Under Xiangling's control, by the time all the food had been eaten, everyone's stomachs were just about half full. With still some time before eight o'clock, the group dispersed to rest nearby.
Xiangling began preparing ingredients for the upcoming competition.
Klee and Paimon played together, picking Sweet Flowers from the ground and tasting them. To their delight, they were sweet too! Soon, they started raiding all the nearby Sweet Flowers.
After finishing her meal, Rosaria melted into the darkness, whereabouts unknown.
Sucrose was busy consulting Albedo about alchemy, hoping she could contribute to the development of the grand protective shield.
Shen Qin didn't see Lumine around, but instead spotted Venti sitting on a rock, gazing off toward the Stormterror's Lair.
He walked over and sat down beside him.
Venti turned to him with a mischievous smile. "You lied to me about having wine. I didn't even see a shadow of it."
"Haro," Shen Qin called out, summoning Haro and pulling a bottle of wine from its belly, handing it to him. "Top-tier white wine, aged thirty years in the Dawn Winery. It's yours. But I suggest you wait a bit — meat tastes even better when paired with wine."
Venti reluctantly took one look at the bottle and turned his head away. "Better hold onto it for me for now. I'm afraid I won't be able to resist drinking it right away."
Shrugging helplessly, Shen Qin stuffed the wine back into Haro's belly.
"You know what we've been running around doing today? We're planning to build a giant protective barrier to wrap the entire city of Mondstadt, so next time Stormterror attacks, there'll be no damage at all."
"That's an impressive idea," Venti said in genuine admiration.
Shen Qin sighed. "But it's not enough. The shield might fend off elite monsters, but Stormterror is too powerful. If he goes all out, the barrier would be little more than reinforced paper — unless…"
"Unless what?" Venti asked.
"I heard that on the day of the calamity, Mondstadt was blessed by Barbatos himself. That's why the damage wasn't worse. If we could infuse that divine blessing into the shield, it would be flawless. Unfortunately, no one's seen Barbatos since that day."
Venti chuckled. "The wind is everywhere. If you shout into the sky, maybe he'll hear you and grant your wish."
Shen Qin gave him a conflicted look— What a bastard! Still teasing me at a time like this. What a wicked personality!
He waved his hand dismissively. "Whatever. I might as well just go back to Liyue with Xiangling. Mondstadt's too dangerous with all these dragon disasters."
Venti: "…"
Smiling helplessly, Venti pulled out his lyre and played a melody. The tune floated gently across the quiet night sky…
No matter whether it's a soft breeze, a refreshing wind, a strong gale, or a raging storm — they will all protect you, and all the people of Mondstadt.
Close to eight o'clock, they returned to the steakhouse, where Chef Brook was already waiting, along with a few locals from Springvale.
"There are fifteen guests in total," Brook said. "After tasting, they'll vote. Whoever gets the most votes wins."
She was serious about food — even though the young girl before her didn't look like much, she would still give her all.
Xiangling was fired up. "Let's begin!"
Both entered the open kitchen to start cooking. A professional shows their skills with the first move — once Xiangling got started, Brook immediately realized she was dealing with a seasoned chef and grew even more serious.
True to her word, Xiangling used only Mondstadt's local ingredients.
She placed thick pork steaks, about one centimeter each, onto the grill. While grilling, she continuously brushed both sides with a broth made from Small Lamp Grass. The meat juices mixed with the broth, releasing an incredibly savory aroma that made everyone in the hall swallow involuntarily.
"This little girl's no joke — look at her flipping technique and sauce control, she's no worse than any chef in town."
"Yeah, even though I haven't tasted it yet, with this smell alone, it's guaranteed to be good."
"Shhh! Be quiet, you guys! Let them cook."
The Springvale locals were amazed by Xiangling's skills and eagerly anticipated the outcome.
Meanwhile, Shen Qin's group stared hungrily at the meat, their stomachs growling: I want it, I want it!
After brushing the Small Lamp Grass broth for a minute, Xiangling coated the steaks with a rich sauce made from Mist Flowers and Windwheel Asters, grilling them for another minute before plating. Finally, she sprinkled a thin layer of chili powder on top.
By then, Brooke had finished her own dish as well. Together, they served their steaks to the fifteen judges.
Since there were many tasters, each person only got half or a quarter of a steak — but that was enough to form an opinion.
"Brook's steak uses our traditional Springvale method — it preserves the original flavor of the meat while completely removing any gamey taste. You could eat it every day and never get tired!"
"Xiangling's steak is delicious too! The fresh flavors of Small Lamp Grass and Windwheel Aster initially overpower the meat, but after the chili powder kicks in, the pork's flavor and the sweet undertone from the Mist Flower bloom together — and once the Mist Flower's sweetness fades, you're left with pure, rich meatiness!"
Everyone gave both chefs high praise, but a winner still had to be chosen.
The first local smiled apologetically at Brooke. "I vote for Miss Xiangling's steak."
"I'll vote for Brook!"
…
Soon the results came in: Xiangling received twelve votes, Brooke three.
Brook tried Xiangling's steak herself and accepted the result wholeheartedly.
When she learned that the young girl was none other than the famous Liyue Harbor chef Xiangling, she became even friendlier.
"Would you consider opening a steakhouse here in Springvale? I'm sure many people would love your steaks!" she asked sincerely.
"No way! I still have to travel across Teyvat in search of new ingredients and dishes!" Xiangling shook her head vigorously. "But I can leave my recipe here — I hope more people can enjoy this taste!"
Brook was stunned. "T-This is too precious!"
"Food is meant to be shared!"
"Thank you so much! I'll definitely share this recipe with all the chefs in Springvale!"
"Hehe, no problem! But Miss Brook, could I ask for a favor in return?" Xiangling scratched her head sheepishly. "I promised my friends they could eat as much steak as they want — can I borrow your kitchen for a bit?"
"Of course!" Brook nodded. "And if you don't mind, I'll whip up a few delicious dishes too!"