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Chapter 396: An Interesting Mission
Translator: Xiong_Guoqi Editor: DesTheSloth
[Chef's test] The mission requires the host to cook a dish with only flavorings.
(Mission tips: The flavorings can be selected without formality. You can use various flavorings. Just develop your imagination, young man.)
[Mission reward] The ingredients can be selected and the price can be set as you like.
(Reward tips: Seldom is it open to choose. Host, please use your imagination well.)
"This mission looks so interesting." Yuan Zhou hung up the wet towel and then said with interest.
The system displayed, "The mission of the Chef's Test will be released at random. There is no time limit to complete that."
"Does this reward mean that as long as I succeed, you will provide ingredients for the dish like others?" Yuan Zhou asked carefully.
The system displayed, "Yes."
"Then what about the profit sharing?" The most concerned point was usually asked the last. Yuan Zhou said that quite indifferently.
The system displayed, "Same as other dishes."
"..." Yuan Zhou had hopefully thought the system wouldn't charge him any fees, like what it did for the Honey Tremella.
It was known to all that when he served this dish, Yuan Zhou had to spend much time on getting the number 1. After all, the pair of brother-sister siblings liked this dish very much.
"How long is the random occurrence?" Yuan Zhou found the test wasn't really difficult and was more like a funny game to improve his culinary skills.
The system displayed, "Uncertain."
"Sometimes, I feel that the introductions aren't from you, but a different person. They have a totally different tone." Yuan Zhou couldn't help ridiculing again.
The system displayed, "This system is always tolerant of unwise people."
"Thank you." Yuan Zhou answered habitually.
Only then did he see the system's answer clearly.
"Damn it. Are you saying that I'm stupid?" Yuan Zhou asked incredulously with his eyes widely open.
Then the system fell silent again.
"What a shame! It seems that I have been despised." Yuan Zhou looked at the word and thought.
"Forget it. I'm a magnanimous man. Better for me to think of the dishes now." Yuan Zhou suddenly thought of the Vegetable Stir-fried With Mushroom cooked that day and felt it was necessary to make another new dish to compensate the customers.
Yuan Zhou didn't intend to cook this dish anymore, unless he became the Master Chef one day.
When one did something earnestly, time always passed quickly. In a twinkling of an eye, the pub time at night arrived.
It was rare for Yuan Zhou to be in the pub today.
"Boss Yuan, it's the very first time that I saw you in the pub ever since I came here to drink." A man with a bowl cut said happily, revealing his white teeth.
"Um. Hello." Yuan Zhou greeted him as usual.
"Hey-hey. My name is Meng Meimei and I know you are Yuan Zhou. So we are acquainted now." Meng Meimei scratched his smooth bowl cut and said as if he had been very familiar with Yuan Zhou.
Su Mu laughed ironically at the side, "This guy is going to cheat others again."
"Elder bro, why?" Su Yuesheng asked with curiosity at the side.
"Now you see he's so easy-going. But after you drink several times with him, you'll know this person is way too stingy." Su Mu pointed at Meng Meimei immodestly and said.
"His name sounds good though." Su Yuesheng muttered.
"You won't say so if you know the two characters in his name." Su Mu shrugged.
"Which two characters?" Su Yuesheng opened her eyes wide curiously.
"Two characters of Dai(meaning air-headed) form the compound character of Mei." Su Mu said smilingly.
"Haw-haw. They turn out to be these two characters. So interesting." Looking at Meng Meimei now, Su Yuesheng remembered his name and felt it a little funny.
"Don't listen to your brother bullshit. I'm not stingy, but thrifty." Meng Meimei turned his head and explained to Su Yuesheng with a smile.
"Oh." Su Yuesheng covered her mouth and snickered. Meanwhile, she didn't forget to nod her head.
Yuan Zhou didn't really know how to deal with such kind of people, thus he just kept silent.
"Boss Yuan, you definitely agree with me since you aren't speaking. I know you don't talk much." Meng Meimei said considerately.
"Um." Yuan Zhou answered simply with a vague meaning.
"Boss Yuan, since we are so familiar with each other now, can you tell me when you are going to serve a new liquor, hard liquor. That would be so enjoyable." Meng Meimei walked close to Yuan Zhou smilingly.
"When the time is appropriate." Yuan Zhou answered like that as always.
Chen Wei had asked the same question for more than once, therefore Yuan Zhou answered very fluently and deftly.
"Boss Yuan, do you drink liquor?" Hearing the answer as such, Meng Meimei didn't feel discouraged but instead, started to ask something else.
"Sometimes." Yuan Zhou answered solemnly with his face tightly taut.
At that time, Yuan Zhou didn't actually know what expression he should reveal. After all, he really didn't know this person and thus could only reveal his conventional solemn face.
"Pa", Meng Meimei clapped his hands and said immediately, "In that case, Boss Yuan is supposed to understand the pleasure of a gulp of hard liquor followed by a mouthful of spicy beef. That is really something amazing."
"Chilli?" Yuan Zhou was suddenly inspired as if he had thought of something.
However, Meng Meimei was still saying something without stopping.
"Wait, wait. I suddenly think of a new dish and need to do some research." After Yuan Zhou said that, he immediately turned around and went downstairs without hesitation.
"Ah, has he thought of the new dish so quickly?" Meng Meimei first got dumbfounded and then said that while reaching out his hand toward Yuan Zhou.
"Haw-haw-haw-haw. See? You were rejected. I have already expected that you wouldn't get any answers by asking in that way." Su Mu burst into laughter.
"At least it is better than you." Meng Meimei put his arms down and humphed.
"Let's stop arguing. I'd rather drink my liquor. You are allowed to drink half a cup of liquor today." Su Mu said to his serious sister Su Yuesheng beside him.
"Ok, ok, ok. I got it." An obvious impatience appeared in Su Yuesheng's peach blossom eyes which resembled Su Mu's.
"Obey me and I will bring you here again in future." Su Mu stroked her soft hair on top of Su Yuesheng.
"Elder bro, why isn't that Ling Hong here?" Su Yuesheng asked curiously.
That's right. Of the three dining tables, one was occupied by Su Yuesheng and her brother, the second Meng Meimei and his friends and the last one two rugged men, who sat straight and appeared quite majestic.
Contrarily, Ling Hong, Wu Hai and Chen Wei weren't there.
"That guy is probably having fun with pretty girls." Su Mu said with an evil smile.
"Brother Ling Hong went to flirt with girls again." Su Yuesheng said unhappily while pouting her mouth.
"Haw-haw. Not this time. He is actually having a blind date." Su Mu couldn't help laughing when he said that.
Although a familiar person was gone, the atmosphere of the pub was still boisterous and leisurely.
Nevertheless, Yuan Zhou was thinking of what Meng Meimei had said just now and hence obtained some inspiration for the test.
"For the dish of that test, is there any time restrictions on the sales?" Yuan Zhou inquired about that before he asked for the ingredients.
The system displayed, "Host, you can arrange it by yourself."
"That's good. Then, please provide the ingredients." Yuan Zhou revealed a faint smile and prepared to try the new dish that night.
While Yuan Zhou was developing his new dish, Ling Hong was also mentioning Yuan Zhou's restaurant at his end. However, it was done in a rather subtle manner.
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Chapter 397: Oil Fried Chili
Translator: Xiong_Guoqi Editor: DesTheSloth
Complete darkness had already fallen in Chengdu at 8:30 p.m. The sky was strewed with stars and it was a little cold on the streets outside. Passers-by were all wearing a coat and scarf. In this high-end restaurant, however, it was as warm as spring.
Almost all ladies wore a one-piece dress and revealed their white arms while men wore a thin shirt with two buttons undone to reveal their uninhibited temperament.
Not everyone in the restaurant was handsome and beautiful, but they all looked decent. The most beautiful lady was the one seated at the second table along the window.
The lady was wearing a bright pink mid-sleeve one-piece dress today with a small part of her white arms revealed. Without anything on the well-balanced legs, her skin seemed to be even paler with a tinge of red in contrast to the hemlines of the bright pink dress
"Mr. Ling, what are your hobbies?" As soon as the lady spoke, she stared at Ling Hong with her watery eyes.
That's right. It was Ling Hong that was seated across the table and facing this beautiful lady.
Just as said by Su Mu, Ling Hong was here for a blind date today. And he was forced to come here.
It was arranged by his mother personally. If he didn't come, he would have to face his mother's nagging later.
Therefore, Ling Hong still came obediently in the end after weighing the gains and losses.
"My hobbies cover many fields. I like all kinds of extreme sports. Of course, I also like delicious food." Ling Hong undid a button, which made him appear more relaxed.
"You enjoy delicious foods. Then where do you usually go for meals and what delicious foods do you usually eat?" The lady asked without beating around the bush.
Actually, the lady was also reluctant to come. What a joke! Ling Hong was well-known for enjoying women and furthermore, he was a famous playboy. She was asking that now merely for being polite.
Five minutes ago, she went out and answered a phone call with the excuse of going to the bathroom.
The conversation was like this.
"Little Ding, what are the results of the investigation?" The voice of the lady sounded more relaxed, but still seemed gentle and melodious.
"Without a doubt, he likes luxury cars. Besides that, he just separated with his former girlfriend, or that may not even be considered to be his girlfriend… three days ago." It was difficult to tell whether it was a male or female from the voice on the other side of the phone.
"So he's another playboy." The lady concluded quickly.
"Yes. You had better be careful." The person instructed.
"Don't worry. I won't be taken in." The lady said in an affirmative tone.
"That's good." After that, the person hung off the phone.
"It's again a playboy." The lady sighed and then went back to her seat. Then, this conversation occurred.
Having thought carefully for a while, Ling Hong said, "I ate steam buns this morning and Egg Fried Rice and Phoenix-Tail Prawns for lunch. Then here I am for dinner."
"These dishes are not complicated at all. Mr. Ling seems to be very busy." The lady stroked her hair smilingly.
"Not too much. There is only a little bit of work in my company today." Ling Hong said courteously.
"Then what do you usually eat at normal times, Mr. Ling?" The lady continued asking.
"More or less the same to today. But I really like eating beef." Ling Hong shrugged. He didn't really care about the question.
"Mr. Ling, do you like the Kobe beef, Matsusaka beef or Ohmi beef?" All those that the lady reported were top-notch types of beef.
"None. I prefer to eat the Translucent Beef Slices." Ling Hong shook his head. Thinking of the Translucent Beef Slices served in Yuan Zhou's restaurant, he felt like drooling.
"Do you eat these dishes every day, Mr. Ling?" The lady was a little surprised, but she didn't say much. She just couldn't help ridiculing inwardly.
The Translucent Beef Slices was merely a cold dish. How expensive would it be? And the quality of the beef used was also needless to say.
"This playboy seems to be so pitiful. He surprisingly eats such ordinary dishes. There isn't anything wrong with Little Ding's information, is there?" The lady thought inwardly, without turning a hair.
"The dishes are extremely great. Sometimes, I can't even eat them when I'm busy." Ling Hong knitted his brows and then said, "Just being able to eat a bowl of Clear Broth Noodle Soup would be quite satisfying already."
After a slight pause, Ling Hong added, "With a Tea Egg and occasionally, a cup of watermelon juice."
After all, the watermelon juice and Tea Eggs were all provided with limited quantities in Yuan Zhou's restaurant. Rich people weren't necessarily able to eat either of them.
The lady stared at Ling Hong for quite a while. When she found Ling Hong didn't appear to be lying, she couldn't help but say, "Mr. Ling, you are really living an austere life."
To speak bluntly, she always ate French dishes when she was out on tour. Never had she expected Ling Hong to eat so simply even if he was wealthier than her. To make matters worse, he had even felt it satisfying to eat a Tea Egg with watermelon juice. It was known to all that women were ashamed of eating Tea Eggs.
"I haven't seen such a man like you who holds back himself despite wealthy conditions."
The lady had used the word "hold back" to describe Ling Hong rather than thrifty. There was even a faint admiration in her tone. After all, she wouldn't have the courage to do the same.
"Well, it's alright." Ling Hong first felt puzzled and then he reacted.
He was looked down upon by others. However, Ling Hong didn't intend to explain it. Instead, he left the mistake uncorrected and made the best of it by speaking of the Clear Broth Noodle Soup along with the garlic that he ate usually, mentioning that the garlic can never be abandoned uneaten.
That made the lady mutter inwardly, "This guy isn't going to go bankrupt, is he?"
That's right. The lady was really suspicious about that in the end.
However, Ling Hong just tried to hold back his laugh and only burst into laughter after the lady left," Haw-haw-haw. For the very first time, I am remarked by others as thrifty and diligent. It's really unprecedented. Interesting. I'm also a thrifty man now."
On the next evening...
Ling Hong came to Yuan Zhou's restaurant in the evening while drinking Su Mu's liquor.
"Boss Yuan, did you know I was about to tell a story and hence came out to hear it?" Ling Hong ridiculed Yuan Zhou with a smile.
"No." Yuan Zhou shook his head.
"Really? Then what for?" Ling Hong asked curiously.
"A new side dish will be served today. I'm here to see if anybody want it," Yuan Zhou said primly.
"Good. For such a big event, you don't even tell me even though I have stayed here for a whole day. Disciple Yuan, you really don't take me serious." Wu Hai pointed at Yuan Zhou and said in an exaggerated manner.
"Then, Disciple Wu, you haven't called me teacher yet." Yuan Zhou said back without any hesitation. Only after that did he suddenly react.
"No, you are not my disciple." There was conspicuous contempt on Yuan Zhou's face.
"What do you mean? Do you feel wronged by taking this famous young artist as your disciple?" Wu Hai yelled in exasperation.
"You are right." Yuan Zhou nodded his head immodestly.
"I almost lost control of my hot temper." Wu Hai stepped up immediately and wanted to beat him.
"Don't hit the face and hands." Ling Hong added in time.
"Why don't you do it after the new dishes are carried to us?" Fang Heng stopped Wu Hai and suggested.
"You are unable to beat me. I have abdominal muscles." Yuan Zhou said again without turning a hair.
"Ho Ho." Wu Hai looked at the not-so-strong body of Yuan Zhou with pride.
"The new dish is Oil Fried Chili." Yuan Zhou turned his head and started to speak of the proper subject.
"Sounds nice. What is it?" Su Mu stroked the corner of his eye.
"You don't even know that? It's definitely chili. Get a serving for us, please." When Wu Hai heard it was chili, he felt his former anger vanish.
"Also, one serving for us." Fang Heng didn't want to stay behind.
"One for us, too." A customer at the last table also uttered.
"Ok. One moment, please." Yuan Zhou nodded his head.
"Shen Min, go to carry three servings of Oil Fried Chili." Yuan Zhou pointed at the countertop and said that.
"Ok, boss." Shen Min nodded her head and walked into the countertop quickly.
As expected, the plates were stacked neatly inside.
"Pa". Shen Min put the plates in the tray carefully and then carried them out.
"The plates are really beautiful." Jiang Changxi said with satisfaction while looking at the plates.
"Indeed." Su Mu also nodded his head.
The plates used by Yuan Zhou were certainly good-looking.
As a whole, the small plate was green with its edges corrugated. The green was darkest at the rim of the plate and turned lighter from outside in. In the middle of the plate were the bright red chilies, which appeared harmonious and beautiful.
"Old rules. Payment first." Yuan Zhou said lightly.
"I know. You are really a Compass." Fang Heng couldn't help laughing. Then he took out his phone and started to make the bank transfer.
"Thank you." Having received all the money, Yuan Zhou nodded his head and thanked him.
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Chapter 398: Spiciness and Fragrance
Translator: Xiong_Guoqi Editor: DesTheSloth
"You are welcome. Just pass me the dishes." Fang Heng pointed at Shen Min's tray with a smile.
"Shen Min, serve the dishes now." Yuan Zhou turned his head and said to Shen Min.
"Ok, boss." Shen Min nodded her head tamely.
"Ta Ta Ta", Shen Min walked to the tables with light steps and started to place the new dish, Oil Fried Chili, on each table in turns.
"This shape is fairly unconventional." Fang Heng rotated the plate in his hand and said earnestly.
"What? Are you going to use it as a reference again when making yours?" Ling Hong turned his head and said ironically to Fang Heng.
"No, it won't happen. I'm just learning." Fang Heng didn't feel embarrassed at all, but instead said respectfully.
"You'd better concentrate on your wine diligently, especially when Boss Yuan hasn't started serving any hard liquor." Ling Hong's words didn't sound good, but were actually reasonable.
Fang Heng had improved the wine in his own pub since he lost his heart to the liquor here.
It was unrealistic to improve the taste of a wine in a short time. However, Fang Heng was a smart person. He learned to be as earnest as Yuan Zhou and also to replace the workers with pretty girls. Furthermore, they were not allowed to apply any scents and the wine could only be handled by one person.
According to Ling Hong, Fang Heng also studied the plate presentation from Yuan Zhou and paid more attention to cold dishes.
However, the taste was still not so good as that of Yuan Zhou's liquor. The only benefit was that the dishes looked more pleasing. And the improvement made by Fang Heng also obtained many compliments from his regular customers.
What Ling Hong said was naturally understood by Fang Heng. His Fang Family Pub mainly sold wine and the cold dishes were just a side business. Of course, he understood that and didn't really mind Ling Hong's sharp tongue. After all, where there is pressure, there is an improvement.
"Yes, of course." Fang Heng answered smilingly.
"Um. Good that you know it." Ling Hong postured while saying that.
"Why are you so shameless?" Wu Hai took a look of contempt at Ling Hong.
"An artist like you definitely doesn't know how a company business runs." Ling Hong said back directly.
"I don't need to know that." Wu Hai said lightly.
While the several people were talking heatedly, Jiang Changxi nevertheless started to eat the new dish together with Su Mu at the other side. Of course, the Drunkard's Peanut could never be abandoned.
"It's really like the lotus flower upon looking closely." Jiang Changxi took out her phone and straightforwardly took a picture of the new dish.
"It's indeed like that. This is the lotus leaf and the red chili is the lotus petals." Su Mu reached out his white and slender fingers and pointed at the dish while saying that.
"That's right. Now, this sister is going to eat it." Jiang Changxi picked up the chopsticks and started to eat.
"It's very spicy. Be careful." Su Mu said with a caring tone.
"Never mind." Jiang Changxi was fully confident.
"Ka Ca Ka Ca". Once the Oil Fried Chilli entered her mouth, the flour that wrapped the chili instantly became soft, which revealed the brown and crisp chili inside. Jiang Changxi directly bit it without hesitation.
Following the light sound of "Ka Ca", the chili was bitten into two parts. The fragrance of the crushed peanuts, wild pepper and the fried oil rushed straight into her mouth first followed by the strong and pungent spiciness.
"Hiss. How spicy this is!" Jiang Changxi said gently.
However, her mouth didn't stop. She was still eating ceaselessly.
"The more I chew, the more fragrant it becomes." Jiang Chang chewed up every chili and ate it up carefully.
"How is it? Is it spicy?" Su Mu wasn't actually in a hurry. He just asked Jiang Changxi while looking at her.
"Pretty good. Although it tastes spicy, it's actually not only spicy but also fragrant. While the wild pepper stimulates the tongue, it also numbs it, which makes the feeling less noticeable. Most importantly, it's so fragrant." Jiang Changxi couldn't wait to pick another one and throw it into her mouth after she said that.
"You are so happy even while eating spicy dishes? Be careful not to get pimples." Su Mu dealt her a blow.
"Then you don't eat it anymore. Look at your smooth face. You still have to make a living with your beautiful face." Jiang Changxi said wittily instantly.
"No. I can take spicy foods very much. Even if there is a pimple, it won't affect my beauty, let alone that I still have my talents." Su Mu raised his eyebrows and then said deservedly.
Only when he found almost everybody had eaten the Oil Fried Chilli did Yuan Zhou say something.
"Whoever wants to drink hard liquor can drink some now." Yuan Zhou signaled to the customers the liquor on the table.
"Oh? Does it have this function?" Ling Hong got a shine in his eyes and savored it first.
"Hiss." In fear of the taste not being strong enough, he drank half a cup of the liquor extravagantly with one single gulp.
Instantly, his face went red and he knitted his brows.
"Don't open your mouth. Swallow it up." Yuan Zhou immediately uttered.
"Gu Dong", Ling Hong followed his instructions and really swallowed that up like that.
Quite a while later, Ling Hong breathed out.
"Hooo. This is so cool! The spiciness reaches my throat, then lungs and last, my heart." Ling Hong said that and afterwards looked at Yuan Zhou in surprise.
"Spiciness?" Su Mu looked at the liquor as clear and transparent as the pear juice and felt a little puzzled on thinking of its sweet taste.
"You'll know the taste by trying." Ling Hong took a deep breath two times continuously and then said to Su Mu.
"Interesting. Does it suddenly become a hard liquor?" Fang Heng carried up the wine cup with great interest.
"Anyone who can drink hard liquor can have a try." There wasn't any specific expression on Yuan Zhou's face, even if he was so proud that he was wagging his tail like Broth in his heart.
"I'm going to have a try now." Fang Heng prepared to try the liquor.
"Eat some Oil Fried Chilli before drinking." Yuan Zhou said quite considerately.
"How much should I eat?" Fang Heng asked curiously.
It was known that the Drunkard's Peanut provided in Yuan Zhou's restaurant also had the spicy and fragrant taste. When it went with the liquor, however, it didn't have that effect. Therefore, Fang heng asked curiously.
"At least three pieces." Yuan Zhou said affirmatively.
The event here even attracted Shen Min who was doing her homework earnestly over there.
"Then let me eat three first and then increase the number gradually." Fang Heng felt quite lucky that he was alone this time and didn't need to share it with others.
"Ka Cha Ka Cha", three Oil Fried Chilies were swallowed up by Fang Heng in several gulps.
Although there was the spiciness of the chili left in the mouth, the fragrance also lingered around. Fang Heng drank a small gulp of the liquor cautiously.
The originally soft and smooth liquor seemed to have undergone some unnoticeable changes instantly upon entering his mouth.
Immediately, a blast of spiciness rushed straight into his nose. Luckily, it was within the tolerance of an old drunkard like Fang Heng. However, he still couldn't help but intend to open his mouth to let go of the spicy flavor.
"Shut your mouth. Don't open it." Yuan Zhou's voice sounded suddenly.
Fang Heng shut his mouth subconsciously and straightforwardly gulped down the liquor.
He acted as if he had swallowed up a gulp of steaming-hot broth with an overwhelming spiciness that burned straight into his heart. Just when Fang Heng thought that he could no longer endure that, the spiciness suddenly became lighter and instantly, the mellowness and sweetness of the liquor burst out.
It was like a good rain after a long drought in the dry desert, which made all pores on the body open.
"Awesome!" Fang Heng shouted.
"The liquor is so impressive. It's like a kind of very strong hard liquor in the martial art fictions at the start but, meanwhile, still tastes mild and smooth like Boss Yuan's bamboo liquor in the end. Awesome! Impressive!" Despite his usually gentle temperament, Fang Heng suddenly became bold and unconstrained.
"Please take your time and enjoy." Yuan Zhou carried a slight smile at the corner of his mouth.
Other drinkers that listened to them at the side couldn't hold back, either. They started to eat the Oil Fried Chili along with a gulp of liquor occasionally one after another.
Then, the fragrance of the liquor dispersed and the atmosphere became higher. A nice dish that goes with wine is also extremely important to a liquor.