Transmigration: The Little Chef Calls The Shots
Chapter 1233 - 142 Children (first watch)

Chapter 1233: 142 Children (first watch)

Proud and provocative, Tian Xuan looked at the man in disguise before her with an air of triumph.

Lin Yuan could not help but feel somewhat embarrassed and quickly turned sideward to shield Tian Xuan’s chest, while Lin Wei also awkwardly and amusedly pulled him behind her. The commotion had eased some of her nervousness.

Just as they were causing a stir, suddenly there came a loud gong from the stage, signaling the start of the competition.

"Ladies and young misses participating, please come up to the stage!"

A young girl on the stage shouted out loud, and soon, not a few appropriately dressed ladies stepped onto the stage.

Lin Yuan and the others also hurriedly took the last moment to encourage and cheer for Lin Wei and Tian Xuan.

At this moment, up on the stage, apart from the twenty contestants, there were already six individuals seated early on. The two women in the very middle were unknown to the audience, but their expressions seemed less than friendly.

Next to these two women sat Madam Cheng and Embroiderers Ru and Rui, while the only male, Cheng Haoxuan, settled right at the edge. He sat carelessly with one leg crossed over the other, leaning his body sideways, and idly flicking the Jade Pendant on his waist, thoroughly enjoying himself.

However, it had to be admitted that as the only male on a stage full of women, Cheng Haoxuan was indeed distinguished. Not only for his handsome features and skin as fair as a woman’s but for his round, rapidly moving eyes, one could tell he was brimming with mischief.

Remembering how Cheng Haoxuan had once, under the alias of Second YMaster Bai, gone to the Fuman Building to compete with Lin Yuan, she and Xia Zheng could not help but smile.

Whether by coincidence or Cheng Haoxuan’s heightened awareness, at that moment, he just happened to look their way.

As their gazes met, Lin Yuan nodded and smiled amiably, Cheng Haoxuan’s eyes brightened with excitement, while Xia Zheng narrowed his eyes dangerously. To dare gaze at his woman with such eagerness—did he want a new pair of eyes perhaps?

Sensing Xia Zheng’s hostility, Cheng Haoxuan subconsciously shrank his neck. But when he looked around, he purposefully shook his head and gave Xia Zheng a childishly challenging look, which infuriated Xia Zheng.

"Enough, he’s still a child," Lin Yuan said, amused as she gently tugged at Xia Zheng’s arm, drawing his gaze back to herself.

Indeed, although Cheng Haoxuan was two years older than her, his temperament was that of a child, and from the way he had looked at her just now, Lin Yuan knew that his eagerness was of a different nature than romantic interest. Thinking back to the harsh words he’d uttered upon leaving the Fuman Building, Lin Yuan interpreted his gaze as one looking forward to a good show.

Indeed, he had once said he would have his master compete with her, and clearly, the look in this bratty child’s eyes did not suggest confidence in his master but rather an eager anticipation of her giving his master a good thrashing.

As for a minor character like Cheng Haoxuan, Xia Zheng naturally would not take him seriously. However, he still possessively moved in front of Lin Yuan, ruthlessly blocking Cheng Haoxuan’s line of sight, leaving Cheng Haoxuan so anxious he nearly fell out of his chair as he wiggled around.

While they were stirring up their own little commotion, the twenty female contestants had already been arranged according to their rankings. Seeing this lineup, Lin Yuan suddenly widened her eyes in surprise.

The woman standing between Lin Wei and Tian Xuan, wasn’t she the one who had looked at them with such predatory intensity when the rankings were announced? Could it be that she was Luo Sangu, who ranked fourth? No wonder she had been looking at them that day with such strong animosity; Lin Wei was third, making her the strongest contender Luo Sangu had to beat to move into the top three. And Tian Xuan, ranking fifth, couldn’t be underestimated either—if her performance slipped, Tian Xuan could easily overtake her.

Lin Yuan raised an eyebrow, feeling that today’s competition wouldn’t be so easily won.

What concerned her more was that, for some reason, Lin Wei, who was ranked third, had suddenly turned pale and her eyes couldn’t help flickering.

"Is Second Sister getting nervous again?" Even Xiao Linshuang noticed Lin Wei’s abnormality, which made Lin Yuan even more worried.

Although these were Lin Yuan’s primary concerns, the other onlookers were clearly focused elsewhere; they were all pointing and gossiping about the woman ranked second, who was thoroughly concealed behind a Curtain Lattice.

Listening to everyone’s discussions, Lin Yuan also felt perplexed. It stood to reason that regardless of status, every woman participating in the competition should show their true face. This wasn’t for any reason other than fairness, to prevent people from hiring substitutes.

But the woman now wearing the Curtain Lattice was clearly in breach of the rules; her curtain covered her from head to toe, making it difficult to tell whether the person wrapped inside was male or female.

"What’s with this? If you’re too scared to show your face, then don’t join the competition! Covering up like that, you’re acting like a princess!"

"Exactly, we all come from Jiangnan, look how generous Miss Chen family is! And then there’s Miss Wu, still pretending and wearing a Curtain Lattice, huh! So pretentious!"

Several women who had just heard a man posing as a woman say that the people from the North were uncouth seized the chance to retort, causing the faux man’s face to turn red with anger, his teeth tightly biting his vermilion lips.

Lin Yuan also couldn’t help but wonder; they had already laid down the rules when they signed up — by entering, they implicitly agreed to follow the requirement to show their true faces. Was Miss Wu so reluctant to show her face because she was using someone else’s embroidery?

Glancing at Wu Hanyu beside her, who was wearing a long Curtain Lattice, Chen Leyao pursed her lips and scoffed, "That afraid of showing your face? Did a mosquito bite and leave a huge welton your cheek again? Hehe, don’t worry, even without that swelling, you’d be just as endlessly ugly, so why bother with a Curtain Lattice?"

Chen Leyao covered her lips with her hand, laughing with her eyes curved, captivating the men below the stage, all of whom were mesmerized by the typical delicate grace of the Jiangnan women.

However, Chen Leyao, the center of everyone’s attention, didn’t seem to notice any of this; she knitted her brows in confusion and tilted her head to glance at Wu Hanyu beside her. "Hey! Why aren’t you arguing with me today?"

On any other day, the two of them, as soon as they met, would argue like enemies, not stopping until they were both red-faced with anger. Why was Wu Hanyu so forbearing today? It didn’t seem like her style at all!

"Hey, hey! Wu Hanyu! I’m talking to you! You’re actually ignoring me, do you think you’re too good for me?" Chen Leyao’s eyebrows furrowed tightly, and she was nearly ready to start a fight, hands on hips.

Standing on the other side, Lin Wei sneakily glanced at Chen Leyao, who was separated from her by one person, her large eyes filled with inquiry and doubt.

Perhaps sensing Lin Wei’s probing gaze, Chen Leyao blinked and looked over; upon seeing Lin Wei abruptly avert her gaze, she couldn’t help but laugh.