Sludge suction system

"Little rascal, thanks to the cheat code, I won first place in this culinary competition!" Fang Xiaobei whispered to herself, her face beaming with undisguised joy.

"Host, we've only won one championship. We need to win the next four to complete the mission. We still have to keep working hard!" Xiao Zha said to Fang Xiaobei in the softest voice through his sleeve.

As the crowd gradually dispersed, the noisy arena finally returned to some tranquility. Xia Zhilian moved gracefully to Fang Xiaobei's side, her face beaming with a sincere smile, her eyes filled with admiration and blessings for her friend.

"Xiao Bei, congratulations on winning the championship! I knew your lemongrass roasted tilapia would be the best!" Xia Zhi's voice was clear and melodious, like birdsong in spring, and rang cheerfully in Fang Xiao Bei's ears.

Fang Xiaobei turned around and saw Xia Zhi, her joy intensifying. She grabbed Xia Zhi's hand, her voice trembling with excitement, "Xia Zhi, I'm so happy! All along, I'm so grateful to have you by my side, supporting and encouraging me. I never expected to win; when the judges announced it, I felt like I was dreaming!"

Xia Zhi gently patted Fang Xiaobei's hand and said with a smile, "This is an honor you deserve! I've seen how much effort you put into this dish. From selecting the freshest tilapia to carefully blending the spices, and then to repeatedly experimenting with the roasting temperature, you've been meticulous in every step. This championship is the best proof of your hard work and talent!"

Fang Xiaobei tilted her head slightly, recalling the days of preparing for the competition, and said with deep emotion: "Yes, those days, this dish was all I could think about. I even dreamed about how to make the aroma more intense and the taste more perfect. Looking back now, all the hard work was worth it!"

Xia Zhi winked mischievously and said, "Then you'd better treat yourself! By the way, how are you planning to celebrate?"

Fang Xiaobei tilted her head and thought for a moment, then said, "I want to go home first and tell my parents the good news. They have always been very supportive of my culinary skills, and they deserve some credit for winning this championship. Then, I want to find a quiet place with you, have a nice meal, and talk about our future."

Xia Zhi nodded happily: "Okay, I also have a lot to tell you. In the future, let's continue to move forward together on the path of cooking and create more delicious food!"

The two girls smiled at each other, their eyes sparkling with hope and anticipation for the future. In the warm sunlight, their laughter drifted on the breeze, as if telling a beautiful story about youth, dreams, and friendship.

Gao He stood quietly to the side, watching Fang Xiaobei surrounded by people, his heart filled with mixed feelings. Once, he too had pursued this radiant woman with great enthusiasm. At that time, he thought Fang Xiaobei was just an ordinary girl with some culinary talent, and pursuing her would be as easy as picking a wildflower by the roadside.

He gifted her what he considered exquisite hairpins, showed off his culinary skills in front of her, and even tried to strike up a conversation with her when she was busy, attempting to get her attention. However, Fang Xiaobei was always polite and distant, her eyes only focused on her cooking, completely ignoring his actions. Those experiences of rejection deeply wounded his pride, and gradually, the love in his heart twisted into jealousy and resentment.

But now, watching Fang Xiaobei radiate glory, his jealousy slowly faded, replaced by a more complex emotion. She was no longer the ordinary woman he remembered, easily overlooked, but a culinary master who had conquered everyone with her talent. Her smile, her confidence, her focus—all shone like a beam of light, directly into his previously narrow inner world.

Gao He's eyes became somewhat unfocused, as memories of the past flooded back. The virtues and charm of Fang Xiaobei that he had deliberately ignored were now clearly revealed. He began to reflect on his past actions, a pang of regret rising within him. Perhaps he had never truly understood Fang Xiaobei, nor had he ever respected her dreams and aspirations. Now, this star he had once scorned was shining brightly in his unreachable sky, captivating his gaze. But this time, he wasn't sure if he still had the right to re-enter her world.

Ye Keke saw Gao He looking at Fang Xiaobei with a lost and dejected expression from afar, and her face instantly darkened. Her anger flared up instantly. She stomped her foot and strode towards Gao He with a fierce aura.

"Gao He!" Ye Keke almost roared his name, rushed up to Gao He, and slapped his shoulder hard. "Are you out of your mind? You're still staring at that woman. Have you forgotten how she used to dominate us?"

Gao He was startled by this sudden action, his face turning pale and then red. He stammered, about to explain, but Ye Keke didn't give him a chance. Her eyes widened, and she said fiercely, "Listen to me, I'm going to get my revenge today. If you still care about our relationship, don't mess things up now, or you'll be in big trouble!"

After saying that, Ye Keke suddenly tossed her head, her eyes burning with a fierce fire of jealousy and a determination for revenge, and walked straight toward Fang Xiaobei.

At this moment, Fang Xiaobei was talking quietly with Xia Zhi, her face beaming with joy and relief after winning the championship. Seeing this, Ye Ke deliberately cleared her throat exaggeratedly, swaggered up to Fang Xiaobei, put her hands on her hips, and completely blocked Fang Xiaobei and Xia Zhi's path.

"Hmph!" Ye Keke's nostrils were practically flared with anger. She let out a cold snort that was so loud it seemed everyone in the arena could hear it. "Fang Xiaobei, do you really think you're so great just because you won the championship? You probably won this title by some underhanded means!"

Fang Xiaobei was slightly taken aback, a look of astonishment on her face. She really hadn't expected Ye Keke to be so unreasonable. Before she could even respond, Ye Keke, like an enraged fighting rooster, continued to bark and yell, "I think your lousy grilled fish was just a lucky guess, it just happened to cater to those judges' weird tastes. What's there to be proud of?"

Xia Zhi's face flushed with anger. She stepped forward and pointed at Ye Keke, saying, "Ye Keke, how can you talk like that? Xiao Bei's victory is everyone's expectation. Everyone has seen her hard work and talent. Your unreasonable and nonsensical behavior is simply making trouble!"

Ye Keke glanced at Xia Zhi with disdain, her face full of contempt and arrogance: "Who do you think you are? Do you have the right to speak here? Mind your own business and get out of my way!"

Xia Zhi's eyes reddened with anger at this sudden humiliation, and her body trembled slightly. Seeing this, Fang Xiaobei gently patted Xia Zhi's shoulder, signaling her not to act impulsively. Then, she raised her head, looked firmly at Ye Keke, and said coldly, "Ye Keke, I always thought we were fair competitors. I didn't expect you to be such a sore loser. If you think my victory was unfair, you can appeal to the judges instead of throwing a tantrum like a shrew here."

Hearing this, Ye Keke's face turned pale and then purple. She hadn't expected Fang Xiaobei to respond so calmly. But she was used to being spoiled and arrogant, and she wasn't about to let it go so easily. She gritted her teeth and said, "You, Fang Xiaobei, you dare to talk back! Just you wait, I'll make you pay for what you did today. This isn't over!"

After saying that, Ye Keke suddenly turned around, deliberately bumped Fang Xiaobei's shoulder hard, and strode away with her head held high. Her arrogant and domineering back seemed to be declaring to everyone her resentment and determination for revenge, while the people around her cast strange glances, expressing their disdain and contempt for her behavior.

"Host, you need to be more careful about this Ye Keke. The system has detected that she may be a threat to you later," Xiao Zha said, popping out of his sleeve and disappearing into Fang Xiaobei's ear.