Chapter 406: The 368 Yuan Champion, Got the Doll

Chapter 406 -160: The 368 Yuan Champion, Got the Doll

The doll in the center of the stage was a full five feet, six inches tall!

A grown man might not even be able to carry it. The craftsmanship looked pretty high-quality, and with the added appeal from *Chuuka Ichiban!*, it would normally sell for anywhere from several hundred to over a thousand on the market.

“If they’re really shills, then this is boring…” Zhang Jiayi pouted. “Shuyu, if you really want it, I’ll just win the auction for the boss’s fried rice later. That way, we get a meal and the doll!”

Ling Shuyu shook her head. “If you win the auction, the money just goes into the restaurant owner’s pocket. We’d get a meal, but the owner also did the work, so it’s not like we’re getting some amazing bargain.”

Just then, an older man standing next to them suddenly spoke up. “What makes you so sure those two are shills?”

Ling Shuyu glanced over. Seeing it was a stranger, she kept quiet.

Zhang Heping thought for a moment, then started chatting with the older man.

“They’re most likely shills. This kind of event is just for show. Who would actually get into a bidding war over a single dish?”

The middle-aged man gave a meaningful smile and said no more, simply continuing to watch the stage beside Zhang Heping.

The sale of the stir-fried pork pushed the atmosphere to a new peak.

The host said, “I can’t believe it! We now have a new highest price! Thirty-three yuan for the stir-fried pork! Alright, we should offer this gentleman a free bowl of rice to go with it, but unfortunately, all our plain rice has been taken by contestant number 8 to make his fried rice. I wonder if a free bowl of *his* fried rice would be okay instead?”

“Deal!” the man boomed, once again sending the audience into a long fit of laughter.

Now, the only contestant still cooking on stage was Number 8, Su Chen.

The egg he’d cracked into the center of the wok gradually began to set. When it was about half-cooked, Su Chen finally started to mix the liquid egg and rice together.

At this moment… his left hand, gripping the wok handle, was as steady as Mount Tai, not moving an inch!

The spatula in his right hand, however, was a blur of motion. On the surface, it looked like Su Chen was simply stir-frying.

In reality, only Su Chen himself knew the truth.

Every push and toss had a purpose: to coat the rice grains as thoroughly as possible with the egg before it had a chance to fully set.

If he moved too slowly, the rice grains would absorb too much of the liquid egg, leading to that awkward result: clumpy fried rice.

With Su Chen’s skill, there was no chance of that happening.

The audience might not have been able to see clearly, but the host and the gentleman on stage could see everything with perfect clarity.

Under Su Chen’s masterful control, the already distinct grains of rice in the wok didn’t clump together with the addition of the egg. They remained perfectly separate, but their color was subtly starting to change!

One minute passed, then two!

After Su Chen had been stir-frying for about three minutes, every single grain of rice in the wok had turned a brilliant golden yellow!

“Looks like this young man has some real skill! Could this be the legendary Golden Egg Fried Rice?”

The host had no qualms about using his commentary to liven up the atmosphere even more.

“The rice in contestant Number 8’s wok is turning golden yellow, and I can’t even see any traces of the egg! Alright, now he’s adding a pinch of salt.”

“Contestant Number 8’s method is incredibly simple—just the basics: rice, egg, and a little salt. I just wonder how it will taste when it’s finished?”

Finally, the preparation of the egg fried rice reached its most crucial step.

Su Chen cranked the heat to its highest setting, his stir-frying movements accelerating constantly.

‘A residential stove is such a pain,’ Su Chen thought. ‘If this were a commercial-grade high-flame burner, I wouldn’t have to toss it this much.’

He griped internally. Feeling the wok’s temperature rising sharply, he took the garlic-infused water he’d prepared earlier and poured it all in at once, right along the edge of the wok.

“TSSSSSS~ SIZZLE~~”

The garlic water flash-evaporated, releasing a billow of aromatic steam. Even though Su Chen clapped the lid on almost instantaneously, a considerable amount still escaped.

The rich garlic aroma wafted into the crowd’s nostrils, making people swallow hard. For those who particularly loved the smell of garlic, it was an absolutely mouth-watering sensation!

Lid on. Heat off.

The host leaned in toward Su Chen. “Contestant Number 8, is your egg fried rice finished now?”

Su Chen shook his head. “Not yet. We have to wait a moment.”

As he spoke, ten-odd seconds passed. Only then did Su Chen lift the wok lid. “Now it’s ready.”

The host leaned over the wok, took a look, and even sniffed the air, but he didn’t notice anything particularly special. “Contestant Number 8, would you mind giving a complimentary bowl to the gentleman over there? Something to go with his main dish.”

Amid the crowd’s cheerful laughter, Su Chen shrugged. “Of course not.”

After the host served the gentleman a bowl, there was still a lot of fried rice left in the wok. By the measure of a typical household rice bowl, there was enough for at least eight or ten servings!

“Alright, next up for auction is contestant Number 8’s Golden…”

Su Chen cut in, “Garlic Golden Egg Fried Rice.”

“Ah, contestant Number 8’s Garlic Golden Egg Fried Rice! Is there anyone who’d like to try a sample and place a bid?”

Zhang Jiayi immediately started forward, raising her hand for a taste, but Ling Shuyu grabbed her arm. “Wait. Let’s see what happens first.”

“Why?”

Ling Shuyu said, “Let’s just watch for a bit first.”