Chapter 80 - Chapter 80: Chapter 80: Chef (1/2)

Chapter 80: Chapter 80: Chef

Translator: 549690339

Chapter 80: Chef

Xiang Kun had invited Tang Baona, Yang Zhen’er, and Xia Libing over for dinner the next day, which was Tuesday evening, September 3rd.

Initially, Xiang Kun simply planned to buy some beef and make a couple of dishes following a recipe.

However, that’s just his personality. No matter what he starts off doing casually, he soon finds himself deeply immersed, spontaneously wanting to do it better.

Particularly, he had recently developed an interest in cooking.

Indeed, on the very night he promised to make them dinner, Xiang Kun was searching online for suitable recipes and instinctively began to ask them about their preferences via WeChat.

In Xiang Kun’s worldview, there isn’t a universally delicious or perfect dish.

Different people from different regions have their unique tastes, and each individual has their preferences.

Although an excellently prepared dish can typically garner approval from most

people, the level of acceptance can differ. Some might find it “extremely delicious,” others might consider it merely “delicious,” and some might think it’s “acceptable.” There may also be contradicting judgments such as too salty, too bland, too spicy, or not spicy enough.

Most people are not professional food critics with a definitive assessment system. They evaluate a dish based on their taste buds’ initial reaction and subjective judgment.

So, Xiang Kun believes, catering to different people’s tastes by adjusting the flavor of the dish would be a much more efficient approach.

To achieve perfection, he would ideally call the dinner guests to the kitchen, where he’d cook while letting them try – based on their feedback, he’d slowly adjust the flavor and cooking method.

Sure enough, Xiang Kun momentarily entertained this thought but decided it was too extravagant and quickly dismissed it.

Besides, this process might only take a couple of hours or could drag on for much longer. If they felt bothered and casually settled halfway through, the feeling of having something half-done would be even more upsetting for someone like him..

At half-past six on Tuesday evening, after Yang Zhen’er finished work, she picked up Tang Baona and Xia Libing and arrived at Xiang Kun’s house.

The anti-theft door was slightly ajar, and the three women entered directly.

Upon entering, they could already smell the aroma wafting out from the kitchen in the entrance hall.

On the dining table in the living room, aside from the four sets of bowls and chopsticks, there were three large white porcelain plates, all covered by stainless steel soup pots, keeping the dishes beneath them hidden.

Clearly, these were three cooked dishes waiting to be served.

After closing the door, all three women headed straight to the kitchen, curious about Xiang Kun’s bustling activities.

“My goodness, how many dishes are you planning to cook…?” Yang Zhen’er said in astonishment. When Xiang Kun agreed to Tang Baona’s invitation to cook for them the day before yesterday, she assumed it would be at most a couple of dishes made by him and the rest would be takeaway – considering he had just started learning to cook a few days ago and they, too, didn’t have high expectations, and only wanted to coax him into sharing a meal with them.

However, the scene in front of her didn’t quite reflect that of a beginner…

Indeed, Xiang Kun seemed proficient in the kitchen, working rapidly and smoothly, displaying no signs of confusion. His stir-frying was steady and swift, the perfect timing of seasoning, and precise gauging of when to remove from the stove and serve, all without a hint of hesitation. In no time, he was cleaning the wok and preparing the next dish. He appeared more like an experienced chef rather than a cooking novice.

“Four dishes and a soup, I’ll be ready in about 15 minutes. Please wait outside,” Xiang Kun said without turning his head.

He had bought a pile of groceries the day before yesterday and spent a whole day finishing them, tweaking the recipes he found online, adjusting the flavor and cooking process to fit their preferences.

Last night, he had already settled on the recipes for the dishes he wanted to make. Then, this morning, he went out to get fresh groceries, carefully planning the timing. After getting Yang Zhen’er’s message that they were on their way, he began to estimate the time it would take for her to pick up Tang Baona and Xia Libing and then arrive at his place.

Based on this, he planned the timing for starting the cooking.

For the four dishes and a soup, there was a specific order. Some dishes can be kept for a while after cooking to enhance the flavor, while others should be consumed as soon as they are served.

And before he started cooking, he had already organized every step in his mind. He followed through one step after another, like a set program, executing line by line of code. Although there were occasional errors, they were all within his calculations. Before he embarked on each step, he’d already rehearsed the next steps in his mind.

Hence, Xiang Kun seemed calm amidst the bustle in the kitchen, like a seasoned hand at work.

After standing at the kitchen door for a while, Yang Zhen’er couldn’t resist whispering to her friend, “Why does he look kind of handsome when he’s cooking?”

Tang Baona side-eyed her with a chuckle, “Is your ideal man a world-class chef, who’ll one day come find you with a shaved head, an apron, and a dish of braised pork in his hands? …”

Yang Zhen’er gave her a playful pinch, “Hey! Are you making fun of me? He’s your proposed suitor… ”

Xiang Kun, still busy in the kitchen, said without turning his head, “Go to the living room, don’t block the doorway!”

Tang Baona stuck out her tongue and whispered, “Gosh, he’s so mean!” But she still retreated to the living room with Yang Zhen’er.

Xia Libing, however, didn’t leave. She stuck her head into the kitchen and asked, “Can I use your computer?”