Chapter 77: Women and Men

Emperor Bai shot Han Jiayi a look, and Han Jiayi instantly regained her confidence.

The very first moment she laid eyes on Yang Hua’s “Heart of the Grasslands,” she was deeply stunned: this was nothing short of a work of art.

After tasting the dish, she was once again completely awed: it tasted like art as well!

For a while, Han Jiayi slipped back into the same insecure state she’d fallen into after Yang Hua bested her last time, timid and lacking confidence. Yet Bai Renzong’s words snapped her out of it: if that notorious critic Bai said Yun Ni was every bit as good, then it must be true!

“Leave it to me!” Han Jiayi replied cheerfully, rolling up her sleeves to reveal her fair, slender arms. “Chef Yang, do you mind if I borrow your kitchen for a bit?”

Yang Hua’s expression was inscrutable, but he merely replied coolly, “Go ahead.”

With that, Han Jiayi headed for the kitchen. Bai Renzong picked up a glass of water to rinse his mouth, but before he could swallow, Han Jiayi turned and dragged him along with her into the kitchen.

“What’s this about?” Bai Renzong looked at her in confusion. “This dish is your own invention, so why drag me in?”

“I—I…” Han Jiayi faltered. She wanted to say, “I feel more confident with you here,” but simply couldn’t bring herself to say it.

Hesitating for a moment, Han Jiayi finally replied, “I want you to see how Yun Ni is made. Otherwise, how could you judge it?”

“Alright then.” Bai Renzong folded his arms and stood to the side, watching her.

“Do you really think my Yun Ni is no less than his dish?” Han Jiayi asked, stealing a glance at him.

“I do.” Bai Renzong answered, pausing as if to choose his words carefully. “Your styles are different. Yang Hua’s cooking isn’t about filling people up, but about pure enjoyment of food, so his portions are small, giving him plenty of room to focus on presentation. In this dessert, even the ‘garnishes’ become an integral part of the dish.”

What he’d taken for mere decoration—the flower stamens and petals beneath the “maple leaf” crisps—turned out to be part of the dessert itself. The maple crisps were so thin that the fragrance of the garnishes clung to them, elevating the entire creation.

Bai Renzong had always thought the biggest flaw in haute cuisine was that the decoration often outweighed the edible portion…

Yet Yang Hua had managed to make even the “decorations” part of the dessert.

Even Bai Renzong had to admit that was impressive.

But honestly, not everyone could appreciate the depth of such a creation.

At that moment, Han Jiayi pressed anxiously, “And what about me?”

“You’re you.” Bai Renzong placed a hand on her head and guided her focus to the stove. “Just do your best.”

“After praising him, you don’t have a word for me…” Han Jiayi puffed out her cheeks, muttering in dissatisfaction.

“I’ll praise you later. If I do it now, it’ll ruin the atmosphere outside.” Bai Renzong replied.

“Alright!” Han Jiayi instantly perked up, smiling brightly, and began her preparations with renewed resolve.

Bai Renzong watched from the side. He’d studied the process of making soufflé before and had a rough understanding. In truth, Han Jiayi merely adjusted the ratio of egg whites in the batter to create a lighter, airier texture—the invention of this dessert was something of a happy accident.

But being able to seize on such an accident was a chef’s talent, too.

Han Jiayi bustled about, quickly slipping into a state of total immersion. As she worked, she hummed a little tune: “After the summer rain, in the evening light, I always look forward to…the singing cicadas, hey! Waking up the stars, the moon’s glow cool and bright…”

In this mood, her movements were even more deft and fluid than usual, everything flowing with effortless grace.

And that cheerful “hey!” of hers utterly charmed Bai Renzong.

“All done!” Han Jiayi announced with a bright laugh.

Bai Renzong noticed that when she said “all done,” she pronounced the first word quickly and put the emphasis on the last—a detail that made her especially endearing.

“Let’s go.” Bai Renzong’s expression softened as he gestured behind him.

“This one’s for you.” Han Jiayi handed him one of the cups, smiling.

“No use trying to bribe me…” Bai Renzong muttered with a frown, but he still took it.

“This isn’t a bribe—it’s so you’ll remember the flavor, and won’t be at a loss for words when it’s time to praise me,” Han Jiayi retorted playfully.

The two of them came back out. Yang Hua sat with his arms folded, one leg bouncing, a dark look on his face as he watched them.

“Hmph, jealous much? Sis and Old Bai are just meant to be together…” Wang Bei whispered to herself nearby.

“Here, give it a try.” Bai Renzong handed one of the cups to Yang Hua. “Only after tasting it will you know I’m speaking the truth.”

Yang Hua snorted coldly, accepting the Yun Ni cup with an expression that seemed to say, “This thing compared to my dessert?” Yet in the end, he still took a spoonful and tasted it.

In that instant, Yang Hua closed his eyes, a look of bliss spreading across his face, the shadow that so often clouded his features instantly melting away.

A second later, he came back to himself, visibly surprised, and quickly regained his composure.

“Hmph, it’s alright, I suppose,” Yang Hua grumbled. “For a novice like her, it’s not bad. But I still think, in terms of appearance, flavor, artistry, and execution, my Heart of the Grasslands is superior.”

“But to me, they’re on the same level,” Bai Renzong replied. “It’s honestly hard to judge—your styles are so different. One displays unparalleled technical mastery; the other soars with boundless imagination. Both of you have top-tier creativity and skill. These two desserts are unique to each of you—truly a contest of equals.”

He glanced at them both and smiled. “As someone…playing the role of judge here, I’d say this is a match between two titans, and in my view, you’re both among the very best chefs I’ve ever met, though your styles couldn’t be more different.”

Bai Renzong was lost in his own appreciation, thinking this had been a magnificent duel—no winner, but a perfect ending.

But it seemed only he felt that way.

“Hah, this little blond girl? On par with me?” Yang Hua shot Han Jiayi a scornful look. “He only sticks with you because Old Bai likes you! If you and I really faced off in the kitchen, I’d steal him away in a heartbeat!”

“Oh, you never know! Everyone has their own preferences—maybe he just likes my style of cooking,” Han Jiayi retorted, eyes wide, arms crossed, exuding a confidence that rivaled any man’s.

“Ha! Ridiculous! No matter how you look at it, your style doesn’t even come close to mine!” Yang Hua sneered.

“And yet you were just in rapture eating mine, the gloom wiped right off your face! Maybe you should have another bite—you might even become more cheerful! Girls like sunny guys, you know!” Han Jiayi shot back.

“Oh please, just the head chef of a one-star Michelin restaurant—talk about a big mouth. Come see me when you earn your second star!” Yang Hua snapped, clearly stung.

“Oh, won’t be long then,” Han Jiayi replied with a graceful smile. “Might even be next month!”

Wang Bei, meanwhile, was left stunned on the sidelines: Sis Jiayi is actually talking back now!? The world’s gone mad!

As for Bai Renzong, he stood there, dumbfounded by this unexpected turn of events.

Wasn’t this the part where the two rivals, impressed by each other’s talents, should become friends and bring his video episode to a perfect close? How did it devolve into another argument?

(Thanks to Mad Cat and Dusty Donkey for the two monthly votes, and to Daydreamer, Melancholy Egg | Faint Sorrow, and Lei Xun for their monthly votes.)