Chapter 100

(Continuing to beg for monthly votes, Xiaodao needs to climb the rankings, thank you all very much)

Lu Tai's choice received full support from Lu Sidin. The ingredients of shark fin, sea cucumber, abalone, fish bone, fish maw, shrimp, asparagus, and ham were all the best for Lu Tai. The chicken was a free-range Sanhuang chicken from the mountainous province, ensuring that the dish Lu Tai would eventually prepare would maintain the most perfect taste.

The day before the competition, at Lu Sidin's request, Lu Tai prepared a dish called "Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea to Amuse the Arhats." As soon as the dish was made, everyone at the Dingtian Restaurant, including Lu Sidin, smiled and unanimously believed that the champion of this competition was no longer in doubt, and it would definitely be in Lu Tai's pocket.

The next day, the food competition officially began, and Lu Tai went to the competition venue at the TV station's broadcasting hall with Lu Sidin.

After entering the broadcasting hall, Lu Tai was still immersed in the splendor around him when an ordinary-looking man blocked the path of Lu Sidin and Lu Tai.

"Lu Sidin, I heard you found a young chef who claims to be a genius. It seems to be the one behind you? I really didn't expect him to be so young. Most chefs at his age are still apprentices, right?"

Lu Sidin smiled slightly, "Lu Tian, I didn't expect your sources to be so good. It seems many people in the Dingtian Restaurant are still in private communication with you. But it doesn't matter. I never intended to keep Lu Tai's existence a secret. Lu Tai, let me introduce you. This is Uncle Lu, your Uncle Lu's best brother."

Lu Tai nodded at Lu Tian, "Hello, Uncle Lu."

Lu Tian chuckled, ignoring Lu Tai's greeting, and instead said to Lu Sidin, "Well, Lu Sidin, I didn't expect you to be so stubborn. You're not really planning to let this kid represent the Dingtian Group in the competition, are you?"

Before Lu Sidin could answer, Lu Tai interjected, "Uncle Lu, I've heard Uncle Lu talk about your excellent culinary skills. I'm quite looking forward to the opportunity to learn from you this time."

Seeing that Lu Sidin did not respond to his provocation, Lu Tian laughed and said to Lu Sidin in a low voice, "Old Lu, we've known each other for years. Do I not understand your tricks? This young man is just a cover for you. You first build up his reputation as a genius, then pretend to fail in the competition. Then you say a few polite words about him being young and having a future, so everyone won't focus on the fact that the Dingtian Group has lost its top chef, right?"

After saying this, Lu Tian did not wait for Lu Sidin to answer, turned around, and left with a low laugh.

Lu Sidin watched Lu Tian's departing back, his voice low enough for only Lu Tai to hear, "Lu Tian, I want you to think this way. I want you to spread this message to other food groups. When Lu Tai really wins the championship, I want to see how you can still mix in the food circle of the mountainous province."

After hearing Lu Sidin's low words, Lu Tai suddenly felt a wave of disgust. He still couldn't adapt to such business warfare. He couldn't understand how two close friends could become so estranged in the face of interests, even resorting to underhanded tactics to bring each other down.

It was the story between Lu Sidin and Lu Tian that made Lu Tai make up his mind at this moment. He would leave the Good Fortune to Sun Fat. After participating in this food competition, he would discuss with Fat the matter of withdrawing.

The reputation of Good Fortune had already been established. Whether Lu Tai was in the kitchen or not was no longer as important. Sun Fat had recently become even more eccentric and unscrupulous, perhaps due to the growing business. Regardless, Lu Tai did not want to ruin his friendship with Sun Fat over interests.

Just as Lu Tai made up his mind, the food competition in Jibei, Shanzhong Province, finally began.

"Hello, everyone at the venue and viewers at home!"

A beautiful woman with a microphone walked to the front of the stage, bowed deeply to the audience, and then stood up. The bright lights shone on her, making Lu Tai almost pop his eyes out.

"I am your old friend Yan Nanfei, and I will be hosting this year's food competition again." Yan Nanfei looked radiant under the spotlight, and no one could imagine that she had been thoroughly embarrassed by a chubby guy at Good Fortune not long ago, almost vomiting blood.

As Yan Nanfei introduced the participating chefs from the ten food groups one by one, they took the stage in turn.

"This is Chef Pang Donghai from Lion Tower, an old friend of ours. Chef Pang always presents us with a exquisite dish every year. I wonder what surprise he will bring us this time."

"Next to take the stage is Chef Sun Mingli from Yanhuilou. Chef Sun is very skilled in seafood. His oil-burst sea snail in the last competition left a deep impression on the audience. I hope Chef Sun will have an even more outstanding performance this time."

"This chef is even more familiar to everyone. He is the champion of the last food competition, Chef Lu Tian. Last year, Chef Lu represented the Dingtian Group, but this year he represents the newly opened Mingyuelou Food Group. With Chef Lu's exquisite skills, the Mingyuelou Food Group may create an unbreakable record, becoming the champion of the Jibei sub-venue in its first year of operation."

"Finally, please welcome the representative chef of the last champion, the Dingtian Group, to the stage. The biggest contributor to the Dingtian Group's victory last year, Chef Lu, has left. I wonder which famous chef will represent the Dingtian Group this time. Let me check the list submitted by the Dingtian Group. Oh, it's Chef Lu Tai. This name is quite unfamiliar. Let's take a look..."

At this point, Yan Nanfei hesitated slightly, but it was so subtle that only those who knew her well would notice.

Yan Nanfei suddenly realized that the person taking the stage was the chef from Good Fortune who had embarrassed her a few days ago. How could this be? Had Lu Sidin from the Dingtian Group gone mad? How could he dare to invite a chef from a roadside shop to represent the Dingtian Group in such an important competition?

"This Chef Lu is so young, so young that one might suspect he is just an assistant to a famous chef."

Due to her dislike of Good Fortune, Yan Nanfei had unconsciously committed a major taboo for a host, bringing strong personal feelings into her work. She began to belittle Lu Tai without realizing that he represented the massive Dingtian Group. If she angered Lu Sidin, she would be crushed like an ant, no matter how she struggled.

Lu Tai was also frustrated. He hadn't expected the host of this food competition to be Yan Nanfei. This was also because Lu Tai had not paid much attention to food news before. This was actually the third food competition Yan Nanfei had hosted.

Yan Nanfei clearly realized that her sarcasm about Lu Tai was inappropriate, so she quickly tried to make amends, "Of course, it is precisely because Chef Lu is so young that people have even more expectations for him, hoping he will burst with the youthful energy and passion of a young man, bringing us a unique food competition."

As Lu Tai took his place in front of the Dingtian Group's position, all the participants of this year's food competition were in place.

After introducing all ten participants, Yan Nanfei did not immediately introduce the judges as in previous years. Instead, she stood excitedly at the front of the stage and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, the organizing committee of this year's food competition has prepared a surprise for everyone. The confidentiality of this matter was so tight that even I only learned about it just before coming on stage. What is this surprise?"

At this point, Yan Nanfei moved to the side and pointed to the backstage, shouting, "Please welcome the special judge of this year's food competition, the famous young actor and singer, Liu Yifei!"

As Yan Nanfei announced, the beautiful and pure Liu Yifei, wearing a light beige cheongsam, walked to the front of the stage with a smile, her eyes scanning the audience, instantly igniting a thunderous applause from the audience.

However, no one in the audience of thousands noticed that Liu Yifei's gaze had paused ever so slightly when it passed over Lu Tai. It was only after seeing Lu Tai that Liu Yifei's smile became even sweeter. (To be continued, please search for Piaowen Academy for faster updates!)