CHAPTER 682: CHAPTER 681: RAISING THE CURTAIN

The "School Festival" countdown, one day left.

In the central district and the corridor area, students grouped up, busily setting up their stalls and shops, filled with tension.

"Goda Haya, you bastard! Don’t just take away the plywood our department bought for your own use, bring it back! And this year, I’m betting that the Sumo Hot Pot Fan Club will beat you!"

"Ah, we’ve run out of paint, where’s the procurement team?! Hurry up!"

This time at the school festival, we don’t have to compete with those campus stars for any ranking. We just need to ensure a certain sales volume to enhance the status of our research society! Remember, we are a team!"

Boom boom boom.

Amidst the crowd, Xingping Chuangzhen moved a cart with a distinct Chinese style with ease.

Many students stopped to point and chatter.

"Xingping!"

The Italian brother duo suddenly appeared and blocked Xingping Chuangzhen. The blond and handsome Takeomi, under the gaze of many infatuated onlookers, put his hands on his hips and said to Xingping Chuangzhen, "Hmph, I heard you’re challenging Senior Koga? That’s really like you!"

"But unlike you, my goal is the top three, no, actually, it’s to be first!"

"By the way, mine and Isami’s shop is in the corridor area!"

Xingping Chuangzhen laughed heartily, "Takeomi, first place is my goal as well. Did you really think defeating Senior Koga would be enough for me?!"

"You jerk!"

Takeomi instantly became irritated.

...

The High Platform Area was much quieter. Here at the Ten Elite Restaurant, the elites themselves didn’t have to lift a finger, as professional staff were employed to build for them.

"That building has been fully maintained and repaired."

Tiqie Eriina said softly. In front of her stood a young instructor, arms crossed, silently overlooking the school from the entrance to the high platform area.

"Have the tables and kitchen equipment been sorted as well?"

"Yep, everything’s all set!"

Finally, Xia Yu turned back to take a glance at the scenic tower on the hill’s summit. To reach it from the high platform area, the stone steps up the mountain were somewhat long, "Set up a fence at the entrance to the steps and make that area temporarily off-limits."

"No problem!"

Eriina, who had been designated as a member of the Execution Committee, tilted her chin up.

"Also, regarding the hygiene inspection for the restaurant shops..."

Since it was a simulation of management, hygiene issues had to be taken seriously. Xia Yu’s gaze swept over Kobayakawa Ryodan and Nikunokuni Ningning, "The task of health inspector will be taken on by our second seat!"

"Yay~!"

As the health promotion inspector, one could roam around and use the excuse of inspections to taste all the "School Festival" delicacies. Kobayakawa Ryodan’s smile and triumphant "V" sign showed extreme satisfaction with this job.

"The emergency medical team to deal with food poisoning or other sudden illnesses among customers will be handled by the sixth seat."

The sixth seat, Nikunokuni Ningning, nodded.

"Well then, I’m off—"

Xia Yu waved to the three committee members and immediately left without looking back.

From the campus back to the shopping street.

Zhu Qing was already waiting in the kitchen, as if there had been an agreement, and huffed, "You’re back? Then let’s review ’Silver Chopstick Flip of Ten Pots’ and see how well you’ve mastered this culinary technique!"

"Great!"

Xia Yu readily agreed.

After all, the culinary technique "Silver Chopstick Flip of Ten Pots" had been learned for a while now, and Zhu Qing, as the teaching mentor, was right to check on it before the "School Festival" battle.

She knew about Xia Yu’s plans for the "School Festival." If the crowd didn’t reach his expectations in the first two days, this younger generation was sure to get involved personally.

And for Xia Yu, there were not many helpers available during the "School Festival," and he heavily relied on the culinary technique "Silver Chopstick Flip of Ten Pots."

It was time to trigger a task related to cooking skills.

...

Not far from Xia’s Main Store was Shino’s restaurant.

A pair of young Chinese men and women sat at a window-side table on the second floor, gazing into the hazy lights of Xia’s Restaurant.

"Lei Zhe has already transferred the majority of our people in Japan to Tokyo," the young man in the windbreaker said, a mocking light in his eyes. "But no matter how numerous, they are just a swarm of headless flies."

"Chen, are you sure the ’Jade Dragon Pot’ is here?"

The woman whispered in disbelief, "To keep the culinary artifact in hand, not entrusting it to Far Moon for safekeeping, nor sending it back to the mainland, this is simply insane!"

"I’m not certain, but I trust my intuition and judgment. The probability of finding the ’Jade Dragon Pot’ here is much higher than at the Far Moon Campus." The Chen Family youth, who had previously appeared outside of the Sapporo Ookura Mountain Villa, glanced at a departing waiter. "Lei Zhe has a formidable number of people; it’s perfect to let him help us with the investigation. We just need to pay attention here, which makes things much easier for us!"

Really easier?

The woman kept her mouth shut and didn’t dare to question it.

...

The next morning.

"Take care of the house!"

Xia Yu waved to Zhu Qing and got into the Tiqie Family’s private car that had been sent to take him to the opening ceremony of the ’Youth Academy Festival.’

When he arrived, the ceremony was almost at an end, and Tiqie Xianzuowen on stage said:

"Let’s all sing the Far Moon Tea House Cooking Academy’s school anthem together!"

Huh?

Xia Yu was utterly thunderstruck backstage. Far Moon had a school anthem? His mind was in complete disarray.

However, the students answered him with their enthusiastic singing:

"Embraced by the land of the rising sun, proud and brave, gathering sharp fangs..."

The chorus sounded quite imposing.

Xia Yu saw Xingping Chuangzhen looking around helplessly, unable to follow along with the singing, and the corners of his mouth curved up slightly, "How far can you go?"

When the school anthem ended, Tiqie Xianzuowen declared in a deep voice:

"I announce that the ’Youth Academy Festival’ is now officially open!"

The students dispersed, no time for idle talk, each hurrying to their stalls.

Ten minutes later.

Whoosh!

The gates of Far Moon opened, and the crowd that had been waiting outside surged in, their footsteps merging in a torrent-like rumble echoing through the air.

A feast of food had officially begun!

"Beep, beep, beep, beep..."

At the entrance, campus security wiped sweat from their foreheads, watching the numbers on the visitor counting board by the gate. The counter refreshed quickly. The gates had just opened, yet the flow of visitors was already several thousand strong, about to breach the ten thousand mark.

Fortunately, Far Moon had coordinated with the Tokyo police, and among the crowds, several police cars with flashing lights and patrolling officers could be seen.

Food coupon exchange area.

The visitors who poured into the campus queued up here.

"Here—"

Across the street on an upper floor by a floor-to-ceiling window, Tiqie Helinai approached, handing a bulging envelope to the young instructor standing with arms folded in front of the window.

"What’s this?" Xia Yu opened the envelope and soon smiled slightly; inside was a thick stack of food coupons.

The ’Youth Academy Festival’ food coupons came in three denominations:

Five hundred, one thousand, ten thousand.

The denominations corresponded to yen, with food in the High Platform Area costing around 5,000 yen per serving, the Central Area ranging from 1,000 to 5,000 yen, and the Corridor Area primarily offering snacks, costing between 500 to 1,000 yen.

This showed that those who hadn’t made it to special grade among the Ten Elites, in reality, weren’t all that impressive, and those frequenting the Ten Elite Restaurant these few days were mostly there for support.

Beep beep!

Having entrusted Tiqie Helinai to oversee the Execution Committee’s matters, Xia Yu had appointed her at the beginning because he trusted her capability to handle affairs.

Just as he stepped out of the teaching building, planning to tour the festival, his phone received a text message.

After staring at the message for a while, Xia Yu pocketed his phone and arrived at a rendezvous point.

"Hey!"

From a distance, a fashionable woman holding a camera pole waved at him.