Chapter 87 Supernova Cooking Competition

Chapter 87 Supernova Culinary Competition

The brief meeting concluded, with the Ji family having exchanged information and gained a clearer idea of their next steps.

With its primary objective largely achieved, the meeting drew to a close.

By now, night had fallen. Ji Shuwen and the others dispersed, heading from the meeting room to their specially prepared guest rooms. Yu Xin stepped out alone onto the small balcony. The night breeze was gentle, carrying a distinct chill.

"You have questions." A low, resonant male voice sounded from behind him.

Yu Xin turned. Ji Yihang had also come to the balcony at some point. Compared to his earlier crisp, buttoned-up appearance, he now had a button or two of his shirt undone, lending him a more casual and unrestrained air. Half of his face was obscured in the dim light, his eyes like aged wine; merely being gazed upon by them was enough to feel mesmerized.

Yu Xin didn’t deny it. His distraction during the latter half of their discussion had been all too obvious.

"Want to figure it out?" Ji Yihang didn’t ask for specifics, just this.

"Of course."

"You could certainly do it on your own, but I imagine the process might be a bit lengthy."

"It’s fine," Yu Xin turned back to gaze at the night, no longer meeting his eyes. "I have ample time to pursue what I wish."

Ji Yihang felt a flicker of frustration. This dark-haired young man was remarkably independent, as if he had never relied on anyone, his emotional defenses as formidable as a fortress wall.

But it didn’t matter—he possessed boundless patience.

"Actually, you could learn to leverage the resources readily available to you, such as... me."

The man said persuasively, "I’ve reached my current position, and the influence I wield far exceeds your estimation. Besides, I would be very happy to be of use to you."

"Rather than one-sided utilization, I’d call it cooperation. I believe our objectives align, wouldn’t you agree?"

They stood in close proximity. Yu Xin looked into his sincere eyes, thinking, General Ji is truly a master of persuasion.

He hadn’t yet decided whether to involve Ji Yihang too deeply in the original host’s affairs, but if he ever encountered an insurmountable problem, the first person he would seek help from would undoubtedly be Ji Yihang.

*

A few days later, while Yu Xin was engaged in his morning workout, he received a communication request from Cheng Zikun.

Cheng Zikun usually contacted him either for casual chat or to invite him to play games. Yu Xin expected another round of his usual rambling, but this time, it turned out to be something serious.

"Supernova Culinary Competition?" He set down the fitness equipment, picked up a towel nearby, and wiped the fine sweat from his forehead.

"That’s right! Hosted by Penguin Video, it’s the first culinary competition reality show of its kind, and the platform is taking it very seriously, giving it an S+ rating. They plan to make it the hottest variety show next season!"

On the other end of the communication, Cheng Zikun couldn’t contain his excitement. What culinary competition? With his Brother Xin participating, it would be a clean sweep. He was already preparing to join the cheering squad to support Yu Xin.

As it turned out, after Yu Xin’s popularity soared on Flying Fish Platform, he also ignited interest in the format of live-streamed cooking. Viewers increasingly focused on the process of creating delicious food, watching how gourmet dishes came together bit by bit, gaining a sense of satisfaction no less than tasting the food themselves.

Many food streamers began to emerge like mushrooms after rain. Although the quality varied, quite a few talented chefs who had previously worked behind the scenes stepped into the public eye, quickly attracting countless fans.

How could sharp-eyed media professionals miss such a rapidly growing trend? Penguin Video, a veteran media platform known for producing numerous highly-rated classic variety shows, particularly excelled in competitive formats. However, last season, Penguin Video was caught off guard by its old rival, Strange Fruit Video, which launched a surprise hit show called *Wilderness Adventure*, leaving Penguin Video soundly defeated and significantly drained of viewership.

Penguin Video reacted swiftly, seizing on the trend of food preparation to launch the first culinary competition variety show in the galaxy in recent years—the Supernova Culinary Competition. Sticking to their expertise in competitive formats, they invited many chefs who had gained fame on various platforms to compete and showcase their culinary skills.

Once the show was greenlit, the first person the production team thought to invite was the one who had initially popularized live-streamed cooking—streamer Ash.

They immediately reached out through Flying Fish Platform to extend an invitation to Ash. Worried that Yu Xin might decline, they first contacted the platform itself.

Flying Fish Platform, hoping to expand its reach through a platform with a broader audience, readily agreed to cooperate with Penguin Video.

Cheng Zikun’s visit was naturally at the request of his friend, the young master of Flying Fish Platform. After some thought, he felt it wouldn’t be a bad thing for Yu Xin, so he agreed to persuade him.

"Penguin Video is very sincere. As long as you participate, your ranking won’t be bad. But even without any special tactics, winning the championship wouldn’t be a problem for you! After this, even more people will tune into your streams. Becoming the top streamer on Flying Fish is just around the corner!"

Cheng Zikun was even more excited than Yu Xin himself, as if he could already envision Yu Xin holding the first-place trophy amidst thunderous applause and cheers. Yu Xin’s cooking was so exceptional—it deserved to be known by everyone.

"Wait, the culinary competition will be fully live-streamed, right?" Yu Xin poured cold water on his enthusiasm. "I’m not ready to reveal my identity yet."

He wasn’t someone who enjoyed excessive attention. The cost of fame was having every move scrutinized and evaluated freely on the star network. Since his explosive popularity on *Wilderness Adventure*, Yu Xin still hadn’t created a public personal social media account.

Initially, joining the variety show had been out of necessity. Streaming without showing his face was just right for him—he could relax, cook, play games, and interact with his viewers. Offline, he could continue his leisurely life without too much disturbance.

"That... that can be arranged. You can still keep your face hidden. After all, cooking uses hands, not your face. Just wear a mask, and it’s solved." Cheng Zikun didn’t quite understand. Yu Xin’s reputation on the star network was already completely cleared, and he had a massive fanbase. Fans were already wondering where to find him after the variety show ended. Revealing his identity would undoubtedly create a combined effect greater than the sum of its parts. He could already imagine how explosive the fan reaction would be.

But since Yu Xin preferred to keep it private, he had to respect that and proactively came up with a solution.

"I’ll go talk to my friend at Penguin Video right away. They’ll definitely agree. As long as they can get you on board, this is nothing."

"Besides, I heard that your family’s 'white lotus,' the true young master Yu Ning, is also participating in this culinary competition. But he won’t be competing himself. Rumor has it he just took over the Yu family’s restaurant and is preparing to prove his capabilities. He’s sending his restaurant’s head chef to compete. If the chef wins, his restaurant will definitely gain significant attention—no fear it won’t succeed."

"Quite a clever approach," Yu Xin acknowledged.

When running a restaurant, the real challenge isn’t high prices or mediocre food—it’s a lack of visibility. Even in Yu Xin’s original time, internet-famous restaurants had already started investing heavily in marketing, boasting exaggerated online reviews while the actual taste was merely passable.

The Yu family, starting with Yu’s father, had always been skilled at manipulating public opinion, crafting an image of a self-made entrepreneur passionate about charity. This persona even brought goodwill to the Yu family’s businesses.

Yu Ning followed suit. Before his pristine, wealthy young master image collapsed, he had attracted quite a following.

"Right? And the chef he brought in seems genuinely skilled. He’s won several federal competition awards and even worked as the head chef at a three-star Silver Shell restaurant. Yu Ning went to great lengths to poach him. If you don’t participate, he really stands a good chance of winning." Cheng Zikun had many friends, and since his family traveled in the same social circles as the Yu family in the capital planet, a little inquiry yielded plenty of information.

"Brother Xin, after how the Yu family treated you, can you just stand by and watch that schemer Yu Ning’s restaurant pack with customers? I can’t take it! If you join the competition, you can totally shame him and ruin all his plans!" He was indignant, as if he were the one who had been kicked out of the Yu family.

Since Yu Ning was participating, Yu Xin was genuinely intrigued. Not for revenge or humiliation, but because he had been lacking a way to get closer to the Yu family, and now an opportunity had presented itself.

Moreover, participating as a streamer meant he would be in the shadows while Yu Ning was in the spotlight. Who knows, he might even uncover something interesting.

Having made up his mind, Yu Xin said decisively, "Alright, I’ll participate. Send me the information about the culinary competition. I want to contact the production team first to discuss some of my requirements."

"No problem, no problem! I’ll help you get in touch right away!" Cheng Zikun hung up quickly, afraid Yu Xin might change his mind, and hurried off to contact his heir friend at the platform.

Before long, Yu Xin received detailed show materials and added the contact information of the production team’s liaison.

He didn’t make any additional demands, only insisting on keeping his face hidden throughout. The other party agreed readily, promising to design a custom mask for him to ensure he could cook without revealing his face.

In truth, the production team didn’t mind his anonymity at all—in fact, they saw it as a potential talking point. Maintaining an air of mystery from start to finish would keep viewers’ curiosity piqued, naturally generating buzz.

Penguin Video’s top producer was personally overseeing the show. This lady had a sharp eye. The first time she saw Yu Xin’s profile, she insisted on bringing him onboard by any means necessary. In her view, this young, faceless streamer had a unique appeal. His streaming style wasn’t exaggerated or attention-grabbing, nor did he rely on looks. He was even somewhat aloof and didn’t talk much, yet he made people want to watch him, understand him, and learn more. He was practically born for social media, destined for fame.

She had a premonition that bringing this young man onto the show would elevate it to heights previously unimaginable.

Perhaps it could even rival the breakout success of *Wilderness Adventure* next door.

She and the director of *Wilderness Adventure* were old acquaintances and rivals. How could she accept being overshadowed in her career?

If *Wilderness Adventure* could find a Yu Xin, her *Supernova Culinary Competition* could also unearth a culinary prodigy—who might even be better than Yu Xin!

-----------------------

Author’s Note: Changed the streamer’s username—the old one was too obvious [clown]