CHAPTER 715: CHAPTER 714: THE ECHOING SOUND

Derived a complete "culinary essence"?

Staring at the small print, Xia Yu was stunned for quite some time.

"Progress over fifty percent means... a quasi-gold frame?" he inhaled sharply.

He had never imagined that between purple and gold was a half-step level.

Such a "Heart of Cooking" had truly transformed!

A gleam of eagerness to try shone in Xia Yu’s eyes, "Derived? Hmm, this word merits further investigation. It’s not about creating out of nothing, but deriving based on the culinary essence inherent in a gold recipe—that explanation makes the most sense!"

"System, is that the case?"

"Please attempt it yourself."

The system was as cold as ever.

"Attempt?"

His glance shifted to the distinguished guests on the first floor who had not yet left, Xia Yu smiled faintly, "What perfect subjects for practice!"

Taking a couple of steps, he then stopped.

"Right!"

"Do I need to unlock that ’Food Tyrant’s Stomach’ feature immediately?"

"It is recommended that the host unlock this feature when alone and with ample ingredients available."

"Alright..."

Happily accepting the system’s advice, Xia Yu temporarily set the matter aside.

Back to the kitchen.

Still wearing an apron, he hadn’t touched anything outside the kitchen, so there was no need to wash up, but the pots needed cleaning. Xia Yu took it upon himself to wash them and soon had two pots set up on the stove.

Seeing this, the kitchen assistants gathered around.

"Instructor, we’ve finished all the orders!" Hozoi Midori reminded.

"I know that!"

Xia Yu responded, glancing sideways at the Yuchuan Sisters, "Good, you two bring a slab of tofu over, just my regular homemade soft tofu. There’s no need for the ’Shuangjiang Tofu’."

The sisters left with confusion in their eyes.

"Hey!"

A file bag was flung onto the counter; Lei Zhe, who had not followed the crowd out, said expressionless, "You’re free now, right? This is my payment for the meal. Please make me another of the tofu dishes from before, no, at least three, and then this is yours."

He pointed to the file bag.

All three giants of the gourmet council were present.

"Please make one for me too!" Catherine and Andrea came forward.

More people crowded around.

Dojima Yin, Shinohara Shigetaro, Aoki Motota, Liangzi Lina, and Tiqie Xianzuowen.

Graduates also gathered from upstairs and downstairs nearby, each casting a resentful glance at the young chef.

"Chef Xia, we’ve been working hard all night, surely we deserve a little reward, right?"

Qian Rixiangzi raised her hand to speak.

This so-called small reward was probably also the graduates’ sentiment.

Still remaining haughty, Shigong Xiaoci Lang glanced at his wristwatch, adjusted his glasses and said, "We should go back to rest. We’ll have to deal with more customers tomorrow."

After speaking, he looked at the cooking station, his eyes clearly suggesting something.

"A small reward?"

Xia Yu was in a good mood and snapped his fingers, "Then please wait a moment!"

He planned to remake "Xia’s Tofu Trio," or rather, to attempt to push this golden recipe to over 90% completion and turn it into a glowing supreme dish!

Only if it truly glowed would the ’Tofu Trio’ be a real triumphant performance!

For this, Xia Yu needed to bestow a complete "culinary essence" to the dish.

Culinary essence was an indispensable element for any golden dish.

The Yuchuan Sisters promptly brought the tofu back, but after counting the number of people, Xia Yu had them bring even more tofu ingredients.

The preparation work continued for a full quarter hour.

During this time, steaming yams was the most time-consuming; considering the system had not released any missions to improve the golden recipes, and since Xia Yu felt his own culinary skills were not yet perfected, he wouldn’t rashly try to incorporate fantasy ingredients into the golden recipe, thus the materials seemed ordinary and plain.

"Yam puree!"

He poured the drained tofu mash into a large bowl, a bowl full of it, and Xia Yu then took the yam puree passed to him by the female assistant. The yam puree mixed with the tofu mash resulted in the special material needed for ’dried tofu.’

Next, it was time for frying!

As Xia Yu turned his back and began to shape the mixture into slabs before throwing them into the frying pan, a row of frying pans simultaneously emitted a fragrant scent, leaving the midnight crowd watching the live cooking display bewildered yet again.

A few minutes later.

Thump, thump, thump!

A meter in diameter, the dough was flung and twisted on the countertop by a pair of clean hands, resembling a sandbag. These hands would at times clench into fists to pound the dough, creating sounds that were intensely rhythmic.

After a while, two large Chinese iron woks were placed on the stove, the roaring flames reaching out as if trying to escape the building.

This time, Xia Yu was getting serious—not only had she switched to the more traditional charcoal stove, but she was also using bellows kitchenware.

In fact, the cooking process seemed uneventful, yet it was brimming with various culinary techniques.

Xia Yu was doing it with dedication and seriousness, and the onlookers stood by holding their breaths.

Around half an hour later.

"Ah!"

Upon witnessing Xia Yu plating the tofu and stir-fried noodles together, Qian Rixiangzi came dashing over with shining eyes, eagerly gazing at the three plates of fresh, steaming dishes on the counter, unable to stop salivating.

"It seems different from before."

Meanwhile, the lead female, Jiang Liangzi Lina, was mumbling to herself as she scrutinized the dishes.

Despite their appearance remaining unchanged, she felt something extraordinary.

She couldn’t help but take a step forward, and at that moment, a burst of intense light inexplicably radiated, forcing Jiang Liangzi Lina to barely maintain her composure. She had seen this kind of culinary light so many times that the novelty had worn off.

Liangzi Lina was more concerned about the taste that followed the spreading light. She realized something.

"The ingredients haven’t changed, the sauce’s core is the same, with the sweet scent of osmanthus, hibiscus petals add a smooth texture, and the plum candy is key to creating the sweet and sour taste..."

Suddenly, her pupils dilated.

Her vision blurred.

In the haze, someone seemed to be calling her.

When she opened her eyes, she was in a kitchen—a humble kitchen like those found in ordinary homes, cramped in space with the woodshed door half open, a figure inside chopping wood, the sound carrying out:

"...What would you like for dinner tonight?"

That voice was gentle, reminiscent of her mother’s playful inquiry before cooking. Her heart quivered, and as if possessed, she replied, "Tofu!"

"Tofu? No problem."

A woman emerged, picturesque in her features and with a gentle smile on her face.

She began to cook, and soon brought out three plates of food.

One plate of tofu, one of stir-fried noodles, and one of dried tofu.

Without even tasting them, just the smell wafting from the three plates made her feel as though waves of warmth were rising from her feet, wrapping around her legs and climbing up to her waist. When the final wave hit, she was completely enveloped in warmth.

Jiang Liangzi Lina was overcome.

"What would you like for dinner tonight?"

"What should we have for dinner?"

A gentle voice echoed in her mind.

Snap!

Out of nowhere, something inside her heart seemed to hatch and come to life.

"There’s something in here that I’ve been tirelessly pursuing!"

When Jiang Liangzi Lina came to her senses, her eyes were misty with emotion as she fixed her gaze on the simple dishes in front of her, revealing a tender hue that could melt one’s heart and soul. "Is this... the taste of mother?"

"It’s more vivid, more real... It’s as if it has a voice, as if it has come to life!" Liangzi Lina’s face was streaked with tears.

"Wow, is this our little reward?"

Qian Rixiangzi wiped away her tears, her voice tinged with surprise and delight.

"Why do I suddenly feel like going home?" Mizuhara Fuyumi, with her stoic face, turned away.

Shigong Xiaoci Lang was also startled by the fleeting images in the light, but what sent shivers down his spine was the memory of the dinner question, filled with his mother’s scent, "What shall we have for dinner tonight?"

He silently pushed up his glasses, hiding the tears that sparkled beneath.

Xia Yu brought over bowls and chopsticks, setting them beside the plates, and said with a smile, "Help yourselves—"

One plate was a special reward for the temporary graduate workers.

The second plate was reserved for Dojima Yin, the IGO trio, and Tiqie Xianzuowen.

As for the third plate...

Turning her head, she noticed the anticipation on the faces of the Yuchuan Sisters and Hozoi Midori, and personally set bowls for them, "You’ve worked hard tonight, keep it up for the next two days!"

The female assistants’ faces instantly lit up with joy.

"What about us?"

Andrea glared at him, dissatisfied.

Lei Zhe and Catherine also stared at him, displeased.

"Sorry, this dish was specially made for my friends and family. Of course, if Misses Catherine and Andrea would like to try, it’s not impossible. I can give up my portion for you, but there’s only enough for one bowl each..."

"One bowl it is then!"

The female tycoons answered in unison.