Chapter 551: Chapter 551: No Winner
Lu Yi was certain he had won, confidently displaying each dish he had brought in front of Yuexue.
The dishes he presented were aesthetically pleasing with appetizing aromas, evidently crafted by a five-star hotel chef.
They starkly contrasted with the unimpressive dishes Pei Yansi had brought, making Lu Yi unconsciously straighten his back.
With a smug glance at Pei Yansi, Lu Yi noticed his rival’s unpleasant expression.
“Competing with me in cooking is just humiliating yourself; Yuexue doesn’t even need to taste it to know I’ve won this time. If I were you, I wouldn’t have agreed to this challenge from the start.”
Lu Yi, confident of his victory, happily raised his head, almost looking down his nose at Pei Yansi.
Yuexue carefully smelled the dishes he had brought over.
“Uncle Lu, the dishes you brought do look and smell appetising, but I haven’t even tasted them yet. How can you be so sure he’s lost?”
After all, Pei Yansi was Yuexue’s biological father, and at times , she couldn’t help but give him some face.
“Yuexue, I know he’s your biological father, but don’t forget how he treated your mother in the past.”
“If he had been good to your mother, why would she have desperately thought of escaping from him?”
“Not all fathers deserve to be fathers in this world. For example, Pei Yansi, you’ve been hospitalized for such a long time, and he’s only visited a few times. Plus, he didn’t even know about it for the first few days.”
“At this point, you don’t need to defend him. Even without tasting the dishes I made, you should know that I won this time. Don’t worry, I won’t let Pei Yansi lose too disgracefully.”
Yuexue laughed and picked up her chopsticks to try the sautéed celery and beef she had brought.
After chewing thoughtfully, Yuexue suddenly smiled meaningfully.
Lu Yi thought she was satisfied with the dishes he had brought and immediately craned his neck, looking at Yuexue expectantly.
“Uncle Lu’s dishes taste great, right? Pei Yansi can’t compare to me at all. Just announce that I’ve won this match and let him give up completely. Don’t let him come and bother you again.”
Yuexue then tasted two more dishes in sequence.
After tasting them, the expression on her face grew even more determined. She put down her chopsticks and raised her head to look at Lu Yi.
Looking into Lu Yi’s eyes, she inquired, “Your dishes do taste good, but I want to ask how you made them.”
Lu Yi was momentarily startled by Yuexue’s question, his mind drifting briefly and his heart skipping a beat, but he quickly regained his composure.
“Yuexue, why would you suddenly ask me that? If you like the dishes I made, I can make them for you often.”
“And besides, Pei Yansi is still here. What if he learns the recipes by heart after I reveal them?”
Lu Yi found an excuse. He didn’t answer Yuexue’s question. Yuexue stared at Lu Yi unblinkingly, and he sighed softly.
“Uncle Lu, these dishes weren’t made by you, were they?”
“You’ve looked after me for a long time, and I’ve tasted your cooking. I know your skill level and style, so there’s no way you could pass off someone else’s cooking as your own to fool me.”
Yuexue shook her head unconsciously. She knew Lu Yi was an excellent cook, and based purely on his skills, Pei Yansi couldn’t compare to him.
But this time, he hadn’t cooked himself. Instead, he had someone else make a few dishes to deceive Yuexue, which was even less acceptable.
“Yuexue, what are you talking about? These dishes were indeed made by me. I looked after you for a long time, and usually, I was the one cooking. You have a clear understanding of my cooking level and style. But we have been apart for some time now, and during this period, my cooking has improved and broken new ground.”
A hint of disappointment appeared in Yuexue’s eyes. “Uncle Lu, I’ve already seen through the illusion. You’re still lying to me. How long will you keep lying at this point? Do you ever speak the truth?”
“These dishes really were made by me. How many times do I have to say it for you to believe me? Do you accuse me wrongly just because you don’t want your real father to lose?”
Yuexue had simply exposed Lu Yi, but Lu Yi turned the accusation back on her.
This made Yuexue even more disappointed in him. No wonder Yuexue had noticed signs that Lu Yi and her mother might be getting together.
But before long, their relationship seemed to have cooled to freezing, and Shen Heyu had also stopped mentioning Lu Yi.
The last time Yuexue asked Shen Heyu why Lu Yi hadn’t come to visit her, Shen Heyu said that Lu Yi had gone abroad for work and it would be a long time before he returned. From then on, Yuexue became suspicious.
After observing for a few days, Yuexue became even more certain of what she had noticed, which was that Shen Heyu had completely given up on Lu Yi and their relationship had collapsed.
Initially, Yuexue was somewhat worried, but through today’s culinary competition, it seemed that Yuexue had a clear idea in her mind.
“Uncle Lu, if you’re not willing to admit it, that’s fine. As for the truth, you know it better than anyone. But you lost this competition.”
Lu Yi thought he had victory in the bag, but upon hearing Yuexue’s words, he nearly exploded.
“Yuexue, are you joking with me? This competition is too childish. I brought out hotel chef level dishes and lost to Lu Yi’s simple offerings.”
“How can anyone believe this? I know, Yuexue, since you insist on protecting your real father, I have nothing to say. But I want you to remember that the bet we made before doesn’t count, and neither does this competition.”
After dropping those harsh words, Yuexue turned and left, slamming the door with a bang that broke the silence of the hospital building.
The moment the door shut, Pei Yansi instinctively raised his hand to cover Yuexue’s ears, worried the noise would startle her.
Pei Yansi’s hands were cool. When he touched Yuexue, she subconsciously slimmed her shoulders inward, slightly uncomfortably pushing his hands away.
“This time in the competition, Uncle Lu, you didn’t win, but neither did you. After all, your cooking skills are subpar. So I hope you’re willing to accept the loss and not disturb my mom’s peaceful life anymore.”
“I promise next time I’ll satisfy both you and Shen Heyu.”