Chapter 160 - 160 159 Changed

Words : 1938 Updated : Sep 19th, 2025

160: Chapter 159 Changed 160: Chapter 159 Changed It was a switcheroo! Even though he had only lifted a corner of the cloth, Liu Hun could faintly smell a bit of stench. The tender fruit that should have belonged to him had somehow ended up in front of Sun Xing, and now in front of him was nothing but a plucked, bare chicken! “Big brother! Why do you keep zoning out? The judges are coming! The representative from Clear Water Ditch is also over here, are they an old friend of yours or what?” The dark-skinned burly man prodded Liu Hun again, confused as to why a seemingly fine young man kept daydreaming. The current situation was indescribable, and starting a fight might ruin the competition. Li Tianyang would definitely make things difficult for him, perhaps even strip him of his eligibility to compete! So, for now, there was only one option... Liu Hun was still pondering in his mind when Xue Pingshan, Chen Kang, Sun Xing, and a group of reporters and officials came over. “Yo! Isn’t this Liu Hun, the famous guy from Wanbao Village? Why the long face? Problems?” Sun Xing smirked sinisterly, taking full advantage of the crowd around him to be unrestrained. “What fine fruit have you brought us from Taiping Town, representative? Lift the cloth and let’s have a look,” Chen Kang said to Liu Hun, feeling quite pleased after having enjoyed some top-quality apples, which made him more tolerant of Sun Xing’s loudness beside him. Seeing Liu Hun hesitating to lift the cloth, the surrounding people began to get puzzled. Some were even secretly gossiping, wondering if what Liu Hun brought was something ordinary and too embarrassing to show. “Come on, you big man! What’s there to be bashful about? If you’re too shy, let me do it for you! Let’s all see what precious item you’ve brought!” Sun Xing bellowed, eagerly awaiting Liu Hun’s embarrassment, and with a swift pull, he yanked the cloth away. When Sun Xing just pulled the cloth away, everyone around was momentarily stunned, completely not expecting this sort of thing. “What’s this, Liu Hun? A rotten and stinking bare chicken, and you bring it here to make a fool of yourself? Aren’t you ashamed? Take this thing and roll back home!” Sun Xing said arrogantly and triumphantly from the side. He finally released the resentment that had been stuck in his throat like old phlegm. “This is indeed a plucked chicken! But which nostril of yours is smelling sour and stinky? Careful with your words, or you’ll have to watch your tongue!” Liu Hun glared fiercely at Sun Xing, causing Sun Xing to shrink back like a turtle, still plagued by a great psychological shadow from past events. Chen Kang actually bent down to sniff it, then stood up smiling and said, “President Xue, even though the representative from Taiping Town got the category wrong, this chicken seems quite special. It doesn’t have a foul smell at all, but rather a fruity one. Smell it, is it just my nose playing tricks on me?” “Fruit scent?” Xue Pingshan, who had dedicated many years to agricultural research, had never heard of poultry with a fruity scent. He quickly bent down to take a careful whiff, and his eyes suddenly widened as he exclaimed with disbelief, “Yes, yes, yes! It’s a fruit scent! And not just any fruit scent! It’s truly miraculous!” Once Chen Kang, the renowned President Xue Pingshan himself, said so, reporters nearby couldn’t help but rush over to take a whiff. They were all acting as if they were smelling some thousand-year-old vintage wine, getting intoxicated and showing no intention of leaving, almost sticking their faces onto the chicken’s rear. Sun Xing was instantly dumbfounded; this was not how things were supposed to be. The chicken he had arranged was supposed to be sour and smelly, so why did it have a fruity scent? “Um... Minister Chen! President Xue! This... this should count as cheating, right? According to the rules, he should be disqualified!” Sun Xing pleaded with Minister Chen and Xue Pingshan, his goal being to drive Liu Hun out with his belongings. But looking at the situation now, Liu Hun might just be accidentally promoted instead. “No, no, no!” Xue Pingshan quickly waved his hands, then looked Liu Hun up and down like he was selecting clothes and said, “This young man looks quite good! Handsome and upright! To be able to raise such a rare breed of poultry, he must have real skills! Young man, what’s your name?” “Wanbao Village! Liu Hun!” Liu Hun replied, smiling as he shook hands with Xue Pingshan. He then cast a provocative glance at Sun Xing. Sun Xing was so furious that his hair nearly stood on end. He wanted to keep pulling on Minister Chen’s sleeve, but Chen suddenly changed his expression, his face turning somewhat unsightly as he said to Sun Xing, “Representative Wang, this is a public place. Mind your image! Although the fruit from your Xiping Town is indeed excellent, we must also allow others the space to showcase theirs!” “The dragon emerges, the phoenix soars—Cheng Wanli! What a good name!” Xue Pingshan praised Liu Hun with a beaming smile, and then turned to Chen Kang and said, “Minister Chen, I think. The representative was placed in the wrong category. This organizational error is not his fault. Therefore, we should make an exception, allowing Taiping Town’s fruity chicken to compete in the final evaluation alongside Xiping Town’s fruit!” Minister Chen nodded and said, “I’ll discuss this matter with Secretary Li and County Head Xiao right away. It would truly be a loss to Anchang County if this miraculous fruity chicken were disqualified for no apparent reason. However...” speaking thus, a trace of difficulty appeared on Minister Chen’s face, “whether or not the representative from Taiping Town can participate in the final contest, we will have to wait for the discussion results from Secretary Li and County Head Xiao. Everyone must be patient!” After Minister Chen left, his words had no small impact, making Sun Xing full of excitement and Liu Hun worried. He knew that Li Tianyang and Xiao Yanzi did not get along, and he had offended Li Tianyang several times himself, which is why he was anxious. As the finalists for the various groups were confirmed, all the tables and chairs were rearranged, and the media reporters, as well as the delegates, took their seats facing the podium—waiting for the final contest, eagerly anticipating whether Taiping Town would make it to the finals! Liu Hun sat in his seat, pondering. He was certain that Sun Xing couldn’t have done it alone; there must be someone behind the scenes instructing him. He had to use Sun Xing, the little shrimp, to bait the big fish out of hiding. He suddenly remembered the dark, burly man who had just been chatting away to himself, and he looked around the large, crowded square. He couldn’t find the man anywhere and had to give up. “Dong! Dong! Dong!” The host struck the bronze gong on the stage three times, then announced to the audience, “After the decision of the three judges, which representatives from the townships have made it into the final round of selection? Let us welcome them with a round of warm applause! They are...” As the host made the announcement, everyone in the audience tensed up, craning their necks to see. Some representatives knew they had no chance, but that didn’t stop them from enjoying the spectacle. Others thought they still had a shot, so they held their breath and listened even more intently. Liu Hun, too, was clutching at his anxious heart. He didn’t know what the result of Li Tianyang’s discussions with Xiao Yanzi would be. “From Huanggou Village, the Tofu Tidbits!” As the host called out the name, a slender middle-aged man from Huanggou Village walked bashfully onto the stage. “From Tea Store Town, the Fire-Crusted Crispy Duck!” At the second announcement, a delighted granny from Tea Store Town practically hopped and skipped her way onto the stage. “From Qingshui Ditch Township, the Exquisite Fruits!” Sun Xing, upon hearing his name announced, smugly adjusted his suit and walked onto the stage, looking like he had just aced an imperial examination. “How come I’ve never heard of these wonderful things before? I see quite a few exciting items that didn’t make it! If we go town by town and eat according to this competition, we sure can’t go wrong!” “It looks like this year’s exhibition spot will have to be chosen from among these three. But I haven’t heard anything about famous fruits from Qingshui Ditch. The place does have some nice rivers, so I thought they’d bring some aquatic produce.” “Have you guys ever heard of Wanbao Village? Did they not show up today or what? I heard from my seventh uncle that the stuff from Wanbao Village, once you’ve had the first taste, you’ll crave the second! They shouldn’t have been left out!” “...” The surrounding murmurings continued, and after the host finished, he nodded and smiled, seemingly stepping down. Liu Hun’s heart suddenly “thumped,” and he knew the competition was over. “Hey! Why’s the host coming back out here?” Just when everyone thought it was time for the final round of judging, the previously retired host suddenly returned to the stage. He then said into the microphone, “After an urgent consultation by the organizing committee and the three judges, it has been decided to add one more spot to the finals! And the one who has earned this precious spot is...” The host’s drawn-out voice had everyone holding their breath, eagerly hoping the good fortune would fall on them. Eyes wide as bells, they finally saw the host about to speak! “From Taiping Town, the Fruit Aroma Chicken! Taiping Town representative, please come to the stage!” “Ah!” A collective sigh rose from the audience, while Liu Hun felt like he had risen from the dead, finally making it through. He straightened his clothes, striding confidently toward the stage. Liu Hun, unseen for a while, seemed to have grown even more imposing, more flavorful. Just how capable and skilled was this man, really? Xiao Yanzi hoped he would put on a good performance, that the spot they had fought for hadn’t gone to waste. She watched as Liu Hun stepped up, step by step, pondering to herself. And Li Tianyang was increasingly convinced that Liu Hun was a rising force. Although he himself was the head of a county, and Liu Hun seemed just an ordinary farmer, there was something about Liu Hun that worried him. After Liu Hun climbed onto the stage, he stood next to Sun Xing and said in a low voice, “Sun Xing, you need to understand something. You could never beat me before, and you certainly can’t now. Don’t even think about it in the future. Enjoy being a person for the next few days.” Hearing Liu Hun’s words and seeing his gaze, Sun Xing felt a chill from the soles of his feet to his scalp. He genuinely couldn’t fathom how Liu Hun had pulled off turning rotten chicken into Fruit Aroma Chicken. His lips quivering, Sun Xing replied to Liu Hun, “You... don’t be too smug! It’s still uncertain who will win or lose!”

Chapter 160 - 160 159 Changed

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