The Game of Life

“Today’s competition theme is quite unique; it’s no longer focused on ingredients, but rather a theme proposed by Mr. Xu Cheng,” Zhu Chang said, ” ‘Foundational passion’ is an interesting concept, and we can taste a hint of it in the dishes of the four contestants to varying degrees. Wu Minqi’s dish, Ants Climbing a Tree, is quite exceptional in terms of flavor, fire control, and even presentation. However, compared to the other three contestants’ dishes, it lacks a certain soul. I personally feel that this dish doesn’t represent your foundational passion. May I ask why you chose it?”

There was a microphone at the far end of the cooking station. Wu Minqi was suddenly called out and seemed a bit lost for a moment before she picked up the microphone.

“My grandfather taught me how to cook; to be precise, he taught all the younger members of our family. The only exception is this Ants Climbing a Tree. It’s my father’s specialty and the only dish he has ever taught me. As a child, what I envied the most was that whenever my father had time, he would personally cook an entire table of dishes for my mother. I also wanted to be that kind of person, with great culinary skills to cook a table full of dishes loved by the people I care for,” Wu Minqi said, “I think that is my foundational passion.”

“That’s not your foundational passion,” Zhu Chang said with a smile, “I didn’t taste any special attachment to this dish in your cooking, but I did taste very special emotions in the dishes of the other three contestants. Jiang Feng’s Century Egg and Lean Pork Congee may be a bit lacking, but the passion is strong. Indeed, discussing the foundational passion in cooking is difficult for younger contestants like you, but this isn’t it. You will understand eventually.” Wu Minqi was taken aback and looked somewhat confused.

Watching from the stage with a unique perspective, Mrs. Wu turned her head and asked Wu Hanxue, “Did you really only teach our daughter this one dish?” “There’s never been much opportunity,” Wu Hanxue said sheepishly.

“Then what do you think is our daughter’s foundational passion?” Mrs. Wu looked at Wu Minqi on stage.

“I don’t know,” Wu Hanxue said, “If she hasn’t figured it out herself, how could we possibly know?”

“I know,” Mrs. Wu said with a smile.

Zhu Chang only commented on Wu Minqi’s Ants Climbing a Tree before passing the microphone to Pei Shenghua.

“Actually, Zhu Chang didn’t mean any harm in his comments. Wu Minqi’s dish does indeed fall a bit short compared to the others, although it’s also quite good. I gave Jiang Feng’s Century Egg and Lean Pork Congee a 9.6, so let me focus on that,” Pei Shenghua began his lengthy comments.

“Jiang Feng is a contestant who always brings me a lot of surprises. Since the top eight, his Eight Treasure Congee was stunning, Sweet and Sour Yam was a surprise, and today’s Century Egg and Lean Pork Congee is comforting. He is a chef with clear strengths and weaknesses. His knife skills are extraordinary, probably the best among all the contestants here, and he has solid fundamentals. He surely went through a lot of hardships when he was learning to cook. However, his seasoning indeed lacks a bit in fire control. Even though he has a sensitive palate, for some reason his seasoning doesn’t quite match his sense of taste. But what’s more surprising is that your congee-making skills are exceptional.”

“Today, you lost to Gu Li by a mere 0.1 point, which might be regrettable, but don’t be discouraged. You are young, with endless possibilities. All four contestants today have a bright future ahead. I look forward to your future achievements and hope you continue on a path that broadens and extends ever onward.”

Polite applause rippled through the audience.

“You didn’ t really talk about his Century Egg and Lean Pork Congee,” Zhu Chang reminded him helpfully.

“Ah?” Pei Shenghua recalled, realizing his mistake. It couldn’t be helped; he was a chatterbox, and once he started speaking, he tended to get off track, eventually forgetting what he was initially talking about.

Pei Shenghua passed the microphone to Tong Deyan.

“Since the two previous judges each only commented on one contestant, I will do the same,” Tong Deyan said with a charm that made people want to hit him as soon as he spoke, “The dish Peach Blossom Shrimp stunned everyone from the moment it was served, especially the sound as the sauce poured over, which he did very well. I can guess a bit about why you chose this dish. From any perspective, it’s quite good, with practically nine tenths of your master’s finesse. Not bad.”

“Does Old Tong have some beef with Old Sir Xia?” Pei Shenghua turned and quietly discussed with Zhu Chang.

“He doesn’t get along with anyone,” Zhu Chang said.

“lean hear you,” Tong Deyan said, expressionless.

“I know. Just pretend you didn’t,” Pei Shenghua continued discussing with Zhu Chang.

Tong Deyan:…

Zang Mu picked up the microphone, uncharacteristically talkative, “Each of us knows a child like this, one who is diligent and hardworking, down-to-earth, practicing day in and day out, yet without much to show for it, appearing dull when compared to naturally gifted children. As a result, other children who are neither smart nor as hardworking mock their efforts, as if this mockery can provide them with a sense of superiority. Then, these kids either give up on their hard work and become mediocre, blending in with everyone else, or they ignore the ridicule and scorn of others, persisting day after day in what they want to do, becoming who they want to be, despite being labeled fools.”

“GuLi is the latter.”

Zang Mu looked towards the audience, his sharp gaze sweeping over each contestant in the first row, his glance serving as a silent rebuke. Sun Jikai, Zhao Shan, and the other similarly eliminated contestants from Culinary Aristocracy who had participated in the pointless derision of Gu Li felt accused by Zang Mu’s words.

Swearing was absent, yet every word struck home.

“He’s indeed not a chef of outstanding natural talent. He’s the oldest among the top 32 contestants. Today he has won the championship, but maybe in a few years, he will be surpassed by these three contestants on the stage. However, this does not mean he’s mediocre.”

“To become a good chef, you definitely need talent. You have talent, you’ll become a good chef, and you might even become a great master. I can taste your sincerity in your gold-threaded siu mai. If I’m not mistaken, this should be the first dim sum dish that Master Tan taught you. I believe you must have made it more than 7,000 times, and there will be many more sets of 7,000 to come in the future.”

“Heaven rewards the diligent.”

“What’s with Zang Mu today? Why so talkative?” Pei Shenghua asked curiously.

“Have you forgotten? He was also known in our circle for having no talent,” Zhu Chang said with a smile. “But his temper was not as good as Gu Li’s. Back then, he was so hot-headed, he was just short of stomping those guy’s face into the ground.”

“Oh?” Han Guishan hadn’t expected to come across such juicy gossip.

Zang Mu glanced over in their direction, and the about-to-speak Pei Shenghua suddenly fell silent.

Mr. Xu Cheng slowly picked up the microphone.

“I am a foodie. For years, I have firmly believed that only dishes imbued with the emotions and convictions of the chef can be considered excellent and up to standard, and only chefs who can instill emotions and convictions into their dishes can become masters. The four young chefs here today all have the potential to become masters,” Xu Cheng said, “I want to offer you four an exclusive interview with ‘Taste.’ ‘Taste’ is my life’s work. Over the past decade, it has gone from a monthly publication to an annual one. It’s getting harder and harder to discover outstanding dishes and talented chefs. You’ve given me a pleasant surprise and hope. I very much hope that ‘Taste’ can return to its original monthly schedule, and that your future can continue to surprise me.”

The faces of the young chefs below twisted with envy.

An exclusive interview with ‘Taste’ magazine!!!

Even the masters of major cuisines find it hard to get one!!!

What on earth did those four guys do to deserve this!!!

Even though they really are a bit stronger than me, a bit better-looking than me, and a bit more talented than me… but why them!!!

A top 32 chef, neither handsome nor tall, with neither strong abilities nor great talent, screamed jealously in his heart.

“Now, let’s have our staff present the awards to the top three contestants,” the hostess said with a cheerful smile.

Gu Li receives a golden trophy, Jiang Feng receives a smaller silver trophy, and Zhang Guanghang receives an even smaller bronze trophy.

Just looking at the trophies, you can tell that the organizers made them with care.

Jiang Feng noticed that the base of his silver trophy was engraved with “2nd Place in the 2nd Good Taste Culinary Competition.”

“Ding, side mission [Challenge of the Same Trade] completed. Mission reward: [One Kitchen Knife].”

“Ding, hidden mission [Jiang Weiguo’s Pride] completed. Mission reward: [A Memory of Jiang Weiguo].”

The moment Jiang Feng stepped down from the award podium, the familiar system prompt sounded in his mind after a long absence.

So, this game actually waits until the competition is over to settle the results.

The competition was over, and everyone was preparing to leave from backstage when a staff member stopped them.

“Sorry, sorry, could you four please record another VCR? Just to answer a few questions, it will be broadcast during the variety show,” a provincial station staff member came over and asked.

It was just a few questions, and all four nodded in agreement.

Prior to the competition, everyone had experience recording VCRs, and with so many episodes filmed, they weren’t camera shy. They recorded one after another, really just a few simple quick questions.

Zhang Guanghang, as the face of the competition, was naturally the first to record a VCR.

“May I ask why you chose ‘Peach Blossom Dish’ as your final entry?” the assistant director asked, holding a small notebook.

“Peach Blossom Dish is the first real Chinese dish I ever ate, and the first I learned to cook. Because of this dish, I stayed in Beiping, where I learned Chinese, studied history, read poetry and historical texts. I discovered an entirely different cuisine, a different people, and a different culture. This dish might not have been my original passion for cooking, but it was for Chinese cuisine,” ZhangGuanghang said.

“Do you plan on staying in China for your career, or will you go back to France?”

“I’ll be working in Beiping for the next few years, but I can’t say for sure about anything beyond that.”

“The last question, highly anticipated by netizens, is: if you were to look for a girlfriend, what type would you choose?” the assistant director asked with a gossip-hungry grin.

“Pretty,” he replied, a bit too honestly.

“Okay, that’s all the questions, thank you for your cooperation.”

The second person was Jiang Feng.

“The old question again, why did you choose Century Egg and Lean Pork Congee as your final entry?”

“Actually, my family’s situation is a bit like Wu Minqi’s. My cousins and I were taught cooking by our grandfather from a young age, but I never liked it,” Jiang Feng said. “I can say with certainty that until last summer, I never enjoyed learning cooking. I gave it up when I was in ninth grade and didn’t pick it up for many years. That changed last summer when I found out that my neighbor had fallen gravely ill due to excessive dieting.”

“At first, I just wanted to help her return to a normal diet, so I started Cooking Porridge, different kinds every day. They were all terrible. Century Egg and Lean Pork Congee was a starting point; from there, I began to think about how to make a pot of congee taste better. After that, I picked up the knife again and continued practicing my culinary skills.”

“Okay, that’s all the questions, thankyou for your cooperation.”

Jiang Feng: ???

Zhang Guanghang got asked three questions, and I only got one. This blatant favoritism! Do I really look like a guy with no story?

The third person was Wu Minqi.

“You got fourth place, are you disappointed?”

“I am disappointed, but I did try my best,” she said.

“I know you’ve been focusing on Sichuan cuisine these years. Do you plan to learn other cuisines in the future?”

“Yes,” Wu Minqi answered succinctly.

“The third question might be a bit personal, and you can choose not to answer. How has your life changed after falling in love, or what impact did it have on today’s final?”

“It has changed. I feel like everything in the world has become more beautiful, more vibrant, and richer,” Wu Minqi answered with a smile.

“Alright, thankyou for your cooperation.”

The last one was Gu Li; after winning the champion, his stoic expression no longer registered as slow-witted to others but rather, the aura of a champion.

“Are you surprised that you won the championship today?”

“Surprised.”

“… Then, do you have any plans of changing jobs in the future? According to our research, you seem to be undervalued at Taste House.”

“No.”

“… Okay, thankyou for your cooperation.”

After the VCR recordings were done, Jiang Feng and the others had to totally say goodbye to the Good Taste Culinary Competition.

This competition lasted nearly a month, and suddenly it was over; Jiang Feng actually felt a bit reluctant to leave.

“How’s the renovation at Taifeng Building going?” Zhang Guanghang asked.

“We have settled on a renovation company and are currently discussing details. We should be starting renovations soon,” said Jiang Feng.

“I’m returning to Beiping tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow? What time tomorrow?” Jiang Feng was surprised that Zhang Guanghang was so eager to leave.

“Tomorrow night’s flight. My master doesn’t have much time left, and I want to go back and spend time with him. If Taifeng Building runs into any problems during the opening, feel free to contact me. I’ll be in Beiping and can help you sort things out,” Zhang Guanghang said.

Jiang Feng nodded, at this point not inclined to pretense: “How about you come to my family’s restaurant for lunch tomorrow? I’ve already had the design plans drawn up; you could help me take a look.”

“Sure,” Zhang Guanghang agreed without hesitation, “and remember, ‘Taste’ magazine interview is a great opportunity for promotion. It could be used to publicize Taifeng Building.”

Jiang Feng also thought about it: “Yeah, just don’t know when they’ll start the interview.”

“They probably won’t do it anytime soon. Usually, ‘Taste’ magazine issues a new edition between June and August. As long as Taifeng Building opens around June or July, it should be in time for the magazine’s promotion period,” Zhang Guanghang explained, “We can talk more about it at lunch tomorrow. It looks like your family is waiting for you over there.”

Since the competition ended early today, Jiang Jianguo and the others were waiting at the entrance for Jiang Feng, evidently planning to have a meal together, with Wu Hanxue and Mrs. Wu also present.

Jiang Feng and Wu Minqi walked towards them, smiles on everyone’s faces.

“It’s okay,” Mrs. Wu comforted Wu Minqi, who had a tough day on stage and didn’t even clinch a trophy.

“I’m fine, Mom,” Wu Minqi reassured her in return.

“Let’s go eat, I’ve booked a big private room at Imperial Meal Tavern!” Jiang Jianguo said excitedly.

With more people than cars, they had to split up. Jiang Feng, Jiang Junlian, Jiang Junqing, and Jiang Zaidi all squeezed into the back seat of a standard sedan, with the rest managing to find space as well.

“Brother, you really need to lose some weight; your arm is poking me,” Jiang Junlian said with disdain.

Jiang Feng: ???

Trapped in the cramped space, his facial expression almost warped, barely able to breathe, he struggled to look at Jiang Junlian’s arm.

With a good 150 pounds to your name, shouldn’t you know better who’s being poked?

“Little brother, your bones do poke a bit,” said Jiang Zaidi.

Jiang Feng:…

“Oh.”