Ch. 631..640

Chapter 631: Not Angry

Wendy Clarke immediately asked, “Does, does her son look like Mr. Lopez?”

Her son did look exactly like Mr. Lopez.

Wendy still remembers the first time she saw the child, she could hardly stand his appearance.

How could he be so ugly.

If only he looked a bit more like her, she might have cared about him a little.

But he was a spitting image of Mr. Lopez.

Wendy simply couldn’t stand Mr. Lopez, so it was impossible for her to love that child.

If Cindy Clarke’s son was also Mr. Lopez’s, Wendy thought, the child probably wouldn’t be much better off either.

Mrs. Lopez curled her lip slightly and shot a sarcastic glance at Wendy Clarke.

Wendy picked up on that, feeling there was something off about Mrs. Lopez’s expression.

But she was so curious about Cindy Clarke’s son, Wendy couldn’t think too much about it.

Her eyes were filled with eager anticipation, waiting for Mrs. Lopez’s answer.

Mrs. Lopez smiled and said, “He doesn’t really resemble my husband much.”

Wendy felt a bit disappointed, but then she heard Mrs. Lopez say, “However, his facial features do bear a vague hint of resemblance to my husband.”

Wendy finally breathed a sigh of relief, realizing her guess was correct.

That son was indeed Mr. Lopez’s.

Five years ago, Cindy Clarke too didn’t escape the fate.

“Only she herself will not admit it,” Mrs. Lopez said.

Wendy thought, of course, Cindy would never admit it.

That girl has been stubborn since she was young.

Even though she could have chosen a simpler and easier lifestyle, she chose a more difficult path instead. Wendy never understood her reasoning.

If Mrs. Lopez goes to Cindy Clarke and wants to take the child back to the Lopez Family, it’s easy to imagine that Cindy would never agree.

Even without the child’s burden, life would be easier for her.

She would have a higher chance of finding someone to marry and live a better life.

But Wendy never understood why Cindy didn’t take that opportunity. Maybe Cindy was showing off her strength and playing hard to get.

Wendy guessed that Cindy probably didn’t want to acknowledge Mr. Lopez either.

As a social media influencer, if people knew she had a past with Mr. Lopez, no matter the truth, it would be a stain on her reputation.

So, Wendy figured, even for her own career, Cindy probably wouldn’t acknowledge Mr. Lopez.

“She’s just like that,” Wendy quickly said, “I knew it.”

Mrs. Lopez casually replied, “If she doesn’t want to, I don’t have to force her to bring the child home.”

“After all, there’s already one child in our house. I don’t need to take another woman’s child into my home for additional trouble.”

Actually, Wendy didn’t want Mrs. Lopez to bring the child back either.

She would never scheme to give Cindy such an easy break.

What Wendy wanted was for Mrs. Lopez to know about the child’s existence,so that they could confront each other.

But who knew, things didn’t go the way Wendy expected.

“You saw her son and didn’t get angry?” Wendy Clarke asked.

“No, not angry,” Mrs. Lopez mentioned indifferently.

“Why?” Wendy couldn’t help but blurt out.

Compared to Mrs. Lopez, Wendy was still weaker and not as clever.

Mrs. Lopez had been dealing with Mr. Lopez for many years. She was not an easy opponent.

It was just Wendy outsmarting herself and overestimating her abilities.

“Miss Clarke, do I really need to report everything I do and think to you?” Mrs. Lopez asked unhappily, her eyes and expression becoming sharp.

“That’s not what I meant.” Wendy became alert, realizing her impatience had gotten the better of her.

She racked her brains to turn the conversation around and try to get other information she wanted to know.

However, Mrs. Lopez began to speak again, “That anger was used up long ago when the first child was brought home.”

“I made a big fuss back then. But after all these years, I know what kind of person old Lopez is,” Mrs. Lopez sneered.

“If I always took everything so seriously, wouldn’t I be constantly angry?” she said.

“One child in the house is enough. If Cindy doesn’t want her child to be there, it’s perfect for me. Why would I go out of my way to cause trouble for myself?”

“And, since the child doesn’t look like old Lopez, seeing him wouldn’t make me associate him with old Lopez, so naturally, I wouldn’t get mad either.”

Mrs. Lopez finished the tea in her cup and stood up, “Besides, I have no proof that the child belongs to the Lopez family.”

“I can’t get the child’s belongings for a DNA test, and there’s no evidence based on your word alone. Where could I find the confidence?”

“There’s no need for me to work so hard for the Lopez family for a child that is not mine. What’s in it for me?” Mrs. Lopez mocked.

“So I saw the child, and that’s enough. Since the child’s mother doesn’t want him, I don’t need to interfere. Whether you want to get involved or not, that’s up to you.”

“After all, you’re his sister, you two sisters should handle your own affairs and not involve me,” Mrs. Lopez said.

“So…” Wendy hesitated, “If I convince Cindy, would you still welcome her child to the Lopez family?”

“Making someone do something against their will never ends well. Even if you convince me to bring the child back, he already has a bond with Cindy. They would miss each other, and the child would cry to see Cindy. Cindy might come to bother us from time to time, wanting to see the child. How can we have peace in our house?”

“Doing that would be asking for trouble instead of charity,” Mrs. Lopez sarcastically commented, “Do you think I’m the kind of person who seeks trouble?”

Wendy: “…”

“The child we have now was brought home when he was just born. He’s innocent and doesn’t know his mother isn’t me, nor does he know where his real mother is,” Mrs. Lopez said.

“His mother has never shown her face.”

As Mrs. Lopez continued, she watched Wendy Clarke’s expression closely.

Seeing Wendy’s eyes dodge her gaze, Mrs. Lopez withdrew her look.

She hid her eyes, wanting to beat Wendy violently, but she had to restrain herself. A small fit of anger would only ruin her overall plan.

“My son doesn’t know he has another mother, so he won’t complain and ask for her. To him, I am his birth mother,” Mrs. Lopez said.

“I don’t worry that his mother will appear because if she wanted him, she wouldn’t have abandoned him when he was just a baby,” Mrs. Lopez said.

“Cindy, on the other hand, at least raised her child until now,” she continued, “this would be the situation that would actually worry me.”

Wendy’s eyes flickered.

Apparently, it was time to find an opportunity to meet that child.

She had to do it while he was still young and easily deceived.

Chapter 632: I’m Hurt by Your Gazes

She seized the opportunity to soothe him and let him know that she was his biological mother.

She let him know that she had no choice but to abandon him at that time.

In the future, other things would be easier.

She would have an easier time getting the property of the Liu family.

Fortunately, Mrs. Lopez reminded her. Now that Mrs. Lopez was about to leave, Wendy did not stop her.

Mrs. Lopez would not deal with Cindy’s matter. Wendy only wanted Mrs. Lopez to confirm Cindy’s son.

If Mrs. Lopez was willing to trouble Cindy, even better.

As long as it caused a commotion, Cindy would lose face.

Unfortunately, Mrs. Lopez did not go to trouble Cindy.

So Wendy had to handle this matter herself.

Wendy thought that it was time for her to deal with the restaurant issue quickly and rush to Belfard.

As for the restaurant side, the lawyer she found in Nork City had already told her about the approximate compensation.

But it would not be that much.

Everyone would get a few thousand to ten thousand. He would try to negotiate with the other party and minimize the compensation.

But the upper limit was ten thousand.

Wendy could accept this number, and even if she had to pay compensation, she wouldn’t feel too much pain.

By now, she was thinking about hurriedly paying up and moving on.

After resolving the matter quickly, she could deal with other things.

Cindy was in Belfard. She couldn’t rest for a day without going there.

Finally, on the day before the Lunar New Year, Wendy resolved the compensation issue at the restaurant.

She immediately prepared to take Christy Xenos and Joshua Clarke to Belfard to find Cindy.

“When are we going?” Christy couldn’t wait to ask.

Wendy calculated the time and said, “We’ll go before her next competition starts.”

“The address Cindy gave you is definitely fake. I don’t believe she lives there, so we don’t need to go there directly. The most direct and effective way is to go to the racecourse and confront her.”

“Last time when you were leaving the racecourse, you said you were about to go backstage but got swept away by the sudden crowd, so you couldn’t find Cindy successfully. This time we won’t wait. Once the competition is over.”

“As soon as they enter the field for the competition, you call out for Cindy.”

“I don’t believe that, with her hearing such a loud shout on the spot, she can pretend not to hear it. The audience hears it, other players hear it, even the judges and the high-level organizers hear it. There’s no way Cindy can hide.”

“Even if we have to make a scene on the field, we must find Cindy!” Wendy said with a heavy voice.

She really couldn’t take it anymore with Cindy!

Christy quickly nodded and hurriedly began to prepare.

On the morning of the Lunar New Year, Cindy and Adrian Zhekova had breakfast and took Morgan Zhekova to the family mansion early in the morning.

Now it was already very cold, and Morgan was wearing a down jacket, looking like a little ball.

There was also a fluffy hat covering her ears on her head.

Her hands were also thick gloves, and she was wearing snow boots.

Although the car was heated and not cold on the way

The family mansion was too big.

After getting off the car, they still had to walk a long way in the courtyard.

While in the car, Morgan got so hot taking off her hat and gloves, even the down jacket was taken off.

When they reached the family mansion and parked, Wendy quickly put all of the clothes back on Morgan before getting out of the car.

Entering the family mansion, they walked through the courtyard and then some galleries.

The galleries surrounded the courtyard, and there were artificial mountains and streams in the middle.

The arrangement of these artificial mountains and streams was also exquisite.

They were all arranged for feng shui purposes by the Xero family.

Although it was cold, the artificial stream was still flowing because the water was always flowing and hadn’t frozen.

At this time, it was still making a “gurgling” sound, and it was flowing in the wind.

“There’s no snow yet. When it gets colder in a few days, and it starts snowing, the artificial mountains will have a layer of white snow all over them. The edges of the stream, the stones, and the plants will also be covered in white.”

Adrian pointed at the eaves across the room: “Even these bridges and eaves will all be white. The scenery seems to travel back in time, all the way back to ancient times.”

“Although those scenic spots and historical sites also have this effect, there are too many tourists, too crowded, and even the beautiful scenery discounts. The family mansion has fewer people, especially when it’s cold, everyone is indoors, and the outdoors are even emptier, making it perfect for photos.”

“Can I come back when it snows?” Morgan was very interested in what Adrian said.

He already liked playing in the snow. Besides, there was such beautiful scenery, and he couldn’t help but look forward to it.

He hoped it would snow today.

“Sure,” Adrian agreed quickly. “On the day it snows, no matter what day it is, I’ll bring you over immediately.”

“Anyway, you’ll finish school early in the nursery. When we come back, it will still be daylight, so we’ll have time.” Adrian promised, “Even if we don’t have time, I’ll ask for a day off and bring you back to play.”

Morgan was a little dazed.

Why did Daddy become so nice!?

He was so good to him!

Morgan was a little overwhelmed.

Not to mention Morgan, even Cindy was a little surprised.

Adrian usually argued with Morgan, but it was rare to see such a loving fatherly side.

Adrian: “…”

“I feel like I’ve been hurt by your gazes,” Adrian said helplessly.

Cindy quickly reassured him: “No, no, I just think you spoil Morgan too much.”

Speaking of which, she was afraid that Adrian’s stubbornness would kick in and he’d stop spoiling him.

Cindy quickly said: “That’s really great.”

One could say that Cindy now truly understood Adrian’s stubbornness.

Morgan happily shook Adrian’s hand: “Daddy, you’re so good! You should spoil me like this in the future too!”

Adrian thought to himself, once you have a sister, who will spoil you?

Since they always came to the family mansion and weren’t guests, they were family members now.

So, Butler Howard didn’t come to pick them up anymore.

The three of them went to the Main Hall themselves.

Walking and talking along the way, they arrived at the Main Hall, where the two elders were playing with their mobile phones.

The Old Madam was chasing TV dramas, and the Old Master was watching the news.

From far away, they heard the child’s voice: “Great Grandfather! Great Grandmother!”

Not long after the voice fell, they saw the little kid rolling in like a snowball.

Of course, it was actually him running in, but because his legs were short and he was wearing such thick clothing, the white down jacket wrapped him up tightly. Didn’t it look like a rolling white snowball?

“Oh, come in and warm up. Don’t rush to take off your clothes. Wait until you’re warmed up before you undress,” the Old Madam put down her phone and pulled the child over. “Otherwise, you’ll catch a cold from the sudden change from cold to warm.”

Chapter 633: Remembering your preferences

The indoor floor was heated, making the room very warm.

The temperature was so high that they even had to crack open a window to maintain a comfortable level.

The two elderly people were wearing thin T-shirts inside the house.

The moment the little one was enveloped by this warmth, his tiny face instantly turned a rosy red.

Old Madam touched his face again; it was warm.

Only then did she let him take off his coat.

It was the eve of the Chinese Lunar New Year, and Cindy figured that since she was here, she might as well prepare dinner and cook some good dishes.

But the Old Madam protested: “That won’t do. Even though you’re an excellent cook and you even have the approval of a Michelin three-star chef, Michael Greene, it’s a waste not to let you show off your skills when you’re at home.”

“But it’s enough to just make one or two dishes; you shouldn’t have to cook a whole feast.”

“You didn’t marry into the Zhekova Family to do chores or to be a cook for our family.” the Old Madam said, “Cooking is your profession. You cook enough outside, and when you come home, you should be able to relax.”

“You shouldn’t have to cook for the whole family when you come back.” the Old Madam said again.

Hadn’t they found Aunt Evans’ cooking satisfactory before they had Cindy?

They couldn’t possibly make Cindy do it all by herself.

“Grandmother, I think it’s odd that I have the ability but choose not to do anything. Besides, I love my job. Even if I have to do it at home, I don’t find it tiring.”

“Grandmother, I don’t feel like you’re making me do any hard work by letting me take care of dinner.”

After much coaxing, the Old Madam finally gave in. However, she still didn’t agree to let Cindy cook a whole feast, only one or two special dishes, and that was enough.

“How about I make dumplings?” Cindy thought for a moment and then suggested.

It is a tradition to eat dumplings on the eve of Lunar New Year in Northern China.

“We still have some at home. I made them in advance and stored them in the freezer so we can cook them tonight.” Aunt Evans hurriedly said.

“Mom, Dad, are you discussing what to eat tonight?” Maverick Zhekova and Victoria Wheeler joined the conversation.

Butler Howard and Aunt Evans came over, each taking coats and scarves from Maverick and Victoria.

“Yes, Cindy insists on cooking a couple of dishes.” the Old Madam said with a smile, “We’re thinking about what to make.”

“How about a hotpot?” Victoria suggested immediately.

“Today is particularly cold, can you hear how loud the wind is outside?” Victoria pointed out.

As if on cue, the wind outside slapped against the windows.

When it passed through the cracks in the windows, it made a whistling sound. Perfectly setting the scene.

“Huddled together enjoying a steaming hotpot, it’s lively and warm!” Thinking of hotpot, Victoria was salivating now, “Just the thought of it makes me feel warm all over.”

“Also, I’ve been craving hotpot for the past few days.” Victoria mentioned, “But Maverick has been busy and hasn’t found the time to take me. I desperately crave it.”

“Alright then, let’s have hotpot tonight.” the Old Madam decided.

Hotpot didn’t require Cindy to lift a finger.

Adrian Zhekova directly called Bertrand York’s hotpot restaurant to deliver the broth and ingredients.

The Sichuan-style hotpot at Bertrand’s restaurant, with its authentic mala hotpot, was exceedingly good.

The chefs were all authentic Sichuan chefs, and all the ingredients were shipped in from Sichuan.

With hotpot sorted for dinner, Cindy simply waited to prepare a simple dessert after dinner.

Especially after a heated and spicy hotpot meal, a refreshing dessert would be perfect.

By six o’clock, the hotpot from Bertrand York’s restaurant had arrived. There were four styles: a spicy mala hotpot, tomato hotpot, bone soup hotpot, and mushroom hotpot.

Even the dipping sauces were prepared exactly as in the restaurant, each with a large portion so that they could mix and match according to their preferences.

As for the hot pot ingredients, they included fatty beef, fatty lamb, spicy beef, tofu pudding, fresh duck blood, tripe, fat intestine, duck intestines, yellow throat, fried sausage, wide noodles, fish tofu, frozen tofu, and oil gluten.

The vegetables were readily available at home. Aunt Evans washed some pea sprouts, spinach, chrysanthemum, baby bok choy, yau mak choy, and choy sum.

Cindy then prepared a few refreshing cold dishes.

When you get tired of eating hot pot, you can have some cold dishes to alleviate the greasiness.

Especially when the spicy hot pot is fried with beef fat, the oil can feel heavy.

Afterwards, Cindy prepared a small dessert for post-dinner.

The dessert was simple, Italian milk pudding.

It was somewhat like pudding, similar to jelly, and cool and slippery to taste.

Cindy first soaked gelatin sheets in water, then added light cream to an empty pot, heating it while adding sugar.

Considering the elderly, Cindy didn’t add too much sugar.

There was no xylitol readily available in the family mansion, so sugar was the only option.

While heating and stirring evenly, she warmed the cream until it was slightly thick, and then added a little liqueur.

She then added the soaked gelatin sheets into the cream, letting them dissolve in the cream.

The cream that had been heated to a thick consistency was still slightly thinner than a paste, still in liquid form.

She then poured it into bowl-shaped molds.

There was still some cream left in the pot.

Cindy then added some sesame paste to it and stirred it evenly, before putting it into new molds.

She then placed these in the refrigerator to freeze.

Cindy saw some cherries in the refrigerator.

She took them out, removed the pits, added sugar and water, and after bringing them to a boil in a pot, she reduced the heat to simmer it down into a thick cherry sauce.

During the simmering process, she also crushed the cherries with a spoon to make the cherry sauce more delicate.

After the sauce thickened, she put it in the refrigerator for later use.

“Cindy, come and have hot pot!” The Old Madam called from outside.

Cindy hurriedly went out.

She found that everything was already set.

“I’ve prepared your dipping sauce.” Adrian Zhekova said.

He now knew exactly what Cindy liked.

He didn’t need to ask Cindy, nor did she have to do it herself.

Adrian Zhekova assured that he could prepare it well for Cindy.

He didn’t even have such knowledge about Morgan Zhekova’s preferences.

As Cindy sat down, she saw that Adrian Zhekova had already prepared her sauce.

A small spoonful of sesame sauce, fermented bean curd, leek flower sauce was added, along with some chives, cilantro, garlic paste, oyster sauce, and aged vinegar.

This was exactly how Cindy liked to eat.

It was like a fusion of North and South dipping sauces.

Sichuan hotpot usually uses an oil-based dipping sauce, adding chives, cilantro, and garlic paste. Some people like to add a bit of oyster sauce and aged vinegar.

But Cindy still liked the taste of sesame sauce.

So, she replaced the oil in the oil dish with sesame sauce, and also added fermented bean curd and leek flower sauce, which are essential in northern copper pot hot pot dipping sauces.

“How do you know my preferences so well?” Cindy looked at Adrian Zhekova in surprise.

When they usually had meals, Cindy would always prepare it herself if she had the time.

“I’ve seen you prepare it many times, so I remember your preferences,” said Adrian Zhekova nonchalantly.

Chapter 634: Where Did the Dog’s Temper Go?

Adrian Zhekova didn’t start with fussing over everything for Cindy Clarke.

He just silently observed from the side.

He didn’t say anything, but he kept mental notes of every bit of information he gathered about Cindy.

He didn’t miss a single detail.

Day after day, moment after moment, he kept track.

And now, it has become like this.

Without asking, without speaking, he can automatically make what Cindy likes.

Maverick Zhekova looked on with jealousy at Adrian, wondering where his old, dog-like temper went.

Adrian’s satisfaction from Cindy’s praise filled his gaze as he looked at the sauce he had made for her.

Suddenly, his ears twitched a few times.

Adrian glanced at Maverick and noticed the table in front of him.

He then said with a surprised face, “Dad, haven’t you made the sauce for Mom?”

Maverick Zhekova: “…”

Adrian then said, as if talking to himself, “You always mention how much you care for your wife but don’t even know her taste preferences?”

Cindy: “…”

Does he have a grudge against his dad or what?

Now she suddenly realized that Adrian and Morgan’s constant bickering and mutual dislike of each other were indeed hereditary.

As were the daily attempts to annoy each other into anger.

Victoria Wheeler wisely remained silent and didn’t speak a word.

This father and son duo had been like this for quite some time, and she couldn’t risk stoking the fire.

Maverick “heh heh”ed a couple of times, swapping his sauce bowl with Victoria’s.

Maverick said, “This is the sauce I made for your mom.”

Victoria’s bowl was still empty, waiting for Maverick to make her dipping sauce.

Maverick then made another bowl of sauce for himself.

Seeing that everyone was looking, Victoria quickly nodded, “Yeah, yeah.”

Cindy finally understood that, despite Victoria’s usual pampering and Maverick’s frequent agreement with her, when it mattered, Victoria still gave Maverick face.

“Come on, let’s eat. At the end, we can just throw dumplings into the bone soup or the mushroom hotpot. It’ll save us time,” said the Old Madam with a smile. “Victoria, this idea is great. No one will need to do anything at night.”

The little one was quite skilled with chopsticks normally, but hotpot chopsticks were much longer than regular ones.

His little hands can’t grip this length, let alone handle the long chopsticks fluently.

So Aunt Evans prepared a long fork for him, a Swiss special cheese pot fork.

It was slenderer and longer than a normal fork.

A regular fork has three prongs, but this one has two.

But the length was perfect for hotpot.

It was very convenient.

The little guy dipped a piece of fatty beef into the bone soup first.

He was very particular about having his beef slice only slightly cooked, taking it out when it was still pinkish in color.

When he took a bite, it had a melting-in-the-mouth sensation.

He closed his eyes with satisfaction.

With a dramatic hum, his whole body swayed excitedly as if caught up in the enticement, making others drool a bit in response.

The others dipped their food in the spicy pot.

The rich aroma of beef fat mixed with pepper spread throughout the room.

The little one was enticed by the fragrance, although his tolerance for spice was not quite up to hotpot level.

But watching the adults eat made it hard for him to resist.

In the end, he asked Cindy, “Cindy, I want to try dipping it in the spicy pot too.”

Cindy replied, “Can you handle that much spice?”

Morgan thought about it and said, “Worst comes to worst, I can rinse it with water.”

Aunt Evans promptly handed him a bowl of hot water, placing it in front of him.

If he couldn’t handle the spice, he could always rinse it in hot water first.

The meat retained much of the spicy flavor even after rinsing, leaving it still partly spicy.

Morgan tried it first and found it too spicy, gulping down several mouthfuls of cold Coke to soothe it.

But the combination of spiciness and beef fat aroma was irresistible, so he couldn’t stop and speared a piece of fatty lamb roll instead.

After dipping the roll in the spicy pot, he dipped it into the hot water before applying sauce.

The spiciness was still a bit too much for him, but it was tolerable now.

Victoria grabbed a piece of tripe and swished it in the spicy pot following the seven-up, eight-down rhythm.

When she scooped it out, the tripe was slightly curled and had a nice crisp and tender texture when bitten, not overcooked to become rubbery like a rubber band.

Everyone was eating enthusiastically when snowflakes began to fall outside the window.

Everyone was too occupied with eating to notice the outside scene.

Aunt Evans was the first to see it.

She pointed to the window and called out, “It’s snowing!”

At her words, everyone looked outside.

By now, night had fallen over Sky City.

But the lights in the family mansion’s courtyard were still shining, only turning off automatically at 2 AM.

Thus, the mansion’s night scene was always beautiful.

When snow began to fall, it only added an extra touch of magic compared to the daytime scene.

The little one could not take his eyes off the snowfall outside the window.

After watching for a while, he turned to Adrian and asked, “Dad, can I go out and see the snow?”

“Have you eaten enough?” Adrian asked.

Morgan patted his round belly and said, “I have a little bit of space left. I’ll just go out and take a look. When I come back, I’ll still have room for more.”

Adrian: “…”

He really wanted to warn the little one to be careful not to eat too much and lose his current handsomeness or become an ordinary boy.

But he thought better of it and didn’t want to discourage him that way.

Adrian said, “Alright, then dress warmly before going out. Don’t catch a cold. And don’t go too far, just stay and look in the courtyard.”

Aunt Evans offered, “I’ll go with Morgan to have a look.”

Adrian replied, “No need, he can go by himself. You keep eating.”

“He’s the one who wants to go out and play during mealtime. There’s no reason for anyone to accompany him without eating.”

Adrian then assumed the role of a strict father. Morgan insisted, “I can go by myself! I won’t go far, just walk around the courtyard.”

Adrian added, “Right now, there’s no snow accumulation in the courtyard, only snowflakes falling. Let’s see how heavy tonight’s snowfall is. If it’s thick enough to form a layer, it’ll be even more beautiful tomorrow.”

Morgan’s excitement grew, “So if it snows all night, by tomorrow morning, we’ll be able to see the snow piled up?”

“That’s right.” Adrian nodded.

Chapter 635: Don’t Want to Give Up

“Then I’ll stay here tonight. If it snows heavily, I’ll stay here and can see the snowy scenery early tomorrow morning.”

Adrian Zhekova raised his eyebrows and hooked the corner of his lips.

It was this kid who said he wouldn’t go home, not them who didn’t take him home.

So, Cindy Clarke got Morgan Zhekova in his down jacket, put on a hat and gloves, and changed his snow boots.

Little Morgan was now wrapped up like a ball, bending down, and having difficulty seeing the snow boots on his feet.

“Wearing these shoes today was really wise, just in time for the snow.”

Cindy felt a bit sorry for the inexperienced kid. Looking at the snowstorm, there won’t be much, not even a thin layer.

Though the kid was born and raised in Belfard.

But in the past three years, he hadn’t really been keeping a record!

Being young, he wouldn’t go out on cold snowy days.

So for snow, he had seen it but didn’t have much experience.

After he put on the clothes, the kid ran into the yard. When they were eating hotpot in the house, they could still see the child playing outside through the window.

He kept catching snowflakes with his hands.

And from time to time, he raised his head and opened his mouth to catch falling snowflakes.

He also took pictures of the snowy courtyard with his mobile phone.

It took a while for the kid to come back.

His little face was red and flushed, with snowflakes accumulating on his hat and clothes.

Finally, Aunt Evans brought out the dumplings and put them in the bone soup pot and the mushroom soup pot.

Everyone started scooping up the dumplings to eat.

The feeling of cooking and picking up like this was very different. The dumplings were so hot that they burnt the mouth, and the dumpling skin was slippery. The soup in the filling hadn’t been absorbed by the dumpling skin yet.

Take a bite, and the soup would burst in the mouth, even a bit tongue-burning.

Cindy went to the refrigerator to get the frozen milk jelly and sesame milk jelly, pouring cherry sauce on the milk jelly.

While the sesame milk jelly didn’t have anything poured on it.

Because it already had sesame paste in it.

Together with Aunt Evans, they brought the milk jelly out to everyone as a dessert after the meal.

“This is delicious, with a rich milky flavor, not too sweet, and with the sour and sweet taste of the cherry sauce, it’s very refreshing. So cold and smooth, it’s like eating pudding.” Aunt Evans ate with a smile on her face, “How did you make this? It’s so good.”

“This is very simple, I’ll write it down for you later, and you can make it when you have time,” Cindy said with a smile.

“Good, good,” Aunt Evans nodded quickly.

At 9 p.m., it was almost time for them to leave.

It was still snowing.

Little Morgan was reluctant to leave, wanting to go home with Cindy, but also wanted to stay in the old mansion to see the snow scenery.

However, Little New Year’s Day, although a holiday, was not a day off.

Tomorrow is Friday, and he still had to go to Nursery.

Old Madam saw the kid’s dilemma and said, “Isn’t Cindy’s competition on Saturday? You guys are coming over too. You can come and see the snow then. The snow on the ground has to be swept clean anyway, otherwise, it will be slippery. But the snow on the roof won’t disperse for a few days, so there will still be some on Saturday.”

Upon hearing this, Little Morgan’s eyes lit up: “That’s a great idea!”

Adrian Zhekova: “…”

Does the old lady not want him to have a second child?

Why is she hindering him against his best interest?

The old lady gave him a glance.

Even if she wanted to have a second child, she couldn’t neglect her great-grandson.

So in the end, Morgan followed Adrian and Cindy back home in the snow.

Once Little New Year’s Day was over, the next day was Friday.

Wendy Clarke packed her things, booked a hotel and plane tickets, and came to Belfard with Christy Xenos and Joshua Clarke.

The three checked into the hotel and stored their luggage.

Wendy booked a separate room for herself, and a room for Joshua Clarke and Christy Xenos.

After settling into her room, Wendy called Edward Lopez.

Edward Lopez was the trust-fund baby who had gone back to Nork City with Ella Doone.

Wendy had met Edward Lopez through Ella Doone.

Knowing that Edward’s family was in Belfard and had some power.

Edward was well known in the young master circles of Belfard.

He often appeared as gossip news with Wyatt Kirk, and on Facebook hot topics.

As an ultra-rich young master, he had considerable connections and status in Belfard, and his friends were all famous trust-fund babies in Belfard and S City.

So he was extremely popular among young netizens.

Usually, when he went out to play, attended events or met with friends, others would take pictures and put him on hot topics.

He could be recognized by passers-by the first time, and his photos would be reposted on the Internet in large numbers.

So when Wendy learned that Edward Lopez was among those who returned to Nork City with Ella, she was really surprised.

Even in Nork City, anyone with access to the internet would naturally know about Edward Lopez.

Although Edward Lopez studied abroad, he still came back during the holidays.

As soon as he returned to Hearth Nation, he was always on trending topics.

About three or four times a week.

How could Wendy be unfamiliar with him?

So when she met Ella, she also met Edward Lopez.

Wendy had used all her tricks to get in with Edward and exchanged Whatsapp numbers and phone numbers.

Even when she was busy dealing with the restaurant in Nork City, she took every opportunity to video call Edward.

That time Christy Xenos broke into the study without knocking and saw her with her shirt collar open and revealing, was not the first time.

Wendy knew she had to give Edward some sweetness to keep him on the hook.

With someone like Edward, who hasn’t seen what kind of women?

How he played abroad, even if she didn’t know or hadn’t seen media reports about it, she could imagine.

Not to mention every time he returned to Hearth Nation, he never lacked women by his side.

Every time the media photographed him and Wyatt Kirk together, there were always a bunch of beautiful girls around them.

It was unknown who was their female companion, or perhaps, all of them were.

In any case, every time they were photographed, the girls accompanying them were not the same.

For someone like Edward, who plays around and can’t settle for one, it’s really hard to pin him down.

To really catch him requires some effort.

Wendy knew her age wasn’t an advantage.

Many 19 or 20-year-olds were following Edward.

At 26, she didn’t have much of a competitive edge.

Besides, with Edward’s flirtatious nature, she might not be able to keep him anyway.

But Wendy didn’t want to miss this opportunity.

Because it was rare for her to meet someone at Edward’s level, not to mention that it was hard for her to meet the ultra-rich young master circles from Belfard, which was at the center of Hearth Nation, when she was far away in Nork City.

Even if she was born and raised in Belfard, she wouldn’t have been able to meet the upper-class people there if it wasn’t for an excellent opportunity.

It’s even rarer for her to come across someone like Edward Lopez.

Chapter 636: Going to the Competition

Therefore, even if Edward Lopez is fickle, Wendy Clarke knows that it is difficult for herself to tie him down.

But she still wants to give it a try.

If she misses Edward Lopez, she doesn’t know if she will have the chance to find someone else of his level.

Of course, in her heart, she also wants to use Edward Lopez as a stepping stone.

Being in Belfard and having a longer relationship with Edward Lopez, she will definitely work hard to find opportunities to attend some gatherings in their social circle together.

If she can meet someone more suitable, she wouldn’t need Edward Lopez anymore.

But before that, she still needs to cling to him.

This is a bit difficult for Wendy Clarke.

After all, there are too many girls around Edward Lopez, young and beautiful.

Her advantage is that she is wealthy, has a career, independent, and walks the path of a strong woman.

Unlike those girls, she doesn’t need to rely on him and doesn’t seem to care about his money because she has money herself.

But just doing this is not enough, flirting with Edward Lopez, giving him some sweetness, but not completely giving in to him.

After all, there’s a saying, what you can’t get is always seductive.

As long as Edward Lopez gets a taste and can’t get her,

Wendy Clarke doesn’t believe he won’t be tempted, won’t remember her, and won’t want to possess her.

Coming to Belfard this time, besides causing trouble for Cindy Clarke, she also wants to find Edward Lopez.

Even if there was no Cindy, she would come sooner or later.

She must break into a higher social circle and meet wealthier people who are more suitable for marriage.

Her goal of marrying into a wealthy family has never changed.

Edward Lopez has been back in Belfard for such a long time, and she doesn’t know how many more women he has around him or if he has forgotten her.

Whether he is still interested in her or not.

Wendy Clarke took a deep breath, waiting for Edward Lopez to answer the phone.

It didn’t take long for Edward Lopez to answer the phone.

“Wendy Clarke?” Edward Lopez’s voice came through the phone.

“It’s me.” Wendy Clarke laughed softly, “I just arrived in Belfard today.”

Edward Lopez raised his eyebrows slightly and asked with a hint of surprise in his tone, “What are you doing in Belfard?”

Wendy Clarke chuckled charmingly and coldly, saying, “You didn’t think I came for you, did you?”

Edward Lopez raised one eyebrow again: “Isn’t it?”

Wendy Clarke laughed sarcastically and said, “I came to find my sister. I just found out she’s in Belfard. I rushed over after finishing up my work in Nork City.”

“It just happens that you and Ella Doone are both in Belfard, so I contacted you. You didn’t think I would come here and contact you first, did you?” Wendy Clarke spoke as if she didn’t care about Edward Lopez.

“Anyway, besides contacting my sister in Belfard, I have nothing else to do. I just thought if you guys have time, we can get together.” Wendy said.

“Well, that’s it. Gotta go.” Wendy Clarke hung up the phone before Edward Lopez could say anything.

Edward Lopez looked at the hung-up mobile phone and raised his eyebrows.

He knew Wendy Clarke’s approach, acting indifferent but inviting. She wants to play hard to get, but did not think it would work on him.

However, Wendy Clarke’s little scheming was interesting to him.

At least it could maintain some freshness, and he wouldn’t get tired of her too quickly.

He could play along with her for a while.

After hanging up the phone, Wendy Clarke immediately called Ella Doone.

She had already told Edward Lopez that she had contacted Ella Doone.

If Edward Lopez were to ask Ella Doone later, she hadn’t contacted her, wouldn’t it expose her lie?

So, she had to contact Ella Doone before Edward Lopez did.

It didn’t take long for Ella Doone to answer the phone.

Wendy Clarke immediately switched to a cheerful and enthusiastic tone: “Ella, it’s me, Wendy Clarke.”

“Wendy Clarke?” Ella Doone laughed, “Why did you suddenly call?”

Ella Doone doesn’t have strong feelings about Wendy Clarke, good or bad.

Ella Doone doesn’t feel close to her.

The two of them were introduced by Erica Yves.

But Ella Doone is still cautious with people and won’t easily confide in them.

With a clear-headed mother like Brenda Wright teaching her on regular days, and the influence of inherited personality traits,

Ella Doone wouldn’t be easily fooled.

Even when it comes to Edward Lopez, Ella Doone’s relationship with him isn’t all that great.

They are just ordinary friends hanging out together, forming a group when the timing is right, and having fun together.

Nothing more than that.

Being friends with these people, they can help each other in business later on.

If they are really close friends, it depends on how deep the interests are intertwined.

Therefore, Ella Doone still maintains a superficial enthusiasm towards Wendy Clarke.

She doesn’t offend her, but their friendship isn’t deep.

“I’m here in Belfard to handle some things and thought of you guys having fun in Belfard. So, I contacted you to see when you have time and we can get together. When we were in Nork City, you guys didn’t stay long, and we didn’t get to hang out for very long.” Wendy Clarke said.

“Sure,” Ella Doone nodded in agreement, “Did you come to Belfard for business?”

“No, just taking care of some personal affairs.” Wendy Clarke replied.

“I see,” Ella Doone thought for a moment and said, “We’re here to have fun, and we have plenty of time, with no particularly important matters. It’s better to see when you’re available to meet up.”

Wendy Clarke nodded and said, “How about tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow…” Ella Doone hesitated for a moment.

Wendy Clarke scoffed in her heart. Ella Doone had just said they had time anytime, and now she hesitated when Wendy Clarke asked about it.

Wendy Clarke wondered if Ella Doone was doing it on purpose.

Is it possible that Ella Doone has some intentions towards Edward Lopez too?

So, she speaks nicely on the surface, but when it comes time to meet up, she finds excuses to avoid it.

Wendy Clarke then asked hesitantly, “Do you guys have anything going on tomorrow?”

Ella Doone laughed and said, “There’s nothing too important, actually. We just bought tickets for the Cooking Competition tomorrow. We’re going to see it. When we were in Nork City, we heard that this competition is very exciting. We happen to be in Belfard now and figured we didn’t have anything else to do, so we’re going to watch the competition.”

There are many famous spots in Belfard, but Ella Doone and her friends won’t go to these spots like tourists with a full daily schedule.

The Doones also have property in Belfard, and Ella Doone usually lives in their villa in Belfard.

They go to the sights when they feel like it, or maybe go shopping at a mall, have a cup of coffee, or go to a famous restaurant, then visit the spot.

They enjoy themselves leisurely and don’t care about time. They leave when they’ve had enough fun.

Chapter 637: A Sudden Change in Fortune for the Poor

There’s no particular plan. Whenever we feel like going somewhere to have fun, we just go there.

So, they happened to come across the Cooking Competition, and Ella Doone bought tickets to watch.

Upon hearing this, Wendy Clarke immediately said, “What a coincidence, I was planning to go too. Have you bought tickets already?”

Ella Doone replied, “Yes, we have. Have you?”

Wendy thought for a moment and said, “No, I was planning to buy tickets for next week. I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to get tickets for tomorrow after I arrived.”

Actually, she had bought them a long time ago.

She bought three tickets.

Although she couldn’t get VIP seats because they were not for sale to the public.

But she got relatively good seats, planning to watch the competition with Christy Xenos and Joshua Clarke.

However, if Ella Doone was going too, it would be inconvenient to take Christy Xenos and Joshua Clarke along.

Christy Xenos and Joshua Clarke were inexperienced.

Although Joshua Clarke was not very talkative.

Christy Xenos, on the other hand, had no experience and was very talkative.

A few words would reveal the truth of their lack of sophistication.

At the same time, it would expose their family’s lack of background and the fact that they had suddenly become rich.

And although their family was wealthy now, Christy Xenos and Joshua Clarke still had the aura of commoners, and it wouldn’t be something that could be easily shaken off.

They would be seen right through by trust-fund babies like Ella Doone and Edward Lopez, who have lived extravagantly since they were young.

So, Ella Doone and Edward Lopez must not see Christy Xenos and Joshua Clarke or else they would look down on them and think Wendy was not worthy of being in their circle.

If she went with Ella and Edward tomorrow, Wendy wouldn’t let Christy and Joshua go.

They would only hold her back.

“Edward and I got tickets for VIP seats. If you want to go tomorrow, we’ll buy one more for you,” Ella said.

Wendy exclaimed with surprise, “I wanted to buy VIP tickets too, but they weren’t for sale. How did you get them?”

Ella laughed and said, “It’s all thanks to Edward. He has a lot of connections in Belfard, so getting VIP tickets from Pingla Group was quite easy.”

Wendy envied her in her heart.

This was the power of having connections in Belfard, even for such a small matter.

If it were her, she would be like a headless fly, not knowing where to find connections to get tickets, right?

Wendy’s determination to enter the circle of Belfard’s ultra-rich was even stronger.

The small scope of Nork City could not satisfy her at all.

Take Ella Doone, for example, the daughter of Nork City’s richest businessman.

She really didn’t amount to much in Belfard; the Doones were only local snakes in Nork City after all.

While they had some prowess in Nork City, they didn’t have much to offer in Belfard.

Didn’t Ella also rely on Edward to get tickets for the Cooking Competition?

After thinking it through, Wendy immediately said to Ella, “If you can get me a ticket too, that would be great.”

Ella readily agreed, “Ok, I’ll talk to Edward later and arrange it. I’ll let you know when it’s done.”

Wendy happily agreed, and then ended the call with Ella.

She originally wanted to meet Edward alone tonight, but didn’t expect him to show such an attitude.

Of course, Wendy couldn’t make herself too eager.

If she wanted to keep him hanging, she had to play her part.

So even though she felt a little regretful and really wanted to see him, she held back.

Wendy left her room and went straight to Christy Xenos and Joshua Clarke’s room.

Christy opened the door for Wendy, who entered and said, “You two don’t go to tomorrow’s competition.”

“What’s going on?” Christy asked with a big reaction as soon as she heard.

“I have my plans. Leave it be for now. Don’t go tomorrow. I’ll go scout ahead and see from there,” Wendy said, “Don’t you trust me? Just listen to me.”

Christy could only nod, as she had a lot of faith in Wendy’s abilities.

Joshua Clarke, on the other hand, was a bit worried and admonished Wendy, “When you meet Cindy tomorrow, don’t make things difficult for her. She’s had a hard time these past few years.”

Wendy immediately turned cold, “She’s had a hard time, but haven’t I? Besides, the things she told you last time might not even be true, and now you’re already speaking up for her.”

“Dad, have you ever considered my feelings?”

“I… I didn’t mean it like that.” Joshua stammered.

Wendy irritably said, “Dad, stop meddling. I know what I’m doing. Besides, you didn’t handle things well last time, so don’t worry about what I do.”

If it weren’t for the fact that Joshua and Christy were useless, would she need to make another trip here?

With that, Wendy returned to her room.

The next day was Saturday.

Adrian Zhekova and Cindy Clarke first took Morgan Zhekova to the family mansion to play in the snow.

It had snowed heavily on Thursday night, and it hadn’t melted after a day.

Aside from the main roads indoors being cleaned, the snow on the plants had not been removed. Morgan played in the snow on the plants.

There was also snow on the benches in the corridor.

Morgan gathered the snow on the benches and made a small snowman on each of them.

“There should be a big snowfall before and after the New Year,” the Old Madam said, “Every year during the New Year, Belfard never lacks snow. Auspicious snow signifies a bountiful year. When it gets even colder, the snow will pile up even thicker. You’ll enjoy it even more.”

Hearing this, the little one couldn’t wait for the New Year to come.

Although they couldn’t set off fireworks during the New Year, they could play in the snow, put up spring couplets, and wear new clothes.

Moreover, the nursery would be on vacation, and they wouldn’t have to go to school. They could play at home every day, how great!

In the afternoon, everyone went to the competition venue.

As the weather had gotten colder, the competition venue had been changed to an indoor location.

At the Wells Cultural Center next to the Wells Sports Stadium.

Wells Sports Stadium, Wells Cultural Center, Wells Sports Center, and Wells Diving Stadium formed a complete sports complex.

The Wells Cultural Center hosted large-scale indoor performances, such as the award ceremonies organized by video platforms and satellite TV stations.

The Wells Sports Center mainly hosted basketball games and indoor concerts.

However, the Wells Cultural Center could accommodate even more audience members than the Wells Sports Center.

The Cooking Competition was initially held at the Wells Sports Center.

Later, due to the popularity of that year’s competition and the large number of audience members, it was moved to the Wells Sports Stadium.

Until now, the cold weather made the stadium unsuitable.

But the number of seats in the sports center was not enough, so the competition was moved to the neighboring Cultural Center.

After the Zhekova family members entered the VIP seats, Edward Lopez, Ella Doone, and Wendy Clarke also arrived.

Chapter 638: Help Me Fix Your Sister

However, the Zhekova Family’s seat was right at the front of the VIP section, while the Cultural Center’s VIP area was relatively large, aside from the high-ranking members of the Cooking Competition and the ordinary audiences interested in watching the competition, there was also quite a number of VIP spots left unoccupied.

Wendy Clarke, Ella Doone, and Edward Lopez were among them, quite far away from the Zhekova Family.

The 13 contestants took their places. Edward Lopez swept a glance across the stage and said, “I saw the live broadcast before, and I thought the filters must be making the ladies look prettier. But seeing them in person, they are all really quite attractive.”

Ella Doone did not pick up on his remark, she was used to Edward’s flirtatious nature, and didn’t think much of it.

As for Edward’s comment, she didn’t take it seriously.

Ella Doone then asked Wendy, “By the way, you came to Belfard to find your sister?”

Wendy nodded, “Yes, truth be told, my sister is here, one of the main reasons I came to watch the competition was to find her.”

“She’s here?” Ella Doone said, surprised.

Even Edward turned to look at her. Wendy was annoyed by his previous remarks.

If he thought any of these contestants were attractive, he really didn’t have high standards.

And it was such low standards that kept her entangled with him.

Nevertheless, she said: “Yes, it’s Cindy Clarke.”

Both Edward Lopez and Ella Doone were surprised.

“She previously ran away from home. We’ve been unable to locate her for years. I just happened to see Cindy during the live broadcast and that’s what led me here. She didn’t leave us any form of contact information or hint to her whereabouts, so my only option is to find her at the competition. She didn’t leave any information, let alone any contact information. So, to find her, I had to come to the competition.” Wendy sighed.

Ella Doone nodded, not commenting further.

This was the Clarke Family’s private affair; it wasn’t her business to interfere and frankly, she had little desire to.

However, Edward now seemed interested, he asked curiously, “So Cindy Clarke is your sister?”

Wendy nodded.

Edward touched his nose with his finger and tapped it twice, “I’ve watched a couple of the live broadcasts, and I thought your sister was pretty extraordinary. She’s creative, organized, and most importantly, attractive.”

“There are plenty of beautiful women, but it’s rare to find one who is smart and beautiful like her.”

Wendy’s expression cooled for a second, before she pulled a slightly sarcastic smile, “What, you’re interested in my sister?”

Edward lifted his eyebrow, looking at her without hiding anything, confessing, “Yes, I am.”

Wendy’s face involuntarily darkened.

If he was interested in Cindy, then what exactly did their previous interactions mean?

Edward tapped his watch with the tip of his fingers, “Cindy doesn’t look like a woman who would be easily ensnared, that’s what piques my interest.”

Wendy raised an eyebrow, scoffing internally.

So, what, she had been an easy catch for him?

Edward had a playful look in his eyes, “As her sister, would you introduce us?”

A smile tugged at the corners of Ella’s mouth.

How could she not see Edward’s interest in Wendy?

However, Wendy was likely wasting her efforts.

Edward was not a man of fidelity.

With a smile that suggested indifference, Wendy said, “We haven’t seen each other for five years. She may not listen to me. Plus, she still holds some misconceptions and resentment against me.”

It seemed that Wendy was inoculating herself in advance, in case Cindy truly did build a relationship with Edward and bad-mouthed her in front of him, building resentment against her.

So she said upfront, that she and Cindy were not on good terms.

Therefore, whatever Cindy said couldn’t necessarily be trusted.

“Well, in that case, if I asked you to introduce us, your sister might not listen, would she?” Edward Lopez pointed out.

Wendy chuckled and said, “Maybe not, while our relationship might not be the best, with a tall, rich, and handsome man like you, Young Master Lopez, standing right here, even if she doesn’t like me, how could she resist you?”

“She’s not about to spite herself, is she? With your standing in society, I’m sure any young girl would be unable to resist your charm. Let alone, Cindy, who is merely an internet celebrity. If you really want, I wouldn’t mind giving an introduction.”

Edward raised an eyebrow, “You’re that supportive of me pursuing your sister?”

“Why, are you jealous?”

Wendy chuckled and said, “What does it have to do with me who you take a fancy to? I can’t control it. If you like my sister, go ahead. Do you think you would stop just because I’m not happy about it?”

“But honestly, even if you do pursue Cindy, do you really think you’re going to develop a serious relationship with her?”

“Besides, your family would never agree to you marrying an internet celebrity, right? It’s all just fun and games.”

At her words, Edward moved closer to Wendy, whispering in her ear, “Since you see it so clearly, aren’t you afraid that I’m just toying around with you as well?”

“You’re funny, Young Master Lopez,” laughed Wendy, “Aren’t we just ordinary friends? How could you ‘play around’ with me?”

Wendy turned her head, gazing at Edward with her seductive eyes.

“Ha-ha!” Edward chuckled softly.

The challenge that Cindy appeared to be was indeed, intriguing.

But Wendy, who seemed willing to play games, was also quite interesting.

Edward found himself increasingly unable to let go of Wendy.

“Your sister is temporary,” he whispered in Wendy’s ear, “But you… we still have potential.”

“I know that you didn’t just come to Belfard for me, or your sister. Once you help me win over Cindy, I’ll see to the expansion of your restaurant in Belfard.”

Wendy laughed, “Young Master Lopez, you might have misunderstood my position. I was able to single-handedly develop my family’s restaurant to its current level. While this may not be a big deal in your eyes, I am still capable of independent development. I’m grateful for your willingness to help, but even if you don’t offer, I can still do it on my own. This isn’t a condition for me to help you.”

“You’re becoming more and more interesting,” Edward said with curiosity.

At this moment, the five judges arrived on stage, signaling the imminent start of the competition.

Wesley Gordon said, “Now we only have 13 contestants left, the following competition will have a higher elimination rate. The competition will intensify.”

“In today’s competition, we will directly eliminate three contestants,” Wesley Gordon announced.

Upon hearing Wesley’s words, people were taken aback.

At the outset of the competition, many contestants were eliminated each round.

But as it progressed, the number of contestants eliminated each round dwindled.

It had been a while since the competition required eliminating three contestants in one round.

Though those under Pingla Academy were confident, Cindy’s presence sowed some doubts.

Chapter 639: Don’t Pretend to Be a Big Shot in Front of Me

Throughout the competition, Cindy Clarke’s performance had been incredibly remarkable, never falling out of first place.

They were not worried about Yellen Brooks and Larry Bennett; they had the confidence to beat them.

But with Cindy Clarke present, it meant that one person among the 10 from Pingla Academy would likely be eliminated.

The Pingla Academy team would no longer be complete.

This was the first time in the history of the Cooking Competition that someone had been eliminated beyond the top ten.

Daniel Vahn playfully warned Leon Hernandez and Ava Brown: “You two be careful, you are the last two of us and there isn’t a big difference in your abilities. Either one of you could be eliminated.”

Ava Brown snorted, saying: “If I lose, I lose. It’s no big deal.”

Leon Hernandez also laughed, saying: “Look at Ava’s attitude. As a big guy, I can’t possibly lose to a girl like Ava, right? If I lose, I lose. The attitude is most important.”

Then they heard Wesley Gordon announce, “The subject of today’s competition is ‘abundance.’

“The small years just passed, and it’s not long before the New Year. During the New Year, we value an annual abundance. Therefore, today’s competition fits the theme of the New Year, abundance.”

“The competition time is 90 minutes. Start now.”

Since three people were to be eliminated in this round, even if their attitude was good, they had to make sure they were not one of the eliminated ones.

So all the contestants were highly tense, rushing to choose the ingredients.

As there were fewer contestants, the audience could easily watch every contestant’s cooking process.

Yellen Brooks chose to make a crispy fish. After the judges ate the fish belly, they were surprised to find that the center of the fish belly had chicken shreds hidden inside.

Yellen explained: “Year after year, I thought about eating the fish, and there’s chicken inside. It’s like a dark willow illuminating bright flowers, symbolizing abundance.”

“The taste is good,” Wesley Gordon nodded but made no further comment. It was considered acceptably good but not particularly stunning.

The idea of hiding chicken in the fish took some thought.

Leon Hernandez made stuffed duck.

Ava Brown made osmanthus lotus root.

Cynthia Florine made fish-stuffed dumplings. The dumpling wrappers were made with spinach juice mixed with white dough, forming a jade cabbage appearance that symbolized abundance and wealth.

Bartholomew Bailey made rice and glutinous rice pastries.

Yannick O’Brian made juicy fish balls.

Daniel Vahn made the famous Poon Choi.

Gladys Joy made dumplings shaped like gold ingots.

Aiden Huxley unexpectedly chose fish maw, a very stunning dish.

When it came to Cindy Clarke, the judges seemed to see a watercolor painting of koi playing in the water before their eyes.

The two koi were made of fishcakes in a long dish. The back and tail of the koi were both dyed golden and red with an unknown substance.

Seaweed was placed beside it.

Edward Lopez became more interested: “Your sister is not only beautiful, but her cooking skills are also high and creative. Every dish she cooks is like an art piece. If she becomes the head chef for your restaurant in Belfard, it will definitely be more competitive. After all, not only is Cindy Clarke good at cooking, but she also has a big name, especially after participating in the Cooking Competition and being known by more people. When people know she’s your restaurant’s head chef, many diners will come for her fame.”

“I have the same idea.” Wendy Clarke was indeed contemplating having Cindy Clarke become the head chef.

“Now we announce the results of this round. The three eliminated contestants are Larry Bennett, Yellen Brooks, and Ava Brown,” said Wesley Gordon.

All three graciously congratulated the successful contestants.

When the contestants returned backstage, Edward Lopez called his assistant over: “Get Cindy Clarke here for me.”

The assistant hesitated, saying: “If I call for Cindy Clarke alone, will it be too conspicuous? What if she is hesitant to come alone?”

Edward Lopez thought about it and said: “Just call all of them over, there are only 13 people anyway. Just say I want to meet them.”

Forget Belfard, who didn’t know his name throughout the country?

In past years, he hasn’t missed various event invitations.

As long as he wanted to watch, he didn’t even have to say it; people would immediately organize many beautiful girls to come to him so he could choose. Even if he didn’t choose, letting him watch was a sign of respect for Edward Lopez.

However, the person in charge of the Pingla Competition was not very interesting.

Everyone knew he had arrived, but no one took the initiative to show any sign of respect.

Did they think they were pretty awesome because they were backed by Pingla?

But a company like Pingla wouldn’t care about a small competition unit like theirs.

They sure knew how to flatter themselves.

So Edward Lopez’s assistant went backstage where the staff was cleaning up.

Edward Lopez’s assistant said to Cindy Clarke and the others: “Edward Lopez, Young Master Lopez, is on the spectator stand. He wants to meet you all.”

Parker Honi and the others looked at each other.

Parker Honi unceremoniously raised his chin: “Who is this, such a big face, asking all of us to come over. What does he want?”

This was the first time Edward Lopez’s assistant had encountered such an attitude. Usually, as soon as he said Edward Lopez wanted to see someone, people would rush over quickly, right?

Seeing Edward Lopez might bring some benefits.

But these people seemed unwilling. They really didn’t know how to appreciate kindness.

“Edward Lopez, Young Master Lopez. You don’t know him? He might invest in you. Whether you want to open a restaurant or create your own brand, you can do it. It’s such a great opportunity. I advise you to seize it,” the assistant said smugly and arrogantly.

“In the past, Young Master Lopez has attended various events, and many people have benefited from being with him.”

“I don’t need it,” Parker Honi sneered. “My family doesn’t lack his investment. Don’t come to me pretending to be important. Isn’t he just a trust-fund baby with a small business? Doesn’t he know there are many local tycoons in Belfard?”

The Honi family was no ordinary family.

It’s true that among those admitted to Pingla Academy, apart from those with excellent qualifications and awarded scholarships or reduced tuition fees, most of the students who came out of admiration were from well-off families.

As one of the world’s four top culinary academies, the chefs graduating from Pingla Academy were world-renowned.

Because of the higher starting point compared to ordinary chefs, whether in high-end hotels or restaurants, they were widely recognized and had a different social status from ordinary chefs.

Therefore, the tuition was higher and only families that could support it could afford it, which were naturally not ordinary families.

Such families were willing to let their children become chefs because they valued the different status of chefs who graduated from the academy, which created a cycle.

Chapter 640: Who Doesn’t Have a Background?

Without people saying, at least at this moment, the ten people present from Pingla are not from ordinary families.

For example, Parker Honi’s family is in the livestock breeding business, owning a large ranch in Merity Province.

From cattle, sheep, to milk and a series of products, they have their own complete industry chain from breeding to selling.

The tastiest and highest grade beef in the country so far is produced by the Honi family.

If Parker Honi wanted to start his own restaurant, it would be a piece of cake.

Jasmine Hudson’s family runs a food import and export business.

Aiden Huxley’s family is in the fast-food business.

Like the frozen cuisine placed in the supermarket’s refrigerator, such as frozen dumplings, frozen ravioli, frozen dumplings, frozen donuts, frozen cakes, etc.

This convenience, customers buy it home, boiling it and you can eat it, without any cooking skills, as long as you can boil water.

Gladys Joy’s family is in the business of semi-finished products.

Like in the supermarket’s refrigerator, all the side dishes and seasonings have been matched, and you just need to stir-fry it when you get it home, without having to do your own research.

There are also non-food industries.

Anyway, these people are not simple at home, and they are not short of money.

If they really want to open their own restaurant and make a brand, there is no need for Edward Lopez to help with anything.

Therefore, the likes of Parker Honi didn’t really take to heart what Edward Lopez’s assistant said.

The assistant took a deep breath, suppressed the anger in his heart, and cursed silently that these people did not know how to appreciate.

However, anyway, Edward Lopez’s target was not them.

As far as he knew, even if these people didn’t care, Cindy Clarke, Larry Bennett and Yellen Brooks were all ordinary people.

Could they not be moved by such temptation?

Larry Bennett and Yellen Brooks indeed hesitated.

Yellen Brooks actually doubted Edward Lopez’s motives.

Where in the world is such a good thing, you don’t have to do anything, and there’s investment knocking on the door.

In terms of talent, Yellen Brooks felt that she was still a bit short and had not yet reached the point where others would actively invest in her. Even among the top 10 people under Pingla Academy, people need to think about their investments, right?

There is no reason to decide after just one look.

Yellen Brooks’ family is just comfortable, nothing special.

The same goes for Larry Bennett.

Therefore, the audition for the Cooking Competition open to the society was attended by contestants because their family conditions were ordinary, and they wanted to prove themselves through the Cooking Competition and secure a future for themselves.

As a woman, Yellen Brooks instinctively didn’t feel very good.

However, Edward Lopez has made a name for himself, but Yellen Brooks herself feels that her looks are not outstanding and just mediocre.

It’s not worth making Edward Lopez covet anything.

Honestly, whether it’s cooking or looks, she doesn’t have enough capital.

Therefore, Yellen Brooks was hesitant about what Edward Lopez wanted to do.

She hesitated about whether or not to check it out and see what was going on.

Because she really has nothing that Edward Lopez values.

She doesn’t even know where to lose it.

Larry Bennett’s thinking is more straightforward.

As a man, there’s nothing for him to lose, unless Edward Lopez’s orientation is a bit crooked.

He actually wanted to see what Edward Lopez wanted to do.

Ava Brown quietly pulled Yellen Brooks over and whispered, “Edward Lopez is no good. Don’t listen to him bragging. We don’t know what he wants us to do if he calls us over. Does he want to show off his influence by calling so many people at once?”

“Besides, Edward Lopez’s investment in recent years is all related to the Internet industry. It has nothing to do with our culinary industry. Think carefully about those investments of his, they never go without some pretty girls. What does he want from any of us?”

“Maybe he just wants to humiliate us to show that he’s high above.”

Yellen Brooks was a bit hesitant originally, but after hearing Ava Brown’s words, her wavering heart immediately steadied.

“Do you know Edward Lopez?” Yellen Brooks asked quietly.

After spending these days with them, Yellen Brooks also knew that the people from Pingla Academy were probably not from simple families.

It can also be seen from their speech and manners that their background is not ordinary.

In fact, these things are not snobbish, and it is hard to divide into any kind of hierarchy.

It’s just because of the birth environment, decades of influence from childhood to adulthood, that indeed some differences can be felt.

Some trust-fund babies are flamboyant and have no manners, arrogant and disdainful of others.

Some rich gentlemen and ladies have good manners and elegant demeanor, eloquent and extraordinary.

But these are just good and bad differences in their character.

But in consumer concepts, perceptions of everyday things, and common sense perceptions.

Regardless of the quality of manners, the perception deeply ingrained in the bones is somewhat different.

So, Yellen Brooks asked Ava Brown if she knew Edward Lopez.

But Belfard is so big, there are a lot of rich people, and the various circles of rich people are also different.

She just asked, Ava Brown and Edward Lopez might not be in the same circle.

Ava Brown said, “I think my parents know his parents, but we haven’t met. Because he has been studying abroad for many years and only comes back on vacation. When he comes back, his friends gather around him, attracting hordes of admirers. If something disgusting happens, the news quickly spreads in our circle.”

Ava Brown was not hiding the fact that she was indeed on par with Edward Lopez in terms of family background.

Yellen Brooks knew that she guessed correctly. As such, even though the two families are familiar with each other, Ava Brown and Edward Lopez have no intersection and haven’t even seen each other.

“Whenever our family participates in any business activities, I am not interested in going. Anyway, my interest is not in business. I just want to perfect my cuisine, and in the future, whether it is to open a restaurant or establish my own food brand, it is possible. As for those things in business, I have no interest in participating, so Edward Lopez has never seen me.”

And even if she did meet Edward Lopez, she was not interested in participating in her peers’ games, she was not interested in dealing with Edward Lopez at all.

So, even on stage today, Edward Lopez couldn’t recognize her.

Including Parker Honi and others, their family backgrounds are quite solid, but they have different interests.

Parker Honi and them have been studying and improving their cooking skills at Pingla Academy for many years. The competition pressure within Pingla Academy is particularly high.

They are all chasing each other. Even if they are in first place or in the top ten, there is a risk of being competed out at any time.

So, where would they have time to make those gorgeous shows? Their own effort is not enough.

They’re not interested in their own business, and they don’t ask much, after all, most of them are not the only children in their family, not the eldest, there are elder brothers and sisters holding up the family at home.