The Gourmet Customizer

Although the fish was delicious, with a unique, savory funk, just eating one had left Wang Xiaoyi utterly exhausted. Another one?

’Wouldn’t that kill me?’

"Teacher Wang? Teacher Wang!"

The short-legged girl waved a hand in front of Wang Xiaoyi’s eyes. "Hurry up and eat it while it’s hot! This fish is delicious, you know, and one isn’t very much. You can’t possibly be full!"

Wang Xiaoyi’s brow furrowed. ’If I didn’t know Zhang Li meant well, I’d pin this short-legged girl to the ground and teach her a lesson—otaku style!’

Under the short-legged girl’s insistent gaze, Wang Xiaoyi found it hard to refuse.

’Oh, alright... Just one more small bite should be fine, right?’

"Ngh..."

Another small bite of fish, and a soft moan of pleasure escaped Wang Xiaoyi’s throat.

Since she’d already eaten some, her sensory threshold had clearly risen. While an electric tingle still washed over her scalp, it was more like the feeling of a wooden comb gliding through her hair. It was much better now!

’One more bite!’

This time, Wang Xiaoyi ate the fish much faster, and the tingling, numbing sensation grew fainter and fainter.

’I’ve finally overcome another ordeal!’

’This feeling has been happening less and less lately. And ever since I started eating at Boss Su’s, I don’t get this strange sensation when I eat out anymore!’

’Boss Su is seriously amazing!’

Wang Xiaoyi lowered her head, lost in thought. If that was the case, she would have to come eat at Boss Su’s place more often.

"Teacher Wang, I just thought of a nickname that’s perfect for you!"

Wang Xiaoyi stared blankly at Zhang Li. ’Who comes up with a nickname for someone right to their face?’

"What nickname?" She was still a little curious.

"Little Wilt-leaf! Haha, every time you eat, you just wilt onto the table! So, Little Wilt-leaf!" Zhang Li was so amused by her own joke that she burst out laughing, feeling like a true genius. Only a genius could think of something so clever!

She completely ignored the murderous glare in Wang Xiaoyi’s eyes.

"Little Sister Zhang Li~~" Wang Xiaoyi’s unique voice made its grand return. Her large eyes instantly curved into crescent moons, her tone so cloyingly sweet that it made even a straight girl like Zhang Li’s hair stand on end.

"Little sister~ Can you come over here for a second?"

"Huh?" Zhang Li took a step closer. ’Could it be that she doesn’t like the nickname I gave her?’

"Mmm..." Wang Xiaoyi smiled sweetly as she wrapped an arm around Zhang Li’s waist. Her right hand then slid down and gave Zhang Li’s butt a firm squeeze. "Ooh! Not bad at all! Hehehe..."

Caught completely off guard, the short-legged girl stood there dumbfounded, watching Teacher Wang leave. It wasn’t until a good five or six minutes later that she finally muttered to herself.

"I... I’m no longer pure!"

"Waaaah, Boss, I’m not pure... Where’s the Boss?"

Liu Ahbao had been peeking from the kitchen the whole time, marveling at how fun girls were. ’If only I were a girl,’ he thought.

’I could join in their fun!’

"The Boss? He left a while ago. What did you expect for giving people nicknames when you have nothing better to do?"

"But she really is a Little Wilt-leaf!"

Sigh... Brother Ah Bao shook his head. ’Zhang Li’s brain... she’s probably a lost cause for this lifetime.’

As for Su Chen, he had hastily scrambled away from the second floor the moment Wang Xiaoyi finished her second fish, moving so quickly that neither of the two girls even noticed.

[Congratulations, you have completed the hidden mission ’Peak of Flavor’ and received the reward: Peak of Flavor]

[Reward granted: The Gourmet Practice Room has unlocked SS Level evaluation.]

Seeing this message appear, Su Chen, filled with excitement, went over to his recliner. Now was not the time to enter the Gourmet Practice Room.

He sent Ah Bao a message.

"Bring me a bun, a fresh one right from the steamer. And a tea egg."

The reason the buns and tea eggs from Delicious were enduring bestsellers in the second-floor cafeteria was that they were both S Level cuisine!

Now that he had obtained the Peak of Flavor skill, Su Chen naturally wanted to taste for himself what S Class food was all about!

A moment later, Su Chen picked up the bun before him, broke it in half, and took a bite out of the meatiest part.

He ate that bite with reverence!

’This S Level bun is still delicious, but... I can clearly taste its flaws.’

’The shiitake mushrooms, hot peppers, and minced onion, which I thought were enhancements, now taste like a major flaw in the filling...’

’Because the filling was stir-fried again, the rich, juicy meat that I used to find so satisfying now tastes slightly greasy, and there’s a faint, almost imperceptible flavor of vegetable water.’

Tsk!

With just a single bite of the bun, Su Chen understood the terrifying power of the Peak of Flavor skill.

This S Level meat bun still tasted the same; it was still just as delicious.

But if one were to savor it carefully, one would notice the subtle flaws.

In other words... to an ordinary person, these flaws wouldn’t be considered flaws at all.

’So what if I were to improve upon these flaws?’

Setting that thought aside for the moment, Su Chen picked up the tea egg and peeled its shell.

He bit off half the egg in one go.

’The Coca-Cola flavor is rich, but the sweetness is too overpowering. The tea aroma is authentic, but because it’s an aged tea, the taste is a bit astringent.’

This couldn’t be helped. Even so, the tea eggs sold for five yuan apiece. If they used fresh tea, the cost would skyrocket to a frightening level.

There was, however, a way to remove the astringency. Su Chen mentally filed this away for later.

Immediately, he sank his consciousness and appeared inside the Gourmet Practice Room.

"Pork knuckle, hot peppers, onions, flour."

He knew the recipe for the meat buns by heart and could begin without a second thought. After completing all the preliminary steps, Su Chen paused just before stir-frying the filling.