Chapter 45: A Brilliant Chef [1]

Chapter 45: Chapter 45: A Brilliant Chef [1]

Xi Yunxui leaned closer to the translucent System Store panel.

The moment the Food Section fully opened, she was greeted by rows upon rows of ingredients.

Her eyes widened.

There were things she recognized immediately.

Fresh vegetables.

Meat.

Fish.

Fruits.

Spices.

Herbs.

But there were also ingredients she had never seen before, some of which carried descriptions that made her curious enough to want to ask questions later.

For now, however, she had a more urgent problem.

She searched carefully.

Her fingers moved across the invisible panel as she scrolled through the available items.

"Where are they?"

She searched again.

Nothing.

Her heart began to sink.

"What if they don’t have them?"

The System remained silent.

Xi Yunxui continued searching.

Then suddenly—

Her eyes lit up.

"There!"

She had found them.

Premium Dried Shiitake Mushrooms + Premium Dried Scallops

Combined Purchase: 6 Affection Points

Xi Yunxui immediately smiled.

The two ingredients she had been desperately searching for were bundled together as one purchase.

She looked at her current points.

Affection Points: 8

She had already spent fifteen points to unlock the Food Section.

That left her with eight.

And the ingredients cost six.

She still had enough.

"Perfect."

She didn’t hesitate.

"I’ll buy them."

[Confirm purchase?]

"Yes."

[Purchase successful.]

[6 Affection Points deducted.]

[Remaining Affection Points: 2.]

The moment the transaction was completed, two neatly packaged ingredients appeared on the kitchen counter.

Xi Yunxui picked them up.

The dried shiitake mushrooms were beautiful.

Their color was deep and rich, and their fragrance was much stronger than the ordinary dried mushrooms she had encountered before.

The dried scallops were equally impressive.

She could immediately tell that they were of excellent quality.

She smiled.

"Now we’re ready."

She no longer had to worry about the missing ingredients.

The mission was still ahead of her.

And she intended to complete it.

---

Xi Yunxui placed the ingredients beside the rest of her preparations and immediately got back to work.

She soaked the dried mushrooms and scallops appropriately, allowing them to soften while she continued preparing the other dishes.

Her movements became increasingly efficient.

She cleaned the fish.

Prepared the meat.

Washed and cut the vegetables.

Prepared the soup base.

Measured seasonings.

Checked the dishes she had already started.

The kitchen gradually filled with delicious aromas.

The gentle fragrance of simmering broth mixed with the aroma of freshly cooked vegetables and tender meat.

Xi Yunxui moved from one counter to another.

Whenever something needed attention, she was there.

She adjusted the heat beneath one pot before turning to another dish.

She checked the soup before arranging the next set of ingredients.

Her newly acquired Multitasking Hands ability made everything even smoother.

She could keep track of several tasks without allowing any of them to suffer.

The kitchen that would normally have required several people to manage now had only one person controlling almost everything.

King C sat quietly on a stool nearby.

At least, he was quiet for the moment.

He watched Xi Yunxui move around the kitchen.

His golden eyes followed every dish.

Every pot.

Every tray.

Every ingredient.

His attention became particularly focused whenever food passed near him.

Xi Yunxui noticed.

"Don’t even think about it."

King C immediately turned his head away.

[I wasn’t thinking about anything.]

"You were looking at the food."

[I was appreciating the Host’s culinary skills.]

Xi Yunxui gave him a suspicious look.

"Keep appreciating from there."

King C sighed.

[Humans don’t understand hospitality.]

Xi Yunxui ignored him.

She had more important things to do.

---

Once the main dishes were nearly complete, Xi Yunxui began thinking about the drinks.

She looked over the table.

The food contained several rich flavors, so she didn’t want to serve ordinary bottled drinks.

That would feel too careless.

Something fresh would be better.

Something that would cleanse the palate between dishes.

She thought for a moment.

"A fruit drink."

That seemed perfect.

She went to the refrigerator.

She brought out several fruits.

Fresh oranges.

Apples.

Pears.

A few berries.

She also found some lemons.

Xi Yunxui washed everything carefully.

Then she began preparing the fruits.

She peeled what needed peeling.

Removed seeds.

Cut the fruits into smaller pieces.

She arranged them neatly on the counter.

King C immediately lifted his head.

[Are those edible?]

"Yes."

His eyes brightened.

Xi Yunxui pointed at him.

"But not for you."

His ears drooped.

[Why?]

"Because you’re already full."

[I’m never full.]

"That is precisely the problem."

She turned back to the fruit.

Using the knowledge she had gained from the Modern Kitchen Appliances Operation Manual, Xi Yunxui brought out the blender.

She examined it for a moment.

The first time she’d seen one, she had wondered whether it was some strange miniature machine used for grinding herbs.

Now she knew exactly how it worked.

She placed the prepared fruits inside.

Added the appropriate amount of water.

Then closed the lid securely.

Click.

She pressed the button.

Whirr!

The machine suddenly roared to life.

King C jumped.

His fur puffed slightly.

Xi Yunxui immediately laughed.

"You’re afraid of that?"

[I wasn’t afraid.]

"You jumped."

[I was surprised.]

"Of course."

[It made a strange noise.]

Xi Yunxui smiled.

"That’s what a blender does."

She allowed it to run for a while before switching it off.

She tasted the mixture.

Then adjusted it slightly.

A little more fruit.

A little less water.

A touch of sweetness.

She blended it once more.

This time, she nodded.

"Perfect."

She poured the drink into elegant glass containers and placed them inside the refrigerator to chill.

---

Time passed quickly.

The clock eventually approached 10:43 a.m.

By then, almost everything was finished.

The dishes had been completed.

The soup was ready.

The fish had been arranged beautifully.

The vegetables had been plated.

The meat had been prepared.

The drinks were chilled.

Xi Yunxui took one final look around the kitchen.

Then she began cleaning.

She washed the utensils.

Wiped the counters.

Returned the ingredients to their proper places.

Checked the stove.

Made sure everything was safe.

She was wiping down the final counter when footsteps approached.

She didn’t immediately notice.

Someone stopped at the entrance.

The fragrance from the kitchen drifted through the air.

Su Meilan stood there.

She stared.

The kitchen had completely changed from earlier.

Everything was organized.

The counters were clean.

The dishes were ready.

Several covered plates sat neatly arranged, while the drinks had already been prepared.

And the aroma...

Su Meilan took a slow breath.

Her eyes brightened.

"My goodness."

She stepped inside.

"So this is what you’ve done?"

Xi Yunxui turned around.

She was surprised to see her.

"Madam?"

Su Meilan smiled.

"I came to check on you one last time before my friends arrive."

She looked around again.

Then she laughed softly.

"Yunxui, you’re truly a blessing to this family."

Xi Yunxui smiled shyly.

"Madam, you’re exaggerating."

"I am not."

Su Meilan looked at the neatly prepared meal.

"The kitchen chefs are very good, but your cooking has a different feeling."

She shook her head.

"It actually makes me wonder why the daycare let you go."

Xi Yunxui smiled awkwardly.

She didn’t know what to say to that.

Su Meilan continued looking around.

"I’ve already instructed several servants to come and help you carry everything."

Xi Yunxui nodded.

"Alright, Madam."

"We’ll be holding the gathering in the garden. My friends should arrive soon, so we’ll eat there."

Xi Yunxui immediately understood.

"Understood."

Su Meilan then glanced down at herself.

She was dressed elegantly for the gathering.

Her clothes were refined without being excessive, and her jewelry matched perfectly.

Xi Yunxui couldn’t help complimenting her.

"Madam, you look beautiful."

Su Meilan smiled.

"Thank you."

She touched one of her earrings lightly.

"I wasn’t sure whether this was too much."

"It suits you."

Su Meilan’s smile became brighter.

Then—

[Ding!]

Xi Yunxui froze.

[Positive feelings detected.]

[You have received 2 Affection Points.]

[Current Affection Points: 4.]

Xi Yunxui’s eyes brightened.

Finally!

She had just spent almost all her points on the ingredients.

Now she had gained two more.

She quietly exhaled.

"Finally..."

Su Meilan looked at her.

"Hmm?"

Xi Yunxui immediately smiled.

"Nothing, Madam."

She glanced at the dishes.

Everything was ready.

The ingredients had been obtained.

The meal was complete.

She had helped Madam Huo.

The mission should be nearly finished.

She could already imagine the reward.

Fifteen percent System Progress.

Her heart filled with anticipation.

She didn’t know that the hardest part of the mission had not yet begun.

Because cooking the meal...

was only the beginning.

The real challenge would be convincing Madam Huo’s notoriously difficult friends to eat it.

And somewhere outside the kitchen, the first car had just arrived at the Huo family’s villa.