Chapter 104: Challenge
Translator: Xiong Guoqi Editor: DesTheSloth
Even with such a situation that was closely related to him, Yuan Zhou could suppress his curiosity and continue to do the job at hand. He must be an extremely earnest man. The young man thought that way.
Then Yuan Zhou began to accept the orders and concentrate on cooking without showing any fluster.
Two hours of lunch time soon passed, yet there were still a group of customers staying there in the restaurant; more specifically, the customers that had just informed Yuan Zhou about the challenge.
“Boss Yuan, can we watch the video now?” Holding her phone in one hand, the round-faced girl appeared a bit shy.
“Thank you.” Yuan Zhou nodded.
“You’re welcome. This is just the interview two days ago.” The girl handed the phone to Yuan Zhou after getting the video out.
Yuan Zhou received the phone and directly tapped on Start button.
Dressed in a white chef uniform, a middle-aged man in his forties was being interviewed on camera with several microphones in front of him. The big smile on his face made him appear fairly easy-going.
“Don’t know him.” After giving a preliminary assessment in the heart, Yuan Zhou continued to watch the video.
While smiling, the apparently easy-going man opened his mouth, “Thank you all, my friends from the press. These are the snacks of Begonia Desserts that I prepared for you all today as a little gift.”
“Thanks.”
“Chef Yu, thank you.”
“This is really like a work of art.”
Cheers came from below the stage while the man called Chef Yu just stood there on stage with a confident smile, waiting for everybody to finish their discussion without revealing an impatient look.
“Chef Yu, what are your thoughts about the award you have gotten today?” after they quieted down, a journalist took the microphone close to him and asked formally.
“Of course I’m grateful for the affirmation from all the judges. Others contestants have also shown decent and professional culinary skills.” Though he appeared quite modest, his tone contained much arrogance.
“Chef Yu, so are you preparing to win the National Golden Ladle Award next?” another journalist then asked.
“Thank you for your affirmation, again. I indeed have that intention,” Chef Yu said while smiling.
“That means you really intend to take part in the contest, right? I heard the Golden Ladle Award has some fairly tough competition. Do you have the confidence?” Another journalist changed the topic straightaway to the national contest.
“You must be joking. I’m only a chef of the municipal level and I still have a long way to go. There’s no hurry.” The smile on the face of Chef Yu never disappeared.
“Chef Yu, you are too humble. So what’s your next plan?” Taking a box of Begonia Desserts, the journalist asked with a smile.
Yuan Zhou felt slightly puzzled to this segment of the interview. However, he didn’t reveal his puzzlement in his expression. He was still as solemn as usual. It was, nevertheless, the others beside him that began to worry.
“Boss Yuan, don’t be impatient. This guy is going to boast without shame soon,” a young man said anxiously.
“I see Boss Yuan is not as worried as you are,” the round-faced girl said while smiling.
“No, no. I just feared that Boss Yuan would become impatient,” the young man scratched his head and explained in embarrassment.
“Humm, I’m not.” Yuan Zhou took the phone and remained calm.
Even the little loli Mu Xiaoyun who had planned to return home was watching the video attentively at the side.
The scene returned to the video.
“I truly have something to do next.” Chef Yu answered while smiling, giving off a harmless vibe.
“Chef Yu, can you reveal something about it?” a journalist asked curiously right away.
It might be because of the elaborately prepared Begonia Desserts that all the journalists were not so aggressive. Instead, they spoke rather politely.
“Sure. I have yet to thank all these friends from the press for offering me this opportunity,” Chef Yu said with a smile in a leisurely manner when he saw that the journalists all showed some interest.
“I had heard from a respected elder that the dish, Phoenix-Tail Prawns, which I prepared today, is not the most genuine one.” Chef Yu directly started a horrifying topic.
The journalists under the stage began to discuss the topic.
“Is Chef Yu questioning the judges?” a frank journalist asked another one beside him.
“Yeah, I think so. It seems to be breaking news.” The journalist beside him instantly got excited.
“Then I have to take some detailed notes,” the frank journalist muttered to himself.
“I heard there is a restaurant at No.14 Taoxi Road where the boss is said to be able to prepare a more genuine dish of Phoenix-Tail Prawns. I don’t know if he has the interest in coming over and exchanging some pointers.” Chef Yu immediately threw out his purpose without hesitation.
“Chef Yu, you are preparing to challenge that nameless chef, right?” The journalists had no more time to attend to the exquisite Begonia Desserts now.
“If he believes it to be a challenge, then it is.” Chef Yu didn’t deny. He just admitted it in another form while smiling, except that his attitude had become more arrogant.
………..
Yuan Zhou stopped watching the latter part of the interview and handed the phone back to the round-faced girl.
“Thank you.” Yuan Zhou showed gratitude.
“Not at all. Boss Yuan, what do you think?” the girl asked anxiously.
“It doesn’t matter. You guys can go back now.” Yuan Zhou still remained calm and paid little attention to that.
“Boss Yuan, then what do you think of the challenge?” the girl was a little worried of him.
“It’s ok. Thank you all, guys.” Yuan Zhou thanked them quite sincerely, however, he really didn’t care about the so-called challenge.
Yuan Zhou never did troublesome things. Furthermore, the chef didn’t mention him by name in the challenge despite having mentioned the address. Therefore, Yuan Zhou wouldn’t bother rising to the challenge.
“Master Liu, it’s time to reveal your ace.” the girl with a high ponytail, dressed in white shirt and pleated skirt, stepped over suddenly and said seriously.
“What?” the round-faced girl looked at her in puzzlement.
“Humm, Master Liu, don’t conceal your identity anymore.” this girl said while pointing at Yuan Zhou’s arm that had nothing there.
“Hey, guys. Opening hours are over. Please come back in the evening.” Yuan Zhou was helpless against this girl who stuck to calling him Master Liu, hence he could only send her away in a different way.
“Ai, he seems to be reluctant to accept the challenge. The challenge might be too weak or this Chef Yu is not excellent enough to be worth Master Liu’s willingness to accept it,” the girl who always spoke weirdly analyzed while walking out of the restaurant.
“What’s wrong with her?” the round-faced girl asked her friends beside her curiously.
“She has probably watched too many cartoons and became obsessed, hence came here to be a joke,” her friend said as if she had known her well.
“Ah, got it. It’s supposed to be Cooking Master Boy, the special-grade chef?” the round-faced girl suddenly recalled this cartoon.
“Yes. Speaking of which, Boss Yuan’s culinary skills are unexpectedly amazing. If not I have eaten the dishes, I would never believe that.” Her friend held her head in both hands and said while sighing with emotion.
“Absolutely. That Chef Yu simply overestimates himself.” The round-faced girl got a little indignant.
“Take it easy. Boss Yuan seems to care little about the challenge.” Her friend tried to comfort her immediately.
The crowd gradually dispersed while discussing heatedly whether Yuan Zhou should accept the challenge or not.
“Boss, are you going to accept it?” Mu Xiaoyun looked at Yuan Zhou curiously with her eyes open wide.
“You are still here. Hurry up and go back. Don’t be late in the afternoon.” Yuan Zhou drove the little loli away.
“Alright. But I’ve never been late, boss.” Mu Xiaoyun said as per what she thought.
“Humm.” Yuan Zhou indicated he had heard her, without any other reaction.
At this, Mu Xiaoyun had no choice but to go back home speechlessly. She was really unable to figure out what Yuan Zhou was thinking.