Entering Noble Hall

After getting out of the carriage, Bai Ge headed straight for the main gate of the manor before him. After giving A-Lin some instructions, Xiao Chenyu quickly followed.

They arrived at the manor's main gate, where two guards stood watch.

"Young Master Xiao!"

Upon seeing Xiao Chenyu, the two guards hurriedly lowered their spears and respectfully greeted him.

"Mm, it's good that you know who I am. Why are you still standing there? I specially brought my Boss here for a meal today. What are you blocking the way for? Open the gate and let us in already."

Xiao Chenyu nodded, then said coldly.

"Yes, yes!"

Hearing Xiao Chenyu's words, the two guards hurriedly opened the gate and ushered them inside.

Once inside the manor, flowerbeds blooming with flowers lined both sides, while a pebble path ran down the middle.

Seeing Xiao Chenyu enter with someone, the female attendants in the manor quickly sent one person to notify the Reception Manager, while several of the prettier attendants hurried forward to greet them.

"Young Master Xiao, what wind has blown you here?"

One of the attendants smiled coquettishly.

"What wind could possibly blow me?"

Hearing the attendant's words, Xiao Chenyu immediately glared.

"I came specifically to treat my Boss to a meal here. Take us to Heaven-Class Private Room No. 1 at once, then bring out all your best dishes."

"Boss?"

Hearing Xiao Chenyu call the child beside him his Boss, the attendant could not help but feel doubtful.

However, seeing that Bai Ge was handsome and carried himself with calm composure, he might have an extraordinary background. Though the attendant was uneasy, she did not lose her poise. Instead, she quickly led Bai Ge and Xiao Chenyu to the manor's most luxurious private room, Heaven-Class Private Room No. 1.

Heaven-Class Private Room No. 1.

As they entered, they saw an aquarium placed opposite the door. Several ornamental fish with seven-colored scales swam within it. On either side behind the private room's door stood two pots of water bamboo, their leaves marked with golden thread-like teardrop patterns. The entire room gave off a tranquil, elegant air.

"Young Master Xiao, please have a seat. Young Master, please have a seat as well. Here is our menu. Please take a look and see what you would like to order."

Bai Ge and Xiao Chenyu sat down at the table in the private room. The attendant reached to the side, took a menu, and placed it on the table.

"Boss, see what you want to eat."

Xiao Chenyu picked up the menu and placed it before Bai Ge.

"Let me see."

Bai Ge took the menu and began looking over it item by item.

But one look was enough to shock him. Not a single dish on the menu cost less than one Silver Spirit Coin. The most expensive item was a soup called Snow Brocade Chicken Snow Silkworm Cordyceps Soup, which cost a full five Gold Soul Coins.

Seeing this, Bai Ge glanced at Xiao Chenyu from the corner of his eye and thought, What if I order too much and this little brother can't afford to pay?

But after thinking it over, Bai Ge decided it did not matter. Little brothers were meant to be taken advantage of and made to take the blame, after all. And even if they truly could not settle the bill in the end, Xiao Chenyu's father could clean up the mess.

More importantly, no matter how many dishes he ordered or whether they tasted good, Bai Ge's ultimate goal was to find fault with them and use that to draw out Noble Hall's person in charge—preferably Madam Malena. Then he would find a way to compete with the head chef and display the allure of Huaxia cuisine.

Bai Ge didn't believe Madam Malena could turn down such a huge business opportunity when it was placed right before her.

Based on the information Bai Ge had gotten from Xiao Chenyu, Madam Malena should be a shrewd and decisive woman. She could not possibly let such an opportunity slip by. Besides, Bai Ge had an even more decisive trump card: himself.

If Madam Malena's story was true, then Bai Ge didn't believe she could still refuse when both an opportunity to make a fortune and a Soul Master with limitless potential stood before her.

"This, this, and this... bring them all."

Bai Ge ordered several vegetable dishes in succession, then several meat dishes as well—chicken, duck, and fish included. Finally, he ordered the most expensive Snow Brocade Chicken Snow Silkworm Cordyceps Soup.

After placing the order, Bai Ge looked at Xiao Chenyu's strained smile across from him and found it rather amusing.

"Very well, please wait a moment. The dishes will be ready shortly."

Taking the menu Bai Ge handed over, the attendant gave a slight bow before slowly leaving the private room.

"Ah, Boss, are you really planning to deliberately cause trouble here?"

Once the attendant had gone far enough away, Xiao Chenyu asked hesitantly.

"What do you mean, cause trouble? When their dishes are served, if I find them unpalatable after eating them, can't I discuss it with their chef and have a competition?"

Bai Ge glanced at Xiao Chenyu and replied calmly.

"Don't worry. Based on the information you gave me, I already know what kind of person Madam Malena is. I came here with sincerity this time. I believe Madam Malena is someone with vision. And even if I had nothing at all, am I myself not worth Madam Malena's investment?

"The cooking competition is merely to prove my ability, to show that I'm not someone who just talks big, but someone who truly wants to cooperate with her and make money together. Showing my strength afterward will only add another bargaining chip to this deal. As for you, just do what I told you to do. There are some things I can't say myself, so you'll have to cheer for me instead. Understand?"

"I understand."

Seeing Bai Ge's confident demeanor, Xiao Chenyu could only indicate that he had no further objections. After all, he had only just managed to latch onto this powerful backer; letting go now would be far too regrettable.

Moreover, after thinking it through carefully, Xiao Chenyu felt that Bai Ge's words made sense.

As long as Bai Ge truly had better cooking methods and more delicious dishes to display, Madam Malena could not possibly pass up this opportunity.

And even if it did not work out, as long as Bai Ge revealed his cultivation as a fifteen-level Soul Master at the age of six, even Madam Malena, whom even his father feared, would surely hesitate to act rashly.

Such a genius was simply too terrifying. This was not someone an ordinary force could possibly nurture. That was how Xiao Chenyu saw it, and Madam Malena would surely be no exception.

After waiting Half an Hour, all the dishes were finally brought to the table one after another.

Bai Ge and Xiao Chenyu ate the dishes while drinking fruit juice, but before long, after Bai Ge had sampled every dish, the two began deliberately picking faults.

"Ring-ring, ring-ring..."

Xiao Chenyu frantically pressed the Dining Bell. Hearing it, the waitress who had attended to Bai Ge and the others earlier hurried over.

"Young Master Xiao, what happened?"

The waitress ran over, slightly out of breath, and asked.

"Nothing. It's just that you charge so much, yet the food is really mediocre.

Take this Lotus Fragrance Grilled Fish, for example. The flavor of the lotus leaf has seeped into the fish and made it bitter. And this Roasted Turkey—the skin wasn't roasted crisp, and the fat hadn't rendered out, so the fragrance was completely buried beneath the greasiness. Then there's this... and finally, this Snow Brocade Chicken Snow Silkworm Cordyceps Soup.

Snow Brocade Chicken may be a top-quality ingredient, but as usual, you made it far too greasy. The meat wasn't stewed until flavorful either—it was dry and stringy. More importantly, both Snow Brocade Chicken and Snow Silkworm Cordyceps are yin-natured ingredients. Don't you know that excessive yin easily brings cold? How could you stew them together?"

Bai Ge pointed at the plates of food on the table, calling out the flaws in every single dish, completely ignoring the waitress's increasingly dark expression.