In his sleep, Ji Rongxia entered the system space.

“Good evening, Little Chef.” 

“Good evening.”

Ji Rongxia pointed to another restaurant and said, “It’s been a while since I’ve learned how to use new kitchen tools. Let’s go—today, I’ll start by learning how to use them.” 

“Yes, Host!” The Cooking God System was delighted. “Host, I’ve prepared a surprise for you.”

“A surprise?” Ji Rongxia was puzzled as he hurried into the other restaurant.

Then he noticed that the ice cream machine, refrigerator, and oven he had used last time had all changed—they looked completely different from what he remembered!!!

“This is the ice cream maker? Why is it so big? It’s so shiny, and it’s light pink—is it made of iron?” Ji Rongxia poked the light pink ice cream maker with his finger.

Cooking God System: “The ice cream machine is primarily made of stainless steel, rubber, and plastic.” 

“Host, you can think of it as being made of iron.”

“I’ve upgraded your ice cream maker to a high-tech model. It can automatically freeze and churn the ice cream. Just pour the ingredients into the mixing bowl, select the churning intensity and time, and press the button to start.”

“I’ve also replaced the refrigerator with a multi-tiered model that cools automatically. You can choose the freezer function or switch it to the refrigerator function, and there’s no need to worry about waste ice being produced during the entire process.”

“This oven lets you set the temperature and time for baking, plus you can choose the baking mode. The interior rotates, so roasting meat on skewers is no problem.”

Ji Rongxia was completely baffled: “Why did you have to replace it?”

In his eyes, the old ones had worked just fine. These new ones were already a bit beyond his comprehension.

Fortunately, he had already mastered the system’s touchscreen interface, so he wasn’t exactly shocked.

Cooking God System: “Those were meant to help the Host get familiar with how the kitchen appliances work. Once the Host obtained the blueprints, I upgraded the appliances to make them more convenient for you.”

“Oh, right. You did recommend I use high-tech equipment from the start, and you said you could remodel my restaurant.” Ji Rongxia realized.

“Yes. Only once the Host becomes proficient with the kitchen equipment will they feel at home and be able to use them properly after I remodel the restaurant,” the Cooking God System explained.

If he had bound a host from the current world, this step would have been completely unnecessary.

That’s because the people selected by the Cooking God System all have a natural talent for cooking and are quite familiar with modern kitchen appliances. Even if they aren’t completely familiar with them, they’ve definitely seen them online—it’s like having never eaten pork but having seen a pig run.

The operation of the kitchenware upgraded by the Cooking God System hasn’t changed much; at most, it’s become simpler to use, and one can figure it out with just a little practice.

So, this is the first time the Cooking God System has done something like this.

Ji Rongxia was still poking at the ice cream maker, getting the feeling that the metal used in this machine wasn’t your average metal.

“Then I won’t learn about the new kitchen appliances today. I’ll try these out first.” Ji Rongxia opened the fridge with curiosity, and sure enough, it was already stocked with all kinds of ingredients.

He reached inside, and the cold air from the fridge blew against his hand.

This time, the fridge wasn’t cooled by an ice cellar—he had no idea how it worked.

He pulled out whipping cream, sugar, and a jumble of other ingredients. Ji Rongxia picked out a few he wanted to put in the ice cream maker, but he soon realized he didn’t even know how to open it!

The Cooking God System prompted, “Host, look at the top—there’s a button there. Press it, and the lid will open.”

Ji Rongxia finally found the hidden button, pressed it, and sure enough, the ice cream maker’s lid slowly swung open.

“This mechanism is pretty impressive.” Ji Rongxia still held the whipped cream in his hand, but instead of panicking, he carefully examined the machines, thinking he’d tell Tangjin about them once they got out. He’d read a lot of books, and if he described what these things looked like to him, Tangjin might just come up with something useful.

Ji Rongxia placed the ingredients inside one by one, then closed the lid and found the word “Mode” on the control panel beside it. “This is the power button, this is the mode button, and this one lets you choose how to make the ice cream, right?” Ji Rongxia asked. 

Cooking God System: “Yes, Host!”

Ji Rongxia picked it up much faster than he had expected. He tapped the “Mode” button a couple of times at random.

The screen displayed a variety of ice cream types he wasn’t familiar with; he only recognized “soft-serve” and “hard-serve.” 

Ji Rongxia selected “soft-serve” and pressed “Start.”

The ice cream machine emitted a faint hum.

The Cooking God System said, “Host, you just need to wait about ten minutes—the time it takes to drink a cup of tea—and the ice cream will be ready.”

“Amazing.” Ji Rongxia circled the machine a few times; if it hadn’t been a bit inappropriate, he would have wanted to take it apart and have a look inside. He circled it several times before reluctantly turning his attention to the oven.

“Huh, I’ve noticed that all your kitchen appliances are pretty much the same—they’re all controlled by buttons. This one adjusts the temperature by turning the knob, right?”

Ji Rongxia asked, staring at the oven, which could be described as massive.

“Yes, Host,” the Cooking God System replied. “Host, you’ve even learned to apply what you’ve learned to new situations.”

Ji Rongxia immediately began kneading dough and preparing the filling, intending to bake a pie to test it out. Before he could even finish the meat filling, the ten minutes were up.

Ji Rongxia walked over to the ice cream machine. Instead of asking the Cooking God System how to use it, he fumbled around for a moment on his own. Sure enough, he found a new button. Ice cream slowly began to flow out of the dispenser, and Ji Rongxia quickly grabbed a small bowl to catch it.

This batch of ice cream looked even smoother, with no ice crystals at all, though it melted rather quickly. Not long after Ji Rongxia picked up the bowl, signs of melting were already faintly visible on the sides.

Ji Rongxia took a spoon, scooped up a scoop of ice cream, and put it in his mouth.

The cool sensation filled his mouth, but what stood out most was the smooth, rich flavor of the light cream.

“High tech really is something else—it actually tastes even better!” Ji Rongxia exclaimed, still holding the spoon in his mouth.

The Cooking God System was very pleased with the host’s reaction: “See? It works great, doesn’t it?”

Although some diners might feel that food made with high-tech lacks soul, it simply wouldn’t work without the right technological assistance. Of course, everything should be done in moderation. When it comes to culinary creation, technology is a tool, not the ultimate goal.

After finishing a cup of ice cream, Ji Rongxia went back to baking the pancakes.

“This oven can bake fifty or sixty pancakes at once. I’m only putting a few in this time—it feels like I’m underutilizing it.” Ji Rongxia fumbled a bit as he selected the temperature.

“By the way, how do these temperature units work? You haven’t explained that to me yet. I understand the time units—a ‘minute’ is ten minutes—but I don’t get the temperature units.” Ji Rongxia asked suddenly as he looked at the display.

The Cooking God System quickly explained, “Here’s how it works: boiling water is 100 degrees Celsius. The ignition point for firewood is between 200 and 300 degrees, and the temperature at the edge of the flame can reach 1,000 degrees. The traditional clay oven you use typically reaches around 150 degrees without preheating. This oven can achieve the target temperature almost perfectly without preheating, so you can use it with confidence.”

After listening, Ji Rongxia thought for a moment and conservatively set it to 150 degrees for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. Fortunately, this oven allowed him to see the flatbreads inside, so he didn’t have to worry about burning them.

Once the flatbread was done, Ji Rongxia couldn’t wait to take a bite: “Hmm, it tastes just like a crumbly pancake.” The only difference might be that this one was a bit drier and more evenly baked.

“It seems technology isn’t all-powerful after all; it hasn’t made it taste any better,” Ji Rongxia said, mumbling slightly as he took another bite.

Cooking God System: “……”

Cooking God System: “Please face reality, Host. Technology isn’t magic.”

Ji Rongxia shrugged: “Sigh, looks like making something delicious still comes down to me. I really am irreplaceable.” Having witnessed so many amazing things, Ji Rongxia had a very level-headed attitude.

After finishing a piece of the flatbread, he clapped his hands and headed to the dining area on the other side.

“Here we go, the tenth dish. This massive quest is finally halfway done.” Speaking of which, Ji Rongxia couldn’t help but stretch. Doing the same task over and over really was tedious.

Although this mission had indeed helped him improve his seasoning skills.

It just goes to show that learning a skill is never easy.

【 Dish #10: Cumin Beef.】

【 Hint: A brief recipe follows: Mince the scallions and ginger. Remove the tendons from the beef and slice it thinly. Marinate with salt, cooking wine, scallions, and ginger.】

【 Heat oil in a wok. When the oil is about 50% hot, add the beef slices. Once the beef is stir-fried, remove it from the wok.】

【Leave a small amount of oil in the pan, add the chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns, and stir-fry until fragrant. Add the beef slices and stir-fry. Add cooking wine, five-spice powder (Sichuan peppercorns, cinnamon, star anise, cloves, and fennel seeds), cumin, MSG, and sesame oil. Stir-fry until well combined, then plate and sprinkle with sesame seeds.】

Ji Rongxia smiled as soon as he saw it—this dish wasn’t going to be simple either.

“This time I have to make the five-spice powder. The spice mix from last time was pretty complicated—I wonder if this one will be easy to make.”

He certainly didn’t think that just because the main ingredient was simple meant the dish would be easy to make.

He hadn’t forgotten how poorly he’d done when seasoning the crystal shrimp dumplings at the start.

“Five-spice powder, which balances the five flavors, is a classic seasoning,” the Cooking God System reassured him. “You’ve already managed to make a spice blend with over a dozen ingredients, so this shouldn’t be difficult for you.”

Hearing the Cooking God System’s words, Ji Rongxia didn’t let his guard down. He picked up his chopsticks and carefully tasted the cumin beef. He had never eaten cumin before.

With so many spices in the dish, why was only this one included in the name?

But the moment it touched his tongue, he realized the flavor of this strange, unfamiliar spice was indeed overpowering—one bite made it impossible to ignore.

“The cumin flavor is quite strong, but it pairs perfectly with the beef. Logically, spices that are too overpowering should mask the food’s natural flavor, yet this beef and cumin go so well together,” Ji Rongxia said, reaching for another bite—only to find his chopsticks came up empty.

The perfect dish had vanished!!! 

Ji Rongxia: “……”

Well, he was almost used to it by now.

Ji Rongxia suddenly remembered and asked, “I thought the reward for this mission was a spin on the seasoning wheel?”

Cooking God System: “That’s right. The reward for this mission is ten spins on the Seasoning Wheel. With your completion rate, Host, you’re sure to get the reward.”

“Hmm, ten chances. I hope I can draw cumin.” Ji Rongxia actually quite liked the flavor of that spice—it was very unique. The moment he thought of the reward, Ji Rongxia perked up and began studying the spices.

It must be said that after having blended a spice mix using over a dozen different spices, making the five-spice powder was much smoother and easier for Ji Rongxia. On his very first attempt at seasoning, he achieved a 67% completion rate.

“Wow, the Host’s seasoning skills are getting stronger and stronger,” the Cooking God System marveled.

This comprehensive major task, which only required a 50% completion rate, had actually been painstakingly tackled by the Host bit by bit.

“Oh, come on, that’s just my usual level,” Ji Rongxia said with a touch of pride.

Unfortunately, since he’d spent quite a while today figuring out how to use the new kitchenware, he had to go to bed early tonight. He could only stay in the system space for an hour, and he barely managed to bring the completion rate of the cumin beef up to 80 percent—just a hair’s breadth short.

Still, Ji Rongxia was quite pleased with his efficiency. At this rate, he’d probably finish this seasoning quest in less than two weeks, right? Stepping out of the system space, Ji Rongxia contentedly nuzzled his pillow, then curled up in his partner’s arms and fell asleep.

Gu Tangjin woke up at his nudge, then wrapped his arms around him reassuringly and drifted off into a deep sleep. The next day, Ji Rongxia woke up early as usual.

The thought of setting up a stall to earn money—and honing his culinary skills—put Ji Rongxia in a great mood. Although going out to have fun was enjoyable, working was what truly brought him peace of mind.

Sigh, he really was cut out to be a culinary genius—he couldn’t sit still for a moment, and nothing could stump him except reading and writing. Ji Rongxia secretly praised himself a few times in his heart.

Gu Tangjin had gone out early to buy fresh fruit.

They boiled water early in the morning, and Ji Rongxia prepared a fruit drink. Perhaps it was because he’d done so many flavoring tasks, but even though the fruits and sugar were the same as always, the fruit drink he made tasted even better.

“When we were in the capital, I completely forgot to bring out the fruit syrup for Doctor Tang to try,” Ji Rongxia said as he stirred the sugar water.

“We’ll do it next time. It was a bit rushed that day, so it’s no big deal if you forgot—I forgot too,” Gu Tangjin said casually as he kneaded the dough needed for the day.

“Why do I feel like mine tastes better?” Ji Rongxia took a sip of the apricot-flavored fruit drink himself, then held it up to Gu Tangjin’s lips, looking a bit uncertain.

Could it be that I’ve been praising myself so much I’m hallucinating? 

Gu Tangjin’s hands were covered in flour as he looked down and took a sip.

The sweet-and-sour flavor is just right; it completely masks the apricots’ natural slight astringency.

“It really is better,” Gu Tangjin said with a hint of frustration. “Selling it for one wen per spoonful is a loss for us.”

“Not at all,” Ji Rongxia said with a smile, taking another sip of the fruit drink.

Mmm, it really is delicious—they’d had this for breakfast this morning!

Meanwhile, Zhu Pengyi accompanied Wu Baoquan as they strolled over to Wuqu Alley.

Wu Baoquan suddenly pointed ahead and said, “I told you so—they’ve set up their stall today.”

As soon as he finished speaking, he dashed off.

Zhu Pengyi was taken aback—his master really did have a knack for predicting things. He hurried after him.

Wu Baoquan pointed at the six large bowls of fruit drinks and asked curiously, “What is this? Fruit syrup?”

Gu Tangjin and Ji Rongxia immediately recognized him as their new county magistrate.

Gu Tangjin replied calmly, “That’s right. One spoonful for one wen. This basin has apricots, this one has peaches, and this one has plums. These three basins are a mix of all three fruits.”

“One wen per spoonful?! Then I’ll have two spoons of each kind,” Wu Baoquan quickly said.

Ji Rongxia looked at his empty hands: “You didn’t bring a bowl, so you’ll have to use a bamboo cup. A bamboo cup costs one wen. If you drink it right here and return the cup, you won’t have to spend that one wen.”

Wu Baoquan: “Then I’ll use the bamboo cups. I’ll take them.”

Ji Rongxia looked puzzled: “You’ll need at least six bamboo cups. Can you even carry that many?”

“Why don’t you sell me two large bowls? That way, the two of us can carry them,” Wu Baoquan said with a twinkle in his eye. Ji Rongxia immediately refused: “That would mix the different fruit drinks together, and the taste would suffer.”

He had carefully blended each fruit drink himself; the sugar syrup recipes were all different, so mixing them together was out of the question.

“It would be the same even if the county magistrate came to buy them.”

Wu Baoquan didn’t press the issue and suggested another idea: “How about selling me a basket? I’ll use it to hold the bamboo tubes.”

Ji Rongxia thought for a moment and said, “Alright, I suppose. Just give me a moment.”

Ji Rongxia turned and went into the shop, bringing out a plain, ordinary basket. Gu Tangjin, meanwhile, used a bamboo tube to serve Wu Baoquan his fruit drink.

“Xiucai Gu, Xia-ger, didn’t you say you wouldn’t be setting up a stall for another ten days?” Zhu Pengyi asked curiously during a lull.

Upon hearing this, Gu Tangjin didn’t ask how they knew their names; after all, it wasn’t a secret and was easy enough to find out.

Gu Tangjin smiled and said, “We’ve finished our business, but I was worried about the shop. I was afraid people would go to other stalls to eat, so here we are, setting up.”

Wu Baoquan patted his belly and said with a grin, “Don’t worry, Xiucai Gu. With your skills, I’m definitely not going anywhere. I’ve even brought my whole family over.”

“Thirty pan-fried buns for me. No crumbly pancakes or meat-stuffed pancakes today?” Wu Baoquan looked over the stall and was a bit disappointed to find there were no crumbly pancakes or meat-stuffed pancakes.

“We’ve been busy farming these past few days, so we haven’t made as much for breakfast. We only made about eighty Pan-fried buns,” Ji Rongxia said. “You’ve just bought nearly half of them.”

“Well, I really timed it just right. If I’d come any later, I wouldn’t have gotten any.”

As soon as Wu Baoquan heard this, he stopped talking about the crumbly pancakes and meat-stuffed buns, instead staring intently as Gu Tangjin served him some pan-fried buns. Zhu Pengyi had already counted out seventy-eight wen and handed them to Ji Rongxia.

“Will you guys be setting up your stall tomorrow?” Wu Baoquan asked, slinging a basket over his shoulder, a hint of anticipation in his voice. This kind of work is exhausting—he wondered if Xiucai and Xia-ger would be able to set up their stall.

Ji Rongxia nodded. “We’ll be there, though we won’t have as much food to sell.”

“That’s good to hear. Now that I’ve settled in, I’ll be able to come by often.” Wu Baoquan was satisfied. He slung his basket over his shoulder and led Zhu Pengyi away. Ji Rongxia only breathed a sigh of relief once he was gone.

In just a short while, both Liu Dalang and Guan Hongchi noticed that Ji Rongxia had set up his stall again. Liu Dalang, seeing the fruit drinks, came over with a smile to buy some, while Guan Hongchi, busy cooking noodles, sent his younger sister, Guan Xiaomei, to buy some fruit drinks to take home.

The goods sold out quickly, so Ji Rongxia and Gu Tangjin packed up their stall and returned to the small courtyard.

This time, Ji Rongxia didn’t do anything else; instead, he went to the main dining hall to take a look at yesterday’s menu.

Ji Rongxia looked at the menu boards and muttered, “Braised pork and braised fish are Father’s specialties. Both of us have mastered these dishes, and we have plenty of regular customers who love them, so we’ll keep serving them. Meatball soup is simple and delicious, so we won’t change that either. We’ll definitely keep serving stir-fried greens—we can’t very well not have a vegetarian option. As for the rest, we can make some changes.”

【 Ding! Triggered a random restaurant renovation quest: Design the restaurant menu.】

【 Quest Reward: Ten wooden tables with calming and appetite-stimulating properties (can be replicated to look like ordinary wooden tables).】