The Gourmet Customizer

Zhang Li finished the one-pound fish in just a few minutes. "That was so delicious, Boss! I think this dish could be a permanent fixture in the cafeteria!"

That was true. As long as it was marinated in advance, the final preparation was incredibly simple. Even a kitchen klutz like Ling Shuyu could manage it.

But Su Chen rejected the suggestion.

"You guys don’t want to work in that smell, do you?"

That was a problem.

Restaurants that specialized in this kind of dish were, without exception, filled with an unpleasant odor. Only when you were actually eating the fish could you overwhelm that smell.

Delicious wasn’t a restaurant that specialized in stinky fish, so there was no need to make the place smell like that.

"Alright then!" Zhang Li reluctantly put down the fish plate. "Looks like I won’t get to eat stinky fish anymore. Hey? Teacher Wang is here!"

Su Chen’s gaze immediately shot to the entrance.

It really was Wang Xiaoyi!

’Dammit, I’ve been working my ass off making fish these past two days just for you!’

’For you, I even managed to knock out one of my best goofy generals with the stench. If I can’t complete this mission today, it’ll be a real injustice to me!’

Su Chen pointed at a fish. "Quick, let Teacher Wang have a taste!"

"You got it!" Zhang Li happily carried the fish out.

As for Wang Xiaoyi, she felt something was off the moment she walked in. A faint, elusive stench kept teasing her nerves.

But this smell... with every breath, her body trembled. What was going on?!

Why was she trembling just from breathing?!

By the time Wang Xiaoyi made it into the cafeteria, her legs had gone a little weak. She steadied herself against the wall and sat down at the table closest to the door.

’Damn it! What strange thing has Boss Su made now!’

’To think he’d create a stench I’m so sensitive to. Could it be stinky tofu?!’

No, that wasn’t right.

She had been to food streets several times, and no matter how strong the smell of Changsha stinky tofu was, Wang Xiaoyi had never reacted at all.

Why was she reacting like this just from smelling this stench?!

Wang Xiaoyi clenched her fists, lowered her head, and took a few deep breaths. Only then did she feel a little better.

"Teacher Wang! We’re having fish this morning!"

HISS!

Her just-pacified sensitivity was shattered by the sudden aroma. The scent, both fragrant and foul, shot straight up her nose!

What the hell was this!

How could there be such a strange smell!

"*Whimper!*"

Unable to bear it any longer, Wang Xiaoyi held her breath, lowered her head, and let out a soft whimper. "You... just put it down. Mmm~ I’ll get it myself."

Seeing Teacher Wang’s pained expression, Zhang Li felt a deep sense of pity.

She didn’t know what Teacher Wang had been through, but every time she saw delicious food, she would look so sad, sometimes even shedding tears.

She was clearly such a sweet girl. Sigh!

Casting sympathetic glances back over her shoulder all the way to the kitchen, Zhang Li still felt incredibly sorry for Teacher Wang.

’If only I could feed Teacher Wang every day,’ she thought.

When she turned her head again, she asked, "Boss, what’s wrong with you?"

She saw Su Chen also standing by the door, his eyes glued on Wang Xiaoyi. For some reason, the corner of his mouth was twitching slightly.

"It’s nothing."

Su Chen took a step back.

’I guessed right again!’

’From the moment Wang Xiaoyi walked in, the Delicious Value points haven’t stopped coming...’

’And they’re all critical hits!’

Su Chen stared over with feverish eyes. ’Eat! Hurry up and eat!’

Wang Xiaoyi rested her head on the table for a full five or six minutes before the tingling sensation on her scalp finally subsided.

She lifted her head and looked at the mandarin fish that had sent her into a spiral. The sauce drizzled over it exuded a rich, meaty fragrance.

It was a mixture of pork and fish aromas!

Wang Xiaoyi’s sensitive palate identified it instantly. Meanwhile, the fish meat hidden beneath the sauce was desperately letting out a peculiar smell through the juices.

There was fragrance in the stench, and stench in the fragrance.

It wasn’t a disgusting stench, but a captivating one.

Damn it!

How could such a strange thing exist?

Based on Wang Xiaoyi’s experience, if this thing wasn’t delicious, she wouldn’t have any reaction at all. Since it was affecting her like this, that must mean...

She gently poked it with her chopsticks, and a large flake of fish meat fell away naturally. She soaked it thoroughly in the sauce on the plate, her red lips parted slightly, and the fish entered her mouth.

"*Whimper, whimper, whimper!* Mmm~ Sho good!"

With just one bite, it felt as if all the strength had been instantly drained from Wang Xiaoyi’s body. A tingling sensation spread across her scalp as the savory flavor danced wildly on her tongue. Each chew brought an unprecedented textural experience to her mouth. The dual technique of marinating and then cooking had infused every last fiber of the fish with a unique fragrance.

’I can’t... I can’t... I can’t finish this fish!’

Defeated. Utterly defeated. For the first time, Wang Xiaoyi felt she had truly lost.

She didn’t dare take another bite. Any more and she felt like she would die!

She was completely unaware that her every move was being watched by someone else.

’Ninety thousand experience points? You’ve got to be kidding me!’

Su Chen almost couldn’t keep his balance.

One bite!

Just one bite a moment ago, and a huge number floated through his mind: ninety thousand experience points!

This time, it had directly caused his Level to skyrocket to a new height!

But Su Chen didn’t have time to check the two new Skills he’d activated. He stared over with fervent eyes. ’Eat! Why did you stop eating? You’ll overcome it after one more bite, hurry up and eat!’

If they weren’t so unfamiliar with each other, Su Chen would have loved to pinch Wang Xiaoyi’s cheeks and stuff the fish in her mouth!

An unknown amount of time passed like this. Su Chen was getting anxious just watching. Finally, Wang Xiaoyi in the distance seemed to have made up her mind.

She raised her head once more.

’I can do this!’

Wang Xiaoyi clenched her fists. ’I can definitely do this!’

’I’ve spent a whole week in this kind of torment. Am I going to live like this for the rest of my life?!’

’I can definitely do this!’

She put another piece of fish into her mouth. Wang Xiaoyi’s expression was pained, her brows furrowed, and her legs twisted together, coiled tightly.

’Again!’

What was a pleasure for ordinary people was immense agony for her at this moment. She was clearly enjoying this delicacy, so why did she always have this strange reaction?

’I don’t want to be like this! One more bite!’

In Su Chen’s mind.

The experience points flashed frantically.

Fifty thousand! Thirty thousand!

Ten thousand!

As Wang Xiaoyi swallowed bite after bite, the amount of experience points kept decreasing, until she had swallowed the last piece of fish.

[Delicious Value from diner Wang Xiaoyi +85]

’That’s still a very high Delicious Value. If it were a normal person...’

Su Chen recalled that the first bites from Brother Fang Chang and Zhan Yang had only provided a dozen or so Delicious Value points. That was the normal level.

"Zhang Li, I don’t think Teacher Wang is full. Why don’t you bring her another portion? It seems like no other teachers are coming to eat today."

It was already almost eight o’clock; if they were coming, they would have been here by now.

"Okay, okay!"

Hearing this, Zhang Li couldn’t have been happier.

Seeing Teacher Wang looking like she was moved to tears by the food, she had wanted to ask her to have another portion just now. It was just that it would have been a bit awkward to offer to pay for it herself.

Now that the boss had suggested it himself, it was perfect!

Wang Xiaoyi looked at the fish bones on her plate and let out a heavy sigh of relief.

’Although I haven’t completely overcome it, I’m exhausted enough for today.’

’If possible, I’ll save overcoming this dish for another time.’

Mmm... Wang Xiaoyi rubbed the flesh on her thighs, planning to head to work once she recovered from the intense feeling.

She also took out a small mirror to check if her makeup was smudged or her hair was a mess.

Just as she opened her eyes, an oncoming wave of fishy fragrance stopped her in her tracks.

"Teacher Wang! The boss wants to treat you to another fish! Don’t be shy! Hurry up and eat!"

*Whimper!*

The mirror in Wang Xiaoyi’s hand slipped and fell to the floor. She looked at Zhang Li in terror.

’You’re still smiling?’

’How about you just go die!’