CHAPTER 62: CHAPTER 62: A FRIENDLY CONTEST

"Dad!"

Lu Chunming suddenly panicked and couldn’t help but shout, "You..."

The old dad’s words meant he planned to take on a last disciple!

Even though he had previously taken on several apprentices, the old dad never fully imparted all his skills; he kept a few tricks to himself. Otherwise, if an apprentice was enticed away by money, how could the family restaurant "Tanzhou Home" hold its ground?

Now the old dad said he would teach all his skills to Boss Xiao Jiang and Xiaowu. Wouldn’t that mean the most precious legacy of the Lu Family was leaked?

How could this be allowed?!

"Don’t say a word!"

Lu Jinseng was always the authority at home, and at this moment, he raised his hand to cut off his son’s words. No matter how red-faced he became from holding back, it was to no avail.

He looked at Jiang Yu and asked with a smile, "Boss Xiao Jiang, what do you think of my proposal? Do you want to consider it?"

"Consider what? Of course, I’m not going."

Before Jiang Yu could speak, Hu Zhihai, who had been silent beside him, muttered quietly,

"Lao Jiang’s Xiang Cuisine is not necessarily worse than yours; why would he want to be your apprentice? Isn’t being his own boss better?"

"Hmm?"

Hu Zhihai’s voice wasn’t loud, but everyone heard it, and all eyes turned to him.

Jiang Yu gave him an annoyed look and said with a smile, "Grandpa Lu, don’t mind him; he just likes to talk nonsense."

"What nonsense?"

Hu Zhihai immediately defended himself, his neck stiffening,

"The sour and spicy soup you make is also in Xiang Cuisine. Xiaolu admitted it himself, saying your sour and spicy soup, apart from the ingredients not being as good as his grandfather’s, was just as tasty!"

Lu Shuwu awkwardly nodded, "The boss’s sour and spicy soup is truly extraordinary in taste."

"It’s true, Grandpa, I’ve tasted it too. The flavor is different from yours but equally spicy, sour, salty, fresh, and fragrant, all five tastes included!"

Lu Shuyao, standing next to Lu Jinseng, whispered.

"Since even you say so, it must be true."

Although Lu Shuyao didn’t have the talent for cooking, she was a born foodie with an incredibly sensitive palate. If she said it wasn’t inferior, then it certainly wasn’t.

Lu Jinseng trusted his granddaughter greatly in this aspect.

After thinking for a moment, he looked at Jiang Yu with a complicated expression,

"But, unless I see it with my own eyes, I find it hard to believe. Boss Xiao Jiang is simply too young.

How about this, we use the same ingredients and each make a dish to compare?"

Everyone else’s eyes immediately brightened.

A culinary showdown between two master chefs would be quite a spectacle!

No matter who wins or loses, everyone present would enjoy a feast!

Just thinking about it made them drool...

"This... doesn’t seem appropriate?"

Jiang Yu was actually somewhat tempted.

Although his current culinary level was only intermediate, the system-provided recipes were remarkable, strongly compensating for his shortcomings.

Moreover, the recipes weren’t just about ingredient proportions; they included detailed techniques such as heat control and ingredient handling.

Because of this, Jiang Yu had rapidly improved through actual practice, essentially mastering the skill through repetition.

"What’s inappropriate about it? It’s perfectly fitting!"

Hu Zhihai was practically drooling, sucking in saliva and smiling foolishly,

"Lao Jiang, this is Grandpa Lu testing your cooking skills. If he offers to teach you a trick or two, you’ve hit the jackpot!"

Hu Zhihai shamelessly dismissed his previous claim that Jiang Yu’s cooking was just as good, now suggesting the opposite—he was just providing a convenient excuse to prompt Jiang Yu.

Lu Jinseng was quite cheerful, saying with a grin:

"Yes, there’s nothing wrong with it. I used to compete in cooking with fellow chefs every year. It’s just that as I’ve gotten older, I rarely do it anymore."

"What dish does Grandpa Lu intend to make?"

Hearing Lu Jinseng say this, Jiang Yu no longer declined, looking around the store with a bit of embarrassment and saying,

"The store currently doesn’t have many ingredients; we’ll need to purchase some fresh ones."

"Since that’s the case, let’s not make it too complicated, we’ll do chopped chili fish head!"

Lu Jinseng thought for a moment and smiled,

"This dish is a classic in Xiang Cuisine and the ingredients are common.

Though preparing chopped chili is a bit of trouble, making it fresh will take too long. Let’s go to the market and choose our own.

Selecting the right ingredients is a crucial skill for any chef."

"Alright, let’s do as Grandpa Lu suggested."

Jiang Yu nodded without objection.

"It’s not yet two o’clock, so let’s head out to purchase the ingredients now."

Lu Jinseng checked his watch to confirm the time and continued,

"In an hour, by three o’clock, we should be back to start cooking.

Your restaurant has evening service, so we should finish early, ensuring your business isn’t disrupted."

With that, Lu Jinseng didn’t linger, turning decisively and striding out.

Behind him, Lu Chunming and Lu Shuyao immediately followed.

Lu Shuwu, who hadn’t said much, looked conflicted about whether to go along or stay.

Seeing this, Jiang Yu smiled and waved him over:

"Brother Xiaowu, what are you waiting for? When Grandpa’s here, you should keep him company!"

"Well, then, I’ll go first."

Lu Shuwu, encouraged by Jiang Yu’s words, finally stopped hesitating and ran outside, calling back as he went,

"Boss, don’t worry, I’ll be back shortly to make soup dumplings; I won’t delay tonight’s service!"

"Xiaoyan, tidy up the shop in the meantime. Go to class if you have one, and rest here if you don’t. I’m heading out now."

Once Lu Jinseng’s group left, Jiang Yu turned to Yan Tongtong and the others, giving a few instructions before leaving.

Seeing this, Hu Zhihai chose to skip the library, quickly chasing after them.

Reading could wait; studying wouldn’t be impacted much by a brief absence. But to miss the culinary duel between Jiang Yu and the Xiang Cuisine master would haunt him with regret forever.

No one could fathom the taste of Jiang Yu’s chopped chili fish head, but even imagining the master’s version made his mouth water uncontrollably!

Who would want to miss such an intriguing showdown?