Food Wars!: Delicious Food of the Heavens

Chapter 100 Warm Soup

Garlic is an ingredient with a strong flavor.

The garlic is minced into a fine paste, then soaked in the spiced oil carefully prepared by Lin Yu, and deep-fried at a low temperature.

With enough patience, the hot oil will bring out the garlic's flavor to the maximum extent.

The rich aroma of garlic is accompanied by an enticing scent of oil.

The garlic flavor is undeniably strong, even overpowering, yet at this moment, it evokes a subtle sense of gentleness amidst its stimulating aroma.

It is this magical taste experience, both intense and mellow, that makes tasters fall deeply in love with it without even realizing it, unable to extricate themselves.

The soft and tender eggplant fully absorbs the rich aroma of garlic. As it is stirred by the tongue and teeth, the garlic flavor is squeezed out from every crevice of the eggplant, filling every crevice of the taster's mouth!

"Garlic and eggplant are such a perfect match!"

Guan Shouping couldn't help but let out a sigh.

He couldn't resist picking up another piece of garlic eggplant with his chopsticks, eagerly putting it in his mouth, then closing his eyes and letting himself sink into the rich flavor of garlic, unable to extricate himself for a long time.

Lin Yu smiled and didn't bother the other party.

Diners are captivated by the lingering aftertaste of the dishes after tasting them.

Isn't this a silent form of praise for the chef?

Perhaps it was Guan Shouping's encouragement that had an effect.

At this moment, the kitchen was enveloped in an eerie atmosphere of "lively silence".

Everyone was focused on preparing their dishes; no one spoke. Each student was completely absorbed in the steaks being cooked in the pan in front of them.

Everyone was focused on doing their own thing.

Except for one person.

Erina Nakiri braced herself against the stove, breathing rapidly. Her smooth forehead was covered in cold sweat, and her face was pale. She exuded a sense of frailty and weakness.

"Eighty-seven, eighty-eight, eighty-nine..."

'

"It'll be done soon...almost done..."

'

Erina Nakiri stared intently at the stove in front of her, silently counting the time.

The time for the meat to rest passed by, but her complexion did not improve at all; in fact, it got worse.

At some point, Erina Kiri felt unwell and half-squatted on the ground, her delicate and beautiful eyebrows furrowed together.

"You look terrible, are you alright?"

The familiar voice startled Erina from her strange state. She was startled, turned around, and saw a familiar face before she breathed a sigh of relief.

In that instant, Erina Nakiri could clearly hear her heart, pounding wildly in fright, making a deafening "thump-thump-thump" sound.

"Erina?"

Lin Yu looked concerned and asked again, "Are you feeling unwell?"

"No...it's nothing!"

Erina shook her head, indicating that she was fine and that Lin Yu didn't need to worry.

But when Lin Yu looked at the girl's pale face, he swallowed the words "How could she be alright?" that he was about to say.

Lin Yu looked at the fifty ribeye steaks emitting a rich aroma on the baking tray on the stove.

"Is the meat still resting?"

Yes, one minute left...

'

"Looks pretty good!"

Lin Yu nodded, then looked at Erina Kiri, "You don't look too well... Are you a little hungry?"

Erina Kiri shifted her gaze to the side and said weakly, "Yeah, I guess so..."

"7

Although the lie was quite obvious, Lin Yu did not choose to expose the arrogant girl in front of him.

"Ha! I knew it."

Lin Yu smiled.

Just as Kiri Erina's expression turned annoyed upon hearing this, and she was about to explode in anger, a moment later...

Lin Yu flipped his arm and handed the soup bowl that he had been hiding behind his back to Nakiri Erina.

Erina Nakiri was somewhat taken aback; the expression on her face, which was half tired and half annoyed, froze.

"What are you standing there for? I brought this especially for you."

Lin Yu didn't say much, nor did he tease or joke with the girl in front of him as usual.

He simply gave a gentle smile and handed the bowl of seaweed and egg drop soup forward.

"Drink it, it'll make you feel better."

"Yes, thank you."

""

Erina Nakiri nodded and somewhat absentmindedly accepted the soup bowl.

"Blow on it, be careful it's hot."

Hearing Lin Yu's words, Kiri Erina obediently blew on the steam from the soup noodles, then brought the bowl to her lips and took a small sip.

Soft, sweet, mellow, fresh, vibrant, and elegant...

Although no flavorful meat ingredients were used, this vegetarian broth, carefully stewed with various mushrooms and vegetables, still exudes a unique elegance.

"call-

"

"What an elegant flavor..."

'

Erina Nakiri's eyes were glazed over, and her lips parted as she uttered a subconscious sigh.

I took another sip of the hot soup.

The warm soup flowed from the tip of her tongue into her stomach, making Erina feel warm and cozy inside.

The next moment, warmth spread from her stomach throughout her body. Countless warm currents seemed to have a spirit of their own, quickly flowing through her limbs and bones. At that moment, Erina felt as if her entire body was enveloped in warmth!

It feels like on a cold winter day, the gloomy sky suddenly clears up, and the warm sunshine falls on you, making you feel very comfortable and unable to resist becoming lazy, forgetting all your worries.

Just moments ago, Erina Kiri was extremely anxious, but now she felt a magical sense of relaxation. The warmth flowing through her body even made her squint her eyes in comfort.

Seeing the anxiety on the girl's face fade and her demeanor become like that of a lazy kitten, Lin Yu couldn't help but feel happy, and a hint of tenderness unconsciously appeared in his eyes.

The broth, made by simmering more than a dozen kinds of mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and vegetables, has a clear and smooth texture, a delicate flavor, and a fresh, sweet taste.

There's also fresh and smooth seaweed, and eggs that are as soft and light as clouds.

And at the bottom of the bowl are soft, chewy shiitake mushrooms and tender, crisp bamboo shoot slices.

More than a dozen ingredients, like different musical instruments, blend together harmoniously to create a soothing melody that relaxes the mind and allows the taster to unwind and immerse themselves in warmth.

The sweet and delicate hot soup felt very gentle on the palate, which made Kiri Erina unknowingly finish the whole bowl of seaweed and egg drop soup.

"What a refreshing and soothing soup..."

""

Erina Nakiri, having put down her soup bowl, now had a beaming smile on her face, a relaxed and carefree expression that showed no trace of her previous anxiety and irritability.

"If you think it tastes good, then that's fine."

Lin Yu gave a gentle smile.

Would you like another bowl?

"It's alright, no need."

Upon hearing Lin Yu's words, Erina Nakiri frantically waved her hands, her face showing an indescribable shyness.

"that..

""

Erina Nakiri said softly, her voice barely audible, "Thank you, Lin Yu. I feel much better now, and I'm not as anxious as before."

"Feeling better...that's good!" Lin Yu smiled as he accepted the empty bowl from Erina Nakiri.

Suddenly, Lin Yu's gaze fell on the ribeye steaks on the grill.

"Erina, won't these steaks need a little more resting time?"

Erina Nakiri was taken aback, wondering why Lin Yu had suddenly brought up this question.

However, she still nodded honestly.

"That's right, what's wrong?"

"Then come with me!"

Lin Yu revealed a sly chuckle, grabbing Erina Nakiri's wrist and startling her.

"What are you doing?!"

Ignoring the panic and confusion on Erina's face, Lin Yu pulled her up from the ground.

"Don't say I'm not being fair!"

Lin Yu's smile was very warm. "I meticulously designed a whole new menu! And I worked hard to make it all."

"Wouldn't it be a waste if you only drank one bowl of soup?"

"We'll talk about it later!"

A hint of mockery lingered in Lin Yu's smile. "Since we made a bet, I'll definitely make sure you're convinced!"

"Let you try my menu yourself, so that Erina won't... hey, deny it when you lose!"

"Who would refuse to admit defeat after losing!" Erina Kiri shouted in displeasure.

"That annoying guy... all he does is annoy me!"

"Ha ha ha ha!"

Faced with Lin Yu's arrogant laughter, Kiri Erina became somewhat exasperated.

"You bad person! You...you're not allowed to laugh!"

"I told you not to laugh! You're so mean, you still laughed!"

Although Erina Nakiri was so anxious that she could barely speak, she didn't struggle at all, letting Lin Yu hold her wrist.

"Besides the fifty copies required by the project, I made a few extra. It wasn't a large quantity, but it was enough to give us a taste."

Lin Yu pulled Erina Kiri to his stove and brought her a steak set meal.

"Please, Miss Erina!"

Faced with Lin Yu's attentiveness, Erina Nakiri crossed her arms, pouted, and tilted her head to one side.

"Hmph! Do you know how much it costs to have me conduct a food tasting at a restaurant?"

"Are you trying to get my [God Tongue] for free?"

Lin Yu froze on the spot, his face showing a mixture of bewilderment and astonishment.

The next moment, Lin Yu, realizing what was happening, pinched his chin and gave Erina Kiri a mischievous smile.

"If that's what you're saying, Erina... I'm suddenly quite interested in getting things from you for free a few times."

Seeing the enigmatic smirk on Lin Yu's face, Erina Nakiri shuddered, instantly becoming furious and embarrassed.

"You! You bad person! You just like to tease me!"

"Ha ha!"

Seeing the aggrieved expression on Erina Kiri's face after her defeat, Lin Yu couldn't help but laugh happily.

"In that case, would you do me the honor of having your hands graciously examined by the young lady?"

"Hmph, fine..."

""

"Since you have made such a sincere request, then I will reluctantly agree."

39

After saying that, Erina Kiri gave Lin Yu a fierce glare.

Watching this scene, Guan Shouping, who had been observing the play for a long time, couldn't help but tease, "You two are really funny, you're so good at using all those little phrases. It seems you two have a pretty good relationship!"

"Who's on good terms with him?"

Upon hearing Sekimori's words, Erina Nakiri nearly jumped up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.

Although she said that, Erina Kiri lowered her head shyly, her cheeks flushed, and her face turned red all the way to her ears.

With her head down, Erina Nakiri glanced at Lin Yu out of the corner of her eye, only to see that this annoying guy was looking at her with a smile on his face, and even winked at her.

Ugh! They all love teasing me!

Erina Kiri pouted. "Chef Sekimori, please don't say such nonsensical things! It's really bothering me!"

"Okay, okay..."

""

Guan Shouping sighed helplessly and scratched the back of his head.

"I really don't understand young people these days!"

"Looks like I'm getting old and can't keep up with the times..."

"7

"In that case, I'll just focus on enjoying the delicious food!"

Guan Shouping knew these words were a joke, so he wasn't really sad. He quickly composed himself and looked at the last dish in the set meal, which was also the grand finale!

"As the main course of this dish, what kind of surprise will you bring me, Lin Yu?"

'

With great anticipation, Guan Shouping was the first to lift the lid covering the steak.

"Sizzle"

The lid was lifted, and a cloud of white steam rose up.

Immediately following was the rich, savory aroma of meat, carrying the mellow richness of oil and the fresh fragrance of scallions, which wafted onto Guan Shouping's face and penetrated his nostrils.

"Ah~"

Guan Shouping felt that the fragrance was so pleasant that it made his nose itch. He couldn't help but make a pleasant sound, and a look of intoxication appeared on his face.

Once the heat dissipated, Guan Shouping finally saw the entire dish.

The bottom of the plate was a heated stone slab, and even without getting close, Guan Shouping could feel the extremely high temperature emanating from it.

The large amount of shredded onions and scallions spread on top of the stone slab were still making a loud sizzling sound.

The shredded onions and scallions were mixed together and arranged alternately, layered on top of each other, and fried until golden brown.

Its overall shape resembles a bird's nest placed on a stone slab.

Steam rose up, carrying a rich aroma of oil and a refreshing scent of scallions, drifting upwards along the patterns and gaps between the "bird's nest" structures.

The multi-layered aromas permeate the steak on top, continuously adding delicious elements to the core of this set meal.

The steak is seared at high temperature and then simmered at a low temperature amidst a rich aroma of wine, resulting in a beautiful amber color with evenly distributed spiderweb-like charring marks.

The steak's surface was glossy and shiny, seemingly reflecting light, making it look incredibly appetizing.

The steak is covered with a white ingredient, and in the middle lies a small orange-yellow ball.

It looks like a... uh... fried egg?

Guan Shouping was stunned for a moment, blinked, and seemed unable to believe his eyes.

It's not that the combination of steak and fried egg is bad, it's just...

Lin Yu had given him too many and too intense surprises before!

So when faced with the main course of the set meal, which was this pan-fried steak, he had higher expectations than for any other dish.

But when the lid was lifted, what I saw wasn't bad, it just seemed a bit... too ordinary?

Guan Shouping looked up at Lin Yu, his eyes filled with confusion and bewilderment.

"Lin Yu, could you please tell me about this fried egg...?"

'

"No!"

"wrong!"

The sudden sound interrupted Guan Shouping's words.

He turned around and saw Erina Kiri looking at the dish in front of him with a serious expression.

Is something wrong?

Just as Guan Shouping was puzzled, Nakiri Erina's expression changed slightly. She picked up the spoon again, scooped up a little bit of "egg yolk", put it in her mouth, and tasted it carefully.