The C-grade examination hall was filled with a pungent stench. The invigilators on the podium descended to patrol as per regulations.
The two of them stood in formation, observing the performance of all the examinees and offering occasional comments.
Some examinees' rooms were in disarray, with meat chopped into pieces and stir-fried with celery, the potent aroma of snail lamb mixing with the strong flavor of celery, creating a peculiar taste.
The two invigilators covered their noses with their sleeves, unwilling to tread that path further.
Moving inside.
There were also examinees who attempted to cook with plain water and dipping sauce, using cooking wine for an initial de-fleshing, yet some of the odor remained. Half a bottle of cooking wine was used for the first rinse, then poured into a basin for a second, eventually resulting in meat that tasted of cooking wine.
Fearing they might disturb the examinees in that particular hall, the examiners communicated mentally.
Three-meter Woman: "It feels like no one in the C-grade hall will achieve a high score and earn bonus points in the competition this time."
"Ah, we've gotten used to it. Treat C and D as if they're just here for fun. For real skill, you have to go to the A-grade halls.
Rumor has it that the Elf Star Prince's younger brother has joined this batch of streamers, and he's in the same hall as Angelina's cousin, who ranked first last year. I'm so envious of the examiners who get to witness it live!"
The short man sighed.
The tall woman agreed, "If only we could taste the food they make, even just a bite! All this work would be worth it."
The two of them discussed harmoniously.
Suddenly, the short man stopped and pointed at a particular room, "Look, what did I tell you? They're all messing around! They're using so much charcoal, aren't they afraid of burning down the room!"
The two invigilators shook their heads in disappointment and left the front of the room.
The streamer in that room was Lu Mingming.
Unlike in the live broadcast where she'd be distracted by comments, without needing to listen to the host or others' evaluations, Lu Mingming was fully focused on the examination.
If she possessed telepathy and knew the thoughts in the two invigilators' minds, she would have merely scoffed and continued on her chosen path.
Lu Mingming calmly poured the cooked snail lamb into a porcelain basin, sprinkled a small amount of Sichuan peppercorns, and brought it to a boil again.
The spicy, stimulating aroma gradually permeated the snail lamb, neutralizing most of its last vestiges of fishy odor and leaving behind the numbing surprise of Sichuan peppercorns hidden within the meat.
While the meat was undergoing its second de-odorization, Lu Mingming asked the staff for some smoked plums to make sour plum soup.
This time, she made it frozen, to be taken out of the refrigerator closer to the end of the competition.
The ice-cold and refreshing sour plum soup, paired with grilled meat, would be perfect for counteracting spiciness and stimulating the appetite.
As soon as the sour plum soup was done, steam billowed from the pot next to her.
It was strange how snail lamb possessed the distinct gamey odor of lamb, coupled with the characteristic toughness of snail meat when cooked. One truly wondered how this species was hybridized.
Lu Mingming measured out black pepper, chili powder, cumin, and egg whites, evenly mixing them into a suitable marinade for the snail lamb.
The egg whites made the meat more tender and delicious, while the other spices satisfied the palate and masked the meat's strong inherent flavor.
Lu Mingming wiped the fine sweat beads from her forehead with her sleeve.
The hall was filled with various smells. There was no air conditioning for cooling, especially when she ignited the charcoal for grilling, making it unbearably hot.
Two-thirds of the fluorescent hourglass on the podium had run out. In the C-grade hall, one by one, examinees were ringing the end-of-exam bell.
The nearby staff would place their prepared dishes into their respective insulated boxes and lead the examinees out to wait for the judging.
As most examinees passed by Lu Mingming's room, from which wisps of smoke curled, they couldn't help but crane their necks curiously, wondering what strange concoction she was making.
Lu Mingming laid foil on the grill pan and arranged the marinated snail lamb in sequence.
The charcoal underneath gradually intensified, flames licking around the iron plate, slowly roasting the lamb. The rising smoke did not affect the meat's intrinsic flavor but instead added a smoky essence.
The meat, cut into small strips, was quickly and evenly grilled. The pink surface of the meat gradually oozed a sizzling layer of oil, dripping onto the foil along the smooth surface and pooling into a small puddle.
As time passed, the grilled meat became crispy and tender with a hint of char, displaying an appetizing caramel color on both sides. A unique roasted aroma emanated from within, a combination of spicy, numbing, fresh, and fragrant.
Thanks to the presence of the foil, there were no instances of the meat being overcooked or burnt.
"Let's see if it's cooked."
Lu Mingming used a knife and fork to separate the grilled meat, revealing a clear view of the tender inner layer with a faint pinkish center. A peculiar aroma wafted and permeated the entire C-grade hall.
The short invigilator, who had been dozing on the podium, twitched his nose upon catching a faint, divine scent and jolted awake, looking around.
"Is this from an A-grade hall... or a B-grade hall student? Where is such a fragrant smell coming from?"
The short man muttered to himself, quickened his pace to the door, and opened it to investigate.
The corridor was empty, filled instead with the unpleasant experimental odors of snail lamb from various halls. He had to unpleasantly retract his half-extended foot and return to his original position.
"Are you dreaming? I don't smell anything," said the three-meter-tall woman.
"Impossible, I have the best nose on the entire Dwarf Star!"
The short man's spirits were lifted, and he began his second round of inspection.
Some examinees had already gone to the rest area to await scoring. Very few streamers remained in the examination halls.
The short man sauntered from the back to the front and finally confirmed that the smell originated from Lu Mingming's room.
"I guessed wrong; she's actually a hidden talent."
The short man lingered by the doorway for a moment, waiting for Lu Mingming to pack up.
"It's not ready yet..."
The short man lowered his head, looked at his watch, and deliberately coughed to remind everyone, "There are five minutes left until the end of the exam. Examinees, please hurry."
Lu Mingming expedited her actions upon hearing this.
Fortunately, the grilling plan was nearing its conclusion. She quickly used tongs to arrange the meat evenly on washed lettuce leaves. The crisp and refreshing lettuce wrapped the freshly grilled delicious meat, effectively counteracting the greasiness.
Lu Mingming picked up the pre-mixed seasonings and evenly sprinkled cumin and chili powder on half of the grilled meat.
For the other half, she used crushed peanuts, leaving it for the judges to choose their preferred flavor.
The exam was about to end.
With 30 seconds remaining, Lu Mingming quickly retrieved the sour plum soup from the refrigerator and placed it in the same insulated box as the packaged grilled meat.
"Ding—Exam concluded. Examinees who have not finished, please stop. Violators will have their qualifications revoked."
At this moment, the short man squeezed out a smile and approached Lu Mingming, his slit eyes fixed on the insulated box in her hands, feigning concern:
"Hurry up and go for scoring. I think you'll get a very good result."
Lu Mingming, facing an invigilator who might reach her thigh if he jumped, was unsure what to say.
She offered a false smile, picked up the insulated box, and followed all the other examinees to the scoring area.
Near the scoring tables, at the main entrance, a golden-haired youth turned his head away, refusing any pleas.
"The childcare exams at your low-grade facility are always so awful. How dare you call me here again! What was that stuff stuck to the pork sausage last year, I don't want to say."
"Please, Prince, you agreed to come and judge. Even with the alliance and the empire signing a coordination agreement, it's not easy for you to travel from the empire."
The event organizers wore faces like bitter gourds.
The youth's beautiful eyes glared:
"How dare you talk back! Look, are they getting worse each year? Besides the few senior childcare providers consistently at the top, there aren't many good ones."
"Please, just come with me one last time, I promise you a big surprise!"
The youth refused to budge, stubbornly wanting to leave, but his path was blocked by a group of examinees.
Suddenly, a whiff of spicy, numbing, fresh, and fragrant aroma wafted into his nostrils.
The youth's spirits lifted, and he seriously sniffed, trying to locate the source of the scent: "What is that? It smells so good!"
Although he didn't understand why, the organizers, sensing an opportunity, immediately chimed in:
"The big surprise we prepared for you is hidden! Don't you really want to come in and take a look?"
After much hesitation, the youth walked towards the scoring area with his hands behind his back:
"I'll trust you one last time. If I don't find the source of this aroma, don't invite the imperial family to be judging guests again."
Seeing that he had agreed, they beamed with joy and bowed their heads, following behind him.
A gentle female voice announced over the broadcast to the entire examination area: "The formal scoring for junior childcare providers is now commencing!"