[Ding! Charming Uncle - Basic Culinary Arts Task has been initiated...]
[Task]: A proper uncle should be able to cook a delicious feast.
[Reward 1]: Culinary Mastery (All Cuisines).
[Reward 2]: 5 EXP.
[Progress]: 0%.
[Note: This is a proficiency-based task, integrating various skills such as knife work, ladle skills, carving, heat control, ingredient selection, and cooking methods.]
Gao Yuan hadn't even had a chance to check the details of the newly issued system task before he turned to look at Lin Wanyu with a hint of amazement.
'Is she really my lucky charm?'
Ever since awakening the Money Power System, the last few tasks he'd received had all involved her in some way.
First, she wanted him to work out and get in shape, and a Charming Uncle task appeared.
Then, she invited him to go shopping, and the system issued a cashback task specifically for spending money on her. Today, she came over to taste his buns, and that actually triggered this culinary task.
If the system wasn't in his own head, Gao Yuan would have suspected that Lin Wanyu was using some kind of backdoor to it!
After staring at her for a long moment, Gao Yuan secretly made a decision. 'I need to stick with Lin Wanyu from now on. She's a total lucky charm!'
"What are you looking at me for?"
Seeing Gao Yuan stop making buns to stare at her, Lin Wanyu felt a little unsettled and unconsciously touched her face.
"Looking at a beautiful woman makes the buns I wrap more delicious!"
Gao Yuan teased Lin Wanyu before turning back to making buns while studying the new system task.
This so-called culinary task was, in essence, just about making him cook more.
In the process, he would use skills related to cooking—like knife work, ladle skills, carving, heat control, ingredient selection, and cooking methods—which would improve his overall culinary ability.
Moreover, this was about improving Gao Yuan's fundamentals. It wasn't as if completing the task would instantly enable him to create incredibly delicious meals.
The quality would still depend on the ingredients and the recipe. It was more about getting him to the point where practice makes perfect.
It was absolutely impossible for him to instantly reach the level of a state banquet master chef.
Gao Yuan wasn't picky about this at all. He'd been cooking for a long time, but it was all self-taught. This system task was equivalent to receiving systematic training as a chef.
This was already incredible. Normally, it took three to five years of hard practice to produce a good chef.
Lin Wanyu stayed with Gao Yuan in the kitchen until all the buns were wrapped. After watching him place the plump, white buns into the steamer one by one and helping him tidy up, the two of them left the kitchen.
The living room in Gao Yuan's rented apartment was small, with only a three-seater sofa and a coffee table, but it was arranged in a cozy way.
The two snuggled up on the sofa. With nothing better to do, Gao Yuan decided to start "farming" his lucky charm, Lin Wanyu, directly.
Maybe he could trigger a few more system tasks—ideally, ones that gave out some silver.
"Do you think there's anything else I need to change?"
Lin Wanyu looked at Gao Yuan with some confusion. She didn't quite understand why he would suddenly ask this question.
Gao Yuan opened up TikTok, found a few videos of older men, and showed them to Lin Wanyu. "What do you think of men like this?"
"They're great! They have that mature, charming uncle vibe."
"So, what do you think I'm lacking compared to them?"
Lin Wanyu stood up to look at Gao Yuan, then looked down at the men in the short videos.
After looking back and forth several times, she looked at Gao Yuan seriously and said, "They've all just cranked the beauty filter to the max!"
"PFFT!"
Gao Yuan sprayed a mouthful of tea.
'I asked you for advice, and after all that serious consideration, *that's* the conclusion you came to?'
'What a waste of my high expectations.'
"Stop joking around. Be serious,"
Gao Yuan said, putting down his teacup and looking at Lin Wanyu seriously.
Lin Wanyu returned to the sofa and put down her phone. "I was being serious!"
Seeing Gao Yuan's somewhat sullen expression, she started shaking his arm and acting cute with a grin.
"But it's true!"
"Look, this guy just has a slightly better physique, a better hairstyle, and seems more relaxed than you. Other than that, he's not even that handsome!"
"Oh, and his sense of style is a teensy bit better than yours."
Lin Wanyu added, feeling that Gao Yuan's style was too monotonous. It leaned a bit too much towards business and formal wear, lacking a youthful energy.
After she finished, she saw that Gao Yuan had no reaction and was just lost in thought. She assumed she had hurt his feelings.
Seeing him like that, Lin Wanyu couldn't help but feel a little regretful.
'Men are proud, after all. Who would like their woman praising another man?'
However, she had no idea that Gao Yuan was completely and utterly stunned.
The system's notification sound had just chimed several times in his mind.
[Ding! Charming Uncle Image Task 1 initiated.]
[Task]: Change starts from the top. Host, please find a hairstyle that suits you.
[Reward 1]: Lustrous, Flowing Hair.
[Reward 2]: 2 EXP.
[Ding! Charming Uncle Image Task 2 initiated.]
[Task]: Believe in yourself; a confident man is the most charming.
[Reward 1]: An increase of three centimeters.
[Reward 2]: 2 EXP.
[Ding! Charming Uncle Image Task 3 initiated.]
[Task]: Fine feathers make fine birds. Host, please adopt a more diverse wardrobe.
[Reward 1]: The Four Great Temperaments (Calm and Elegant, Unrestrained Yuppie Rebel, Dashing and Debonair, Confident Overbearing CEO).
[Reward 2]: 2 EXP.
The system had issued three tasks in a row. Adding the culinary task from just before, four system tasks had appeared all at once today.
Happiness was suddenly knocking at his door!
This delightful surprise left Gao Yuan completely lost in his own world. Lin Wanyu called his name several times, but he didn't hear her.
It wasn't until Lin Wanyu used her signature move—pinching his waist—that Gao Yuan cried out in pain and snapped back to reality.
Seeing the worried look in Lin Wanyu's eyes, Gao Yuan gave her an apologetic smile and pulled her into his arms.
"You really are my lucky charm! I love you to pieces!"
Being held so tightly by Gao Yuan, Lin Wanyu was completely bewildered. One moment he looked crushed, and the next he was hugging her and declaring his affection. Wasn't the whiplash a bit much?
She pushed Gao Yuan away, placed her slender, fair hand on his forehead, and checked repeatedly to make sure he didn't have a fever.
Feeling Lin Wanyu's concern, Gao Yuan realized his strange behavior had probably scared her. He quickly reassured her, "I'm fine. Your suggestions just now were spot-on. They're all things I need to change."
Hearing him say that, Lin Wanyu relaxed a little.
As they chatted, Gao Yuan took the opportunity to review the system's tasks. The three new ones were all pretty good, focused entirely on improving his personal image.
When it came to his appearance, Gao Yuan had a clear self-awareness: he was in the handsome category.
His body was a gift from his parents; there was nothing to complain about.
Besides, his parents had done a pretty good job. At the very least, they'd given him above-average looks.
After a short while, the timer set for the buns went off, and the two of them hurried to the kitchen.
When the tender, white buns—steaming and faintly fragrant—were taken out of the steamer, Lin Wanyu couldn't resist reaching for one. Luckily, Gao Yuan grabbed her hand just in time, or she would have surely been scalded by the hot steam.
This batch was tomato and beef brisket buns. He placed two on a small plate and brought them out for Lin Wanyu to try first, then went back to put the chive and egg buns into the steamer.
By the time he came back out, the plate was empty. Lin Wanyu was holding half a bun in her hand, looking at him sheepishly.
"Do you like them?"
With her mouth stuffed with bun, Lin Wanyu nodded vigorously.
"I'll pack some for you to take home later."
Gao Yuan fondly patted Lin Wanyu's head, thinking, 'Who doesn't love buns? I know I can't live without them.'
After finishing the bun, Lin Wanyu suddenly thought of something. She turned to Gao Yuan and said, "I have a friend who's an amazing stylist. If you're free later, how about I take you to get a new look?"