Chapter 108: Miracle Maker (Please Bookmark)
He Zhixing asked them to bring over a whetstone and place it on the ground. He then took a miniature file from his pocket—very thin, about the same thickness as an industrial razor blade, and roughly one and a half centimeters wide, with both ends tapering to sharp points, allowing him to alternate between sides for cutting. Once they brought up the cake base, He Zhixing placed a thick piece on a tray.
Everyone watched his movements in complete silence and concentration. His arm moved so swiftly that their eyes could not follow the motions of his carving; all they could see was his hand moving rapidly back and forth over the cake base.
Before long, he stopped. With a small brush meant for food, he quickly swept away the crumbs, revealing the model beneath. The once plain, round cake base had, under He Zhixing’s rapid carving, been transformed into a landscape of rolling hills and valleys—there were mountains, water, people, tiled cottages, and blossoming trees.
He Zhixing swiftly spread a thin layer of cream over the entire surface, then, using various piping tips, applied colored creams mixed with green, red, black, yellow, and other fruit jams, dotting and layering as he went.
Soon, a vivid green mountain appeared, teeming with wild trees and grasses. Between two converging peaks, there was a waterfall; beside the waterfall stood a tiled cottage—a home. A beautiful woman walked up the stone steps along the mountain path by the falls. Below, the waterfall plunged into a deep pool, its banks littered with rocks and bordered by wild strawberry trees, their fruit scattered fresh and red on the ground (real wild strawberries sprinkled around the scene).
When He Zhixing finished his carving, a chorus of delighted screams erupted from the girls. Never before had they seen such a beautiful cake design; no one had ever managed to craft a cake that so closely resembled a true landscape painting, both realistic and vivid—it was nothing short of miraculous.
This was He Zhixing’s first masterpiece. He brought the birthday cake to the table, and everyone gathered around finally saw its full splendor. They could hardly believe their eyes—a birthday cake could actually be this perfect. It completely overturned the old traditions: conventional cakes were just a base, covered in cream, with a few piped decorations around the edges and maybe a cartoon animal or a rose in the center. Those monotonous, old-fashioned decorations now seemed dull and lifeless. What did it matter if someone was the top apprentice of a so-called cake master?
None of that compared to He Zhixing’s innovative style. The era of landscape cakes—cakes as true-to-life scenic paintings—should begin now. He Zhixing went on to make several more cakes, each a stunning tableau with figures and landscapes, undulating and lifelike. The sight delighted all who beheld them, and with sliced wild strawberries layered inside, the cakes were as intoxicating to eat as they were to gaze upon.
Each of He Zhixing’s designs was vibrant and expressive, shattering the old constraints that had kept cake figures and trees low and flat. With his miniature carving knife, he built up bases and sculpted frameworks, then adorned them with cream, achieving a vivid, three-dimensional beauty.
The girls standing nearby were utterly captivated by He Zhixing’s dedication to his craft and his innovative cakes. Their eyes sparkled with admiration, and some even swooned, declaring He Zhixing the “Cake Prince”—the perfect prince in their hearts!