83. Chapter 83

After the broadcast, Yu An Tong returned home to find several packages in the living room containing items for Xiao Nian's nursery.

"You're back," Mother Xing said. "What did you buy? There's so much here!"

Yu An Tong replied, "All for Xiao Nian's nursery."

He only remembered to get these after Han Le Le had asked him about it when she was checking out clothes for Xiao Nian.

He had picked some items online but didn't trust their quality. So, he provided the specs and images to Xing Lixuan for customized procurement.

For his son, only the best would do. Xing Lixuan had the items custom-made, which took some time, and they had just arrived.

Mother Xing inquired, "Which room are you setting up?"

Pointing upstairs, Yu An Tong said, "The room next to ours. We already have some of Xiao Nian's stuff there."

Hearing this, Mother Xing was elated. It meant their grandson would live with them. She had previously thought the couple would move out on their own.

Yu An Tong and Xing Lixuan planned to stay in the ancestral home initially. As new parents, they might need the elders' help to care for Xiao Nian.

Later, they considered buying a house nearby. That way, Xiao Nian could visit his grandparents anytime, and the couple could have some private moments by leaving the child at the ancestral home.

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Yu Antong excitedly unpacked the boxes. One had colorful cushions, another light blue wallpaper with star patterns, a sunflower wall lamp, and cartoon-themed curtains.

Yu Antong called out to Xing Lixuan, "Honey, can you help me move these upstairs? I want to start decorating now."

Xing Lixuan replied, "Let's eat first. Aren't you hungry?"

"On our way back, you kept saying you wanted braised pork, but now you've forgotten all about it?"

Yu Antong said, "...Yes, I'm hungry. Let's eat!"

The housemaid often sought cooking advice from Yu Antong. Now, her dishes taste quite good.

Chestnut chicken with tender meat and sweet, glutinous chestnuts; bright red braised prawns with firm texture...

Yu Antong ate with gusto, forgetting his grievance about not being able to eat the dishes he made on the show.

After lunch, he took a nap, then woke up to decorate the baby's room with Xing Lixuan.

Yu Antong decided to start with the wallpaper. He tried applying it, but within three minutes, it was evident he had failed.

"It's full of air bubbles. What should I do?" Yu Antong looked helplessly at Xing Lixuan.

But Xing Lixuan wasn't any better at decorating.

After a few attempts, he calmly said, "Some tasks are best left to professionals. We should get someone who knows what they're doing."

Yu Antong sounded disappointed, "But I wanted to do it myself."

In the end, they hired a professional decorator to handle the wallpapering, install the new lights, and put up the curtains.

Only simpler tasks were left for Yu Antong.

Yu Antong attached sponge pads to the bottom of the walls, ensuring that they reached a meter high, to protect the child from bumps.

The floor was covered with colorful, hard sponge tiles, ideal for children who might spill liquids. They were more cushioned than a carpet, making it less painful if the child fell, and they were easier to clean.

Yu Antong had learned these valuable tips from an online parenting group he had joined.

Yu Antong couldn't bend down easily, so Xing Lixuan did most of the work laying the tiles.

Once that was done, Yu Antong directed Xing Lixuan on where to place the larger items: "The small sofa should go in the southeast corner, and the baby's crib would look better over here..."

After hours of work, everything was in place. Yu Antong stood, hands on his hips, proudly surveying the room. "I never realized I had such a knack for interior design!"

Xing Lixuan: "..."

He couldn't really see what special skills were required to stick pads on walls.

"What's with that look?!" Yu Antong noticed Xing Lixuan's somewhat exasperated expression and pinched his arm in mock indignation.

Xing Lixuan pulled him into his arms, begrudgingly praising, "Yes, you're the best."

Yu Antong chuckled, "That wasn't sincere at all. Compliment me again, and make sure it's heartfelt and over a hundred words."

Fortunately, at that moment, Yu Antong's phone rang, giving Xing Lixuan a reprieve.

"Hello? Fu Xin."

Fu Xin was calling to provide a work update: "Mr. Yu, our new factory's first large-scale batch of products will be ready for online sales this Friday. It's time for us to expand our offline sales channels."

Currently, the only offline sales channel for 'Fairy Feast' side dishes was a chain supermarket they had previously connected with, owned by Mr. Wang.

Initially, the production capacity of 'Fairy Feast' couldn't meet demand. Now, with the new factory operational, production capacity has greatly increased, allowing them to expand their offline distribution.

The two discussed the matter briefly, settling on a preliminary plan. Yu Antong added, "Oh, and let's shift the online sales launch to Saturday, right after the final episode of 'Chef's Arrival!' airs."

Fu Xin immediately agreed.

On Saturday night, "Chef's Arrival!" aired punctually.

As dishes crafted by Yu Antong and Fu Fengxing came out one by one, online comments flooded in.

[Yu Antong, stop eating! Everyone knows you've gained weight!]

[Xing Lixuan: I worked hard to plump him up; let him eat!]

[LOL, with that ability, Xing Lixuan is wasting his talent not running a farm.]

[Hold up, what do you mean by that? Are you insinuating something about my lovely Antong?]

[I think I saw Yu Antong sneaking a drool. Did his own dish tempt him?]

[That sauce is drool-worthy! I can't stop salivating.]

[I'm certain I saw Yu Antong drool! Right back at you for tempting us. Now you know how it feels!]

[LOL, is Yu Antong taste-testing? Looks more like he's sneaking a bite to me.]

[Tempting himself is just too adorable! Daily envy towards Xing Lixuan here. I want to steal his husband.]

[I'd kill to be there and snatch some food right now. It's torture this late at night!]

[Knew the finals would be epic. The smart and wise me prepared a mini hotpot to enjoy while watching. Bliss~]

[Hey! Eating hotpot this late? Generous of you. Share some with me.]

[I was foolish. I should've prepared instant noodles before turning on my phone. But now, compared to the delicacies on screen, my noodles feel so bland.]

[+1, suddenly my late-night takeaway doesn’t seem appetizing anymore.]

[Munching on my last pack of pickled pepper chicken feet, I pretend I'm savoring Yu Antong's spicy duck feet.]

[Thanks for the reminder, sis! I just remembered I also have a pack. After makeup tutorials, now we have eating ones? Humble tears.]

[That braised meat noodle Fu Fengxing made looks so tempting! Those noodles look perfectly chewy, topped with a layer of meat sauce. Just thinking about it makes me... slurp~]

[Why did I choose to watch this so late at night? Total self-torture!]

[Self-inflicting pain, yet can't stop watching. This show is too addictive!]

[My better judgment says I should watch this during a meal tomorrow, but my fingers wouldn't listen and clicked play.]

[I swear I can smell that braised pork. Mom, I don't care! I must have it! Throws a tantrum.]

[My mom asked why I'm tearfully watching a cooking show. Me: Tears of craving.]

[Ugh! Stop it, you guys. I've already soaked a box of tissues. dog head emoji]

The hour-long video is nearing its end. The host called out the time and both contestants placed their dishes on the judges' round table.

The table was adorned with a Tai Chi diagram. Yu Antong's dishes were placed on the white half, while Fu Fengxing's were on the black half, the distinction was clear.

In addition to the five regular judges, three top-tier chefs who have been in the culinary industry for years joined the panel. Their expertise ensured the utmost professionalism and impartiality in judging the crucial final round.

After tasting, the judges began sharing their opinions.

"The sauce is bright and thick, the pork belly tender and flavorful. Adding taro was a brilliant touch. In terms of the main course, Yu Antong's dish was rich and enticing, elevating the dish to an exceptional level."

"I concur with Mr. Jiang's perspective. Yu Antong excelled with his main dish."

"Yu Antong's main course tasted a bit simplistic. Although the cured pork's aroma and sour crunch of the beans were appetizing, the overall palate wasn't entirely satisfying. Paired with his other dishes, it's a perfect combination. However, when compared to Fu Fengxing's braised meat noodles, the latter resonates more with my taste."

"I quite fancy this cured pork rice. Paired with the braised pork and spicy duck feet, it's perfection in unity. It shouldn’t be singled out for comparison."

"The spicy duck feet were amazing. Given more time, it could be even more flavorful."

"For cold dishes, I prefer Fu Fengxing's. It's refreshing."

"His was too bland!"

"I disagree with that..."

Food preferences are subjective, and the judges' discussions seemed to be heating up to a near-argument.

After several minutes of deliberation, the eight couldn't reach a consensus and decided to vote individually.

"I vote for Yu Antong!"

"Fu Fengxing!"

"I'm also voting for Fu Fengxing!"

One of the judges, with a playful demeanor like a mischievous old man, raised both hands high, "Unequivocally, Yu Antong! Count me in for two votes!"

[Hahaha, this old gentleman is simply adorable!]

[Exactly! He's so endearing. When it was time to taste, while other judges tried just a bite, he went for one, two, even three to four bites!]

[After finishing, he tilted his head slightly back, a face deeply engrossed in savoring the taste, and then declared, "Delicious!"]

[That part had me laughing so hard I could've lost my head!]

[I was eagerly anticipating his critique. After waiting for what seemed like forever, he just said two words: "Delicious!" Straight to the point.]

As the eight judges cast their votes one by one, the host announced, "Yu Antong with three votes, Fu Fengxing also with three. Another for Yu Antong! Yu Antong leads with four! Who will receive the final vote?! Could we possibly have a tie?!"

Just as the host finished speaking, the last judge gave his verdict, "I vote for..."

After a dramatic two-second pause, he declared, "I vote for Yu Antong!"

The final results were unveiled. Yu Antong triumphed with a 5:3 lead to clinch the championship!

"Ah!" Yu Antong, Jiang Yusiu, and Lin Haoning cheered in unison, embracing each other with excitement.

It was all worth it! Those three months of hard work paid off!

Yu Antong and Fu Fengxing shared a congenial embrace.

Fu Fengxing: "Congratulations."

Once the excitement settled, the host said, "Congratulations to Yu Antong for blazing through the competition to become the champion of the first season of 'Culinary God Has Arrived!' Not only has he earned the title of Culinary God, but his Fairy Feast enterprise will also be included in the green lane initiative launched by the Provincial Economic Development Board."

This initiative is the government's vigorous effort to bolster and promote quality businesses, to uplift the economic standard of the province. Upon qualification, enterprises can avail numerous green incentives, ensuring their swift and efficient growth.

With this advantage, it's only a matter of time before Fairy Feast expands from city A to the entire province of A, and even nationwide.

As a staff member presented the trophy, the host announced, "May I invite the vice president of the Chinese Chef's Association, Teacher Jiang Liushen, to present our award."

The trophy, made of gilded metal, features a chef in uniform with a tall hat. On its black base, two golden-inscribed lines read, with the smaller font saying, "Culinary God Has Arrived!", and the larger font proudly displaying the name, "Yu Antong."

This honor belongs to him.

With his youthful appearance and silver hair, Chairman Jiang smiled kindly and warmly. As he handed over the trophy to Yu Antong, he praised, "Every generation has its talents, young man, you are truly extraordinary. May you always remember your roots, maintain your passion for gourmet food, and continue to inherit, develop, innovate, and promote our nation's culinary heritage."

Yu Antong bowed deeply, "Thank you for your affirmation and high hopes, respected elder. I will strive to live up to your expectations."

With that, the final episode came to a close. White thank-you credits slowly ascended from the bottom of the screen, but a brief behind-the-scenes clip of everyone departing was not edited out.

Viewers who didn't exit immediately saw everyone leaving. Yu Antong exchanged a few words with Jiang Yusiu and Lin Haoning. Then, Xing Lixuan approached, and an excited Yu Antong showed him the trophy.

Though there was no sound or subtitles, viewers could pretty much guess their conversation.

Most likely, Yu Antong was boasting, "Look, am I awesome or what?!"

Xing Lixuan embraced him, and Yu Antong joyfully kissed him twice on the cheek. The two, hand in hand, walked out of the broadcast studio affectionately.

【Didn't want to leave the stream and was rewarded with this scene. They're so sweet!】

【Right at the end, and they're still feeding us so much sweetness!】

【Burp! I'm full from all this lovey-dovey content!】

【OMG! What kind of fairy-tale romance is this?】

【Whine! This single pup wants to be in love too!】

【Don't be envious, pals. Quickly go to the 'Fairy Feast' official site! There's good stuff there!】

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The New Year is coming!

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