Gourmet: The Master Chef Just Wants to Leisurely Set Up a Stall - Chapter 3

Seeing the child starting to fuss, Zhao Xiaojing calmly cut the lattice-patterned sausage into several sections with scissors and tossed them in the sauce bowl, mixing everything thoroughly.

The sausage pieces clinked against the stainless steel bowl, producing a crisp sound, each piece soaked in the rich red-brown sauce.

She picked up a piece and took a bite, savoring the oiliness. Mmm~~

“Ah!!” The child’s hand was finally pried away by the uncle, and the child sat on the ground, crying sharply and flailing arms and legs.

“You think you can act out? Believe it or not, I’ll spank you!”

“Wahhh… I want it, I just want it! Ahh…” The child began to cry loudly.

A soft ding sounded.

[Limited-time task completed. Please open the page to claim your reward.]

Zhao Xiaojing sighed in relief, quickly opened the door, and handed over the bowl with the lattice sausage.

“Don’t cry, kids. There are several pieces left in this bowl. I’ve cut them with scissors, untouched. Please have some.”

At these words, the child at the door quickly received the bowl, and the one on the ground stood up immediately.

“This… it’s really embarrassing to accept your food for free…” The uncle stammered. “Aoao, Duoduo, both of you, thank Auntie!”

“Thank you, big sis!”

“Thank you, big sis!”

Noticing the kids were quicker to call her sister than he was to speak, the uncle felt another wave of awkwardness. Unsure what to say, the two children had already devoured the food like a storm, and Zhao Xiaojing retrieved the bowl.

“You’re welcome, no problem.” She quickly shut the door, simultaneously letting out a long sigh along with the uncle outside.

The world of social anxiety is truly tough.

Opening the system backpack, Zhao Xiaojing eagerly checked her rewards.

[Congratulations! You have received 20 system coins, 50 cash, and 100 experience points. Experience can be used to upgrade system items.]

[Based on system evaluation, current chef level: 10 (low-level, ordinary rookie, maximum level is 100), this upgrade grants 100 system coins and 200 cash.]

“System, how did my chef level increase just by completing a task?”

[The system rates based on strict criteria. Due to your mastery of knife skills, you’ve upgraded from level 8 to 10.]

Zhao Xiaojing felt a burst of euphoria.

A ding sounded. She checked her phone and saw a notification of 250 yuan credited to her account.

Though the amount seemed insignificant, it was real money. Zhao Xiaojing held her phone, repeatedly checking the credit message.

It’s not much, but for someone who dropped out of high school to care for her mother, it’s an easy earning compared to her past struggles.

During her mother’s three-year illness, their already impoverished family became destitute. Zhao Xiaojing began living under the pressures of relatives. Her father died early; as a lonely mother and daughter, they didn’t have many relatives. When her mother fell ill, most relatives started avoiding her even more.

Although she feared Dong Mei, Zhao Xiaojing had complex feelings towards her. When her mother got sick, Dong Mei was the only one to lend 80,000 yuan without hesitation.

Even though Dong Mei had forced Zhao Xiaojing into marriage in her previous life, and again when she divorced with a child to marry a second husband, Dong Mei’s generation likely believed that marriage was a woman’s only future. Even if things weren’t good for herself, her mindset never changed.

Having dealt with Dong Mei all her previous life, Zhao Xiaojing knew it was nearly impossible to change her. So from the moment she was reborn, she aimed to earn money and free herself from the pressure of owing Dong Mei a huge sum, leading to a series of compromises.

At this point in her previous life, she’d just lost her job after a dishonest boss ran off with months of unpaid wages. Zhao Xiaojing had barely two or three hundred yuan left.

With rent due and no new job in sight, coupled with Dong Mei’s frequent visits to preach, she dared not ask for money and ended up compromising by getting married.

Zhao Xiaojing sniffled hard, holding back tears threatening to fall.

No more thinking about it. Dwelling on the past brings no benefits.

Thankfully, hope was now in sight. On her first day back, she’d already earned 250 yuan, surpassing months of work under her exploitative former boss.

“System, what does this body strengthener do?” Zhao Xiaojing continued browsing the system and asked about the body strengthener in her backpack.

[This is a comprehensive potion that permanently enhances physical fitness by 10%. It’s quite useful.]

“Then I’ll use it now.”

[Using Body Strengthener (10% Boost Type)…]

[Enhancement successful]

Although she didn’t feel any different, Zhao Xiaojing tried lifting the pan and bed and found it much easier than before. Clearly, her strength had increased significantly.

She continued exploring the system.

Currently, the system page had three modules: Skills, Shop, and Virtual Space.

Opening the Skills module revealed a pyramid structure. The bottom level of Master Knife Skills was lit up, while others remained blank.

In the Shop, two modules were lit: Lottery and Recipe. Below were grayed-out modules indicating insufficient permissions.

The lottery cost 500 system coins per try. Seeing her balance of 620 system coins, Zhao Xiaojing decisively exited.

In the Recipe module, there was a secret fried skewers recipe priced at 600 system coins. Torn for a while, she finally succumbed after the system informed her it was a top-tier recipe and a unique formula in this world.

Buy!

[Congratulations! You’ve acquired the Secret Fried Skewers Recipe, plus 500 experience points. The recipe is being transferred…]

Her mind filled with knowledge of various fried skewers—oil temperatures, frying times, techniques, marinating methods for meat skewers, battering techniques for vegetable skewers, and the essence of fried skewers—the secret sauce preparation…

Wow! There’s so much to consider when frying skewers; each variety has its own dipping sauce.

After learning it all, Zhao Xiaojing felt ashamed of her earlier sausage frying. Thankfully, the Master Knife Skills helped her achieve delicate cuts and perfectly crispy sausages; otherwise, today’s task wouldn’t have been so smoothly completed.

[Ding! A limited-time task has been triggered.]

[Limited-time task: Master secret fried skewers and sell 3,500 skewers. This task refreshes in 7 days; failure is an option. Do you wish to accept?]

[Yes/No]

As soon as the task appeared, Zhao Xiaojing reflexively chose “Yes,” fearing the system’s countdown for task abandonment.

“But what does ‘master’ mean? Haven’t I already learned it? Didn’t it get transmitted to me like Master Knife Skills?”

[Master Knife Skills came with the novice gift pack; it’s the only thing you don’t need to learn yourself. For fried skewers, you received the recipe but need to practice it.]

Practice? Zhao Xiaojing choked.

Where to practice? How to practice? Doesn’t practice require buying materials? Doesn’t buying materials need money? Does she have it?