Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 124836 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 624(@200wpm)___ 499(@250wpm)___ 416(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 124836 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 624(@200wpm)___ 499(@250wpm)___ 416(@300wpm)
I checked Chen.
He was pointing up at the sky. “You see those stars, Fen? They don’t just glow, they sparkle. Did they always sparkle that way or is it because you’re here?”
Fen chuckled. “Chen, you have to try the food.”
“What’s that?” Chen put his view on her and blinked his eyes.
“The food, Chen. You’re judging it.”
Chen touched her shoulder, leaned close to her like he was about to kiss her and then whispered, “Will you help me judge, Fen?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t want to disappoint anyone.”
“You won’t, Chen.” Fen grabbed his fork. “We’ll do this together.”
Alright. Fen is in control. Now he’s good to go. I won’t worry about him anymore.
I picked up my fork and knife, cutting into the pork.
The skin crackled under the blade.
This is going to be good.
When I took my first bite, it was an explosion of textures and flavors on my tongue. The skin was perfectly crisp, giving way to the soft, melt-in-your-mouth pork beneath. The seasoning was subtle but bold, letting the meat speak for itself.
Good God. Chef Foo already won.
Beside me, Chen let out a loud groan of appreciation as he bit into his piece. “Oh my God!!!”
People laughed at Chen in the audience.
Fen tasted her own plate, but I could see she was having difficulty with not laughing with everyone else.
God, this is so much fun.
I watched Chen.
Instead of cutting off another piece, Chen picked it all up with his hands and began chomping into it.
Oh God.
And that was when I caught Duck near the table with his camera, recording Chen.
I waved at him. “Turn that off.”
“Damn, Lei. Just when it was getting good.” Duck frowned and took the camera away.
Chen mumbled through a mouthful of food and his eyes were wide in disbelief. “This is. . .incredible! I’ve never had anything this good in my life!! In my entire life!!”
Completely engrossed in his pork, Chen continued to devour it as the audience and fellow judges chuckled at his enthusiasm.
DJ Hendrix blared a horn. “Looks like we may already have a clear vote for Chef Foo.”
I chuckled, but I had to agree. The roasted pork was nothing short of perfection.
I looked over at Moni, who was chewing thoughtfully. Her eyes were half-closed in bliss. She looked so peaceful, so completely wrapped up in the moment.
In fact. . .watching her enjoy the food stirred something inside me, a sense of intimacy that had nothing to do with words.
God, I can’t wait to be inside of her tonight.
Chef Foo continued, “Next, we have orange cuttlefish, marinated in a rich, savory sauce.”
I didn’t think any of the judges had even remembered there were other dishes once we started on the pork.
“This dish is inspired by Chinese coastal flavors, where seafood plays a huge role in daily cuisine.” Chef Foo smiled with pride. “The cuttlefish is tender, with just the right amount of chew to it.”
I cut a piece of the cuttlefish and brought it to my mouth. The flavors hit me instantly sweet, tangy, and salty, all perfectly balanced. The texture was just as Chef Foo described—soft but with a slight firmness, making every bite satisfying.
It tasted like the ocean, but without the overwhelming fishiness that sometimes came with seafood.
Chen was in heaven. “I could write a poem about this. An ode to cuttlefish.”
I stole a glance at Moni again.
Her plate of pork was completely gone.
Picking up my last piece of roasted pork, I leaned over and offered it to her. “Do you want some more?”
Moni’s eyes lit up. “Hell yes.”
She leaned forward, taking the pork from my fingers with her mouth.
Fuck yeah.
Her lips brushed against my fingers and her tongue flicked out, just barely grazing my skin.
A shiver ran down my spine.
My heart skipped a beat.
Before I could think, I leaned in and kissed her, tasting the sweetness of the pork and the warmth of her mouth.
“Get a room, people!” Jo hollered, earning some laughs from around the table.
I pulled back, grinning like an idiot.
As far as I was concerned, everyone should be lucky I wasn’t under the table, licking Moni’s pussy.
Chef Foo—unfazed by the brief interruption—moved on to the final dish. “And finally, we have duck, a staple of Beijing barbecue.”
Some of the Four Aces cheered.
“Thank you so much. I do want to say that this particular duck has been slow-roasted and marinated, absorbing all the flavors of the sauce.” Chef Foo raised one hand in the air, dotting each word. “The meat is tender and of course the skin crispy.”
Barbara Whiskers had already polished off her plate, clearly unfazed by the culinary history Chef Foo had been sharing.
Currently, she was licking her paws.
I picked up a piece and tasted it.
The richness of the duck was unlike anything I’d had before. The marinade was bold, deeply savory, with a touch of sweetness that made each bite feel luxurious.