When Cheng Che and Ning Qing returned to the second floor carrying large and small bags, the other two groups had not yet returned.
The two found a corner to put the bags down, Cheng Che squatted down to count the ingredients.
Ingredients: pork, wood ear mushrooms, carrots, green bell peppers, Douban, vinegar, sugar, light soy sauce, cornstarch.
Ning Qing stood by and watched for a while, then suddenly said, "These aren't for making spicy stir-fried rice cakes."
Cheng Che looked up at her.
Ning Qing squatted down, picked up the bag of wood ear mushrooms, and rummaged through it. "Fish-flavored shredded pork?"
"Um."
"Why?"
Cheng Che casually packed the ingredients back into the bag one by one.
"This program is for domestic audiences. If we make South Korea food, South Korea will think it's not authentic, and domestic audiences won't feel the same way. If we make China food, even if it tastes just average, everyone will feel a sense of familiarity and comfort."
Ning Qing paused for a moment, then nodded.
You're more detail-oriented than I am.
Cheng Che smiled:
"Before you reminded me, all I could think about was winning. I was thinking about making dishes that locals love, which would definitely get high ratings. I almost forgot who this show is for."
Ning Qing glanced at him, didn't reply, but her lips twitched slightly.
The PD came over and told them to go to the kitchen of the restaurant next door to prepare the food.
The production team temporarily borrowed three small restaurants on the second floor of the market, with each team having a kitchen and a 40-minute time limit.
Cheng Che and Ning Qing went into the innermost room.
The kitchen was small, with a stove, a cutting board, an iron pot, and a gas cylinder.
Several knives and shovels were hanging on the wall; they looked like they were ordinary items used by the stall owner and weren't new.
Cheng Che placed the ingredients on the cutting board, glanced at the kitchen utensils, and then picked up a cleaver and weighed it in his hand.
"It works."
Ning Qing stood to the side, rolling up her sleeves. "What am I supposed to do?"
Shred the carrots, green bell peppers, and wood ear mushrooms. I'll cut the meat.
Ning Qing nodded and picked up the carrot to start peeling it.
Cheng Che placed the pork tenderloin on the cutting board, first slicing it into thin slices, then arranging them neatly and cutting them into thin strips.
The knife moved with a steady rhythm, cutting each strand of meat evenly, without a single piece being cut consecutively.
Ning Qing was slicing carrots, her eyes unconsciously drifting to the side.
Cheng Che began to marinate it.
Mix cornstarch, cooking wine, and light soy sauce together and set aside.
Then he prepared the fish-fragrant sauce: vinegar, sugar, light soy sauce, cornstarch, and water. The proportions were arbitrary, but you could tell from his technique that he knew what he was doing.
Heat oil in a wok.
He glanced at Ning Qing's progress; the carrot shreds were already cut, and she was now cutting green peppers.
The knife skills weren't particularly good, but they were meticulous, and each cut was very steady.
"Don't cut it too finely," Cheng Che said. "It'll have a better texture if it's cut a little coarser."
Ning Qing hummed in agreement and finished chopping the remaining green peppers.
Cheng Che put the shredded meat into the pot, stir-fried it until it changed color, and then took it out.
Then stir-fry the Douban until the oil turns red, add minced scallions, ginger, and garlic and sauté until fragrant, then add carrots, wood ear mushrooms, and green peppers and stir-fry. Finally, add the shredded pork, drizzle with fish-fragrant sauce, and reduce the sauce over high heat.
The entire process was completed in one go, without any unnecessary movements.
Ning Qing stood beside him, watching him cook.
The firelight reflected off his face, flickering in and out.
He held the wok handle in one hand and the spatula in the other, using his wrist to stir-fry with swift and precise movements.
Occasionally, I would tilt my head slightly to avoid the rising steam from the pot, and then continue to keep an eye on the heat.
His profile, framed by the smoke and firelight, possessed a unique texture.
It's not the usual clean and refreshing kind of good-looking; it's a more everyday, down-to-earth focus.
Ning Qing suddenly realized that she was watching.
She quickly looked away and bent down to tidy up the scraps on the cutting board.
Then the [ Heartthrob of Ten Thousand ] title effect was triggered.
The small kitchen was not spacious; it only housed her, Cheng Che, and an older brother carrying a camera.
There are few people, the distance is close, and the frequency of eye contact and conversation is high.
When Cheng Che handed her the seasonings, he glanced at her and said, "Thank you."
In that one glance, her heart skipped a beat.
As she was chopping vegetables with her head down, Cheng Che glanced at her again and said, "Sister Ning Qing, pass me the plate."
She reached for the plate and touched his fingers as she handed it to him.
It was just a slight touch.
The tips of her ears turned red.
Cheng Che didn't notice. He served the dishes, arranged them on a plate, and then used his chopsticks to pick up a small piece of shredded meat and handed it to her.
"Try it, how's the saltiness?"
Ning Qing paused, staring at the pair of chopsticks. The chopsticks he had used.
"Change your shoes," she said.
Cheng Che was also stunned for a moment, then realized what was happening, changed to a new pair of chopsticks, and picked up another piece.
Ning Qing took it, put it in her mouth, and chewed it a couple of times.
"Can."
"It's not spicy, is it?"
"Not spicy. A little sweet."
"Fish-fragrant shredded pork is sweet and sour, the spiciness is just a base flavor." Cheng Che said, picking up the plate. "Let's go, it's time to go out."
Ning Qing nodded and followed behind him.
She took a step, then suddenly looked down at her fingers.
The spot where I touched him is still a little warm.
She put her hands in her pockets and hurried after him.
The three groups were waiting backstage at the restaurant.
The so-called "back area" was just a narrow corridor behind the restaurant, with a few folding chairs and a water dispenser piled up.
Three dishes were placed on a table at the end of the corridor, covered with lids.
Han Zheng stood at the front, his trench coat already off, hanging on his arm, and his shirt sleeves rolled up to his forearms.
He made a South Korea -style army stew.
Instant noodles, luncheon meat, sausage, rice cakes, cheese—a hodgepodge in one pot.
Zhou Yuan whispered from the side, "Brother Han, isn't this too easy for us?"
Han Zheng chuckled. "You don't understand. South Korea eat this because it feels familiar. Plus, the flavor is strong, so it won't get a low rating."
Zhou Yuan thought about it and agreed, nodding.
The PD came over and announced, "First group, Han Zheng and Zhou Yuan, get ready to go out."
Han Zheng picked up the army stew, took a deep breath, pushed open the door, and went out.
The restaurant was full of thirty people.
Three large rows of round tables were placed together.
The production crew had already set up the lights, and the camera was pointed directly at the door.
As soon as Han Zheng went out, his gaze swept around the area before settling on the area further inside.
Pei Jingshu sat there, her chin resting on her hands, looking towards the doorway.
Han Zheng's eyes lit up.
He hadn't expected to find such a beautiful girl in the tasting group.
Moreover, she was clearly not an ordinary passerby; she had delicate features and a great demeanor, like a college student, but not quite like a local South Korea.
He carried the pot, walking steadily, and adjusting the smile on his face to its most attractive angle.
He placed the army stew on the long table and then bowed slightly to the thirty people.
"Hello everyone, I'm Han Zheng. This is our army stew, I hope you like it."
He spoke in Chinese, and a translator simultaneously translated it into Korean.
The staff began to distribute the food.
Each person has a small bowl and a bowl of army stew, which contains instant noodles, luncheon meat, sausage, and rice cakes.
Han Zheng stood to the side, his gaze occasionally drifting towards Pei Jingshu.
Pei Jingshu took the bowl, glanced at it, and then picked up her chopsticks and took a bite.
Her expression remained unchanged.
Han Zheng waited for her to look up, waiting for her to glance at him.
But she didn't.
She put down her chopsticks, picked up the water glass next to her, took a sip, and then looked towards the door.
Han Zheng maintained his smile, but the curve of his lips tightened.
Could it be that his charm couldn't win over this South Korea girl?
Zhou Yuan whispered from the side, "Brother Han, she seems to be waiting for someone."
Han Zheng was annoyed and ignored him.
After all thirty people finished eating, they started giving scores.
The scores were written on slips of paper and dropped into a small box labeled "[ Han Zheng Zhou Yuan's Group]".
The PD said they wouldn't announce it yet, but would reveal it all after all three groups had finished.
Han Zheng and Zhou Yuan carried the empty pots back to the backstage area.
"The second group consists of Cheng Che and Ning Qing."
Cheng Che picked up the plate of shredded pork with garlic sauce, and Ning Qing followed half a step behind him.
He pushed open the door and went out.
Pei Jingshu was looking down at her phone.
She had been waiting for a long time, and when Han Zheng's group came out, she was disappointed for a moment, but then she continued to wait.
Then she heard the director speaking familiar Chinese.
Cheng Che.
She raised her head.
Cheng Che walked in from the doorway carrying a plate of food.
He was wearing a black jacket, his hair was a little messy, and his face had a reddish tinge from being roasted by the stove.
The [ Stars Surrounding the Moon ] buff on him was instantly triggered.
Pei Jingshu's mind went blank for a second.
The person she had been longing for day and night finally appeared!
Then she stood up and raised her hand.
The chair slid backward a bit due to her movement, scraping the floor with a screeching sound.
" Cheng Che! Do you miss me?"
Her voice was bright, filled with barely suppressed excitement.
The entire restaurant heard it.
The other tasters turned their heads away.
The staff member turned around.
The photographer turned his head.
Cheng Che stood at the doorway, holding the dishes, stunned.
He saw Pei Jingshu.
She stood at the back, her hands resting on the table, her face full of smiles.
It took Cheng Che three seconds for his mind to process what he was seeing.
Why is she here?
Qin Lie stood behind the curtain at the backstage entrance, lifting it a crack to look outside.
His mouth was slightly open, his eyes were wide open, and his expression was as if he had seen something he shouldn't have.
He lowered the curtain, turned his head, and muttered a curse in a low voice:
"This is unbelievable, why is she here?"