Era: You're asked to cook a home-style dish, but you cook Wellington.

Chapter 158 Evenly Matched

"Seriously? Someone like you, what kind of ramen are you?"

When Fujita Daishu saw Gao Yang's ramen, he couldn't help but mock him.

Everyone looked over.

The clear, bright broth lay quietly in the bowl, slightly yellowish, without a trace of oil or impurities, so clear that the rim of the bowl could be seen.

Three large, bright red prawns lay neatly on the soup noodles, plump and glistening; snow-white clam meat garnished the side, with a few emerald green scallion segments scattered among them.

Without the ostentation of heavy broth or the mountain of char siu, the simple side dishes paired with a bowl of clear soup look clean, clear, elegant and refined.

However, in Xiaobenzi's eyes, this kind of ramen was far too plain.

"Yeah, you didn't just use plain water as the soup base, did you? The taste is too bland. You'd better take it back quickly so as not to embarrass yourself."

"Gao Yang, I understand you want to beat me, but when it comes to ramen, you're still too inexperienced. Listen to me, admit defeat now, and I'll teach you properly. I believe you'll have a bright future."

Fujiwara Taro also came over, his eyes filled with feigned pity as he looked at Gao Yang.

"Really? What if what I make tastes better than yours?"

Gao Yang crossed his arms, a playful smile in his eyes.

"Impossible, that's the Ramen Master, you could never catch up to him in your entire life."

"If you can cook it better than him, I'll eat your bowl."

Fujita Daishu wouldn't miss any opportunity to mock Gao Yang, so he quickly stepped forward, patted Fujiwara Taro on the shoulder, and stood behind him.

"That's right, my ramen is the best, no one can beat me."

Fujiwara Taro looked at Gao Yang smugly, as if he were watching a joke.

How could Nangong Lian tolerate this? He rolled up his sleeves and pointed at the two of them.

"Hey, what does this mean? How about we make a bet and see if yours tastes better, or Gao Yang's?"

"That's right, either take a gamble, or stop talking big here."

Nangong Hong also stepped forward, her eyes resolute.

Looking at these people, Fujita Daishu found it amusing and spoke without thinking.

"I also think we didn't bet enough just now. How about we increase the stakes a bit now?"

"If you lose, then kneel down and apologize to us in front of everyone."

"Similarly, if we lose, we will kneel down and apologize to you in front of everyone."

As soon as he finished speaking, Fujiwara Taro, who was standing to the side, couldn't help but feel a little nervous and looked at Fujita Daishu.

"Fujita-kun, isn't this a huge gamble?"

Fujita Daishu didn't panic at all.

"Fujiwara-kun, you're underestimating your cooking skills. You should know that you're number one in the Japanese Empire."

"Don't you want to see these people kneeling before you?"

"Don't you want the Fujiwara family to be listed first in the branch family register?"

Fujita Daishu's words deeply moved Fujiwara Taro. Seeing the other's confident demeanor, and remembering his own culinary skills, he made up his mind and looked at Gao Yang.

"Fine, I'll take the bet. You'll just have to wait and see how you lose."

Everyone looked at Kong Xiangyun.

Kong Xiangyun nodded as well.

He knew that the young man recommended by Lin Zheng must have something special about him and would not be so reckless.

The popularity of notebooks is too high right now, it's good to curb their popularity.

He looked at the bowl of ramen beside him, which was steaming slightly, picked up the spoon next to him, and gently dipped it into the bowl.

The clear broth was poured in with a spoon, carrying a very subtle umami flavor.

He leaned closer and sniffed, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

To others it seemed unassuming, but he sensed layers of profound depth.

First comes the deep seafood aroma of dried kelp and bonito flakes, then the rich base of pork bone and chicken, and finally the sweetness of seafood. The three different aromas blend together cleanly and purely, without any superfluous or impure flavors.

"This kid's got some interesting qualities."

He thought to himself, and without further hesitation, scooped up a spoonful of soup and put it in his mouth.

The warm broth glides down your throat, and in an instant, a clear and lingering aroma washes over you.

Not greasy, not dry, not irritating.

Gao Yang's soup base wasn't as domineering as Fujiwara Taro's, but it was like a bell, "thump thump thump," constantly echoing in the mouth.

"The soup base is refreshing at first sip, and after swallowing, it leaves a lingering sweet aftertaste that becomes more and more mellow with each sip."

"Gao Yang, your technique is truly exquisite."

Kong Xiangyun was amazed and couldn't help but exclaim.

Upon hearing this, Lin Ran stepped forward triumphantly.

"See, see, I told you Gao Yang's cooking was delicious! You guys were just pretending, we thought it was something special."

Fujita Daishu was equally unwilling to back down, letting out a cold snort.

Everyone turned their attention back to Kong Xiangyun.

Kong Xiangyun picked up a mouthful of noodles with his chopsticks.

The noodles are translucent white, each strand distinct, and while they appear thin and soft, they are smooth on the outside and chewy on the inside, offering just the right amount of springiness when you bite into them.

"tasty."

"These noodles look thin, but they're not soggy. They absorb the flavor of the clear broth, which elevates their wheat aroma to another level."

"And your side dishes don't overshadow the main dish at all. The shrimp are plump and the clams are tender. The freshness comes out after chewing them a couple of times. It's really exquisite."

Kong Xiangyun chewed slowly, swallowed the last bite of ramen, and looked up at Gao Yang.

But at that moment, the calmness in his eyes turned into clear approval.

"Master Kong, whose cooking do you think is the best?"

Nangong Lian looked at Kong Xiangyun, his expression tense.

This ramen competition is not only a contest between Chinese and Japanese people, but also a reflection of the dignity of the two countries.

"this----"

Kong Xiangyun then looked at Fujiwara Taro's ramen.

"This is a difficult decision. Fujiwara Taro's is very heavy, like he's been hit by a warhammer."

"Gao Yang's is plain and gentle; after eating it, it's like ripples on the surface of water that linger for a long time."

"The two are going in different directions, but both have their merits, so it's really hard to say who will win or lose."

Everyone was caught in a dilemma.

"Haha, doesn't that mean we won?"

A cold smile curled at the corner of Fujita Taiga's mouth.

"Since the two taste similar, let's compare the time. We will be the first to produce our work, and there's no faking that."

As soon as he finished speaking, the contents of the notebook seemed to be released suddenly, as if a long-blocked floodgate had been opened.

"Yes, yes, we used the least time, so we should win."

"Mr. Fujita is so smart; we were almost misled by these Chinese people."

Upon hearing this, Nangong Lian immediately became angry.

"The competition only tests cooking skills, and it didn't say that time would be included in the score."

"Oh, then come up with a better solution, or rather, do you have any proof that you're better than us in any aspect?"

Fujiwara Daishu's excitement grew stronger, as if he could finally gain the upper hand.

Nangong Lian was speechless for a moment.

Yes, there really isn't anywhere else.

Kong Xiangyun also frowned. Although he himself did not agree with this view, given Xiaobenzi's personality, he would probably not give up until a winner was decided today.

How to fix it?

His brain was working at lightning speed.

Just then, Gao Yang spoke calmly.

"Wait a minute, who said I don't have anything else?"

He took out a small plate.

"Please add a little to your liking, Master Kong."