Starlet Taotie Chapter 13
Chapter 13 Luxurious Feast?
Jiang Tao gave a candid nod.
Shi Wenqing, in contrast, wore a faint look of disappointment.
He was getting up in age, his stamina no longer what it used to be. He had let the heat go just one second too long, leaving the prawns marginally overcooked. Under normal circumstances, the average person could never perceive such a fine distinction.
Yet Jiang Tao had not only noticed this subtle flaw, she had relayed it with pinpoint precision.
Originally, he had assumed a fellow chef had come to challenge him, which was why he had rushed over so aggressively. Who would’ve thought it would be a girl barely in her twenties? And judging by those fair, delicate fingers, she clearly had never worked in a kitchen before.
Shi Wenqing remained silent, but one of the disciples behind him could no longer hold back. “Ignorant little girl, do you even know how to cook? How dare you come here and play the master critic!”
“So not knowing how to cook means I have no right to speak?” Jiang Tao asked in confusion.
The disciple choked on her response and suddenly had no idea how to reply.
Instead, Shi Wenqing showed a trace of interest. “Well said. Young lady, aside from the Longjing Prawns, do you have any other pointers?”
Jiang Tao pointed at herself. “You really want me to say it?”
Shi Wenqing froze.
What? There were actually other problems too??
Being able to taste the flaw in his prawn dish was difficult, but not entirely impossible.
However, he had absolute confidence in his cooking. Over the years, he had continuously refined his craft and believed his skills had attained a state of near-absolute perfection.
So when Jiang Tao said what she did, he grew rather displeased, taking it as a sign that the girl was blind to her own ignorance.
But he had been the one to ask the question, so now he could only suppress his irritation and say, “Go on, then!”
Since he had insisted, Jiang Tao didn’t hold back anymore.
The world knew the taotie only for its legendary stomach, an abyss capable of consuming heaven and earth. Few, however, recognized that Jiang Tao possessed a tongue that sampled the full spectrum of tastes beneath the sun.
Jiang Tao wasn’t picky, but that didn’t mean she didn’t understand food.
By mortal standards, Shi Wenqing’s dishes were already considered top-tier.
But for Jiang Tao, who had tasted every delicacy in existence, they only barely qualified as decent.
She spoke fluently and at length, practically criticizing Shi Wenqing’s dishes until they were worthless from top to bottom.
Shi Wenqing’s old face turned red from the criticism. Several times, he nearly lost his temper, but as he gradually calmed down, he suddenly realized in horror that she was right!
It felt as though he had returned to his youth, back when he had only just begun learning to cook. Every time he thought he had already done well enough, his master would still be able to point out his flaws.
His master had once told him that there existed a type of diner known as a true gourmand.
They might never have stepped foot inside a kitchen, yet their tongues could clearly distinguish every nuance of flavor.
Such guests were a challenge to chefs, but once encountered, they were also the greatest fortune a chef could experience in a lifetime.
Could it be… this little girl was the gourmand his master had spoken of?
Shi Wenqing fell silent.
But the disciples behind him were utterly furious.
“What do you even understand to dare spout nonsense here?”
“My master comes from a family of imperial chefs! He’s been cooking for more than sixty years and has won more awards than anyone can count. Where exactly did you crawl out from?”
“My master is respected everywhere, with students all across the country, yet now he’s being humiliated by an ignorant girl like you!”
Tang Haisheng felt a headache coming on, but since Jiang Tao was his guest, he could only step forward to smooth things over.
Who would’ve thought that Shi Wenqing would suddenly come back to his senses and let out a long sigh. “Miss Jiang is correct.”
Everyone else: “???”
Shi Wenqing turned around and fiercely scolded his disciples. “I’ve told you all long ago that there’s always a greater sky beyond the sky and greater people beyond people! Instead of focusing on improving your cooking, all you know is using seniority to pressure others. Since when does not knowing how to cook mean someone can’t give opinions?!”
His disciples wilted like defrosted eggplants after being scolded.
“Miss Jiang will be my honored guest from now on.” Shi Wenqing walked up to Jiang Tao and tried his best to smile kindly. “Xiao Jiang, if you ever want to eat my cooking, just come anytime. And if there’s anything I haven’t done well, feel free to say it directly!”
Jiang Tao had never expected such a wonderful thing to happen, so she immediately nodded in agreement.
Everyone else looked utterly dumbfounded.
None of them understood how the situation had somehow turned out like this.
The head waiter awkwardly reminded Shi Wenqing, “Master Shi, Miss Jiang isn’t a member of our clubhouse yet…”
The warmth instantly vanished from Shi Wenqing’s face as he roared, “Then get her one! Do you really need me to tell you how to handle something this trivial?!”
Head waiter: “...”
If it had been anyone else, the head waiter naturally could have used Velaris Sky’s rules and regulations as an excuse to refuse. But how could he possibly dare speak to Shi Wenqing that way? He could only helplessly go handle it.
When Tong Tong saw the platinum card, her eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.
She had never imagined that her jie would obtain a Velaris Sky membership, something priceless and impossible to buy even with all of the money in Beijing, just by casually saying a few words.
Meanwhile, Shi Wenqing was still chatting with Jiang Tao about cooking, and the more they talked, the more excited he became.
Over the past few years, he had already felt himself entering a slump. It had been a long time since he created any new dishes.
But after talking with Jiang Tao, even though some of the ingredients she mentioned, things like chì rú and tiáo yú, were things he had never even heard of before, he could still recreate the flavors she described using existing ingredients as substitutes.
(TLN: Chì rú (赤鱬), also known as Red Ru-fish, is described in the "Classic of the Southern Mountains" as a human-headed fish. Eating it purportedly prevented scabies or itchy skin. The tiáo yú (鯈鱼) is a mythical creature from the “Classic of Mountains and Seas”. Eating its flesh cures worry and brings freedom from anxiety.)
It reignited his passion for culinary creation once more!
Shi Wenqing’s face was glowing red with excitement, making him look several years younger. “Xiao Jiang ah! In the future, whenever I’m testing new dishes, you absolutely must honor me with your presence!”
Not just his disciples—even Tang Haisheng and the others were stunned.
Back in the day, Shi Wenqing’s tasting banquets had been considered the most anticipated feasts among food lovers throughout all of Beijing.
But for reasons unknown, he had stopped hosting them in recent years.
Seeing how delighted Shi Wenqing looked, Tang Haisheng suddenly had an idea.
“Master Shi, we’re making a film called ‘Divine Chef’, about the descendants of imperial chefs. We would be honored if you would accept the role of our consultant. Would that be of interest to you?”
Shi Wenqing frowned. “I’m not particularly interested…”
“Our Xiao Jiang just so happens to have a role in it,” Tang Haisheng hurriedly added.
“Why didn’t you say so earlier?!” Shi Wenqing glared at him. “Then of course I’m going! Have your people contact my assistant to arrange the schedule. As it happens, Xiao Jiang and I still haven’t finished our discussion yet!”
Tang Haisheng could only laugh helplessly.
Back then, in order to invite Shi Wenqing to be a consultant, he had sought out countless people and tried every possible method, only to be politely refused each time.
Yet this time, he had actually managed to invite him thanks to Jiang Tao.
At first, he had only wanted to thank Jiang Tao by giving her a role in his production. He never expected such an unexpected gain to come from it.
After calculating it all in the end, it turned out he was the one who had profited instead.
He immediately sent a message to his secretary:
【Has Jiang Tao’s contract been signed yet?】
【Double her pay and move her scenes forward in the schedule】
Secretary: ???
…
After returning from Velaris Sky, Jiang Tao soon had to head off again to record the second episode of ‘Our Village’.
The wild boar incident from before had sounded a major alarm for the production team, prompting them to thoroughly tighten all safety measures.
And so when Jiang Tao ran into the mountains with her hopes high, only to circle the area repeatedly and discover that not only were there no wild boars to be found, but not even a single rabbit remained in sight.
She returned to the house looking utterly deflated.
At that moment, the other guests had also arrived.
The very first thing Tang Yuxia did upon arriving was look for Jiang Tao. Only after seeing her did she finally relax.
She dragged out an entire suitcase stuffed full of snacks and beckoned Jiang Tao over. “Jiang Jiang, I brought all of these for you!”
Jiang Tao’s eyes instantly lit up.
The disappointment of not getting to eat wild boar or rabbit vanished on the spot.
Watching her eat so happily, Tang Yuxia wore the smile of a proud mother.
The other guests didn’t know exactly what had happened last week. They had only heard that Jiang Tao and Tang Yuxia had encountered a wild boar and ended up being sent to the hospital.
So when they saw Tang Yuxia constantly sticking close to Jiang Tao, they simply assumed the two had gone through danger together and therefore became especially close.
Only Le Hui felt uncomfortable about it.
There were only three female guests in total. If Tang Yuxia and Jiang Tao formed their own little group, wouldn’t that leave only her by herself?
…
On the second day, they were split into pairs for tasks; two people to a group.
Without a second thought, Tang Yuxia immediately stood beside Jiang Tao.
Among the remaining people, Dong Xianhong, who knew martial arts and was physically strong, instantly became the most sought-after teammate.
In the end, Dong Xianhong chose the remaining girl, Le Hui, while Yang Zhen and Sheng Xibai automatically paired up together.
Only then did Director Zou slowly reveal the details of today’s mission. “The production team has hidden ingredients, seasonings, and cooking utensils in different locations. We’ll provide clues, but each clue must be exchanged with points. Each team starts with one hundred points. By tonight, the team with the lowest score will receive a punishment!”
“Is everything clear? Any questions?”
Jiang Tao raised her hand.
“Go ahead, Xiao Jiang.”
Jiang Tao asked, “What about the luxurious feast I won last time?”
Director Zou’s expression instantly stiffened.
It has already been a whole week, and you’re still thinking about that luxurious feast??
Jiang Tao stared at him with blazing eyes, looking fully prepared to pounce on him and fight to the death if he refused to give it to her.
Director Zou: “...”
In the end, the production team could only agree to prepare her a luxurious feast that night.
Only then was Jiang Tao satisfied.
Director Zou coughed lightly. “Alright then, the mission officially starts now. Any teams that want to exchange points for clues may come see me.”
None of the three teams moved.
Everyone was well aware of Director Zou’s sly nature.
That nighttime punishment already sounded terrifying. Points were obviously extremely important, so they absolutely couldn’t spend them carelessly!!
It was then Jiang Tao raised her hand once again. “I want to exchange for one!”
Onlookers: “!!!”
Tang Yuxia immediately panicked. “Jiang Jiang! What if we end up with the lowest score tonight?”
“That’s tonight’s problem,” Jiang Tao said very seriously. “But we still have to eat lunch.”
Tang Yuxia: “...”
She could only shut her eyes painfully and declare in a tragic tone, “Fine… then go exchange for it.”
Jiang Tao happily traded points for a clue about the ingredients, then dragged Tang Yuxia off to set out.
Watching the two of them leave, Le Hui felt an immense sense of satisfaction.
Serves Tang Yuxia right!
Jiang Tao is an extremely selfish woman, there’d definitely be suffering waiting for her later!
The three teams departed one after another.
After making their way out, Jiang Tao opened the clue envelope. Inside was a photograph of a strangely shaped rock.
Tang Yuxia thought for a moment before suddenly realizing something. “I know where this is!”
“Shh!” Jiang Tao stopped her and looked warily around them. “There are enemies nearby.”
Tang Yuxia: “?”
…
After turning a corner, Yang Zhen and Sheng Xibai were shocked to discover that Jiang Tao and Tang Yuxia had completely vanished.
Not only the two of them, but even the follow-camera director and cameraman were gone too.
Even if they had run, there was no way they could’ve disappeared this quickly without leaving even a shadow behind, right?
At that moment, Sheng Xibai patted Yang Zhen on the shoulder and pointed toward a nearby forest.
Yang Zhen’s eyes lit up. “Right! Maybe they hid in the woods.”
The two quickly chased after them into the forest.
The woods were enormous. Towering trees blocked out the sunlight, making the place feel dark, silent, and eerie.
The twisted branches resembled the jagged limbs of monsters, radiating an indescribable sense of horror.
A cold breeze swept past, making both of them shiver involuntarily.
Sheng Xibai swallowed nervously. “Yang ge, I don’t think there’s anyone in these woods. Maybe… we should just go back.”
Yang Zhen was equally terrified.
But if he turned and ran now, wouldn’t the brave and intelligent image he had painstakingly built for himself collapse instantly?
Besides, the clue regarding the ingredients’ location was with Jiang Tao’s team. If they didn’t get the ingredients, what were they supposed to eat for lunch?
“There’s nowhere nearby they could hide except this forest. They have to be inside. It rained heavily yesterday, so the soil should still be soft. If they entered the woods, they definitely would’ve left footprints…”
Confidently, Yang Zhen crouched down to inspect the ground, only to discover it was covered with a thick layer of fallen leaves, making footprints impossible to locate.
“...”
Unwilling to give up, Yang Zhen continued, “This forest doesn’t look that big. If we split up and search separately, we’ll definitely find them—”
Before he could finish speaking, Sheng Xibai’s expression suddenly changed.
“Y–Yang ge… d-don’t move…”
Yang Zhen froze.
Then he heard a faint hissing sound near his ear, as though something was brushing past his scalp.
The blood throughout his body instantly turned ice-cold.
He didn’t even dare turn around to look.
Gritting his teeth, Sheng Xibai grabbed a tree branch from nearby and carefully approached Yang Zhen.
With a swipe of the branch—
“Yang ge! Run!”
Yang Zhen immediately bolted without even looking back, so panicked that he didn’t even notice one of his shoes had flown off.
Once they had completely left the forest, rustling sounds came from the trees as Jiang Tao jumped down while carrying Tang Yuxia in her arms.
After Tang Yuxia steadied herself, Jiang Tao clapped her hands and tossed aside the hemp rope she had just used to scare them.
Then she called out toward the follow-camera director and cameramen hiding in the trees, “You can all come down now! The enemies have already been scared away by me.”
On a nearby tree trunk, Zhang Ce was expressionlessly hugging the trunk for dear life.
He truly hadn’t expected that a simple countryside variety show would somehow turn into a wilderness survival program thanks to Jiang Tao.
Even less had he expected that a 180cm (~5.9 ft) tall and weighing 90 kilograms (~198 pounds) burly man like himself would be physically tossed into a tree by a tiny girl who weighed less than half of what he did.
Seriously!
Could you at least leave me with some f*cking dignity?!
TL Note:
