SailorStar9: Well, I've uploaded Chapter 15, and here's Chapter 16. So, read and review. Come on boys and girls, is it so hard for you to leave a review other than putting this on your favorited lists and alerts?

Disclaimers: Me no own, you no sue.

Chapter 16: Yousen Shuka's Challenge

"What?" Mao blinked, entering the Yousen Shuka kitchen with Ya Xue in tow, a pot of spices was in the bond-maid's hands. "What's this vegetable stir-fry for?" he asked.

"I made it myself." Shilou boasted.

"You did?" Mao noted. "Good, I'll try some."

"It's kind of good, isn't it, Mao-nii?" Shilou beamed.

"Don't skip the important part when you cook, Shilou." Mao chided.

"Hey!" Shell barked from the hall. "Bring me the manager!"

"Mao, there's a problem!" Mei Li burst into the kitchen. "The customer wants to speak to you about the vegetable stir-fry."

"Vegetable stir-fry?" Ya Xue echoed, keeping the spices pot.

"I heard Yousen Shuka was the best restaurant in Canton." Shell remarked in his seat. "Is it your practice to serve soggy stir-fry cooked without being first dipped in oil? Many types of fresh vegetables are available around here. This dish tells me exactly how good the restaurant is. Kid, bring me the idiot who cooked this soggy stir-fry." he peered at Mao.

"I'm in charge of the kitchen." Mao replied.

"You do know that your customers don't care about your age." Shell reminded. "A professional worth his salt must cook a dish worthy of its price.

"I understand your anger." Ya Xue took over. "If it's possible, can you give us a chance to regain our honor?"

"Go on." Shell was intrigued.

"I'll cook you any dish that satisfies your standards." Mao offered.

"Interesting." Shell smirked. "Very well, I want you to cook me an egg dish. However, it would be quite boring if you used ordinary eggs. Use three kinds of eggs. I want a dish that draws out the taste of all three eggs. Within 15 minutes." he pulled out his pocket-watch. "How's that? Can you cook it in that time, kid?"

"A dish with three kinds of eggs within 15 minutes." Mao noted. "Coming right up."

"Thank you for waiting." Ya Xue declared, stepping out with Mao's prepared dish. "Just as you requested, a dish that uses three kinds of eggs." she placed the steamer in front of Shell.

"Open it." Shell instructed. "This is..." he gaped when Y Xue lifted the cover.

"Siu mai..." Shilou blinked.

"Mao, what's this siu mai?" Mei Li asked.

"It's the egg dish, of course." Mao beamed.

"I get it." Shell nodded. "So you cooked siu mai. I'll have you know I'm very strict about siu mai. A yellow covering with glistening black topping." he picked up a siu mai. "It's quite colorful. I see... the first egg you used is a chicken egg. You kneaded chicken eggs into this flour to make this shell. The second egg you used is a duck egg. That's the diced century egg in top of the siu mai. I won't know the third one unless I eat it. Let's see what kind of egg it is." dipping the siu mai into the sauce, he popped it into his mouth. "The three eggs are united into one." he declared. "The chicken eggs in the shell are sweet and the salty century egg complements the delicate sweetness well. But that's only a prelude." he tossed a siu mai into the air. "The third egg inside is the bouncing accompaniment which energizes the dish. What's the third egg?" he asked, cutting the falling siu mai into half. "It's full of orange eggs." he gaped, seeing the small eggs stuffed inside the siu mai. "I knew it. The third egg used was crab eggs. Chicken eggs, ducks eggs, and finally crab eggs. This combination is interesting. But uniting them in the siu mai created a perfect gastronomic orchestra. He's selected the right three eggs. I like his spirit, calling siu mai an eggs dish. And all he needed was half of 15 minutes. Kid!" his eyes trailed to the cloth tied around Mao's arm. "Who are you? Since someone like you is working here, then it's true that this is the best restaurant in Canton. Interesting! I find you really interesting. I'm Shell, a dimsum chef from Shanxi Province. And I'm the best siu mai chef in the continent."

"What's happening, Mao?" the other chefs entered the hall. "Aren't you going home yet?" when a strong gust of wind created by Shell's spinning iron rod blew through the hall, Mei Li and Shilou taking over behind the decorative panel with the others.

Spotting the top of the Super Chef emblem peeking from the loosened cloth, Shell pointed his rod at Mao. "You got my blood boiling." the older chef remarked. "You are obligated to accept my challenge. You will, won't you, kid? Or should I say, Mr. Super Chef?" he corrected, the cloth around Mao's arm slipping off.

SailorStar9: Now that's done, read and review.