As time passed, Kuga Terunori returned to normal. However, looking at Li Ke's stove, and then at the Mapo Tofu that had fueled his hallucinations and rekindled his passion for music and rock, he felt his worldview was distorted.
His previous training and studies were a complete waste!
He had worked so hard, perfecting every step, only to be defeated by the clearly mediocre cooking of Li Ke!
That knife skill was clearly only good for home-style cooking! Even people who rarely cook home-style dishes know more how to use a knife than Li Ke!
Kuga Terunori looked at the cut lines on Li Ke's fingers, feeling even more confused.
The cut lines on the skin of Li Ke's fingers meant that Li Ke had almost cut his hand while chopping vegetables, further demonstrating Li Ke's lack of professionalism.
"But to think he's like this... This is who he really is!"
"Impossible! Absolutely impossible! How could this be! Your cooking skills are absolutely terrible! And you completely disregarded the aesthetics and preferences of the Japanese in your ingredients; the cooking time and seasoning are all wrong! How could this be! How could this be!!"
Kuga Terunori clutched his hair in anguish, collapsing to his knees. He couldn't understand! He just unable to believe it!
He stared at Li Ke, his eyes bulging, utterly unable to comprehend what was happening.
Li Ke felt somewhat awkward under his gaze. He wasn't a professional chef in this world, so he couldn't quite grasp Kuga Terunori's feelings. However, to ease the awkwardness, he spoke up.
"Ahem, isn't there a saying that goes something like, 'A believing heart is your magic'… no, 'A believing heart is the best seasoning..' If you have a heart that strives to make every dish perfect, you can naturally discard everything else and cook the most delicious food. That's roughly the idea."
Li Ke's words stunned Kuga Terunori and everyone present. Clearly, his words had achieved the effect of a dry joke.
"This is really..."
Erina couldn't help but cover her face.
A dish that looked absolutely awful had actually produced such an effect. This would be utterly astonishing for any professional chef in this world.
To them, it was like one plus one no longer equals two, or a perpetual motion machine achieving a perpetual motion under the laws of conservation of energy and thermodynamics—a truly absurd situation.
If she hadn't known it came from Li Ke's special power, Erina felt she would have been just as disillusioned as Kuga Terunori.
But what Li Ke said was just...
That's like telling a rocket scientist they should be burning water-washed coal.
Kuga Terunori felt like vomiting blood after hearing Li Ke's words, but he also regained some of his fighting spirit.
"Cough, you really know to talk back! I don't know why you're provoking me like this, showing off your cooking skills, but I won't give up. Even though the gap is huge, I'll do my best to defeat you! Hey! You're from China, right? That must be your so-called secret recipe? Fine! I agree to a food battle with you! Not for anything else, but because I'll definitely see your tricks clearly on the food battle stage, and then absorb them to become stronger!"
He looked at Li Ke with high spirits. Although he knew he wouldn't win, he felt he could definitely learn something from Li Ke!
As long as he could learn something, as long as he could see how Li Ke made the dishes delicious when they competed on the same stage, then he, Kuga Terunori, could definitely transform from a snake into a dragon! And surpass Li Ke with his superior foundation!
He had this confidence!
Any student who can become one of the Elite Ten has this kind of confidence—the confidence that even if you know my recipe, know what dish I'm going to make, you still can't defeat me!
His fervent attitude and his overtly assertive, self-righteous desire for Li Ke's secret technique struck Li Ke as odd.
He wasn't sure whether to praise his enthusiasm or accuse him of shamelessness and ulterior motives.
But since he'd openly stated it, and it was Li Ke who had initiated the food battle, he might as well say he was enthusiastic.
As for the secret technique…
"Well, it's good that you're so enthusiastic and happy, but I really don't have any secret techniques. So studying me might lead you astray."
Li Ke kindly offered a reminder, but unfortunately, the blond-haired man with dyed highlights didn't believe him at all.
"Hahaha! You're really funny!"
With that, Kuga Terunori walked out with a fighting spirit, though his legs trembled slightly as he walked, and his smile was stiff.
Clearly, he wasn't as indifferent to the title of Elite Ten or as unconcerned about Li Ke's challenge as he appeared; he was simply unwilling to admit defeat.
"It seems he were quite hurt by you."
Erina walked to Li Ke's side, and together they watched Kuga Terunori leave, then looked at Mito Ikumi.
"But, Mito, what are you doing here?"
Erina looked at Mito Ikumi with some curiosity. Although the other's family was large, Mito Ikumi, as the daughter, wasn't particularly valued. Although she had been sent to Totsuki Academy, her main purpose here was to establish a relationship with Erina and see if she could find a husband skilled in meat cooking.
This was unavoidable. The other family controlled the top meat market in the country, but her own culinary skills and talent weren't enough to monopolize it. Naturally, she needed a capable son-in-law, or perhaps become the mistress of some powerful figure.
After all, although the Mito Group seemed like a behemoth, it was clearly a newly rich family in Japan. Although they were landowners and nobles, they had risen in recent years, and their foundation wasn't very stable.
If the Nakiri family hadn't always held a leading position, essentially the shogun's position, they could easily have replaced by the Mito family.
While the Nakiri family did control some trade channels, their main business lay in schools, various industries and political systems, and they were authorities in the culinary world.
For example, Erina could easily destroy the Mito family with just a few articles or a recipe that could make ordinary meat taste like A5 meat—both way are effortless.
Therefore, the Mito family had been working diligently, not only sending their heir to serve as her subordinate but also striving to align themselves with her.
Looking at Mito Ikumi's blonde hair, Erina sighed and smoothed her own, thinking of her white-haired, red-eyed cousin, Nakiri Alice.
After all, in this country, how could they achieve a monopoly without relying on her connections?
As for the latter, the other party must be quite resistant; otherwise, they wouldn't have worked so hard to learn cooking and cultivate a good relationship with me.
Mito Ikumi glanced nervously at Li Ke before looking at Erina.
"Lady Erina, I've come simply to ask if the Nakiri family, or rather, you, have any new plans or strategies regarding the meat market. No matter what, our Mito family has always been your most loyal followers, so if there's anything we can do to help, we will definitely provide our full support."
"Huh?"
Erina looked at Mito Ikumi with some surprise, not understanding what she was talking about. What was this talk of developing the meat industry? Did she have any plans to do that?
"What are you talking about… wait, is that you?"
Li Ke nodded naturally.
"I was grilling meat the other day, you know, that meat's kind, and then she came over."
Tsk.
Erina painfully covered her head, then looked at the anxious Mito Ikumi.
"Don't worry, it's just a test product. There's basically no chance it will be released to the market because the cost is just too high. Even if it's all high-end, it won't be able to build a reputation."
Erina Nakiri was determined to nip Mito Ikumi's interference in the bud. After all, she knew perfectly well how difficult it was to obtain this kind of meat; supplying even her own family was difficult, let alone selling it systematically.
But what annoyed her most was that she hadn't eaten this kind of meat for a long time, and Li Ke had brought it over—and he was actually giving it to another woman!
Unforgivable!
In Erina's heart, this multifaceted meat held a very high place, not only because it was indeed delicious and free of any off-flavors, but also because it was what brought her and Li Ke together!
Therefore, she wanted to cause Li Ke some trouble, to give him some headaches.
"Besides, this isn't something I can get my hands on. If you really want to run a business, don't ask me; just look for it in your own city."
Li Ke didn't notice Erina's slight resentment, but he knew she meant she couldn't buy it from the merchants.
Mito Ikumi, however, didn't know this, so she naturally overthought things.
"So, it's this sir?"
Mito Ikumi looked at Li Ke, and Li Ke naturally looked at her as well, once again drawn to her ample bosom.
There's no way around it; that's gravity.
"I understand."
Mito Ikumi's face flushed slightly. In her mind, Erina's meaning was simple:
She wouldn't monopolize this meat, but Li Ke was the inventor, so if she wanted to secure this meat for the Mito family, she should go to Li Ke.
As for how to recruit Li Ke, that was up to them.
But it's all about money, women, and status.
Mito Ikumi stared at where Li Ke's eyes were, her head spinning.
She had imagined this day would come, but now that it was actually here, she felt a surge of nervousness.
She looked at Li Ke, thinking for a moment.
His cooking skills were superb, his ability to cultivate meat was unfathomable, and aside from his age, he was practically the perfect son-in-law for the Mito family.
So…
Be bold.
Mito Ikumi decided to give up a love that had never existed for the sake of her family.