Who Needs a CEO? I Choose Stardom

After the host’s frantic hyping, the Starlight Group’s hollow sesame ball was suddenly made to look incredibly high-class.

The pressure was now on the professional chef.

Mr. Ni calmly peeled two sweet potatoes and cut them using a rolling cut. He boiled them until they were about eighty percent cooked, then removed and drained them. Next, he lightly dusted them with a layer of corn flour and shook off the excess in a sieve. Finally, he heated a generous amount of oil in a wok. When the oil reached medium-low heat, he added the prepared sweet potato chunks.

”Is he making candied sweet potatoes?”

Many chefs don’t like to talk while cooking. For the sake of the show’s entertainment value, Dong Rui made it a habit to lean in and watch, guessing as he observed.

”This dish isn’t very difficult. I think Xiao Ni is going to win. What do you think, Old Ni?”

Ni Guangli glared at him. ”What do I think? This is what I think! Now get out of the way. If I don’t pull out a real showstopper today, you people will never learn that experience always wins!”

The Starlight Group had already finished. Hearing the commotion in the studio, Ni Bingyan immediately jumped up and raised her hand.

”I know, I know! He’s going to use the oil-bottom sugar-sinking method! He’s been using that move for twenty years just to show off. You’d think he’d learn a new trick! You all have to vote for me later, let me beat him for once!”

”Oh? The legendary master technique of Shandong cuisine? Your dad knows that too?”

Seeing how great she was for TV, Li Sijia immediately called on her.

”Of course! When I was little, he’d say I couldn’t control the heat well and would always make this to crush my confidence. But then after he made it, he’d be afraid I’d eat too much sugar and ruin my teeth, so he wouldn’t let me have any.”

”You have the nerve to say that? You’d wolf down a huge plate in minutes. Who would dare let you eat as much as you want? If I hadn’t stopped you, you’d probably weigh a ton by now. What film crew would hire you then?”

This father-daughter duo was just too entertaining!

Everyone couldn’t help but laugh again. Who doesn’t have a mischievous kid like that at home?

If you have a kid who loves candy, you have to lock it up, or it’ll be gone in the blink of an eye.

It wasn’t about being stingy with the candy; it was purely out of fear that the child would eat too much and it would be bad for them.

To think their goddess was like that as a child.

Dong Rui was doubled over with laughter, constantly urging him on, ”Chef Ni, tell us more! Everyone loves hearing this stuff!”

Ni Bingyan immediately jumped in to stop him. ”Hurry, hurry, it’s time to add the sugar! He’s very busy, no time to talk about all that!”

”HAHAHA~ She’s getting nervous! She’s getting nervous!”

Guo Tong clapped her hands in delight.

She never expected Ni Bingyan to have such a down-to-earth side.

Telling one story might be interesting, but telling too many would ruin the charm. Ni Guangli said no more. He scooped a large spoonful of sugar over the sweet potatoes and began the crucial step.

”This is a master technique of Shandong cuisine, called ’oil-bottom sugar-sinking,’ taught to me personally by an elder family friend. You could call it the pinnacle of sugar-pulling. The dish is finished in one pot. After you plate it, the bottom of the pot is clean, and the oil is clean too.”

Mr. Ni explained as he worked.

”In culinary families like ours, once the children are grown, we take them out to see the world to keep them from becoming arrogant. When I was twenty, my father took me to Qin Island. That elder family friend made me a plate of candied sweet potatoes. After eating it, I was so crushed that I went straight back to Rongcheng City and didn’t dare leave the province again for three years. Because I understood that no matter how good you are, there’s always someone better. Since then, I’ve always preferred to keep my feet on the ground and do things steadily.”

As Ni Guangli cooked and told his story, the dish suddenly took on a different meaning.

Thunderous applause erupted from the audience.

Coming from a chef with such an unbroken lineage, his words were truly convincing.

”I’m only doing this because we’re filming a show and happened to draw this topic. I don’t make this at my restaurant. It’s like how my elder family friend took my family’s secret recipe for braised meat, but never sold it in his restaurant. At most, his family would make it privately to serve guests.”

After being serious for a moment, he wiggled his eyebrows and started sharing gossip like this.

You had to admit, he shouldn’t have been a chef. It was a complete waste of his talent for variety shows.

”But why is that?”

Li Sijia asked curiously.

”The code of the trade.”

Ni Guangli said this solemnly, then lifted the plate of glistening, golden candied sweet potatoes and spoke no more.

The camera zoomed in. Sure enough, the pot was gleaming, and the oil was crystal clear.

”You have to eat this dish while it’s hot. Here, let me help you taste it and see if his skills have gotten rusty since he retired.”

Ni Bingyan snatched up her chopsticks, impatiently grabbed a piece, and darted away as if she was afraid of getting a beating.

”Ooooh~~~”

The glistening golden sugar thread was at least ten feet long and didn’t break.

”This is so fun!”

The others also grabbed their chopsticks and dug in.

Guo Tong playfully tried to have a contest with Chen Zhi to see whose strand was longer.

”A real man can’t lose at this!”

Chen Zhi picked up a piece and ran forward, but he wasn’t careful and it snapped.

A wave of awkwardness washed over the set, and many people exchanged knowing glances.

As a young, unmarried woman, Guo Tong was smiling on the outside, but inwardly she was cursing a storm. ’Son of a bitch!’ She could barely contain her urge to murder him.

There were sugar threads all over the stage. Ni Guangli stood in place holding the plate, feigning pride. The expression on his face made everyone want to laugh.

Compared to Ni Bingyan’s visually stunning sesame ball, his candied sweet potatoes—aside from the impressive one-pot technique—looked no different from a regular version. But after Ni Bingyan’s little stunt, it suddenly seemed much more high-class.

”Even in this new era, there are still people who abide by the old rules. Perhaps this is what we call heritage!”

Seeing everyone having a blast, Dong Rui switched from his usual role as the life of the party and became serious, looking quite like a man of culture.

The on-stage antics immediately settled down, keeping the mood from getting out of control.

”Now, your only daughter is no longer studying to be a chef. The family legacy is going to end with you. Do you feel particularly regretful about that?”

Li Sijia, proving herself to be the perfect partner, immediately shifted into a more heartfelt mode.

”There is some regret, of course, but I have many excellent apprentices, so I’m not afraid the skills won’t be passed down. When you’re a father, you have to act like one. If I can’t even protect my daughter’s passion, I’d have no face to show in the world! She just loves acting and doesn’t want to be a chef, so what can you do!”

Ni Guangli had never said these things to the original owner of this body. As he spoke now, even facing the camera, he couldn’t hide his regret. It was clear that he had struggled internally when he made that decision back then.

Ni Bingyan, having absorbed the original owner’s memories, could guess from the girl’s solid culinary foundation just what kind of expectations he had once held for his only daughter.

But in the end, he had given up on it and had never even spoken of it.

Tears of emotion welled up in her eyes. Ni Bingyan turned her head away, not knowing what to say.

’So this is what it feels like to have a father.’

’It’s so warm.’

’This is wonderful. Now, this father is hers!’

’Although I still feel a pang of guilt from time to time...’

”Good kid. Since you love acting, you must keep on loving it! When your movie comes out, this uncle will definitely go to the theater to contribute to the box office.”

Dong Rui played the part of a caring elder. Ni Bingyan nodded silently.

’Having given up the family legacy, I have to achieve something to be able to face the Ni family ancestors.’

’I’ve taken advantage of the original owner, so I must fulfill her responsibilities for her.’

”Alright, let’s see who won and who lost the first round!”

”Folks, don’t go anywhere! We’ll be right back after the commercial break!”

”This is Star Chef PK, brought to you by Niu Niu Yogurt Drink! I’m your host, Dong Rui! Welcome back~”

”So, let’s take a look at the audience votes—”

To build suspense, the on-screen counter was a pulsing bar graph. The three members of the Starlight Group looked nervous, while Ni Guangli maintained the air of a lofty master.

When the results came in, Ni Bingyan was in the lead by a wide margin.

”Who was just clapping for me and saying how great it was? How come none of you voted for me?”

Seeing his indignant look, the host was amused and actually invited an audience member on stage to ask why he didn’t vote for Chef Ni.

”Bingbing is prettier than you.”

”Get off the stage! Get off!”

Amid roars of laughter, Ni Guangli pretended to be angry and shooed the person off the stage.

Next, the host called another audience member to the stage.

This time it was a woman with a round face and a kind expression. She looked very dependable.

And indeed, her reason was very practical.

”Because I’ve never seen such a huge sesame ball. Your candied sweet potatoes look no different from regular ones. The one-pot technique is impressive for a chef and saves time, but for a diner, there’s nothing special about it. If we were ordering at a restaurant, we’d definitely prefer the giant sesame ball. The kids would be so happy!”

”Alright, you make a very good point, but please stop talking now.”

Ni Guangli clutched his chest, feigning heartache.

The Starlight trio put their hands on their hips and roared with laughter, looking utterly triumphant.

The entertainment value was maxed out.

With such a great start, the next two segments passed in a very merry atmosphere.

The show ended around dinnertime. Seeing his daughter looking at him with pleading eyes, and with the stove and ingredients readily available, Ni Guangli simply cooked a full meal to treat Chen Zhi, Guo Tong, the show’s director, the hosts, and others.

Ni Bingyan ate her fill. She had originally wanted to pester her dad into returning to Beijing with her for a while, but Ni Guangli just threw out a, ”The factory is rushing to fill orders for Singles’ Day! I don’t have time to hang out with you,” and flew back to Rongcheng City that very night.

The old man’s career was enjoying a second wind; he had more passion than a young buck in his early twenties.

Ni Bingyan’s heart sank with disappointment.