Food Wars, my food not only glows!

　Tailoring dishes to the customer's individual needs is a fundamental skill for a chef.

　As time went by, under Bai Yuan's skillful hands, the shumai wrappers were transformed into shumai at an astonishing speed, with exquisite shapes, and were all put into the steamer in less than two minutes.

　To ensure they could all have enough to eat, Bai Yuan made over 100 in one go, and even those that couldn't be eaten could be packed up and frozen.

　"Twenty minutes as promised, not a minute more, not a minute less, the shumai are ready!"

　As he spoke, Bai Yuan reached out and lifted the pot lid in front of him. The next moment, a golden light that made people instinctively raise their hands to cover their eyes shot out from it.

　For a moment, the entire kitchen was engulfed in a golden sea, and this golden light did not dissipate immediately, but lasted for a full minute, until the color slowly faded, and they could finally see the food in the steamer.

　At this moment, the golden ratio shumai was also wrapped in a layer of faint golden light, giving people a strange sense of holiness.

　"A dish that keeps radiating light! I never thought I'd see such a dish in my lifetime... This is a dish that only an eight-star chef can make!"

　Looking at the golden shumai in front of her, Leonora Nakiri swallowed hard, a greedy look appearing in her eyes.

　If Bai Yuan hadn't stood in front of Shaomai, his tall and imposing figure making him seem insurmountable, and if she hadn't wanted to maintain a ladylike image in front of him, she would have definitely rushed forward immediately, like a hungry tiger pouncing on its prey!

　However, despite trying her best to restrain herself, Leonora Nakiri couldn't help but grab Bai Yuan's arm, her eyes pleading.

　Let her have a bite; she can do anything!

　"Can we eat now, Brother Bai Yuan?"

　Leonora Nakiri's voice was melodious and sweet, as if she was suppressing her emotions to the extreme. Her big, watery eyes were blinking pitifully, which could definitely arouse any man's protective instincts.

　"I'm so hungry too, Brother Bai Yuan."

　Because of her short stature, Alice Nakiri tugged at Shiro's clothes, revealing a similarly pleading expression.

　"Then let's get started."

　As Bai Yuan spoke, he shoveled all the shumai from the steamer onto a plate, carried the plate to the dining table, and was about to pick up chopsticks when he found that the two people, one big and one small, had started grabbing them with their hands.

　Leonora Nakiri opened her mouth wide and swallowed the shumai in one gulp. However, because the shumai was fresh out of the pot, it was extremely hot, causing her to stick out her tongue like a little puppy.

　On the other side, Alice Nakiri wasn't in much better shape either, constantly making 'hissing' sounds, and even had tears in the corners of her eyes.

　Despite the heat, they couldn't bear to spit out the shumai in their mouths, and instead kept inhaling the cool air to make it cool down quickly.

　As the shumai cools down, its delicious flavor truly blossoms in your mouth.

　"It's so delicious! The shrimp still retains its elasticity even after being ground into a paste, and the small chopped pieces add to its texture, blending perfectly with the flavorful vegetables."

　The egg yolk is soft and has a mellow sweetness, combined with the smooth texture of Jinhua ham and minced pork belly that is oily but not greasy! The addition of pork belly perfectly preserves the flavor of Jinhua ham!

　Of course, these are not the main points. The most successful aspect of this shumai is the balance between the four fillings! They do not mask each other's flavors, but rather blend together perfectly, all thanks to the precise proportions.

　From the shape of shumai

　It's not hard to see that you mainly want to showcase the flavor of Jinhua ham, with everything else playing a supporting role to highlight its taste. As for the specific measurements between the four ingredients... it should be the golden ratio you mentioned at the beginning!

　After swallowing the perfectly proportioned shumai, Leonora Nakiri launched into a long, enthusiastic explanation, her voice brimming with unspoken happiness. To be able to talk so much while eating—no wonder she's Alice's mother!

　A look of admiration appeared on Bai Yuan's face. Even if she didn't have a superhuman sense of taste, her talent for taste was extraordinary. No wonder she became the wife of the Nakiri family.

　However, Nakiri Munee was really too busy, actually leaving behind his beautiful wife and lovely daughter to go to the front lines to develop the market alone.

　Over the course of that year, he saw Nakiri Soue only a handful of times. Each time, the other man never stayed at home beyond dinner, usually leaving as soon as it got dark. This was very unusual. Even the busiest person wouldn't be so busy that they had no time at all. In fact, every time he came home, it felt like a routine.

　This strange feeling came from every family gathering. After Nakiri Soe returned, the atmosphere at home became unusually strange. Everyone became very polite and behaved in a proper manner. It felt more like a workplace than a family.

　Rather than a married couple, it's more like a family-arranged marriage. Moreover, neither party is particularly satisfied with the other; they've only enjoyed the benefits brought by their families and are obligated to fulfill their responsibilities, hence their silence.

　However, these are all family matters of the Nakiri family, and it is not his place as an outsider to interfere.

　Chapter Twenty-Two: Five Years Have Passed, Alice's Challenge

　"The so-called golden ratio shumai is made by cooking various ingredients in a golden ratio. As the saying goes, a main character without supporting actors is not a main character. To highlight the flavor of the main ingredient, 'pork,' in shumai, you must use side dishes to complement it!"

　Spinach, fried egg yolk, and shrimp paste—these are the three ingredients I've tried that best bring out the flavor of pork, so I chose them. Of course, if you replace the main ingredient with lamb or beef, the supporting ingredients will change; it depends on the specific situation.

　Bai Yuan explained with a smile that back in the dark culinary world, he was obsessed with making golden ratio shumai for a period of time. In addition to this most basic one, he also tried to make many other types.

　For example, he researched curry-flavored lamb shumai with the perfect ratio, stewed beef shumai with the perfect ratio, slow-cooked chicken in a rustic style, fish and seafood fusion style, duck, crab, and even crocodile meat—any ingredient he could get his hands on, he would study.

　It is this spirit of continuous research that has enabled him to get to where he is today; otherwise, even with extraordinary talent, his minimum level would only be very high.

　What truly made him the strongest in the world of dark cuisine was his heart, that 'chef's heart' that constantly wanted to create even more delicious food!

　"ah!"

　She reached out and grabbed the edge of her clothes. Despite trying her best to suppress the urge, Alice Nakiri couldn't help but cry out under the impact of such deliciousness, and an unusual blush appeared on her cheeks.

　At the same time, her clothes burst open, the third time this year, which Leonora Nakiri was already used to.

　This time, however, she didn't immediately cover her chest like before. Instead, she greedily ate the shumai in front of her until she finished it. Only then did she realize what was happening, and she leaned down with a shy expression. At the same time, she glanced at Bai Yuan not far away, who was facing away from the two of them.

　He seemed quite gentlemanly, but just now she felt a burning gaze on him. This guy was definitely peeking, and not just once!

　However, Bai Yuan was indeed facing away at this moment, so she couldn't say anything. She could just consider it a small perk that he had treated her to such a delicious meal.

　Because she was mentally prepared, Leonora Nakiri, though embarrassed, did not react much. Seeing that Bai Yuan was not looking over, she lowered her hand that was covering her chest and instead pulled Alice Nakiri upstairs to her room.

　"You're a grown woman now, you should be a little shy."

　Looking at Alice Nakiri, who was completely absorbed in the delicious food beside her without any attempt to hide it, Leonora Nakiri reached out and pinched the tip of her nose, her voice filled with helplessness.

　Although this girl is still a child, she is a girl after all. She can't be so shameless. Some education needs to be introduced!

　"Don't worry, Mom, I know everything. It's just because that person is Brother Bai Yuan that I feel it's okay."

　Hearing Leonora's words, Alice Nakiri snapped out of her reverie, glanced down, and blushed slightly upon noticing her state, but still spoke matter-of-factly.

　"Oh~ You only do this in front of Brother Bai Yuan~ That's fine, but you can't be so shameless in front of outsiders."

　"I know, I'm not some frivolous woman!"

　"You're still just a girl."

　Hearing Leonora's teasing yet stern words, Alice nodded seriously, then replied reproachfully.

　"But those shumai were really delicious. I'll have to ask Brother Bai Yuan to make some more later. They're absolutely delicious, whether for breakfast or a late-night snack!"

　After casually making a comment, Leono Nakiri's heart finally settled down, and she began to reminisce about the delicious food she had just enjoyed, her mouth watering.

　Bai Yuan ate 5 out of 100 bite-sized shumai.

　They ate 50, but the two of them ate until their stomachs were full and bloated. However, they didn't realize it at the time and only knew to stuff food into their mouths.

　Even though I'm completely full now, just thinking about the wonderful taste of those shumai makes my mouth water and I want another plate!

　"The chef is truly amazing! He has such incredible kneading skills, and he can even make perfectly proportioned shumai that shimmer with golden light..."

　Thinking of Bai Yuan, Alice Nakiri's face betrayed her adoration. After more than a year together, she thought she was close to him, but she was wrong, terribly wrong...

　The more she learned, the more she understood the gap between herself and Bai Yuan. Even though he was only a few years older than her, why was he so powerful?

　This is also the question that Nakiri Alice and Nakiri Leonora find most perplexing: where did Bai Yuan come from? Such a skilled chef could not possibly be unknown!

　Her cousin, Erina Nakiri, is revered as a goddess in the Japanese culinary world and regarded as its hope simply because she possesses a divine tongue.

　And Bai Yuan...

　To this end, Leonora Nakiri even used her own network of connections to find information on famous chefs aged twelve or thirteen from all over the world.

　However, she never found out anything about Bai Yuan's identity.

　This person seemed to appear out of thin air, without identity or origin, shrouded in mystery, yet he was also a top chef.

　"No matter who he is, he is Alice's master now!"

　Looking at Alice Nakiri, who was speaking lightly and praising Bai Yuan's greatness to her, Leonora Nakiri secretly made up her mind.

　No matter what, she's protecting this person!

　·

　·

　Time flies, and five years have passed in the blink of an eye.

　On this day, Bai Yuan, shirtless, lay on the ground supporting himself with three fingers, sweat dripping from his forehead as he performed a one-handed three-finger push-up, with a slender young woman sitting on him.

　The girl was wearing a beige shirt as a base layer, a brown striped skirt, and sheer black stockings. She was sitting with her legs crossed, holding a food magazine and reading about the new dishes offered by the surrounding restaurants.

　"Brother Baiyuan, the vanilla waffle ice cream at this shop looks really appetizing. The new fruit fried milk at this tea restaurant is also quite good. Let's go for afternoon tea after lunch."

　That's right, this person is none other than Nakiri Alice. As she grew older, Alice no longer called him Brother Bai Yuan, but instead called him Brother Bai Yuan.

　She first called him that half a year ago because her cheeks burned after calling him "brother," so she changed it to "ge" (brother).

　Bai Yuan was saddened for a few days because of this, but he could understand Nakiri Alice. After all, reduplication is a child's prerogative, and she is now an adult.

　Despite being only thirteen years old, he was very well-developed, and apart from his slightly immature cheeks, he looked no different from a high school student.

　In addition, being from Northern Europe, she developed her personality earlier than usual, and most people would really treat her as a high school student if they didn't ask her age.

　"If you want, then let's go together, but we need to finish our morning practice first."

　"Hmm... I feel like my knife skills are pretty good already. How about I take a day off today? It'll be a good opportunity to go out and relax a bit~"

　Alice Nakiri tugged at Shirayuki's hand and started to act coquettishly. After five years of practicing day and night, her knife skills had long since reached a level of unparalleled mastery.

　Last year, she easily passed the first-class chef examination and received high praise from the Japan Chefs Association for her innovative concept of molecular gastronomy.

　"Didn't you just have a day off the day before yesterday? Don't think you're qualified just because you passed the knife skills test yesterday. You still have a lot to learn!"

　"I'm so tired of hearing you say that! Besides, I specialize in molecular gastronomy, so do I really need to be that skilled with my knife?"

　"Even if you study molecular gastronomy, the basics are still very important: knife skills, ingredient preparation, wok tossing and stirring, seasoning..."

　As Bai Yuan spoke, he shifted his body, and Nakiri Alice immediately understood and jumped off him.

　After standing up, the boy was soaked with sweat. Looking at his serious and earnest expression, her face couldn't help but turn red.

　"Master, let's have a contest!"

　Taking a deep breath, and thinking about the years of hard practice she had put in, Alice Nakiri suddenly changed how she addressed Shirobuchi, and looked at him seriously as she spoke.

　Chapter Twenty-Three: Alice's Inflated Ambition, A Knife-Skilling Contest

　"What are we comparing? Knife skills?"

　Upon hearing Alice Nakiri's words, a strange look appeared on Bai Yuan's face, but he still spoke with a serious expression.

　"That's right, let's compare knife skills! You cut a vegetable, and I'll cut a vegetable too, and I guarantee I can do it exactly the same as you!"

　As she spoke, Alice Nakiri seemed to have found some kind of confidence, and...

　She started talking, her hands clasped around her waist.

　Over the years, she has followed Bai Yuan by his side, learning whatever he taught her. Her knife skills have reached the pinnacle, and she can even easily handle Wensi Tofu, which is known as the ceiling of knife skills!

　"Okay, but what if you can't do it?"

　Bai Yuan looked at the guilty-looking Nakiri Alice with a half-smile, deciding to teach this 'arrogant' disciple another lesson. She really got cocky just because she knew a little bit.

　Such things are not uncommon in the culinary world; Shao An is the most prominent example. Of course, he knows Alice's character and would never do such a thing.

　However, not doing such a thing doesn't mean Bai Yuan is willing to indulge her.

　Although she now possesses considerable skill, she is still just a nobody in the vast culinary world, with countless people far superior to her!

　"If I lose, I'll be your bed warmer, warming your bed for you every night before you go to sleep. How about that?"

　Upon hearing Bai Yuan's words, Alice Nakiri's eyes lit up, and she immediately had an idea. So she took two steps forward and said in a sweet voice.

　"You little brat, who taught you to say such things? I don't need you to warm my bed. If you lose, your daily knife skills practice will double!"

　Bai Yuan glanced at Alice Nakiri, then casually looked away, his face slightly flushed. This girl was really developing rapidly; she had grown so big in the blink of an eye.

　"Hmm, Brother Bai Yuan, you really have no sense of romance!"

　Upon hearing Bai Yuan's words, Nakiri Alice pouted, a hint of disappointment flashing in her eyes. Was this guy truly oblivious, or was he rejecting her?

　Or perhaps they were bothered by their master-disciple relationship and were unwilling to do anything too outrageous.

　"Ahem, there's no time like the present. We've been seeing sea bream on the market a lot lately. There's not a single part of the sea bream that can't be eaten, but because you can't afford to make any mistakes, it's especially difficult to prepare."

　In other words, it's a type of fish whose deliciousness can only be brought out through skillful knife work, making it a perfect subject for this competition.

　Seeing Alice Nakiri's resentful gaze, Bai Yuan dared not meet her eyes and hurriedly steered the conversation back to swordsmanship.

　Even though she was already quite mature, he couldn't afford to make a mistake because of her age! He wouldn't be able to forgive himself, let alone others.

　"Okay, let's go buy some sea bream now!"