“It seems like Tangjin said something to me just now.” Ji Rongxia scratched his cheek, trying to recall what Tangjin had said, feeling a bit dazed.

Oh, right. Tangjin said his leg was fine and that he wanted to see him run and jump for him tomorrow!

Was he just joking?

“All he does is tease me, hmph.” Ji Rongxia puffed out his cheeks.

The Cooking God System drifted over slowly.

“Is the Host ready to start the mission? There are still nineteen dishes waiting for you.”

Ji Rongxia: “Alright. Let’s begin.”

【Ding! Basic Skills Module Beginner Quest: Season twenty classic dishes based on your intuition. (Perfect dishes provided for tasting.)】

【Quest Requirements: Seasoning success rate must exceed fifty percent.】

【Quest Reward: Ten spins on the Seasoning Wheel.】

Ji Rongxia walked over to the stove.

Dozens of bowls filled with various seasonings appeared to his left.

Much like last time, they contained coarsely ground spices, various sauces, and different gravies—though the specific types of seasonings had changed slightly.

To his right, ingredients such as fresh shrimp, fatty pork, bamboo shoots, and flour appeared.

【Second Dish: Crystal Shrimp Dumplings.】

【Tip: A simplified recipe follows: Dice the pork fat; blanch the bamboo shoots and dice them.】

【Peel the fresh shrimp and remove the veins. Cut half of the shrimp into larger chunks and the other half into a paste. Mix the shrimp paste with the shrimp chunks.】

【Combine the diced pork fat, shrimp, and diced bamboo shoots with a small amount of sugar, pepper, salt, and MSG. Mix until the mixture becomes sticky and set aside (whole shrimp can be added for better appearance and texture).】

【Add a pinch of salt to the wheat starch, pour in boiling water, and stir. Let it sit for a moment, then add a small amount of cornstarch and lard. Knead the dough into a ball, then use a knife to roll it into a round sheet. Wrap the shrimp dumplings and steam until cooked.】

【Please enjoy the finished dish, Host.】

A small steamer appeared before Ji Rongxia, containing six crystal-clear shrimp dumplings.

“The dumpling wrappers are transparent?!” Ji Rongxia stared in amazement at the dumplings, which looked as if they had been “carved from jade.”

Plump and round, the semi-transparent wrappers revealed the orange-red shrimp meat and pale green bamboo shoot cubes inside.

They look so beautiful!!!

Ji Rongxia almost felt too reluctant to eat them.

After staring at them for a while, Ji Rongxia finally picked up his chopsticks, picked up a crystal shrimp dumpling, and popped it into his mouth.

The dumpling wrapper was chewy, the shrimp was succulent, and the bamboo shoot pieces were crisp—a flavor Ji Rongxia had never tasted before.

“It’s light yet delicious,” Ji Rongxia said, studying the recipe closely. “The recipe calls for quite a bit of meat, but these dumplings are surprisingly light and refreshing.”

Unfortunately, he could only take a single bite; he couldn’t continue savoring this dish, which was somewhat unfamiliar to him.

【Please begin seasoning according to the recipe’s instructions. (The host may taste the ingredients and seasonings provided by the system and adjust the quantities to your liking based on the recipe.)】

“Alright, alright, I’ll get started right away.” Ji Rongxia first peeled a shrimp for himself to eat. The fresh shrimp had a slight sweetness to it; the quality of the ingredients provided by the system was actually quite good. Since it wouldn’t kill him, he might as well make the most of it.

This time, he used very few seasonings, but striking a balance where the shrimp’s natural flavor isn’t masked, the texture remains refreshing, and the dish isn’t too bland was quite challenging.

The simpler the seasoning, the higher the difficulty.

After Ji Rongxia selected his ingredients and seasonings this time, the shrimp dumplings automatically generated by the system achieved a completion rate of only forty-one percent!!!

【Ding! Detection shows the seasoning completion rate for the crystal shrimp dumplings is 41%. Failed!】

【You may proceed to season the next dish.】

“Only 41%? Not even half! And I can still move on to the next dish?” Ji Rongxia was stunned.

【Please taste it, Host.】

A pair of chopsticks appeared in Ji Rongxia’s hand.

Ji Rongxia quickly picked up a crystal shrimp dumpling and took a bite.

Ugh!

Too much diced fatty pork!!!

Not enough diced bamboo shoots—it’s not crispy enough.

The flavor is also a bit too mild.

There’s a bit too much water in the wheat starch, so the wrapper isn’t very chewy.

After eating just one dumpling, Ji Rongxia was completely convinced by the 41% completion rating for the crystal shrimp dumplings.

“Hey, I don’t buy that—I’m not going to fail at this!” Ji Rongxia’s competitive spirit was ignited; he rolled up his sleeves and took on the crystal shrimp dumplings head-on.

Attempt after attempt, he improved bit by bit.

After nearly two hours of hard work, Ji Rongxia had barely managed to raise the completion rate to 83%.

“I can’t go on, I need a break.”

“How on earth am I supposed to get this to 95%? It’s so hard.”

Ji Rongxia sighed, “I hope the next dish has a stronger flavor. The lighter the dish, the harder it is to season.”

Tonight, he’d seasoned the crystal shrimp dumplings a full thirty-two times!!!

But come to think of it, if he could reach a 95% completion rate, he’d be in for a real windfall! He’d get over thirty servings of crystal shrimp dumplings.

Thinking about it that way, Ji Rongxia didn’t feel quite as exhausted anymore.

“It’s been so long, and I still haven’t been kicked out. You’re really impressive after recharging,” Ji Rongxia said to the Cooking God System, which had remained silent the whole time. “Little Master, what’s wrong with you today? You’re not saying much.”

“Host.” The Cooking God System hesitated, as if holding something back.

Seeing that it had called out to him but said nothing more, Ji Rongxia asked in confusion, “What’s wrong? Just say it.”

Cooking God System: “If I could recharge about thirty percent more, I might be able to contact the Main God. Then the System Store would reopen, and the mission rewards would be even richer.”

Ji Rongxia thought the System was just encouraging him to work harder, so he quickly replied, “I’ll just rest for a little while! There’s no need for that. I’ll do my best.”

Ji Rongxia felt like he was turning into a workhorse; the rewards no longer tempted him.

“The rewards you’re offering now are great enough. Don’t worry—I’ll help you with the charging. Tomorrow, I’ll go with Tangjin to the Diao family shop to see if Xiao Yun still has any of those stones. When Diao Dalang returns, we can ask him where he found them. If he remembers, that’d be great—then we can figure out a way to slowly track down more of those stones.”

The Cooking God System knew immediately that the Host hadn’t caught its hint. Giving up on subtle hints, it stated plainly: “Host, what I mean is, I might just draw a reward—medicine to treat your partner’s leg.”

Ji Rongxia exclaimed in shock, “Really?!”

The Cooking God System explained in detail, “Although I’m not a medical system, there’s still a chance I might draw reward items that strengthen the body. After all, a Cooking God needs a strong body to function—it’s part of our basic configuration.”

If their relationship hadn’t been relatively harmonious by now, the Cooking God System wouldn’t have mentioned this, because it sounded like it was tempting the Host to recharge it. The Host had a carefree personality, but his partner was the type to overthink things—he was afraid Gu Tangjin would read too much into it. However, since the host was so determined to cure his partner, the Cooking God System agonized over it all night before finally deciding to speak up.

Ji Rongxia’s face was flushed.

Tangjin could get better! Although his limp wasn’t very noticeable—you could barely tell when he walked slowly—he was still limping. If Tangjin could recover, his parents and Tangjin himself would surely be overjoyed!

He jumped to his feet: “First thing tomorrow morning, I’ll take you to the Diao Family Grocery Store!”

Not only that, but he decided not to rest either, thinking he’d make another batch of crystal shrimp dumplings.

Unfortunately, time was up, and he was kicked out.

Ji Rongxia rolled over and sat up. Gu Tangjin, who was sleeping beside him, opened his eyes before Ji Rongxia could even call out to him.

He hadn’t been sleeping soundly to begin with; the moment he heard Ji Rongxia shift, he was wide awake.

“Tangjin! The young master said he has medicine to treat your leg! But we have to charge it first. Once it’s fully charged, we can get the medicine!”

Ji Rongxia grabbed Gu Tangjin’s hand and shook it. “Aren’t you happy?”

Gu Tangjin sat up, smiling at Ji Rongxia. “Of course I’m happy. My leg is fine. I’m happy that you were worried about me. I want to say I’m sorry for not telling you the truth sooner.”

“Huh?” Ji Rongxia asked, confused. “What do you mean?”

Gu Tangjin simply got out of bed and stood up, taking a few quick steps.

He walked briskly, his left leg showing no sign of a limp whatsoever.

Ji Rongxia jumped to his feet, pointing at Gu Tangjin’s left leg in astonishment and stammering, “Y-y-your leg isn’t lame?!”

Gu Tangjin placed his slender index finger to his lips.

Ji Rongxia quickly covered his mouth with his hand.

His round eyes were filled with delight. Without even putting on his shoes, Ji Rongxia nimbly hopped out of bed, took a few quick steps to Gu Tangjin’s side, wrapped his arms around his waist, and whispered, “You’re just like me! I’m not deaf either. Do you have a little apprentice following you, too? Did it cling to your leg, which is why you were limping? Now that you’re better, did you just not tell me because you were worried I’d tell others? What are you studying? Are you studying to become a scholar? Are you aiming to be the top scholar?”

Gu Tangjin: “……”

The semi-dormant Cooking God System: “……”

The Cooking God System quietly activated for a moment, scanning the surroundings for other systems. This function consumed a lot of energy, and it had never even been considered using it before.

After scanning the area, it was certain that there were no other systems within a hundred meters. Of course, if another system’s level was higher than its own, it might not be able to detect it.

Gu Tangjin never expected Xia-ger to react this way.

Gu Tangjin wrapped his arms around Ji Rongxia, who had burrowed into his embrace, and lifted him gently. Ji Rongxia’s feet left the ground slightly; by the time they touched down again, they were resting on the top of Gu Tangjin’s foot.

Ji Rongxia wiggled his toes, feeling a bit shy.

Gu Tangjin said helplessly, “Something as extraordinary as what Little Master has—how could anyone just possess it?”

Ji Rongxia immediately retorted, “You’re not just anyone—you’re my partner.”

Little Master always called Tangjin his partner. He liked the word; it made it sound as if the two of them were one—no distinction between “you” and “me,” no hierarchy, just companions sharing life together. He really liked it.

“Alright, too bad I don’t have one. My leg was injured, but I’m not actually lame—I’m just pretending to be.” Gu Tangjin readily changed his tune.

“What’s the story behind that? Did someone try to harm you? Did you have no choice but to pretend to be lame?” Ji Rongxia suddenly grew concerned. Tangjin wasn’t the type to take risks with his health, and besides, if he were lame, he wouldn’t be able to take the imperial examinations. His parents were worried sick; if there were any other way, Tangjin wouldn’t have let them worry.

Gu Tangjin gently patted his back, reassuring him, “It’s nothing serious. I’m fine now. Let me explain it to you slowly.”

“After I passed the preliminary examination to become a Tongsheng, I was spotted by Juren Zhao, who was visiting his hometown, and he took me to study at the academy in the provincial capital. Did you know that?”

“Matchmaker Ding mentioned it. She said you passed the Tongsheng exam at eight—a genius who excelled in his studies. You were immediately spotted by Juren Zhao, who was visiting his hometown. He saw you as a promising talent, took you to the prefectural city to study, and took you on as his disciple,” Ji Rongxia said, his eyes sparkling.

He knew that, of course, he did.

When Matchmaker Ding had told him all this, he hadn’t paid it much mind. Zhang, the Tongsheng who’d broken off their engagement, was a Tongsheng too—and Tongshengs weren’t necessarily good people. Did excelling in studies mean one had a good character? He didn’t buy it.

But now that it was brought up, he remembered it all clearly, because these were his partner’s strengths—he remembered every detail!

Gu Tangjin said calmly, “My leg was broken by someone my good master hired.”

Ji Rongxia: “What?! How could that be?!”