Chapter 35
Chapter 35 Story 018: Cheating Leading in Popularity (2)
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Throughout the day, Flossie Wright was occupied with odds and ends, without much effort made.
In stark contrast, Jocelyn Carrington was doing all the dirty and laborious jobs, showing an impressive work ethic that even the members of the cooking class couldn’t match. They admired her as they watched her bustling in and out of the kitchen, marveling at her extraordinary abilities.
Little did they know, Jocelyn Carrington was just trying to stay busy so that she didn’t sit around getting annoyed by Flossie’s carefree attitude. Otherwise, watching Flossie would only make her want to start a fight.
The afternoon cook-off that everyone in the cooking class and Jocelyn Carrington were awaiting finally arrived at three o’clock.
"Ahem, since this is a competition, we should keep it formal." The head of the cooking class stood solemnly in the kitchen, looking rather ridiculous amidst the array of ingredients around him. "You two will make the same dish. Our class will select five people to judge the dish and vote for the winner."
Members of the cooking class obliged, clapping their hands, even though they were struggling to hold back their laughter.
"Okay then," the head of the cooking class raised his voice slightly, and paused until the clapping subsided, before saying seriously, "Today, you two are going to make Tomato Egg Soup."
Several soldiers couldn’t hold back their laughter anymore and burst into laughter.
Having worked in the cooking class for so long, the transformation of their usual kitchen into a battleground for culinary showdown and in such a serious manner, was comical by all accounts.
What’s even more amusing is that the head of the cooking class suffice such solemnity and seriousness, only to make a Tomato Egg Soup?
"If you laugh again, you’ll be punished with a week’s sweeping duty!" The head of the cooking class reprimanded with a stern face and silenced all the laughter with the threat, before allowing the contest to proceed, "Two pots, make it yourselves. The ingredients are ready. We’ll be waiting outside."
"Yes!" Flossie Wright and Jocelyn Carrington responded simultaneously.
In fact, the cooking class leader was somewhat biased; he had already cooked Tomato Egg Soup in the morning and even specifically asked Flossie to come and watch him make it. He had only let go of her when she memorized all the steps, which made it clear that he had already thought of the competition dish at that time.
However, the product they’d make would still depend on their skills.
"Hmm." Once everyone had left, Jocelyn Carrington coldly huffed at Flossie and then headed for the nearest stove.
Standing casually on the side, Flossie glanced at her, stretched her hand towards the fruit beside her, casually picked up a small pear, then proceeded to the stove on the other side.
While they were cooking, they were mostly focused on their tasks, Jocelyn Carrington didn’t bother to watch Flossie’s performance, which gave Flossie ample time to dice the pear and get it ready. And because she had been handling vegetables for the last few days, she was able to process the tomatoes quickly and put them in the boiling water, outpacing Jocelyn Carrington.
Within five minutes, Flossie had already beaten the eggs and other ingredients and dumped them into the pot, while Jocelyn Carrington was just tossing the chopped tomatoes into hers. And when Flossie was ready to serve, Jocelyn was just checking the saltiness of her soup.
Just as Jocelyn Carrington was about to serve her soup, prepared Flossie, holding her own bowl, moved slightly aside and flicked a small stone out of her hand towards Jocelyn Carrington’s wrist...
Jocelyn Carrington cried out in surprise, watching in disbelief as the bowl of Tomato Egg Soup she had just dished out slipped from her grasp. She was so shocked that she had no time to react...
"Whoa, careful there."
𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖
Upon hearing this sudden voice, Jocelyn Carrington, who had been looking down, saw a hand reaching out from nowhere, catching the falling bowl of soup steadily in mid-air.
When she regained her senses, Jocelyn Carrington was stunned to see Flossie’s calm and serene face right in front of her.
— End of Chapter 35 —