The Taste of Love Starts in the Kitchen (GL) - Chapter 26

The group chat for the competition was quiet all day, until Boss Qian posted the menu for the second challenge with a bold title, and the group instantly erupted into chaos.

Two hours to prepare an appetizer, main course, and dessert.

The selected ingredients—any type of homemade bread, avocado, chicken, banana, and chocolate.

The group was still buzzing, with messages flooding in non-stop. Various discussions and replies came pouring in, turning the chat into a mess in an instant.

Song Baili relaxed her lower body, leaning back in her chair, her gaze calm and serene, with little emotion showing. Her fingers gently slid across the screen—sometimes a quick glance, sometimes putting the phone down and ignoring it.

After a moment, she glanced back at the screen and noticed a small red dot next to the pinned profile picture. Her heart skipped a beat, and a faint smile flashed in her eyes. She straightened up and eagerly tapped on the message.

The woman in the photo was sitting at a table, with streetlight spilling in from the window, casting shadows that highlighted her beautiful profile. Her clear, bright eyes seemed like stars in the dark, and a sweet smile lingered on her lips.

Song Baili stared at the photo, her gaze soft and clear like a gentle stream. As the image zoomed in, her smile slowly faded, and her expression lost focus. Her eyes turned distant as she fell into silence for a moment. The new message notification suddenly broke the silence, and a text appeared on the screen.

“This Xinjiang barbecue is really great. Let’s go together next time.”

Coincidentally, a few minutes ago, Li Shao had sent her several photos of food, enthusiastically inviting her to try the Xinjiang barbecue next time.

The cursor blinked in the text box as Song Baili’s fingers froze over the screen. Her long brows furrowed slightly, her lips pressed tightly together. Her cool gaze blinked, a shadow of melancholy passing over her eyes.

She hesitated for a while, gritted her teeth, and her fingers quickly typed a reply. But before hitting send, she paused and deleted it, then typed again.

“You two enjoy your time together. I won’t be a third wheel.”

When the notification for her personal message sounded, Qian Qian’s eyes lit up. She quickly tapped her phone, but her expression changed to one of disappointment as she read the message. Her smile quickly faded, and a sense of sadness began to show on her face.

Taking a deep breath, she slouched her shoulders and put her phone down on the table.

Her best friend had placed a few perfectly grilled pieces of meat in her bowl, but she kept stirring the food with her chopsticks, not taking a bite.

“What’s wrong? Did your guy upset you again?”

When they arrived, the restaurant was packed, and they had to wait in line for a full hour.

The smoky and grilled scent filled the air, and they had all been hungry enough to feel their stomachs pressing against their backs. But now, sitting in front of the food, they had no appetite.

The friend sitting by the window casually glanced outside, and her eyes froze. Her pupils dilated, and her face changed instantly, her expression frozen in place.

Her companion was skillfully turning the food on the grill. When he looked up and noticed her exaggerated reaction, he instinctively followed her gaze, and his body seemed to freeze. His lips parted slightly.

Li Shao was walking hand in hand with a woman, looking intimate. They were whispering to each other and exchanging kisses in the busy street, their overly affectionate behavior drawing the attention of passersby.

Qian Qian absentmindedly bit a piece of meat, her teeth pressing down on it, but her eyes were glued to the phone on the table. She lifted her arm to brush her bangs out of her face, then froze mid-motion. Her gaze was fixed on her two friends.

“What are you looking at?”

Noticing the silent agreement in their eyes, Qian Qian pouted slightly and followed their gaze, but all she saw was the usual street scene with busy pedestrians.

“Three lovely ladies, this dessert is from the gentleman at table 32,” the waiter said with a slight bow, a smile on his face as he placed the desserts in front of them.

As soon as he finished speaking, all three women turned their attention to table 32.

Four young men in shirts waved cheerfully at them, their loud greetings echoing through the restaurant. Their laughter filled the air, causing a stir, and some customers couldn’t help but glance over.

The three women turned their gaze away. After a brief moment of silent exchange, a look of confusion crossed their faces. Qian Qian furrowed her brow slightly, leaning forward, and quietly asked:

“Do you know them?”

The two women exchanged glances, one shrugging a shoulder, the other pursing her lips. They spoke almost in unison:

“No, we don’t.”

The three of them fell silent. Qian Qian gently rubbed her forehead and pushed the plate of desserts aside. The others did the same.

“Hello, ladies. Hope you don’t mind if I sit here,” one of the men suddenly interrupted, walking into their view. The three women’s expressions were frozen. Qian Qian frowned, instinctively turning to the other side and crossing one leg over the other.

The man had thick eyebrows, large eyes, and sun-kissed skin, his smile full of energy. He was shorter than average, around 165 cm, with spiky hair that made him stand out.

Before anyone could react, the man moved the table and sat down without hesitation. He adjusted his collar, then combed his hair with his fingers, sitting upright with his hands on the table.

As he spoke, his eyes made contact with everyone else’s, but they kept straying toward Qian Qian. He glanced at his companion, then took out a business card with practiced ease, handing one to each of them.

“Our sales center is nearby. This property is the crown jewel of the CBD, the highest priority for the city’s development. Low investment, high returns—guaranteed to make more money than a designer handbag!”

The three women stopped in their tracks.

Qian Qian raised an eyebrow, a cold smile forming on her lips. Her friends looked at each other, eyes wide in disbelief.

They had expected a dramatic flirtation, but it turned out he was here to sell real estate.

The man suddenly let out a short laugh. He leaned back in his chair and comfortably relaxed, looking as if he was in complete control of the situation.

“The guy handing out business cards is actually my friend. I’m just doing him a favor. My name is Yang Fen, a unique real estate expert. I can spot good properties and… beautiful women,” he said, grinning widely.

The three women exchanged glances, a shared understanding passing between them.

One of them started putting fresh meat on the grill, while another skillfully flipped other ingredients.

Meanwhile, Qian Qian silently lowered her head, savoring the food in her bowl.

The warm light illuminated Qian Qian’s lowered eyelids, casting a soft glow on her elegant profile, highlighting the delicate beauty of her features.

Yang Fen was clearly taken aback, his mouth slightly open as he stared at her. After a moment of stunned silence, he straightened up and leaned toward her, his voice dropping to a deeper tone:

“Beautiful sister, you owe me compensation…”

Her friend, holding the tongs, paused, then shot him a sideways glance and asked sarcastically:

“Compensation for what?”

Qian Qian, still focused on her meal, didn’t even glance up at him. She quickly grabbed her phone from the table, her voice cold and mechanical as she said:

“I can’t make that decision. Let me call my husband. You can ask him.”

The man froze, his eyes wide with surprise. His lips moved slightly, but he awkwardly stood up, his smile stiffening. He bent down, grabbed all three desserts, and said:

“Sorry to interrupt your meal.”

After he left, the atmosphere in the air lightened, and a sense of relief spread among them. Their eyes met, and they couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

“Ugh, flowers always end up in cow dung or sheep dung. Are there any good men left?”

“Are good men hiding at the end of the rainbow?”

The two women kept chatting, exchanging topics. Meanwhile, Qian Qian picked up her phone again, quickly scanning through the messages. Her mood felt heavy, as if carrying the weight of the world, leaving her breathless.