The results posted thirty minutes later: Li Wei—first place in round one.
The courtyard buzzed with confusion. A twelve-year-old had outcooked adults? Parents whispered, some angry, others suspicious.
"He must've cheated," one man spat. "There's no way."
But no protest was filed. The judges stood firm.
The second round began with a twist—mystery ingredients. Li Wei opened his box to reveal… fermented tofu.
Gasps echoed. Some contestants backed away. Fermented tofu was strong, pungent, difficult to balance. A wrong step, and the dish would taste like spoiled garbage.
But Li Wei's eyes lit up.
He diced it, blending it with ginger and rice wine. Added sugar to tame the salt, chili to sharpen the flavor. The wok came alive again.
The judges watched him carefully this time. They whispered to each other as he plated his dish—a stir-fried eggplant soaked in a rich, savory sauce with hints of that dreaded tofu.
They took a bite.
One judge set his chopsticks down, stunned. "This is... brilliant."
Another looked at Li Wei with new eyes. "That level of control… I've seen it only in professionals."
In the crowd, Junhao cheered wildly. Li Wei didn't even look up.
He wasn't here for applause.
He was here to remember who he was.