VFGRC Chapter 85

The culinary summit in the capital city proceeded as scheduled, lasting a total of five days.

The first day was the opening ceremony, consisting of performances and speeches, which seemed rather boring to Yu Bai. So, he decided to spend the day exploring several famous landmarks in the capital city with Xing Xing.

It wasn’t until the second day that the culinary summit officially began.

Just as dawn broke, Yu Bai and Xing Xing stepped out of the RJ Hotel’s entrance and were met with the irresistible aroma of breakfast wafting through the air.

Various pastry and breakfast chefs had risen early. They were busy crafting a variety of breakfast items and snacks at the small stalls arranged by the organizers.

The culinary summit was divided into morning and afternoon sessions.

The organizers would evaluate the popularity of the stalls based on the time slots and eliminate some chefs each day. On the second day, the remaining chefs who hadn’t been eliminated would be re-evaluated.

By the third day, among the chefs who made it to the finals, the stall of the most popular chef would be awarded a million-dollar prize.

The invitation letter that Rong An had previously given to Yu Bai also included the qualification to participate in this culinary summit.

However, considering that he had Xing Xing with him and the culinary summit would be crowded and bustling with people, with both the venue and the attendance being several times that of Sanjiaokou, Yu Bai didn’t feel at ease leaving Xing Xing alone and participating in the competition by himself.

Yu Bai decided to take Xing Xing along and explore the culinary summit.

Tasting dishes crafted by others was also a form of learning.

On the first official day of the culinary summit, there were too many participating stalls. Countless small stalls were crammed together, forming an endless street of snacks that seemed to have no end.

As the guests who obtained entry tickets for the culinary summit walked a few steps, they could already catch the scent of freshly made breakfast items.

Yu Bai held Xing Xing’s little hand and walked forward.

After just a couple of steps, he noticed that Xing Xing’s little feet seemed to be glued to the floor, unable to move.

Turning around, Yu Bai realized that as soon as Xing Xing had stepped onto the snack street, he was captivated by the sight of the little pig custard buns at the entrance.

The cute little pig custard buns were soft and tender, placed side by side. The pastry chef’s skills were exceptional, as they meticulously crafted the appearance of the pig-shaped custard buns.

At his stall, there were also mini walnut buns that looked just like real walnuts, chicken leg buns shaped like chicken legs, and peach buns shaped like peaches.

As he rested in his chair after just finishing a batch of buns, the bun stall chef noticed not far from his stall a chubby little baby with watery ink-like eyes staring at the buns on his stall.

The baby had a soft white face that looked like a fluffy little white bun, making people itch to pinch his chubby cheeks.

An idea suddenly struck the bun stall chef.

If he could use the baby’s chubby face as a template, he could create a plump and soft baby bun that would surely become a hit at this culinary summit!

“Little one, would you like to try Uncle’s buns?” The bun stall chef’s eyes curved into a smile as he waved to Xing Xing.

Yu Bai gently nudged Xing Xing’s shoulder.

“If you want to eat, go ahead.”

Only then did Xing Xing start moving his little legs and slowly made his way to the bun stall.

In the past few months, Xing Xing had grown quite a bit. Now, as he tiptoed, he could barely see the buns on the stall!

As Yu Bai closely observed the buns, his almond-shaped eyes narrowed for a brief moment.

The bun stall chef crafted the little daisy buns to look exactly like real daisies. What was even more astonishing was that a beautiful butterfly was perched on the tiny daisy flower.

Originally meant to be a simple imitation of daisies, the addition of a butterfly made from pastry dough gave it life and charm. It was as if both the daisy and the butterfly had come “alive.”

Yu Bai thought, to be able to turn simple buns into such masterpieces… the pastry skills of this bun stall chef could undoubtedly be considered top-notch in the whole of Huaxia.

“Little one, if you like them, I can give you a few.” The bun stall chef offered generously.

Xing Xing’s two round eyes instantly lit up, resembling twinkling morning stars.

Xing Xing: “Really?”

Bun stall chef: “Really!”

“Xing Xing, even though these buns are small, you can’t eat too many, or you’ll get full.” Yu Bai patted Xing Xing’s head. “There are plenty of breakfast stalls around. Let’s buy one to try first. If you still want more after walking around, we can get more later.”

Upon hearing this, Xing Xing hesitated.

Xing Xing: “Then… then just one!”

But with so many beautiful buns, how could he choose just one?

Xing Xing looked left and right, unable to decide.

The bun stall chef smiled warmly. “How about I make a special baby bun for you?”

A baby bun?

Xing Xing tilted his head, looking puzzledly at the bun stall chef.

What does a baby bun look like?

The bun stall chef was skillful with his hands, and in the blink of an eye, he shaped a cute baby form out of dough.

Then, he added colors and decorations to the bun, placed it in the steamer, and steamed it.

In no time, the tiny bun was ready.

Freshly made, the bun was still steaming hot to the touch.

Xing Xing delicately took the bun with his fingertips and examined it closely.

“Huh? Isn’t this me?”

The baby bun in Xing Xing’s hand was just like him, with round ink-like eyes, a small mouth, a delicate nose, and paired with a soft face, hair, and clothes. It was unmistakably a second Xing Xing!

The Xing Xing-shaped bun was just as endearing as Xing Xing himself.

Yu Bai raised an eyebrow for a moment.

This bun…

“I made it exactly according to your appearance,” the chef smiled. “You’re the cutest and most adorable little one I’ve seen. The moment I saw you, I wanted to make a baby bun that looked just like you!”

The chef looked at Yu Bai and directly expressed his intention, “You must be the little one’s dad, right? I’d like to ask you, can I make some baby buns that resemble your son’s appearance and sell them?”

“I will pay for the copyright, and I’ll only sell them during these three days of the food festival. As you know, the food festival has a competitive aspect…”

After listening to the chef, Yu Bai didn’t immediately answer. Instead, he turned to Xing Xing.

“Xing Xing, are you willing to let him sell the baby bun in your hand?”

Although Xing Xing was just a child and didn’t possess the complex reasoning of an adult, when it came to decisions involving Xing Xing, Yu Bai usually asked for Xing Xing’s opinion first before making a choice.

Xing Xing could tell from his short interaction with the bun stall chef that he was a good person devoted to making buns. Besides, the bun stall uncle would sell the baby buns and even give Dad money, and they would only be sold for three days…

Xing Xing nodded his head slightly.

“It’s okay!”

And so, after visiting the first stall at the snack street, not only did Yu Bai and Xing Xing not spend a penny, but they also earned a considerable income.

Holding Xing Xing’s small hand, Yu Bai leisurely strolled through the entire snack street with his son.

There are numerous snack stalls here, showcasing the skills of chefs from both domestic and international backgrounds. However, when it comes to pastries and dumplings, there are very few chefs who can match the skill of the bun stall chef on the street corner.

During the morning breakfast hours, the stalls were open for a total of four hours. Xing Xing and Yu Bai both ate to their heart’s content. By the time they returned to the hotel, they couldn’t even manage to eat lunch.

After Yu Bai spent quite a while playing with Xing Xing at the indoor amusement park of the RJ hotel and they had rested through a bath and a nap, the afternoon session of the food festival had already begun.

The afternoon session was held in three banquet halls within the RJ hotel. The dishes were sold in a semi-buffet style.

Xing Xing had eaten enough, played enough, and rested well in the morning. Now he was full of energy again.

Having been lured by numerous breakfast options in the morning session, he didn’t want to miss out on the even better snacks at the end of the street during his morning stroll – it was such a pity!

This time, Xing Xing was being clever. He took the initiative to pull Yu Bai along, first circling around all three banquet halls before deciding what delicious foods to enjoy.

After selecting a few dishes that looked good, Xing Xing and Yu Bai sat at one of the tables set up for diners within the hall.

Xing Xing was now regretting that he was still just a little child. His appetite wasn’t as big as an adult’s, and he couldn’t possibly eat all the snacks from beginning to end – a few dishes were enough to fill him up!

As he savored the delicious dishes, Xing Xing let out a small sigh.

“What’s wrong? Don’t you like the food?” Yu Bai, who was attentive to Xing Xing, asked.

Xing Xing shook his little head. “It’s not that the food isn’t good, it’s just that there’s too much to eat and my stomach is small…”

Yu Bai chuckled softly. “We’ll be here for a few more days. You can eat to your heart’s content over the next two days.”

“But I want to eat fried chicken, sweet and sour pork, beef meatballs, soup hotpot, and baozi… There’s so much, I can’t finish it all in three days!”

“In that case, make a list of the snacks you want to eat but haven’t tried yet,” Yu Bai patted Xing Xing’s head gently. “I’ll make them for you when we get home.”

In Xing Xing’s eyes, Yu Bai’s cooking skills were superb. While he couldn’t taste the culinary creations of other chefs at the food festival, he was certain that what his dad made would be just as good as, if not better than, what those chefs crafted.

Just as Xing Xing was about to extend his little hand to do a pinky promise with Yu Bai, a voice sounded from behind the father and son duo.

“Kid, your dad is just messing with you,” a middle-aged stranger remarked. “The chefs participating in this food festival are some of the best in the world, renowned in various countries. Their culinary skills have taken decades to develop. Your dad wanting to replicate their signature dishes… that’s simply impossible.”

As a food investor, Qin Xun was also one of the important guests who invested in and participated in the food festival.

Qin Xun had been carrying a tray and was about to find a suitable table to sit down when he overheard the conversation between Yu Bai and Star.

He couldn’t help but think that Yu Bai, who spoke these words to Xing Xing, definitely didn’t know what he was talking about.

Even the lowest-ranking chefs participating in the food festival were those who had served as head chefs in the top few restaurants in Huaxia Province, possessing considerable culinary skills. How could their skills be imitated by a young person in their early twenties?

He must not be afraid of exaggerating and making a fool of himself. Qin Xun didn’t know where this young man got the entry ticket for the food festival.

Xing Xing widened his round eyes and pouted, “Dad’s food is the absolute best in the world! Dad’s dishes are even better than those of several chefs here. Why can’t he make these dishes?”

Qin Xun’s eyebrows shot up even higher.

Yu Bai looked young. Qin Xun initially thought Yu Bai was Xing Xing’s older brother, but he never expected him to be Xing Xing’s father.

Having such a big child at such a young age… tsk tsk.

Qin Xun gazed at the expressions of the father and son, his disdain evident.

Forget it, there’s no point arguing with a pair like this.

Without responding to Xing Xing’s words, Qin Xun muttered under his breath, “Spoiled brat with no taste.”

As he was about to walk over to an empty table, Yu Bai stood up and blocked his way.

Frowning, Qin Xun asked, “What’s going on?”

Yu Bai said, “Apologize.”

“What did I say? Why should I apologize?” Qin Xun was about to continue walking forward, but Yu Bai stopped him again.

Yu Bai stated, “You insulted my son for no reason.”

Qin Xun knew that Yu Bai had heard his words when he called Xing Xing a “spoiled brat with no taste.”

“Huh, I just said ‘spoiled brat’ once, is it necessary to make such a big deal out of it?” Qin Xun coldly chuckled. “And besides, with your lack of cooking skills and your habit of bragging, I bet you’ve never even set foot in a kitchen. What’s the harm in exposing you? What’s the matter? Can’t stand being criticized?”

Qin Xun’s voice wasn’t exactly quiet, and his words drew the attention of those around them. People began to whisper and discuss.

In addition to regular and important guests, the organizers of the food festival had also invited some internet celebrities and media reporters to cover the event and generate buzz.

As the minor conflict between Yu Bai and Qin Xun unfolded, media reporters who were eager to catch conflicts and create headlines flocked to them, forming a circle of onlookers.

Seeing Yu Bai and Qin Xun, many reporters wondered to themselves.

These two seem somewhat familiar, don’t they?

As more attention gathered around Qin Xun, his expression grew even more smug.

Although the main investment in the food festival came from the G Group, Qin Xun had also contributed a certain amount. He was one of the investors behind this event.

And this father and son in front of him… no matter how you looked at it, they didn’t seem like important guests. Just ordinary attendees – he could easily crush them with a single hand.

Qin Xun continued, “You don’t even understand the origins of the chefs in this food festival, yet you dare to participate…”

Qin Xun escalated, his words becoming more and more offensive.

“You jerk, you’re not allowed to talk about Dad like that!” Xing Xing stormed in front of Yu Bai, and if Yu Bai hadn’t stopped him, he would have rushed forward to bite Qin Xun.

Qin Xun: “What’s wrong? Can’t even your dad, and you, little child, handle it anymore? From where I’m standing, you don’t look like people who can get into the Food Festival…”

“I have an access pass,” Yu Bai said coldly. “You’re personally defaming me in front of a crowd, damaging the reputation of my son and me. I will legally hold you responsible…”

“Ooh, I’m so scared,” Qin Xun sneered. “What’s written on your access pass? Yu Bai? I’m one of the organizers of this Food Festival. I’ve looked at the guest list, and I don’t remember anyone named ‘Yu Bai’.”

Of course, Qin Xun hadn’t actually seen any guest list. After all, there were many participants, and he couldn’t even remember the important ones, let alone the regular guests.

But by preemptively asserting that Yu Bai wasn’t on the guest list, he aimed to embarrass Yu Bai and his son. Even if it turned out later that they were indeed guests, their reputation would already be tarnished. How could they dare to enter the Food Festival again?

Qin Xun shouted, “Security, security! There’s someone with a fake access pass who sneaked in here!”

Security personnel, who were always attentive to the movements of the guests, approached the scene.

Qin Xun said, “How could you let people in so casually without thoroughly checking their guest status and access passes? Hurry up, take these two away…”

Seeing the hesitation of the security, Qin Xun immediately showed his identity, “I am Qin Xun of the Qin family. This is my proof, you should recognize it, right?”

The security personnel naturally recognized Qin Xun’s proof.

Coupled with the fact that there were onlookers around, it wouldn’t be good if they didn’t handle the situation in a timely manner.

He looked at Yu Bai, “Could you please come with me for a moment to verify your identity…”

“No need.”

Before the security personnel could finish speaking, another voice chimed in.

The crowd parted, revealing a tall and imposing figure in front of them.

“Proof for important guests? Here, take mine. From now on, this proof belongs to Yu Bai.”

The man’s narrow phoenix eyes swept around, causing a chill to run down the spines of the onlookers.

Most of the guests and reporters participating in the Food Festival recognized the figure before them. He was the rarely photographed top-tier food investor in China, the renowned “Golden Son-in-law of the Capital,” Ji Rongyu.

Everyone knew.

Ji Rongyu of the Ji family always wore a perpetually cold expression on his handsome face, as if he were an unmelting block of eternal ice. Coupled with his prestigious background, those who incurred his displeasure usually didn’t have a good outcome.

Now, Yu Bai saw that his relationship with Ji Rongyu seemed to be quite significant…

Wouldn’t this mean that Qin Xun was in for a rough time?

The Qin family was a well-established food investor, with their involvement in numerous renowned restaurants and trendy eateries. If Ji Rongyu had any sense of propriety, he shouldn’t publicly humiliate Qin Xun in front of so many people… right?

“Qin Xun, is it? You’ve invested in this year’s Food Festival? Very well,” Ji Rongyu narrowed his phoenix eyes. “Hang Yuanshu.”

Hang Yuanshu walked up behind Ji Rongyu, addressing him respectfully, “Boss.”

“Refund his investment,” Ji Rongyu said coldly, “and tear up his access pass.”

“Somebody like him showing up here… I’m afraid it would taint this year’s Food Festival.”

 

Author’s Note:

PS: Um, about those characters who haven’t appeared yet, it’s content that hasn’t been written about. They will show up fully in the concluding part~

I didn’t forget! I didn’t forget!

They’ll be appearing soon!