"Ye Xieren didn't stand a chance against Lu Xinyi. This is surprising."
"I've always thought that Ye Xieren will lead this year's junior division, not that he would become a shadow of Lu Xinyi. Even Yan Chen has a hard time getting rid of her from the competition."
"But to think that she repeatedly beat them still leaves me speechless…"
"For her to be able to beat Ye Xieren in his specialty… just what kind of monster is she?"
This kind of talk wasn't lost to Ye Xieren. The frustration in his heart continued to rise as people started to doubt his ability in the kitchen. If he couldn't beat Lu Xinyi, then how was he supposed to challenge the other top students at this rate?
His body trembled as he lowered his head. Tears started to brim in his eyes as his emotions started to get the best of him.
"Stop."
Lu Xinyi's voice startled him, making him look back at her with wide eyes.
"What happened to you? This isn't like you. This isn't the Ye Xieren I met that was confident and arrogant at the same time?" She glared at him with an intensity Ye Xieren hadn't seen from her.
In his mind, Lu Xinyi was that bored, lazy girl who always had a hard time understanding their molecular gastronomy classes but was able to pass their exams with flying colors.
The whispers and the talks at the audience weren't lost to Ye Xieren. He closed his eyes and clenched his fist tightly. Once again, without Huo Meili announcing the winner, Ye Xieren knew that he'd lost against Lu Xinyi again.
"Don't tell me that the great Ye Xieren will crumble this easily?" The little devil taunted.
"Keep dreaming, Lu Xinyi. There would be a day that I'll beat you," Ye Xieren spat out.
The devilish grin that spread to Lu Xinyi's lips brought him back to his senses, his frustration forgotten as he stared back at his rival.
"This isn't over yet," he said, his tone and expression calm.
"Of course, it isn't." Lu Xinyi lifted her head as the limelight at the stadium focused on her and Ye Xieren. "I wouldn't be able to participate in the Interschool Culinary Challenge. I'm rooting for you, Brother Ye."
"Why?" Ye Xieren ignored the cheering from the crowd as Huo Meili took her spot at the stage to announce the winner later on. He couldn't understand why Lu Xinyi was going to let this rare chance to compete. This would also mean she'd lose points that would lead to her losing her rank at the junior division.
"Why won't you join?"
Lu Xinyi didn't say anything; she only smiled.
Why? Because she wouldn't have enough time to compete with everyone when she needed to find justice for Sun Qiushan and her parents. She wasn't certain what she'd hear from Sun Ruying, but if it would clear the doubts and answer the questions that had been bugging her for years, then a little sacrifice wouldn't hurt.
"Our judges came to a decision, but before announcing the winner of this cooking battle, let's hear what they could say about our students' dishes," the emcee announced with a high-pitched tone. "Let's start with Headmistress Han."
"Mr. Ye, I hope you understand now where you made a mistake. How the rice is cooked affects the taste by determining the softness and chew of the sushi. Each individual rice granule should be distinguishable from the rest. Overcooked rice will get mushy and begin to fuse together, making it more like the texture of mashed potatoes than proper sushi rice.
"While there's no problem with the taste of your sushi, the perfect sushi rice consists of separate grains that are chewy—not mushy. Sushi rice should form nice clumps when picked up with chopsticks and should taste well-seasoned, but it should not overpower the delicate flavor of raw fish within a sushi roll."
Qin Jiahao crossed his arms and looked at his apprentice sternly. A knowing look was shared between them. After this, Ye Xieren would need to undergo rigorous training to improve his skills.
"Do you know what you are lacking now?" he tested.
The younger man gave him a curt nod and looked away.
"I'll do better next time."
As their conversation continued, the glaring truth was that the winner of this cooking battle was Lu Xinyi. Shen Yi started to clap even before Huo Meili announced his wife victorious today. His loud and slow clap was followed by President Liu. One by one, the people around them followed their lead, stood up, and congratulated Lu Xinyi.
"The winner of this cooking battle and still the reigning 10th placer of our Cream of the Crop is… Lu Xinyi of the junior division! Mr. Ye, Miss Lu, thank you for giving us a wonderful and intense battle for today!"
Shen Yuyan went down from Shen Yi's lap and shouted with joy.
"Mommy won! I know she'll win today!"
"Come on, Daddy! Let's go and greet Mommy!" Shen Zichen pulled Shen Yi's arm, taking his attention away from the stage.
"Alright," he replied. "President Liu, we will be going then. I'm sorry I couldn't share some words with you today."
President Liu laughed and waved a hand, dismissing his apology. "No harm done. Go, your children are eager to see your wife. I'm sure you also want to see her."
The man sighed dejectedly and let the twins pull him away from the VIP area. Behind them Jiao Jiao and Zhang Qing followed closely, paying attention to people around the stage. Their eyes spotted Li Yuren in the crowd, his attention focused on Shen Yi.
Dressed casually in a black dress shirt and slacks, Li Yuren made his way towards them with Long Feng behind him.
"What is he doing here?" Jiao Jiao asked her companion.
Zhang Qing shrugged. She thought that this man had something for their mistress before. There was something different in his eyes when he looked at Lu Xinyi.
As if sensing his presence, Shen Yi stopped on his tracks and turned around, only to see Li Yuren standing near them.
"President Shen, can I trouble you for a while? I need to talk to you in private," Li Yuren said, his posture stiff and alert with his surroundings.
"It's quite urgent, President Shen. Please hear what my superior has to say," Long Feng added, his smile was without malice and almost apologetic.
"Take the twins with you and check on your mistress ASAP," Shen Yi told Jiao Jiao and Zhang Qing, without breaking his gaze to Li Yuren.
The two women nodded and took the twins, without a word. Li Yuren motioned Shen Yi to follow him. The two walked in silence, with only their footsteps heard along the empty hallways of the stadium.
Once they arrived in an empty spot behind the stadium and out of everyone's earshot, Li Yuren extended a hand to Long Feng. Long Feng immediately took a roll of paper hidden in his coat and handed it to his commander.
Li Yuren then gave it to Shen Yi, and the latter unrolled the document, only to see a photograph attached on its left side.
"Do you recognize this man?"
Shen Yi's expression grew stilled and serious. Of course, he knew who this man was. This was the same man who abducted Shen Xue years ago and the one he crushed single-handedly in one night.
"I bet you do because we've some intercepted letters from him." Li Yuren lit up a cigarette and leaned casually against the trunk of a tree closest to him.
"What letters?" Shen Yi eyed him with a calculating expression.
"Death threats. Why don't you flip and read what is written on the next pages?"
Shen Yi did what Li Yuren said, his eyes slightly widening at the sight of the handwritten notes.
'You cannot hide your sins. You're bound to eternal damnation. You don't deserve her…'
It didn't take a genius to figure out what was going on.
"When did it start? How come you know about him?" Shen Yi reproached Li Yuren.
Li Yuren puffed the smoke of his cigarette and shook his head.
"We've been trying to track him for years. For the past three years, he was on the move overseas; and now, he's back."
"And you're only telling me this now because?" His hand reached for his phone on his coat to call Qiao He. They needed to eliminate this person before they could harm Lu Xinyi.
"We were able to seize some of his men trailing after your wife. Do I need to say more?"
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