《The Game of Life TGOL》 Chapter 1 - 1 Chapter 1 Loading the Game 1 Chapter 1 Loading the Game Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio [A Well-Made Counterfeit Bill] Jiang Feng did not take the money and, with an apologetic smile, said to the burly, bald man with an impatient face in front of him, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir, but I don¡¯t have any change left. I can¡¯t break a hundred.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t break it?¡± The customer reluctantly took his money back and handed over a twenty-yuan note to Jiang Feng. After getting his change, he left the shop, still cursing under his breath. ¡°Feng, don¡¯t we have any small change in the box?¡± hearing the commotion in the shop, his mother, Mrs. Wang Xiulian, poked her head out of the kitchen to ask. ¡°It was counterfeit money.¡± Jiang Feng expertly cleaned the table and arranged the chairs, ready to close for the day. ¡°Counterfeit?¡± Mrs. Wang Xiulian¡¯s smile disappeared in an instant, and even her double chin tightened into a single one as she said fiercely, ¡°Who¡¯s that good-for-nothing trying to fool my son? Next time he dares to come, I¡¯ll teach him a lesson for you!¡± Indeed, with Mrs. Wang Xiulian¡¯s stature, even a strong man like the one just now would likely be no match for her. ¡°Our son is a university student; he can¡¯t possibly be fooled by such people.¡± Mr. Jiang Jiankang, Feng¡¯s real father, walked out of the kitchen with a shiny bald head, holding a dish with a big smile on his face and said, ¡°Come on, son, your favorite Kung Pao chicken.¡± [A Plate of Greasy Kung Pao Chicken] ¡°I¡¯m on a diet.¡± Jiang Feng said expressionlessly, rejecting the offer as he began to ponder how to convince his dear father to install an air conditioner in the kitchen¡ªan important mission. Considering Mr. Jiang Jiankang¡¯s hefty weight of 240 pounds, working in the less than ten square meters kitchen in this season was indeed tough for him. ¡°Why on earth would you diet like other girls? My son could gain another hundred pounds and still not be overweight!¡± The proudest achievement in Mr. Jiang Jiankang¡¯s life was having a son who was tall and slim, improving the Jiang family¡¯s genes. His father had five sons, plus four grandsons and two granddaughters, and out of all of them, aside from the twin middle school daughters from the youngest son, only his son weighed under two hundred pounds. Jiang Feng suddenly recalled the scene at his grandfather¡¯s house during New Year¡¯s, where a large round table could not fit seven people, and even with a separate table for the women and grandchildren, there still wasn¡¯t enough space. He decided to stay silent. ¡°Come on, eat some meat!¡± Mr. Jiang Jiankang placed a large piece of meat into Jiang Feng¡¯s bowl. ¡°That¡¯s right, listen to your father. Does my son need to diet?¡± Mrs. Wang Xiulian echoed. Oh well, for the sake of fatherly love. Jiang Feng resignedly picked up his chopsticks. ¡°Dad.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°It¡¯s too hot these days. You should install an air conditioner in the kitchen.¡± ¡­ After the meal, the Jiang family of three went on to tidy up the shop and clean the kitchen. Mrs. Wang Xiulian and Mr. Jiang Jiankang remained in the shop to check the ingredients, while Jiang Feng was ushered home to rest. Before leaving, Jiang Feng did not forget to take a glance at their shop¡¯s sign. [A Worn and Neglected Signboard] With one turn, Jiang Feng could no longer see any hints like the annotations he¡¯d seen before. So, it really only shows up in our own shop, huh? After two days of testing, Jiang Feng finally determined the range within which these strange annotations appeared. ¡°Ding, congratulations to player Jiang Feng for activating the game. The game is loading, please wait a moment.¡± A crisp female voice made Jiang Feng jump. Approximately two minutes later, the crisp voice sounded again, ¡°Loading complete. Please, player, check the panel and explore on your own. Strive to complete the tasks.¡± Jiang Feng noticed a small exclamation mark appear in the upper right corner. He couldn¡¯t help but reach out and click it, and to his surprise, an attribute panel really appeared. Player Name: Jiang Feng Level: 0 (0/100) Remaining Experience: 0 Skills: Appraisal (Basic): You can only obtain some basic information Main Quest: ??? (Players need to explore on their own) Side Quests: None (Activated after choosing a main quest) Achievements: None Titles: None Items: None Evaluation: A rookie just starting out Game Instructions: 1. This game offers a high degree of freedom; players are encouraged to explore on their own. 2. This game will not interfere with any choices made by players; players are encouraged to unlock achievements. 3. All explanations are owned by the game. A game? This attribute panel really does resemble one from a game. Jiang Feng reached out and clicked the exclamation mark in the top right corner again, and the panel disappeared. It looked interesting. If he explored on his own¡­ Jiang Feng stood at his own doorstep, lost in thought. Before he could sort out his thoughts, he was brought back to reality by Mrs. Wang Xiulian¡¯s loud voice. ¡°Feng, what are you doing standing at the door like a fool?¡± Mrs. Wang Xiulian asked from the stairwell entrance. She and Mr. Jiang Jiankang stood one behind the other at the turn of the small staircase, creating the impression of a blockade that water couldn¡¯t even flow through. ¡°Forgot my keys,¡± he blurted out a nonsense excuse on impulse. ¡°You child, why didn¡¯t you call? How long have you been waiting?¡± Mrs. Wang Xiulian stepped forward to open the door, while Jiang Feng quickly stepped aside. ¡°Right, Dad, what did you think about what I just mentioned, installing an air conditioner in the kitchen?¡± Jiang Feng let Mr. Jiang Jiankang enter first, closing the door and asking as he did. ¡°No need for that, we¡¯ve been fine all these years without an air conditioner. Your second uncle¡¯s clinic was demolished, he loaned us seventy thousand, and I bought a shop near your school. Once school starts, your mom and I will go there too,¡± Jiang Jiankang said indifferently, beginning to fantasize about future life, ¡°Think about it, if your mom and I move the restaurant there, you won¡¯t even need to eat at the cafeteria anymore. I¡¯ve heard from your eldest cousin that college cafeterias are terrible now. Tomato stir-fry with mooncakes, is that even fit for human consumption? Your mom and I¡­¡± Jiang Feng didn¡¯t even have time to ponder how Mr. Jiang Jiankang managed to buy a shop in such a prime location near the school just by borrowing seventy thousand from his second uncle, or how wealthy his family actually was, or whether he could afford to be a lazy homebody after college¡ªa matter concerning his future fate¡ªwhen he heard a familiar female voice. ¡°Ding, a new optional main quest discovered: [Rising Little Store]¨C Make the Healthy Stir-fry Restaurant reach a popularity of 100 at UAL University.¡± Their family¡¯s small restaurant was currently called Healthy Snacks. ¡°Dad, what do you plan to name the new shop?¡± Jiang Feng asked. ¡°Name?¡± Jiang Jiankang paused for a moment, then said with a chuckle, ¡°Healthy Stir-fry Restaurant, how¡¯s that? Not bad, right! Your mom thinks this name is too plain, but that¡¯s exactly what we need for a stir-fry shop ¨C a name that¡¯s straightforward and easy to understand. If we go for something too fancy, customers won¡¯t feel inclined to visit.¡± ¡°Your uncle helped us find this shop, two floors totaling 180 square meters. We didn¡¯t have enough money and didn¡¯t want to take out loans, so we thought about looking around some more. But then your second uncle¡¯s clinic¡¯s demolition reimbursement came through just in time, lending us seventy thousand and it fit the bill perfectly. How lucky is that?¡± Lucky, incredibly lucky. Jiang Feng even started to suspect that this game had it all planned out. ¡°Your second uncle also bought a shop next to our restaurant. Now it¡¯s great, the five brothers are together in the same city again. Don¡¯t worry about the new shop, your uncle is overseeing the renovation and everything!¡± Jiang Feng¡¯s few uncles had all worked in this small city, and including Jiang Feng, all four grandsons from the Jiang Family had graduated from the same elementary, middle, and high schools. As a kid, besides Jiang Feng, who had a normal physique, his three cousins were all tall and strong. When the four brothers were together, the local troublemakers never dared to mess with them. Going back further, Jiang Feng¡¯s grandfather, Jiang Weiguo, was a cook in a state-owned restaurant before retiring, and even during the times of scarcity, he was the most noticeable among a crowd of thin people ¨C the fat man. He raised Jiang Feng¡¯s grandmother, his father, and four uncles to become well-known fat individuals in the area, and even the daughters of Jiang Feng¡¯s youngest uncle showed signs of the Jiang Family¡¯s robust build. Among the Jiang Family five brothers, apart from the third in line, Mr. Jiang Jiankang who took over from Jiang Weiguo, the rest branched out into different occupations after the state-owned restaurant closed. The eldest, Jiang Jianguo, became a tailor. Due to the poor business environment in the small city, he moved his tailor shop to Alan City several years ago and is now thriving. The second brother, Jiang Jiandang, opened a small clinic. The fourth, Jiang Jianye, and the youngest, Jiang Jianshe, jointly owned a pet store in Alan City. Jiang Feng considered that his uncles, aunts, three male cousins, and two female cousins would likely often visit the family restaurant, and he understood Mr. Jiang Jiankang¡¯s earnest reasons for wanting a large premises. In the living room, as Mr. Jiang Jiankang had already started dreaming about his future grandson taking over the Healthy Stir-fry Restaurant and expanding it, Mrs. Wang Xiulian, who had finished washing up, came into the living room disapprovingly interrupting him: ¡°Go take a shower and get some sleep. You owe your second brother a big debt and you¡¯re here boasting with your son!¡± Look at that, how ambitious Mrs. Wang Xiulian is. Back in his room, Jiang Feng opened the attribute panel, which had now changed to ¡ª Player Name: Jiang Feng Level: 0 (0/100) Remaining Experience: 0 Skills: Appraisal (Basic): You can only get some basic information Main Quests: 1. (Optional) [Rising Little Store]¨C Make the Healthy Stir-fry Restaurant reach a popularity of 100 at UAL University[Select: YES/NO] 2. ??? (Please explore on your own) Side Quests: None (Activated after selecting a main quest) Achievements: None Titles: None Items: None Evaluation: A greenhorn just starting out Jiang Feng clicked yes, and the main quest changed to: 1. [Rising Little Store]¨C Make the Healthy Stir-fry Restaurant reach a popularity of 100 at UAL University, progress (0/100). Quest Tip: Reputation is key for the development of a new shop, and popularity can only be gained amongst the teachers and students of UAL University. Quest Reward: Unknown Teachers and students, huh¡­ Jiang Feng had a profound understanding of Mr. Jiang Jiankang¡¯s culinary skills; after all, he was a former state-owned restaurant chef. School at UAL University would start in just a month, and Jiang Feng felt that this main quest was very achievable. As for the invitation to explore on his own, he had a whole month to do just that. Chapter 2 - 2 Chapter 2: Side Quests 2 Chapter 2: Side Quests Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio The next day, Jiang Jiankang and Wang Xiulian got up early to open the family eatery. Originally, Jiankang¡¯s Healthy Snacks didn¡¯t serve breakfast, but under the ¡°enormous pressure¡± of debt, Jiang Jiankang decided to give up sleeping in and work hard to make money, to lay a solid foundation for his grandson¡¯s future in the culinary business. Although Jiang Feng¡¯s cooking skills were not bad, at least as a youngster, he was personally taught by the old comrade Jiang Weiguo, Jiang Jiankang still felt that his own son was not cut out to inherit his mantle just by looking at his slim build. A thin young man might indeed be pleasant to look at in today¡¯s aesthetic standards, but certainly not a good choice for a chef. In Jiang Jiankang¡¯s opinion, each of his three nephews had what it took to be a chef, but unfortunately, when their talents were added together, they still didn¡¯t measure up to Jiang Feng. Feeling a slight regret that Jiang Feng, who could have improved the Jiang Family¡¯s tall and plump genes, would not become an outstanding chef, Jiang Jiankang began the day¡¯s business. ¡­ As Jiang Jiankang¡¯s only son, Jiang Feng had inherited his fondness for sleeping in. At ten o¡¯clock, the alarm clock went off punctually. Jiang Feng expertly turned it off with his eyes closed but was completely awakened by a notification sound in his mind. ¡°Ding, an optional side quest has appeared, please select through the player¡¯s choice.¡± Lying in bed and squinting, he opened the panel, and sure enough, there was a change in the side quest column. Side Quest: (Optional) 1. [Father¡¯s Wish] While Jiang Jiankang is proud of his son¡¯s tall and thin figure, he is also worried about his son not being robust enough. Please help fulfill the father¡¯s wish by becoming a tall, thin, and strong man. [Select: YES/NO] 2. [Mother¡¯s Wish] Wang Xiulian has always hoped to have a gentle, understanding, and slim daughter-in-law. Please help fulfill the mother¡¯s wish by finding a gentle, understanding, and slim girlfriend. [Select: YES/NO] 3. [Neighbor¡¯s Wish] Chen Duxiu¡¯s daughter, Chen Xiuxiu, has recently been obsessed with dieting to lose weight. Please help fulfill the neighbor¡¯s wish by assisting Chen Xiuxiu in returning to a normal diet. [Select: YES/NO] Jiang Feng: ¡­ He silently chose NO for the first task and YES for the third, relatively normal task, while keeping the second task pending. Although he didn¡¯t know why Mrs. Wang Xiulian had such strange requirements for a future daughter-in-law, it was undeniable that he needed a girlfriend. If only girlfriends could be assigned in games. Side Quest: (Optional) 1. [Mother¡¯s Wish] Wang Xiulian has always hoped to have a gentle, understanding, and slim daughter-in-law. Please help fulfill the mother¡¯s wish by finding a gentle, understanding, and slim girlfriend. [Select: YES/NO] 2. [Neighbor¡¯s Wish] Chen Duxiu¡¯s daughter, Chen Xiuxiu, has recently been obsessed with dieting to lose weight. Quest Hint: Due to extreme dieting and induced vomiting, Chen Xiuxiu has begun showing signs of anorexia. Please hurry. Quest Reward: Unknown Chen Xiuxiu was actually showing signs of anorexia from excessive dieting. Jiang Feng frowned slightly and closed the panel. There were two buns left in the pot, saved for his breakfast by Wang Xiulian. Sitting at the dining table, Jiang Feng quietly ate the slightly cool buns while pondering how to get Chen Xiuxiu to resume a normal diet. In a certain sense, Chen Xiuxiu could be considered Jiang Feng¡¯s childhood friend. She was a year younger than Jiang Feng and, because she came from a single-parent family and her father was busy with work, she used to get her lunch and dinner at Jiang Feng¡¯s family eatery. Under the loving care of Mr. Jiang Jiankang, Chen Xiuxiu had grown up to be tall and plump, a typical characteristic of the Jiang Family. Now that he thought about it, Jiang Feng realized he hadn¡¯t seen Chen Xiuxiu for over a year. For neighbors who had known each other for many years, this was certainly abnormal. After finishing breakfast and getting dressed, the clock pointed precisely to ten-forty. Walking to the eatery at eleven o¡¯clock was precisely when it was busy and needed extra hands and delivery staff. It was summer vacation, and cheap student labor was hard to come by, so they had to rely on free family labor. As he pushed open the door to the eatery, the first table he saw was occupied by Chen Duxiu and a slightly plump young woman. It was Chen Xiuxiu. Chen Xiuxiu, who used to be mistaken for Jiang Feng¡¯s cousin when playing with him and his three elder brothers, now had transformed so drastically that the phrase ¡°shedding skin and flesh¡± wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to describe her. On the table were four dishes, all specialties of Mr. Jiang Jiankang. Seeing Jiang Feng walk in, Chen Xiuxiu nodded slightly toward him, still with an unsmiling face. [A plate full of color, aroma, and flavor ¨C Kung Pao Chicken] [A plate of roasted green chilies with perfect fire control] [A plate of slightly salty Nine Turns Intestine] [A plate of refreshing stir-fried diced lotus root] Mr. Jiang Jiankang could only make Nine Turns Intestines a few times a year, so some imperfections were normal. ¡°Xiuxiu, this intestine dish was specially made by your Uncle Jiang just for you. Just try one bite, just one,¡± urged Chen Duxiu. ¡°I don¡¯t want to eat!¡± Chen Xiuxiu said in a lowered voice, her face filled with impatience, ¡°I told you I¡¯m on a diet, and you still bring me to Mr. Chen¡¯s restaurant and order so much food! Are you trying to make me fat to death?¡± ¡°Every day you drink plain porridge at home and practice yoga. How can your body take it? You were perfectly fine, and ever since you started university, you¡¯ve been talking about dieting. You¡¯re already thin enough; you don¡¯t need to diet!¡± Chen Duxiu continued to urge her with a kind voice. ¡°It¡¯s so hot these days, it¡¯s normal not to want to eat greasy food.¡± Seeing that a father-daughter conflict was about to erupt, Jiang Feng stepped in to smooth things over, ¡°Have some diced lotus root; I¡¯ll go smash some cucumbers for you.¡± Since she was little, Chen Xiuxiu¡¯s dinner always began with a smashed cucumber. They were the only table of customers in the restaurant, so Jiang Feng didn¡¯t need to attend to anything else and walked straight into the kitchen where he was greeted by a blast of heat. Mrs. Wang Xiulian was washing vegetables and tried to shoo him out when she saw him. ¡°What are you doing here? It¡¯s so hot. Isn¡¯t Xiuxiu outside? You should go and talk some sense into her dad. It¡¯s normal for a young girl to want to be beautiful and to diet. Who forces someone to eat? Also, have you seen the dishes your dad cooked? They¡¯re so oily and greasy; I can¡¯t even eat them.¡± The overperforming Mr. Jiang Jiankang: ¡­ ¡°I think Xiuxiu looked good before, even if she was a bit chubby, she appeared much more robust,¡± Jiang Jiankang muttered softly, expressing his nostalgia for the once larger Chen Xiuxiu. Jiang Feng skillfully took a cucumber washed by Mrs. Wang Xiulian, peeled it, cut it, and then smashed it with the back of the knife. ¡°I¡¯m smashing a cucumber for her,¡± Jiang Feng explained. He dressed it with vinegar and then added Mr. Jiang Jiankang¡¯s special chili oil, carrying the polished and clean plate out of the kitchen. [A neat plate of smashed cucumber] Placing the smashed cucumber in front of Chen Xiuxiu, she continued to sulk with her dad and stubbornly refused to pick up her chopsticks. ¡°Child, didn¡¯t you love smashed cucumber when you were little?¡± Chen Duxiu started to get anxious when he saw Chen Xiuxiu still refusing to eat. Chen Xiuxiu lowered her head and wouldn¡¯t look at him. The stalemate between father and daughter continued for a bit, and the restaurant began to fill up with customers. Jiang Feng started waiting on them, continuously taking menus to the kitchen. ¡°Ding, you¡¯ve gained 3 experience points.¡± Hearing the notification, Jiang Feng instinctively looked at Chen Xiuxiu. She was eating the smashed cucumber. ¡°Feng, could you please pack this up for us?¡± Chen Duxiu asked helplessly. Jiang Feng went to get the takeout boxes and saw Chen Xiuxiu picking up another chopstick full of smashed cucumber. ¡°Ding, you¡¯ve gained 3 experience points.¡± One would gain experience points when others ate the food he made. Jiang Feng came to a conclusion in his heart. Chen Duxiu had to leave for something, leaving only Chen Xiuxiu sitting in her place, helping Jiang Feng pack the dishes into boxes. ¡°It¡¯s not that I look down on Uncle Jiang¡¯s cooking,¡± Chen Xiuxiu asked in a muffled voice, ¡°I¡¯m just afraid if I start eating, I won¡¯t be able to control myself anymore.¡± ¡°Dieting by starving yourself is bad for your health,¡± Jiang Feng said, ¡°And making yourself vomit is even worse.¡± Chen Xiuxiu didn¡¯t say anything, just picked up the takeout box and left. Chapter 3 - 3 Chapter 3: Smashing Cucumbers 3 Chapter 3: Smashing Cucumbers Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio ¡°` Having discovered a method to gain experience points, Jiang Feng began to covet the position of head chef. However, the kitchen was Mr. Jiang Jiankang¡¯s territory, where he reigned supreme as the monarch of the back kitchen. Everything from the peeling knife, boning knife, and fruit knife to the iron pot, chopping board, and gas stove were his subjects. The chance of Jiang Feng staging a coup under his nose was practically nil. It took Jiang Feng an entire day to find a chance to sneak into the back kitchen and cook a bowl of seaweed egg soup. This was only possible because Mr. Jiang Jiankang was swamped with work; otherwise, Jiang Feng wouldn¡¯t even have been able to get close to the pot. At ten o¡¯clock in the evening, when the store closed, Mr. Jiang Jiankang and Mrs. Wang Xiulian cleaned up the back kitchen and, as usual, sent Jiang Feng home early. Before leaving, Jiang Feng swiped two cucumbers from the back kitchen. A neatly laid out plate of smashed cucumbers¡ªthat adjective was perhaps too mediocre. Jiang Feng felt that having prepared smashed cucumbers for Chen Xiuxiu since he was young and having practiced this dish for decades, at least the description should be something like having full marks in color, fragrance, and taste, one in a thousand. The smashed cucumbers that Chen Xiuxiu had eaten could have wiped out a whole family of cucumbers in an orchard. Returning home, Jiang Feng stood in the kitchen and examined the two cucumbers he had taken from Wang Xiulian¡¯s supply. One fat and one thin, one tall and one short, with a rough surface and yellow-green skin scarred from Mrs. Wang Xiulian¡¯s violent washing. To smash a cucumber ¡­ how should it be done? Having smashed countless cucumbers, Jiang Feng who had experienced both fat and thin ones fell into confusion. How else to smash a cucumber? Was he supposed to treat it like a martial arts novel, sink his qi to his dantian, use his True Qi to examine the cucumber¡¯s inner structure, then take out the legendary knife and with a touch of finesse, twirl the back of the knife while smashing¡­ Forget it, he couldn¡¯t make this up anymore. He took out the kitchen knife, placed the cucumber on the chopping board, and whack, whack, whack. There was no refreshing fragrance, no attractive color, and it certainly didn¡¯t glow. The cucumber was still a cucumber, just smashed. Pour vinegar, add chili oil, and two plates of smashed cucumber were done. The vinegar was made by Mr. Jiang Weiguo himself, and the chili oil was crafted by Mr. Jiang Jiankang. [An ordinary plate of smashed cucumbers] [A plate of smashed cucumbers with too much vinegar] Jiang Feng: ¡­ Although he didn¡¯t know why he could still see the remarks at home, these two comments were clearly upsetting. After ten minutes, Jiang Feng went next door, holding the plate of smashed cucumbers with too much vinegar, and knocked on the door. Five minutes before, Mrs. Wang Xiulian, who had just finished cleaning the back kitchen, had severely criticized Jiang Feng for wasting food by smashing cucumbers so late at night. With her astute judgment, she polished off the plate that was just plain ordinary and instructed Jiang Feng to take the other plate to Chen Xiuxiu next door. ¡°Xiuxiu loves smashed cucumbers, doesn¡¯t she? When she was little, she would eat all the cucumber you made, no matter how much vinegar you added!¡± Jiang Feng suspected that with Mrs. Wang Xiulian¡¯s booming voice, Chen Xiuxiu next door had heard everything loud and clear. When Chen Xiuxiu opened the door, she appeared perplexed to see Jiang Feng holding a plate of smashed cucumbers. ¡°Do you want some?¡± This question had come up countless times in their dialogues. ¡°Yes.¡± Chen Xiuxiu answered instinctively. Chen Duxiu wasn¡¯t home, but that was usual; ever since Jiang Feng could remember, he was often away on business trips. Jiang Feng placed the smashed cucumbers on the dining table, where a bowl of now cold porridge sat under a fly cover, with no side dishes. And it was a bowl with poor presentation, looking mushy and with a slightly burnt appearance. Jiang Feng furrowed his brow and asked, ¡°You haven¡¯t had dinner?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t feel like eating.¡± Chen Xiuxiu looked clearly loathsome. Seeing her expression, Jiang Feng said nothing more and went straight into the kitchen. Compared with the Jiang family¡¯s kitchen, which was on par with a hotel¡¯s kitchen, Chen Xiuxiu¡¯s kitchen was much humbler. There were two kitchen knives, a chopping board that was starting to split from moisture, one pot, a salt cellar, a small bottle of oil, and, shockingly, no other seasonings to be found. ¡°` ¡°You¡¯re going to cook?¡± Chen Xiuxiu didn¡¯t stop him, and ironically smiled, ¡°My place has nothing, just a pot, a bag of rice, and some meal replacement powder.¡± Indeed, when he opened the refrigerator, it was empty except for beer. ¡°Oh, right, and the old man¡¯s beer.¡± Chen Xiuxiu looked at him, ¡°Your home¡¯s groceries must all be at the shop. If I want to eat, just heat up this bowl of porridge for me.¡± These words coming out of Chen Xiuxiu¡¯s mouth were enough to shock all the street food vendors she had patronized in the past. How could the Chen Xiuxiu who used to be so picky due to Mr. Jiang Jiankang¡¯s indulgence possibly eat a bowl of failed, sticky, slightly burnt porridge? ¡°I¡¯ll cook you some plain porridge,¡± Jiang Feng also knew that cooking was out of the question, and his gaze turned to the only edible thing in the kitchen ¨C the rice. Chen Xiuxiu just sat in her chair, quietly watching Jiang Feng cook the porridge. The Jiang Family members did not like to drink porridge, and even if they did, it wouldn¡¯t be plain porridge. It had to be something like fresh shrimp porridge or beef porridge ¨C the kind where you could taste the delight of the meat. Bland and tasteless plain porridge was unlikely to ever appear on the Jiang Family¡¯s dining table. The key to cooking porridge lies in getting the rice to water ratio right, mastering the timing of fire control transitions, and stirring evenly to ensure each grain is plump and soft. Of course, Jiang Feng couldn¡¯t achieve any of that. He could only cook a bowl of porridge that was just palatable enough not to kill someone from its blandness. ¡°We haven¡¯t seen each other for a long time, have we?¡± Chen Xiuxiu suddenly said. ¡°Yes, almost a year. We haven¡¯t seen each other since you went to college,¡± Jiang Feng recalled carefully. ¡°Did you almost not recognize me at noon today? I used to be so fat¡­ deformed, like a meatball.¡± As she spoke, Chen Xiuxiu glanced at her own arm. ¡°You weren¡¯t that fat before,¡± Jiang Feng said while stirring the pot, ¡°at least not in my parents¡¯ eyes.¡± The Jiang Family¡¯s definition of fat was anyone under 200 pounds didn¡¯t count as fat but rather sturdy. Chen Xiuxiu chuckled, ¡°That¡¯s true, only you guys didn¡¯t consider me fat.¡± ¡°Dieting and losing weight is harmful to the health; that¡¯s what you said,¡± Jiang Feng remarked. Back in high school, every time after school when Chen Xiuxiu came to eat at Jiang Feng¡¯s shop, she would always say while eating meat and smiling happily, ¡°I know eating too much meat makes people fat, but I just have a big appetite. Dieting and losing weight is so bad for the health!¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°I initially wanted to lose weight by exercising, but it was just too hard. You can¡¯t imagine how hard it is for a 170-pound fatty to run a lap around the track. Dieting is so much simpler; just buy some emetic drugs, and vomiting eventually leads to weight loss.¡± ¡°Then I no longer have to go to specific clothing stores to buy clothes, and no one on the street will look at me with strange eyes. Eventually, I didn¡¯t even need the emetic drugs anymore. Seeing greasy and rich meat would naturally make me want to throw up, how great.¡± Jiang Feng couldn¡¯t comment, as the Jiang Family never lacked for overweight members. Each was robust and strong, able to take on ten men, and no one would dare to make irresponsible remarks, nor would anyone give them strange looks on the street. More often, people would just walk around the burly man with a face full of thick flesh. Jiang Feng could only silently continue cooking the porridge. Soon, a pot of ordinary plain porridge was ready. [A Bowl of Relatively Tasty Plain Porridge] This was the highest praise that the game had for the dish Jiang Feng had just cooked. He brought the plain porridge to Chen Xiuxiu, whose face was filled with rejection. She didn¡¯t want to eat anything, and she was willing never to eat anything ever again. But she couldn¡¯t refuse Jiang Feng¡¯s kindness. The porridge was still steaming hot, and Chen Xiuxiu picked up her chopsticks, picking up the smallest piece of cucumber. ¡°Crunch.¡± ¡°Ding, you have gained 10 experience points.¡± ¡°Tastes good,¡± Chen Xiuxiu said softly. Jiang Feng: ??? If he remembered correctly, the smacked cucumber had too much vinegar added! Chapter 4 - 4 Chapter 4 Running 4 Chapter 4 Running Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio Chen Xiuxiu ate half a plate of smashed cucumbers, and with every bite, Jiang Feng would hear the system¡¯s lovely prompt tone. ¡°Ding, gained ten experience points.¡± ¡°Ding, gained eight experience points.¡± ¡°Ding, gained eight experience points.¡± ¡­ Compared with Mrs. Wang Xiulian¡¯s miserly 1 experience point, Chen Xiuxiu was akin to a very generous client. The delightful tones kept ringing, prompting Jiang Feng to involuntarily reminisce about the times he spent with Chen Xiuxiu back in high school. Grilled sausages, pan-fried tofu, pan-fried buns, rice noodle rolls, grilled wheat gluten, soup dumplings, buns stuffed with gravy, shumai, pan-fried dumplings¡­ Just thinking about it made him a bit hungry. Before he knew it, Chen Xiuxiu drank an entire bowl of porridge. She let out a small burp. This bowl of porridge should feel honored, as only the sauce elbow made by Mr. Jiang Jiankang ever received such treatment. ¡°Not good!¡± One moment Chen Xiuxiu¡¯s face was filled with the happy smile of satiety, the next her complexion changed dramatically, ¡°I¡¯ve gone over my calorie limit for today!¡± Jiang Feng didn¡¯t understand how a bowl of plain porridge without even a drop of sesame oil could cause her to exceed her calorie intake. ¡°Damn it!¡± Chen Xiuxiu clenched her little fist in frustration and slammed the table. ¡°It¡¯s just a bowl of porridge, no worries,¡± Jiang Feng consoled her. Chen Xiuxiu shook her head. ¡°You don¡¯t understand, dieting is like this. If you indulge once, there¡¯ll be a second time, and before you know it, all your previous efforts would have gone to waste.¡± Women are indeed terrifying. Jiang Feng couldn¡¯t help but sigh to himself. ¡°You could run,¡± Jiang Feng suddenly had a brainwave and suggested, ¡°My roommate lost weight by running, it¡¯s very effective. You¡¯re so light now, it won¡¯t be hard for you. I can easily run ten kilometers myself.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Chen Xiuxiu looked skeptical, as she had known Jiang Feng could spin a tall tale since they were kids. ¡°Of course,¡± Jiang Feng said earnestly. It just so happened that while his roommate did lose weight by running, it was actually him, his running partner, who ended up losing it. ¡°Let¡¯s meet downstairs at seven tomorrow morning,¡± Jiang Feng decided resolutely. Chen Xiuxiu hesitated for a moment, then nodded in agreement. Speaking of running to lose weight, one cannot fail to mention Jiang Feng¡¯s roommate, Wang Hao. Under the nurturing of love, he grew fatter and fatter until he eventually lost his girlfriend. That relationship left him with nothing but body fat. After coming to terms with his pain, Wang Hao decided to run to lose weight and, fearing he wouldn¡¯t stick to it, dragged Jiang Feng along every day for company and supervision. He ran alright, but he didn¡¯t eat any less. His stomach, pampered by his ex-girlfriend¡¯s doting, became a bottomless pit after exercising, successfully turning Wang Hao from a soft-bodied fatty into a robust fatty. His roommate¡¯s tragic dieting experience served as a warning to Jiang Feng that exercise can greatly increase appetite. Now looking pale and ill, Chen Xiuxiu had resolutely starved her elephant-sized stomach into that of a little bird¡¯s in just one year, torturing herself to near death. Jiang Feng had to marvel that Mr. Chen was quite laid back about it. If he tried to do the same, Mr. Jiang Jiankang would stuff him like a foie gras duck every single day. Mr. Jiang Jiankang and Mrs. Wang Xiulian had already gone to bed. Jiang Feng quietly finished his washing up and returned to his room to check his attribute panel. (Repeat omitted) 2. [Neighbor¡¯s Wish] Mr. Chen Duxiu¡¯s daughter, Chen Xiuxiu, has recently become obsessed with dieting. Please help Chen Xiuxiu return to a normal diet to fulfill the neighbor¡¯s wish. Mission prompt: Chen Xiuxiu is showing signs of anorexia due to excessive dieting and induced vomiting. Please hurry, as time is of the essence. (Chen Xiuxiu has a preference for sour-smacked cucumbers) A new sentence was added to the mission prompt, explaining why Chen Xiuxiu received so many experience points for eating the smacked cucumbers that evening. Does it mean the player must explore on their own? Only by making a discovery will the game provide an explanation. If nothing is found, the game will not point it out. All these years, Jiang Feng only knew that Chen Xiuxiu liked to start her meals with smacked cucumbers and was particularly fond of the ones he prepared. It turns out it wasn¡¯t because he had practiced to perfection and made the cucumbers especially delicious. It was just that he always overdid the vinegar. Learning the truth, Jiang Feng almost shed tears. Clicking yes in the level column, he saw that the level and remaining experience points had changed to: Level: 1 (109/200) Remaining experience points: 0 The attribute panel showed no change. Were experience points and levels useless? Jiang Feng felt that couldn¡¯t be the case; it was probably just that his level was too low to meet the qualification threshold. Since he had made plans to go for a run with Chen Xiuxiu the next morning, Jiang Feng didn¡¯t continue to study the attribute panel and instead set his alarm for 6:30 before going straight to bed. The next day, as soon as Jiang Feng, still bleary-eyed, changed into his sportswear and pushed open the door¡­ There stood Chen Xiuxiu, dressed in relatively loose-fitting clothes and a pair of running shoes. For the run, she had even tied her hair back into a ponytail. Seeing her made Jiang Feng pause. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you knock on the door to hurry me up if you were out so early?¡± Chen Xiuxiu glanced at her watch, ¡°If you hadn¡¯t come out by seven, I would have knocked. How should we run?¡± Chen Xiuxiu seemed somewhat eager to start. Running in this area would give her a sense of exultation. It was akin to a mystic sense of achievement as if to say, ¡°The 120-pound me is back, no longer the 170-pound person I used to be.¡± This feeling wasn¡¯t something she could trade for even with three days of fasting to lose two pounds. ¡°Let¡¯s run to No. 1 Middle School.¡± No. 1 Middle School was the alma mater of both Jiang Feng and Chen Xiuxiu, and the food vendors around the school might not know who the principal was, but they definitely knew Chen Xiuxiu. After all, she was once a notorious foodie in the area. ¡°It¡¯ll be just right to have breakfast at the back gate,¡± suggested Jiang Feng, as if it was a mere afterthought. ¡°Breakfast?¡± Chen Xiuxiu frowned. She had intended today¡¯s run to burn off last night¡¯s bowl of porridge, so having another meal for breakfast seemed like a loss. The dictionary of someone on a diet did not include the word ¡°breakfast.¡± ¡°With such intense exercise, you¡¯d better eat breakfast or risk passing out,¡± Jiang Feng advised. The distance to No. 1 Middle School was roughly three kilometers, which was a substantial distance for a beginner runner like Chen Xiuxiu even at a jog. ¡°I¡¯ll just have a cup of soy milk,¡± Chen Xiuxiu compromised. Jogging may sound easy, but for running beginners, it¡¯s far from friendly. It was like Wang Hao, who on his first day of running set an ambitious goal of 10 kilometers, only to end up sneaking off to the cafeteria after just four laps to reward himself with sweet and sour pork. The short distance of three kilometers took them a full hour to run. Chen Xiuxiu was drenched in sweat, sitting in the Shaxian Snacks behind the back gate of No. 1 Middle School, cooling off in front of the electric fan. After slimming down to 120 pounds, she hadn¡¯t sweated this much in a long time. ¡°Want to eat something?¡± Jiang Feng¡¯s voice seemed like the devil¡¯s whisper to Chen Xiuxiu. Of course, she wanted to eat. She craved the freshly ground soy milk with two spoonfuls of sugar sold by Madam Zhang at the gate of No. 1, the tea eggs stewed until the juice had soaked through in the alley, the zhajiangmian with only cucumbers and green onions, and the steamed dumplings from this Shaxian Snacks franchise. ¡°Just a bowl of soy milk will do, without sugar.¡± Chen Xiuxiu almost suspected Jiang Feng had done it on purpose, picking this place as their run¡¯s destination. ¡°Miss, don¡¯t you want to try our steamed dumplings? They¡¯re really delicious. There used to be a young lady from No. 1 who ate several baskets every day!¡± The proprietress, as always, recommended her steamed dumplings to new customers. ¡°Jiang Feng, why don¡¯t you persuade your girlfriend? Young ladies can¡¯t handle exercising and not eating,¡± she said. ¡°Madam, this is Chen Xiuxiu,¡± Jiang Feng said with a smile, ordering two baskets of steamed dumplings and a bowl of mung bean soup. ¡°Xiuxiu?!¡± The proprietress¡¯s voice rivaled that of Mrs. Wang Xiulian. ¡°Xiuxiu¡¯s become so pretty! Truly, a young girl changes eighteen times between childhood and womanhood. I couldn¡¯t even recognize you. How could you come here and not have steamed dumplings? Come on, have a basket. Don¡¯t go starving yourself. If one basket isn¡¯t enough, I¡¯ve got six more, and if that¡¯s still not enough, I can make some fresh for you right now!¡± Under the proprietress¡¯s enthusiastic persuasion, Chen Xiuxiu was steadily pushed back, her order of a mere bowl of soy milk turning into a basket of steamed dumplings and a bowl of soy milk. Plucking up a steamed dumpling, Chen Xiuxiu glared at Jiang Feng fiercely, ¡°You did this on purpose, luring me here to eat.¡± ¡°What, their dumplings aren¡¯t tasty?¡± Jiang Feng feigned innocence, ¡°When I was young and didn¡¯t know better, I always thought these were the most delicious dumplings in the world.¡± Jiang Feng swallowed a dumpling in one bite, chewed a few times, and then swallowed. ¡°Then I went to college, went out and about, and realized that their dumplings really are the best in the world.¡± Chen Xiuxiu couldn¡¯t argue back. After exercising, her blood circulated vigorously, insulin was secreted, and her empty stomach began to move furiously, lodging protests to her body. Having starved herself for a year, she thought she¡¯d become accustomed to hunger. Seeing Chen Xiuxiu abandon the slow and methodical way she¡¯d eaten cucumbers the night before and instead hurriedly devour the steamed dumplings, Jiang Feng pressed his advantage, ¡°Shall we continue tomorrow?¡± ¡°Mmm.¡± Chen Xiuxiu took a big bite of her dumpling. Chapter 5 - 5 Chapter 5 Nourishing Stomach Porridge 5 Chapter 5 Nourishing Stomach Porridge Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio Eating breakfast, Chen Xiuxiu couldn¡¯t wait to run home to burn off the calories from that sinful cage of steamed dumplings she¡¯d just eaten. ¡°You can¡¯t do intense exercise after a meal,¡± Jiang Feng refused without a second thought. ¡°What should I do then?¡± Chen Xiuxiu, looking at the empty cage on the table, flashed a hint of annoyance across her face. She initially planned to eat only two but unconsciously ended up devouring the whole cage. She even regretted listening to Jiang Feng¡¯s nonsense about coming to run today. ¡°Take a slow walk, how about going to my family¡¯s shop later?¡± Jiang Feng suggested. ¡°Not going!¡± Her little plan had fallen through, but this was within Jiang Feng¡¯s expectations. It was easy to trick Chen Xiuxiu once, but harder to continue luring her out for meals. Having walked not too long, Chen Xiuxiu started to feel stomach pain. Because of excessive dieting, stomach aches were a common issue for Chen Xiuxiu, but this time it was severe. Soon, she turned pale and broke into a cold sweat due to the pain. ¡°Jiang Feng, my stomach hurts. Can you help me buy some stomach medicine? I¡¯ll wait for you here,¡± Chen Xiuxiu couldn¡¯t endure the pain any longer, found a tree to support herself, squatted down, and held her stomach. ¡°Go to the hospital,¡± Jiang Feng decisively helped Chen Xiuxiu and insisted. There was a private hospital nearby which the local students frequented for minor ailments like headaches or fevers. Jiang Feng knew the doctor on duty that day. Back in high school, Chen Xiuxiu had a stomach of steel, dragging Jiang Feng out to eat and drink recklessly without any issues, while Jiang Feng was the one who often got a stomach ache and became a super VIP customer at Dr. Chen¡¯s clinic. Dr. Chen clearly remembered Jiang Feng too. Seeing him, she lifted her eyelid: ¡°You¡¯ve been out eating and drinking recklessly with your little childhood sweetheart again?¡± ¡°Doctor, it¡¯s me. My stomach hurts,¡± Chen Xiuxiu said, holding her stomach. After a checkup, Dr. Chen turned to Jiang Feng and scolded him: ¡°What kind of boyfriend are you? Your girlfriend has such a serious stomach condition and you still let her eat like this. She¡¯s eaten too much.¡± Jiang Feng: ??? There was no time to explain that Chen Xiuxiu wasn¡¯t his girlfriend, Jiang Feng hurriedly defended himself: ¡°She only ate a cage of steamed dumplings and a glass of soy milk.¡± ¡°A cage of steamed dumplings?¡± Dr. Chen didn¡¯t believe Jiang Feng¡¯s words, ¡°How big was the cage?¡± ¡°Just a normal size cage,¡± Jiang Feng felt it was a case of karma. In high school, it was him who got stomach aches and Chen Xiuxiu who accompanied him to the hospital and was scolded by Dr. Chen, and now it was his turn to be scolded. ¡°Besides, Dr. Chen, don¡¯t you recognize her? She¡¯s Chen Xiuxiu!¡± Jiang Feng felt deeply wronged. How could he have guessed that a cage of steamed dumplings would cause Chen Xiuxiu such stomach pain? ¡°Xiuxiu?!¡± Dr. Chen was shocked, then frowned, ¡°Have you been dieting to lose weight?¡± Chen Xiuxiu reluctantly nodded her head. ¡°Nonsense!¡± Dr. Chen¡¯s eyebrows knitted together, and Jiang Feng sensed trouble brewing. Sure enough, the next second, Dr. Chen launched into a health education lecture on healthy dieting. During the summer vacation, Dr. Chen didn¡¯t have many patients, so when an old client came by, she seized the opportunity to give them a thorough health and mindset education. ¡°Drink more porridge at home and return to a normal diet. It¡¯s foolish to develop a stomach condition just because of dieting at such a young age. You¡¯ll regret it in the future.¡± Half an hour later, Dr. Chen said the only useful phrase, ¡°Now, go get the medicine. Take the medicine and eat your meals on schedule.¡± Chen Xiuxiu looked utterly miserable. Jiang Feng guessed she might be reminded of the fear dominated by Dr. Chen¡¯s nagging in high school. With her stomach condition acting up, exercise was out of the question. Jiang Feng and Chen Xiuxiu took the bus home, and after taking Chen Xiuxiu upstairs, Jiang Feng went to pick up some groceries at the shop. He explained the situation to Wang Xiulian and Mr. Jiang Jiankang and then took a carefully selected bag of vegetables to Chen Xiuxiu¡¯s place. When Chen Xiuxiu opened the door, she had already changed into new clothes, and a purple yoga mat was spread out in the living room, seemingly prepared to do yoga. ¡°Is your stomach not hurting anymore?¡± Jiang Feng placed the groceries in the kitchen and saw the same bowl of cold porridge on the table. He asked, ¡°What are you planning to eat for lunch?¡± ¡°Medicine.¡± It seemed she was planning to skip eating. Jiang Feng didn¡¯t say much and simply started to prepare porridge. ¡°I¡¯m not eating lunch,¡± Chen Xiuxiu tried to stop him. ¡°I just messaged Dr. Chen on WeChat. She only works in the morning, and if you don¡¯t eat anything, I will call Dr. Chen right away,¡± Jiang Feng bluntly threatened her with the ultimate weapon, knowing that Dr. Chen lived in their same residential complex. Perhaps the memories of Dr. Chen¡¯s high school lectures were too profound and still held sway, she immediately kept silent. ¡°I¡¯ll only have a small bowl,¡± Chen Xiuxiu emphasized, and curiously asked as she saw Jiang Feng take out japonica rice, glutinous rice, red dates, black beans, millet, and two small bags of meat from the bag, ¡°What porridge are you cooking?¡± ¡°Stomach-nourishing porridge.¡± Jiang Feng¡¯s stomach had been weak since he was young, and Mr. Jiang Jiankang would cook him this stomach-nourishing porridge every so often. Additionally, the porridge that Mr. Jiang Jiankang cooked carried the Jiang Family¡¯s signature style: ham, chicken, shrimp, and beef were all indispensable ingredients. Jiang Feng remembered that as a child, he didn¡¯t like to drink the stomach-nourishing porridge, and he would take it to Chen Xiuxiu as soon as Mr. Jiang Jiankang left. ¡°I don¡¯t eat meat!¡± Knowing full well the richness of the Jiang Family¡¯s stomach-nourishing porridge ingredients, Chen Xiuxiu immediately emphasized. ¡°Mm.¡± Jiang Feng chose to compromise, as for what the stomach-nourishing porridge would turn into without ham, chicken, shrimp, or beef under his less-than-stellar cooking skills¡­ Anyway, it wasn¡¯t him who¡¯d be eating it. The porridge was cooking in the pressure cooker, with still a long time until it was done. Jiang Feng glanced at the remaining ingredients, pouring the corn kernels, chicken, and ham into the pan to prepare a dish of mixed corn kernels. As for the rest, they could be taken back to the shop later that afternoon. Inside the bag, there was also a plump, yellow-green cucumber with an unbroken skin, which he had meticulously picked out from seven or eight cucumbers and washed himself. As for why he specifically chose a cucumber¡­ Perhaps smashing cucumbers was really addictive! Smack smack smack! Chen Xiuxiu, who had initially only wanted to drink a bowl of porridge, was drawn by the sound of smashing cucumbers. She couldn¡¯t help herself and picked up a piece with chopsticks to try it at the sight of the smashed cucumbers on the kitchen counter. ¡°Ding, you¡¯ve gained 2 experience points.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too sour,¡± Chen Xiuxiu said with a look of disgust. Jiang Feng: ¡­ [A plate of cucumbers smothered in way too much vinegar] [A plate of mixed corn kernels with incorrect fire control] The Garbage Identification Skill would never be able to tell how much excess vinegar was used! Chen Xiuxiu was uninterested in the plate of mixed corn kernels next to the smashed cucumbers: ¡°Since when did you like eating corn kernels?¡± ¡°Just threw something together,¡± Jiang Feng explained, how could he tell Chen Xiuxiu that he himself didn¡¯t dare touch the porridge in the pressure cooker. After waiting another half an hour, Jiang Feng figured the porridge was probably ready, turned off the heat, opened the pressure cooker, and served up a bowl of porridge. [A bowl of weird-tasting stomach-nourishing porridge] Quietly placing the porridge on the table, Jiang Feng began to eat the corn kernels. ¡°You¡¯re not drinking?¡± Chen Xiuxiu asked. I wouldn¡¯t drink it if you killed me! ¡°I don¡¯t like drinking porridge.¡± ¡°Ding, you¡¯ve gained 1 experience point.¡± Chen Xiuxiu silently put down the spoon and after quite some time, asked, ¡°Did you add salt?¡± Jiang Feng: ¡­ ¡°Eating too much salt is bad for the stomach.¡± Chen Xiuxiu: ??? Out of consideration for her friend¡¯s hard work in cooking, Chen Xiuxiu managed to swallow down a small bowl of the weird-tasting nourishing porridge. Looking at the pressure cooker on the stove, she asked, ¡°Are you really not going to have any?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like drinking porridge,¡± Jiang Feng said steadfastly. ¡°Then what are we going to do with this pot of porridge?¡± Chen Xiuxiu pointed out this very serious problem. Jiang Feng thought for a moment and came up with a brilliant idea, ¡°I¡¯ll take it to the store in the afternoon as a freebie.¡± Having said this, he went into the kitchen to cover the pressure cooker. ¡°Ding, you¡¯ve gained 9 experience points.¡± Turning around, Jiang Feng saw only the plate of mixed corn kernels on the table, and Chen Xiuxiu was looking down at the empty bowl. Is she¡­ sneaking bites? Chapter 6 - 6 Chapter 6 Strategy 6 Chapter 6 Strategy Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio Jiang Feng closed the lid of the pressure cooker while wondering why Chen Xiuxiu snuck some corn kernels while he went into the kitchen. If it was because she was too embarrassed¡­ In front of him over the years, Chen Xiuxiu had done countless embarrassing things¡ªthere had to be at least eight hundred if not a thousand of them, so it was unlikely she took such a risk for mere corn kernels. ¡°Ding, earned 9 experience points.¡± She snuck another bite! After securing the lid on the pressure cooker, Jiang Feng came out and glanced at the corn kernels on the table. There wasn¡¯t much change, she must have only snuck one or two kernels. ¡°I¡¯ll take the dish away,¡± Jiang Feng ventured. ¡°Go ahead,¡± Chen Xiuxiu said, unflustered. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to taste it?¡± Jiang Feng decided to deepen the trap. ¡°No!¡± Chen Xiuxiu was resolute. That¡¯s strange. ¡°I¡¯ll get a bowl later to take the porridge from the kitchen, and I¡¯ll come back in the evening to cook you a new batch,¡± said Jiang Feng as he picked up the plate of assorted corn kernels. Jiang Feng deliberately slowed his steps, pausing at the door, and stealthily glanced back. Chen Xiuxiu was looking down at her phone. Hey, don¡¯t say, but she actually looks pretty beautiful with her bangs covering her face as she looks down. Walking leisurely, Jiang Feng returned home with the plate. No one was at home, so after putting the dish in the fridge, he went straight to his room. Opening the attributes panel, Jiang Feng wanted to see if today¡¯s feeding had aggravated Chen Xiuxiu¡¯s stomach ailment, and whether the task had made any progress. (Repeated parts omitted) Task Hint: Reputation is key to developing a new store, fame gains restricted to UAL University. 2. [Neighbor¡¯s Wish] Chen Duxiu¡¯s daughter, Chen Xiuxiu, has recently become obsessed with dieting to lose weight. Please, player, complete the neighbor¡¯s wish and help Chen Xiuxiu return to a normal diet. Task Hint: Chen Xiuxiu has shown signs of anorexia due to excessive diet vomiting. Please, player, act quickly. (Chen Xiuxiu likes sour-smacked cucumbers, Chen Xiuxiu cannot resist food placed in front of her.) Jiang Feng slapped his thigh, just say it earlier! It turns out the reason Chen Xiuxiu only had raw rice at home and no other food was not to diet, but because that was the only way she could lose weight. Just as I thought, nature is hard to change; how could Chen Xiuxiu, who used to conquer all in eating within ten miles, become an ascetic fairy that refrains from food and water in just one year? But, her stomach is going to be a big problem. After all, we grew up together as good friends; I can¡¯t just tempt her with big meals every day just to complete the task. Porridge is more suitable for her. Porridge can be categorized into six or seven types according to ingredients, but if categorized by taste, there are only clear, sweet, and salty porridges. Each place has its own specialty, and you can eat different porridge every day for two months without repetition. But Jiang Feng only knows how to make plain porridge and stomach-consoling porridge. The Jiang family¡¯s cook¡¯s menu does not include porridge. Jiang Weiguo¡¯s proudest achievement in life wasn¡¯t having four sons, but managing to ensure his family had solid meals when most people drank gruel. Even after reforms and opening up, when the era of inadequate meals passed, porridge never appeared in Comrade Jiang Weiguo¡¯s recipe book. If not for Jiang Feng¡¯s stomach being weak, Comrade Jiang Jiankang would not have gone out of his way to learn how to make stomach-consoling porridge from an old porridge shop¡¯s master. Jiang Feng regretted that Comrade Jiang Jiankang back then didn¡¯t learn a few more types of porridge from the master. If he had done so, he could now tempt Chen Xiuxiu back to a normal diet with his exquisite porridge-cooking skills, but now¡­ He just hoped she might have a unique taste and only love plain porridge. He also didn¡¯t know whether the game¡¯s requirement for returning to a normal diet meant drinking a small bowl of porridge that could be finished in a few bites, or if it meant the large bowl of porridge that Chen Duxiu bought specially for Xiuxiu to eat her meals from when she was in her senior year of high school. No, more like a large basin. In the afternoon, Jiang Feng took the porridge to the store. Mrs. Wang Xiulian had not yet tasted the porridge cooked by her son and excitedly tried it, then silently put down her spoon. The expression on her face, meaningful as if each piece of fat revealed a resigned sadness. ¡°Xiuxiu really endured hardships,¡± Mrs. Wang Xiulian sighed, not sugarcoating just because her own son had cooked the porridge. Jiang Jiankang followed behind and tasted it, nodding in agreement, ¡°Xiuxiu has been good-tempered since she was a child, but if I were young and tasted such porridge, I might flip the table and slap it on the chef¡¯s face.¡± Jiang Feng: ¡­ Don¡¯t you think your son deserves a little encouragement? ¡°This porridge can¡¯t be given away as a freebie, our shop still has to stay open for another month; what if it scares away the customers!¡± Mrs. Wang Xiulian hammered down a decision, ¡°Tonight, let¡¯s see if that boy in the blue shirt comes to dine, and we¡¯ll give it all to him. Daring to tell me to my face that I¡¯m fat as a pig, I¡¯ll show him!¡± As she spoke, Mrs. Wang Xiulian gave Jiang Feng a supportive pat on the shoulder with her robust right hand: ¡°Well done, son!¡± Jiang Jiankang supported every decision his wife made: ¡°Exactly, he should watch his words, even pigs gotta be sold when they reach two hundred pounds.¡± Jiang Feng wasn¡¯t sure if the pain was greater on his shoulder or in his heart, but seeing Mrs. Wang Xiulian¡¯s increasingly dark expression and Mr. Jiang Jiankang chuckling to himself, clueless of the brewing storm, Jiang Feng felt a bit better. Perhaps this bowl of porridge would end up as Comrade Jiang Jiankang¡¯s dinner. After cleaning up the shop, wiping down the tables Mrs. Wang Xiulian had left uncleaned, helping wash the dishes, and sorting out some vegetables, Jiang Feng, with the materials for making porridge that evening, returned home. He was going to cook preserved egg and lean meat porridge! But before that, he needed to check Baidu for the method of cooking preserved egg and lean meat porridge. After watching a variety of videos related to preserved egg and lean meat porridge, Jiang Feng, with his rich cooking experience, felt it shouldn¡¯t be a problem and was determined to redeem himself that evening, letting Chen Xiuxiu taste his true porridge-cooking skills. ¡°Ding, achieved: Diligent Learning.¡± Achievement! Jiang Feng quickly opened the attributes panel. Achievement: Diligent Learning (no attribute bonuses) Jiang Feng: ¡­ So stingy! Throw me a Special Level Preserved Egg and Lean Meat Porridge Technique, or even a cooking effect that glows would suffice, but to call it an achievement with no attribute bonuses? Pah! Chapter 7 - 7 Chapter 7: Century Egg and Lean Pork Congee 7 Chapter 7: Century Egg and Lean Pork Congee Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio Compared to Chen Xiuxiu¡¯s modest kitchen, the Jiang family¡¯s was much better equipped with kitchen tools and seasonings. Not wanting to poison his friend, Jiang Feng decided to first cook the porridge at home, to see how it turned out before considering whether to bring it over. He chopped up the preserved egg, marinated the lean meat, and after a flurry of activity, Jiang Feng stepped out of the kitchen to wait quietly for the porridge to cook. Taking out his phone, Jiang Feng realized that Wang Hao had sent him a string of messages. Mouse: Feng, which button do I press to cook rice in the rice cooker??!! Mouse: Feng, how much water and how much rice do I need to cook rice??!! Mouse: Feng, what setting should I adjust the voltage stabilizer to??!! Mouse: Feng, save me!!! Jiang Feng: ¡­ Since when are you still a kid in our Jiang family? Anyone over 150 pounds doesn¡¯t count as a child. After remotely guiding Wang Hao on how to use the rice cooker, Jiang Feng browsed through his Moments and then received a reply from Wang Hao. Mouse: Feng, it¡¯s too late¡­ Mouse: Feng, I¡¯m begging you to come back! I miss your clay pot pork rib rice! Jiang Feng: ¡­ guna ???? In order to repay his roommate¡¯s longing, Jiang Feng lifted the pot lid, took a picture of the steaming pot of porridge that wasn¡¯t quite done yet, and clicked send. Setting down his phone, he began to stir the porridge in the pot. After stirring for about fifteen minutes, Jiang Feng glanced at the clock in the living room. It was 4:40 PM, not yet dinner time. He turned off the heat, covered the pot, and left it to keep warm. Turning on his phone, he inevitably received a series of wails from Wang Hao. Considering the main task at hand, Jiang Feng decided to call Wang Hao to ask about his situation and, at the same time, to ask for his help in promoting the new restaurant that was about to open. Wang Hao may have been unlucky in love and unable to shake off his extra weight, but he was successful in his business endeavors. He had opened a small shop in the dormitory and was doing great; almost half the dormitory leaders in the male dorms had added him on WeChat. ¡°Hello.¡± The call was quickly answered, carrying Wang Hao¡¯s mournful wail. ¡°Feng, you¡¯re so uncool, cooking up a storm at home and not caring whether your brother lives or dies,¡± Wang Hao immediately accused Jiang Feng. ¡°¡­ You do know you can eat at the canteen, right?¡± ¡°During the summer vacation, the cafeteria just cycles through the same few dishes. They¡¯re even worse than pig slop, and they don¡¯t even turn on the air conditioning. Almost all the restaurants on the food street by the back gate are closed; it¡¯s like they don¡¯t want to give us summer students any means to live,¡± Wang Hao complained. This year¡¯s summer temperature in Alan City hadn¡¯t dropped below 37 degrees Celsius, so it would have been a surprise if any of the shopkeepers stayed open just for a handful of students. ¡°So you decided to cook plain rice in your dorm?¡± Jiang Feng didn¡¯t understand Wang Hao¡¯s thought process. ¡°You don¡¯t get it, plain rice with spicy sticks is the ultimate summer cooler,¡± Wang Hao sighed. ¡°Did you call just to brag about eating and drinking well at home?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s talk business. Do you know about the new restaurant being renovated on the food street behind the school?¡± ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re pretty up to date! It¡¯s such a big place with two floors, and they haven¡¯t even put up their sign yet. Every day I pass by, I see a bunch of brawny guys overseeing the work. That restaurant owner must be loaded!¡± Wang Hao exclaimed. ¡°What do you think they¡¯ll sell? An entire security firm can¡¯t be setting up right behind our school!¡± ¡°¡­ That¡¯s my family¡¯s new restaurant¡­¡± There was silence on the other end of the phone for a while. Jiang Feng quietly moved the phone away from his ear, and sure enough, Wang Hao¡¯s shout came through loud and clear. ¡°Damn, Feng, you really are my bro, a rich second generation hiding in plain sight!¡± ¡°Get lost! I¡¯m a poor second generation right now. My dad borrowed a big sum of money to open that store, and we¡¯re now heavily in debt,¡± Jiang Feng said with a laugh. ¡°You have to promote it well on WeChat for me, or else you might see me begging at the bridge.¡± ¡°No problem, but Feng, how¡¯s Uncle¡¯s cooking? I have never advertised anything on my Moments, and I don¡¯t want to have clients blocking me after my first ad,¡± Wang Hao said cautiously. ¡°Stop it, what customers at your little shop? What do you think of my cooking skills?¡± Jiang Feng replied. ¡°You won¡¯t find a second one like you in the whole male dormitory!¡± Wang Hao praised earnestly. ¡°In my dad¡¯s eyes, most of the dishes I make are pig slop.¡± Wang Hao was immediately fired up. Whenever Jiang Feng cooked pork rib clay pot rice in the dormitory, the aroma wafted far and wide, stirring up the whole building. If that was considered pig slop, he was willing to eat it for a lifetime! ¡°No problem, I¡¯ll rent out my Moments for you to advertise for a whole year! Let¡¯s forget about the advertisement fees, how about you cover three meals a day?¡± Wang Hao proposed slyly. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t forget something for you to eat,¡± Jiang Feng felt he needed to give Wang Hao a heads-up, ¡°but you should pay attention to exercising, or you¡¯ll hit 200 pounds with your horizontal growth.¡± ¡°As if I¡¯d easily reach 200 pounds.¡± How could it not be easy? Look at our Jiang Family, aside from me, who hasn¡¯t effortlessly reached 200 pounds? After chatting with Wang Hao for a few more sentences, Jiang Feng hung up the phone. Glancing at his cell phone, it showed 5:15 PM, just the right time, not too early for dinner. Carrying a bowl of warm preserved egg and lean pork congee, Jiang Feng knocked on the door next door. [A bowl of preserved egg and lean pork congee with incorrect ingredient proportions] The proportions might have been off, but Jiang Feng tasted it; it was still alright. It was Chen Duxiu who opened the door; unexpectedly, he was actually at home. ¡°Mr. Chen, I¡¯ve brought some congee for Xiuxiu,¡± Jiang Feng said. Chen Duxiu seemed surprised: ¡°Bringing congee?¡± ¡°She had a stomach ailment this morning, Dr. Chen told her to drink congee for a few days,¡± Jiang Feng explained. ¡°This child, how did she end up with a stomach ailment?¡± Chen Duxiu muttered as he walked in, ¡°Really, it¡¯s such a bother for you, Feng.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Chen Xiuxiu was sitting on the sofa watching TV, with a cup of plain water on the coffee table in front of her. Seeing Jiang Feng come in, still holding a bowl of congee, she got up to pour water for him. ¡°Preserved egg and lean pork congee?¡± Chen Xiuxiu sniffed the aroma. Jiang Feng nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t eat meat.¡± Chen Duxiu became anxious and scolded, ¡°What are you talking about, child? Feng is kindly making congee for you, and you¡¯re here being picky.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, I¡¯ve taken out the meat and preserved eggs,¡± Jiang Feng said accommodatingly. ¡°Mr. Chen, why don¡¯t you come to my place for some congee? I¡¯ll stir-fry a few dishes for you.¡± ¡°How could I impose?¡± Chen Duxiu was obviously tempted. ¡°It¡¯s alright, this way you can try my cooking,¡± Jiang Feng said with a smile. ¡°The culinary skills of the Jiang Family are certainly unquestionable. Back when your grandfather was the head chef at the state-owned restaurant, the aroma of the dishes would drift over, tantalizing all of us kids. We would pester your father and your uncles just to scrounge a bite to eat.¡± ¡°When I was a kid, all those New Year pictures and clay figurines went to your dad and your uncle.¡± ¡°But your grandfather, his cooking was truly delicious; your dad couldn¡¯t match his skills.¡± Chen Duxiu followed Jiang Feng to his house, reminiscing about the past. Comrade Jiang Weiguo¡¯s culinary talents were indeed superb; every Chinese New Year, when the entire family gathered and Sir cooked, the Jiang Family members were always as happy as if it really was the New Year¡­ even though it indeed was. But undoubtedly, Sir¡¯s culinary skills were still the pinnacle among the chefs of the Jiang Family. Just as Jiang Feng served two bowls of congee and placed them on the table, he heard the system notification. ¡°Ding, received 9 experience points.¡± ¡°Ding, received 12 experience points.¡± ¡°Ding, received 12 experience points.¡± ¡­ It seemed that Chen Xiuxiu was very satisfied with this congee. ¡°Mr. Chen, you have some congee first, I¡¯ll go fry a couple of dishes,¡± Jiang Feng walked into the kitchen in high spirits. ¡°Ding, received 2 experience points.¡± Jiang Feng turned around, and there was Chen Duxiu, holding the congee. Tsk. Stingy. Chapter 8 - 8 Chapter 8 New Skills 8 Chapter 8 New Skills Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio Although Chen Duxiu was stingy with the experience points, Jiang Feng still cooked him two dishes. Those who had seen Sir¡¯s cooking skills naturally didn¡¯t think Jiang Feng¡¯s dishes were very good. Throughout the cooking process, the delightful ¡°Ding, gained 10 experience points.¡± from the system notifications was occasionally accompanied by a ¡°Ding, gained 1 experience point.¡± Those familiar with Sir¡¯s cooking were only lukewarm towards his dishes, and Chen Xiuxiu, who had only ever eaten Mr. Jiang Jiankang¡¯s cooking, only reluctantly accepted his culinary skills. The beasts in the dorm were as excited every time he made rib rice with that crappy little electric cooker as if they¡¯d found girlfriends. Without comparison, there is no harm. Jiang Feng felt that it was better to cook for people who didn¡¯t know anything about it in the future. You get more experience points that way. Over the next few days, Jiang Feng cooked all the common types of porridge he could find online. Sometimes he cooked too much and gave it all to Mr. Jiang Jiankang as dinner, which Mr. Jiang Jiankang ate with evident relish. However, the results were significant. After eating three normal meals a day for several days, Chen Xiuxiu¡¯s complexion was no longer as waxy and pale and had partly regained its color. After finishing relatively simple porridges, Jiang Feng started to tackle the more challenging shrimp porridge. For this porridge, he didn¡¯t need to look for a tutorial online, as Mr. Jiang Jiankang knew how to make it. Following Mr. Jiang Jiankang¡¯s half-hearted remote guidance, the porridge in the pot was beginning to take shape. ¡°Ding, achievement gained: Not Ashamed to Ask.¡± Another achievement? He opened the attribute panel and saw the achievements section. Achievements: Diligent Learning (no attribute bonuses) Not Ashamed to Ask (no attribute bonuses) Jiang Feng: ¡­ Thanks to Chen Xiuxiu, Jiang Feng had leveled up to level 3 in the past few days, yet he hadn¡¯t unlocked anything new, and the attribute panel had not changed. Jiang Feng even began to suspect that when he completed the side quest, the reward would change from unknown to none. Given how stingy the game was, it was capable of such shameless actions. After the shrimp porridge was done, Jiang Feng tasted it first. The flavor was okay, but just okay. [A pot of shrimp porridge with incorrect ingredient proportions] Apart from the obviously problematic tasting ones, all the other porridges read as having incorrect ingredient proportions. What¡¯s the correct proportion? As a Jiang Family member with dreams and aspirations, Jiang Feng was baffled. ¡°Ding, Skill acquired: Cooking Porridge (Beginner).¡± A skill? Jiang Feng was surprised, he had just been thinking about how to find the right ingredient proportions, and the game had generously given him a skill. Skills: Appraisal (Beginner): You can only gain some basic information Cooking Porridge (Beginner): You can only grasp some correct ingredient proportions The game was indeed interesting, giving whatever you thought of, truly living up to the adage of exploring on one¡¯s own. Looking back at the pot of porridge, Jiang Feng subconsciously felt something was not quite right. The shrimp seemed to be too much, a few grams short of salt, and before cooking, he should have added half a finger¡¯s worth of water. Is just a beginner skill this useful? If the skill he had gained was not Cooking Porridge (Beginner) but (Advanced)¡­ Wouldn¡¯t that mean he¡¯d be making glowing porridge! Jiang Feng even wanted to pour out this pot of porridge and cook a new one, but considering there wasn¡¯t enough time, he had to give up. He had finally gotten Chen Xiuxiu used to drinking porridge every day at 5:30 pm. He couldn¡¯t let all the effort go to waste. He had to subject Mr. Jiang Jiankang to another meal of swill, but tomorrow he¡¯d let him taste porridge cooked at a whole new level with Cooking Porridge (Beginner). The next day, Jiang Feng decided to start with making the preserved egg and lean meat porridge he had made in the beginning. Chop up the preserved eggs, marinate the lean meat¡­ The same steps, but a completely different feeling in the preparation. It seemed as if an invisible pair of hands was helping him measure out each ingredient, and even lighting the fire was more adept than before. Jiang Feng stayed in the kitchen, not daring to slack off for even a moment. There were still a dozen minutes before the dish was ready when someone knocked on the door. Upon opening it, it was Chen Xiuxiu. ¡°Jiang Feng, I¡­ Oh, are you cooking preserved egg and pork congee today?¡± Chen Xiuxiu¡¯s words reached her lips but were then swallowed back. She had just weighed herself and hadn¡¯t lost a single pound in the past few days. She initially wanted to tell Jiang Feng not to bother bringing over congee anymore, but the scent of the preserved egg and pork congee at the door caused her to change her mind on the spot. The congee today¡­ seemed a bit different. Just the smell alone made it seem exceptionally delicious. ¡°Did Mr. Jiang cook the congee?¡± Chen Xiuxiu couldn¡¯t believe Jiang Feng could be this skilled; after all, she knew his culinary abilities¡ªor lack thereof¡ªfrom growing up with him. ¡°I cooked it,¡± Jiang Feng said proudly. ¡°It¡¯ll be ready in another ten minutes, how about two bowls?¡± ¡°One bowl,¡± Chen Xiuxiu held her ground. ¡°What did you come to see me for?¡± asked Jiang Feng. ¡°I¡­ I¡­ I came because of the smell. I thought Mr. Chen was cooking porridge,¡± Chen Xiuxiu did not mention her intention to stop drinking the congee. Jiang Feng: ? Came because of the smell? That was quite like Chen Xiuxiu¡¯s style from the old days. Soon, the congee was ready. A bowl of steaming hot preserved egg and pork congee was served up, its aroma alone being incredibly tempting. [A bowl of preserved egg and pork congee with improper fire control] Jiang Feng: ¡­ It was as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over him, chilling a somewhat smug Jiang Feng to the core, from the epidermis to the dermis to the subcutaneous tissue. This game sure had high expectations. Chen Xiuxiu scooped up a spoonful of congee, blew on it carefully a few times, and then tasted it. ¡°Ding, you have earned 37 experience points.¡± Comrade Chen Xiuxiu is such a good comrade! Jiang Feng couldn¡¯t help but sigh. The generosity of the experience points aside, she ate at a deliberate pace, making a small bowl of congee last for over twenty sips. In contrast, Mr. Jiang Jiankang granted experience points one by one, and when it came to eating congee, he had the demeanor of someone conquering mountains and rivers, powering through half a pot in just a few gulps. Giving experience points based on the number of mouthfuls, Mr. Jiang Jiankang¡¯s approach was nothing short of extravagant waste! With a bowl of congee in her stomach, Chen Xiuxiu felt a warm sensation. ¡°How about¡­¡± ¡°How about making mushroom chicken congee tomorrow?¡± Jiang Feng asked, recalling that it was the mushroom chicken congee that gave the highest amount of experience points in the past. ¡°Okay.¡± Chen Xiuxiu once again swallowed the words ¡°You don¡¯t have to go through the trouble of making congee for me anymore.¡± Just one more day of indulgence, she resolved. The day after tomorrow, she definitely wouldn¡¯t eat as much. Chen Xiuxiu made up her mind. Jiang Feng, oblivious to Chen Xiuxiu¡¯s dilemma, joyfully checked his attribute panel after she went home and levelled up to level 4. Level: 4 (0/500) Remaining experience points: 56 Still no noticeable change. Jiang Feng went back to the kitchen, covered the pot, set it to keep warm, and left it for Mr. Jiang Jiankang. Poor Mr. Jiang Jiankang had been eating terrible swill for days; it was about time to let him enjoy some decent swill. At least the ratio of ingredients was finally correct, wasn¡¯t it? Chapter 9 - 9 Chapter 9 Hidden Tasks 9 Chapter 9 Hidden Tasks Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio Jiang Jiankang returned home exhausted after a busy day, and his face turned green at the sight of the still warm pot of porridge in the kitchen. During the time his son Jiang Feng became obsessed with cooking porridge, Mr. Jiang Jiankang experienced a mix of pain and pleasure. Jiang Feng had shown no strong interest in cooking for a long time, and since he only seriously started learning culinary skills in the years before junior high, Jiang Jiankang once feared he would be left without a successor and could only pin his hopes on his future grandson. Jiang Feng¡¯s sudden enthusiasm for cooking porridge rekindled his hopes. But why did it have to be porridge? How could a Jiang Family chef take pride in cooking porridge as their specialty dish? Jiang Jiankang had been drinking porridge several days in a row, feeling as if he had finished his lifetime quota of it. He sniffed it. Century egg and lean pork porridge. Well, at least it¡¯s a meat-based porridge. Jiang Jiankang resigned himself to the situation and picked up a soup spoon to take a scoop. Times had changed; with a mountain of debt and an oblivious son, they had to save wherever possible and not waste food. Huh, today¡¯s porridge¡­ Jiang Jiankang looked at the pot of porridge with a surprised expression. The quality was almost on par with his older brother, Jiang Jianguo! Although the fire control wasn¡¯t perfect, he couldn¡¯t find any fault with the mix of ingredients. It was clear that Jiang Feng had figured it out on his own, not simply following some so-called recipes from the internet. In the Jiang Family, culinary skills were strictly categorized. Sir Jiang Weiguo was undoubtedly at the top of the food chain, followed by Mr. Jiang Jiankang, with Jiang Feng¡¯s four uncles tied for third rank. Jiang Feng barely made the fourth rank, and the rest of the cousins didn¡¯t even qualify to be in the food chain. Today¡¯s porridge meant Jiang Feng had finally advanced from dead last to second to last! Becoming tied for dead last. His son was finally showing promise! Mr. Jiang Jiankang was overwhelmed by a flood of emotions. ¡°Son!¡± Mr. Jiang Jiankang couldn¡¯t even wait to drink the porridge and, putting down his soup spoon, he rushed into Jiang Feng¡¯s room. Jiang Feng was originally sitting on the bed, checking his attribute panel, when Mr. Jiang Jiankang¡¯s sudden entrance scared him so much he nearly fell off the bed. ¡°Come on, Dad will teach you how to cook!¡± Mr. Jiang Jiankang announced proudly, as if he couldn¡¯t wait to impart all his culinary knowledge to Jiang Feng right then and there. Jiang Feng: ??? Dad, it¡¯s eleven o¡¯clock at night, get a grip! It took some persuasion, but he managed to convince Mr. Jiang Jiankang to go eat porridge first, and Jiang Feng didn¡¯t even have time to close his attribute panel. Wrestling with his father, face full of text, Jiang Feng almost ended up with crossed eyes. Mr. Jiang Jiankang, with a satisfied smile, held the pot and slurped the porridge with vigor, causing Mrs. Wang Xiulian, who had been applying a facial mask in her room, to come out and see what was happening. The facial mask was so big it could cover her entire face and was tight against the skin. Mrs. Wang Xiulian looked down slightly, head tilted back, glanced at Jiang Jiankang and asked, ¡°What¡¯s gotten into your dad this late at night?¡± ¡°He said he wants to teach me cooking,¡± Jiang Feng replied. Wang Xiulian sighed and patted Jiang Feng¡¯s head so hard he almost got dazed. ¡°We suddenly owe so much money, and your dad is under a lot of stress. Stop cooking porridge, and look at what it¡¯s pushing your dad to¡ªhe¡¯s getting thinner every day without a decent meal.¡± In the kitchen, Mr. Jiang Jiankang was still his burly self, with a face full of flesh, his neck and chin miraculously merging into one. Wait, there seemed to be a slight hint of a neck. Jiang Feng nodded, sympathizing with how tough it was for his father. ¡°He¡¯s really lost a lot of weight! Mom, don¡¯t worry, I asked my buddies to promote our family¡¯s new store in their social circles. It definitely won¡¯t be a loss!¡± ¡°Good son!¡± Wang Xiulian was greatly relieved and continued to lie down in her room with her facial mask. ¡°Ding, achievement unlocked: Diligent Learning.¡± ¡°Ding, exchangeable hidden quest: Transmit and Instruct.¡± The system¡¯s prompt sounded, and Jiang Feng hurried back to his room to check. His attributes had changed to¡ª Achievements: Diligent Learning (no attribute bonuses) No Shame in Asking (no attribute bonuses) Rapid Learning, Cumulative Effort (no attribute bonuses) Exchangeable hidden quest: Transmit and Instruct [Yes/No] Title: None Item: None Evaluation: A rookie fresh from the thatching. After choosing to exchange, the achievements section was cleared, and a hidden quest was added under the side quests. Hidden Quest: (Triggerable under special circumstances) [Transmit and Instruct]: Jiang Weiguo¡¯s biggest worry in life is that he had five useless children who couldn¡¯t inherit his craft, and those five useless children had four little whelps. Make a dish that earns Jiang Weiguo¡¯s recognition, quest progress (0/1) Quest Hint: Jiang Weiguo has reached his silver years and urgently needs a successor to carry on and glorify the Jiang Family Dishes. Players may consult and complete the task under his guidance. Quest Reward: Unknown One of the little whelps, Jiang Feng: ¡­ He had never known that his grandfather had such lofty ambitions to glorify the Jiang Family Dishes. As for the Jiang Family Dishes, Jiang Feng often heard Sir talk about it when he went to his grandfather¡¯s place to learn cooking during summer and winter vacations as a child. Being a chef was an ancestral occupation, and tracing back seven or eight generations, all were chefs, and it was said a few had even become Imperial Chefs, though such details were no longer verifiable. During the golden decade of the Republic of China before the War of Resistance had broken out, Jiang Feng¡¯s great-grandfather, Jiang Chengde, truly glorified the Jiang Family Dishes. Prior to Jiang Chengde, the Jiang Family Dishes had always been part of the Shandong cuisine. During the Republic of China era, the owner of the restaurant where Jiang Chengde worked moved the establishment to Beiping. In Beiping City, where the four major cuisines converged, Jiang Chengde drew from the strengths of all and completely separated the Jiang Family Dishes from the single cuisine of Shandong. He nearly reached the pinnacle that a chef without the title of Imperial Chef could achieve in an era devoid of them. Jiang Weiguo had six older brothers, each with superior culinary skills, and any one of them was a master capable of cooking for a state banquet. But before Jiang Weiguo could fully learn the Jiang Family Dishes, they all died with Jiang Chengde during the War of Resistance. The Jiang Family Dishes could be considered to have lost their lineage. Beforejunior high, Jiang Feng had always thought that the former glory of the Jiang family was just a product of Mr. Jiang Weiguo¡¯s exaggerations. But then, on his first day of junior high, he ate at the cafeteria. Jiang Feng, who had only ever eaten the dishes made by Jiang Weiguo and Jiang Jiankang, was shocked. What was this swill?! It was even worse than the swill Mr. Jiang Weiguo specifically cooked for the pigs! And yet, his classmates were happily eating it. It was at that moment Jiang Feng realized how fortunate he was to have been born into the Jiang family. In his heart, Jiang Feng¡¯s great-grandfather was practically on par with an immortal. Now, Mr. Jiang Weiguo hopes to find someone divine enough to glorify the partially lost Jiang Family Dishes. Jiang Feng thought, Mr. Jiang Weiguo deserves credit for being a dreamer with ideals and ambitions. However, Mr. Jiang Weiguo is currently engrossed in pig farming in the countryside, aspiring to provide his family with green, pollutant-free pork¡ªhardly in a position to fancy tasting the dishes made by his little whelp. Impossible, just impossible. Chapter 10 - 10 Chapter 10: Truly Delicious 10 Chapter 10: Truly Delicious Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio The next morning, Jiang Feng, as usual, was cooking porridge for Chen Xiuxiu in the kitchen. With the basic skills in porridge cooking, making a simple coix seed porridge became very easy for him. The only ingredient was coix seeds, and there was no need to weigh them precisely. He could just grab a handful, and his intuition would tell him how much rice to use with the coix seeds. The once stingy Jiang Feng, who complained about the game, now continually muttered its praises. So good! As the porridge in the pot started to boil and thicken, Jiang Feng began stirring. The door opened, but he didn¡¯t pay much attention, guessing it was Mrs. Wang Xiulian coming back to fetch something. ¡°Cooking porridge?¡± A familiar, old, and serious voice came from behind him. When Jiang Feng turned around, there stood Sir Jiang Weiguo right behind him. ¡°Grand¡­ Grandpa!¡± Jiang Weiguo snatched the large spoon from Jiang Feng¡¯s hand, leaned in to inspect the pot and scolded, ¡°What is this slop you¡¯re cooking? Pig feed?¡± Jiang Feng could only offer a dry laugh in response. As Jiang Weiguo skillfully reduced the heat and steadily stirred the porridge, he scolded, ¡°You can¡¯t even control the fire properly. Look at this porridge; you¡¯ve boiled it too thick! And you can¡¯t stir properly. How on earth has Jiang Jiankang been teaching you?¡± The old patriarch of the Jiang family was furious, and Jiang Feng could only stand obediently to the side and listen. A while later, the porridge was ready. [A bowl of decent-tasting coix seed porridge] Sir Jiang Weiguo had only spent about fifteen minutes saving this pot of porridge and turned it into a decent bowl of porridge, leaving Jiang Feng to sigh in amazement as he blew on and sipped at the bowl he was holding. The gap between cooks can truly be wider than the gap between humans and pigs. Just thinking about the pigs raised by Sir Jiang Weiguo, who got to eat the food he personally cooked every day, made Jiang Feng incredibly envious. Jiang Feng took two bowls of porridge and went next door. ¡°Two bowls?¡± Chen Xiuxiu, who had decided this would be her last day drinking porridge, looked surprised at the two bowls in front of her. ¡°My grandpa came over, and he helped control the fire for this porridge. It¡¯s for Mr. Chen to try as well. By the way, is Mr. Chen here?¡± Jiang Feng asked. ¡°My dad is sleeping.¡± Chen Xiuxiu had never had the fortune to taste the dishes cooked by Jiang Weiguo, who had been living in the countryside for over a decade. Jiang Feng didn¡¯t linger, as he needed to figure out why Sir had suddenly shown up without any notice. Could something have happened in the countryside? ¡°Grandpa, why didn¡¯t you tell me you were coming? I could have gone to the station to pick you up!¡± Jiang Feng returned to find Sir inspecting the kitchen. ¡°I¡¯m perfectly healthy; why would I need picking up.¡± Jiang Weiguo finished inspecting the kitchen utensils and started checking the ingredients in the fridge. ¡°This pork is hormone-fed, throw it away.¡± Jiang Feng quickly complied with Sir¡¯s instructions and threw away the pork. ¡°I also looked at the porridge you just made. It¡¯s improved a lot from the cooking even a pig wouldn¡¯t touch. You must be in love,¡± Sir Jiang Weiguo said. Jiang Feng: ??? ¡°When your eldest uncle was young, he was just like that. Learning to cook from me was like asking for his life, but once he started dating your aunt, he was digging into cooking every day to please her.¡± Jiang Feng sensed that Sir was recounting the past probably to prelude what he was about to say next. ¡°Last night, I dreamt of your great-grandfather. He scolded me in the dream for breaking the lineage of Jiang Family Dishes and also berated me for having five unworthy descendants, not one of whom can carry on the legacy of Jiang Family Dishes.¡± Jiang Weiguo sighed, ¡°Your father¡¯s cooking will just be so-so this lifetime, better than some but not as good as others. None of your cousins have a talent for cooking, and your two cousin sisters look strong, but can¡¯t even toss a spoon properly.¡± ¡°I thought about it all night, and among the younger generation, only you have a bit of talent,¡± Jiang Weiguo said, looking at Jiang Feng. Jiang Feng: !!! Jiang Feng knew what Sir was implying. As children of the Jiang family, they were sent to Sir¡¯s place to learn cooking every holiday. Sir thought Jiang Feng was too skinny and weak, so he had him just hang on a punching bag for over a year. Training in the harsh heat of summer and the bitter cold of winter was nothing. Just practicing knifework alone took six years, and all the potatoes, cucumbers, carrots, tofu, etc., that he cut were fed to the pigs by Sir. Jiang Feng started working with the wok only in seventh grade. He touched the wok for just one year¡ªnot even half-skilled¡ªbefore he started preparing for the high school entrance exams in eighth grade. Afterward, he boarded at high school, which kept him busy with studies. Four years went by without any pursuit of cooking, and he never returned to Sir¡¯s place to learn. Jiang Feng¡¯s three elder cousins also walked this path, but none trained in cooking as long as he did¡ªthey didn¡¯t even complete their knifework before Sir sent them back. The six years spent learning knifework, upon reflection, felt like a torrent of bitter tears. Sometimes, he would dream of cutting cucumbers. Indeed, what you fear is what comes. ¡°Isn¡¯t your dad preparing to open a new store at your school? That broken Optoelectronics Information thing you¡¯re studying obviously won¡¯t get you a job, so you¡¯ll just take over your dad¡¯s store and carry on the glory of the Jiang Family Dishes,¡± Jiang Weiguo and Jiang Jiankang are truly like father and son, dreaming big dreams. ¡°Starting today, you¡¯ll be learning cooking from me!¡± ¡°Huh?!¡±, Jiang Feng envisioned himself from a few years ago, slicing pork every day, ¡°Grandpa, I still have to attend classes normally!¡± ¡°During winter and summer vacations! After you graduate from university, you train for a dozen more years. It¡¯s said diligence can compensate for clumsiness, and I, your grandfather, am in great shape, so teaching you for another dozen years is no problem at all!¡± Jiang Weiguo was brimming with ambition. Jiang Feng: ¡­ Okay, grandpa, no problem, grandpa, everything you say is right, grandpa. How does the saying go? Elders always like to press their unfulfilled dreams onto their children. Let someone else, like my future kids, accomplish such a grand ideal of reviving the Jiang Family Dishes! Kid, your dad believes in you! The arrival of Sir Jiang Weiguo truly sent shockwaves through the entire Jiang Family. Jiang Jiankang stopped worrying about his store; upon receiving Jiang Weiguo¡¯s instructions, he went to the market to buy groceries. Even Uncle Jiang Jiandang and Aunt Li Mingli arrived upon hearing the news, and Jiang Feng¡¯s second cousin, Jiang Shoucheng (Uncle Jiang¡¯s child), too bought a high-speed train ticket to return. At lunchtime, four stout and chubby men gathered at the kitchen door, salivating at the aroma. ¡°Brother, you¡¯re really the lucky one!¡± sighed Jiang Jiandang. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Feng to have such good fortune either,¡± sighed Jiang Jiankang, ¡°Just last night, I felt that the kid had some talent for cooking, and then our dad shows up.¡± ¡°Dad¡¯s cooking skills have improved again,¡± recalled Jiandang, his mouth watering just from the smell, remembering the happy times when he could eat Sir¡¯s cooking every day as a child. ¡°This sweet and sour pork is much tastier than last year¡¯s New Year¡¯s.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you coming in to help? Do you two rascals want to work me to death?¡± Jiang Weiguo, seeing his sons whose cooking couldn¡¯t match up to his, couldn¡¯t hide his frustration. ¡°When your great-grandpa was around, even cabbages were stir-fried to taste like elixir!¡± Jiang Jiankang and Jiang Jiandang quickly got into the kitchen, one cutting vegetables, the other washing, clogging the spacious kitchen quite thoroughly. By noon, the table was brimming with eight colorful and aromatic dishes plus a soup. Surrounded by five chubby men, Jiang Feng felt out of place with the Jiang Family. That¡¯s right. It felt just like celebrating the New Year! Four Joyful Meatballs, Nine Turns Intestine, sweet and sour pork, sour and spicy shredded potatoes, potted meat, crispy double kick, Deluxe Tofu, stir-fried water spinach and a West Lake beef soup ¡ª even a New Year¡¯s banquet wasn¡¯t as lavish! Mrs. Wang Xiulian and Li Mingli, having married into the Jiang family for so many years, hadn¡¯t seen such a grand feast before. ¡°Dinner time, what are you staring for?¡± Jiang Weiguo disliked seeing their unworldly expressions. ¡°Let¡¯s eat, let¡¯s eat!¡± everyone echoed in agreement. ¡°Oh right, Feng, go and call Xiuxiu and Mr. Chen to come eat with us,¡± remembered Jiang Jiankang suddenly, then turned to explain to Jiang Weiguo, ¡°They are our old neighbors, you should remember Mr. Chen Duxiu, right?¡± Jiang Weiguo nodded, ¡°That kid used to come over to our house to scrounge for meals when he was little.¡± Jiang Feng popped next door where, as it happened, Chen Duxiu was also at home. ¡°Mr. Chen, my grandpa has made a feast, and my dad sent me to invite you over,¡± Jiang Feng said. ¡°Uncle Jiang is here?¡± Chen Duxiu suddenly got excited, stepping quickly towards the door, just like an old lady rushing for discounted goods at the supermarket, ¡°Xiuxiu, hurry to your Uncle Jiang¡¯s place, or you¡¯ll miss out on the food!¡± Jiang Feng, seeing two freshly washed empty bowls on the table, looked questioningly at Chen Xiuxiu, ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell Mr. Chen that the porridge this morning was made by my grandpa?¡± Chen Xiuxiu: ¡­ She slightly turned her head away from Jiang Feng, ¡°I forgot.¡± Just as Chen Xiuxiu entered the door and hadn¡¯t yet reached the table, she heard the old man say, ¡°Feng, your girlfriend is a bit thin!¡± ¡°Look at your aunt Li Mingli, that¡¯s the kind of blessed woman one should marry!¡± Li Mingli lifted her head proudly. In terms of body mass, Mrs. Wang Xiulian was still slightly behind Li Mingli. ¡°Yes, yes, Uncle Jiang is right,¡± Mr. Chen heartily agreed while he devoured the potted meat, ¡°Xiuxiu, girls should be a bit chubby to look good. Come on, eat some meat.¡± Two more place settings had been added to the table. Chen Xiuxiu looked over the table filled with meat dishes and felt her saliva rapidly secreting. So¡­ Delicious! Chapter 11 - 11 Chapter 11 Task Rewards 11 Chapter 11 Task Rewards Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio After a satisfying meal with plenty of drinks, everyone was contentedly rubbing their bellies and half-reclining in their chairs, including Chen Xiuxiu. The eight dishes and one soup on the table were wiped clean, not even a drop of sauce left behind, the plates so clean they looked licked. Had it not been for fear of upsetting Sir, Jiang Jiankang and Jiang Jiandang wouldn¡¯t have minded licking the plates themselves. As the years passed and Jiang Weiguo grew older, his body was still robust, but his stamina was not what it once was. A bountiful meal like this was rare, even for the New Year. Jiang Jiandang, looking at the empty plates on the table and then thinking about his son, who didn¡¯t have a shred of culinary talent and only knew how to eat, suddenly felt frustrated at his incompetence. Jiang Shoucheng, who had sneezed on the high-speed train returning from Metro Medical School, rubbed his nose, wondering why the air conditioning on the train was so excessively strong. ¡°From now on, Jiandang, you¡¯ll go to the morning market every day to buy fresh, natural ingredients, and stay away from those pesticide-sprayed, hormone-filled products,¡± Jiang Weiguo began assigning the daily tasks after Chen Duxiu and Chen Xiuxiu had left. Jiang Jiandang nodded repeatedly, knowing that the quality of the ingredients directly affected the taste of the dishes. ¡°Feng, follow me every day to learn cooking. Get the fire control down. If you can¡¯t even master the basics, how are you to inherit your father¡¯s restaurant? What on earth was that porridge you made this morning?¡± Jiang Weiguo was obviously dissatisfied with the porridge Jiang Feng had cooked that morning. ¡°When you were a kid, you ran off as soon as you finished practicing your knife skills, saying studying was more important. More important my foot! How is studying more important? What good is some optical information degree compared to being a chef?¡± ¡°Your great grandfather was the head chef at Taifeng Building, where so many dignitaries couldn¡¯t even buy a meal with a fortune,¡± Sir was clearly still troubled by Jiang Feng¡¯s refusal to learn cooking under the pretext of studying. Jiang Feng: ¡­ He truly loved studying back then! If he didn¡¯t study, he had to go hang punching bags, chop potatoes, cucumbers, tofu¡ªchopping until his hands needed bandaging, and then he¡¯d have to keep on chopping. How could he not love studying? ¡°Dad, what about me?¡± Jiankang asked, eagerly waiting for his father to assign him a task. ¡°Aren¡¯t you running your business?¡± Jiang Weiguo glanced at Jiankang. ¡°Yeah, aren¡¯t you running your business?¡± Mrs. Wang Xiulian chimed in, also giving Jiankang a stern look before turning to Jiang Weiguo with a smile, ¡°Sir, I can help with washing the vegetables. I¡¯ll wash them every day, they¡¯ll be very clean.¡± Washing vegetables at home meant getting freshly cooked dishes from Sir, a deal that was more than worthwhile. Jiankang: ¡­ Sir nodded slightly in agreement. As Sir got up, Wang Xiulian and Li Mingli almost simultaneously began picking up the bowls and chopsticks, both declared in unison, ¡°I¡¯ll wash the dishes!¡± Such trivial matters never concerned Sir, who went into the kitchen, took out the cutting board and knife, and from a big bag of potatoes and radishes that Jiankang had bought, picked a few and put them in front of Feng. ¡°Cut the potatoes into chunks with a rolling cut and the radishes into slices. Let me see if your knife skills have gotten rusty,¡± Jiang Weiguo said. Of course, Feng¡¯s knife skills had indeed become quite rusty. Under the scolding of Sir, Feng was reminded of the days of his youth, when his constant companions were potatoes, radishes, and cucumbers. In the evening, Jiang Weiguo stir-fried some tolerable potato chunks and radish slices into several small dishes, while the rest he sent to the restaurant for Jiankang to cook and sell to the customers. For the following period, Taifeng¡¯s ¡®healthy snacks¡¯ involving potatoes and radishes were on special offer every day. Jiang Feng felt like he was a kitchen hand in the restaurant¡¯s back kitchen, spending his days chopping on the cutting board ¡°tap tap tap tap tap,¡± and even the reluctantly cut vegetables were scorned by the head chef. Fortunately, Feng progressed from cutting vegetables to cutting meat. Everyone was finally spared from having to eat minced meat stir-fried with potatoes and radishes or cucumber with mustard sauce every single day. To celebrate Feng¡¯s success at completely processing a chicken, even though it was a cruelly tortured farmyard chicken during the deboning process, Jiang Weiguo decided to make a dish of deboned stuffed chicken with it. ¡°Starting tomorrow, you can finally touch the pots,¡± Jiang Weiguo announced at the dinner table. Jiang Feng, who had spent over ten days reclaiming his knifework, was moved to tears with joy. During this time, Chen Xiuxiu had gradually shifted from being too embarrassed to come over for meals every day to arriving without invitation at meal times, and then to showing up one or two hours early every day to help Wang Xiulian and Li Mingli, completely forgetting her previous strict diet and refusal to eat. Both of them set their eyes on the same piece of chicken. When their chopsticks clashed, Jiang Feng couldn¡¯t help but sigh that this day had finally come. It was a piece of chicken evenly glazed with sugar, fried to a golden brown, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and exceptionally appetizing in appearance. ¡°Aren¡¯t you on a diet? The calories in boneless chicken cutlets are too high for you,¡± Jiang Feng tried to persuade. ¡°Does Xiuxiu still need to diet?¡± Jiang Shoucheng, who was diligently eating, suddenly looked up with shock written all over his face. ¡°Even eating can¡¯t shut your mouth!¡± Jiang Weiguo scolded. Jiang Shoucheng immediately bowed his head and continued eating, following his grandfather¡¯s teaching to fill his own mouth with food. ¡°How can you lose weight without eating enough?¡± Chen Xiuxiu, relying on years of experience in snatching food from Jiang Feng¡¯s bowl, skillfully twisted her wrist and flicked her chopsticks, knocking Jiang Feng¡¯s chopsticks aside and successfully claiming the chicken cutlet for her plate. ¡°Ding, side quest completed: [Neighbor¡¯s Wish]. You have earned the reward: Cooking Porridge (Intermediate).¡± These days, Jiang Feng had been chopping vegetables so absentmindedly that he had nearly forgotten about his task. The Chen Xiuxiu from a year ago was back! Looking at the chicken cutlet in Chen Xiuxiu¡¯s bowl, Jiang Feng wasn¡¯t sure whether to feel happy or sad. ¡°This afternoon, you¡¯ll start with learning to fry eggs,¡± the old man began assigning learning tasks to Jiang Feng. ¡°Grandpa, how about I cook you some porridge this afternoon?¡± Jiang Feng tried to negotiate, hoping to win over his grandfather with his exquisite Cooking Porridge (Intermediate) skill. ¡°Porridge, porridge, porridge. How did our Jiang Family produce someone like you who loves cooking porridge so much?¡± The old man¡¯s temper had become increasingly worse these days, ¡°You spent so many years practicing your knifework just to end up cooking porridge?¡± Jiang Feng was left speechless by the retort. Jiang Feng guessed that his grandfather regretted coming over to teach him culinary skills, only to find that he remained unteachable. If he wanted to make a dish that would earn his grandfather¡¯s approval, he would need their great-grandfather¡¯s spirit to possess him! After dinner, Wang Xiulian, Li Mingli, and Chen Xiuxiu, as usual, scrambled to wash the dishes, while Jiang Shoucheng was directed by his grandfather to help in the store. Jiang Feng picked up the kitchen knife and continued his ¡°clang, clang, clang, clang.¡± He still had to chop the ingredients for cooking in the afternoon by himself. He didn¡¯t even have a moment of leisure to check what Cooking Porridge (Intermediate) was all about, as any mistake with the knife would result in a loud and formidable scold from the old man. ¡°Jiang Feng, didn¡¯t you eat lunch? You can¡¯t even chop vegetables properly!¡± At such times, Chen Xiuxiu would stand by, nonchalantly munching on a cucumber while watching the commotion. Heartless. Ah, women. Chapter 12 - 12 Chapter 12 Update 12 Chapter 12 Update Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio Until Sir left for the countryside, Jiang Feng had not been able to make a single dish that satisfied him. Jiang Weiguo had returned to the countryside earlier, with 3 days left before Jiang Feng¡¯s school term started, for a very simple reason¡ªhe was worried about the precious fat pigs he raised. ¡°Dad, Mom will take care of the pigs, so just stay with peace of mind! Staying at my third brother¡¯s house is uncomfortable, you can come to my house,¡± Jiang Jiandang tried to persuade at the station, thinking that the good days of eating Sir¡¯s cooking every day were about to end, he almost cried. ¡°No, no, your mother doesn¡¯t know how to cook pig food. I saw the photo she sent me yesterday, she¡¯s been feeding them to get skinny,¡± Jiang Weiguo said with distress as he took out his phone to show Jiang Jiandang the photo stuffed with three fat white pigs, ¡°They¡¯re not used to anyone else¡¯s cooking but mine.¡± Two streams of tears ran down Jiang Jiandang¡¯s meat-packed face. ¡°Feng, when you go to school, you better practice well and don¡¯t waste it. I saw on the news a while ago that college students like you enjoy cooking in the dorms, right? Learn more, and it wouldn¡¯t hurt to chop some vegetables and practice flipping the pan,¡± Jiang Weiguo said and then he picked up a new set of knives and boarded the minibus back to the countryside. ¡°Feng, study cooking well and don¡¯t let your grandpa¡¯s teachings go to waste,¡± Jiang Jiandang said, wiping away tears. Jiang Feng: ¡­ If he dared to fry dishes in the dorm, not to mention anything else, the dorm manager would be the first to cut him up. Probably with the chopping technique, cut him into a dozen or twenty pieces. Chen Xiuxiu¡¯s school started two days earlier than Jiang Feng¡¯s, and she had booked her flight for the next day. To express his reluctance about the old neighbor starting school and to more conveniently rack up experience points, Jiang Feng personally made a table of dishes for her farewell meal. Jiang Jiandang and his wife were not interested in the dishes Jiang Feng made; Jiang Jiandang¡¯s own cooking skills were probably even better than Jiang Feng¡¯s. Having eaten Sir¡¯s cooking for over ten days, Mrs. Wang Xiulian also turned up her nose at her son¡¯s cooking and went to help at Mr. Jiang Jiankang¡¯s busy store instead. When Sir was around, the store didn¡¯t seem busy at all, but as soon as he left, the store inexplicably became busy. The only guest to taste Jiang Feng¡¯s cooking was Chen Xiuxiu. Five dishes and one soup, all of them homestyle dishes. Stir-fried cauliflower, scrambled eggs with tomatoes, sweet and sour cabbage, cucumber in garlic sauce, seaweed egg soup, and the most difficult one, braised shrimp in oil. It looked not bad because with the remarks given by the game, Jiang Feng knew that among these six dishes, the cucumber in garlic sauce was the best, and he accidentally put too much salt in the scrambled eggs with tomatoes. After all, his knifework over the past ten days had not been for nothing! Chen Xiuxiu, with her discerning taste, reached for the cucumber in garlic sauce first. She snapped a small piece of cucumber and put it into her mouth. ¡°Ding, you have earned 3 experience points.¡± Jiang Feng: ¡­ You¡¯ve changed, you used to give me 9 experience points for just a bite of corn. Spoiled by Jiang Weiguo¡¯s feeding for over ten days, Chen Xiuxiu had clearly become pickier, giving only one or two points per dish, learning to be stingy like Mr. Jiang Jiankang, and had lost the generosity she once had when she could gain thirty-odd points from just a sip of congee. Chen Xiuxiu¡¯s university was in Sail Province¡¯s Sutton City, where the cost of living was so high that not even Alan City could match it. Taking into account the different tastes of the people in Sail Province and the local area, Jiang Feng reluctantly gave her a jar of chili sauce personally pickled by Sir. Chen Xiuxiu joyfully mixed the chili sauce with her white rice and finished the second half of her meal. Jiang Feng, having lost a jar of chili sauce without gaining any experience points, opened the attribute panel with a heavy heart. The meal Chen Xiuxiu just had filled up the remaining experience points needed to level up to level five, and Jiang Feng, as usual, clicked to level up. ¡°Ding, congratulations to the player for reaching level 5 and completing the Novice Tutorial.¡± ¡°Reward: Appraisal (Intermediate).¡± ¡°The game is updating; after the update is complete, the game will unlock the skill exploration and skill upgrade features.¡± Updating? This game is pretty up-to-date. Jiang Feng tried again to access the attribute panel, but all he saw was a single progress bar. Update Progress: 0% Perhaps Earth was a bit too distant, resulting in slow internet speeds. An hour passed, and the update progress had only reached 2%. Jiang Feng: ¡­ No wonder everyone talks about the global village, the internet speed in this village is just slow. Since the game was updating, Jiang Feng simply went to help out at the store. The regular customers all knew that Jiang Feng¡¯s family store was moving away, and business had been booming for the past few days. Whether it was mealtime or not, from 6 in the morning to 10 at night, the store was packed with people. One afternoon when Jiang Feng was helping out, he happened to overhear an old customer who had been coming for twenty years sigh, ¡°We will never find a restaurant as delicious as yours around here again.¡± It wasn¡¯t that Zet City lacked skilled chefs, but the only one whose skills surpassed Jiang Jiankang¡¯s was the head chef of a thirty-year-old restaurant in the city that had first been a banquet hall before transitioning into a hotel, where the prices were several times more expensive than Jiankang¡¯s Snacks. There was a period when it was popular to show off local, obscure yet delectable eateries, and Jiankang¡¯s Snacks was one of the most frequently mentioned. During that time, Jiang Feng delivered takeouts daily, tanning several shades, and those unaware might think he had taken on part-time work moving bricks on a construction site. But I digress. Jiang Jiankang felt a sense of loss for these dedicated customers as well. When the state-owned restaurant closed down, Jiang Jiankang lost his job. Losing what had seemed like an iron rice bowl felt as if the sky had fallen. He and Mrs. Wang Xiulian put all their savings into buying this shop and opening this small stir-fry restaurant. If it hadn¡¯t been for the support of these customers at the beginning, Jiang Jiankang would have been so poor he could have been begging under a bridge. How else could he have saved up money like now to open another restaurant in Alan City? Today was Jiankang¡¯s Snacks¡¯ last day of business. The original plan was to stay open for two more days, but Sir had returned to his hometown ahead of schedule, so Jiang Jiankang and Mrs. Wang Xiulian decided to head to Alan City earlier too. The new restaurant was about to open, and it was time to get accustomed to the new place. On the last evening of business, Jiang Jiankang invited all of the old customers and neighbors of Jiankang¡¯s Snacks to dine. The restaurant couldn¡¯t accommodate everyone, so tables were set up outside. Nearly every shopkeeper on this street was an old neighbor or acquaintance of Jiang Jiankang, and knowing that this was the last day for Jiankang¡¯s Snacks, they all offered the space in front of their shops. Many shopkeepers also lent out their tables, chairs, and benches, and a few even lent out the bowls and dishes from their own shops. Tables and chairs of various colors and sizes filled the whole street. Jiang Jiankang was in the kitchen; from six o¡¯clock, he worked non-stop until a quarter past nine, with dish after dish of Shandong cuisine being continuously brought out by Jiang Feng. There were three or four dozen tables of guests, and Jiang Feng remembered almost every one of them. That was when Jiang Feng realized, without being aware of it, Jiankang¡¯s Snacks had actually gathered so many regulars. By eleven, even the last table of customers had left. Jiang Jiankang was exhausted, drenched in sweat, with his oversized shirt already soaked. He sat down under the electric fan in the restaurant to cool off. Jiang Feng and Mrs. Wang Xiulian busied themselves cleaning up the tables and dishes. After tidying and washing them, they returned them to their owners with a word of thanks. By the time everything was cleaned up, it was past midnight. Zet City had no nightlife, and other than the streetlights, there was nothing else shining on the streets. Jiang Jiankang stood in front of the store, sighed as he looked at the old, worn-out sign, and took it down. He had no plans to sell or lease the shop; he felt it was good to let it sit there. From then on, there was no longer a Jiankang¡¯s Snacks in Zet City. ¡°Son!¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Learn well from your grandfather, take on apprentices, start a franchise, and when we come back from Alan City, we¡¯ll open an even bigger store!¡± ¡°A franchise?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already thought of a name, it¡¯ll be called Jiankang Hall!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Chapter 13 - 13 Chapter 13 New Store 13 Chapter 13 New Store Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio Jiang Feng and his family, carrying bags large and small, boarded the high-speed train. Initially, Jiang Jiankang even wanted to take his precious kitchen utensils on the high-speed train, and Mrs. Wang Xiulian could not stop him, but, fortunately, the country did. Thinking of bringing sharp kitchen tools onto the high-speed train? Dream on! At the new restaurant, Jiang Jiankang had partitioned off a small 20-square-meter room on the second floor to live in, and if he wanted to take a shower, he still had to go to the public bath near the school. At first, Jiang Feng suggested renting an apartment near the school or even leasing a faculty apartment on campus, but Mr. Jiang Jiankang was strongly opposed and thus they had to give up the idea. Mr. Jiang Jiankang had a strong sense of territory and did not like living on someone else¡¯s property, or in his words, if you¡¯re going to live somewhere, it should be in your own house. Jiang Feng did some calculations, and figured their family would probably have to sell their dishes at Michelin three-star prices in order to pay off their debt and buy a house outright before he graduated from university. While on the high-speed train, Jiang Feng used WeChat to inform Wang Hao about their arrival time since they had quite a few things with them and Jiang Jiankang and Mrs. Wang Xiulian had only been to Alan City once and were unfamiliar with it, so they needed someone to pick them up. Wang Hao had been eagerly looking forward to Jiang Feng¡¯s arrival and very promptly agreed to the task of picking them up. Jiang Jiankang and Mrs. Wang Xiulian sat in the business class compartment, since both the first class and second class seats were too cramped and unsuitable for them. Because of this, Mrs. Wang Xiulian had already written many letters of complaint to the railway department. The new store had just finished renovation, and Jiang Jiandang¡¯s pharmacy next door was completing its final touches. The pharmacy¡¯s business license was delayed, and Jiang Jiandang was still haggling over the last bit of demolition compensation, so he couldn¡¯t go to Alan City for a while. During this period, Jiang Feng¡¯s eldest uncle, fourth uncle, and fifth uncle really had a hard time. They were in charge of the renovations for both shops, and the three of them worked outside every day in the scorching heat without even getting a chance to taste any of the dishes Sir had cooked for over half a month. How pitiful! Jiang Feng expressed his deep sympathy for his eldest uncle, fourth uncle, and fifth uncle while he browsed through Wang Hao¡¯s Moments. Every day, without fail, he would promote the Healthy Stir-fry Restaurant, effectively turning his own Moments into an advertising rental space. When advertising, he never forgot to mention Jiang Feng, letting everyone know that the restaurant was opened by Jiang Feng¡¯s family, who had amassed huge debts for the sake of their dream. What a waste that Wang Hao isn¡¯t writing screenplays for TV dramas. Jiang Feng¡¯s cooking skills might not be known throughout the entire university, but at least within their dorm buildings he had a good reputation. Coupled with Wang Hao¡¯s deceptive and emotionally-charged advertising slogans, every post on Moments was followed by a string of likes. Under Sir¡¯s supervision, Jiang Feng had been learning to cook for over half a month, and he began to suspect that he was cut off from the rest of the world. At first, it was nothing but chopping vegetables and sleeping. Then, it became nothing but flipping the wok and sleeping. Even checking his status panel was something he only did occasionally when he found the time. Using his cellphone? That was out of the question. By scrolling through the Moments he hadn¡¯t checked for half the month on the high-speed train, time passed quickly. Wang Hao had arrived early at the high-speed train station and, upon seeing Jiang Feng, he excitedly waved his hands like crazy and bounded up to Jiang Feng, showing an amazing agility that belied his weight of 170 pounds in his short dash of fifty meters. Jiang Feng held a large travel bag in his left hand and dragged an extra-large suitcase with the right. Wang Hao promptly took the travel bag from him. The travel bag must have weighed at least fifty pounds, and Wang Hao, not thinking much of it, nearly dropped it to the ground as he took it single-handedly. Heh, misleadingly chunky. Jiang Feng didn¡¯t want to inconvenience him and took the travel bag back, ¡°There¡¯s a lighter, smaller bag with my mom. Can you go help my mom with it? I¡¯m afraid she might have too many things to carry.¡± Wang Hao looked back, craning his neck for a long time without spotting his targets, and then asked, ¡°Where are my uncle and aunt?¡± ¡°Right behind me!¡± Jiang Feng turned around, and there were Jiang Jiankang and Mrs. Wang Xiulian, each with a suitcase, and more bags placed on top of them. Wang Hao: ¡­ They don¡¯t seem to look like a family¡­ ¡°Hello, uncle and aunt!¡± Wang Hao greeted them warmly. ¡°Hello, hello,¡± Jiang Jiankang replied with a smile. ¡°Feng, is that store really yours?¡± Ever since hearing that the newly renovated two-story store belonged to Jiang Feng¡¯s family, Wang Hao had slowed down each time he passed by to take a good look. The more he looked, the more astonishing it was. With that location and that size, Jiang Feng¡¯s family must have borrowed millions to buy such a large shop! ¡°You might have got it wrong. I see that next to the two-story shop there is a smaller single-level shop also being renovated. Isn¡¯t that one actually your family¡¯s?¡± Wang Hao whispered. ¡°That¡¯s my second uncle¡¯s place; he used it to open a pharmacy,¡± Jiang Feng explained. Wang Hao was startled and asked in a mysterious tone, ¡°Feng, tell me the truth, are you actually an heir of some huge wealth who¡¯s incognito to experience life with us?¡± Jiang Feng: ¡­ Such talent is wasted not writing TV drama scripts. ¡°My second uncle originally ran a small clinic. After it was demolished, he got a large sum of demolition compensation ¨C that¡¯s the money he lent to our family,¡± Jiang Feng said. Anyway, Wang Hao liked to let his imagination run wild, and Jiang Feng believed he would concoct a complete version on his own. Sure enough, Wang Hao nodded his head in sudden realization. As for whether his thoughts were true, that was none of Jiang Feng¡¯s concern. The trip from UAL University to the train station took nearly two hours. Wang Hao was a local from Alan City and was good at socializing. He introduced all sorts of news, delicacies, and attractions of Alan City to Jiang Feng¡¯s parents along the way, to the point where Mr. Jiang Jiankang began to feel a bit disheartened. This Alan City¡­ was the competition in the catering industry so fierce? With a heart full of bumps, Mr. Jiang Jiankang finally arrived at the store. Under the full supervision of Jiang Jianguo, the work on Healthy Stir-fry Restaurant had been completed a week earlier, with only the sign yet to be hung. The interior design, done by Jiang Feng¡¯s cousin Jiang Zaidi (the son of his eldest uncle), suited Mr. Jiang Jiankang¡¯s simple and unadorned taste perfectly. All the tables on the first floor were small square ones, mainly for four and six people, with a row of two-person tables by the windows. The colors of the tables and chairs were uniformly grey and white, neatly arranged. The walls were painted green, and several pots of spider plants were placed on the window sills. Wooden menus were hung on the wall, forming a long line that nearly filled half of the wall. ¡°The second floor has large round tables and private rooms,¡± Jiang Jianguo said cheerfully. ¡°I told Zaide to design it well, not to come up with any of those deceptive schemes to fool customers. Third brother, how is it? Everything¡¯s done according to your requirements.¡± How could it be anything but great? This restaurant was ten times, a hundred times better than the state-run restaurant where Mr. Jiang Jiankang had been working! Unable to stop himself, Mr. Jiang Jiankang nodded continuously: ¡°Tonight, let¡¯s call over the eldest sister-in-law, Zaide, and the fourth and fifth brothers¡¯ families. I¡¯ll cook a feast to celebrate! Feng, you come too, Uncle will cook some signature dishes for you.¡± ¡°I see, my third sister-in-law¡¯s figure has improved lately. Third brother, your cooking has improved as well?¡± Jiang Jianguo asked. Mrs. Wang Xiulian, under the pretext of helping to wash vegetables, had been at the forefront of sneaking tastes recently and had gained at least ten more pounds. ¡°His cooking¡¯s the same old, same old. It¡¯s Dad¡¯s cooking that has improved ¨C those Four Joyful Meatballs, that roasted chicken, tsk tsk.¡± Speaking of which, Xiulian couldn¡¯t help but swallow her saliva. ¡°Dad?¡± Jiang Jianguo¡¯s smile froze. ¡°Yes, Dad stayed at our house for half a month teaching Feng how to cook, and fattened up both me and my second brother¡¯s whole family,¡± Mr. Jiang Jiankang said nostalgically. ¡°Dad¡¯s cooking has improved a lot since last Chinese New Year.¡± Jiang Jianguo stood there as if struck by a heavy blow, and tears fell down his face in an instant. ¡°I¡¯m so unfilial, not even thinking of going back to see Dad,¡± Jiang Jianguo said, wiping away tears. Sir had been cooking for more than half a month, and he hadn¡¯t tasted even a single bite. ¡°Feng¡­ Feng is so fortunate!¡± Jiang Jianguo was speechless for a long time, thinking about his own son who had no talent for cooking and was working as a designer. ¡°That disappointing kid of ours, sigh!¡± ¡°Big brother, it¡¯s okay, there will be plenty of opportunities to see Dad. Going to the countryside is inconvenient for you; Dad said he would come teach Feng how to cook every winter and summer vacation, just like before,¡± Mr. Jiang Jiankang said. ¡°Feng!¡± Jiang Jianguo walked over to Jiang Feng, lifted his hefty palm, and patted his shoulder heavily, ¡°Learn cooking well from your grandpa!¡± Jiang Feng: ¡­ Wang Hao: ??? Jiang Jianguo took Mr. Jiang Jiankang and Mrs. Wang Xiulian to look at the decorations upstairs, and Wang Hao took the opportunity to stealthily ask Jiang Feng, ¡°What¡¯s up with your eldest uncle?¡± Laughing one moment, crying the next, shedding tears on a whim, it¡¯s an Oscar-worthy performance. Jiang Feng looked helplessly skyward. ¡°If you had tasted my grandpa¡¯s cooking, you¡¯d cry too.¡± Chapter 14 - 14 Chapter 14: The Straw Raincoat and the Cucumber 14 Chapter 14: The Straw Raincoat and the Cucumber Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio The decor and layout of the new store far exceeded Jiang Jiankang¡¯s imagination, and he instantly became full of fighting spirit. He left his son behind and dragged Mrs. Wang Xiulian to the nearby farmers¡¯ market to scout the situation. For a store this big, choosing the right supply of ingredients was crucial. Jiang Feng, who was used to being left behind by his parents, returned to the dorm with Wang Hao first. ¡°Feng, I just saw a dish called ¡®Clear Soup with Willow Leaf Swallow Vegetable¡¯ on the menu downstairs. What is that?¡± Wang Hao asked curiously. ¡°That¡¯s just one of my dad¡¯s show-off dishes; he can¡¯t actually make it,¡± Jiang Feng said, and seeing Wang Hao looking puzzled, he explained, ¡°That dish is supposed to use white bird¡¯s nest as the main ingredient. My dad only talks the talk, he¡¯s never actually made it; only my grandfather, who was once a chef in a state-owned restaurant, ever did.¡± Wang Hao suddenly realized, ¡°No wonder your cooking skills are so good; it¡¯s a family legacy.¡± When they got to the supermarket next to the school, Jiang Feng suddenly stopped in his tracks. ¡°Do you want to try cucumber in ¡®straw raincoat¡¯?¡± He had dried chili and chili oil in his bag. Wang Hao, known for his love of eating, would surely provide a lot of experience points if cooked for. If Jiang Feng waited until after Wang Hao had tried Mr. Jiang Jiankang¡¯s cooking tonight, he might not be so easy to impress as before. Of course, Wang Hao knew what cucumber in ¡®straw raincoat¡¯ was. ¡°Feng, you even know how to make that? Let¡¯s go, they have cucumbers in the supermarket. I¡¯ll post it on social media to make those guys next door jealous after you make it.¡± Jiang Feng¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°They¡¯re all at the school?¡± ¡°They all came early for the freshman welcoming. Every single one of those beasts is here. We¡¯ve got to keep our door shut tight, Feng. Last time, they caught wind of the spare rib rice and didn¡¯t leave a single bite for me,¡± Wang Hao said, chuckling. ¡°No worries, I¡¯ll cut a few more, and you go ask if they want some,¡± Jiang Feng was welcoming to all comers. To him, these guys were nothing but pure experience points! Since Jiang Feng had said so, Wang Hao took out his phone and asked everyone in the WeChat group. As expected, the boys who had returned to school early responded with great enthusiasm. Jiang Feng bought ten cucumbers. The cucumbers at the school supermarket were not very fresh; they looked like they had been forced to ripen. The quality wasn¡¯t good, so he didn¡¯t bother picking and just took about ten passable cucumbers, weighed them, and went to the checkout counter to pay. Seeing that he bought ten cucumbers, the cashier lady gave him an extra few glances. ¡°Don¡¯t buy vegetables at the school. They¡¯re full of hormones.¡± Perhaps because Jiang Feng was good-looking, the lady couldn¡¯t help but give a piece of advice, ¡°Behind the wholesale market, there¡¯s a small vegetable market where many of them grow their own produce, no pesticides, really fresh.¡± ¡°Thank you, Auntie,¡± Jiang Feng sweetly thanked her, then took out his phone to relay the news to Mr. Jiang Jiankang. Wang Hao waited for Jiang Feng at the entrance of the supermarket, and seeing him come out with a big bag of cucumbers, he was startled and asked, ¡°Feng, I recall we don¡¯t have a kitchen knife in our dorm, do we?¡± There was only a sharp fruit knife in the dorm; this was also why Jiang Feng was usually reluctant to cook in the dorm. Cutting meat with a fruit knife took forever and was a hassle. ¡°A fruit knife will do,¡± Jiang Feng said. Cucumber in ¡®straw raincoat¡¯ relied on knifework; the ingredients were secondary. Every family had its own taste, but it would generally not be too bad. As for knifework. Such basic knifework, Jiang Feng had been able to cut a complete cucumber in ¡®straw raincoat¡¯ since the fifth grade of elementary school. The dorm was on the fifth floor, and by the time Jiang Feng, carrying a bag of seasonings and holding a bag of cucumbers, got to the fifth floor, he almost thought he had gone to the wrong building. From the stairs and around to room 501, a crowd had gathered, ranging in height and size. At a quick glance, there were easily a dozen or more. Those who didn¡¯t know might think it was a group ready to ambush and start a brawl. ¡°Damn, I just mentioned it, and you all actually came,¡± Wang Hao couldn¡¯t help but curse at the sight. There were Jiang Feng¡¯s classmates, colleagues from his department, and regulars from Wang Hao¡¯s small store who often hung around room 501. ¡°We¡¯re here to support the grand opening of Feng¡¯s family¡¯s new store!¡± Li Jian from the same class joked. ¡°Our store opens the day after tomorrow, make sure you all come and show support,¡± Jiang Feng said with a smile, as Wang Hao opened the door to the dorm. The fruit knife was on Jiang Feng¡¯s desk. He went to the balcony to wash the cucumbers and the fruit knife, while Wang Hao quickly started to wipe the table clean. The plastic cutting board had been broken since last semester and hadn¡¯t been replaced, so they had to cut the cucumbers on the table. After washing the cucumbers, Jiang Feng picked up the knife and deftly made diagonal and straight cuts, his skilled movements painting the picture of not just wielding a fruit knife but one of the incredible blades from the ¡®Little Chef¡¯ shows. Those standing at the door watching couldn¡¯t help but stare in awe. Jiang Feng¡¯s culinary skills were impressive, but that was relative to the students at UAL University. In Alan City, if you stepped into a slightly larger restaurant, you could easily find a chef with better skills than Jiang Feng. These were all people who had a good relationship with Jiang Feng; they had seen Wang Hao¡¯s social media posts and thought that Feng¡¯s family was so indebted from opening the new store that they were struggling. They came to support him. They had agreed among themselves to each eat a few bites of cucumber, and then excuse it as payment for the dish, each person contributing five or ten bucks so that Jiang Feng wouldn¡¯t have financial difficulty at the start of the school year. The cucumber in ¡®straw raincoat¡¯ really wasn¡¯t the point; showing support was. But now, the people at the door couldn¡¯t help but fixate on the fruit knife in Jiang Feng¡¯s hand. Swish, swish, swish, swish. The movements were as quick as something out of a TV drama. Because 501 often had hot pot in the winter, they had a complete set of dipping sauce dishes. Jiang Feng took out two plates and arranged the sliced cucumbers into a circle, adding salt, sesame oil, sugar, then took out vinegar personally brewed by Sir, sun-dried chili peppers, and homemade chili oil from his bag. Sir had learned vinegar brewing from a Shanxi master in his early years, and in his view, most vinegars sold on the market nowadays were soulless. As soon as the jars containing chili oil and vinegar were opened, the fragrance was released. ¡°Do you guys prefer sour or spicy?¡± Jiang Feng asked the few at the door first. ¡°Spicy, spicy!¡± ¡°Sour, sour is good!¡± ¡°Either is fine, either is fine.¡± Four people gave three different answers, at this point they couldn¡¯t remember they were here to show support, their eyes were fixated on the two plates of cucumbers. Jiang Feng added a bit more dried chili to one plate, and kept the other at a normal ratio. There seemed to be a lot with ten cucumbers, but divided among over a dozen people, there wasn¡¯t much left. Wang Hao, having the advantage of proximity, tried to monopolize one cucumber but was strictly denounced by everyone, and three quarters of it was taken away. Sir¡¯s chili oil packed a punch, and several students who couldn¡¯t handle spicy food almost cried from the heat but still bravely fought in the front lines for food. The entrance of apartment 501 was filled with the scent of sour and spicy. Some had intended to casually compliment the taste of the cucumbers, but anyone with that idea only found several plates with dried chili floating in vinegar. A student who came down from the sixth floor to take out the trash saw so many people around on the fifth floor and the delicious sour and spicy aroma in the air, and curiously asked, ¡°What are you all eating here?¡± ¡°Nothing, nothing, we¡¯re just helping to clean up spilled vinegar,¡± everyone responded in unison, fearing another mouth to feed would be too much to handle. The ten plates of cucumber slices were devoured by the ravenous crowd in no time. Meanwhile, Jiang Feng heard ¡°Ding, gained 111 experience points.¡± ¡°Ding, gained 167 experience points.¡± ¡°Ding, gained 109 experience points.¡± His mood was simply delightful. After the food was gone, everyone started to enthusiastically fight over who would wash the plates. ¡°Oh no!¡± a junior from Jiang Feng¡¯s department suddenly slapped his thigh in an epiphany, ¡°Feng, I almost forgot to pay for the cucumber salad. I¡¯ll just transfer the money to Mr. Hao by scanning his QR code on his bedside; Mr. Hao, make sure you pass it on to Feng!¡± ¡°Oh no, how could I forget!¡± ¡°Ah, look at my memory, Hao, I¡¯m also transferring the money to you.¡± Everyone seemed to have a moment of realization, but their acting was so poor that Jiang Feng felt embarrassed to expose them. What was even more telling was that everyone left in a hurry after paying, which was too deliberate. Wang Hao was somewhat baffled by the string of notifications for receiving money on his phone. ¡°Since when did they start paying for food they mooched?¡± Jiang Feng chuckled and began to tidy up the seasonings. ¡°Isn¡¯t it because you¡¯ve been posting fake advertisements on your social media every day? They probably think I¡¯m so poor I can¡¯t afford to eat.¡± Wang Hao: ¡­ ¡°So what should we do with this money?¡± ¡°Keep it for now; we¡¯ll give them discounts when they come to eat at my family¡¯s restaurant,¡± Jiang Feng said. After tidying up a bit, Jiang Feng carefully picked out the seasonings and packed them in a bag to take to his shop that evening. After reminiscing about the cucumber salad they¡¯d just eaten, Wang Hao asked, ¡°Feng, how does your dad¡¯s cooking compare to that cucumber salad?¡± After thinking for a moment, Jiang Feng replied seriously, ¡°The cucumber salad was delicious because it was made with vinegar and chili oil brewed by my grandpa; it¡¯s roughly the standard of my dad¡¯s everyday cooking.¡± ¡°My dad is surely preparing his signature dishes tonight. His cooking skills are definitely higher than that cucumber salad.¡± ¡°Gulp.¡± Wang Hao couldn¡¯t help but swallow saliva. Chapter 15 - 15 Chapter 15 Publicity 15 Chapter 15 Publicity Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio Wang Hao calculated the money everyone gave for the meal, which amounted to more than four hundred bucks. To facilitate future discounts on meal costs for Jiang Feng, Wang Hao even kept a separate notebook recording how much money each person had contributed, the very picture of thoughtfulness. ¡°Ding, game update complete.¡± Jiang Feng turned and entered the bathroom. Player Name: Jiang Feng Level: 5 (0/1000)[Injectable: Yes/No] Remaining Experience Points: 4115 Skills: Appraisal (Intermediate): You can obtain most information. Cooking Porridge (Intermediate): You can only master some correct proportions of ingredients and basic fire control. Knife Skills (Advanced): Your knifework has surpassed the majority of chefs. (Proficiency: 0/100000) Fire Control (Beginner): You can only control some basic fire levels. (Proficiency: 0/1000) Seasoning (Beginner): You can only make it non-lethal. (Proficiency 0/1000) Lies (Intermediate): You can now tell lies without blushing. (Proficiency: 0/10000) Math (Beginner): Your level is only on par with an ordinary freshman. (Proficiency: 0/1000) Physics (Beginner): Your level is equivalent to that of a high school student. (Proficiency 0/1000) English (Intermediate): It¡¯s just the level a university student should have. (Proficiency 0/10000) Food Testing (Beginner): A waste of heavenly resources. (Non-upgradable) Note: 1. Please explore skills on your own. 2. Experience points can be converted into proficiency at a 1:1 ratio. [The rest is omitted due to repetition] Jiang Feng: ¡­ I know I¡¯m a poor student, no need to remind me ???? When Jiang Feng came out of the bathroom, he looked a bit off. ¡°Feng, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Wang Hao asked a bit too eagerly. ¡°Constipation.¡± ¡­ That evening, after receiving a call from Mr. Jiang Jiankang, Jiang Feng went to the store with the seasonings and Wang Hao. The uncles and other relatives were already there, the store was open, and the sign was still not hung. Jiang Feng first took the seasonings to Wang Hao in the kitchen, then led him directly upstairs. As soon as Wang Hao stepped onto the second floor, he was taken aback. The room was full of burly men, regardless of gender, age, or size; they all had the same imposing physique, displayed ferocious looks, and even the two plump twin sisters who appeared to be only junior high students showed signs of future dominion. Wang Hao suspected he had mistakenly walked into a gathering of gang bosses. ¡°Feng¡­ Feng, your family has a tradition of sumo wrestlers?¡± Wang Hao asked nervously, swallowing hard. ¡°A tradition of chefs.¡± Jiang Feng led Wang Hao to the family table, with one table for adults and another for the younger generation, very pragmatically arranged. The dishes were served and still steaming hot. As soon as Wang Hao sat down, either Jiang Junlian or Jiang Junqing turned to him with a smile. Jiang Feng had difficulty telling the twin cousins apart as they looked so identical, especially since he did not often interact with them. ¡°Four Joyful Meatballs, Lion¡¯s Head Meatballs, Dongpo Pork, Sweet and Sour Carp, Three Earthly Delights, Kung Pao Chicken, Nine Turns Intestine, Sweet and Sour Yam, Fish Head Tofu Soup,¡± Jiang Feng pointed to the dishes, introducing them one by one to Wang Hao. He glanced at the tips and offered a friendly reminder, ¡°I advise you not to drink the Fish Head Tofu Soup, my dad isn¡¯t too good at that one.¡± [A pot of Fish Head Tofu Soup with too much oil, not enough salt, and incorrect fire control] It seemed Mr. Jiang Jiankang was distracted while cooking the soup. When Wang Hao first came up with Jiang Feng, he was too busy looking around to notice, but now that he sat down and listened to the introduction, his mouth started to water uncontrollably. The scent of meat irresistibly invaded his nose, Jiang Jiankang did not focus much on presentation, but it did not seem off-putting; one whiff was all it took to discern the quality of the food. Wang Hao loved sweet flavors, so he grabbed a piece of Sweet and Sour Yam first. The sugar coating was even, the fried yam not as powdery as when steamed but still maintaining a bit of chewiness. The exterior was smooth and crispy while the interior was soft and pleasantly sweet. Immediately, Wang Hao¡¯s eyes moistened. ¡°Feng, you¡¯re so lucky to have such a dad,¡± Wang Hao said with immense envy. Jiang Feng silently offered him a piece of Kung Pao Chicken, ¡°This is my dad¡¯s specialty.¡± With an inelegant munch, Wang Hao had not yet swallowed the yam when he stuffed the Kung Pao Chicken into his mouth and mumbled his praise, ¡°Delicious, delicious!¡± Jiang Jiankang¡¯s Kung Pao Chicken was not spicy but rather on the sweet side, a peculiarity given that Wang Hao was tackling two sweet dishes at the same time. Jiang Jiankang¡¯s forte was Kung Pao Chicken, but the star of the dinner table was the Dongpo Pork. Jiang Jiankang loved pork knuckle, whereas Jiang Weiguo did not. This Dongpo Pork was a result of Mr. Jiang Jiankang personally learning from other state-owned restaurants that specialized in pork knuckles, and after years of refinement and careful experimentation, he perfected his own version. Named Dongpo Pork, it had since lost any resemblance to the authentic dish. The pork knuckle had been stewed for at least four hours, rich in soy aroma, easily separating at the touch of chopsticks. It was tender and sweet, fatty without being greasy. Mr. Jiang Jiankang¡¯s exceptional cooking somewhat made up for the uncles and aunts¡¯ regret of not being able to enjoy Sir¡¯s cooking. To the Jiang Family Members, spoiled by Sir¡¯s culinary skills, this meal was satisfactory but not dazzling. Mr. Jiang Jiankang¡¯s extraordinary performance couldn¡¯t compare to Sir¡¯s everyday stir-fry. But Wang Hao was different, lacking the opportunity to enjoy Sir¡¯s cooking every New Year, and also without the financial means to dine daily at star-rated restaurants, he felt as if he had visited a paradise after being well-fed and watered, almost wanting to take Mr. Jiang Jiankang on the spot as a godfather. ¡°Feng, you really are my bro, why didn¡¯t Uncle open a store at UAL University earlier! If we¡¯re short on cash, we could crowdfund it!¡± Wang Hao gazed at the clean empty plates on the table, his tears nearly falling. After such a meal, how would he face the purgatorial meals of the campus cafeteria? With that thought, Wang Hao couldn¡¯t help but become overtaken by sadness, pulling out his phone and beginning to furiously type. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Jiang Feng saw Wang Hao composing a lengthy message and asked. ¡°Advertising, letting everyone taste Uncle¡¯s cooking skills.¡± Jiang Feng couldn¡¯t help but give a side glance. ¡°Ding, gained 1 point of fame, quest progress (1/100).¡± Chapter 16 - 16 Chapter 16 Opening 16 Chapter 16 Opening Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio Jiang Feng spent a good part of the evening marveling at Wang Hao¡¯s lengthy infomercial. The over-the-top phrasing and obvious flattery were so cringe-worthy that he felt embarrassed to even like the post. In the end, his hand slipped and he accidentally liked it. Jiang Jiankang had already secured the suppliers for vegetables and poultry. The original plan was to open the day after tomorrow, but everything was going so smoothly that they could start regular business tomorrow noon. After some thought, Jiang Feng composed a post for his Moments. The grand opening of Healthy Stir-fry Restaurant on the east side of Food Street tomorrow! UAL University students with empty plates will enjoy a 10% discount on their meals. Turn off phone, go to sleep. There¡¯s a tough battle to fight tomorrow. On the first day of a new store¡¯s opening, customer traffic is usually quite high. Jiang Jiankang personally hung up the big red sign, effectively ruining half of Jiang Zaidi¡¯s interior design. Whether driven by curiosity or the lure of special opening discounts, new customers would step into the new restaurant. Early the next morning, Jiang Feng arrived at the restaurant to help wash and chop vegetables. Knowing the Jiang Family didn¡¯t hire any extra help and worried they would be too busy, Wang Hao also came to volunteer his assistance. The cost of living in Alan City was high, and so were the prices at Healthy Stir-fry Restaurant. Ordinary dishes were about thirty percent more expensive than at surrounding diners, with signature dishes like pork knuckle priced the same as those at regular restaurants. Mr. Jiang Jiankang never expected anyone to order the expensive dishes on the first day. The Jiang Family was bustling about the kitchen, prepping ingredients commonly used in stir-fried dishes and rice toppings. Mrs. Wang Xiulian washed the vegetables while Wang Hao assisted her; Jiang Feng and Jiang Jiankang were responsible for chopping. Their division of labor was orderly and efficient. Chop the leeks into sections, mince the green onions, peel and smash the garlic cloves, shred the carrots, cut the cucumbers into strips, slice the radishes, and mince the green chili peppers¡­ Different vegetables required different knives. Vegetables and meats were not to be cut with the same knife, nor were ingredients with clashing flavors. This was a habitual practice when the Jiang Family Members prepared food. An ordinary chef might be fine with just one or two preferred knives, but Jiang Jiankang had more than a dozen, and Jiang Weiguo even had a special rack of knives. To quote Jiang Feng¡¯s grandmother, it was just unnecessary fuss. Indeed, it was uncalled for, but to an outsider like Wang Hao, it exuded the air of master chefs. Jiang Feng took care of the vegetables while Jiang Jiankang handled the meat. The father and son shared a similar knifework lineage; their techniques differed, but to Wang Hao, they both looked the same¡ªsteady, accurate, and fast. With rhythmic chopping, ¡°thump, thump, thump,¡± small mountains of chopped ingredients quickly piled up on the plates beside their chopping boards. Wang Hao took out his phone to record a video and shared it to Moments for one final round of hard-selling promotions before the opening. In Jiang Feng¡¯s mind, the sound of a video game notification kept ringing. ¡°Ding! Received 1 point in Knifework Proficiency.¡± ¡°Ding! Received 1 point in Knifework Proficiency.¡± ¡°Ding! Received 1 point in Knifework Proficiency.¡± ¡­ If this were a game interface, a continuous stream of ¡°+1 +1 +1¡± proficiency points would definitely be floating above Jiang Feng¡¯s head right now. At ten o¡¯clock, they officially opened for business. Jiang Feng put up a sign at the door: Grand opening of the new store, sweet plum juice on the house for every guest. The sweet plum juice was made by Mr. Jiang Jiankang the night before with the best ingredients: dark plums, hawthorn, dried tangerine peel, licorice, and osmanthus flowers, all of which had been chilled in the fridge overnight, perfect for cooling down and quenching thirst. The first table of guests were Jiang Feng¡¯s clubmates. There were only 4 members of the Chess Club who had returned to UAL University early; not one was missing, and 2 of them had even tasted the ¡°straw-coat cucumbers¡± Jiang Feng had made the previous day. The four deliberately chose a table near the entrance, so people outside could see there were customers inside. The menu was posted on the wall, with prices listed right after the dish names. As the four looked at the menu and the prices, they all hesitated a bit. The prices were indeed a bit steep. ¡°Feng,¡± Qiu Chen, who was closest to Jiang Feng, spoke up without much restraint, ¡°even if Uncle and Auntie borrowed quite a bit of money to start this restaurant, setting the prices this high might¡­¡± ¡°With Uncle Jiang¡¯s skills, these prices are a bargain,¡± Wang Hao interjected as he brought out four cups of sweet plum juice from the kitchen. The juice, just taken out of the fridge, was still emitting a chill. In the transparent glass cups, the sweet plum juice looked intensely brown, utterly tempting just by sight. There were still traces of sweet plum juice at the corner of Wang Hao¡¯s mouth. Knowing he would likely help himself to some, Jiang Feng asked, ¡°How many cups have you had?¡± ¡°Not many, just two,¡± Wang Hao said with a grin as he placed the four cups of sweet plum juice on their table. ¡°I only intended to taste it, but I couldn¡¯t control myself.¡± ¡°Drink less, they¡¯ve just been taken out of the fridge. Be careful not to upset your stomach,¡± Jiang Feng cautioned. The four patrons all picked up their plum juice and took a sip together. It was cool and refreshing, with a hint of smokiness, perfectly tangy and sweet¡ªnot a drop too much or too little. The four gulped it down, and soon the cups were empty. They had been a bit dissatisfied with the prices at first, but as the plum juice slid down their throats and into their stomach, their dissatisfaction evaporated like smoke. If the plum juice, which was only a drink, was this delicious, what about the other dishes? ¡°Feng, how much for a cup of this plum juice? I want another cup!¡± Jiang Feng¡¯s junior, Liu Zixuan, couldn¡¯t wait to ask. ¡°15 a cup.¡± Afraid that he would think it was too expensive, Jiang Feng explained, ¡°My dad spent over two hours simmering the plum juice last night, he¡¯d feel bad if we sold it too cheap.¡± ¡°Not expensive at all.¡± Liu Zixuan shook his head like a bobblehead. The other three, having finished their plum juice, also expressed their desire for a refill. Selling four cups of plum juice at the opening was beyond Jiang Feng¡¯s expectations. The four ordered four dishes: aside from Jiang Feng¡¯s recommended Kung Pao Chicken, Qiu Chen ordered sweet and sour pork loin, Liu Zixuan went for the patted tofu, and the other two discussed and decided on stir-fried pork with chili peppers. The four dishes totaled 120 yuan, with rice for free, and adding the plum juice, it came to a total of 180 yuan¡ªwhich was a steep price near UAL University. With the precious plum juice as a prelude, the four had no complaints, savoring their drinks in small sips as if they were treasures. Jiang Feng would only sell them two cups each, and they cherished every sip, knowing each one brought them closer to the last. While Jiang Feng went to help in the kitchen, Wang Hao stayed to chat with them, boasting about the previous night¡¯s delicious dishes, how flavorful the lion¡¯s head meatballs were, and how tender the braised pork knuckle had been. It made the four drool and regret not ordering more boldly before. Wait, the lion¡¯s head was sold separately. Qiu Chen rushed to the menu, scanning for the lion¡¯s head meatballs. 20 yuan each. The four generously added four lion¡¯s head meatballs to their order. A few minutes later, Jiang Feng came out of the kitchen with The Kung Pao Chicken¡ªa standard Jiang Jiankang creation. All four sets of chopsticks reached for The Kung Pao Chicken at once. Soon, they all abandoned their plum juice and crowned The Kung Pao Chicken as their new favorite. Not long after, a couple who seemed to have wandered in by mistake arrived at the restaurant. When the girl saw the menu, she couldn¡¯t help but exclaim softly, ¡°So expensive!¡± The boy¡¯s expression also turned sour as he whispered, ¡°Shall we go?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go,¡± the girl urged, tugging at her boyfriend¡¯s sleeve to leave. The table of Liu Chen and his friends was near the entrance. As the couple passed by, the boy suddenly caught the scent of the food. It smelled amazing. And slightly sweet. The boy turned his head and saw the four men hungrily devouring a dish. ¡°What are you guys eating?¡± the boy asked. ¡°Kung Pao Chicken.¡± Qiu Chen, with his mouth full of meat, answered unclearly. ¡°Is it good?¡± the boy asked involuntarily as he swallowed. Qiu Chen was too busy eating to respond; with these three guys, every word he wasted meant one less bite for him, so he just nodded noncommittally. Actions spoke louder than words. ¡°Maybe we should just order a Kung Pao Chicken?¡± the boy¡¯s resolve was wavering. The girl wasn¡¯t interested in Kung Pao Chicken, but seeing her boyfriend wanted to try it, she didn¡¯t object and nodded reluctantly. Just then, Jiang Feng came out with the sweet and sour pork loin. The pork loin was fried to a golden crisp, the sauce perfectly sour and sweet, and artistically thickened, with a carefully crafted broth poured over by Jiang Jiankang, creating an enticing aroma. Gulp, the girl swallowed her saliva. ¡°Add a sweet and sour pork loin too,¡± the girl said decisively as she took a seat by the window. Chapter 17 - 17 Chapter 17: Plum Juice 17 Chapter 17: Plum Juice Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio As mealtime rolled around, more people started to come into the restaurant in waves. There were those like Qiu Chen, who came early to support Jiang Feng after catching wind of the news, and then there were couples who simply entered out of pure curiosity. Those who were acquainted with Jiang Feng, no matter how displeased they appeared after glancing at the menu, would stay out of courtesy. After finishing the refreshing and cooling plum drink that alleviated the heat, they¡¯d let go of their discontent and irritation altogether. For the unintentional visitors, like that young couple, only a minority chose to stay. The rest would look around at the customers in the restaurant with surprise, murmur ¡°rip-off¡± under their breath, and then quickly leave as if having oil on their feet. ¡°How many left?¡± Qiu Chen and his three friends, despite being full, didn¡¯t forget their role-playing duties after their meal. Clearly so stuffed that sitting was uncomfortable, they still remained seated, pretending to be waiting for their dishes. The four plates on the table were so clean they looked as if they¡¯d been licked, with not a drop of sauce wasted ¨C it all went into mixing with the rice. ¡°The sixth one just left.¡± Li Jian from the Chinese Literature Department meticulously counted, ¡°They left even before tasting the plum drink, what a pity.¡± Qiu Chen rubbed his stomach, eyeing the first-floor patrons. It was just twelve o¡¯clock, not yet past the typical dining hour, and already more than half of the seats were filled, sparking a slight worry within him. ¡°It¡¯s not even the start of a new semester yet. With Feng¡¯s family restaurant pricing the dishes so high and it¡¯s almost full already, when school starts, won¡¯t we have to fight for seats if we want to eat here?¡± The other three also felt a sense of threat. ¡°How about we also come to eat in the evening?¡± suggested Liu Zixuan, who was known for his generous spending. ¡°Great idea!¡± The proposal was unanimously accepted. At this moment, a group appeared at the entrance. Liu Zixuan and Qiu Chen¡¯s seats faced the door, and they stood up instantly upon seeing the newcomers. ¡°Hello, Professor Wang!¡± ¡°Hello, Mr. Li!¡± ¡°Hello, Professor Chen!¡± ¡°Hello¡­ Head of the Department!¡± All nine people in the group were professors from the Physics Department, and four of them had interacted with Liu Zixuan and Qiu Chen before. ¡°Professor Wang?¡± Upon hearing the commotion, Jiang Feng put down the plum drink he was serving and hurried to the entrance. ¡°Hello, professors.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve come to eat. Professor Wang is treating us. We didn¡¯t expect to run into so many students. Jiang Feng, are you working here for the summer job?¡± Professor Chen, the youngest, asked with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m just helping out in the restaurant,¡± said Jiang Feng. As they walked in, they noticed that the majority of the customers were students from the Physics Department, able to recognize many whom they had taught. ¡°Is the Physics Department having a gathering here today?¡± Even the typically serious Professor Wang couldn¡¯t help but make a joke upon seeing the scene. ¡°This is my family¡¯s restaurant opening its doors for the first time today, and everyone¡¯s come to support me. Professors, please head upstairs; we have private rooms and round tables. Would you like to take a private room?¡± Jiang Feng led the way ahead. ¡°No need for a private room, we¡¯re here to support you too,¡± said Professor Chen cheerfully. There were menus upstairs, and Jiang Feng went downstairs to bring the professors their plum drinks, suggesting they start by looking through the menu to place their orders. Upon opening the menu, Professor Li said with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s not easy to find a restaurant near UAL University that offers such a complete selection of Shandong cuisine!¡± For the students, the prices at Healthy Stir-fry Restaurant were a bit steep, but the salaries of UAL University¡¯s professors were quite good, making these prices quite reasonable for a menu so extensive. Generally speaking, you don¡¯t dare to undertake delicate work unless you have the skill. The professors didn¡¯t hesitate to order several vegetable dishes and some main courses, including sweet and sour carp and Dongpo pork. Jiang Feng and Wang Hao brought the plum drinks to the table, and after Jiang Feng took a quick look at the menu and found everything in order, he went to the kitchen to inform Mr. Jiang Jiankang. Jiankang had stewed two hocks with the intention of eating them himself, one for lunch and the other for dinner, but now that the professors had ordered it, Mr. Jiang Jiankang would have to make do with one less. The carp was even more serendipitous. The day before, after Jiang Feng had made a suggestion, Jiankang had gone to the fresh produce market behind the wholesale market. There, he came across two live carps exceptionally fresh and decided to buy them to keep on hand. Who would have thought that one of them would end up in the pot today? Professor Chen took a sip of his plum drink and praised, ¡°This plum drink is delicious!¡± ¡°You find everything delicious,¡± retorted Professor Li, a true Yanjing local who among all the professors was the most authoritative when it came to plum drinks. ¡°Nowadays, most plum drinks are bought from supermarkets made with additives, not like when we were kids when it was stewed with rock sugar. This imperial drink is all about the details ¨C traditionally it¡¯s made with smoked¡­¡± Professor Li picked up his cup, and as soon as he tasted the plum drink, he was struck silent. The subtle smoky flavor was just like the ones he remembered from the old mainstay plum drink shops of his childhood. No, perhaps even better. ¡°Smoked what?¡± Professor Chen pressed. ¡°Dark plums.¡± Professor Li swallowed down his plum drink, ¡°Is this place run by a student of yours?¡± ¡°Jiang Feng, the lad¡¯s not good at his major, nearly failed last semester.¡± Professor Chen picked up his cup and took another sip, ¡°I think this sour plum drink is quite tasty already.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the authentic imperial method, slowly simmered with rock sugar.¡± Professor Li seemed a bit distracted, as if recalling something, ¡°Ever since those old shops closed down, I haven¡¯t tasted such genuine sour plum drink in a long time.¡± ¡°It seems we¡¯re quite fortunate today.¡± Everyone laughed and savored their sour plum drinks. In the kitchen, Mr. Jiang Jiankang tearfully offered his own pork knuckles. He scoured all the markets and supermarkets around UAL University to carefully select these two pork knuckles from hundreds. They were soaked in ice water for twelve whole hours just to remove the bloodiness ¨C even the pork knuckles served at last night¡¯s dinner didn¡¯t receive this treatment. Jiankang loved pork knuckles and took special care when preparing each one he would eat. To make the pork knuckles well, he went through great lengths to procure fine Huadiao wine to use as an ingredient. In the kitchen, Jiankang sentimentally poured his cherished Huadiao wine into the pot, muttering, ¡°Feng, if it weren¡¯t for you, Dad wouldn¡¯t bring out such good Huadiao wine.¡± Jiang Feng: ¡­ Whenever a customer ordered pork knuckles, Mr. Jiang Jiankang acted as if it were a matter of life and death, even though he himself had over a hundred bottles of Huadiao wine stashed away. The Huadiao wine he used for customers was always the worst. Finally, Mr. Jiang Jiankang poured a ladle of broth over the pork knuckles. This was Mr. Jiang Jiankang¡¯s cooking habit; he liked to pour a ladle of broth over everything ¨C his kitchen always had a pot of broth simmering away. The broth toned down the sauce on the pork knuckles but also enhanced their umami and fragrance. When Jiang Feng carried out the pork knuckles, nearly all the patrons on the first floor turned to look. ¡°It smells so good.¡± People couldn¡¯t stop exclaiming. Even though they were tempted, no one ordered the pork knuckles. Everyone was a student, and few could bear to spend a hundred yuan on a plate of pork knuckles. The aroma wafted up to the second floor. ¡°What¡¯s that smell?¡± Professor Chen sniffed, his appetite piqued. ¡°Dongpo pork knuckles, please enjoy, professors,¡± Jiang Feng said as he placed the pork knuckles on the table. ¡°Mr. Chen, Dongpo pork knuckles are a specialty from your area, and you can¡¯t recognize it?¡± another young teacher teased. ¡°This isn¡¯t Dongpo pork knuckles; the ones from my place aren¡¯t made this way.¡± Professor Chen shook his head, reaching out his chopsticks to pick up a piece of skin-on pork knuckle, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s just their own version here, but they call it Dongpo pork knuckles. This dish is much more aromatic than the regular Dongpo pork knuckles.¡± The pork knuckle melted in the mouth upon tasting. ¡°And much tastier too!¡± Professor Chen added. The others reached out with their chopsticks. The first floor gradually filled with patrons, and Jiang Feng and Wang Hao started to get overwhelmed handling everyone, so Qiu Chen and three others decided to pay and help out a bit. ¡°Posting an empty plate on social media gets you a 10% discount,¡± Jiang Feng reminded them. ¡°A 10% discount for an empty plate?¡± The girl from a couple seated not far from Qiu Chen perked up her ears upon hearing this; her own plate was as clean as if it had been licked, except for a little water spinach juice left in one dish, and even the sweet and sour pork¡¯s syrup was gone. She had just lost control and ordered another serving of stir-fried water spinach. Not only had she revealed her big appetite, but she also spent several days¡¯ worth of food money in one meal, and now sat regretting it at her table. ¡°Yes, UAL University students can get a 10% discount by posting an empty plate on social media,¡± Jiang Feng nodded. ¡°I am from UAL, studying in the Chinese department. Don¡¯t believe me? I¡¯ve got my student ID!¡± the girl hurriedly said, glancing at the four clean plates on Qiu Chen¡¯s table. With determination, she picked up her juice-stained plate and drank down the residue. Jiang Feng: ¡­ This girl sure has character. Putting down her plate, she took out her phone to snap photos and post on social media. ¡°Ding, you¡¯ve gained 1 point of popularity, task progress (2/100).¡± Chapter 18 - 18 Chapter 18 Porridge 18 Chapter 18 Porridge Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio The girl completed the payment via WeChat and left with her boyfriend. Jiang Feng quickly cleared the table while Qiu Chen watched in astonishment. ¡°Feng, does your family¡¯s restaurant have such high expectations for empty plates?¡± Qiu Chen, who was still editing his social media post, was totally shocked by the girl¡¯s audacious behavior just now. ¡°She misunderstood,¡± Jiang Feng explained. ¡°Ding, gained 1 point of popularity, task progress (3/100).¡± ¡°Feng, let¡¯s help you,¡± Liu Zixuan, who had just finished posting on social media, eagerly took over the plates. Jiang Feng didn¡¯t stop him, ¡°It¡¯s just my parents in the kitchen, you can just put the plates in the dishwasher, don¡¯t bother asking my mom.¡± Liu Zixuan assured that he knew how to use the dishwasher and carried the plates into the kitchen. ¡°Ding, gained 1 point of popularity, task progress (4/100).¡± ¡°Ding, gained 1 point of popularity, task progress (5/100).¡± ¡°Ding, gained 1 point of popularity, task progress (6/100).¡± The other three also began to help out. They took orders and cleaned tables, simple tasks that, although they weren¡¯t as adept as Jiang Feng, they couldn¡¯t really mess up. Jiang Feng realized his family hadn¡¯t considered everything; he always thought the old small restaurant didn¡¯t need to hire anyone, but now it seemed they needed to recruit a few student workers. Previously, when he saw small eateries near schools hiring students and offering two meals a day for only a few hundred yuan a month, he thought they were ruthless. Now that he was starting to recruit, he realized student workers were the best choice. Meal times, inexpensive labor, and saving money¡ªtwo birds with one stone. Liu Zixuan spent a long time in the kitchen and came out holding a plate of yuxiang shredded pork, a trace of satisfaction at the corner of his mouth. ¡°You little rascal, you actually sneaked a bite!¡± Wang Hao instantly noticed the abnormality at the corner of Liu Zixuan¡¯s mouth and exclaimed, considering the amount of food they¡¯d just eaten, ¡°I can¡¯t believe you still have an appetite.¡± ¡°Auntie gave me a glass of herbal tea,¡± Liu Zixuan savored contentedly. Upon entering the kitchen, he was surprised at how different Jiang Feng¡¯s parents¡¯ physiques were from his own. After a sip of the herbal tea, his mind was too preoccupied with the drink to think of anything else. Indeed, Auntie Jiang was an angel-like person, Only a bit on the plumper side. The professors were the last group of customers to leave. When the professors left, Professor Li still smiled warmly at Jiang Feng, leaving Liu Zixuan, who watched from a distance, dumbfounded. Out of them all, only he had taken Professor Li¡¯s classes and knew how serious the old man was. He was unsmiling with the students and merciless when failing them at the end of term¡ªtruly an older version of a fierce deity. ¡°Feng, what did Professor Li just say?¡± After the professors left, Liu Zixuan curiously approached and asked. ¡°The professor asked if I was from Yanjing and whether my grandfather¡¯s generation was also from there,¡± Jiang Feng said, finding it odd as well. It was just a meal, so why was Professor Li asking these questions? Mr. Jiang Jiankang is skilled in Shandong cuisine, not the Jing-style cuisine from Yanjing. Although the two cuisines share similarities, it wouldn¡¯t make one assume Mr. Jiang Jiankang was from Yanjing. ¡°Your family mainly does Shandong cuisine, right?¡± Liu Zixuan also had some knowledge about food. ¡°Maybe Professor Li had the plum drink and felt it tasted authentically like something from Yanjing, which is why he asked,¡± Jiang Feng suggested. ¡°Right, do you guys¡­¡± Jiang Feng was about to ask if they wanted to eat together, but then remembered they had already eaten, so he changed his question to, ¡°Do you want to join us for dinner tonight?¡± All four nodded so fast their heads might have reached 20Hz. Qiu Chen and his group each held a glass of herbal tea, leaving gleefully. Despite Wang Hao already sneaking quite a few sips of the plum drink, herbal tea, and mung bean soup, he bravely managed to eat a full meal. Jiang Feng estimated that with his appetite, it wouldn¡¯t be long before he could catch up to his big cousin Jiang Zaidi¡¯s physique. In the afternoon, Jiang Feng wrote a notice for a part-time job and pasted it on the glass outside the restaurant. Hiring: Part-time delivery staff, two meals included, salary negotiable. After putting up the hiring notice, Jiang Feng found a corner inside the restaurant to check his attribute panel. With a morning of cutting vegetables, his knifework proficiency had increased by 326. The main task progress had reached (19/100), which was very encouraging. It looked like maintaining the plate-clearing discount for a few more days would complete the task. ¡°Ding, earned 1 point of popularity, task progress (20/100).¡± To gain a point of popularity just like that! Jiang Feng was momentarily stunned but quickly realized what had happened. It was likely that some customers from lunch recommended Healthy Stir-fry Restaurant to their friends, the same principle as posting on social media, which could also increase popularity. So, it seemed the main task could be completed very soon. After a tiring day, Comrades Jiang Jiankang and Wang Xiulian went up to the second floor to rest. Taking the opportunity, Jiang Feng fired up the stove to cook a few pots of porridge. Since acquiring the Cooking Porridge (Intermediate) skill, he hadn¡¯t yet made porridge; this was the perfect chance to see what the taste of intermediate-level porridge was like. Jiang Feng cooked two pots of porridge, one with preserved egg and lean pork, and another with black rice. One sweet and one savory. Since the plum drink had sold out, he would serve porridge that evening¡ªone small bowl per person, perfect for lining the stomach. Under the guidance of his intermediate Cooking Porridge skill, Jiang Feng could accurately sense when to use high heat, when to turn it low, when to stir, and when to add ingredients. It was as if he were possessed by a culinary god. Normally, without decades of experience in cooking porridge, one wouldn¡¯t have such sharp instincts. The two pots of porridge were ready. [One pot of reasonably tasty preserved egg and lean pork porridge with not finely crumbled preserved eggs and insufficiently marinated meat] [One pot of reasonably tasty black rice porridge with not-so-fresh oats] Jiang Feng tasted them and found that the flavor could rival that made by Mr. Jiang Jiankang himself. He went to the entrance to change the special offer to include one free bowl of porridge with any meal and prepared to open for business. He then went upstairs to wake Mr. Jiang Jiankang and Mrs. Wang Xiulian, who were already asleep, and invited them to come down and try the freshly cooked porridge. Mr. Jiang Jiankang sleepily took a sip of the porridge. ¡°Ding, earned 9 experience points.¡± Mrs. Wang Xiulian yawned and took a sip of porridge. ¡°Ding, earned 11 experience points.¡± Jiang Feng: ¡­ Conveniently, Wang Hao came to help at the restaurant. ¡°Hao, come and try the black rice porridge I just cooked,¡± Wang Hao had a sweet tooth, so Jiang Feng called him over for the sweet porridge. ¡°Ding, earned 31 experience points.¡± Jiang Feng: ¡­ Hao, you have changed, you weren¡¯t like this yesterday. Chapter 19 - 19 Chapter 19: Turnover 19 Chapter 19: Turnover Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio As soon as they opened for business, Qiu Chen and the others came to help. Seeing that there were no customers, the four of them played the part of actors and pretended to be customers, sitting in the most conspicuous place. Having witnessed the whole process, Jiang Feng: ¡­ These four people are really wasting their talents not studying acting. The first customer was the girl from noon who had finished her vegetable juice, coming alone with no sign of her boyfriend. ¡°Nine Turns Intestine!¡± the girl sat down as usual by the window seat she had taken at noon, ¡°Do you still serve plum juice in the evening?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have plum juice in the evening, but we offer a small bowl of porridge, you can choose between preserved egg and lean pork porridge or black rice porridge,¡± Jiang Feng replied. ¡°Black rice porridge, black rice porridge, and also a bowl of white rice,¡± the girl quickly said. Liu Zixuan, who overheard their conversation, couldn¡¯t help but glance sideways. The girl looked quite slim, but she had a big appetite! The girl also noticed Liu Zixuan and leaned over to ask, ¡°Are you guys also from UAL University?¡± Liu Zixuan nodded. The girl obviously loved to chat and took the initiative to strike up a conversation, ¡°This place is delicious, but it¡¯s just too expensive.¡± ¡°Not expensive, not expensive at all!¡± Liu Zixuan hastily endorsed the Healthy Stir-fry Restaurant, ¡°This is our Chess Club president¡¯s family¡¯s restaurant. They bought the place and went into a lot of debt to open this restaurant!¡± ¡°Your president¡¯s family owns it? Hey, what kind of club are you from?¡± the girl asked curiously. ¡°Chess Club,¡± Liu Zixuan¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Hey, would you like to join our Chess Club? We recruit from all years, and club members get a¡­ get a¡­ ¡± ¡°Get a ten percent discount,¡± Jiang Feng said as he came out with the black rice porridge, ¡°Club members get a discount across the board.¡± The Chess Club, including Jiang Feng, only had eight people, and they had only managed to recruit Liu Zixuan, a new member, last year. The club barely had any activities; at most, they would occasionally gather for a meal, and a few chess enthusiasts would get together to play chess. They had never ranked in any competitions, and were basically a club of loafers. If they couldn¡¯t recruit any new members this year, the Chess Club was going to go under. ¡°Senior, I¡¯m Liu Qian from the Chinese Literature department, can I add you on WeChat? I¡¯ll come to sign up when the club does its recruitment in a couple of days!¡± Liu Qian said excitedly. ¡°Do you know how to play chess?¡± Jiang Feng had to make sure he wasn¡¯t recruiting members who couldn¡¯t play chess. ¡°Yes, yes, I often play chess with my dad at home!¡± Liu Qian claimed. ¡°Welcome to the Chess Club, fellow student, I¡¯m the president, Jiang Feng,¡± Jiang Feng said warmly. ¡°I¡¯m the vice-president, Qiu Chen.¡± Seeing they actually attracted a new member, Qiu Chen hurried over to greet her. ¡°I¡¯m Liu Zixuan.¡± ¡°Zhao Yang.¡± ¡°Zhao Yu.¡± ¡°Zhao Yu, hurry up and get the club application form for junior Liu Qian to fill out!¡± urged Qiu Chen. ¡°Right, right.¡± Zhao Yu quickly took out a stack of club application forms from his bag and even had a pen ready. Liu Qian: ¡­ What kind of club members carry club application forms with them everywhere? Under the ¡°supervision¡± of Qiu Chen, Liu Qian finished filling out the club application form and then turned her attention to the black rice porridge. She didn¡¯t usually drink porridge, choosing the black rice version only because she had a sweet tooth and didn¡¯t know much about porridges. She just thought this bowl looked delicious and pretty, with rice that was thick and sticky, and it smelled wonderfully sweet as well. The first taste was smooth, the temperature just right, the black rice was thick but elastic, the oats added a nice chew, sweet enough but not cloying. ¡°President!¡± Liu Qian finished a small bowl of porridge in a few gulps, ¡°How much do you sell the black rice porridge for?¡± ¡°Ten yuan a bowl, with a side dish included,¡± Jiang Feng said. ¡°I¡¯ll take one bowl, no, make that two!¡± ¡°Do you still want rice?¡± Jiang Feng asked. ¡°Yes!¡± The four people at the table all looked at Liu Qian at the same time. Liu Zixuan cleverly came forward to collect the bowls and took the opportunity to sneak into the kitchen for two sips of porridge. Around 5:30 pm, customers began to trickle in. The promotion of giving away free porridge seemed to attract more newcomers than the plum drink offer, and revisits like Liu Qian¡¯s¡ªfrom lunch to dinner¡ªwere rare since the price was obvious; eating here every day would triple one¡¯s monthly food expenses at least. With more customers in the restaurant, Qiu Chen and others stopped acting as fill-ins and started helping out, shuttling back and forth between the kitchen and the dining hall, very busy. The evening business was better than at noon. The first floor was completely full, so guests were directed to the large round tables on the second floor, and it wasn¡¯t until 9 pm that they closed up. ¡°Everyone has worked hard. Come on, eat up,¡± Mr. Jiang Jiankang called out, ¡°I really thank you all. It¡¯s the first day our restaurant opened, we weren¡¯t well-prepared, and we don¡¯t have enough staff yet, and it has been such an inconvenience for you guys.¡± ¡°Not at all, not at all. Uncle, if you need us, we can come every day!¡± Qiu Chen said joyfully with his mouth full of ribs. Mr. Jiang Jiankang was never one to shortchange himself. The dishes he cooked for customers might have had issues like uneven seasoning or incorrect fire control, but the dishes he made for himself he always thought were his best performances. The professors took away a pork knuckle at midday, and Jiang Jiankang was even more careful with the pork knuckle in the evening, slowly stewing it over low heat for who knows how long until every bit of it was infused with juiciness, tender to the extreme. The group ate with such relish that they wished they could just stay in the restaurant forever. Oh right, stay in the restaurant. Liu Zixuan, who had the quickest mind, asked, ¡°Feng, have you guys hired any part-timers yet?¡± ¡°No.¡± The job posting had only been out for half a day; how could they have hired anyone so quickly? ¡°How about us four? We can do all sorts of chores, even delivery. We don¡¯t need to be paid, just provide us with two meals! I¡¯ll come over right after my classes end, I won¡¯t miss the meal times.¡± Having tasted Jiang Jiankang¡¯s actual skills, Liu Zixuan felt it would be torture to go back to eating in the cafeteria. The other three nodded in agreement. ¡°Okay, you¡¯ll be covered for three meals, as long as you¡¯re willing to come over in the morning,¡± Jiang Feng agreed, ¡°I¡¯ll find someone else who¡¯s long-term and stable since you all have a lot of classes.¡± The Physics department was known for its heavy course load. ¡°By the way, Hao, did you check your timetable? Whose class do we have tomorrow?¡± Jiang Feng asked. ¡°Let me see, it¡¯s Professor Li¡¯s from lunch today, Signal and System. We have three back-to-back classes tomorrow morning,¡± Wang Hao checked his phone, ¡°Oh no, this Electromagnetics class is taught by Dean Zhang. I already failed his class last year. I¡¯m done for, I¡¯m definitely done for this year.¡± Wang Hao quickly took a bite of pork knuckle to comfort his wounded heart. After dinner, Wang Hao and his friends went back to their dorm first while Jiang Feng stayed to help Mr. Jiang Jiankang clean up the kitchen, and Mrs. Wang Xiulian tallied up the day¡¯s takings. ¡°Oh my goodness, at this rate, we¡¯ll be able to pay off my second brother¡¯s debt by the end of the year,¡± exclaimed Mrs. Wang Xiulian, a trained accountant, as the calculator clicked away. ¡°How much did we make?¡± Jiang Jiankang asked curiously. ¡°Eleven thousand after costs,¡± Mrs. Wang Xiulian sighed, ¡°The big city is really different. In our small place, it would take several days to earn this kind of revenue!¡± Jiang Feng, who never knew their family restaurant could make so much money: ¡­ Sir Jiang Weiguo was right after all, studying physics is not as good as learning to cook. Chapter 20 - 20 Chapter 20: High-Difficulty Side Quest 20 Chapter 20: High-Difficulty Side Quest Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio The next morning, everyone gathered early at Healthy Stir-fry Restaurant, sitting around a six-person table waiting for breakfast. Breakfast was plain noodles, with no added ingredients apart from a sprinkle of green onions. The noodles were hand-rolled by Jiang Jiankang, and the broth was his treasured stock. No other ingredients were needed; a bowl of the broth was enough. The noodles were chewy; their flavor was fresh. The group devoured their large bowls like a whirlwind sweeping away leaves. ¡°Feng, you¡¯ve really had it rough, having to eat pig food with me at UAL University these past couple of years.¡± Wang Hao couldn¡¯t help but sigh deeply over the delicious breakfast. ¡°Yeah, Feng, your family¡¯s restaurant should have opened here earlier.¡± Qiu Chen agreed, then looked at Liu Zixuan and suddenly remembered something, ¡°Zixuan, don¡¯t you have no classes this morning? Why did you get up so early?¡± ¡°I came to the shop to help out. Waking up early is good for your health,¡± Liu Zixuan replied without a change in expression, as if he had never been the person who couldn¡¯t get up for club gatherings. There was still some time before classes, so Jiang Feng and Wang Hao walked slowly to the classrooms together. At the bottom of the academic building, they bumped into Professor Li. ¡°Good morning, teacher,¡± Jiang Feng and Wang Hao greeted in unison. ¡°Good morning,¡± Professor Li nodded to them and stopped Jiang Feng, ¡°Jiang Feng, I have something I want to ask you.¡± Wang Hao tactfully went ahead to the classroom. ¡°Teacher, what is it?¡± Jiang Feng asked. ¡°I just wanted to ask; does your father know how to make clear soup with willow leaf-shaped vegetables? I saw it on the menu yesterday but didn¡¯t actually see the dish being served,¡± Professor Li inquired. Jiang Feng was startled that Professor Li had looked at the menu. He replied, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Professor Li, my dad can¡¯t make that dish, only my grandfather can. He¡¯s currently in the countryside, but if you¡¯d like, I can call and ask him for you.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Professor Li didn¡¯t show any disappointment and continued to ask, ¡°may I know who your grandfather is¡­?¡± ¡°My grandfather is Jiang Weiguo.¡± Sir had some fame as a head chef in the state-owned restaurant back in the day, but Professor Li was from Yanjing, so far away. Chances were he hadn¡¯t heard of Sir. Clearly, Professor Li hadn¡¯t heard of Jiang Weiguo, so he just said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll trouble you with this, let¡¯s head up together.¡± As they were walking, Professor Li suddenly seemed to recall something, ¡°Jiang Weiguo¡­ Weiguo¡­ Jiang Feng, do you know Jiang Chengde?¡± ¡°Jiang Chengde? He¡¯s my great-grandfather,¡± Jiang Feng didn¡¯t expect Professor Li to know of Jiang Chengde. According to Sir, his great-grandfather had passed away during the war. ¡°Jiang Feng, I must ask you to please bring your grandfather here, money is no object, nor are the ingredients, I beg you,¡± Professor Li suddenly became animated. ¡°It¡­ it should be no problem, my grandfather just prefers staying in the countryside, he hasn¡¯t stopped cooking,¡± Jiang Feng was somewhat taken aback. ¡°I beg you,¡± Professor Li bowed deeply to Jiang Feng. An old teacher bowing to him, Jiang Feng felt helpless and blurted out, ¡°Teacher, I need to go to the bathroom first.¡± He fled as if running for his life. ¡°Ding, an optional side quest has appeared, please player choose accordingly.¡± A side quest? In a bathroom stall, Jiang Feng pulled up his character panel. The side quest had changed to¡ª Side Quest: (Optional) 1.[Mother¡¯s Wish]Wang Xiulian has always hoped to have a gentle, understanding, and slim daughter-in-law. Please help her fulfill this wish by finding a girlfriend who is gentle, understanding, and slim.[Choose: Yes/No] 2.[Li Junming¡¯s Wish]Li Junming¡¯s father, Li Mingyi, won¡¯t be in this world for much longer. Born into a prestigious Yanjing family, he never forgot the clear broth willow leaf swallow dish made by Taifeng Building¡¯s head chef, Jiang Chengde, when he was a child. Please help Li Junming fulfill his wish and let Li Mingyi taste the clear broth willow leaf swallow dish from his memory.[Choose: Yes/No] After clicking yes, the task became: [Li Junming¡¯s Wish]Li Junming¡¯s father, Li Mingyi, won¡¯t be in this world for much longer. Born into a prestigious Yanjing family, he never forgot the clear broth willow leaf swallow dish made by Taifeng Building¡¯s head chef, Jiang Chengde, when he was a child. Please help Li Junming fulfill his wish and let Li Mingyi taste the clear broth willow leaf swallow dish from his memory. Task Progress (0/1) Task hint: This task is extremely difficult, players are advised to explore on their own. Task reward: Unknown Jiang Feng: ¡­ I thank you for your exploration on your own! He certainly knew the task was difficult. To recreate the legendary Jiang Chengde¡¯s clear broth willow leaf swallow dish, even Sir couldn¡¯t manage it. Who was Jiang Chengde? In Sir¡¯s words, he was once the man for whom the entire Beiping City¡¯s princes and nobles, and the scions of the X Banner, had to queue up for a taste of his cooking. He could pick and choose from the most exotic ingredients; if he wanted dragon meat from the heavens, those food connoisseurs would have managed to get it for him. One was the strongest champion; the other, a stubborn bronze. They weren¡¯t in the same league at all. The professor sure was a professor; even his wishes were hard to fulfill, tougher than hidden tasks! Jiang Feng went to the professor. Wang Hao had already claimed a good spot, the fourth row, not too far forward and not too far back, perfect for listening to the lecture or taking a nap. ¡°Feng, what does Mr. Li want with you?¡± Mr. Li was reviewing his notes on the podium while Wang Hao asked out of curiosity. ¡°He wants my grandfather to make him a clear broth willow leaf swallow dish,¡± Jiang Feng didn¡¯t hide it. ¡°Wow, Professor Li must be really rich,¡± Wang Hao sighed. ¡°No wonder he¡¯s rumored to have a quad in Yanjing.¡± Who knows where he got that gossip from. ¡°Is the clear broth willow leaf swallow dish tasty?¡± Wang Hao was most concerned about the flavor. ¡°Never had it,¡± said Jiang Feng. Their household certainly wouldn¡¯t bother with such a luxurious dish. ¡°Feng, I heard your family¡¯s restaurant just opened. Let¡¯s go show our support at lunch!¡± A classmate from behind chuckled. ¡°Do we get a discount?¡± ¡°Clear your plate and share it on social media for a ten percent discount,¡± Jiang Feng was very principled. ¡°Qian Tang, let me tell you, Feng¡¯s dad¡¯s cooking skills are really something¡­¡± Wang Hao never missed a chance to advertise, turning to tell the classmates behind him about Mr. Jiang Jiankang¡¯s culinary talent. As Wang Hao spoke, he even took out his phone to show everyone the picture of last night¡¯s pork knuckle, garnering admiring gasps all around. ¡°This pork knuckle is over a hundred bucks!¡± Wang Hao didn¡¯t forget to stress the price. ¡°If it¡¯s over a hundred, a few of us can just order one to try!¡± spoke another financially untroubled individual. ¡°The pork knuckle needs to be ordered in advance,¡± Jiang Feng turned to say, ¡°It takes several hours to stew a pork knuckle; it¡¯s impossible to do it on the spot.¡± Today, Comrade Jiang Jiankang had only one pork knuckle left¡ªif it got sold, he¡¯d be crying while holding the pork knuckle. Chapter 21 - 21 Chapter 21: Props 21 Chapter 21: Props Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio On the first day of school, the business at Healthy Stir-fry Restaurant was way beyond Jiang Feng¡¯s imagination. From seasoned old-timers to famished newcomers, everyone seemed to prefer dining out with their well-filled wallets over settling for the university cafeteria on the first day of school. UAL University¡¯s cafeteria was notoriously capricious¡ªwith the chefs performing well when in good spirits, but fully indulging their whims otherwise. Dishes like seaweed egg drop soup made from rinse water, broth enriched with seasoning powders, pineapple stir-fried with tomatoes, and chili fried with mooncakes attested to their creativity. There was nothing they couldn¡¯t whip up, only things you couldn¡¯t fathom. The Healthy Stir-fry Restaurant, situated near UAL University, was considered a large establishment. Despite its slightly higher prices, there were always those who didn¡¯t mind splurging on a meal. By the time noon approached, both the first and second floors were packed, and even the large round tables had been filled by individual customers. ¡°President, hey, President? Mr. Hao, my teacher held us back today, and I¡¯m late!¡± Liu Zixuan, backpack in tow and gasping for breath, rushed into the restaurant, astonished by the sea of people before him. There were not only seated customers; some were even standing and waiting for a table. Is this really¡­ not the cafeteria? Even the cafeteria on its special deal days isn¡¯t this crowded, right? ¡°The place is too packed, Feng has gone to the kitchen. Go up to the second floor and help your brother Qiu Chen; he¡¯s been running up and down the stairs, probably about to break his legs,¡± directed Wang Hao to Liu Zixuan. The lunch rush kept them busy until they finally got a break at 1:30. ¡°Feng, where have you been advertising or promoting? How come there are so many customers today?¡± Wang Hao gulped down his sour plum juice with gusto, reminiscent of Mr. Jiang Jiankang¡¯s demeanor. ¡°It¡¯s the first day of school, and cafeterias one, five, and six are not open for business. Which restaurant wouldn¡¯t be crowded?¡± The contractors for the three cafeterias were all the same entity, which typically started operations on the third day of the school term. ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Qiu Chen acknowledged, reminded of the fear that ruled previous first days of school in the battle for food at the cafeteria, ¡°Feng, isn¡¯t your place considering doing deliveries? At lunchtime today, Liu Qian asked me when your restaurant is going to join a delivery platform.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you see the notice at the door? We¡¯re hiring part-time delivery staff,¡± Wang Hao said, focusing on his meal. Doing deliveries could indeed greatly relieve the pressure on the restaurant from the abundance of patrons. ¡°We don¡¯t do delivery,¡± stated Mr. Jiang Jiankang. ¡°I¡¯ve been running restaurants for over twenty years; I never mess with that kind of fluff.¡± ¡°Oh please, you just hate the idea of paying a commission!¡± Mrs. Wang Xiulian gave Jiang Jiankang an eye roll, ¡°Qiu Chen, dear, we wouldn¡¯t be able to keep up with deliveries even if we wanted to, what with your uncle being the only chef and all.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve only ever done deliveries for regular customers who place their orders directly over the phone. We did plan on expanding that service, but let¡¯s wait until we¡¯ve hired more staff; the restaurant is already too busy as it is,¡± Jiang Feng explained. After lunch, those with classes went off to their lectures and those without returned to their dorms. Jiang Feng had no classes in the afternoon, so he stayed to prep the ingredients and took the opportunity to also cook two pots of porridge¡ªa skill like Cooking Porridge (Intermediate) surely couldn¡¯t go to waste. The lunchtime rush had given Jiang Feng the chance to take the helm in the kitchen. His skills in fire control and seasoning had notably improved. Watching the big pot of porridge bubble away, Jiang Feng pondered a question. If he were to make Clear Broth Orchid and Swallow Vegetable¡­ Forget it, forget it. If Mrs. Wang Xiulian ever found out he wasted so much bird¡¯s nest just to practice one dish, she¡¯d probably disown him on the spot. Humming a tune, Jiang Feng sliced cucumbers. On his right, a neat array of dishes contained shredded carrots, radish sticks, julienned potatoes, potato chunks, onion slices, strips of chili, and pumpkin slices¡ªall rich in color and quite pleasing to the eye. It wasn¡¯t that Jiang Feng didn¡¯t want to cut meat, but Mr. Jiang Jiankang, as a devoted carnivore, held far higher standards for meat than vegetables. Every piece of meat had to be cut and sliced by him personally. How to cut the fatback, how much to use, whether it was for Kung Pao chicken or sweet and sour pork, he took care of all these details. In a way, it was ensuring that every pig and every chicken met its fate with dignity. ¡°Ding, you¡¯ve completed the main quest [Rising Little Store], and received the reward item: [Take-out Fresh-keeping Box].¡± ¡°Ding, a new optional main quest has been discovered: [Stand Firm]: Gain the recognition of 1000 customers for Healthy Stir-fry Restaurant.¡± He opened the quest panel and selected yes next to the main quest. [Stand Firm]: Gain the recognition of 1000 customers for the Healthy Stir-fry Restaurant. Progress (2/1000). Mission Tip: Customer recognition is crucial for a new establishment. Please make Healthy Stir-fry Restaurant the number one restaurant in the hearts of many patrons at UAL University. Becoming the top restaurant at UAL University was no easy feat. Within the university town where UAL was located, not to mention the food street, the residential area for teaching staff alone harbored no less than 20 different restaurants. And that¡¯s excluding those within the school itself, on the school¡¯s commercial street and the outer commercial street, as well as the shopping malls. There were hundreds of restaurants of various grades and sizes, some of which had been established for twenty or thirty years. For Healthy Stir-fry Restaurant, a new player, to snatch food from the jaws of these established eateries was no small challenge. If it were just like the previous task which only required the approval of a hundred diners, things would be a bit easier. This campus had no more than 10,000 teachers and students combined, and the other campus was a full 40 kilometers away. One couldn¡¯t really expect the teachers and students from there to come over just to eat, could they? After calculating the daily customer flow at the Healthy Stir-fry Restaurant, Jiang Feng decided to put this main quest on hold for a while and let things take their course, beginning to investigate the rewards given by the game for completing the task. Under the item category, the [Take-out Fresh-keeping Box] indicated that it could be taken out. Jiang Feng clicked to retrieve it, and a large foam box suddenly appeared on the ground. A foam box that looked quite ordinary, with the words take-out written crookedly on the lid. That it wasn¡¯t damaged might already be the biggest grace the game had bestowed upon him. It very much resembled the type of foam box that cheap stir-fry restaurants near every school used for take-outs. Jiang Feng stared at the foam box, speechless for a long time. Was this his reward for the main quest? To call it a safe was generous; if the box could retain heat, that would be impressive enough¡ªjust seal it tight with some tape. Never mind, if he ever had to deliver take-outs in the future, he might indeed need it. Jiang Feng silently clicked to retract the item. ¡°Hello, is anyone there?¡± Someone was shouting outside. ¡°Coming.¡± He walked out from the kitchen and saw a girl with a ponytail standing in front of the recruitment notice. ¡°Hello, are you still looking for part-ti¡­ Jiang Feng?¡± ¡°President?¡± The two of them stared at each other for a while, wide-eyed. ¡°You¡¯re working part-time in this shop?¡± Ji Yue was somewhat surprised. ¡°President, didn¡¯t you go off to prepare for the postgraduate entrance exams?¡± Jiang Feng was even more surprised that Ji Yue, who was supposed to be studying for her postgraduate exams, was looking for a part-time job at this time. Ji Yue was the former president of the Chess Club, a major in graphic design from the fine arts department, who had just graduated. She failed the entrance exams and rented a small apartment nearby to study for them. ¡°Something came up at home, and my younger brother still has to go to college¡ªwe can¡¯t afford for me to retake the exams for another year. I can¡¯t find a decent job, and drawing pictures for others isn¡¯t enough to support myself, so I just came out to look for any job,¡± Ji Yue said with a bitter smile. ¡°This is my family¡¯s restaurant. It¡¯s a bit beneath you to be doing odd jobs with your drawing skills, President,¡± Jiang Feng said sincerely. ¡°Well, I¡¯d like to draw, but nobody wants my drawings,¡± Ji Yue responded casually, familiar with Jiang Feng, ¡°I never realized before that you were a rich second-generation. You know my situation. Our school¡¯s arts majors are all pretty watered down, and I didn¡¯t formally study fine arts. I learned to draw for two years just to get into a good university during the college entrance exams.¡± ¡°So how about it, you know what kind of person I am, President. Just give me enough to get by, and I can manage for a while,¡± Ji Yue said nonchalantly. ¡°1500 a month, with three meals a day, no days off. It¡¯s just busy during meal times. You can work as long as you want, President, and just tell me when you¡¯ve found another job,¡± Jiang Feng offered. ¡°Thank you,¡± Ji Yue heaved a sigh of relief, ¡°I¡¯m useless in both literature and martial arts. Nobody even wanted me as a tutor for elementary school. If it weren¡¯t for your chivalrous assistance, I might starve.¡± ¡°By the way, how¡¯s the cooking here?¡± ¡°I made some porridge; do you want to try some first?¡± ¡°Sure, sweet or salty porridge?¡± ¡°Tell me the truth, President, how many days has it been since you last ate?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Chapter 22 - 22 Chapter 22 Three Sets of Ducks 22 Chapter 22 Three Sets of Ducks Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio Ji Yue sipped her black rice porridge with delight, reluctant to put down her bowl after three hearty servings that left Jiang Feng gaping in amazement. ¡°Senior sister, tell me the truth, how many days has it been since you¡¯ve last eaten?¡± In Jiang Feng¡¯s memory, Ji Yue¡¯s appetite wasn¡¯t like this. ¡°I had a little money left, but the boss who commissioned the illustrations hasn¡¯t paid me yet. Your senior sister has been living on plain porridge from Cafeteria 7 for a week.¡± Ji Yue swiftly tidied everything up, washed the dishes, and took the opportunity to clean the kitchen. Cafeteria 7 was a discount canteen, whose meals were very cheap due to subsidies: a bowl of plain porridge cost just thirty cents, vegetable dishes were one yuan and twenty cents, and meat dishes two yuan and eighty cents. The corresponding downside was that the taste was hard to swallow. Aside from being simply unpalatable, there were no other shortcomings. While Ji Yue cleaned the kitchen and took care of the household waste generated from Jiang Feng¡¯s chopping, he continued to chop vegetables. The Healthy Stir-fry Restaurant never kept vegetables overnight. Regardless of whether they would be needed, they had to be prepared in advance. Unsold veggies ended up as meals for the local stray cats and dogs. Before long, a rested Jiang Jiankang and Mrs. Wang Xiulian came downstairs from the second floor. Jiang Feng introduced Ji Yue to them, and Mr. Jiang Jiankang expressed a strong welcome. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ji. Although your uncle is broke, I can still provide meals, so feel free to work as long as you want without any psychological burden.¡± Mr. Jiang Jiankang, burdened with enormous debts, could totally relate to Ji Yue¡¯s current situation. Noticing the styrofoam box in the corner of the kitchen, which was ready to handle meat, his keen eyes caught sight of it immediately. ¡°Feng, did you get another delivery box this afternoon?¡± Jiang Jiankang noticed the large ¡°Delivery¡± characters on the styrofoam box, poked it a couple of times, tapped it, removed the lid, then placed it back on, appearing very satisfied. ¡°This box is good, sturdy!¡± ¡°We just happened to have a foam box, so I left it in the kitchen,¡± Jiang Feng lied smoothly. ¡°Let¡¯s keep it there in case we need it for deliveries later on.¡± ¡°Who has that kind of free time for deliveries? By the time the food reaches the customer, it¡¯ll be cold, and the taste will have changed. Don¡¯t do frivolous things like those other shops; we just need to take care of our own store,¡± Jiang Jiankang clearly did not fancy the idea of making deliveries. After inspecting the vegetables Jiang Feng had chopped, there were three large plates of carrot shreds and two large plates of carrot slices¡ªprobably because carrots were especially cheap at the market today, and Mrs. Wang Xiulian had bought too many. ¡°We¡¯ll have a special on stir-fried shredded pork with carrots and stir-fried shredded chicken with carrots tonight,¡± Jiankang said. Jiang Feng went outside and attached red special offer stickers behind the signs for stir-fried shredded pork with carrots and stir-fried shredded chicken with carrots. ¡°Jiang Feng, doesn¡¯t your family¡¯s store do deliveries?¡± Ji Yue was quite surprised. Being a technical institute, UAL University was brimming with students who lived off delivered food. Not offering delivery would undoubtedly result in the Healthy Stir-fry Restaurant losing a large customer base. ¡°My dad doesn¡¯t want to lose the platform¡¯s cut of the money.¡± When the family didn¡¯t have debts, Mr. Jiang Jiankang was already reluctant to let go of that money, let alone now that they were heavily indebted. Jiang Jiankang would certainly not allow the platforms to take advantage of them. ¡°You guys could start your own WeChat Official Account or Mini Program!¡± Ji Yue suggested. ¡°Our Art Institute has its own WeChat Official Account, and we receive small illustration commissions through it. It¡¯s really simple; you just need to find someone from the Computer Science Department to do it, and it won¡¯t cost much.¡± ¡°Ding, an optional side quest appears, please choose at your discretion,¡± the game system¡¯s notification sound echoed in Jiang Feng¡¯s mind, signaling that Ji Yue¡¯s idea was definitely a good one. He nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll ask around at the Computer Science Department when I have time.¡± ¡°But we don¡¯t have an electric bike!¡± Jiang Feng suddenly realized a serious problem. ¡°I have one! Extra charge for delivery!¡± Ji Yue said to Jiang Feng with a smile. Jiang Feng went to the second floor and found a corner to open his character panel. Side Quest: (Optional) 1. [Mother¡¯s Wish] Wang Xiulian has always hoped for a gentle, understanding, and slender daughter-in-law. Please help fulfill mother¡¯s wish by finding a gentle, understanding, and slender girlfriend. [Choose: YES/NO] 2. [Li Junming¡¯s Wish] Li Junming¡¯s father Li Mingyi won¡¯t be in this world for much longer. Born into the distinguished Yanjing family, the Liu Ye Swan Dish in clear soup made by Taifeng Building¡¯s head chef Jiang Chengde left an unforgettable taste in his mouth. Please help fulfill Li Junming¡¯s wish, allowing Li Mingyi to taste the clear soup Liu Ye Swan Dish from his memory. Task Progress (0/1) Task Tip: This quest is extremely hard; please explore at your own pace. 3. [Keeping Up with the Times] As a restaurant aspiring to dominate among the eateries near UAL University, how could you not keep up with the times by having your own WeChat Official Account? Please help the Healthy Stir-fry Restaurant to have its own WeChat Official Account and get a hundred people to follow it. [Choose: YES/NO] After clicking YES, the quest became: 3. [Keeping Up with the Times] As a restaurant aspiring to dominate among the eateries near UAL University, how could you not keep up with the times by having your own WeChat Official Account? Please help the Healthy Stir-fry Restaurant to have its own WeChat Official Account and get a hundred people to follow it. Task Progress: Official Account (0/1) Followers (0/100) Task Reward: Unknown Task Tip: Just spend a little money to start a public account and get a hundred followers¡ªit¡¯s as easy as pie. It looks like this task is indeed very easy, almost like a beginner¡¯s benefit. At dinner time, there were still many customers in the restaurant. Perhaps because there was no pressure from napping or rushing to class, the customers arrived at staggered times, greatly reducing everyone¡¯s workload. ¡°Sister Ji, is the postgraduate entrance exam difficult?¡± Liu Zixuan, after cleaning up a table¡¯s dishes, curiously approached and asked. Jiang Feng had already explained to everyone the reason Ji Yue took a part-time job at the store, so naturally no one would be so clueless as to come forward and ask what exactly happened to Ji Yue¡¯s family. ¡°What do you think? I failed it,¡± Ji Yue said with an unchanged expression, clearly indicating that the postgraduate entrance exam was not a pleasant experience for her. ¡°If I had passed, I could have at least tutored.¡± Liu Zixuan wisely shut his mouth. ¡°Hao, do you know anyone from the computer science college?¡± Wang Hao sneaked into the kitchen to drink some mung bean soup and got caught red-handed by Jiang Feng. ¡°Ah, yeah, I know lots of people,¡± Wang Hao hastily finished the soup in his bowl and wiped his mouth. ¡°Among the people you know, is there anyone who has the technical skills to help me set up a WeChat public account? We can negotiate the price. My dad is reluctant to spare the platform¡¯s money, but I think that kind of WeChat public account, the kind that can order takeout, is also pretty good,¡± Jiang Feng said. ¡°Oh, Feng, you¡¯re quite keeping up with the times!¡± Wang Hao thought for a moment. ¡°The one who came for lunch today, bringing his girlfriend, seemed to be called¡­ Zhang Wei, right? Wasn¡¯t there a buzz in the Moments last semester about him selling a program and making tens of thousands? I have his WeChat, I¡¯ll go ask him.¡± With that, Wang Hao took out his phone. Jiang Feng was called by Mr. Jiang Jiankang to assist him. Today was Ji Yue¡¯s first day on the job, and Jiang Jiankang had asked Ji Yue where she was from. He planned to make her a table full of Huaiyang cuisine as a welcome from Healthy Stir-fry Restaurant to the new employee. There were still several ducks and pigeons in the restaurant, all raised by Mr. Jiang Jiankang himself after picking good ones to buy. Although they were not Gaoyou sesame ducks nor wild ducks, it was still passable to make a dish of ¡°Three Sets of Duck.¡± Crab meat lion¡¯s head, a clear-broth variety, was steaming on the stove, and Jiang Jiankang was busy minding the fire control, handling the task of deboning and stuffing the three birds, and blanching them in water, which naturally fell to Jiang Feng. Making such a complex dish for the first time, it was fortunate that Jiang Feng had good knifework skills, so deboning a whole duck was no problem. Although he had practiced deboning chickens, deboning ducks and pigeons wasn¡¯t much of an issue either. After processing the three birds, he boiled them in water to remove the blood, then inserted the pigeon into the duck¡¯s cavity, stuffed it full with mushrooms and ham slices, and then placed the duck into a larger duck and blanched it again. He took out the Shaoxing wine treasured by Mr. Jiang Jiankang and put the stuffed duck and other ingredients into the pressure cooker. Though it should be slow-cooked for hours, there wasn¡¯t enough time. Pressure-cooking it and adding Mr. Jiang Jiankang¡¯s broth would ensure it would be just as delicious when served. ¡°Feng, what dish are you making?¡± Wang Hao was dazzled by the series of operations. ¡°Three Sets of Duck, a famous Huaiyang dish,¡± Jiang Feng explained. The rest, managing the fire control, would be left to Mr. Jiang Jiankang. ¡°Sister Ji Yue is really lucky.¡± Thinking that Ji Yue came from the Huaiyang area, Wang Hao sighed genuinely from the heart. Jiang Feng: ¡­ Given the complexity of Three Sets of Duck, Ji Yue probably hadn¡¯t eaten it many times¡­ ¡°By the way, Zhang Wei just messaged me back. He said this kind of public account is very simple and can be done in a few days at no cost, just that¡­¡± ¡°Just what?¡± ¡°He asked if we could deliver takeout to him during the time the public account isn¡¯t ready. He said their computer science department has so many classes they literally have no time to leave school for meals. He can bring his own food container,¡± Wang Hao said, showing Jiang Feng the chat record on his phone. Jiang Feng: ¡­ ¡°Fine¡­¡± Chapter 23 - 23 Chapter 23: To Learn Cooking, Go to New East 23 Chapter 23: To Learn Cooking, Go to New East Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio The issue with the public account was smoothly resolved, and Jiang Feng added Zhang Wei¡¯s WeChat to discuss the details of the delivery for the next few days. Zhang Wei wasn¡¯t picky; he told Jiang Feng about a few dishes he didn¡¯t eat and let him decide what to deliver, depending on whatever was convenient to cook at the restaurant. Upon meeting such an easy-going customer, Jiang Feng couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit shocked. After the last table of customers had left the restaurant, Jiang Jiankang spent another half hour bustling in the kitchen, finally finishing the last dish. Looking at the table set with seven dishes and one soup of Huaiyang cuisine, Jiang Feng nearly wondered if Jiang Jiankang had poured all his lifetime¡¯s knowledge into today¡¯s preparation. Yangzhou fried rice, three-set duck, clear-braised crabmeat lion¡¯s head, Wensi tofu, pine nuts with corn, stir-fried mushrooms with greens, saut¨¦ed shrimp, and mushroom soup. Reading the clues, Jiang Feng could tell that the Yangzhou fried rice was too oily, the fire control for the crystal pork wasn¡¯t quite there, the Wensi tofu excelled, the pine nuts with corn were too bland, and Mrs. Wang Xiulian had surely skimped by buying not-so-fresh corn. For Mr. Jiang Jiankang, who wasn¡¯t very skilled in Huaiyang cuisine, this meal was yet another milestone in his culinary journey! Ji Yue was dumbfounded by the abundant spread of dishes. ¡°Jiang Feng, you never told me your family¡¯s three meals a day were this lavish!¡± Ji Yue said, her voice trembling as she observed the feast. Such great meals, I wouldn¡¯t trade them for a monthly salary of ten thousand! ¡°Eh, why are there two soups?¡± Zhao Yu pointed at the Wensi tofu and asked, ¡°Why chop the tofu so finely for tofu soup?¡± ¡°Big brother, this is Wensi tofu!¡± Liu Zixuan said, frustrated with his ignorance. But indeed, Mr. Jiang Jiankang¡¯s unrestrained plating did make the Wensi tofu resemble more of a tofu soup. ¡°Come, come, sit down to eat,¡± Mr. Jiang Jiankang called out, warmly inviting Ji Yue, ¡°The Huaiyang dishes I make aren¡¯t that authentic either, showing off in front of a master. Come on, try this Wensi tofu, and let me know if it¡¯s authentic or not.¡± ¡°Authentic, definitely authentic.¡± Ji Yue nodded repeatedly. She had never seen authentic Wensi tofu before, but with the tofu as fine as silk, if this wasn¡¯t authentic, she couldn¡¯t imagine what true Wensi tofu would be like. ¡°Try this three-set duck as well. Although it doesn¡¯t have Gaoyou sesame duck or wild duck, I made it with rich broth, so the taste shouldn¡¯t be too far off,¡± Mr. Jiang Jiankang continued. ¡°Delicious, delicious!¡± Ji Yue hadn¡¯t tasted three-set duck before. ¡°The lion¡¯s head is delicious, Uncle Jiang!¡± Liu Zixuan gave his generous praise without hesitation. ¡°Of course!¡± Mr. Jiang Jiankang was immensely proud, ¡°Although the crabs aren¡¯t plump right now, they¡¯re still okay to make do with. I¡¯ll cook it for you again when the hairy crabs are in season in a couple of months. Today, Ji Yue has to put up with this inferior dish.¡± ¡°Very tasty, very tasty!¡± Ji Yue nodded and smiled almost mechanically. Since when did lion¡¯s head require the use of crab¡­ After a hearty meal and wine, Ji Yue efficiently cleaned up the dishes, wiped down the table, and sanitized the place, while Mr. Jiang Jiankang and Mrs. Wang Xiulian went to do the accounting and also plan tomorrow¡¯s drinks. Those who didn¡¯t feel like returning to the dorm stayed back in the store to help out, meanwhile, indulging in some boasting. ¡°Ah, I almost chose a university in the Huaiyang area when I was filling out my college preferences,¡± Zhao Yu reminisced, smacking his lips as if savoring the meal he just had. ¡°Yeah, I didn¡¯t realize that within our vast China the differences between dishes could be so substantial. Why doesn¡¯t our region have any uniquely delicious specialty dishes?¡± Wang Hao agreed wholeheartedly. Ji Yue: ¡­ I think you guys might have some misunderstandings about my hometown. I¡¯ve also eaten many of these dishes for the first time. Not wanting to shatter her juniors¡¯ aspirations for a good life, Ji Yue decided to keep this secret buried in her heart. After closing the shop, everyone headed back to their dorms. Jiang Feng had a full schedule the next day, not finishing class until twelve. When he returned to the dorm, he looked at tomorrow¡¯s textbooks intending to be a good student. After a glance and failing to grasp the material, he joyfully closed the books and climbed into bed to play with his phone. Five minutes before sleep, immense joy was like being in heaven. The next day, having gleefully devoured four custard buns on the way to class, he discovered that the first thing everyone asked upon meeting was ¡°Did you eat yesterday?¡± What, is this some new internet catchphrase? ¡°Feng!¡± Qian Tang burst over to Jiang Feng as soon as he saw him, ¡°Save the child, please!¡± The expression on a student¡¯s face when asking the teacher to outline the exam scope couldn¡¯t be more vivid. ¡°Wha¡­what¡¯s wrong?¡± Jiang Feng was startled. ¡°We have five classes today, Feng!¡± Qian Tang¡¯s face was etched with sorrow, ¡°There¡¯s no chance to grab a seat for meals!¡± Jiang Feng wondered internally why it was his problem that the canteen was too crowded to find a seat, as he couldn¡¯t find one either. ¡°Order takeout!¡± That¡¯s what everyone did last year, just place an order after the fourth period and specify a delivery time. ¡°Feng, doesn¡¯t your family do takeout? I checked all the delivery apps, and couldn¡¯t find your place,¡± Jiang Feng thought Qian Tang¡¯s acting skills were lacking. If it were his uncle here, there would already be two lines of tears streaming down his cheeks. ¡°Oh, that, we¡¯ll start doing it in a few days. Wait until I set up a WeChat official account, then you can order takeout through it,¡± Jiang Feng said, and a few other people gathered around immediately. ¡°Feng, how many more days until we can order takeout?¡± ¡°Feng, save us chubbies!¡± ¡°Feng, does your restaurant charge for the containers in the takeout?¡± ¡°Feng¡­¡± As the teacher walked in, he noticed everyone enthusiastically calling Jiang Feng ¡°Feng.¡± Originally, Wang Hao had coined the nickname just to coerce Jiang Feng into making extra pork rib rice, but now everyone had picked it up, and no one called him by his real name anymore. ¡°Whoa, Jiang Feng got an upgrade to ¡®Feng¡¯ after just one summer vacation. Come on, Feng, did you do the prep work? I¡¯ve got a question for you,¡± Mr. Wang had taught Jiang Feng¡¯s class last semester and was a youthful teacher who enjoyed joking around. Jiang Feng: ¡­ Looking at a line of formulae on the blackboard, Jiang Feng felt the system¡¯s assessment of him was spot-on; his physics was indeed at a high school level. He couldn¡¯t even read the formulae written there. Mr. Wang continued to write until half the blackboard was filled. The whole class stared at each other, dumbfounded. Teacher, you¡¯ve changed. You used to start every class by talking for five minutes about the love-hate story between Edison and Tesla. Jiang Feng quietly bowed his head and opened his attributes panel, allocating experience points to physics, upgrading it from beginner to intermediate. Physics (Intermediate): You can master most of the physics knowledge at the undergraduate level. When he looked up again, the previously incomprehensible formulae suddenly made sense, and he instinctively knew what they were and how they could be applied to various types of problems. ¡°Feng, what were you just tapping on the table?¡± Wang Hao asked. ¡°I was opening the game panel to upgrade my skills,¡± Jiang Feng said. ¡°Haha, Feng, you¡¯re really funny.¡± ¡°Come on, Feng, tell me what these eight formulas are about?¡± Mr. Wang circled the eight equations on the left. ¡°They¡¯re all Maxwell¡¯s equations,¡± Jiang Feng said. ¡°Not bad, you still remember some of last year¡¯s electromagnetism content. Okay, Li Bin, tell me what these three equations over here are about?¡± ¡°We learned Maxwell¡¯s equations in electromagnetism?¡± Wang Hao looked utterly perplexed, his attributes as a slacker exposed beyond doubt. ¡°Maybe,¡± Jiang Feng said with an expressionless face. If only I had known, I would¡¯ve gone to New East. At least then I would¡¯ve had an equal footing with Lanxiang. Chapter 24 - 24 Chapter 24 Buddhas Jumping Over the Wall 24 Chapter 24 Buddha¡¯s Jumping Over the Wall Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio Jiang Feng, carrying his backpack, arrived at the restaurant at 12:40. The last class¡¯s teacher had lived up to everyone¡¯s expectations by running late, successfully solving the problem of the lunchtime food rush for the students and allowing everyone to enjoy the joy of eating leftovers in the deserted cafeteria. Jiang Feng saw a lunch box on the kitchen counter. A blue, three-layered, costly, very insulated lunch box that was very common in high school but quite rare in college. ¡°Senior, is this your lunch box?¡± Jiang Feng asked. He really couldn¡¯t think of anyone who would use such a lunch box in college. ¡°It¡¯s not mine; it¡¯s Zhang Wei¡¯s. He has another one; he asked me to put rice in the first layer, dishes in the second, and soup in the third,¡± Ji Yue explained. Jiang Feng nodded; pretty good, environmentally friendly. It seemed that Zhang Wei was intent on eating their takeaway every day. Worthy of being from a wealthy family who allegedly made a tidy sum from selling software, his monthly food expenses alone could match most students¡¯ living expenses. Despite the lunch hour having passed, Jiang Jiankang was still busy in the kitchen. He had taken out his precious Shaoxing wine, and there were as many as twenty or thirty plates of various sizes on the cooking table. Shaoxing wine jars? Jiang Feng leaned in and, sure enough, lamb shanks, pork stomach, trotter tips, trotter tendons, abalone shark fins, sea cucumbers, scallops¡ªall the essential ingredients for Buddhas Jumping Over the Wall were there. And just by the looks of it, they were not the usual fare you¡¯d find in the market, nor did they seem to be something Mr. Jiang Jiankang could gather in such short notice. Their family just ran a common stir-fry restaurant, not having the extensive procurement means of a big hotel. Jiang Jiankang was carving the deer tendon, the scallops were soaking, and on his left was a piece of authentic Jinhua Ham that Sir Jiang¡¯s friend had sent a few years ago. By the looks of it, Mr. Jiang Jiankang was going all out. That piece of Jinhua Ham was his treasure, one Jiang Feng had never even tasted. ¡°Dad, where did you get all these ingredients?¡± Jiang Feng asked, curious. ¡°A customer brought them himself, your professor. The one who came for lunch on opening day, Chen, I think, quite an elderly fellow,¡± Mr. Jiang Jiankang said, pointing at the plate of abalone, ¡°Go and carve the abalone.¡± Jiang Feng went to grab a knife. The abalone was a four-headed one, of excellent quality. It was unclear how Professor Li managed to get fresh, living four-headed abalone in Alan City, which wasn¡¯t by the sea. Usually, dried abalone was used for Buddhas Jumping Over the Wall, due to its richer aroma, but since the customer had brought the ingredients, to each their own. For Mr. Jiang Jiankang, who was adept at making great broth, fresh abalone was more to his liking. Jiang Feng had never tasted Buddhas Jumping Over the Wall. It wasn¡¯t because the ingredients were precious; nowadays, you could get a pot of Buddhas Jumping Over the Wall in hotels for just a few hundred yuan. But Sir Jiang was very particular about ingredients, dismissing hormone-treated meat and pesticide-laced vegetables. If the Jiang Family were to cook Buddhas Jumping Over the Wall, they would need the finest ingredients. After all, Buddhas Jumping Over the Wall was once a signature dish at Taifeng Building, and Sir Jiang wouldn¡¯t stand for his descendants smearing the reputation of the Jiang Family¡¯s expert dishes. Eighteen main ingredients, twelve auxiliary ones ¨C Jiang Jiankang patiently processed each one. In between, he made everyone a hasty lunch, and even before Jiang Feng left for the classroom, he had been busy with the soaking of the fish maw. Jiang Jiankang was no longer the head chef of the state-owned restaurant, getting the chance to prepare a grand dish with such fine ingredients was a rare opportunity for him. It was midday, the sun blazing, enough to make one¡¯s head spin. On his way to the classroom, Jiang Feng called Sir Jiang. Sir never had the habit of taking afternoon naps; according to his biological clock, he was supposed to be cooking food for his beloved pigs. An enviable afternoon tea and meal addition. ¡°Hello, Feng, what¡¯s up?¡± Sir Jiang¡¯s robust voice came from the other end. ¡°Grandpa, a professor from our school wants to invite you over to make a clear soup with willow leaf-shaped swallows,¡± Jiang Feng got straight to the point. ¡°I won¡¯t make it,¡± Sir rejected the request quite straightforwardly. ¡°Our professor provided his ingredients. He came to the restaurant today to ask Dad to make Buddhas Jumping Over the Wall; he brought his ingredients, and I¡¯ve seen them, they¡¯re great, truly rare fine ingredients,¡± Jiang Feng still hoped to complete this side quest. The phrase ¡°really great ingredients¡± clearly moved Sir Jiang, who was silent for a moment then spoke, ¡°This professor from your school, why go to the trouble of specifically inviting me to make this dish?¡± Thirty years ago, if someone invited Sir Jiang to cook a dish, he wouldn¡¯t be surprised. After all, he was once a somewhat famous chef in a state-owned restaurant, having received many who came by his reputation. But now that he had been retired for so many years, and with so many great chefs in the world, they wouldn¡¯t miss one like him. ¡°Our professor¡¯s father tasted the clear soup willow leaf-shaped swallows made by Great-Grandfather at Taifeng Building when he was young. He wants his father to taste it again,¡± Jiang Feng explained. ¡°I¡¯ll go to Alan City next week,¡± Sir sighed, ¡°It¡¯s been 70 years, and someone still remembers Taifeng Building.¡± Jiang Feng hung up the phone, and although they only spoke for a few minutes, the phone heated up slightly, making it uncertain whether the heat was from the sun or Xiaomi¡¯s inherent tendency to overheat. During his afternoon class, Jiang Feng was somewhat distracted. This was his first time seeing Mr. Jiang Jiankang making Buddhas Jumping Over the Wall, and not being able to witness the entire process kept him preoccupied. ¡°Feng, what are you thinking about? You¡¯ve looked at your watch three times in the last two minutes,¡± Wang Hao nudged Jiang Feng with his elbow. ¡°My dad was making ¡®Buddhas Jumping Over the Wall¡¯ in the kitchen at noon,¡± Jiang Feng said. ¡°I¡¯ve had ¡®Buddhas Jumping Over the Wall¡¯ before, it¡¯s available at Yipin House in our city, 688 yuan for a pot, gone in two bites. It¡¯s quite tasty, but not as miraculous as the novels make it out to be,¡± Wang Hao remarked, indicating that he too was worldly. Jiang Feng was familiar with Yipin House whose specialty was Jiangzhe cuisine. ¡®Buddhas Jumping Over the Wall¡¯ was not even considered a signature dish there. ¡°If you had the one that costs 1888 yuan, you wouldn¡¯t think that way. My grandpa once mentioned a restaurant in Fujian where their ¡®Buddhas Jumping Over the Wall¡¯ is so fragrant it wafts for miles, limited to a hundred servings a day, and you couldn¡¯t get a reservation even if you waited for three months,¡± Jiang Feng said, pretending to pay attention to the lecture by turning the page of his book in sync with the teacher. ¡°Will the one your Uncle makes today be just as effective?¡± Wang Hao began to salivate unconsciously. ¡°Definitely not, but it will surely be better than the one for 688 yuan you ate,¡± Jiang Feng said. The former head chef of that restaurant in Fujian could be considered Sir Jiang¡¯s half mentor, and Sir Jiang¡¯s ¡®Buddhas Jumping Over the Wall¡¯ was taught by him. That man now owns a nationally renowned restaurant, while the Jiang Family has a thriving eatery. There¡¯s also a pharmacy that¡¯s about to open, a tailor shop that¡¯s resigned to fate, a pet store surviving on razor-thin margins, and the old man¡¯s beloved three pigs. As soon as the class ended, Jiang Feng and Wang Hao rushed to the restaurant with their school bags. Mrs. Wang Xiulian was sitting at the counter, one leg propped up, supporting her chin as she watched her dramas; Mr. Jiang Jiankang had moved a chair into the kitchen to keep watch over her ¡®Buddhas Jumping Over the Wall¡¯. All the chairs in Healthy Stir-fry Restaurant shared one characteristic: they were sturdy. The lotus leaves sealed in all the fragrance, making ¡®Buddhas Jumping Over the Wall¡¯ appear to be just an ordinary wine jar. ¡°Son, chop the vegetables,¡± Jiang Jiankang instructed, his gaze not leaving the jar in front of him for a second. Jiang Feng picked up the knife and began chopping vegetables. Starting at five, customers began trickling into the restaurant. Jiang Jiankang handed over full control of cooking to Jiang Feng; although it was slightly cruel to the customers, Jiang Feng hadn¡¯t heard the wonderful chime of experience points in a long while. His experience points hadn¡¯t seen much increase in two days, and he had used up 1,000 that morning to level up Physics, resulting in a net negative growth. Around six o¡¯clock, Professor Li and his wife helped an elderly man with a cane into the restaurant. ¡°Dad, be careful,¡± Professor Li assisted his father to the nearest table to sit down. Ji Yue went into the kitchen to tell Jiang Jiankang that Professor Li had arrived. Jiang Jiankang carried the entire wine jar out. Lifting the lid, he removed the lotus leaves. The aroma hit them instantly, filling the entire restaurant. The customers, who had been engrossed in their phones, couldn¡¯t help but lift their heads, seeking the source of the aroma. ¡°What dish is this, it smells amazing!¡± a boy with glasses asked. ¡°Buddhas Jumping Over the Wall,¡± Ji Yue replied thoughtfully. Poverty kept his mouth shut. Mingyi shook his head and, trembling, stood up; Professor Li and his wife rushed to support him, fearing he would fall. ¡°It¡¯s not this scent,¡± Mingyi¡¯s voice was extremely hoarse. ¡°Sorry, Master Jiang, would you please pack it up?¡± Professor Li said, filled with apology. ¡°It¡¯s my lack of skill.¡± Ji Yue quickly went to find the takeout containers. ¡°Mr. Jiang, may I know when your grandfather is coming?¡± Professor Li turned his gaze to Jiang Feng. ¡°My grandpa said he¡¯d be in Alan City next week,¡± Jiang Feng said. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for the trouble, really, thank you,¡± Professor Li said repeatedly. ¡°Your Grandpa, is he Jiang Weiguo?¡± Mingyi asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Jiang Feng nodded. ¡°I remember him, he wasn¡¯t as tall as my waist back then. When he served food, Huiqing praised him for being so handsome,¡± Mingyi¡¯s cloudy eyes sparkled with a hint of light. Then he muttered some incoherent phrases no one could understand and left the restaurant, supported by Professor Li and his wife. Chapter 25 - 25 Chapter 25 The Last Good Medicine 25 Chapter 25 The Last Good Medicine Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio By the time Ji Yue fetched the plastic container Mrs. Wang Xiulian had tucked away in the storeroom corner, Professor Li and his wife had already helped Li Mingyi leave the restaurant. ¡°What about the Buddhas Jumping Over the Wall?¡± Ji Yue, holding the container, seemed unsure of what to do next. The guests had left, but the dish remained. ¡°Shall we try it?¡± Wang Hao¡¯s mouth had already watered at the smell, and even though the lid was on now, the aroma still lingered in the restaurant, refusing to dissipate. ¡°No way!¡± Ji Yue gave Wang Hao a stern look and stepped in front of him to block his path. ¡°Hao, I remember you took down Professor Li¡¯s phone number in your textbook yesterday morning, see if the Signal and System textbook is still in your bag.¡± Jiang Feng suddenly remembered. ¡°Right, right, it¡¯s in the bag!¡± Wang Hao hurried to get his bag from behind the counter, fished out the textbook on Signal and System from among three or four others, and flipped it open to the first page where Li Junming¡¯s number was clearly written: 1xxxxxxxxxx. It¡¯s said that each week, UAL University¡¯s Principle of Marxism professors on average receive over ten calls from shop owners informing them that a student has left a book behind. True enough. Jiang Feng took out his cellphone and dialed the number written on the page. About twenty seconds later, the call connected. ¡°Hello, Professor Li? This is Jiang Feng, you left your dish behind at the restaurant,¡± said Jiang Feng. ¡°So sorry, as I get older, I tend to forget things easily. My wife and I will come get it later,¡± Professor Li apologized, his voice accompanied by the sound of an elder¡¯s cough and the occasionally soft, occasionally firm tapping of a cane on the ground. Jiang Jiankang silently moved the jar back to the kitchen, Wang Hao felt a bit regretful he couldn¡¯t taste the exquisite dish, and helped Ji Yue take out the trash to the garbage station. The next few afternoons would be filled with five straight classes, only surfacing from the sea of knowledge around six o¡¯clock. Though it didn¡¯t show on his face, Jiang Feng, as his son, keenly noticed that his dad was feeling downcast. Every bit of fat, every ounce of grease, seemed suffused with profound melancholy. ¡°Dad, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Jiang Feng followed Jiang Jiankang into the kitchen, where he saw his father silently chopping vegetables. He cut extremely slowly, each slice requiring great effort, as if he held a deep animosity against the bell peppers in front of him. ¡°I¡¯ve ruined something good,¡± Jiang Jiankang said, sounding somewhat disheartened. ¡°I think it was quite good,¡± Jiang Feng lied through his teeth. He didn¡¯t even want to look at the long remark on the Buddhas Jumping Over the Wall order; it listed several issues such as too short a simmering time, too much shark fin, abalone cut too thick, and insufficient soaking time for the fish maws. But the complexity of preparing Buddhas Jumping Over the Wall couldn¡¯t be blamed on Mr. Jiang Jiankang. ¡°My poor ham,¡± Jiang Jiankang sniffled. ¡°The pork knuckle wasn¡¯t stewed today either,¡± he even sounded a bit aggrieved. Jiang Feng: ¡­ Sorry to have bothered you. The kitchen returned to the endeavor of Mr. Jiang Jiankang, who picked up his spatula to join the battle at the frontlines of cooking as the scent of the Buddhas Jumping Over the Wall had already attracted many customers. Although everyone had been busy watching the commotion and hadn¡¯t placed their orders, the first floor was now almost fully seated. Menus fell like snowflakes, one after another delivered to the kitchen, and Mr. Jiang Jiankang went back to his wok with renewed vigor. Jiang Feng turned back into a kitchen helper, relegated to washing vegetables, peeling, chopping, and plating¡ªtasks that didn¡¯t offer any experience points. Before long, four Chess Club members who had claimed they were coming to help rushed into the kitchen with their backpacks still on. They took out sour plum and mung bean soups chilled for a day from the fridge. They each gulped down two bowls like hungry wolves before setting their backpacks down to start helping. Seeing these four, Jiang Feng suddenly became worried about next week¡¯s club recruitment. Other clubs either had a lineage of talents or had their own specialties, or at the very least, attractive guys and girls to lure in new members. But the Chess Club had nothing, not even funding. What should they perform for the club recruitment? In previous years, it was just two chess geeks pretending to play serious games. Were they now expected to each chug a pot of sour plum soup like performers? As Jiang Feng worried about the future of the club, he quietly continued to julienne carrots. Are carrots on sale these days? Why does Mrs. Wang Xiulian buy so many every day! After Jiang Feng turned all the carrots into julienned strips, Professor Li and his wife returned to the restaurant. Professor Li held an envelope in one hand and a lunchbox in the other. Truthfully, taking the entire liquor jar would have best preserved the dish¡¯s original taste but, not to mention its weight, allowing a customer to walk out carrying a large jar just seemed improper. Ji Yue carefully scooped the dish out of the jar and into the lunchbox. This dish was currently worth more than her annual salary, so it needed to be handled with the utmost care. ¡°Jiang Feng, I¡¯d like to ask for your help,¡± Professor Li handed an envelope to Jiang Feng. ¡°My father has late-stage stomach cancer and has been suffering from a loss of appetite. I was wondering if you could take care of his lunch and dinner.¡± Faced with such an important task, Jiang Feng felt anxious, about to refuse, but then the system¡¯s prompt rang in his mind. ¡°Ding, an optional side quest has appeared. Please make a choice at your discretion.¡± Another side quest. Jiang Feng was startled, realizing there were now two side quests involving old Mr. Li Mingyi. The game seemed to place considerable importance on this elderly man to offer two side quests. Curious, Jiang Feng accepted the envelope, ¡°Actually, you should ask my dad. His cooking skills are much better than mine.¡± ¡°It was my father who just now insisted that you be the one to come. He likes you a lot,¡± Professor Li said with a gentle smile. ¡°He¡¯s been very happy today. It¡¯s been a while since he last felt this joyful.¡± Unconsciously, Jiang Feng touched his own face. He didn¡¯t think he had the kind of face that would bring joy to someone on sight. Although he did consider himself quite handsome, surely he wasn¡¯t to the extent that everyone would love him at first sight? ¡°Please,¡± Professor Li said. ¡°Of course, of course,¡± Jiang Feng felt a tinge of awe being treated so gently by the legendary strict Professor Li these past few days. Ji Yue had already packed Buddhas Jumping Over the Wall into the lunchboxes. Professor Li¡¯s wife left with him, carrying the lunchboxes, and smiled warmly at Jiang Feng before departing. ¡°Your professor seems to really like you,¡± remarked Ji Yue. ¡°Ah?¡± ¡°He was quite stern when he came at noon, almost like that foreign teacher I had in my freshman year.¡± Ji Yue looked up, seemingly recalling the severe Filipino female teacher she had in her first year of university. ¡°That woman, taking advantage of my poor English to scold me every day.¡± Women sure hold grudges. Jiang Feng opened the envelope, which contained several banknotes and a sheet of paper. He took out the paper and unfolded it to reveal a recipe for a nourishing porridge written in powerful, forceful penmanship. The ingredients for the nourishing porridge were almost identical to those Mr. Jiang Jiankang used, but there were some minor changes and an additional ingredient¡ªpork liver. Though Mr. Jiang Jiankang had learned how to make porridge from an old master at a porridge shop, the recipe for the nourishing porridge was given to him by Sir Jiang. How did Professor Li come by the Jiang Family¡¯s nourishing porridge recipe? ¡°Dad, was the nourishing porridge recipe you used to make for me given by Grandpa?¡± Jiang Feng was beginning to question his memory and went to the kitchen to ask Mr. Jiang Jiankang. ¡°Passed down from our ancestors,¡± Mr. Jiang Jiankang replied as he was stir-frying. Professor Li¡­ was Mo Fang related to our family? Jiang Feng¡¯s mind raced with wild theories. Could it be that his grandfather had six brothers who didn¡¯t all perish, and one had survived, changed his name to Li and lived incognito? Wang Hao, if he knew this material, might spin it into an even better story. Heading to the storeroom, Jiang Feng opened his character panel. [The Last Good Medicine]: Li Mingyi is suffering from the late stages of stomach cancer, experiencing loss of appetite and a distaste for food, enduring excruciating pain from prolonged chemotherapy treatments. As a chef, the only thing you can do is provide him comfort through food. Please give him The Last Good Medicine. Assist him with regular meals for a period of 15 days. [Choose: Yes/No] He clicked yes. [The Last Good Medicine]: Li Mingyi is suffering from late stages of stomach cancer, experiencing loss of appetite and a distaste for food, enduring excruciating pain from prolonged chemotherapy treatments. As a chef, the only thing you can do is provide him comfort through food. Please give him The Last Good Medicine. Assist him with regular meals for a period of 15 days. Quest Progress (0/15) Quest Tip: You can complete the quest by following the recipe provided by Li Junming. Quest Reward: A fragment of Li Mingyi¡¯s memory. No wonder Li Mingyi looked unusually frail; Jiang Feng had originally thought it was simply because of old age. And this was the first time the game offered a specific reward for a quest, but the reward was a memory. This memory¡­ does it have something to do with Taifeng Building? Chapter 26 - 26 Chapter 26 Proposal 26 Chapter 26 Proposal Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio In the following days, Jiang Feng would cook the porridge in advance every evening, store it in the freshness box, and have Ji Yue deliver it to Professor Li the next day. Ji Yue was none the wiser, thinking that the porridge was made by Jiang Jiankang. Initially, Jiang Feng didn¡¯t trust the game¡¯s freshness box, which looked just like an ordinary foam box. However, to his surprise, it really did have a magical function to keep things warm and fresh. No matter how long the food was stored inside, it would come out unchanged, which felt like black technology. Truly a godsend for the takeout industry. Zhang Wei¡¯s WeChat official account was ready, and he taught Jiang Feng hands-on how to operate it. He even posted on his Moments to help promote the account, but unfortunately, the effect was far from satisfactory. Although Ji Yue would recommend customers to scan and follow the WeChat account when ordering, and the QR code was posted on the tables, it still didn¡¯t gain much traction. The classmates from his class were quite supportive, with everyone following the account and many helping to share and promote it, becoming the main force of the takeout service. But after three days, the followers just barely passed the halfway mark. It seemed that every task of Jiang Feng¡¯s had hit a bottleneck, with no significant progress. Having a rare free Saturday, and with most UAL University students preferring to stay in their dorms and live on takeout, the business was much slower, giving everyone a bit of leisure. The club recruitment was next week, and the Chess Club, suffering from insufficient membership, hadn¡¯t even secured an activity room, with pitifully little funding. Moreover, if they couldn¡¯t trick a few new members this year, they feared they would be mercilessly disbanded by the student union. Without an activity room, they¡¯d make one themselves. Since the restaurant wasn¡¯t busy on the weekend, all the Chess Club members gathered together at the Healthy Stir-fry Restaurant¡¯s second floor to brainstorm novel ways to attract freshmen¡¯s attention at the upcoming club recruitment. Together with Jiang Feng and the newly joined Liu Qian, there were nine people in the Chess Club, not one fewer, all gathered at the Healthy Stir-fry Restaurant. Even the former president, Ji Yue, joined the discussion, worried about the club¡¯s future. ¡°Since when did our club gain a new member? Which major are you from, classmate?¡± He Jiahui, a senior student from the fine arts department, should have left the club a long time ago. She stayed only because the club struggled to recruit new members. ¡°I¡¯m Liu Qian, a sophomore from the Chinese literature department.¡± Liu Qian hadn¡¯t joined any club in her freshman year, so this first-time club activity felt fresh to her. He Jiahui, a direct junior under Ji Yue, knew about chess only to the extent of ¡°knights move in an L-shape and elephants move diagonally.¡± She was completely conned into joining the club by Ji Yue back in the day. ¡°He, you really don¡¯t pay much attention to our club¡¯s affairs,¡± Qiu Chen said, feeling the need to stand up and speak as the vice president. ¡°How could you not know about such a big thing as our club getting new members? Didn¡¯t I tag everyone in the group chat before? Also, Chen, Zhao, Feng, it must be your first time coming to their family¡¯s restaurant, right?¡± Zhao Linling put down her phone when she heard her name mentioned. She and Chen Mengxing were both law seniors. ¡°We wanted to support this place too, but as seniors with internships, it¡¯s been hard finding a law firm, and we¡¯ve been working overtime every day to the point of losing our hair, so there¡¯s no time to go out to eat!¡± Zhao Linling couldn¡¯t help but protest her innocence. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve been busy looking for internships too!¡± added He Jiahui in her defense. No sooner had He Jiahui finished speaking than Jiang Feng and Ji Yue came up with plum drinks. The drinks were freshly taken out of the fridge and condensed with mist on the glasses, looking quite attractive paired with the amber-colored plum drink. ¡°He, have you found an internship yet?¡± Jiang Feng offered her a plum drink. ¡°Not yet, us art students are unemployed before we even graduate!¡± He Jiahui took the plum drink, took a big gulp, and her eyes lit up, eager to swallow it down. ¡°Wow, junior, where do you buy this plum drink from? What brand? It¡¯s really good, I want to get some too!¡± ¡°My dad made it,¡± said Jiang Feng, as he and Ji Yue handed out the plum drinks to everyone. ¡°Thank you, president,¡± Liu Qian said cheerfully as she took the plum drink. ¡°Did you all come up with anything? The club will be disbanded if it doesn¡¯t reach 12 members,¡± Ji Yue asked. ¡°Not yet, don¡¯t worry so much, sister! There¡¯s always a way where there¡¯s a will. If needed, we could send junior to hustle a couple of newbies from his college. What if he manages to do it? See, we haven¡¯t even started recruiting and he already hustled¡­ Liu, Liu Qian to join!¡± He Jiahui appeared very laissez-faire, finishing her plum drink in a few gulps, ¡°Junior, another one please!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t drink too much chilled stuff,¡± Ji Yue advised, turning his gaze to the more reliable-looking Chen Mengxing, ¡°Mengxing, you recruited Jiang Feng and Qiu Chen back then. What should we do for recruitment this year?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no more plum drink, how about some mung bean drink?¡± Jiang Feng offered. He Jiahui nodded repeatedly, and Liu Qian quickly added, ¡°President, I want some too!¡± Jiang Feng went down to fetch the mung bean drinks for them. ¡°We could hand out flyers. If all else fails, like He Jiahui suggested, we¡¯ll pull people from our own department¡¯s freshmen. They don¡¯t know any better, so if we can deceive one, that¡¯s one gained, and later we¡¯ll tell them they can only leave the club after three months,¡± said Chen Mengxing who didn¡¯t have many options. ¡°Great idea!¡± echoed He Jiahui, Ji Yue, and Zhao Linling in unison. The newbie Liu Qian was dumbstruck. ¡°Why can¡¯t we use some normal promotional methods, like telling everyone that Chess Club members get a ten percent discount at the Healthy Stir-fry Restaurant, and there are also club benefits, like free plum juice or mung bean soup?¡± asked Liu Qian. ¡°How could anyone join a meaningless club that doesn¡¯t have funding or contribute to extra credit just for a ten percent discount on food? UAL University stipulates that each person can only join one club,¡± Liu Zixuan retorted. Liu Qian silently looked at him. All of a sudden, Liu Zixuan froze, as if struck by a heavy blow. Zhao Yang and Zhao Yu, who were both in a half-dazed state, simultaneously turned their gazes towards Liu Qian. ¡°What¡­ what¡¯s wrong?¡± He Jiahui was somewhat confused, not understanding why the air had suddenly quieted. ¡°Our Liu junior joined the Chess Club just for the food discount!¡± Qiu Chen exclaimed, slapping the table. ¡°Is it really that delicious?¡± He Jiahui asked incredulously. ¡°It really is that delicious,¡± Ji Yue nodded solemnly. Just at that moment, Jiang Feng arrived with the mung bean soup. Ji Yue, looking at Jiang Feng, wore a face of contentment. ¡°Jiang Feng, I knew I hadn¡¯t misjudged you. Trusting the Chess Club to you was definitely the right decision!¡± ¡°What?¡± Jiang Feng said, looking bewildered. ¡°Keep it up, the future of the Chess Club is relying on you!¡± Ji Yue patted Jiang Feng on the shoulder. Qiu Chen relayed Liu Qian¡¯s suggestion to Jiang Feng. After hearing it, Jiang Feng paused for a moment, then said, ¡°Excuse me, I need to use the restroom.¡± Once in the restroom, Jiang Feng opened up his attribute panel to check on the progress of his main quest. Main Quest: 1. ¡°Stand Firm¡±: Achieve recognition from 1000 diners for the Healthy Stir-fry Restaurant, quest progress (34/1000). Quest Hint: Recognition from diners is crucial for a new establishment. Please ensure that the Healthy Stir-fry Restaurant becomes the number one restaurant in the minds of many diners at UAL University. Quest Reward: Unknown. So far, the Healthy Stir-fry Restaurant had gained the approval of only 34 customers, with Liu Qian definitely being one of them. But of these 34 customers, how many had never joined a club? And among those not in a club, how many would be willing to join the Chess Club just for a ten percent food discount, like Liu Qian? Liu Qian¡¯s suggestion was indeed a good method. However, it required a bit of ruthlessness. When Jiang Feng returned to the private room, the group was conversing excitedly. Zhao Linling was complaining to everyone about her increasingly thinning hair, which even the legendary ¡°King of Hair Products¡± could not save. ¡°Let¡¯s do as Liu Qian suggested. We¡¯ll print flyers to promote the club benefits and the ten percent discount on food. However, for the specific design, we¡¯ll need He junior¡¯s expertise,¡± Jiang Feng said. ¡°No problem, I will design it to be upscale and classy, so that no one will be able to tell that the Chess Club is a club that can¡¯t even secure funding,¡± He Jiahui assured Jiang Feng with an ¡®ok¡¯ gesture. ¡°We should still advertise in the freshman group chat, and that¡¯s where we¡¯ll need Zhao and Chen,¡± Jiang Feng continued. Zhao Linling and Chen Mengxing also signaled their ¡®ok¡¯. ¡°The rest will require some hard work. The setup, presentation, and distribution of flyers during recruitment days all depend on you guys,¡± Jiang Feng added. ¡°Presentation? What kind of presentation?¡± asked Liu Qian. ¡°My family¡¯s restaurant is new, with not much fame or attraction yet, so naturally, we need to prepare some pastries and drinks for tasting to attract freshmen,¡± explained Jiang Feng. ¡°Pastries? Your uncle knows how to make pastries?¡± Liu Zixuan asked curiously. The Healthy Stir-fry Restaurant didn¡¯t sell pastries. ¡°My great-uncle does,¡± Jiang Feng replied with a victorious smile. Despite appearances, Jiang Jianguo was more than just a tailor. In fact, he had inherited at least seventy percent of the skills of the old Sir, Jiang Weiguo. Moreover, to woo Auntie, he had perfected pastries to a magnificent and lifelike degree. The students of UAL University were in for a treat. Chapter 27 - 27 Chapter 27 Telephone 27 Chapter 27 Telephone Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio Under Mr. Jiang Jiankang¡¯s enthusiastic persuasion, the members of the Chess Club stayed in the restaurant for dinner. After dinner, Liu Qian stared longingly at the plate that had held the pork knuckles, now wiped so clean by her rice that it looked licked, her eyes brimming with tears as she said, ¡°When I have money, I¡¯m going to eat pork knuckles every day!¡± What a lofty aspiration. That night, Liu Qian completely let go and showed her true abilities, devouring six bowls of rice without any pretense of courtesy. ¡°Qianqian, do you always eat like this at school?¡± He Jiahui asked while rubbing her belly; she had overeaten by half a bowl herself and now felt extremely bloated. ¡°No, I usually only eat four bowls,¡± Liu Qian said. The crowd: ¡­ ¡°A good appetite, that¡¯s great!¡± Jiang Jiankang said with a hearty laugh, praising her. Mrs. Wang Xiulian¡¯s eyes lit up when she heard Liu Qian¡¯s words: ¡°This girl is wonderful, speaks gently and has a good appetite yet still maintains a fine figure!¡± Jiang Feng: ??? Why did Mrs. Wang Xiulian¡¯s adjectives sound so familiar? Wait a minute, ¡°A Mother¡¯s Wish¡±! Mrs. Wang Xiulian, snap out of it! Everyone once again confirmed their tasks. The club recruitment was the day after tomorrow, and everyone¡¯s tasks were daunting. As it was getting late, they all headed home. ¡°Dad, has Uncle been busy lately?¡± Jiang Feng asked as he went to the pantry to get some flour. ¡°Your uncle hasn¡¯t had any business for two months, what could he be so busy with?¡± Sure enough, true to being brothers, Jiang Jiankang jabbed without hesitation. Jiang Feng nodded and took out his phone to call Mr. Jiang Jianguo. ¡°Hey, Feng! What¡¯s up with you calling me out of the blue!¡± The other end of the phone was noisy with the sound of a television, a woman crying, a mean mother-in-law yelling; it seemed to be the annual family ethics melodrama that Uncle¡¯s wife adored. ¡°Uncle, how¡¯s business lately?¡± Jiang Feng asked politely. ¡°Business is great, you know your uncle¡¯s skills, right? Top-notch! I¡¯ve been so busy lately!¡± Jiang Jianguo boasted loudly. Jiang Feng: ¡­ ¡°It¡¯s like this, Sir is coming to Alan City next week, since you¡¯re busy I¡¯ll just ask my fourth uncle instead.¡± ¡°Not busy, not busy at all, it¡¯s only right for me as the eldest to take care of Sir; otherwise, it would look unfilial. No need to trouble your fourth uncle, they run a pet store and are busy cleaning after cats and dogs every day, which isn¡¯t sanitary. My place is big, Sir will feel at ease living here, just tell him, my home welcomes him anytime! He can stay as long as he wants, better yet not to leave!¡± Jiang Jianguo blurted it all out in one breath. ¡°But Uncle, aren¡¯t you busy with your business?¡± ¡°Busy with what? Running the shop isn¡¯t as important as taking care of Sir. I¡¯ll close the shop tomorrow! Just tell Sir that your uncle welcomes him to stay anytime at my place! He can stay as long as he likes, best not to leave!¡± The reason Jiang Feng had to make the contact was because among the culinary talents of the five Jiang brothers, Jiang Jianguo was actually the best. However, his heart wasn¡¯t in cooking, and Sir could only let him become a tailor. As a result, Jiang Jianguo rebuffed himself to win over Uncle¡¯s wife with his pastry skills, performing so magically that Sir, thinking he wanted to return to being a chef, eagerly taught him all he knew. But once Jiang Jianguo won her over, he stopped learning to cook and went back to being a third-rate tailor. This infuriated Sir so much that he swore never to contact Jianguo again unless Jianguo came to him asking for a scolding. ¡°Actually, Uncle, there¡¯s a favor I want to ask of you,¡± Jiang Feng finally got to the point. ¡°What favor? As long as your uncle can help, I definitely will.¡± Hearing that Sir was coming to Alan City, Jiang Jianguo readily agreed, feeling quite pleased. Being scolded every day didn¡¯t matter; with Sir¡¯s arrival, it meant the fare would upgrade from swill to a Manchu-Han Imperial Feast overnight. Even if Sir disapproved of him, he couldn¡¯t let his third, fourth, fifth brothers and Feng go hungry, could he? The more Jiang Jianguo thought about it, the happier he felt, and even the melodramatic soap opera on TV seemed so thrilling. Look at that woman, how heart-wrenchingly she cried when she was kicked out of the house, her tears run dry to the point of simply wailing. ¡°It¡¯s no big deal, next Monday our school club is recruiting new members, and I¡¯d like to ask Uncle to make some pastries and dim sum to attract freshmen,¡± Jiang Feng said. ¡°That¡¯s easy, I¡¯ll go to your shop tomorrow to help you make them. Tell me, what kinds do you want?¡± Jiang Jianguo was very generous. ¡°About twenty varieties, more than a hundred each.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Jiang Jianguo: ??? Could you say that again??? Jiang Feng quickly hung up the phone and began kneading the dough. Of course, what he had just said was a joke. More than two thousand pieces of pastry, draining all 270 pounds of Mr. Jiang Jianguo¡¯s beefy stature, wasn¡¯t feasible. Jiang Feng decided to first knead twenty pounds of dough, then put it in the preservation box. As much as Jiang Feng detested this preservation box initially, he now appreciated it all the more. Being able to ensure the ingredients remained in perfect condition indefinitely was truly a chef¡¯s divine tool. As he kneaded the dough, Jiang Feng hummed a tune. At the recruitment fair on Monday, my Chess Club will leave your Home Economics Club with nobody to recruit and nowhere to go! That¡¯s for not admitting boys in the beginning, gender discrimination. Thinking about it, he couldn¡¯t help but laugh out loud. Jiang Jianguo stood at the kitchen doorway, watching Jiang Feng alternate between serious and silly grins while he kneaded the dough, and couldn¡¯t help but touch his own shiny bald head. What had gotten into his son, laughing and kneading dough in the middle of the night? Could it be that he was hinting that they should have plain noodles tomorrow? Chapter 28 - Chapter 28: Chapter 28 Arrangement Chapter 28: Chapter 28 Arrangement Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio Early the next morning, Jiang Jianguo was driving his Wuling Hongguang with a cartload of wooden molds to the Healthy Stir-fry Restaurant. Not only were there molds, but also several large bags of red beans, mung beans, and peas that had been soaked overnight, along with several large pots-a whole bunch of stuff all hauled into the back kitchen. Ever since the aunt was diagnosed with the three highs, she¡¯s never touched those high-sugar desserts again, leaving Jiang Jianguo with this pile of gear with no use for it. The kitchen was divided in half, one side for Mr. Jiang Jianguo to make pastries, and the other for Mr. Jiang Jiankang to run the business as usual. There weren¡¯t many customers in the restaurant on weekends, and there were only a few scattered takeout orders; Ji Yue alone was more than capable of handling it, so Jiang Feng sent a message to Qiu Chen and the others not to come in to help today. Mrs. Wang Xiulian and the aunt had an appointment to get facials at the beauty salon and left early in the morning. ¡°Feng, I didn¡¯t know what kind of pastries you wanted, so I just soaked some beans,¡± Jiang Jianguo said as he poured several large bags of beans into basins, filling three large basins to the brim. ¡°Let¡¯s deal with these beans first. I¡¯ve got several dozen pounds of flour over there, we can make some Cantonese pastries later,¡± Jiang Feng suggested. Now that everything was ready, of course, they were going to make pea cakes, mung bean cakes, and red bean cakes. Jiang Feng started cooking the peas in a pot while Jiang Jianguo put the red beans into a pressure cooker. Afterwards, they both sat next to the basin full of mung beans and began peeling them. Peeling mung beans is a tough job, but if you want to make fresh mung bean cakes and aren¡¯t willing to buy commercial mung bean flour, this is the way to go- Jiang Feng could only help out with this preparatory work; once the beans were cooked and mashed, there wouldn¡¯t be much for him to do anymore. As for the proportion of the ingredients and how to mix them, Jiang Jianguo had it all figured out in his head. After toiling away for a good two hours peeling the mung beans, Jiang Feng¡¯s own palms were nearly peeled along with them by the time they finished with the large basin of mung beans. He put them into the pressure cooker as well, marking the end of his share of work. Jiang Jianguo was cooking pea paste and, upon seeing Feng finish, he pointed to several large dark bags on the ground and said, ¡°Feng, look and see what kind of molds you want.¡± Opening the bag, it was filled with wooden molds. Without saying, most were definitely scavenged from Sir Jiang. There were molds in the shapes of animals, flowers, a variety of blossoms, long and wide ones, square, round, heart-shaped, with characters inscribed on them¡ªthey had everything. To an outsider, it would seem like they had come upon a mold factory. Jiang Feng picked out a few with nice designs, feeling confident he would sweep the board. With these molds, it would be hard for the Chess Club to not recruit people this year. In order to thank his uncle for his strong support, Feng had sweetened the pot by asking Liu Zixuan to buy some of the popular health teas on the market. Recently, the aunt had become quite obsessed with wellness and had complained several times on social media that she couldn¡¯t get her hands on the hot wellness teas. Liu Zixuan, whose family had wide business connections, was sure to delight her with the tea. Who knows, perhaps the amount of pocket money given to the uncle might even double this month. Within the Jiang Family, from top to bottom, it¡¯s always the wives who manage the money. Sir Jiang wanted to improve the meals for his pet pig still had to get the approval of the old lady. Ji Yue had finished the last of the deliveries and was idly playing with her phone in the restaurant. Seeing Feng come out of the kitchen, she looked up and asked, ¡°All done?¡± ¡°Not even close,¡± Feng said as he took a seat in a chair. -jiahui finished the flyer; take a look, if there¡¯s no issue she can get it printed now,¡± Ji Yue said, handing her phone to Jiang Feng. The flyer was simply designed, with no fancy extras¡ªclearly a product of shortcuts. If it weren¡¯t for the big printed words ¡°Chess Club Recruitment!¡± Jiang Feng would have doubted whether it was an advertisement for Healthy Stir-fry Restaurant. There was even a QR code for the public account in the bottom right corner. Jiang Feng was very satisfied. ¡°Just like that, go ahead and print it. Senior, do you remember how much funds our club had left from last year?¡± Feng asked. ¡°Fifty.¡± ¡°¡­Let¡¯s start with printing 300 copies. I¡¯ll front the money for now and get reimbursed after the funds are approved,¡± Jiang Feng said as he took out his phone to transfer money to He Jiahui. ¡°How¡¯s it going with securing the venue?¡± ¡°Seriously, who¡¯s the president here, you or me? I seem to recall I¡¯ve already graduated,¡± Ji Yue complained a bit. ¡°We still have to rely on our former president to sacrifice his charm for the venue. If the Chess Club shuts down this year, I¡¯ll skin you alive.¡± The stall for the club recruitment is supposed to be fixed in theory, but that¡¯s just theory. If you manage to grab a corner spot and expand from there, the Student Union can¡¯t really do anything about it, provided that you can secure a corner spot in the first place. In the past few years, the largest spots have been taken by the Cooking Club under the pretext of needing space to showcase their equipment¡ªwhich, frankly, is just a bunch of pots and pans, plus some cakes they made. Sugar-coated bullets and eloquent, pretty girls would lure uninformed junior girls into joining. ¡°The capable has to work harder, Ji Yue. You¡¯ve worked hard.¡± Jiang Feng said with a smile. ¡°There¡¯s chilled sour plum juice in the fridge. Should I get you a bowl?¡± Ji Yue solemnly held up two fingers and said seriously, ¡°Two bowls!¡± In the late afternoon, it was time for Jiang Feng and the others to take their stuff and set up the recruitment booth. The recruitment was theoretically starting at 7 a.m. the next day. Some of the more casual clubs at UAL University, like the Badminton Club and the Basketball Club, which don¡¯t limit their membership, could have a couple of hundred members. Elite clubs have higher barriers to entry because they offer course credits and chances to win decent awards. Clubs like the Chess Club, which are not popular, have no credits to offer, and even lack sufficient funding, are quite rare. Being short-staffed means there¡¯s a lot of work to do. By the time Jiang Feng and his team arrived at the venue with tables, props, decorations, banners, and shades, most other clubs had finished setting up. ¡°Is everything ready?¡± Jiang Feng asked. ¡°All ready. I¡¯ve checked. Let¡¯s start setting up,¡± Qiu Chen said, beginning work on the sunshade. The others quickly sprang into action as well. ¡°Jiang Feng?¡± Jiang Feng was spreading a tablecloth when he looked up and saw Wang Hui, the president of the Home Economics Club, standing in front of him with an armful of decorative fake flowers. ¡°I went to the Student Council to request a venue, and they told me this area was already allocated. What does the Chess Club need such a large area for?¡± Wang Hui glanced at their layout. ¡°Are you planning to set up a row of chessboards?¡± ¡°We are showcasing club benefits,¡± Jiang Feng responded. ¡°Yeah right, your club¡¯s total funds last year were only 400 yuan. What kind of club benefits could you possibly have? Having such a big spot in an out-of-the-way location is useless. You¡¯d be better off asking for a more front-facing spot. I heard that if you can¡¯t recruit enough members this year, your club will be dissolved,¡± Wang Hui said. ¡°Change the venue. Previously, there weren¡¯t any major conflicts between the Chess Club and the Home Economics Club, except for the personal grudge from when the former president of the Home Economics Club refused to let Jiang Feng join because he was male. After all, the Home Economics Club was a large club of 200 members, and the Chess Club didn¡¯t have the opportunity to have any grudge with them. ¡°No change,¡± Jiang Feng flatly refused. ¡°The front spots are in high demand, and there isn¡¯t enough space.¡± ¡°What are you going to display?¡± Wang Hui asked curiously. ¡°It¡¯s a secret!¡± ¡°Tsk,¡± Wang Hui walked away with the fake flowers. ¡°Why did Wang Hui come over here?¡± Qiu Chen asked. ¡°It seems their spot is next to ours.¡± In fact, the Home Economics Club¡¯s spot wasn¡¯t small either; Wang Hui was right, this place was indeed out of the way. ¡°Next to ours?¡± Qiu Chen was shocked. ¡°What if the freshmen think we¡¯re the Home Economics Club tomorrow?¡± Jiang Feng:¡­ ¡°Is it so bad if they fill out our club¡¯s application form by mistake?¡± Chapter 29 - Chapter 29: Chapter 29 Welcoming the Newcomers Chapter 29: Chapter 29 Welcoming the Newcomers Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio The next day, Jiang Feng didn¡¯t attend the club¡¯s welcome event. He spent his time either in class or in the back kitchen helping Jiang Jianguo make pastries. Starting from four or five in the afternoon, the system prompt kept ringing almost nonstop, and the sound was so incessant that it almost made Jiang Feng¡¯s head explode. It seemed that the club recruitment had reached a fever pitch. ¡°Ding, you have completed the side quest [Keeping Up with the Times], and have received the reward item: [Promotional Board].¡± Jiang Feng, delighted, continued to knead the dough as he saw Jiang Jianguo taking the freshly steamed custard buns out of the steamer and said, ¡°Uncle, after we finish this last batch, let¡¯s not make any more, okay?¡± ¡°Sure thing!¡± Jiang Jianguo felt like he had finished a decade¡¯s worth of pastries that day. After two days of busy work, they put the last batch of custard buns into the steamer. Jiang Jianguo sat down on a stool in the kitchen, casually fanned himself with something at hand, and asked, ¡°Feng, I forgot to ask you yesterday, why did Sir suddenly think of coming to Alan City?¡± ¡°A guest asked Grandpa to come and cook,¡± Jiang Feng replied while cleaning up the kitchen utensils. ¡°One of the professors from our school invited Grandpa to make Clear Broth Willow Leaf Swallow Dish.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a big dish!¡± Jiang Jianguo¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Even your dad never had the chance to make that.¡± Jiang Feng nodded and kept working with his hands, chatting intermittently with Jiang Jianguo. As a father busy with work all day long, running a tailor shop that wasn¡¯t doing well, and a wife obsessed with health and family ethics dramas, Jiang Jianguo was a semi-empty nester with a lot to say but no one to talk to. Finally catching a junior, he was naturally eager to get everything off his chest. Just as Jiang Jianguo was talking about Jiang Zaidi, Jiang Feng¡¯s eldest cousin, who was working overtime in the company every day, Jiang Feng¡¯s phone rang. He saw that the call was from Wang Hao. ¡°Hello, Feng, we have a bit of trouble here. That, that¡­¡± ¡°What ¡®that¡¯ ¡®that,¡¯ give me the phone, Jiang Feng, what do you mean? You Chess Club set up all those free pastries and drinks, and our Home Economics Club is right next to you¡ªI won¡¯t even talk about that¡ªbut what¡¯s with that Chen Mengxing from your club? He¡¯s outright deceiving people! Our club had already secured a new member, and he just gave her a bag of pastries and lured her over to your side¡ªwhat kind of behavior is that?¡± Jiang Feng:¡­ He could even imagine Wang Hui roaring in front of him. ¡°Well, Wang Hui, let me talk to Wang Hao first to find out. I¡¯m not there and don¡¯t know the situation.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± ¡°Hello, Hao, what¡¯s going on with this ¡®Chen senior¡¯ stealing people you mentioned?¡± If what Wang Hui said was true, then Chen Mengxing really acted improperly. ¡°That junior sister really is a good prospect; she and Liu Qian are from the same high school and recognized each other. She has won the provincial chess championship title. Besides, we didn¡¯t steal anyone; that junior sister didn¡¯t say she was going to the Home Economics Club, she just took an application form,¡± Wang Hao said in a quiet voice. Jiang Feng:¡­ Jiang Feng felt that if Wang Hui knew where he was, she would already be on her way with a kitchen knife in hand. ¡°Ahem, by the way, do you still have any plum juice? Give Wang Hui a cup of plum juice to calm her down.¡± ¡°Plum juice? That was gone a long time ago; we¡¯ve given it all away with the applications. Oh, right, I think I saw Liu Qian secretly stash a bottle. Hang on.¡± ¡°Junior Sister Qian, hand over the plum juice from your thermos.¡± ¡°What plum juice? I didn¡¯t bring a thermos!¡± ¡°Eh, eh, that¡¯s not my thermos; it¡¯s my roommate¡¯s, really, she left it with me.¡± Chairwoman Wang, you see, the matter has already¡­¡± Jiang Feng waited on the phone for a moment until Wang Hui took over the call and said, ¡°Jiang Feng, you think a cup of plum juice is enough to send me away?¡± She sounded a bit calmer. ¡°How¡¯s the plum juice?¡± Jiang Feng asked. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ not bad.¡± ¡°You should know that my family has opened a restaurant on Food Street, right?¡± ¡°Yes, I know. The promotional flyers you guys made look just like those little restaurant ads. Chess Club members can enjoy a 10 percent discount on meals. You have to fill out a form and scan a QR code to follow the WeChat official account. Be careful, or I¡¯ll report you to the student council!¡± Wang Hui threatened. ¡°Ahem¡­ Let¡¯s do this: We did go a bit overboard with that promotion. You¡¯ve also tasted the plum juice, so I believe you have an idea of the skills of our restaurant. From now on, members of your Home Economics Club will receive a 5 percent discount when they eat at our restaurant. Make sure to show your club card!¡± Wang Hui was silent for a moment, ¡°Ten percent.¡± ¡°No way. Ten percent is the exclusive benefit for our Chess Club. At most, it¡¯s 6 percent off!¡± ¡°Eight percent.¡± ¡°Your Home Economics Club has over two hundred people. An 8 percent discount would literally eat through my restaurant. Six percent is the limit!¡± After much haggling, Wang Hui finally compromised, and they settled on a 6 percent discount. ¡°Amin, go and change the flyers. Print a new batch, and add that members of our club can enjoy a 6 percent discount at Healthy Stir-fry Restaurant.¡± Jiang Feng:¡­ ¡°And make sure you add the QR code!¡± That evening, the members of the club, busy with recruiting new members all day, gathered at the Healthy Stir-fry Restaurant. He Jiahui, Zhao Lin, and Chen Mengxing, the three who would always complain about being too busy in their senior year to check the group messages, somehow found the time to come for both lunch and dinner. The number of people paying for monthly meals and getting staff discounts at Healthy Stir-fry Restaurant grew a bit larger. After a satisfying meal, it was time to showcase today¡¯s achievements. ¡°Ta-da, ta-da, ta-da!¡± Zhao Yu took out a thick stack of filled membership application forms from his bag and slammed them on the table. The heavy ¡°thud¡± resonated, making everyone take notice. ¡°300 forms, all handed out?¡± Ji Yue¡¯s eyes widened at the sight of the thick stack on the table. ¡°All handed out, and we even got off work early,¡± confirmed Zhao Yu with a nod. Everyone¡¯s gaze fixated on the application forms. ¡°What are you standing around for? Split them up and pick people!¡± Ji Yue urged. Only then did the others snap out of their daze. Selecting members, such an unfamiliar term, was now a part of the Chess Club¡¯s reality. They roughly divided the forms and began screening applicants. ¡°Wu Minqi, has won two provincial competitions. Qian, isn¡¯t this your schoolmate?¡± Liu Zixuan showed the form to Liu Qian and exclaimed, ¡°Our club is on the rise!¡± In the history of the Chess Club, anyone who had ever won a district-level competition was considered talented. After several rounds of selection, they retained 19 applicants who had won awards at the city-level or higher, plus some with black belts in Taekwondo, national piano awards, expertise in flower arranging, martial arts, and other impressive skills that seemed unrelated to chess but counted as ¡°special talents.¡± Altogether, the Chess Club expected to recruit 26 new members this year, including Liu Qian. After reviewing the resumes of the new members, the veteran club members felt they had no face to stay in the Chess Club. ¡°I¡¯ve made up my mind!¡± Ji Yue slammed her hand on the table. ¡°I¡¯ll be the one to go ask the student council for funding this year.¡± ¡°Senior sister, going there might be a bit¡­¡± Jiang Feng wanted to remind her that she had actually already graduated. ¡°What are you ¡®what¡¯ about? The president of the student council hasn¡¯t changed; can¡¯t he recognize me?¡± Thinking about the hardships she faced as club president in the previous years when asking for funding, and then looking at the pile of membership application forms before her, Ji Yue felt that she must shout out the words she had wanted to say for three years to those penny-pinching members of the student council. Chess Club.. Pay up! Chapter 30 - Chapter 30: Chapter 30 Recognizing Relatives Chapter 30: Chapter 30 Recognizing Relatives Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio It wasn¡¯t until closing time that Jiang Feng remembered he had completed a side quest and the system had given him a prop. When he opened the game panel to check, he found there was an extra [Promotional Board] in his inventory. [Promotional Board]: An ordinary promotional board that can attract the attention of passersby. Jiang Feng took out the board from the inventory and pretended to have just found it in the storage room, placing it at the entrance, he said to Ji Yue, who was tidying up the trash, ¡°Senior, I just found a board. If there¡¯s any special dish tomorrow, write it on and put it outside.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Ji Yue said, grabbing three plastic bags in one hand, ¡°You go back first. I remember you have classes on Saturday, too.¡± Jiang Feng looked at the time, it was almost ten o¡¯clock, indeed late, so after helping to put the chairs back in place, he headed back to the dormitory. Weekends, for most happy fatties, are joyful. Except for a few majors that also schedule classes on weekends, most UAL University students prefer to stay in the dorms and be happy fatties. When Jiang Feng went to help at the store, Ji Yue had ridden her electric scooter to deliver takeout. With a commission of 40 cents for each delivery and the UAL dorm buildings densely packed, if the Healthy Stir-fry Restaurant does well, Ji Yue could quickly become a little rich woman. Though the average of 20 takeout orders a day didn¡¯t seem to be enough for her to get rich quick. When Jiang Feng entered the store, he took a special look ¡ª the board was placed in a conspicuous position at the entrance, with fluorescent pen writing on it: Tomato and Egg Special for 17 Yuan. There weren¡¯t many customers in the store, and no one else was there except for Liu Zixuan, who was sitting inside playing King of Glory. When he saw Jiang Feng, he looked up and said, ¡°Feng, where¡¯s Mr. Hao?¡± ¡°He¡¯s gone to stock up on supplies,¡± Jiang Feng replied, glancing at his watch. It was almost one o¡¯clock. ¡°Have you eaten?¡± ¡°I have, they¡¯ve all gone back,¡± Liu Zixuan said, his hands constantly moving, ¡°I¡¯m too lazy to go back. I¡¯ll head to the library later.¡± Just as Jiang Feng was about to go to the kitchen to whip up something for himself, two customers entered the store. Jiang Feng glanced at them and thought, ¡®Hey, aren¡¯t those the two roommates who moved out at the start of the semester?¡¯ The pair were also stunned to see Jiang Feng, looking somewhat bewildered. How did we end up at Jiang Feng¡¯s family¡¯s restaurant without realizing it? What did I want to eat today? No, wasn¡¯t I planning to go to the Sichuan restaurant up front to have Mapo Tofu? Why did I suddenly feel like coming in for Tomato and Egg after seeing the sign at the entrance? At this moment, the thoughts of the two meshed together. ¡°Tomato and Egg,¡± they said in unison. The old man had arrived in a hurry and left in a hurry. Without cooking, he had recognized kinship with the Jiang family. The father of Professor Li turned out to be Sir¡¯s uncle! Not only were the Jiang Family Members astonished; even Professor Li had been unaware of this fact before. Li Mingyi had been really confused in recent years, lucid at times and muddled at others. During his muddled moments, he would talk about his eldest son, his deceased wife, Beiping City, and Taifeng Building. However, when he was lucid, he would not mention any of it. It was Professor Li¡¯s wife who told him that Li Mingyi had been recently muttering about Taifeng Building and clear soup liuye swallow vegetable; that¡¯s why he went around asking people to make this dish for Li Mingyi. Before he found Jiang Feng, he had asked many people, but every time Li Mingyi just shook his head, refusing to even taste it. If Sir had not chanced upon Li Mingyi¡¯s lucid moment during his visit to Alan City, the two would not have recognized each other. When Jiang Weiguo was young, he fled south with his father and some elder brothers after the fall of Beiping, experiencing man-made disasters, war, floods, and plague along the way. His father and brothers succumbed to illness one after another, and his memories of relatives became very vague. He only vaguely remembered having an aunt who married a wealthy young master in Beiping City. And Li Mingyi, in his youth, was precisely that kind of elegant rich young master. He did not suffer much even during the war years, and with his wife, he had two sons and a daughter, living a happy and complete family life. However, in a tumultuous era, he experienced the pain of losing his sons, daughter, and wife, one after another, until in his fifties, he was left with only his youngest son. The two elders, after more than half a century, met again. All Jiang Feng knew was that he had gone to class for a day, Sir had come and gone, and his family had gained a new relative. But there was something Jiang Feng didn¡¯t understand. ¡°Why didn¡¯t Grandpa finish cooking before he left?¡± ¡°Sir said it wasn¡¯t necessary,¡± Jiang Jiankang explained, ¡°Both old men were so happy, whether the dish was made became no longer important..¡± Chapter 31 - Chapter 31: Chapter 31 Memory Chapter 31: Chapter 31 Memory Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio Did Jiang Feng¡¯s life change after finding out Professor Li was his relative? It did. Jiang Feng got many more opportunities to be called on by Professor Li during class. These opportunities were so frequent that some classmates began to suspect Jiang Feng had offended Professor Li and was being deliberately targeted. After all, Jiang Feng¡¯s image as a poor student was well-known, making it hard for people to imagine Professor Li was keen out of admiration for talent. It had been over half a month since the start of the semester, and Jiang Feng could deftly navigate between honing his culinary skills, helping out at the shop, and bluffing his way through his academics. Ji Yue had successfully obtained this year¡¯s club funding from the student council, the Healthy Stir-fry Restaurant had begun to attract a stable clientele, and the completion rate of the main quest was slowly but steadily increasing. But Jiang Feng always felt that life, which consisted of chopping in the kitchen, occasionally stirring pots, and idling away at the club on weekends, was somewhat too dull. ¡°Feng, the porridge seems ready, go deliver it to your uncle,¡± Jiang Jiankang shouted from the back kitchen. Jiang Feng entered the kitchen, lifted the lid of the small pot on the gas stove, and stirred with a spoon; it looked about right. He ladled the porridge into a lunch box and carried it to Professor Li¡¯s house. Professor Li¡¯s house was less than ten minutes away from Food Street, a 20-year-old faculty apartment allocated by the school. The neighborhood was old with cement on its walls full of pits and holes. Jiang Feng had delivered the porridge on several occasions. Once, when he arrived, Li Mingyi was in a daze, grabbed Jiang Feng¡¯s hand and shouted, ¡°Chengde ah, why have you only just arrived? Huiqin and I have been looking for you for over a decade¡­¡± Despite being a frail and thin old man, Li¡¯s grip was unusually strong. Jiang Feng didn¡¯t dare to struggle, for fear of hurting him, and could only listen as he rambled on indistinctly about the old days. However, it didn¡¯t take long for Li Mingyi to no longer recognize him and to release his hand, searching everywhere for Huiqin. Professor Li hadn¡¯t come back yet, and it was his wife, Chen Suhua, who opened the door for Jiang Feng. ¡°Auntie, how is uncle doing?¡± Jiang Feng asked. ¡°He¡¯s quite well, he¡¯s lucid right now. Go in and keep your uncle company for a while,¡± Chen Suhua took the lunch box and headed to the kitchen, ¡°He¡¯s been clear-headed these past couple of days. I saw some really good dates at the market this morning; I¡¯ll wash some for you. Take a seat first.¡± Chen Suhua was the daughter of the village party secretary whom Professor Li married during his time as an ¡®educated youth¡¯ in the countryside. She wasn¡¯t well-educated, having not even completed primary school, and despite being in her fifties or sixties, she was always bustling with energy and couldn¡¯t stay still. Li Mingyi was sitting on the edge of the bed with reading glasses, looking through a photo album. Seeing Jiang Feng enter, he smiled and waved at him. ¡°Feng has come to deliver porridge.¡± Li Mingyi called Jiang Feng to sit by his side and pointed to a black-and-white picture in the album, ¡°This is the wedding photo of me and your great-aunt. It¡¯s a pity we didn¡¯t have color photos back then to capture the colors. Your great-aunt¡¯s wedding dress was really beautiful. I said we should only take a western-style wedding photo, but she wouldn¡¯t have it, refused to wear a wedding dress. In the end, I¡¯m in a suit and she¡¯s in traditional bridal attire for the wedding photo¡­¡± ¡°Dad, it¡¯s time to eat.¡± Chen Suhua, holding a bowl of porridge in one hand and a plate of dates in the other, placed the dates on the bedside table, ¡°The porridge is still a bit hot; I¡¯ll stir it for you. Oh, and Feng, have some dates, they¡¯re really sweet.¡± ¡°No need, I¡¯ll do it myself.¡± Li Mingyi slowly put down the album, took the bowl, walked to the desk, and began stirring the porridge with a spoon. Jiang Feng looked at the album spread out on the bed, an old, somewhat yellowed black-and-white photo. The young man and woman in the photo appeared to be of high school age. The man wore a formal suit with no expression, and the woman had a phoenix crown with a square scarf partly covering her face, a mirror hanging at her chest, all dressed in bridal attire. There was no physical contact between them at all; if not for Li Mingyi saying this was his wedding photo, Jiang Feng really wouldn¡¯t have been able to tell. Li Mingyi scooped up a spoonful of porridge, blowing on it gently by his lips. Jiang Feng noticed a short white hair sticking to the photo. Li Mingyi opened his mouth. Jiang Feng reached out his hand. Potage met lips. Hand brushed hair away. ¡°Ding, you¡¯ve completed the side quest [The Last Good Medicine] and obtained a reward item: [A Piece of Li Mingyi¡¯s Memory].¡± ¡°Ding, you have acquired [A Piece of Jiang Huiqin¡¯s Memory].¡± Eh? The stingy game actually gave two items at once? How generous?! Jiang Feng twisted the strand of hair he pulled out and tossed it into the trash can. Perhaps it was because he had looked at photographs or because he found another younger person to share tales of his youth with, but Li Mingyi¡¯s spirits were high today, and so was his appetite. After drinking a bowl and a half of porridge, he enthusiastically recounted many stories about his early days with his late wife while pulling along Jiang Feng. The wontons from the stall in the east of the city, Jiang Huiqin¡¯s wontons, a dress with a hole in it, he reminisced about whatever came to mind. He eventually ran out of energy, as older folks do, and amidst his storytelling, he became sleepy, which is when Jiang Feng left with a bag of dates that Chen Suhua had insisted on giving him. After delivering porridge for over an hour, by the time Jiang Feng got back, Liu Zixuan had already left for the library, and only Ji Yue was sitting at the table, drawing on a digital tablet. ¡°The shop¡¯s closed, and I¡¯m watching over it. Uncle and Auntie went to buy groceries; they said they found some great stuff and rushed out,¡± Ji Yue said. ¡°You should go get some extra sleep; I can handle things here by myself.¡± After Ji Yue¡¯s suggestion, Jiang Feng really felt a bit sleepy and in need of a nap, but there was no need to go back to the dormitory; he could just go upstairs to get some rest. He shut his bedroom door and opened his attribute panel, where two new clusters of mist appeared in his inventory. [A Piece of Li Mingyi¡¯s Memory]: A piece of memory that can be entered repeatedly. [A Piece of Jiang Huiqin¡¯s Memory]: A piece of memory that can be entered only once. One-time use? Out of curiosity, Jiang Feng clicked on Jiang Huiqin¡¯s memory, and selected yes when asked if he wanted to enter the memory. The next second, Jiang Feng found himself in a lady¡¯s boudoir. A girl dressed in a Republic of China-style school uniform held a big red jacket tenderly as she carefully embroidered a pattern on the cuff of the sleeve, and to his surprise, her face was that of Jiang Huiqin from the photo Li Mingyi had looked at earlier on that day. However, it seemed Jiang Huiqin couldn¡¯t see Jiang Feng; she was focused entirely on the jacket in her arms. Jiang Feng tried to pick up a teacup on the small table beside her, but his hand passed through it like a ghost. He then tried to walk through the wall but was blocked by an invisible barrier; realizing he could only stay by Jiang Huiqin¡¯s side, he began to observe the room. It was a very cramped room with simple furnishings: a bed, a wooden cabinet, a small table, a chair¡ªthe essentials were all there, albeit in a tiny space. The bed was an ordinary wooden plank bed, covered with a dusty quilt. The cabinet was as tall as a person, very new, seemingly freshly made, with shiny brass clasps, evenly applied paint, and carved decorations¡ªa piece that looked quite expensive. The room was clean, with a Literature textbook lying on the table, and a tin can filled with soil on the windowsill, in which two small green onions were planted. ¡°Little sister, little sister!¡± Someone was calling from outside the door. ¡°Yes, brother, wait a moment, don¡¯t come in, I¡¯m coming out!¡± Jiang Huiqin put the jacket down, opened the door, and walked out. Jiang Feng quickly followed.. Chapter 32 - Chapter 32: Chapter 32 Old Photos of the Republic of China Chapter 32: Chapter 32 Old Photos of the Republic of China (1) Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio ¡°Brother,¡± Jiang Huiqin cooed, tugging at the hand of the man at the doorway, ¡°you promised me yesterday, you said you¡¯d teach me!¡± Jiang Feng guessed that the middle-aged man before him, who bore a slight resemblance to himself, was his great-grandfather Jiang Chengde. The huge age gap between the two made them look less like siblings and more like father and daughter. ¡°To think you¡¯re already a grown girl about to be married, yet you still can¡¯t behave properly,¡± Jiang Chengde said affectionately, patting her head. ¡°Are you still embroidering your wedding dress in the room?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all Weijin¡¯s fault, that stinky little creature. I had already finished it, but he tore a corner of it. Tomorrow, I need to go with Mingyi for the wedding photoshoot. When I catch him later, I¡¯m going to give him a good thumping!¡± As she spoke, Jiang Huiqin raised her tiny fists and waved them to demonstrate her resolve to punish her nephew, then she trotted to the front and, seeing Jiang Chengde slowly walking behind her, urged, ¡°Hurry up, hurry up!¡± Jiang Huiqin ran quickly, so Jiang Feng could only jog to keep up; the invisible wall kept bumping against his back and butt as if someone were lashing him with a whip. The Jiang Family¡¯s small quadrangle was very close to Taifeng Building; Jiang Huiqin familiarly slipped in through the back door and finally stopped in the back kitchen, allowing Jiang Feng to catch his breath and rub his poor behind. Not using his talents in long-distance running really was a waste for him as a great-aunt. ¡°Miss Jiang, the head chef just stepped out,¡± a kitchen assistant informed Jiang Huiqin upon seeing her slip in. ¡°Shh, I¡¯m just borrowing the kitchen for a bit, don¡¯t tell the boss,¡± Jiang Huiqin replied. She couldn¡¯t find the ingredients she needed and was growing anxious as Jiang Chengde was still nowhere in sight. After a while, Jiang Chengde finally arrived leisurely. ¡°Brother, hurry up. I¡¯ve got plans with Mingyi to see a movie tonight, come on, faster!¡± Jiang Huiqin urged. Jiang Chengde couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, ¡°When will you ever learn to be patient? Remember, I¡¯m only going to teach you this dish once, so pay attention. Don¡¯t mess up; this is a dish ordered by Mr. Zhang.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t move, I promise I won¡¯t!¡± Jiang Chengde walked over to a stove, lifted the lid of a large iron pot, took out a small bowl from inside, and set it down in front of Jiang Huiqin. ¡°Mr. Zhang¡¯s mother likes swiftlet nests; your brother-in-law ordered the yellow ones. The method is the same. Go on, pluck out the fuzz inside,¡± Jiang Chengde pushed the bowl towards her. ¡°Once it¡¯s clean, rinse it and soak it in alkaline water.¡± Quite obedient, Jiang Huiqin took a pair of sharp, thin chopsticks and leaned closely over the small bowl, diligently picking out the small black fuzz and other impurities. Jiang Feng also leaned in curiously. The chopsticks were very fine, but they seemed too thick compared to the small fuzz in the bowl. Jiang Huiqin¡¯s hands were skillful, yet it was clear that it took a lot of effort. ¡°The bird¡¯s nest needs to be rinsed with warm water first and then it needs to be stewed in a pot for an hour and a half. You don¡¯t need me to teach you how to prepare the pigeon eggs with willow leaves, do you?¡± ¡°No, no need,¡± Jiang Huiqin said, her head lowered as she picked out another tiny fuzz. Seeing Jiang Huiqin carefully working, Jiang Chengde did not offer further instructions but went to a table nearby to fetch eight small wooden spoons. He rubbed oil on the inside of each spoon with oilcloth and set them aside. Next, he took a piece of ham from his right. ¡°The ham needs to be marinated first. Oh, I still need to add another two pieces of ham to your dowry. Be careful when slicing it, don¡¯t be careless and cut yourself. After it has soaked in the alkaline water and swelled, wash it with warm water before you tear it into strips. But forget it, just continue plucking for now. No matter how much I say, you won¡¯t remember,¡± Jiang Chengde remarked as he kept working without pause. The large kitchen knife deftly followed the grain of the ham, and in a few strokes, several slices thin as cicada wings appeared on the cutting board. As soon as Jiang Huiqin heard the word ¡°dowry,¡± she hung her head low and didn¡¯t catch a word of what followed. By the time Jiang Huiqin had finished picking the fuzz and impurities from the bird¡¯s nest and soaking it in the alkaline water, Jiang Chengde had also finished preparing the willow leaf pigeon eggs¡ªsteamed eggs placed over a bed of ham slices and winter vegetable, looking incredibly appetizing. ¡°Brother, how should the bird¡¯s nest look after soaking?¡± Jiang Huiqin couldn¡¯t help but glance at the bowl containing the now fully expanded bird¡¯s nest when she saw the pigeon eggs were steamed. Upon examining it, Jiang Chengde panicked and quickly poured out the alkaline water and rinsed it with warm water, ¡°I told you, you¡¯re forgetful, and you really are! I asked you to take it out once it had softened. How long have you soaked it for? Now hurry and scoop some cold water!¡± Jiang Huiqin rushed to scoop the water. By the time Jiang Huiqin brought the cold water, Jiang Chengde had already torn the bird¡¯s nest apart and rinsed it with the cold water before putting it in the pot. The Jiang Family¡¯s love for soup was indeed passed down from generation to generation. As soon as the bird¡¯s nest hit the pot, scalding clear soup was poured over it. Only then did Jiang Feng notice that the two large pots on the stove behind them were both filled with soup. By the time Jiang Feng turned around, the bird¡¯s nest had already been scooped out, and only the clear soup that was about to boil, still steaming, remained in the pot. Just as the clear soup was on the verge of boiling, Jiang Chengde added a ladle of cold soup into it, sprinkled a pinch of salt and finished with a spoonful of Shaoxing wine, before leaving the pot to Jiang Huiqin. ¡°Wait for it to boil, then skim off the foam,¡± he said, and started to arrange the plates. With a task at hand, and a chance to make up for past mistakes, Jiang Huiqin stared unwaveringly at the large pot in front of her. ¡°Aunty, Aunty, Brother Mingyi is looking for you,¡± a little radish head burst into the kitchen. ¡°Weiguo, you should call me ¡®Uncle¡¯ in the future. You can¡¯t mess up our family hierarchy!¡± Jiang Chengde said sternly. ¡°Oh.¡± The smile on the little radish head¡¯s face faded gradually. This was¡ª! Grandfather??! Jiang Feng stared at the little radish head in front of him, his nose still strung with snot, barely able to believe his eyes. Before Jiang Feng could fully take in the child version of Jiang Weiguo, Jiang Huiqin had already run out with a flushed face. Jiang Feng had no choice but to follow; otherwise, his waist and bottom would suffer the consequences. Then Jiang Feng experienced a live dog-feeding session. Who said people in old society were all conservative, that emotions should be expressed within the bounds of propriety¡ªit¡¯s all nonsense! Not a single bit of dog food was spared! Jiang Feng witnessed firsthand his teenage great aunt and the young master being sickeningly sweet at the movies, exchanging plums and sunflower seeds, holding hands tenderly. At the end of the movie, with the tragic death of the heroine, Li Mingyi stole a kiss on Jiang Huiqin¡¯s left cheek. Despite the silent and tragic movie, the two acted as though they had just watched a sweet love story. After the movie, Li Mingyi walked Jiang Huiqin home, with Jiang Feng trailing behind them. After suffering a major blow from the couple in front, Jiang Feng felt it was safer to stay back. ¡°Tomorrow we are going to Jinlikai Photo Studio to take wedding photos,¡± Li Mingyi said, stopping a block away from the Jiang Family¡¯s courtyard. ¡°Mmm.¡± Jiang Huiqin responded softly. ¡°In just 5 days, you¡¯ll be my wife.¡± ¡°Mmm.¡± Jiang Huiqin¡¯s voice was even softer, her head bowed, her ear tips blushing with shame. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for my mother insisting on picking an auspicious day, I swear I would have had you marry me today. I must put out a newspaper announcement, not just in Beiping, but also in Shanghai, in Nanjing, in the Dagong Bao, in the Min Bao¡ªI want it announced everywhere, I want the whole country to know that you are my wife!¡± Li Mingyi embraced Jiang Huiqin, kissed her forehead, and whispered: ¡°Good night, my darling!¡± Jiang Huiqin¡¯s already rosy face turned bright red in an instant, and she wriggled out of his embrace, running home without looking back. Her sudden sprint was hard on Jiang Feng; taken by surprise, he was hit by an invisible wall from behind and knocked to the ground. And it really hurt! When Jiang Feng got up from the ground, he found himself in a room, and it was daytime. Keep in mind, it was night when Jiang Huiqin had run back home just moments ago. ¡°I won¡¯t wear it, I won¡¯t wear it, I won¡¯t wear it!¡± Before Jiang Feng could grasp what was happening, he heard Jiang Huiqin¡¯s angry scream.. Chapter 33 - Chapter 33: Chapter 33 The Old Republics Shadows (Part 2) Chapter 33: Chapter 33 The Old Republic¡¯s Shadows (Part 2) Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio Jiang Feng struggled to get up from the ground. This place looked like a storeroom, probably the backstage of a theater, with dresses and suits, desk lamps, telephones, racks, oil paintings, and other old or broken props piled together. Jiang Huiqin was holding a plumply wrapped and tightly secured cloth bundle in her arms. ¡°Huiqin, I really don¡¯t understand what you dislike about that wedding dress. I was trying to surprise you, but you¡¯ve really let me down!¡± ¡°I dislike everything about it, we¡¯re taking wedding photos, it¡¯s pictures of me getting married. What to wear should be my own choice!¡± ¡°You mean to wear that red jacket-like wedding dress of yours? To make our wedding look feudal, ignorant, and laughable?¡± Li Mingyi raised his voice, ¡°Me in a suit and you with the phoenix crown, don¡¯t you find it absurd? Huiqin, we both have been educated in the new ways, how can you be as old-fashioned as those old pedants?¡± Ridiculous? You think it¡¯s ridiculous?¡± Jiang Huiqin looked up at him, her composed makeup smeared by tears. She unwrapped the bundle, revealing the neatly folded wedding dress inside. She took out the outer jacket, shook it open, held it up, pointed at it, trembling all over with anger. You find it ridiculous? Li Mingyi, I embroidered for 4 years, this wedding dress took me a full 4 years! My mother had a difficult labor giving birth to me I have no mother, my sister-in-law is also dead, no one taught me how to embroider the dress, I figured it out all by myself, ruining so many pieces, only this one turned out well.¡± ¡°You think it¡¯s ugly, ridiculous, it¡¯s not as beautiful as the one you found from a tailor in Paris, is it? But I embroidered it myself, a girl should wear the wedding dress she embroidered herself when she gets married! I¡¯m telling you, don¡¯t talk to me about being feudal or open-minded, I studied in a girls¡¯ school, I didn¡¯t learn all those advanced physics or chemistry, what we learned was to support the husband, educate the children, and manage domestic affairs, I am feudal, I am conservative.¡± Jiang Huiqin, sobbing, folded the jacket neatly and put it back, picked up the cloth bundle, and hurried out. ¡°Go find some open-minded, liberated woman to take photos and get married with! I¡¯m not taking photos today!¡± Jiang Feng quickly followed her. ¡°Miss Jiang, have you thought it through, are we taking the photo or not?¡± The photographer saw Jiang Huiqin coming down from the upstairs and hurriedly greeted her with a smile. ¡°No, let him find someone else to take photos with.¡± Jiang Huiqin wiped the tears off her face and left the photo studio straight away. Fortunately, this time Jiang Huiqin wasn¡¯t running away; otherwise, Jiang Feng¡¯s bottom would suffer again. His Aunt had quite the temper, but Li Mingyi deserved it too. Calling his fiancee feudal, stodgy, and laughable probably means he no longer wants a wife, right? Walking along, Jiang Huiqin stopped in front of a wonton stall. ¡°A small bowl of wontons, no green onions.¡± Jiang Huiqin found a table to sit down, put the cloth bundle beside her, and handed some coins to the stall owner. The wonton stall was set up at the entrance of an alley, and the owner was a middle-aged man with a slightly hunched back. There were only three small tables at the stall, bumpy and greasy, and the edges of the tables were full of splinters. The stall owner took the money, wiped the table in front of Jiang Huiqin with a greasy and dirty rag in a cursory manner, then casually threw the rag onto the next table. Without washing his hands, he grabbed a small handful of wontons that had been premade from the bamboo basket and threw them into the boiling pot. In a short while, a bowl of wontons was ready. After adding just a couple drops of sesame oil, and nothing else, the stall owner brought the chipped bowl to Jiang Huiqin¡¯s table. The wontons were unappetizing, with thick skins and little filling, not even properly wrapped, with most of them coming apart in the bowl. Jiang Huiqin wasn¡¯t thinking about the wontons; she kept looking back but didn¡¯t see the person she wanted to see. On the street paved with bluestone, there were many passersby: gentlemen wearing long robes, laborers in short shirts, young men dressed as students, rickshaw drivers, and beautiful women in cheongsams. Li Mingyi was nowhere to be seen. Jiang Huiqin tilted her head, staring blankly at the street, and before long, tears began to fall. After silently shedding tears for a while, she turned her head stubbornly, looked at the now cold wontons in front of her, and tried one. The tears fell even harder. It was so bad that Jiang Feng almost handed her a tissue. Crying and almost desperately upset, Li Mingyi finally arrived. ¡°Huiqin, why did you run here to eat wontons?¡± As soon as Li Mingyi spoke, Jiang Feng wanted to cover his mouth. Falling in love should be a natural talent for a teenager, but for this big brother, it seemed like a congenital deficiency, a talent that hadn¡¯t been awakened. Jiang Huiqin looked at him, her face full of grievance, ¡°Didn¡¯t you go to find that liberal, democratic, open-minded life partner of yours? Why come to find someone feudal, stubborn, and laughable like me?¡± ¡°Who said I was going to find some liberal, democratic, open-minded person? Huiqin, can we be reasonable please?¡± Oh my lord, I beg you, stop talking! Jiang Feng watched on the sidelines, wishing he could shove the dumplings from the table into his mouth to shut him up. Weren¡¯t those sweet nothings spoken so smoothly last night? How come he¡¯s so stubborn today? ¡°Then go find someone else who¡¯s reasonable to talk to!¡± Jiang Huiqin turned her head away and stared at her bowl, as large teardrops pitter-pattered into the dumpling soup. The two fell silent for a while. Don¡¯t cry,¡± Li Mingyi said, taking out a handkerchief and gently wiping the tears off Jiang Huiqin¡¯s face, his voice soft, ¡°Your eyes will swell up from crying, and then you won¡¯t look good in photos later.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s going to take photos, you think the clothes I embroidered are ugly, don¡¯t you?¡± Jiang Huiqin whispered. Whatever you wear looks good, in my eyes you are the most beautiful person in the entire world.¡± ¡°Even more beautiful than Ruan Yuling?¡± ¡°A million times more beautiful than Ruan Yuling!¡± ¡°Liar.¡± Jiang Huiqin broke into a smile through her tears. Li Mingyi, holding Jiang Huiqin¡¯s hand, walked toward the photo studio. The girl¡¯s hand clung tightly to the boy¡¯s, as if afraid he would run away. The next second, Jiang Feng was back in his room. He glanced at his phone; only five minutes had passed. ¡°Ding, congratulations to the player for exploring a new feature, the game is about to update.¡± ¡°The game is updating, current progress: o%.¡± Jiang Feng:¡­ Here it came again, the excruciatingly slow update. However, in the memory of Jiang Huiqin just then, apart from the couple¡¯s sickly sweet displays of affection and their lovey-dovey routine, there was also a dish made by Jiang Chengde. Clear Soup with Willow Leaf Swallow Vegetables! Jiang Feng had watched the entire process of making that dish from all angles, not missing a single detail. It was just too bad that Jiang Huiqin had left early and hadn¡¯t seen the final plating or the pour of the soup. Sitting on the bed, Jiang Feng tried hard to recall the method of making the Clear Soup with Willow Leaf Swallow Vegetables that he had seen in Jiang Huiqin¡¯s memory. It¡¯s no good, too difficult. Having seen it only once, it was easy to discern the ingredients and handling, but mastering Fire Control and Seasoning without having tasted it was just too hard for Jiang Feng. Not to mention capturing the essence of the dish-the clear soup. Jiang Feng had only smelled the aroma and was clueless about the ingredients used in the broth. If he had the talent to determine ingredients by smell alone, he wouldn¡¯t have been smacked on the head with the bottom of a pot by Sir when he was learning to cook as a child. Convinced that he couldn¡¯t master the Clear Soup with Willow Leaf Swallow Vegetables, and finding sleep impossible after reviewing the memory, Jiang Feng simply went downstairs to walk around. Since the start of school, he rarely found leisure time, and it would be a waste to spend it sleeping. Ji Yue was still drawing downstairs. Jiang Feng, having spent the better part of a day in Jiang Huiqin¡¯s memory, had experienced only a few minutes in reality. Seeing Jiang Feng descending the stairs, Ji Yue was somewhat surprised. ¡°Not sleeping anymore?¡± ¡°Not sleeping, going out for a walk.¡± This time was when the food street was at its most deserted. The lingering heat of the late summer made one dizzy and completely quashed any appetite while walking under the sun. Jiang Feng was mulling over something. Something that, if Mrs. Wang Xiulian and Jiang Jiankang found out about, might entail a mixed doubles beating, kneeling on the kitchenware rack, and dealing with the high pressure cooker.. Chapter 34 - Chapter 34: Chapter 34 Recipes Chapter 34: Chapter 34 Recipes Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio The Physics Department had a heavy coursework load and high difficulty, and Jiang Feng ran back and forth between school and the shop every day. Over time, even an iron body couldn¡¯t take it. What was crucial is that Jiang Feng would definitely inherit the Jiang Family¡¯s generations-old tradition of cooking and become the main chef at the Healthy Stir-fry Restaurant. Of course, dropping out was out of the question. That would never happen in this lifetime. After struggling through three years of high school, getting up earlier than chickens, and sleeping later than dogs, he had finally been admitted to UAL University. Only a fool would drop out! UAL University didn¡¯t strictly enforce attendance; as long as the final grades were high, teachers would usually turn a blind eye to low attendance and grant fairly good regular grades. Of course, if you could score full marks in every subject, the professors wouldn¡¯t care even if you never attended class. Last year, there was a legendary student who never attended classes, and ultimately got kicked out after failing eight courses in one term. If Jiang Feng were to follow in the footsteps of that legendary student, the consequences¡­ Jiang Feng couldn¡¯t bear to imagine what his fate would be under Mrs. Wang Xiulian¡¯s ten-plus-pound heavy slap across his face. After pondering for a long time, Jiang Feng felt he should progress gradually. Start with skipping a few classes on a small scale, then move on to missing more on a large scale, and finally achieve skipping all classes except for the final exams. However¡ª Just a few days after the plan was implemented, even before he started missing classes on a large scale, Jiang Feng was invited to have a tea chat in the counselor¡¯s office. The counselor was a young teacher new to the job. Except for disseminating school notices in the class group and holding a class meeting at the beginning and end of the term, he was virtually nonexistent in daily life. It was Jiang Feng¡¯s first time being invited by a teacher to have a tea chat in the office, and he was a bit nervous. ¡°Jiang Feng, recently, the attendance monitor reported to me that your attendance rate isn¡¯t very high,¡± the counselor began with a smile as soon as Jiang Feng sat down. ¡°Um, that, I¡­¡± ¡°We all know your family has difficulties, which can be resolved together. There are many ways, but neglecting your studies and skipping classes to work, or to help out in the shop, might be penny-wise and pound-foolish.¡± ¡°Teacher, I¡¯m not¡­¡± ¡°For family hardships, you can apply for scholarships; don¡¯t be too proud to ask for help, it¡¯s nothing to be ashamed of. You might think what you learn in school is not important, so you skip classes, but if you fail or get expelled like the student in the previous class, you¡¯ll end up losing far more than you gain. Once you leave school, you¡¯ll realize that what the teachers have taught you is very precious. If you don¡¯t appreciate it now, it will be too late for regrets later.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°Hardships in life are temporary. Once you graduate, you¡¯ll understand that these weren¡¯t a big deal. If you don¡¯t learn what¡¯s needed now, the future¡­¡± The counselor, true to his political education background, spoke earnestly to Jiang Feng for a long time without giving him a chance to interject. In the end, he finally gave Jiang Feng a chance to speak up: ¡°Say what you want to say.¡± ¡°Teacher, I¡­ I¡­ actually, I¡¯ve already self-studied all of this semester¡¯s courses during the summer vacation, and I felt I was ready, that¡¯s why¡­¡± Jiang Feng had already upgraded his mathematics to intermediate level with experience points before the system update. He was confident that not attending classes wouldn¡¯t be an issue and that he could easily handle the final exams with a few days of studying. ¡°You¡¯ve finished self-studying?¡± The counselor looked at him with a smile that was not quite a smile. ¡°If I remember correctly, your grades in electromagnetism and advanced mathematics last semester were because the teachers let you pass by being lenient. Self-studying¡ª¡± The counselor didn¡¯t finish his statement in an absolute way. He himself was a product of UAL University, having completed his bachelor¡¯s and master¡¯s before staying on as faculty. He had seen his fair share of dark horses who suddenly excelled without prior notice. If Jiang Feng could successfully complete his studies without attending classes, the counselor had nothing to preach about. Next door, at the School of Economics and Management, there was a student who was an entrepreneur with a net worth close to ten million and barely spent any time at school. He failed five courses at the end of last year, yet the professors just turned a blind eye and let him pass when they went a bit easy on him in the makeup exams. If you want to skip classes, that¡¯s fine, but you need to have the skills to back it up. In the end, the counselor left it up to Jiang Feng to decide for himself. Jiang Feng thanked the counselor and was about to leave the office when he suddenly heard the counselor say leisurely. ¡°Jiang Feng, Professor Li is very concerned about you, so don¡¯t let him down.¡± Turning back, Jiang Feng saw the counselor looking down at his phone, as if the words just spoken hadn¡¯t come from him. Jiang Feng was left speechless. Who could have imagined that our counselor was a bit of a drama king? As for Mrs. Wang Xiulian and Mr. Jiang Jiankang, their combined education didn¡¯t amount to one college degree, so they had no concept of university courses. Their understanding of university life was based on hearsay over the years. The belief that if you study hard in high school, university will be easy and you¡¯ll just play every day without any classes. They didn¡¯t raise any objections to Jiang Feng suddenly having a lot of free time and staying in the shop all day. After being invited for a tea chat by the counselor, Jiang Feng went to explain his situation to Professor Li. After writing a test paper in front of Professor Li, Jiang Feng was given permission to skip classes. He then replicated this approach with other teachers, impressing each one and bypassing the large-scale class-skipping phase to achieve the accomplishment of skipping all classes. Everyone initially thought Jiang Feng was neglecting his studies due to his family¡¯s huge debt, simply skipping classes to help with the family business. However, the young Mr. Wang, while joking with the students, took Jiang Feng as an example and spoke out about his permission to skip classes, making Jiang Feng a well-known figure in the Physics Department. The downside was that Jiang Feng noticed Wang Hao¡¯s gaze becoming strange whenever he looked at him. ¡°Cough cough, if you have something to say, just say it.¡± After being stared at by Wang Hao¡¯s odd gaze for four days, Jiang Feng finally couldn¡¯t bear it any longer and spoke up. ¡°Feng, you¡¯ve been off this semester!¡± Wang Hao said thoughtfully. ¡°Not at all, I think I¡¯m pretty normal!¡± Jiang Feng laughed it off. ¡°This semester it¡¯s like you¡¯ve received guidance from a master. You¡¯ve been transformed, going from loser to winner,¡± Wang Hao analyzed calmly. ¡°Family troubles, exquisite cooking skills, academia possessed, achieving fame overnight. You¡¯re practically the template for a city novel¡¯s protagonist!¡± Jiang Feng: ¡°Those family troubles happened all because of the rumours you spread. Now when I walk outside, people look at me as if they¡¯re looking at an inspirational movie hero. And those stories about me storming in and out of the counselor¡¯s office seven times, dueling with Professor Li, and slashing through five sets of papers from professors¡ªare they all something you made up and spread around?¡± Jiang Feng turned the tables and interrogated him. ¡°Artistic license, artistic license,¡± Wang Hao said with a shameless smile, refusing to mention anything about the protagonist template. ¡°Jiang Feng, your spicy pork over rice is ready!¡± Ji Yue called out from outside. ¡°I don¡¯t have time to chat, I¡¯ve got cooking to do.¡± Jiang Feng put on an apron and grabbed the ingredients. A few days ago, Jiang Jiankang found a meat supplier with exceptionally good quality meat, but the price couldn¡¯t be negotiated down. He and Mrs. Wang Xiulian were running to the breeding base and supplier every day to negotiate, leaving the restaurant¡¯s business in the hands of Jiang Feng. After topping the steaming rice with the freshly stir-fried spicy pork, Wang Hao took the plate to serve, and just as Jiang Feng was about to take off his apron, he heard the long-missed system notification sound. ¡°Ding, game update complete.¡± Jiang Feng was nearly moved to tears. The update had taken over a month; from trading a light jacket for a sweater, and then layering a cotton-padded coat over that, from sunny skies to howling cold winds, the update progress bar hadn¡¯t budged an inch in its own sweet time. Every time he checked the progress bar for the game update, Jiang Feng wondered if it had gotten stuck, especially in the past few days when it was just a tiny bit shy of being full, only for the completion to be dragged out to now. Eager to open his attribute panel, he found a new tab for achievements. Achievement: Bitter Tears (slight increase in Seasoning skill when making wontons) Title: None Item: [A Piece of Li Mingyi¡¯s Memory] Recipe: Pure Meat Wontons (click for details) Evaluation: An utterly ordinary novice Pure meat wontons? Bitter tears? What were all these things? When he clicked on the pure meat wontons, Jiang Feng was surprised to find that the recipe even came with pictures¡ªthough the picture he saw wasn¡¯t very promising; it was a bowl of wontons with most of them spilled out, and the bowl itself was chipped and broken. Wait, why does this bowl of wontons look so familiar? [Pure Meat Wontons Grade FJ: Creator: Wang Shitou Details of the dish: Wontons that are terrible in terms of ingredients, cooking techniques, and Seasoning, but they are precious in the memories of Jiang Huiqin; consuming them can invoke the most bitter memories of one¡¯s youth. Can be made 3 times a day. (0/3) Following are the specific instructions for making the wontons, complete with a video tutorial¡ªquite thoughtful indeed. However¡­ Ingredients, technique, and Seasoning all turned out terrible; not to mention, it would evoke the most bitter memories. Serving this to customers could get your restaurant smashed, right? It would take a serious grudge to feed this to someone! Jiang Feng stared at the recipe, Jost in thought. ¡°Jiang Feng, Jiang Feng!¡± Ji Yue called out a few times from outside but got no response, so she ran straight into the kitchen, ¡°Why are you staring into space? I need two servings of fish-fragrant pork slivers, one serving of stir-fried eggs with chives, and three plates of stir-fried noodles with pork slivers. Make the fish-fragrant pork slivers spicier, the chives well-done, and one plate of noodles without spring onions; the other two just mildly spicy.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m on it,¡± Jiang Feng snapped out of his daze and went to get the ingredients. Mr. Jiang Jianguo, please come back soon¡ªbeing the main cook at Healthy Stir-fry Restaurant is really tiring! Jiang Feng bemoaned in his heart after a long day of stir-frying.. Chapter 35 - Chapter 35: 35 Chapter Bitter Memories Chapter 35: 35 Chapter Bitter Memories Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio Late some time, Mr. Jiang Jiankang and Mrs. Wang Xiulian returned triumphant. Just from their demeanor, you could tell that the negotiation with the pig farm owner had been successful. ¡°That pig was incredible-fat in all the right places, lean where it should be. I still remember those two hind legs.¡± Jiang Jiankang was clearly still thinking about the pig he had seen that day. Xiulian nodded in agreement, ¡°Right, we¡¯ll send one back for Dad to make ham, and chop up the other for knuckle.¡± In the midst of their conversation, the couple already had clear plans for both legs of the pig. ¡°Mr Qian really knows how to raise pigs!¡± Jiang Jiankang exclaimed, eager to share the accomplishments of the day. Jiang Feng was cleaning up the kitchen, and Ji Yue was the only one outside. Seizing the opportunity, Jiang Jiankang pulled out his phone and started showing Ji Yue the photos he had taken that day. ¡°Ji Yue, look at this spotted pig. Just one glance and you can tell it¡¯s been fed well, sleeps well, and is active. The meat quality must be firm; it¡¯s perfect for stir-fry. And this sow, look at that fat, and this one, we¡¯ll slaughter it in the morning. I¡¯ve reserved its two hind legs, this one¡­¡± Jiang Jiankang kept swiping through his phone, displaying the pigs he had set his sights on that day. Ji Yue:¡­ Other than recognizing that these were fat pigs awaiting slaughter, she couldn¡¯t discern anything else, whether it was happiness or sadness¡­ ¡°Enough already, stop staring. Your son is still cleaning the kitchen and here you are gawking at pigs. Aren¡¯t you going to help?¡± Mrs. Wang Xiulian, seeing Jiang Jiankang lounging in the hall, slapped the counter in dissatisfaction, causing the wooden countertop to quiver. Noticing that the day¡¯s revenue was obviously not as good as yesterday¡¯s, Xiulian raised her voice, ¡°Have you paid off your debts? You owe so much to your elder brother, and you¡¯re still lazing around here. Do you expect your son to pay off your debts?¡± Jiang Jiankang slipped away into the kitchen, looking dejected. Jiang Feng had actually finished cleaning up the kitchen and was trying to make pure meat wontons following a recipe from a game. Although it was destined to be a bowl of unpalatable wontons, Jiang Feng just wanted to taste what they would turn out like. He was especially curious to know what the most bitter memory of his youth was like. The wontons had been boiling in the pot for ten minutes now. Jiang Feng figured that even if the skins were thick, they should be cooked by now, or rather, overcooked. Wang Shitou¡¯s cooking skills were truly terrible. If it hadn¡¯t been for the days of the Republic of China when the toiling masses lacked food and clothing and weren¡¯t particular about taste, Feng doubted his wonton stand would have lasted a week. ¡°What are you doing, kid? The wontons are about to turn to mush, and you¡¯re still not taking them out?¡± As soon as Jiankang came in, he saw the wontons tumbling in the pot with the soup and quickly scooped the wontons, now separated from their filling, into a bowl. Jiang Feng added two drops of sesame oil to the bowl. Jiankang tried to add a few slices of seaweed and a handful of tiny shrimp, but Feng sternly refused. Jiang Feng waited for the wontons to cool down a bit. Jiankang eyed the wontons in the bowl, his mouth watering. Today, in the negotiations with the pig farm¡¯s Mr. Qian, he and Xiulian had been out since early in the morning. In the past dozen hours or so, he had only eaten three large bowls of the shredded pork noodles he made, all before they left in the morning, and he had long since digested them. Though the wontons in the bowl were overcooked and only had two drops of sesame oil, with no enticing aroma, they were, after all, made of meat. Jiankang was a carnivore. ¡°Son, did you make these wontons today?¡± Jiankang asked, knowing full well. Jiang Feng nodded, ¡°I followed an online tutorial to wrap them, just made these few, and cooked them all at once.¡¯ ¡°Let Dad have a taste.¡± jiankang¡¯s movements were as quick as his words. Before the sentence was finished, three wontons had disappeared into his mouth. So disgusting! Jiankang hadn¡¯t expected his son to make such terrible wontons. But the next second, he lost the mood to think about that. He suddenly remembered himself at twenty years old. That year, the state-owned restaurant where he had worked for six years closed down. Since he was a child, he had helped out Jiang Weiguo at the state-owned restaurant, taking over the head chef¡¯s position at 14; at 19, he married Wang Xiulian, who was a textile factory worker at the time, and before he turned 20, he believed he would work at the state-owned restaurant all his life just like his father did, until his son would take over. What awaited him instead was being laid off and a meager 600 yuan in compensation. Half a year later, Wang Xiulian was also laid off. The couple borrowed money from all their friends and relatives, scraped together a few tens of thousands of yuan, and opened a small health stir-fry restaurant. Jiang Jiankang remembered those times when business was bad; he would worry all night long, unable to sleep. Wang Xiulian, in an attempt to save money, would pick up discarded and trampled vegetable leaves from the food market to stir-fry. If they sold stir-fried carrots at noon, they would eat the peels of those carrots at night. Because they still hadn¡¯t repaid the money they borrowed from her parents and older maternal uncle, Wang Xiulian dared not visit her parental home for the New Year¡¯s celebration. As he thought about it all, Jiang Jiankang squatted down on the ground and wailed bitterly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, what happened here? Feng, why is your dad suddenly crying?¡± Hearing the crying, Wang Xiulian dropped her calculator and rushed into the kitchen, followed closely by Ji Yue. ¡°Xiulian, Xiulian I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s all my fault for being useless, making you suffer and put up with hardship following me!¡± Jiang Jiankang sobbed as he hugged Wang Xiulian. Wang Xiulian was hugged with a bewildered look on her face. ¡°What¡¯s happened to your dad?¡± Wang Xiulian was starting to wonder if nagging him daily about the debt owed to his second brother had finally become too much pressure for Jiang Jiankang and caused him to break down. ¡°Dad just had a bite of wonton,¡± Jiang Feng was also somewhat stunned. How bitter must the memories of Mr. Jiang Jiankang¡¯s youth have been for him to cry like this! ¡°Wonton?¡± Wang Xiulian looked at the wonton on the table, clearly unable to understand how just a bite of wonton could lead to this. ¡°Jiankang, I¡¯m just usually a nag, don¡¯t take it to heart. I haven¡¯t suffered or felt wronged, stop crying, come on, be good,¡± Wang Xiulian patted Jiang Jiankang¡¯s back as if comforting a child. As she coaxed him, Wang Xiulian herself started feeling somewhat choked up. She picked up the bowl from the table and took a big gulp of the wonton soup. Because the wontons had been overcooked, a piece of wonton skin was also gulped down. Who made these wontons? They¡¯re awful! Wang Xiulian¡¯s eyes widened, and the next second, her eyes brimmed with tears. The couple clutched their heads and cried together. Jiang Feng and Ji Yue were completely dumbfounded. Jiang Feng picked up the wonton from the table and silently dumped it into the swill bucket. Disaster, what a disaster! -School sister, you should go back first, I need¡­ I need to talk with my parents,¡± said Jiang Feng. ¡°Ah, yes, oh,¡± Ji Yue answered blankly, and after a while, she realized she could leave work. After Ji Yue left, Jiang Feng put forth all his effort to finally stabilize the emotions of Mr. Jiang Jiankang and Mrs. Wang Xiulian. The next day, the couple¡¯s explanation for the previous night¡¯s incident was remarkably consistent. The wontons were too disgusting, so disgusting they cried! Chapter 36 - Chapter 36: Chapter 36: Special Era (Part 1) Chapter 36: Chapter 36: Special Era (Part 1) Translator: Larbre Studio I Editor: larbre Studio After last night¡¯s lesson, Jiang Feng decided he would not make the mistake of creating Wang Shitou¡¯s pure meat wontons again. Those were not wontons, they were practically biological weapons! Men who ate them would fall silent, women would burst into tears. The combined sonic assault of Jiang Jiankang and Wang Xiulian from last night still echoed in his ears, and even now, the memory made Jiang Feng¡¯s heart tremble. After finishing the midday business, Jiang Feng opened his attributes panel to check his task progress; ¡°Stand Firm¡± had reached (700/1000). He hesitated over whether to use the experience points to upgrade his Mathematics, Physics, and English to high level to cope with his studies or to upgrade his level and see if the game would unlock new features. Forget it, I might as well upgrade Mathematics, Physics, and English. If the game goes straight into half a year of updates this time, Jiang Feng would have nowhere to cry. When chopping vegetables, not hearing the system¡¯s proficiency increase notification sound felt like a lack of motivation. After upgrading all three subjects to high level, he still had over 30,000 experience points left. The attributes panel changed to: Mathematics (High Level): You have fully mastered all the undergraduate knowledge. (Non-upgradable) Physics (High Level): You have fully mastered all the undergraduate knowledge. (Non-upgradable) English (High Level): You have fully mastered all the undergraduate knowledge. (Non-upgradable) Jiang Feng:¡­ Suddenly becoming a top student was really an adjustment. Scrolling down the attributes panel, Jiang Feng noticed the item that looked like a mist in his inventory. What was this again? A piece of Li Mingyi¡¯s memory? Jiang Feng suddenly recalled that one of the rewards for a previous side quest included this, and it was something he could review repeatedly. After viewing Jiang Huiqin¡¯s memory, the game had instantly entered an update phase, and one update lasted for more than a month, so long that Jiang Feng had almost forgotten he had this item. He clicked on ¡°A piece of Li Mingyi¡¯s memory¡± and selected ¡°yes¡± from the options. In a daze, Jiang Feng found himself in a dilapidated room. Or rather, a rundown shed. A few pieces of wood supported a filthy tarp, made of plastic or some other material that was so dirty its true nature was indiscernible, patched up in many places. The stitches were fine and meticulous, showing the skillful handiwork of the person who had mended them, preventing any wind from whistling through the patchwork despite the harsh cold wind rattling it outside. It was winter now, and the light inside the shed was very weak. Although Jiang Feng couldn¡¯t feel the temperature, he could still figure out the season. Strange, where are the people? The shed was small, cluttered with mounds of garbage that looked like stuff no one wanted anymore, emitting a suffocating stench. The ground was laid with a lot of straw, without any furniture; not even the most basic table or chairs were present. Most crucially, Jiang Feng didn¡¯t see Li Mingyi. With his previous experience in Jiang Huiqin¡¯s memory, Jiang Feng knew Li Mingyi had to be close by. Could he be hiding in the pile of trash? Running from creditors? Surely not. Mingyi, look, look what this is!¡± A hoarse woman¡¯s voice came from the other side of the trash mountain. Li Mingyi and Jiang Huiqin were hidden on the other side of the garbage mound. Li Mingyi lay on a pile of straw, filthy and unkempt, his hair and face covered with mud, and a tattered cotton quilt draped over him. His eyes were dull as he stared blankly at the straw. Jiang Huiqin looked slightly better than Li Mingyi, wrapped in layers of tattered clothes, her hair disheveled and clumping with grime. They had only one quilt between them, and Jiang Huiqin had wrapped herself in straw, curling up, her hands full of frostbite struggling to strike a damp match that was nearly useless. This was a middle-aged version of Jiang Huiqin and Li Mingyi, but they looked like two old people on the brink of death. Jiang Feng could hardly believe that these hands, swollen with frostbite, cracked, bleeding, and oozing pus, struggling to light a match, were Jiang Huiqin¡¯s. Jiang Huiqin laboriously struck the match for a few minutes, eventually getting it to light. She carefully shielded the flame, expertly pulled out a few pieces of wood from the trash, scraped out a space on the ground, and suddenly there was a fire pit. ¡°Today is your birthday, I¡¯ll make you something tasty,¡± Jiang Huiqin carefully pulled Li Mmgyi closer to the fire, and from under the straw, brought out a clean clay pot, ¡°Those thugs turned everything over this morning, they probably thought it was too stinky to bother with this spot, and with the wind blowing like this, he¡¯s not likely to come. Blind Wu from next door said it¡¯s going to snow heavily in a couple of days, I took the chance to pick up our rations before the snow, and with the holidays coming, we can even get a share of the meat.¡± How is Blind Wu doing?¡± Li Mingyi asked weakly. ¡°He¡¯s not faring well, his leg is festering, he hasn¡¯t got long.¡± Jiang Huiqin rummaged through the trash again, and incredibly, she pulled out a piece of tremella and a few bird eggs, ¡°I¡¯ll make you a nice feast, so your leg gets better soon. You don¡¯t want to end up like Blind Wu; his wife and kids are gone he has been longing for death. We still have Junming, though. As for that place¡¯in the northwest, I don¡¯t know how things are there.¡± ¡°Where did you get the tremella from?¡± Li Mingyi coughed twice, not directly answering Jiang Huiqin¡¯s words. ¡°Traded it for the gold bracelet.¡± Li Mingyi fell silent. Don¡¯t look so forlorn; tremella is so precious these days, it¡¯s worth the gold bracelet. If your leg heals, not to mention a gold bracelet, even trading those two little yellow fish I hid in the well would be worth it,¡± Jiang Huiqin fumbled around, and indeed, she found quite a few valuables in that pile of trash. ¡°You¡¯re still as good at hiding things as ever,¡± Li Mingyi finally showed a hint of vitality on his face. ¡°Of course,¡± said Jiang Huiqin proudly, ¡°Those thugs think they can find where I hide my stuff? Dream on. The bandits during the war never found it, even after they dug up the ground, they couldn¡¯t unearth the silver dollars I buried. Them, pshaw.¡± A hint of vitality began to emerge in the dismal shack. Due to the fire, the temperature inside the shack rose. Li Mingyi managed to move slightly, wanting to see what Jiang Huiqin had taken out, but unfortunately his glasses had been crushed a long time ago. As he had been malnourished for so long and with the fluctuating light, he couldn¡¯t see clearly at all. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a secret.¡± Perhaps because she was in a good mood, Jiang Huiqin even started humming a tune. Li Mingyi chuckled as he watched the flames, but suddenly felt as if it was almost New Year¡¯s. This was the first time he¡¯d felt this way since his eldest son died.. Chapter 37 - Chapter 37: Chapter 37 Special Era (Part 2) Chapter 37: Chapter 37 Special Era (Part 2) Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio Because of the fire, Jiang Huiqin¡¯s originally stiff and slow movements sped up a bit. She huddled like a squirrel and counted and recounted the treasures she had found in the trash heap, checking them over seven or eight times before she was finally satisfied and slowly got up. Yesterday, they snatched away those two good pieces of wood and were so pleased with themselves, a bunch of fools. I deliberately left them there for the taking. They can¡¯t recognize a good thing when it¡¯s right in front of them.¡± Jiang Huiqin put the tremella mushrooms into the clay pot, and with difficulty climbed over the mountain of trash, moving as slowly as an old lady. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your back?¡± Li Mingyi spotted something amiss and became anxious, ¡°Did they push you and injure you this morning?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not an old lady, how could I get hurt just by being pushed? I fell last night when I snuck out to climb trees and snatch bird eggs. How else do you think I got those six eggs, they fell from the sky or what?¡± Jiang Huiqin said nonchalantly, rubbing her waist with her right hand, ¡°I¡¯ll be fine after lying down for a while.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk about me, you haven¡¯t fully recovered yourself. Why worry about me? Pull the blanket up; your feet are uncovered.¡± Jiang Huiqin walked to a stack of damp and rotting wood, kicked it aside with her foot, rummaged through it, and pulled out a few pieces. On those pieces of wood were several extremely plump mushrooms. After picking off a few large ones, Jiang Huiqin hid them in the clay pot and left the shed. Before long, Jiang Huiqin returned with the clay pot filled with water, the cleaned mushrooms, and the tremella mushrooms. Because of the water, her already oozing and cracked hands began to bleed. Noticing the bleeding, Jiang Huiqin quietly wiped it on her body when Li Mmgyi wasn¡¯t looking since her clothes were already so dirty that their original color couldn¡¯t be discerned, and a few more smears of blood wouldn¡¯t make any difference. Jiang Huiqin began to cook mushroom soup over the fire. Soon, the aroma of the soup began to waft through the air. Jiang Huiqin begrudgingly added a pinch of salt to the soup, picked up the clay pot, and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to trade some mushroom soup with Chen Carpenter for a bowl and a spoon.¡± We have a spoon; I hid it under the wooden frame the day before yesterday,¡± Li Mingyi said, pointing to the wood supporting the shed. Perfect, we can spare him two mushrooms and have one each,¡± Jiang Huiqin said delightedly, thinking they could save two mushrooms. Soon, Jiang Huiqin returned with a half-pot of soup left in the clay pot, a wooden bowl, and a pair of wooden chopsticks, with only one lonely mushroom floating in the pot. ¡°There¡¯s nothing tasty about just one mushroom, and I don¡¯t even like them. You don¡¯t know how to use a spoon, and you might spill the good stuff on the ground. Here, eat the mushroom first.¡± Jiang Huiqin placed the clay pot back on the fire, picked up the mushroom with chopsticks, and brought it to Li Mingyi¡¯s mouth. Li Mingyi didn¡¯t open his mouth. ¡°Eat it, I don¡¯t like mushrooms,¡± Li Mingyi turned his head away. ¡°If you don¡¯t eat it, I¡¯ll throw it away!¡± Jiang Huiqin threatened. ¡°Mushrooms are nutritious. Eating mushrooms will help your injury heal faster. Your leg has been hurt for over a month now. Eating mushrooms will speed up your recovery.¡± Seeing that Li Mmgyi still refused to eat, Jiang Huiqin stuffed the mushroom into his mouth. It was simple and crude but very effective. Next, she began to cook the tremella mushrooms in the mushroom soup, stirring occasionally with the chopsticks, until they softened. Then she generously sprinkled a small packet of seasoning into it and added the bird eggs to cook. When the last pot of hodgepodge was finished, Jiang Huiqin placed the tremella in the center of the bowl and arranged the peeled bird eggs next to the tremella. She then carefully lifted the clay pot to pour the soup along the rim of the bowl. Li Mingyi began to realize what kind of odd mix she was concocting. ¡°You¡¯re making a dish like clear soup with willow leaves and swallow vegetables,¡± he said. What dish is that? This is it!¡± Jiang Huiqin then took out a box of luncheon meat, shaking it boastfully in front of Li Mingyi, opened it, and sliced a few thin pieces of meat to wrap around the bird eggs. You must think I¡¯m a fool. I traded Old Fengxiang¡¯s gold bracelet for just a piece of tremella, and I also got this, never opened!¡± she said cautiously, wrapping the tin can with cloth and hiding it back in the trash heap. ¡°The rich have their way of eating, the poor have theirs. With the same ingredients, even my brother might not make it as good as I do.¡± ¡°Just keep bragging,¡± Li Mingyi laughed. Jiang Huiqin helped Li Mingyi sit up and handed him the bowl as if offering a treasure: ¡°Try it.¡± Li Mmgyi picked up a piece of tremella and tried to feed it to Jiang Huiqin. ¡°Why would I eat that on your birthday? There was still some bran left this morning; I¡¯ll boil the bran later,¡± Jiang Huiqin said, starting to climb over the trash heap again. In the end, Jiang Huiqin still ate a bird egg. No sooner had she put it in her mouth than her eyes reddened, and being in her forties, she cried just like she had in her teens, the tears falling down instantly. I ve made it really delicious.¡± Jiang Huiqin covered her mouth, trying to wipe away her tears discreetly. Yes, this is the tastiest clear soup willow leaf swan dish I¡¯ve ever had.¡± Li Mingyi said, holding his bowl with reddened eyes as well. Jiang Feng had been watching silently by the side, and his eyes turned red unconsciously. ¡°Cry for what? I¡¯ll make it for you again on your birthday next year.¡± But there was no next year for Jiang Huiqin, who died of illness that winter. Darkness enveloped everything. Jiang Feng sat dazedly in the chair. Li Mingyi¡¯s memory was very short; Jiang Feng had been inside for at most four hours, but it was unbearably oppressive. Even before Jiang Huiqin spoke, the air itself exuded despair. In such a suffocating space, under a desperate atmosphere, Jiang Huiqin could still joke and scold, truly earning Jiang Feng¡¯s genuine admiration. After sitting quietly for a while and calming his emotions, Jiang Feng opened the attribute panel. As expected, a new item had been added to the recipe list. [Clear Soup Willow Leaf Swan Dish (Imitation) E-grade][ImprovableJ: Creator: Jiang Huiqin Dish Details: A dish with poor ingredient pairing and seasoning, yet made precious by Jiang Huiqin¡¯s outstanding culinary skills and a special environment, became a ray of light in the darkest moment of Li Mingyi¡¯s life, sustaining his will to live on. No special bonuses. Can be made once a day. (0/1) Improvable? What does this mean? Does it let me freely enhance the dish during preparation to make it more delicious? Jiang Feng was somewhat unsure. The rating of this dish was about the same as Wang Shitou¡¯s pure meat wontons, but Wang Shitou¡¯s wontons tasted bad because of his own lack of skill, while Jiang Huiqin¡¯s clear soup willow leaf swan dish was limited by the ingredients and the environment, a fundamental difference between the two. If he were to improve it, the possibilities were extensive. If major changes were made, everything could be altered, potentially transforming it into the original version of the clear soup willow leaf swan dish. But Jiang Feng knew that wasn¡¯t what the game intended. How should he improve it? Ingredients? Seasoning? Or fire control? The game¡¯s stipulation that he could only make it once a day made Jiang Feng feel it would probably be New Year¡¯s Day by the time he succeeded in improving the dish. It could be this New Year¡¯s Day or the next. In the final memory, Li Mingyi said it was the tastiest clear soup willow leaf swan dish he had ever eaten¡ªa hint served on a platter. And talk about a sly game; the task details said it was the clear soup willow leaf swan dish by Taifeng Building¡¯s head chef Jiang Chengde that was unforgettable, yet the task required Li Mingyi to taste the dish from his memory. Without this memory, Jiang Feng would certainly have been misled into trying all means to recreate the original clear soup willow leaf swan dish. Following Jiang Huiqin¡¯s original method was impossible; not to mention anything else, Jiang Feng didn¡¯t have the skill to stuff food into a trash heap, hide it for days, and then cook with it. The old master¡¯s age was advanced, and his stomach couldn¡¯t handle it. Jiang Feng opened the video tutorial that followed and started to study how a credible improvement could be made.. Chapter 38 - Chapter 38: Chapter 38: Gathering for a Meal Chapter 38: Chapter 38: Gathering for a Meal Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio Jiang Feng spent the entire afternoon tinkering in the kitchen, watching Jiang Huiqin¡¯s cooking videos three or four times, upgrading the ingredients to better quality ones, enriching the seasonings, and following Jiang Huiqin¡¯s steps to make the clear broth lily leaf swallow vegetable dish. Looking at the F-grade improvement rating given by the game, Jiang Feng wore a complex expression as he stared at the dish in front of him. The presentation was very pretty, and he had added a few vegetable leaves to enrich the color. But the taste¡­ It lived up to the F-grade evaluation from the game. Mushroom soup, quail eggs, white fungus, and luncheon meat¡ªa truly deadly combination! That Jiang Huiqin could turn such a deadly combination into an E-grade dish was an indicator of her superior cooking skills. Jiang Feng quietly poured the failed dish into the swill bucket. He simply wasn¡¯t a chef with much of a natural talent. The game had rated his food testing skill as just basic. He¡¯d just grown fussy from being fed by Jiang Weiguo and Jiang Jiankang since childhood, enough to bluff his way through critiquing dishes when among those who didn¡¯t know better. As for those geniuses in novels who are born with extremely high taste sensitivity, who could tell if ingredients were fresh with a glance, distinguish all the ingredients and seasonings with a single taste, and deduce the cooking method after finishing a dish¡ªJiang Feng had never even heard of them. He didn¡¯t believe such people existed in the world. After all, being a chef was mostly about acquired skill¡ªthere were too few who were born to it. Unable to figure it out on his own, Jiang Feng sought advice from Jiang Jiankang. ¡°Mushroom soup, white fungus, quail eggs, luncheon meat?¡± With each ingredient mentioned, Jiang Jiankang¡¯s brow furrowed deeper. After a long while, he looked at Jiang Feng with a complex expression: ¡°Son, let¡¯s just cook honestly, no need to follow those so-called ¡®innovative dishes¡¯ you see online.¡± Clearly, the trauma from the pure meat dumplings from the day before was still fresh. Jiang Feng:¡­ Dad, that¡¯s something you should say to your auntie¡­ After much persuasion and persistence from Jiang Feng, Jiang Jiankang finally gave in, leaving behind a ¡°I¡¯ll look into it¡± before slipping away to chop vegetables in the back kitchen. Jiang Feng went back to his dorm to change clothes. He had a gathering to attend later. It was the Chess Club¡¯s first gathering of the semester, and also the most formal, largest and most expensive gathering in the four years of the club¡¯s history! Jiang Feng vaguely remembered last year¡¯s gathering where they combined the remaining funds, and Ji Yue even contributed her treasured butter hotpot base and pot hidden in her dorm, buying loads of noodles, vermicelli, rice cakes, vegetables, and enokitake as base ingredients and side dishes, with only one fish ball per person and nothing more. Eight people sneaked into a classroom to steal electricity, gathering furtively for an unconventional meal. This year was different; the Chess Club had more than thirty members and could afford to dine in a restaurant! This was an unprecedented breakthrough for the Chess Club, especially since Ji Yue had never enjoyed the privilege of dining at a restaurant during her three years as club president. For this, Ji Yue even took leave from work and paid out of her own pocket to join the meal. Poor Wang Hao, the only one left to help in the restaurant that day. The group of over thirty people almost filled an entire bus. The gathering was held at a barbecue hotpot buffet not far from the university, priced at 69 yuan per person, with a 15% discount for showing a student ID, making it quite affordable. Because there were so many people, Jiang Feng had reserved seats in advance¡ªtwo rows, four tables in one row and five in the other, all joined together to make it easy for everyone to chat while eating. Although the ingredients weren¡¯t very fresh, clearly made from patched-up and frozen meat, the variety was plentiful. If you couldn¡¯t grill, you could just dip in the broth, and thanks to the individual hot pots, there was a wide range of condiments¡ªsoy sauce, salt, vinegar, garlic paste, minced chili peppers, and various dipping sauces were all available. Jiang Feng was seated at the same table with Ji Yue, Liu Qian, Liu Zixuan, and the Chess Club¡¯s hopeful future talent, Wu Minqi, who was also Liu Qian¡¯s fellow townsman. Liu Qian carried two large plates of cooked food back to the table, sat down, set up her phone facing her, and began speaking into the camera: ¡°Hi everyone, I¡¯m Qianqian, and today is our club¡¯s gathering for a barbecue buffet. This¡­¡± ¡°Live streaming?¡± Jiang Feng had just brought back a plate of raw meat to grill when he saw Liu Qian speaking to her phone. ¡®Tve been doing it for a week or two. You didn¡¯t notice the phone I have with me every mealtime?¡± Ji Yue said nonchalantly, laying chicken wings on the grill paper. Jiang Feng:¡­ He thought Liu Qian was watching a TV drama. ¡°Brush some oil; how can you grill without oil,¡± Jiang Feng reminded. ¡°Their oil isn¡¯t tasty,¡± Ji Yue said as she picked up a plump piece of belly pork and placed it beside the chicken wings. ¡°The oil that comes out of grilled belly pork is delicious!¡± Jiang Feng:¡­ ¡°Their chicken wings are marinated and taste especially good. The lamb doesn¡¯t have much of a mutton taste, and the tenderloin is just average. Oh right, their finger rice cakes are also tasty¡ªthey¡¯re really chewy when you boil them in the hot pot. Hey Qianqian, why aren¡¯t you grilling anything?¡± Knowing the ingredients of the restaurant like the back of her hand, Ji Yue saw that Liu Qian was only eating marinated duck clavicle with dim sum on another plate and couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to grill. When I went to have all-you-can-eat grill before, it would either be undercooked or burnt. Even if I grilled it, it still wouldn¡¯t taste good. I¡¯ll just wait for the hot pot to be ready and eat boiled dishes,¡± Liu Qian said. ¡°Which platform are you live streaming on, Liu Qian? I¡¯ll follow you,¡± Jiang Feng felt that since one of his club members was live streaming, it was only right for him as the club president to offer a little help. ¡°Some live streaming platform, my stream is called ¡®UAL University Eat and Drink Daily¡¯.¡± Liu Qian was naturally happy to receive Jiang Feng¡¯s follow. Jiang Feng downloaded the live streaming app, entered Liu Qian¡¯s live stream room, and was greeted by her prominent nostrils. There were only 47 people watching, including Jiang Feng. Jiang Feng:¡­ With such a mystifying live stream angle, the remaining 46 were definitely true fans. The live stream room was quiet, with nobody talking. Liu Qian was very zen; after saying a couple of words at the start of the stream, she focused on eating, not caring about the live stream, occasionally speaking a few words with Ji Yue as if she had forgotten that she was live streaming. Jiang Feng hit the follow button and quietly exited the live stream room to focus on grilling. Ji Yue was an experienced grill master, specifically choosing marinated fish and meat, along with the sizzling fat from grilled belly pork¡ªit did indeed look very appetizing. Liu Qian watched the chicken wings eagerly; Ji Yue grilled four at a time, giving one to everyone. For someone who normally couldn¡¯t even cook vegetables, Ji Yue¡¯s chicken wings were a resounding success. ¡°Sister Ji Yue, you¡¯re amazing!¡± As someone who struggled with grilling, Liu Qian looked at her admiringly. Once the chicken wings and belly pork were out, the grill was empty again. Liu Zixuan placed his enoki mushrooms on the grill and boasted as he grilled them, ¡°Not to brag, but my enoki mushrooms are especially tasty, and they¡¯re not far off from Feng¡¯s cooking skills.¡± While saying this, he began sprinkling cumin and chili powder from a jar onto the enoki mushrooms. However, as the jar hadn¡¯t been cleaned out in a long time, the holes were all clogged, and after a long time trying, not a single granule made it out. Liu Zixuan became frantic, took the jar to the edge of the table, and gave it a hard tap before sprinkling it forcefully. A huge clump of bright red chili powder landed on the soft white enoki mushrooms. After a series of suffocating maneuvers, Liu Zixuan, unsurprisingly, crashed and burned. The enoki mushrooms were too spicy, too salty, and also burnt. He even charred the baking paper. Ji Yue brought back a half dish of finger rice cakes, planning to put them into the pot after the meatballs were cooked. ¡°Ah, I really want some spicy stir-fried rice cakes,¡± Liu Qian lamented as she looked at the finger rice cakes on the plate. ¡°The school¡¯s spicy rice cakes are so bad¡ªnot truly spicy or salty. And the president¡¯s restaurant doesn¡¯t sell them either.¡± Resentment was evident in her tone. Looking at the fresh sheet of baking paper, Jiang Feng had an idea. ¡°How about I make it for you?¡± With the seasoning ingredients available at this restaurant, making a spicy stir-fried rice cake should be well within his capabilities. Chapter 39 - Chapter 39: Chapter 39: Spicy Stir-Fried Rice Cake (Please Bookmark) Chapter 39: Chapter 39: Spicy Stir-Fried Rice Cake (Please Bookmark) Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio ¡°You¡¯re going to make spicy stir-fried rice cakes on this thing?¡± Ji Yue looked incredulous. It wasn¡¯t just Ji Yue, Liu Qian and Liu Zixuan also had expressions that screamed, ¡®Did I hear that wrong?¡¯. Even in Liu Qian¡¯s live stream, which was as still as dead water, a comment drifted by: ¡®I must have heard wrong, the person eating with the host said he could make spicy rice cakes on barbecue paper.¡¯ Unfortunately, Liu Qian wasn¡¯t looking at her phone, focusing instead with a stunned expression on Jiang Feng. Liu Zixuan looked at him admiringly, thinking to himself: ¡®Worthy of being the Chess Club President, he blows his own trumpet so confidently and distinctively.¡¯ ¡°Yes, yes!¡± Liu Qian nodded repeatedly. Jiang Feng went to the seasoning area to get condiments. In addition to the basic salt, vinegar, sugar, and soy sauce, there were also a variety of chili options in the seasoning area-chopped chili, Xiaomi peppers, garlic chili sauce, chili paste, and chili oil. Since he wasn¡¯t sure about the taste, Jiang Feng took a little of each, picking up a lot of seasonings back and forth, not even skipping seafood sauce and spareribs sauce. Since Ji Yue had already picked up some napa cabbage, there was no need for Jiang Feng to go get some more. There were no onions, but they could make do. First, he tossed the finger rice cakes into his own pot to boil. Ji Yue and the others had already put things in their pots, and Liu Zixuan¡¯s pot was spicy, while only Jiang Feng¡¯s pot was suited for boiling rice cakes, with just a few pieces of green onion and not much salt in a light broth. Then, Jiang Feng began tearing the napa cabbage into small pieces. That¡¯s when Liu Qian remembered that she was live streaming. Still, there were some active viewers in her live stream, intensely curious to hear that Jiang Feng said he would make spicy stir-fried rice cakes. Liu Qian, utterly neglecting her own live stream, hadn¡¯t glanced at her phone once, no¡¯ matter how much her audience spammed the comments asking to turn the camera towards Jiang Feng. Three or four active viewers created the chat activity of several dozen people. Liu Qian glanced at her phone unintentionally and was startled by the sheer number of comments floating across the screen. ¡°Host, could you show us that handsome guy cooking? What¡¯s the point of the camera on you?¡± ¡°Cooking, I want to see the cooking!¡± ¡°Please, host, look at the comments, I beg you!¡± ¡°Host, stop being so dazed, check the comments, I beg you!!!¡± ¡°Annoying host, unfollowing, unfollowing.¡± ¡°I want to see cooking, not your nostrils(> ¡¯¡õ¡¯)> ?-i______________ l- ¡°Ah, sorry, I didn¡¯t see it just now,¡± Liu Qian was also a bit shocked to find that there were actually live people in her stream, and hurriedly explained to everyone. W goodness, the host finally saw the comments.¡± ¡°Quick, film the cooking, I want to see the cooking.¡± Right, film the cooking, I want to see the spicy stir-fried rice cakes made on barbecue paper.¡± ¡°President, the viewers in my live stream say they want to watch you cook, may I film?¡± Liu Qian asked. Jiang Feng had doubted that the 46 people in Liu Qian¡¯s live stream were all system-generated zombie followers; he didn¡¯t expect that there would actually be viewers. Filming wasn¡¯t a big deal, and it¡¯s not like it was some secret family recipe. Jiang Feng nodded his head, ¡°Go ahead, just don¡¯t film my face.¡± The distance between Liu Qian and Jiang Feng was actually quite significant, so filming his face was rather difficult. Liu Qian switched from the front to the rear camera for her live stream, stood up holding her phone with both hands, and started filming Jiang Feng¡¯s hands, effectively going from a host to a camerawoman. Jiang Feng was tasting the seasonings. The chih sauce at this store was too salty, definitely not usable, but surprisingly, the seafood sauce was quite good-homemade, not something bought off the shelves. Using chopsticks, Jiang Feng tasted all the seasonings he¡¯d brought over and began mixing them. Liu Qian, mindful of Jiang Feng¡¯s request not to show his face, kept the phone¡¯s camera fixed on a few bowls of condiments. Viewers could only see Jiang Feng¡¯s hands appear and disappear. ¡°Is he tasting seasonings?¡± ¡°Looks quite professional.¡± Can the host¡¯s hand stop shaking? It¡¯s making me dizzy!¡± The live stream audience certainly became more engaged. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ll try not to shake. Our President is tasting the seasonings,¡± Liu Qian responded to the comments. ¡°Host, you should change the name of your live stream, no one¡¯s going to watch it with that title.¡± The live streaming room is now called ¡°Club Gathering Routine¡±. Liu Qian thought for a moment, then changed the name to ¡°Cooking Spicy Stir-fried Rice Cake in a Self-service BBQRestaurant¡±. Jiang Feng had already prepared the spicy sauce, and the rice cakes were fished out and ready, he began to stir-fry the cabbage. After brushing a layer of oil on the paper, Jiang Feng used chopsticks to push half of the spicy sauce onto the paper, poured the torn cabbage on top, and then ladled a spoonful of soup over it. With a ¡°whoosh¡±, a large amount of white smoke billowed up, quickly disappearing as Jiang Feng rapidly stirred the cabbage with his chopsticks to coat it in the spicy sauce. Everyone¡¯s attention was captivated by the white smoke. ¡°What¡¯s Feng doing?¡± asked a club member sitting quite far away, craning his neck to look towards Jiang Feng¡¯s table. ¡°Looks like he¡¯s stir-frying cabbage, Feng is so 6!¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t I think of that? Let¡¯s stir-fry cabbage ourselves, later.¡± Even the waiters came over to watch the commotion; having worked in a self-service BBQ restaurant, they had seen their fair share of flashy moves. Waiters who¡¯d been there for a long time were unfazed and after a couple of glances, told a newcomer, ¡°It¡¯s not caught fire, no need to worry.¡± It actually smells pretty good,¡± the new waiter said, taking a deep sniff. Because Liu Qian¡¯s live stream title was quite curious, some netizens clicked in, seeing Jiang Feng stir-frying cabbage on the grill paper, and several sent ¡°666- in the comments. There were those who had done this before who came to throw cold water on it. ¡°I did this the last time I ate at a self-service BBQ but it ended up burning and sticking to the paper, couldn¡¯t flip it with chopsticks, it was useless and didn¡¯t taste good.¡± But that comment was quickly proven wrong, as Jiang Feng not only was able to flip it, but did so with ease. Even through the smoky live broadcast screen, the cabbage wrapped in spicy sauce on the grill paper still looked mouthwatering. ¡°The cabbage looks so delicious.¡± ¡°Right, now I¡¯m craving spicy cabbage.¡± ¡°The streamer has some great culinary skills, so 6!¡± New viewers who just tuned in thought the cook, Jiang Feng, was the host of the stream. Liu Qian didn¡¯t usually respond to most of the comments. Questions like how he seasoned it, how it didn¡¯t stick to the paper-she couldn¡¯t answer, she didn¡¯t even know herself. But now someone had mistaken Jiang Feng for the host and she had to speak up to explain. ¡°The cook is the president of our club, today is our club¡¯s gathering.¡± ¡°Wow, the president is impressive, and there¡¯s even a male president in a cooking club,¡± a comment flew by. ¡°We are the Chess Club,¡± Liu Qian clarified. The cabbage on the grill paper was almost done. Jiang Feng poured the cooked rice cakes and the remaining half of the spicy sauce in, scooped a spoonful of vinegar, and finally sprinkled some sugar. Still using chopsticks to stir, when every strand of rice cake was covered in the bright red spicy sauce and the cabbage was fully cooked, Jiang Feng pushed them apart with chopsticks and prodded, ¡°Ready to eat.¡± The aroma alone was incredibly tempting. Even the experienced waiters who had walked away were lured back by the fragrance. Be careful, it¡¯s hot,¡± Jiang Feng cautioned. Liu Qian couldn¡¯t pay attention to the live stream anymore; she was the closest, and the longer she smelled it, the longer she endured. If her hands weren¡¯t holding her phone, she would have reached for the cabbage as soon as it was nearly done. She casually placed her phone on the table and grabbed a chopstick full of rice cakes eagerly. ¡°It¡¯s so delicious!¡± Liu Qian exclaimed while puffing to cool it down. Originally filled with a flood of ¡°666¡± comments, the live stream went dark when Liu Qian casually put down her phone. After a while, a comment drifted by leisurely. Streamer, now I have only one thing to say, mmp, unfollow!!¡± Chapter 40 - Chapter 40: Chapter 40 Challenges from Peers Chapter 40: Chapter 40 Challenges from Peers Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio Liu Qian had long been eating with such abandon that she completely forgot about the live stream. Strangely enough, instead of leaving, the audience in the live stream had not only stayed but were sending out even more barrage comments. The screen was so inundated with rolling comments that it gave the impression of a popular streamer¡¯s channel. ¡°Sexy streamer, infuriating viewers online.¡± ¡°Look at your phone, infuriating streamer, please I beg you, check your phone!¡± ¡°Infuriating streamer, followed, I¡¯ve followed.¡± ¡°What the hell is this, wasn¡¯t it spicy stir-fried rice cakes? Why is the screen black?¡± ¡°Lousy streamer, pah!¡± At that moment, there were about three thousand people in Liu Qian¡¯s live stream, and the number of viewers continued to climb. It wasn¡¯t clear exactly how many were real people, but judging by the quantity and density of the comments, there should be quite a few. Although the screen was black, the sound was there. The voices of the club members who came over to scrounge some rice cakes, the clinking of bowls and chopsticks, and the bustling footsteps all mixed together. But the clearest sound was the sizzling of the rice cakes on the grill paper. Who¡¯s to blame when Liu Qian placed her phone beside the grill? With a black screen and only audio, it left much to the imagination. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m getting hungry just from hearing the sounds ( ) As soon as this comment appeared, many who had stayed in the live stream to post ¡°infuriating streamer¡± also started saying they were hungry too, and ¡°I¡¯m starving to death¡± and ¡°infuriating streamer¡± almost dominated the chat. With thirty-something people each nibbling a bit of the rice cake and cabbage, the grill was nearly empty. Ji Yue was about to continue grilling chicken wings when she inadvertently saw Liu Qian¡¯s phone lit up with a black screen but a flurry of comments. She reminded her. ¡°Qianqian, didn¡¯t you forget to turn off your live stream?¡± Ji Yue said. Liu Qian, who was dipping a spring roll into the spicy sauce left on the grill paper, was reminded by Ji Yue and suddenly remembered that she had completely forgotten about the live stream. Liu Qian hurriedly put down her chopsticks, picked up her phone, and saw the screen filled with ¡°infuriating streamer¡± and ¡°I¡¯m starving to death. Turning the camera to the front-facing position and pointing it at herself, Liu Qian apologized to the audience with a look of regret, ¡°Sorry everyone, I only remembered to eat just now and didn¡¯t pay attention to the live stream. The spicy stir-fried rice cakes have been eaten already, I¡¯ll show you guys the grill!¡± The next second, an almost entirely empty grill appeared on the screen, with even the spicy sauce on the grill paper largely gone. ¡°Infuriating streamer.¡± ¡°Infuriating streamerf*^¡± ¡°Infuriating streamer, I strongly demand another serving! -mmp, seeing this empty grill has actually made me hungrier!¡± Liu Qian looked at Jiang Feng, who was preparing to make hot pot. He had added quite a bit of seasoning to the pot and then put in meatballs, staple foods, and vegetables one by one. Turning the camera towards herself, Liu Qian said, ¡°Our club president is also about to eat, and doesn¡¯t have time to make another serving. I just saw someone saying they got hungry. Everyone, go have your meal first, that¡¯s it for today¡¯s live stream, bye!¡± Liu Qian waved at the camera and turned off the live stream. Before the live stream truly went black, everyone heard Liu Qian¡¯s unfinished sentence¡ª ¡°Club president, the seasonings you added to the pot are¡­ The comments in the live stream paused briefly, then went wilder. ¡°Infuriating streamer, really infuriating me to death! Y ¡õ Y ¡ªJ L ¡°Sexy streamer, infuriating offline. ¡°Infuriating streamer, infuriating offline.¡± ¡°Three minutes, I want to know everything about this streamer.¡± ¡°Infuriated for two hours, for just five minutes of streaming.¡± After barraging the chat for a while to vent, the viewers reluctantly but faithfully hit the follow button and left the live stream. Liu Qian had no idea her infuriating behavior had increased her followers significantly. Her livestreaming was just for fun after seeing her dormmate do it and thought it was amusing. It couldn¡¯t even be considered a hobby; she was very nonchalant about the whole followers thing. After getting the seasoning mix from Jiang Feng, Liu Qian had been focusing solely on eating hotpot. Having seen Jiang Feng stir-fry rice cakes on a grilling paper, many others tried to imitate him, all failing without exception. Watching everyone change their grilling papers one by one, Jiang Feng smiled subtly, keeping his skills and reputation understated. ¡°President, are you going to participate in this year¡¯s Good Taste Cooking Competition?¡± After everyone was full and sitting around chatting, Wu Minqi, who had been quiet and didn¡¯t talk much, suddenly asked. ¡°Good Taste, is that the soy sauce brand?¡± Liu Zixuan interjected. Alan City had a fairly well-known brand of soy sauce called Good Taste, but its popularity was limited to areas around the city. Beyond the province, it didn¡¯t have much fame. ¡öYes, that¡¯s the one sponsoring the event. The winner gets a hundred thousand yuan prize, and the restaurant will be promoted on the cover of Taste magazine. The competition is limited to individuals only, and participants must be under 28 years old,¡± Wu Minqi said. ¡°I want to compete.¡± Taste, as a culinary magazine, also has a bit of fame in Huaguo. ¡°You can cook?¡± Liu Zixuan was surprised. What kind of godly club was this ¨C there were more members who could cook than play chess. ¡°Ah, Minqi¡¯s family runs a restaurant, a Michelin one-star, the Wu Family Restaurant; it¡¯s very famous in our area,¡± Liu Qian chimed in, lifting her head. Running a restaurant¡­ Michelin one-star¡­ Restaurant¡­ Jiang Feng felt like a golden, sparkling ¡®belle of wealth¡¯ had infiltrated the humble Chess Club. ¡°You want me to help you as your assistant?¡± Jiang Feng asked. Although the competition was open only to individuals, having an assistant to chop and prepare ingredients for the main chef should be fine. ¡°I was thinking you could also enter the competition,¡± said Wu Minqi with a smile. ¡°I tried the pastries you made at the club recruitment event, and since then I really wanted to challenge you.¡± No wonder Wu Minqi never used her club benefits to eat at the Healthy Stir-fry Restaurant after joining the Chess Club; her intentions weren¡¯t focused on the wine. ¡°Ding, an optional side quest has appeared, please choose at your discretion.¡± Games really love a big spectacle. ¡°Sure,¡± Jiang Feng agreed. The successful club dinner ended, and when everyone returned to school it was already past nine in the evening. Ji Yue had gone to help at the Healthy Stir-fry Restaurant, and after sending a WeChat message to Mrs. Wang Xiulian, Jiang Feng went straight back to the dormitory. As soon as he entered the dorm, he saw Wang Hao sprawled on the bed. ¡°Good business at the shop today?¡± Jiang Feng guessed. ¡°Burstingly good; I¡¯m dead tired,¡± Wang Hao said feebly. ¡¯I¡¯m about to pass out from delivering takeouts.¡± Jiang Feng chuckled; the smell of pork elbows hadn¡¯t even faded from him. It looked like he had managed to recuperate from the toil of delivery during dinner. Stepping into the bathroom, he opened the attribute panel. [Fellow Challenger]: Wu Minqi, as the heir to the Wu Family Restaurant, has shown exceptional culinary talent from a young age and is peerless among her contemporaries, known as the most promising of the Wu Family¡¯s younger generation. A piece of mung bean cake at the UAL club recruitment event captured her interest. As the most promising of the Jiang Family¡¯s younger generation, face Wu Minqi¡¯s challenge and defeat her in the Good Taste Cooking Competition.[Choose: Yes/No] Jiang Feng:¡­ Truth be told, Jiang Jianguo made all the mung bean cakes that day. He clicked yes. [Fellow Challenger]: Wu Minqi, as the heir to the Wu Family Restaurant, has shown exceptional culinary talent from a young age and is peerless among her contemporaries, known as the most promising of the Wu Family¡¯s younger generation. A piece of mung bean cake at the UAL club recruitment event captured her interest. As the most promising of the Jiang Family¡¯s younger generation, face Wu Minqi¡¯s challenge and defeat her in the Good Taste Cooking Competition. Quest progress (0/1) Quest Tip: The difference in skills between the player and Wu Minqi is considerable; please upgrade your abilities as soon as possible. Quest Reward: A kitchen knife. It¡¯s so realistic. Jiang Feng was speechless and choked up.. Chapter 41 - Chapter 41: Chapter 41 Annoying Anchor (Please Favorite) Chapter 41: Chapter 41 Annoying Anchor (Please Favorite) Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio The next morning, Jiang Feng went to help open up the Healthy Stir-fry Restaurant. Last night, he had searched online for the Good Taste Cooking Competition. The first competition was held in March of this year, a small and unremarkable event with the first prize being 10,000 yuan, the second prize 6,000 yuan, and the third prize 3,000 yuan. The participants were all cooking enthusiasts or young chefs from small diners, and the event didn¡¯t attract much attention, which explains why Jiang Feng knew nothing about it. Perhaps because the first competition went well, Good Taste¡¯s second competition was much more ambitious. Not only were the prizes significantly richer, but they also advertised heavily on the Good Taste official website. When Jiang Feng searched, he found many news reports promoting the event. Compared with the last edition, the competition process this time seemed much more formal. Registration began in January, followed by preliminary selections to determine the top 32,16, 8, and then 4 finalists, culminating in the battle for the championship. This time, the promotion wasn¡¯t limited to the area around Alan City, Good Taste was aiming high and had set up 6 regional selection events across the country, while also having full coverage through television and online streaming. Seeing this, the 100,000 yuan prize for the champion seemed almost trivial. If the competition truly became popular, it would be an excellent opportunity for talented young chefs to make a name for themselves. No wonder Wu Minqi was eager to sign up. The competition was set for March of next year as well, with more than four months to go. The gap between Jiang Feng and Wu Minqi couldn¡¯t be bridged in just four short months. Jiang Feng absentmindedly chopped vegetables. ¡°By the way, Feng, I¡¯ve been thinking about the question you asked me yesterday. The mushroom flavor in the mushroom soup of your dish is too overpowering; it needs to be changed. How about replacing it with white radish soup?¡± likewise chopping vegetables, Jiang Jiankang suddenly remembered and suggested. ¡°White radish soup?¡± White radish soup did sound more compatible with the other ingredients, but this would change the basic components of the dish. However, Jiang Jiankang¡¯s suggestion gave Jiang Feng an idea. Indeed, white radish was a wonderful ingredient, available all year round, moisturizing for the lungs and phlegm-dispelling, slightly spicy and sweet when raw, and could clear heat and cut greasiness when cooked in soup. Most importantly, it absorbed flavors well and was tolerant, capable of melding with other ingredients that had distinct and unique tastes. Making a pot of white radish and mushroom soup as an accompaniment seemed like a good choice. Throughout the morning service, Jiang Feng was still contemplating what other ingredients to add to the soup. Liu Qian, with her backpack, sat as usual in her regular seat by the window, ordered a dish of plum vegetable chicken feet, a portion of hand-torn cabbage, and a cup of hot milk tea. As the weather had gotten colder, the Healthy Stir-fry Restaurant switched from selling cold drinks like plum juice and mung bean soup to warm beverages like soy milk and milk tea. However, the sales of milk tea weren¡¯t very good, as not everyone took to the taste of sugar-free, manually brewed milk tea, especially given that its price was several times that of other milk tea shops. Once the dishes were served, Liu Qian began her livestream as usual, but she was startled by the sudden surge in her number of followers. From a single digit to breaking through the thousand mark. Could it be, am I about to become famous? Liu Qian thought to herself. With her livestream titled ¡°Daily Lunch,¡± Liu Qian waved to her audience of 6 viewers and said, ¡°Hi everyone, I¡¯m Qianqian. Today, as usual, I¡¯m having lunch at the shop owned by our club president. I¡¯ve ordered plum vegetable chicken feet, hand-torn cabbage, and hot milk tea, and now I¡¯m going to start eating!¡± After speaking, she focused on eating without saying another word. The angle of the camera remained the same suffocating nostril-focused one. ¡°Annoying host, hand over the recipe for yesterday¡¯s seasoning!¡± ¡°Right, annoying livestream, give us the recipe for the seasoning already!¡± ¡°Annoying host, online to annoy.¡± ¡°Annoying host is a big spender, huh, having such a lavish daily lunch.¡± Netizens continued to join in, all of whom had watched the stream the day before and had hit the follow button, clamoring for Liu Qian to reveal the recipe for the hot pot seasoning she used the previous day. There were also some newcomers who were curious why everyone was calling her the annoying host and, without leaving the stream, casually asked, ¡°Why do you guys call her annoying host?¡± Yan Xiaoyu, who was one of the most active at typing ¡°annoying host,¡± immediately responded, ¡°Because she¡¯s really annoying!¡± Soon, Liu Qian proved through her actions what it meant to be the annoying host. She didn¡¯t look at her phone at all when she was eating, or rather, she didn¡¯t even think to check it. A few weeks ago, her livestream was usually dead silent, with viewership hovering around thirty or forty people. No one spoke, and she wasn¡¯t in the habit of interacting with the audience. Over time, she barely glanced at her phone. The chicken feet from Jiang Jiankang¡¯s Healthy Stir-fry Restaurant were so tender and flavorful that they fell off the bone with a slight suck. Liu Qian was a regular customer and a member of Jiang Feng¡¯s society, so thanks to her recognizable face, she always got a larger serving than others. As Liu Qian was gleefully spitting out bones, she lifted her head and glanced at her phone by chance, only to discover to her surprise that there were actually quite a few comments streaming in. ¡°Annoying livestream, why do you all call me the annoying host?¡± Liu Qian asked with her mouth full. ¡°Because you¡¯re very annoying.¡± Dozens of comments floated up in unison. Seeing that Liu Qian finally paid attention to the livestream, the viewers who were asking for the seasoning mix hurriedly took the opportunity to press her to reveal the recipe. ¡°No, no, your comments are too dense, I can¡¯t really see clearly. Can you slow down a bit?¡± In order to eat comfortably, Liu Qian had placed her phone quite far away. It was the first time the audience had seen a host who complained about their comments being too frequent, leaving the viewers a bit stunned for a moment. Still, Yan Xiaoyu quickly sent a comment, taking advantage of her quick typing skills. ¡°Why don¡¯t you use two phones, one for the livestream and another to read the comments?¡± ¡°That won¡¯t work, I don¡¯t have two phones.¡± Liu Qian wasn¡¯t a professional host, so why would she buy another phone just for livestreaming? Everyone began to flood the chat with requests for the seasoning recipe again. Just then, the kitchen had a lull, and Jiang Feng came out to find a chair to take a break. ¡°President,¡± Liu Qian called him out urgently, ¡°my viewers want to know the seasoning mix you added to the hotpot yesterday.¡± Jiang Feng walked over, curiously glanced at Liu Qian¡¯s phone, and without intending to, half of his face got into frame. He quickly turned his head away and said, ¡°Salt, sesame oil, chopped green onion, soy sauce, and crushed chili pepper. However, it¡¯s hard for most people to get the proportions right¡ªI suggest you just add a bit of salt to enhance the flavor.¡± ¡°Got it! z)_¡± ¡°Looks so professionalz(