Who gave this heretical practitioner permission to cook?

Chapter 99 A BMW needs a good saddle; Old Master Deng's test~ (3K Second Update)
"Maple Leaf Country, BLAE Kitchenware Personal Collection Exhibition Hall"

After eating Xia Yitian's cooking, "Aleda Lorenz" had a face full of happiness.

"That's wonderful, oh my god, it's been so many years since I've tasted your cooking!"

"You haven't regressed at all; on the contrary, you've grown even more with the years. Choosing to become friends with you back then was definitely the best decision I ever made in my life!"

Xia Yitian, with a toothpick dangling from his mouth, spoke in a nonchalant manner.

"Aleda, three days, nine meals, you'd better remember what you said~"

It took Aleda Lorenz a while to come out of his reverie.

“I know that I am a man of my word. Now, you can take back the kitchenware you left with me for the price you paid back then.”

"Don't worry, they're very well preserved, even better than when you gave them to me."

Xia Yitian did not deny it. After all, Aleda Lorenz was a world-renowned collector of kitchenware. As a financial tycoon, he had a group of people under his command who collected and stored kitchenware.

Counting up, there's the famous chef's knife from the ancient Tang Dynasty called "Listening to the Rain," and counting down, there's the knife that the God of Cookery used when he practiced.

For chefs, this place is both a history museum and a paradise for kitchen utensils.

Because beneath the collection room lies the largest custom kitchenware warehouse in all of Canada, and it is also one of the top three custom kitchenware companies in the world.

This place does not accept chefs below "Western Level 5", and the price of each kitchen knife is astonishingly high.

At least half of the world's top chefs have commissioned custom knives here, and many chefs even consider it an honor to receive a "BLAE" brand kitchen utensil.

An hour later, Xia Yitian walked out of the elevator carrying a black bag.

Wen Zhixia, who was waiting on the first floor, breathed a sigh of relief when she saw him come out.

"One day, what were you thinking back then, actually entrusting the kitchen utensils to 'Aleda Lorenz'?"

"You have to understand, this guy is notorious for only taking and never giving. He's returning it to you now; otherwise, we'd be in big trouble."

Xia Yitian waved his hand, carrying the black bag.

"Isn't this solved? It wasn't that difficult~"

After saying that, he looked down at the kitchen utensils in his hands, and then silently added a sentence in his mind.
"There was nothing we could do. Back then, he was the one who offered the highest price."

With a long sigh, he cleared his mind and left the "BLAE Kitchenware" building with Wen Zhixia.

On the way to the airport, Wen Zhixia asked Xia Yitian, who was sitting next to her.

"Is your comeback this time because you're after the support from above for chefs? Is the 'international exchange competition' a pretense? Your real goal is the 'Culinary Saint's Cup'?"

Xia Yitian smiled and took the toothpick out of his mouth.

"So what if they did? I'll take it back from China in the same way they took it back back then."

Wen Zhixia gasped. If it were an "international exchange competition," then in his eyes, Xia Yitian would definitely be a trump card.

It could be the "Culinary Holy Grail".
That was a competition between the King of Chefs and the King of Chefs, with the minimum entry requirements being "Chinese Level 7" and "Western Level 8".

It's called the lowest level, but in reality, it's no different from being cannon fodder.
Back then, even the "King of Mushrooms," Luo Shurong, could only barely make it into the top 200 despite his best efforts, which shows just how brutal the competition was.

Wen Zhixia hesitated for a long time before speaking.
"Only four years left, at your current pace."

Xia Yitian smoothed her hair.

"There are still four years left, what's there to be afraid of, Wen Zhixia? You're not losing faith in me, are you? You didn't say that back then!"

Wen Zhixia was silent for a moment, then spoke.

"I understand. If it's a 'domestic and international exchange competition,' the itinerary I've designed is sufficient."

"But if it's the 'Culinary Holy Grail,' then we'll have to go all out."

"By the way, now that you've finished, aren't you going to give Xia Ming a call?"

Xia Yitian raised an eyebrow.

"You're right~ Let me check if there's a signal around here~"

After saying that, he took out his phone, looked at it, and then dialed Xia Ming's video call.

"Inside Brother Hui's General Store in Sichuan and Chongqing"

Xia Ming had just returned home from Ning District when he received a video call from Xia Minhhui.

He picked up the phone and saw Xia Minhui in a car with a particularly high-end interior, with a red-haired beauty next to him.

Looking at her profile only, she looks like she's in her 30s.

Xia Ming raised an eyebrow. According to his recollection, apart from frequently going out to play cards, Xia Minhui didn't have much physical exertion, and his interpersonal relationships were mostly with the middle-aged people around him.

Xia Ming sighed when he saw that familiar face.

"I never expected him to hook up with a rich woman so quietly~ He's definitely different from the master chef~"

Xia Ming sighed, and Xia Minhui (Xia Yitian) was also taken aback.

"What do you mean, kid? You can't stand to see your old man living a good life?"

Xia Ming shook his head.

No, I just feel you've lost weight. Take care of yourself while you're out having fun!

"Oh, by the way, I've finished inventorying all the goods for you, and I've transferred the money to you, see?"

Xia Minhui nodded.

"I saw you. Are you doing alright at home?"

"It's alright. I went out a couple of days ago, and I have to go to 'Dazhu' next door tomorrow morning."

Xia Minhui raised an eyebrow, as if he had thought of something, but he continued talking.

"Dazhu? What are you going there for?"

"Being a chef requires knives, and someone introduced me to an experienced chef. I'll go check him out tomorrow."

Upon hearing Xia Ming's words, Xia Minhui was slightly taken aback, and several figures flashed through his mind.

But he didn't make a fuss; instead, he smiled and nodded.

Okay, be careful on the road!

Xia Ming chuckled. He thought Xia Minhui should be careful about his "safety." The rich woman seemed quite young; he didn't want her to bring back a troublesome younger brother.
Just as the two were chatting, Wen Zhixia suddenly spoke up.

“One day. We’ll go to the next stop in one day.” Xia Minhui turned around and glanced at her, nodding with a smile.

"Okay, whatever you say, baby~"

Seeing this, Xia Ming remained silent for a moment, then made an excuse and quietly hung up the video call.

He didn't have a problem with eating dog food, he just felt that driving like that, there was a risk that the car would come back before the person did.
Even though it's a high-quality replica, at least there's something to look forward to.
Just after Xia Ming hung up the phone, Xia Yitian turned around and looked at Wen Zhixia.

"Wen Zhixia, I've always thought of you as a stunningly beautiful and incredibly intelligent woman. I never imagined you'd make such a mistake. You didn't forget that I called you Xia Minhui during the video call, did you?"

Wen Zhixia was about to retort, but she was stunned when she heard the praise.

After a long while, she just blushed and murmured.

"I just got used to calling him that, so it makes sense now, doesn't it?"

Xia Yitian blinked, then spoke with deep emotion.

"One day" is a name that belongs only to the two of us, our secret~ I hope you can keep it~

Wen Zhixia paused slightly, her face turning completely red, and then nodded obediently.

After the vehicle passed an intersection, Wen Zhixia spoke again.

"Xia Ming wants kitchen utensils, is it because he wants to participate in the 'New Chef Competition' in a month and a half?"

Xia Yitian raised an eyebrow.

"It's highly likely. After all, I keep a few knives at home for regular practice. They may not look very good, but they're actually quite good to use."

Wen Zhixia frowned when she heard that Xia Ming was going to the "New Chef Competition".

"This year's competition is being broadcast live nationwide, and all the chefs, big and small, are involved. It's incredibly difficult. Why don't you go back and give him some pointers? We can still make up for it in a little over a month."

Xia Yitian put a new toothpick in his mouth.

"What kind of guidance? Should we guide him on cooking, identifying ingredients, or how to be flexible?"

"Putting aside whether he will listen to me, in my eyes, based on his performance on 'One Meal to Fame,' he doesn't need to learn these things at all."

“Wen Zhixia, I remember telling you this a long time ago.”

"In the world of cooking, the master leads you in, but the rest is up to you. What this kid lacks right now is real competition experience, so let him be."

Wen Zhixia asked, puzzled.

"But didn't you say you were going to find him a teacher?"

Xia Yitian shook his head.

"You were the one who said it, right? I was just agreeing with you. You were the one who gave me the number, don't you remember?"

Upon hearing this, Wen Zhixia's eyes flickered, and then she stopped the car in a safe place nearby.

Xia Yitian was slightly taken aback.

Why are you stopping here? Aren't we on our way to the airport?

Wen Zhixia silently took out a pair of gloves from the driver's seat.

"It's nothing, I just suddenly remembered something 'happy,' so..."

Bang, bang, in the wilderness, a car vibrates rhythmically by the roadside as if breathing.

A Chinese couple traveling by car passed by and, seeing the gentle undulations of the road, couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.

"As expected of an overseas location, it's very open."

"The next day, in Dazhu, Sichuan-Chongqing region."

Xia Ming took the address given to him by Xie Tingfeng and arrived at a residential area of ​​bungalows. After several unsuccessful attempts to find the address using the unreliable map, he asked a security guard passing by.

Unexpectedly, the security guard pointed him in the right direction before he even finished saying his address.

"Go straight ahead, then turn right and keep going until you reach the end. The place you see when you see a bunch of people at the entrance is it."

Hearing the security guard's words, Xia Ming raised an eyebrow, sensing that something was amiss.

Sure enough, after following the route, he saw a dozen or so people sitting at the entrance.

Seeing Xia Ming walk over, one of the boys looked helpless.

"Alright, another unlucky guy."

Another girl shouted something at Xia Ming.

"Are you trying to find Deng Xiaowen, or Old Master Deng? I advise you not to waste your energy and to go back as soon as possible!"

Xia Ming narrowed his eyes slightly upon hearing the girl's words.

Indeed, the address that Nicholas Tse gave him was none other than the address of Mr. Deng Xiaowen's private studio.

According to Xie Tingfeng, Mr. Deng is an inheritor of the intangible cultural heritage of "Deng Chun Dao" (a type of knife). Now 80 years old, he has been wielding the knife all his life and his skills can be described as unparalleled.

If Xia Ming could obtain a set of knives personally crafted by Grandpa Deng, it would be like adding wings to a tiger.

"The thing is, Nicholas Tse didn't tell me there were so many people here! Wait, they seem to be waiting for something~"

After thinking for a moment, he stood next to the girl who had called him earlier and started a conversation.

With the help of modeling, Xia Ming understood the current situation after chatting with the girl for a while.

With the "New Chef Competition" approaching, many aspiring chefs with resources are hoping to come and ask for his services, but the old man is too old and lacks the energy to receive so many people.

Although his son Deng Xiujian is the heir, he is obsessed with business and has now turned Deng Chundao into an assembly line enterprise, no longer able to create glory by hand.

So, in the end, Deng Xiaowen's granddaughter, Deng Fangqing, came up with a solution.

Every day, a "test question" is hung at the door. The junior chef has to make a dish, first pass Deng Fangqing's test, and then pass Deng Xiaowen's test.

Both of them enjoyed the meal, which is why they were invited inside to discuss the knife.
"But the problem is that Deng Fangqing has lived in the Guangzhou-Shenzhen area since birth and prefers light flavors, while Deng Xiaowen has always lived in Sichuan and Chongqing and prefers strong flavors. Their tastes don't match, so it's really too difficult to find a dish that satisfies both of them."

The girl said she had been staking out the location for five days, failing every day, and now she had lost all confidence.

Just as she finished talking with Xia Ming, a beautiful woman in her early twenties dressed in Hanfu walked out of the courtyard. After glancing at everyone, she posted today's cooking theme on the wall.

Xia Ming looked up and found that there was only one simple word on it.

【fish】

(End of this chapter)