Chapter 162: Random Mission
Shen Lu felt she had uncovered the truth. In fact, her guess was spot on.
Shen Lu sighed. What was missing would have to be supplemented with other things. She hadn’t originally planned on marinating any vegetarian dishes, but it seemed she would have to prepare some after all.
Fortunately, it was still early, so she had plenty of time.
Shen Lu rummaged through the Bai Family’s ingredients and found some dried bamboo shoots, lotus roots, and potatoes. She soaked what needed soaking and washed everything clean, then tossed it all into the simmering marinade.
They didn’t need to cook for long. Just simmer on low for fifteen minutes, then turn off the heat and set them aside to steep until they cooled down naturally.
After handling the marinated dishes, Shen Lu started on the most time-consuming dish: the red-braised pork.
The pork belly was a fresh delivery from that day, still warm to the touch. Shen Lu made quick work of cutting it, then used two pans at once to sear the pieces until they were golden brown.
Shen Lu was an expert at making red-braised pork. Her movements were as fluid as flowing water, causing Uncle Qian, who was also in the kitchen, to glance over frequently in silent astonishment.
’Truly, the new generation surpasses the old,’ he thought. ’This Miss Shen is so young, but her skills at the stove are extraordinary.’
Once the red-braised pork was simmering, Shen Lu turned her attention to the mouth-watering chicken.
She washed the whole chickens clean and placed them in a stockpot, filling it with enough cold water to cover them completely. She added slices of ginger, knotted scallions, and Sichuan peppercorns, then brought it to a boil over high heat. After turning the heat down to medium-low and cooking for another 15 minutes, she turned it off and let the chickens steep for a quarter of an hour.
There was no need to worry about the chicken being undercooked. This method ensured the meat was perfectly cooked through, leaving it tender and juicy.
Shen Lu brought over a large basin of ice water and transferred the chickens one by one into the bath. After letting them soak until they were cool to the touch, she removed them to be chopped and arranged on a platter.
There were eight chickens in total, which filled a massive platter once chopped. The chili oil had been prepared the day before, so now she only needed to season it, mix it with a bit of chicken broth, and drizzle it over the meat to complete the mouth-watering chicken.
The aroma of the chili oil was so potent that even the range hood couldn’t contain it, allowing the scent to permeate the entire kitchen.
Uncle Qian’s Adam’s apple bobbed as his mouth began to water profusely.
’It smells so good.’
’It really smells incredible.’
’Chili oil isn’t uncommon, but this is the first time I’ve ever smelled one this fragrant.’
"Miss Shen, how on earth do you make this chili oil?" Uncle Qian asked.
Shen Lu just smiled, not answering him.
’Is he kidding?’ she thought. ’This chili oil recipe is the final version I perfected after countless refinements. It’s going to be a moneymaker for my shop in the future; how could I just give it away?’
"Master Qian, why don’t you help me taste-test this? I made it by feel, so I’m not sure if it will suit everyone’s palate."
Uncle Qian agreed without a moment’s hesitation. He picked up a piece of thigh meat with his chopsticks and generously coated it in the chili oil sauce, completely covering the white flesh and golden skin.
Up close, the pungent aroma of the Sichuan peppercorns was even more intense. Uncle Qian’s nostrils flared, he sneezed, and then he popped the entire piece of chicken into his mouth.
The numbing spice of the chili oil, the savory fragrance of the chicken broth, and the refreshing tenderness of the chicken itself—every element was perfectly balanced. The three components complemented each other, merging into one. It was no exaggeration to say this mouth-watering chicken was absolutely flawless.
It took immense willpower for Uncle Qian to stop himself from reaching for a second piece. But he was certain that as soon as this dish was served, it would be gone in an instant.
"Miss Shen, your skills are exceptional," he commented honestly. "No wonder the Young Master went out of his way to hire you."
Uncle Qian had been with the Bai Family for twenty years. He was the head chef Father Bai had poached at a high price long ago. Though he’d spent two decades in the Bai Family’s kitchen, he had never slacked off for a single day, constantly researching new dishes and honing his craft.
He believed that even if his skills weren’t the absolute best in the Imperial City, they were at least in the top ten.
That was why he had been so displeased when Bai Lei told him a while back not to prepare too much, as he would be hiring another chef to handle some of the dishes for the birthday banquet.
But now, having tasted Shen Lu’s cooking, he was completely won over. At the same time, a worry crept into his mind: ’Will the Young Master have Shen Lu replace me?’
"You’re too kind, Master Qian," Shen Lu replied graciously. She then had an assistant cover the mouth-watering chicken and set it aside, ready to be brought to the long table when the time came.
[Ding-dong~ Mission issued: Please obtain three-star reviews from 30 diners. Time limit: four hours.]
The sudden mission made Shen Lu freeze. She quickly asked the system what was going on.
Shen Lu: "My shop is closed today. Why are you issuing a mission?"
[Please calm down, Host. This is not a daily mission, but a random mission triggered by the system detecting that the Host is preparing a large quantity of food.]
[There is no penalty for failing a random mission, but there will be a reward for completing it~]
’I see.’
Shen Lu breathed a sigh of relief, her anxiety over the sudden mission finally subsiding.
’As long as there’s no penalty, it’s fine.’
It wasn’t that she lacked confidence in her skills. Rather, it’s notoriously difficult to please everyone, especially a group of young, privileged masters and misses. Who knew if she might accidentally serve something one of them despised?
However, Bai Lei had mentioned there would be about 50 guests. Including the Bai Family members, the total number of attendees should be around 80.
’Getting three-star reviews from 30 out of 80 people... that shouldn’t be too difficult.’
Shen Lu quickened her pace, finishing the spicy crayfish and garlic spare ribs. She then reduced the sauce for the red-braised pork that had been simmering for a long time and asked an assistant to heat up the pumpkin pancakes made the previous day.
At ten minutes to twelve, all six of the dishes Shen Lu was responsible for were complete and were carried one by one to the long banquet table.
Shen Lu rubbed her aching shoulders, sat down on a chair, and let out a long sigh of relief.
’I’m so tired.’
’In the end, this body just doesn’t have enough stamina.’
’Maybe I should make time to go for a run in the backyard every morning,’ Shen Lu planned. ’I can’t just wish for a superpower; I’ll have to find some normal ways to improve my physical fitness.’
Uncle Qian and two assistants sat resting alongside Shen Lu. They had been busy since yesterday and had finally finished preparing all the dishes for Bai Lei’s birthday banquet, an effort that had cost them more blood, sweat, and tears than anyone knew.
However, they couldn’t rest for long. There were still other matters to attend to.
Shen Lu, for instance, still had to wheel out Bai Lei’s birthday cake and join everyone in singing the birthday song and blowing out the candles.
After the cake was served, Shen Lu planned to find a quiet corner to wait. Once the banquet was over, she would be able to leave.
"That’s right, Shen Lu made these dishes." Bai Wanwan grabbed Shen Lu as she was turning away and pulled her in front of a group of people. "If you have any questions, you can ask her yourselves."
Shen Lu looked utterly bewildered. ’Huh? What just happened?’
A few teenage boys and girls, their plates in hand and cheeks puffed with food, stared curiously at Shen Lu.
Bai Lei and Bai Wanwan attended different schools, so Bai Lei’s classmates didn’t recognize Shen Lu. Still, they felt she looked vaguely familiar, as if they had seen her somewhere before.
"Your food is amazing," said a boy well over six feet tall as he took a bite of a chicken leg. "Especially the marinated platter. I just can’t get enough of it."
The others all nodded in agreement.
"Bai Lei told me you have your own shop. What’s it called? I’ll have to come by and try it sometime."
...