Chapter 11

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation

Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

Xia Yu returned to the back kitchen with a wooden basin after he had finished the routine cleaning every morning. But he suddenly stopped at the back door of the kitchen. His nose kept twitching, and he sniffed the smell that came from the kitchen.

His stomach rumbled.

Anyway, the breakfast on the first day of the spring break had not yet arrived.

Xia Yu put the wooden basin down and drilled into the back kitchen. As expected, the old man was cooking two bowls of breakfast, and it seemed that he had proceeded to the last few steps.

A sweet smell emerged from the pot. The old man picked up the pot, poured the cooked brown sugar water into two large bowls, then sprinkled fried peanuts and grated walnut kernels into the bowl, and finally put in a little green onion.

Xia Yu could not help swallowing his saliva. Xia Yu stared at the two bowls on the kitchen counter and murmured, “I’m sorry. I will be part of the sweet party today.”

What the old man made was tofu flower. 

It is a common snack in mainland China. Since Xia Yu came to this parallel world, this was the first time in Tokyo seeing his familiar hometown cuisine. Somehow, his nose was sour, and he just wanted to eat it.

After washing hands, Xia Yu came over. “A bowl for me?”

The old man nodded. 

Xia Yu took the bowl and found a place to sit down in the store. He scooped a spoonful of tofu out of the bowl with a white porcelain spoon.

He opened his eyes slightly.

This bowl of tofu flower was different from the snacks he had in mind. The main difference was that the tofu flower was too crystal clear and seemed to be like jelly. It still shook when it was scooped up.

“Tofu flower can achieve this level… Artwork?” Xia Yu opened his mouth.

It was beyond his common sense.

Have you seen white jade-like tofu flower? Xia Yu might not have believed it before seeing this. He sniffed carefully, breathing in the smell of soy milk, and there was no doubt in his heart.

“Just eat it first.”

After making a bowl of ramen last night, the old man had obviously changed his attitude. Just like this breakfast, it looked like the old man showed off his expertise.

Suddenly, Xia Yu felt a little nervous, as if his cattle chewing would destroy this art-delicacy. Xia Yu took a deep breath, stabilized his slightly trembling hands, and moved the spoon closer to his mouth. 

As soon as the tofu flower came into his mouth, the fragrance spread at the tip of his tongue. The taste of scallion, fried peanuts and walnut kernels did not destroy this bean fragrance at all, but further enhanced the taste. Moreover, the tofu flower was like condensed milk. It melted soon. Xia Yu just chewed a few bites, and then it turned into fluid food.

It felt like eating soy milk and was full of its scent. At the moment, Xia Yu’s brain was full of golden soybeans, and the whole portrait was lying on the ocean of harvesting soybeans, wandering and relaxing.

Unconsciously, a bowl of tofu flower was wiped out.

Clang…

There was a pleasant collision between the spoon and the bottom of the bowl. Xia Yu glanced at the empty bowl and shrugged his shoulders. “That’s it?”

Xia Yu picked up the empty bowl and returned to the kitchen after thinking of the taste of tofu flower.

“What kind of tofu flower is this?” he asked the old man.

“A very ordinary vegetarian tofu flower…” The old man put the clean empty bowl into the bowl without looking back. “The tofu flower is the main ingredient; other ingredients are not important.”

Xia Yu immediately understood the meaning of what the old man said.

Did he suggest that the tofu flower was unusual?

Tofu brain and tofu flower were the intermediate products of making tofu. There was no need to say that when the old man was making tofu, the remaining soy milk was made into tofu flower.

Essentially, there was no difference in the composition of tofu and tofu flower. The quality of tofu flower also represented the quality of tofu.

With no more questions, Xia Yu waited patiently for the formation of tofu.

An hour later.

In the kitchen, the cloth on the wooden tray was uncovered, and a large plate of fresh tofu appeared in Xia Yu’s eyes.

His pupils shrank slightly.

By looking at the white and delicate colour of tofu, Xia Yu hesitated for a moment, and tried to gently poke the surface of tofu. The strength of the rebound made him surprised.

At this time, a strange message popped up in front of him:

“[Water Tofu] with excellent quality. It is the main material for a variety of dishes. The system recommends that the host uses this high-quality ingredient to cook ‘Magic Mapo Tofu’. The probability of the appearance of glowing dishes increases…”

Identification of ingredients?

Xia Yu was stunned. Did the Chef God System have this function?

He patted his head and asked, “System, how many levels do I have now?”

“LV.3.”

“Yesterday you completed the initial mission, increased your level by one, and gained 1 idle talent point,” the system replied diligently.

“Oh. With my current cooking level, in what ways can talent points be used?”

“The skill of cutting and heat control. These are two basic talents. Of course, the host can also assign 2 talent points to the option of ‘dishes identification’ to strengthen the system’s identification function,” the system said, “Notice that the current host’s culinary level is low. You cannot unlock the advanced talent until you reach LV.10.”

Xia Yu thought about it for a while, and then decided: “Then one point for knife skills and one point for heat control.”

“The request has been accepted.”

In an instant, there were some changes in his body. Xia Yu loosened his shoulders but could not find the root of change. 

Looking at the chopping board kitchen knife, Xia Yu reached out and took the kitchen knife. He stared at the bright silver blade that reflected his face. There was an unspeakable surprise in his eyes.

Among several basic qualities of culinary, his knife skill was the best. After all these years, he handled various ingredients for the old man every night, and the knife skill had already been practiced.

However, the feeling of holding a knife this time was obviously different.

How to describe it… It was just like a swordsman who had practiced the sword for many years. He suddenly realized that he had a telepathy with the perennial sabre. He and the knife became one.

This statement was a bit exaggerated, but Xia Yu could not find other words to describe it.

Gazing slightly, he glanced at the freshly baked white jade water tofu in the wooden tray next to him. The knife flashed. Xia Yu took a piece of wet water tofu and placed it on the chopping board. Every time, he cut through to the end. There was a collision of the knife and chopping board each time. The action of the cutting was smooth and natural, and there was the kind of temperament of an old chef.

Soon, the chopping board was covered with tofu pieces, just like pieces of paper. The size and thickness of each piece made it difficult for human eyes to see the slight difference.

“Huh…”

Xia Yu breathed lightly. There was excitement in his eyes, and there was also a trace of horror of as he suddenly raised the knife skill.

Only 1 talent point was assigned here, but the improvement of knife skills was so obvious. If he had full talent points in knife, wouldn’t he reach the level of the chef god in knife skills?

Suddenly Xia Yu realized there was someone else in the kitchen.

Xia Yu put down the kitchen knife and glanced over. Sure enough, he saw the old man looking at the tofu slices on the chopping board, a little stunned.

The old man must have seen the process of cutting tofu.

“Your knife skill…”

The old man wanted to ask, but he shook his head again and left the kitchen.