Chapter 19: Irresistible

After Bai Renzong returned, Han Jiayi immediately began improving the roasted quail set meal based on his suggestions.

She swapped out the seasonings in the beef tartare, removed the lettuce, and replaced it with freshly ground Sichuan peppercorns; the lemon juice, mint, and green onions remained unchanged.

“I don’t believe it…” Han Jiayi rolled her eyes and muttered, then took a bite.

The next second, she covered her mouth and pounded the table in frustration.

“This combination is just too perfect!” she thought angrily.

The peppercorns added a tingly, fragrant note to the beef. Unlike regular Sichuan pepper, this variety was milder and flavorless, contributing just a numbing sensation that didn’t overpower the wagyu’s natural taste. With one bite, the rich aroma of the wagyu melted across her palate, accompanied by the gentle numbness of the peppercorns—an indescribable delight.

But what stood out most was the texture. A5 wagyu melts in your mouth, while the ground peppercorns provided a subtle crispness. The result was not only a harmony of flavors, but a dramatic elevation in texture—a hallmark of French cuisine’s pursuit of layered complexity.

It was as if a symphony played in her mouth, transforming a simple equation into a complex one, every sense perfectly matched.

“Damn that troll!” Han Jiayi grumbled as she hit the stovetop.

…

After leaving Yi Jia Xuan, Bai Renzong didn’t head straight home. Since he was already out, he decided to tackle the remaining “God Tongue Challenge”—cicada pupae, roasted grasshoppers, fried scorpions, and M12 wagyu—all of which could be found at the same barbecue restaurant. Arriving at the shop, he steeled himself for the ordeal.

Staring at those menacing creatures, he covered his mouth in disgust. Is this even food for humans?

Cicada pupae and roasted grasshoppers were bad enough, but fried scorpions… just looking at them triggered a primal aversion.

“You can do this, think of what that girl told you. You want to become a famous content creator! Prove her wrong!” he silently encouraged himself.

“Just eat it, it’s delicious,” the waiter teased.

“Ah, um…” Bai Renzong hesitated, caught between a rock and a hard place. Swallowing hard, he closed his eyes and took a bite.

…It was actually delicious.

Crispy, almost like the crust of fried chicken but less greasy—and far more flavorful. “Never judge a book by its cover,” he marveled, staring at the fried scorpion. As long as he ignored its terrifying appearance, the taste was surprisingly good. He could easily eat three.

But that was just the beginning—next came the cicada pupae and roasted grasshoppers.

He picked up a cicada pupa, closed his eyes, and popped it in his mouth. The outer shell was crisp, but as he bit down, a burst of sour, pungent flavor reminiscent of rot filled his mouth. Yet, after the initial shock, a lingering fragrance emerged.

Finally, he tried the roasted grasshopper—crisp and crunchy, with an exotic aroma and a faint hint of fishiness. The seasonings balanced the flavor, making it unexpectedly palatable.

“How should I put it?” Bai Renzong mused as he ate, “It’s not as scary as I imagined.”

With those three dark delicacies out of the way, all that remained was the M12 wagyu—an absolute treat.

Compared to Japan’s top-tier A5 wagyu, Australia’s M12 was much more affordable. The quality, though, was closer to A3—less marbled and less tender than A5. Yet Bai Renzong found he actually preferred the balanced ratio of fat to lean meat, resulting in a more satisfying flavor.

Just to be sure, he checked the app after finishing—the M12 wagyu was ticked off, confirming its authenticity.

The God Tongue Challenge showed “completed,” but Bai Renzong didn’t feel any different.

“Is there some sort of reward?” he muttered, frowning in suspicion.

After some thought, he decided to pay and head home. Maybe tomorrow he’d notice some changes.

At that very moment, Yi Jia Xuan was in the thick of the dinner rush, the entire restaurant bustling with activity.

Since returning from her travels, Han Jiayi had thrown herself back into the restaurant’s operations. With the kitchen running smoothly under the original team, she decided to personally create a series of exclusive set meals as a special treat for long-time clients who’d been neglected during her absence. The most popular ones would eventually find a permanent place on the menu.

Since launching these exclusive menus, many old regulars who hadn’t visited in ages returned to sample her latest creations.

Tonight, Han Jiayi’s special was the improved roasted quail set. She had replaced the original French potato soup with a Russian-style vegetable soup—no cream, just a medley of vegetables and a bit of cured meat, bringing out the freshness of the produce in a light, appetizing broth.

Placing this soup after the A5 wagyu helped cut through the richness of the beef. Then came the seared salmon, quickly torched for a smoky surface, simply seasoned with lemon juice, black pepper, and seaweed salt—another light dish. These two courses provided a clean transition, so by the time the roasted quail arrived, the heaviness of the wagyu had faded.

Han Jiayi was busy in the kitchen when the front-of-house manager rushed in.

“Boss!” the young woman greeted Han Jiayi excitedly, “Mr. Jack Mackey says he wants to thank you in person!”

“Oh? Mr. Jack Mackey?” Han Jiayi raised an eyebrow in surprise.

She remembered this customer well—a foreign professor at a local university, a regular at her restaurant and a notoriously picky old gentleman, but one who loved her cooking. After she entered the entertainment industry, she’d lost touch with these regulars.

“All right,” Han Jiayi replied, quickly washing her hands and tidying up before heading out to the dining room, her heart pounding. She immediately spotted the familiar stout old man.

“Hello, Mr. Mackey,” she greeted him with a gentle smile in English.

“Oh, Han!” Jack Mackey stood up and shook her hand warmly. “It’s wonderful to see you back, and your skills are more impressive than ever. I’d been wondering where you’d gone after not seeing you for so long—turns out you were honing your craft! Tonight’s set menu surpasses anything you’ve ever served. Absolutely marvelous!”

“Uh, thank you for your kind words,” Han Jiayi forced a smile, though she felt uneasy inside and kept her feelings hidden.

“I hope you can maintain this standard. I’ll be here every week to taste your creations,” Mackey said with enthusiasm. “We regulars are thrilled to have you back and your superb dishes on our tables again.”

His words only deepened Han Jiayi’s guilt. She could only nod in agreement, secretly clenching her fists: I will, with my own strength, create dishes even that nitpicker can’t find fault with!