Chapter 793 - Another Holiday?

Zhou Shijie rushed toward Yuan Zhou’s restaurant. The chef circle wasn’t that big, but it wasn’t that small as well. Ji Yi was one of the best in the cooked wheaten food circle. Therefore, Zhou Shijie knew Ji Yi very well.

This was evident from his conversation with Zhong Lili. There was already one incident of a good talent in cooking being poached over to focus on cooked wheaten food instead in the past.

If one asked Zhou Shijie his impression of Ji Yi, he would answer without any hesitation that Ji Yi was a bandit. He would partake in anything he found to be advantageous to the cooked wheaten food field.

Meanwhile, Ji Yi had just finished the dishes Liu Zhang ordered in Yuan Zhou’s restaurant.

His eyeballs started shifting around, the gears in his mind clicking.

“So have you learned something?” Liu Zhang asked with a smile.

Ji Yi glared at Liu Zhang and said, “It’s not like you’re the chef. Why are you being so smug?”

Some people might say that this sweetness was something one could only detect by paying meticulous attention to the food. Therefore, it was pointless.

However, the truth was that when a person’s cooking skill reached this level, the only way that person could compete with others of the same level was through tiny details like this. The organic sweetness of the flour would certainly feel better and smoother than artificial sweetness from adding sugar into the food.

As the saying goes, a battle between powerhouses could end in milliseconds. This was applicable in the cooking skills as well.

“Old Ji, saying this is the same as conceding your defeat.” Liu Zhang was a person capable of triggering others with a straight face.

When Ji Yi looked at the straight face Liu Zhang had while saying those words, he then had an urge to beat someone up.

He knew that he would not be able to win any further arguments with Liu Zhang. Therefore, he did not bother answering. Rather, he faced Yuan Zhou and spoke, “Boss Yuan, an interesting event is going to be held soon. Are you interested in joining?”

Ji Yi had a very good grasp on timing. He would only speak when Yuan Zhou happened to be idling. Yuan Zhou indicated that he was listening and waited for what Ji Yi had to say next.

“The art of making cooked wheaten food has a long history, with many methods of making cooked wheaten food remaining hidden from the official records.”

Ji Yi paused and continued, “Therefore, the China Alliance of Cooked Wheaten Food Masters is planning to create a national event.”

In truth, as the chief secretary of the China Alliance of Cooked Wheaten Food Masters, this was an event that had been planned and approved by him.

“We are gathering unknown makers of cooked wheaten food countrywide before testing all of them. Those passing the test will be included in a documentary. The documentary will be added into the China Cooked Wheaten Food Museum.”

This was an act of preserving a skill set, something good. But what did this have to do with Yuan Zhou? Did he have to participate in this event as an unknown maker of cooked wheaten food as well?

Evidently, with Yuan Zhou’s current status, it would not be appropriate for him to join this event as an unknown maker of cooked wheaten food. The spectators would recognize that this was the handsome and carefree Yuan Zhou of a grand reputation with a single glance. They would then be speculating as to whether there was some scandal brewing behind the scenes.

This was Yuan Zhou’s honest opinion. A great majority of people saw unknown masters as people who had no fame but were extremely skilled.

As for participating in the event as a judge instead, Yuan Zhou did not have the time for that.

What Ji Yi had to say next dispelled Yuan Zhou’s doubts, “To promote this event, we will be filming five promotional videos, to make the spectators start guessing the identities of the chefs. I am hoping you can be in one of the five videos.”

Yuan Zhou rubbed his chin and considered. Roll, Dear Beef was going to be filmed soon as well. He wondered if time would be too tight for him.

Before Yuan Zhou could give a reply, the system reacted.

The system displayed, “Congratulations host. You have triggered the title advancement mission. Do you accept the mission?”

Yuan Zhou asked when he saw the mission, “System, have you been conquered by some other system? In the past, you will stay silent for a long time after a main mission completion before issuing another mission. But nowadays, you are issuing missions after missions.”

The system stayed silent, but Yuan Zhou was still very suspicious.

When Ji Yi saw that Yuan Zhou was blanking out and remaining silent for a long time, he misunderstood that Yuan Zhou had personal reasons he couldn’t join the event. Therefore, he asked, “Boss Yuan, do you have any issues with joining this event? Feel free to let me know about it.”

Yuan Zhou asked, “How long will the filming take?”

“It won’t take long. You only need to free up one day from your schedule. I will deal with everything else for you,” Ji Yi answered.

“One day…” Yuan Zhou sank into a long silence before he answered, “It is my honor to do something for our country. But I have just returned from a seven days leave at Thailand. If I go on leave again…”

Before Yuan Zhou finished his sentence, Ji Yi spoke, “Just take one more day off.”

The moment these words were spoken, chaos erupted in Yuan Zhou’s restaurant.

“You are too selfish. Ask yourself. If you have to stop eating Boss Yuan’s food for a few days, will you be able to sleep at night?” Ma Zhida said.

“Yeah, our Boss Yuan is an industrious and hard-working master chef that is also handsome and smart. He will never listen to you,” a girl started praising Yuan Zhou.

Yuan Zhou maintained a solemn face as he heard this, but he approved greatly of those words.

“Boss Yuan, this promotional video is a trifling matter for you. But I don’t think you should be in so much of a rush to do it,” Ling Hong said.

“Yeah, you shouldn’t be in such a rush,” the other customers nodded.

“Steamed Bun Ji, forget it. Little Yuan is one of my people. You are trying to make my man film a promotional video without asking me about it?” Zhou Shijie had finally arrived.

“So the chairman of the cooking association is here. Hi, there,” Ji Yi stood up and greeted him with a smile on his face. It was evident that he was not embarrassed by his act of trying to poach a chef from the cooking association.

“Um,” Zhou Shijie nodded before turning to speak with Yuan Zhou.

“Little Yuan, your lunchtime is not over yet. Go ahead and continue with your work. Don’t worry about this. After all, you are one of us in the cooking field. I will deal with this for you,” Zhou Shijie spoke gently.

Yuan Zhou first gazed at the longing look of his customers, then at the expectant look of Ji Yi, and finally at the sincere look of Zhou Shijie before nodding, “I’ll have to trouble you, Chairman.”

It was as Yuan Zhou had said previously. He wanted to help the cooked wheaten food field if possible, but his root lay with the restaurant. He could not go on leave repeatedly. He was also aware that Zhou Shijie had always treasured him greatly.

Since Zhou Shijie wanted to deal with this for him, Yuan Zhou did not mind. As far as Yuan Zhou was concerned, it would be more appropriate for Zhou Shijie to deal with this using his identity as the chairman of the cooking association.

“Steamed Bun Ji, let’s talk outside. Don’t disturb Little Yuan’s business. Let’s go,” Zhou Shijie was very pleased inwardly, but he still maintained a solemn face as he spoke to Ji Yi.

“Fine. I won’t disturb you anymore, Little Yuan. I will come to try your Spring Water Mantou next time. I heard it’s very good as well,” Ji Yi said with a smile.

“You’re welcomed to come again,” Yuan Zhou nodded.

“Let’s go,” Ji Yi nodded before saying to Liu Zhang.

They left the restaurant, and the other customers shifted their gazes on Yuan Zhou again. With a longing look, everyone waited for Yuan Zhou’s answer.