CHAPTER 794: CHAPTER 793: SPLENDOR HIDDEN IN SIMPLICITY

A flash of light, a thud, and it fell into the white porcelain bowl.

It was a perfect moment, beautifully set off by the brilliant winter sunlight, dazzling and spectacular in the bowl.

The exaggerated visual effect rendered the entire audience speechless.

After a while,

When the camera’s focus sharpened and the halo effect on the exterior faded, the people watching through the broadcast screen finally snapped back to reality.

The square exploded with noise.

"Was that flash of light just an illusion?"

"Relax, it was a reflection from the camera!"

"Look at what’s inside the bowl—"

The three judges’ gazes were fixed on the food in the bowl from start to finish.

Xu Liuyue’s mouth opened slightly in disbelief as she carelessly flipped the cover of the container, and like a magician casting a spell, a glimmering object tumbled out. She looked closely and exclaimed, "Pearls?"

Indeed.

The object fell and spread out in the bowl, each grain distinct.

It was like pearls or sago that had been boiled until soft and sticky, becoming translucent and shimmering under the sun.

"Grains, cooked like this?"

Zhao Qi’s eyes grew wide.

"How was this achieved?" he murmured, then shook his head vehemently, sniffing the air for any scent that wasn’t there, suspiciously asking, "Wait, why is there no smell?"

"Color, fragrance, taste!"

"Can a dish be complete without the essential puzzle piece of flavor?"

The white bowl held transparent, pale grains.

This sight, not only did it confound the onlookers, but the expressions of the three judges on stage were also off.

"Check the jar—"

Mu Nanzhi quietly prompted the dazed Xu Liuyue.

"Oh, oh!"

The lead female judge then looked down at the ceramic jar and poured some cooked grains into two other bowls.

Uh!

Xu Liuyue, looking puzzled, seeing that no more could be poured out, shook the jar.

Nothing but grains.

No sauce, no additional liquid.

"Bang!"

Someone struck the table.

The nationally acclaimed chef and veteran top-tier cook, Chen Zhen, slammed the table and angrily declared, "This is an unfinished dish!"

"Unfinished?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Qi’s heart skipped a beat, then his eyes gleamed with malevolent glee, "My goodness, that guy has an audacious nerve, daring to mock the judges on the New Year’s Eve competition stage?"

Thinking this, Zhao Qi muttered to himself.

Wait a minute!

When Xia Yu handed him the tray, his face was all smiles, not showing any sign of reluctance.

Moreover, Zhao Qi had been perplexed these past two days, feeling he had seen that face somewhere before. Where could it be?

"Contestant A998, please come to the stage immediately and explain!"

The irritated judge, Chen Zhen, shouted into the microphone.

Mu Nanzhi also had a stern face, "All that glitters is not gold. Just ’form’ without taste doesn’t make it food, let alone a delicacy!"

Only Xu Liuyue managed to remain somewhat calm, although internally she was relentlessly sarcastic—

Hey, idol, was it necessary to make your premier performance back home like this?

She had recognized Xia Yu earlier and also noted Xia Yu’s kitchen station number.

It was definitely A998, no mistake.

"Cough!"

Xu Liuyue knew she had to step forward and cover for her idol; she couldn’t let this scene collapse in her hands. She cleared her throat and feigned anger, "Since it’s a contestant’s dish, we should at least taste it before commenting!"

Finished speaking, she grabbed a porcelain spoon.

There weren’t many transparent grains, and only after the spoon scraped the bottom of the bowl was she able to barely fill it.

Her lips parted slightly, and the particles vanished.

The camera focused on Xu Liuyue’s face for a long time.

At the moment of swallowing, the celebrity and renowned female chef’s eyes suddenly flew open, her usually expressive large eyes now showing only the whites.

How could one describe it?

These particles, after mysterious culinary preparation, strikingly resembled salmon roe.

The moment they entered her mouth, the slippery, slimy texture made Xu Liuyue realize that her earlier observation of these transparent particles was just superficial.

Eyes can deceive people, and the Asian trichotomy is a bloody example.

At first glance, the transparent particles appeared dry, without a trace of moisture, but once truly swallowed, a seemingly residual, nearly evaporated sticky substance mixed with saliva in her mouth.

"Boom!"

A sudden explosion of flavor caused Xu Liuyue great embarrassment and even scared her into sticking out her tongue.

As her cute, reddish tongue stuck out long into the cold winter air, Xu Liuyue gasped for breath, and her previously shattered facial expression instantly returned to normal.

She lifted her left hand to her chest, a drop of cold sweat dripping from her jaw.

Drip.

Thus, a few wet spots appeared on the judging table.

The actress, having caught her breath, continued to lightly pat her chest at an even pace. She noticed the stares from those nearby, including Zhao Qi, all watching her in astonishment from a few steps away—even the camera lenses were aimed at her.

Her cheeks flushed, Xu Liuyue offered no explanation, only letting out a silvery laugh gently, "If you tried it, your reaction might be even worse than mine!"

Indeed.

Xu Liuyue was mentally prepared, because she knew who the cook of this dish was.

If an innocent bystander unwittingly tasted it, their reaction might be like that of someone seizing after stealing forbidden fruit.

Xu Liuyue no longer paid attention to the outside world, her eyes solely on the food.

She took another spoonful.

Her teeth and tongue pressed against the incoming transparent particles, crushing them instantly, soft beyond belief.

The splendor that burst forth in that moment of dissolution left Xu Liuyue entranced.

Whoosh—

She became a solitary drifter on the ocean, engulfed by a colorful storm, trembling in her small boat, yet profoundly shocked by the tempest that shook her spirit.

Seeing Xu Liuyue’s face turn crimson, as if drunk, Chen Zhen and Mu Nanzhi were astonished.

"Let’s give it a try then!"

Chen Zhen placed a spoonful of particles into his mouth, "The texture is quite good, the particles perfectly cooked..."

He subconsciously praised.

Crack!

The moment his molars began to compress the particles in his mouth, Chen Zhen found it impossible to speak any further.

A wave of dazzling light surged towards him, making the male judge involuntarily lean back.

"What is it?!"

He cried out.

"It’s nothing fancy, just ordinary steamed flour."

A voice answered from somewhere.

Chen Zhen, Mu Nanzhi, and Xu Liuyue saw a kitchen appear before them, with a young chef busy at the counter, his back to them.

"First, using Astragalus, fresh ginger, lamb, lamb marrow, distiller’s grains, lotus root, braised flour, and wild yam to make a soup..." the young man casually tossed ingredients into a deep pot, his profile radiating calmness.

"About the braised flour, I want to mention using lamb fat, frying the dry flour until golden."

Then, the three of them watched as Xia Yu sprinkled the richly brewed soup into a steaming hot steamer.

Sizzle.

Therefore, a faint aroma wafted through the smoke.

"Steaming flour with soup?"

"Isn’t that Eight Treasures Soup? Steaming particle flour with Eight Treasures Soup should logically evaporate the flavor in high heat, shouldn’t it?"

"If one could directly steam a dish with such rich soup and create a dazzling flavor, it would be truly unimaginable!"

Chen Zhen and Mu Nanzhi, one after another, began to discuss the dish.

Xu Liuyue, however, did not join in, her lips curved in a captivating smile.

"I finally got to taste it!"

Her heart thrummed with excitement, but more so, she was enveloped in the surprise that brilliance brings, "Indeed, a person’s reputation, like a tree’s shadow. In the culinary world, a chef with high renown is sure to possess corresponding skills."

"But what a pity, he’s gone, damn, he fled so quickly!" Xu Liuyue then secretly ground her teeth, "Once I’m done here, I must find him for a photo together! And get his autograph!"