Chapter 269: Local Specialties Are Great, But Don't Bring Them Next Time
Strictly speaking, this was the second time Qi Han had proactively improved a dish provided by the system.
The first time was when he had just opened the restaurant and suggested offering Egg Fried Rice in both large and small portions.
Of course, although that technically counted as an improvement, it didn't involve any real technical skill—it was merely a suggestion, quite different from this time.
After a brief silence, Ru Yi spoke, "You can make improvements, but this time, the improvement targets a 2 Star dish and involves the introduction of new ingredients, so there are certain requirements."
"What kind of requirements?"
"You must provide a feasible plan, not just a simple suggestion. All specific details regarding the noodle mixing process need to be presented in an executable proposal."
Qi Han began to understand, "So, you mean I need to personally create a suitable mixed noodle dish to complete the improvement?"
"Exactly."
"If I succeed in improving the dish, is there a reward?" Qi Han's eyes lit up, and an expectant expression appeared on his face.
The last time, he received a 1 Star Recipe Fragment just for suggesting a simple change to Egg Fried Rice.
Would there be a reward this time too?
"Yes. Successfully improving a 2 Star dish will earn you four 2 Star Recipe Fragments."
Four 2 Star recipe fragments…
That meant he could directly unlock a 2 Star recipe!
"Then I'll give it a try!"
In an instant, Qi Han was interested.
This was his first serious attempt to improve a system recipe, and he found it quite exciting.
Moreover, the reward was enticing enough to make it worth his while.
As for what type of noodles to use, Qi Han pondered briefly and quickly came up with a general idea.
If he had never made noodle dishes before, he would have no clue where to start.
But since he already had experience with dragon whisker noodles, things were different.
What are the key characteristics of mixed noodles?
In general, mixed noodles should be springy and chewy. If the noodles are too soft and mushy, it's better to serve them as soup noodles instead.
Springy noodles, once cooked and drained, can be mixed directly with the sauce from the steamed fish head and diced peppers. After a quick stir, they're ready to be eaten—quick and convenient.
With the diced peppers lightly coating the springy noodles and the fresh, spicy sauce accompanying each bite, the delightful texture…
Just imagining it made Qi Han's mouth water uncontrollably.
When it comes to chewy texture, hand-pulled noodles are the best. Compared to noodles made using other methods, hand-pulled noodles are much more springy, making them ideal for mixed noodles.
Since dragon whisker noodles were made using hand-pulled techniques, Qi Han didn't need to learn from scratch.
Of course, the noodles for this mixed dish didn't need to be as thin as dragon whisker noodles—just pulling them to the thickness of regular fine noodles would be sufficient.
As for cooking the noodles to the right doneness, with Qi Han's mastery of heat control, it wasn't a problem at all.
Having made up his mind, Qi Han's confidence grew. He stood up, walked toward the kitchen, rolled up the sleeves of his chef's robe, and prepared to get to work.
Time to knead some dough!
…
"Phew! Finally back."
Holding the reins of a sturdy, blood-red unicorn, Tai Lei exhaled deeply as he arrived at the gates of the Tang Sect Shrek City branch.
"No kidding. This past week of… family visits was truly unforgettable." Beside Tai Lei, Zhao Yunsheng stroked his chin, recalling something pleasant, and a satisfied smile spread across his face.
For the past week, the two of them had stayed in Star Luo City. The delicacy known as hot pot had been both exquisite and enchanting, with various broths, ingredients, and dipping sauces keeping them hooked.
Thus, what was originally planned to be a one-day trip to Star Luo City ended up being delayed repeatedly. It wasn't until they had tried nearly every type of hot pot the city had to offer that they reluctantly decided to return after a full week.
"Since we're just in time for dinner, let's stable our mounts and head to Boss Qi restaurant to try those new dishes?" Tai Lei suggested. Although Star Luo City's hot pot had been incredibly delicious—especially the marbled beef, his favorite—the allure of Small Shop's Qing Dynasty Blessed Pork Meat still lingered in his mind.
"Makes sense, let's go!" Zhao Yunsheng nodded eagerly. He was also looking forward to savoring the delicacy of the Boiled Cabbage in Clear Broth.
The two of them stepped through the gates of the Tang Sect's Shrek City branch, only to have their expressions change drastically the next moment.
They saw Tang Qianqiu leisurely seated right in front of the entrance, like an old gatekeeper enjoying his tea. Behind him stood Yu Hua and Niu Yue, their expressions somewhat peculiar as they gazed at Tai Lei and Zhao Yunsheng with a hint of pity in their eyes.
Tang Qianqiu sipped his tea and gave the two hall masters a long, meaningful look.
"Well, well? You two seem quite busy. All done with your errands and finally remembered that you're hall masters of the Tang Sect Shrek City branch, huh?"
"This…" Tai Lei's face turned red, and just as he was about to explain, Zhao Yunsheng jumped in first.
"Sect Master, I was planning to return a few days ago, but I thought of bringing back some local specialties from Star Luo City for you, so I stayed a bit longer." As he spoke, Zhao Yunsheng calmly pulled out a pack of Star Luo Tea from his pocket without the slightest hint of guilt.
His nonchalant demeanor made it seem as though that was exactly what had happened.
"Damn it!"
Tai Lei's eyes widened in disbelief. He couldn't have imagined that Zhao Yunsheng had prepared such an excuse in advance.
You scheming old sparrow!
Why didn't you give me a heads-up when you prepared this?!
Ignoring the resentful glare from Tai Lei, Zhao Yunsheng maintained his calm expression and earnestly placed the pack of Star Luo Tea on the table in front of Tang Qianqiu.
"Nice specialty. Next time, don't bother."
Tang Qianqiu gave Zhao Yunsheng a half-smiling glance before shifting his attention to Tai Lei.
At the same time, Yu Hua, Niu Yue, and even Zhao Yunsheng, who had just breathed a sigh of relief, all turned their eyes toward Tai Lei.
Tai Lei: "…"
Why are you all looking at me?
With everyone's intense gaze fixed on him, Tai Lei reluctantly reached into his pocket.
Slowly, under the watchful eyes of the four people present, he pulled out…
A single chest hair.
The scene froze for a moment. Tang Qianqiu's eyes narrowed slightly, faintly exuding a sense of menace.
"Ahem." Feeling the dangerous aura in Tang Qianqiu's gaze, Tai Lei shuddered. "Sect Master, about this… It's mainly because my distant cousin was… uh, too enthusiastic. He wouldn't let me leave!"
"Yes, that's exactly what happened!" Tai Lei nodded vigorously, silently praising himself for coming up with such a clever excuse on the spot.
"Do you think you're being funny?" Tang Qianqiu sighed softly.
This fool.
In fact, the week-long absence of these two hadn't caused any significant issues. However, as hall masters, sneaking off for a week without permission was still considered dereliction of duty, and they needed to be taught a lesson.
Zhao Yunsheng's pack of Star Luo Tea wasn't cheap, so Tang Qianqiu decided to let him off with that as a fine. Coincidentally, his stock of Star Luo Tea had been severely depleted after being swindled by Qi Poxiao, so this would replenish it nicely.
But Tai Lei…
Tang Qianqiu's gaze turned more serious as he looked at Tai Lei.
After a brief silence, Tai Lei finally gave up resisting. With a bitter expression, he clasped his hands over his head.
"Alright, I was wrong, Sect Master. Go ahead and beat me, but… can you not hit my face?"
"I'm afraid that's not possible." Tang Qianqiu cracked his knuckles before leaping forward and delivering a thorough beating.
"Ah—Sect Master, go easy on me—Ow!"
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