The Reviled God of Cooking Tries to Slack Off - Chapter 88

As expected, before Zeng Rong could say anything, Ye Shunxin stood up.

“Okay,” she said, “Jiang Tingzhou, don’t regret this!”

Ye Shunxin had assumed Jiang Tingzhou would pick a more complicated dish. 

It had been nearly a year—she had grown and improved. Not only could she make braised pork, she could even manage Yongqing tofu now. But she hadn’t expected him to choose this dish again.

Still, you have to stand back up from where you fell.

She forced herself to stay calm and asked, “But how are we deciding the winner?”

After all, they couldn’t bring back the original judges from the last competition.

“Since it’s a competition,” Jiang Tingzhou said, “why not let ordinary people judge? I’ll promote it in advance on my account. There’s a commercial street near my factory that gets a lot of foot traffic. We can make extra portions and set up a free tasting booth. Whoever gets the most votes wins.”

He was referring to the bustling morning market street.

“No way, that’s your turf,” Ye Shunxin said cautiously. “You’ve got way too many fans.”

She knew that everyone on that street knew who Jiang Tingzhou was.

“We won’t show our faces. We’ll stay in the kitchen—it’ll be like a blind taste test. I wouldn’t stoop to something so petty,” Jiang Tingzhou said. “If you’re still worried, Director Zeng can send someone to supervise. After all, this is a warm-up for the chef competition. Fair enough?”

Ye Shunxin thought it over. It did sound fair. 

She nodded slowly, then asked her final question: “When?”

“It’s just one dish—no need for much prep. Tomorrow should be fine,” Jiang Tingzhou said. “Plus, tomorrow’s Saturday. The morning market will be crowded.”

“Fine! It’s a deal. Jiang Tingzhou, just you wait!” She clenched her fist with determination. There was fire in her eyes. She downed the rest of her water like a soldier about to march into battle.

Jiang Tingzhou smiled more openly at her acceptance. 

Holding his teacup, he looked toward Zeng Rong and asked, “So, Director Zeng, any objections?”

Zeng Rong: “…No.”

What could he say? If he stopped her now, his niece would probably be furious.

“Fine, a competition it is,” he said. After a moment’s thought, he added, “I’ll come by tomorrow, too.”

He was genuinely curious about the outcome. If Ye Shunxin won, it would be a kind of redemption for her. 

In his eyes, she was already talented. After her previous loss, she’d worked harder than ever. Surely now, she stood a real chance against Jiang Tingzhou.

“Of course,” Jiang Tingzhou replied. “You’re more than welcome.”

Now that everything was settled, Jiang Tingzhou didn’t stay any longer. As the host of the competition, he had preparations to make.

Zeng Rong even walked him out, sighing as they went. “Boss Jiang, you really are something…”

He had assumed that no matter how persuasive Jiang Tingzhou was, he’d never be able to change his mind. But the situation had flipped faster than expected. 

Just as he was finishing his sentence, they turned a corner—and ran into the deputy director of Dongjiang TV Station.

“Oh? Director Zeng, seeing a guest off already?” the deputy director asked with surprise, hurrying over.

He’d been sent by Lu Group. Lu Baiyu knew Zeng Rong had been hesitant, so he had specially called him to come by. The station director had meetings all day, but they still made time to visit. He had assumed that, given Zeng Rong’s personality, a 30-minute talk with Jiang Tingzhou wouldn’t accomplish much.

Thinking of Lu Group’s request, the deputy director started to speak: “Let’s sit and talk a bit. It’s all for the good of the program—”

“No need,” Zeng Rong interrupted with a wave of his hand. “We’ve already talked. We’ll proceed according to Mr. Jiangs plan.”

The deputy director was stunned. It took him a few seconds to register what he’d just heard. 

He turned to stare at Jiang Tingzhou. “Wait… you’re done? Just half an hour? You seriously got it all sorted?”

Zeng Rong didn’t elaborate. Instead, he asked calmly, “Boss, do you want to eat some braised pork?”

“Uh?” the deputy director blinked.

He wasn’t sure how the topic had shifted so quickly, but he nodded reflexively. “Sure.”

“Then come tomorrow too,” Jiang Tingzhou said with a smile. “The more the merrier.”

This event was meant as a promotion anyway. 

Shortly after returning, An Xiaoping posted a teaser online, which quickly drew a lot of fan attention.

【“Whoa, another chef competition—and random passersby get to be the judges?”】

【“I’m going tomorrow for sure.”】

【“He’s really cooking it himself? Ahhh I’m so jealous. I wish I lived in Yongqing. I want to eat the braised pork my idol makes!”】

【“Big Brother won’t even show up? It’s blind tasting? Can he really win like that? Everyone makes braised pork — how good can it be? I think it’s too greasy.”】

【“Well, I like it! So I’m eating it!”】

【“People going—please post reviews!”】

The next morning, as Jiang Tingzhou arrived at the morning market street, he felt like the crowd was even bigger than usual.

He had already prepared for the competition. He rented a small restaurant nearby with a professional kitchen—simple, but good enough to cook braised pork.

Ye Shunxin had arrived early too, looking serious and focused. She’d brought along an assistant, which was allowed in normal competitions. But when she saw Jiang Tingzhou walk in with a group of people, she frowned. “You brought that many assistants?”

Following him were An Xiaoping, Li Shuyan, and Zhou Bing.

“They’re just here to watch—friends and family, basically,” Jiang Tingzhou replied. “I don’t need an assistant. It’s just one dish. I can handle it.”

He truly didn’t care whether he had help or not. It wasn’t about fairness; he just didn’t need it.

Hearing this, Ye Shunxin snorted, thinking he was being arrogant.

Once everyone was in place, and when the time came, the competition officially began under Zeng Rong’s supervision.

An Xiaoping brought equipment to film. Though he was confident in Jiang Tingzhou, he couldn’t help but feel curious—how could you win with the same dish?

Ye Shunxin was already focused, preparing ingredients in silence. 

Jiang Tingzhou, on the other hand, looked relaxed. He crouched on the ground organizing tools like he was filming a short cooking video. He even chatted with An Xiaoping as he worked.

“Even though it’s all braised pork,” he explained, “there are actually a lot of different ways to make it.”

Each restaurant has its own recipe, resulting in different flavors. There’s no strict standard—as long as it tastes good.

“In the previous competition, I used the classic method,” Jiang Tingzhou said. “She knew she couldn’t beat me by sticking to tradition, so she tried something new—fruit braised pork.”

An Xiaoping blinked. “Huh?”

“It sounds odd, but it’s a legit method. Adding fruit gives a sweet and sour taste, and a fruity aroma. The acids soften the meat and help absorb oil, so the pork belly doesn’t feel greasy.”

Still, she lost to Jiang Tingzhou’s classic version. Plus, the more ingredients you add, the harder it is to balance the taste. Experimenting always carries risks.

There had also been ingredient limitations during that contest. Watermelon rind would’ve been a better choice, but she went with grapefruit peel. Though it absorbed oil well and had a nice fragrance, even after processing, it still left a trace of bitterness.

Ye Shunxin believed that the bitterness from the grapefruit peel had cost her the win. She blamed the ingredients and the method, so she was never fully convinced.

Now, with ordinary people judging, she reflected deeply and decided it was safer to stick with the classic version—and hoped it would measure up to Jiang Tingzhou’s.

Meanwhile, Jiang Tingzhou was feeling good—the pork belly he bought that morning looked excellent. Clear fat-to-lean layering, perfect for braised pork.

He hadn’t used a large wok like this in a while, but it still handled smoothly. 

As he began caramelizing sugar for the sauce, Ye Shunxin peeked at his process. Everything looked familiar. She still had a shot.

Until—

She saw Jiang Tingzhou pull out hawthorn, apples, pears, and watermelon rind.

He was going to make the same fruit-infused braised pork that she had once lost with.

Meanwhile, on Morning Market Street, stalls had been set up near the ham shop. Compared to the quiet competition kitchen, this place was lively and chaotic.

As lunchtime approached, the street filled with delicious aromas. Many had gathered by the booth, holding their voting paddles. Curious bystanders asked what was going on and joined the queue too after learning what was happening.

“Famous chefs are making this? Will it be tastier than usual?”

Soon, steaming pots were brought out. The braised pork, kept warm over a low flame, was finally unveiled.

As the lids were lifted, those in the front gasped.

The pots were settled on the tables. The braised pork inside quivered slightly. The sauce was thick, bubbling softly. The pork glistened under the light—rich, oily skin, darker lean meat, all glossy and appetizing.

Even though it was just a street tasting, everything was done properly. The food looked refined and professional.

Braised pork goes best with rice, so a big pot of steamed white rice was ready. The rice was fluffy and distinct. A serving consisted of a scoop of rice, a piece of pork on top, then a spoonful of sauce—served in small bowls to each guest.

They also offered drinking water to cleanse the palate between bites.

Then came the tasting.

Braised pork might be the most “meaty” dish of all.

Braised pork is one of the most “meaty” dishes out there. A perfect bite delivers a rich aroma. The skin and fat melt in your mouth, while the lean meat adds deeper flavor and tenderness.

Even the rice, soaked in meat sauce, delivers a blend of oil, grains, meat, and seasoning that overwhelms the senses.

The street was noisy, but the front-row diners said nothing as they ate. Some stood, others sat on stools, silently cradling their bowls. They’d take a bite, pause, drink water, and move on to the next.

When people are truly enjoying food, they don’t talk. There’s only the sound of chewing—and the occasional sigh of satisfaction.

Just like that, the tasting event began.