on the timing for the collaboration yet—he had a restaurant visit tonight, and the next gourmet review would have to wait a few days.

Since it was a weekday, Han Jiayi got home a bit earlier than usual, just after seven. She barely paused to rest before heading out with Bai Renzong and Wang Bei to the restaurant they were investigating.

"Sanmao Beef Offal Rice Noodles," Bai Renzong nodded at the shabby little shop before them. "This is the place."

(Thanks to crcy, Wind Guardian, Reader 20190522144741962, Returning Home with Lemon Water, Divine Demon Infinity… for the monthly tickets, thanks to Daoist of the Sea, Witch’s Monument, and Little Red Riding Hood’s Da Hong Pao for their two monthly tickets, thanks to Xiao Qianwang for the reward and monthly ticket.)