Chapter 16: Deception

Across from Bai Renzong, Han Jiayi also picked up another piece of beef sushi and took a bite, but as soon as it entered her mouth, she frowned: the texture was wrong. This was clearly not A5-grade Wagyu; it was far too tough. A5 Wagyu should be much more tender, practically melting in the mouth. This effect comes from its exceptionally high fat content, with a melting point of only twenty-five degrees Celsius—lower than human body temperature—so it truly dissolves on the tongue.

But this beef… something was off.

In fact, she had sensed something odd at the start. Now that she thought about it, using A5 Wagyu for sushi was indeed rather unusual. Normally, beef sushi was made with A4 or even A3 grades, since their balance of lean and fat is more appropriate. A5-grade Wagyu is simply too rich and fatty; it’s typically served as sashimi, or lightly torched so only the surface is cooked while the interior remains raw.

To put it plainly, A5 Wagyu is all about savoring the pure flavor of the meat itself—no need for complicated preparation.

Han Jiayi hesitated over whether to mention this to Bai Renzong. If she spoke up, she worried he might lose face. But if she stayed silent, he’d quietly accept being cheated, and the price difference between A5 and A3 beef was astronomical.

“Excuse me, waiter,” Bai Renzong called, raising his hand. When the waiter approached, he frowned and said, “Was there a mistake with this beef sushi? This isn’t A5 Wagyu, is it?”

For some reason, as soon as Bai Renzong spoke, the entire restaurant fell silent.

“Huh?” All eyes turned to them at once, making Bai Renzong suddenly nervous. “What’s wrong?”

The waiter forced a smile. “There must be a misunderstanding, sir. Our beef sushi is made exclusively with A5 Wagyu. We don’t use any other grade.”

“That’s impossible…” Bai Renzong frowned. He’d never tasted A5 Wagyu before, but surely his Gourmet App couldn’t be wrong? He might make a mistake, but the app was infallible!

Did he actually taste the difference? Han Jiayi, sitting across from him, was a little surprised. Wasn’t this his first time trying it?

“Um… perhaps I should call the manager over to explain?” the waiter ventured.

At that moment, a middle-aged man with a stern expression strode to their table. His face was deeply lined, giving him a harsh, almost menacing look, and his tone was as cold as a threat. “Are you suggesting that our A5 Wagyu is fake?”

Bai Renzong glanced at the man, who appeared to be in his forties—grim-faced and severe, his wrinkles etched deep as if by a knife, lending him a distinctly intimidating air. Yet Bai Renzong was the sort who stood his ground when confronted. Had the owner apologized and offered to replace the dish, he might have let it go, but faced with aggression, he refused to back down.

“Yes, I believe this isn’t A5 Wagyu,” Bai Renzong replied, rising to his feet, unwavering.

He simply didn’t believe his Gourmet App could be wrong.

“A country bumpkin like you—have you ever even had A5 Wagyu? If not, stop pretending to be an expert!” the man snapped, arms folded in anger. “Every Wagyu cow is certified with its own code! What do you know?”

“Then show me the code, and I’ll check it myself,” Bai Renzong retorted without hesitation.

By now, the entire restaurant and even those outside had turned their attention to the commotion.

The owner barked furiously, “Damn it, it’s my first day in business and you’re here to make trouble?! Who sent you—are you a plant from that Wanhe Sushi across the street? Want me to call the police?!”

“Go ahead! Call them right now!” Bai Renzong shot back, equally incensed, pulling out his phone. “If you won’t, I will! This is consumer fraud!”

The owner grabbed his arm, face flushed with rage. “Don’t you dare disrupt my business! You just want money, don’t you? Fine! Name your price—I’ll treat it like being bitten by a dog!”

At this point, Han Jiayi could no longer remain silent. She frowned and said, “This really isn’t A5 Wagyu.”

“Oh, and you know, do you?” the owner sneered, casting her a cutting look. “A country bumpkin who’s never tasted Wagyu—do you even understand how it’s graded? This is A5 Wagyu!”

“The grading of A5 Wagyu considers four aspects,” Han Jiayi explained calmly. “Marbling, color, texture, and fat quality. Only when all four reach level five or higher does the beef qualify as A5 Wagyu. Even if three criteria are level five, but one is only level one, the beef is graded A1. That’s why true A5 Wagyu is so expensive.”

The owner was momentarily struck dumb—he hadn’t expected to encounter someone truly knowledgeable.

Bai Renzong had already sensed the owner was up to no good. Despite his bluster, if he were truly confident, he would have simply provided the Wagyu’s certification code to verify the grade. Instead, he kept deflecting, and now Han Jiayi’s precise rebuttal left him speechless.

“Your Wagyu is merely playing a trick with the grading,” Han Jiayi said with disdain, giving the owner a sidelong glance. “While the marbling might meet A5 standards, the texture is very poor—it crunches when bitten, and the color is subpar. Judged by these two criteria, it’s at best A2 or A3, worth a tenth of the price.”

“A tenth? Really?” “Is this fake A5 Wagyu?” “Hey, isn’t that consumer fraud?” The other patrons began to murmur among themselves, though many remained uncertain.

“You—” the owner sputtered, but knew better than to back down now. As long as he kept up his bravado, most customers—who lacked expertise—wouldn’t see through the deception. Few were as discerning as Han Jiayi.

He jabbed a finger at her irritably. “And what makes you so sure? Are you an authority?”

“You could say that. After all, I led Yijia Pavilion to its Michelin one-star rating,” Han Jiayi replied, arms folded. “If I couldn’t tell, I wouldn’t deserve that star, would I?”

The former head chef of Yijia Pavilion? Bai Renzong raised his brows, sensing something significant: hadn’t his last food review video critiqued Yijia Pavilion? And the owner had taken offense. Wait—he recalled with a jolt that he’d also panned a film Han Jiayi starred in, which had clearly upset her too. Had he unwittingly criticized Han Jiayi twice in a row? No wonder she’d been so furious when they first met.

With Han Jiayi’s credentials laid bare, the crowd was finally convinced.

“Unbelievable—three hundred bucks for a sushi that’ll make you cry!” “This is a scam! Isn’t this fraud?” “False advertising! Refund!” “Show us your certification documents!” The diners erupted into protest.

The owner and his staff tried desperately to maintain order, but their efforts were feeble in the face of the truth.

“Everyone, please calm down!” At that moment, a man filming nearby stood up, smiling to redirect the crowd’s attention. “I’m Grapefruit, a host from ‘YouDing Shorts.’ Could I have a word with everyone?”