How Far Can You Lead Others in the Tide of the Times?

The night grew deeper.

The Tavern had reached closing time.

However, tonight, Zane wasn't in a hurry to chase away the customers.

After finishing the delicious fried rice, Leonora and Alice joked and laughed for a while, making the atmosphere very warm and pleasant.

This scene made Mana feel envious, thinking that if it weren't for the God's Tongue, she and Erina could have been like that too.

...

"Mana, did you meet Erina?" Leonora's eyes showed some concern as she gently asked Mana, who seemed lost in thought.

"Yes, just now, right here in the Tavern."

"But after so many years apart, we are like strangers now, with no familial bond left."

Mana's eyes were a bit sad.

"Sigh, what's done is done, accept it calmly."

"I believe that one day she will understand you and feel the pain you went through."

Leonora comforted her.

"No."

"I don't need her to understand."

"Seeing her grown up tonight makes me very happy."

"I just hope she doesn't follow the path I took and doesn't share the same fate as mine. That's enough."

Mana said.

"Indeed."

"The tragedy of the past must not be repeated."

Leonora nodded in agreement.

Over the years, she had witnessed the ups and downs of the Nakiri family and knew how much pain it had caused many people.

...

"Mana, what will you do next?" Leonora picked up a bottle of chilled plum wine and poured it into a delicate glass.

She took a small sip, then exhaled a refreshing breath, and asked Mana softly.

"Me?"

"Previously."

"My biggest goal was to find a dish that could conquer the God's Tongue!"

"But that dream was realized by Zane's cooking at the Tavern. I am finally free from the curse of the God's Tongue."

After speaking, Mana stole a glance at Zane, who was cleaning his knives.

"Really? It seems the Director was right."

"He once told me that Zane's cooking is unparalleled in the world, and no one can surpass him."

"At the time, I thought it was an exaggeration, but after visiting the Tavern twice and experiencing Zane's cooking, I believe it completely!"

Leonora replied calmly after a brief silence.

"So, do you think he can change the decaying culinary world in the future?" Mana suddenly asked.

Leonora was taken aback by this question.

"Leonora, I heard you established a research institution in Northern Europe to study new technologies and concepts."

"I can't be sure if molecular gastronomy will lead the new era, but given the current situation, it's indeed time for a change in the culinary world!"

Mana murmured, "As for me, my abilities are limited, and I can't change much."

"But with my God's Tongue ability and the support of the entire WGO culinary organization, I can build a world-class stage for chef competitions."

"Then let those excellent chefs from around the world deeply influence this era and the culinary world in their own ways!"

"Do you mean..."

Leonora held her breath.

If Mana's vision came true, a new culinary era might soon arrive!

"Have you heard of the Midnight Chefs in Northern Europe?"

Mana asked after some thought.

"I spend most of my time in the research lab and rarely pay attention to the culinary world outside."

Leonora shook her head.

"Well, in regions like the Americas, Northern Europe, and Southeast Asia, the balance of the culinary world has been disrupted by this group of Midnight Chefs, and other chefs are powerless against them."

"So, in the near future, the entire culinary world will be engulfed in chaos."

Mana said truthfully.

"Could it be that you're behind all this?"

Leonora was shocked to learn about the upheaval in the culinary world but quickly guessed the cause.

Mana chose to remain silent, clearly unwilling to reveal much.

"The tide of the times will force everyone to move forward. Can you, who seeks peace, lead Erina and others forward in this wave?"

"I am really looking forward to it!"

Mana glanced at Zane and muttered to herself.

...

"Ding!"

"[The host successfully checked in and received a special recipe for Soul Calming Noodles and Dongpo Pork.]"

Leonora and Alice had much to discuss with Mana, but it was already past closing time for the Tavern.

To avoid disturbing Zane and Sonoka, they quickly left.

At this moment, Zane also received his system check-in reward.

When mentioning Dongpo Pork, many people recall the Song Dynasty poet Su Dongpo's poem "Ode to Pork": "Good pork from Huangzhou, cheap as dirt, the rich won't eat it, the poor can't cook it."

In their subconscious, they might even equate Dongpo Pork with braised pork. After all, from the appearance alone, the two dishes are hard to distinguish.

However, Dongpo Pork is mainly prepared by braising and steaming.

The overall texture is fragrant and smooth. Well-cooked Dongpo Pork has minimal fat remaining after steaming, making it very tender.

Braised pork emphasizes a reddish color.

It is mainly achieved through caramelizing sugar, resulting in a slightly firm exterior and soft interior.

The combination of lean and fatty meat becomes more flavorful with each bite, leaving a lasting impression!

Although it might be odd to serve Dongpo Pork at the Tavern, in Japan, there is a similar dish called "Kakuni," which is a modified version of Dongpo Pork to suit Japanese tastes.

...

Then there is the special recipe for Soul Calming Noodles.

It originates from "Cooking Master Boy," with its biggest highlight being that the dish is made from a single noodle.

Yes, just one noodle.

The method is simple: spread out a dough and cut it into a single noodle, then cook it. Very straightforward.

Yet, this simple noodle dish could calm the emperor's heart in the original story, which is quite amazing!

In fact, Soul Calming Noodles are similar to the "One Noodle" dish in Chinese cuisine.

As everyone knows, Shanxi has four famous noodles:

Knife-cut noodles!

One Noodle!

Hand-torn noodles!

Pulled noodles!

Among them, One Noodle originated in Pingding and Taiyuan areas.

According to the preparation method, the dough is kneaded evenly, rubbed smooth, and left to rest, then twisted into finger-thick strips, brushed with oil, and neatly coiled in cold water.

Because a bowl contains only one noodle, and a pot holds only one noodle, the essence of the dish lies in the noodle's flavor rather than the seasoning, making it incredibly delicious even without additional toppings!

"Great, at the moment."

"The Tavern could use dishes like Dongpo Pork and Soul Calming Noodles."

Zane couldn't hide his joy at receiving the check-in reward, smiling faintly and talking to himself.

However, feeling a bit tired tonight, he stretched, washed up, and went straight to bed.

Thus, the lively night at the Tavern finally came to an end.

...

Morning.

At Totsuki Academy's gymnasium, on the basketball court.

The atmosphere was filled with tension and anticipation as players dashed, collided, and jumped under the lights.

The basketball continuously drew elegant arcs in the air, and the sound of "thump, thump, thump" echoed through the court like a wild symphony!

At this moment, standing at the three-point line, Miyoko took a deep breath.

Her eyes were sharp as she firmly grasped the basketball and jumped to shoot. The spectators held their breath, their eyes fixed on the ball's trajectory, praying in their hearts.

With a loud clang, the basketball swished through the hoop.

Immediately, the crowd erupted in thunderous cheers.

As the referee's whistle blew, the basketball game ended with Miyoko's team emerging victorious!

...

"Wow, you're just as impressive as I thought."

"Your basketball skills surpass those who have been practicing for over two and a half years!"

Dripping with sweat, Miyoko Hojo tried to leave the court when she was intercepted by Terunori Kuga.

"Again?"

"What do you want this time?"

She glanced at the shorter Terunori with clear annoyance.

"As I said before, I want to invite you to join the Chinese Cuisine Research Society."

"This time, I'm sincere. If you agree, I'll make you the second-in-command right away."

Terunori blinked innocently, directly stating his purpose.

"That's quite an offer. I'm actually a bit tempted!"

Miyoko chuckled.

Hearing her response, Terunori was delighted, thinking he had succeeded in recruiting her.

"But someone like you, who only makes spicy dishes, holding a seat in the Elite Ten and leading the Chinese Cuisine Research Society, isn't that a disgrace?"

Miyoko suddenly sneered, her eyes full of disdain.

"Haha, so what if I only make spicy dishes?"

"Who in Totsuki can surpass me in this field?"

"Far too few students specialize in Chinese cuisine."

"Now, thanks to my efforts, the Chinese Cuisine Research Society is almost the largest research society. Isn't that enough?"

"Yes, I admit you have a point. I have focused on spicy cuisine."

"But without me, Chinese cuisine at Totsuki would remain an obscure field, unknown and unstudied!"

Terunori frowned slightly, then confidently smiled and explained to Miyoko.

"Those are just excuses. If promoting Chinese cuisine at Totsuki means using your methods, I'd rather see it disappear!"

"You might as well rename it the Sichuan Cuisine Research Society, or better yet, the Spicy Cuisine Research Society."

Terunori: ...

His words left him speechless.

Though not the strongest in Totsuki, Terunori was still a significant figure. His call could rally at least two to three hundred students.

But this

 "upstart" Miyoko never gave him any respect.

...

In Japan, the number of Chinese restaurants.

Compared to Japanese and Western restaurants, there might be fewer, but they are still quite common.

Especially in bustling cities like Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya, finding a Chinese restaurant is easy.

From a young age, Miyoko had been helping at a Chinese restaurant in Osaka.

The head chef, her father, was someone she admired most and wanted to surpass. She often worked harder than other assistants, putting in extra effort!

However, due to the restaurant's male-preference tradition, no matter how talented she was, she was destined never to become the head chef like her father.

Other chefs also ridiculed and doubted her because she was a woman.

These unfair experiences made her particularly resentful of men and eager to prove herself.

After much effort, she defeated all the chefs in the restaurant, including her father.

Then she came to Totsuki, aiming to achieve higher success in this competitive place to prove that women could be just as good as men!

With her strength, she quickly became well-known in the academy.

Even the eighth seat of the Elite Ten, Terunori Kuga, admired her talent and tried to recruit her to the Chinese Cuisine Research Society.

But their concepts of Chinese cuisine differed greatly, so Miyoko always rejected his offers.

She believed Terunori was too obsessed with spicy flavors.

Chinese cuisine was vast and profound, wasn't there more to it than just spicy food?

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