Chapter 118: Resigned to Fate

Bai Renzong and Han Jiayi arrived at the exit of the staff lounge, poking their heads out to observe the diners in the restaurant. Han Jiayi’s small head was just below his chin; her hair even brushed against his face, soft and ticklish.

"Over there, over there..." Han Jiayi pointed to a table on the side, "Do you see them?"

The guests at that table, a man and a woman, were both Chinese. The man was in his forties, dressed in a sharp suit, while the woman was under thirty, wearing casual attire. To the naked eye, they looked like ordinary customers, but a closer look revealed that they were constantly observing how the waiters served other patrons.

"Are you sure it’s those two?" Bai Renzong asked gravely.

"Pretty much..." Han Jiayi nodded. "Michelin inspectors don't have restrictions on ethnicity or age; no one knows who they are. But they have habits. They must follow the Michelin protocol to give every restaurant an equal chance."

"What protocol?" Bai Renzong asked, looking down at her round little head.

Watching the table, Han Jiayi replied, "One of them arrives first, and the other follows half an hour later. One will order the tasting menu—the kind with smaller portions meant for sampling flavors—while the other orders the regular menu. They’ll order wine and then observe if the waiters refill water and pour wine in a timely manner. They’ll gently place a spoon on the floor to see if the staff notices, but they won't throw it down, as that would be too obvious..."

Just then, the man at the table suddenly bent down, seemingly placing something on the floor.

"That's those two rascals, no doubt about it!" Bai Renzong pointed at them indignantly. "Finally, we’ve been waiting for you!"

Before they could even give a reminder, a waiter spotted the fork on the floor and stepped forward to replace it with a fresh set of cutlery.

Bai Renzong and Han Jiayi returned to the kitchen area. "Well? Did you alert the waiters and the chefs?"

"Yes!" Han Jiayi nodded, looking tense. "I warned them a long time ago to be on high alert!"

"Good, then..." Bai Renzong nodded and took a deep breath. "I’ll taste the dishes for them myself!"

Bai Renzong knew this was a form of cheating. Under normal circumstances, one should treat everyone equally and not provide special treatment to Michelin inspectors. After all, if a restaurant is to be a two-star establishment, it must provide two-star service to every single guest...

But so what!? Right now, he just wanted to start a relationship with Han Jiayi as soon as possible; he could deal with the rest later!

"No, you can't!" Han Jiayi blocked him, looking at him with a pitiful expression. "I have to do this myself this time!"

"Oh, there will be other chances in the future, don't be so stubborn!" Bai Renzong frowned. "If you have an advantage, you should use it!"

"No—way! Not—happening!" Han Jiayi stood in his way, preventing him from entering the kitchen. "Just trust me!"

Bai Renzong glared at her, but Han Jiayi looked back and nodded firmly. "I can do it!"

"You’d better not mess this up..." Bai Renzong said, raising his hand to flick her forehead.

Han Jiayi quickly closed her eyes, but Bai Renzong only gave her a symbolic, light flick. "Good luck."

"Got it!" Han Jiayi nodded and rushed into the kitchen to take command.

"Alright, everyone!" Han Jiayi clapped her hands. "I want everything today to be perfect—not just excellent, perfect! So, everyone, let's keep our spirits up, okay?"

The kitchen staff responded in unison. Han Jiayi checked the menu and called out, "Attention! Table 9, one appetizer, one scallop, then one toast, lamb, and halibut! And Table 15, one beef tenderloin set!"

"Understood, Chef!" The team responded, and the kitchen began to buzz with activity.

"Look at her..." Bai Renzong watched from outside the kitchen, unable to help but smile. "She’s like a conductor."

Even though the guests outside had started to queue, everything inside the kitchen was orderly. Soon, as the restaurant became packed, Han Jiayi joined in the cooking tasks herself. Yet, even while cooking, she continued to direct the others, calling out the orders brought in by the front-of-house staff.

As the number of guests grew, the tempo in the kitchen quickened. Bai Renzong felt suffocated just watching from the sidelines, yet the chefs were focused and methodical, handling every dish with precision.

It suddenly occurred to Bai Renzong that although he, as a food critic, often glossed over the preparation process of a dish in his reviews, the reality was just as impressive, and these chefs deserved far more respect. Especially Han Jiayi; although he had always thought she was cute, she was at her most beautiful right now, directing the chaos while focusing on her own work.

Without realizing it, Bai Renzong had forgotten about the guests in the restaurant; he didn't even notice when the Michelin inspectors paid and left.

"Phew..." Han Jiayi let out a long breath, wiping sweat with the towel on her shoulder. She smiled. "Alright, the rush is over. The coming orders will be easy. You all worked hard today, you did a great job."

"Great work!" the chefs replied in unison, beginning to take turns resting.

Han Jiayi walked over to Bai Renzong and gave him a sweet smile. "Alright, we can go back now. Are you hungry?"

"Look at you..." Bai Renzong smiled at her. "You are always so charming when you're in the kitchen."

Han Jiayi froze, then blushed. She looked down and muttered, "Um... thank you."

Bai Renzong regained his senses and suddenly realized they weren't officially a couple yet, which made him feel awkward. "No, I mean... you are very charismatic in the kitchen. From a chef's perspective, that is."

Han Jiayi kept her head down to hide her smile and nodded. "Yeah..."

Then, she looked up and smiled. "Alright, let's go home and eat! You must be hungry too, right?"

"It's alright..." Bai Renzong nodded. "When will the results be out?"

"I should be able to see the data update on the Michelin Guide app by tomorrow. If we pass, we gain a star; if not, it stays the same... or we lose one." Han Jiayi said with a smile. "At this point, we just have to leave it to fate."

"We can't leave it to fate..." Bai Renzong gritted his teeth to himself. This concerned his lifelong happiness; how could he leave that to fate?!

Han Jiayi observed the expression on his face and covered her mouth to stifle a giggle: *Silly, I’d date you even if we didn't pass. Look at how anxious you are... if you like me that much, stop complaining about me.*

The two drove home. Han Jiayi let out a long sigh, a hint of exhaustion on her face, but she smiled and asked, "Are you hungry? If you are, I’ll be quick; if not, I’ll just make something light..."

Bai Renzong raised a hand to stop her. "Rest. I’ll cook today. What would you like to eat?"

"Anything I want?" Han Jiayi asked with a smile, her hands behind her back.

"As long as it's within my ability." Bai Renzong nodded.

"Then..." Han Jiayi bit her lower lip, thinking playfully, "Let's have a bowl of egg-fried rice."

"You girl..." Bai Renzong laughed. "Anything else?"

"You figure it out," Han Jiayi teased. "Aren't you great at pairing? Let's switch it up today; you do the pairing, and I’ll do the critiquing."

"Fine, go take a shower." Bai Renzong rolled up his sleeves and headed toward the refrigerator.

Han Jiayi watched curiously as he gathered a pile of ingredients and went into the kitchen. She covered her mouth with a light laugh, then skipped off to grab her clothes and head into the bathroom.

The moment she sank into the bathtub, Han Jiayi let out a satisfied sigh. "Please, let me pass this time..." she prayed, pressing her palms together. She submerged her mouth and blew bubbles, "That way I can stand tall and date Old Bai. If we don't pass..."

At this point, her eyes dimmed. "Then I'll just keep hanging out with Old Bai... we'll date regardless."

After a moment of silence, she couldn't help but chuckle. "Heh, he called me charming today..."

Knowing Bai Renzong was a novice, she decided to give him extra time. She took a leisurely bath and dried her hair, taking a full half-hour before emerging.

By then, Bai Renzong had finished dinner.

"Done? Perfect, come and eat," Bai Renzong said, sitting down at the table.

Han Jiayi curiously looked at the spread: egg-fried rice, a side of cold salad, and a few deep-fried skewers. The skewers were nothing special—just frozen snacks from the fridge—and the salad was a simple mix of cucumber and onion. The fried rice was a basic combination of eggs, ham, and scallions. However, she noticed that he had used dark soy sauce, giving the rice a deep color.

"Dark soy sauce in the egg-fried rice?" Han Jiayi asked, puzzled.

"A family tradition," Bai Renzong smiled. "Alright, try it."

Han Jiayi nodded, took a spoonful of the rice, and raised an eyebrow. "This is delicious..."

Dark soy sauce didn't add much saltiness; it was primarily used for color and to enhance flavor. With the dark soy sauce, the rice had a unique aroma that wasn't overly salty. Paired with the fragrance of the eggs and scallions, it had a distinctive flavor profile.

Moreover, Bai Renzong had mastered the heat well; the eggs were crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and every grain of rice was distinct. The cold salad of onion and cucumber was an unexpectedly good pairing, providing a crisp, refreshing texture. The fried skewers added a bit of fat and satiety, ensuring the meal wasn't too bland.

Ignoring the "fine dining" grade, the meal actually had a surprising amount of depth in both texture and flavor.

"Hmm..." Han Jiayi puffed out her cheeks, a little frustrated: she didn't know where to start her critique.

"How is it? Does it suit your palate?" Bai Renzong asked tentatively.

"It's... it's not bad," Han Jiayi muttered bashfully.

"Then eat more. You've had a long, tiring day," Bai Renzong said, placing a fried skewer on her plate.

"Mm." Han Jiayi smiled, pursing her lips. Her heart felt warm. While it was a joy to watch others happily eat her cooking, the feeling of having someone else cook for her was also quite nice.