Her second granduncle was no ordinary man—he was Wei Tiande, the revered titan of Huaxia's culinary world and the president of the Huaxia Culinary Association.
His influence in the culinary realm was immeasurable; a single word from him could send ripples through the entire industry. Together with his brother, Wei Tianlin, the two were famously known as the "Twin Dragons" of Huaxia's culinary elite.
"Did you not hear me? Save this video immediately and go fetch your second granduncle. I have something important to discuss with him," the elder instructed, his brows furrowed with urgency.
"All right," Zixi replied, setting down her phone and leaving the courtyard. Fortunately, Wei Tiande lived nearby—close enough for her to reach by foot.
About ten minutes later, Zixi returned to the courtyard with an elder in tow.
The elder carried himself with an imposing presence, his every gesture exuding authority and command. Though calm and composed, his very stance radiated an air of unspoken dominance that demanded respect.
As he entered, his gaze immediately fell upon Wei Tianlin, and he wasted no time in asking, "Tianlin, what's the matter? Why did you send Zixi to fetch me in such a hurry?"
"Tiande, take a look at this video," Wei Tianlin said, holding out his phone.
"A video from the internet?" Wei Tiande frowned, his expression hinting at some disdain. As a revered figure in the culinary world, he harbored skepticism toward modern trends like internet-famous chefs. Nevertheless, he accepted the phone out of respect for his brother.
"This is…" He barely watched for a minute before his expression shifted dramatically.
"This knife technique—it's beyond extraordinary! It's at the pinnacle of perfection. Who taught him? Why have I never heard of him before?"
Wei Tianlin nodded subtly in agreement with his brother's assessment. Qin Hao's knife skills were undeniable, refined to the point where he could seamlessly fit into the elite chefs of a state banquet kitchen. However, today's focus wasn't on skills alone. Wei Tianlin had called Wei Tiande here to confirm something far more significant.
"Tiande, don't you see anything beyond his knife technique?" Wei Tianlin hinted.
"Beyond the technique?" Wei Tiande gave him a skeptical glance, then returned his attention to the video.
The moment Qin Hao's knife sliced cleanly through the fish, a sudden clarity sparked in Wei Tiande's eyes. His expression brightened, and he instinctively drew in a sharp breath.
"The Hidden Dragon Technique—it's the Hidden Dragon Knife Technique! Impossible! Wasn't this technique supposed to be lost forever? This video must be fake, some clever use of effects. Tianlin, are you playing games with me?" Wei Tiande's voice was tinged with indignation.
Beside them, Zixi stood utterly bewildered.
The Hidden Dragon Technique? What on earth were her grandfathers talking about?
Their cryptic dialogue left Zixi feeling completely lost, unable to grasp what was unfolding before her. What had happened to these two towering figures of the culinary world—normally as steady as mountains—that watching Qin Hao's cooking video could provoke such erratic reactions?
To put it bluntly, they looked as if they had encountered a ghost in broad daylight.
"Tiande, this is a livestream—it's not an edited video. There's not a shred of post-production involved here," Wei Tianlin said with grave seriousness, his expression void of any hint of jest.
If he hadn't witnessed it with his own eyes, Wei Tianlin himself wouldn't have believed it possible to see this legendary knife technique in his lifetime.
Wei Tiande's composure faltered slightly. After a moment of contemplation, he regained a semblance of calm, though the turmoil in his mind was unmistakable.
As the saying goes, the untrained eye sees the spectacle, but the expert sees the technique. For a titan of the culinary arts, witnessing such mastery stirred emotions too deep to suppress.
"This man appears quite young. Whose apprentice is he? Have you tried to contact him yet?" Wei Tiande asked.
"No. The moment I saw the Hidden Dragon Knife Technique resurface, I called you over. I didn't have time for anything else. Besides... Tiande, do you remember that man from years ago?" Wei Tianlin said, his tone heavy.
"That's impossible!" Wei Tiande rejected the notion outright.
"There's no way—it's absolutely impossible. I'd rather believe that person is dead," Wei Tiande declared emphatically.
The two elders exchanged glances, their expressions complicated beyond words. The air in the courtyard grew still, the tension palpable enough to feel the silence.
"Granduncle, second granduncle, what are you talking about? You're driving me crazy! Hidden Dragon Knife Technique, that man from years ago—what does it all mean?" Zixi exclaimed, her frustration bursting out as she jumped around in agitation.
Her grandfathers' mysterious conversation piqued her curiosity immensely, yet no matter how much she questioned them, Wei Tianlin and Wei Tiande appeared to have reached a tacit agreement to reveal nothing more. Their silence made them resemble statues, utterly unmoving amidst the storm of questions.
Time stretched on before Wei Tiande finally spoke, his voice deflated, as if all the energy had drained from him.
"No one ever saw his face back then—you know that. He always wore a mask when cooking. Forget about that man—just consider him dead."
"But how do you explain the Hidden Dragon Knife Technique? Even if this man isn't that person, he must surely be his apprentice," Wei Tianlin argued.
"Tianlin, even if he is that person, what difference does it make? The events of the past are long over—nothing can be changed now."
"I'm not satisfied. I want to find him and ask about the truth of that matter. I'm old, and I don't want to take this question to my grave. I'll die with my eyes wide open if I can't find closure."
"Tianlin, what am I going to do with you? You're too old to be chasing shadows."
"What's the matter? Have you grown so spineless under Kitamura of the island nation that you can't even acknowledge this man?"
"Rubbish!"
Their argument intensified as the two elders began to bicker, their emotions flaring amidst the tense atmosphere.
When the name Kitamura was mentioned, Zixi finally recognized something familiar—a name she knew.
Kitamura Ichiro, the head of the prestigious Kitamura culinary family from the island nation, was revered in his homeland as the "God of Cuisine." He was the idol of all aspiring chefs in the country, a culinary legend hailed as the foremost figure in Asian gastronomy, earning him the title "Asian Culinary God."
"Tianlin, if you truly can't let this go, and if you can prove that he is indeed the man from all those years ago, I'll accompany you to confront him and get to the bottom of things," Wei Tiande said, though his voice carried a tone of reluctant resignation.
"But just the Hidden Dragon Knife Technique isn't enough proof!" he added.
Wei Tiande eventually yielded, understanding his brother's determined nature. He knew that without addressing this unresolved issue, Wei Tianlin would never rest.
"Zixi, gather some people to keep a close eye on the livestream at all times. The moment something happens, inform me immediately," Wei Tianlin instructed.
He realized that directly confronting Qin Hao would likely lead nowhere, as the other party would almost certainly deny it. After all, the incident from back then was far from a glorious matter to reveal. However, he firmly believed that as long as Su Wuyao continued livestreaming, if Qin Hao was indeed the man from the past, one day he would inadvertently expose himself.
The moment they had concrete evidence, Wei Tianlin planned to confront him alongside Wei Tiande and demand an explanation for his actions all those years ago.
Zixi nodded in agreement. Since her master had given the order, she had no choice but to comply.
At the same time, her curiosity about Qin Hao grew immensely. Just what kind of man was he to cause these two titans of the culinary world to lose their composure? And what exactly was this "incident" from their past that carried such weight?