Chapter Twenty-Nine: Iron Plate Salad

Following behind were a young man and woman. The woman was tall and strikingly beautiful, while the man was somewhat chubby.

Huang Kang, wearing an apron and holding a kitchen knife, stormed over, brimming with anger.
“Who ordered the salad steak?”
“I did…” The shorter girl timidly raised her hand.
“So it was you, Nana!” Huang Kang’s temper vanished instantly.
So she was Ouyang Na, Jiang Yun thought to himself, nodding and committing her name to memory.

“And who ordered the eggplant with squid?”
The long-legged girl playfully raised her hand.
“Guan Tong, why are you joining in the fun?” Huang Kang pretended to be angry.
Guan Tong stuck out her tongue mischievously.
Jiang Yun silently noted her name as well.

Huang Kang turned to the chubby man. “Then the sizzling salad must be yours, Yue Yun?”
Jiang Yun made a mental note of this name too.
Yue Yun chuckled, “What? Didn’t you say you could make any dish?”
Huang Kang glared at him, exasperated. “But no one orders like you! Sizzling salad! Why don’t you just drop dead? Sizzling salad, come on then, tell me, how should I make a sizzling salad?”
Yue Yun laughed, “I’m only responsible for ordering, not for cooking! If I could cook, your spot as head chef would be mine!”
“I can’t make sizzling salad, pick something else!”
The director interjected, “Once it’s been confirmed, it can’t be changed!”
Huang Kang turned to the director’s team. “No way, I can’t make sizzling salad!”
“Rules are rules, no exceptions!” The director’s team was firm.

He Ling walked over, “Old Huang, calm down. Just try making the dish. Whatever you end up with, that’s the sizzling salad.”
“No matter what it turns out to be, whatever you make, that’s what sizzling salad is. You have the final say—after all, no one else knows what a sizzling salad is supposed to look like, or how to make it. Just cook anything and call it sizzling salad!”
A spark flashed in Huang Kang’s eyes. “You always have the best ideas!”
“Director, is this allowed? Isn’t it against the rules?” Yue Yun refused to let Huang Kang off so easily and turned to the director’s side.
“Well…”
“In theory, it’s fine—since none of us even knows what a sizzling salad is supposed to look like!”

Huang Kang turned and busied himself in the kitchen. An hour later, dinner was ready.
The group sat down at the table. Huang Kang bustled about, bringing out dishes.
He set down two plates. “Here, your eggplant with squid, and your salad steak.”
He placed the eggplant with squid before Guan Tong and the salad steak before Ouyang Na.
He turned and brought out two more plates. “Jiang Yun, your crab imitation!”
“And here’s your sizzling salad!” Huang Kang put the last plate in front of Yue Yun.

“This is the sizzling salad?” Yue Yun asked sharply, his voice full of doubt.
“That’s right, what’s the problem?” Huang Kang replied indifferently.
“You’re telling me this is sizzling salad?” Yue Yun’s voice grew shrill.

“Yes, that’s exactly what it is. What’s wrong?”
“But…”
Jiang Yun and the others turned to look.
“Pfft!”
“Hahaha!”
The whole group burst out laughing.
“This so-called sizzling salad—it’s nothing but a plate of shredded potatoes!”
“Eat it if you want, or leave it!” Huang Kang turned and left to fetch the last two dishes.

Yue Yun’s nose wrinkled in frustration, his anger simmering inside. “This is so unfair!”
The six of them began their meal, joking and chatting as they ate.

“Yue Yun, let me try your sizzling salad.”
“Me too, I want to try!”
“What a novel dish—it’s actually delicious.”
“Honestly, this sizzling salad is surprisingly good.”
Yue Yun grumbled inwardly, “What’s so special about this? It’s just shredded potatoes!”

After dinner, it was already eight o’clock. The six sat together and chatted.
Yue Yun was soon laughing along, the matter of the sizzling salad already forgotten.

“Jiang Yun, you’re not yet acquainted with the others, are you? Let them introduce themselves,” Huang Kang suggested.
“No need!” Jiang Yun shook his head.
“You’re Guan Tong!” he said, pointing at her.
“And you’re Ouyang Na!”
“As for you, your name is Yue Yun.”
He Ling was astonished. “I didn’t expect Jiang Yun to be such an attentive observer.”
Yue Yun said, “When I called this afternoon, I heard an unfamiliar voice. I wondered who it was. Turns out, it was Master Jiang himself.”
“I wouldn’t dare claim such a title,” Jiang Yun said modestly.
“Jiang Yun, I’m a huge fan of your ‘Words Betray the Heart’ and ‘Sorrowful Pacific’,” Guan Tong said.
“Thank you!” Jiang Yun nodded politely.

To the three newcomers, Jiang Yun seemed exceedingly polite and courteous, with impeccable manners.

“Ah…”
Yue Yun sighed, as if something weighed on his mind.
“What’s wrong, Yue Yue?” He Ling asked.
“These days, crosstalk is becoming less and less popular. It’s only loved by a small circle. I’ve been wondering if I should switch professions,” Yue Yun replied.
“I see,” He Ling said, then brightened. “Hey, Yue Yue, why don’t you perform a solo crosstalk for us?”
“All right then!” Yue Yun agreed without hesitation. “Let me recite a tongue-twister for everyone.”
“Go ahead and show us your act!” Ouyang Na encouraged playfully.

Clearing his throat, Yue Yun began,
“Steamed lamb, steamed bear’s paw, steamed deer tail, roast duck, roast spring chicken, roast goose, marinated pork, marinated duck, soy sauce chicken, cured meat, pine flower sausage…”
“…stewed peas, braised string beans, blanched edamame, stir-fried cowpeas, plus pickled kohlrabi shreds.”
He rattled off the long recitation, and the five others applauded enthusiastically.

Glancing at the time, it was only nine-thirty.
“Let’s play a game before we turn in,” He Ling suggested.
“Great, what game?” Ouyang Na asked excitedly.
“This one’s called ‘How Many Horses?’”
“Get ready, everyone, we’re about to start!” He Ling announced.
He Ling clapped three times, “Clip-clop-clip, how many horses?”
“Three?” Ouyang Na blurted out.
He Ling smiled and shook his head.
“Five?” guessed Guan Tong.
“Still not right!”
“Huh? How many, then?”
He Ling went around the circle, but no one guessed correctly.

“Let’s try again! Watch closely and listen carefully!” He Ling clapped five times, “How many horses?”
Still, no one got it.
Jiang Yun frowned, activating his “Clear Logic” skill.

“Clap, clap, clap, how many horses?” This time He Ling clapped seven times.
Jiang Yun answered first, “Six horses!”
He Ling paused in surprise. “How did you figure it out?”
Jiang Yun just smiled without replying.

“Since Jiang Yun already knows the secret, let’s not include him!” He Ling laughed.
“Clip-clop, how many horses?” He Ling clapped three times.
“Oh!” Guan Tong’s eyes lit up, “Five horses!”
“Looks like Tong Tong has figured it out too!” He Ling grinned.

Finally, everyone understood except Ouyang Na.
“What’s the rule?” Ouyang Na asked, crestfallen.
“Let me explain,” Jiang Yun said with a smile. “The number of horses isn’t determined by the number of claps, but by the number of words in He Ling’s question!”
“Oh…” Realization dawned on Ouyang Na. “So that’s how it works!”
“All right! Let’s head back to our rooms and get some rest!”