Feng Dong led Qin Feng to the back kitchen and called the two chefs over. “Liu Xin, Zhang Hao, you two need to prepare a plate of Spring Breeze Harmony Rolls again. Qin Feng here will make the final judgment.”

As soon as Liu Xin saw Qin Feng, he immediately walked up, grabbing his hand and pleading, “Chef Qin, you must help me! I spent months creating this Spring Breeze Harmony Roll, but Zhang Hao here is trying to claim it as his own. I can’t believe I treated him as a good friend.”

“Don’t you dare twist the truth! I’m the one who came up with it! I never thought you’d be this kind of person—truly, the heart is a hidden abyss.”

Zhang Hao, standing to the side, retorted with an agitated tone, though a trace of smugness flickered in his eyes. This Qin Feng is so young. I’ve never heard of him in the culinary world, so he must not be a big deal. My Spring Breeze Harmony Roll looks and tastes exactly like Liu Xin’s; no one can tell the difference.

“Enough arguing. The truth will come out,” Qin Feng said casually, introducing himself. “I’m Qin Feng. Maybe you haven’t heard of me, but surely you’ve come across my creations—Kung Pao Chicken and Twice-Cooked Pork. Now, how long does it take each of you to make a Spring Breeze Harmony Roll?”

Liu Xin quickly responded, “It takes me ten minutes. Most of the time is spent painting the design on the roll with tomato sauce.”

Zhang Hao, realizing this was a test, thought for a moment. He’s probably trying to figure out who’s faster. He confidently said, “I can finish it in six minutes.”

With this information, Qin Feng nodded at Feng Dong, signaling they could begin.

“Alright, to the main hall. Everything’s ready,” Feng Dong instructed.

In the hall, a crowd had gathered, their eyes lighting up when they saw two tables set up and the chefs walking out. Clearly, a culinary showdown was about to unfold, and everyone was eager to watch.

Qin Feng placed an old-fashioned clock from the counter onto a chair and sat down, leisurely sipping tea while observing the two chefs.

Liu Xin focused intently, pouring all his energy into his work.

Zhang Hao, meanwhile, kept glancing at the clock, growing anxious. I have to finish before Liu Xin, he thought, speeding up his movements.

As time passed, they reached the final stages of preparation.

Shen Yuanshan leaned over to Qin Feng and whispered, “Young friend Qin, have you figured anything out?”

Qin Feng nodded, “I know who the real creator is.”

“How come I can’t tell anything?” Shen Yuanshan scratched his head and continued watching the two chefs closely.

Soon, Zhang Hao finished first, proudly presenting his Spring Breeze Harmony Roll, casting a triumphant glance at Liu Xin, who was still working. His expression already bore the glow of victory.

A few minutes later, Liu Xin also completed his roll and brought it to Qin Feng.

“Young friend Qin, please taste and give your verdict. Whoever’s lying, I’ll kick them out of my restaurant immediately,” Feng Dong said, gesturing for Qin Feng to proceed.

Qin Feng stood up and pointed directly at Zhang Hao. “He’s the one who stole someone else’s recipe.”

“Ridiculous! That’s pure nonsense! You didn’t even taste it, yet you accuse me? You clearly don’t have any real skills,” Zhang Hao snapped. Though he felt a pang of panic, he kept up a defiant front, certain that Qin Feng couldn’t prove it.

Qin Feng smiled faintly and said, “The reason I had you recreate the Spring Breeze Harmony Roll wasn’t to taste it—it was to see how you made it. From that, I’ve determined you’re the one who stole the recipe.”

“What evidence do you have? You can’t just make baseless claims!” Zhang Hao barked, confidence returning as he thought about how his roll matched Liu Xin’s perfectly.

“I have three points of evidence,” Qin Feng began. “First, during your preparation, you paused several times, likely trying to recall the next steps. You’ve seen it done many times, but you haven’t made it yourself much. Second, your Spring Breeze Harmony Roll lacks finesse—obviously the work of someone inexperienced with this dish. Third, the proper time to prepare this dish is about ten minutes, yet you rushed to finish in six to prove you’re faster than Liu Xin, resulting in a subpar product.”

Qin Feng placed Zhang Hao’s plate in front of him, revealing the crude tomato-sauce painting on top—a clear sign of haste.

“This is all just your word! It’s not solid proof!” Zhang Hao protested, though his panic was growing.

Feng Dong and the others looked to Qin Feng, hoping he could produce definitive evidence.

Qin Feng set the plate down and asked Zhang Hao, “Have you eaten this Spring Breeze Harmony Roll before?”

“Of course I have! What kind of question is that?” Zhang Hao blustered, though a flicker of panic crossed his face.

“Good. Then tell me, what’s the sensation of the first bite?”

Qin Feng took a bite of the roll, enjoying its flavor, while watching Zhang Hao’s increasingly uneasy expression.

Desperately trying to recall the ingredients, Zhang Hao replied after a pause, “The first bite is soft and slightly sweet, followed by crisp vegetables and a rich, savory beef flavor—a strong sense of layers.”

“So you admit you’re lying,” Qin Feng said with a sly smile. “You don’t even know the taste of the dish you’ve created.’ You just exposed yourself. The first bite is beefy, followed by the freshness of vegetables and the mild flavor of the wrap.”

Qin Feng held up the half-eaten roll, offering it to Zhang Hao.

Feng Dong slammed the table and stood up, glaring at Zhang Hao. “You little scoundrel! What do you have to say for yourself now?”

“I… Brother Feng, I was wrong! Please forgive me—it was a momentary lapse in judgment!” Zhang Hao begged, visibly crumbling.

“Get out of here! This is a century-old establishment built on honesty. We have no room for someone without integrity,” Feng Dong roared, waving for his staff to escort Zhang Hao out.

Shen Yuanshan turned to Qin Feng with admiration. “Young friend Qin, incredible! You solved a problem that’s been troubling me for days. But honestly, both rolls tasted the same to me, and Zhang Hao’s description wasn’t wrong either.”

“When I realized Zhang Hao had never tasted the Spring Breeze Harmony Roll, I came up with a trap for him, and he walked right into it,” Qin Feng explained with a satisfied smile.

Hearing this, Shen Yuanshan gave him a big thumbs-up.