BXBX NOVEL Chapter 181 - 181: Stairs
“Grandpa, I have no further questions. Thank you.”
Qin Lang sat back in his seat, waving with a smile at the passing old man.
From querying passersby, he could deduce that everything he heard from Zhao Wenchang was true.
This time, indeed the restaurant called Liu’s Noodle House was aggressively expanding, and the fact that the owner of Zhao’s Noodle House was a friend of Uncle Luo Hui swayed Qin Lang to Zhao’s side.
He wouldn’t mind helping, as far as he was able, and participating in the competition on behalf of Zhao’s Noodle House.
As he made this decision, Qin Lang saw Zhao Wenchang hurriedly approaching from the restaurant entrance.
This time, there was a man who looked very much like Zhao Wenchang, a middle-aged man walking in front of him.
Qin Lang had guessed who it was without needing an introduction.
Zhao Wenchang’s father, Uncle Luo Hui’s friend, Mr. Zhao Junzhang.
“You’re Qin Lang, aren’t you? Luo Hui has told me about you.” Zhao Junzhang greeted him with a warm smile, “Let’s talk inside.”
Behind him, Zhao Wenchang gave Qin Lang a wink, signifying that things had been arranged.
Soon, the three stepped into the restaurant.
“I didn’t expect the Spirit Chef Wenchang invited would be you. It’s really a surprise.” Zhao Junzhang handed a glass of water to Qin Lang and began nervously, “Do you have those items Luo Hui asked you to bring?”
“Yes, they’re all here.” Qin Lang handed the box he’d been carrying to Zhao Junzhang.
“Thank you so much.” Zhao Junzhang carefully received it, set it on the table, and opened it, “Let’s see…”
As the box opened, an array of bottles and jars appeared before them.
This was the first time Qin Lang had seen the contents of the box, and he quickly recognized them as seasonings and ingredients from Dongxia City and other cities.
The commonality amongst these ingredients was that they were hard to find in Qingyang city.
After checking all the items, Zhao Junzhang let out a sigh of relief.
With these rare local seasonings and ingredients, he could cook a special pasta dish, bringing a surprise victory.
He then realized that Qin Lang was here for two reasons. Not only did Luo Hui ask him to deliver ingredients and seasonings but also participating in the competition at the invitation of his son.
These two purposes conflict with each other to some extent.
With this thought in mind, Zhao Junzhang feels a bit troubled again.
“I heard from Wenchang that you’re good at pasta dishes?” Zhao Junzhang, concealing his thoughts, posed the question casually.
“I would say that I’m fairly knowledgeable about them.” Qin Lang answered modestly.
“That’s not just an ordinary skill.” Zhao Wenchang butted in, “Qin Lang is the cooking champion of Dongxia City!”
Cooking champion of Dongxia City?
Zhao Junzhang was slightly shocked.
He hadn’t taken Zhao Wenchang’s words to heart, and Zhao Wenchang hadn’t had time to reveal Qin Lang’s identity.
Although he had asked Luo Hui in Dongxia City to help collect the seasonings and ingredients, he did not tell him about his own predicament, so Luo Hui mentioned Qin Lang as a trustworthy young man, without mentioning the glory he had won.
Having found out that the young man in front of him was also a city-level cooking champion, Zhao Junzhang’s mindset changed rapidly.
Perhaps, he could let him give it a try?
But considering that this competition was about the noodle house his family had operated for years, he hesitated again.
Could a city-level cooking champion from Dongxia City outshine Jihe in pasta dishes?
Unfamiliar with Qin Lang, he wasn’t sure about this.
Seeing Zhao Junzhang’s ambivalence, Qin Lang took the initiative, “Uncle Zhao, I heard from Wenchang that you need these seasonings and ingredients to make a special pasta dish?”
“Yes.” Zhao Junzhang nodded, “It’s a special pasta dish that my father invented after traveling all over Tianhua State. Because of the limitations of ingredients and seasonings, we’ve never publicly sold this pasta in our Zhao’s Noodle House.”
“Which means, Liu’s Noodle House doesn’t know its existence.”
Surprise victory, huh…
Qin Lang understood his plan. “May 1 have the honor to taste this special pasta dish?”
“I heard Uncle Luo Hui say that you’re very good at pasta dishes. So, I hope you could taste the pasta 1 cooked and give some advice.”
Tasting each other’s pasta dishes?
Zhao Junzhang suddenly understood the implicit meaning of Qin Lang’s words.
It was a Food Fight, but not any standard Food Fight.
Through this comparison, they could naturally judge which was better: the pasta dish Qin Lang prepared, or his.
If Qin Lang really could cook better pasta, he would naturally abandon his plan and invite Qin Lang to represent Zhao’s Noodle House in the competition instead.
Realizing that he was giving him a chance to save face, Zhao Junzhang was immediately fond of the young man in front of him.
“Of course, no problem!” He laughed heartily, “It’s just lunchtime now, shall we start?”
“Alright, I’m actually a bit hungry.” Qin Lang had no objection.
“Come, come, Qin Lang, this way please.” Zhao Junzhang led the way to the kitchen of the noodle house, “There are several independent kitchens here where you can cook undisturbed.”
Now, it was Zhao Wenchang’s turn to be puzzled, as he hadn’t been speaking much.
What’s going on here?
Half an hour later, Zhao Junzhang, carrying two dishes, walked briskly out of the kitchen.
“Is Qin Lang not finished yet?” He glanced at the other closed independent kitchen, his expression thoughtful and hopeful.
If possible, he actually hoped that Qin Lang’s pasta would surpass his own.
Because he knew clearly that the pasta he had prepared was a novelty, but in terms of taste, there was still a gap compared to Jihe.
This meant that his chance of winning was not high; he was just taking a risk. “Dad, is this the secret weapon that grandpa left behind?” Zhao Wenchang walked quickly up, smelling the rich and unique aroma in the air, he couldn’t help but look curious.
He had never eaten this dish either.
“Yes.” Zhao Junzhang nodded slightly, “This pasta dish is called Tianhua Cake. It’s a special pasta dish that your grandfather created when he traveled all over Tianhua State and blended the specialty seasonings and ingredients from each place.”
“It’s not just unique in the way it’s made, it has an amazing taste as well.”
“I really want to have a taste.” Zhao Wenchang couldn’t help remarking.
No wonder his father saw it as the trump card.
Now it was down to the pasta dish Qin Lang prepared.
He looked at the kitchen where Qin Lang was still working, his heart full of anticipation.
Would it be those big meat buns from the video?
Or some other pasta dish?
Under Zhao Wenchang and Zhao Junzhang’s gaze, Qin Lang soon walked out from the kitchen.
As he appeared, a group of huge dishes brought about an astonishing rich aroma.
Controlled by Dan Bao’s Thought Waves, the dishes settled gently on the dining table.
“Scallion Oil Noodles, please taste.”
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