Their locals were crazy about noodles. As one of the most important staple foods in their country, noodles could be made with lots of ways and methods. Traditional hand-pulled noodle was a secret passed through generations and was almost impossible to create at home.

Lu Xinyi had once seen her father doing the hand-pulled noodles when she was young. He was teaching the young Tian Lingyu back then. She watched intently as how her father’s hand moved as he kneaded the dough. While her adoptive brother had an innate talent in cooking, Lu Xinyi had an ability to remember what she’d seen and what she’d tasted.

Her dish was then presented to the judges. She held her breath as the covers were lifted up, revealing her beef noodles. Compared to Ye Xieren’s Soba Noodles, her beef noodles was full of color. Consisting of a flavorful broth, shaved beef, tender white radish slices, lots of cilantro and garlic chives, deep red chili oil, and chewy handmade noodles—this Beef Noodle Soup was a very popular dish.

The judges blinked but didn’t say anything. Her dish wasn’t something they’d expected from her, but they were still eager to taste the noodle dish. Beef noodles were often served as fast food in the country so their expectations weren’t that high this time. It was also considered plain and common, but as soon as the scent of the noodles hit their noses, the super fragrant, tangy, and comforting aroma made their mouths water.

Everyone waited for the judges to taste it. The beef noodle soup was flashed on the screens for everyone to see the mouthwatering dish. Once the judges took a taste of it, they felt like they were floating in a blank space before finding themselves in their younger years, bringing happy memories. The dish was once part of their lives.

Lu Xinyi’s beef noodles were able to remind the judges of their memories that they’d long forgotten and the feeling of being at home. Even Jun Simin was shocked to find herself crying. Her tears rolled down her cheeks without her noticing it. She couldn’t believe that Lu Xinyi’s dish could evoke such strong emotions from her.

Lu Xinyi’s beef noodle soup consisted of five essential elements: clear, aromatic beef broth; melt-in-your-mouth white radish slices; elastic hand-pulled yellowish noodles; generous amount of chili oil; and fresh green garlic chives to garnish. One could lose themselves as they ate the delicious meal.

They all thought that Lu Xinyi’s would be the same as the other noodles they’d tried before. How wrong they could be? When they dipped their chopsticks into the bowl and took the first bite, all their doubts went away; for the hand-pulled noodle was indeed amazing. The broth had a lasting flavor while the noodle was tender yet stretchy at the same time—like nothing that they had eaten today. The noodles tasted immensely satisfying. The warm mixture was pure ambrosia in their mouths.

The thin round noodles were chewy. Surely, Lu Xinyi had removed the end part and only used the middle part of the strands; for the gluten network on both ends wasn’t the same with the middle part. The broth had several layers of taste that tickled their taste buds. The crispness of the white radish gave the dish additional texture while the chili oil leveled up the savory and spiciness to another level.

Sun Feiyan cupped her chin with one hand with a face of utter nonchalance as if she was merely waiting for this round to end. She wasn’t slumped at all; her body is clearly too graceful for that, and yet it was just as relaxed as her face. She was almost smiling—smiling as if something good was about to happen. As if the world would fall through her feet, which was likely bad for Lu Xinyi. Very bad indeed.

Halfway through the dish, the judges stopped eating and brought down their bowls and chopsticks.

“Why did they stopped? Is there something wrong with her dish?”

“It seems there’s already a clear winner for this round.”

“What are you talking about?! Just look at her dish! In terms of presentation, Miss Lu’s noodles were way more eye-catching than Ye Xieren.”

Lu Xinyi had already expected this to happen. The audience might not notice, but for the experienced palate, one could pinpoint the problem in her dish. Compared to Ye Xieren’s flawless dish, her noodles had a critical issue. Something that the judges couldn’t overlook this time.