The cooking battle continued, but Lu Xinyi lost her interest midway as her brother easily beat his challenger on the second round when he served the most intricate and stunning sashimi platter to the judges. It almost like art that even the judges were torn if they should eat or not.
Her brother won the second challenge, which meant that the two didn't have to take the third one.
Tian Lingyu successfully defended his seat from his challenger. Although Feng Li lost to Tian Lingyu, he would still keep his 8th seat until another challenger with lower rank beats him. Both men left the stage to give way to Huang Shenghao and his challenger to use it.
Like Tian Lingyu's cooking battle, Huang Shenghao's didn't last too long. He and his challenger fought and served Beef Wellington and undergone a skill test by cooking a veal parmigiana to the judges.
After the closing ceremonies, Lu Xinyi and Shen Yi waited for Tian Lingyu outside the student council's office to congratulate him and Huang Shenghao. Lu Xinyi invited the two to eat out with her husband which Shen Yi couldn't remember agreeing to it.
Ah, this wife of his couldn't really behave. Shen Yi suddenly felt he gained a daughter instead of a wife. He dearly wished that if they'd have a daughter in the future, she wouldn't be as hot-tempered as Lu Xinyi.
In the end, he had no choice but to allow his brother-in-law and Huang Shenghao to join them for dinner.
"So Sister Lu, can we expect a cooking challenge from you anytime soon?" Huang Shenghao was curious to know how the newest 10th place of the Cream of the Crop viewed them now after watching their cooking battles.
"Nope. It won't be soon. I still need to learn more and have to practice before I can challenge you and Yu Gege."
"Who will you challenge first between us?" Huang Shenghao continued to probe.
Lu Xinyi swallowed the thin slice of fish on her mouth and thought for a while.
"You," she replied decisively.
Huang Shenghao laughed while Tian Lingyu and Shen Yi continued eating while listening to their conversation.
"Me? Don't you want to challenge your brother first?"
"Because obviously, my brother will beat and kick your ass, ah!" Lu Xinyi could roughly guess why her brother hadn't challenge Huang Shenghao in a battle. However, now that she joined Silver Leaf, it was a different matter.
She could guess that before the school year ends, her Yu Gege would challenge Huang Shenghao in a cooking battle. Something that Huang Shenghao and the whole academy were waiting for.
"Is that true, Lingyu?" Huang Shenghao's tone was filled with excitement.
Tian Lingyu shrugged and turned his attention.
"Who knows?"
Throughout their meal, Huang Shenghao continued to bug Tian Lingyu with the question, but the latter hadn't answered anything. The couple bid goodbye and went home, leaving the two still arguing about Tian Lingyu's cooking challenge.
"Ah, that was a nice meal. Thanks, hubby," Lu Xinyi leaned on her husband's arm, rubbing her full stomach.
"You better not regret it later," Shen Yi warned her.
When they arrived at their villa, they were welcomed by Qiao He with a stiff expression on his face.
"What happened?" Shen Yi cut the chase and asked directly on the point.
"We were able to capture those mercenaries at the capitol as for your orders, Boss Yi. We took them and kept at that shed at the back garden." Qiao He explained.
Shen Yi unbuttoned the top buttons of his shirt and motioned his assistant to lead the way.
"What's wrong? Did something happen?" Lu Xinyi asked worriedly as she held her husband's hand.
"Qiao He informed me about the mercenaries that arrived in the city days ago. They were looking for you. I want to know what their motive to seek after you is."
Lu Xinyi tagged along and followed her husband. She was also curious to know why they were looking for her. Did Sun Feiyan send them? She hoped not.
Arriving at the abandoned shed in the garden where Xiao Bai stays, Qiao He opened the door and let his masters in. The couple as followed by another set of bodyguards. All stiff and serious-looking, waiting for Shen Yi to give an order.
Five people were tied and sitting on the floor: two men, two women, and a child. Lu Xinyi's eyes widened when she saw their familiar faces.
"You… what are you doing here?" She exclaimed.
"You know them?" Shen Yi asked suspiciously. His wife never hid something and told him almost about everything. However, he couldn't remember her telling him meeting this kind of people.
Lu Xinyi explained to her husband how she met the Children of Wolves at the Fox's Den and how they tried to leave the cave, only for her to get separated along the way.
In Lu Xinyi's opinion, the group meant no harm to her and was probably looking for her for a favor or something. Shen Yi thought otherwise. With the Sun family scheming about her, how could he not suspect this mercenary group? After all, they were also hired killers, ready to fulfill whatever their client's wishes for them to do.
"You,"—Shen Yi pointed at Fu Rui—"why are you looking over the city for my wife?"
Fu Rui gritted his teeth and was about to snap back at Shen Yi when his older brother answered the devil's question.
"We were here to settle a debt from Miss Lu. It's not her life that we wanted. In fact, Miss Lu is our benefactor. She was the one who helped us survive when we were in a dire state." Fu Shuren responded with a calm voice.
Shen Yi narrowed his eyes to his wife. This was something that bothered him the most. Her safety. She didn't like to have her own bodyguards, but Shen Yi wouldn't dare to make that mistake again. Her sudden disappearance in the mountain was already enough to drive him insane.
If something wrong happened to her again, he could never forgive himself for his negligence.
"Xinxin, I cannot let them go that easily. Didn't Li Yuren explain to you how dangerous these people are? They are mercenaries. They can kill you for money or any personal gains. Originally, their group was known as Children of the Wolves because they were young and move in packs. Now, they are regarded as 'Bloody Wolves'. Do I need to explain more what I mean, Xinxin?"
Seeing that her husband was dead serious this time, Lu Xinyi didn't dare to push her reasoning; but there could be something she could do to save the lives of the group, right?