Tokyo Airport.
"Let's go!"
Yūki Yoshino raised her hands high, her face full of excitement.
"Destination: Fujian, China!"
Beside her, Chuan Weihua was equally excited. She had already found out their destination, and it happened to be a place she had never visited before, so she could have a good time.
"I want to try the Buddha Jumps Over the Wall there! I want to see if it's true that even Buddha would jump over a wall to eat it after smelling its aroma!"
Hisako Arato, who had put on a pair of black-framed glasses at some point, was dressed in a form-fitting professional elite outfit. The black thigh-high stockings that reached the tops of her thighs made even Dylan steal a couple of extra glances.
"Anyway, let's board the plane first."
Due to the large number of people traveling this time, Senzaemon Nakiri had specially chartered a private jet to get them to China as quickly as possible.
Dylan and the others naturally wouldn't refuse such a thoughtful arrangement. They dragged their luggage and boarded the plane along with Erina Nakiri and the others.
However, the seating arrangement sparked a dispute.
"Erina, do you really have to fight me for this seat?"
As soon as Alice Nakiri boarded the plane, she saw Erina walk straight towards Dylan and sit down beside him without the slightest hesitation. She gritted her teeth, strode forward, her tone carrying a hint of dissatisfaction.
"First come, first served. Go sit somewhere else."
Putting down her backpack, Erina Nakiri lifted her chin slightly, a smug smile playing on her lips, as if declaring her victory.
She sat firmly in her seat, showing no intention of giving it up.
"Dylan-nii, look at her!"
Alice Nakiri wanted to go up and pull Erina away, but felt it would be too crude. In the end, she could only stomp her foot and turn to Dylan for help, acting cute. However, Dylan just shrugged helplessly, pretending he hadn't seen anything.
After all, both of these young ladies were part of his "harem." Offending either of them would have unpleasant consequences, and he wasn't one to take sides. In the end, he could only play dumb and silently avoid the conflict.
"Don't you usually sit next to Teacher Dylan? What's wrong with me taking a turn today? You can't just monopolize him all the time."
Erina Nakiri said matter-of-factly, her tone carrying a hint of challenge. She had long been dissatisfied with Alice always occupying the seat next to Dylan, and today she finally had a chance to "even the score."
"Hmph, just this once!"
Seeing that Erina had no intention of backing down, Alice Nakiri knew she couldn't win the argument, and Dylan wouldn't help. She had no choice but to turn around huffily and walk towards the back row. Before leaving, she couldn't resist looking back to glare at Erina, muttering, "What a greedy girl..."
"Don't you agree, Teacher Dylan?"
Pretending not to hear Alice Nakiri's taunt, Erina Nakiri turned her head to look at Dylan, her tone carrying a hint of playful complaint. Her face was slightly flushed, but her eyes held a trace of triumph.
Ever since sobering up two days ago, although Erina had forgotten most of the details, she clearly remembered confessing to Dylan while drunk, and that he had agreed without hesitation. They had even kissed.
For a young woman who had never been in a relationship, such an experience undoubtedly stirred ripples in her heart, especially since she already liked Dylan.
Thus, she naturally began to see herself as Dylan's "girlfriend." Her attitude became much more intimate, and things that once made her feel shy and hesitant now seemed perfectly natural.
Erina Nakiri leaned back lazily in her seat, her gaze occasionally drifting towards Dylan, the corners of her mouth turned up slightly with a sense of coy satisfaction.
As for Dylan, he felt the faint fragrance coming from beside him, feeling both helpless and a little secretly pleased. Being fought over by two girls at the same time could, to some extent, be seen as proof of his incredible charm.
Meanwhile, in the back row, Alice Nakiri was hugging her arms, glaring ahead huffily, and vowing in her heart that she would definitely get her seat back next time!
The two young women's thoughts intertwined within the cabin, while around them, many other girls watched everything with complex expressions, each lost in their own thoughts.
After an unknown amount of time, a sensation of descent washed over them, and Dylan took off his eye mask.
The plane descended lower and lower. Wheels extended from the bottom on both sides, making intimate contact with the ground, and it slid forward for a long distance before slowly coming to a stop.
A flight attendant announced in the cabin that the plane was about to land, then stood at the boarding gate. Once the plane had stopped completely, she smiled and opened the cabin door for them.
The group disembarked with their luggage, soon reaching the airport entrance. They were then picked up by a private car and taken to a magnificent hotel.
And as the group got out of the car...
"Holy cow, this is too luxurious!"
Yūki Yoshino couldn't help but exclaim, her breathing becoming heavy. The hotel before them was like a palace, majestic and dazzling.
The exterior walls of the hotel were made of marble, smooth as a mirror. A huge crystal chandelier hung above the main entrance, sparkling and clear. The fountain in front of the door sprayed columns of water high into the air, the splashes full of life.
"Let's go inside, anyway."
Even though Dylan was used to grand scenes, he couldn't help but swallow. The Nakiri family was truly extravagant, casually booking such a luxurious hotel for them.
A night here probably isn't cheap.
"Let's go in."
Erina Nakiri also spoke, but she wasn't as surprised as Dylan and the others. She used to come to places like this often as a child to review the hotel's kitchen.
As they spoke, the group walked into the lobby with their suitcases, greeted by a scene of opulence.
The floor was covered with thick Persian carpets, soft and comfortable to walk on, as if treading on clouds. The ceiling was a magnificent pale gold, exuding an air of grandeur.
In the center of the lobby stood a huge grand piano, its body a glossy black, its keys white as snow. A pianist in a tuxedo was playing with concentration, the melodious music echoing through the lobby, refreshing the soul.
"Is this the legendary five-star hotel..."
Yūki Yoshino looked left and right, even reaching out to touch the floor. It was spotless. Could they really stay in a place like this?!
"Welcome!"
A uniformed waiter smiled and approached, leading them to the front desk to check in. Dylan left this troublesome task to Hisako Arato.
Once all the procedures were completed, a butler in a tailcoat led them to their rooms.
Since they had arrived together, the hotel had thoughtfully arranged for them to be on the same floor. Each room was seventy to eighty square meters, with its own bathroom, balcony, and even a small kitchenette.
Every single room was like this.
"If you need anything, please press the call bell by the bed. Our staff will be there at any time. Otherwise, we will not disturb our guests' rest."
Handing out the keys to the guests before him, the butler spoke in a gentle voice. This was part of their hotel's service standard: the customer is always first.
"Understood."
Dylan nodded, then returned to his room, put down his luggage, took a shower in the bathroom, and then stood at the door to send a message for everyone to come out.
The time was already evening.
The sun was gradually setting.
Outside the hotel, however, it was becoming more and more lively.
"You have only one mission today, and that is to eat and drink your fill. Fuzhou, as the capital of Fujian, has gathered delicacies from all over the province."
"You can freely choose what you like, learn about the stories behind the dishes. Later, at the Fujian Youth Chef Competition, these dishes will appear frequently. Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated."
Looking at the girls gathering one by one in the hallway, Dylan clapped his hands to get their attention and announced the plan for the evening.
Although they had eaten some bread and snacks on the plane, those things could only tide them over; they were far from filling.
And the real reason for saving room was to taste the local specialty foods.
"Alright!"
The girls responded excitedly. They couldn't wait any longer. To come to Fuzhou and not taste Fujian cuisine would be an unforgivable crime!
"Then we'll head this way."
Due to the large number of people, everyone decided to split up after leaving the hotel. Before parting, Dylan stopped, turned to look at them, his tone tinged with concern:
"Be careful on the road. Your Chinese isn't fluent yet. If you get lost or run into any trouble, remember to call me right away. I'll come pick you up and help you handle things."
His gaze swept over Erina Nakiri and Alice Nakiri standing on his left and right, then looked at Yūki Yoshino and the others who had already formed several small groups, his expression serious.
"We know, see you later!"
Yūki Yoshino waved, then pulled Megumi Tadokoro and Ryōko Sakaki along, and walked enthusiastically towards the crowded area.
After a while, she disappeared into the bustling street.
"I heard Fuzhou's fish balls are very famous. Let's go try them tonight."
Dylan watched their figures disappear, then turned his head and suggested to Erina Nakiri and Alice Nakiri beside him.
"And Shacha Noodles! I know a shop where both the Shacha Noodles and the Seven Star Fish Balls are very authentic. You absolutely must try them when you're in Fuzhou!"
A clear voice suddenly interjected. The three of them followed the sound and saw Chuan Weihua walking over with a box of snacks, a pair of chopsticks in her hand, and a slight sheen of oil at the corner of her mouth. She had clearly just been feasting.
"Is that an Oyster Omelette in your hand? When did you go buy it? You're so fast!"
Erina Nakiri sniffed lightly, and a rich seafood aroma wafted over. It was the unique umami of fresh oysters mixed with the savory fragrance of fried eggs. If you smelled carefully, you could also catch the fresh scent released by scallions during cooking.
"I was already on it while you guys were saying your goodbyes. I carefully selected this Oyster Omelette; it's definitely the best quality on this street. I got a few extra pairs of chopsticks, so you can try some too."
Chuan Weihua said, handing over the box of snacks. The rich, fresh aroma became even stronger. Dylan took the disposable chopsticks she offered without any politeness and began to taste it.
"If nothing else, these ingredients are absolutely the freshest, freshly caught oysters."
Not only that, the outer layer of the oyster was fried to a golden-brown crisp, while the inside remained relatively soft. The textural contrast, especially between the oyster and the egg, was distinct.
The fresh oyster meat was tender and melted in the mouth, with a slight elasticity. The egg part was dense and delicate, forming a perfect match with the oyster's smoothness! It's really well made, no worse than what you'd find in a big hotel restaurant.
As the Oyster Omelette entered his mouth, Dylan closed his eyes and savored it carefully.
This snack was simple to make; the only thing to master was the heat. As long as the heat was right and the ingredients were fresh, it was hard to make it taste bad.
"I want some too, I want some too! Dylan-nii, let me try!"
Beside them, seeing Dylan and Chuan Weihua eating with such relish, Alice Nakiri looked curious, then leaned in and opened her mouth wide.
"Here."
Seeing this, Dylan very naturally picked up a piece of the Oyster Omelette and put it in her mouth. Alice Nakiri also closed her eyes and began to savor it.
"Erina, this is for you."
As he spoke, Dylan picked up another piece and brought it to Erina Nakiri's lips, as if to feed her. Seeing this, Erina's face turned red, but after a moment's hesitation, she still opened her mouth and gently bit down.
"The freshness of the sea, the savory aroma of the fried egg, the clean scent of the scallions, the sweet and sour sauce..."
Almost at the instant she ate the dish, a vision of a vast blue ocean suddenly appeared before Erina Nakiri's eyes, stretching as far as she could see.
Waves gently lapped against the rocks, and seagulls soared in the sky. Fresh oysters, just pulled from the sea, carried the freshness of the sea breeze and the warmth of the sun.
The golden-fried egg skin transformed before her eyes into a golden wheat field, and as the gentle breeze blew, the waves of wheat rolled.
The scallions became a group of green fairies, dancing gracefully in the golden fields.
At this moment, these little fairies were holding bright green feathers, flying all around her, and at the same time, lightly brushing her body with the feathers, bringing waves of ticklishness and a faint, strange sensation.
"This is really good. I never expected that even the street food in Fuzhou could be so delicious!"
Erina Nakiri opened her eyes and exclaimed from the bottom of her heart.
"The bad ones simply don't sell, especially a classic snack like this. Most of the people selling these are older chefs. They've been in this line of work for ten or twenty years and have long since perfected their respective fields. How could they possibly make something that doesn't taste good?"
Chuan Weihua finished the rest of the Oyster Omelette, her gaze sweeping across the entire street. Most of the stall owners were chefs in their thirties or older; young people were few and far between.
"Most of the youths in their teens and twenties are working as apprentices in restaurants. Even if some come from unconventional backgrounds, no one pays attention to their stalls. After losing money for a long time, they naturally switch careers."
Dylan's voice also rang out slowly. In this world that placed extreme importance on food, being a chef had become the profession with the best job prospects.
This also led to a large influx of people into the culinary industry. Some relied on their family background, soaring to success with their family's support; others invested a great deal of time and effort but, due to a lack of talent or connections, ended up achieving nothing and had to choose a different path.
Before the age of thirty, if one could become a first-grade head chef, they could be called a genius. With extreme hard work, they might even become a Special Grade Chef.
Most of the people running stalls on the street now were employees who had been eliminated from major restaurants. Their chef rankings might not be high, but they definitely had their own specialty, which was the foundation of their livelihood.
"Dedicating a lifetime to perfecting a single dish, is that why they can create cuisine that far surpasses their chef rank?"
Erina Nakiri seemed to be stunned, muttering to herself. She couldn't imagine what it would be like to make only one dish for a lifetime. How boring would that be?
"Actually, many people do try to create innovative dishes after accumulating enough experience. However, because their techniques aren't mature enough, very few succeed."
"See that shop over there? It's been open for decades. It used to make Hong Kong-style siu mei, and the authentic taste was praised by everyone."
"Until later, the old man who ran it passed away, and his son took over as the new owner. He insisted on modifying the original recipe, and as a result, business plummeted."
"Don't be fooled by the fact that there are still quite a few customers now; most of them are just drawn by the old reputation. Very few of the original regulars are left. This shop is surviving on the fame of its predecessor. In a few years, it will definitely close down."
Chuan Weihua pointed to a shop not far away and said. This was actually quite a sad thing. The legacy of the older generation was gradually fading away, and the younger generation couldn't fill their shoes. More and more famous old shops were closing down.
"That's right, there's no such thing as an immortal legend. After three or five generations, if a rebellious descendant appears, the entire foundation built by the ancestors will be ruined."
"In the future, a family must be established, so that it can be passed down through endless generations. Even if some descendants don't want to be chefs, there will be more who are willing to take up the mantle."
After hearing Chuan Weihua's story, Erina Nakiri spoke with some emotion. In that moment, she suddenly understood why her ancestors had founded a family.
No matter how much the Nakiri family declined, there would always be Special Grade Chefs in the family. As long as the roots were not compromised, the legacy could continue to be passed down.
"I deeply agree."
Also being the heir to a large family, Chuan Weihua nodded in agreement, but Alice was nowhere to be seen at this moment.
Dylan looked around for a long time before realizing she had already run over to the siu mei shop that Chuan Weihua had just pointed out and bought a portion of siu mei from a staff member.
"Let's go have a taste."
Seeing that Alice Nakiri had already taken a seat, Dylan and the others, however helpless, could only follow.
However, he also became a little curious about just how badly it had been changed for Chuan Weihua to consider it a disgrace to its name and believe it would close down soon.
"Are you guys eating at this place tonight?"
Chuan Weihua was taken aback for a moment, then reluctantly followed them, ordering a portion of roast goose at the counter before sitting down opposite Dylan to wait.
"Let's just try it. Traditional Hong Kong-style siu mei is not only savory and rich, but also sweet with a hint of umami."
"Its skin, after being roasted at high temperatures, forms a golden, crispy outer layer. When you bite into it, you can even clearly hear a 'crack'. The crispiness of the skin forms a sharp contrast with the tender meat inside!"
Not long after Dylan finished speaking, he saw a waiter approaching with several plates of different siu mei, including roast goose, roast duck, Chinese sausage, and char siu.
"Here is your order, sir. Please check it."
The waiter said, handing the menu to Dylan, clearly seeing that he was the leader of the group.
"No problem."
After a quick glance, Dylan nodded to indicate there was no issue. The waiter then set down the siu mei and also provided a few complimentary bowls of rice.
"Rose petals..."
Looking at the rose petals scattered on the siu mei, Chuan Weihua couldn't help but murmur.
"Just from its appearance, this dish is quite interesting, it could be considered an innovative dish. But for a concrete evaluation, I'll have to wait until after I've tasted it to make a final judgment..."
Dylan stroked his chin, carefully examining the dish before him. From its presentation, it did look good, and the aroma was exceptionally rich, giving a sense of novelty.
"Although it looks quite creative, the flaws are also very obvious. The roses have been handled cleanly, but they've lost their original vibrant color under the high heat."
"Furthermore, the amount of rose petals used is a bit excessive. The fragrance is too strong, overpowering the savory and smoky aroma of the siu mei itself, leading to an unbalanced flavor."
Dylan leaned in and smelled it, sensing the flavors within, then pointed out the shortcomings of the dish in front of everyone.
The innovative idea was certainly good, but the chef responsible for this dish clearly lacked solid technique and couldn't perfect the dish to its ideal state, ultimately presenting an effect that was neither here nor there.
"The aroma of the petals is too strong; it might cause the floral scent to overpower the original flavor of the siu mei."
"When you eat it, the first thing you feel is a strong rose aroma. The savory and meaty flavors of the siu mei are masked, losing the taste of traditional siu mei."
Erina Nakiri picked up a piece of char siu and put it in her mouth. The rose fragrance instantly exploded in her oral cavity, bringing a novel and unprecedented experience.
However, as far as char siu goes, this rose fragrance was simply too intense, masking the original deliciousness of the char siu and making the dish no longer seem like char siu.
"The taste is acceptable, but it can absolutely not be called char siu, nor does it deserve the name 'char siu'."
Dylan said in a cold tone.
Objectively speaking, this dish might have reached the standard of a first-grade dish in terms of flavor, but it had deviated from the essence of char siu.
This was also why the shop, despite losing its old customers, could still attract new ones. If they changed their sign from "Hong Kong-style Siu Mei" to "Rose Roast Pork," it might be more appropriate.
Dylan gestured to the waiter, then picked up a piece of roast duck and put it in his mouth.
The next moment, he shook his head. He could taste a slight burnt bitterness from the roast duck, most likely caused by the rose petals charring during the roasting process.
Not only was the recipe modification less than ideal, but the chef making the dish wasn't very diligent either. No wonder its reputation among the old customers was getting worse and worse.
"Here is a pen and paper for you, sir."
A few minutes later, the waiter came up with a pen and paper, respectfully holding them with both hands as he offered them to him.
"Alright, thank you."
Dylan gave a slight nod of thanks and took the pen and paper from the waiter's hands.
The good service was the only outstanding aspect of this shop. The proportion of young customers here was much higher than in other places, likely due to this reason as well.
"This should do it..."
Looking at the blank paper before him, and then at the considerable amount of siu mei left over, Dylan clearly wrote two sentences on the paper before stopping his pen.
If the shop owner was willing to listen to his advice and improve the dish, these two sentences would be enough to take the shop's business to the next level.
If they were unwilling, then no matter how much advice he wrote, it would be useless.
A light touch was enough.
He tucked the note under the plate. They had finished the siu mei in front of them. Fortunately, they hadn't ordered much, so this meal barely served as an appetizer.
After paying the bill, the group of four left the shop...
_____
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