"Isn't this infuriating! Isn't this a blatant slap in the face? I stole the recipe you taught me, and now I'm kicking you while you're down!"

Li Xiumei became increasingly angry as she spoke, her eyes reddening, clearly indicating that she had suffered a great injustice.

"Su Tang, I still drool over the dishes you made at the housewarming party last time! Help me out, let's team up! As long as we can beat that Wang Cuicui, I don't want anything, the bicycle tickets and the prize money are all yours! I just want to prove her wrong, I can't let her be so arrogant, I can't let her think that I, Li Xiumei, am easy to bully!"

Seeing Li Xiumei's angry and aggrieved expression, Su Tang understood what was going on.

This is no longer a simple competition; it's a matter of face.

She smiled gently, pulled Li Xiumei to sit down, poured her a glass of water, and spoke in a calm tone that carried a reassuring quality.

"Sister-in-law, don't be angry. It's not worth getting angry over someone like that."

"How could I not be angry..."

"It's just a food competition, right? We'll participate. Not only will we participate, but we'll also win, and we'll win spectacularly, so that some people will be convinced of their defeat and will avoid us from the future."

Li Xiumei suddenly raised her head, her eyes instantly lighting up: "Su Tang, you...you're really willing to help me?"

"Of course," Su Tang nodded. "That's what happens when I consider you a friend."

"Great! That's wonderful!" Li Xiumei was so excited she almost jumped up.

Qin Ye, who had been silently chopping wood on the sidelines with his ears perked up, walked over to Su Tang and naturally helped her tidy her wind-blown hair.

"My wife is going to participate in the competition, so that's the most important thing."

He turned to Li Xiumei and said:

"Don't worry, sister-in-law. On the day of the competition, I'll take care of all the chores, like chopping wood, carrying water, starting the fire, and washing vegetables."

"Tell me what ingredients you need, how rare they are, and I'll go to the mountains to hunt them for you."

Seeing Qin Ye's "number one fan" demeanor, Su Tang felt a warmth in her heart.

Li Xiumei felt reassured and instantly became highly motivated.

"Great! Su Tang, what should we cook? How about braised pork? Or that fish soup you made last time? Let's make a hearty dish, with plenty of ingredients, to intimidate them first!"

Li Xiumei was already rubbing her hands together, plotting how to crush her opponent with a feast of meat and fish.

Su Tang shook her head, picked up her teacup, and gently blew on the steam.

"The main dishes are too ordinary; every household knows how to make them, so there's no real difference in quality."

"Then... then what do we do?" Li Xiumei asked, looking puzzled.

Su Tang put down her teacup, her gaze falling on the few vibrant cabbages in the corner of the courtyard, nourished by the spiritual spring water, and said mysteriously:

"Let's make a dish... Boiled cabbage in clear broth."

"What?" Li Xiumei's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, and her voice changed tone. "Boiled...boiled cabbage? Su Tang, you're not kidding me, are you?"

She gently patted Li Xiumei's hand and said, word by word, "Sister-in-law, trust me. The true essence of a state banquet lies in returning to simplicity. Don't ask any questions or tell anyone. Just wait and see what happens."

Looking at Su Tang's determined eyes, Li Xiumei's mind went blank, and her heart pounded.

Boiled cabbage in clear broth... Is this really going to work?