"Are all the chili peppers cut?"
An hour later, Mao Jinyu's figure appeared at the kitchen door. Looking at the chili peppers piled on the plate, he naturally reached out and grabbed some, a satisfied expression on his face.
"Half left."
Hoshino Sora answered truthfully. He couldn't quite meet the requirement of precision down to milligrams.
"The quality is good, it would be even better if the efficiency increased a bit."
Looking at the chili peppers on the plate, Mao Jinyu commented. It had to be said that Hoshino Sora was very capable; the quality indeed met his requirements, even better than he expected, but the speed was simply too slow.
From Xiang Ling, Mao Jinyu learned when Hoshino Sora had arrived at the restaurant. Logically, this amount of chili peppers should have been processed in ten minutes!
"I'll show you a demonstration. Your task today is to process this amount of chili peppers within ten minutes. There are also a dozen more baskets of chili peppers in the backyard, don't think it's over once these are done."
Looking at Hoshino Sora's cautious knife work, Mao Jinyu's brows furrowed slightly. He reached out, snatched the knife from his hand, and began to operate on the cutting board with wide, sweeping motions.
But, to Hoshino Sora's surprise.
Although the knife work was so rough, it could cut out such delicate and exquisite pieces. Hoshino Sora's eyes showed surprise as he looked at the chili pieces that were almost identical in size.
What he had painstakingly cut out was like a joke in Mao Jinyu's hands. With a few lifts and drops of the knife, the task was done, completing in less than a minute what would take him ten minutes.
The quality was not inferior in the slightest, and was even improved.
"A knife doesn't necessarily have to be used cautiously. You clearly have such excellent knife skills, yet you use them very carefully. What are you afraid of? Are you worried about making mistakes? That's not right!"
Indeed, Hoshino Sora was afraid of failure. Being able to do something doesn't necessarily mean being able to do it well. Even though he now possessed Master-level knife skills, his understanding of the knife was still not deep.
His knife skills were given by the system, as if an otherworldly master had passed on his life's work to him. His strength had increased, but his foundation was not solid.
"Let me try again."
Hearing Mao Jinyu's words, Hoshino Sora bit his lower lip slightly, feeling a bit frustrated, but still took the knife and tried again.
This time, he was rough yet meticulous. Although the final product was far from perfectly polished, his speed had clearly improved, indicating overall progress.
"Keep practicing. For a Chinese restaurant, the time from ordering to serving the first dish cannot exceed fifteen minutes. Making customers wait too long will lead to a loss of patronage. Pay attention to managing your time.
Your foundation is very good. There isn't much I can teach you, but these things are enough to elevate your dishes to the next level and fetch better prices."
Looking at Hoshino Sora, who appeared deep in thought, Mao Jinyu continued, "Anyone can cook a dish if they have a recipe, and it's hard to make it taste bad if the ingredients are good.
However, to elevate cooking to a certain level, the difficulty is undoubtedly immense. This requires years, even decades, of accumulation. To take a shortcut, one must apprentice under a Master Chef."
This is what is meant by 'coming from a renowned school'.
Experienced people can even judge the optimal size to cut chicken based on its age to achieve the best taste. Similarly, all meats can be judged this way.
Frying, deep-frying, stewing, boiling, roasting—each cooking method requires different temperatures, meat piece sizes, and various factors. Only by mastering all these things can one become a Master Chef.
Otherwise, you'll always be just a kitchen helper.
"Not enough, continue!"
Grabbing a handful of chopped chilies, Mao Jinyu's words were stern.
Time passed quickly, and soon it was noon. One or two customers gradually arrived at the shop, and Xiang Ling also set up a wok next to Hoshino Sora and started cooking.
"You two work together. Hoshino Sora will prepare the ingredients, and Xiang Ling will cook. Observe carefully; what you learn yourself sticks better than what others teach you."
"Okay."
"Then, please guide me~"
"I'll do my best."
Nodding, Hoshino Sora began preparing the ingredients according to the order, while Xiang Ling, laughing, spoke to him from the side.
She always had this energetic demeanor.
Once all the ingredients were ready, Hoshino Sora focused his attention on Xiang Ling, or more precisely, on her wok.
He watched her skillfully operate, and once she truly entered the zone, the atmosphere around her changed from relaxed to intense.
First, the marinated and battered Spicy Chicken was put into the hot oil, fried until cooked, then removed, and fried again a second time.
After that, it was taken out and set aside. A small amount of oil was left in the wok, and Sichuan peppercorns and chilies were added in succession.
Stir-frying, as the chilies released their aroma, the Spicy Chicken danced and tumbled happily in the wok. Soon, a numbing, spicy, crispy, and aromatic Spicy Chicken, complete in color, aroma, and taste, was served.
The color was bright, the aroma was rich, the chicken exterior was crispy and fragrant, while the inside was tender and soft. The key was that the numbing sensation was simply amazing! The dried chilies provided the fragrance. Hoshino Sora secretly tasted a piece of Spicy Chicken, and his face showed surprise.
Looking at the chilies again, there wasn't a single hint of burning.
The control of the heat was superb!
"Starting tomorrow, you'll learn butchery. Your chicken butchering is clearly substandard for making Spicy Chicken.
Every dish in Sichuan Cuisine has its own cutting method. It can be modified according to personal taste, but the basic principles must remain. For example, this piece of meat needs to have some of the texture of thigh meat, otherwise it will be too dry and tough."
Mao Jinyu also tasted a piece, frowning as he gave his evaluation. Looking closely at the Spicy Chicken on the plate, although it was neatly cut and looked appealing in color, aroma, and taste,
However, for Spicy Chicken, it lacked quite a bit in terms of heat control.
It could only be called 'Chili Stir-fried Chicken'.
"Just watch."
As he spoke, Mao Jinyu picked up a cleaned chicken from the prepared ingredients area. The next moment, extremely skilled and sharp knife work began to move across the chicken's body.
In less than a minute, the chicken in front of him was deboned and dismembered. The size of the meat pieces was no different from what Hoshino Sora had cut, but the shape of each piece of meat was different.
Some were attached to the skin, some had two parts of meat connected, creating a richer texture.
"These two look similar on the surface, but in reality, the taste and texture differ greatly. Xiang Ling, heat the wok and cook another batch of Spicy Chicken."
"Okay."
Hearing Mao Jinyu's words, Xiang Ling reheated the recently cleaned wok and then began cooking Spicy Chicken again, which was soon served.
The same dish, the same chef, but the taste had a very clear difference. After tasting only a few pieces, Hoshino Sora discovered the problem.
[Analyze Dish]: Sichuan Spicy Chicken
[Quality]: Silver (Superior)
[Analysis 69%]: Ingredients include young chicken, lantern peppers, seven-star peppers, millet peppers, Sichuan peppercorns...
Indeed, Master Mao's processing method yielded a better taste, and the quality was one level higher than his. The system's evaluation and his taste buds would not be wrong.
"You'll study this book carefully tonight when you go back. Don't let this problem occur again tomorrow. You can arrange your time as you wish for the rest of the day. Today's practice ends here."
"End?"
"What, do you want to continue? But cooking also emphasizes a balance between work and rest. It's a rare weekend, so relax properly."
Looking at Hoshino Sora's somewhat unsatisfied expression, Mao Jinyu couldn't help but ask, a gentle smile appearing on his face.
"Emmm, you're right, I should relax appropriately. Then I'll leave first and come back tomorrow."
He wanted to say something, but the image of Yaxiang Lixiang waiting for him alone at home flashed in his mind. Hoshino Sora finally agreed, put down his chef's hat, and left the small restaurant.
After that, he went home. Yaxiang Lixiang showed a surprised smile when she saw him return, clinging to him for various cuddles. Hoshino Sora made lunch for the two of them, then played games with them in the house for the entire afternoon.
It was quite enjoyable.
So much so that it was already around ten o'clock at night when he returned to Yōbi Dormitory. Hanging up the phone call from Hiratsuka Shizuka, Hoshino Sora smiled and greeted her, looking at the slightly open dormitory door.
"Come in quickly, it's quite cold with the wind outside."
Wearing a very thin nightgown, Hiratsuka Shizuka looked quite resentful, having to come down to open the door for Hoshino Sora late at night.
"Coming, coming."
Seeing this, Hoshino Sora dared not linger, rushing into the dormitory in a few quick steps. Hiratsuka Shizuka also closed the dormitory door at this moment.
"Where did you go these past two days? Why are you back so late?"
"Yesterday I went to a school cultural festival, and today I was playing video games at home. Before I knew it, it was already nine at night, so I rushed back in a hurry."
Hoshino Sora said truthfully, though he omitted some details.
"You're living quite a carefree life. Shinohiru is almost going crazy. Did you do something to her? Why is she so concerned about you, even asking me for your phone number?"
"What could I do to her? I'm such an upright person.
Ah, my back is so tired. I'm going back to sleep first."
Seeing the conversation heading in an uncontrollable direction, Hoshino Sora awkwardly chuckled, then jogged upstairs. However, when he turned on the room light, what he saw was Shiina Mahiru lying on his bed.
"Hmm, you're back..."
The light and movement woke the lovely girl on the bed. One hand propped herself up, the other rubbed her eyes. Looking at the familiar figure in front of her, Shiina Mahiru raised her hand to greet him.
"Well, yes, but why are you in my room?"
Hoshino Sora complained, a bit speechless.
"Isn't it because I was waiting for you to come back? I sent you a text message, and besides, who told you to run around everywhere when your injury hasn't healed? Do you know how worried I've been these past two days?"
"I went out for a check-up, and the doctor said I wasn't injured at all, my body's perfectly fine, so you don't need to worry anymore."
Looking at the girl's appearance, Hoshino Sora told a white lie. No matter what, his body was indeed fine.
But did she send him a text message? Wait, could that 'I'll wait for you in your room tonight' harassment text message have been sent by Shiina Mahiru? Master Pingzuka also said she asked for his phone number just now.
"Really? Then show me the diagnosis, or rather, the diagnostic report."
"I left it at home when I came back. Who carries that kind of thing around with them? Just rest assured, I value my body more than anyone else! See, aren't I jumping around now?"
Hoshino Sora said matter-of-factly. No one would carry a diagnosis report around with them, right?
"Okay, then... Thank you for saving me. I want to repay you. Is there anything you want?"
Blinking her big eyes, Shiina Mahiru looked a bit shy.
"There is something I want, but I'm afraid you won't give it."
"I wouldn't be that stingy! Just say what you want. Anything I have, I'll give it to you."
Looking at Hoshino Sora's somewhat moved expression, Shiina Mahiru clenched her fists slightly, her words sounding a bit loud due to her eagerness.
"Since you've said so, then it would be stingy of me to refuse and act coy. Take off your stockings and give them to me."
"Okay, huh? Ha!?"
Her brows furrowed slightly. Faced with Hoshino Sora's rather unreasonable request, Shiina Mahiru's face was full of shock, even wondering if she had misheard him.
"I quite like your white stockings, and more importantly, I think your legs are beautiful. The white stockings worn on such legs must smell amazing. I thought so when we first met."
"Then I'll go back to my room and get you a washed pair."
"Washed ones won't have that feeling. I want the ones you take off right now. Can you give them to me? I won't force you."
Staring at Shiina Mahiru with shining eyes, that intense gaze made the girl's heart feel a little uneasy, and her hands involuntarily protected her thighs.
"That's a perverted thing to say."
"I don't deny I'm a pervert, so, can I?"
The continuous questioning made Shiina Mahiru waver. She began to regret agreeing to Hoshino Sora's condition, but soon, she felt guilty for that thought.
He risked his life to save her, could a mere pair of stockings really be more important than that?
"You go out first. I'll let you in later when I'm ready. If I can, I'll give you the stockings."
Thinking of this, Shiina Mahiru's heart wavered. It was just a pair of stockings. Although difficult to accept, compared to the life-saving grace, this was already minor.
However...
Watching Hoshino Sora leave the room, Shiina Mahiru gently took off her pantyhose, kneaded them in her hand for a long time, and even put them to her nose to smell them, her cheeks instantly turning crimson, and her heart struggled again.
"Come in."
Ultimately, the life-saving grace outweighed everything. Shiina Mahiru chose to give up resistance and called for Hoshino Sora to come in, then hesitantly handed over the white stockings in her hand.
"It might smell a bit strong..."
Her eyes trembled slightly, not daring to look directly at Hoshino Sora. It was clear that Shiina Mahiru was extremely embarrassed at this moment.
"It's fine, I love that!"
White stockings, to be honest, this was the first pair he had received. Everyone else liked black stockings, so he had to cherish them well. But if possible, he still wanted to take them off himself.
Those plump, fleshy thighs looked so rich and delicious!
Just looking at them, he could eat three big bowls of rice!
"Are you thinking something strange? By the way, what do you want stockings for?"
Suddenly, Shiina Mahiru noticed this.
"To do things that all boys do. Alright, it's getting late. You should go back and rest quickly."
"What things that all boys do? Explain yourself!"
She came to her senses only after Hoshino Sora had pushed her out the door, and a series of indescribable images flashed in her mind. Right, a boy wanting her stockings, isn't it obvious what he wants to do?
Did she not think of this? No, she subconsciously ignored it.
But, would such a smelly thing really excite him?
Standing at the doorway, her hand on her chest, feeling her violently pounding heart, Shiina Mahiru's cheeks were flushed. Thinking of this, she probably wouldn't be able to sleep tonight.
But why couldn't she feel even a hint of dislike towards him?
Hoshino Sora's handsome face appeared in her mind. Her bare, fair legs felt cold from the wind, and this chill made her recently awakened mind even clearer.
Her thoughts also became increasingly distinct.
Logically, after what happened, she should have felt disgusted with Hoshino Sora, but for some reason, she just couldn't bring herself to dislike him.
Her hand rested on her chest.
It was a very strange feeling.
——
A few days passed, and Hoshino Sora's life became a busy cycle: Sichuan Cuisine restaurant in the morning, Far Moon classroom in the afternoon, and early to bed at night.
This routine continued for about a week.
Shiina Mahiru informed Hoshino Sora that the Autumn Elections candidate list would be announced today, so he and four other first-year students from Yōbi Dormitory set off early.
When they arrived, the place was packed with people, and they could only find a spot towards the back. The candidate list for the Autumn Elections at the very front was covered with a thick white cloth, making it look incredibly mysterious.
"Ah! Please, I must be chosen."
"Bless me, ancestors bless me!"
"Heaven bless me, ah, I'm so nervous!"
Such voices rose and fell at the selection site. Of course, more people remained silent, staring nervously at the white cloth. At this moment, there was less than a minute until the announcement.
"Gulp."
"Don't worry, Miyu will definitely be fine."
Sensing Shiina Mahiru's nervousness beside him, Hoshino Sora couldn't help but say, she performed quite well during the lodging training, so there was no reason for her not to be selected.
"How can I relax before the results are out? But I'm definitely fine."
Shiina Mahiru didn't speak, but Mito Ikumi confidently interjected, though her constantly changing expression showed she wasn't as calm as she claimed.
At the same time, the list was unveiled by the staff in charge.
"There it is! Shiina Mahiru, Mito Ikumi, Yumeko Jabami, Hoshino Sora, everyone made it."
After carefully reading the list, Hoshino Sora smiled, Shiina Mahiru breathed a sigh of relief, Mito Ikumi's lips curled into a slight smile, and Yumeko Jabami was beaming with excitement.
"How about we have a simple celebration when we get back tonight?"
Shiina Mahiru suggested, crossing her hands.
"Then each person brings one of their signature dishes, and also prepares a regular dish."
"Okay."
"Agreed!"
Hearing Hoshino Sora's suggestion, the Yōbi Dormitory members all raised their hands in agreement. Each person bringing one signature dish and one regular dish meant eight dishes in total, which would be more than enough for them.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
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If you guys wanna check it out.