Silver Leaf Academy.
The country's most prestigious culinary school where students were trained to become top chefs. Aside from accepting full-time students, the academy also offered short courses that didn't need one to pass an exam to attend.
These short courses span from three to six months while full-time students like Lu Xinyi would have to complete their curriculum for two years.
For this reason, Silver Leaf Academy only had less than three hundred students on their list.
Lu Xinyi took her school uniform from her walk-in closet. Opposite to the popular white chef uniform that most professionals prefer, Silver Leaf's uniform was known for its pitch-black color.
The thick cotton cloth used on their uniform protected students from the heat of stoves and ovens and splattering of boiling liquids. The double-breasted jacket added protection to the wearer's chest and stomach area from burns and splashing liquids. This could also be reversed to hide stains.
The pants were made to sit loosely on the wearer in order to keep them comfortable and cool while working long hours around the heat of ovens and stovetops.
The emblem of the academy was embroidered on the left part of the coat.
As Lu Xinyi donned her uniform, she checked her reflection one last time before pinning the plum blossom above the emblem of Silver Leaf, signifying her affiliation with the Shen family. Taking a deep breath, she deemed herself ready to face her first day.
---
As the morning sunlight peeked in between the clouds, Lu Xinyi stood at the main building of the academy while looking at the emblem of the institution. She was determined to prove that she wasn't worthless, that she could succeed without relying on her husband's influence and the Sun family's wealth.
She swore deep in her heart that she would make a legacy for herself and become a top chef like her father. After so many wasted years, Lu Xinyi felt like she was reborn and alive again.
Looking around her, she fought the urge to cry as she took in what she had at that moment. A loving husband, supportive in-laws, and friends that were ready to help her when she was in a dire situation.
She didn't even pay attention when other students and school visitors stopped, gave her a peculiar gaze, and started whispering to one another. The Tang family might have been able to remove the bad publicity about Lu Xinyi, but that wasn't enough for people to stop talking about her.
Why would they?
Lu Xinyi became an instant celebrity overnight because of her remarkable performance during the exams, her face being featured in a popular fashion magazine as a model, and the rumors about her affair with President Shen.
The Shen family refused to release a statement to clear the issues although Shen Xue made a point that any libelous news would face corresponding charges.
"Is that Lu Xinyi? She isn't that beautiful in person," someone commented with disdain. She believed that Lu Xinyi didn't deserve to stand beside the elusive demon king.
"Don't say that! What if she's really President Shen's girlfriend? You'll get in trouble if you don't keep your mouth shut," her companion said in hushed tones.
"I suppose you can't expect a fair judgment when her claws are deeply engraved on him."
"I said stop it!"
"Why should I stop? Isn't it the truth? I can't wait for her to fail. Even the real cream of the crops couldn't be compared to a woman like her!"
"Stop it. Are you forgetting that she only needs to say a word or your career will be over!"
The woman snorted and sneered in her heart. She threw Lu Xinyi a disgusted look before leaving her friend. In her eyes, Lu Xinyi was nothing but a trash trying to get the prince charming.
ραпdα nᴏνɐ| сom Lu Xinyi tried to ignore their words. Why were they trying to paint her as a vicious woman? Who the heck said she seduced Shen Yi when the truth was he was the one who bribed her to marry him?
Having enough of her daily dose of drama, Lu Xinyi strolled inside the building and found the room for her first class. The moment she stepped inside, the classroom was instantly filled with silence.
Eyes were on her as she moved and walked towards a vacant counter that was assigned to her and stood still, ignoring the stares of her fellow classmates.
Everyone was anxious to see what else she could do. An unknown prodigy surfaced, surprising the public when she beat the top contenders of this year's entrance exams.
At the corner, Meng Jiao stared at Lu Xinyi's back with interest. Her eyes squinted as to how Lu Xinyi was able to find a big leg to hug. The President of Shen Group himself.
Meng Jiao bit her lower lip as she contemplated. Within the capital, only a few people could go head to head against Shen Yi; and that included Li Yuren, the young master of the Li family.
Getting the favor from the Li family was impossible for her. She had no choice but to stick with the Suns and become Sun Feiyan's pawn in the game she just started against Lu Xinyi.
She really thought that after her breakup with Gong Yijun, Lu Xinyi would wail in self-pity. Who would have thought that Lu Xinyi would get such a lucky streak and managed to capture President Shen's attention?
How wrong she was when she saw Lu Xinyi taking the same exam with her, proving to everyone that she was a worthy candidate for Silver Leaf.
To be able to find such a big leg to hug, what kind of trick Lu Xinyi used to President Shen for him to support her?
It was then Meng Jiao remembered seeing Lu Xinyi with a man claiming it was her husband. Did that mean Meng Jiao had met President Shen personally before?
While some were busy gossiping with one another, the door opened again with Jun Simin stepping inside, wearing her own white chef uniform with a red tie on her neck.
The students waited nervously for the class to start. Their posture so stiff—Lu Xinyi wondered if they were in a military base instead of a classroom.
Jun Simin sat at the single seat in front of the class. She eyed at each of them, her eyes lingered longer at Lu Xinyi and Ye Xieren. After the entrance examination, she had high expectations from the two.
"Silver Leaf isn't for the weak-hearted," she started. "Here at Silver Leaf, we expect you to learn the technical side of cooking through bookwork and the practical side through hands-on cooking assignments and activities we will provide.
"Silver Leaf follows a point system. Points are accumulated by taking part in activities and deductible by penalties. Each activity will give you a perfect ten score and may have the chance to double your points by doing extra challenges. Team challenges will give you 100 points if you win, 50 points if you lose.
"You are allowed to join and sit in with the short-courses students in their classes, but it will not give you additional points to earn. By joining these courses, we expect you to find your own cooking style and the field you want to master.
"Beware that if you couldn't reach 1,000 points before midterms, it would lead to your immediate expulsion in the academy. In rare instances, we allow a wildcard during the midterm festival. Those who were expelled from Silver Leaf will have a chance to redeem adequate points to join the academy again."
Ye Xieren, who was waiting for Jun Simin to explain the point system, raised his hand to get her attention.
"Yes, Mr. Ye?"
"Is it true that we are allowed to challenge the members of the 'Cream of the Crop'? Do we get to earn points if we beat one of them?"
Silver Leaf's Cream of the Crop consisted of ten best students in the entire academy each year. The group itself was being handled by the headmistress. As this moment, most of them were in their senior year, and challenges from the junior year were expected to come sooner or later.
Challenging one of them bore a serious risk on the challenger that could lead to instant expulsion without a question. For Ye Xieren to ask such a question, wasn't he afraid to lose his footing at this early stage? Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click for visiting.
"Yes, all of you will be allowed to challenge one of them in a cooking battle once you pass the midterm exams. The theme for each challenge will be decided by the board of directors. If you lose, your points will be deducted with corresponding points. To become number one, you'll have to issue a challenge to each of them."
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