The legendary Peony Fish Fillet challenge had sparked intrigue among viewers, many of whom knew the dish's reputation for its extreme difficulty. The complexity was enough to deter even seasoned chefs, making the idea of Qin Hao preparing it without prior notice all the more gripping.
Recognizing the opportunity, Su Wuyao decided it was time to push the limits further. One dish alone—Lantern Shadow Beef—couldn't conclusively prove Qin Hao's mastery. But if he could craft Peony Fish Fillet, the truth would be undeniable.
With determination, Su Wuyao picked up her phone and dialed her husband, Qin Hao.
At home, Qin Hao was busy cleaning up after his Lantern Shadow Beef preparation when the call came through. He washed his hands, wiped them on his signature pink apron, and answered, "Hello, honey? What's up?"
"What are you doing?" Su Wuyao's seemingly casual question instantly put Qin Hao on high alert. He glanced around cautiously.
"I'm ordering takeout. You said you wanted Lantern Shadow Beef, so I thought I'd place the order ahead of time—so it's ready when you get back!" he replied, effortlessly masking the truth.
Crack!
Back at the café, Su Wuyao's grip tightened on her coffee cup, creating a small crack in the ceramic. Habitual liar, she thought. He didn't even flinch while fibbing.
Suppressing her annoyance, she pushed forward with her plan. "Oh, great. Then order a serving of Peony Fish Fillet too. Jiao Jiao is coming over for dinner tonight."
"Peony Fish Fillet?" Qin Hao hesitated, scratching his head. The challenge ahead was clear.
Without waiting for his response, Su Wuyao ended the call, leaving Qin Hao no room to decline.
The livestream audience burst into laughter at the interaction.
"Poor Hao—this feels like watching a spy thriller!"
"Secret chef identity exposed—this is almost as bad as being caught with hidden savings!"
"Men—you'll never know how deep their secrets run!"
Still smiling wryly, Qin Hao checked his food delivery app, only to confirm what he already suspected: no restaurant within range offered Peony Fish Fillet. He sighed. It seemed he had no choice but to make it himself.
Knowing the recipe required fresh fish, Qin Hao ordered a runner service to deliver a grass carp. Just as he wrapped up the arrangement, the house's landline phone rang.
At first, Qin Hao thought it was another call from Su Wuyao but paused. Why would she use the landline? He answered the call casually.
"Hello?"
"Is Miss Su home? I just tried calling her mobile, but it was busy," said a man on the other end.
"My wife isn't home right now. May I ask what this is about?"
"Oh, I see. I'm Mr. Wu's agent. Could you please ask Miss Su to return my call when she's back?"
"I'll let her know," Qin Hao replied politely.
He recalled that Su Wuyao worked for a philanthropic organization—similar to a charity or a humanitarian foundation. Recently, her company had gone to great lengths to invite a popular celebrity to star in a public service campaign. It had taken weeks of preparation and considerable effort to secure the arrangement.
Making a mental note to pass on the message, Qin Hao hung up and stepped back into the kitchen, his thoughts returning to the task at hand. If his wife's work mattered to her so deeply, he had no intention of disrupting it.
Back in the livestream, all eyes were on Qin Hao as he prepared to tackle the impossible challenge—the Peony Fish Fillet. Would he rise to the occasion and prove his expertise? Or would the skeptics finally triumph? The audience waited with bated breath.
Half an hour later, the runner service delivered the grass carp, and Qin Hao wasted no time bringing it to the kitchen.
The livestream audience was buzzing with excitement, their curiosity mounting to see if Qin Hao could conquer the challenge. The allure of witnessing someone's hidden talent unfold under scrutiny was intoxicating. In Kyoto's courtyard, Wei Tianlin and Zixi, alongside countless other viewers, watched intently, eager to capture every detail.
Su Wuyao stayed silent, her eyes fixed on the screen as Qin Hao began his meticulous work.
He washed the fish, deftly removed the head and tail, and placed it on the cutting board. His knife twirled effortlessly in his hand, a move that hinted at his expertise. Starting from the head, he made his first cut along the backbone, cleanly separating a large fillet from the spine. Flipping the fish over, he repeated the process with practiced ease.
In just under a minute, the fish had been cleaned, filleted, and deboned—a process so seamless it felt choreographed. The flow and precision of Qin Hao's movements left viewers in awe. It was clear these techniques were second nature to him.
The true test, however, was yet to come: the knife work.
With one hand pressing down on the fish fillet, Qin Hao gripped his knife tightly with the other. This time, Su Wuyao had ensured the camera was perfectly focused on the cutting board.
What followed was nothing short of mesmerizing.
The sound of slicing filled the room, sharp and rhythmic, as Qin Hao's blade moved with the speed and precision of a lightning strike. His intense focus and fluid wrist movements made the task resemble a performance, almost like magic unfolding before the audience's eyes.
When the knife finally stopped, he revealed his creation: fish slices as delicate and translucent as mountain snow lotuses, gleaming with a light sheen. The intricate texture of the fish was displayed in each slice, perfect and unmarred.
Gasps erupted from the livestream.
"Masterful! Those knife skills are unparalleled."
"This isn't cooking—it's art."
"Three years of marriage, and the streamer never discovered this? He's definitely going to need to kneel on a washboard now."
"I've got an idea—make him kneel on the remote, the kind that doesn't let you change channels!"
"I can't wait to see how he handles the next step!"
Su Wuyao clenched her lips tightly, the reality sinking in. There was no denying Qin Hao's chef identity any longer. His unparalleled knife skills revealed a depth of experience far beyond what any novice could achieve—decades of mastery were evident.
And yet, strangely, she found herself hoping he would fail at crafting Peony Fish Fillet.
But Qin Hao remained completely unaware of the hidden scrutiny as he continued preparing the fish. He marinated the slices with a blend of spices, coated them evenly with flour, and heated oil in the wok until it reached the perfect temperature.
With precision, he lowered each slice into the oil, where they sizzled and expanded under the heat. The process moved seamlessly—until the critical moment arrived.
The success or failure of Peony Fish Fillet hinged on the exact timing of removing the slices from the oil. A moment too early, and the texture would falter. A moment too late, and the flavor would suffer.
Even Zixi's master, Wei Tianlin—a chef of unmatched renown—had struggled with this dish. In every attempt, he could only shake his head at the outcome, unwilling even to taste it, lamenting that he couldn't capture the fleeting moment of perfection.
Now, Wei Tianlin and Zixi held their breath, eyes locked onto the screen, waiting for that elusive moment to arrive.
"Master…" Zixi whispered.
"Watch closely," Wei Tianlin replied, nodding.
For the audience and the experts alike, this was the turning point—the culmination of skill, instinct, and precision. All eyes were on Qin Hao as the crucial decision drew near. Would he seize the moment, or would it slip away? The anticipation was palpable.