Toys, candy boxes, origami cranes, paper airplanes, dolls, and plush toys!
Liu Liping sat on the bed, engrossed in playing with a SpongeBob SquarePants toy. Suddenly, her eyes lit up... "Why doesn't he contact me for anything except meals? Sigh..."
He sighed with slight disappointment.
Then, a gleam appeared in his eyes... "His toys that can move and run are really interesting!"
…… …… ……
The hotel where we stayed during the heavy rain.
Hotel suites.
Feng Haoyu, Xiao Dao, and more than a dozen disciples from the Holy Land gathered in the living room of the suite, their faces not looking too good!
Feng Haoyu was nearly furious, but he couldn't lash out because, besides "Senior Brother Situ," several other disciples from the Holy Land, several years his senior, had arrived. They were there to supervise the match between Feng Haoyu and Gao Jianfei, and to apprehend Gao Jianfei afterwards.
In front of these "senior" figures, Feng Haoyu could only keep a gloomy face and his head down, like a child who had done something wrong.
“Junior Brother Haoyu, I heard that Junior Brother Xiaodao passed on his knife skills and experience to you, greatly improving your wood carving skills. You yourself were quite confident that you would defeat Gao Jianfei in the first competition, but…” A man around 50 years old said with a gloomy face, “Junior Brother Haoyu, you patted your chest and guaranteed to us that you would definitely defeat Gao Jianfei and not disgrace our Holy Land, but what was the result? Hundreds of thousands of people in the audience and hundreds of millions of people in front of their TVs watched you get slapped in the face! You even demanded to inspect Gao Jianfei's work… Did they find out he cheated? You think you haven't lost enough face?”
This middle-aged man was two generations higher in seniority than "Senior Brother Situ," and he showed no respect whatsoever to Feng Haoyu.
Feng Haoyu lowered his head, veins bulging on his forehead! He gritted his teeth. "Senior Brother Gou, Haoyu... Haoyu is too arrogant..."
At this moment, "Senior Brother Situ" quickly spoke up, "Senior Brother Gou, don't be too angry. This competition has a total of 10 matches. Losing the first match doesn't mean anything. Let's see how Junior Brother Haoyu handles the later matches!"
“Yes, Senior Brother Gou, besides, Gao Jianfei can’t escape anyway. After the competition, he will immediately become a prisoner. Let him enjoy his freedom for a while!” Xiao Dao, who was on good terms with Feng Haoyu, also pleaded for him.
"Senior Brother Gou" sighed, "Junior Brother Haoyu, since so many junior brothers have pleaded for you, I'm too embarrassed to reprimand you any further. Remember, our Holy Land is above all living beings, so we should avoid doing anything shameful. We can't afford to lose face like that! Do you have a chance of winning the next match?"
"Senior Brother Gou, fellow senior brothers, please rest assured, the second competition is brewing. In the Holy Land, I have always been in charge of brewing. Do you all still not trust my 'High Mountain Flowing Water'?" Feng Haoyu raised his head, full of confidence.
Everyone nodded in agreement. Senior Brother Gou also smiled, "That's right, a few years ago when I returned to the Holy Land, I drank Junior Brother Haoyu's 'High Mountain Flowing Water,' which was indeed the best in the world!"
…… …… ……
A day of rest during the break between matches.
Gao Jianfei continued as usual, eating, playing games, and listening to music.
After dinner, the AI suddenly notified me… “Dear user, the soul of Zuo Shi, a Level 3 ghost and brewing expert, has been pieced together. She is currently being contained on the third floor of the Ghost Den. You can see her immediately!”
Tomorrow is the brewing competition, and at this time, piecing together Zuo Shi's soul is just right!
Gao Jianfei locked the villa's main gate from the inside, then went into the study and locked the study door as well. Then a thought struck him...
Enter the den of ghosts!
In the den of ghosts.
"Dear user, welcome to your haunted home!" the intelligent program said solicitously.
Gao Jianfei nodded slightly, then ran to the door of Zuo Shi's room on the third floor of Ghost Den.
The door was ajar; he pushed it open and entered.
Inside the door was a wooden pavilion. Outside the pavilion was a stream. A woman dressed in white sat by the stream, looking languid. A pair of embroidered cloth shoes were placed beside her. She dipped her feet into the stream and closed her eyes comfortably.
Gao Jianfei only needed to see her profile to realize that this woman was incomparably beautiful, possessing an air of scholarly refinement. Her qualities were in no way inferior to those of Mu Wanqing or A'Zhu, and she was not much less so than Su Rongrong!
"Tsk tsk, these are the beauties from Master Huang Yi's works. Speaking of which, Zuo Shi isn't considered pretty among the female characters created by Master Huang Yi. So, how captivating must the truly super-beautiful Wanwan, Qin Mengyao, and Shi Feixuan be?" Gao Jianfei wondered to himself as he walked over.
When the woman noticed someone approaching, a look of fear appeared on her face. She hurriedly pulled her feet out of the stream, grabbed her embroidered cloth shoes, and prepared to leave.
What a shy and timid woman!
"Uh... Miss Zuo Shi, please don't be alarmed," Gao Jianfei said quickly with a smile.
"You... hello, Xiao Gao, I know you. Thank you for bringing me here. I'm Zuo Shi." Zuo Shi stood with her feet on the ground, clutching a pair of embroidered cloth shoes in her hands, looking somewhat flustered.
Under the morning sun, her face was fair with a faint, alluring blush. She had a beautiful figure and flawless white feet, as if they were carefully carved from jade. Water droplets rolled and slid down her legs like pearls!
Gao Jianfei's gaze involuntarily fell on Zuo Shi's legs.
At this moment, Zuo Shi realized that she had forgotten to cover her legs with her skirt. Now she was embarrassed! She quickly adjusted her clothes to cover her feet, then lowered her head and took a few steps back like a child who had made a mistake.
Gao Jianfei chuckled to himself... This Zuo Shi, clearly a young woman who has given birth, is acting so shy. She's truly something else!
"That Han Bai is quite the ladies' man," Gao Jianfei thought to himself.
However, he had no interest in teasing this shy young woman. Instead, he opened the learning space and began learning Zuo Shi's family's traditional winemaking techniques.
Clear stream and flowing spring!
In fact, this clear stream is brewed with the unique mountain spring water from Nujiao Island. Only in this way can the poignant beauty of Dongting Lake be infused into the wine.
Gao Jianfei had studied winemaking before; at this moment, he was simply using traditional winemaking techniques with the addition of some unique ingredients. The wine was brewed with spring water from the Enraged Dragon Island.
I didn't study for long; I mastered it in an hour.
This clear stream also needs longan.
Alright, there are countless spring water and longan fruits in Zuo Shi's room, which are readily available. Moreover, these two items are not very valuable in terms of exorcism points, so Gao Jianfei can take them at will.
The fermentation process for brewing Clear Stream Spring water only takes a few hours, a secret recipe passed down through the Zuo family. In other words, Clear Stream Spring water can be successfully brewed and consumed in just one day. This is something no other beverage can achieve! This is the difference between ordinary brewing techniques and a secret recipe!
Of course, Gao Jianfei also tasted the flavor of the clear stream. Upon tasting it, there was nothing particularly special about it, just a refreshing longan aroma. However, as the wine went down his throat, Gao Jianfei immediately felt as if he were standing by the railing of Dongting Lake, listening to fishermen's songs, feeling the wind, and even his mental state was elevated to an ultimate tranquility!
"Ah...this! Is this the essence of wine? It's so wonderful!" Gao Jianfei squinted his eyes, savoring the exquisite sensation of the wine on his tongue, then suddenly opened his eyes. "No wonder someone like Lang Fanyun is so fond of this wine. Indeed, it is truly exhilarating!"
"Haha, wind and rain, tomorrow I'll see whether your 'High Mountains and Flowing Water' is more powerful, or my 'Clear Stream and Spring'!"
When Gao Jianfei left the Ghost Den, he was full of confidence for tomorrow's match!
…… …… ……
Day 2!
Gao Jianfei, driven by Liu Liping, entered the Beijing Stadium, which seats 100,000 people. On the back seat were some fresh longans and a large bucket of spring water from Nujiao Island, which was brought from Zuo Shi's room and was unique in the world.
These are all the materials that Gao Jianfei prepared for today's brewing competition.
The rules for brewing competitions are more flexible than those for carpentry competitions. In carpentry competitions, participants can only select materials and tools on-site. However, brewing involves secret recipes and formulas, so contestants can prepare their own materials.
Of course, these materials need to be checked by the reviewers beforehand.
"Mr. Gao, are you confident of winning today's competition?" Liu Liping asked with a smile. Although the two hadn't had much in-depth interaction, after spending a few days together, Liu Liping no longer felt the initial awkwardness towards Gao Jianfei. Furthermore, Liu Liping was filled with curiosity about Gao Jianfei, so she always took the initiative to strike up a conversation with him.
"It's hard to say right now. Let's see the result after the competition!" Gao Jianfei said with a slight smile, his tone carrying a sense of mystery.
Liu Liping couldn't help but mutter to herself, "What kind of 'medicine' is Mr. Gao up to this time? Heh, I'm actually quite looking forward to it!"
Shortly after, the car drove into the stadium. It was 8:30 a.m., and the stadium, with its 100,000 seats, was completely full!
The brewing competition will begin in half an hour!
Chapter 437 High Mountains and Flowing Water VS Clear Streams and Springs
Chapter 437 High Mountains and Flowing Water, Clear Streams and Springs
Liu Liping drove Gao Jianfei to the stadium's lounge. However, this time, Liu Liping didn't leave immediately... She volunteered to assist Gao Jianfei.
That is, to help carry the spring water and longan that Gao Jianfei brought to the competition venue.
9 o'clock sharp!
Gao Jianfei walked ahead, while Liu Liping easily carried a bucket of spring water and a large bag of longan in her other hand, following behind him. Originally, Gao Jianfei felt a little bad and wanted the stadium staff to take care of these trivial matters, but Liu Liping volunteered to do the odd jobs. Gao Jianfei didn't say much and led Liu Liping into the stadium with a smile.
Because yesterday's carpentry competition was so exciting, the atmosphere among the audience today was even more enthusiastic than yesterday. Before the competition started, everyone was talking to each other, and some even started doing the wave. Cameras were clicking away.
The host, Song Ying, and all the judges have arrived.
Just like yesterday's carpenters' judging panel, this time, there were dozens of people on the judging panel, including many top winemakers, wine experts, and seasoned wine enthusiasts from around the world.
"Alright! Everyone, please be quiet. Mr. Feng Haoyu and Mr. Gao Jianfei have both arrived! Hmm? They've both brought their own brewing materials. It seems these two geniuses are preparing to brew wine using their unique secret recipes today!" Song Ying began her explanation as soon as Gao Jianfei and Feng Haoyu entered.
Then, Gao Jianfei led Liu Liping, and Feng Haoyu carried Xiao Dao as they strode into the stadium!
Like Liu Liping, Xiao Dao was assisting Feng Haoyu today. Xiao Dao carried a wooden bucket filled with spring water from the sacred land. In his other hand, he carried some wild fruit. These were the ingredients Feng Haoyu needed to brew 'High Mountain Flowing Water'! They had been specially transported from the sacred land!
Like 'Clear Stream and Spring', without special ingredients, the flavor of 'High Mountain Flowing Water' will be several levels below, and its profoundness cannot be captured!
"Hmm? Gao Jianfei's brewing technique also requires special materials. Could it be a secret recipe?" Feng Haoyu immediately noticed the longan in the wooden barrel that Liu Liping had carried for Gao Jianfei.
It's important to know that typical brewing methods only require materials, tools, and grains and fruits provided by the organizing committee. Only those skilled in brewing with secret recipes would bring their own raw materials.
"Hmph! No matter what, I'm not afraid of him!" Feng Haoyu's eye muscles twitched as he walked directly to the high platform in the center of the stadium.
At this moment, Gao Jianfei also walked over. The two faced each other.
It was as if four invisible yet tangible beams of cold lightning shot out from the eyes of the two people, and the strong smell of gunpowder began to spread in the air!
"Hehe," Gao Jianfei laughed, "Mr. Feng Haoyu, I wonder who will emerge victorious in today's competition... Alas, I'm not good at brewing wine, so this time, I estimate... Haha!"
"Gao Jianfei, stop talking nonsense!" Feng Haoyu glared at Gao Jianfei. Behind him, Xiao Dao also locked onto Gao Jianfei with a murderous gaze. If it weren't for the fact that it was during a competition, Xiao Dao would probably have already pounced on Gao Jianfei and slashed him!
Standing behind Gao Jianfei, Liu Liping also keenly sensed the tension between the two sides. She was clearly on Gao Jianfei's side, coldly watching Feng Haoyu and Xiaodao.
Just as the atmosphere became rather tense, Song Ying's voice rang out... "Mr. Feng, Mr. Gao, please come to the stage! Now, the judges will announce the competition rules."
Gao Jianfei braved the wind and rain before finally stepping onto the high platform.
On the screen in the center of the platform, a huge score was displayed... Gao Jianfei 1:0 Feng Haoyu.
Feng Haoyu swept his fierce gaze across the screen, his eye muscles twitching violently a few times. His face darkened further.
Song Ying began by briefly introducing each of the judges on the judging panel. Then, she invited out the two main judges.
The carpentry competition had only one chief judge, Lu Darui, while the brewing competition had two chief judges!
An old man from China, and a blond, blue-eyed, hook-nosed foreigner.
Fang Changzun is a high-ranking official of the Chinese liquor culture dissemination organization, the "Chairman" of the Chinese Baijiu Association, and a renowned wine connoisseur in China!
Sam, a Scotsman, is a prominent representative of Western drinking culture, skilled in tasting and making wine, as well as whiskey, brandy, and more.
"Mr. Gao Jianfei, Mr. Feng Haoyu, next, the two chief judges will introduce the competition rules to you," Song Ying said with a smile. She was in a good mood today, after all, her man had won the first competition the day before yesterday, which was a great start and auspicious beginnings.
At this point, Fang Changzun and Sam exchanged words for a while, and finally Fang Changzun spoke up, "Mr. Gao, Mr. Feng, let me announce the rules of the competition. First, I would like to ask, in your competition, are you brewing baijiu or red wine?"
“I’m from China, of course I’ll be making baijiu,” Gao Jianfei said with a smile.
"Baijiu (Chinese liquor)," Feng Haoyu said indifferently.
"Well, alright. Since both contestants are brewing baijiu, the judging process will be much easier!" Fang Changzun nodded with a smile. "It's like this: the judging for the brewing competition is very simple. We judges will taste each of your brews one by one and then score them fairly and objectively. Rest assured, our judging panel consists of 24 people from 14 countries, so there's absolutely no possibility of favoritism or cheating. Besides, we judges are all baijiu enthusiasts; our scoring is based solely on the baijiu, not on the people." After a pause, Fang Changzun pointed to the two judges on the judging panel, "Mr. Feng, you know Mr. Luo Tianyou and Mr. Dejagah from Saudi Arabia. They tasted your brewed baijiu before. Mr. Gao, I also need to clarify this for you beforehand. Mr. Luo Tianyou and Mr. Dejagah from Saudi Arabia do know Mr. Feng and have even bought baijiu from him, but they will not show favoritism towards Mr. Feng because of this!"
After he finished speaking, both Luo Tianyou and the Arab Dejagah stood up from the judging panel.