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. .h.i.t 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 s.p.a.ce 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 dis.h.!.+ 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 .