We'd All Underestimated You

At seven, almost everyone had gathered in the kitchen.

When it came to aroma, Spicy Pepper Chicken was definitely one of the best.

First, vegetable oil went into the wok, followed by lard. Once the lard had melted, Tang Zhi Chu added the chicken, cut into small pieces, and stir-fried it until it rendered its fat.

The three oils mingled in the wok, and with the heat turned high, the aroma spread throughout the entire first floor. That was what drew everyone over.

Once the chicken had firmed up and most of its moisture had cooked off, he immediately added sliced ginger, garlic, pickled peppers, and green Sichuan peppercorns. This dish was all about color, aroma, and flavor, but it didn't call for doubanjiang or red oil. Its color was supposed to be bright and clear.

He turned the heat up as high as it would go and poured in the cooking wine. The wok's searing heat instantly burst into flames, leaving everyone staring in astonishment.

After stir-frying everything over high heat, he seasoned the dish, then added short pieces of green and red peppers at the end. They couldn't be cooked until limp.

The Spicy Pepper Chicken was ready, its colors bright and clear.

The green and red peppers had been cooked just enough to release their aroma, which now mingled with the fragrance of the meat.

Tang Zhi Chu thought he heard several people swallow.

"Um... I think professionals should handle professional work. Zhi Chu, how about we leave the rest to you? We'll take care of everything else!" Jiang Lan could practically feel her taste buds watering as she spoke.

"I knew you'd be good, but I didn't expect you to be this good," Zhou Yun chimed in.

Although Yang Jia Xing wasn't fond of Tang Zhi Chu, he knew how to read the room. He even took the lead in getting everyone into the spirit of things, calling out, "Chef! Chef!"

Chen Si Yang didn't praise him outright. Instead, when she met his eyes, she gave him two thumbs up.

"All right, my dish is done. Sister Lan, it's your turn." Tang Zhi Chu thanked everyone first, then gave Jiang Lan his place at the stove.

Jiang Lan gave a wry smile. "I-I don't dare take my turn now."

Despite saying she didn't dare, she rubbed her hands together and stepped up to the stove.

Huang Ze Jun opened his mouth. He'd been about to say, "Let me teach you."

But Jiang Lan's earlier coldness had made him hesitate. Later, he'd gone back to his room and spent at least half an hour reviewing what had happened.

He'd realized his timing had been off, so he held himself back.

Tang Zhi Chu turned to Chen Si Yang and asked, "Want to learn?"

Chen Si Yang nodded and came over to stand beside him.

Only then did Tang Zhi Chu say, "Sister Lan, whether you're making a vinegar stir-fry or blanched vegetables, you need to prepare the sauce. Let's start with that."

Tang Zhi Chu was teaching Jiang Lan and Chen Si Yang at the same time. He really didn't lift a finger throughout the lesson.

The ingredients had already been prepared, and the sauce wasn't difficult to make.

The key to the vinegar stir-fry sauce was the ratio of vinegar to sugar. The vinegar's flavor had to come through, while the sugar added complexity without taking over.

The blanched vegetable sauce was even simpler. It was all about the colors. You needed minced garlic, chopped scallion whites, and thin strips of green and red pepper, then hot oil to bring out their aromas.

Jiang Lan learned quickly, faster than Chen Si Yang, and did most of the work herself.

But Chen Si Yang had some cooking experience, and the two of them worked things out together.

"Is half a spoonful of salt enough?" Jiang Lan asked Tang Zhi Chu.

Tang Zhi Chu nodded. "That's enough for the vinegar stir-fry sauce. Use a little less in the blanching sauce. Don't use too much salt when you cook; it's bad for your heart and blood vessels. Blanching is simple, basically like making a cold salad. Add oil to the water to help the lettuce keep its color, then add a little salt for some basic flavor. That's why I said to go easy on the salt in the blanching sauce."

Tang Zhi Chu explained everything in detail. Once he'd gone over both dishes, he headed to the bathroom, leaving Jiang Lan and Chen Si Yang at the stove.

Chen Si Yang watched Tang Zhi Chu walk away. "H-He's just leaving?"

Jiang Lan looked a little troubled. The two dishes were made in completely different ways, and some of the steps were a bit complicated. Still, she stayed fairly calm. "Don't panic. Let's go over the key points the chef taught us."

Hearing Jiang Lan call Tang Zhi Chu "chef," Chen Si Yang burst out laughing. "Good luck, Sister Lan. I'll be your assistant!"

"All right. Let's make the blanched lettuce first. Add water to the pot, then add oil." Jiang Lan ran through the steps in her head first.

As soon as Chen Si Yang heard her say to add water, she picked up the pot and went to fill it.

Yang Jia Xing and Huang Ze Jun joined in with suggestions, as if they were trying to get in on the fun.

Yang Jia Xing was making a move for Chen Si Yang. He still thought he had a chance—or at least felt he had to give himself an explanation.

Huang Ze Jun had suddenly felt that things were going off track because he'd realized he'd been rushing. It bothered him that Tang Zhi Chu was teaching Jiang Lan to cook, but then Tang Zhi Chu had called Chen Si Yang over too.

That was when Huang Ze Jun got his bearings again. Right, what the hell was I rushing for?

Tang Zhi Chu had Chen Si Yang there. There was no need to worry about that. The one who ought to be worried was Yang Jia Xing.

Even if things didn't work out in the end, he couldn't let the audience laugh at him, could he?

After reviewing everything, Huang Ze Jun settled down.

Only Zhou Yun leaned against the refrigerator, lost in thought. She looked toward the bathroom.

Had he done that on purpose?

Chen Si Yang was also rather introverted, and she usually dressed in a somewhat cool, aloof style. Just think about it: she wore her bucket hat every day. Didn't that give people the impression she was keeping them at arm's length?

Zhou Yun had picked up on that, which was why she'd thought it made sense to team up with Chen Si Yang for a showdown.

Chen Si Yang didn't have any allies. All three men were interested in her, sure, but she couldn't expect them to fawn over her until the show ended.

That was why Zhou Yun stuck so close to Jiang Lan at all times.

It had been the same when they were assigned dorm rooms. Whenever everyone gathered, Zhou Yun spent most of her time sitting next to Jiang Lan, acting all chummy with her.

It was a matter of divide and conquer. First, she'd get close to Jiang Lan, then bring Yang Jia Xing over to her side. Brother Jun was already starting to show interest in Sister Lan. It was only a matter of time.

Then Chen Si Yang and Tang Zhi Chu would be left on their own. You two can do your own thing.

But Tang Zhi Chu seemed to be responding to the situation again.

He was cooking with Jiang Lan, but he'd invited Chen Si Yang over too.

He'd been teaching Jiang Lan, but had deliberately asked Chen Si Yang to learn alongside her. Wasn't he trying to help Chen Si Yang fit in with everyone?

Watching Huang Ze Jun and Yang Jia Xing crowd around Jiang Lan and Chen Si Yang, Zhou Yun gritted her teeth.

Tang Zhi Chu, Tang Zhi Chu... We'd all underestimated you.

This was the second time.

Zhou Yun had always considered herself fairly clever, but this was the first time she'd felt as if everything about her had been seen through.

And when he responded, he didn't give anything away. He'd just resolved the situation as naturally as could be.

When Tang Zhi Chu came out of the bathroom, he was holding a glass of water. Instead of going over to the stove, he sat at the dining table, smiling as he watched them.

His relaxed manner only confirmed Zhou Yun's suspicions.

She even began to wonder whether he really was just the owner of a small restaurant.

"Is this ready?" Jiang Lan asked Chen Si Yang.

The water in the pot was already boiling, and they'd put the lettuce in, but they didn't know when to take it out.

Chen Si Yang looked just as uncertain. "I think so?"

She knew how to cook, but she'd never made this dish before. She really didn't know how long it should stay in the water.

Jiang Lan gritted her teeth. "All right, let's take it out. The chef said to wait until it changes color, and I think it has."

Huang Ze Jun leaned over and took a look. "I think it's ready too."

This time, Jiang Lan glanced at Huang Ze Jun. "Okay, take it out."

After removing the lettuce from the pot, Jiang Lan said to Chen Si Yang, "Yang Yang, you plate it. I'll pour out the water and get ready to stir-fry the cabbage."

"Okay!"

Tang Zhi Chu watched the two women at the stove with great interest. Seeing two gorgeous women cooking together really was a feast for the eyes.

Suddenly, he heard someone move beside him. He turned and saw Zhou Yun sitting across the long table, directly opposite him.

Zhou Yun didn't say anything. The restaurant had more motion-activated cameras than anywhere else, and everyone was wearing concealed microphones. It wasn't a good place to talk.

But Zhou Yun thought Tang Zhi Chu would understand.

They'd always kept out of each other's way, and Zhou Yun had thought she'd treated Tang Zhi Chu well enough.

No matter what the others thought of Tang Zhi Chu, she'd always approached him with the intention of getting along.