Chapter 246 - Mighty Opponents

After leaving the venue for a break, Wang Ming had a delicious dinner at a nearby restaurant. The restaurant was situated close to a pond. If Uncle Hou hadn't mentioned that they had two more rounds today, he would have just gone home.

While eating they also got to admire the beautiful pond and fishes jumping back and forth, while Ming Ming fed them rice balls. They had ordered some fried noodles together with Peking duck. The noodles infused with duck fat tasted incredible; I also cooked the duck to perfection, where it almost melted in their mouths. Wang Ming only had one problem with the dish and that's the noodles. They had used too little water when they kneaded the dough.

So even though they had cooked the noodles perfectly, they too hard and chewy. He pointed this out to the chefs at first. They disregarded what he said, even became angry as they thought he only wanted free food or a competing business sent him to make trouble. Many high-profile people have eaten at their restaurant, no one has ever complained before.

But their attitude changed after one of them realized who Wang Ming is. Even the head chef ran out to greet Wang Ming.

Wang Ming explained to the head chef again what he had told the other chefs. He didn't want them to get the impression that he's talking down to them as their dish majorly impressed him. He only wanted to help them make it better.

"Thank you, Mr. Wang! I will take everything you said in mind. I promise to impress you even more next time you're here." said the head chef after noting the tips Wang Ming gave them. He also got a picture of Wang Ming and an autograph. 

The head chef wanted to run around like a little girl after getting his autograph, but held himself back. Only after seeing Wang Ming leave the restaurant did he run back to his office and celebrated. The other chefs grumbled, as they had completely forgotten to get an autograph too.

Since the quarter finals and the top 32 were coming up later, Wang Ming headed back home together with his girls to pick up sauce jars he had made.

When he got home, he noticed the door unlocked. With caution Wang Ming opened the door and looked around, but after scurrying the house for 10 minutes he couldn't find anything that pointed to someone had entered the house nor was he missing anything. He concluded with that Lang Lin and Fu Ya must have forgotten to lock the door when they rushed out of the house. 

They barely had time this morning. Even he had forgotten that there would be two more rounds today, including the quarter finals, which is why he didn't bring the sauce jar. Seeing the three jars still sitting in the cupboard made him relaxed. Those jars are the most important objects in his house at this moment. 

Looking at the jars Wang Ming didn't know which to take as it's still unknown what they're cooking next round, though it didn't matter too much as each sauce tastes great. He could take them all with him, but he didn't want to reveal his hand yet.

After taking a random jar, Wang Ming went back to his car. Looking at Ming Ming in the car, Wang Ming sighed. He had tried to drop her off at her home earlier, but she grabbed his leg and didn't want to let go unless Wang Ming brought her to the competition. He thought the competition would bore her, so he wanted to let her go home early.

Lang Lin couldn't watch her as she left after they arrived home. She had urgent business she needed to take care of. He couldn't let a young child watch the show alone there. Someone had to watch her.

Thinking about who could watch her made Wang Ming almost slap himself in the face. He had completely forgotten about Uncle Hou, who would be watching the whole competition today.

"Are you sure you want to watch the show? It's going to be a long time, we won't be home before late, you won't regret it right?"

"Ming Ming wants to watch! I want to become a famous chef just like you, daddy!"

"You definitely can. Grandpa Hou will be there as well to take care of you. But if you want to go home then tell me, okay? I will get someone to drive you home."

"Mhm, I promise." 

Wang Ming felt happy that Ming Ming wants to become a chef. He could teach her so much. Though he wouldn't pressure her if she decides at any points she doesn't want to become a chef, he would respect it. 

When he drove back to the competition, Wang Ming drove carefully, as he didn't want the jar to break. Ming Ming kept looking at it curiously, but she couldn't open it as Wang Ming had screwed the top on tightly. Which affected her mood heavily. She wanted to open the jar to taste the sauce inside. Her face became ashen. She asked Wang Ming to open it, but he couldn't as he was driving and he's going to use it in the competition later.

Hearing that Wang Ming didn't want to help her, she showed her dissatisfaction by ignoring Wang Ming and folding her arms across her c.h.e.s.t and pouted her lips. She had tried d.o.g.g.y eyes before that, but Wang Ming wouldn't budge at all. Seeing her throwing a tantrum, Wang Ming didn't bother to talk with her or do anything. Even though he loves her to death, she needs to learn that she can't get everything.

He's ready to fight the world for Ming Ming, but he wanted her to know that there's a limit. The jar is very important for his competition, so he couldn't let her open it or taste it. He wanted to trap the aroma inside the jar for as long as he could.

Arriving at the venue again, Wang Ming hurriedly grabbed the jar and Ming Ming's hand and went into the venue. Ming Ming kept staring at daggers at the jar. She looked so obsessed with it, like she either had to get it or destroy it.

After seeing there were no more reporters, Wang Ming crouched down to talk to her. "My sweet angel, I know you want to taste the sauce in the jar. But you have to understand how important the sauce is for me and my chances to win the competition. You want daddy to win right?"

Ming Ming closed her eyes and scrunched her eyes together. She couldn't understand everything he told her, but she understood the jar was very important to him. "I'm sorry, daddy." Ming Ming eyes moistened up. She didn't like how Wang Ming looked at her. 

Seeing her tear up, Wang Ming sighed. He didn't want to make her feel bad, he just wanted her to understand that this is important to him and how she's acting is wrong. Hugging and carrying her in his arms, Wang Ming blew on her face to tickle her. 

Which immediately gave a reaction. Feeling her entire face tickle, Ming Ming calmed down. It distracted her from the negative feelings she felt. 

"My angel, don't be sad. The jar is important for daddy, I can let you try some after the competition. But don't act like that again, or else daddy will be angry. If someone says no then be a strong girl for me and just accept it, okay?"

Wang Ming said everything slowly and even explained everything in simpler term, multiple times for her to understand. The one thing Wang Ming wanted her to understand is her behavior is wrong. After explaining it for the third time, it seemed like she had finally understood as Ming Ming said to him. 

"Mhm, I'm sorry Daddy. Ming Ming won't do it again. Can you forgive me?" 

"You silly. I was never angry. I promise I will make a meal and let you taste the sauce when we get home, okay?" Ming Ming nodded and showered him with kisses. Both felt happy that they had achieved their goal. Ming Ming got to taste the sauce later, while Wang Ming got his point across to her. What he was most afraid of is that Ming Ming would become a Mao Qingling when she becomes an a.d.u.l.t. He had to root out the bad habits, so she knows how to act early on and hopefully when she gets friends her age, she knows how to act.

After sitting down besides Uncle Hou together with Ming Ming, Uncle Hou told him about what had happened the next rounds. There wasn't much Wang Ming had missed, but Uncle Hou told him about every competitor he needed to be careful of. He didn't know why Uncle Hou hadn't told him all about this before, but he appreciated his efforts. 

Many names Uncle Hou mentioned Wang Ming already knew, like Tan Ai, Cheng Kecheng and even Mao Qingling, but there were a few he hadn't heard before. If he hadn't gone home early yesterday, then he would have known the names as well. 

"I watched the entire computation yesterday and today carefully. In total, there's 5 chefs who can challenge you. Those are Tan Ai, Cheng Kecheng, Mao Qingling you already know. Shi Wen and Ding Meixiu are on stage right now, you might not have heard about them but from what I've seen and heard, they are very strong contestants, they just aren't that well known. From what I saw yesterday, they might not be worse than me and Cheng Kecheng. But I believe in you son, just do your best out there result doesn't matter you are young it doesn't matter if you fail."