Chapter 45: Zane Wang

"Manager Terry, it's time for you to choose a guest," George said, addressing him calmly. Manager Terry nodded, though his real focus was on signaling to the waiter. The judge for the competition wasn't his primary concern. Just then, a waiter approached. "Manager, Master Zane wants to order squirrel fish," the waiter reported. "Which Master Zane?" Manager Terry asked, momentarily distracted by the competition. "Master Zane Wang," the waiter clarified. "When did he arrive?" Terry asked, startled. His question caught the attention of both Calista and Elijah, who were clearly familiar with the name. "He just got here with friends and decided not to use a private room," the waiter responded. "Chef Liu, head to the kitchen and prepare the squirrel fish," Manager Terry instructed, shifting his focus to the more pressing matter of satisfying Master Zane. After all, taking care of such a valued guest far outweighed the ongoing competition. "No need," Chef Liu interjected. "We already have some freshly made." Terry glanced to the side and realized there were two freshly prepared plates of squirrel fish waiting. "Oh, I was so flustered I forgot!" he exclaimed. "Send both dishes over." But as the waiter moved to take the dishes, Manager Terry suddenly stopped him. "Wait! Take both of them." Zane was a regular, and his fondness for Chef Liu's squirrel fish was well-known. According to him, no other restaurant could match Chef Liu's preparation, and he never missed an opportunity to enjoy the dish when he visited. Even if George's dish was good, it wouldn't matter—it wouldn't be to Zane's taste. Having Zane judge would all but guarantee a win for Chef Liu. "This is a sure win," Terry thought to himself, feeling pleased with his plan. "Manager Terry, isn't it a bit inappropriate to have Master Zane as the judge?" Calista asked, frowning. "There's nothing inappropriate about it," Terry replied confidently. "Master Zane has tried all sorts of fine dishes—he could judge a cooking competition on television, let alone serve as a judge here." "I agree," Elijah chimed in. "Master Zane is the perfect choice for a judge." Both Calista and Elijah were well aware of Zane's bias toward Chef Liu's squirrel fish, and they knew that George's chances of winning had just dropped significantly. "Do you have any objections?" Manager Terry asked, turning to George. "No," George said calmly. "It's your choice who judges, so it's fine with me." "Good," Terry replied, a satisfied smirk on his face. Elijah, eager to impress, quickly added, "Since Master Zane's here, I'll go say hello." "I'll join you," Calista said, turning to George. "Why don't you come with us, Teacher George?" "Him? Meeting Master Zane?" Elijah scoffed. "What makes him think he's worthy?" "I'm taking him with me," Calista snapped back, irritated. "If something goes wrong, I'll take full responsibility." In their social circles, status meant everything, and George, as a simple PE teacher, didn't fit in. Elijah clearly believed that George didn't deserve the opportunity to meet someone as prominent as Zane. While George wasn't particularly interested in these social dynamics, Calista's insistence made it difficult to refuse. Reluctantly, he agreed to join them. With that, George, Calista, Elijah, Chef Liu, and Manager Terry made their way to Zane's table. Although Becker and the others in the group were curious and envious, they didn't dare to follow uninvited, especially given Elijah's dismissive attitude. As they entered the private room, Manager Terry greeted the young man at the table. "Master Zane, what an honor to have you here! If I had known you were coming, I'd have prepared something special in advance." As Terry spoke, his gaze quickly darted to the man sitting at the head of the table, someone who was not Zane. Though Terry didn't recognize the other man, it was clear from his demeanor and seating arrangement that his status was even higher than Zane's. Calista also noticed the unexpected guest and began to regret bringing George along. She had intended to introduce him to Zane, but it now seemed that Zane wasn't even the host here. This gathering might have been more formal or important than she had anticipated. Elijah, oblivious to the social dynamics at play, greeted Zane enthusiastically. "Master Zane, we've brought your order!" he said. Zane smiled warmly. "You've prepared quite well! I just placed my order, and here you are with not one, but two plates of squirrel fish! Do you think I'm that hungry?" he joked, his tone friendly and lighthearted, a stark contrast to Elijah's earlier arrogance. "It's a coincidence," Manager Terry replied, explaining the situation. "Chef Liu is in a cooking competition, and squirrel fish was one of the dishes prepared. When we heard you were here, we brought them over." Zane's eyebrows rose in surprise. "A competition? Someone challenging Chef Liu in cooking? Is there really a chef in Jiangzhou who thinks they can outcook him?" He turned to Chef Liu, clearly intrigued. "No wonder you came in person today. So, who's challenging you?" He looked at George curiously. "Master Zane, this is George, a PE teacher at Jiangzhou University," Calista introduced. "A PE teacher?" Zane looked slightly puzzled. "I see. Physical education and cooking are worlds apart. What made him think he could compete in something like this?" His tone wasn't harsh, but it carried a hint of disbelief. Zane, having dined at the restaurant many times, knew Chef Liu's reputation and skill. The idea of a PE teacher challenging someone of Chef Liu's caliber seemed a bit far-fetched.