"Dylan-nii, can I go with you?" Northern Europe, Denmark, Airport.
Looking at the boy who was a head taller than her, Nakiri Alice clutched his suitcase, her eyes brimming with tears, her heart full of reluctance to part.
"In principle, there's no problem. However, you know you're supposed to go to Totsuki Academy next year, right?"
"For this year, stay here and keep Miss Leonora company. You'll be separated for a long time after this; she'll be too lonely here by herself."
"But... Okay, I understand."
Reaching out, Dylan gently patted Nakiri Alice's head, seeing the conflict and struggle in her expression. His voice was gentle as he spoke. Of course, he could take Alice with him. Although it would be somewhat troublesome, that wasn't the main issue.
However, if he did that, Nakiri Leonora would truly become a pitiful figure – the daughter she worked hard to raise running off with a man, leaving her alone at home like an empty-nester?
Dylan shook his head. The remaining conscience in his heart wouldn't allow him to do such a thing.
"Don't be too sad. A brief parting is for a better reunion. The next time we meet, I hope you'll have grown even more."
Seeing Nakiri Alice open her mouth several times, unsure of what to say, Dylan gently wiped her tears away with his hand, speaking softly.
"Attention passengers traveling to Guangzhou, China. Flight DS8848 is now boarding. Please proceed to counter 8 for check-in. Thank you!"
At the same time, the airport announcement rang out. The time for farewells had reached its end; it was time to board and depart.
"Dylan-nii, squat down for a second."
Tugging at Dylan's sleeve, Nakiri Alice tilted her head up, gauging the distance between her face and his. Even on tiptoes, she couldn't reach!
Expecting this blockhead to take the initiative seemed impossible before she came of age, Nakiri Alice thought. So, she decided to strike first.
"Hm? What's wrong?"
Seeing the suppressed, determined look in Nakiri Alice's eyes, Dylan knew exactly what was coming, but he still squatted down.
The next moment, a soft sensation pressed against him, causing the young man's blood to rush. Still, he reached out and hugged Nakiri Alice, not pushing her away.
"Don't forget me, Dylan-nii."
"I could never forget you. Wait for me."
After saying this, Nakiri Alice looked deeply into Dylan's eyes. Her breathing was somewhat heavy now, her chest rising and falling rapidly, clearly agitated.
Although she had achieved a long-desired milestone, she couldn't feel happy at all. The thought that she wouldn't be able to see Dylan for the next few years made a part of her heart feel empty.
Watching Dylan's departing figure, Nakiri Alice stood woodenly in place. Nearly half an hour passed before she finally turned and left.
"Ladies and gentlemen, good morning! Welcome aboard this Platinum Airlines flight."
"Please find your seat and be seated as soon as possible, and stow your carry-on luggage properly!"
Boarding the plane, the familiar announcement sound reached his ears.
Dylan casually took his Bluetooth headphones from his backpack, put them on, went to his seat, and closed his eyes to rest, waiting for takeoff.
With Nakiri Leonora's help, he had obtained legal Danish residency and a passport for travel to China.
Since the destination was Guangzhou, China, most passengers on the plane were Chinese, currently chatting in Mandarin, which sounded particularly familiar and welcoming to him.
After a moment's thought, Dylan took off his headphones again. His seat was in business class, more comfortable than economy and suitable for long-haul flights.
Moreover, those seated in business class were generally industry elites, with broader knowledge than ordinary people; he could potentially gather useful information from them.
While in Denmark, although Dylan often read news about China on TV and online, much of that information was outdated.
To get accurate, up-to-date information, one needed to go and experience it firsthand.
Of course, chatting with people could also yield information, but one had to discern truth from falsehood carefully, as it was easy to be misled.
"Hello, could you help me put away my luggage? I can't quite reach, and the flight attendants seem busy."
Just as Dylan was lost in thought, a clear, sweet female voice sounded beside him. Turning his head, he saw two girls, one taller, one shorter.
Standing before him was a pretty young woman with shoulder-length hair, wearing a short-sleeved mini-dress with partially unbuttoned front, and black lace thigh-high stockings. With rosy lips and white teeth, she had a pure and lovely appearance, radiating youthful energy; she looked like she had just reached adulthood.
The other girl had a more youthful face, but one could tell she was budding into a beauty. She wore a high-slit, Chinese-style cheongsam. Her figure was extremely well-developed, creating a strong contrast with her somewhat childlike appearance.
Currently, the older girl was greeting him, while the younger one stood aside, looking somewhat dejected.
She held a backpack in her arms, straining on her tiptoes, apparently trying to place it in the overhead compartment, but due to her lack of height, she could only stare helplessly.
Around them, flight attendants were busy assisting other boarding passengers, and for a moment, no one noticed the situation here. Even those who did had to attend to others in order.
Thus, Dylan became their best immediate option for help. A deeper reason was that they were simply exhausted. After traveling all day, they just wanted to sit down and rest quickly.
"Leave it to me."
Dylan naturally wouldn't refuse a request from a beautiful woman, especially for such a simple task. He stood up immediately and helped her place the backpack in the overhead bin.
"Thank you! My name is Li Wanwan, from China. This is Hojo Miyoko, from Japan."
Since they were sitting next to each other, and Dylan had just helped them, Li Wanwan naturally introduced herself and the girl beside her, Hojo Miyoko.
"Hello."
Giving Dylan a slight nod, Hojo Miyoko turned her face away, looking around, showing no intention of striking up a friendship.
"Hello to you both. My name is Dylan. I'm also Chinese, but due to some special circumstances, my residency is registered here in Denmark."
Dylan introduced himself in Mandarin. He had actually noticed Hojo Miyoko earlier. As one of only two Totsuki students specializing in Chinese cuisine in 'Shokugeki no Soma', she had left a deep impression on him.
Although she was young, he could still recognize her from her facial features. Dylan had already experienced this profoundly with Nakiri Alice.
However, he hadn't felt this way before.
Now, this feeling was particularly strong.
Girls really do develop quickly! Thirteen years old looking almost sixteen or seventeen, aside from a slightly more youthful face, there was hardly any other difference.
"Have you lived in Denmark your whole life? Your Mandarin is really good!"
Hearing Dylan's standard Mandarin pronunciation, Li Wanwan was surprised. His Putonghua proficiency was definitely top-tier, even better than hers.
"No, I also came here later due to certain reasons. Now I'm returning to China, heading to Guangzhou to participate in the annual chef examination."
Since Hojo Miyoko was here, and flying from Denmark to Guangzhou at this time, it strongly suggested they were likely also going for the chef examination.
He wanted to travel together and ask about important details, but couldn't ask directly. So, Dylan came up with this indirect approach.
By volunteering his own information first, he aimed to make Li Wanwan and Hojo Miyoko lower their guard, making it easier to gather information from them.
During his years in Denmark, to navigate society without being deceived, Dylan had studied some psychology on his own. This tactic came straight from a book.
"You're also going to Guangzhou for the chef examination? Then we're fellow travelers! Because we came to Europe for research, Denmark was the only country left with direct flights to Guangzhou..."
Saying this, Li Wanwan sighed. Such a situation wouldn't normally occur.
"But, because the chef examination is being held during this period, chefs from all over the world are rushing to Guangzhou. The city has become exceptionally lively now; you often see foreigners on every street and alley."
"I see, what a coincidence! Could you tell me about the rules for the Guangzhou chef examination? I've looked up some information online, but Denmark is worlds away from Guangzhou, so the information might be somewhat inaccurate."
Dylan asked humbly, posing the question he most wanted answered.
Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will win every battle. Although his skill surpassed those judges from the Guangzhou Chefs Association, asking clearly was definitely safer.
He had two goals for coming to Guangzhou this time: one was the Special Grade Chef status, the other was the Special Grade Chef armband.
Speaking of the Special Grade Chef armband, the most practical method was to wrap it with white cloth. In the future, if he encountered disputes with other chefs where both sides insisted they were right and neither would yield...
...he could pretend to casually dislodge the white cloth wrapped around his arm, revealing the Special Grade Chef armband underneath!
That way, he could observe the opponent's jaw-dropping expression of shock.
No, wait. When the time comes, I should find a lackey. Have the lackey help remove the white cloth amidst the chaos. Tearing it off myself would really damage my cool factor!
Besides, if it was just me, I feel like I wouldn't even wait for the 'tear off the cloth' part; I'd just knock that argumentative fool out with one punch.
"The Guangzhou chef examination has been the same for decades; you don't need to worry too much."
"For the Third-Class Chef exam, you draw one main ingredient from your specialized category. As long as the flavor of the dish you cook meets the judges' requirements, you pass."
"The Second-Class Chef exam is theme-based cooking. You choose your preferred field and continuously prepare 18 dishes. As long as these 18 dishes have consistent flavor and reach the passing standard, you pass."
"The First-Class Chef exam is an upgraded theme test. The organizers will provide a specific theme based on the direction the candidate chooses."
"Candidates create an improvised dish based on the theme. It must adhere closely to the theme, and only if both creativity and taste meet the standard can they pass the exam."
"As for Special Grade..."
"Special Grade is also theme-based cooking, but the theme is completely random, and the exam question changes every year. Not only are ingredients restricted, but the requirements are also more difficult to interpret. Many chefs fail right at the first step."
Just as Li Wanwan was about to continue, Dylan interjected.
This matched what he already knew. In short, the Special Grade Chef exam tested a chef's imagination and the fundamental skills needed to turn that rich imagination into reality.
"Yes, but that's not something we need to worry about."
"Seeing how young you are, you must be going for the Second-Class Chef exam this time, right? Once you pass the Second-Class exam, you'll be a certified chef at any restaurant and earn a decent salary."
Li Wanwan said with a smile. Except for a few exceptionally talented individuals, a chef's age generally correlated with their skill level.
If one started cooking from childhood without guidance from a Special Grade level master...
...around twenty years old, they'd typically be a Second-Class Chef; around thirty, a First-Class Chef.
As for Special Grade Chefs...
...there's a saying in the culinary world: if you don't become a Special Grade Chef before fifty, you'll likely never reach that level in your lifetime.
Because after fifty, a chef's thinking tends to become rigid, their ability to accept new things decreases, making it difficult to create truly innovative dishes, thus losing the possibility of entering the Special Grade realm.
Afterwards, Dylan and Li Wanwan chatted quite a bit.
Because Dylan had helped them earlier, Li Wanwan answered his questions openly and thoroughly, completely unguarded.
In the end, she even revealed her own identity and invited him to visit.
The daughter of the owner of Guangzhou's Xianglan Restaurant, which specialized in Hunan cuisine.
Her father was a 3-Star Special Grade Chef and also the master of Hojo Miyoko's father. She had gone to Japan this time specifically to bring Hojo Miyoko to take the Second-Class Chef exam.
Worth mentioning...
...this was already Hojo Miyoko's second attempt at the Second-Class Chef exam. The previous time, she failed due to a mistake in one dish, deemed unsatisfactory by the examiner.
"It was mainly because there wasn't enough time. I got a bit anxious, rushed the cooking process, and made a mistake, that's why I didn't pass..."
Since the topic was about her, Hojo Miyoko couldn't pretend to be indifferent anymore and spoke up somewhat anxiously. At the same time, she looked puffily at Dylan, as if afraid he would look down on her.
Due to her upbringing, she strongly disliked being compared unfavorably to boys. What boys could do, she could do too; what boys couldn't do, she could still do!
It was this conviction that had supported her all the way until now!
"Don't worry, you'll definitely pass this time. After putting in so much sweat and effort, it would be unreasonable not to pass."
"I also have to take the First-Class Chef exam... I don't know why Father insists we take it in Guangzhou; other places are clearly easier to pass..."
The last sentence sounded like a complaint. Li Wanwan mumbled, then sighed again, leaning back against the airplane seat to zone out.
"Hey you," Hojo Miyoko suddenly turned her head and spoke to Dylan. "For the Second-Class Chef exam, you can follow me the whole time. I already registered once last year, so I'm very familiar with all the procedures. You don't want to waste too much time on registration, right?"
She was actually quite warm-hearted. Although they had just met by chance, she didn't mind helping out if it was within her ability.
"Oh right! Just stick with us during the chef exam registration. Anyway, registration is all in the same place, just different queues."
Hearing Hojo Miyoko, Li Wanwan chimed in too. It was rare to meet someone from home while abroad; if they could help, they naturally should. Besides, they had chatted pleasantly earlier, and Dylan was quite good-looking, very easy on the eyes to have around...
"Then, thank you both."
Dylan had been wondering how to ask. Since Li Wanwan and Hojo Miyoko offered, he accepted without hesitation, then fell silent.
"No need to be polite! We still have a few hours left. Let's get some sleep first. We got up at dawn today to catch the flight; we're so tired."
Raising a hand to stifle a yawn, Li Wanwan stretched languidly. Flying from Japan to Denmark, then Denmark to Guangzhou – this back-and-forth journey had truly exhausted them.
"You two rest. I'll wake you when we land."
Setting aside the chef exam, they were, after all, strangers who had just met; naturally, there wasn't much more to talk about.
Putting on an eye mask, Dylan closed his eyes to rest. During the flight, he ate a passable airplane meal. After several hours of turbulence, the plane finally landed smoothly.
China, Guangzhou, Airport Entrance.
"The chef examination is in three days. Let's part ways here. This is my contact information; call me on this number later."
As they were deplaning, Li Wanwan stopped Dylan, who was about to leave, and stuffed a piece of paper into his hand.
"Actually, never mind. Give me your number instead. I'll contact you."
After thinking for a moment, Li Wanwan took back the paper slip, handed him her phone, and watched expectantly as he entered his number.
After quickly keying in his number, Dylan returned the phone to Li Wanwan and gave her a nod, without much further expression.
"Okay! See you in three days!"
Li Wanwan said with a smile, then led Hojo Miyoko away in a different direction.
Dylan, meanwhile, took out his phone to check his hotel information. He quickly found the hotel Nakiri Leonora had booked for him and dropped off his luggage.
"So nostalgic."
Finally arrived in this famous holy land of gastronomy. Let's get something to eat to reward myself after a long day of travel. And maybe check out Guangzhou's chef scene.
Looking out the hotel window at the night view, Dylan's thoughts suddenly drifted back several years. He had spent an unforgettable time here back then.
Now, times had changed, and the surrounding scenery had transformed dramatically. The only thing unchanged was Guangzhou itself – still that holy land of food.
Acting on the thought, Dylan opened his backpack, put the previously exchanged Chinese Yuan into his wallet, and then stood up and left the hotel.
In Guangzhou, the first meal after landing had to be Wenchang Chicken, Claypot Rice, and Old Fire Soup. These dishes were also the best indicators of a restaurant's quality.
Of course, this referred specifically to the Guangfu style of Cantonese cuisine.
Besides Guangfu cuisine, there were also Chaoshan and Hakka cuisines; the three together formed the broader Cantonese (Yue) cuisine.
Wandering the streets of Guangzhou, searching for a suitable restaurant, Dylan walked with his hands in his pockets, looking somewhat nonchalant, his eyes scanning the streets.
Guangzhou at night resembled a flowing scroll painting.
Street vendors hawked their wares, pedestrians laughed merrily, and the aroma of delicious food wafted from the restaurants and eateries lining the streets, enticing passersby, making them stop and stare.
And what attracted Dylan's gaze the most...
...was an old man in simple cloth garments, standing still before a restaurant.
________
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