Gulp...
Hearing Master Baiyao's words, Li Wanwan and the others couldn't help but swallow hard, exchanging glances filled with shock.
This was Master Baiyao, one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Guangchu Union, actually inviting them to join him in a private room. What an incredible honor!
"Are... are we really allowed?" Li Wanwan asked, sounding uncertain. Even her father wasn't quite qualified enough to sit at the same table as Master Baiyao.
Them? What had they done to deserve this?
"Meeting by chance is destiny. Why wouldn't it be alright? I'm not some unattainable figure, just an ordinary little old man," Master Baiyao said, then smiled, glancing towards Dylan at the back of the group. He walked into the private room first, hands behind his back. Seeing this, the others hesitated no longer and quickened their pace to follow.
Still, they couldn't help but feel a bit speechless inwardly.
You? An ordinary little old man? Who would believe that if you said it outside! If word got out that you were here, countless chefs would rush over, even overnight, just to pay their respects!
Fortunately, after they entered the room, Ma Wen immediately located the other guests present that day. Offering to waive their bill for the meal as leverage, he asked them not to spread the news for a short while, also indicating that this was Master Baiyao's wish.
Thus, the news was temporarily contained.
"Everyone, don't be so formal. Just treat me like any ordinary old man. Say whatever you want to say. Especially you, young friend Dylan, didn't you say you had many questions for me?"
Through their earlier conversation, Master Baiyao had learned Dylan's name and specifically called him out to liven up the atmosphere.
Otherwise, this meal would be impossible to eat.
"Well, you never mentioned you were one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Guangchu Union. Hearing that just now really startled me," Dylan admitted. "How are those positions decided, anyway? Through cooking duels, whoever is stronger gets the spot? Or is it based on seniority – whoever has been around the longest?"
Seeing he was singled out, Dylan wasn't shy and directly voiced the question that had been puzzling him. The title 'Four Heavenly Kings' sounded so impressive, clearly representing the absolute top tier of Guangdong's culinary world. How exactly did one achieve such a rank?
"It's a bit of both, I suppose. Either you accumulate seniority like this useless old fellow here, or you rely on absolute culinary skill, continuously challenging the strong and earning the recognition of all chefs. Is young friend Dylan perhaps interested in a position among the Four Heavenly Kings of the Guangchu Union?"
Hearing Dylan's question, Master Baiyao seemed lost in thought for a moment before answering, teasing him half-jokingly.
"Don't get ahead of yourself. That has nothing to do with us. The Four Heavenly Kings of the Guangchu Union haven't changed in thirty years!" Seeing Dylan's earnest expression, Li Wanwan couldn't resist chiming in to dampen his enthusiasm.
This guy is really letting his imagination run wild. The Four Heavenly Kings of the Guangchu Union – was that something a minor character like him, who hadn't even passed the Second Grade Chef examination, could aspire to?!
"I'm not really interested in the position of Four Heavenly Kings, but I am very interested in challenging the strong. If there's a chance, I hope we can have a match," Dylan said seriously, looking at Master Baiyao and ignoring Li Wanwan's words. Challenging powerful opponents was his long-held desire, as it was the only way to make his cooking even stronger.
"A match? There will be opportunities. But the prerequisite is that you must first become a Special Grade Chef, and then grow to at least the level of Special Grade Five-Star."
Hearing Dylan's words, Master Baiyao burst into laughter, greatly appreciating his courage. As a chef, one needed this kind of fearless spirit! Otherwise, climbing to the summit would be very difficult!
Of course, at that moment, he merely regarded it as a young man's spontaneous remark.
After all, he was an absolute authority in the Guangzhou culinary world, a Special Grade Six-Star chef. It was truly hard to believe Dylan was actually serious.
"The Special Grade exam..." Dylan murmured, considering it. The timing of his arrival was rather opportune; the waiting period wasn't excessively long, nor was it too short.
"Wait, you came to Guangzhou... don't tell me you plan to take the Special Grade Chef examination?!" Hearing the conversation between Dylan and Master Baiyao, and recalling the master's unusual attitude towards him, Li Wanwan suddenly seemed to realize something, speaking out in shock.
"You finally figured it out? I felt something was off from the start. Your friend here doesn't seem like a simple character," Wang Wanqing commented from the side, unable to resist teasing the finally enlightened Li Wanwan. This girl was really hampered by her own preconceptions.
For Dylan to receive such courteous treatment from Master Baiyao, even dining with him privately earlier, how could he possibly be an ordinary person!
"Taking the Special Grade exam... Forgive my asking, but how old are you now?" Hojo Miyoko murmured to herself before suddenly asking from the side, her eyes shining with a strange light. It seemed she had found someone to strive towards.
"Nineteen."
"Isn't that younger than me?" Li Wanwan exclaimed in surprise upon hearing Dylan's age. This tall, handsome young man before her had only recently become an adult.
"Younger, huh? I like that," Wang Wanqing mused, tapping her chin as her gaze swept over Dylan's physique. Younger guys could be endearing, and she was reaching the age to consider a boyfriend. If Dylan could successfully pass the Special Grade Chef exam, maybe they could give it a try.
As for whether Dylan would agree? Please, what's being a Special Grade Chef compared to the allure of being a kept man!
While the group was chatting animatedly, the door to the private room suddenly pushed open. They turned to see Ma Wen personally carrying in the appetizers.
"The first course, Chaoshan Marinated Raw Seafood. Please enjoy."
The banquet ended close to midnight. Dylan bid farewell to the others at the restaurant entrance and headed straight back towards his hotel.
Tianfu Restaurant truly lived up to its name. Although there had been a small hiccup, once Special Grade Chef Ma Wen brought out his full capabilities, there were many commendable aspects.
At the very least, the prices on the menu were justified.
Ring ring~
On the way back to the hotel, Dylan's phone suddenly rang. He glanced down at the caller ID and saw it was Nakiri Alice, feeling a bit puzzled.
"Hey, miss me? Calling me so late."
"I missed you! Is it late? It's only seven in the evening right now, isn't it?" Lying on her incredibly soft bed, door firmly shut, the girl wore extremely flimsy pajamas. Hearing Dylan's teasing, Nakiri Alice blushed slightly, tinged with confusion.
"Oh, right. I almost forgot there's a six-hour time difference between Guangzhou and Denmark." Hearing Nakiri Alice's words, Dylan thought for a moment and then showed a look of realization. Their locations were indeed in different time zones.
"Is that so? Looks like I can't call Brother Dylan after six from now on. It must be past midnight where you are, right? Did I disturb your rest?" After a quick mental calculation, realizing it was already past one in the morning for Dylan, Nakiri Alice couldn't help but blush, thinking she had bothered him.
"No, I just finished dinner myself and am on my way back to the hotel. Calling me at this hour, did something happen at home?"
"No... I just kind of wanted to hear Brother Dylan's voice. This is the first time I've been separated from you for so long, I feel a little lonely..." Hearing Dylan's denial, Nakiri Alice let out a sigh of relief internally. It was good she hadn't disturbed him; otherwise, she'd blame herself and be unable to sleep all night.
"Then let's just keep the line open. I'll tell you about what happened today. You'll never guess who I met!" Sensing the dip in Nakiri Alice's mood, Dylan thought for a moment and decided to share his day's experiences with her.
Relatively speaking, his time here was quite exciting and fulfilling.
"Okay! I want to hear!" Hearing Dylan's words, Nakiri Alice immediately perked up. As she spoke, she lifted her long, slender legs and hugged tightly onto the long body pillow printed with Dylan's image – something she had rushed to get made today.
For the remaining year, this pillow would be her companion!
"Alright, let's start from getting on the plane..."
Three days passed in a flash. On this day, Dylan slung his Seven-Star Knives over his back and carried a utensil box filled with various seasonings in his hand. He swaggered out of the hotel and headed towards the Guangzhou Chef Examination site.
Along the way, there were quite a few people dressed in crisp white chef uniforms embroidered with "Second Grade Chef" or "Third Grade Chef," all looking sharp and energetic.
In contrast, someone like Dylan, wearing casual clothes, carrying several knives on his back, and holding a utensil box, was unique. Walking down the street, he attracted quite a few strange looks.
Dylan remained unperturbed, ignoring all the gazes, simply walking forward silently. Soon, he arrived at the location Li Wanwan had mentioned in her call.
It was a teahouse less than 100 meters from the chef examination venue, currently packed with people. The waiters were rushing around, barely able to keep up.
These were all people here to take the chef examination.
Most were seated; the few who couldn't find seats stood waiting, ordering the teahouse's signature morning tea set, happily filling their stomachs.
It was worth noting that Dylan even spotted a few foreigners inside, blond-haired and blue-eyed, standing out conspicuously in the crowd.
"Dylan! Over here, over here!"
Just as Dylan was wondering how to find Li Wanwan, a clear, sweet female voice called out from nearby. He looked over and saw Li Wanwan on the second floor, waving enthusiastically at him. Hojo Miyoko was beside her.
Seeing his gaze turn towards her, Hojo Miyoko subtly looked away. Today, she too had changed into a clean white chef's uniform.
"What? Is there a uniform requirement for the chef examination? It wasn't mentioned in the exam guidelines... Why is everyone wearing chef uniforms?"
Upon reaching the second floor, Dylan asked the question that intrigued him the most: why were all the participants here wearing chef uniforms?
"You don't know? Being neatly dressed can improve the judges' impression score, and chef uniforms have the best effect," Li Wanwan responded, looking puzzled at Dylan, who was dressed the same as the past few days. She had assumed this was common knowledge.
"So, wearing a chef uniform isn't strictly required, and it doesn't have any real practical effect?" Dylan concluded, rubbing his chin.
"Isn't improving the judges' impression score a practical effect?" Seeing Dylan's suddenly nonchalant expression, Li Wanwan couldn't help retorting. That small impression score could very well be the deciding factor in whether you pass or fail!
"Incompetent people always like to resort to tricks. Instead of considering how to conquer the judges with culinary skill, they focus on other aspects. It's fundamentally putting the cart before the horse," Dylan shook his head, disagreeing with Li Wanwan's point. If one had time to study judges' preferences, it would be better spent improving oneself.
As long as one could produce dishes that met the standard, the judges couldn't possibly deny your prior efforts just because you weren't wearing a chef uniform.
"Did you just insult us too?" Li Wanwan pouted, slightly displeased. This guy's words were really harsh, launching indiscriminate attacks like that. He made her sound like someone who relied on tricks too.
Hojo Miyoko, however, wore a thoughtful expression.
"Don't worry about the details. Where are our seats? After walking all this way, it's time for a rest."
"I remember your hotel isn't even two kilometers from the exam site, right? You're already tired after such a short distance? You really are weak," Li Wanwan retorted, not wanting to be outdone after being mocked earlier. She got her revenge on the spot.
"Whether I'm weak or not is something you'd have to experience firsthand to know." Dylan shrugged, unconcerned. Following the direction Li Wanwan pointed, he saw Wang Wanqing and Huang Ya.
Huang Ya was the fourth member of their group from the day at the restaurant.
"Ah! Pervert!" Watching Dylan walk away and pondering the deeper meaning of his words, Li Wanwan couldn't help but stomp her foot lightly, muttering under her breath, her face slightly red.
"Dylan, you're finally here! We've been waiting for you for ages." Seeing Dylan approach, Wang Wanqing took the initiative to lift the teapot and pour him tea.
She was wearing a white, sleeveless mini-dress with thin straps today, her cheeks slightly flushed, looking as delicate and beautiful as a freshly bloomed water lily.
"You've been waiting long? But doesn't registration only start at nine? Why did you come so early? By the way... are you also taking the chef exam?" Looking at Wang Wanqing's attire, although it wasn't necessary to wear a chef uniform, her outfit really didn't look like she was here for an examination.
"Huang Ya and I aren't participating. We just came to see you off." Hearing Dylan's words, Wang Wanqing couldn't help pouting slightly. This guy was such a clueless man! She dressed up so prettily just to see him!
And he still asked why they came...
Perhaps this was why he became a First Grade Chef at such a young age. Now he was even aiming for the Special Grade Chef examination. Personality, in a way, was also a kind of charm.
"I see. Thanks, then." Dylan nodded without saying much more, instead turning his gaze out the window. This spot was indeed excellent; the registration area was right outside.
Truthfully, calling it a registration 'site' was just designating an area where chefs would enter, stand, and use their phones' GPS to register, get assigned to their respective examination halls, and simultaneously pay the registration fee.
This was also to prevent people from registering and not showing up, which not only wasted a significant registration fee but also resulted in a mark against their record, preventing them from registering again for three years.
At this moment, the registration area was cordoned off with barrier tape. A dozen security guards patrolled inside to prevent anyone from sneaking in, while outside, a few chefs stood scattered around, ready to be the first to enter when the time came.
As for the other chefs, they were either still on their way or resting in nearby teahouses and restaurants.
Since the registration period lasted a full hour, they weren't worried about missing it.
Even those not adept at using smartphones could go to the manual registration desk; apart from being slightly more troublesome, the process was the same as using a phone.
"Based on previous years, from Special Grade down to Third Grade, there are at least two thousand chefs participating. Guangzhou feels even livelier this year, so the numbers might increase, and the requirements will likely become stricter..."
"The chef examination feels a bit like the college entrance exam – register first, then get assigned an exam hall. The difference is, here, the results are given on the spot."
"Even though I'm not taking the exam, just watching makes me feel nervous."
The group chatted casually, discussing various things while enjoying the snacks on the table. Dylan listened quietly beside them, absorbing useful information.
Due to the large number of participants in modern times, each chef examination had to be conducted across multiple examination halls. The Guangzhou Chef Examination, according to past practice, utilized over fifty halls for candidates.
Each hall was equipped with a chief examiner. For the First and Second Grade Chef exams, the chief examiners were all Special Grade Chefs, while Third Grade exams were proctored by First Grade Chefs.
As for the Special Grade exam...
Master Baiyao's image surfaced in Dylan's mind. Why he had suddenly appeared here, combined with the imminent start of the chef examinations, Dylan already had an answer in his heart.
And the Guangzhou Special Grade Chef Examination venue had remained unchanged for many years – right here, behind the registration area, within the Guangdong Province Chef Association building.
Inside the association building was a massive examination hall, which, due to the increasing number of chefs, was now exclusively used for the Special Grade Chef Examination.
"It's almost time. Let's head over and wait. After registration, we still need to find our exam halls, so time isn't exactly abundant." Checking the time on her phone, Li Wanwan seemed somewhat excited. Hojo Miyoko immediately stood up upon hearing this, and Dylan followed suit.
"Then we'll wait for you two here. Wishing you swift success and victory!" Savoring the Crystal Shrimp Dumplings before her, Wang Wanqing wore a blissful expression. Indeed, morning tea was the greatest invention in the world. Pure enjoyment!
"We'll head off then." Li Wanwan said, leaving the teahouse. Dylan and Hojo Miyoko quickly followed.
Soon, the three arrived at the registration site. By now, it was packed with people, and the time had just struck nine as they arrived.
Instantly, the crowd surged. They struggled considerably to squeeze into the designated area. After successfully registering via their phones, the three parted ways at the entrance of the registration grounds.
"Alright, I'm heading to Exam Hall 3 next, Miyoko is in Exam Hall 18, and Dylan is right here. Let's meet back at the teahouse after the exam. Good luck!" Li Wanwan announced their post-exam meeting spot after checking the details on their phones.
"Okay."
"Understood."
Dylan and Hojo Miyoko acknowledged, then turned and left the area in different directions. Seeing them go, Li Wanwan also headed towards her assigned exam hall.
Elsewhere.
After parting ways, Dylan arrived at the Special Grade Chef Examination site – more accurately, the entrance. He found an empty spot and closed his eyes to rest and gather his thoughts.
There was still some time before the examination began.
_____
Director Hu Returns! 📣 New Release & Special Patreon Promotion!
Director Hu is back with an exciting new release! 🎉 To celebrate, enjoy special discounts on our Patreon tiers:
✨ 12% OFF: 'Director of Wangsheng Funeral Home' Tier (Code: BEATRICE)
✨ 6% OFF: 'Wangsheng Funeral Home Consultant' Tier (Code: RAM)
Unlock More Bonus Chapters! 🔓 New Patreon Goals:
Help us unlock multiple bonus chapters! We currently have 40 amazing Patreon supporters (Thank you! 🙏).
🎯 Goal: 50 Patreon Members = Get 10 bonus Chapters!
➕ Community Milestones: Every 100 Powerstones OR 5 New Reviews = 1 Bonus Chapter Released!
Support Walnutchan on Patreon:
👻 patreon.com/Walnutchan 👻