Chapter 53: The Chef’s Greatest Treasure

Yang Hua pressed his lips together, shook his head, and sighed before sampling the beet aspic scallop. A hint of disdain appeared on his face.

“Hmph… merely a clumsy imitator,” Yang Hua snorted coldly. Yet, he immediately furrowed his brow, as if realizing something, and tasted the second dish, the spicy asparagus tip soup.

“Could it be…” Yang Hua stroked his chin in contemplation, then tried the third dish—trout meatball—and finally the lamb pie with foie gras.

After tasting each dish, Yang Hua slammed his fist onto the table.

The blow was so forceful that the cups on the table rattled and crashed to the floor.

“How can this be!?” Yang Hua nearly twisted the spoon in his hand out of shape, glaring at Han Jiayi and Bai Renzong. “Why!? Clearly, every dish of mine is more perfect, but after eating theirs, there’s this shock and vivid impression… What ingredient did they use that I didn’t?!”

“It’s not about using what you didn’t,” Bai Renzong replied. “It’s about not using what you did.”

“What nonsense is that?” Yang Hua asked, frowning in confusion.

“Simply put,” Bai Renzong explained, “I instructed Jiayi to weaken the other flavors in each dish, emphasizing just one, so its presence stands out. As a result…”

He considered for a moment, then spoke seriously. “Let me use your beloved ‘film industry’ as an analogy.”

Turning to the four plates beside him, Bai Renzong continued, “Your dishes feature three actors, representing ‘earth,’ ‘forest,’ and ‘sea.’”

Yang Hua lifted his brows in surprise—so he had seen through it!

“In this film, you set up a superficial protagonist and two supporting roles, then let a supporting role steal the spotlight from the lead,” Bai Renzong fixed his gaze on Yang Hua. “But in truth, all three actors have roughly equal screen time. So, when all three leads share similar prominence, what’s the audience’s impression? It’s chaotic, and none leave a strong mark.”

Yang Hua frowned, as if sensing where this was going.

“Not to mention, your first film already peaks in its plot, and the subsequent content only declines. So after the fourth film, how does it feel?” Bai Renzong delivered the final blow: “A roaring start, but a whimper at the end—a high opening, followed by a low finish.”

Then, Bai Renzong gently pressed Han Jiayi’s head. “But in Jiayi’s menu, each dish highlights only one lead, diminishing the supporting roles. Every dish leaves a memorable character, and the three actors in the first three dishes have already etched themselves in the audience’s mind. So even when the fourth dish brings them together, it doesn’t feel messy—on the contrary, it drives the plot to its climax.”

Yang Hua was silent, pondering deeply. He had understood Bai Renzong’s point.

Bai Renzong smiled with courteous elegance. “Indeed, taken individually, your dishes outshine Jiayi’s… But as a set menu, which is superior—you must have tasted it yourself?”

Yang Hua’s expression shifted between gloom and brightness, but he did not argue.

“In film, this technique is called an ‘ensemble drama.’ And the entertainment industry’s methods are not at all useless in cuisine,” Bai Renzong added.

Han Jiayi, nestled in Bai Renzong’s embrace, felt the hand resting atop her head—a sense of security beyond words. Moreover, Bai Renzong had specifically countered Yang Hua’s earlier disdain for her pursuit of show business.

At this moment, she couldn’t help but feel a surge of admiration: Ugh, why does he suddenly seem so handsome…

“Hmph hmph.” Han Jiayi crossed her arms and grinned. “Aren’t we impressive?”

“Hmph.” Yang Hua merely smiled slightly, nodding with satisfaction. “Well done. Thanks to you, I now have a direction for improvement. I believe I’ll soon secure my third Michelin star. Don’t get jealous then, little miss.”

“You—you even…” Han Jiayi was just pondering her retort when Bai Renzong interjected, “We’re simply taking different paths to the same destination—you just arrived first. Besides, three Michelin stars aren’t the end.”

“Yes, yes!” Han Jiayi’s fighting spirit soared. “Even if you get your third Michelin star before me, I’ll catch up sooner or later. And maybe my achievements will surpass yours in the end? There’s no limit in cuisine!”

Yang Hua squinted, falling into silence, unable to refute.

Han Jiayi was elated, never before having come out so strongly in an argument. The feeling was exhilarating—at this moment, she felt invincible!

“Then I’ll look forward to your growth,” Yang Hua snorted, turning toward the kitchen. “See them out.”

Back in the kitchen, a flamboyantly dressed woman in her mid-twenties immediately approached, trying to hug Yang Hua. He brushed her off coldly, expressionless as he admonished, “I’ve told you—don’t come into my kitchen with all that perfume and makeup! The lingering scent will affect my dishes.”

“So chilly,” she pouted coquettishly. “The whole restaurant was a gift from me, you know.”

“You invested in me because I’m worth it, didn’t you?” Yang Hua retorted coldly.

“Because you’re handsome, and you suit my taste,” she replied with a smile, glancing outside. “But I didn’t expect that couple to be so formidable—teaming up to surpass your cuisine…”

“Hmph, you still don’t get it? The truly extraordinary one isn’t that blonde girl,” Yang Hua said, crossing his arms and laughing excitedly. “Her skills are Michelin-level, sure—much better than the average, but she’s nowhere near the top in this field. Yet, just by last-minute preparation, she created dishes of this caliber…”

At this, Yang Hua gritted his teeth and smiled. “I want him… the ‘Divine Tongue.’ With that man, and my culinary expertise, never mind three Michelin stars—even the head chef of a three-star restaurant wouldn’t be a match!”

“But, aren’t they a couple?” the woman asked curiously. “How will you get him to leave his girlfriend for you?”

Yang Hua lowered his eyelids. “I haven’t figured that out yet.”

After Bai Renzong and his companions left Lanwa House, Han Jiayi couldn’t contain her joy and hopped lightly. “Yay!”

“Sis, Old Bai, you two are amazing!” Wang Bei put down her camera and laughed.

“What are you so happy about?” Bai Renzong grumbled. “We just gave the restaurant’s head chef—our business partner—a dressing down. That’s hardly a good thing. Who pays to get scolded?”

“But he got a plan to improve his menu, didn’t he?” Han Jiayi muttered, unwilling to concede.

“By the way…” Wang Bei covered her mouth, giggling. “Old Bai, you pretty much confessed to my sister just now, didn’t you?”

Han Jiayi’s cheeks flushed instantly. This girl, Xiao Bei—always knowing just what not to bring up. Isn’t it embarrassing to mention it now?

Yet, in her heart, she was a bit expectant, wanting to hear Bai Renzong’s true thoughts.

Her feelings toward Bai Renzong—maybe not love just yet, but certainly some admiration, and a touch of fondness. If that blunt Bai admitted he liked her too… what should she say?

“Because if I said that, he’d have nothing left to argue,” Bai Renzong replied. “If I said it was for money, he’d offer a higher price; if I said it was for power, he’d give me a better position. But if I said it was for love, he can’t very well make me fall for him, can he?”

At that moment, the same thought flashed through Wang Bei and Han Jiayi’s minds: Hopelessly dense!

(Thanks to u丶 for two awkward monthly votes, thanks to Beizhai Beizhai Bei, Youth without drama is wasted, for monthly votes, and thanks to Mu Li Zhi Ye and Wanderer’s Way for their tips.)