The story begins in Food Wars, when Alice took him home.

"A setback can lead to a leap in culinary skills, which is undoubtedly a very worthwhile trade."

Beside him, Zhou Tai began to speak with a smile.

Although Kurokiba Ryo lost the match, he realized his shortcomings, which can be considered a blessing in disguise in some ways.

Chapter 198 Subaru Mimasaka's Provocation, Hisako Shinoto's Killer Move

"Congratulations on advancing to the semifinals, Xiao Hui. You performed very well this time."

As the match came to a successful close, the audience gradually dispersed, and the arena returned to tranquility. Tadokoro Megumi walked towards him, and Shirabuchi stepped forward, his voice filled with praise.

"Thanks to Teacher Bai Yuan, otherwise things wouldn't have gone so smoothly."

Tadokoro Megumi smiled sweetly, secretly relieved. Before Kurokiba Ryo's dish was served, she had been on edge, afraid that her guess was wrong.

Fortunately, the result was as she expected. Kurokiba Ryo couldn't give up seafood dishes and didn't change her style, allowing her to win the competition by taking a shortcut.

"This victory cannot be attributed to me; it was your diligence and hard work that won you the game. Moreover, your strategy was truly outstanding."

Hearing the girl's words, Bai Yuan shook his head.

He hadn't expected that Tadokoro Megumi would use Kurokiba's cooking to elevate her own; she must have thoroughly investigated her opponent before the competition.

"hey-hey."

Shiro's praise made Tadokoro Megumi smile. She had been worried that her opponent would look down on her or even hate her for winning the game in such a clever way, but now she could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

"Keep up the good work, you can do even better, after all, you're someone I've taken a liking to."

Seeing Tadokoro Megumi's somewhat awkward thoughts, Bai Yuan patted her head, telling her not to think too much, and then said in a gentle voice.

"Yes, I will definitely work harder!"

Looking at Bai Yuan's face, Tadokoro Megumi nodded earnestly. She had been working hard, hoping that one day she could truly become his pride.

Like the Nakiri sisters, Alice and Erina.

"Xiao Hui, you're amazing! Congratulations on advancing to the semifinals!"

"Yeah, you actually beat that powerful Kurokiba! My heart almost stopped when the results were announced!"

Not far away, the voices of Yoshino Yuuki and Sakaki Ryoko drifted over, filled with surprise and excitement.

Bai Yuan looked in the direction of the sound and saw two girls running towards him, panting heavily. They were clearly in a great hurry and had run all the way.

"Xiao Hui has made it to the semi-finals, so you two need to work harder too. Don't fall too far behind, or you'll lose face."

Seeing the two full of energy, Bai Yuan decided to put some pressure on them.

"I've been reading an encyclopedia of ingredients lately. Once I've memorized everything, I can apply what I've learned when cooking!"

Yoshino Yuuki couldn't wait to share her cooking plan, her eyes sparkling with a thirst for knowledge, while also hoping to receive Shirobuchi's approval.

"I'm studying yeast. The internet is so advanced now that you can listen to professors' online lectures for just a little money. I've learned a lot these past few days."

Not to be outdone, Ryoko Sakaki then reported on her progress, her voice filled with enthusiasm and a hint of expectant praise.

"That's great. After the Summer Selection ends, you guys should be on fall break. I'll take you to China to watch the competition then."

The cooking competition at Totsuki Culinary Academy was just a warm-up; the real challenge lay in higher-level competitions like the Fujian Youth Chef Competition.

Therefore, he decided to take this opportunity to take them to China to broaden their horizons.

Even if they can't participate in the competition, just watching from the sidelines can still provide them with a wealth of knowledge and experience, which will greatly benefit their future culinary journey.

"Can we go together too?"

Yoshino Yuuki's eyes lit up instantly. She excitedly grabbed Bai Yuan's arm, her big eyes sparkling with anticipation and longing.

Although Ryoko Sakaki didn't show any reaction, she was looking at Shiroyuki with longing eyes, clearly very interested in his suggestion.

"Of course, I'll cover your airfare and accommodation. You can study hard then."

As the two approached, Bai Yuan's hand naturally and gently landed on their heads, as if soothing two obedient kittens and grooming their "fur".

Seeing this, Yoshino Yuuki and Sakaki Ryoko not only did not feel uncomfortable, but instead moved even closer to him, their faces beaming with enjoyment and happiness.

Tadokoro Megumi watched this scene with great envy. Although she had just experienced the warmth of being gently touched by Shirobuchi-sensei, she still felt a lingering sense of satisfaction.

Teacher Bai Yuan's hands seem to possess a certain magic, making people unconsciously want to immerse themselves in them and be touched forever.

"Alright, it's getting late, and I'm a little hungry. Let's go back for lunch."

After stroking Yoshino Yuuki and Sakaki Ryoko's heads for a while, Shirabuchi let go of them, then looked at Nakiri Alice next to him and called her home for dinner.

"Ah."

Once he finished his pleasantries, Alice Nakiri immediately stepped forward, took his arm, and pressed herself against him, striking an intimate pose.

People around her looked at her with envy, especially Tadokoro Megumi, who wished she could take her place, but she couldn't speak up because of her status, and could only look at her with a little regret.

Just as he was about to step out of the moonlit sky, Bai Yuan's gaze was drawn to a familiar figure. He stared intently and was astonished to find that it was none other than Mimasaka Subaru.

How did he end up here?

Bai Yuan pondered to himself, and just as they were passing by Mimasaka Subaru, the other party suddenly spoke.

"Teacher Bai Yuan, I will still win the next match."

After speaking, Subaru Mimasaka turned away gracefully, leaving a group of onlookers looking at each other in bewilderment.

What exactly is that guy trying to say?

Yoshino Yuuki frowned, her expression full of confusion. Mimasaka Subaru's behavior seemed so abrupt and incomprehensible.

"Perhaps he's trying to get Bai Yuan's attention?"

Ryoko Sakaki voiced her guess: Subaru Mimasaka's repeated provocations seemed to have no ulterior motive, and no one present believed her.

I agree with your opinion.

Alice Nakiri chimed in, saying that Subaru Mimasaka's series of unusual actions were most likely intended to attract Hakugen's attention.

The reason for this is currently unknown.

"Oh right, Hisako is competing against him tomorrow."

Tadokoro Megumi suddenly interrupted, breaking the brief silence.

"That guy can completely imitate his opponent's cooking by conducting a thorough investigation of them."

"Not only that, he can also improve and enhance it, creating an 'advanced version' that is a step above the original dish of his opponent."

"That ability is too abnormal. The opponent can improve the dish and basically take it to the next level. If you don't have a strong ability to adapt, it will be difficult to beat him."

When Subaru Mimasaka's special abilities were mentioned, the girls started discussing it, and a hint of fear flashed across their faces.

Imagine if their opponent was Subaru Misaku, would they be able to defeat him?

By imitating his opponent's daily life, he synchronized his thinking with the opponent's, and combined this with his own experience, thus taking his opponent's cooking to the next level.

"Let nature take its course. We should trust Hisako and consider this a test for her."

Bai Yuan gazed at the sky and spoke slowly.

Compared to them, Hisako Niito, who is Subaru Mimasaka's rival, should be under more pressure.

…………

…………

"Lady Erina, how are you feeling?"

Hisako Niito, her eyes filled with anticipation, presented the carefully prepared dish to Erina Nakiri, awaiting her reply.

However, what I received was a slight shake of the head and meticulous suggestions for improvement: "The overall flavor is a bit monotonous. You can add some chili peppers to enhance its spiciness and make the flavor more full and complex."

Faced with Subaru Mimasaka's formidable ability to replicate dishes, Hisako Shinomiya did not hesitate to seek help from Erina Nakiri.

She could imagine that Subaru Mimasaka was currently tracking her daily life, trying to imitate her personality and replicate her cooking. But he certainly never imagined that he would be asking Erina-sama for help!

"Have you finally decided on a dish for your steamed cuisine theme?" Erina Nakiri asked.

"It's decided! I'll make this medicinal steamed chicken."

Hisako Niito spoke with determination, several steamers displayed before her, filled with various dishes she had recently been diligently researching. To prevent her opponents from easily replicating her creations, she had carefully prepared multiple alternatives, waiting to choose the best one before the competition.

"Steamed chicken with medicinal herbs? Indeed, this dish is the most complete and tastes the best."

With my assistance, dealing with a mere Mimasaka Subaru is more than enough.

Erina Nakiri nodded in agreement. This medicinal steamed chicken was the most delicious of the dishes, reaching the level of a near-specialty dish.

Although Hisako Niito only has the skills of a first-class chef, she had a week to prepare, and with her assistance, this result is quite normal.

"Now that I've made the decision, I'll stay up a little later tonight and use the rest of the time to continue perfecting this dish. Let's see if we can reach the threshold of the premium grade."

Although it is a near-superior grade dish, it is actually quite far from superior grade. Only by eliminating all the flaws can it become a superior grade dish!

"Well, before that, I'd like to try replacing the aluminum foil used to wrap the steamed chicken with lotus leaves."

Hisako Shinto looked at the steamer next to her. The medicinal steamed chicken was wrapped in tin foil, perfectly locking in its aroma.

She chose aluminum foil because of its excellent heat conduction and insulation properties, but for this dish, aluminum foil can only be considered a mediocre ingredient.

Therefore, she plans to replace it with lotus leaves.

"How about replacing the aluminum foil with lotus leaves? That would indeed be a good idea."

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, lotus leaves possess multiple benefits, including relieving summer heat and dampness, strengthening the spleen, and invigorating yang. Wrapping ingredients in lotus leaves before steaming allows the medicinal properties to infuse into the food. I remember when I was sick, you even made me porridge with lotus leaves; you told me all this back then.”

Erina Nakiri's voice carried a hint of nostalgia. She had been taken very well in by Hisako Shinoto. Their relationship was less like that of mistress and servant and more like that of sisters, with Hisako being more like her older sister.

"Yes, lotus leaves have many benefits. Wrapping food in them before steaming can add a unique aroma. However, there are some drawbacks, namely, poor sealing and easy breakage, which chefs need to be careful about."

Hisako Niito smiled and nodded.

Using lotus leaves is a double-edged sword. Fortunately, it is summer now, and the lotus leaves are growing well and of high quality, making it the best time to use them in cooking. Otherwise, it would be difficult to make this dish.

"Then you should try it. Although the taste should be pretty good, you still need to have a good idea of ​​what to expect and see if there's anything that can be improved."

"Ok!"

Upon hearing Erina Nakiri's words, Hisako Shinoto nodded emphatically, focused her attention on the kitchen counter, and began to work diligently.

"The Spice-Making Cloud Hand!"

Slaughter young hens less than one year old, remove feathers and internal organs, pat dry the surface moisture, add a spoonful of salt, two spoonfuls of cooking wine, two spoonfuls of light soy sauce, and a spoonful of sesame oil, and use a special technique to knead the flavors in.