Chen Xuan held the ink-scented challenge sheet between her fingertips, eyes scanning the page back and forth. The professional challenge offered two diverging paths, like twin doors leading to vastly different futures: one, to step into the kitchen of a Michelin three-star restaurant, earn a permanent position within a month, and gain the head chef's approval; the other, to join an ordinary restaurant, also requiring her to secure a formal role and the chef's favor within thirty days.
Yet, these were merely surface-level requirements. Even if she completed the probation and won over the head chef, that was far from the finish line. The true judgment would come from a strict jury composed of industry professionals, program observers, and viewers. Their combined scores—precise as a scale—would determine her final result. A score of 60 marked the pass threshold. Those who passed could move forward, pocket a proportional cash prize, and receive a professional offer letter. Failure, however, meant leaving empty-handed.
Chen Xuan gently set down the sheet and looked up at the staffer with unwavering eyes. "I choose the second option."
"You mean working in an ordinary restaurant, right?" the staffer confirmed.
"Yes," she replied succinctly.
The staffer quickly jotted in a note then handed her a folded slip of paper. "Ms. Chen, please arrive at this location within 24 hours to begin your challenge."
"Alright, thank you." Chen Xuan unfolded the note. The words 18 Ningyang R Li Family Private Kitchen greeted her. A quick search on her phone revealed the restaurant's location: buried in the old city district, 20 kilometers from downtown. Remote, perhaps, but brimming with the unknown.
She called a cab and set out immediately. Meanwhile, the live stream's comment section exploded like fireworks:
"Contestant No.1 is kinda gorgeous."
"No kidding, that face and aura—she could debut as a celeb today."
"So only beauties get chosen by the show now?"
"Looks mean nothing here. This show's not about face value."
Chen Xuan occasionally glanced down at her phone, pleasantly surprised to see her reputation score jump from 0 to 300 in just ten minutes. She tapped into the Miaow Platform: the show's total viewership had already reached 940,000. As Contestant No.1, her stream had a natural advantage, with over 100,000 watching live. But she quickly realized that these numbers didn't directly convert into reputation. The system's formula was complex and shrouded in mystery—only by leaving a lasting impression could she truly tip the scale.
Half an hour later, the cab came to a stop at the mouth of a bumpy alley. After paying the fare, Chen Xuan stepped onto the gravel path, heading forward. The worn buildings of the old neighborhood flaked paint from their walls, while ground-floor shops exuded a lived-in, streetwise charm: dusty glass in the liquor store's display case, and a ticking sound from the fruit shop's digital scale.
Her destination—Li Family Private Kitchen—looked downright shabby. The signboard was basic to the point of stinginess. Fingerprints smudged the glass doors, and a mop bucket sat carelessly beneath a tree outside, as if declaring the humble nature of the place.
The chat erupted again:
"Whoa, that place is tiny!"
"What's she even gonna learn there?"
"If it were me, I'd go Michelin all the way. Bragging rights for life!"
"It's old and small—she picked hell mode."
Chen Xuan, however, was weighing the options in her heart. A Michelin kitchen was like a finely tuned machine, and a newcomer was merely a tiny cog—strict rules and little room to shine. But a humble little eatery like this? It brimmed with untapped potential. Without rigid hierarchy, a shortage of staff could turn anyone with real skills into the star. She knew full well that in this competition, only flavor could capture the judges' palates and leave a deep impression.
She raised her hand and knocked. The glass door creaked open. Moments later, a middle-aged woman in a grease-stained apron rushed over, fine wrinkles creasing at her smiling eyes. "You're from the show, right?" Clearly, they'd been notified and were eagerly awaiting this free publicity.
"Hello, Auntie. I'm Chen Xuan. I'll be working at your restaurant for a while." She gave a polite bow, her smile gentle.
The woman enthusiastically pulled her inside. "Come in, come in!" Then she called out at the top of her lungs, "Old Li! The show crew's here!"
Before her voice had faded, a slightly plump middle-aged man emerged from the back kitchen, flour dusting his apron. "Hello, young lady," he greeted, gesturing amiably. "I'm Li Aimin, and this is my wife, Zhang Cuilan. What's your name?"
"Nice to meet you, Uncle Li. I'm Chen Xuan."
"Nice name!" Li Aimin laughed heartily, wiping sweat from his brow. "Come on, let me show you around our place."
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。